Last week was so unusual and I was having some different feelings. Here is why.

HELLO diha sa akong mga higala!

First of all... wow. It's April 30th. How did this happen? I just can't believe how fast time is going! We find out who is transferred on Monday. I'm not sure what to expect because Elder Tavui and I have been here the same amount of time so... One will transfer and one of us will stay. I'll be completely happy either way.

Elder Painchaud speaks French...no English!

 This week was great!! If I was just a normal person over here with no name badge, nothing too too awfully exciting happened.....BUT VERY EXCITING things happened in the life of Elder James Ryan Jacobs. Haha! I love my mission!

Saturday was SO awesome!!! Little Lisa (10yr) had her baptismal interview and she is getting baptized this Saturday. She is great! All of her older siblings have been baptized except for one. We are still working with Sunshine, but she's not quite there yet. So close! But Lisa is a superstar right now. Smartest 10 yr old I've met since like 9 years ago... (Jokes :) As Elder Buck went and did that interview, I went out with his companion, Elder Painchaud, for a couple hours in our area. It was awesome, but more on that later cause I actually went on exchanges with him Monday!

Hey! Hello there! Wait up!

Sunday was a very amazing day. I loved it. Last Sunday was our Siaton Branch Conference. We had the District President come with his counselors and others. The branch out here in Siaton is doing great and progressing little by little, but the conference and training that took place from the district leaders did wonders. It was awesome! ALSO! Rocky Dela Torre (Lomer's kuya, or older brother) advanced to the office of a Priest! We have been trying to work with him and, since his brother got baptized, he has been coming back to church! I can't wait to see him next week up at the sacrament table :) Next week, Juliebert will be ordained a Deacon as well! Things just keep getting better!

I have an important message to share with you....

On Monday Elder Tavui went to Zamboanguita to work with Elder Buck so Elder Painchaud came here with me! He is awesome. From Canada and really doesn't speak too much English because his first language is French. Hahahaha mom :) I had never heard a french accent speaking bisaya words until a couple weeks ago when I met him.. 

About the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.....

Last week was so unusual and I was having some different feelings. Here is why. The people here are great - I love them so much. Most of them say they are Catholic but they never go to church and do not understand Catholic doctrine. So what do they mean when they say "I am Catholic"? 

I'm trying to understand. But here in the Philippines Easter is looked at as a "Catholic Only" holiday(?) and they do all kinds of weird rituals, things I've never read about in the Bible. I can't even count the times that I needed to explain the true doctrine of Resurrection to people. People think that either everyone gets resurrected and goes straight to heaven to live forever, OR only the good people get resurrected and the rest go to Hell. 

Let's get that straight really quick.. Everyone gets resurrected. Everyone - yes, from Hitler to Abe Lincoln. It is a gift given to all. One of the major purposes of resurrection is that we are able to come before the judgment bar (see 2 Nephi 9:22). 

So in short, lets make sure that we do every needful thing here in this life while we have it so that we can stand at Judgment Day in our perfect bodies and receive the highest glory of them all – Eternal Life in the Celestial Kingdom as Brothers and Sisters!  Do everything you can to make sure that Resurrection is just the beginning! Don’t take it for granted and don’t be satisfied with anything lower than our rightful inheritance, being heirs to the Kingdom. 

Tracting.......

As I said, this Monday we have Transfer Meeting. How is this happening? I just pray that we are taking full use of the time that our Father has given us. 

That is what I am trying to do every single minute. I know that my two years are going to be short. 




I know that your 4 years in college , 3 in Grad school, 2 in internship, 5 in working your first job, and 70 living your life will be gone before you know it. 

Let's do everything that is needed to secure what is ours. We cannot waste an hour of this precious time, just like we read in 2 Nephi 9:27. Just keep swimming through the hard times, but triumph at the same time. I know that we can and I hope that you will.

I love you all so very much and hope the best for every single one of you this week. Keep up the maintainance of the side of the world YOU are assigned to be in at this time. I love you!!!

Love,

Elder Jacobs               This is the internet Cafe where I am typing this!!

Yep...it's hot in here.....