Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Changed to Quevedo

Well hello hello! So i have like no time... were running way late here because I WAS CHANGED! There were transfers today and i have been changed to another Zone and Sector. I am now in Quevedo Norte which a 3 hour bus ride from Guayaquil. But ya. I'm actually really excited! It was definitely time! haha. I have a new companion. He seems Great so far! Really nice and humble and just seems like a great Elder. He is called Elder Burga from Otavalo Ecuador which is soooo cool because it is literally the area of Indians here in Ecuador with long hair and just an awesome culture! I real Lamanite! hahah... But ya, he has about 6 months in the mission and I am way excited to work with him! 

Well, not much else to say! Just have to go through the process of getting to know the sector, trends, members, people, directions, and all that jazz. Oh, and i have been called to be District Leader. So that will be fun. Another great opportunity to learn and grow and serve. 


Life's good. Gotta love it! I hope you are all doing great! I love and miss you so much! 

Elder Jacobsen 

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Lifes Great

Wellllll Helllllooooo!!!!!! How is everyone doing!?!??! I hope everyone is doing great during this great time of the year, just enjoy all the blessings that God has blessed us with. Well the mission is growing a ton! Lots of new missionaries. The normal 6 week change when the new missionaries come doesn't even exists anymore because the church is just sending them. Its crazy but awesome! Just some big changes in the LORDS WORK! We all know that there is no time to waste in sharing this gospel with everyone so that everyone can have the opportunity!

Well they are also sending new things throughout all our misison! Its pretty sweet! They are spoiling us! We have new furniture, new kitchen things, and a desk and its all really nice! But it was hard to throw away the old desk that has missionary signatures back from 1980! Crazy right! But its cool because I can say I was the last to sign them and then I am debating to be a rebel and be the first to sign underneath the new generation of furniture! hahaha.

Well I have had the opportunity to listen back on some conference talks and read over some notes! Man what a GREAT conference! Loved it! Honestly helped me so much! I now truly understand the importance and blessing of General Conference! I now look at it as an awesome opportunity to learn and grow and feel the spirit rather than a couple of Sunday naps (even though that is tempting for everyone. hahahajk) But honestly I am loving these talks. I was listening to Elder Neil Anderson and I loved it becasue he said Somos pocos (we are few) Pero Somos Testigos ( But we are witnesses) I hope that all translates. I love that! We are so blessed to have this Gospel! It is the ONLY way back to our father in heaven. How lucky! We are witnesses of TRUE HAPPINESS! We must share it! The apostle said! Take out your old mission badges! If you dont have one make one (and dont put it on haha) but just be missionaries! Share! One of my favorite personal quotes is  AMELO, VIVALO, Y COMPARTALO!  LOVE IT, LIVE IT, & SHARE IT! As Elder Uchtdorf taught that we have the light! The light of Christ and of God is real! We need to realize that! We have it! We need to wake up and say the same as Bruce D Porter, Oh what a Beautiful Day! And then LOVE IT, LIVE IT, & SHAREIT!

I love this gospel! I am enjoying every minute of being able to share it with these great people of Ecuador and am so excited to share it with all of you and with all of our brothers and sisters until the end! I testify that this is the work of the Lord! I testify that Christ lives! That he loves us so so much! Not only is he willing to do miracles for us if we have faith but he was willing to die for us to make it all possible! I love you all so much!

Elder Jacobsen

Monday, April 8, 2013

Cow Stomach

Well first off! I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE MOST AMAZING MOTHER IN THE WORLD! I love you mom! I love you so much! Thank you for all you do and all your are! Your the best! 

So, hoping that my mom had a great birthday meal ill share with you a meal that i had this week. Its called Guatica de baca¨ or (COW STOMACH) which was not to pleasent to eat when they told me what it was. I will not lie. The flavor was not horrible. Its eatable. But the texture and just thinking about where it had been just kills ya when your eating it. haha. 

Anyway, General Conferance was great! I loved it! The signal was pretty bad because they used a cell phone as the source for internet. (didnt even know that was possible). But i recieved exactly what i needed. I have asked myself about conference and why we have it when generally similar and same themes are always mentioned? But i recieved my answer to this question. I realized and learned the power and beauty of the conference! I learned that any doubt, help that we need, or somthing we need to improve, or just a boost... WE WILL FIND AND RECIEVE in the conference listening with an open heart to our inspired prophets and leaders. I loved it! I recieved may answers I needed and comforts and things to ponder on. But what i loved more than anything was the Sweet sweet spirit that i felt testifying to me the truth, testifying to me what i need to hear more than anything, and that My father in heaven truley does love me. 

I promise each and every one of you that God Loves us. That Christ lives! And that the Holy Ghost is real! Search the word of good, and open your hearts! I love you all! Your all in my prayers! 

Elder Jacobsen 

Keep It Simple

Bueno, not much to say this week. The work is on a down level. We dont have many people to teach. Me and my companion are trying to figure out how to teach togeather in unity. We both teach in very different ways. But i feel like we are loosing everyone we find. Sorry, i should try to be more positive but ive been spoiled for the past year with lots of people to teach and great unity with my companion. My companion is very very smart! He speaks almost 4 languages and loves to study study study. Very complicated things that i dont understand for the life of me. He tries to explain scientific things to me in spanish and i just tell him. Hey man, i dont even understand these things in English, how am i going to understand in spanish. hahahah. Hes a nice guy and im learning a lot from him. But ill just say that lessons should be no more than 45 minutes and weve had hour and a half lessons and more. Im trying to convince my companion that direct and simple is the key with them. If not they will get confused or bored. But its all a work in progress. The good part is that im learning a lot! 

Anyway, enough about all thatl Life is all good! We had a great lesson yesterday in church about exepting the atonment of Christ, accepting the blessings, and accepting the joy that we are offered. I loved it! I realized somtimes we are naturally thinking of all the things that are not going well or that need to happen for the future and we just overwhelm ourselves at times. When really we just need to be happy for all that we have. Its seems so simple. hahah! Well, I have a testimony of this amazing work. Even though we are in a bit of a hole right now I dont have a doubt in my mind that there are children of god, our brothers and sisters, that are here in this sector right now, waiting to hear from us. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone! Always! Its never too early or too late! I love and miss you all so much! Please take care! And know that i love you! 

Elder Jacobsen 

The Fotos are of a sweet old fashion type writer and of delicious brownies from my Buddy B! 



New Mission - Mission Split

Well hello! How is everyone doing! I hope all the sports, church, highschool, middleschool, college, work, mom life, old life, or whatever is just going absolutly great! From what I hear everyone is doing awesome and just makin the best of all of our many blessings that our loving father in heaven has given us! The more I think about things the more I realize how lucky we are and how much our father in heaven really loves us! 

Well not much time as always but some big news. Some people have been asking about the 58 new missions in the world and that two will be here in ecuador and if it will affect this mission! We recieved our answer this past week. YES! It will definitly be affecting our misison. 50% of our misison! They are going to split up Guaquil North (My mission) and South to be able to add Guayaquil WEST. They will be taking about 50% of the Missionaries here to be able to start off the other mission and then quickly send more and more misisonaries becasue of the increase. Whats my opinion. Cool right! But I am completly mixed on feelings. I do not like the fact at all of some good friendships might end up in another mission! That will definatly be hard! Oh and as of now this will take place in july or june. Im sure many will say changing missions would be sweet! But i dont know! Gauyaquil North is my mission! haha. And I guess I will be honest, i dont want another misison president! My mission president knows me and has been a great help. But, I have really come to learn that evrything happens for a reason. I know that phrase is so cheesy but its so true! If we are doing are best, the lord will help do what is best for us. I will go and i will do right! And really the only thing thats important is my objective and purpose. Doesnt matter where. Invite others to come unto Christ! Thats what i will do until the last day of the mission! 

So i have no idea if I mentioned that Isidro was baptized! I know many were praying for him! Thank you so much! He and Carlos have been preparing to receive the priesthood! They are both progressing great! Its the best! 

Well I have to make a shout out to all my buds!!! Many have been writing me and I cant tell you how much it means to me! And I always received birthday letters from a ton of you! I am so lucky to have the best clan of friends in the world! Its rare to have a group that will actually be life time friendships! From school, to sports, to Los Barbos, to know. I will never forget you all! Love ya! And now i have to give a shout out to the most amazing best friend in the world! I received the sweetest bday package! I love you BRI! Thanks for just being you! Man, I am getting emotional thinking about all you guys! How lucky to have family and friends like you! I pray that you are all safe! But know its time to focus on sharing this great JOY with all the people here! I love and miss you all! 

Elder Jacobsen