18 Things I Learned In 18 Months

I started this when I first came out so I thought I might as well share it! 😊

1) I am a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father. Seriously He is SO good to me! I am not only spoiled by my earthly father, but my heavenly one also! He has blessed me in so many ways during my mission.

2) Kelly Clarkson knew what she was talking about when she said, " what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." But trials help us grow and become way better than what we were before.

3) You WILL get hard companions. Lol @ me because I thought I never would and then BAM!  But you will also get companions that become your best friends. No matter who you get, it is for a reason!

4) Role plays are the worst, but they are also the best.

5) All the people you expected to keep up with you your whole mission, won't. Some won't even remember your birthday! And I'll be honest, it was really hard for me to not hear from the people I expected to hear from. But I got over it, plus it is all part of the sacrifice! I will however give a shout out to my main gals, my mom and sister, they never once missed a week of emailing me (':  #truelove #squadgoals #waitisthatevenstillathing

6) Time goes by so incredibly fast, but oh so slow. There were moments when all I could think was " When is this going to end?!" But then I blinked and it was my halfway mark and all I could say was " Please don't make this end!"

7) This gospel brings pure joy. There is nothing better than hearing that you have that "mission glow" Also spolier alert : missionaries are happy because they are always thinking of others, not themselves. So give it a try!

8)The Lord really does hear and answer prayers!! Remember that one time I prayed for Sister Hill to be in my zone but then something better happened?! She became my companion! Or that one time I lost my ring from my grandma and after 2 days of prayer it showed up? Like if that isn't a testimony builder, I don't know what is. 

9) I came out for all the wrong reasons, but stayed for the right ones.

10) The Lord sometimes calls you to places you DO NOT want to go. But then you realize there is
no place you would rather be! It really is all about the attitude! #Stuart #Wilkesboro #BOONIEDOUTTTT😉

11) There comes  a point when you don't recognize anythinggggg on the radio( when you hear it in public) , and you're perfectly fine with it. Being away from the worldly things was SO NICE! I wish I could stay in my little missionary bubble forever.

12) If you're reading this, GOD LOVES YOU! He even loves the people who aren't reading this. No matter who you are, or where you have been, or what you have done. He. Loves. You. 

13) It's all true. Without a shadow of doubt in my mind. I know this is the restored church of Jesus Christ. I would not have left my home for this year and a half if it wasn't. This has been the best testimony builder of my LIFE. How greatful  I am to know the truth and to have had the chance to share it.

14) " I'm Busy" is theeeeee DUMBEST excuse. Seriously. If you dont want to talk to someone or go to something, or do something just say it! It saves a lot of wasted time.

15) There is a big difference in "serving a mission" and "going on a mission"

16) How to love strangers. Seriously this is THE BEST! Where ever you serve you learn to just love the people. Some areas were harder than others at first but I have loved the people of the south.

17) Missionary work without members is impossible. So help your local missionaries!!

18) There is no such thing as a perfect family. So I count my blessings that I have one crazy circus of a family!

Sending Love,
Sister Jacobsmeyer💕
   

❤The Hardest Thing I've Ever Loved To Do 😭

This was the craziest week ever. Seriously. But for one last time, let me give you the highlights

Tuesday: We had MLC! I love MLC! It was all focused on the technology training that was coming up! After MLC I had my exit interview with President Alexander. I cried a few times, but didnt sob!! *pats myself on back* It was a good time to reflect on my mission and gain more counsel for a very wise, inspired man. I will be forever grateful for President and Sister Alexander, they helped me SO much through many different trials. On the way home it was raining cats and dogs, so we got off the road and us and the Greensboro sisters ate at BJ's! Oh man it was good, plus it was $3 pazookie night #tendermercy 🙌

Wednesday: So for the past 2 days we had done like zero proselytizing because we were so busy. So when we finally got to, I was pumped! The only man who answered and talked to us ended up going on this rant about the Book of Mormon. I was like 10000% done. I kindly  asked if he had even read  it, of course he said no. Oh some people! 🙃🙃

Thursday: We exchanged with Bethania! I got to bring Sister Payne back to Tanglewood with me! We got to do service, eat with the best members ever, and teach a wonderful family! And to top it off the Zone Leaders called us at 9pm to go to walmart to buy stuff to make for the next days zone meeting. *sighs* elders. 🙃

Friday: We had a Zone meeting where we did the technology training we went over in MLC! So get this the NCCM is one of 12 missions out of like 400 missions in the world, that gets to test out this new great way of missionary work that comes along with new technology. But thats all we have been told. So to prepare we went through this training and at the end we had " the great reset" aka your zone couldnt use facebook until they all completed some online courses. I am thankful for all the technology training I have had on my mission. I know that is one of the reasons I was called to this mission #recoveringiphoneaddict
We also had the ward party friday! It was a good time! I even got to play corn hole (or as my family calls it, Baggo!)

Saturday: Well it started out with the Sisters Only Conference Call, where the departing sisters share their testimonies. I will have you know It still hasnt fully hit me, but when I shared my testimony I boo hoo'd. That afternoon we got to go on a roadtrip to a baptism of someone Sister Fontano taught! So I can say I saw a baptism my last week! 😉

Sunday: My last Sunday in the BEST ward ever. And I got to give a talk! I cried of course. Tanglewood has my heart! Oh I love these people SO much!! Fun fact, when I got transferred here, I was kinda upset because I didnt get to change zones. But this has been such an amazing place to be. I am so thankful this is where I got to end! We got to eat with one of my favorite families last night. and then we taught a family from Egypt! 

Spiritual Thought:
"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it" Matthew 10:39

Oh my gosh y'all. I cant even put into words what these last 18 months have meant to me. I have felt every emotion possible. I have sunk into deep despair, I have felt exceeding joy. I have changed. I have found new life, new chances, new beginnings because of my time here in the NCCM. I have found my testimony. My very own one, not my moms, not my dads, not even my siblings. My very own. The sacrifice I made is no where near the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made. I know that my Redeemer lives. He isn't just a fictitious man from a book. He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. He has felt every time someone shut a door on me, everytime someome told me what I believed was wrong, everytime I thought I couldnt last one more day. He felt it all. He knows me better than anyone else, because he atoned for me, and you, and everyone past, present, and future. I can never repay him. I will forever cherish my time in the South. I will always cherish the people I met, the people I taught, the companions I had, and all the sacred experiences that are dear to my heart. 

I am so thankful for each and everyone of you that supported me. Through prayers, fasting, emails, packages, letters, and just plain old love! Thank you SO much. You will never know how big of a difference you made to me!

I sure love you all, see you soon❤

Sending Love,
Sister Jacobsmeyer💕
   

pics take 5 ha ha

1) freezing our buns off 

2) being silly with some of the sisters i go home with ❤

3) the winston sisters🙌❤

4) our zone😊

5) classic krispy kreme pic🍩😍

Sending Love, 
Sister Jacobsmeyer💕

Pictures?

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#75 And Then I Blinked 9/4/17

Wow. What a week. Somehow I blinked and I hit my 17th month mark, and for some reason everyone keeps telling me "your days are coming to an end" Not cool. 🙃

So this week was great as always! Minus it being 60 degrees a few days in a row. Like seriously I was in a flannel and boots! North Carolina weather is so crazy haha😂

Well Tuesday we were doing service at the Food Pantry and there you walk people through the food line individually. I walked with a deaf man this week. He was so cute, hahaha! It was hard for me at first because I don't know how to sign anything. But I tried to place myself in the footsteps of the Savior. I felt such love for this man I didnt even know! It was truly a Mosiah 2:17 moment! 💙

While I was gone on exchanges last week we had a woman who is not active in the church call us and ask if we could start reading the Book of Mormon with her two daughters! Of course we said yes! So this week we drove wayyyyy out to the edge of our area to meet with them! It was great! I am excited to keep going back! 😊

Sad news. I went to my LAST zone conference this week. Oh but it was so good! Okay but first side story : We have this boy in our ward going on his mission next month. Anywho he took us and the Elders and stayed at the conference. We had to travel pretty early so he got us breakfast... at bojangles... aka taco bell of the south.... aka cheap greasy southern food. I WAS SO SICK I COULD HAVE DIED RIGHT THERE! Okay thats like a little dramatic but seriously I felt like death. I have only had bojangles one other time, at the start of my mission, and both times ended in feeling sick. So word to the wise, dont eat bonjangles 😘

Anyway bringing it back.... So zone conference was all about The Book of Mormon. The Alexanders this transfer had a vision of every missionary gaining a stronger testimony of the Book of Mormon. We had great trainings, did some good roleplays, and ate some yummy food! Oh and in our mission we are asked to learn 2 scriptures for each of the 42 principles we teach... we have to memorize them and pass them off... then we get this really fancy mission coin! So after many stressful study sessions I am overjoyed to say I GOT MY COIN! Wahoooooo! Also every zone conference the departing missionaries bare their testimonies. Yall I kept it together!!! 🙌 I teared up obviously but I wasn't sobbing. Honestly my brain hasnt connected the fact that I am actually going home. So I still feel like I will be a missionary forever haha I am simply going through the motions of going home. So heaven help the poor soul who is with me when it finally hits me. 😂😭

We had exchanges right after zone conference! I brought Sis Atkisson to Tanglewood! The 2nd door we knocked on was soooo solid. We applied exactly what we learned in zone conference and got a new investigator! Her name is Lisa and she asked if she could keep the Book of Mormon so she could study and mark things in it (,: We also made a pit stop to Krispy Kreme because the hot light was on, and missionaries always need a pick me up! 

Okay one last story. Hope yall are still with me haha

So Daniel came to church again!! Wahooo! And his nephew came with him! Sunday afternoon we had a family in our ward invite him over for a lesson with us. I guess the Elders had lunch with this family, and since they got a ride, they were still there. So group lesson hahaha! It went SO good!! Like seriously. He opened up and he was thinking real hard. We also taught another lady Sunday afternoon, and that lesson was just as golden! She said she has been looking for the truth her whole life (,: I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK! 😭

Well you can't get rid of me yet,  I will def be writing next week! But for my spiritual thought today I am attaching a voice memo of my testimony! 

I am so blessed to have been called to the NCCM! I am so blessed to have the great support that I do! Thank you thank you thank you!! I love youuuuu 💕

PS I finally figured out my homecoming starts at 11am not 9 hahah. So feel free to come see me and get some food after! 😘

Sending Love, 
Sister Jacobsmeyer💕

924 Hawk Ridge Cir

Winston Salem 27103

Pictures in separate thread or on my mom's FB page.  Sorry...for some reason they are not coming up here.  

#74 August 28, 2017

Do you Honestly Expect Me to Still Have Creative Titles?   

So word on the street is that my home girl TSwift is back at it and all I gotta say about that is, I know that it is a direct blessing of enduring to the end of my mission 😉 *throws back fish* (its an nncm thing. Fish = worldly distractions that distract us) 

Anyways onto more spiritual things! 

I had my last normal interview with the Alexanders this week. Guess who held it together like a champ? If you guessed President Alexander, congrats. Because I didnt 😂😭 I cant tell yall enough what powerful leaders the Alexanders are. They know what to say and always have tissues prepared ❤ I also had my last district meeting. See the theme so far? Yeah its the worst. But I love this district SO much! I am so thankful for all the things I have learned by going to district meetings! Also our district leader promised to write me a eulogy, because I am "dying". My hopes were so high, and it was SO LAME! 😂😂 Its the thought that counts. 

I got to be in a trio for exchanges this week in Bethania! 💕 I love trios! We saw some great miracles and had lots of giggles! They have a large Marshallese population and so a big chunk of their teaching pool comes from them. Sister Enos, from the Marshall Islands, was in Tanglewood for the day so we brought another member to translate for us. I legit felt like I was in another mission. I was def not blessed with the gift of tongues, but it was a fun time! 

Speaking of foreign lands, I also taught a man from India this week, and a boy from China! We met the Indian man last week and he has read from the Book of Mormon before and has been to temple square and has lots of connections. He is great! We taught him again this weekend and it went well😊 I am excited to see his family progress! A family in our ward got a foreign exchange student from China named Eric! We got to teach him Saturday! It was kinda tricky because 1) language barrier 2) he had no clue who Christ was and that has not been a common theme of my mission. But he came to church! So that's good! 

Ready for a funny story? Okay here goes. So sunday we had an investigator,Daniel, come to church with us and this conversation took place after  

Sis k: *walks up real close to him* HI!  are you single?

Him: *sounds confused* yes

Her: me too! *high fives him* 

We were DYING laughing but also like what the heck Sister you cant just do that to people 😂😂

Spiritual Thought: 

"I testify that one cannot come to full faith in this latter-day work—and thereby find the fullest measure of peace and comfort in these, our times—until he or she embraces the divinity of the Book of Mormon and the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom it testifies. If anyone is foolish enough or misled enough to reject 531 pages of a heretofore unknown text teeming with literary and Semitic complexity without honestly attempting to account for the origin of those pages—especially without accounting for their powerful witness of Jesus Christ and the profound spiritual impact that witness has had on what is now tens of millions of readers—if that is the case, then such a person, elect or otherwise, has been deceived; and if he or she leaves this Church, it must be done by crawling over or under or around the Book of Mormon to make that exit." - Jeffery R Holland

Well folks that's pretty much all I got this week. Being a missionary is so great! I will never regret this choice I made❤ Also can we all pause together and be disgusted that August is like over and summer just slipped right by?!? On the bright side I survived another hot and humid carolina summer🙌

Hope you have an amazing week! I heard that you will be more blessed if you write a missionary, so feel free to use me for blessings! 😘😂 LOVE YOUUU! 

Sending Love, 
Sister Jacobsmeyer💕
  924 Hawk Ridge Circle

Winston Salem NC 27103

**** Pictures will be in a separate post.  

Wow where to even begin this week. Y'all it was crazy.

I guess I can start at the beginning. So Monday as a zone we hiked hanging rock and I wanted to die. Well at least uphill, downhill was fine. I paid for it most of the week though. It was fun to be together as a zone though! In my almost 9 months in this zone,  I have hiked it twice, so I am set for life. ✌

We had Pack Week this week! AKA Zone Week. It was SO great!! we all saw so many miracles and as a zone found 45 New Investigators, which is super great! Sister Fontano and I were blessed to find 10 of those! That is triple our weekly goal. We lead out two of the days, and one we did a training on technology. We made a little dos and donts video.... after we got a call from the assistants. We were kinda nervous at first haha but turns out they liked our video so much and wanted to put it on the MLC group chat!

Okay time for some good stories!

#1 First Miracle
So for the past few months we have gotten ZERO media referrals. none. So this transfer we made it a goal to start praying for them everyday. On Saturday morning, our prayers were answered! Someone ordered a Book of Mormon!! And it gets better. When Sister Soren and I were on exchange a few weeks ago, we met this girl and we gave her our contact info. Turns out she read the whole pamphlet and then went on Mormon.org and requested a Book of Mormon! We met with her and her boyfriend last night! 😊

#2 Big Time Miracle
So part of Pack Week includes daily challenges. Saturday we were challenged to invite 3 people to be baptized. We had 2 lessons that day, we weren't't worried. Well one lesson got rescheduled and the other one, it didn't feel right to invite them. So we were in a pickle. We decided that the next door we knocked, baptism would be our door approach. So we knocked and told this person how we can be baptized by the same authority John the Baptist had and asked her to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by that authority. Y'ALL SHE SAID YES! PLUS she said she had been looking into having her kids get baptized!!!! Seriously, you try to tell me God doesn't't answer prayers. We are SO excited!!😭😊❤

#3 The big uh oh
Okay so a few weeks ago this sweet old lady in our ward gave us a ton of food, she also made a breakfast casserole for us to bake. The casserole wasn't't sealed all the way and some of the raw eggs spilled into the cooler, under a rag that was in there. So 2 weeks ago, we emptied the food and didn't't think to look under the rag. We sat the cooler by the door to give back to her. So fast forward to Saturday night. Sister Fontano noticed that it smelled funny by the door. We opened the cooler and oh my gosh, I have officially smelled death. It wreaked to high heavens AND had maggots ALL over. What do two young adults do after this? They say oh we will deal with it tomorrow. So thats what we did. Sunday before church, we went and dumped everything out in our dumpster and then took it to the church to clean out. It still smelled so awful, but we were soaking it and trying our best. We tried to get the elders to help, but the smell was too much haha. Then Sister Foster walks in. I have literally never felt so bad in my life. She was not a happy camper and said she would just take care of it at home. btw at that point the maggots were gone , we were just washing it to get the smell out. Anyway fast forward to after sacrament. We talked to her and said sorry 1000 times and she is all good now. But we learned our lesson!😂😂

Spiritual Thought: "For one thing, we can, as King Benjamin taught, cease withholding our means because we see the poor as having brought their misery upon themselves. Perhaps some have created their own difficulties, but don't the rest of us do exactly the same thing? Isn't that why this compassionate ruler asks, "Are we not all beggars?" Don't we all cry out for help and hope and answers to prayers? Don't we all beg for forgiveness for mistakes we have made and troubles we have caused? Don't we all implore that grace will compensate for our weaknesses, that mercy will triumph over justice at least in our case? Little wonder that King Benjamin says we obtain a remission of our sins by pleading to God, who compassionately responds, but we retain a remission of our sins by compassionately responding to the poor who plead to us." Jeffery R Holland

FOLLLOWING UP: Okay I invited all of you to pull out the Book of Mormon this week so I of course have to follow up! Let me know how that went and what you read!😘

Okay that was a little long, hopefully the 6 people who still read this , made it this far.😉 I hope you all are surviving the heat of the summer! Count your blessings that it isnt hot AND humid.

LOVE YOUUUUU! 🖤

Sending Love,
Sister Jacobsmeyer💕