The Potato Field is White: Sister Jacobson in--and after--the Idaho Pocatello Mission: We've been getting bolder and bolder

Hey, family & friends!

Aaaaawesome things are happening!!

So, we've reached a point where we just don't want to waste any more time. Not that we've wanted to waste time up to this point, but it's becoming so IMPERATIVE to act NOW. We've been getting bolder and bolder in finding, teaching, and asking people to do hard things because we're realizing more and more that there's no time to waste with beating around the bush. We feel for Nephi when he says,

"I have spoken plainly unto you, that ye cannot misunderstand. And the words which I have spoken shall stand as a testimony against you; for they are sufficient to teach any man the right way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not." (2 Nephi 25:28)

We're doing everything we can to make what we and the people we teach need to do crystal clear. If we don't, we're not crying repentance to the fullest, nor are we doing it in the Lord's appointed way. He's given us "Preach My Gospel" and the Missionary Handbook to tell us how to work, and we're working those ways as closely as possible. It's occurring to me more and more that time passes much more quickly than we realize, give credit for, or hope for. "Someday" is a dangerous word, because it really means "not when I'm supposed to," or more likely, "no day at all." Although it's uncomfortable or hard for us sometimes to boldly declare truths before people who might not want to hear them, we know that 1. the Lord is behind us more closely as we work in His appointed way, and 2. that we are inviting people to be HAPPY! There's no time to lose! We have to act NOW!

So as we've been becoming better teachers and finders and better missionaries overall, of course the adversary has tried his hardest to get us down, exhausted, discouraged, whatever. But first, we roundhouse kicked him in the face. Then, we found a bunch of new people to teach! Jodi is a less active member, and some of her family are not members, and we're going to teach them soon. We found a boy named Kaj (pronounced "Ky") who wants to be baptized, a new investigator named John married to a less active member named Megan (super fun couple. Consequently, they have a deformed cat named Felix. We're obsessed with him.), and we ran into a potential meth-head named Myra. Apparently, she has a demon chilling in her apartment, but it's ok, because Jesus hangs out with her a lot.

But the fact of the matter still is that when we work our hardest--in the Lord's way--we will receive blessings. They may appear later down the road (or they may be all around you, unnoticed), and they might even come in the "4th watch," but they come. (Fourth-watch was culled from the division of the Hebrew nights into four watches, 3 hours each; the significance of the fourth watch is found in the yawning hours before dawn, when God is ever aware of our hardships, our trials)

Also, Sister Gale and I apparently spend 26/7 with each other. Two crazy Sisters - sleep = not good at math anymore. Who's a former math major?

Also, red fleece-lined leggings are my new favorite thing in the world.

I love you all. To those under the sound of my voice (or the sight of my typing), this Gospel is the one true Church here on the earth today. The only way to know that is to find out for yourself. Read the Book of Mormon. Pray to know it's true. Recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost making you feel peaceful, calm, uplifted, good. Come to a church service (Canandaigua still starts at 9:30, right? It's the building with the steeple across from Thompson Hospital). I promise you as an authorized, set-apart representative of Jesus Christ that you will receive an answer.

Also, read "Bread or Stones: Knowing the God we Pray to," for those of you going through trials. It really helped this week also!

Also, I've been hearing about this arctic vortex hitting the east coast while we've been sitting on dry pavement. All the fun happens when I'm gone!

I really do love you all. Have a great week!