Elder CJones: Hard Times and Blessings

“My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with failure.”
-Abraham Lincoln

Exchanges with Elder Mendoza

Missions are not easy at all. I would say that it is probably the hardest thing I will ever do. They are good times and bad times. There is success and there is failure. There is an opposition in all things.

I read a letter from my mother many times this week. Along with that letter she had attached a talk given by Dallin H. Oaks many years ago. He related a story of something he had read:

“I walked with my friend, a Quaker, to the newsstand the other night, and he bought a paper, thanking the newsie politely. The newsie didn’t even acknowledge it.

“‘A sullen fellow, isn’t he?’ I commented.

“‘Oh, he’s that way every night,’ shrugged my friend.

“‘Then why do you continue to be so polite to him?’ I asked.

“‘Why not?’ inquired my friend. ‘Why should I let him decide how I’m going to act?’

“As I thought about this incident later, it occurred to me that the important word was ‘act.’ My friend acts toward people; most of us react toward them. He has a sense of inner balance which is lacking in most of us; he knows who he is, what he stands for, how he should behave. He refuses to return incivility for incivility, because then he would no longer be in command of his conduct”

There is one thing that I've always had to work on in my life--how I act. This story has taught me something about my actions. I shouldn't let other people's actions depend on how I act. I need to act, not react. I need to be the one of action.

Relaxing before lunch arrives

Before this world here on the earth, we were Intelligences, as is says in the scriptures. There, we as Intelligences, could act for ourselves and not be acted upon. We are the ones that perform the action. This is what gives us our agency.

Through Agency, we lost 1/3 of our spiritual brothers and sisters because of this law that needed and still needs to be kept. Satan, from the beginning, has wanted to take away our agency and that is exactly what he does when we react to people. When we react, we are letting something else choose how we will express ourselves. The Lord wants us to use choice, our agency, so when we act towards something, as stated above, we are using our agency for good.

This week and for the rest of my life I will be bettering my usage of agency. I am going to choose to act instead of react.

The mission is hard, as I stated before. It's not easy to walk in the sun and humidity everyday.  It's not easy to express and teach the most important message of all time in a different language that I have only been speaking for six months. But I know that the Lord is testing me for two years to see how I will act and not react.

--
With Love from Rio Bravo, Mexico,
Elder Corom Jones

"Our responses will inevitably shape our souls and ultimately determine our status in eternity. Because opposition is divinely decreed for the purpose of helping us to grow, we have the assurance of God that in the long view of eternity it will not be allowed to overcome us if we persevere in faith. We will prevail. Like the mortal life of which they are a part, adversities are temporary. What is permanent is what we become by the way we react to them."  -Elder Dallin H. Oaks

With a 1960 Ford Mustang GT

Missionary Jones Boy #3

Zeram received his mission call in the mail today 

and patiently waited for two hours for family to gather before opening it.

He has been called to serve in the Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission. 

He reports to the Argentina MTC August 17.

Missionary Jones Boy #2

Hyrum received his mission call in the mail today and did not hesitate to open it this evening. 

He has been called to serve in the Chile Antofagasta Mission. 

He reports to the Mexico MTC August 15.

Elder CJones: Blessings That Come From An Amazing Mother

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.
He that doesn't read only lives one."

This area is not easy. I will put it at that. Rio Bravo is a place that requires a lot more work than other places. Back in my old area, I had the luxury of a ward and great members that wanted to help, people that wanted to listen and leaders that really lead. They helped us in every aspect, to find, to preach and to baptize.

Here in Rio Bravo it's a different story. The people here are still growing and understanding what it is like to help the people here. I really love the work here. It is helping me become a better person and it's helping me work harder to get the same results for our president.

Tracting with Elder Hernandez

This week, I was talking to my district leader.  The leaders here are really pushing to have as many numbers as possible. I know that it is important to find people and teach them, but investigators need to make those decisions with their own agency--decisions to be baptized and make those critical and important covenants with our Heavenly Father.

This week I received a letter from my mom a letter that was sent two months ago. I didn't receive it until the day I needed it. In this letter were things I needed to hear that very day.  Things that were on my mind and I didn't know what to do.

I know that through personal revelation we can be the blessings for so many people in our lives, like my mother was for me this past week!

Let's Do Some Good!

Elder Corom Jones

"God's greatest reward goes to those who serve without EXPECTION of REWARD." 

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Zone Water Fight

Elder CJones: Rio Bravo Pride

"I am pretty sure that church sleep is among the healthiest of all sleeps."

-President Dieter F Uchtdorf

Rio Bravo is honestly the pride and joy of the mission, this area, even though it's hard, it is one of the coolest area to serve in the mission.

My new area is called Condesa. It is a lot smaller than my last area and there are a lot less people to teach. I am serving in a branch with about 70 members, if that. My new companion is from Chiapas, Mexico. His name is Elder Hernandez. He is a really cool guy and we love to work together to get our work done. He has been out for 7 months.

My Spanish is progressing a lot. I live in a house with 3 other Mexicans so I just have to speak Spanish, I understand 95% and can express myself about 75%. I love this area, and as I said and I really miss my other area. My friends over there are baptizing and working hard with my old investigators. There are four elders in my area, Elder Mendoza from the DF, and Elder Gomez from Puebla. I live in a really nice house. It's a duplex. We are in walking distance from the border of the United States and Mexico. It's really cool and I love it.

This week, I have been studying covenants and there are some great ones in the Book of Mormon that teach us of the blessings of covenants when we keep them. Let's look at one covenant found in Alma 24:

I thank my God, my beloved people, that our great God has in goodness sent these our brethren, the Nephites, unto us to preach unto us, and to convince us of the traditions of our wicked fathers.

And behold, I thank my great God that he has given us a portion of his Spirit to soften our hearts, that we have opened a correspondence with these brethren, the Nephites.

And behold, I also thank my God, that by opening this correspondence we have been convinced of our sins, and of the many murders which we have committed.

And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son.

And now behold, my brethren, since it has been all that we could do (as we were the most lost of all mankind) to repent of all our sins and the many murders which we have committed, and to get God to take them away from our hearts, for it was all we could do to repent sufficiently before God that he would take away our stain—

Now, my best beloved brethren, since God hath taken away our stains, and our swords have become bright, then let us stain our swords no more with the blood of our brethren.
Behold, I say unto you, Nay, let us retain our swords that they be not stained with the blood of our brethren; for perhaps, if we should stain our swords again they can no more be washed bright through the blood of the Son of our great God, which shall be shed for the atonement of our sins.

And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.

Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean thereby.

And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us, behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our brethren destroy us, behold, we shall go to our God and shall be saved.

And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth.

And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands.

And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.

This was just a small covenant that the Lamanites made to show God that they wanted to change. What they didn't know is all the blessings that were being prepared for them because of the covenant they were making.

And it came to pass that their brethren, the Lamanites, made preparations for war, and came up to the land of Nephi for the purpose of destroying the king, and to place another in his stead, and also of destroying the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi out of the land.

Now when the people saw that they were coming against them they went out to meet them, and prostrated themselves before them to the earth, and began to call on the name of the Lord; and thus they were in this attitude when the Lamanites began to fall upon them, and began to slay them with the sword.

And thus without meeting any resistance, they did slay a thousand and five of them; and we know that they are blessed, for they have gone to dwell with their God.

Now when the Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee from the sword, neither would they turn aside to the right hand or to the left, but that they would lie down and perish, and praised God even in the very act of perishing under the sword—

Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen in them for those of their brethren who had fallen under the sword, for they repented of the things which they had done.

And it came to pass that they threw down their weapons of war, and they would not take them again, for they were stung for the murders which they had committed; and they came down even as their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms were lifted to slay them.

And it came to pass that the people of God were joined that day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to doubt but what they were saved.

And there was not a wicked man slain among them; but there were more than a thousand brought to the knowledge of the truth; thus we see that the Lord worketh in many ways to the salvation of his people.

Not only were they shown that blessing directly after, they were shown many, many blessings afterward. In Alma 53 we read:

And now behold, I have somewhat to say concerning the people of Ammon, who, in the beginning, were Lamanites; but by Ammon and his brethren, or rather by the power and word of God, they had been converted unto the Lord; and they had been brought down into the land of Zarahemla, and had ever since been protected by the Nephites.

And because of their oath they had been kept from taking up arms against their brethren; for they had taken an oath that they never would shed blood more; and according to their oath they would have perished; yea, they would have suffered themselves to have fallen into the hands of their brethren, had it not been for the pity and the exceeding love which Ammon and his brethren had had for them.

And for this cause they were brought down into the land of Zarahemla; and they ever had been protected by the Nephites.

But it came to pass that when they saw the danger, and the many afflictions and tribulations which the Nephites bore for them, they were moved with compassion and were desirous to take up arms in the defence of their country.

But behold, as they were about to take their weapons of war, they were overpowered by the persuasions of Helaman and his brethren, for they were about to break the oath which they had made.

And Helaman feared lest by so doing they should lose their souls; therefore all those who had entered into this covenant were compelled to behold their brethren wade through their afflictions, in their dangerous circumstances at this time.

The Lamanite parents were examples to their children. And in turn, the children made a covenant, too.

But behold, it came to pass they had many sons, who had not entered into a covenant that they would not take their weapons of war to defend themselves against their enemies; therefore they did assemble themselves together at this time, as many as were able to take up arms, and they called themselves Nephites.

And they entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of their lives; yea, even they covenanted that they never would give up their liberty, but they would fight in all cases to protect the Nephites and themselves from bondage.

Now behold, there were two thousand of those young men, who entered into this covenant and took their weapons of war to defend their country.

And now behold, as they never had hitherto been a disadvantage to the Nephites, they became now at this period of time also a great support; for they took their weapons of war, and they would that Helaman should be their leader.

And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.

Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him.

Now after many years of battle and war, carnage and bloodshed, this is the result of keeping that covenant:

And those sons of the people of Ammon, of whom I have so highly spoken, are with me in the city of Manti; and the Lord has supported them, yea, and kept them from falling by the sword, insomuch that even one soul has not been slain.

But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless they stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free; and they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day; yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come.

I testify that the keeping of covenants truly brings us blessings. We will find no other joy than when we follow diligently in keeping to our covenants as children of God. We can only become great like those 2,000 stripling sons if we keep our covenants.

--
Elder Corom Jones

"God’s greatest reward goes to those who serve without expectation of reward."
-President Dieter F Uchtdorf

Elder CJones: General Conference and Transfers

"Church sleep is the healthiest of all sleeps" -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

My email isn't that long this week. I have to go home and pack all my things. I will be serving for at least the next six weeks in Rio Bravo, Mexico. Rio Bravo is a smaller city about a half an hour drive east of Reynosa. Rio Bravo is more of a sketchy place. There are drug cartels everywhere and it's a more dangerous city than Reynosa. I am really excited to go and serve the people there.

Image Source: http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Rio-Bravo

As I have listened to some of conference and as I have worked out here in the mission field, I want to bear my testimony of the truthfulness and the amazing qualities we have in our church. I have seen people that don't have the full blessings of the church and I have also seen people change their lives--and the joy they get in their lives as they completely feel the joy that comes to them as they come to church and get baptized.

General Conference was amazing!! Even though I was not able to watch everything. It was amazing as I got to watch in English. The internet services here and the televisions aren't the greatest things ever, so we went to a little internet place to watch conference. Even though we had to pay to watch, we were able to feel the Spirit in that little place.

This week I have been studying a lot about the power of covenants. It's amazing to see the power of covenants and what we can do with them and how they effect our lives. I will share more about what I have been learning about that next week! But it all starts in Alma 24.

-- Elder Corom Jones

"One kind of service is not above another." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Don't look around, look up." -Elder Yoon Hwan Choi