May 24th 2010

Hey family, thanks so much for the Happy Birthday wish and. I can`t believe I am about to turn 21, if I weren`t a member of the church I would be heading to the casino or something like that, or maybe be drinking a beer legally, it sure is a good thing I am a member. The baptism of Jeremy was awesome, he asked me to baptize him so it was a great experience for me. A lot of the youth showed up so it made Jeremy feel really good. Also the baptism excited Carlos, he will be baptized this Saturday with Marta Martinez. Also, after the baptism we had a little snack, while we were eating, the father leaned over to me and asked me when Dolka(his wife, not married yet and the mother of Carlos and Jeremy) is going to be able to be baptized. He told me that she wants to be baptized also so that the whole family can be baptized, so I talked to him saying that he needs to be married to her before she gets married, I explained why and told him that I had the opportunity to marry a couple in Copiapo and then they were baptized the next day. I told him how the Relief Society did all the decorations for the marriage in the church and it all turned out really good. So I told him he good do the same here, so it got him really excited, so hopefully here soon I will be hearing the news that they are going to be married. It would make me so happy finishing the mission like that.
Today was day of transfers, I will be finishing my mission here in Calama with Elder Vasquez, so it will be fun. Also, the brother of the Elder that trained me in the mission, Elder Calquin, is now in our mission and he will be in my zone, how sweet is that, Elder Calquin blessed my life my helping me get started and so hopefully I can do the same and return the favor to his little brother. I couln`t believe my eyes when I saw Sam in those pictures, I miss him sooooo much. He still looks the same goofy Sam. How is he? Tell him hi for me. I remember going to his house the last night before he left to the MTC and we played Risk, it seems like just yesterday. Crazy stuff.
Anywho, keep praying, I am going to finish this last transfer good so I will never have regrets later on. I am always teaching the people that the last thing they have to do after baptism is perseverance, so I need to put it in practice. I will be traveling again to Antofagasta this Thursday for another leadership meeting, I will try and take a picture of the stars in the dessert, it is my favorite part of traveling here. I love you all, talk to ya later. Please tell everyone sorry I couldn`t write them this week, I don`t have much time.
Elder McKay Bryan Jackson
P.S. I received in the mail the package that Jakes grandfather sent me, please tell Jamie to tell him thanks and I will start handing the little cars out, they are awesome.

May 10th 2010

Hey I don`t have a lot of time, and plus the more I write the more it makes me think about home and what it is comming up, so this one is gonna be short. My week was just great. Jeremy, Carlos and Marta went to church so that means that Jeremy will be baptized this Saturday, then Carlos and Marta will be baptized the next weekend. The work is going great and we are finding a lot of new people to teach. We received a reference from a family that I love last night doing family night, the kids name is David and he is excited to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true. I can`t believe that my best friend will be comming home on Wednesday, he is the man, give him and Jason a big hug for me and take a picture. The time has gone by way to quick. It scares me to think how fast this next month will pass by.
That is awesome that Doug and Kydee both recevied their mission calls. Doug won`t be leaving before I get home right? I am so excited to hear about Travis, let me know how he is doing, you can forward his emails to me if you can, I would love to hear about what is going on, and help him if I can. Tell your mother hi for me, she has been so great in wriiting me. I will definately be praying for Jake, I hope he does well. Anywho, I love you all and hope you have a great week. Thanks for all you do, and for all your prayers.

Elder McKay Bryan Jackson

P.s. Jessica Smalley sent me a birthday package, I had kinda forgotten that it is my birthday soon, I am getting really old.

May 3, 2010

Hey mother, Cristians baptism went very well and there were a lot of members that went. Also we are teaching a family the family Castillos Torres, Father, Mother and two sons 13 and 14. Well the family went to the baptism and loved it, and the next day they all went to church. The two sons (Carlos and Jeremy) are going to be baptized the 22nd of May, they are so excited. Also, this week was really dificult, we were working so hard trying to find people to teach and everyday we would come back home with out teaching even one lesson, but we kept going. We had faith in our Lord and put our confidence in him knowing that if he sees our dilligence he will bless us. Well it went exactly that way, we had a lady(Marta Martinez) stop us asking us where the church is and at what time, so we told her and later went to her house to teach her and get to know her, I was thinking that she is a member but I was wrong, she told us that she hasn`t had the oportunity to be baptized yet but she always attented the church where she is from Peru, and arrived here in Calama about a year ago. So we taught her and we invited her to be baptized the 22nd of May also, and she accepted. She is so happy and also went to church inviting everyone to her baptism. Then Sunday we taught another kid(Sebastain) that has been going through difficult times, his mom died about 4 months ago, and so he has bad friends and started doing drugs. Well the missionaries have been teaching him for about a year and yesterday we taught him about the Restoration and how he needs to be baptized to receive the blessings and he accepted. He will be baptized the 29th of May. We are so excited and want to keep finding more and more to baptize, this is an amazing work and the Lord really does bless his children when they put their faith in him.
That is great the Jason will be coming home this week, you will have to say hi to him for me, I was wondering when he would come home.
That is awesome that Tiff is in the Seminary Counsel, she will have a great time, my friends were in it, and i was always right there with them, it is a lot of fun, and she will be blessed for her service. I am glad that you ladies had a good time in conference, you have been a great example to all your daughters and much more. Well mother I love you so much and I am so excited to talk to you on Sunday to tell you happy mothers day. I will be calling at 7-8 my time and 5-6 your time, so it should be perfect when you get home from church. Thanks for the information of President Watson. You should be getting my flight plans soon, sad but extremely happy to move on and see you to give you a hug and a kiss. I love you mom, thanks for everything. Have a great week and we will be TALKING soon. Choa.

Elder McKay Bryan Jackson

April 26, 2010

Hey family, Calama is going great. I don`t know if I told you before but Presidente almost closed the city of Calama about 2 months ago because there was no progress and the members were not helping at all. They were all full of pride because of their richness. Well being here I feel like it is the exact opposite, my zone is having so much success and we have only been here for 2 weeks. It has definately been a challenge getting started, but I love challenges. We are going to be having the baptism of Cristian this week on Saturday, we are so excited. Then we will be able to help him get started on his mission papers. I am reaching all the goals that I had at the start of my mission, baptize someone that will later on go to the temple with his family(Oscar), marry two investigators and then baptize them(Alvaro and Yanet) and then send someone who we baptize on the mission(Cristian). The mission is going so great, I am said but also excited to see it finish soon. I will just have to take advantage of the time I have.
I am so happy that Trav is going on the mission. I was thinking about him all day Sunday, thinking how much he has progressed. Seems like he has really grown up and I can`t wait to see him in two years.
I am not gonna lie, I loved the email that you sent me, it was full of great news, Trav having his farewell, Tacy receiving her endowments, Jessika getting married, everyone finishing up there degree, Tiff making the Danze company heck yes, the Jazz in the playoffs, I just think of two songs when I hear such great news "Count your many blessings" and the other not so churchy "What a wonderful day" by Barry White. I get thinking, can life get any better, and then every week you write me, it always proves that it can get better and will. Can you even imagine the fullness of joy that we will have in the Celestial Kingdom together, it will be like entering into the celestial room for the first time but times infinity.
We had zone conference this week in Antofagasta, my zone traveled 3 hours there and 3 hours back. The conference was amazing. I am so greatful that God blessed me with such an amazing President, President Urra and Hermana Urra are so amazing. We have become so close, and it is sad that they wont be there to see me finish the mission. They finish the mission a week before me, so I won`t be having my final interview with President Urra, it will be with the new one. But hey, all is well. Also I received my "Casa Papers" or the documents that I have to fill out to get ready to go home, it made me sick. I didn`t think they would ever come, and now here they are. So i need a little information if you could send me the next week so I can get this information sent soon. Love Ya Elder Jackson

Amazing story and Another earthquake March 26 2010

Hey family, Terry wasn`t lying when he told you that there was another earthquake in Copiapo. It was crazy, like the movies. My companion and I were walking home from the centro, and then all of a sudden my companion starts freakin out and grabbed my shoulder( he is always really nervous when we have earthquakes, for what happened with him in Santiago), I had no idea what was going on, thinking that I was just walking weird because i was dizzy from walking in the heat, until i saw the car next to us jumping up and down and then I look up and see the power poles swaying back and forth with the power lines going crazy. So I thought, hmmm where should I run to not be electricuted(spelling ?) but when I was about to run in the street it all ended. The Lord was blessing us and always will. It was pretty strong, the strongest I have ever experienced. I just started laughing at my companion because he was totally freaked out. Everyone ran outside to go get their kids from school and to see if everything was alright, and luckily there was no damage. It was definately a journal experience, je je. That morning I was thinking, I have got to stop procrastinating the food storage and the water and just get it done, so I filled up a 5 little bottle for us 4 missionaries. Talk about inspiration no. I think it is so funny that we as missionaries are teaching that everyone needs to listen to the prophet and obey, and we as missionaries aren`t even prepared. But I sure learned a great lesson.
Things are going great with Felipe, we had a family night with his family and a family in the ward and it went really well. He is so excited to be baptized, I showed him a painting of when Jesus Christ was baptized and he said pointing to Jesus, "Elder he is the one that came to me in my dream the night before you invited me to be baptized, and he told me that I need to be baptized in this church, and for that reason when you invited me to be baptized I accepted." That is why we are invited to become as a child, and if we do we will be able to receive glorious answers like Felipe.
We also invited another kid to be baptized for the 24th of April, and he accepted. His name is Kevin. He is receiving a lot of help from his neighboors which are members. We want to invite his mother to be baptized also, so I guess we will see what happens. Today we are going to invite another family of 3 to be baptized, it is the Family Villaloba, so keep them in your prayers also. The Lord is preparing his his children, and we are seeing miracles happen.
I had the opportunity to interview a lady for her baptism, and it was the most amazing interview I have ever done. She was a drug addict before and lived in the street and did just about everything. But she has had a mighty change of heart, and now is a completely different person. Elder Thomason, one of the missionaries that lives with us and is new in the mission had the opportunity to baptize her.
I will keep grandma Stephens in my prayers. She sure is an amazing example. Oh by the way, their is a painting in the March 2010 Ensign with the Mellor Family, I saw it and said hey that is my family.
Anywho, I am so excited to watch conference this week, it is sad to think it is my last in the mission. The talks will be great. I love you all so much and will be talking next week. Love ya.

Elder McKay B. Jackson
P.s. I don`t know how the weather is there, but it is getting really cold here, it is so crazy.

Earthquake in Chile! McKay is Fine..

Hey family, President Urra wanted us to send you this email. Everything is good here. Nothing happened to us. Please pray for the family of my companion Elder Novoa, he is from Concepcion, and hasn`t been able to communicate with his family yet. I love you all.

Dear Families of our loved missionaries:

It is possible that you are already informed of the earthquake that occurred in Chile. For your peace of mind we hurried in writing this e-mail in order to let you know that the seismic shifting affected just the southern part of our country, therefore the area that covers our mission did not suffer any damage, only feeling light movement (2nd degree). Our missionaries actually slept without realizing what had even happened.

The epicenter was about 1,240 miles (2,000 kilometers) away from Antofagasta.

The purpose of this e-mail is to dispel whatever fear you may have for the condition of your children.

We would now take advantage of this opportunity to thank you for allowing us to work together with the wonderful children that you have raised, with years of continued dedication.

We pray that God rewards you for the sacrifice that you have offered allowing your sons and daughters to come and serve the children of our Creator.

We also pray for the protection of our fellow servants that serve in that area. The information that we have is related to structural damage only but not to the harm of the people, which bring us peace in spite of what happened.

May God cover and warm you with his peace.

With thankfulness,
President and Sister Urra

February 1 2010

Hey family, I sent ya`ll some pictures so I hope you like em. Please tell Chris Colvin hi for me, and give him a big hug, I miss that kid a ton. Anywho, the work is going great and my health also. We are going to baptize a single mother with her son this Saturday, their names are Gloria and Maximo. I am so excited for them. Well I hope you are all having fun in the winter, I am enjoying the HOT HOT sun, it is so crazy hot here. Oh by the way, I have a new President, they had the elections and so my new President is President Piñera, they had to shut down everything during the elections. We could only go to the Sacrament meeting, and there were police everywhere. Also, since it is summer everyone has gone to the beach. This region has the best beaches in all of Chile so half our ward have left and wont return until March, so it is tough at times, but hey the Lord keeps sending people that want to know the truth so it is alright.
ANywho, I love you all so much. Have a great week and tell Travis J. hi for me and all the family and the new ward that I don`t even know. Check ya later.

Elder McKay Jackson