Elder ZJones: With Faith, it is Possible

Ohh Ezrom!!!! That is awesome! Another Spanish Speaking mission! It is awesome to see that he was way excited to!! I'm way excited for him as well!!!

A week into training and it is a lot different than I had expected. It is nice to know that Elder Marquez has the langauge down, so he is the one helping me with my Spanish! He is a hard worker and knows a lot about the gospel. He loves to talk, which has been good, and we are working well together. It is such an awesome opportunity to be able to work with and find the ways for both of us to be better missionaries.

This week, as a zone, we talked a lot about inviting our investigators to be baptized at the end of the week. They have encouraged us to teach and help them prepare our investigators to be baptized. And guess what? We baptized Cristain this week!!! We stopped by his house on Monday, to visit with his family. After talking with them for the first five minutes I simply asked, "We want to prepare your children to be baptized this next Sunday in the morning. What do you think?" Frederico, the father was all for it! He even said" I'm going to get baptized, too!" and slammed his fist on the table. haha. We had to explain more with him the importance of the law of chastity, and he understood. Facundo doesn´t have a big interest. Everytime we try to talk with him he leaves and goes to another room. But this week we are going to be praying for him and trying to help him have the desire to be baptized like his brother.

So here is crazy story time. So Cristian's baptism was Sunday in the morning. At 6:30 a.m. I got up and went to the bathroom. I then thought about the baptism.Then it came to me............ I forgot about the font!!!!! The font is empty and needs to be filled!! Man, I told my comp and I was flipping out. We quickly got ready for the day and headed to the church where we filled the font with water. I was at a sink using a bucket and my comp was doing the same. Luckily, we got it filled in time and had a nice baptismal meeting!

We are also working with Luana this week. She is ready to be baptized. Pray that this week everything will go well with her and her family.

Yesterday, we found a awesome family! Raul, Lorena and their three children ages 8, 5, and 2, I believe. We taught them about the Plan of Salvation, talked about families, and invited them to be baptized. They accepted and wanted to come to church as well. They are really intriged in our message and what we taught them. They really had a deep interest in the message, even with the kids screaming and running all around us (I thought of our family and how we did that as kids). But we forgot one thing!! One thing!!!!! We forgot to ask if they are married! We have a cita with them this week and are praying that they are married. From what I looks like, I dont think they are, but we will see.

Elder Shepard and Me

Oh, it is starting to get cold here. In the nights and in the mornings, it is cold.It isn´t something I am looking forward to, really.


General Conference is coming up and I can´t be more excited. I remember my very first weekend in the mission field was General Conferece weekend. Being able to listen to the prophet and follow his counsel only brings blessings. As we follow with faith and continue to press forward the blessings will come. I love sharing Mosiah 2:41 with others: because it applies to everything!

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

As we keep the commandments, we receive blessings. These blessing aren't things just spiritual, but also temporal. We can receive the help in our daily problems, our jobs, and in our families. When we receive blessings, we are happy. And this is the way the Lord wants things! He said so! I know these things are true and as we have the faith to follow the prophets and the commandments, we can live in never-ending happiness!!


Have a great week!
Love Elder Jones

P.S. I was talking about my family with a member at lunch and they talked about how hard it is to baptize in Spain. Then the member asked me how many baptisms my mom had on my mission. I said that I didn't know, and he said "Why? Ask your mom!" And I said if I asked my mom she would say that it doesn't matter. The number of baptisms isn't important!!
Haha

Elder HJones: We Have a Living Prophet

So this whole entire week, Ezrom's call has been in the back of my mind and now I finally know! Dang...Bolivia Santa Cruz, that's SUPER AWESOME. We are all going to be speaking Spanish when we all return.

We are working really hard and finding awesome people. Just last Tuesday one of our investigators got married! His wife is a member and he isn't. But they got married and now he can be baptized. But we are still working with him to have the desire to be baptized. His name is Marcos, he could use some prayers.

We are also working with Rocio. She is awesome and always wants to learn more. She struggles a little with the "enduring to the end" subject. She is definitely ready for baptism, but has a couple fears. Right now she's in Peru on vacation until the beginning of April. We gave her scriptures to read in the Book of Mormon for everyday she is gone and we promised her that if she reads, she will find the desire to be baptized and her fears and doubts wont stop her. So we are praying for God's help right now. MIRACLES!

So I have kinda gotten used to the training process. Of course, it's not easy, but I have gotten used to it. My companion is awesome. Normally, new missionaries in the mission are scared to talk and teach, but not Elder Estes. He always wants to share his testimony and teach what he knows...super genial. He always wants to work hard and serve others. This past week, one of our investigators got married! His wife is a member and they finally made the decision to be married. So we are working with him to be baptized, and to eventually go to the temple to be sealed for eternity!

Sometimes it's difficult for people to understand that we have a living prophet on the earth today. That a prophet receives direct revelation from God for everyone in the world. This week we will have the opportunity to hear his voice, to listen to his words and teachings. This is a great opportunity to know for ourselves that President Nelson is a prophet of God. My invitation for you is to listen to General Conference, to listen to the prophets and apostles of the church. They have answers to our questions, and we can find our answers through listening to their words. My first week in Chile was the week of General Confernce...wow I have come a long way. But I am super grateful to sustain President Nelson and hear his words!

Missionary work is awesome. Dedicating two years of my life to serve God and the people in Chile is nothing but a blessing. We have a loving Heavenly Father and he is always pouring blessings upon us.

Love, Elder Jones

Missionary Jones Boy #4

Ezrom received his mission call today.
He has been assigned to the Boliva Santa Cruz Mission.

He will report to the Mexico MTC August 7, 2018.

The Big Three are BAC!

(The Big Three= Zeram, Hyrum and Ezrom; BAC = Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile)

Elder CJones: 17 Months

Well, this week was a pretty good week. The members began to help us with the missionary work and we began working with lots of references. The weather has gotten hot, like really hot, and it's a blessing when the members help us when it gets hot outside.

The heat really kills us and we have been looking for better ways to work so we aren't out in the sun so much. We thought that the help that we are getting with a few members will help grow the confidence between the rest of the members and is and then we will be able to have greater success.

This last week was Spring Break and the youth in the ward have been helping us reach their friends.

Junior, a young man that was baptized almost two years ago, is planning to serve a mission and he went out with us a couple times this week. He is honestly a really good teacher and understand the doctrine of the gospel so well that I know he will be a great missionary. On Tuesday, he took us  to visit his friend Jaqualine. She accepted a baptismal date and is really excited to come to church and learn more. If you can pray for her that her parents will have a more open heart to the gospel and let her come to church.

We also have been working with the Palomarez family. They are a member family that brought a friend to church and we are now teaching the friend and her two kids. They are really awesome. The mom will be getting baptized this week with her kids, we hope. Her kids are Ezmeralda and Junior, but not the same Junior who is planning to serve a mission haha.

Those are our people that Elder Ancco and I are teaching and focusing on at the moment, we are also trying to find more people to teach and it's getting a lot more difficult with the heat and humidity. Pray that we will be able to find some more people and families that are more willing to listen to the message of God.

So, something really interesting happened yesterday. We had stake conference and it was alright, not too well prepared, but it was good. Afterward, we got a ride to where we were going to eat and we got there before the family did so we waited outside in the shade on a small bench. As the family showed up, we saw a man coming toward us and he wanted to talk to us and we didn't feel the Spirit as he walked up and said that he wanted to talk to us.

At this point in the mission, a drunk is a normal thing to see and I know they always want to talk with us. I would have been fine with a drunk, but this was next level stuff. He started asking us who we were and what we were doing in business suits. We told him we had just returned from stake conference. He started telling us the he was the greatest guy ever and that all he had was thanks to Satan. This guy was a legit Satan worshipper! He rolled us his sleeve and he had a tattooed Satan on his arm and told us a bunch of trash about what he believed. He honestly just wanted to fight with us. We were kind to him even though he went off on a bunch of things. It was a very interesting experience.

Well, I have some really cool news!! Back in August and September, when I was serving in Valle Hermoso with Elder Hernandez, we baptized a mom and her daughter, Flora and Julieta. This week, Julieta will be finishing up her mission papers because when she completes a year in the church she wants to go on a mission!! It is one of the coolest things that you could ever hear, that your convert is not only active and serving in a calling in the church, but that they will be going on a mission!!! I am so excited for her!!

I absolutely love the mission and I know it blesses the life of the missionary and the people! Whoever has the chance to serve, do it!! It will only be the best thing you could ever do!!

Elder HJones: New Companion, New Opportunities

So on Wednesday I took a bus and traveled to Antofagasta to receive my brand new companion. We had a little meeting with all the new missionaries and had a small training meeting with Presidente Ferriera. My new companion is Elder Estes. He's from Las Vegas Nevada. Super excited to work with him and help him grow as a missionary.

My district leader is Elder Barreto. He's from Peru and he's training too. We live in the same pension. So it's me, Elder Estes, Elder Barreto, and his new companion Elder Barker. There are four hermanas in the zone, and they are all Latinas.

We also had a baptism this past week, for Gian Franco. Super cool to watch him get baptized. My new companion was able to baptize him--his first baptism in the mission!

I am grateful for the many opportunities that I have to grow and for the opportunities that God gives me to grow personally and to help others do the same.

Love,

Elder Jones

Elder ZJones: How Things Are Going

Hey! Everything is good here, just different, but I like it so far. My new companion is Elder Marquez. He is 23 years old and is from Ecuador. He was a convert at 12 years old and was inactive a little during that time. He has a strong testimony and is a great worker. I'm still trying to get used to things as a trainer, though. Like you said, being with one comp for three transfers, I got used to to how Elder Sena worked, what he said, and everything he did. Now things are different and I'm trying to figure everything out again all new so we can teach united.

Elder Shephard and Elder Fenn are two other elders in our district and they live in our same pension. They are both from Idaho and knew each other before the mission. Elder Shephard has eight months in the field and Fenn has five, so our district is really young!

My Spanish is coming along. I think sometimes I don't give myself credit for how much I know. I'm good at understanding during lessons and talking during lessons. Vocabulary words that don't relate  to the gospel are a little harder for me to understand, but I know it will come.

Our district is working hard in our area. We continue to teach and invite everyone during lessons and contacts. The assistants called and told us that president is pleased in our work and to continue to work hard and the way that we are. They also asked us to pray and find someone to baptize this week. This past week Luana wasn't baptized because she had some problems with her health. She has something this Saturday that would conflict with her baptismal fecha, but are hoping to get her baptized on Viernes or another day this week.

We are also working with Cristian and Facundo. They are brothers and their family came to church. There parents aren't married. We have a cita with them today them and are hoping to help them help us to get there kids baptized as well this week. They know baptism is important, so we know that the spirit and the Lord will be with us.

Other than that, everything is good. Working hard to find those that are ready. We have found so many people who need to get married. We are working with them but also looking to find those who are ready!

Love you!!

Elder Jones

Elder HJones: Patience

This week, we were able to have a baptism for an 11 year old boy named Joaquin. It was a huge blessing to watch him get baptized. He was gonna be baptized two weeks ago, but I guess fear stopped him. But we continued to work with him and helped him feel comfortable. And this past week he felt ready.

I have learned the principle of patience on the mission a lot. That I need to be patient with myself, my companion, and investigators. I have learned that people progress differently. That sometimes its fast, but sometimes people need more time. But its always a blessings to watch people progress, whether fast or slow.

The assistants called us this week for transfers. And I was surprised to hear that I will be training! Another elder in our branch will be training as well. So we will have two brand. new. missionaries. in our rama. I am pretty excited. But, of course, I am a little nervous, too: leading almost everything in the sector, taking on more responsibility. But I know God will help me. I will be staying in Paipote, but will be training a brand new missionary! CRAZY TO KNOW THAT ZERAM AND I ARE BOTH TRAINING AT THE SAME TIME!

This church is true!

Elder Jones

P.S.
The gigante elder is Elder Atagi! He got transfered to Iquique today. His dad is from Samoa! So we are pretty much family with him! haha

Elder ZJones: Training!

A lot has happened this week!

First, we had a baptism this week, Angela!! It was such a blessing to see how much baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost could help her in her life. This past couple weeks she has had so many problems in her home and with her family. When we would teach her so would cry and tell us
everything about her life and problems. We gave her a Priesthood Blessing for comfort. I am grateful for the opportunity to have the Priesthood and to help others receive the comfort that they need.
We also explained to her the blessings of the companionship of the Holy Ghost and the help that He can bring to her after she is baptized.

Second, on Saturday, the Assistants called to inform us about Tuesday transfers. They informed us that I would be staying in Jardines, but receiving a refuerzo or, a greenie!!  A kid stright from the MTC!! Man! I don't really know what to think. I am a little nervous, but I know the Lord will help me. Also, two more elders are coming into the area, so I am going to be the only missionary who knows the area and the members. I could use your prayers to be guided and feel comfort these next couple weeks! I certainly wasn't expecting to train this early! But, I know that the Lord with bless me and help me with my new companion and in the area.

So tomorrow will be a full day. I have training at the mission offices--training to to know how to teach the language to my companion in the next 12 weeks, and help him adapt to the mission. I don't know yet if I will receive a Latino or Norte Americano. Guess I will have to wait and see.

There is a lot to think about now. With the investigators and the area, things are always in my head, but know it's something always on my mind: ways to help them, what to teach, and where to go. We will see how it goes this next week. I was talking to Elder Ruiz, my zone leader about this. He said that everything will go well and I will do great! ha ha

As a mission, we have learned more about the importance of praying with faith. As we pray with faith, we have trust that what we ask, we can receive. Faith leads to action. We have the faith that the things that we asked for in our prayer, we can receive as we do our part and act on those things. Many times when we pray we want our results and exactly what we ask. But The Lord has his thoughts and wants things a certain way. When we pray with faith, our thoughts and our ways can change and become those things that the Lord wants!

Have a great week! Pray for us in this area!

Elder Jones

Elder CJones: Temple

This picture was taken in front of the Monterrey Temple. We went there as a mission for a day to hear Elder Neil L. Andersen and receive some counsel from him for the mission.

July 1st is the day that the Mexico Reynosa Mission and the Mexico Monterrey East Mission the missions will be combined and we will be able to work in the area of Monterrey. They are still deciding the boundaries for the missions and we might get the temple area! If we get the temple in our area, I will have the opportunity to go before I come home, which I would honestly really love.

Elder HJones: Work for Blessings

"Nadie recibe experiencias grandiosas con mínimo esfuerzas."

This was a hard week for me. Not really because the sector was bad, more kinda personally. I have learned in the mission that Satan wants everyone to fall. He doesn't want our investigators to progress. But he also doesn't want missionaries to progress. This week was hard with the language. It's easy to get frustrated with myself when the language isn't as good as I want it. When people in the street or members constantly tell me that they can't understand me, or I need to improve my Spanish. I know its not there intention to make me feel bad, but sometimes it just stinks.

So this week I learned that no matter my circumstances. No matter how hard the mission is, physically, mentally, personally, I still need to work hard. Con animo, con el Epíritu. It's easy to give up or slow down when it hard. But the blessings come when we get up and press forward, even when its difficult. I have learned this week that my efforts, in every moment, mean something. That when things are easy and successful, I need to continue working hard. And when things are hard and I feel like I'm failing, I need to continue working hard.

I had my birthday this week! And it was Elder Perez's birthday (my companion), this week too! It was good. We spent some time with members in our branch and ate a lot of food.

We can't receive great blessings, miracles, and experiences if we don't work for it. Blessings are like a cake. If we want these blessings, we need to bake a cake. We need to work for our blessings.

We cant wait for miracles to come, we have to get up and look for them.

Love, Elder Jones

Miracle Story:

So last Monday I lost my wallet. It had my mission card and my personal debit card inside. I left it in a collectivo (taxi). I called the mission office about it that night. They canceled my mission card. But they said that they cant do anything about my personal card. That I needed to wait a week to email my parents to cancel it.

I was worried. Because I am from a different country my card works like a credit card, so you don't need a pin to use the card. So someone can take all of the money that was on the card. I prayed so hard during the week to either find it, or that a crazy person wasn't using it. In my prayers I pretty much told God that I trust Him. That I cant do anything about it, but that I can trust Him that everything will be alright.

Anyway. The collectivo driver found us in the street driving past and gave it to me. Oh man...super grateful. Strengthens my testimony that God cares. Even the small things in our lives. And through faith, we have no need to worry!

Elder ZJones: Having a Strong Testimony

It was a great week. I had my interview with President Resek, which went great. We talked a lot about testimony and the importance of knowing our purpose. I also spoke in sacrament meeting about the importance of a testimony. And it turned out pretty well. I wrote everything down in Spanish and studied it all week for Sunday. Well, they didn't have a microphone during sacrament meeting, so I had to speak extra loud! During the talk I remembered what I wrote, generally, but chose to follow the Spirit and kinda just talked. I looked down at my notes twice to read a scripture and a quote. I actually enjoyed it! At home, I didn't enjoy speaking in church that much. I would do it, but just read the paper I wrote! But I enjoyed talking! Kind weird!

I am learning how important it is to know how to obtain a testimony and the ways that we can strengthen our testimony. For us to receive a testimony, it comes through our efforts of fasting and prayer.

In Alma 5:45-46 it says:

45 And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?

46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.

As we have the desire to know something is true, we can pray and fast, and through the Holy Ghost, know without doubt that it is true. It is through the Holy Ghost, which testifies of truth, that we know it is true. We can feel it, and it is something that we cannot deny.

But how do we grow our testimony. This is simple! As we read, pray, and continue to study and ponder the things in the gospel, our testimony will start to grow. But, for it to grow, we need to be worth and obeying the commandments of God. He can only bless us when we are following him and his commandments. We can read everyday from the Book of Mormon, but it won't do much if we aren't being obedient to receive the Lord's and the blessings.

It is also important that we share our testimonies. When we share it, it helps build out own  testimonies, but also builds those who hear it.

So it turns out that we didn't baptize Ismael. He had problems with the interview so we rescheduled it for the 10th of March. We are still trying to help him grow his testimony of the Book of Mormon. He  said it's true but hasn't prayed to know it's true, which is an important part of conversion.

Have a great week. This week, if you can, pray for Ismael to gain testimony of the Book of Mormon, and Adrian and Veronica to feel the blessing of marriage and follow through.

Elder Jones

P.S. Pictures next week. I promise!