Dearest Familia,
First, I sent you a letter by pouch which you should receive in the next week or so. If you want to write me by pouch, the address is:
Hermana Jane Jackson
Lima Perú MTC
Misión Perú Trujillo
P.O. Box 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130
I don´t know how good the mail system is...if you´ve sent me anything, I haven´t received it, aside from Jon´s dearelder. After this week (my fourth--ahh!), you should just address it to my mission. The P.O. box is the same. I DID get a letter from my dear dear dear Rachelle Romney! It arrived Thursday morning from Chile, so I´ve had to wait a week to read it. It was worth the wait, though. Thank you, Rachelle, even though you will never read this.
Proselyting was super hard for me this last time. We went out contacting, just knocking doors and trying to teach people about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Usually Hermana Cépeda and I teach well together, but I don´t know. Maybe I just have an anxiety issue to overcome. It was a good experience, though, and it was awesome to hear everyone else´s stories in our district meeting afterwards. I just love them.
I´ve been trying to speak the language more in my everyday life. Our districts are switching again--our latin companions left yesterday--and none of the old hermanas have native speakers. There are ten new hermanas coming in--five latinas and five...gringas.... My new district is the only one where the elders won´t have latin companions again. I´m in a trio again. :) With Hermana Shearman and another hermana, Hermana Grow. Sadly, we won´t have any native roommates either because there´s only one extra bed in our room. It´s okay, though. I am sad that there are going to be changes, because hermana´s Robison, Hoffman, and I get along so well, but I love hermana shearman and I´m sure I´ll love Hermana Grow and I know there are more things for me to learn from them.
This afternoon we have our tour of lima! Every three weeks the older missionaries get to take a tour. Usually, this means that we wouldn´t get to go to the temple, but Presidente Cavanaugh said that we could if we wanted to and we were back for lunch, so we went, and it was awesome! :)
Familia, I just want you to know how much I love you and how grateful I am to have this gospel and have this opportunity to share it with other people. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. I learn so much every day. Sometimes I struggle to have faith in my ability to do this work, to learn Spanish, to study and teach effectively, to be sufficiently humble and obedient and charitable and patient--oh, goodness, do I have to learn patience!--but last week I was thinking about it and I just felt that I needed to remember the promises that the Lord has made to me and trust in them and keep moving forward. Intellectually, I know that. The application of the knowledge is sometimes difficult. Sometimes I look for really obvious signs of approval--I think I rely too much on what other people think of me at times--and when I don´t see any, I wonder if I´m making a difference or doing what I´m supposed to be doing. But then I remember what I know. I know that the Lord has called me here. I know that this is where I´m supposed to be. I know that the Lord fulfills his promises, and that He has a work for me to perform. I know that if I live worthy of the Spirit, I will be able to help further the Lord´s work and do what he would do. I have to trust the promises that the Lord has made to me, in the scriptures and in other places. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and as I honor my covenants and keep the commandments, the Lord will pour out blessings upon me and upon my family. I know this. I don´t always feel it, but I know it. :) And I know that it is true for all of you as well. Press forward, with steadfast faith in Christ, feasting upon the words of Christ, and endure to the end, and the Father will not withold from you the blessing of eternal life. This is his kingdom and his gospel, and it will go forth. I know that the book of Mormon is the word of God and that by studying it daily, we will be blessed to have the power to move forward. I love you!
God be with you!
Barrels of love,
Jane
