What can I say more?

8th May  2017

Yesterday it officially clicked over to 24 months with the badge on. Wow... I have just a few short days left now so I am going to make the most of it.

I love sharing my testimony. I still freak out a little when I do so. I still shake my leg behind the stand like crazy even when I am only standing up there for a minute. But wow. The feeling afterwards is indescribable.

Something that has really stuck out to me this week as I finished the Book of Mormon for my second time while on my mission is the Focus that the Book of Mormon has on Inviting all to come unto Christ. Nephi writes in the 4th Chapter of the Whole Book of Mormon. "For mine intent is that I may more fully persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob and Be saved." or in other words as Moroni Puts it. "Come unto Christ and Be perfected in Him... And if by the Grace of God, ye are made perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the Power of God"   (Moroni 10:32) Which power is to the salvation of Souls. 

This will be my last Email. As next week is Mothers Day. I wish you all the best. I look forward to catching up with all of you sometime in the near future.

I love you all.

Arohanui

I would like to close with this.

"I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God unto the Salvation of Man." Romans 1:16

Elder Jackson Fankhauser

Australia Brisbane Mission

May 2015-2017

Weekly email

26th April  2017

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org.au/article/%E2%80%8Bhelping-hands-volunteer-at-flood-torn-tree-farm

We got on the Mormon Newsroom!!

Love you all.

We had Elder Nielsen this week and it is indescribable to be able to explain how awesome that was. But suffice it to say that the Spirit was there in Abundance. 

Elder Jackson Fankhauser

Australia Brisbane Mission

May 2015-2017

Here.

18th April  2017

Ohk So I want to start this off with something cool that I found.

So A Mission is 2 years which is 730 Days. However we had a Leap year so it makes it 731. I finish 16 days after I began my mission which makes 747. Which is what I will be getting on on the 747th day. Ohhhhhh So cool. ( I am quietly excited because my companion already thinks I'm weird) 

So this week we were able to do some awesome Service for a Tree Farm and help with the flood clean up. So we got super muddy. Pictures are below. It was awesome. One of my favourite things about being a missionary really. It was an awesome Day.We had approximately 40 missionaries with missionaries from 4 Zones and 3 stakes. As well as heaps of members.

On Tuesday we went down with just 6 of us and then we got asked to participate so we coordinated with some of the other Zones to make Saturday Happen and it was awesome.

On Sunday at the Samoan Branch we arrived and the Branch President pulled us into his office, and we were sitting there thinking "Did we do something wrong" and then he says. I forgot to ask you the other night but can you two share your testimonies. So it will be you, then your companion and then the intermediate Hymn. And then the Final speaker. 

So we thought about it and realized he wasn't just asking us for a short 20 second testimony but a 10 minute talk. Luckily we have the Spirit and we were both able to produce a 10 minute talk each. in about 5 minutes. Love the Gospel.

That was about it.

We have Mission Tour with Elder S. Gifford Nielsen. and then ANZAC Day Next week so P-day will be on Wednesday next week. And then the week after we have Temple P-Day on Thursday.

Love you all

Elder Jackson Fankhauser

Australia Brisbane Mission

May 2015-2017

Let it Begin

10th  April  2017

Or as my Companion has been trying to get me to say "I'm all the way in"

Haha. Well it has been 23 months as of Friday since I entered the MTC. This Time Last year I was in Enoggera with Elder Banks.

What can I say but WOW!

This has honestly been one of the most life changing experiences that I have had in all my life. I think it is supposed to be like that.

A few things that I learnt from General Conference this week is.

Look Up. Let the Holy Spirit Guide. Our Father's Glorious Plan. The Language of the Gospel. Being Called to the Work. And so much more it is hard to describe.

I am honestly such a Church NERD. Someone gave me there phone to find something on Gospel Library  the other day and I started freaking out over a new feature.. (don't ask me what it was.. I'll tell you in 8 weeks or so)

But that'll have to wait. I have (And trust me I have not done this on Purpose it just happened in my head) but I have 43 days till I jump on the Plane. Now to the Math about 9 of those days are going to be half days due to Zone Meeting, District Meeting, Mission Tour, MLC and Interviews. (So - 4.5 Days) 6 of those days are P-Days and there is - 5 days because of that (that is including the hours of work after P-day) then -1 because of transfer day. - 8 hours of every day 43*8=344 hours/24 = -14

So Quite literally I have 29 days left. Not including Eating or Studying. SO that takes out who knows... but. I am going to smash it these next six weeks. and my plan is that as soon as I get home. I am going to sleep for 3 days. well maybe just 12 hours.  But this is just.., it's so weird

WEll I love you all, Wish you all the best. Work hard. 

Elder Jackson Fankhauser

Australia Brisbane Mission

May 2015-2017

Well, Just to let you know.

3rd April  2017

I have felt a flood of Emotions this week.

It has been a cyclone of feelings.

And the Miracles are just raining down on us

and sometimes we just get Swept away in all of it.

So No more Puns

But this week has been pretty Good. We were able to see Tala Get Baptised and witness a baptism in the Chinese Branch with some more miracles to follow. It looks like it is going to be exciting.

A funny story comes from Yesterday.

While we were at the Samoan Branch we walk into youth class (because it is done in English) and the Member of the Branch Presidency is there. He talks for about 5 minutes and then says "The Elders have your lesson today" and proceeds to walk out.

Later on in the class he comes back and seeing it as an opportunity to get him back for leaving us, I say to him "Could you explain to us what this verse means," (He had literally walked back into the room when I asked him this.) To which he replies. "It's your lesson"

Haha I love the Samoan branch. They're crack up

We also had a flood in our area from two separate rivers and I guess to illustrate how bad it got in one area
                             
           Motorway ->    {-----}

   Foundation Pillar ->  [   l   ]
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr      <- Water
   Foundation Pillar ->  [   l   ]         

   Foundation Pillar ->  [   l   ]                
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr  <- Normal Water Level

Pictures of the Floods will be available Below

Elder Jackson Fankhauser

Australia Brisbane Mission

May 2015-2017

19 Day Miracle

27th March  2017

So on the 6th of March we had Dinner at Bishop Iva's house and also who joined us is Miss Sharon  who is the Music Teacher at the Eagleby State School, which is the place where the majority of our ward's primary Children.

On the 25th of March after quitting smoking and having been taught all the lessons, herself doing a lot of the studying regarding the Book Of Mormon, She was baptised!

On the 26th She was confirmed a Member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

An amazing Gift which helps all of us. And I had the Privilege to talk about it a little at her Baptism and I focused on some of the roles of the Holy Ghost. Such as: Comforter; Teacher; Testifier; and Reminder. I love this Gift so much. It is honestly one of the things that helped me be able to connect with her because during the Monday night (the 6th) I listened to what she was saying and the Holy Ghost just whispered to me, "ask her if this is what she means".

It was amazing to see the progress she had over the next 19 days that led to her Baptism. Completely giving up Coffee (Which was a bit of a fast one she said) and Smoking. 

Well I Love you all and I know that Miracles do happen.

Sharon at her Baptism

We also at the start of this week said Goodbye to Elder Brownell who Flew back to Portland

Elder Jackson Fankhauser

Australia Brisbane Mission

May 2015-2017

2 Baptisms coming in 2 weeks.... Bring it ON

23rd March 2017

These last few weeks have been awesome.

We have two people that are preparing for Baptism for this Weekend and Next weekend and they are super solid. One is Sharon Shepherd who is the Music Teacher here in Eagleby and she is superb. She has been getting lessons from the Primary Children and they are doing the teaching more than us. She told us of one experience she had the other day where one of the Bishops children sat her down and wrote on the Blackboard BAPTISM and then proceeded to teach her about Baptism.

The Other is Tala Emilio who we stopped by on Sunday last week and he said (in effect) "Yeah I was thinking about getting baptised just need to sort out a date" He is really cool and is ready for the water.

The other things I have done in the last few weeks is go to a biking area where we biked around for most of the day. Over the hills and far away and then mother duck cried quack quack, quack and I went to Sunnybank with the Chinese Speaking Elders. It was good. I learnt a few chinese words one was (I can't remember how you spell it in Peen(English version of Chinese(Sort of but not really cause some of the letters still don't make sense) ) But I know that you say it Shin-she and If I remember correctly that means chess.

I have also said Goodbye to the only Companion that I have "killed" (Missionary term for when a missionary finishes his mission is that he/she "dies" and their companion is the one who "kills" them) Elder Brownell got on the plan two days ago and has been home for about 24 hours now.

So now it is just me and Elder Moncur. And it looks like a busy three weeks as we finish off the transfer.

Love you all.

Elder Jackson Fankhauser

Australia Brisbane Mission

May 2015-2017