Email #55…March 14, 2011

family and friends,

it was tragic to hear what has happened to Japan... it feels like it's
the beginning of the end! all we can do is be prepared. well i'm sorry
this email might be a little short... this was my last week in Victoria.
i am finally getting out of here! but now i am kind of without
emotion. i don't know what to feel... being here for so long i don't know
if i should be happy or sad to leave. it's a mix for sure!.

Johana is good to go, but with Claudia we have run into some problems.
this last week we were going to hold a FHE with Claudia and Jimmy and
the family... we passed by and Claudia wasn't there. jimmy and his mom were
though, and they had some people visiting. Jimmy came out of the house
completely drunk. it was a sad thing to see. he talked to me for a little bit.
he said that he was so happy to have met me and all this stuff. started crying
and gave me a hug without letting go. i'm sure that was the alcohol
talking... but we had become pretty good friends. it was just very sad
to see the affects alcohol has on people. that is the second time
that i have seen the effects of alcohol in one cambio. i wish we could
just get rid of it all! it does no good!

now i have just been saying bye to people. we had a going away BBQ yesterday
at Alejandra's, because they knew i love BBQ's. then today we had another one
with some really good friends i made in the sector next to us. i will definitely
miss them..

with the transfer i have been sent to a place called Lota Medio. it is exactly
in the middle of Chile ..right next to the beach... aaaah! no worries
everything will be alright. my companion is Elder Williams. i have
never met him in my life. he is fairly new... this will be his fourth
Cambio, which means he is pretty fresh. i remember that was about the time
i was really able to understand and talk to the people. so it will
definitely be a challenge, but i'm excited! my zone leader will be
awesome too. he was the one i took a picture with that was wearing a
red mask. he's from New Zealand and is a great guy. well that's about
all i have for now.. i'm sorry it's so short, but i love you all and hope
you have a great week! hopefully no terremotos this week :) tell Allie
that i love her and am praying for her. the power of prayer, fasting, and
the priesthood is so great that i know everything will work out according
to the Lord's will. have a good one!

elder jackson

pics of my zone, my favorite family in Victoria... because
they always gave us ice cream or juice(with ice cubes, that's unknown
here..), the time when we made pancakes, the thing that says junkers
is a water heater. ( i thought it was funny because that's like the
nicest brand in Chile.. ironic), and my going away BBQ:)