Letter From Jackson

Hey todos!! I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas!! This time of year is something very special.  As I have really come to know and appreciate in this time of year is remembering the birth of Jesus Christ. Remembering why he came here and what it means for us. I'm so grateful for our Savior and His atonement that he suffered for us.

This week was a weird week. On Tuesday my comp and I traveled 2 hours like usual for our district zone stuff, and I had to stay there with the zone leader while my comp came back to our area. It was only supposed to go one day, but stuff happened and it turned out to be a week! I didn't have a ton of cloths for a whole week so that was a little rough.
On Saturday we had 2 baptisms also! They are super cool! The kid, Paul, is the son of my comps converts from a month ago and it was super cool to see him get baptized!  The girl Lijia was waiting for her parents to give her permission to get baptized and they finally did!! It was super cool and awesome to see the smiles on their faces!

Well everyone, I hope you guys have an awesome New Year!!! Love you all, bye!

Merry Christmas From Jackson

Update from Jackson

Jackson wasn't able to write a group email this week, but he did send some pictures.  He also informed us that he had  emergency transfers again,  and is now in the sector furthest away in the mission. From Guayaquil it's 9 hours. It's a place called Pedernales. He says his comp is "gringo and is super cool and from Idaho. Elder Lowry, born in Omaha also when his dad was in dental school." (Jackson too was born in Omaha while Sam was in dental school.  Sam said that he graduated with his dad.  Pretty crazy!)   He has been out for about 4 months.

Have a great Week!

Letter From Jackson

Hey everyone!! This week has been pretty good. It's been a good grind trying to get to know my area better. It's huge! The hardest part is finding where all the sisters live where we have lunch everyday.  Takes a little bit at times. But today we had tranfers.... I'll be training again! It's my fifth kid. But at least I know that he is from Peru. I'm here in Guayaquil waiting for a few days until he gets here. I will still be in Manta. We have been finding a lot more people that can really progress to be baptized! But it will take a lot of work to resolve their problems and to help them be excited. But that's why I'm here right? To do that work. It was sad to say goodbye to my comp, he was literally the funniest guy! We laughed so hard all the time about whatever thing. As a zone before our weekly planning, we made french toast! It was so yummy and cool to do as a zone. Anyway, hope everyone has an amazing week and keeps working hard in whatever thing that you are set to do. Trust in the Lord and follow His guidance! Bye!

Elder Pollock

Letter From Jackson

Hello everyone! All is well here in Manta Ecuador. I'm not back in my same sector, but I'm right next to it. I like it here because it's got the ocean breeze here and in the morning it's cold! I'm a big fan of that. My comp is one of the funniest guys and a super hard worker. I'm super blessed to be with him. He makes me laugh a ton which is pretty good. Not a whole lot happened this week. We are trying to find a lot of people and also help all the people that we are teaching. It's easy to get comfortable with the people you teach and forget about finding. That's something I need to work a little bit on. On Saturday we had a baptism and I didn't even know him until we went to his service! It went good and he seemed super happy!  I love to see the way the Lord changes lives of those who want to hear His voice. Always remember that he is always ready to bless us, but we must act first. I love everyone and hope you all have fantastic weeks!! Bye!

Letter From Jackson

Hey everyone! All is going well here in Ecuador. Last night we went to an area to help out a sister who needs to get baptized and she made us dinner too, but while we were there they called us and said that we have emergency transfers! We just said well, ya fue, ya fue. This morning we went early to the terminal for the buses and now I'm back in Manta. It's my third time here! I really do love it! But this past weekend I had the opportunity to interview a woman for baptism and she said that she wanted me to baptize her, so yeah I'll send a pic of that! It was such a special experience because I remember when the sister missionaries found her and have been preparing her to be baptized. It was a rough journey for her. But, it was super special. But, love you guys! I hope you guys had an amazing Thanksgiving!! Oh yeah, today we got permission to go bowling!!! Alright Bye!

Elder Pollock

Hey guys! I know it's been a while since I've written. It's only been like 2 weeks I think. But thats okay, I'm here now.  Not a whole bunch happened this week. We have just been working super hard to find people to teach and prepare for baptism. We have been finding all the people who don't want anything. Some people are just sitting on there couch or something and we see them from the door and say Hi! They look at us and say something like go away I'm busy. But really they're not doing anything. But we just say thanks and move on to the next house. It's kinda nice that way becuase it helps us know that they don't want anything and we can focus on the people who truly want to except the gospel in their lives. There's tons of chosen people and we just got to keep picking through the haystack. Other then that, nothing much happened. I went to another sector to verify and stuff and took a cool picture from this huge hill mountain thing. But, love you guys so much and hope you all keep trucking through the difficult times and keep your eyes towards Christ! Bye! Oh yeah, we also went to the temple! There's two more missionaries in the zone, but they work in the mission office so they couldn't come for some reason.

Elder Pollock

Pictures from Elder Pollock

Sorry, but there's no time to write again!! But here's a pic! Not a whole lot exciting happened haha.

Letter from Elder Pollock

Dear everyone,

Today we had transfers!  My comp and I have been separated. It's sad because we got along super well! After the mission he's going to find a way to move to the States and we are going to hang out a lot. He can live with us right mom and dad? But anyway, now I have a new companion. His name is Elder Townsend! It's super weird because he's got family that we go to church with and stuff. Some good family friends. It's going to be good and we are going to put some work here in our area. When he first got to the mission as a new guy, this was his first area, and now he's back! How weird is that!  I kinda feel bad because almost all of his mission has been in Guayaquil, but it's going to be a very good experience with him!
This past Saturday we had a huge activity of Family Search with our stake. It was super cool and interesting. There was a room with all the temples! There's a whole wall of the temples in the U.S. but yeah other than that we just had a normal week trying to do all we can for the people in whom we are teaching. But always remember to read the scriptures and pray sincerely everyday!  If you do, you will gain a greater knowledge of your Savior and what He did for you. It's worth it! Bye!

Elder Jackson Pollock

Pics from Elder Pollock

Hey don't have time to write a group letter so I'll write it for the next week.. sorry! But, here are some pics! There's some pics of baptisms but they are from other sectors and we got to know them very good so they wanted us to go and so we went to go and support them!! They're super cool!!

Letter From Jackson

Hey Todos!

I hope everyone is doing good and well.  Not much has happened these past days and week. All is well here in good old Ecuador.  I'm not going to lie, it always smells here. It's okay though because I'm accustomed to it, but when it gets really bad like when I walk by a pile of garbage, it gets to the point where I want to run away. I don't really know why I felt like sharing that, but I'm going to miss that part of Ecuador.

This past week we have been going to other sectors in our zone to verify people and stuff.  We haven't worked a ton in our area. Tha'ts okay because I know it's my duty and well, with the time we do work in our area, I know the Lord has someone waiting for us, we just need to find them. We have a couple people who we are teaching and can be baptized soon. We just need to help them with their testimonies so that they can have a true desire.

Anyway, I love everyone a lot and hope you guys have a great week! Don't forget to read the scriptures and pray every day!! bye!

Elder Pollock

Letter from Jackson

Hello everyone,

This past conference was super cool! I felt the Spirit very strong when I first saw the apostles and Pres. Nelson on the screen. I teared up a little I think. But I could feel the power of the spirit testifying of what they were saying was true! And the new 2 hour church thing is going to be super awesome so that we can study the scriptures more as a family. I think that will really help the unity of the family. It's super cool seeing the revelations that Pres. Nelson is receiving and how he's acting on what the Lord tells him. That gives us a good example on how we need to do the same. We need to act on what the Lord commands us immediately. Like me and my comp say when the prophet says something or our leaders tell us to do something.  We just say "amen", then we go and do it.
All is going well here. We are working hard to find more people to teach and help the people that we have so that they can receive a deeper conversion. The best way to do that is by the Book of Mormon, and remember we are members of the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints!

Alright love you guys bye!

Elder Jackson Pollock

Letter from Elder Pollock

Hello everyone,

This week flew by super quick! We had a cool activity as a ward on Saturday and also a baptism right after!  It was a double whammy! This activity was centrado in historia familiar. It was super interesting and the kids explained these things super well and in detail.  Kids of like 11-15 and stuff or younger.  But wow, it was impressive!  I'm just going to tell you now, but I don't know why I always look so white in the pictures I take. Sometimes I'm glowing!?  Maybe it's just the camera. but more than that, nothing much happened. Oh, something did happen, we had a multi zone conference. It was super cool!! I love conferences but they always make me a little nervous and anxious.  Anyway, I hope everyone has an amazing week!!!
P.S: The mission Ecuador Guayaquil Oeste ended the month of September with 150 baptisms!
P.P.S:  I taught my companion how to make french toast!

Elder Pollock