November 30th 2009

MOm I just wanted to let you know that you are probably the coolest mom ever, you just gave me the sports beat better that ESPN would have, I am proud of you. Thanks for the updates, I was in need of one. This week has been amazing. We had our zone conference with Elder Zeballos and President Urra. Elder Zeballos is in the first quourm of the 70 and the second concelor in the Area of Chile. He is such a great man, I was able to talk to him a lot and get to know him, and we learned a ton. Also this week we bought some furniture with Hermana Urra for the house that we are in now because the furniture that we were using was all from the house that we moved out of. Also we had to fix the toilet because it hasn`t been flushing good since we moved there. So we took off the toilet and found a little plastic Chistmas tree that was jammed, I sent a picture, so I hope you enjoy it, it was so sick, but real real funny for 4 missionaries of course. I was able to have thanksgiving dinner thanks to my favorite family in the ward. They travel a lot to the U.S. so they wanted to suprise me, and I was so happy. DId you all go cut the tree down yet? Send pictures if so. Also we are working with a lady named Monica who will be baptized this week, so I will send you fotos the next week, just pray that everything goes well. Tell Travis congratualtions, and also Breanee Westergard, that is crazy that she is going to get married. Anywho, i don`t have much time left, thanks for sending my number, now I can do some genelology. I love you all, have a great week. Elder McKay Bryan Jackson

November 9, 2009

That is too bad you didn`t get my letter. I don`t even remember what happened the last week or I would sum it up for ya`ll. I had some great experiences this week. I gave my first blessing in a hospital this week and it was the saddest yet one of the happiest moments of my life. I recieved a call from the assistants to the president telling me that there is a baby in really bad condition in the hospital, the family of the baby are members less active in the church, so we went running over to the hospital. Well we entered and we were led right to the baby which is rare because usually the doctors don`t let you in and they only let you in during the visiting hours, and you have to be family of the person, but we were on the Lords errand so we had some help. We arrived finally and the nurse told us we had to talk off our back packs and rings, watches, wash our hands and put on the special doctor coat so that the baby wont recieve any sickness. So then we walked in and the parents weren`t in the room, so we waited with the suffering baby. The baby`s name is Zinadine, and he has 3 months, he recieved a sickness because he didn`t receive all of his shots, so he can`t breathe on his own. He had machines all around him, the saddest thing ever watching him trying to breathe but not being able to. Zinadine would just look at me with the look of being helpless and wishing the suffering could stop. So we gave him a blessing because the doctor said that he needs one quick, so we blessed him with the Lords will saying that he will be able to grow normally without problems. We got our stuff and started to leave when we heard the machines going crazy. What we didn`t know is that we were giving the baby a blessing to return back to the Lord in peace, because right then he passed away. It was tough on me at first, I thought in few years I will have to be facing the same kinds of stuff with my own kids. I don`t want to watch my kids suffer, so then I thought, wow now I know how God felt when Christ was suffering for each and everyone of us. I am so glad that we belong to the True Church, we can receive so much comfort through the truth of knowing that we can be with our loved ones again.I also found a bunch of new investigadores, and the day that we found them was perfect, God led us right to them because that day they accepted baptismal dates. This really is the Lords work and he will not fail. keep going with the hard work Dad, you are the man. Thanks for being such a great example to me of going after your dreams, I hope I can be a man of success like you. I love you all so much, tell everyone hi and give them all hugs from Elder Jackson. Oiga, and what is this you are looking for houses kinda stuff. The Lord really is blessing you all. Have a great week and I will talk to you all later. Elder McKay Bryan Jackson

October 26, 2009

Hola family, That is awesome that you were able to listen to Elder Eyring, he has got an amazing spirit, no. Hey those are some great fotos of the haloween party, looks like ya`ll had some fun. I can`t wait till I get to participate. The leadership meeting was good, Antofagasta is so BIG. It is way fun hanging around President Urra, Hermana Urra, the Assistants and the other Zone Leaders. You learn so much being around such great people that are called of God. My friend Elder Gooch is also a Zone leader and so we were able to talk and remeber the good times in Fremont, he will be coming home in December so he is really excited. The weather is getting hotter and hotter each day, I had to buy some glasses that are clear inside but when you are in the sunlight they become dark, like sunglasses, yeah they are way nice, the mission was selling them, I though hmmm, I could spend 40.00 dollars now or thousands to fix my eyes in the future because it is so bright here. So they help a lot. The zone is amazing, I feel so blessed to serve them, we are all trying to reach 4 baptisms and 10 Inactives by the end of the year and so we are all having a fun time helping each other reach our goals. I sure am learing a ton out here, I can`t wait to use it in the future. I don`t have any investigadores that I will tell ya about yet, but the work is progressing, which is great to think that we just got here 3 weeks ago and opened this sector. The Lord is guiding us to everyone. I`m sorry I don`t have much time to write you now, I have to write President about everyone of the missionaries first and how they are and then I can write you, so it is hard to get into detail with ya, but I just hope you know I love you all and pray for ya every day and night and so does everyone else out here. Have a great and successful week and have fun in the snow. I will talk to ya later. Love, Elder McKay B. Jackson

October 19, 2009

Hey familiy, I cannot believe how fast the time goes by, I swear I was just sitting here writing you. But hey I wont complain. The mission is going real real good, it is extremely tough, probably the hardest it has been because I am opening a new sector, so I am getting to know the sector and the people with my companion because he knows just as much as I do. I am sure having a lot of fun though, I live in an apartment, and we are 4 Elderes. It is fun getting to know so many people, and understand their lives and why they are where they are at in life. I am learning a lot from the Zone, they are really obedient and have the desire to serve, so it really helps me out. It is like what Joseph Smith said, (I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves). I have 4 branches in my Zone, 2 of which are 2 hours away from me so I do all the training over the telephone with them, and the others come from other small towns an hour away or less. My ward is amazing, they work so good with us, so I guess we will be seeing our success in the future. I am going to Antofagasta tomorrow for a leadership training, so that means another 7 hours in bus there and 7 hours back, so that will be real fun, je je. At least I will be with another Elder, the other Zone Leader from the south, when I traveled here to Copiapo I was by myself, it is crazy being by yourself as a missionary. But it will be a lot of time to think right, it is hard because they are nice buses and they have televisions with movies playing so it is hard being a missionary in that moment. I sent you some fotos, it really is so beautiful here, still desert but much much better. We actually have grass at our church and lots of trees.Tell the ward hi, especially the Thompson family and the Price family, and of course all the family. Have a great week and I will be talking to ya then. I love you all. Elder McKay Bryan Jackson

October 12, 2009

Hey I don`t have much time to write, I thought that my letter got sent to you, but I guess not. I will try sending it again. I did get transfered to Copiapo in bus, 13 hours in bus, it was a killer but I got to see all of North Chile. Now I am just 6 hours away from Santiago in Bus. But I absolutely love it here, I have been here less than a week and it is already my favorite, by miles. It is so green and clean. There isn`t pornography in the streets and everything is really family oriented. I talked to 146 people in the streets and out of the 146 only 10 have rejected us and the others we have set up a day to pass by. The people really are so amazing. My new companions name is Elder Montalvo, he is from Ecuador, he goes home at the end of December, but he doesn`t talk about home at all, well trunky like. He is a great worker, and we are being so blessed right now. I don`t know if you heard that now I am the Zone Leader, so I am in charge of all of Copiapo, I about peed in the pants when President Urra told me. Everything was so sudden, it was a special transfer, so I didn`t expect it at all. It was hard leaving Elder Cruz, my son.I don`t have much more time to write, but I will talk a bit more next week. I love you all so much and thank you for your prayers. Have a great week and I will talk to you later. Saludos a todos. xoxoxoxoxox Love, McKay B. Jackson

September 28, 2009

Hey familia,Hey I don`t have much time but i just wanted to say thanks for your prayers, they worked. President had a good conversation with the bishop and everything is going great, know lets just hope nothing more happens because President told me the next thing that happens call me and I am going to take you both out to a sector that will appreciate your work. I love Iquique so hopefully not. Sounds like Dad and Lennie are kickin some serious hynie, it will be fun coming back and working with them a bit, it they accept me. Tell Alex hi for me, it`s crazy how all my friends are coming home now, time goes by way to quick. The baptism was just great, her uncle from Peru baptized her, I tower everyone in the foto, it was real funny. Being District leader is a great experience, I am learning a ton. Just another opportunity to serve, so I am happy. Tell Sonia and Allan congratulations, they are going to love it in Lima, I know a ton of people from there. They have a temple and everything, they will be close to Maichupichu, a lady from Cuzco(close to Lima) is going to hook me up so that when i want to travel to Maichupichu I can much much cheaper. The blessings of the mission right. Thanks for everything.oh for the Christmas package, I just want suprises, I can`t believe you are sending another Christmas package, it seems like yesterday. Oh Michell, my convert asked for a big picture of the Salt Lake Temple. So if you can, he would love it. Have a great conference weekend, prepare yourselves because revelation isn`t free. I love you all, thanks for everything. Tell everyone happy birthday. Elder McKay B. Jackson

August 31, 2009

Hey ya family, we did have two baptisms on Saturday, the other two for another week, but it was beautiful. I talked one of them(Alberto) to let Elder Cruz baptize him because it would be his first time baptizing someone, and so Elder Cruz was so happy. Alberto was Evangelico, and is married to an hermana named Janka who was inactive but now no, so we got two in one with that family, activated someone and baptized someone, talk about blessings no. The other, Jorge was baptized by the second counselor who is preparing to go on a mission in January, so we were all happy. Now we just have to help Jorge`s wife and child so they can be baptized and then after go to the temple. My health is good and we had a fun preparation day today, we(Iquique) played soccer against the other zone(Alto Hospicio) and we won, also we got new jerseys from Iquique, they are sweet, so I will send ya a picture. Anywho, I have to run but i love you all and I will talk to ya later. Have a great week, tell Dad and Tiff I love them I pray for them everynight as well as the whole family. Have a great week at work and have fun. Talk to ya later fam.Oh by the way, this week I will complete 1 year in Chile, the 2nd of Septiembre, how cool huh, I am pretty much Chileno now. Love, Elder McKay B. Jackson

August 23, 2009

I am almost jealous that you are in school, but then I think...... no, not jealous. Je je, but really I hope your school year goes fantastic. I am telling everyone here that you are all starting school just now and they are saying, oh that would be sad to just be starting. Anywho, the work is rolling right along. I will let you know how the baptisms went next week. They have all decided yes that they for sure want to be baptized so i am going to keep my faith and see how it goes. I can`t believe that Jared is coming home soon, I remember when he left and I was all alone because Sam left me for his girlfriend, je je what a stud he is huh. But when he comes home, give him a big hug for me and tell him to start looking for a girl with a twin sister to put on hold for me, je je. ;) That is cool that they dedicated the temple in Utah, the work surely is progressing a lot. Elder, well now Brother Verwer told me he was going to be an ussure at the dedication, that would have been sweet. I can`t wait for that moment to go to the temple, if I arrive in Utah I would love more than anything before we do anything to go to the Salt Lake Temple and do a session or at least baptisms. Anywho, I hope all is going well in Utah, oh I have a question, Is Dad still the Secretary of the ward? Keep talking with the people in Mia Meadows, Iam sure they want to talk to you. Oh and I cannot believe the picture of Kimberlee, she has grown so much. Give all the kids a big hug for me and tell them that Uncle McKay loves them. I love you all so much, thanks for everything. Have a great week and I will talk to ya next week. Oh and if you could send me the adress of Elder Chase Jensen and Elder Carston Taylor, I would greatly appreciate it. I am going to connect the letter that we are teaching to all the inactives in Chile, it is in English so I hope you enjoy it and actually use it, it is AMAZING. Anywho, talk you all later. Elder McKay B. Jackson

July 20, 2009

Hola familia, How are all ya´ll doing, hopefully all is super super good alla. Everything is going just great here in Iquique. The family that we are teaching is very active with all of the activities and with everything. For example, our Stake just had the olympics with Soccer, Ping Pong and Chess. It was for the young men and young women but everyone was invited, of course we couldn`t go because we had a lot of work to do, but the family went and had a great time it sounds like. Yesterday I taught them how to make pancakes from scratch, and they loved it(that pancake recipe is really coming in handy Dad, I appreciate it). They have been waiting for me to cook them something, so we had a good time, and talked about everything. Janett asked me if my mother is mad at me because I am forgetting my english, and I said I hope not. Jorge had to go to Peru for his business and had a great time, he took his bible that he just baught and his Book of Mormon to read on the trip. Well he gave his Book of Mormon to a lady that was sad, and he said this book has given me peace. So the family is progressing a lot and we have a great relationship with them but they don`t want pressure, so we can`t give them a baptismal date, but it is all about patience right? The less active members are coming to church, we had about 20 more in the sacrament meeting than normal, so the work is really good right now. Elder Cruz is teaching me a lot and we are having a great time, he is a great son and listens, so now I understand how happy you and Dad are when we listen to you. That story was funny about Jonah, I will have to use that one. I am loving the bible right now, I never understood how much information you could take out of the old and new testament. There is no way I could understand it without the spirit though, some of that stuff is DEEP!!!!!!! Oh and I am going to buy the luggage today, they are really nice, 16 thousand pesos(about$30.00) and yeah we do use CHILENO PESOS, when I take the money out of my card, it turns into Chileno Peso. Everyone loves to see the American money here though. They love American anything, especially missionaries with blonde hair, je je. Tell Jordan and Heidi to keep the pesos, it is from a different country, so it is cool to have. I will bring some money home when I am done. I am keeping healthy, I just got done with a cold, everyone in Chile has the cold so it wasn`t anything new. The weather just so ya`ll now is freezing now, I am so glad I bought a jacket before the mission. It gets really cold at night and the waves from the ocean now are huge, it is sweet. I listen to them all night while I sleep. Tell dad ´take luck with the buisness, take it , care for it, je je.´ I am praying for you all everynight, so I hope everything goes great. I don`t know what else to write, I am trying to think about things that are going on. This last week was the week of the Virgen of the Tirana, and so there are people from all over Chile in my sector that are all dressed up in costumes and do a dance, it is really cool, but extremely Babilonish, too bad they don`t have the truth, yet....Oh yeah, this week my ward is going to have an actividad where every family is going to present their country, food, and the culture or whatever we want to say. My ward has people from all over, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Peru, Colombia, Japan, Paraguay, Uraguay and the best of all THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!!! HECK YES!!! So I am going to make a bunch of Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwhiches, because I couldn`t think of a type of food that we have, we kinda steal the food from other countries. So hopefully it goes well. Anywho, this email has been a book, but whatever other questions you all have about where I am at the the culture go ahead and ask. I love Chile so there is a lot to talk about. I love you all and will talk to ya next week. Check ya later, and con mucho questo. Elder McKAY Bryan Jackson

New Area! IQUIQUE

can`t believe how crazy everything is changing. Is our ward still the same? President Watson will be AMAZING, I have always looked up to him. He is the one that got me into the mission with his mission classes and now he will be the one that releases me too. I am sure that it was a sweet conference, Elder Holland has always been a favorite of mine, even more since the mission. He cleaned out Chile completely a couple years ago, so now Chile is a growing area because of him. We are also going to be having a big conference this week. We are going to be listening to Elder Dixon of the first quourmn of the 70, the funny thing is we are going back to Arica to listen to him, so looks like I will be able to see my home town once more and Elder Verwer. So are we still in the same ward as Travis Price? I sure hope so. So if there are 3 stakes, who is the other Stake President, we have President Watson, President Shumers and who else? Soon we are going to be having a temple right in Farr West with this growth. Oh and don`t worry that your letter was long, I always do like them longer from ya, after all you are my mother, the most important letter that I could read. I am doing great here. I will be having another baptism this week with hermano Michel, so I will tell you how it went.I love you all and know that this is the church of Jesus Christ and am honored to be a representative of him and the Jackson Family. Have a great week and we will talk to ya all later. Cho Cho Elder Jackson P.s. If I do need anything, it would just be the bathroom supplies, like shavers, shaving cream, soap, face wash, just that kinda stuff. It costs a lot. But only if you can.

I love this place... New Companion Elder Verwer from Utah and my 2nd baptism Brother Alejandro..

Hola Familia, ¿como estan? Esta semana pasada era spectacular. A lot has happened. Alejandro Fabio Ordenes Ordoñez is now a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, yep, he was baptized finally, and how amazing it was. He invited all of his family and extended family and so there was about 15 non members at this amazing powerfully, spiritually baptism. After the baptism we took all of their names and they want us to pass by and teach them also, they all felt something that they have never felt before. It is amazing how things work out. Also the direct family aren`t members(yet) and they love us, so I guess we will see what happens there. I also bought a Bible for them because they don`t have one and I wrote my testimony in it and address. He just kept saying thank you thank you, I have been missing this part of my life for a long time, and now I feel so much love and happiness that I have never felt. Then yesterday he was confirmed a member. Yeah he is amazing. Oscar went to the baptism, he gives me a smile everytime I see him. He is growing so much, the other day he was so excited because he found all of the Hymns on the internet and downloaded them all. Then bishop just told me that he will be given the Melckezidek Priesthood on the 15th, Stake Conference. How amazing is that, then he will be able to go to the temple and be sealed for time and all eternity with his family. AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE THE MISSION!!!!!!!!!! Anywho, I need to settle down, so..........Oh yeah, my companion is from Heriman, Utah. Heriman is close to Riverton. So that will be sweet that I am close to him after the mission. He is the man, I have never been this tired in the mission, but I have never had so much success and excitement for the mission either. We are having a ton of fun, and at the same time I am tired spiritually every night because all the amazing experiences that happen every day. The days pass by as if they were 3 hours long. Tell Alex and Mackenzie congatulations on being baptized, I will try to send them a card if I can save up some money. Yesterday being fast and testimony meeting, Alejandro asked me if he could share his testimony and thank everyone and it suprised me, they are usually to shy, so I went up with him and he shared his testimony and it was amazing and he was crying like a baby thanking everyone and the two angels that taught him. Then I went up and shared my testimony and talked about baptism and how a man name William Watkins was baptized about 175 years ago in England and because of him, I am here in Chile sharing the gospel. After everyone was thanking me for my testimony and saying you spoke with so much confidence and spoke fluent. I am definately being blessed with my spanish. I haven`t spoken english with Elder Verwer at all, so I am learning a lot and recieving the gift of tongues more and more. I can`t believe Larry H. Miller died, I heard last week and was shoked, also when I heard about Wirthlin when he died, extremely shoked. They were both amazing Men, it will be cool to see who is the next apostle in conference NEXT MONTH!!!! WOO HOO!!!!! Tell Carston congratulations for me, I will try to send a letter to him before he leaves, he will be a great missionary in Kentucky. Yeah the weather is still the exact same as when I got here 6 months ago(today). Arica is called La Eterna Primavera. It is awesome, I love the weather. It is really humid but hey it is all good. Anywho, so that is what is going on. I don`t have much time and I have written a novell, but I want to send some pictures so I will end now. I love you all so much, have a great week and tell everyone hi for me, especially Travis and Katie Price. Have fun. check ya later. Elder McKay Bryan Jackson The First p.s. Elders just told me that a investigator of their sector wants ME to baptize him on the 14th. I taught him here twice but he lives in another sector so we gave him to the other missionaries. I didn`t think I had that great of an impact, I was wrong. I`m definately not going to complain.

My 2nd baptism! Alejandro! He is amazing..

Thanks Dad for teaching me how to make pancakes!

McKays Address:

Elder McKay Bryan Jackson
Chile Antofagasta Mission
Sucre 22o, Oficina 504
Edificio Bulnes
Antofagasta, 11 Region
Chile

My first baptism! Oscar Barra

My first baptism! Oscar Barra

So all I have to say is I forgot how much I love to hate those P.M.S. cruisers, or whatever they are called.That is a great photo, you have no idea how much I miss the rain, if you could, send me some in a zip lock baggy, but it has to be raining in the bag so when I open it, it will rain and rain on us. Oh yeah speaking of water, the water in the baptismal font felt real real real good on Saturday. I am trying to think if I have ever had a happier experience in my life and I cant think of anything. Oscar Manuel Barra Lagos is now able to enter into the Lords kingdom if he keeps Enduring to the End. I had the opportunity, the honor and the privilege of baptizing him, and it was such an amazing experience. I can`t describe the felicidad that I feel right now, all I can say is WOW!!!!!!!! Oscar just kept thanking me, he bore his testimony and said only Elder Jackson will ever know the great change of heart I had. I know this church is true thanks to my eternal brother and friend Elder Jackson, yeah I cried, I`m not gonna lie. Sunday he was confirmed a member of the true church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and recieved the Holy Ghost. Then we confired upon him the Aaronic priesthood in the office of Priest. So next week he will be blessing the sacrament. I will be content if Oscar is the only baptism I have the opportunity to be a part of because he will forever be a firm member. But I am going to keep going strong so we can bring eternal happiness to other families. His next goal is baptizing his daughter who has 5 years, and also going to the Temple with his wife. Wow huh!!!! The Lord is blessing us so much right now, Alejandro will be baptized this week on Saturday, the 31st. So I am excited for that. We have a Noche de Hogar (FHE) with his family tonight, so maybe we will be able to convert the whole family, that is his desire. So yeah, the gates of heaven have literally been opened on this sector in Arica, Chile and I have the opportunity to be an angel. Family I love you all so much and thank you all for your prayers. The work of the Lord is moving, really fast and will keep going on. Have a great week and you are all in my prayers. Elder McKay Bryan Jackson(Bigmac, mickey bry) The First

Christmas in Chile!

Christmas in Chile!