Week 18 - I love being a missionary!

Hey everyone!

 

This week has been incredible. Like I was talking about last week, we had a baptism set for Saturday;it was so cool! The girl we had set for baptism was so excited for Saturday, and to be honest, her excitement was contagious. I was pretty nervous about everything from the opening prayer to when she walked in the font, but really it was great.

Being a missionary is great! To think that the Lord is preparing people who are waiting for us to reach them is something I just can't wrap my head around quite yet, although it's true. My Ward Mission Leader Brother Truman said it best that there are people that we promised to find in the pre-existence. It seems crazy, but really it's awesome! Heavenly Father loves each of his children, and will prepare a way for His servants to find those people. If she were my only baptism, I think that I would go home happy.

That was probably the most exciting thing that happened this week. We helped out with a lot of different service projects, like removing bushes from a member's front yard. Another missionary and I even lit some of them on fire because there were spider nests underneath the bushes. It was pretty funny... 

We also were able to help a less-active woman in the ward come to church on Sunday! I've been working with her for the past 2.5 transfers, and wasn't until we gave her a blessing the other week that she actually came to church.

One last experience was that I got to attend our mission's monthly musical fireside last night. I'm glad that I get to be in such a musical mission (those tender mercies...). The performances were great. You all should go if you're ever in Vegas.

Anyway, I love all of you! Take care and keep in touch!

Love,

 

Elder Jones

Week 17: New Investigators and an upcoming baptism!

20 October 2014

 

Hey everyone!

 

Oh man, oh man do I have exciting news! The 12 year-old girl that we have had set for baptism for the past 3 months is finally getting baptized on Saturday. I've been so honored to be able to work with her, and to be the principle missionary in teaching her. We are still working on reserving the building and getting the program ready, but it's so awesome to see someone prepare to be baptized. As a missionary, you get an inside look at their progression; you really get to see there testimony grow and grow as they prepare to make that sacred covenant. She seems pretty excited as well; she was able to go on a trip to see the phoenix, AZ temple before it is dedicated and she loved it! As you can probably tell, I'm just really happy right now.

 

We also found three new investigators this past week. Each of them is actually really excited to meet with us. We have appointments set with each of them for tomorrow. What's really interesting is that we found each of these investigators through less-active members, and part-member families. I can promise each of you that there are so many opportunities to do missionary work in your own ward if you just take the time to fellowship those that are less-active.

 

It's weird to think that it has already been more than three months since I left. So much has happened, and I am starting to really see how quickly the next 20 months is going to go. Heavenly Father has so much left to teach me. It's such a blessing to be able to serve God with all my heart, might, mind, and strength even though it's only a short time.

 

I hope everything is going great for all of you. Keep me and the other missionaries around the world in your prayers. It's such an honor to be one of the 88,000 missionaries serving worldwide, but it's definitely not easy so we are going to need all the help we can get!

 

Take care and keep in touch!

 

Love,

Elder Jones

Week 16: New Transfer!

14 October 2014

Hey everyone!

Sorry about the late email; yesterday was super busy. This week has been super busy as well with the transfers that happened last week.

Let me tell you how excited I am for this new transfer. I am really excited! My new companion is awesome. Elder Tau is from Hawaii, has been serving for 20 months, and really loves to work. We've met and talked to so many more people than I have talked to in my first two transfers.

One day, we decided to just walk our area. It was an eye-opening experience because we ended up talking to a lot more homeless people than I have been used to. One was a lady whose husband died in '07, and whose second husband "stole everything" from her. It was sad to see, but it was important that we were there to talk to her. We taught her about the Plan of Salvation, and really seemed to feel the Spirit in what we were saying. We got her phone number, so hopefully we can help her get a job and get on her feet again.

We also finished teaching the lessons to the little girl that we have set for baptism, so now she's good to go! I think that she is pretty excited for it too. It'll be exciting to be a part of someone's baptism! There's really nothing like bearing testimony of the Gospel to someone. I can honestly feel the power in what we teach.

Those were just a couple of the experiences that I've had this past week, but I would hope that all of you are having missionary moments of your own. If any of you get some spare time, write me and tell me about them. The reason we have each other is to build each other up with the opportunities and experiences that Heavenly Father helps us to have.

Anyway, I love all of you. Thank you for being who you are, and for the lives that each of you live. Your examples alone have helped want to become better.

Take care and keep in touch!

Love,

Elder Jones

Mission Pictures - Week 15

 Looking good in the neighborhood!

 Zach's Dream Car - Grandpa would love it!

Hanging out with fellow missionaries!

Week 15 - Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ

Elder Jones & Elder Tillotson

Hey everyone!

I hope all of you enjoyed conference; I sure did! We had lots of fun because we were able to go over to a member's house, make breakfast, and watch. It was funny because, while my companion and I were riding our bikes there, a minister from a local non-denominational Christian church stopped us and invited us to their services. The chance to bible-bash was tempting, but we chose to watch conference instead ;)

It has also been a crazy weekend in that transfers happen today. My trainer Elder Tillotson is getting transferred to another zone to be a zone leader. My new companion is a Polynesian guy named Elder Tautuiaki (not sure how to spell it). From what I have heard, he's pretty cool. Hopefully we get to work really hard this transfer.

We have also had lots of lessons. The twelve year-old girl we have set for baptism is almost finished with the missionary lessons; not exactly sure how converted she is to the Gospel, but we will try to help facilitate that conversion so that her baptism coming up is a truly meaningful experience. That is one thing that our ward mission leader is concerned about; he's worried that this will be another numbers baptism, instead of a new, strong follower of Christ. The ward has struggled with retention of new converts, so we don't want to rush to get her baptized and have her fall away. But she is doing really well overall; hopefully we can do that sometime this month.

I really love all the pictures that you've sent me. It's exciting to see friends and family from home since I can't see them for about 21 months ;) Keep sending them!

Make sure to keep in touch! I love all of you and would love you even more to hear from you! Take care, be safe, and press forward with a steadfastness in Christ!

Sincerely,

Elder Jones

p.s. I will try to send pics tomorrow!