Jack had a great week. He's sporting a new haircut (thanks to his zone leader Elder Hebertson), teaching temple prep classes, eating LOTS of mexican food, and serving the good people of New Jersey. I had a chance to meet up with the mom of his MTC companion this week and it was so fun to talk with her about their shared experiences. She is a wonderful woman and I'm so glad she raised such a wonderful son that was so good to mine in the time they were together. Here is a bit from this weeks letter. Have a great week.

Hello. I love you. It's me. lol at you. I just talked to Elder Johnson over the phone because sometimes we call each other and we talked about how weird our moms are. You're so weird. And I love your weirdness. I love all of you.

I went on an exchange this week with my zone leader Elder Herberson and it was so fun. We taught a ton . Also, I had one of the literal coolest lessons I've ever had yesterday. I went by Martin's house to see if he was home and he wasn't so we were getting into our car and this guy was like "Why are you driving? Missionaries should always be walking." And I was like "who the flip is this guy" so I go talk with him real fast and I was like "you know the missionaries?" and he said "I'm a member but I don't go to church." and I was like "Can we come over to your house sometime" and he said "you would have to pay me" and I said "I'll pay you in blessings" and he laughed and gave us his address and said that we can come over anytime we wanted and if he was home he would talk with us but if not then we would have to just keep trying. And it turns out that he's this less active that I've been trying to find. God is so clever. So I've been driving by every day because I'm persistent. And we went by last night and he and his nonmember wife and her friend were home and it was so fun because it was so fast and witty and spanish. He's a super sassy guy and he's super smart. We ended up talking for an hour and a half. It started with him and I jokingly bantering and ended with him and I and Elder Jacobs teaching the Plan of Salvation TOGETHER to his wife and her friend. And she asked about the baptism of little kids and I instantly gave her Moroni 8 (fav chapter) and she was super interested. He's the coolest guy. He invited us to come back every week. And he told me that he really liked me and the fact that I study so much philosophy and so each time I visit I'm going to give him a common philosophical topic and answer it with a Gospel Principle and he was super excited about that. i.e. self continuity, sensation and perception, the God argument, etc. Anyway, It was just one of those moments where I just knew that I was where I needed to be, doing what I needed to be doing.

We also had a really good lesson with Marta this past week. We read Alma 32 together and she's doing really good. She's going to start taking the temple prep classes. I love her. Transfers are this next week and I hope I don't leave because I still have so much work to do here. But I will go where I am needed. I just know that everything is in God's hands and that gives me comfort. I love Him.

Investigators are doing good. We have a few progressing. It's hard because people are so busy but everyone is doing good and I like making people happy. We talked to this guy the other day who was the coolest hippy I've ever met. Literally. It was so fun. We talked and watched the rain. Like he kept saying the wisest things. Like he said "I know I lived with God before this life and I will live with him after too, but better. I'll know more than I did before." And I was like who are you? I asked him what he would say to God if he were here and he said "I would say 'Daddy, I love you. I will do whatever you need me to do'," And I also said "if you could teach me one thing right now, what would it be?" and he said "God first. And know that our job in this life is to talk to everybody because one day we will all understand each other. And Israel will never fall." Like what? I'm still thinking about that. What a guy.

Basically I'm happy and I love my mom so much. Almost 3 transfers down. I love you and miss you and I want you to know that I'm happy and healthy and full of love, ok?

Your boy, Jack

This last weekend was tender to my heart realizing that Jack and I were watching the same thing at the same time, listening to the same inspired council during the Saturday and Sunday General Conference meetings. Here is a little about what he had to say about this week;

This week literally went by so speedy fast. We taught a ton this week. I had this lesson yesterday with this guy who I found on Facebook what was so powerful. He let us come over to his house and I taught the introduction to the Book of Mormon without hinderance. The Spanish flowed and the Spirit verified every word I said. I really can't tell you in words the power I felt while I was in that small bedroom, but it affected me deeply.

I also cried happy tears at lunch yesterday. In between sessions of GC, they had this huge meal with all of the Spanish branch, aka all of my friends. I just looked around and beheld these people whom I have come to love. Marta was there. She seemed so happy. And Yemeni was too, my homie who was less-active before I came into the area. Now she is active and brings her kids to church. I owe one of them ice-cream next time I see him. And everyone was full of love for each other. I think about this ward when I first came here and I compare it to how it is now and I am filled with such gratitude. Obviously, my efforts are nothing without the help of our Savior, but I had a moment in which I looked around at these people that I love, and who love me, and who all love the Lord, and I felt like everything is worth it. The pains of missing you. My often-unfruitful hard work. All of it. Just to see these people as they are... children of a Divine Being.

This week I finished reading Jesus the Christ, which is my absolute favorite. I have seriously learned so much in the short few months that I've been out here. It's ridiculous. I've learned so much about people and language and human connection and most importantly, my relationship with the Godhead. I can honestly tell you that I feel truly converted to the teachings of Jesus Christ, because they are so full of compassion and love. And I have come to know with an unshakeable certainty that this is His church. I have seen and felt things that can only attest to this fact that this is real and this is beautiful. And I am filled with perfect love.

I LOVED CONFERENCE. Literally, I was so enthralled the entire time. Conference is insane as a missionary. I've written freaking novels of notes on each one. I loved Uchdorf's saturday morning talk. And I love every word ever uttered by Elder Bednar and Holland, obviously. One of the most significant feelings I've ever had came to me when I was looking over my notes last night. Throughout every session, I not only understood the scriptural references that were made, but have read them recently. 1 John 4, Alma 5, Alma 8, and Moroni 7 were all quoted, some more than once, and I have intensively studied each one of those in the past few weeks. I'm not saying this to boast about how "spiritually in tune" I might be. None of this about me. But I felt participant in this marvelous work and that made me really happy. 

So basically know I'm happy. I follow every rule. And I help people feel important because they are. I love you so much. So much. Like a ridiculous amount. More than oatmeal and dogs and those are two of my favorite things.

-your boy, Jack.