Service and Rain

Hello!

This week we've finally been getting that rain we've heard so much

about! The temperatures have dropped pretty significantly- from the

90s to the 60s... Anyway, it's been cold! But, luckily for me and

Sister Girot, somehow we manage to be inside every time it really

starts pouring. As someone said the other day, we've got the big man

on our side.

It's been a great week for service as well! I think we helped out with

something just about every day this week. We've weeded, and helped

organize papers, and reorganized a garage...and we helped put up one

of those wires that goes with the shock collar for dogs, to keep them

from running out in the street. Anyway, it's been a lot of fun! As a

missionary, doing service and weeding is a lot more fun than it used

to be, that's for sure.

We've been finding a lot of people- our new and potential

investigators lists are really long! Hopefully over time, a lot of

those will become progressing investigators. Before I came out on my

mission, I didn't realize how much time it can take to really teach

someone. One of the brothers in our ward said it's probably because

the stories we hear are about the converts who were waiting for the

missionaries. It really does take time! We are doing our best to meet

our goals, and working with the members as well.

We've had so much Chinese food this week. One night with the Trumbos,

and the next night with Lily who is a recent convert, and they both

gave us leftovers! I think there's still some in our fridge. Lily is

really wonderful. She's from China, so sometimes it can be difficult

to understand her. But I find that the more I focus on listening and

pray for the ability to understand, the easier it becomes. She asks

wonderful questions. Something else interesting I've seen while being

here- recent converts often give the most sincere and spiritual

prayers. They are so humble, and they are really talking to God.

That's a goal I've been working on for myself, to pray more sincerely

and really talk to my Father in heaven and rely on His strength more

than my own.

It's been interesting to really see how the Lord works in people's

lives to make things go the way He needs them to go. He truly is in

every detail. He organizes and influences us to meet others at the

right time, and we just have to act on and follow His guidance. He can

see the whole picture, and we can only see part of it. He will never

lead us wrong!

As for a spiritual thought, I read a pretty cool quote this morning

while studying for one of our lessons. It's from this past General

Conference, and it was on the lds.org homepage too. It says:

“Marriage is more than your love for each other. … In your love you

see only your two selves in the world, but in marriage you are a link

in the chain of the generations, which God causes to come and to pass

away to his glory, and calls into his kingdom. In your love you see

only the heaven of your own happiness, but in marriage you are placed

at a post of responsibility towards the world and mankind. Your love

is your own private possession, but marriage is more than something

personal--it is a status, an office. Just as it is the crown, and not

merely the will to rule, that makes the king, so it is marriage, and

not merely your love for each other, that joins you together in the

sight of God and man. … So love comes from you, but marriage from

above, from God.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

The family is an eternal principle and a pattern established before

this life even began! By striving to have that pattern in our lives,

we can receive the greatest happiness and joy possible.

Stay strong!

Sister Jacobs