Rice Guts, Man Calves, and bushy eyebrows....‏

What Up All...This is Hermana Jackson reporting live from the heart of DAVID for the third change in a row and I am happy as a pimple on a teenagers face. I have the same companion and we are working like crazy to fix this area and make it into something.

Ommmaaannnn where do I start...

Brett the pictures are legit and it sounds like you are working it up. Learning to be a missionary is the hardest thing and I learned that we won´t really figure it out until the end. But keep working at it. I haven´t had much time to study my language either. But I´ve started writing conjugations and vocab and studying on the buses and while we are walking in the middle of no where and repeating everything that people say to me. Preach the Word of God my Brother. I also like your backpack. 

Well sounds like things are warming up in Colorado and all these changes going down in the Ward. Mom keep on preaching. Dad keep on a shootin those shots in the butt. Cambria be a star at music and life. Blake take over the world. Say hello to my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents for me. Tell them that I think of them often. 

Also did you get my package yet?

Poor Blake. 21 hours. Gosh put on some stuck like glue and wag that finger! I really miss some of the car music Blake and I would jam out to on our trips home. LOST IN THE WILDERNESS! I NEED THAT SONG!!! NOT ON THE IPOD!!!!! 

So this week was great it really was. We were teaching Samudio every night and preparing  him for his baptism. When it came time for the interview the District leader said he is more than prepared. WHOOP WHOOP. Saturday came and we were cleaning the font and setting up chairs, and filling up the baptism font. Which took 5 hours because there is hardly any water pressure and the faucet was tiny. Good Grief. We also did service the day of the baptism and we made pineapple empanadas. You know how easy that crap is. I was in shock. I could totally make this and forget about TACO BELL'S empanadas.  We also made a chocolate cake for the baptism. The Baptism was a 6:00 and no one showed up till about 7:00. I was so happy because His Family, who are less actives, all showed up to support him. He bought a white shirt and he was so happy. Then the baptism was done and I sang a song. Yes I be singing in places now because I am the only one who can carry a tune here. And then the greatest moment came. Samudio shared his testimony.  I almost cried. He said I am so happy, I am so grateful for Hermana Jackson and Hermana Mendez for stopping by my house and changing my life.  He said he would never forget us. He bought a journal slash and he wrote down everything. Every lesson we taught him, the dates, our names, his baptism and when he received the Holy Ghost and the Aaronic priesthood. I was like good heavens. We really are changing lives. All because we took the road less traveled by and God put him in our path. Miracles happen people, every once in awhile. 

We have also been meeting with some menos activos and one of them is a 90 year old woman who lives by herself. She looks like a dinosaur. I want a picture with her. We were visiting her last night and she was telling us all about her life, when she was converted, and showing us pictures and stuff. She has the pictures of the missionaries who converted her in the 70s and all that jazz. She laughs, jokes, and smiles like crazy. She has a ton of faith but it is hard for her to go to church because it is a long way to walk. While we were talking the phone rang and we saw her get up and run to the back. I am sooo not kidding. She literally ran. Me and my companion were in shock. My mouth jumped and my companion said Ella puede corre!? I was like yeah she can freaking run faster then me. What are they drinking and eating down here. That woman is a beast and still has 15 years ahead of her. O heavens I almost died laughing. Its all about moving and working. Somebody take Grandma Jackson around the gym a few laps. She can´t get any weaker. 

Well What more can I say. All I know is that life is good when you have God in your life and you are doing the things you are suppose to do all will be well.  Much love people. Know that I am praying for you all and that I love you all very much. Miss yah..but not enough to come home! 

-- 
Hermana Channing Jackson

Sometimes I get a good feeling yeahhhhhh...a

Well It was awesome to hear from everyone this week! Dad, Mom, Blake, Brett, Cambria, Ashley, and Mary!

 

Blake. Way to get on the ball. But I would be just enjoyin the freedom of the world. Live it up my man. And do as Brett says and GET AFTER IT! Whoop whoop

Cambria practice that violin. I have decided that the Jackson siblings are going to rule this world. Blake  brings in the dow, Brett puts on the Show, You play in the Band and I work the runway. Mmmmhhhhmmmmmm

Dad. I was so happy that you took the time to write an email to us. I miss you alot. I was thinking of you and playing video games today and cussing. hehe good times. I climbed a mountain today and was kinda roaming around looking for certain objects. Little arrow like objects. But alas I didn´t find any...... yet...

Mom! Sounds like everything is going good. I wish I could of been there to hear Ashley´s farewell. 

Well this week is Cambios. And I have no idea if I am going or not. I really don´t want to go. I love my area. And my Spanish is getting better. I have gotten to a point of understanding. When you start understanding the music that is playing on the bus you know you are making progress. The only hard thing is speaking. The way I deal with stress is a good ole coloring book! That happens to be a batman one. hehehehe

This passed week went by so fast and I celebrated my 6 months birthday...only three more months till I take the 9 months pregnant picture all the hermanas do. Basically a 11-12 months more for me. Weird. MAKE IT COUNT! 

We had the privilege of hearing from the one the only...RUSSEL M. NELSON! That beast of a man. He was here in Panama and preaching it up. We saw him on a video broadcast since we are 8 hours away from Panama. He told us what is up. Love it. They need to give these type of talks on Conference. His wife talked also and I was blown away. She kicks trash. She talked about Nephi Sam and Laman and Lemuel. How they all went through the same things. Saw an Angel, felt the spirit, and only two had a change of heart. I was like whoa.... Never realized that.

How many of us go through the mission and experience the same things but don´t have a change of heart. Genius. Also she said to look for the miracles in your life and remember them. Also If we could just take a glimpse into ourselves in the premortal life and see ourselves as we truly are all our problems and worries would fall away.  

And Russel M. Nelson told us a funny story about this letter he got from his grandson. Well his grandson is learning a different language and I guess the letter Elder R. got was full of grammatical mistakes and misspellings and foreign words. He said I scolded my grandson. I said to him that I know you are not teaching English but you are not perfecting your abilities in three languages. English, Spanish, and the Language of the Lord. He told us that we need to be excelling in all of these languages. I was like YEAH we do! My languages are crap! DEMAND EXCELLENCE out of yourselves people! Beyond which is sufficient!

And I am so excited for this week because we are having two baptisms. Samudio and a little 8 year old. Samudio is a mircale story. This man has family who are all members and some are less actives. He sits on his porch every night and looks at the cars passing by. And then we come along one day, because we took a wrong turn and say hey can we sing you a hymn? He says yes and says come back. He is a quiet man and nods his head during the first few lessons. then after the Gospel of  Christ, he starts talking laughing coming to church, and gains this testimony. All he was waiting for is an invitation. He was just waiting for people to ask him to change and come to Christ. And guess what he accepted. Sometimes it just take us one question to change our lives. Miracles. Love them.

Alot of people ask us about the world ending and 2012.  That's one of the number one questions we will be getting this year I am sure. I was like well prepare spiritually and did as Brett said, and said, take part in the Gospel of Christ! I love questions like these. Random. The Plan of Salvation questions are random too. 

Anyway not much to say this week. My mind is fried.  Keep on rolling with the punches. Love you guys! Miss you but not enough to come home!

-- 
Hermana Channing Jackson

Que Raro? Que Pena?‏

Sup


Dad sounds like his usual self. Mom sorry that work is ridonkulous. What is happening in politics anyway. Not that I really care but some natives ask me and I have no idea. Some of the missionaries asked if I was going to get a mail in vote thing and I said As if....pfffffff. Doubt I will vote again to be quite honest. I am starting the Party of Nothing.


Well Blake my suggestion for you is to stop applying and build your own empire of business. Stock Market! Photo shoots! Do what ever you have to to get money and take over the world.


Brett you crack me up as usual. I didn´t know you guys use chuso or chuleta! I use that all the time. And I can now to the finger snapping thing and look good doing it. mmmhhhhhmmmmm.


Cambria way to run the basketball program.


Mother I need garments. The silky kind. All my other ones are brown and missing the crotch part. Dead serious. There is some breezy breeze goin on up in there. Not good for the health. I also need a new pair of pants. But I don´t know where I am going to get those because I don´t think people here are my size.

And I need scripture covers for my Spanish Bible and Triple. But I want cool ones. Maybe scripturecovers.comhas some.hmmmmm I will have someone look into it. Or I can...This one.http://www.scripturecovers.com/suede-cases/latin-suede-scripture-covers-for-spanish-lds-bible-triple/ or something cool. I want a picture on them like everyone else here has.

Also is there a way that someone can print out the missionary picture of me and give it to the grandmas. I had a dream of that nasty picture of me on Grandma Bagwell's Wall of the 15 year old me. Geeeoooooooooo. Take that Crap Down! Put something classy up there.


So this week was really good. Alot of new people and people actually attending church and progressing. ANDDDDD D We have a fech or baptism Date for my main man Samudio! Wooo hooo! I really hope I don´t get changed the next cambio. I want to be here in Doleguita for my investigadors who are going somewhere.

My companion and I kick trash. I really like her. She is a very patient person. She practices with me everyday with my Spanish and teaching. I can finally get to a point of teaching all the lessons. Now I am working on starting lessons and better contacting skills. The Plan of Salvation is a killer though. The Premortal life and this Life are so long. O well. I understand it all now.

So we taught the Plan of Salvation alot this week. There was this Lady Patricia with her two Denmark daughters. They live in this huge nice nice house that is decorated so artsy. I love the decorations. Well she is big on religion and the word of God and wants her daughters to be good Christians. She is big on helping the young and starts big programs that teach kids at a young age. Her three year old sounds like an adult. Her Spanish is amazing. I was like wooooo she is three? Well we were teaching her the P.O.S. And She was sooo intrigued. She said I have never heard of any of this before. It all makes sense. Yeah it makes sense. Because it is true. People think we are going straight to heaven or hell but do they think about the resurrection and the judgment first...Nope...So where do are spirits go. To the Spirit World of Course! It is a genius plan that only God could have made. Love it! We only did the half part and we are visiting her again tonight. So yeah.

My Spanish is way way better this week. We have missionary moments in sacrament meeting where one of the companions go up`and share a message. Well I have never been called up before. The Bishop called my name and gave me a sly smile. And I was like watch this! So I pull out some scriptures and I give an inspiring message. I basically told everyone that we have a part to play and to get on it. Everyone told me my Spanish was perfect. So I felt good about myself. Muahahahahaha.

We also visited this lady named Iris. She has 11 kids and she lives in a shack. She is very into the Bible and has a lot of questions. The lessons we taught her were so good. But now we found out she is moving. But to another area where there are missionaries. Whew. IT was so funny so she brought out all her kids to greet us. The last one was the baby and one of the daughters was holding her. Well when she said his name. He started peeing. There wasn´t a diaper on the kid, but he had clothes. Some how the the pee was shooting out everywhere. I jumped up because it almost hit me and then I realized that my scriptures where on the ground. SAVE THE SCRIPTURES! So I dove for them. And then I started laughing because everyone else was laughing. the mother was so embarrassed. I thought it was funny.

Also there are iguanas falling from trees here. I was singing a hymn to this person and I here this thump! and I looked behind me and it was this large iguana. That thing fell from a high tree. Then the little thing took off running! I was like what the fetch.

Anyway. Everything is going good here! Tell everyone I say Hi! Well love you guys and miss you all...but not enough to come home! PAZ!




--
Hermana Channing Jackson

These are My Confessions‏

Hedi hidi ho!

What is up my people in a different nation. It sounds like everyone is having one heck of a time.

I hope Grandma Jackson is doing better...poor woman. She needs to use a walker or something. She is going to kill herself.

Brett you are out of control but as always thank you for the advice and the wonderful random comments that I literally laugh out loud at. Keep smearin the butter on the pan yo! Keep rockin out to the Party rock Athem that is always playin on the Radio. Everyday I´m shuffling....

Blake get a cool job somewhere cool so I can come live with you after the miss.....

I am glad to know that Mary is putting facebook statuses of me. If only Ashley would write an email or something. Tell her to email! i haven´t been able to send mail because of all the holidays going on. Today is one. This internet place was the only thing open in the City.

The rice is killing me. Have any of you be so constipated, so frustrated...well let me tell you how I felt. 5 days....that's right. 5 days without feeling the sweet relief. I looked 9 months pregnant. I was huge this week and I think I gained so much weight. It is the rice. I told my cook that i couldn't´t go to the bathroom and i need to eat better. She said it is normal here. I am like no duh, Rice potatoes. etc... your butts are all clogged as is mine right now! So I had alot of fruit and water this week. Finally this morning I did it!

I am glad that everyone is on my side about the bishop thing. I was like why am I letting a bishop treat me like this...I will throw some English words in his face and say look it up! I might just do what mom said and tell him to translate this..%&$·"%$·%&$%!!!!! I felt like crap but this week I did my best and i happened to read something in the Liahona this month. Remember the talk by Carl something about Looking up. Well I read a story about how he was in Germany in the Language Training Center and how he was struggling with German. Everyone in his class was ahead of him and it was really hard on him. well he decided to pray in a broom closet. He said in his prayer the lord answered. I didn´t call you to be a master of the language, I just asked you to serve with all your heart mind and strength. And Carl said...I can do that. When I read that there was this ray of hope. I was like hey I can do that too! Yes I am behind in Spanish, but if i just serve with all my heart mind and strength all will be well.

I had a lot of cool experiences this week. We were contacting and we came to this house with a little woman. We said hey can we sing you a hymn and share a message with you. We sang Cuando hay Amor...or Love at Home. well during this song I was suddenly hit with the spirit and I looked up and this lady was crying. I was like ooo no...she has home problems. Her daughter came out and was holding her. When we finished the song my companion gave her some comforting words and a message of hope and the Lady told us that we have to come back. And then when it was time to give the closing prayer she asked me to do it. I was like o dear what do i say. I gave a quick personal prayer and said please let it help her. well I started praying for her and I know I was speaking but it was not me...it was the spirit. Because I was using words I didn´t know before. I almost started crying for her because I just really wanted her to be happy and I knew that Heavenly father could help her. Well after we had left my companion told me. Hermana Jackson you said everything in your prayer that I was saying in my personal prayer. Word for Word. I was like QUE RARO! How odd huh! But cool. I am excited to see her again. Also my main man Samudio came to church and we are putting a baptism fecha! Whoop Whoop! I hope I don´t get changed.

This week we had interviews with President Ward and Hermana Ward. They went really well. Hermana Ward wasn´t happy about the bishop thing. But President Ward made me feel better about the Spanish thing. He said Hermana Jackson you´ve had a rough start. You had two horrible Companions, stomach problems and you kinda know Spanish, but you are still here...you are sticking it out. He said maybe your purpose here is to help you in someway. The Lord wants to help you strengthen your weaknesses. Then he asked about my reasons for coming on the mission. And I ´ll share it with you all.I don´t know if i ever told you guys why I chose to go on a mission. My first reason was to fix me. I wanted to be a happy, spiritual, confident, and loving person. I had a lot of problems and I wanted the mission in someway to change me and fix me into a better person. I wanted to be as good as my siblings and I wanted to feel like I belonged in my family. My second reason was that I have a powerful testimony of The Atonement and Repentance and I know that through Jesus Christ we can be saved from the darkness. And I know that this gospel can save others like it saved me.

I hope everyone is doing well and keeping warm. You can take some of the heat here. Love you guys and miss you..but not enough to come home!

Peace and Blessings yall!

--
Hermana Channing Jackson

Coloradito es mi otro nombre!‏

Well the world didn´t end. Alot of people were freaking out and doing some last minute repenting. Cracks me up.

Well this New years consisted of a ton of Fireworks, drinking, partying, and craziness. So we didn´t really do much on the day before new years, and the day of new years. Because on the day of new years everyone was on hangovers and sleeping on the side walks. I wanted to throw some Word of Wisdom in their faces. But alas I did not. Gross.

Well sounds like everything at home is going great. Receptions, everybody throwing up, and the lake! And Colton has some walking foot problem. Would collapse in the middle of the street or something like that. Poor Man well tell him I say Hi.

Brett, your Spanish is fan freaking tastic. I understood all of it. Whoa. You do things differently that's because you're all kinds of advanced than me and you're in a different country. Panamanians have a weird way of speaking. My Guatemalan companion says it is really different here too.

I had a meeting with the Bishop yesterday and he told me my Spanish is bad and that it's sad I almost have 6 months in the mission and can't speak right. Needless to say I started crying. And he made me read a verse in the Book of Mormon 4 times until I could get it right. I seriously felt like crap. But its ok. I know eventually I will be able to get it. Faith, practice, studying, and confidence. So I am glad that you have it down. That's awesome. I just can't let these people get me frustrated because that is of the devil. I just wish there were people more patient. Including me. Wish I could have talked to you. Next Christmas!

Before New Years day we had service and this service was awesome. Making TAMALES! Holy crap! It was long and hard but the end of it was soooo sweet.....in my mouth! Cutting up peppers, onions, garlic and other spices. Cooking different types of meats and adding flavors to that. Then came the corn! They use old corn here because the Tamales are better that way. So we cut the corn then we ground it up into this mesh. Then we had to take these giant banana leaves and clean them. We put the corn mesh on the banana leaf, added the meats and other stuff and then wrapped it up in the leaves and tied it with strings. It was sooo coool. Lots of videos and pictures. We also did rice and this dulce pan. It is like a fruit cake. I wrote down the recipe because it was sooo good. I had a lot of fun and hey I learned something. Even though I was the gringo who didn´t do it right and they kept correcting me. O well it was a cool experience.

We had a cool experience this week with a girl named Lourda. She is 18 years old and super cool. We found her on Tuesday and met with her on Thursday. She was all alone and we started teaching lesson one on the restoration. We asked her if she had ever thought about why there are some many churches on the earth when Christ established one church, one baptism, etc... She said she had never thought about it, but a boy in her Catholic class did. She said before my first communion there was a boy in my class who asked the Teacher, Why are there so many churches and which one of them is true? The Teacher went on to explain that the church that Christ established is true, but as to which one on the earth today is they don't know. I thought this to be interesting. He didn´t say that the Catholic church is true. So she was always confused about that. Then we started to testify and the spirit was like a powerful craziness and she was soo positive and was accepting everything we were saying. Then her mom came. We were like o no! But the thing is, is that the lesson got better. Her mom dropped in on the conversation and we gave her a watered down version on lesson 1. Then we gave her the pamphlet and I saw her reading the first vision part and she muttered under her breath this is beautiful. I was like whoa! Whoa! Positives! And now we have more appointments and they are coming to church with us! Wooo! It was really cool.

As Brett has said. I really like being a missionary. Once you go on a mission and experience first hand conversion and watching people change their lives you realize how important all this is. And just by studying the plan of Salvation and the gospel is general. We have some serious work to do ahead of is. Just make sure that you and your fellow beings are enduring to the end!

Well I hope you guys have a good week. All is well All is well...There is no end to Zion people! Miss you and love you guys but not enough to come home. Give me a year and I´ll think about it! Peace out peeps!