Week 40 - This week..... Let me tell you..... It's been a week!! 😂😜😳😬

Aloha Family and Friends! 😊💜

This has been a very interesting, entertaining, exciting week! Don't
worry no Sister Jacob's were harmed in the making of this week.
Hahahaha 😂😂😂 Really though it was like a crazy week! I can't even
express how crazy it was, but I guess I will just tell you now! 😜😊😂

Monday- Sister Dillman left and I was taken to Cookeville to be in a
trio until Wednesday with the Sisters up there. It was a blast and I
had so much fun and I just adore them! 💜😊 We had a pretty good Pday
with the Elders and Sisters and got to say good bye to a few who were
leaving. It was an all around a good day! 😊

Tuesday- We had some great things planned in for the day. We went for
a run for exercise and let me tell you.... I am way out of shape....
LIKE WAY OUT OF SHAPE!!!!! 😳😬😂😜 After we went and visited some
people in their area. Then on our way to have lunch with an
investigator and member we got in a car crash! I was sitting in the
back behind the passenger and the two Sisters were in the front. We
got T-boned at a light and man was that exciting. What happened was we
were headed to lunch and we had a solid left green arrow. Sister
Ellis, the driver, didn't go right away (we had a training the week
before about hesitating before going through a light). We sat there
for a few seconds then decided to go, then a lady ran the red light
and T-boned us. Turns out if Sister Ellis didn't hesitate then she
would be in the hospital, but because the Holy Ghost brings things to
our remembrance we were totally fine! I only had a little green line
on my foot! I also got to teach the lady a part of the Restoration and
left her with a pamphlet! She'll end up being baptized!! 😊😂😜 That
will be a funny story to tell. "So how did you meet the missionaries?"
"Ohhh I just hit them with my car..."

Wednesday- I got my greenie! It took us forever to find a ride from
Cookeville to Crossville though! Like it was nuts! We were going to
drive, but then we got in a car accident soooooo that didn't work out!
We did end up getting a ride from a sweet member though! Then I had my
training meeting and President told me what he expects from me and
what he wants me to do with the area and all this fun stuff! I'm
pretty pumped! 😊😬😳😂😜 My baby's name is Sister Tietjen (Tea jen).
She is from Roseville, California and she is just the sweetest,
bubbliest, most enthusiastic person I've ever met! Like Holy Cow! A
lot to take in, but she is awesome and I'm excited to get to work! 😊

Thursday- Happy Thanksgiving and it was also my 9 month mark! Holy cow
has time flown or what!? Does anyone else find it ironic that I got a
greenie the day before my 9 month mark! 😂😂😂😂 She just came a day
late is all! 😂😂😂 We spent Thanksgiving with Maw and her
granddaughters, who are just the cutest little girls ever! 😊 It was a
pretty good day! 😊

Friday- It was probably the most normal day that I've had this week!
Like it was so normal that I don't even remember what happened. All I
know is that we went to District Meeting and then went knocking on
doors and just tried to find some people. It was fairly normal.

Saturday- Was pretty normal to start out with! We did exercise, which
you'll all be proud that my comp and I run every morning! The only
problem is what happened later on in this day makes it so I can't run
for a tiny bit until my lungs calm down. 😂😂 More on that though in a
little bit. So we went knocking on doors today spreading the Gospel
(we got a new investigator who is pretty cool) and my lungs are just
on fire and I was taking my inhalor and it just wasn't working, so I
called the mission doctor. He told me to go to an urgent care, but all
of them closed early. I told him I would suck it up until Monday, but
then he told me it wouldn't be breaking the Sabbath if I went on
Sunday for a health reason. Me being me I was just gonna wait until
Monday. 😂😜 We went to Debby's for supper and we were teaching her
granddaughters the new member lessons because they got baptized over
the Summer and never got them, so we were teaching them and my lungs
were just killing me. Maw told me to go to the ER and then she told
Paw (Mickey) to tell me to go to the ER. Long story short I went to
the ER. I was there for 3 hours! Turns out I have asthma and this
thing called Pleurisy. They gave me some shots, steroids, and xrays. I
am totally fine though now! Don't worry! 😊😳😬😂😜 I just decided
that I wanted to break my greenie in the right way! 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Sunday- We had a great day! We had a member bring a friend to church
and we taught them the Restoration during Sunday School and now they
are our new investigator! It was pretty awesome! I love doing
missionary work! It is the greatest thing ever! Just to focus your
life just on Christ for a short amount of time. It helps me to see the
bigger picture and think about my priorities and what I want first in
my life! 😊

This week has been insane, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm
sure a freaked a few people out, but that wasn't my intention! My
intention was to show how blessed I am! I have an amazing Heavenly
Father and Savior who love me. I have an amazing family who takes care
of me whether they are my adopted family or my actual family! I have
this amazing opportunity to watch people make changes in their lives
to come closer to their Heavenly Father and Brother. I have the chance
to see miracles and tender mercies every day! Man am I liven the life
or what!? 😊💜 I am very grateful for all that I have in my life and
the experiences that I have had! I wouldn't change it for anything in
the world! 😊💜 It kind of reminds me of the song Blessed by Martina
McBride. "I have been blessed and I feel like I have found my way. I
thank God for all I've been given at the end of every day. I have been
blessed." It's been an awesome week! 😊 Hopefully I didn't freak too
many of you out, but I figured I just had to tell you because then
nothing would make sense and I couldn't let y'all think that I didn't
have entertaining experiences while being out here! 😜😂

I hope all y'alls week has been awesome! I hope you ate a lot of food
on Turkey day and that you have reflected on some things that you are
grateful for! Thank you all for your love and support! Remember that
the church is true, the book is blue, and I love you! 💜😊 Have a
great week!

Love,
Sister Jacob
Serving in Crossville

1&2.  I got a battle scar from the car crash!
3. The greatest pick up line ever!
4. After a long day of walking because we didn't have a car any more!
5. Transfers! I got my greenie and I got to see Pfannenstiel!

6. We found this ginormous bear!!!
7. Happy Thanksgiving!  Maw, Bre, Marissa, Felisha, Sister Tietjen,
and Me! Ohh and can't forget Deisel!
8. First tracting experience with my Greenie!
9 & 10. Let's say I've had a rough week.... Went to the ER for asthma
and I got steroids!! I'M OKAY THOUGH!!!

Week 39 - Transfers! 9 months!? Zone Conference! Happy Thanksgiving! 😳😬😊😂😜💜🦃

Howdy Y'all!

Hope everyone had a great week! Mine was kind of blurry, but it was
pretty good. The work here is picking up slow, but steady and I can
see some improvement! It is going to be stellar! 🎆😊

This week is transfers and I am saying good bye to Sister Dillman! She
is starting the next chapter in her life called the real world 😊😂 I
am getting..... a greenie! Which means I'm training, which means I'm a
mom!!!! It's kind of ironic with it being my nine month mark this
week! Hahahahahahaha 😂😂😂😂😂

Well this week we had great things happen! The highlights of the week
were Christian, Zone Conference, and Skyping with Dennis and Wilma! It
was great being able to see everyone and it was just an uplifting week
which is always a good time.

We got to meet with Christian like twice which is awesome because we
haven't seen him in three weeks! His roommate also wants to take the
lessons which is awesome! It was kind of a miracle to run into him
after 3 weeks! We were doing our pday thing with the Elders and we
went to Arby's to eat lunch and Christian and his roommate Steven
walked in! It was awesome! Later in the week we got to have lunch with
him and Debby. It was great being able to see how he was doing.
Everything just keeps going wrong and it has really shown me how much
power Satan really has. He definitely does not want us meeting with
Christian which is why we must because Satan works his hardest when we
are about to do something great. Which explains what's been up the
past few transfers! 😂😜

I also got to Skype with my last companion Sister Mayer to see my
investigators, now recent converts, Dennis and Wilma! It's awesome to
see some of the fruit of my labors! It helps me see that I am not a
complete failure as a missionary! Even though I am not there in person
to see it, but hearing about it really helps! 😊💜😂😜

Another thing that happened this week was Zone Conference! It is
always amazing to hear from President Griffin! 💜😊 This Conference
was particularly awesome and it helped answered a few questions I had.
Something that really stuck out to me was when he talked about Adam
and Eve. How Eve went to Adam and told him what happened with the
fruit and then Adam had to make the choice whether to leave God, our
loving Heavenly Father, or leave with his wife, who was to be his
soulmate, his eternal companion, to follow Heavenly Father. It was
definitely eye opening to see how much love Adam had for Eve and for
God. It's amazing and definitely blew my mind. 😊 President also
talked about repentance and what we must do to fully repent. Meaning
having a change of heart. He compared Alma the younger and the Sons of
Mosiah to us. It was awesome. He talked about the process of what
happens to us as humans. We feel shame, then go into victim mode, then
we become obedient to get back on the right path. "True repentance is
becoming Christlike." It's not going through the checklist of steps,
but becoming like our Savior and having a mighty change of heart. We
also talked about somethings that we can lay on the alter of
sacrifice: Disobedience, Fears, Passions (how we need to bridle them),
Pride, Attitude, and Laziness. Gotta say I've had my fair share of
these and I have made a list that I am excited to work on for next
transfer. I know that the process will be long, but it'll be worth it
because I'll be more like my Savior in the end. Zone Conference was
pretty awesome! It always gives me a spiritual high! 😊💜

I love this Gospel so much and the hope and peace it brings. I know
that my Heavenly Father knows me and loves me and puts people in my
path to help me (whether or not I want their help). I know that my
Savior loves me, if He didn't then He wouldn't have sacrificed Himself
for me or anyone else. This is the true church. The opposition it gets
proves that. Satan doesn't want us to have happiness, that's why he
works so hard when we are so close to what our Heavenly Father wants
us to have. I am grateful for my amazing family and the way I have
been raised. Without the knowledge I have I would probably be doing
who knows what!? I am grateful for all of you and your thoughts and
prayers and just everything that y'all do for me! Thank you! 😊💜

Remember that the church is true, the book is blue, and I love you! 😊💜

Love,
Sister Jacob
Serving in Crossville

1. When we driving down the road!
2. Headed to Zone Conference!
3. Zone Picture, not everyone is there!
4. Dennis and Wilma! I got to Skype them because they got baptized! I
HAVE RECENT CONVERTS!  I love them and it makes me so
happy!

Week 38 - Why does it have to get dark soooooo early!?

Howdy Howdy!

This week has been a little slow. That's okay though because I know
things will pick up soon! 😊

We didn't really do much this week besides try to contact some people
and visit with more people. Not too many people answered because it
gets darks at 5 which sucks a lot. Gonna have to come up with some new
ideas! 😂😬😳

This email is gonna be pretty short because I can't really focus and
not too much happened. There is something that is really cool that the
church is coming out with though. It's called #lighttheworld. I highly
reccomend going to mormon.org/downloadsand looking everything up!
Definitely worth looking up! 😊

This next week should be awesome! We have transfers and zone
conference and just lots planned! Great things are gonna happen and I
can't wait! 😊 I hope all of you have a great week and day!

Remember that the church is true, the book is blue, and I love you! 😊💜

Sorry again that the email is so short! 😬😂

Love,
Sister Jacob


1. Me and some Cheerwine! 😂 it tastes like Cherry Coke and Dr. Pepper!
2. Our last District picture of the transfer! Me, Elder Rosengren,
Elder Taylor, Elder Atkin, Elder Hill, and Sister Dillman 😊
3. We went tracting at 5:30.... I hate day light savings.... 😑
4. Just got back from a walk! 😊 Twinning for days!
5. We went for a walk in our apartment complex! Pepper spray, knife,
and dog puncher! All set! 😂😜 Dilly had a golf club 😂😂

Week 37 - How Bad Do You Want IT!? 😊

Hey Hey Hey it's Sister Jacob!

I hope all of you are having a fandidalytastic week! I have been having one of my better weeks in this area this week! 😊 Can't wait to tell you all about it! 😊

This week there were quite a few highlights. The biggest one is personal and I'm still trying to figure it out for myself. It also has to do with my subject line! 😊 I can't remember anything too big happening in the beginning of the week besides the fact that it was Halloween and we got to go to Cookeville and hang out with more missionaries! I played a lot of sports like Football, Spike ball, etc. It was pretty fun and I had a blast! I really love all the missionaries that I am serving around and also the missionaries that I have served around. I have made a lot of friends and it is the greatest thing ever! 😊

Thursday the highlight was we went on splits. What splits is, is when we go with members of our Ward. I drove to visit people with Debby (Maw) and Sister Dillman went with Debby's friend Lisa, who is in our Ward also. Splits was awesome! We visited this one family and they are a part member family, meaning not all of them are members, but they were so cool and it was really fun to talk to them! It was really cool to see a little bit of success! 😊

Friday we had District Meeting and that's when we see the two sets of Elders in our district and meet together to go over what we did the week before. It's also where my subject line comes into effect. My district leader, the Elder who watches over the rest of the missionaries in our district, he is pretty awesome! I look up to him a lot. He gives really good trainings at the end of our district meetings. It always seems to be something I need to hear too which is great! 😊 He asked us the question of How bad do you want it? Well he then said what is IT? I thought long and hard about this for the past few days. I still have no clue exactly what IT is, but I know when I finally decide that I'm going to work really hard to get it. 😊 

Here is the story he shared along with his training:

There was a young man who wanted to make a lot of money. So he went to this guru.

He told the guru 

"I want to be on the same level as you, I want to be as successful as you."

The guru replied

"If you want to be successful as I am. If you want to be on my level then show up at the beach at 4:00 am. 

The young man replied 

"The beach? I want to make money not swim." 

The guru shot back

"Listen if you want to make money be at the beach at 4:00 am no more questions. 

So he young man got to the beach at 4:00 am he was dressed to the nines. He had his best suit on, when he probably should have worn shorts. The guru arrives takes the young man by the hand and asks.

"How bad do you want to be successful?" 

The young man reasoned quickly

"Real bad sir."

" ok then follow me into the water."

They proceed to walk into the cold waves they got about waist deep and stopped. 

The guru repeats the question. 

"How bad do you want to be successful?

"Really bad sir."

So they proceed further. Now their about shoulder deep. The young man questions the gurus sanity. He turns around to head back in when the old man states.

"I thought you wanted to be successful."

He convinces the young man to return to him, no sooner than the young man returned the guru. The guru rather forcefully, shove his head under the water.  The young man was scratching and clawing doing everything he could to escape. Just as the young man was about to pass out, the guru lifts him out of the water.  

The guru asks the young man

"When you were down there what's the only thing you could think about.?"

The young man answered still gasping for air and trying to recover.

" all I wanted was to breathe." 

The guru then said as wise and profoundly as he could. 

"When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breath , then you will be successful."

On Friday we also went on exchanges, which is when one of the Sister Training Leaders or STLs over our Zone goes with one of us in our area while the companion goes to their area with the other STL. I stayed in Crossville this time and Sister Croft came to with me. We found a ton of success! It was absolutely amazing! 😊 I had a blast and I learned a ton from Sister Croft! We knocked on a ton of doors and talked to a ton of people and got a lot of lessons in and set return appointments to talk to these people again! It was an awesome change and I was so excited with the work moving forward! The tricky part is keeping it up and moving it forward the way it needs to be. Keep the momentum of it up! 😊 Challenge accepted! 😊

Well that was the successes I've seen this week and I have some new goals and lots of things rumbling through my mind that I need to sort out, but I am so excited to see this area pick up! It'll be a golden area in no time and I know that my Savior will be with me every step! 💜😊

I hope all of you have an awesome week and remember that the church is true, the book is blue, and I love you! 😊💜😜😂

Love,

Sister Jacob

Serving in Crossville

1 & 2. Are from Halloween! PARTY! 😊😂😜 From left to right, then to
the ground....
Elder Huskinson, Elder Ward, Elder Atkin, Elder Rosengren, Elder
Smith, Me, Dilly, Sister Ellis, Sister Croft, Elder Hill, Elder Tuita,
and Elder Taylor.
3. We ate at the Sister's Restaurant for splits! We thought it was
pretty cool! 😊😂😜
4. Exchanges! Me, Sister Ellis, Sister Dillman, and Sister Croft 😊

_____________________________________

Week 36 - This is Halloween, This is Halloween, Halloween, Halloween! 🎃🎃

Happy Halloween y'all! If you didn't already know!

I just want to start off by saying how much I love all of you! Thank you for being the amazing group of family and friends that you are! I am so fortunate to have such great examples in my life! I hope all you know just how important you are to me! 😊💜

This week a lot happened and not a lot happened. I have come to know just how fortunate I have been to be raised up in such a loving family and in the Gospel! Shout out to my amazing Papa, Mama, and Butter! Thank you! 😊💜

We have met a few people this week that we have been trying to get into contact for like 8 or 9 weeks. However long I've been here in Crossville. Definitely some tender mercies this week. Lots of return appointments and for missionaries, return appointments are gold! I am so pumped for this week to happen! I am definitely soooo excited and soooo grateful to a Father in Heaven, who has a plan for us. 😊

I had a great talk with my Mission President last Monday which set the mood for the rest of the week. 😊😳😬😜😂 Lots of mixed feelings about future transfers in this area, but I know that as I rely on my Savior and my Father in Heaven then I will definitely be able to accomplish my purpose in this area. 

This week I have thought a lot about baptism and repentance. My district the great, patient Elders that are in it that have to deal with me. Hahahaha bless their hearts!! 😂😜😊 They have opened my eyes again to the importance of baptism. I am grateful for the leaders that I have in my life, especially at this time to push me and keep me on track. Not gonna lie that it has been a hard few transfers, but totally worth it. Sorry got side tracked, but they have reopened my eyes to my goal when I first came out on my mission. I learned in the MTC how important baptism was and why I wanted to bring people to the waters of baptism. Most people think, "the missionaries just want to baptize you, they don't care, they just want the number." Yes we do want to baptize, but the number is not the reason. Atleast not for me. I love every single person I come into contact with whether they are nice or not. I want to baptize people to bring them so much closer to their Savior. When I left the MTC I told myself I was gonna ask as many people as possible to be baptized whether they accepted it or not. You'll never know unless you try. I seemed to have forgotten that goal until my District Leader and Zone Leaders told us what we were role playing (practicing). It is definitely amazing how my Heavenly Father works. 😊

The other thing I've been thinking of is repentance. It made me think of some people that I am very close to in my life and how they have used the Atonement in their lives and how they have strengthened me by doing so. I want to share a story that one of my former companions shared with me. I think it sums up quite nicely what the Atonement is. Well there is two stories that sum it up very well, but I will only share one due to the length of this email already and this story is pretty lengtheny anyway.

The Room

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the

room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall

covered with small index-card files. They were like the ones in

libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order.

But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly

endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew

near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that

read "Girls I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping through the

cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the

names written on each one.

And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless

room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here

were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a

detail my memory couldn't match.

A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within

me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some

brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so

intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was

watching. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I

Have Betrayed."

The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. "Books I

Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I Have Given," "Jokes I Have

Laughed At." Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things

I've Yelled at My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I

Have Done in My Anger," "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My

Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there

were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped.

I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could

it be possible that I had the time in all my  years to write each of

these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed

this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with

my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To," I

realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were

packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the

end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of

music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file

represented.

When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run

through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to

test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed

content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.

An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: "No

one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have

to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size

didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took

it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge

a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find

it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot.

Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying

sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the

Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer,

almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than

three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it

contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt

started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and

cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all.

The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must

ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.

But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him.

Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus.

I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards.

I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could

bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own.

He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to

read every one?

Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at

me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I

dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again.

He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many

things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one

end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His

name over mine on each card.

"No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no,"

as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards.

But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name

of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.

He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign

the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so

quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last

file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and

said, "It is finished."

I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its

door. There were still cards to be written.

I love this story. It's like a sad, but sweet story of what our Savior went through for every single one of us. I am grateful for Him. I could pretty much do nothing without Him. He is everything! 💜

Well I hope you all have a stellar week! Remember that the church is true, the book is blue, and I love you! 😊💜

P.s. Sorry about the different sizing of font..... Worst thing ever!

Love,

Sister Jacob

Serving in Crossville

1. Tennessee Knoxville Mission pumpkin! 🎃

2. Maw, Charlie, and ME! 😊😂😜
3. I'm an Elder now! 😊😂😜
4. We're pretty cool! 😎
5. We had a Ward Trunk or Treat! We dressed up as Elders!!! 😂😜😊