CURRENT NEWSLETTER

My dearest Family and friends!
 I know I have been terrible on posting upon my first month of my mission entry into Canada. I am now here to explain why! It’s a pretty long story so you might need some popcorn! Some have been worried and others may just not know why I have stopped weekly emails, well I can tell you that there is a very good reason behind it. Though I could not explain all of this from the beginning I did not want to worry anyone or have any misconception to the reasoning. Now perhaps at this time I am confident in the works that are currently happening; I will begin this letter by saying WOW! this first month has been a roller coaster! Probably the biggest trial that I have had, but at the coming of the end of this trial I can truly say that this is a pure blessing in very many aspects. Those who may not know I entered the MTC on April 20th 2016, I was there for a total of 3 weeks. I departed the MTC on May 10th 2016 to head off to Edmonton Alberta Canada to begin my beloved Mission! I flew from SLC, UT first to Seattle, WA which by the way is absolutely beautiful! its freakin sweet there (though I only flew over it) but I’m sure you know what I mean brah. SO then I flew off to Edmonton airport in Alberta Canada. Upon arrival I approached immigration. I will try to explain myself in a way I do not wish to lie at all at any point of this letter so I wish you please do not judge me in any way upon certain things. I previously had made some mistakes almost two years ago. The first question the immigration Officer will ask is if you have been arrested or convicted, I had to mention certain things to this Officer I do not wish to get into because I do not want to bring them about, I will however, ease your mind and tell you that it's not terrible things, simply other than to say I had made some mistakes. So to begin I will say that immigration are very strict upon entries, and Canada is strict and their laws are different than ours here in the US. To keep this short in a sense this Officer did not admit me into their Country, basically I was not allowed to enter into Canada. This was a very very devastating thing for me, to see that the mistakes I had overcome, changed, and refined myself was actually affecting me to begin my beloved Mission that I had worked so very hard to get to, and to measure up to. As devastated as I was it would have been very easy for me to just give up and go home and call it good. I will try to humbly say, that isn’t my personality at all, I will never give up the most important 2 years that will happen in my very lifetime. It was very struggling to bring myself to be accepting as to what was happening, but from the change, growth, and much strength that our loving Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ has blessed each and every one of us with and offers us to receive is to come unto Him. So in this instance I threw any doubt or discouragement over my head and turned for strength and answers from our dearest loving Heavenly Father because in the end he has answers to all of life’s struggles or challenges and many more things, and he is ALWAYS there to help us through them as long as we have trust and faith in Him. So after immigration had denied my rights to enter I had called the mission offices to look for guidance and help to this situation I was set flight plans back to the US, the church is so awesome they already had set up a lawyer for me to get this sorted out, pretty sweet anyways, after this I had sat down and it was my first opportunity to toss up a divine prayer to Heavenly Father, my mind was still going everywhere and kinda panicking, however I did not instantly receive an answer to what was going on, but I was very impressed to write this Officer a letter, it was a very odd distinct impression but I could not deny it. So I did I wrote the officer a letter, thanking him, apologizing, and other things. I am sharing this because there is a significance to this action in which I received a call and from the lawyer and he stated that "he had never worked with any Officer that is so willing to get someone into their country" and that the officer told my lawyer "the letter that Elder Jacobson wrote me has greatly impacted me as a person"(the officer that denied my rights to enter). Truly that impression to write this letter was for a great reason, and it has helped me greatly upon my entry by returning to Canada. If you are willing to "turn-outward" in your grief or affliction it can have a major impact on others, always have charity, a love for everybody. Ok so the officer comes up to me tells me that some people want to talk to me, that person was my Mission President, So I got all of my things and proceeded. I was able to talk with my Mission Pres. for a little he was quite comforting and a great man, we only got to talk for a little because he needed to attend to my travel group. So I was escorted to my first flight and the officer had left me for a little. I want all to know who is reading this that every incident is very true to its fullest and I would not lie concerning these things, and which I hold very sacred to myself. As I was waiting it was my next opportunity I was able to just pray and talk with Heavenly Father, I poured my heart out to Him I still did not know what was going on, I hadn’t had much comfort yet because I was so devastated from this happening, it was a very heartfelt and sincere prayer, and before I share, I want you all to know that if you treat your prayers much more sacred, more sincere, from your heart with a true meaning they WILL be answered you just need to trust and have faith that it will. I promise you. I was very bold in this prayer but loving of course, I needed a sign, I needed comfort. instantly... right after my prayer this man just came and sat by me, he says "where you off to Elder" i was struck with amazement, he was such a happy, caring and loving man. I was crying immediately because of this miracle. I told him basically what was going on and why, really brief, he then told me that he was a Bishop, I do not remember his name I apologize, but we talked for a little more, I was basically crying the whole time talking with him, I would even look around and nobody was staring or anything which was comforting, I cannot tell you everything he said to me but everything he had said to me was what my soul truly needed to hear, I was filled with happiness, with joy and peace. The officer came up to me and said we gotta go, I got my things and this man still just sat there smiling at me, I thanked the man deeply for everything, and he continued just to smile at me, I can truly share that this smile filled me with an everlasting happiness I hadn’t ever felt in my life, I would like to compare this as if God were smiling at me and hugging me. Truly something I had never felt. Me and the officer proceeded to the terminal he had talked with me a little bit, and I told him I don’t know what your belief in God is, but I just know that whatever is happening to me is God’s plan, that everything that happens is for a reason, reasons us as people we may never understand until later, and that God works in mysterious ways. After I had said these things to him he was amazed. I kept thanking the officer for what he had done and all the help he provided, which is probably hard to realize because this officer was a complete jerk, I was as kind as possible even the puppy dog eyes wouldn't work, sheesh! He had such a hard heart, but in the end I could see how his heart was immensely softened by certain things. he stated "you keep thanking me for this horrible thing, and all I’m doing is my job" his tone was very kind at this point, he asked if I would try to come back or to get another call issued in the States, it was like he wanted me to come back haha, he gave me a really firm handshake and told me good luck. as I boarded the plane I felt that I needed to read the scriptures, that’s the only place I would love to go to find comfort and peace in many trials and affliction or life pertaining events, I was impressed to read in Ether 12 in the Book of Mormon, so I did, I read a few things but the one that stuck out to me the most was verses 9,11,12 it reads"9: Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith" 11:"Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled" 12:"For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith." These particular verses I was truly meant to read in this time. I then knew that I had to truly trust in Gods works and have faith in them, I was again filled with happiness and love. I knew that it would be ok. SO in the end of all of this, I was actually sent home to Arizona, the next day being home on May 11th, I had gone and gotten everything cleared so that there would no longer be any immigration issues for me. it wasn’t all handled that day of, it has been a very timely process, and that’s where this trial has been its hardest on me, but now to look back this is a pure blessing, very many blessings as small as getting my immigration information cleared, and just by how I have prepared myself in this mean time, I have still been set apart as a missionary this whole month so I had to keep certain standards, I treated every day as if I were a missionary. I can truly say that I am a much more prepared Missionary than I ever was, though I was very prepared once I left the MTC but now I can truly say that the potential which I have been brought to is such a blessing to me. I won’t get into much of that but many miracles have been caused because of faith and prayer and trusting in our Savior Jesus Christ, and God our Heavenly Father. This message has been long enough so I will spare those stories, but just know that getting my immigration record cleared is a miracle itself, I was told that they make the term go until completion, but I had it instantly dismissed for me. The power that comes with the gift of faith, prayer, and fasting is truly such an amazing gift that we are all blessed with. I used to think the saying "life isn’t fair" was very true, but now I can truly say life is completely fair, it’s just up to us to make it that way, and a major key in doing that is by building your relationship with God and our Savior, they love all of us so very much and provide many things for us to accomplish anything, all we need to do is ask, believe, trust, be sincere and loving to our Savior and Heavenly Father. "For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them." My dearest family and friends and whomever is reading this, I testify these things to be true, I would not lie, I would not exaggerate, the power of the heavens is real, believe in it and love it. We can be guided through many of life’s obstacles with the help of God and Savior, not only obstacles or trials, but to succeed in goals, career, and in many aspects of good you want in life, it doesn’t need to be called upon when you are only in great need, the power of it is truly a blessing to us as Gods children and he wants us to use it. I just want everyone to know that if you are seeking a change for yourself, you do not need to work to change yourself at all, give yourself to Heavenly Father, FORGET YOURSELF let Him change you. You will find yourself becoming a much kinder, loving, honest person and many other things without even knowing it. You will have a burning desire to live righteously as the change of heart takes place, just allow Heavenly Father to take control in your life and you will find yourself changing more than you could ever imaging, you will find TRUE happiness in this life and for eternity. There are so many blessing I can get into but I want you to find out for yourself;) I want everyone to know that I will be back on my mission by the end of this week I am just waiting on the for sure date I am leaving, thank you for all the love and support you have for me and for everybody, I am truly grateful for that. And to any who have supported me through and before the MTC with gifts and messages and tips I truly am forever thankful for that. To my family, extended family, I love you guys so much and don’t be worried about me, good things are in the works and to come. Yes, it was a bumpy beginning but much greater things are ahead for me, and for all of us. "For after much tribulation come the blessings!" "Look unto me in every thought: DOUBT not, FEAR not. I love you all and I can’t wait to share more of this journey that’s to come, and please reach out to me and share your many journeys that are there for you! Thanks for everything, and have a good day EH! - Sincerely Elder Jacobson!!!