December 5, 2011

HEY guys!! This week has been difficult but nothing too big. Chris decided that he doesn’t want to get baptized on the 24th.. He said that he has too much going on and that he feels that a better time for him will be in January. We felt that that would be right... we don’t want to just baptize someone who will later fall away from the church, we want people who are going to benefit the ward not just make them deal with more less-actives. We are teaching a kid named Decklin. He came up to us wanting to get taught. He has been taught before by missionaries. He could possibly be baptized on the 24th or the 26th we are not sure.

This week has def gone by fast. It makes me happy to know that you have enjoyed those pictures! :) Elder Burton is way funny haha Moves day is on Wednesday. One of us might get moved, we are still not sure how it is all going to take place. We didn’t end up going to Windsor Castle. We decided to go to a town further north called Oxford, that place is way fun. One of the missionaries serving there was celebrating his 1 year mark so we wanted to go to a little get together :) it was fun! I am happy I made the choice of coming on a mission.. Even though I still don’t yet realize the blessings of it, it has made me happy and I have seen my spiritual growth :)

That’s nice to hear that Rodrigo got baptized.. It makes me happy.. Mom thanks for all your prayers and fasts :) I have seen the impact it has had on me lately! I will begin praying to know what we can do better.. This month we have decided to visit the less-actives and re-activate them. I’m sure it will go well :) Hopefully one of us doesn’t get moved so we can see the growth of the ward come back! That’s amazing to know that you did that around the wards in your mission, mom! I wish I could have taken singing more seriously so that I could offer that :) haha this Christmas we will have a big get together at the temple.. It will be our zone which should be way fun :)

  

I forgot to mention that one of our investigators (Wayne) promised us he would read the Book of Mormon if we read some of his stuff... he keeps on trying to convert us which is way funny :) he ended up giving us this Anti book! Elder Burton read it clear through with no problem.. So I thought it wasn’t that big of a deal.. I picked it up and right away felt a spiritual prompting to set it down.. The book was full of darkness.. It scared me! I read the intro and gave up. I followed the promptings given instead of ignoring them.. Who knows what could have happened.. Anyways I thanked Heavenly Father for that :) I have been learning sooo much! I have been writing it down in my journal..  I loved that insight about the Atonement :) I will copy that down and put it in my study journal! This week has been okay.. not the best.. I’m sure this week will be wonderful!

I love you soo much! I am excited to get the packages! :)

talk to you soon :) Love Elder Jones  

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving with the Ambrose Family - Reading, England.

November 28, 2011

Hiiiiiii!!! This week has been wonderful! We had a great Thanksgiving at the Ambrose Family! They are soo nice to us.. :) It’s good to hear that you received those letters.   I thought some of those pictures and videos were quite funny as well..  You guys will receive another letter soon.. I sent one to Victoria and I think one more to Dad.. idk maybe it was the one you already read.. I’m thankful for Grandma Elma and the great example she has been to me. I have always loved her and cared soo much about her.. Tell Grandma Christine to tell her I love her and I’m doing really well on my mission. :) Most of the missionaries always miss home around this time of year. I’m just happy to be out here haha not that I don’t like you guys, I just like it out here a lot more :) I’m excited to get those packages.. Once again thanks mom <3 It makes me happy when I hear how proud dad and the family are of me.. I’m making really good progress. I’m getting better and better each day! It makes me happy to hear how well Clave is doing! Please tell him i said hello and that he needs to email me when he gets his mission call :) haha I miss the geese flying over our house.. I wish we had some geese but they just have swans swimming in the canals haha.. It’s starting to get cold.. This morning we woke up and it had frosted for the 1st time. I was wanting to buy more thermals since I only have 2 pairs.. Would that be okay?? I have learned a lot from the scriptures lately.. before I left you said those scriptures better be worn out.. they are already getting worn. Hopefully they will be in tact when i get home  ;)

 
Do you remember when i told you what Pres. Eyring said to Pres. Shamo? - The time will come when the seekers shall return?? This past week has had plenty of experiences like that.. the 1st we were at the bus stop and a lady walked up to us and wanted to start learning about our church! The next was we were coming back from the chapel and i felt impressed to talk to a lady that was sitting next to me at the stop, so I asked her how she was doing. I asked her a series of questions and she then accepted to be taught. she said she had always wanted to know more about the church! I later thought to myself.. what if God had put her in my path and I didn’t even come out of my comfort zone and talk to her? How would i have then felt if I didn’t do anything about it :) We got invited to Krispy Kream on Saturday.. Elder Burton wanted to see a girl he used to teach.. After we got a dozen of donuts haha… we walked out and this 12 year old kid walked up to us wanting to learn about our church.. We found out that his dad was a LA member and didn’t attend church that much.. We are going to work on re-activating him and maybe even getting this kid to come to church.. :) I thought that was pretty cool of that kid because he walked away from his friends to talk to us.. I thought it showed some courage! Other than that we are going to Windsor to see a Castle and tour for p-day.. Look it up online if you would like haha! I think that is it for this week.. Next week I will update you on everything next week. Moves day is the 7th of December.. Elder Burton has a feeling he will be moved.. So this might be our last moves day together. Thanks for your prayers! Know that I’m working hard :) love you guys

<3 love elder jones
p.s I loved the pictures and videos you guys sent me.. it made me laugh to see those guys

November 21, 2011

Hey mom :) and hello family :)

Christopher S. is doing really well! We set a baptismal date for the 10^th of December but he hasn’t been to church because of school and such, but he promised us he would come to church this week :) We felt like that he needed a little bit more time so we are thinking about moving it to the 24th :) It would be amazing to give Jesus that present don’t you think? <3 Wayne and his family (the one in the accident) are slowly making progress..The other day we met up with him and taught him about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.. He has a hard time thinking about having a Heavenly Father.. At 1st he said he would never read the Book of Mormon and guess what??? He promised me he would read 60 pages! It’s amazing to watch your prayers get answered :) makes my eyes water up sometimes.. The Perez family is having a slower time progressing but I know they will be baptized one day!

Tell Elder Rowe’s Mom to tell him I said happy b-day! I sent him a letter the other day! He might just get it today haha England is getting cold! Since its humid here the cold feels extra cold which isn’t very fun, but I don’t mind it.. I looked at the area Appledore from where the Jones’s came from and it’s not very close to my area! Maybe I’ll get transferred somewhere more close so I can go see that place :) Keep me updated on those little areas so hopefully I can see them.. Thats great that you got that letter :) I’m so happy! I’ll try and get that picture from elder Burton! He has one on his camera as well. Today we have a little Zone Conference! Everyone is going to get together and play some games! It should be fun! We also got invited to eat some good food on Thanksgiving at the Ambroses house! She is American but her husband is English! She is a nice lady :) Other than that i did get that Envelope! I was sooo happy to get it! That jerky was AWESOMMMEEEE!!!!!! hahaha I set up that little turkey thing on my desk! :)

Tell Uncle Tony I love him! Thank him for always taking care of me <3 I owe alot to that ward!! Each person has a part in my life :) Tell everyone I am doing well and I thank them for their prayers! I see them answered each day.. it always makes me so happy to hear that people are always asking about me.. It gives me that extra kick to keep working hard :) I always love getting pictures! Dad sent me 2 haha.. It’s sad to see the boys miss.. If they only knew what they were missing out on.. My advice to give would be to work with the ones that do attend regularly and talk to the parents of the boys who don’t attend.. Tell them if they want there kids to go on missions they better ephasize it a little bit more for them.. Speak BOLDLY ;)

Thanksgiving sounds really exciting this year! I hope you guys have tons of fun! I can’t wait to get those boxes :) Our mission does let us Skype! So get that set up next month and make sure all the internet connections are working.. The update on Elder Wright being here.. He talked about feasting upon the words in the Book of Mormon.. He said there are rooms in the Book of Mormon that you need to find.. Picture walking into a room and you see a bed, curtains, windows, etc well that’s the same in the Book of Mormon. FIND THE ROOMS and study them.. I never looked at in that way you know.. He also said we need to recognize our dependence on the Lord.. and when we struggle to take those problems in mighty prayer! Sometimes we let out fear control our faith in most occasions.. If our faith isn’t great, we can’t really move mountains as it says in the Book of Mormon or that the trees will obey us.. Faith is a hard thing but only through trials that is where we test our faith.. This week in church was very special to me.. I learned that temples are a Sanctuary, School, Salvation, and a Sealing place.. Your light isn’t sufficient enough by itself.. You need a greater light! The speaker really broke down those 4 S's. the next thing I thought was interesting was that we think things are soo hard and we can’t do them and we have to sacrifice things and such. If we prepare for that sacrifice, if we prepare for those blessings, if we prepare to receive them, God will do the rest.. That struck me.. We need to prepare a lot more.. and when we don’t we feel we are sacrificing.. I hope you get what I’m trying to say hahaha things just speak to people in different ways! That is why we have the holy ghost to speak what they need to hear..

That is my letter for this week.. I hope that something in my letters may answer a question, satisfy a need. I love you.. Thanks for your letters :) <3 Elder Jones

November 14, 2011

Thanks for those pictures :) I always like getting pictures!

Yeah we ate at the Ambrose Family.. They asked were I was from so I got on Google earth and told them what the lifestyle was like growing up there. I can’t wait to one day move back :) I heard about those missionaries. My heart dropped when I heard that. I could only imagine what those families felt like.... at least they passed in the service of their God right?!?

Lately I have been praying for an investigator who is prepared by the Lord. The other day we received a media referral so we decided to stop by his house. The media referrals we usually get don’t really want to get taught, they just want us to drop of a dvd or a pamphlet. Anyways as we knocked on his door he invited us in and we taught him the restoration. His mom was taught by the missionaries when she was young and she has always kept in contact with those 2 missionaries. After the lesson he asked so many questions and wanted to get taught the next day, he also told us how he wants to lead his family by example and eventually baptize his brother and mom.. He said I want to raise my family on a sure foundation, not raise them the way our dad raised us. Somehow we started talking about miracles and we shared a few.. The spirit was sooo strong!! I told him he was an answer to my prayer! His eyes watered up and so did mine.. This week has been wonderful. We set a date for the 10/ Dec! I’m soo excited he has made this decision. One thing he said that really stood out to me  was -- Mormon people lead by example, they didn’t push me into the church and they were always kind to me, which made me jealous in a way because they were always soo happy-- sometimes we don’t yet realize the impact we can make on someone just by kindness and doing the right thing.. :)

The family we are trying to teach is a hit and miss. The kids are always busy. Hopefully we can get them to mutual and then church. We are also going to see if we can get the mom into the Addiction Recovery Center. It makes me thank Heavenly Father to be raised in such a great family, community and people. The culture in England is horrible. Single moms who don’t care about their children. It’s sad to watch. Like I said awhile back, the church will be the last standing beckon of hope.

Thanks for sending me some packages :) This week we had Zone Conference and Elder Wright attended our meeting. He is the area 70 at the moment! I forgot to bring my little paper of notes so I will get them to you next week. So guess what :) I was going through some old ensigns we have at the flat and came across Pres. Whetten.. haha I was bragging that he was like my 2nd Dad ;) I also saw Benjamin De Hoyos in there.. I hope that is how you spell his name :/  anyways that is it for this week.. I will try to make me emails better and better each time.. I sent home my camera card so you will get all my pictures and funny videos soon!

Thanks for your prayers and keeping my name in the temple.!

I love you!

Bye…Elder Jones

**

I forgot to tell you that in England they wear a poopy flower in remembrance of those in battle.. the Sunday after the 11/11/2011 the whole united kingdom stops for 2 mins.. in church we all stood and stood there in silence.. I thought that was special.. people cried during those 2 minutes and that sacrament meeting was very special.. i forgot to tell you that.. and I also remembered that next year is 12/12/2012 we will never ever see the numbers match up ever agian.. so this next year you party hard woman!!

Halloween Picture

November 7, 2011

HELLO GUYS!! She sent you that picture :) she said she wanted to surprise you and tell you how my progress was going haha, I guess she really did.. I will def tell her what you told me to tell her. WOW that’s great that 2 more boys are leaving! I’m soo happy to hear that! Things are going alright. The family we are teaching is hit and miss kinda.. The mom is an alcoholic and her kids are golden. I wonder how they put up with it all sometimes. So they really have a rough time.  She makes these dolls! She has got a gift of making these dolls, they are crazy, you will just have to see later when you get the package :) yeah so just watch out for my account okay :) I can’t wait to get a postcard from Chicago! i love that place <3<3

It has been a sad week for me in a way. I hope the family feels the prayers that are going out for them and things work out alright. Please send my love to them. People can change! I know that because I have seen it and I’ve seen how people change.. I still have really high hopes for my buddy and I know everything will come out good in the end :) Man what a small world huh?? To know Andre is just walking into all these people! :) ha-ha it makes me laugh. Tell the family how much very I love them and how I feel all the prayers that are going out for me.. If it weren’t for them I probably wouldn’t be doing too well. Thanks everyone. The weeks are getting better but are slowing down.. I’m learning a lot from my scriptures and preach my gospel. I want to get to the point where I can answer everyone’s question with a scripture and also put in my feelings on things :)

I loved that talk about the priesthood! I hope I can purify my heart each day so that when the times come I can call upon the heavens so that I may speak with the tongues of angels.. When I asked you to pray about Wayne the guy that was in the bad accident and how I then told you nothing worked out. Well we helped them move there things into a storage unit the other day and I found myself alone with him.. It was kind of weird but I knew something was going to happen.. He said Jones I will read your Book of Mormon if you read these pamphlets... I gladly took them and set up another appointment with him.. Elder burton said that was odd that he would do that. I studied these pamphlets to know them and his beliefs. I know for a fact that the prayers are being answered in a way. We all need to work on patience.. Heavenly Father answers our prayers when they need to be answered.. So I guess I need to work on having more patience.. These next 2 months or the 4 weeks I’m with Elder Burton we decided to work our behinds off so that we may be able to have a baptism for Christmas.. that’s the goal! I know if we work for it and are faithful to our goals the lord will bless us! I’m hoping we can give that mom I was talking about a blessing so that she may get over her addiction to alcohol and be baptized!

Thank you guys for your prayers and comments!

Love Elder Jones