The Creative Chef

     Wow is all I can say about the Nauvoo  temple it is so pretty inside and the chapel in the downstairs area is huge.  It was a good experience to be in the temple and the spirit was even stronger as our who district was there together.
     We also went to Carthage and got to have a tour of the jail of course but I felt something different this go around. Joseph sacrificed a lot to spread the word of God and the cool thing is so am I I'm sacrificing my time talents and energy to do what Joseph was commanded to do so it was cool make that connection.

      Well I have been working a lot with a inactive family the Ashby family they are a hoot but also have there wild side. Cassie and Jackie are the oldest they are twins the it goes Eugene Tony and Landon. And patty is the mom there is no dad they are a split family. Patty Landon Cassie and Jackie are all members. So I'm working with Eugene while Elder Morwood works with the rest of the family there. Eugene called me out and asked if I could help him he said he could learn better from me and that he has learned a lot from me already so I get to bring a member and get to teach Eugene which is really cool I think we can have him baptized in the next four weeks. He has some stuff we are working through but he can do it. He has a strong spirit about him. He's going to do great things in his life I can feel it.

     Well I've become creative and have done a little experimenting with the food I make and so far me and Elder Morwood are loving my cooking. I made Roman noodles without the seasoning added hot dogs and cheese and added ranch and BBQ sauce at the end it was good but the best thing I have made was ham honey cinnamon sugar biscuits.  Elder Morwood said I would have to make that again soon.

     So you know Princeton and my area are in John Deere country so we are good there it is finally dry enough to do corn and beans so they have begun there harvest the weather is getting chilly which means fall and winter weather are coming up. I'm excited!!! Transfers are next week and rumor has it we might get transferred do to the fact that they might be closing our branch there are just not enough members and priesthood holders to keep us going but who know we might stay and save our little branch I love my cute little branch.

     Elder Morwood and I do a lot of service for some retail stores and it is fun to see all the old treasures people loved to collect .

     We do a lot of tracking and I am now to 19 book of Mormon being placed and it's so much fun to walk away and see them already beginning to read. Oh the work is coming through!!, we had a fun week but also A tiring one which is favorite.
     The Lemons, we didn't get to meet much this week on Monday we saw them but only for a bit. Nick was sleeping he works two jobs and only gets twelve hours of sleep each week. He's a family man and he sacrifices a lot for his family. That is what I love about him. Shannon is doing well her kids a wild but they make their  mom so proud.
     We also got in contact with a part member family and the Father is a member and the rest is not and they are wanting to learn and eventually be baptized so we are looking at another three baptism.

Oh I forgot to mention Eugene has a friend and her name is Veronica and she was to take lessons as well and we think we could have her baptized a little bit after Eugene.  Her dad has some challenges so we want to make sure that she is strong enough and converted enough to be baptized. Bit her spirit is really strong. She walks herself over to a church by herself and she is only 12 she has a strong spirit about her as well.

     Went on exchanges the picture with the toaster and the cord represents the gospel is shocking haha we do exchange pictures a tradition of the elders. That is Elder Champneys he from pleasant view Utah funny story Elder Champneys when I played city league baseball is one of the kids I beamed upside the head when I was pitching we both got a good laugh small world isn't it .

     Elder Clark is the one with the glasses and the darker skin another cool story me and his cousin became choir buddies at the MTC so I was able to give a hug to Elder Clark for his cousin.

     Well the gospel is still true I love you and miss you hope all is well .Sorry no poem today didn't have time to think of one but here is a cool quote for you:

Indecision Mars all success: there can be no good wind for the sailor who knows not to what port he is bound.
--Oliver Wendell Holmes

Love,
Elder Vickers-Jacklin

Oh we also had a giant bug in our car ride home to !!!!?

The Poetry Continues

Okay so my investigators the lemons are doing so well we have had two lessons with the lemons her husband nick will be the hard one to get to but the spirit will guide him I can feel it. We think we can go dunking in October-november with that family. 

We do work with alot of less actives and we have the Ashby family that we are working so hard. Sister Ashby has five kids three boys and two girls that are twins. The twins are doing so well!!! Jackie is going to seminary now and Cassie well she just loves the scriptures. Sister ashby says she can't keep Cassie away from the scriptures. Jackie came to church and it made me so happy to see.

Our other Investigator luzella we have not heard from her or seen her in two weeks, me and Elder morwood think something might of happened and it doesn't feel good we try to go to her house every day to see if she's home but she never is and her car is there all the time. So we have just been praying for her.

The weather out here is nuts it changes all the time and the sky changes colors sometimes the lightning will go red and it is so cool. I dislike the humitity very much and it rains alot. But the humidity is going away and fall is coming so yaaaa!!!!

So we do get fed by members but alot of the time we have to cook for ourselves so ya we about 50/50 on the food situation.

Another poem for yall

I'm here to stay
I was with you in the beginning.
I was your brother, I was your friend.
God called us forward we obeyed , he called me forth, you had to stay.
He asked me if I was ready, I knew today was the day.
I had to leave you, but you knew the way.

Time in the world is different, nothing was the same.
Many people followed me many fell away.
I taught them like I did before, I'm their brother, Im their friend.
But, something wasn't the same.
I had a job to do, Today was that day.

I prayed to the Father, for you my brothers and my sisters .
The pain came my way.
I pleaded with the Father.
Father help me , is there some other way,
But, if there's not, come what may, and let it stay.

Confused and lost you rejected me, you called me names.
What happened to you, do you not remember the way.
I'm your brother, I'm your friend, But still you cast me away.

They took me bound me striped me from thy way.
They beat me , spit upon me, threw me astray.
Did they not remeber me, why is it not the same.

They made me suffer as I carried my cross down the alley way.
I saw you, you saw me, and you still turned away.
They nailed me, raised me, I hung there looking down.
I saw you , I saw you turn and walk away.

I understand my brother, my friend .
I too am sorry this had to be the way.
I'm sorry you had to see me in so much pain.
But know my brother, know my friend, this was father's way.
For you my brother , I suffered the way, that one day you wouldn't be afraid
Don't worry now my friend I forgive thee this day.

I called upon the Father and he took me away.
Three days later as the sun came out to play
I walked out of the tomb,  I came forth out of death hiding place.

I found you in the streets as I did before ,
I know you remember that day.
You looked upon me , but this time you did not turn away.
Tears filled your eyes, as you looked at my face, but your eyes still held there place.
I walked to you my brother, I dried your tears that tried to fall from your face.

I took you in my arms, I knew you loved me, and I know you still do even to this day.
Don't worry my brother, don't worry my friend.
The work will soon be over, but know the pain has ran away.
I have forgiven thee, there is nothing more to say.
Walk thy paths that I have showed you , you know the way.

I need to have someone, here to lead the way.
Can I trust you my brother, or will you turn away
Fish upon the water, but not upon the sea
Fish along side me my brother, fish along side thy brothers way.

I still have to go see Father,  but don't let that worry thee .
I leave you this promise, when the work is all over, I will find thee
When the work is all over , we will walk upon the sea.
Then you will see that things had to be the way they had to be.
Then the angels will be able to sing halilauia, halilauia he is the king.

Things have changed a lot sense then.
Peace has finally found the hearts of men.
I walk the streets , people look upon me,I walk twords the sea people fallow me.

I see thee sitting on the shore, searching waiting patiently.
I walk up to you and said come fallow me.
We walk upon the water , hallowed we be.

You have done well my friend my brother .
You have done what I asked of thee.
The Father is happy and so shall we be.
   The work is now over and I'm  here to stay with thee.
 

For some reason I have enjoyed doing good poetry so ya well that's the email for the week. Love ya all and have fun.

Oh the weirdest thing I have eaten and drank was a Polly waffle and goat milk.  A Polly waffle is Romin noddles with eggs ham and cheese.

                                    Goat milk

Polly Waffle 

Carthage Jail

Elder V-Jacklin the Poet

 the work I now have two new  investigators there names are nick and Shannon lemon (lemon like the fruit)
They have seven children still working on there names but they are a hoot. Shannon was on  a mommy blog on  face book and that's were she first heard about the lds church and was so interested. When us elders knocked on her door she was so excited we talked for an hour and a half. Today we met with her husband nick. Now he's interested but he said he has many questions. He has searched out many religions he's read the Bible and the keran and a Jewish religious book but he said that it was not for him we introduced him to the Book of mormon and he said he would read it . I have a feeling we are going to have a few baptisms coming up and so does Elder morwood other than that that's all I have for now.

Here's a poem I made that explains how I feel
Feels like home to me
I look at the sky so blue and wide with the clouds rolling by,
I look to the fields with the plants growing to the sky reaching reaching ever so high,
I look to the road wondering were does it go and who might drive by,
I look to the farm and the buildings that are full of what we'll I don't know ,
But I do know that's what home feels like and that is home to me.

Being thousand miles away in a distant land to say,
Traveling ,walking, helping people along my way,
I look to the sky still blue and still ever so wide clouds still coming and saying hi,
I look to the fields plants still growing still reaching still just living life,
I look to the road still wondering were it goes and finding myself asking were can it take me,
I look to the farm and seeing the buildings wondering if I know what's hiding behind those walls .
But I do know there still home here for m,e and it feels like home to me.

Even though the people might not know, or even care what I'm doing here
I hope that they to can look to the sky, the road , the fields, the farm and say soon the harvest will be here, and the works about done and I will move myself to the Savior and what he's done.
I will listen , I will pray, I will read, I will stay because this feels like home to me.

And this is why I'm here , this is why I will stay, my brothers and sisters are out there lost and confused at what the world's game has and how to play.
I'm there helper there friend there guide, and I will help them come unto Christ.
I will call them home, and I know they will soon say : "IT FEELS LIKE HOME TO ME".
ELDER VICKERS-JACKLIN SEPTEMBER 12, 2016   

The first picture goes with the poem I took it and edited it

Week Two in Princeton Illinois

Well week two is now over not much has happened. Went on exchanges for three days with the Kewanee elders and the zone leaders. The zone leaders job is to see how well us new elders are doing and how well we are learning well the zone leaders say I'm way above schedule I already have more stuff learned and am already doing it when I'm tracking and lessons as well president Griffen is surprised at how much I have learned as well he told me he's excited for what I can do for the mission. When I went tracking with the zone leaders on average they only find mabye five new investigators a month . Well they told me that I was going to do all the work and they were going to watch and see how the magic is done. well the magic of the spirit on the people happened i ended up using the introduction to the book of mormon as a way to help me and i ended up getting 6 new investigators that day for the zone leaders haha looks like they got a lot of work to do now haha. thats what they get for making me do all the work so now they will stay busy for a while. well its the longest i have been away from home nothing to special though. went and got my haircut today. its kinda weird not to have my mom cutting my hair anymoree but the lady did a good job i guess. the food is ten times better then the mtc food thats for sure and the pizza is amazing.what i have learned this week is that you can use the introduction to the book of mormon for about every single lesson. sweet isnt it !!!!
well they might be closing our little branch down and we might be leaving the area soon were not quite sure though i hope not i like my little band of twenty haha well miss you all and love ya
qoute of the week:
If you haven't yet knocked at the lords door, to enter into, feel the love that he has for you, why not take the chance to. the door will be open to all those who will take the oppurtunity to do so and all you have to do is ask.

Elder Vickers-Jacklin loves looking at his future car...a challenger

Making fries! Yum!