Luke 2:11

7th December  2015

For unto YOU was born this day, in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.

Unto Each and every one of us over 2000 years ago was born a babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, that would fulfil a divine mission which he was fore ordained to do. He would learn and grow much like all of us and come to know His Heavenly Father, and it is given to each and every one of us to Discover Why, He is our own personal Saviour.

This week I have shared this christmas message so many times, and I know each time I share it that I feel the Holy Ghost telling me that it is undeniably true, and it deepens my understanding every day that I do this about His divine role in my life and helps me see the importance of coming unto him, and denying myself of all ungodliness so that his grace be manifest in my life and help me overcome my personal weaknesses, and I know there are so many that it isn't even funny.

I have loved these last few days of Christmas and I cannot wait for the next 24 days to remember this glorious time of the year and to Remember Him

Elder Jackson Fankhauser.

T'is the Season

30th November  2015

Picture a stable in Judea, Picture a Sacred Silent Night, And can you hear, The angels near, And see the star so bright?

My Favourite time of the year starts tomorrow and what a great opening we have with a baptism on Wednesday. This is a time for miracles and love, and a time for peace from the world around.

One of my goals is to as soon as this transfer has ended me and my companion (whoever it is) are going to go out carolling :D Sorry for him if he has other plans. But definitely going to work with the ward to set up some carolling at members and investigators alike. And to be honest, I am just going to do it for a whole day while knocking on peoples doors.... Can't wait.

Also excited for the prospect of seeing a lot more miracles of baptism or at least being able to help others to commit themselves to be more like our Saviour

#ASaviourisBorn https://www.mormon.org/christmas

Elder Jackson Fankhauser

Meeting the Toyman

23rd November  2015

This last three days since I emailed has been pretty interesting

But Yesterday was probably my favorite.

While we were out knocking on people's doors we came across this Oldish man working out in his shed. We called out to him and he came out and said, I am an absolute Atheist and I don't want to hear anything about what you have to say. instead of doing the normal "OK have a good day" I just started talking to him, and my opening line was this... "Well We know you aren't interested in what we have to share, and we know it's a little unfair of us that we come to your door and expect you to listen to what we are interested in, how about we listen to what you are interested in, like those things with wood." And from there we got to know more about the Toy Man. After asking where I got my salesman skills and my answer McDonald's he said "You know what I'll go there every day now" Hopefully he meant it as a joke, because I would not prescribe Mcdonalds for a diet.

But After a long lengthy discussion and a few doctrinal topics thrown in here and there, (And after a game of Towers of Hanoi) he told us that we were good men and if we needed a reference to come and find him if he was still around. As well as that, he gave us a Good-Luck Dragon, and a game each ( I Got the Towers of Hanoi and Elder Acevedo got Last Man Standing)

Overall it was a great encounter, definitely going to keep him in mind for the future.

So Basically, As a missionary I have learnt that the best way to get to know someone is... To focus on them, and try not to think about your own personal experiences

(Pretty Keen on the sales man Idea though)

Elder Jackson Fankhauser.

Photos

9th November 2015

Pictures from when he was in Cleveland Zone

Go Forth and Teach All Nations

19th November  2015

This week we were asked by a lot of people this question....

Why Doesn't God come down and stop the bad things from Happening?

I would like to give my brief explanation as to the reason why.

God has given all men the free agency to choose right from wrong, he, like us, is held by certain laws that bind him from personal intervention on a grand scale, If God broke these rules that he set up from the foundation of the world then he would have to undo himself and cease to exist because there is no way he can break a law and still be God. It just wouldn't work. So he has left us to do what we may please to do. We can choose to follow God's Commandments and live a good life. (If everyone did this the way God wanted us to do then there would honestly be peace everywhere.
Or we can choose to ignore and go down a different path. If we do this we will go down a much easier road it is true, but what will we learn? Temporary pleasures that last only a little while. Greed and Hate and Envy are all part of this "easier road"

So God Does this so that we can have our free choice and Learn from our own mistakes, so we can be better

Elder Jackson Fankhauser.

Dora's Cousin Deigo The Missionary is coming

9th November  2015

Buenos Dias Amigos

This week has been a Spanish filled week, with two of us (Myself and Elder Dunlop) Learning Espanol


It has been interesting Learning about Puerto Rico and the People there.

This week was good, however I definitely know that it can be better so we are planning to thrash it this week and smash an area Goal. And Hopefully not just one!  As Senior Companion I have found that I basically have the ultimate choice whenever doing or saying something, but it has been good sharing a little bit of that responsibility with Elder Acevedo Crespo.

This Week I sort of learnt about budgeting it wasn't a big thing that covered the week but it was something that we talked about.

Basically the Budget for your average Church Member goes like this 10% Tithing 10% Savings and then 80% Expenses
However I would like to modify it and make it 60 - 70% Expenses, 10% Tithing, 10% Savings and 10 - 20% Medical Savings, because I have found that medicine costs a....loT! At least for after the mission anyway,.

Love you all and Thank you for even the tiniest piece of influence that you have had on me coming here on my mission, and if you think that you have only had a small piece then I can tell you that it is probably one of the biggest.

Elder Jackson Fankhauser.

The Beat of the Drums go on

3rd November 2015

This transfer is.... A new Companion. Which Makes 4 from 5 transfers now.

This week we smashed it. It was awesome

We were able to do alot of things and even though we had some bad parts of the week we had some amazing miracles.

Because of this we parted ways on an overall high. I'm Going to miss Elder Bullock but now I get a new Peurto-Rican Companion. And he speaks spanish so get ready Senors and Senoritas for some Espanol occasionally.

Not too much time left so I leave with words of Wisdom from The Prophet Joseph Smith.

When the Lord Commands. Do it.

Elder Jackson Fankhauser.