Week 1 Preston MTC

Well, my first week as a missionary is officially over. It is sooooo crazy to think that I have only been here a week. I honestly feel like I have been here for 3 months......or longer haha. But I am having a good time. I’m going to be honest. The first day I was here I wanted to sneak out, steal the presidents car and drive it to the airport hahahahaha. just kidding, but Elder Johnson and I thought about it. I am honestly sooooo glad that I don’t have to deal with an airport again for 2 years, that was seriously the worst day of my life no joke.... .  

So basically my daily schedule is wake up, breakfast, daily planning for a little, then we play football (soccer) for our exercise. It’s super fun haha there is kid a from our district that played soccer for Lone Peak and he is super good his name is Elder Mecham.  So basically our district just tears it up every day haha because I’m a baller myself.  My district consists of myself, Elder Burgess (my comp) Elder Johnson and Elder Sorenson, Elder Mecham and Elder Beckstrand, Elder Wright and Elder Kateli. and then we have 3 sisters from Malaysia and I can’t say there names hahaha sorry. But I can honestly say that I have the best district in the Whole MTC. We all get along so well and we are like best buds and it’s only been a week. I cried in the shower today knowing I would have to leave most of them on Wednesday. I am especially grateful for Elder Johnson, he is from Spokane Washington and he is a stud! He played football and was an all-state track runner.  He is one of me best friends and I know that we will hangout when we get home, for sure. I was really sad the first few days and he is the reason I have been doing so much better. He is super positive and he went to a year of college before the mission so he is a lot more mature.  He went to BYU H so it is cool to talk to him about it, we may go together when we get back haha…if I don’t want to ski bum. So Elder Burgess and I have an investigator named Daniel, he is from Salt Lake City Utah. just kidding hes fake haha. But we have been teaching him a lot and he is definitely progressing!! We taught him about the restoration a little bit and how much our heavenly father loves him. Its cool to see that you get so interested in investigators that aren’t even real. This just makes me even more excited to have real ones!!!!!  We are going to Manchester tomorrow to do street contacting haha I’m super scared but excited to leave this prison hahaha. My companion and I get along really well. We don’t struggle at all teaching together but he does get bothered with all the Americans in his district hahaha He says that we are all classic Americans. Then we just start singing the national anthem and it really makes him mad haha I love being an American. 

Jacob and his companion Elder Burgess from England

Preston temple...next door to the MTC

So the MTC grounds are awesome!!! It is soooooo pretty hear but it does rain everyday…without fail. All the Elders call me the weather man because I said the weather hasn't even been bad.....its only rained once, when we got here...and now it hasn’t stopped. But that is honestly true, its sooooo much rain. Mom you were right, I don't love the rain anymore. We went to the temple this morning and it was awesome!!! I felt the spirit sooo strong and it seriously made me so happy. Right before we left for the session this morning I was reading in my scriptures and I opened up to Alma 42. It talks all about the creation and the fall of Adam and Gods mercy, I knew that I opened up to that scripture to prepare myself for the temple session later.  I love the Book of Mormon. 

MTC grounds

LORDS HAND

So the lords hand has been everywhere in my life this week. This week has been one of the longest hardest weeks of my life emotionally. I have prayed to my Heavenly Father more this week than ever in my life.  I have a testimony that he knows me, that he loves me and that he cares and blesses those that I have left behind.  The spirit at the MTC is incredible, I see the Lords hand in my life every day here. I see the Lords hand in my District, I think that he inspired President Preston to call certain district leaders and organize these districts. President Preston (who is freeekin awesome by the way, the happiest man alive no joke, his wife is kinda a grumpy brit though, but thats okay). I cannot see myself in any other district and the love and comfort I feel from each member is out of this world.  I Know that this church is true, I know that what I am doing is hard, but I do know that this work is called of God and if we as missionaries are faithful and study and learn, we will be blessed. The Lords Hand is in everything at this MTC and that is what keeps me going. I love my family and friends and I am so grateful for the support that I have, I love this work and this gospel. 

Elder Parkin 

NO SHORT CUTS