Elder HJones: Vallenar

So Vallenar is different.
We don't say "difficult" here in mission, we say different. And Vallenar is really different from my last sector. We have to work extra hard here to find people that want to listen and come to church.

The church house is really far away from our area. And most people don't have cars. So to go to church people either have to walk 30-40 minutes or pay a collectivo (bus). So it's a sacrifice for the people here.  But this week we are going to work extra hard to get people to church with us.

I feel like ever since I got here Satan has put in my head that things here in Vallenar are "impossible." Many things are working against us and it's true, things here are different, but we are just going to work harder. I know that it isn't gonna be easy, this week was pretty hard getting used to everything, and I got angry a couple times, but I know that God is at the head of this work. And I am just going to trust in Him and go to work.

Con caleta de amor,  Elder Jones

Elder ZJones: Family

What a week and what a change! I'm in my new area with my new companion, Elder Burk, and we are lost! The area is huge and we are both new. We are helping our zone to accomplish their goals and to work hard in their areas. Much of the time during this past week, we have been contacting to find new people to teach because when we came there wasn't much to work with.

So we started contacting houses one by one. When we got to the third house we met a man outside. He was watering his plants and explained that his son doesn't believe in God. He invited us in and we taught his family. There are 8 in the family, but there are only 4 who have the interest in listening. The parents, Juan and Lorena, want to see a change in the family. We are teaching and trying to help them understand the importance of faith, that through faith they can see a change in the family. Two of their children, Gabriel and Ayalen, are interested in our message, as well. Gabriel does't  know if he believes in God, but wants to know. Pray for them, the Familia Vergara, that they will continue to grow in the gospel. They came to church with us yesterday and loved it!

We have the goal to find families this week. The gospel is centered in the family. Pray that as we work, we will find families that have a desire to change and accept the Savior in there lives!

Love you all! Have a great Week!

Elder Jones

Elder EJones: Capilla Abierta

This week we had the opportunity to do a Capilla Abierta, which is basically an open house for our Church building. Members and investigators are invited to come and to invite others to come and to learn more. We teach them basic principles and show them around the building. We introduce them to things like the Primary, Elders' Quorum, Relief Society and other things. It was really cool to be part of this experience. Member have an important role to help all to come unto Christ as well. We all can and should be missionaries.

This week my companion was sick so we didn't do a whole lot. But it gave me lots of time to study and to just learn more from the Book of Mormon and the words of the living prophets. As we strive to learn from the living prophets, we will see the hand and the power of the Lord in our lives. He loves us and is happy when we strive and make the best choices to follow him.

This week was good. We had district council on Thanksgiving so I was able to talk with other Americans and wish them a happy Thanksgiving. I made pancakes and eggs for our dinner to make it as American as I could haha. Things with the comp are really good. We are working together, laughing a lot more, and I'm beginning to enjoy my mission more and more.

The members are good. Our ward boundaries are cut in half. My companion and I have have half and the other missionaries have the other half. So there's some where I don't know if they even live in our boundaries, but it' good. We had 5 investigators this week in sacrament meeting. The weather is good and I just need to buy a rain jacket because "every time it rains it rains..." and haha yeah so my blow dryer died this week, so no more of that haha. And we have a member that does our laundry, but occasionally we do our own.

This week I learned more about my purpose on the earth and as a missionary. My purpose is to have joy, and I can only have joy through Jesus Christ and his gospel. ¿How am I treating my life like it is a blessing from God? The best thing I can do is share the joy. We learned about light the world for this year. And that's exactly how everyday as a missionary should be. Light this dark world with everlasting light. Who is Jesus Christ. He is the only way, the perfect example to me and all of us!!

With love,
Elder Jones

Our Thanksgiving Dinner

Elder ZJones: Apostle of God

This past week we had the great chance to listen to and meet Elder Gerrit W. Gong from the Quorum of the Twelve. It was such a great experience and the Spirit was felt. I am grateful that Christ's Church has been restored on earth and that we have prophets and apostles on the earth.

Elder Gong explained about the doctrine of Christ and how important it is in our daily lives. He also talked about the name of the Church. He explained that it is a testimony, and that the name teaches
it is THE Church of Jesus Christ. It is His church that he has established on earth. It is not the church a prophet or a man, but the Church of Jesus Christ Himself.

As we share and show that it is a testimony to us, it will help others feel the same. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His Church that it can guide us and lead us back to him presence.

Pray that Ever, Adaluz, and Susanna will prepare themselves to be baptized this week.

We had transfers. And I will be leaving. I am staying in the same zone which is about 20 minutes in train from the area that I am in now. My new companion is Elder Burk from Idaho. Pray that we will have success in our area and find the people that we need to! Have a great week!

Elder Jones

Pday Field trip

Elder EJones: Once Upon a Time

Intercambios

Once upon a time there were two missionaries, Elder Reyes and Elder Jones, and they had "one" investigators show up to church, and witnessed the miracles of the Lord in their service as missionaries.

This week we found a family. Felix and Sofia are progressing really well. They have two kids and, they are married!! Which is a bonus because most of the time people here live together and are not married. So were teaching them on Saturday and invited them to come to church with us. They live about 15 to 20 minutes away from the church and we suggested to them that we can come pick them up.  They said they could come on their own...which raised our doubts. So Sunday comes and we get to church with some of our other investigators, and there they are!! They stayed for all 3 meetings too!! I am able to feel the Savior's love--the love that He has for all his children and that some people are ready to receive his word!!

A little pet I found

This week I read in Matthew about the parable of the sower. There were 4 different ways in which the seeds could fall, where they could land. Only those that landed on true soil were able to take up root and to grow. We have the opportunity to plant our root in the the soil. To plant it in Christ. And if we are truly planted in Christ, persecution, and affliction won't affect us because we know where we are planted!! So plant your seed in the Lord and He will bless you!!

Love you all,
Elder Jones

Elder HJones: I Can Do All Things Through Christ

This week was really good. A little slow because my companion was sick the whole week. But we pushed through and he survived.

On Tuesday, we had a zone conference with Presidente Ferriera and it was really awesome. I always learn so much from him and he always teaching with so much love and power. We also received transfers this week. And I am leaving! After 10 months in Copiapo I am leaving to a city 2 hours south called Vallenar. It's really green and the smallest zone in the mission.

I am going to miss all the people in Copiapo. I had 10 months in Copiapo and I am going to miss all my converts and the members. But that's alright. God needs me in Vallenar. Y vamos a hacer todo lo que Dios quiere que hagamos!

One of the things that we teach the people here in Chile is that we all have difficulties. It is part of our lives here on earth. We are here to be tested, to fail, to use the Atonement, and to improve. But the only way that we can improve and progress is if we use the Atonement of Jesus Christ and look to Him. Though Christ we can do all things. Even if things seem impossible, they are possible through Christ! 
 
Philippians 4: 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Con mucho amor, Elder Jones

Elder HJones: MILAGROS!!!

Everything is going super well here in Chile. It is burning hot [because it is going into summer], but we are still working really hard.

This week was AWESOME! We saw miracles and God blessed us a ton.

So to make a long story short, we baptized SEVEN people yesterday!! It was super awesome! We baptized an entire family and it was really cool to see. It was the grandma, the mom, and five children. One thing that  have learned during my mission is that we can never give up on people.

We knocked on their door a while ago. The grandma was really awesome. But when we past by their house again, they didn't progress a lot because they could never find time to listen to us. So we stopped passing by. And that is what I have learned in the mission, we can't give up on people. It's not going to be easy, but we can't throw in the towel so quickly.

So a couple weeks later we were talking to some kids in the street. They were playing soccer so we started to talk with them. well, we meet up with one of the kids that lived in the house. He was really receptive and in my mind (I'm sure it was the Spirit telling me), I knew that he and his family were going to accept the gospel. Something told me that God was calling the people that lived in that house.

So we started passing by again and they were all so receptive. They listened. They asked questions. They felt the Spirit. And they all came to church and all of them wanted to get baptized. They were definitely prepared! So yesterday, seven of God children entered in the water of baptism!! Silvia, Erika, Bayron, Brandon, Jacob, Tati, and Gregory! Miracles!

We have a couple more friends progressing as well. Two girls that always come to church with a member: Nicil and Francisca. They are always in the church during activities and such. They want to get baptized but we need permission from their parents. Nicil and Francisca work a lot so it's really hard to find them. And we are also going to focus on a young adult named Rody this week. Another friend of a member. He is really awesome. He is about 24 years old and really receptive. Please pray that he can feel the Spirit and that he can show his faith by coming to church. He works on Sundays, but his boss is a member. So she is willing to give him work off, but he needs to ask and show that he wants to do it. 

And tomorrow we have a conference with Presidente. Three zones are meeting with Presidente. I am always excited to have zone conferences with him because the Spirit is so strong. Today we played soccer with Presidente. And when we were starting, he told me that tomorrow at the conference, I have to talk in front of everyone and tell them what we did to baptize the seven people this weekend. So that's gonna be fun...

And this week we have cambios! I am not sure what will happen. I feel like I am going to stay in Copiapo. My companion has quite a bit of time here, so I think that he is going to leave, but I am not sure. But I am pretty sure that I will stay and end up having more then a year here in Copiapo! yeah!

So that was my week. Full of miracles and blessings from God. I am so happy to be a missionary and to be a instrument on God's hands!

Something crazy about Chile (and I think South America in general) is that everyone drinks soda. With every meal it's soda. So the members are always giving us soda to drink. When I was in Arica it was more juice, but here in Copiapo, pure soda pop. I am getting fat. haha just kidding

It's weird that Christmas is just around the corner. People are already putting up decorations, which is weird, because there is no snow and it's not cold.

But everything is good here. I LOVE being a missionary. I think I am just gonna live here, so don't expect me to come home. haha

Love, Elder Jones

Elder ZJones: The Holy Ghost

We saw many blessings this past week.

The Holy Ghost has helped Sara, Cielo, and Jeremias a lot this week. In the beginning, as we taught them, they didn't have a big desire to read The Book of Mormon or to pray. It always made it difficult for us to try to help them progress and to be baptized. We almost stopped visiting them but my companion and I both felt that this gospel can help them and that the Lord will help them. As we passed by this past week, they all wanted to pray and read with us!! They were listening and tried to understand what we were telling them They came to church and loved it!

It was raining a lot on Saturday as we were trying to find a lady's home. We knocked a door looking for her, but found somebody else. We talked with the lady that was home and she explained all the problems in her family. She has nine kids but is now separated and doesn't live with them. She said her husband was bad to her so she had to leave. She is now married to another person. We shared with her God's love for her and the blessings of this gospel. She came to church with us and loved it. She explained that she felt included and that she wants to come again. Her name is Susanna and we will be helping her so that the Spirit can be her guide.

Two of our friends, Ever and Adaluz, are progressing. As we have been teaching them, they love the gospel. They love the Plan of Salvation and love the opportunity that we have to choose and one day if we want, live with Heavenly Father and Jesus again. It is a blessing to see that they are loving it and that they are looking to learn. We are planning them to be baptized this week. Pray for them that all will go well.

Guess what? Elder Gong will be visiting our mission on Friday! We are excited on what he will have to say! Love you! Have a great week!!!

Elder Jones

Elder EJones: It's Raining, It's Pouring

Lost

So this week was quite the week.

On Wednesday we received rain like I've never seen before. We were mid-proselyting when it all came down. And we were drenched!! It was like jumping into a pool. Luckily, the only thing that didn't really get wet in my bag was my scriptures...miracle one of this week!!

Drying out wet stuff

Miracle two this week was with one of our friends we are teaching, Mary Dias. She's 14 years old and was a reference from members who just moved to our area from the Santa Cruz North Mission. We had a lesson with her and talked a little about baptism. Then, she said, "I want to be baptized." It was so cool and strengthened my testimony of the Lord preparing his children to receive his message.

We made pancakes!

Miracle three this week: We had 10 friends show up to sacrament meeting!! It was a miracle and Elder Reyes and I were so happy. "The Lord is more willing to perform miracles than we are willing to receive them, so work hard and expect miracles" (a quote my mom sent with me).

This week I read in Preach my Gospel, "a great indicator of ones personal conversion is the desire to share the gospel with others" (President Howard W. Hunter)

Taking a taxi with the elders in our pench

This is the Lord's work and we show our love for Him as we share His eternal message with others. Never been more happy than to be a missionary and representative of Jesus Christ!! The gospel is true!!

Love, Elder Jones

Selfie!

Futbol!!!

Elder ZJones: Finding and Teaching

This past week we baptized three children and confirmed two of them.

We had a great miracle this past week. On Saturday we were contacting and invited people to church. At about 12, we didn't have anyone else to visit. Every one of our citas (appointments) dropped. My companion suggested we visit a man who really doesn't want anything to do with us or the gospel. He just likes to talk. But we went anyways, oh me with little faith. When we stopped by, he wasn't there. And there you go. A miracle!

Just Kidding. . . .

The neighbor was walking by and said he wasn't there. So, of course, we started talking with him. He has been to church before and his son was baptized in the Church. He is MARRIED and we invited him to come to church and to be baptized. He accepted. He didn't come this week but we will be passing by and hoping that he and his wife will progress. There names are Ever and Adaluz.

We are also trying to help the bishop's nephew. He is 16. His name is Matias. Pray for him that he will have a desire to grow a testimony and not just go because his cousins go!

Oh and Happy Halloween. It isn't big at all here. There were like 20 kids in the street! haha

Elder HJones: Service = Growth

So this past week we had a zone training and we talked about the Holy Ghost and the important role that He plays in missionary work. We also talked about the people that we teach, that we should focus on them more then ourselves. We are here to teach them and through service we grow more and become better servants of God.

One thing that was said during the training really reflects the power of service. "When we work and help others, and focus more on them and not in ourselves, the attributes and characteristics of Christ come into our lives with more power and strength."

And it's true. When we focus on others, we grow.

This past week was a little better then the last one. Our district improved a little and overall it was a little better. I went to the area where the sisters have been struggling and worked a little more with them. They did a little better this week and now have some people that are progressing a little.

Yesterday five people came to church with us. Four of them are planning on getting baptized this weekend!! Please pray that everything will work out for them. Their names are Byron, Brandon, Tati, and Jacob. Last week we went to their house to talk to them. We entered (for the first time) and we were able to talk with their parents. In the beginning, the mom didn't want to give permission. She said that her kids already have been baptized when they were babies. As we started to explain a little more, she started to understand. Then she got really excited that her kids can get baptized like Jesus Chirst. Ella dijo, "El verdadero bautismo." Milagros!! 

 And next week we are planning on baptizing another one. His name is Francisco. He is really awesome. And we have a couple more people that can get baptized this month. Nicol and Francisca need permission from their parents and Rody needs to come to church. He is ready to hear the gospel. He was prepared from God! So we are working a lot with them and doing our best to help them progress to eventually get baptizing this month!

My companion is doing really well. He is improving a lot. He is getting more confident with himself. It is awesome to see the progress that he is making. His Spanish is improving a lot as well. 

The food here is good. A lot of chicken and rice. Like, A LOT of it. And I do have to say that now I like mayo. I guess I have just gotten used to it because Chileanos put it on everything!

So everything is going well here.  We are praying with faith that we can baptize four of our friends this weekend. I know that this is the true church. The only true church. This is where we are happy.  

Les amo! Elder Jones

Elder EJones: Family Search

Hola all!!

Halloween!

This past week, in our email from President Rodrigues, he challenged us to look for families. To find families to teach them the gospel so they can enjoy the power of the gospel and of the priesthood in their homes. He also challenged us to find those that would be future possessors of the priesthood as well. I'm learning that the Lord provides all the tools necessary to do His work, I just have to know how to use them, and use them in the right way.

We found a couple families today that have the desire to learn.

Waiting seven hours for our visa . . .

I learned while reading about the Savior coming to the Americas, the need for baptism and a remission of sins through repentance and the Holy Ghost. I thought a lot about the power I have as a missionary, to be able to preach the same things the Lord did as he visited the Americas.

Pray this week that the families we found, and will find, will open their heart to this message so that they can receive the blessings of the Gospel and of the priesthood in their lives!!

Love you,
Elder Jones

We got A/C . . . what a blessing!