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"