Thanks so much for the emails and the letter! It really means a lot! I love hearing from you guys! I can't stop smiling ha! Sorry about the fires, though. That's soooo crazy! I hope everything's okay! Also, thanks for the quote and scripture! They're both way good! Being at the MTC, I need God's help in everything I do. I'm constantly praying for His help, and I can see the changes He is making with me. He is truly making my weakness way stronger than I could EVER do on my own. Are you guys getting ready for school yet? That's really weird to say ha. At the MTC, it doesn't feel like there is school or anything outside of here ha. It kinda feels like this is how my life has always been and everything before is a dream...kinda weird ha. And Mom, I think the exact same thing every time I eat the fruit here. If I'm in love with it this much here, it's going to be INSANE how much I love it there! This week I actually discovered the salads here ha. They have a poppeyseed dressing and a raspberry vinegarrete that are way good! Also, they have parfaits for lunch and dinner that I have at least one every day ha.
This week, we did a lot more teaching than usual. We now have two "investigators" that we each teach twice a week and then we teach two lessons at the TRC, too. This was our first week going to the TRC. You go talk to French speaking volunteers (usually members) and share a short message. It lasts 20 minutes each lesson, but most of that is trying to get to know them, which is actually the hardest part of French right now. We're doing pretty good in our lessons, but we don't know how to have very good conversations. So, it helps us a lot! One lady we taught was way funny ha! She was wearing a Ben and Jerry's ice cream shirt with cows on it and then told us a story where I think her parents (nonmembers) hit a missionary with their car?! She did clarify, though, that the missionary didn't die, so that's good ha.
We also got new missionaries in our zone this week, so Elder Gilson and I worked with them a lot. We got four international missionaries on Tuesday that we got at 4:00 and helped them out for the rest of the day. They are all way cool! Two are from England, one's from Denmark, and the other is from Japan (but he's caucasian and doesn't speak any japanese ha?). Then, Wednesday, we got 14 other elders in the new districts. We met them at 7 and were with them until 9 that night. One of the elders was Elder Nelson. He was one of the kids who came to Europe with me! So, it was way cool to see him! I've also seen Elder Fukui, Elder Skinner, Elder Miller, Elder Jensen, and a ton of other people I know! Anyways, we also subbed in for our branch president, President Mangum, on Thursday because he was in China on business. So, Elder Gilson and I taught a like intro lesson/preparation thing to the new elders that night, as well. It was a lot different because my district only has one elder that's 18, but they're all 18 except for two elders that were in the military who are 21 and 24. They're still way fun to be around and are great elders, they just do stuff in a different way. Brother Barker (branch presidency 1st counselor) had Elder Gilson and I bare our testimonies at the end of their testimony meeting, too. It's so crazy to bare your testimony as a missionary. I've always felt the Spirit super strong when I bare it. But, ever since I got set apart, when I bare my testimony, I feel almost like power in my hands. It's really hard to describe, but it feels like I'm a superhero haha. It's incredible! I love it ha!
Also, I've watched two videos of Elder Bednar talking at previous MTC devotionals so far, and he's just amazing ha. I've always liked him, but these talks are so blunt and powerful! They've changed who I will be as a missionary a lot! Also, being a zone leader has helped me become a better missionary. I was obedient before I was zone leader. But, now I feel like all the new elders look to my companion and I and our district to be huge examples of how to act at the MTC. The old zone leaders were huge examples to me and made me really feel comfortable here, and I want to do the same to all our new elders. So, I've stepped up my game a lot ha. I'm really trying to become the misssionary that the Lord wants me to be, and I can already see His hand changing in my life. Also, at the end of Elder Bednar's talk, he said, "I witness and testify" that Christ is our Savior. And, those words hit me pretty hard. I felt like he knows the Savior, personally. I can't say for sure, but I really feel like he literally knows Him.
I don't need anything right now, unless you want to get me a microfiber towel or a lava lava haha. A lot of the Tahitians have those towels, and they say they're fantastic with the humidity. But, I'm good so whatever ha. Thanks for all you do! You guys are amazing! Je vous aime! Na na (bye in tahitian)!
Je vous aime,
Elder Jessop
Word of the Week: Faa Ito Ito- It means take courage (They use it a lot, and it's our teacher's favorite Tahitian word)
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