February 20, 2012

Hey :)

Man I sure do love the emails you send Mom!! So today I’m going to send of my SD card :) hopefully you can get it next week sometime! Anyways this week we should have another guy get baptized! His name is Kumar! He is the one that is studying his PHD in bio-medicine! He loves the church and is so excited to be there! Mom dad Chris is amazing! I’m glad I had the opportunity to have taught him! He should start blessing the sacrament pretty soon! He is leading the ward it’s amazing! Sorry I didn’t post any pictures last week! So rushed haha! This week we have seen tons of little miracles! Prayers being answered daily! A former investigator who has investigated for who knows how long decided he wanted to follow this church, the reason why he finally decided to because he said I could understand him or relate to him! He said a lot of missionaries grow up in an environment where they have not been faced with a lot of trials and once in a while you will get one who understands! I guess I was one of the lucky ones... This week we have reactivated a few members! Some who were very negative about things let us in and we got to share thoughts and a scripture with them! By knocking 10 on each side of the investigators or LA's home we have found 3 new potentials! It’s amazing to see how your mouth can be filled! Show up say hi and then you mind is flooded with ideas of what that person needs to hear :) We got a few investigators progressing which is wonderful!

On Tuesday we had the most amazing zone conference. A young lady names Savannah Stevenson came to our conference! She played Mary in the new movie of Jesus! I don’t know the name of it at the moment but she is amazing! She is an actress of course that is very well known for what she is done! Look her up on the internet so you can become more familiar with her. She shared her thoughts with us about what it was like to play Mary. I like what she said was before you play the character you get a list of characteristics that person has, she said that Mary didn’t have many. The one that stood out to her was she was a deep thinker, always seeking the positive. She talked alot about how the timing of everything was just sooo perfect, that lead to gods timing. The most special thing she talked about was when Jesus was on the cross in this movie, she was supposed to look up. Her feelings were so powerful she told us that she wept and couldn’t look up...  Her testimony was then sealed of the atonement she said! The spirit was soo strong! I hope you can all go watch the new videos and movies the church is putting out! Pres. Shamo told us that when he was making that same movie when it came to the part where they had to say - Crucify him!- that they had to bring in psychologists to calm 12 or so people down! He was crying when he told us that! He said that people did not want to deny him! That really added to my testimony <3 They talked a lot about taking the time to - be still- and when to be still? It was an amazing lesson they taught us! The most important thing they said was take that time, don’t rush and listen to what God is trying to tell you! This next week I’m going to learn a lot about myself, I’m going to learn to listen to those promptings!

Pres. Shamo talked about praying for rejection so that we may become humble and teachable so that we can always rely on the Lord to guide us! I guess here it goes! If I can ask for one thing is pray that I may be rejected and taught what the lord needs to teach me so that I may become an instrument... thanks <3 One of the most special experiences we were told was when Pres. Shamo got called as mission president he walked into Pres. Eyrings office (one of his best friends) and got lectured by him. He said that Pres. Eyring received revelation for a minute and told him that - the spirit of familiarity of each and every one of your missionaries will come to you. I covenanted in heaven that I was going to serve in this mission under his direction-- made me weep..... I wish I could write all my thoughts down but it would be a long letter :)

One of the miracles that happened to us yesterday was we got flogged by our investigators. We decided to knock a street but before we did we said a prayer that we could find the lost sheep! We knocked 7 or so doors and found 5 Indian guys that come for Hindu background that wanted to learn more! :) I also wanted to thank you for that Package you guys sent me! I was feeling a little depressed that day for some reason and got that package! The letters and pictures were sooooo much fun!! I enjoyed every single one of them :) thank you thank you!! Well things seem to going really good! All I ask at the moment is to pray that I may be -rejected- or taught what I need to be taught in this area and what heavenly father needs to teach me! It’s going to be a good week. Today we are going to Oxford which is 30 min train ride to hang out for the day! It should be lots of fun! Well thank for all that you guys do for me! I have been quicker to realize my blessing from the people I have talked to and experiences I have gone through this week!

I love you so much family!

Talk to you later! - Elder J. Jones-

February 13, 2012

Heyyyyy!!

I had to baptize Chris Sharp 3 times haha! His knee or ankle would come out of the water. The reason why it did cause he was soooo excited to be baptized :D I would close the prayer and he would just smile from ear to ear and dive into the water! Makes me cry to even think about the happiness he feels! Before the baptism when I was dressed down in white and sat next to him, I felt soo much joy! I felt just a little of that joy he must feel! The next day we confirmed him in church. The other elder who got him to the end confirmed him and gave him a really nice blessing! One thing they told him was he was going to be a beacon of light as he went forth among the nations in his Public Relations! He was then ordained a Priest shortly after! I was blessed to have him in my life! The other day he called me and bore his testimony to me on the phone and expressed of the great love and appreciation he had for me! I was happy<3 The 2nd baptism we were scheduled to baptize that evening had to do some important work and could not be there! I felt heartbroken for a sec but hopefully this week or next we will get him baptized!

This week we had an x-change in Newbury! We biked like 20 miles.. I was DEAD haha the reason why cause my tires were low! haha I tried finding a  place to fill up the tires but I had to deal with it, the best part was we got a big Donner Kebab at the end of our day! Kebab is about eating like a nasty taco that has been cooked who knows how many times, but hey those are the best ones right :) We have picked up 7 or so new investigators this week which i am very happy for! 1 family that is a potential! What we do is we got to a less actives house and knock 10 doors on each side! Sometimes or almost every time we get a potential! This week we have set some high goals to accomplish so I’m going to be exhausted by the end of this week!

The funny thing that happened to me this week was i had a guy come up to me and ask me if I play for the Dolphins NFL team! He told me that this mission was just a trial of my faith and that he wanted to see me playing ball for the Dolphins when I get home hahaha! He said all you want to do is just play ball! In church this week a speaker talked about the Pie Pieper! It is a story in Germany that has been passed down since the 1200's.. I encourage you to all look it up and see how it can apply to each and every one of your lives! I wish I could write it all down on here but time is scarce today! I will send you a letter home about my thoughts on it okay mom! Also i am sending my SD card home with all the pictures and videos i have taken :) My comp told me this week how good it was that I am always seeking improvement in my work each day! He said you are very prepared! The thing is that I don’t feel that at all! I feel I am very good about loving the people and even though I don’t know all my doctrine well I feel that people want to know more because we are so kind and open! This week has been hard but worth it! Seemed to be like this week more people were out to get us haha but we have seen so many miracles! I don’t know how I have dealt with things like that! Back home I would have flipped out but now I just smile haha! I wake up laughing each morning! I’m weird ;) I’m glad Roberto enjoyed my letter! I was worried about it for a little! Let me know if there is anything I can do for the youth! Perhaps when you have Miercoles Misional you can have an elder send a letter and you can read it to the boys that day! They can share insights and feeling about a mission! This month has been cold but fun because it has snowed a few times! ITs soo funny to watch the English try to drive in snow :) they stop a mile or so before the stop light lol! I was shocked when dad thought about turning that project over to me! I’m only 18! People always tell me that I look like I’m 24! Freak I guess when I’m 40 ill look like I’m 60! ;)  I’m proud of the little Roosty that he is doing so well :) he better beat me like he said! I’m glad everything is going good back home! This week I have related to a lot of people through the experiences I have gone through and they now want us to go back because we understand them :) other than that we have Zone Training on Thursday so soon I will send a good letter home okay :) looooooveee yaaaa :)

Elder Jones

February 6, 2012

MUM!!

I could not be more happy to be honest! I have 2 baptism’s on Saturday! One was a potential we were thinking about dropping for a while! He just said I want to get baptized this week! He is ready! It was a shock haha! This week I wasn’t feeling very well! I wasn’t going to let that affect my teaches, so we went to a teach and I was really hungry and feeling like I wanted to pass out ( don’t laugh ;) ) anyways one of the lodgers that is staying in the building that Guardial lives in came in and asked if he could make me some food! I was like YES PLEASE haha He was a Muslim guy but was very happy to make me a nice egg sandwich! My favorite haha! I thought God in a way was like " hey go feed one of my servants" and then I felt wonderful! :) We are teaching some wonderful people! I’m currently teaching a Brazilian lady and guess what? I have 2 potentials that are Mexicaaaann! Life is good, really gooooddd!!! ( nacho) ;) As I mentioned before Chris is doing really good! Asked me to baptize him! He bore his testimony to me the other day on the phone! Life could not get better! This week it snowed a few inches! Mum don’t worry I’m keeping warm! The jacket I have is very well made! The only thing is my feet get cold from walking in all the snow! Another miracle that happened this week was: we were knocking a few doors in the evening after church, when it was time to head over to another members house who is getting ready to go back to Ireland soon. . We got distracted and missed the bus by a few seconds! We came running around the corner to find a girl that had dropped her bag trying to get the bus! The bus was a few minutes early for some reason! I thought maybe we missed it to talk to her. We talked to her for 30 minutes about the church! She was studying to be a 7th day Adventist. I was like uh huh :) We gave her a Book of Mormon and she accepted to read and pray! We are going to see her soon! Who knows what could happen! :) This week we have taught a lot of Recent Converts and Less Actives. The ward is really good about being on top of missionary work! We are going to try and stop by more members to serve them and see if there is anyone who they would like us to teach! I’m seeing the fruit of my labor! Elder Fawson last night told me " I walk with purpose" some missionaries don’t care but he said I care about the people I talk too! I feel like we are very much alike and work very well together! I hope we can stay together for a few transfers! I’m glad all went well with Grandma Elma’s funeral! She set a great example! I’m glad you stopped by a few friends of mine! I enjoyed the pictures and videos you and Dad sent me!! I will study the book of Daniel this week okay :) I often feel that my strength is of ten because I’m trying to purify my heart each day! I will send some pictures! Thank you for emailing me!

 LOVE YAAAAAA!!!
- elder jones--

P.s 2 baptism’s ahhhhh!!!!!

January 30, 2012

Hey Mum!!

How I love my comp! We work so well together and are pretty much best friends now! I have seen a few pictures of his dad’s leatherwork!! Crazy huh! They also love painting! :) This week has had its ups and downs like every week. Tanya the lady that called and told us it was a miracle that we stopped her, fell of the face of the earth. I’m wondering if the less active guy said anything to her. I hope not because she is such a great lady! We have met some great potentials. Most of them didn’t want to hear what we had to say and others want to see us again. I know we are going to find some great people! One of the miracles for this week was, a guy named Damemder Kumar was given to us through a referral. Most of our referrals are the most solid ones! We went over to his flat, he told us he was studying in Yorkshire University and his school visa expired so he had to move to Reading University. He was being taught by the missionaries in Yorkshire and had a baptismal date! He is studying bio-medicine and his finishing his PHD. He wants to find a vaccine for the plague! How crazy is this guy! He is sooo cool! He is from India so we are just waiting for his school visa to get here and we will get this guy baptized ASAP! This Sunday all 3 of us fasted together so that his visa might come! Hopefully this weekend we can schedule a trip to go to the visitor’s center at the temple! Im soo happy :) Addie my RC has gone back to Nigeria. I miss him... I didn’t get to see him before he left because we both were soo busy. Chris is still on to get baptized on the 11th of February.. :) can’t wait!!!! This Sunday a lady walked into the Reading ward saying she wanted to know more about our church! She said I had given her a Book of Mormon and bore testimony about it! I cannot remember her to save my life! She had a dream that night were a guy came to her and said "follow your heart". She has been looking for truth and randomly just walked into church, she wants to get taught by the missionaries! Im soo happy I’m still close to my old ward to keep close to the people I taught and stopped on the streets!  Funny thing that happened this week was we knocked on this door and a guy warned us to get off his porch before he came after us! I laughed a little because he was a jerk. 

We have taught members, less actives and recent converts this week! I have learned so much from this one girl named Kailash! She shared a spiritual thought with us on forgiveness! She is sort of autistic but is there enough to make her own decisions. Anyways she was saying how people are mean to her and she tries to forgive people when they do wrong! It makes me cry to think about it but it made me think of the times I have been a jerk to people. When I get home I want to apologize to a few people! I didn’t understand at the time what being mean was! I understand now.

We have been working very hard! Elder Fawson and I give each other a run for our money haha! Try and keep up with me while I keep up with you kind of a thing! :) Today we are going to give a blessing to a member who has epileptic fits ( I hope its spelled like that) through faith we will work a miracle if it be Gods will! She is a great lady! This next week we are going to have another zone conference and district meeting! Pres Shamo asked me to start taking driving lessons because I will need a license in the future! SO excited! Not sure if I can handle driving the right side haha I guess we will see how it goes!  We had interviews and he spoke so open with me! Pres Atchinson asked for Crystal and me to stay close by. Who knows why he still needed us close by but I will figure it out in the long term! I often times look at myself from where I was till now! In 5 months it’s amazing to see what you can become! " 19 years of preparation, 2 years to serve, and a memory forever to remember" :) I have strengthened my testimony, I am turning into an instrument in the hands of our Father, I love seeing change, love challenges so I can become more humble. It is getting cold! Supposed to snow this week! I doubt it though. Weather here is unpredictable! I wish I could write down all I have learned this past week but I am writing it all in my study journal!

I love you family! Keep smiling-

 Love elder jones-

***I felt a little sad knowing that grandma had passed... dad sent me a few videos which i loved! :) Thanks for telling me you were getting surgery haha I hope you get feeling better mum. When you got to Thatcher please stop by the Alders and Innes families to tell them I’m doing soo good! :) It is getting nice and cold this week! Hopefully it will snow! I wish i had more time to write sometimes but i do try to put the most important things in the email.. tonight I will write in my journal about a lot of this! :) I’m glad I made great grandma happy! She has been one of my heroes growing up :) Shared a lot of memories with her!

January 23, 2012

WOW WOW WOW!!

 Look at those new calls happening!! That’s GREAT!! Jeffrey and I aren’t going to be too far from each other haha! This week has been one of the best weeks so far! I love serving with Elder Fawson! We are best friends :) He wants to study music when he gets home. He is a hard worker, makes me laugh every day and is a very good missionary. 

This week we have talked to some great people! We have found 2 solid Investigators which i am very excited for! I will share a small miracle! So we stopped this lady on the street named Tonya! She was telling us how 13 of her friends had passed this last year and that she has been wondering what they purpose of life was! We then explained to her about the purpose and why we are out here as missionaries! She was sooo happy to talk to us. One of her good friends is a less active member in the ward and through him she has learned a little about the church! Maybe by her coming in to the church this member will begin to come back and fix his life back up. Before we left we said a prayer with her on the street! The next day she called us with tons of excitement and told us that after we left that she had one of the best days! She told us that she has not talked to her sis in a long time and that when they met up they were laughing and are now close again! She is happy :) We will see her tomorrow. We are planning to set a date as well! We found some great people as well! I love just hearing what people have to say and their views on life. When you listen earnestly they will do anything for you! :)

 In church this week they talked a lot about temples and family history! One speaker talked about the people in the Book of Mormon and how they all faced their tents towards King Benjamin! We can then change it and say - How many of our homes are faced towards the temple?- He talked about the Angel Moroni and how he faced East! And said how do we get our home to face East? We can begin to turn that by doing those things which the church has asked! The small things such has tithing, church, prayer, church callings etc. It may take time but we can do it. How many of us put temple 1st on our list? I liked how he said that everything is answered in the temple! If you can’t go in the temple you can be answered on the temple grounds! I will write it more clearly next week. I don’t have my diary on me. Now about Family history work! The speaker said-- It’s not about doing the family history work, it’s about receiving the blessing of doing it- I thought since Dad has picked talking to the stake about these 2 subject he could use that quote! If we aren’t close to a certain member she said - by doing the work for them we begin to develop a love for them- I guess I don’t want to sound preachy or anything but I did learn soo much this week! Reading ward misses me but they are happy that I am still around. Elder Fawson and I taught an amazing lesson in Elder Quorum.. I talked about our testimony and the power which they carry. I used DC 63:3 I think that might be it.. Then talked about the priesthood, how us elders should be the ones who should constantly be caring for the members, casting out sicknesses and healing. I shared an experience Dad told me about the 3 missionaries that healed Lupita’s mom.. Elder Fawson gave a wonderful talk as well! We work really well together! :) The ward seems to be a lot more humble because they don’t have as many people in the ward! I feel that I am supposed to be here for a reason! I am seeing the blessing of it. The ward loves us very much because of the hard work we are putting into everything :) I laughed when I heard that about Jill’s mom and Dave Brown! Mom will you tell grandma to tell great- grandma how much I love her and thank her for the great example she has left on me! And that care about her so much! Thanks.... I’m glad things are going well for the community and our family! I’m thankful to be out here serving!

Love ya-

Elder Jones<3

P.s that is funny that you are friends with Elder Fawsons mom. Tell roost how proud I am for getting his Eagle done! Tell him he better fulfill his promise about getting more badges and awards in scouts than I did! :) Keep smiling guys

January 19, 2012

Hey Family :)

Guess what??? Yep I got transferred.....to Woodley! Yep that’s right! I’m 2 miles from my other flat! Woodley Ward and Reading Ward meet together for church. I thought by me just getting moved to Woodley was not cool to be honest. Elder Burton got transferred to Maidstone which is a nice town. I was jealous in a way, but then i thought of the email President sent us! He said wherever I have put you, know that you are there because the lord wants you to be there. That uplifted me to know that someone is waiting for me in the Woodley area. I failed to mention that they White washed Reading and Woodley. I got hard working kid for Cedar City Utah. His name is Elder Fawson. We are going to work our faces off which I am way excited for! I am happy but sad about everything in a way. We were teaching some cool people in Reading but I am sure Woodley has some good people as well! Woodley is more in the Town Centre so there are plenty of more people to talk to. This next week Addie (Recent Convert) is going back home to Nigeria.. I’m going to miss him. The good thing is that Chris Sharp has asked me to baptize him :) I sure do love Chris! He is a great great guy! Gave the worldly life up for the gospel in a matter of a month or 2! I told him that I would come back to London when he gets married in the temple <3 I’m happy that I am still close to Reading and can still be a part of it all!  Other than that not much has happened! Still trying to adapt to the area! The whole mission got switched up pretty good! Not much to say this week haha I am sure that next week will be great! Sorry I didn’t post pictures last time! I will do it as soon as I can! :)

My new address is:

74 Quadrant Court

Jubilee Sq

Reading

Berkshire

RG1 2GU

January 16, 2012

Hey mother dear!!!!     (He writes a separate letter to his Dad…)

Sooo this week we have set a baptismal date!! Chris will be baptized on February 11th. I hope one of us gets to stay to watch him get baptized... he told us how he knows the church is true and knows that the Book of Mormon is true as well!!! He has invited his mom to church! The best part is, is that his mom is bringing one of her friends as well!! This next week should be great!! :) We had a referral named Simone come to church! She has started to tell her sister about the church. Her sister is now interested in our church!! I’m soo happy to figure out what will happen in the next week or two! :) Moves day is this Wednesday so I’m excited to see what happens! Whatever happens I know it is called of god! But a refresh would be nice. Anyways I got your package today!! AWESOME! Thank you for the insoles. I am wearing them right now!! The Pictures were brilliant! I laughed!! The part that made me laugh the most was Andres Christmas card!! That was funny… hahahaha!! OH thank you for sending me that little horse!! I will post some pictures :)

I sure did enjoy Stake Conference this week! I totally forgot to bring my diary full of notes. I won’t forget next week so I can let you know what I have learned. I have gotten sick this week so it hasn’t been the fullest week it should have been.. :/ but I’m  feeling a lot better.  That is really interesting about Stake Conference for you guys! That is really special :) My group of missionaries really did set the bar up high! I know that a lot of the kids this year can set that bar! Like I had mentioned before... A lot to do with a mission is going to be the parents! I wouldn’t know how to put it in a way where they could understand the importance of it but I hope something can work out! I have sent a letter to a friend this week to help motivate him to go back on a mission! I hope he doesn’t take it wrong! All I want is for him to know I love him and that is why I have taken time to send him a letter!

What stood out to me about the temple statistics about RC(recent converts) being to the temple is way low.. Our mission focuses a lot on bringing back those less-actives... I am not sure about those in Mexico but the less-active people have ridiculous excuses about not coming back to church! If missionaries bear solemn witness about Jesus Christ and the importance of Enduring to the End they will come back, and partake of the fruit like they once did. Like I said I don’t know how missionary work is like in Mexico but that’s just my opinion. That goes right back to the quote you gave me -- ”when we come to know God, and have a strong relationship with Him, we then begin to understand our responsibility to those around us.”

We don’t have a p-day this week because of Moves Day! Last week I think I said we went to Windsor Castle!! That sure was cool! I’m mad they didn’t let us take pictures inside of the church.. It was amazing!!! Inside they had knights, priest, kings and queens who have been laid there since the 1200's. Hard to capture all the historic info. We will have to come back and visit after a year or so when I am home, or you can come here before I finish, either way it will all work out. I found out that Peter! (best friend in the ward) used to be an area 70.. He whispered it in church since I was sitting next to him. He cried because he had felt so bad about taking his name off! He wasn’t excommunicated for anything serious. He removed his name I think out of anger! He told me how he needs to come to Mexico to thank you for having such a fine son. ;) He’s lying! He is just trying to make me feel better ;)

Well I hope I will be able to send you guys a quick email on Wednesday letting you know what happens! Grandpa sent me a Package as well! I sure do love my grandparents!!1 <3 Love you grandmas and grandpa ;)
Thank you for prayers mom! Thank you to those who pray for me as well!
I love you:)
Elder Jones