Surprised Again!

Como estas mi familia y amigos!? How is everything going back in the states and Cali! Sounds like everyone is back in school! wow!!! Time sure does go by fast! Already has been a summer! I’m so glad everyone made it through safe and life is going good. It is literally the best to hear that everyone is doing good. Most comforting feeling in the world. Well things are going really good here. I have finally gotten pretty decent good health back. I feel somewhat myself now. haha. Knock on wood. For all I know I’ll get hit tomorrow. jk. But ya, I’m exercizing and doing all I can to stay as healthy as possible. Hence the word possible. Oh and I’m scared out of my mind with weight. I thought for sure I would lose weight on the mission. Apparently it’s the complete opposite. All the gringos have legit guts. Bueno, not all but the majority have lost everything on their body and have gained guts because of the crazy amounts of grasa we eat here and all the rice. Imagine a popcorn bowl full of rice. We eat about two to three of those every day. haha. It’s crazy. The lunches are huge here. It’s awesome but for the first time in my life I don’t want to eat all of it. haha. But they sit there in literally just watch you eat. hahah. It’s so awkward at times. So ya, I’m a little nervous. And the half hour to exercise is like nothing!! But ya, and spanish still is spanish...But I have come to realize something that I haven’t noticed like I should. I have been blessed with the gift of tongues regarding the gospel. I understand more that half of what’s going on in the lessons and am able to share more than just my testimony now. And ya, I can’t complain because I’m not here to learn spanish I’m here to share the gospel and if I only understand church spanish then so be it. haha... 

Well I was surprised again. Had a great baptism yesterday with a boy named Jose. Such a great kid and I have really really enjoyed teaching him. It just so happened that every time except once I taught him on a split or intercambio so ya he chose me to baptize him and I was excited because I know he’s going to be strong throughout his life in the church. He loves the gospel. But the surprise was not the baptism. The suprise was 3 minutes before  sacrament meeting the second counselor comes up to me and says something like the boy wants you to do the confirmation. I was like what!?!?!? haha, I don’t even know how to do it in english. I was so tempted to say no I can’t or don’t know how but then I thought its not me. its Jose and God. Anyway thanks to the missionary manual and a nice prayer of help and comfort haha all went well. I think its time to use a couple of my personal study hours and study all the blessing and orenanzas and what not. haha. Anyway, ya. Things are always good when there’s a baptism. We had two weekends in a row. That’s awesome! And we might have more in a couple weeks if we can get our investigators to come to church! Crossing my fingers and praying. Me and Elder Wittee have worked out some things and I am really pleased with how the companionship is mejorando. We are both just giving everything we got for our last month we have together and want as much success as possible! Well, I love and miss you all so much! So So SO much! 

Elder Jacobsen 

First Baptism

Hey everyone! Hope everyone is doing great! I think I heard that the U.S did great in the olympics! Yeah! But even more of a yeah is the fact that I won’t ever miss another olympics! haha! Man I miss sports and just ya! But it’s all good! It’s all worth it! Wanna know why?  FIRST BAUTISMO! Wahoo! haha... So we’ve been working with a hermana and her duaghter for a while and they were having some troubles but finally decided it was the right path and ya! Haha, but it was crazy. The little daughter Shirley when asked who she wanted to baptize her chose Elder Wittee and said that I scare her. hahaha. It was way funny and I don’t blame her.  Some white giant that talks funny. haha. But anyway it was time for the baptism and we assumed Witte would do both but when Elder Wittee was getting dressed the hermana Mariuxi said why aren’t you getting dressed? I told her that I dont when I’m not the one baptizing. She said but your baptizing me! I thought she was joking at first until she said I told you I wanted you to baptize me! I was like wait what. Haha Anyway, long story short I ran to the house got the clothes at the same time trying to memorize how to baptize in spanish and her mile long name! haha, but it all worked out! It was sweet! An awesome, crazy first experience. Nothing better than a little adrenaline for the first right. Anyway, it was really sweet but please, please pray for her. She has had some trouble with the word of wisdom and law of chastity. That was what we were most worried about. She passed the interview. But I still have fear! Please pray that she will continue to seguir adelante and endure to the end! Well things are good. No time, but I think that’s big enough news for this week! I Love you all so so so much! I will never be able to express it! I literally have the best family and friends in the world! Miss you and love you! 

Elder Jacobsen 

P.S Here are a few pics. First is of what was going to be dinner! haha! Then a little picture of a sunset that gives no justice of some of the sunsets here. And last baptism! 

Survived 1st Change

HOLA!!!! Como estan mis amigos and familia! Well, i survived my first change here. Wahoooo!  a change is every 6 weeks if you didnt know. Me and elder wittee did not get called to change so we get another 6 togeather. haha. I am neither happy or sad. Because i cant complain about elder wittee. Hes been a great trainer thats taught me a lot of tricks of success and how to learn. The only thing is my spanish. I feel like my spanish has been very slow because he always wants to learn english and he still speaks portegeese at times so its really frustrating when i feel like i can be learning faster. And somtimes i get on him about taking english. Everytime he speaks english i just say como. no hablo ingles. And he gets bugged at times but its the only way im going to learn. haha. But ya, hes great. He has his times if you know what i mean and thats the hardest. When hes down it just kills me. so ive used that to tell my self i will do everything i can possibly do to always be or at least act positive. haha. becasue i dont want to bring down any companion of mine. so ya, with the language its slow. One thing i am learning is patience. Its wierd, almost all the elders understand way before they can talk. Im like messed up or somthing. Becuase i can talk pretty decent but i just dont understand anthing! But ya, other than that things are great! Two things that i cant get over are the darn dogs in church. Its the first time ive been in chrch and theres just dogs walkin around and its normal. haha. This place is crazy! haha. And another thing that i will never get used to is the darn breat feeding! NO NO NO! Its just not right! They just drop it and expect you to talk to them like everythings all right. But its not! hah, i want to just say no! YOu can wait! Or that kids 5 years to old for that. Ill buy you milk if youll stop! haha... Well found out some awesome news! So our mission is doing great! For the first time in mission history we surpassed the Goal for a month of babtisms. I wont say the number but our missions strong! In reward, Elder Christofferson is coming Sept 1st! yeaaahh! Im so excited! I was really reallly really really excited and then i found out he speaks spanish. then i was like nooooo! haha just kidding! Its gonna be great! I just wish i could contribute to the babtisms of the mission! Our district has been struggling for months now. Me and elder Wittee had the first for our district in like a 2 months my second week here but i Do NOt COUNT it as my first babtism because he really didnt teach her! I want to count my first babtism with someone i really taught and invited! I cant wait for the day! We have 3 amazing investigadors that are so ready. They are our three closest and most ready but guess what. Ya, not one of them are legally married!!!!!!!!! 2 of them are trying and i pray that it will work out. The other her esposo doesnt want to legally marry. its so frustrating. Please pray for them! Benigno, Lorena, and Jara!! I know they can do it! Well thats all for today. Love and miss you all so so so so so much! 

Elder Jacobsen Here are a few pictures! Hope they go through... actually have some homemade weights! My bucket and bowl i use to shower with when powers out. thats fun. Me and elder Wittee on a little jungle hike. Me attempting to teach english. haha!!! 

Cow Hoof

Hello everyone! Hope everyones enjoying and living up the summer of 2012! Sounds like your all having a blast! Hows the olympics? hows the US doing? Its crazy how big the oympics and world cup and all that stuff is here. so yesterday we were studying and apperently there was a olympic soccer game going on. idk who was playing ecuador or someone big becuse whoever it was they scored and the whole place went completly nuts. Every bus car moto was honkin horns people screamin. it was nuts and sweet but weird becuase we cant participate in it. Well things are going much better than last week. haha. now that its over. i think. i hope. i can tell ya i got my first bug. i wont say to much but its all part of the experience right. i just hope its a long time before i get hit again. but sounds like thats not to likily. Anyway yesterday was sweet. we actually had investigadors come to church. I was so happy. The people are so receptive here and willing to listen but the problem is acting and progressing. it is so hard to get them to do anything. They love listening but not doing. Anyway it made sunday which is surprisingly the hardest day for me (i blame it on having to wear suits sundays and having two wards of sitting without airconditioning or nada). But yesterday was great! Two of our investigadors came and they are both progressing. I really think we might have somthing. NEither of them are married :( as always. So babtizing is still far but they want to. Please pray for them. Please pray for these great people to have the desire to act. I know they can do it! I couldnt believe it when one of them went up and bared his testimony saying he loves the church and what it represents and wants to live it. There are great great people here. I know god is preparign them. I just have to do my job and help teach and lead them to the gospel. BUt I could realize use your help with through prayer. So whats new, oh ya, i had my first hoof of a cow! that was crazy! I dont think i need to say anything else. i ate cow hoof. haha. Anyway, i love this gospel! You know, the mission is very schedualed and at times you just want to jump our of your chair or whatever and just run around and scream and do somthing different but its all good! haha, i am learning so much! And one thing i will never get sick of is the oppertunity i have every day to share my testimony. The language is slow, but i am slowing developing and stronger testimony is spanish and i love sharing it. If thats all i can do for two years then so be it. haha. I know this gospel is true. I can see its power everyday! WEll i love you all so much! Dont you dare change while im gone! 
Love always, Elder Jacobsen 

Luz is Back!

Hey! Hope everyones doing great! I think some of the fams in hawaii. lucky ducks! I dont know if your there but i know its somtime around this time. Hope you are all having great summers! Enjoy it! Enjoy family! Theres nothing greater than family and love ones! Well we got the luz (electricity) back! haha. Finally! It wasnt to pretty here for almost a week. Its amazign how i went from always expecting hot showers in home and then i was humbled with just cold showers and now ive been humbled and just gratful to have a shower. haha. The bucket and bowl with dirty water wasnt to fun after the 2nd time. haha. But its all good. A growing experience. So with electricity back everyones goin nuts on olympics. Its so cool how the whole world is into it. It tortures me not being able to watch it. so keep me updated. expecially on the US.haha. im ecuadorian for a couple but american for life! Gotta represent! haha.Well not much to say this week. Lets just say ive been out of service for a little while. Wont say much more than that but i will say i am so thankfull for the wonderful blessing of the priesthood and the power of God through prayer and his love and his power. Through god, everything is possible. We just have to always be talking to him! And be worthy to talk to him. Well i love you all so much! Probly have more next week. Things are good. Got some great investigadors. Nothins gone through yet but were hoping to really make some progress this week. This sector is young and we really want to get things going. God bless all of you. I really hope you all know how much i love you! 
Elder Jacobsen 

No Luz

Hey everyone! Well im glad we found a cyber shack with electricity. The past 3 days weve been living sin luz! Which is electricy. It went from almost camping to literraly camping. haha. we use candles at night. Aparrently this happens quite abit. either the area isnt paying for it so they turn it off or its just a common power outage. it was the first and they tried to turn it back on and it exploded so they try to fix it tomorrow. For now no fridge, no light, no fans, no shower, no toilet, you name it. haha. its getting a little nasty. but i wont go into detail. i just hope i dont get sick. ive been talking to a bunch of elders and 4 out of the six gringos ive talked to got sick the first week and were in the hospital. and all them have been in the hospital at least once. so im glad ive passed the first week curse and im doing everything i can to stay heathly. thats i mission in itself. haha. So people cant find this place and i think i found out why. haha. its not legal. apprently the people just came here in built there little houses and when the government tried to kick em out they fought with machetis. The government just gave in but its not techinically a city. but im in the guayaquil pascuales area. its northwest of guayaquil gauyaquil. you might be able to find a place called bastion. its next to that. just a huge area of dirt green and hogares de cristo. Well, the langauge is the language. what to see other than im learning patience. im picking things up but i still cant understand them. everythings blended and ss are droped and everything is abreviated. when i ask them to slow down or speeak for simple they try for like 30 seconds and then back to normal. its not the funnest not being able to communicate and its got to me a little bit but i just remind myself that its all worth it and its going to come. God called me here for a reason. And im just going to work my hardest and let him do what he wants with me. im his for 2 years and im trusting him. Well i tried added some flavor to the food. i took thre warm milk, bannas, oreos, and mixed it up and had the elers try it. haha. it was not a normal milkshake but it wasnt to bad. and they loved it. No matter how many bannansas or water i drink its not enough. haha. ive woken up almost everynight this past week or so with cramps inmy legs. i walk like a 1000 miles eeryday and sweat 10x more than what i drink so ya. cramps is the result. hopfully my body just gets use to it. Well i have tons i can say but no time. The work is great! It is a lot but so great! WE have some great investigators. The people love the gospel here! Its great! I love feeling the spirit as we teach and see the light grow in the eyes. All we need is for them to get married and go to church. haha. Hey, i love you all so much. Everyday i realize more and more how lucky i am and how great i had it. I have the best family and friends in the world. I love you so much and miss you! 
Elder Jacobsen