Dear Family,
Here are some answers to those questions: (
from
Marilyn... Since Jaxon is meeting with lots of missionaries throughout
the mission, I asked some questions about what Jaxon has observed)
Most
missionaries are pretty happy about their family and they grew up in a
good home. A couple, however, couldn't wait to get out here to get away
from their family. Most come from active families, but almost all of
them have some sort of conversion story to how they made it on a
mission. It is pretty cool. Everybody's goals are a little different and
everyone's commitment is a little different, but it all falls under the
same umbrella. Everyone wants to baptize and see success and gain their
own testimonies as well. The biggest struggle I have seen is rejection.
We all think we can take rejection until it comes day after day after
day and in different ways. I think we all had the expectation that
appointments would magically be set up and that we would just be
teaching and helping people resolve concerns all day every day. that is
not what it is like at all. It happens every so often,but there is a lot
more rejection on a mission than I think most of us thought. We are
still pushing through and that rejection makes the good times so much
better.
I have a couple of points of advice for people
getting ready to serve a mission. These are just a couple that come to
mind first, but there are more. First, treat your leaders (church
leaders, school teachers, coaches, parents, etc.) with respect and
respect their decisions. If you have respect for your mission president
and your mission president trusts you, you will have a great mission.
Sometimes you will have a companion you don't want to be with. Sometimes
you get transferred when you don't want to. Don't ever blame the
mission president. It starts with sustaining those at home.
(
Insert from the the letter from Jaxon to Austin regarding Austin making the varsity basketball team):
Austin,
here comes varsity basketball! It will be pretty intense, but it will
be a big growing experience. Obviously Coach Wade trusts you enough to
put you in this spot. It reminds me somewhat of a mission. I know I
didn't want to be a zone leader, but President Taylor called me to be
one. At first, I just longed to be a district leader again and it held
me back a little bit. When I decided that I wanted to be there and I was
going to make the best of it is when I started to take off. So maybe
that applies to you. You might not want to be there because of limited
playing time, but it will be best to just accept it and make the best of
it. It will help you step up and be a leader for next year.
(Back to the family letter...)
We
had a great week this week! We had a few exchanges in Vancouver, one in
Portland, and a couple in Longview. The best part of this calling is
seeing Heavenly Father bless the missionaries. There was one missionary
that I went with who was struggling. I prayed so hard asking that we
would have a successful day. It was awesome. We found so many people to
teach by Heavenly Father leading us there. I could tell how happy this
missionary was and I know it gave him a good boost. Also, transfers are
coming in a couple of weeks. Two weeks from Wednesday. I am excited
because I get to be involved in helping President Taylor with the
transfer board. I get to report on our exchanges and offer suggestions
which has been a lot of fun. We have a huge group going home in a couple
weeks. I think it is 15. We only have four coming out so we will take a
hit there, but we have a lot of great new missionaries coming up.
Thanks
for the sports update. I remember hearing that basketball will be good
this year and going to state was possible so that will be great. I'm so
glad Carson won the district wrestling tournament! That is so awesome!
All those beatings in sixth grade finally paid off!
I'm not
surprised about Doug being called as mission president, but that is
crazy! I feel like that came out of nowhere! What a huge life-changing
event for their family. Let me know what mission he ends up in when he
finds out. We have a meeting with President Taylor every Monday morning
so I didn't see that email from you until after our meeting. I read it
and wanted to ask President Taylor what he thought and any advice for
Doug and his family but he had to go to another meeting. We left by the
time he was out so I never got to talk to him. I will definitely ask him
any advice that he has and I will relay the information. President
Taylor has been serving for almost 2 1/2 years so he is almost done. He
goes home four days before I do. It will be interesting to see what he
says.
Elder
Johnson of the seventy came this week for our zone conference. It was
pretty stressful for everybody, but it was good. He taught a lot of good
information and it was good overall.
I want to share one
scripture. Read Moroni 7:48 when you get a chance. How often do we pray
with all the energy of our heart for charity? ti gets even harder when
we start praying for people that we can't stand! I didn't pray for any
charity for Lebron James and I didn't get any. Also, when we do pray to
have charity for specific people that we struggle with, it always seems
like it gets worse for me! HaHa. That is what happened to me this week
with a certain missionary. I knew it was coming. So instead of getting
upset, I fasted on Sunday for charity for this missionary. Slowly but
surely I am coming along. Thanks for all the love and support. I love
you all and I hope you have a great week.
Love Jaxon
PS
Don't worry about me on Thanksgiving. Some of the great members here in
Vancouver heard that we don't have a ward so they invited us over so we
have a couple of dinners set up. And anything I want for Christmas...
President Taylor loves Christmas music so anything is a go there... If I
could get a Kenny G and a Bing Crosby CD before Christmas that would be
awesome! Then maybe just a couple of ties and another pair of pants.
P-DAY HIKE
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