Kumusta!!!

Okay, so this week has been kind of crazy and so I actually have some events to share. I can't believe it myself, usually my life is just always the same, but this week things got interesting. So here goes...

Well, first of all, I got sick... again. I don't what the heck happened, but one night I just started to feel achy. At about 3am the next morning I woke up with a fever which kept returning in varying degrees all day. It was awful. I thought it was just the flu and so I just tried to push through it, but to no avail. I even slept during study time to try and recover, but I was still a mess. The next day I broke down and went to the doctor. He was actually pretty worried about it since I still had that cough and then was now showing symptoms again. He said it could become pneumonia. Well some of you know, I have had that and it is AWFUL! So he prescribed TWO antibiotics to make sure and do the job right. So I've been on those since Friday and am happy to report that I am starting to feel a little better, not great, but okay. I refuse to have pneumonia. I refuse to be stuck here more than I have to be. I only have 2 weeks left. I will leave next monday. Where there's a will there's a way!

Okay, so enough of that. In other news, we got 4 new sisters! They are all awesome and I love that I am coordinating sister and I get to get to know them really well. It's great. And they are ALL going to Bacolod! We got 19 new missionaries and 16 of them are going to Bacolod. And the other zone got 9 new missionaries and 5 of them are going. I think it's mostly because they just made the new mission and so they need lots of replacements, but it is awesome that there are SO many of us going to the same place. I can't even tell you how excited I am getting to get out there. I have moments of absolute terror, mostly about the language, when I think about going, but mostly I am just SO excited. I've been preparing and now I am ready! 2 weeks from today and I will be out of here!

Okay, the best part of the week. Tuesday Devotional: ELDER JEFFREY R. HOLLAND!!!!!!

Let's just talk about how he is absolutely my favorite apostle. We got to the devo, which is finally back in the gym (they were building new bleachers) and we couldn't find any good seats. We got stuck on the side and I was bummed, but didn't really care too much (I didn't know who was coming at this point). Then they opened up some reserveved rows right in the middle, about 8 rows from the front. My comp and I booked it over there and got seats right in the center. Then Elder Holland walked in (they don't tell us who it is before, probably to avoid rioting outside the gym as people try to get seats). I just started crying. Last week had been really difficult and I had felt discouraged a few times. And then an apostle of the Lord walked in and let me tell you, it was easily the best tender mercy in the world. I was so grateful. I seriously just cried for his entire talk. And it was SOOOO powerful. Of course it was, it's Elder Holland. Honestly, he is so bold and teaches and reproaches with so much love. He has this incredible testimony and this physical spirit about him that just oozes love and gratitude. It was really just the best experience ever and I was so grateful for it. The Lord LOVES missionaries!

Other than the sickness, life is just really good. I am trying to absorb as much as I can in the last couple of weeks before I go to the field. I pray every day all day that I can get everything that I possibly can from my classes and study to prepare me for this work. I know that it will be incredibly difficult, but I am just so excited and I just want to do it so badly, that I don't even care how hard it will be.

Well I should get my travel plans on Friday and then I'll know for sure when I am leaving, but it will probably be Monday, Sept. 13th.

I love you all and look forward to hearing from you if you get a chance!

Mahal kita!

Sister Jackson