 |
| This is Elder Buckley! He's from Utah! |
Well I have some pretty interesting news to share with all of you... Elder Ferris got transferred!!! What?!?! Emergency transfer! We got a call on Monday night from the APs (Assistants to the President) saying that Elder Ferris and I need to be in Lahug at 4pm on Tuesday. He got transferred down to Negros to help train another young elder!
Soooo…. that means I got a new companion! His name is Elder Buckley. He's great! He is one transfer ahead of me... Sooo we are both very new to this whole mission thing, BUT I know it is going to be an amazing transfer. That is what I want to talk about today!
Elder Ferris was awesome. I learned so much from him, it's crazy. I know, without a doubt, that we were put together for a reason. He helped my language grow faster than anyone could have. Because of everything we were able to experience, I feel confident going forward into this next transfer with someone as new as Elder Buckley. Our language is far from perfect, but I know that as we continue to study, as we continue to have faith in Jesus Christ, we will succeed. Faith is something we cannot take for granted. There are so many times in the Book of Mormon and the Bible where it mentions miracles only being possible through faith. I know that is true.
So many people here in the Philippines have faith. They really do. It is rare when we meet someone who says they don't have religion in their life or they say they don't really know who Jesus Christ is. Everybody knows and everyone has faith. At least, they say they do.
What people don't understand, and so many of us as well, is that faith is an action word. We know that from all of the teachings of Jesus Christ. I can't even start to count how many times I have heard the phrase, "Con naa ka'y hugot nga pagtuo, maluwas ka!" (For all of you that, for some reason, don't speak Bisayan: "If you have faith, you will be saved!")
That is so far from the truth!! We are saved by grace AFTER all we can do!! (See 2 Nephi 25:23). Most people just do not understand that there are literal things that need to be done in this life. They say, "as long as you go to a church, are religious, and belief in the Lord, you're fine!"
NOOOO. Jesus Christ had a church. It was perfect. It had all of the perfect principles and ordinances we needed. It was taken from the earth after His death. It has been restored! It's here now! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His perfect kingdom once again established on the earth. I just want to stand and scream at the top of my lungs to everyone. This is Christ's church. There is only one because there is only one Jesus Christ. I know this to be true. I know it more than I know anything else in this life. I want all of you to know it.
I hope, that as some of you read these emails, they inspire you to actual do something. To change for the better. To ask questions. To find out for yourself, not because your parents told you to believe something. I love you all so much and I am so grateful every day for all of you who made me into who I am today. I love being on a mission. I love it so much. I had an amazing holiday season here in the Philippines. I hope you know how much this church - this true gospel - means to me. Even if you understood a tiny bit, it should make you want it for yourself. I don't know why you wouldn't want something that has made me, my family, my friends, and people on the other side of the world, SO HAPPY. I love you all. Have an amazing week:)
Love,
Elder James Ryan Jacobs
 |
| Just a random pic! |
