Hello Favorites!

This week was another unbelievably awesome week! Being a missionary is fun. It is also hard. But it's fun :) 

Being a missionary is FUN!!

Fun......

I was thinking about High School a lot this last week. I loved High School. I would give anything to do it again just for the fun of doing it again. But I realized that it was a different kind of fun. The mission is fulfilling - it is joyful. It's fun but it's lasting fun...which is joy. I have never gotten a single award in my entire life that could match up to the feeling of helping a person change their life and find a better life. That kind of joy is true happiness.It's real life. It matters. It feels so good to be doing something that really matters.

T
But this is lasting joy!!!

This week was great. Nothing too crazy, but amazing nonetheless.

Last week I mentioned how we were trying to incorporate service a lot more this transfer. Saturday we had another amazing opportunity to serve a family. Remember I said we washed the motorcycle the other day? Well, we set an appointment to return and build a garden for the Carreon Family! So, Saturday afternoon, Elder Rowley and I went out and built/planted a garden!

Thank you, mother, for all those times (I think 6) that you made me and Jon replant the garden in the backyard - My skills were truly honed for this one ;) 

We returned a few days later, and they allowed us to leave a short message with the family. And we are going back on Monday to have Family Home Evening. Service opens doors. Serving, with the right desire, is one of the single most important aspects of our lives. 

Sunday - Pure amazing. After church and meetings, we had some time to just visit some families in the branch. We didn't want to stay too long at a single member's house, so we were able to visit quite a few. We did two things: 1) Checked up on the family (how is school, work, annoying siblings, how we can help, etc) and 2) Left with a prayer. The prayers at each of these houses was incredible. The Spirit that was invited into the houses was unmatched. I am so grateful to have been able to just do something as simple as help a family feel their Father in Heaven's love for them. That's what people need. And you can do it too! Be worthy, make your home an environment where the Spirit can reside, and say a prayer with your family. I promise you that you won't regret it :)

Yesterday was so awesome! Not only did we have a very successful day lessons-wise, our investigators are doing so so well! I just want to mention two: Eddie and Joven. Eddie and Joven are both getting baptized very soon. Eddie is about 54 and Joven is 21. They are both experiencing HUGE changes in their lives, but I would just like to highlight one aspect that is common in both situations.

Scripture Study. Reading the Scriptures (especially the Book of Mormon) is a key in every single person's conversion. In Helaman 15:7, Samuel the Lamanite says it perfectly when he describes the steps to conversion. Gaining a testimony of the prophets through reading scriptures is KEY. 

As missionaries, we get lots of opportunities to talk, meet, and work with lots of different types of people. One thing that I have noticed is that in every single case that an investigator is progressing, they are studying their scriptures every day. They are not just doing it, but they are WANTING to do it. They have a desire and love to read.

 

I love this book.

Remember Devine? A few months ago in Pardo? We gave her a Book of Mormon the second time we met her. She finished the book in 2 weeks. The length of time doesn't matter, but the fact that she grew a desire to read every single day says a lot. Now Eddie. We gave Eddie a Book of Mormon the first time we met him, but due to lots of reasons, we were unable to meet with him for about a month. The second visit, he was in the Book of Jacob (about 120 pages in I think?). 

Joven is a little different story. Joven didn't do it right off the bat. He started about a week ago. After learning the correct way we should study, he now reads very day and uses a study journal. He is getting baptized along with Eddie in just a couple weeks. 

I hope we learned something about the role of scripture study in our conversion. Once we develop a pattern of regular studies, everything else follows. I promise you that! Learn to love to read. My mom always told me to read when I was younger. I did... sometimes... But I will be the first one to say that it wasn't my favorite thing to do. I can't even imagine how much more I could have understood now if I would have loved reading more earlier in my life! 

Future missionaries.....READ!!!! Start now!!

My delicious dinner...noodles and pancakes......

 My mom is a perfect example of that. I have learned from her to love the Book of Mormon. I can't go a day without reading. Try it! Read your scriptures every single day and see how you feel. According to Elder Bednar, there are at least 5 steps to conversion, but the first is reading the scriptures.

Awkward Story........

So, we left our apartment the other day in a hurry to grab something we needed for the service project we did. I think I left too quickly though because I forgot how badly I had to go the bathroom... 

Like.. Back row... or number 2, ya know? 

So we were already too far to turn back and it was BAD. Like I HAD to go. 

We were passing this auto shop and my first thought was to ask them if they had a bathroom I could use, but then I was like "Oh great it had to be at the biggest auto shop in town where all the 'tough guys' work. How awkward is that...? 

But, in my life I have learned that sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. "Mayong hapon kaninyong tanan! Naa ba'y C.R. diri?" (is there a bathroom here?) They then pointed to a toilet. You are probably all thinking how lucky I was, but think about it again... How could they just point to a toilet? 

Where's the toilet?

Yea... It was literally in the middle of just a little field. No walls. No nothing. I looked at it and said... "No... like.... kalibangon gud ko." (No... like... I need to GO!!!  BAD!!!). 

They then made arrangements very quickly to get me inside the next shop over to get to the bathroom. I am so grateful for all my best friends here in Siaton. They really look out for me ;) 

Ready to go!!

I am running out of time and I still feel like I have so much to say. Please know how much I know that this Gospel is true. There is no doubt anywhere. Just try it for yourself. Especially those that already know that it's what they should be doing. Please. Do the little things to get on the path to Eternal Life. I love you all so much. Strengthen yourself, then go out and strengthen others! Make someone's week :)

Love You!

Elder Jacobs

P.S. Some awesome food for thought: "A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation" (Joseph Smith).

P.P.S. Also, one step to developing that faith is knowing, without a doubt, that your course of life is pleasing in the sight of God. Any thoughts on that? How can we know 100% that our life is in align with God's will?

P.P.P.S. I love you all

Miracles Really Happen!

Hello to My Best Friends in the Whole Wide World!
How is everyone doing over there on the other side of the world?? Hopefully as awesome as I am, but for some reason I seriously doubt that. I am absolutely loving life.

I think the question that was in almost everyone's email was "How is your new companion???"

Elder Rowley is awesome!

Let me just answer that in one word: HE IS AWESOME. I know ...that was more than one word... but you get the point. 

Elder Rowley is such a stud and is going to be one amazing missionary. I am humbled and grateful that I was given the opportunity to be his first companion here in the Cebu Mission.

 Elder Rowley is from Apple Valley, California. He is awesome. He has had surgery on his knee a few times and just had a recent one in the MTC (which is why he was a little late getting here). But he is totally fine and can walk and do anything except play basketball or that kind of stuff. I am absolutely loving him though. He is the youngest in his family and played basketball and football in high school. He is not afraid to work hard and I love it. Every single day we come back DEAD tired.

Like most of you probably know, I had to go to Cebu last Wednesday so I didn't really have a P-Day last week. I picked up Elder Rowley and we had to wait a couple of days for President Schmutz to get back from a visit off island so that he could interview Elder Rowley. We went on exchanges with the ZL's in the city on Thursday and had our interview on Friday morning. It was awesome. I love and take full advantage of ANY personal time with President Schmutz. I love him and his wife so much.

*Side note* Friday: So whoever thought President sends all the missionaries he doesn't like to the farthest possible areas, THINK AGAIN! I'm convinced he likes me a little bit because he gave us permission to GO TO THE TEMPLE on Friday!!! For those that don't know, off island missionaries aren't allowed to go to the temple ever! Even if new missionaries come in! See mom, I knew my sad puppy dog face that Charlie taught me would benefit me later in life. Who knew it would have an even more ETERNAL benefit?? I love temples.

Speaking of my mom...remember a couple of weeks ago when I was in the forest at night and saw the lightening bugs? Well, my mom sent me this cool headlamp and told me to keep it with me in case I'm in the forest at night again!

Thanks mom.

She sent one for my companion too.

Let me just take an opportunity to tell you about a miracle. Remember last week? I mentioned briefly I had been praying that when we taught Eddie the Word of Wisdom, he would receive it with an open heart and mind?? Well we taught it. We started the lesson by introducing it. After about two sentences out of my mouth he said, "I have been praying to leave my drinking and smoking every since I met you. I don't know why, I just knew I shouldn't be doing it." 

On our way to Eddie's...you go down this path....

 Eddie is amazing. After explaining why it is so important that we clean our bodies of these things, we committed him to live the Word of Wisdom starting THAT day. Zero tolerance. 

He said he would do it. On a follow up visit the next day and again a few days later, we asked him how it was going. He said he has no idea how, but that everything was gone and he had zero desire to even go back to it. 

Eddie is 100% clean from these horrible, harmful substances in his body. He said something that I won't forget in that follow up lesson. He said, "I think there was power in the words that you said. I have tried to stop smoking before, but I was never able to do it. From the moment you told me to stop, I haven't even desired to return to that harmful habit." 

And then you walk way over there....

We took this opportunity to talk about two things: Priesthood Power and Miracles. At the end of that lesson, Eddie wanted a Priesthood blessing and it was a wonderful experience. 

Brothers and Sisters! Miracles are real. The only reason you might not have seen or experienced miracles has to do with one roadblock: Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Read Ether 12 a few times. Then Mormon 9:20. 

We learn that there are three things that hold back miracles: 1) Faith in the Lord 2) Disobedience or wrong traditions of our fathers and 3) Having an incorrect interpretation of who we trust and who we worship. I want everyone to have the opportunity to see miracles in their own lives. I know it's possible. I know it.  If you are lacking in any of these three areas, fix it now! Don't complain that you haven't had a miracle happen; just fix the problem and trust in Him!

I love this picture on the right......

Doesn't it seem like if you look hard enough you will see the Savior in the cloud at the top?

Someday we will!!

Something funny happened last week and Ive been laughing about it ever since.... Hahah So we were walking out in a place that was pretty far from the closest real civilization - it is probably safe to say that not a lot of people there have seen a real white person...

I'm definitely a person!!!

We passed these kids (probably about 9 and 10 years old). 

One says: "Oi! Tanawa! Naa'y Americano!!" (Hey Look there's an American!) 

The younger one responds: "Dili kadto Americano... Tawo lagi man na!" (That's not an American... That's DEFINITELY a person!) 

HAHAHAH sooo.... there's some news for ya'll: Americans are not considered people in some parts of the island here!!

Next story! Last night, we got some food on the way home and I tried something new. Pictures will come later, but it sufficeth me to say that it was a chicken intestine on a stick. Barbecued. It gets better... I can honestly say it was one of my favorite things I have had since I have been here. It was SOOO GOOOD!!! That's gunna be a regular from now on. Add it to the list of things to cook when I get home.

We won't be taking the shortcut through this creepy cemetery at night again any time soon.....

Alright, well I love you all so much. I miss you, but I know you are fine and I am too. I know that miracles are real. I know that we limit ourselves when we lack faith in Jesus Christ and understanding of His gospel. If you want to learn more about faith, miracles and understanding, find a couple of guys wearing white shirts and name badges and talk to them!!! Have an amazing week and try to look for the miracles in your own lives. Smile, be happy, and make someone's day.

Love,

Elder Jacobs

Lots of pictures this week!

Hello All!!

 First off! HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!!! I LOVE MY MOTHER!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother: I love you. I hope you had an amazing Mother's

Day. I am so grateful for you and for everything you have done and taught me. I have literally learned everything I know from your teaching and your example. I am so grateful and I love you. Thank you for being the best mother in the world. Every single son in the world needs a mother like you.

I don't have much time! The AP's (Assistants to the Mission President) called this morning and said I need to get to Cebu as soon as possible. So that meant I had to take a bus...and then a boat... and then another bus to get here to Cebu. I left at 10:00am and got to Cebu at 5:30pm. 

Which means zero P-Day. But it also means I will get my new companion today!!!! I am waiting for him now!

We served a family this week by chopping what is called.... Bulunghoy (sp?).... and it is a root. Kinda like potatoes if you boil it. But we were chopping it so that it could be dried out and used in oil I think.

I hurt my knee which made tracking that day a little slower... but my knee is fine. It HURT that day. I just hit it on a door... don't ask.. it was fine a couple days later.

A little creepy at night.....

On Friday we met with Eddie. Eddie is our GOLDEN investigator. We met him for the first time a while back and we could immediately tell he had a Word of Wisdom issue (https://www.lds.org/topics/word-of-wisdom?lang=eng). But, of course, we still continued to teach and do our best. I have been praying for the past 2 weeks that when we teach the Word of Wisdom, he would accept it and desire to change for the better.

Rocky Dela Torre blessed the sacrament! Juliebert passed the Sacrament! It is such a great blessing to watch lives change for the better when they live gospel principles. I love that the church changes lives for the better....always!!!!

New mode of transportation...don't tell my mom...

I spy a ginourmous spider!!!

I think of all of you everyday. I hope you know that I know that this work is true.  I know that Our Savior loves us and watches over us. You can know the truth too. Just invite the missionaries over. Read. Pray.

For those of you who are preparing to serve a mission- It is the single most important thing you can do at 18 or 19. It will teach you everything you will need to be successful in school, in work, in a family and in relationships. DO IT. Don't even think of doing anything else. JUST DO IT. I promise with all of my heart that the Lord will bless you with everything that you need...on your mission and afterwards!

I'm pretty much an islander now!

I love you all. I am so blessed. I am so grateful.

Have the best week ever!
Elder Jacobs

You can help the people here in the Philippines...here's how....

HELLOOO THERE!

Before I tell you about my week here I want to let you know about a service project my mom and Aimiee Jones are organizing!! 

As you know by now, the people I am serving here in the Philippines are kind, hardworking people. They work day and night providing food for their families. They do without so much. So many of the people I meet want to read but cannot due to poor eyesight. They cannot afford reading glasses. So my mom and Aimiee are collecting your old reading glasses to send to me here in the Philippines. The other missionaries and I will share these glasses with those who need them!! Just think how a pair of glasses could completely change a life and the lives of a family! 

Contact my mom at billjacobs5@gmail.com

if you would like to donate a pair or two! Please help us!

Okay....about my week here....Elder Tavui and I went out to Liko-Liko both Thursday and friday night because Liza's baptism was scheduled for Saturday. So, in order to just make sure everything was still good to go, we always visit the few days before. 

Liza was doing as awesome as a 10 year old Filipina that is getting baptized in the true Church of Jesus Christ could be - BETTER THAN EVER  :) 

Okay, side note- Liko-Liko is pretty out there. Like, bukid. (translation = "Like, mountain forest"). 

I am being 100% honest when I say that I think I met Tinkerbell. About 1000 of them actually. Remember I said this place was like Disneyland (the Jungle Cruise)?? There are lightning bugs EVERYWHERE in the forest. They are tiny (like as big as a gnat) bugs that fly around and flicker. Coolest. Night. Ever.     (Comment from Jimmy's mom........What in the world is Jimmy doing in the mountain forest AT NIGHT????? Yikes! Not gonna think about that....)

Saturday - BAPTISM! Heyyooooo Liza did great. She was a superstar.

Elder Tavui baptized her and the spirit was so strong. One of our investigators came. Eddie is a 54 year old man with LONG hair. He reminds me of that uncle in Spy Kids. I think... I haven't seen that movie in forever. Does he have long hair?

So this... older... big... man came to the baptism of a wonderful little girl. After the baptism, we taught Eddie at his house. The first thing he asked us: "How many times do I have to go to church in order to be baptized like that?" HELLOOO. How much do you love that question as a missionary??  Eddie is doing great and progressing spectacularly.

Later Saturday night, we met with the Jamosmos Family in order to finish up our discussion on the Aaronic Priesthood. Remember Juliebert was supposed to be ordained this Sunday?

Turns out, he was very scared. Being a 13 yr old new member, he felt like he didn't know enough to be entrusted with something as big as the Priesthood. We taught a little bit, but then I just had a prompting that went something along the lines of, "Promise in the name of Jesus Christ. Just promise." I didn't know what I was supposed to promise. I then invited Juliebert and his family to pray as a family after we left. I promised him as representatives of Jesus Christ, that if they prayed that night as a family and asked our Heavenly Father if it was His will to have Juliebert proceed, they would receive an answer that night. THAT night.
Anyone familiar with prayer knows and understands that answers are not something we are in control of. They are given on the Lord's time. But, I was prompted to promise them.... To be continued...

On Sunday Liza got confirmed. She was great. Eddie (and some others) were at church. They were great. Juliebert came to church and I asked him if he wanted to continue, he just said "yup" but didn't share anything with me. So, he got ordained to the office of Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. I was wondering why he didn't share anymore... Did the prayer get answered?? Did they even pray?? 

****BREAK**** Funny story.
It was Fast and Testimony on Sunday, so of course there were people bearing testimonies. (Hahah this one is for Blake, Kyle and all those who understand ;) ....One newer member comes up to bear his testimony. It was a great powerful testimony - I could feel that he was experiencing a change in his life. Typically at the end of testimonies you say something along the lines of "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."
Well... He did say that. Then added some more. To finish, he said, "In the name of Jesus Christ, Thomas S. Monson, and Joseph Smith, Amen." Haha! It made my week. 

Monday - TRAANSSFFFEEERRRR MEETINGGGG. So................... I'm getting transferred.

To the other side of my bedroom.

 I'll probably take Elder Tavui's bed now that HE IS LEAVING ME :( I'm not getting transferred. I get to stay here in Siaton for another transfer and what's even better???

Good thing I learned how to sew.......

My new companion's name is.... Jeff.

Hahahha he is a branch missionary from Bayawan (about an hour away). He will be working with me while MY ANAK (Son) new junior companion takes care of some last minute things in the Provo MTC and flies over here.

Yeppers! I'm training the only American that's coming in with this batch. Hahah should be a party. There are 12 in the batch coming in but 11 are Filipino and 1 is coming from Provo. I'm stoked. Can't wait.

 We were visiting the Jamosmos Family last night. We were discussing the principle and commandment of prayer when Tatay Jamosmos shared their experience. He said after we left that night, they prayed as a family. He said they all knelt down and prayed for Juliebert - that he would be able to receive a witness that he needed to move forward. They all said they have never felt like they felt that night - immediately after the prayer. It was a calm, overwhelming peace that came over the entire family. Every single one of them felt it. They said the spirit has never been as strong as it was that night in their house. Juliebert said his fear was taken away immediately and he just knew he needed to do it.

Elders, brothers, sisters, everyone... I know that miracles are real. I know that they happen. I know that, as missionaries, we are literally representatives of Jesus Christ. I know that His power is real and it is called Priesthood. This was an amazing experience. I am grateful that Heavenly Father backed me up when I promised that a prayer would be answered.

Loving simple joys.

I know that His angels are round about us always. I know that miracles are possible and are brought about by our faith. They have not stopped just because Christ has gone to Heaven. Moroni 7:27, 37. A good friend and fellow servant always said, "I plead with you to live your religion," (Brigham Young). As we have faith and press forward with a perfect brightness of hope, we are living our religion. Be the miracle for someone else this week. I love you all so much!!! Have an amazing week <3

Love,

Elder Jacobs