One year

Updates from Jacob:

My People,

Happy Halloween, Well it has officially been more than a year since I
headed into the MTC. I can say that a lot has changed in that time and
it has really started to blow my mind.

I will just jump to all the cool things that happened this week. So
for my one year mark I took a bunch of pants in to get them fitted and
man are they sweet. The new style over here is skinny skinny fitted
clothes so that is what I did with these pants and all my shirts. They
look good and I am really happy with them all. We were able to eat
lunch with Elder Larson and the boys from Miag-ao.

Thursday was the official one year in the mission day and we really
had a good day. Elder Mudrow and I just tracted all the places that I
have not gone. I can now say that while I have been in Tigbauan we
have hit every Burungy from here to the end of my area. I wish that I
could say that most of the people let us in but sadly they did not.
Anyway for dinner we had Larson and Elder Nillias come over and we ate
at my Member family here in Tigbauan. The Lopez family has been with
me the whole time that I have been here and I don't know if I would
have made it if they were not here. We all had a great time and then
after Larson and I burned the Traditional White Shirt to signify one
year in the mission.

Another crazy thing that happened is on Tuesday when I was teaching
District meeting. All of a sudden President Aquino come walking around
the corner. I was super nervous because I might have forgotten to
shave that day and might have also been wearing a skinny tie. But in
the end it all worked out really well. I taught how we all need to
focus on the here and now and not get caught up in the past or future.
That really applies to me because I feel the more I forget what is
happening back home and just push trough the better the work goes and
the more miracles that I am able to see.


Things that I have noticed happen in the last year is the following, I
am now able to speak and understand the language that I at first
thought would be impossible to learn. I have dropped a large amount of
weight because none of my clothes fit anymore and that is good and
bad. My body has built up the strongest wall against food borne
Illness, I am known in the mission for being the Elder who can eat the
local food and not get sick and the members love that. When other
Elders don't want to eat and kinda offend the members, here comes Elder
Swanton to save the day. Lastly and most important I have found out
how simple and beautiful this gospel is. If we as missionary's just
come to realize how great the sacrifice was then we will become so
much more effective in our work here.  I have loved this last year of
my mission and can't wait to get on to the rest of it.

Thank you for the videos they really made my day with those. I miss
all of you so much.

Love Elder Swanton