Week 74: Musical Fireside

11/30/15

Hey everyone!

This week has been a little bit hectic. I have been in a trio with 2 Elders in my zone this past week because of Elder Palmer's transfer last Saturday. We have had a lot of fun covering 3 wards, attending 10 hours of church, and teaching lessons in each other's areas! Everything was going well until Thursday when Elder Duce got hurt playing in the missionary turkey bowl game. It is sad for him, mostly because he might have to go home for surgery. The reason why we weren't in missionary clothes in the picture from Thanksgiving is because we spent about 4 hours in the Urgent care while Elder Duce was getting his X-rays. So that was fun :/

We also had the missionary musical fireside yesterday! I will try to email you the performance recording!

I have been thinking about the Atonement a lot this past week! And something that I learned and realized is how much the Atonement is about other people. Christ didn't perform the Atonement for himself, but for us. If that's the case, we need to be focused on helping as many people as possible! We are God's work and glory, after all! That thought just gets me really excited to work and to find, teach, and baptize!

Have a great week!

Elder Jones

Week 73: "Companion"less (instead of the song "Homeless" by Michael McLean)

11/23/15

Hey everyone!

Things have been pretty much crazy anyway. I am currently companionless. Elder Palmer ditched me ;) He got a call from President Ahlander on Saturday telling him to meet him in his office. Turns out that President asked him to be his new assistant. He was told to pack his bags and move into the APs apartment. So I am currently in a trio with whichever missionaries in my zone that I feel like pairing off with. It wasn't too surprising that Elder Palmer is AP, but I'm sad he's gone...

Other than that the week has been fun! We have been teaching a very large amount, and even picked up a new investigator! This investigators's name is Mark, and he is awesome!! He is dating a member of the Ridges ward. She invited him to the ward trunk or treat, to church, and to a fireside put on by our stake president President Teshima. He is currently interested in learning and understanding the gospel. He wants to take the lessons without her present so that he can do it for the right reasons, which I think is admirable. It just goes to show the importance of member missionary work.

We also taught a lesson to Andy. His progress has slowed down significantly, in part because he is getting caught up on some really unimportant questions about doctrines that don't necessarily pertain to his salvation.  I'm praying super hard that his questions get answered somehow.

We had a lot of meetings this week. We had the mission tour with Elder Corbridge on Monday and then zone conference on Wednesday. We have spent a lot of time in doors. But it hasn't been for a bad reason! I have learned so much from my leaders, mostly about humility. I'm sending home a quote from President Monson that I just love! I hope enjoy it.

Hope y'all have a great week!

Elder Jones

Week 72: Craziness, Just Absolute Craziness!

11/16/15

Hey everyone!

I hope y'all are having a great week and that y'all are able to enjoy the blessings that you receive on a regular basis! Just as a preface, we almost haven't had time to breathe the past week, again with meetings and exchanges with other missionaries. Overall, the busyness of life makes life that much more satisfying 😁

Again, super sorry about not writing yesterday! We had a mission tour yesterday with Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge of the first quorum of a the seventy. It was a truly spiritual day, being able to receive trainings from president and sister Ahlander, as well as from Elder and Sister Corbridge. Everything was very focused on understanding the Atonement. Elder Palmer and I were there from 7:30am to around 5pm because the mission tour was being hosted at our stake building, meaning we had to set up and take down all the tables and chairs. We also cleaned the building on Sunday night to prepare for the tour. Elder Corbridge was meeting with President Ahlander, the APs, and the stake high council missionary representatives at our building while we were cleaning, so we were able to get some pictures with him. That is who is in the first picture that I sent. I don't think anyone else in the mission got pictures with him!

Last week, we did a bunch of exchanges with the missionaries in our zone! In doing those exchanges, I was able to help 2 really good missionaries with some of their struggles. It feels really good to be able to have many opportunities to help investigators and missionaries!

This past week, I've been reflecting on my weaknesses and how exactly the Lord's Atonement covers them! I feel so grateful that He can forgive me, even when I am so inconsistent and imperfect. I'm excited for this week and how I can do better. 

I read this scripture today:

23 Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.

D&C 19:23

This made me feel a lot better. I hope it helps you too!

Have a great week!

Elder Jones

Week 71: Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel

11/9/15

Hey dad!

I hope you're having a great week so far! Thank you for the missionary experiences. Let me know how those work out. And I'm running out of time, so could you forward this to my email list for me?

My week was pretty crazy. We again haven't had a lot of time to proselyte, but we have been working diligently with what we have been given. My week last week went kind of like this: P-Day on Monday (always crazy), district meeting/office run for supplies on Tuesday (we have to pick up Book of Mormons, pamphlets, and cards for our zone every week), Wednesday was our Mission Leadership Conference (almost no time to proselyte), Temple trip on Thursday (again, no time to proselyte), exchanges with another missionary on Friday (we walked everywhere, talked to a ton of people, and saw loads of miracles), more musical devotional rehearsals on Saturday (the performance is in 3 weeks so we had to get our parts hammered out really well), and the Southwest regional stake conference broadcast with Elder Oaks on Sunday (every speaker was extremely bold, it was awesome)! 

As you can tell, there really was no time to relax. But that is ok! We are doing what we are supposed to be doing and that is all that matters. This week is gearing up to be really long too! 

Love you Dad!

Zach

Week 70: Freetown

11/2/15

Hey everyone!

I'm so glad everyone is doing well! The Lord sometimes lets us have slower weeks (probably to humble us). I think I probably needed it this week! I still learned a lot, and elder Palmer and I still working really hard and making sure we get done what needs done!

My week was really good overall. Not much proselyting happened, mostly because Elder Palmer is working on his college stuff, and because I was assigned to be involved in the mission's Christmas musical fireside at the end of this month. I get to sing in an a capella group, performing a song called "Homeless" by Michael McLean. You should look it up! It is a really good song!

Andy is still doing well. He came to a baptism on Saturday, and then came to church on Sunday for the 5th week in a row! He is so awesome, we are really just hoping he decides to set a baptismal date soon. He will be such a solid member when he gets baptized!

We got to watch Freetown on Saturday for Halloween. That movie was really cool and inspiring. Especially at the point when it mentioned that those Elders served their missions for 7 years since that didn't have homes to return to. That made me reflect really hard about what I can improve on!

Scripture for the week: 

"if God commanded me to do all things, I could do them! If he should command me to say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it should be done."

1 Nephi 17:50

I love this scripture because it gives me comfort knowing that the Lord has my back in the things he commands me to do!

I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Jones