Cuando yo era un nina, yo tuvo suenos. Pero ahoRA MI SUENOS SON mayor! (These never make sense)‏

What up what up yall!

Sounds like Turkey day was awesome and black friday. What the Fetch is up with the Broncos! Tebow! Mi otro Amor! Hey what is happening with the COLTS! Hmmmmm! I´ve heard nada. Only that the Jets are sucking it up this year.

Did Blake get married while he was out in Oregon? Blake here is a quote for you by me. " Have you seen my handwriting! It looks like a cat dragged it´s butt over it!" Hehehehe I thought it was funny. I was writing in my journal and I thought of what my future generations are going to say about the handwriting and a cats butt came into my mind when I read the quote by you " It´s like knawing on a cat´s but!" So yeah...

Cambria what size of shoes do you wear now? If you are wearing mine thats all kinds of crazy! I am so proud you are not failing. Maybe my prayers for you and math are working! lol

Bret, oh how I enjoy your letters and it makes me feel good that I am not the only one being rejected by the children of God and I seem to not be able to find families either. The problem here with families is that you have to find their other wives or husbands divorce them...marry them to the person they are living with and then baptize them. Sighhh.... Brett, courageously follow the spirit. It is hard to recognize at first cause you think oh man was it the peppers I´m feelin or what! Nahhhh you´ll get good at it, have faith. Just like someday my Spanish will come. lol

So last Monday my zone and I paintballed it up, in an actual arena. I thought I was in call of duty. I was wearing camo and a mask and with a paintball gun. Me and the elders kicked trash, the other hermanas screamed. I was shooting like a mad woman. Too fun...Tooo many bruises. Ahhhh wellll!

On Tuesday I had immigrations. So I had to get on a bus at midnight travel for eight hours listening to horrible English movies with sooo much language it was ridiculous. I read the lines in Spanish and it was so much nicer in Spanish. Trashy. Got to the Panama City took some pictures signed some stuff. Went to the Mall. Had Taco Bell. Went to the Mission office. Got some mail. Saw a Map. Got on the Bus again and traveled for 8 more hours back. But this creepy man was touching my hair so I had to move closer to an Elder. Geeeoooo.

I was deep tired this week. You´d think I´d be able to sleep now that I work all day. Nope. My problem is that I am worried about the next day and my investigadores..etc... Grrr someday my Sleep will come! (At death, and then I got to go to work in the Spirit Prison) Alot of walking. Alot of Rejecting. Alot of dropping investigadores who are not progressing. I did met a sweet Canadian girl who is so cute and pregnant. She speaks English Spanish and French, She is from the French side of Canada. We speak to her in Spanish and when she doesn´t understand some thing I tell her in English. And she spoke to me in French and I understood her. What the Crap! Weird...

We have three baptisms coming up in December. I am excited for that!

I have ugly tan lines on my feet. I keep switching shoes everyday do make it look better but it is not helping. Spray tan later in life will fix it.

So during my study this week I was wondering when Fasting started because it isn´t really mentioned until the New Testament. Like it never said that Adam did any fasting. But in our bible dictionary it said that it was most likely that Adam and his generations did it. I was like sweet! So yeah just a random fact I was wondering about.

Ok so Jesus the Christ! I was rereading a part that was talking about where everything was located in Nephite times. It was in South American and Panama! And then the eventually moved up to North America! But I knew Panama had to be apart of History! Mmmhhmmm

Well I don´t have much to say today! Hope you are all well and are doing great. Love ya and Miss ya...but not enough to come home!

--
Hermana Channing Jackson

Interviews in David

¡ Que Felices Recuerdos!‏

What up yall!

Ohhhhh man everyone seems to be doing great. Nicole is getting married on Cambria's birthday.

Brett sounds like he is having one heck of a time. O by the way Brett, that Spanish song Senor Te segiure is Lord I will Follow Thee. I am getting to the point of figuring out the song titles because I can't read music. Heeehheee I look like an idiot when me and my companion sing.

Ohhh Black friday. That's weird. These months are flying by. I celebrated my 4th month birthday yesterday. I even got a cookie with a candle in it. They celebrate that kinda stuff in the mission.

Blake is doing what now? Is he graduating this semester or no?

Cambria is seriously a brave soul I would rather die that lead the music. Gahhh...

Oh mom...Mary is on top of the Facebook thing she has been changing addresses and stuff for me. If you want her to post anything facebook her.

Ashley needs to get water shoes. That is basically what we use everyday. They have cute ones too like they look like legit shoes. She might have to order them somewhere. One girl I know ordered her shoes from China...So who knows. Best of luck to her. She needs some good ones for the water.

Well this week consisted of a ton of rain and a ton of walking. I felt like Brett last week. A ton of walking around and no suceess. The rain was soooo ridiculous this week. I am on my fourth paraaqua Umbrella. I had a beauitful one in Santiago then the Elders lost it at cambios along with my Spanish English Dictionary! Grrr So Here in David I bought a black one thats stick part broke because I beat a dog with it that was attacking me.

Then I bought a new black one and this week we were heading to one of our areas and it started raining hard. You know the usual.....Then this gust of wind came and my paraagua flew up and broke off. The top part. I screamed SHANNNNAAAAAZZZZZZZZ! Confound this blasted wheather of SAAATTAAANN! My nanny nun bun of a hair do was flying everywhere and wet againsty my face. My back pack was drenched and dripping down my skirt. The water that dripped down my skirt got on my rash in the butt crack and it burned like crazy and I was walking like a duck to avoid the pain. Then this car drove past me and the water splashed on me! And during the course of all this my peds some how ended up clear by my toes and not on my feet. Needless to say I threw my umbrella on the side of the road marched across the raging river of water across the street into a store and bought a new one. IT better last for a while. hehehe

This week we did exchanges and I went with a north american named Hermana Fannin. She is really nice and talks a great deal. I call this Day the Title of Liberty because we basically defended our God, our family slash race. our Religion and our lives. We went to her Area and it was a really interesting day.

We did alot of contacting and met some interesting people. One lady was super nice and we taught her about the First Vision and then she asks us a question. What is Gods name? I was like what the? Then she showed us a scripture in Psalms I think and it said something about Jehovah. She said everyone has a name...it is Jehovah. I was like well actually that is Jesus. Well I told my companion to say it. She kept on asking what is his name. I was like whoaaaa lady how on earth is knowing his name or whatever going to change your way of thinking about Him and how on earth does this matter to your salvation. It was weird I think she was a J. Witness. I cant spell Jehovah. Is that right?

Anyway....Then during another contacting session we ran into this man who just railed on us about how we worship Joseph Smith and that we are a church of Man, and that we love having a ton of Wifes, and just horrible horrible things. Well The spirit was bam and we told him what is up and said let us set the record straight and he kept interrupting our testimonies. Then he said you North Americans think you are sooo much better than us and thats why you are here to try and change us and you don't even care. I was livid. OOOOOO SNAP! Then we said listen... Contention is of the Devil and have a great night. He was screaming what did you call me.... hahahaha I prayed for that man's soul.

Then after this...I am wondering if I should save this story for after the mission....its not like I had a gun to me or any of that nonsnese. But anyway I will tell it and you don't have to share it with others. There was this drunk guy following us after our contacting session and he was saying beautiful women wait for me. Well I was told by the spirit to walk faster and to go down this road. Me and my companion booked it and I heard him say ooooohhhhh your walking faster huh. We walked faster...The Spirit was telling me where to go and we got to a place that my companion had never been before I looked back and the guy was no where in site but I knew we had to go home....Then the spirit told me to wait and grab the next Taxi. My companion started to head back to the way we came and I told her to stop and then a Taxi came. The first car to go by there. We jumped in the taxi so fast. I was like goood heavens. I just know I am being protected out here. The weird thing is is that I wasn't scared. I was calm and did what I was told to do. It was a crazy day of exchanges for sure.

So one thing I have been doing is going after the Less Actives. I was looking through the area book and I came across a family name and I was, "Hermana we need to visit these people I have a strong feeling to do so". Well we went out to the Area and it took forever to find the address and we knocked on the door and all these people came out. They are the Gomez family and they have been inactive for awhile because...the Lady Beatrice can't walk she sits in a chair all day and her family has to help her go to the bathroom. She reads her scriptures everyday and prays like crazy. She really wants to go to church but physically can't. I almost started crying. Her Faith was sooo inspiring. I will be talking to the bishop to make sure she gets the sacrament out to her. Poor lady.

Oooo you know your heart is in the mission when your dreams are all about contacting tracking and Libro de Mormon..... Lol

Well I hope you all are doing well and have a happy Thanksgiving! I love you all and miss you, but not enough to come home!

--
Hermana Channing Jackson

This week on...¨"Our feet are Wet, but Our Message is True"‏

Hola!

Wow Mother your email was all kinds of long and full of so much info. I might have to print it out. I hope the packages get here. I was talking to an hermana and she said she got her Christmas package in April. Hehehe. Who the womp knows! Well the Valley sounds charming as ever. Lots of stuff going on. Wow Whitney Canty is going on a mission. That's cool! So many kids from the Valley. Awesome.

Brett you whale of a Tale you! How everything is going good for you down there. I really like trios. Less talking lol. You inspire me as always. Hope things look up. Personal Revelation is legit. Jesus the Christ is awesome and I am currently reading Drawing on the Powers of Heaven by some dude. It is really good. I have been really concerned about my gifts, weaknesses, and strengths. It has always been hard for me to recognize my strengths and the gifts, but I can always point out the weaknesses. I have been able to see everyone else's but mine. There is this line in the book that truly inspired me. So we always pray for certain gifts in my case the gift of tongues because I am so bad at Spanish and I am just not getting it. I pray and pray and study and study and just nothing is clicking. but then in the book it says ask for the gift and tell the lord how it will benefit you and how you will use it. Hmmmm I never thought of being specific. So I was like I would like the gift of tongues so I can use it to preach to these people in their own language to bring them unto Christ and basically change lives. So I did just that and in a week I have noticed a huge difference.

So I currently have a cold. Lol. Satan just won´t leave me alone but it makes me feel good cause he knows how great I can become. But it all started after a reaction I had. So during this week while visiting a member they gave me this fruity drink I didn't think much of it. They said there was no coconut in it so I thought I would be fine. Well I took a drink and thought....hmmm this is the nastiest thing I have ever put in my mouth. They the throat started swelling, my face got puffy, coughing, wheezing, and basically dying. Turns out I am allergic to Nance, a bitter gross tasting fruit. Hermana Robinson calls it Nasty Nance because it is so gross. As soon as we left I grabbed my inhaler and tried to calm down. I take my pills every day but my reaction got the better of me. And then after that I have got a really bad cold. But mehhh all is well.

So last Monday we went to Boqueti which is like a Creede, but better. It is is the mountains of David and beautiful. A ton of white people on retirement. Its like the place to be. I can see why. Its cooler and not hot at all. I loved it. There are parks, shops, gardens, rivers, waterfalls, and it is just beautiful. We got on a bus there and headed to the mountains/jungle. O man I was in paradise. There was this abandoned Castle than this man started but never finished. It is sweet. We went looking for the waterfall but didn´t make it in time and had to turn around but we will go back.

The teaching this week was pretty fun. Lots of crazy people and people who are soooo close to beginning to see the truth. I love the people here. There was one lady. Yajaira. She is 30 something and a mother and we have been teaching her and she is really confused because she feels so good about this church but she remembers the teachings of her parents. When we walked into her house 2 nights ago I was like whoa the spirit is here. Whoa....I am understanding every word of Spanish and saying things I have never said before....whoa she is crying....whoa we are all feeling the Spirit right now....Whoa did I really just say all that in a prayer. Are we all walking away feeling so happy. Weird, but totally awesome. Dang it I am home now and I can´t understand Spanish...grrr.

So I finally learned how to study. I wish that I went on a mission along time ago. I probably wouldn´t have gotten that 20 percent on my math test in college. So much to learn and only a life time to learn it. Oooo man I love learning and reading. I wish there was more time to studying. I can´t get enough of it.

Blake I met a ton of Tongans from San Fransisco. One of them says that his uncle is the branch president over the Fijian ward right now. They don´t know you but they know where you served. Cool huh!

Met Nicole´s fiances ex girlfriends brother. He is in my zone. I laugh.

Hope every one is doing great. Keep up the work because we are all apart of this great work and the missionaries need your help.

A quote by my main man Bruce R. McConkie ¨" Perhaps what is wrong is that we have not desired in faith with all our hearts to bring souls into the Kingdom. Perhaps we have not made up in our minds that we can bring people into the church.¨"

Te Amo! Nucna lo Olvido! I miss you all but not enough to come home!

--
Hermana Channing Jackson

Ha! The City? Try 8 hours away and next to Costa Rica.‏

Greetings from David!

So yes indeed I got transferred. It was hard to leave Santiago because of the members recent converts and the Robinsons and Herman Hurst, but is was time to go. I have some pictures I am sending of me and the Robinsons and the Otero family. I look like crap ion the pictures because of sweat and rain. So perdon.

So I went to Cambios and the President told me I am putting you somewhere close by because of your stomach issues. I am like sweet. I look up at the screen during changes and it says David! I was like whatt.........! Don´t get me wrong I´ve been wanting to go to David since I´ve got here. Everyone talks about it. Because it is near the mountains and 10 times cooler. So I was to meet my companion there in David. I rode with a group of elders and another Hermana. The bus ride is 8 hours and more because of stops. I almost threw up. Thank heavens for motion sickness pills. I need more. But it was pretty entertaining because Unstoppable was playing in front of my seat. They play movies alll the time here. And there is not much we can do. So I got to David at 2:00 in the morning. Totally tired. And then I saw my companion and I was alright another Latina. I can deal with this.

So she speaks alot of English. She has learned alot here. I do I describe her? Basically our personalities are very different. I mumble and don´t talk that much unless I have something to say and don´t like to touch people, while she is a touchy feely person and loves to talk.

My area is disorganized. Almost 50 attend church while there are hundreds inactive. This place needs to be fixed and we are going to do it. I wish I could be the bishop for a day and tell the members and people what is up because everything is messed up. So I have some ideas and I am going to fix that area book because it needs alot of work.

Ahhhh David. I like it. It's super hot, really nice area, and it rains so hard that your body is soaked in 10 secs.

Funny story about the rain so my companion and I forgot the umbrella again and the keys and her planner...I digress...So it was raining like crazy and she said well what do we do because we were in this ladys house. Ummm we are going to walk in it and face the consequences. I walked out there and looked like a wet shitshu...Or how ever you spell that. Gahhhhh it was crazy. And since my one skirt is falling off my butt because of the weight loss, my skirt was so heavy with water that while we where going up a hill my skirt fell down and the G´s were hanging out. I was like fan freaking tastic. Welcome to my life. Hahaha

Lets see some random things about David. There are a ton of Catholic and Evangelists. And each one hates the other and totally bashes one another. I was talking to this man the other day and he said he left the Catholic church because his preacher married to gay men and that they are baptizing babies who have not commited sin. I was like hmmmmm interesting. I met with an Evangelist and she was crazy and decided she wanted to preach to us. I not being able to understand a thing just sat there. Then she pointed at me and said ¨you don´t know God loves you or what Jesus did for you. I said in English wanna bet? She said Como? Oh yeah I need to say something is spanish so I told her my testimony I was shaking because she got me all riled up and then she stopped and said mmmhhhmmmm the El Espirtitu. She said the Spirt gave me the ability to speak spanish in that moment. Pfff.

In church there are alot of cell phones and breastfeeding. There is nothing like taking the sacrament with a lady sitting there beside you breastfeeding and sliding the tray over her chest. Gahhh! No coverage blanket, no nada.

Here in David we have a cook. She is super nice and makes a ton of food. She like so many other people here in Panama have Gastritis and Ulcers. She has the same pills as me and yet they do not change their eating habits. But she cooks me special food for my stomach. My stomach by the way is getting a little better. It still hurts but I am dealing with it.

My apartment is sketchy. I walked in this morning and found a cockroach being devoured by ants by my peanut butter. I have a phantom gecko too. I sing to him. He kinda sleeps near my head. He´s yellow with big black eyes. Cold showers that sometimes have water.

Lots of Lizards, Turtles and Gators! I met a lizard on the road the other day who could have been a a fetchin kamono dragon. Gahhhhh I don´t like it. No snakes yet....or never hopefully.

Brett sounds like you are living a legit life. Thanks for the Plabras de Sabidurias as always. Keep reading Jesus the Christ I just got past the atonement and stuff and it is crazy. I will never understand why Judas did what he did.

But anyway. So mom you are allowed to send 3 food items per package and to the same address. So bring on the Captain Crunch and Nature Valley Bars and a 5th avenue! Thanks for doing the music and getting the speakers. And so I have to send the letters I want to people in the States to you just taped up or in envelopes? I don´t want you reading the one to my novio in the eastern states! Hehehehe

I need to send a package to you guys with some stuff do I send it to PO Box or our home address? Also I hope your trees are growing because I will bring a hammock back home and chill in it in like 2 years.

So I am doing great. I am about to take over Panama and fix it up.

Love you guys! Yo le Extrano Bastante pero......Not enough to come home! Paz mi gentes....Paz....

--
Hermana Channing Jackson

Changes in the City!

Hey I am using my debit card to buy a backback and stuff. I am heading for Changes in the City ! I will email in my new area next week I think!

--
Hermana Channing Jackson

Jackson? Como Michael Jackson? Si! El es mi Primo que esta Muerto!‏

Sup,

Sounds like there is all kinds of things going on at home. Halloween is today and it is actually celebrated here. Weird but yah. Panamanians love parties and holidays! Seriously I am kept up half the night because of there music and laughter and fireworks. I see fireworks all the time outside my window. On Friday night they were actually playing music I knew. Some Celion Dion! And I was singing outside the window. Yes I was in Babylonia for a minute or two. "Its all coming back to me!"

Mother. Ok why are you downloading? I have everything on my computer. Go to the itunes on my computer with my hard drive and drag the two playlists Instrumental and Gospel to the Ipod and you are done. Then you are finished.

Oh I also have an idea for you for a craft or art project in Young Womens. So I have been working on home made book covers and scripture stickers in my free time at night. What I do is take pictures from magazines, Ensigns, Liahonas, etc... cut out my favorite pictures pasted them how I want then on a notebook journal or planner, then I cover it with that clear book cover stuff I used for school all the time. Sometimes I remove the spirals because it is easier. For stickers you cut out the picture put in on the clear covering, make sure you rub it so there are no bubbles, then you soak it in water for 15 minutes. Then you gently rub away the thick layer of paper until it is just a clearer version of the picture. Then you just wipe dry it and stick it where you want it. I will send pictures. It's really fun creative and hey my scriptures and study journals are cool now. I am sure if you research this on the internet you can have better instructions.

Oh I forgot to tell you about my apartment. It is better than Aspen Village and that is saying something. I do get to use a washing machine at the Robinsons which is better than the weird sink we are suppose to wash it in. I have two refrigerators, there are desks, chairs, beds, dressers, a freezing butt shower (loathe it) etc... I don't mind it at all. No oven or microwave but I use the Robinsons. I'ts been pretty legit setup. Alot better than Brett's I am sure. lol Brett I too am reading Jesus the Christ. Love it! I really liked chapter 17 notes about happiness vs. something. Genius I tell you. I have a 100 pages to go and I am finished. I started it three weeks ago because I finished all the rest of the books. I read alot here when I get the chance. I gotta keep up my reading habit or I will never be a Librarian. After Jesus the Christ I am going to take the challenge of reading the Bible all the way through along with my daily reading of the book of Mormon. mmmmmhhmmmmm.

So on the medical side I am doing better getting around and stuff. I have to be extremely careful what I eat or I will have the most excruciating pain. I had one last night from a handful of popcorn and I am avoiding Carrots. Ouch! I just eat potatoes, bread, soup, and some dry cereal every once in a while. I can feel my chin bone again! whoop Whoop! I've lost 15 pounds since the start of my mission. Don't get me wrong I am still in the bloating Cow range but I will hopefully get down a little bit more.

So during this week I've had some interesting experiences. We went out knocking on doors and we came across these two Catholic ladies. Hardly any teeth and chatty as ever. I couldn't understand a word they were saying. But after the end of the lesson I was asked to say the prayer. So I started praying and I noticed I wasn't the only one speaking. I was like "What the fetch is happening" I heard. "Oh bless us Senor!, Mmmhhhmmmm Bless her Lord! Gracious! Mmmhhmmmm." Well me being a tad bit freaked out peaked open my eyes to see that is was the lady next to me clutching her cross and throwing her hands in the air. I said a pretty fast prayer. I couldn't concentrate. Hahaha It made me laugh.

We also visited this lady who lives on this huge hill by the Catholic Temple. She was super nice and had her granddaughter with her who asked some strange questions. We where teaching the Plan of Salvation and the Topic of Hell came up. Well the little girl said. "I heard that when we go to hell they put us in a frying pan with oil and burn and the fire comes around us." It was a tad bit weird. We were like ummmmmm nooo.

The little ol lady loved me for some reason. She had a picture of Michael Jackson in her House and she asked if I was related. Alot of people ask me that here. So I say the phrase that I titled my email with. Well when we started to leave she grabbed my hand started petting it and It was getting really awkward so I went in to say the usually goodbye "Chio" with a smouch noise after but this lady had a different way of saying goodbye to the Gringa. This lady grabbed my face and kissed me straight on the lips. I was like "UGHHHHHHHHHH" What the Womp just happened" Then she grabbed my hand and led me out the door. She gave every one else in our trio a kiss on the cheek. I was pretty freaked out. Of course it would be me.

We also visited this family the other night with a Dad who would not for the love of all shutup. He was always interupting and telling us about the Word of God. etc...etc.. "Mirrar, Mirrar...Eschuchme blah blah blah...rude ole fart basically. Well he liked to pick on me the gringa in the group. He said Will I go to the Catholic Church this Wednesday with him. I was like No. He said why! Diga me! I was like oooo heavens here we go. So I said I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is true and that there is no doubt in my mind. No duda en mi Mente yo ! I told him my purpose here and just basically testified. Well it sure shut him up. Basically I karate chopped it!

So yeah needless to say it has been quite a week.

-- Hermana Channing Jackson