These Are Our Days

Hello my awesome missionaries!!!  

It's been a hot second since I've written but now that I have my own kid on a mission, I figured I should probably start writing to everyone again!  So many of the missionaries I used to write either finished their missions or went home in the mass corona exodus. So you guys are now the lucky ones;) 

So first things first... Jessop Summer Update:

• Joe recovered from Covid just fine and is back to golfing every day;)
  
• I just hit the five year mark working for Chad at Bitterroot Foot & Ankle Clinic.  Love my job!
  
• Jansen is now living in Utah with my parents looking for a job and place to live.
  
• Carlie just moved to Whitehall, Montana to begin her new career as elementary school counselor and Boys JV Basketball coach.
  
• Elder Jessop finished his home MTC, recovered from Covid and is now serving in Las Vegas!
  
• Kristen just registered for Hamilton High School.  I know...crazy!
  
• Quarantine was not fun for anyone but we feel blessed that it's over with!
  

Now for a spiritual thought:

The other day (the day we dropped Elder Jessop at the airport and I cried a lot) my niece Emma came over to pick up her sister from our house.  While we were waiting, Emma voiced her concerns about how she was nervous about how hard Corvallis High School was going to be this year.  I had just finished reading in the Book of Mormon where Nephi was lamenting that "these were his days".  I could tell Emma was distressed more than usual so I shared the following words with her:

 

Emma, don't forget that Heavenly Father put you on this earth at this very time and at this very moment.  The year 2020 isn't what we expected it to be but this is our time so what are we going to do with it?

She texted me later that night and said, "Aunt Ali, I just wanted you to know that right before I came into your house, I was talking to my friend about how worried I was for school, about masks, that I would lose friends, that I would just fail.  But what you said, that was straight from God to me.  I know that today has got to be so hard but you still let God use you as a tool to bless the lives around you.  That was exactly what I needed to hear!"  I'm so thankful I was able to #HearHim and tell Emma exactly what God needed her to hear:)

Then today I was reading President Nelson's book Accomplishing the Impossible: 

 "Your Heavenly Father has known you for a very long time.  You, as His son or daughter, were chosen by Him to come to earth at this PRECISE time, to be a leader in His great work on earth.  You were chosen not for your bodily characteristics but for your spiritual attributes, such as bravery, courage, integrity of heart, a thirst for truth, a hunger for wisdom, and a desire to serve others."

I hope that this week, you guys can find a way to reach out to the youth around you who are either getting ready to start school or who have already started to give them a pep talk that they might not know they needed;)  Please pray for our youth as they navigate this strange time.  And as always, I will continue to pray for all you missionaries as you pioneer a new method of missionary work!  This is your time!  So what are you going to do with it?

*Shout out to Elder Josh Dickemore for starting online MTC this week!*  

Love you all!  Work hard and have fun!  Love God and Love People!

love, 

mamaJ

aka: Allison Jessop