Happy New Year!

Well this past week was a good one! We started off the week with caroling! Monday evening all the missionaries in Lawton got together and we went caroling to different members/investigators in our areas. Sister Cox played the violin and the rest of us sang! It was wonderful!

On Tuesday Sister Sorensen and I made cookies! We did 3 batches and then went and caroled some more and dropped off cookies! And wednesday we had dinner at the Malcoms! And she was so sweet and made all of our favorite desserets from back home! She made pumpkins cookies for me! She is wonderful!

Christmas Eve was a wonderful day as well! It was such a warm day! Sister Sorensen and I did some biking that day and we ended up taking off our cardigans cause it was so warm! It was crazy! And definitely didn't feel like December 24th! That evening we spent with the Hutsons and Womacks. At the Hutsons we decorated Gingerbread cookies and then played spoons and manners. It was a lot of fun! I was so happy to be able to decorate some cookies :) At the Womacks we played some more games as well, and had a big dinner! so much food! and desserets! While we were there we got a text message and voice mail from 'Santa.' He said, 
"Merry Christmas Sisters!!! This is Santa Claus... I left a couple of small packages on your front porch so be sure to check when your home!" When we got back we found some presents on our door. Someone gave us some soup, hot chocolate and a hot chocolate maker. It was so kind of them! That night we also did illumanarious. One of the Elders does them every year with his family on Christmas Eve so Santa knows where to come! haha it was fun! And then Sister Sorensen and I ended the night sleeping out in the front room! It was a great day!

Christmas morning started early! All the missionaries gathered together at the church and we exchanged presents. We did Secret Santa. 'Santa Moore' had me and I had Elder Haws. We all had hot chocolate and played some basketball. We then had breakfast with the Sandifords! And then went to the Hopkins and skyped home! And then ended the day with the Saufoi family! It was a wonderful Christmas. This is such a great time of year to reflect on the Savior of the World! and how He is the light to all of us! I hope we all can take some time to really think about the the Savior and everything he does for us. What a wonderful time of year!

The end of my week was filled with rain and snow! Lawton finally decided to get cold! Saturday it rained and rained and rained! Sister Sorensen and I got soaked! and then Sunday it all turned to ice! And the power flickered on and off in the morning. They ended up canceling church which was super weird. Later that evening at dinner, we ate with the Brisolaras! Who is a family of 12 kids! They had almost all their kids home as well! It was a such a fun time! But the power kept going on and off while we were there! Its getting pretty cold! That evening our power turned off! About half of Lawton didn't have power. This morning it was still off! Sister Sorensen and I woke up this morning and it was 54 in our house! brrr... Shortly after we woke up we went to the other Sister missionaries in Lawton's house. They have power! So we have been with them most of the morning! Always an adventure here in Lawton :) Things are going well! We are all bundled up and still pushing forward. The work of Salvation never stops! Rain or shine!

Thank you all for helping make my Christmas so great! I felt so loved this Christmas season. I appreciate all the cards, prayers, and support! I hope every one had a wonderful day! And also wish everyone a happy new year! With 2016 rolling right in, its a great time to reflect on where we are at and where we want to be. With Christ all things are possible. 

Faith in Jesus Christ gives us strength to leave the past behind and look ahead to a brighter future.

All my love,

Sister Jackson

Christmas Eve! It was so warm we didn't even have our cardigans on haha

decorating cookies 

presents from 'Santa' on our doorstep

We made lots of cookies and delivered them to people. 

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve 

We slept in our front room on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve 

The 4 of us got matching pjs!

The whole district got together Christmas morning to open up presents, hot chocolate and play sports!

That evening at the Saufoi's home! All the girls!

Cold weekend! 

Saturday! Rain, Rain, and more Rain! We were completely soaked!

Then it all turned to ice!

Merry Christmas Yall!

Can you believe Christmas is just a couple days away?! It is so crazy! This past week was just wonderful! 

On Tuesday we had a Christmas Conference with about half of the missionaries in the mission! It was an all day meeting and at the end they surprised us with some packages from our family! I just want to thank everyone who sent me a letter! Tender mercies! It was so wonderful to hear from everyone! I felt so loved! Thank you! 

​Some pictures from the Christmas Conference! The one above is of some missionaries that came out with me! and the one below is of Sister Sorensen and I reading our letters :)

​

2 big miracles for the week! 1st is from a lady from Nigeria, Nmanwanyi. She has been living here for about a year and hasn't been able to go to chuch at all. She talked about how her family just sits around all day on sunday and she misses going! Her husband is a Chaplin on Fort Sill but they don't go to church with him. She told us she was googling books to come closer to Christ and guess what one came up? The Book of Mormon :) So she requested one and we went over the next day and gave her a copy! And had a wonderful visit with her. She even came to the baptism on Saturday which leads me to the next big Miracle: the Sandifords! What a great family!! This is the part member family I have been talking about. About 2 weeks ago when we met with him he said he wanted to get baptized before Christmas so we started meeting with him more frequently to teach him all the lessons and on Saturday he was baptized! :) It was such a special day. The spirit is always so strong at baptisms. Last monday when we had the lesson with them he told us that while he was at work he was doing the hand signs to the 10 commandments! (this is just the kind of guy he is!) And Sister Sandiford informs us that he stays up so late reading! It will be 10:30 and then next thing he knows its 12:30 and sometimes he will sit out in the car when he gets home from work to read. He is so great! and so eager to learn more! 

Brother Sandiford asked Sister Sorensen and I to give the talks on Baptism and the Holy Ghost and I just want to share something I found when I was preparing for it. I did the talk on the Holy Ghost. I shared the part in 3 Nephi 19. This is after the first day that Christ spent with the people. Verse 3 talks about how the people were feeling after spending that first day with Christ. The next day all the people gathered together and the apostles taught them.  And a little later in the chapter, verses 20-23, is what I shared. This is when Christ is praying. And I find it interesting that out of all the things Christ could have prayed for he prayed for the people to be given the gift of the Holy Ghost. Christ wants the people to have the spirit to be with them always. So even when Christ isn't there they can still feel the spirit. The Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead so its no surprise that Christ would pray for those to have the Holy Ghost. This is from true to the faith under revelation:

"Quiet spiritual promptings may not seem as spectacular as visions or angelic visitations, but they are more powerful and lasting and life changing. The witness of the Holy Ghost makes an impression on the soul that is more significant than anything you can see or hear. Through such revelations, you will receive lasting strength to stay true to the gospel and help others do the same."

True to the faith does an excellent job at showing us how important the Holy Ghost is. What a precious gift we have been given and may we always strive to be worthy to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost with us.

Merry Christmas! I hope all yall have a great Christmas! Sending my love and warm wishes from Lawton!

All my love,

Sister Jackson

A Night in Bethlehem

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given... and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:6

This past week was so great! On monday we joined the Heverlings for FHE! William played his violin and Brother Heverling made 4 different kinds of pumpkin pie haha :) I couldn't decide which one was my favorite! Later that evening we met with the Sanifords! Brother Saniford is amazing! He pretty much taught us the lesson on the Doctrine of Christ. Sister Saniford shared a story with us about Brother Saniford. She saw him a couple days ago watching something on his phone and she asked him what he was watching and he said, "Meet the Mormons." She said she finds him all the time looking up things about the church. She said she can't keep up with him haha! We had another lesson with them on friday and we were talking about the Articles of Faith and Brother Saniford says, "I read them twice today, I am trying to memorize them." :) what?! We hadn't even brought them up before today and he was already reading them. He is just the greatest! We also talked about President Monson and he starts saying all these facts about him. We all look at him and he smiles and says, "I have been studying him!" Oh my! He is wonderful! His baptism is this saturday! He is the most prepared person for the gospel I have ever met!

Tuesday the Relief Society had a Christmas Social! We had all different kinds of cookies and played games. We could only stay for a little bit because we went to the Addiction Recovery Program afterwards. If yall haven't seen the new videos, watch them! They are so great! mormonchannel.org/12steps

On wednesday we had some more miracles! For the past couple weeks about once a week we have been getting treats on our door! Someone has been delivering treats to all 8 missionaries and we don't know who it is! But whoever is being so kind and leaving us treats, thank you! It has been so kind of whoever is doing it. That evening we had another great visit with Sister Smith! Sister Hitchcock came with us and she was just perfect for her! I have seen this so many times on my mission. Member missionary work! It is so important! Members make such a big difference!

A Savior is Born has brought forth so many miracles! It changes people and touches their hearts! Thursday evening with Sister Goodwin we went and tried our investigator who wasn't home but met her boyfriend and his 3 friends. He kept telling his friends to come meet the church people and saying that we were great people. Last time we met with Tashiyla we showed both of them the video but he has never stayed for a lesson before. This evening he was telling us a lot of wonderful things! He shared how much Tashiyla liked the gospel and how much it has changed her. He said she always feels so inspired after meeting with us. We showed all of them the two videos on the website and shared a little bit from the Restoration. Lionell, was super interested! He said he almost started crying but he held it in. He asked if we had a rehab program and so we told him about ARP and watched the overview video. All 4 of them really liked it and expressed interest in attending! It was such a miracle! What a powerful visit we had with them. We set up a time to meet with Lionell and on sunday eveningwe had a lesson with him at the church! We gave him a church tour as well and taught the Restoration. Sister Watts came with us and she is so great! Lionell's desire to change is so evident. The gospel can help him so much!

Saturday evening we had our ward Christmas party!! It turned out so well! It was beautiful! It was decorated so well! A lot of people dressed up surprisingly! Sister Malcom asked Sister Sorensen and I to be Shepherds in the Nativity Skit they were doing. She also had some things for us to wear too! It was a lot of fun! It is hard to believe that Christmas is just next week! The First Presidency Message for December by President Monson is called "Make time for the Savior." I love this part of the talk,

"In our busy lives, with ever so many other things competing for our attention, it is essential that we make a conscious, committed effort to bring Christ into our lives and into our homes. And it is vital that we, like the Wise Men from the East, remain fixed upon His star and“come to worship him.”

He asks us to reflect on how we did this past year and make an effort with this Christmas Season and the year to come to make time for the Savior. If yall haven't had a chance to read it, I would suggest it. It is wonderful! Have a blessed week! Enjoy the wonderful time of year that we celebrate Christ's birth.

All my love,

Sister Jackson

Here are some pictures from our Ward Christmas Party: A Night in Bethlehem! We were the shepherds :) 

Happy December

This past week was so good! Monday we went to Meers and had homemade ice cream and cobbler! It is this unique place to eat out at the Wildlife Refugee! That evening we had such a spiritual lesson with one of our new investigators Tashiyla! We showed her and her boyfriend a "Savior is Born" and he said he would consider joining us next time! We taught her the Plan of Salvation. She is so open and eager to learn more. She had told her boyfriend everything she learned the time before and when we brought up church she asked, "where is it at and what time?" We didn't even have to invite her! The spirit was so strong!

Another miracle! We got in with some less actives that I have never seen before! And we had a lot of members come out with us this past week! And we got a new bishop! Who is already out visiting with people in the ward! So many miracles and blessings are happening here in Lawton! Another blessing, I am staying in Lawton for the holidays! :D

On Friday we met with our part member family again! We had a member come with us to help fellowship the family and she was perfect for them! The family even came to church and the member and her husband were able to sit with them and help them feel welcome! The lesson we had was wonderful! I am not even sure how to describe it. The spirit was so strong and Brother Saniford towards the beginning of the lesson said, "I thought about baptism and I want to talk about it more." He continued telling us that he dropped some big news on Sister Saniford right before we came over and that he wants to get baptized before Christmas! He said he got his answer in church last sunday. He felt like the speakers were speaking right to him and he said he knows the church is true! They are going to get their baby blessed in January and he said he can't expect his daughter to be committed if he himself hasn't been committed to the church yet. The spirit definitely touched him during church and I know the spirit has been working on both of them! They have changed so much! Revelation through church attendance! It is so important that we go to church!

Sunday: The Hodgson family made us seafood gumbo! Oh my it was so delicious! And I got to see the Christmas Devotional! It was wonderful! I particularly like President Uchtdorf's talk on gratitude.  A Savior has been born for each one of us and we have so much to be grateful for this Christmas Season. Let us all express gratitude to Heavenly Father for the gift of His Son Jesus Christ! I am so grateful to be sharing this message of the gospel! Especially at Christmas time. Christmas time is a great time to reflect on all that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have done for us. Let us remember them and show our love to them this season. Have a blessed week!

All my love,

Sister Jackson

Wednesday I went on exchanges with Sister Chandler! She comes home this week. I have loved serving around her the past 6 months!

Saturday we had a family home evening with the Beckettes! We focused it on Christmas and "A Savior is Born"

Sister Barth and I! She served her mission is Las Vegas! She is graduating this week :)

Last p-day at Meers! They are known for their homemade ice cream and cobbler! it was so good and huge!

Look can you see A Savior is Born card.

A Savior is Born

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Happy December! I had such a great week this past week! It all started with a p-day at the Great Plains Musuem! We even got to sit through a tornado experience from Terrible Tuesday. We had a lot of fun!

Outside the Tornado theater

THANKSGIVING! We spent the morning at home and then for lunch we went to the Elders investigator's house. Then for dinner we went to the Senior Missionary Couple, the Luthers. It was wonderful. I felt like I was at home! We listened to christmas music while we ate dinner and then watched Ephraim's rescue afterwards. We also helped them finish a puzzle. It was a great day!!

FRIDAY was filled with miracles and spiritual experiences!!! It rained pretty much from Wednesday evening to sunday. All day! It started with a special training we had on "A SAVIOR IS BORN!" The Christmas initiative that the church is doing. The video and website https://www.mormon.org/christmas was launched yesterday but us missionaries got a sneak peak of the video on Friday. The video is wonderful! Go watch it today! and share it with others! (through social media) Invite others to discover why we need a Savior! He is the reason for the season. "For unto you and unto me and unto all of us a Savior is Born." The Christmas season is a great time to celebrate the Savior!

After the training we had we had a member come with us to a lesson and she was just perfect for our investigator Tashiyla! Sister Strong shared her conversion story and bore her testimony of the gospel. Tashiyla is one of our new investigators and she is just so open to hearing about the gospel! That evening we had a last lesson with the Beckettes before their baptism tomorrow! Sister Sorensen and I got to meet their family and we talked about how the scriptures are like a big journal. And how there are spiritual experiences written on them. We read when Christ was baptized together and invited them to record their thoughts tomorrowafter they are baptized! Then that evening we went to our part member family the Sanifords. This family is AMAZING! The husband is so prepared for the gospel. He has been reading the Book of Mormon for awhile now and has been coming to church and pretty much bore his testimony of the Book of Mormon. He knows it is the missing part of the Bible. Him and his wife have even been talking about him being baptized! and he committed to baptism! He said he just wants to know for sure and read the whole Book of Mormon before he gets baptized.

SATURDAY: Baptism day for Nephi and Liam Beckette! :) It was such a happy day! All my past companions were able to come back for the baptism as well! I love these boys!

SUNDAY: Baptism day for Brother Harris! He is the one standing next to me! He was a soldier I started teaching back in the end of October. He has been going to church ever since and asked his friend, Brother Beisinger, last week to baptize him! It was a great Sabbath Day! 

​
I am so excited for this Christmas Season and the time I have to be a missionary and share the gospel with others! What a blessing it has been to watch others access the atonement in their life and make covenants with God. I know we can be happy in this life and it comes through living the gospel of Jesus Christ. This Christmas season share this goodness with others! Invite others to discover why we need a Savior. Luke 2:10-11 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." Have a blessed week! I love all yall!

All my love,

Sister Jackson

From the ice storm. Its beautiful!

Happy Thanksgiving!

II can't believe Thanksgiving is here! We all have so much to be grateful for! What a great time of the year to express our gratitude! D&C 46:32 "And ye must give thanks unto God in the spirit for whatsoever blessing ye are blessed with." I have seen so many tender mercies lately and I am so grateful to Heavenly Father and the love He has shown to me and others around me! I also want to express my love and appreciation to all my family and friends and for the love and support they give me! I am so grateful for all yall and the blessing each one of you have been to my life. I have so many people in my life that are "examples of the believers (1 Timothy 4:12)." As the Holidays are approaching let your lights shine! And continue to be good examples to those around you.

So this past week has been absolutely wonderful! I don't even know where to start :) I think I can finally say that Lawton's winter has arrived, at least in the evening time. It is getting so cold! A tender mercy happened on monday evening! It is getting cold in the evening time and we were able to get a member to come out with us! and the spirit led us to a less active's home. We went to the home and also met the less active's sister and daughter who are also members! They all talked about how they haven't been to church for awhile but how they wanted to start coming back :) they just needed a ride... But we were able to find them a ride and they came to church yesterday! Miracles! The member told us yesterday after Sacrament Meeting that she had missed church and was so grateful to be back :)

Tuesday was full of miracles! We have been working with this teenage girl for a couple weeks now and we had a lesson with her and in the middle of teaching her the Doctrine of Christ she asks, "Wasn't there another Sister Jackson?" Uhh, haha, no... The lesson before that, she told her dad that she was meeting with the Sister Jacksons. haha! On a different note, this girl is already being a missionary! She takes her Book of Mormon to school and shares it with others! and during lunch she reads it, crazy! She told us that a lot of kids at school don't believe in God but she stands up to them and says there is a God. 

Some other funny moments: Wednesday nightthe Elders needed us to go get a package on their door and we accidentally locked ourselves out! We got locked out a couple weeks ago and the Elders opened up our back window and went through but they weren't home so Sister Sorensen and I lifted each other up to open up the window and for one of us to crawl through haha! My pajama pants got stuck on the corner and ripped a little haha! It was a fun experience :) On Saturday we were riding home from a members home and I was riding in front of Sister Sorensen. As I was riding through a light it turns yellow and I was hoping Sister Sorensen was behind me and made it too. Well turns out she wasn't and we got separated by the light! haha and the Elders pull up next to her and ask her where her companion is... haha I guess there is a first time for everything!

Lastly we saw the Beckettes on Friday and their baptism is this Saturday! I am so excited for Nephi and Liam! It is going to be a great week! Another miracle happened yesterday at church on Fort Sill! Twice a month they bring treats and the last 30 minutes of church all the soldiers eat treats and social! They call it fellowship time. Well on treat weeks we get soo many people at church! All the soldiers bring their friends and plus they don't get goodies during basic so everyone wants to come and get some cookies and milk! It was my turn to teach the first lesson and I have never seen so many people at church before! There was 19 investigators in my lesson! Thank goodness Sister Chandler agreed to teach with me, I was so scared to teach the soldiers by myself! But we had such a spiritual lesson. Along with the 19 investigators we had about 7 members join also. And the nice thing about Fort Sill is the members share their testimonies and experiences! It helps bring the spirit so much! I just love going to Fort Sill! After we taught the Restoration, one of the soldiers (Johnson) comes up to Sister Chandler and I and says, "Sister Jackson, I was wondering if I could be baptized next week?" Ahh, how cool! He went on and talked about how he could feel the Holy Ghost and how he new this was right! It was such a neat experience. Along with that, Harris (who I taught a couple weeks ago) is getting baptized on Sunday! He sat in on the Restoration lesson again, this time he brought a friend and afterwards I was talking with him and he said he had been thinking about baptism a lot and wanted to get baptized! He ended up asking his friend to baptize him next week and was crying! The gospel is beautiful! and brings so many blessings! I love being a missionary! and I am so grateful for the time I have to share the gospel. Have a blessed Thanksgiving! Love all yall!

All my love,

Sister Jackson

It is starting to get sooo cold! Especially at night when we bike! We get all bundled up now!

This is from yesterday at Fort Sill! President Brox decided to dress up for Thanksgiving haha! A lot of these soldiers were in my class yesterday! We had so many visitors there!

Sister Jackson and Sister Jackson!
​

Our Christmas tree is finished! The bottom part is broken so it is standing up from a crock pot and some soup to keep it straight haha!

We decided to take a sonic run! We had a long day and needed some ice cream :) This is how we make it home with our bikes and shakes!