F.H.E / M.L.C. / G.C. / Transfers!!!

  One of the families we have been teaching, (Jessica's family) has been awesome!

We introduced to Her and her 3 older boys, and their wives what a "F.H.E". is. We had a fun object lesson and then a game that had them laughing for days! Its called "Splash". We are noticing the fruits from the gospel are becoming part of their lives. It is awesome. We also did service for them. We helped pressure wash their little shop they own. They fed us some real nice "fish cakes" then the fed us lunch. I love this family.

We had another 4 hour M.L.C. meeting over skype and we have been counseling the goals we have set and what could be improved.

I got to do a trade-off with a good friend of mine in the mission (E. Newman).

General Conference was Lit!

We had 7 of our investigators come, and all were stunned and amazed by it! One of the families (Mandla & Kindra) came for one session then left..... They were walking down the street until the both stopped and felt like they needed to go back. They knew when they came back, that this is where they NEEDED to be. The next day we visited them and answered many of their awesome question. The couple looked a teach other and looked at us and said they are seriously considering baptism now. They understand this is the way. The father broke into tears and told us he wants to be sealed and baptize his brother as proxy, who is dead. What a sacred experience.

Going back to conference, I honestly like the new changes. I really feel it is for the best. I felt an honor to sustain President Nelson as Prophet and President of the church. What a GREAT man!

7 new temples!!! India! Russia!! WOW!

President Herrington flew to St. Lucia on Thursday, and we happened to run into him at the airport, and he saw me and decided to tell me my transfer call!!!! I am going to ST. MARTEN! WOW! That will make it my fifth and last island. I am grateful to have the rare chance of visiting, and serving on ALL 5 English islands. St. Marten is actually half Dutch and Half French. It is super tiny  and recently suffered from a category 5 hurricane just a few months ago. I know there will be a lot of service opportunities there. I am excited for it. I will be with E. Larson and he has been out for a few months. I have met him before. Should be fun. I am no longer a ZL. President is giving me a break... ha ha. That's what he says.

The hard part is saying goodbye to the people I have met and come to love. Members have shared the coolest things and and nicest things to me as I prepare to leave. I hope to come back one day.

I love this mission.

I miss you all.

Have a great week!

Weight off of our shoulders!!- Mar 26, 2018

We had some really juicy contacting this week. We found some awesome people that live really close to where we live.

One experience: We just arrived and started to contact some nice looking homes, and on our first house, we got yelled at and rejected then the door slammed. We went on to the next house, then another until we got stopped. The guy from the fisrt house came back to us in the street and apologized for his behavior. It was a very heart warming experience. He told us that he expects everyone our age to be just like the crazy kids that are always in the news (like school shootings). He told us that he was sorry the way he acted because he felt as if he shouldn't have yelled at us or discouraged us cause he knows we are doing: "A Good Service". He recognized that not all people in the world do evil things. We had a great conversation with this man, and he eventually accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon. He is eager to hear our message this week.

We welcomed a new senior couple to the island this week! Elder & Sister Boggs are the new addition to ST. Lucia.

They are from Pennsylvania and they truly love the Lord.

They have now inherited most of our responsibilities and it is awesome! We have time to do things now!

Elder And Sister Fielden here, took them and E. Schmidt and I to "Spice of India" It is a nice restaurant here and we ate some nice Indian food. SO good!

Yesterday, We just happened to meet a couple of tourist from the cruise ship that attended church. One of them was a recent mission president in India, Pakastan, and Bangladesh. Super cool to meet him! It is awesome. We meet so many people from all over the world.

I love and miss you all.

Enjoy the week!

-Elder Jacobson 

18 Months!- March 19th

I hit that 18 Month mark, and I feel pretty good. time goes faster yet trials can get tougher.

I counted a total of seven new bed bug bites on my arm and shoulder. We spent time spying our place with insecticide. When we went to bed that night, and E. Schmidt had an asthma attack, but we didnt know until 4 days later. It was triggered bu the spray.

We went to a medical clinic Saturday to get his cough fixed and we spent 5 hours there! But while in the waiting room, there was a tv playing some movies. I was studying my scriptures when I noticed a new movie came on... I saw : "A long time ago in a galaxy far far away..." OH NO! STAR WARS episode 8 started to play!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHH!  I haven't seen it yet! I immediately left the room! My comp stayed and waited until they called him into the office. So he watched some of it and begged to tell me what he saw! I threatened him not to!!! I must wait for my family!

So, I followed him into the back room to stay with him during his treatment. He had to breathe through a mask for a long time to clear up his lungs, and while waiting...I felt a sting on my belly... I opened up my shirt to find a GIANT CENTIPEDE crawling on me!!! The doctors and nurses there were freaking out! I threw it out and smashed it to oblivion! The doctor kindly brought out some creme for the bite and I am ok. That gave me the creeps. Hopefully I wont die.

We had to go to the hospital to continue his treatment, and my comp stayed the night! I got permission to go back home to get some sleep at the Ciceron elders apartment. It was a crazy day.

We picked E. Schmidt up the next morning and he is ok now.

This week  we got super rejected but are teaching some awesome families.

Our struggle is getting people to go to church still.

We are teaching a family that lives four houses down from where we live and they are amazed from the answers we have. All thanks to the BoM.

We also were told to shop for a new car. We are most likely getting a Hyundia i20 (2018). I want the color white. Cause white cars look nice. ;)

We also drove to Vieux Fort to open a new apartment for a new senior couple. 

I am grateful for this week. I have learned a lot.

I love and miss EVERYONE!

Take care, and stay safe,

-Grant (Elder Jacobson)

Zone Conference / Car Trouble

E. Schmidt and I Prepared for Zone conference and we did a great job I thought.

We lead a short discussion. I learned more about fasting and the power that has. I plan to do more of it this week. Cause I really need it.

We drove President Herrington and his wife around a lot. and on the last day, we had to get up real early to take them to the airport.... but We had a flat tire! So, I got that changed quicker than a Formula 1 Car does.. (LOL) and when kept driving and we got another one!!!!! NO! So, They had to take a taxi instead and we were left in a big mess. When we finally got the car to the  shop, I felt like a mess. Everything got better when one of the mangers there gave us some free hats cause we tried asking for some. So, that made the day. 

I got sick this week and sneezed about a million times. 

Our main investigators are Jessica and Sarah. We are finding their lesson to be powerful and well received. Nigel didn't come to church. We plan on dropping him this week. You cant get baptized even if you do everything and NOT come to church. I KNOW....  and so testify this gospel is true despite the recent struggles.

I love my mission and I am grateful for the trial I have learned so much from. I love the scriptures. My invitation to everyone is to READ them!

I love and miss you all so very much. Have a fantastic week!

-Grant (E. Jacobson)

FLY - IN M.L.C. in Barbados

The week was busy and fun.

We flew from St. Lucia to Barbados for a big Mission Leadership Counsel. I got to see old friends, and meet new elders.

We stayed din a hotel and our room was pretty decent. It was paradise compared to our apartment.

The MLC meeting took ALL-DAY but it goes by fast. I love it. I would do it any day. E. Schmidt and I lead a 30 min. discussion. We shared about "Trust" from the members and how to work with them. It was successful.

After the main portion, Every ZL, STL, and AP drove to "Gun-Slinger Hill". Barbados was just recently dedicated by E. Renlund just 2 weeks earlier here. The ground felt Hollow and peaceful. I do not lie. It was an INCREDIBLE experience. 

We stayed 3 days,2 night s in Barbados then flew back to Lucia safely. Thank you for your prayers.

We visited the Hindu doctor again this week. He invited us on a  walk with family before hand. It was So  fun! There we are, 2 whites guys in a shirt and tie, walking through the bush with this Hindu family of 5.

Nigel didnt come to church, but Sarah and Jessica did! Oh it was wonderful! Everyone one in the branch met them. They are so kind.

President Herrigton fly back to St. Lucia again tonight, and we are gunna pick him up. Zone Conference is tomorrow and it should be fun!

Love and miss you all!

-E. Jacobson

Trade-Off with President Herrington!!

Yeah, We got to contact with my mission president! He is So darn funny! I love it! It was fun to see him see him react to the rejection we face! HAHA! I love him though. I am gunna miss him when he leaves this June.

He flew to St. Lucia for a branch conference too I had to drive him around which was alot of fun. He treated my comp and I to Chinese food. 

While contacting with him for 4 hours, we Contacted into a lesson with a Doctor from India! He is super nice and awesome! He had his parents in town and they are just about the nicest people on the planet. It was wonderful to have President teach and say things in the lesson. The love we all felt at the end was almost over whelming when we all closed in a kneeling prayer. 

I am Flying to Barbados again tomorrow for another fly-in-MLC. They are alot of fun!

Hope you all are doing great and and happy.

Have a fantastic week!

Love,

_Elder Jacobson

Bed Bugs & Beyond!!/ Transfers

Yes sir,

I said bedbugs.

It began with me sitting on my bed on Tuesday morning. I was scratching my arms and I noticed.... I have been itching WAY too much lately... SO, in a fit of RAGE, I threw my sheets off my bed to discover piles of living bedbugs underneath the second mattress. We later discovered they were on my comps bed as well as mine.

Well, I just about fell apart after that. It is hard  when you dont know where you are gunna sleep. Just puts a lot stress on your shoulders.

Well, We demolished the room and cleaned from head-to-toe. I drenched the place with poison and we rushed out to purchase new mattresses and take all of our clothes to a cleaning place.

We were very blessed when the store stayed open 30 minutes later just so we could pick up our new mattresses. As for the old ones, We put them right at the curb and the next morning they were gone! Which means... Someone stole them!!! Gross!

Here is a thought from my dad he sent me a few months ago:

 My mind was drawn to a scripture from the Old Testament in Ecclesiastes 5:12 where it reads, "The sleep of a labouring man is sweet..."  Sometimes it's difficult to sleep or rest with so much responsibility placed upon us at times, but the Lord's promise is that as we faithfully labor in His service, we will have a "renewing of [our] bodies"  

This promise was fulfilled Tuesday night. Everything has been taken care of.

E. Schmidt and I spent a lot of time searching for an new apartment for 2 new sisters that will be coming to our district. It has been super hard, but we manged.

We also got transfers an nothing is changing except 2 new sisters coming to the district and they are super chill. 

We  taught some cool lessons this week. We might be dropping Nigel. It is just so HARD to get people to commit to church!

I love and miss  you ALL back home. Have a great week!

Goodnight, sleep tight and dont let the Bed bugs bite!

-E. Jacobson