Livin' on a Prayer!

Hey Family,

Well, this week has been...interesting to say the least. I met my new companion on Tuesday morning, Hna Evens from Washington state. All the sisters at transfer conference were so excited for me when they found out I was training and I was just scared out of my mind! So anyway, yeah, I'm training...I don't really knwo what else to say. I have already asked myself countless times how Hna Bushman even handled it and I have an amazing new respect for her.

Speaking of Hna Bushman, she is now on her last transfer and is opening a new area to sisters out in North Branch with...Hna Andrews! Crazy huh? The only two other comps I've had and now they're together. AND, they are in our zone still, along with 2 English sisters opening in North Branch. So now we have 8 sisters in our zone and 6 elders. And it was really funny at zone meeting last week when they asked us to share experiences we've had with something or other and I couldn't without referring to one of them. Haha. They have both been really helpful this week in helping me to know that I am ready and can do this. The first thing they said to me when they hadn't seen me for 24 hours between transfer conference and zone meeting was, "Sister Jackson, you look like you have aged overnight." And I have.

I had heard people say it before but I think I just learned it this week...training teaches you how to pray faster than any other experience on the mission. My favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon, Alma 37:36-37, is finally going into practice as I have found myself truly having to "Cry unto thy god for all thy support." Day after day has just been a huge learning experience. But I know that God really does hear and answer our prayers. Sometimes it's not in the way we want or as quickly as we think we need it, but He does. Prayer is the key to everything in life and the more we pray with faith, the more guided our life becomes.

So that's it for today. Sorry it wasn't one of the most exciting of emails. Hope things are going well for you all in this new year with new adventures ahead of you. I miss you tons but I love you more.

Love,
Hermana Jackson