July 30th, 2012

Things of coarse have been pretty crazy with the pageant and trying to keep our area progressing but everything is going great!   We set a baptismal date with Jerry for the 18th and he's pretty excited.  We had an awesome lesson with him and he really opened up it was great!    We got some referrals from the pageant that seem really promising.   It is a family of three and then one other friend and they want a group lesson.  They went to the pageant a few weeks ago and I guess they were slow at getting us the referral because they called Nauvoo and asked where we were that they have been waiting for us to come teach them. Ha!  That was pretty cool!   We have our first lesson with them tomorrow so we'll see how things go.  The zone leaders mentioned that it seems like President Jergensen is preparing us for future leadership positions by making us work the pageant.  It takes time away from our area and so the work is of coarse slowed down because we're gone.  But we have been doing a great job at keeping the work going, just like when zone leaders and district leaders have to be gone from their areas all the time.   It's been so great to be a part of the pageant and to talk with so many different people.  I was able to go to the temple for the first time on my mission on Monday and it was awesome!   We did initatories and an endowment it was so great to go through the temple again.  We went on exchanges in Keokuk on Thursday and Friday up until the pageant we had a blast!   We taught their investigator who has a baptismal date for this Saturday.   It was a fun lesson she's a strong willed person and knows what she wants she doesn't like a lot of questions and of coarse I love asking questions! =)   It was pretty funny.   Then later that day she called the Keokuk elders and asked if she could have another lesson the next day... and wanted to know if I could be there haha... she had a friend over that was a member and they apparently looked me up on facebook and everything it was pretty funny! =)  I talked to her after the lesson the next day and she said she didn't start the stalk but she said I'm not finished with it yet either... hahaha not really sure how to take that but oh well. =)   Things are going  good and I'm loving it of coarse!   Hope all is well back home.

Love Elder Jach

July 16, 2012

Things are going good Nauvoo was awesome!   It's so fun to see all the people there and to talk with people who actually know who we are and what we're doing  Ha ha!  There were a lot of non members there as well which was great.  I actually got 2 people to sign up for the missionaries to come to their houses.  I've been making a lot of friends too.  I've met the guy who plays Joseph Smith and his wife and they both know me by name now and say hi every time they see me.  I've met a lot of the other actors and people as well and they are all so willing to help with whatever we need its great.  One cool thing I didn't realize is that all the actors for the pageant have been set apart to be missionaries for these 2 months.  That's pretty cool!   On a less positive note we had a less active sister and her investigating sister storm out of church on Sunday because the people passing the sacrament didn't offer them any.  They were pretty upset especially the less active sister.  So we might of lost our investigator, which would stink because she was doing really well.  I'm sure everything will work out the way its suppose to as long as we follow the Spirit and do what our Heavenly Father would have us do.  Thanks everyone for your love and support I love you all.

Love Elder Jach

July 9th, 2012

As for the mission things are going great!  We had the 4th, the fireworks were lame ha ha but that's ok!   We had a lot of fun hanging out with the ward and playing some softball then we went to Geode park and had a BBQ with Becky and her family.  We found out about the pageant and what we're going to be doing.  We have to be down there at 6 to have a meeting with the cast and than we go out at 7 when all the activities start and talk with people and try and get referrals and just answer questions and be friendly.  This week we go down Tuesday Wednesday and Friday but it switches after that.  It will be good to get down there and good to have a lot of time in our area still.  Even though we have to leave our area at 4 30 and eat dinner before that,  ha ha .  So busy days for July but it will be good.  We had a pretty busy week with the 4th and than our meeting in Nauvoo but it was still a good week.  We found 2 new investigators that have been taught before but we had an awesome lesson with them and they said if they get baptized they want their son who is a member in Colorado to do it.  So that was awesome than the guy said that whenever he prays he always thinks of us and he doesn't know why.  It was sweeeet!  Everything is going great, some days are tough but its those days that make all the rest easy.

Love Elder Jach

July 2, 2012

Things are going great other than the temp!  It's been really hot here and then humid as well so just miserable to go outside.  Luckily we had plenty of miles for the car so we didn't have to worry about walking anywhere.  Even then we would get out of the car for 2 minutes and when we got back in it's like it had been sitting in the sun for hours! Haha, but oh well!   It was kind of a slower week, we had interviews and than district meeting so we were gone for two days.  I love interviews President Jergensen always knows how to brighten your spirit.  This week is going to be crazy we have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it!   Especially with the 4th and not being able to set up appointments with people but luckily we get to have a BBQ with one of our investigators as well as a big breakfast with the ward so that day should be a blast!   We go to Nauvoo tomorrow for a meeting to figure out what's going to be happening and what we're going to be doing so it will be the first time I get to see Nauvoo I'm definitely excited!!!   I'm so happy to be able to be out here to serve these wonderful people and create so many great friendships.  I love you all and would love to hear from you so write me!!!!!!!!! =)

Love Elder Jach

June 25th, 2012

June 25, 2012

As for the mission it's been a great week!   The baptism went well.  It's so great to witness someone coming unto Christ!   She's gonna be a strong member.  Her confirmation was a little crazy though.  The guy who was supposed to confirm her was the same guy who baptized her but he showed up late to the baptism and than didn't even show up for the confirmation.  He said his car wouldn't start but he lives by a few members that easily could've given him a ride plus he didn't even let anyone know he wasn't going to be there  ugh!   But other than that it went great.  We had some great lessons with our investigators this past week found out a lot of their concerns and will hopefully be able to help them progress more fully now.  We went to teach a less active woman from brazil and her husband who's not a member ended up asking us a lot of questions and mentions that he's not ready to get baptized "yet" ha and said he would love to have us come back again and that he thinks we are great guys and loves the light in our eyes when we talk about the gospel.  He knows a lot about the bible and wanted to go to school to be a pastor but ended up going into the NFL and played for the Atlanta as QB and that slot receiver but only played for a little while.  He's a really nice guy and has some real potential.  The weather here hasn't been too hot and we've had some pretty good storms.  Last Saturday we had a really good one.  A big dark wall of clouds moved in and a down pour of rain.  We had a tornado warning and everything but luckily we live in a school so we just went home and hung out for the night.  I really want to see a tornado but apparently I'm not supposed to because the last town I was in never had tornados and apparently this one doesn't either  lame! haha but oh well.  Remember to pray often for all you need and to give thanks for all you have!

Love Elder Jach

June 19, 2012

It's been a pretty crazy week!  We went on exchanges in Keokuk and than had zone conference all day Friday.  So we were gone out of our area for 2 days but surprisingly we still did really well.  We got a baptismal date scheduled for Sandy she is getting baptized this Saturday the 23rd.  So excited she's still nervous and feels like its going to be a huge change in her life.  We keep having to remind her that she's already been coming to church for 3 years and keeping all the commandments and the only thing that is going to change now is that she is going to be a member of the church and she'll finally have the gift of the holy ghost!!!  Some sad news, we found out one of our investigators cant be baptized for a while.  She is married but her husband took off to Mexico and started a new family there and won't sign the divorce papers.  She is dating someone else and already has 2 kids with him but cant marry him because she cant get a divorce.  Quite frustrating if you ask me!   Either way she's interested in the gospel and wants to learn more so I'm sure once she gains a testimony that she will start working harder to get that divorce so that she can be baptized!   A few of our other investigators are slowly progressing but are definitely still progressing so that's good.  It's so exciting to see the change in peoples lives as they come unto Christ!    I'm so blessed to be able to be out here and serving the lord.  It really is such a privilege!  I love you all and happy fathers day!

Love Elder Jach

June 11, 2012

As for the Mission, things are going great!  This area is booming with growth!  We got 2 new investigators this week so that makes a total of 11.  SO cool!   5 of them will be baptized within the next 2 months and 3 of those 5 should be this month.  It's so cool to see the progression of things and the change that the gospel brings to peoples lives.  Elder  Kirton is from Draper Utah.  He's a pretty cool kid, we've been getting along great and working hard.  I'm definitely excited to go to Nauvoo!   We drove past it on the other side of the Mississippi the other day it was a pretty cool site.  I'm excited to get to go there everyday in July and to be able to help set up for the pageant.  This new area is so good and the Ward here is really nice.  It's a little different being back in a Ward instead of a Branch but I like it.  Definitely miss my families in Manchester.  One of our investigators named Sandy has been investigating for quite a while.  She's been coming to church for 3 years, haha but just recently excepted the lessons from the missionaries.   She should be getting baptized on the 23rd of this month and one of the less actives in the Ward, her sister, is a new investigator that we have been teaching and I think she will be baptized this month as well along with their friend that decided she wanted to learn too.  They have both been reading the Book of Mormon and we have an appointment to teach them this week.   We usually see them more than once a week because of the less active sister so it will be even better to get over there now!   Well that's most of what's going on here in Burlington.   I'm loving it and am so excited to serve! Mosiah 12:27  I'm gonna be ripped! haha ;)

Love  Elder Jach