HOLA FAMILIA!

Hello familia. I am absolutlely loving Arica. It is a little difficult because I can´t Express all my feelings when I talk to people, but it´s all good. I have only been here for two weeks so I cant get upset with myself. This week was my first Sunday and the first time I was able to take the sacrament in Chile so that was exciting. It was also fase and testimony meeting so I went up there and bore my testimony in Spanish first and then in English. Everone in the congregation was amazed and had such a big smile on ther face but the great thing was they didn´t even understand me. It felt good to be the one that understood everything and everyone else didn´t. The funny thing is that when I did bare my testimony in english it was hard to remember english words, I don´t know if that is a good sign or not. Also, we had an investigador that came to church all by himself and then we taught him the first lesson. But the work is going absolutely fantastic. The people are really receptive and so it makes life a lot easier. Miguel and his family are doing great. Andrea, the wife, is the only one I am a little worried about because she says she just needs time to know 100 percent sure. But Either way I think she will pull through and be baptized, I am praying for it. The baptsm will be on the 27th. So I am way excited. All the members and everyone are helping me out a lot with spanish and they know that I am trying so they are fine with it all. They all want me to teach them english and so it´s fun teaching them. I really am loving it out here, spanish is my only downfall. Since I can´t talk great in Spanish I can´t really talk to anybody so it gets really lonely, so then I get homesick. But that is when I just work harder and the Lord always helps pull me through. This week is going to be really exciting in Chile. Septiembre 18th is Chile´s Nacional Independence day and it actually lasts all week. I was in Arica Centro today, the Heart of Arica and they had all the soldiers and all kinds of stuff going on. My area is Pukarani which is just 10 minutes or so away from the Centro. The Centro is where we do all of our shopping and our Prep day activities. Like today, the Zone placed futbol, instead of basketball courts, they have street caged futbol courts. There are 3 gringos(Americans) in our Zone and the rest are all Natives. I am the yougest and the most gringo so its tough when they all talk to each other and I can´t talk back. But it´s all good because while we were playing futbol, your son scored 3 goals. This isn´t just a simple game of soccer Esther, it is intense, well actually it´s in a cage J but they are nativo good. So a gringo scoring 3 is dang good and it felt dang good. Also, Chile´s Nacional team has been played two games so far. The last game they kicked Columbias butt 4-0, and Columbia is good. When they are playing, everyone is incide watching the game. So when they store, you can hear the whole country screaming for ever. It´s amazing to hear. It is tough to teach during those times because you can´t teach anyone, so we just go to a members house and watch the game with them. But I absoluetly love the Culture down here. It is a little hard getting used to, like the Money, and everything but it is only my second week so…. Elder Calquin is amazing. He is a great trainer and it is fun teaching him english. He is a way cool guy, I just hope he keeps his patience with me because I have a little hard time with everything. Oh yeah, I ate at a members house on Sunday. We had everything I don´t like, fish, tomatoes, beets and atrichoke. But you would be proud because I ate it all, it was tough, but I did it. Thanks for the pictures, Jaime has quite the tummy and I am so excited for her. I already know what it is and I am so excited. Dad looks great in his Picture too, although he doesn´t look as pregnant as Jamie. Souds like evereything is kinda crazy right now at home. I will keep you all in my prayers. I love you all and wish I could write you all seperate but it is tough with my Schedule. Tell everyone hi from Chile for me. Have a great week. Talk to ya later and good luck with everything.
Love your son and brother,
Elder McKay Bryan Jackson
The first
P.S. My dream came true. I always wanted live close to the beach so I could run. We run on the beach every morning for exercise. It is so amazing and peaceful. It is the best way to start off the day. Love ya all.