Temple :) :) :)

Katie after the Payson Temple

Well ladies and gentlemen this was an amazing week, and lets just say one that I am not going to forget, so let's just get right to it!

Last Wednesday: This was a busy day, I had my district study in the morning. Then Mom, Elle, and I went and got our flu shots and I am proud to tell you all I didn’t cry, haha. Then we went to Deseret Book and got all of my temple clothing and garments. That was a cool experience to be able to see the different things. Then of course you can’t have a P-Day without going to Walmart, come on, let's be real, it's Walmart. We all hate the store but love it at the same time. And finished shopping off with getting us a good Fruit Water at Swig, you can't go wrong with that. The football game last week was on Wednesday because of Fall Break. I got to spend time with all of the family and it was good to see a few other people.

Thursday: Lets just say I made homemade hummus and my life was complete, I love hummus and that has been my little CCM treat. 

Friday: This was a little stressful. We had to plan a 20 minute lesson and all in Spanish, it was the best and the worst, but...that’s how it works, right?

At Brenna's Senior Night

Saturday: You guys this was my last TRC, this is where you teach Latino’s who only speak Spanish, we don't understand each other but you just keep pressing forward. It felt so good to be done this was I think this was our tenth lesson like this, we have improved, so that’s good news, it just felt so good to have it done. I also sent my companion a package of love and things she can use in Utah (moisturizer, etc.).

Sammy and me during
class.

Sunday: Nothing too fancy, back to Sacrament meeting and Sunday School through Zoom. 

Monday: My favorite part about this day was we went over missionaries and the Atonement. This is such an amazing topic one that is really touching and can make everyone feel the spirit. 

Wednesday: This is today and this is what I am really wanting to talk about. Today I went through the TEMPLE it was such an amazing experience. You guys I have been waiting for this experience for a long time. I loved every minute of it and loved everyone that was there to support me during this momentous occasion in my life, so thank you. Let me hurry and say that I LOVE GARMENTS they are so comfy and they are just special to say the least.

My Temple Family Group

I am grateful for the experience that I got to go through this week, the good and the bad help me grow so much as a missionary. I may not have an email this next Wednesday because I will be flying out to Vegas that day, and it is going to be a little crazy but as soon as I can I will let you all know how life is in Las Vegas. 

My spiritual thought for this week is going to be a video, I highly highly suggest that you all go watch it, we are all missionaries that are here to serve the Lord and I think that you can all benefit from watching it. “Missionary Work and the Atonement” - Henry B Eyring and Jeffery R Holland. I am going to tell you my thoughts but I want you all to find why you are watching it, what you personally need from it, and what you can learn from it.

Again with mom, Elle, and dad

I love this video, this is one that makes you rethink, and one that makes you realize that you can be doing more for the Lord. He gave everything for us, hint hint His life. He loves us enough to show us that returning to God is that important. Why would life and trials be easy for us if it wasn’t easy for him. I love this gospel and I am so glad to be serving a mission for his church. 

I am going to bear my testimony for you in Spanish if that is okay?

Yo testimonio de la iglesia ese Dios es nuestro Padre Celestial y el amor nosotros. Jesucristo es el hijo de Dios,y Dios expedido Jesucristo a él tierra a sacrificar de la pecados entonces nosotros regresó el celestial. A través de Su expiación podemos recibir la vida eterna. La misionario trabajar es muy importante, y benicar otro personas. Podemos regresar a Dios si nos mantenemos limpios. Yo sé que Russle M Nelson es el profeta de llamar de Dios, y la iglesia es verdad, y las familias son eterna. Yo soy muy apreciado por la iglesia y Dios. En el nombre de Jesucristo,  Amén.

Makenna Patterson made me this adorable sign and Elle gave me the cute Cristas, My life all wrapped up in one

Who's the Latin?

Elder Jake Jackson Sent me a gift
of Nevada with my name on it.

One little story that I am going to share with you guys is called Who is the Latin. This is a game where the whole class picks someone in the class that can only speak Spanish. But the thing is everyone in the class is also speaking Spanish because at the end of the class the teacher tries to guess who the Latin was. Everyone is trying to trick the teacher so he doesn't know. This is something that is really funny and good for us all. We get to have fun and play a game but at the same time we are all practicing our Spanish and seeing how much we actually know. We have only played this game for two days but I think that it is going to help me a lot. And it is really hard for me to keep a straight face. 

Life is great, down to t-minus two weeks and trying to finish the MTC and get all of the information that I am going to need. Today me and my companion went to Deseret Book to get ready to go to the temple next week and then I leave for Vegas. 

Katie and Lydia making cookies 
after decorating punpkins.

I am so EXCITED to go through the temple, can I just tell you guys. This is something that I have been waiting for and something I can’t wait for, words can't describe my excitement. 

The spiritual thought that I would like to share with you guys this week is Moroni 7:46-48.

It says:

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail- But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when He shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.”

Some of the District with our sub on her
last day, sad goodbye.

I was going over some scriptures this week and this is one that came back to me that I had forgotten about and it is one of my favorite scriptures. What a reminder that it is to all of us, that we all need charity in our lives and that this is something that will help us get to God in the last days. That we need charity for others but also for ourselves, that if we are not charitable to ourselves it is just the same if we don’t have charity for others. God Loves each and every one of us so much and this is something that we have to remember. It can be hard but once we find the light in us and love ourselves then we will be able to love others. 

I love you and are grateful for all the examples that you are in my life, thank you! I hope you all have a great week!

Love you always,

Another Week of Home MTC

Hey guys I have made it another week at home MTC, crazy how time flies. I am super happy I get the chance to email all of you. I hope that you are having an amazing week and things are all going well. For me this week has been a little crazy, but eventful and one that I am going to remember. 

On Thursday I got the opportunity to participate in zoom gym class, what... did you hear that right.. is probably what you are thinking. When I first read this on my schedule I was laughing, I couldn't believe this was a thing. Just think about online dodgeball and how fun that would be, hide and seek. This was going to be awesome and something that I was not going to forget. I got ready and signed and all of these kids were dressed up in Hawaiian outfits. Haha. We got started and we did just a 30 minute workout, push ups and sit up. We went from 10-20-30 and then back down. It was way fun and something that I wasn't expecting. And a good laugh.

Katie and Hermana Brasher

On Friday, it was a regular day. I had morning class and studying all day. I signed in to get onto my night class, (after signing in you have to wait for the teacher to let you in) we were all waiting and waiting. Longer than usual. After ten minutes we got an email from our teacher saying that his wifi wasn't working so he wanted us to log on as a district, gave us our assignments and our homework, he put someone in charge and said get to work. How crazy NO TEACHER! We all listened and did the work that he asked us to do.

It was a lot of fun to see how the missionaries responded in the situation. We finished an hour early, it felt so good to have a little time to myself and got to go out and get dinner with Mama Sister Jackson. It was a good change of pace and something that I needed.

 

On Saturday me and Hermana Brasher figured out how to take a screenshot on the computer and had a little too much fun so now I’ve got some photos for you guys.

Katie and the Hermana's from her CCM district. 

On Sunday, which was a very eventful day, I got to give my farewell talk three times! How fun to give your farewell talk as a missionary, I loved it, and I got to speak with a good friend in my ward who just started his MTC, Stephen Goodrich. I got to speak at three times because we have three sacrament meetings with covid. It felt so good to feel the spirit that is in Sacrament meeting. When partaking of the sacrament there is a peace and ashurity that things are going to be okay and God is here for us. I LOVE that feeling.  It was so good to see all of my friends and family again, and get the opportunity to talk with them. 

Nothing too exciting happened the rest of the week. But I am loving the work that I am doing. It can get hard sitting at a computer for around 12 hrs. a day, with all of the studying and memorizing, but I know that I am doing the right thing and that through Christ and with His help I am going to make it through and become a good missionary.

The spiritual thought that I am going to share with you this week is from a devotional that I heard last night. Let me tell you this was one of the most amazing devotionals that I have ever been able to listen to, it felt like they were speaking to me, and it was something that I truly needed to hear. 

A quote by Elder Uchtdorf says, "When public restrictions are lifted again we are wise to resist the temptations of going back to the 'old ways,' which too often didn't work too well anyway. you need to 'go back to the future' - and I promise you a very bright future with new and exciting opportunities. This work will move forward and upward."

 

This is my time, my time to serve a mission, the time that the Lord wanted me to serve. He would not have asked me to serve during this time and put me here if he didn't know that I could do it. He has given me these opportunities to help me learn and grow not to hurt me and push me down. During this time I can't look at the past when my Dad and Sister served a mission and think why didn't I get that opportunity. Why is it different? Because during this time, the world is changing and so are people. I am getting the experiences that are going to help me and benefit me in so many ways. I need to look up with a high head and know that these are my days. I need to make the best out of it and show that I can do it and that God put me here for a reason. That could be to help me in some way or for someone that I could be teaching in the future. God knows us and knows what we are capable of. Do not disappoint Him.

 

For each and everyone of you, think of where you are and what you are doing. See how God has blessed you and why He has put you in this world at this moment. Make sure that you are looking to a good future and not what happened in the past. It is gone and past, make the future your time and moment and the best that it can be. I encourage you to find the good that God has put in your life during the pandemic. 

With all of my love, 

Here We Go! Week 1

Wow I can’t believe it is already time for me to be sending out my first email. I am loving the work here in the MTC, or the CCM in Mexico. The days are long and filled with a lot of information, and there is never time to kill. We are always doing something, from classes at the beginning and the end of the day and filling the rest of the day with workshops and studies. Because I am learning the Spanish language there is a lot of memorizing to do, but I am loving getting to know the language and meeting new people. 

My companion is Hermana Brasher, she is from Alabama and she will be serving in Argentina. She just got reassigned to Temple Square and I am so happy for her. We are both red heads and that adds a different connection for us but for the most part we like the same things. She is so fun to get to know. 

I have an amazing district, they are so fun and energetic and know how to have a good time but when it is time to work they are good to do all they can and make it count. One thing that I love about my district is we set up time aside from our studies two or three times a week and do our own study with the district and do “get to know you” things, we now call that time hoodie and blanket time, we all get comfortable and then get to work. We are becoming a little family and I love it. My teachers' names are Hermana Olvera and Hermano Salinas. 

For me this week has been crazy fun, I love this gospel and love getting to be able to prepare to serve the Lord. Even though it is a lot of hard work doing the Lord's work and being able to know that what you are about to go out and do is something that can change lives. 

One funny little story that happened this last week, we were in our later class (evening) and Hermano Salinas was having us repeat words back to him to make sure we knew them and were pronouncing them correctly, well, one Elder’s wifi was a little slower and it was staticky. We all started to respond back to our teacher and all of the sudden five seconds later you could hear a slow static voice repeating it afterwards. Well, this happened every time so we were all waiting just for it to happen. I kid you not, I was laughing so hard I couldn't speak and I was crying. I haven't laughed that hard in a while and it felt really good. 

I want to share a little something that I learned this week. It is 1 Nephi 6:5  “Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world.“

This is a short chapter but it is one worth reading. The Book of Mormon is a book that can help everyone in their own way through trial and tribulation but also during the good times. Our focus should be on the Lord and when we are doing good things then it will be good. The Book of Mormon is something that may not be pleasing to the world but has everything to do with what is pleasing to Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my next adventure with you guys and hope you all have a great week. 

Farewell Address

On Tuesday, September 15 Katie was set apart as a Fulltime Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Blaine Bird (Hobble Creek Stake) our Stake President set Katie apart. We were able to have Bradyn join us on a Zoom call from his Mission to be apart of this occasion. Bradyn was serving in the Albuquerque New Mexico Mission but was in the city of El Paso at the time. I (Todd Jackson) was able to join President Bird in Katie's setting apart and blessing.

Katie was able to speak in Sacrament Meeting on September 27th, 2020. It was the first time that I could remember that a missionary who was set apart and currently participating in the MTC was giving the farewell address, again, because of Covid. I was able to conduct the Sacrament Meeting which made it extra special for me. Katie did a wonderful job and showed how much she is prepared to serve her mission. 

Katie's Farewell Talk:

Buenas Días (Buenas Tardes), Brothers and Sisters what a privilege it is to be able to be with you this day and have the amazing opportunity to talk to you. Life right now for all of us is a little crazy with whatever we are experiencing. But during this crazy time I am still so lucky to be able to serve a mission and

teach the people about Jesus Christ. I have been called to the Nevada, Las Vegas Mission, speaking Spanish. I am participating in my MTC experience right now, online with the Mexico CCM,  I will leave for Las Vegas on October 28, 2020. This MTC experience is something that is truly amazing, an experience that I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else.

The spirit is so strong and the different amazing people that I get to work with. My companion is Hermana Brasher, she is from Alabama. She is so amazing and it has been so much fun to get to know her and be able to work with her. I have an amazing district, all together this has been an amazing experience and one that I am happy to see continue. 

The topic that I have been asked to talk about is How can the Savior help me during my trials? 

I’ll begin by saying that the Savior is one amazing human being, He is someone who did the unthinkable, the one who sacrificed His life for us in the Atonement so we have the opportunity to live again with our families and we get to repent of our sins. How cool is that repenting of our sins, doing something and being forgiven, but learning so we don’t do it again. If Christ can forgive us just like that and love us like nothing happened and for who we truly are then I think I should

be able to do the same, well I’m trying to work on it. We are all God’s children and we should love everyone for who they truly are. 

For me this is a great topic and one that I am more than happy to be speaking on. Going through a trial is something that is not easy, 

God is not going to look at me and be like, wow, Katie has had a great year. What about

we shuffle the deck and give her something that she is going to go crazy over, that is really going to do her in. Because of our consequences, good or bad it can put us into a situation where we may not know what to do. It is going to work us usually in ways we have never been before. I was talking to my brother, Elder Jackson, about this very thing

about a month or two ago and he told me to think of it this way “Your testimony is like a Muscle in order for a muscle to get stronger you have to rip and tear it so it can build resistance and become even stronger, your testimony is the same way. You have to be tried and challenged from your trails and you become stronger.” What a great perspective and something that we can use in our day to

day lives. God is not going to give us something that we can’t handle. God is not going to tell us, sorry this is not my problem so good luck getting through it. But out of everyone in the world He is going to be the one person always by our side no matter what. He is the one friend, one companion that will be there through the thick and thin. Isn’t that a friend that we should keep really really close to us and never lose contact with. 

In Omni 1: 26 it reads - “And now, my beloved brethren, I would that you should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.” 

Here is a quick little story about me. During my senior year of high school, it was at the beginning of the school year and I was wanting to get into this college class so I could get college credit. But because my ACT score was just a few points lower than it needed to be for that section, I had to pass an accuplacer test. And let me tell you tests are not my forte, I can study for hours and hours, I will get all the information down, someone could quiz me and I could tell them all the correct answers, and I had done this, I knew my information, but once you put a test in front of me my mind goes blank and I don't know anything anymore so then I would do bad on the test. I knew I could take and pass the class but it was the test that I was worried about. I had confidence and I prayed and studied for the test and made sure that I knew the information, I took the test and I didn't pass. I tried it a second time and I didn’t pass, I only had one more chance before I had to wait to retake the test and then I would miss the deadline to be able to sign up for the class with UVU. During this time I had been working hard, studying for hours from my huge ACT prep class book, and praying that God will help me, I was doing everything that I could. That day I had the feeling that I needed to fast and pray about the test. I fasted that whole day and at the end of the day right before I went to take the test I prayed to God to have everything come back to my remembrance that I had studied, that I would do my best and if it is the right thing for me to be in the class then I would pass. I went and took the test and of course I was so unsure of how I did in the end and was freaking out a little because I didn't think that I passed. I got my results that same day and I passed the test by one point, one point!! How crazy everything that I did paid off. 

Like the scripture says “Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end” The Lord was willing to help me with something that I truly wanted and was working so hard for, I was trying to do my part. When I put my guard down opened my heart and fasted showing him that I wanted it bad enough he was willing to help me. When we ponder and read the scriptures and use them to our advantage we will be able to communicate better and more with God. He can help us and give us the answers that we are in need of. 

Here is a quote from the talk- “Joy and Spiritual Survival” by President Russell M. Nelson, it states: 

“My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.

 When the focus of our lives on God’s plan of salvation, which President Thomas S. Monson just taught us, and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy. We feel it at Christmastime when we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” And we can feel it all year round. For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy! 

That is why our missionaries leave their homes to preach His gospel. Their goal is not to increase the number of Church members. Rather, our missionaries teach and baptize to bring joy to the people of the world! 

Just as the Savior offers peace that “passeth all understanding,” He also offers an intensity, depth, and breadth of joy that defy human logic or mortal comprehension. For example, it doesn’t seem possible to feel joy when your child suffers with an incurable illness or when you lose your job or when your spouse betrays you. Yet that is precisely the joy the Savior offers. His joy is constant, assuring us that our “afflictions shall be but a small moment” and be consecrated to our gain.”

God's plan is centered around joy, through trials and tribulation it may seem that it is impossible, we may feel like we may not survive. But if we have that joy to be consistent in our lives then life is not going to feel like a waste. We are not going to look at the clock and ask how much time do I have left? We need to keep our heads held high and know that the dark and cold tunnel can feel long. But it is when we have Christ on our side with family and friends and everyone holding a candle of their own lights it can make the dark and empty space fill full and warm. God loves us and he is cheering us on. He is wanting us to become the best people that we can become. So when we get that strong light in us that can't be blown away, then we can help others come unto Christ and feel the same way so then the whole world will be full of the light of joy and love that comes only in and through Christ. 

I know that God is a constant in our life and He is not going to go away. He is someone that is going to be there. We just need to open up to him and that can be hard, but doing that shows him that we are willing to put things aside so he can help each of us. The Savior gives us trials so we can become better people, we can’t think that he is trying to hurt us; it is the complete opposite. He wants us to become the best people that we can become through Him. Make sure you aren't looking down at the dirt road in life but look up and notice the amazing view of life ahead.

I know that this church is true and that God the Father and his son Jesus Christ do love us. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that it was passed down for prophets so they could write things in their time that would help us now. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet called by God to translate the Book of Mormon so we could have it for our day and to also restore the true church back to the earth. I am grateful to Jesus Christ for the love and sacrifice that he made for each one of us so we have the opportunity to live again. I know that missionary work is something that changes lives. I know that President Russell M. Nelson is a true prophet, that he has been called of God at this time to help us through these trying times. I am so immensely grateful for this church and for what it stands for the good that people see when they hear of our church. I am very blessed to be able to serve a mission and to know that this is something that is going to make me a better person. But to know that I am going to go out there and help people find something that is going to help them in their lives is such an amazing thing to be able to do. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. ( En el nombre de Jesucristo Amén )

Family Party

On September 12th, 2020 we were able to have a family and friends party for Katie up Hobble Creek Canyon and Kelly's Grove. We rented a pavilion and Liana decorated it for a Mexican Themed Fiesta. I had smoked 4 pork shoulder and we had pulled pork sandwiches. Liana prepared many side dishes to go along with the dinner.

Katie Receives her Mission Call to the Nevada Las Vegas Mission

Words could never appropriately describe the joy, happiness, and love Liana and I feel for Katie. She has held a special place in our heart from the moment she was born. She has had her own struggles through her life and so when she decided to server a mission for The Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-Day Saints we were thrilled with her decision. However, we know her desire to serve a mission and bring our brothers and sisters in the Nevada Las Vegas area to a knowledge of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ will have eternal consequences for Katie

and all who work and interact with her. Even though we will miss Katie greatly, we can not forget what it says in Doctrine and Covenants 4: 3-4.  "3. Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work; 4. For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;". We know, and Katie has born testimony, of her desire to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are happy and excited for her and this next chapter of her life.

Katie opened her mission call on Tuesday, July 21, 2020. We had an opening party at our house. We had a good turn out of friends and family. This is when we found out she was going to serve in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission, Spanish Speaking. This is also when we found out that Katie would be participating in Home MTC, because of the Covid pandemic through Zoom. Her Home MTC experience was to begin on September 12, 2020.