Lessons learned while in jail

August 6, 2013

HELLO!!!!  So, on Saturday, we have our full pros. day (meaning we don't have a shift at the jail). Sister Rackham and I spent a lot of the day contacting potentials (those that have had missionary contact in the past but haven't taken the lessons). We went to this one lady's house and her son answered the door and told us she wasn't home. We began to share with him that we have a message about the restoration and fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Before we could even finish the sentence, he said, "wait, let me go get my Bible!". So he ran in the house all excited and then came out all ready to hear our message! We taught him the entire lesson and he was beyond excited. We asked him what it would mean to him if we had a living prophet today. He said, "It would mean everything!" Like seriously, this kid is so prepared! The entire lesson was like this. We handed him a Book of Mormon and we read the introduction and some verses in it and he asked us how he could get one of these :) So, we invited him to church the next day and sad part of the story, he didn't actually come. But, were not going to dwell on that part. Although I do feel like this has been a common theme throughout my entire mission thus far. We are blessed with incredible miracles, right in the moment we need them, and then sometimes that's as far as it goes. But, we aren't giving up on this guy and are hopefully going to be able to see him in the next few days. It's so sad sometimes though. Some people are so so so prepared and then family members or friends get in the way.

     Another great part of the week happened yesterday. A family came to the jail (there were like 15 of them.....grandparents, kids, etc.) and I had the most incredible experience with them that I have yet experienced since I've been there. If there's something I've learned as I've been here, it's that each group that walks in brings a certain spirit with them, and depending on what they bring, most of the time directly effects what kind of an experience they will have. I mean, we can't force people to have spiritually converting experiences if that's not what they want. But, this family came with the most incredible spirit! It took me over an hour to take them all the way through (which it typically takes about 35 mins). The spirit was just so powerful the entire tour and we were all in tears for most of it. My testimony truly grew leaps and bounds just from that one presentation alone. And they were so sweet, at the end she wanted to take a picture of me and send a text to you guys! So look for it when you get back in like a week:)

     Over the past week, as I've given presentations, I've thought a lot about the why behind their experiences here at the Liberty Jail. Why did this have to happen? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do the righteous suffer? I've thought a lot about the prophet Joseph, and I've come to a few conclusions. Joseph knew God and the Savior, they appeared to him at the young age of 14, but I believe it was here at the jail, where he came to know his Savior in such a deeper way. It reminds me Mom of when we've talked about having Aubsy in our home and how people have asked you if you could, would you take her disability away. And how you've always said no, because you would fear that your relationship with the Savior wouldn't be the same.  I know that it is through our own trails and sufferings that we can grow closer and become more firmly attached to our Savior. There's a line in Preach My Gospel that says, "All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.".  This line has never been more clear to me then now. I know with all my heart that Jesus is the Christ. That He has truly descended below it all, as it says in the revelation that was received while Joseph was in the jail. I know that He lives and guides His church today, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How blessed are we!

     I sure do love you guys! Bubba, have a wonderful Birthday! I'll be thinkin about ya! And Kaleb and the Baileys tomorrow at the MTC! I'll definitely be praying for you guys! LOVE YOU! XOXOX

Love Always:

        Hermana Jorgensen

            Look who was sitting behind me in church:) I walked in and we both gasped! It was so much fun to get to see her and we talked all about BC! Such a tender mercy!

Elizabeth Dunn from our neighborhood.