A Story of a Super Hero!!
Kumasta mo!

I want to tell you all a story about a super hero. 

Let's go over the qualities of super heroes that we know: strong- both physically and emotionally, kind, selfless, always stands up for what's right, determined, etc. We can all think of what we can add to this list. What comes to mind for me is the scriptural saying "with great power comes great responsibility". 

Who are you thinking of? Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Iron Man, Elastigirl... Pick your favorite. 

But no, this story is different. There is something different about the super hero I am going to tell you about and the super heroes mentioned above. The difference is that she is real. 

Her name is Sister Rimai and she is in my district. She's in the picture above…top left, on the end. She is from Kiribati and doesn't speak English really at all. She got called on her mission to Cebu, Philippines and is doing her best to learn the language from people who don't even speak her native language. 

Last Thursday, Sister Rimai's mother passed away. She had been sick for some time and passed away in the morning of the 24th. After receiving an email from her Aunt in the morning, Sister Rimai held it in and didn't tell anyone - not even her companion. She went on with the day trying her best to accomplish everything she needed to do. That afternoon, the same day, she received another email from the same Aunt. Sister Rimai's father died later the same day due to a heart attack.

Still not saying a word to ANYONE, she came to class on Friday and went through all of her daily routines. Friday night, during class, we practiced teaching each other the Plan of Salvation. (For those that don't know what that is - it is God's Plan for us, His children, to return to live with Him again. It includes where we came from, why we are here on Earth, and where we are going after we die. Included in this Plan is the amazing truth that families will be together forever - even after death). 

As you could imagine, this hit home for Sister Rimai and she broke down after class. Later that night, we decided that our language studies could wait, and we had a District Family Home Evening. After singing a bunch of hymns, eating some delicious food from all of our packages, each one of us - including Sister Rimai - bore our testimony of what we know to be true about this life and the life to come. I'll never forget her sincere, heartfelt testimony in broken English. The only words that we could make out were, "I know that the Plan of Salvation is true. I know that I will see my family again. I know that I will finish my mission."

Where else on EARTH do you have this happen? We all go through trials and hardships - that is a requirement of this life. But, where else could you see a young woman - a sister missionary - go through something this hard, yet still have enough trust in the Lord and in our Heavenly Father to pursue her course and serve an honorable mission for 18 months of her life. She to took a 45 minute call home, and ultimately decided to stay and help the Lord hasten His work in this great calling of "missionary". 

That is a Super Hero.

I know - without any ounce of doubt - that this Gospel is true. It gives hope, it gives knowledge, and it provides an environment where miracles can and do happen. 

I know that these sacred grounds of the MTC are set apart for us - as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - to fulfill our purpose and have the strength and determination to get through especially hard times in our lives. 

I know that there is opposition in all things. ALL things. People ask why bad things happen to good people. It's because they make even the strongest person stronger. 

I know that Sister Rimai will be able to see her family again. I know that if anybody has questions, all they have to do is read the Book of Mormon, ponder, and pray to ask God if it's true. We don't convince people of the truthfulness of this amazing book. No man should take another man's word on something as sacred as this. Ask your Father in Heaven. He will confirm the truth of it to you. 

Please learn something from Sister Rimai's story. If all that you got from it is that she is a strong human being, able to go through something as tough as that, understand that she is this way because the Gospel of Jesus Christ made her that way. You can have that strength too. You can be a super hero to everyone around you by the way you live.

I love you guys so much and am so grateful for you. I love you, mom and dad - and know that God has a plan for each and every one of us. Love, love, love you!

Kinasingkasing,

Elder James Ryan Jacobs

I LOVE MY LIFE!!!

I LOVE MY LIFE!!!!!

Kumasta mo, Everybody!!

Welp, another amazing week here in beautiful Provo, Utah! Haha the weather has been awesome - freezing cold in the mornings and perfectly cold in the afternoons. But enough about the weather... Let's see here.

Friday. I think I told you guys about how we had to teach our "investigator" in Cebuano starting the day after we got here? Yea, so we have been teaching at least one lesson a day this week because we now have TWO investigators! Even though it is just role play, it has helped me and Elder Lasalosi SO MUCH!!! The past two lessons we have had - no notes! At all! 

So I am starting to be able to communicate my thoughts (to a certain extent of course) in Cebuano! It's been two weeks! That is what I call the Power of the Spirit and the Gift of Tongues. I am so grateful for Heavenly Father's help in these crazy 6 weeks we have here to learn a completely new language. I know that, if I do everything I can, The Lord will pick up the rest and I will be able to get this language down. 

Anyways, our two investigators' names are Luke and Jerrick. They were both raised Catholic because that was what their parents were. Long story short, they are both basically just wondering why they are here. What are they supposed to do in this life on Earth?? Well hellloooo!! That's perfect, because that's a question that I can answer. Alma 34:32 (among so many others). 

Alma 34:32 "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."

I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have of where I came from, why I'm here, and where I'm going after I die. We are so lucky to have this peace and comfort in a world where people are scared when a loved one dies that they will never see them again. That makes me so sad. I just want to tell them everything and tell them that they will see them again.

Saturday marked a very special day in our hearts... ONE MONTH UNTIL WE LEAVE! Hahah kinda funny that we're already so excited to get out of here, but it's just because we want to get to work and to start serving the people of the Philippines. But we do still have lots to learn haha.

Our two devotionals were pretty amazing this week! The Sunday one was good, but my favorite part of Sunday was after the devotional when we had the opportunity to watch Elder Bednar's "Character of Christ" address that he gave to the MTC a couple years ago for the Christmas Devotional. Uh-Mazing. 

I learned so much! It was basically all about how we need to strive to overcome the natural man in everything we do. The natural man is inside all of us and pulls us toward worldly things and toward always thinking about ourselves. The Character of Christ is never - not even once - pointed inward to ourselves. We need to always be looking for ways to serve others and put their needs before our own. And these aren't just little decisions that we make to serve others when the time comes, but it is a lifestyle we lead - a character we have. Christ's character is something that we can all strive to have just a little bit more of as we go through this life. As we constantly focus our thoughts outward, on others, our needs will be met, we will be so happy, and most importantly, you will bless the lives of others.

Our Tuesday devotional was given by Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Seventy and was on opening our mouths. Haha I feel like this talk may have been directed towards the nervous, maybe a little more shy, group of missionaries here that may struggle to have the courage and faith to open their mouths. I'm not sure I really fall into that category of missionaries. I think I'm in the group that talks too much and is too outright and open and maybe makes people uncomfortable by treating them like we're best friends before I know their name. Hahaha I've had that happen a couple times here where I start a conversation with someone and learn about every detail of their life - except their name. At the end of the conversation I'll be like, "So.. uhh.. What's your name?" 

Anyways... The talk was amazing and I know that as we strive to open our mouths and talk to everyone we meet, we will increase our opportunities to find someone who is ready to listen. I like the analogy to baseball. A hitter has a 0% chance of getting a hit if he doesn't swing the bat. 0% - there is no possible way. When we swing, or open our mouths, we increase that ratio. 

So that was pretty much my week! It was amazing and I learned so much! Emily McAlindin asked me a question about what my days typically entail here at the MTC. I thought that was a good question and a lot of you may be wondering that as well. So this is what I sent her:

6:30 - Wake up and get ready for the day

7:00 - Personal study (scriptures, preparing for lessons, reading, writing in journal, stuff like that)

8:15 - Breakfast

8:45-11:45 - Classroom instruction (learning the language and spiritual stuff too)

11:45-1:10 - Language study

1:10 - Lunch

1:55 - Companionship study

2:45-5:45 - Classroom instruction (same thing as before) (also, we teach "investigators" during this time to practice teaching in our language and stuff like that)

5:45-6:15 - Planning for the next day

6:15 - Dinner

7:00 - TALL (Technology Assisted Language Learning) (Computer language stuff)

8:30 - Gym

9:30 - Get back to dorms and prepare for the next day!

10:30 - Lights out

Anyways, I love you all so much! Or in other words.... Basta, gihigugma mo kaayo! Baby Jacobs out.

Kinasing Kasing,

Elder James Ryan Jacobs

P.S. I FOUND THE PILLOW ROOM. It's heaven. I may or may not have 5 extra pillows in my room right now.

P.P.S. Thank you all so much for the letters and packages!! They make my days even more awesome.

Hello All!

Well, I think I found the closest place to Heaven I have ever been... The MTC is AMAZING! I am loving every second of it. Sooooo where to start... I guess the first day would be appropriate. I got here at about 1:00pm on Wednesday and immediately got my name tag and a huge yellow bag of books in Cebuano. Then I went to my classroom to meet up with my district - They are so awesome. I am the only elder in my district from the U.S. haha. My companion, Elder Lasalosi is from Australia. Let's put another shrimp on the barby. I think that was the first thing I said to him and he goes, "we get barbecues here?!" Haha he is awesome and I have so much to learn from him. I am so grateful that I got a companion like him for the 6 weeks I'm here. The whole first day, our teachers only spoke to us in Cebuano - which was interesting to say the least.  After we met everyone, we went to an orientation for all the new elders and the MTC Presidency spoke to us; however, we were a little bit late to that because our awesome teachers kept us a little past when they were supposed to haha but it was so fun. I was so overwhelmed the entire first day so I just smiled and nodded my head for the most part:) Later that night, we actually took turns teaching investigators so that was fun. Okay, first day over. Uh-mazing.

My zone is awesome. There are so many international missionaries it's so cool. We have a couple Australians, Samoans, Tongans, Canadians (if that even counts...) and New Zealanders (however you say that). I love getting to know them and their culture. It's crazy to here how so many different people live. But it teaches me so much about.. well.. life. So yea, zone is good. Oh our Zone President's name is President Capik. So he is kinda like our Mission President/Bishop.

We have devotionals on Sunday nights and on Tuesday nights. I decided I wanted to be in the choir just cause I love singing (even though we all know how much of a singer I am). So we have practice before each devotional. Sunday night's devotional featured Richard I. Heaton - The Administrative Director of the MTC. He had an amazing message focused on the Holy Ghost and its role in fulfilling our Missionary Purpose. I think the thing that stuck out to me the most from his talk was when he said, "Why would anyone ever join this church?? Church for THREE HOURS every Sunday, meetings before and after, seminary every week-day at 6:00 in the morning, mutual every week, home teaching, visiting teaching, etc. Who in their right mind would do that? The answer is this: People join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for one thing. To have the Holy Ghost in their lives." I love this. The Holy Ghost is SO important for us in our lives. It gives us comfort, hope, charity, guidance, and just overall makes us feel good. 

Alright, wait until I tell you this........... So it sounds like the devotionals couldn't get any better right..? Wrong. I mean Brother Heaton was awesome. But wait for this... We had a devotional Tuesday night as well. ELDER DALLIN H. OAKS!!!!!! An Apostle of the Lord came and spoke to us! When he walked in the door, the entire room fell dead silent and everyone stood up. I was sitting next to Elder Ty Whitaker and Elder Wyatt Corbin in the choir and we were just in complete shock. As a choir, we sang "Praise to the Man" and it was unbelievable. The spirit that came into the room was incredible. As we practiced the couple days before, the choir director would tell stories about Joseph Smith and I have such a respect for that man. Even that child. As an 8 year old boy, Joseph Smith went through the hardest trials I have ever known someone to go through with Typhoid Fever and others. If you need a story about manning up and doing what you need to do, read about this 8 year-old's experience. Anyways, this background allowed us to sing that song with a new meaning and fervor. Okay, on to Sister Oaks. She spoke to us first. Although I don't think she has ever read from a teleprompter in her life... She had a great message. The one thing that stuck out the most, was that we are never alone out here. If we are doing what we're supposed to do, we will ALWAYS have guardian angles round about us. Elder Oaks was up next and I don't think my life will ever be the same;) There were a couple different ideas that he focused on. The first, was the transition from being teenagers into being mature missionaries. Three words: Change - work hard, bad habits, sleeping in, repenting. Achieve - specific skills, qualify for learning a language. Everyone learns a language. He said everyone here will learn the gospel; some of you will learn a foreign language. And lastly, Become - difference between achieving and becoming is "a mighty change of heart" and the way one lives. The next thing that Elder Oaks focused on was how this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is different from others and is the only completely true and living church on this earth. He said something that was so true. He said, "The common notion with your generation is that all churches are true." This is true to some extent, though, because basically every church has a portion of the truth, and we are so happy that people are looking for that truth. But this church is the ONLY completely true and living church on the face of the Earth. And here is why: 1) Fullness of the Gospel, 2) Power of the Priesthood, and 3) Our unique testimony of Jesus Christ. Anyways, if anyone has any questions about this, please email or write me! I would love to talk about it. Devotional = the best ever.

Alright well I gotta go get my laundry done... But don't worry yet, we still have machines to do the work for us while we're at the MTC. I have come to appreciate gym time so much here haha. I've always loved sports and stuff, and you'd think we'd be dead tired by when gym time comes around at night, but it feels so good to play volleyball, or four-square, or run on the indoor track. Oh and P-days for me are on Thursday right now. We get to go to the temple later today!! So stoked! Loving it. And loving all of you. Don't worry about me at all! This is where I'm supposed to be and I am so happy. Days can be a little hard and the language can be frustrating, but I know that if I do what I need to do and obey the mission rules, I will have angels round about giving aid and comfort. I love you all so much (Gihigugma ko namo)!! Love life. Baby Jacobs out.

Gugma,

Elder James Ryan Jacobs

P.S. Elder Lasalosi and I already committed our investigator to baptism! It's role play, but still! We are like 6 lessons in... in Cebuano... AHHHH

Sister Oaks: "This is your turn, your time, your triumph"

Going into the MTC!

Write to Jimmy in the MTC!!

Anyone can email him at this address;

jjacobs@myldsmail.net

And to send a letter or package:

Elder James Ryan Jacobs

NOV21 PHI-CEB

2011 N 900 E Unit 215

Provo UT 84602