Kevin

Well this week was an all around good week! Buenísimo! Well first off last P-Day was like the first actual P-Day. We got to go into the city with permission because Elder Wittee had to get some things and we stopped by for a little bit at the Parque de iguanas! It was sweet! I definitely want to return and tour parts of the city throughout the mission. It’s really sweet there. So two crazy things this week. First isn’t too crazy it’s just the fact that we don’t have a bathroom now. Well really just the toilet. It’s completely broke so we get to use the patriarcas outhouse down below which is just the nicest cleanest bathroom I’ve used. (that is sarcasm) haha... I’ll have to send pics of it next week or so. But lets just say goin the bathroom is now an adventure. haha. The craziest thing happened when we were running late to get back to the casa. We have to be back at 9 and 9:30 for the time limit. But we had a really great lesson and we didn’t end up leaving until like 9:25.  But the casa was like a 10 min walk and another 5 in the bus. So we decided to run the walking part. Don’t think it was a good idea. Apparently you don’t run here is what I learned. Next think I know every dog in Ecuador is going nuts barking like crazy and even started chasing us. At first it was crazy and kinda fun until this huge black nasty messed up lookin dog came at us and literally was taking bites at us. I wont lie, I was straight up scared and then I realized Elder Wittee started to run faster and I knew he was fast because he always tells me how he was the fastest in his region in Brazil and stories asi. So it hit me that this would be a race to see who doesn’t get bit. hahaha. And I was not going to get bit!!! haha.. Well I wont lie I felt a little bad passin Wittee because it was like me saying "you get bit" haha. But through the goodness of God, a big hill came and we both booked it up and the dogs stopped. We both just started laughing and trying to catch our breaths. I wont lie, it was fun and nice to feel some adreniline that I havn’t felt for a while. haha. Well, that was the story of the week. I can tell you that what I just said doesn’t give it justice but oh well. haha. It was a experience that I wont forget. But the best part of the whole week is we had a baptism for KEVIN! The son of familia Moran who was my first lesson in Ecuador Monte Sinai! The parents can’t get baptized because they aren’t married and have to take care of divorces from the past but they are all going to church and its just great! So happy! And thank you so much for your prayers! I know and promise each and everyone of you that they are helping so so much! Thank you so much and please don’t stop! Well, I hope everything is going great great great back in the good old states! I love and miss you all so much! 

Working hard,

Elder Jacobsen  

The Power of Prayer

Hola! Coma Estas? I hope everyone is doing well! I don’t really know what’s going on over there other than the fact that everyone is starting school. Hope its all goin well! Well I can’t really say what but something happened this week that has made everything a lot better. I am very excited to serve this mission and give it everything I got! Only 2 years to serve the lord 100%! So, a lot happened this week but nothing really to share. I wont lie it was a long week. haha. But wasn’t bad at all, just a long week. I don’t know why. I was talking to an elder that has been out a decent amount of time and he said every week is different. Sometimes there are weeks that feel like eternity and others that are like wow! It’s been awesome because the majority of the weeks in the mish so far have been like wow. This really is fast! So I’m hoping things return back to that. Well, something that has really been big for me this week is prayer. I have never prayed so much in my life than on the mission but this week it has really started to hit me how important prayer is and how much I love the opportunity and gift of being able to talk to our father in heaven. I honestly could not do this without God my and our loving father in heaven. I love my personal prayers and am learning how to really just talk to my father in heaven. It is not just something I do like it used to be. Now its actually something. I don’t know how to explain it. But I have a developed a large testimony on prayer and I can testify that god answers every single one if we have faith. I love the book of Enos in the Book of Mormon and how it says if we ask in faith we will receive. It is so so so true! Speaking of prayer, I was in the house of the zone leaders with a bunch of missionaries from the zone and we had a prayer together before bed and it hit me that I’m praying with elders from Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, and Brazil. How cool is that! No matter what country, who you are, what language, or whatever. We all have the same loving father in heaven that we can pray to. Well, you are all in my prayers every day and night! Thank you so much for all your love and support! I love and miss you so much! 

Elder Jacobsen 

First Dedication

Hello, hello!! What is going on in the states? Everyone is coming up to me and saying what’s going on in your country? And I’m like what?   They tell me there are really bad storms going on. I hope everyone is safe and sound! You all better stay safe and be smart! Well this week was a little slower all the way up to the weekend and the weekend made it an awesome week. Why?  Because we had a conference with both north and south mission with Elder Pino of the sesenta and Elder D Todd Christofferson!!!! It was great! First off, we got to see everyone in the misison and a few minutes to say hi. It was so good to see my buds from the MTC and the group I arrived with and see that they’re doing good and just talk with them about things and how-what we need to do to survive. hahajk. But it was good. Well, the conference was absolutely amazing. First off we all got to shake Elder Christofferson’s hand and talk to him which was one of the coolest most comforting-scary moments of my life. Don’t know how to explain it but it was amazing. I can promise you he is called by God.  The spirit I felt I can’t deny. The conference was awesome. It was so weird being all in spanish. But I was so happy for all the latinos because it was all their first time hearing an apostle and it not being translated. It was a very special moment! Man, if only we had this like every month or every change the mission would be a breeze. haha. So things are pretty good here. We’re without electricity again so that’s a little bummer but I hope it doesn’t last to long. Oh well, more fun camping. And I can’t complain I heard Brother Morgan did bowl baths for months and I’m sure lots of other great men in the church that I know. Thank you so much for your examples. Well, the mission is always filled with surprises and I was definitely surprised yesterday. Lets just say I never thought I would ever have to dedicate a house until I have my first house. I was wrong. A nice hermana in the ward came up to me and asked if I would come dedicate her house. Again I was shocked and had no idea how to do it or thought I could do it. But as always the Lord helped me and we had a beautiful little experience in a beautiful house of caña and dirt. The spirit is real. And I want to do everything I can to have to spirit with me more. Nothing is possible without it and our father in heaven. I love this gospel and know it is true. I love all of you. I love and miss you so much! Take care! 

Elder Jacobsen

Oh, the pictures are pretty simple. As usual no time. But I got some through. I think one is of our sweet little home made baptismal font and the other of a great little family in the ward that feeds us lunch on Mondays. 

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!!!