Elder EJones: Talk?

This week was good, like a normal week.

Finding and teaching more and more people everyday. One thing I learned from my companion, Elder Bello, is showing the lessons that we teach to people and letting them choose what message they want to learn and be taught. It makes it so that they can feel they have a message that they want to learn and one that can help them.

We helped an investigator wheelbarrow lots of dirt from the front of her yard to where she is building her house and it was super fun.

Things here in Quior 2 are really good. We are finding really good people that are progressing and they always need our prayers to keep pressing forward and having faith in the Lord.

So this week, we walked into the church like seven minutes early or so, and one of the brothers comes up to us and is like "Yeah, so the two people that had talks today can't make it...so can you two give 10 minute talks?" So Elder Bello and I gave sacrament meeting talks and had like two minutes to prepare. I felt like it was giving a lesson mas o menos (more or less), but it was funny how we were asked to speak and it was good.

I also got to bless the sacrament in Spanish which was really cool. I'm so grateful that the gospel is the same, that the Atonement is for everyone no matter where we are or what language we are speaking.

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. That in anything, when looking for answers or direction, we can turn to the Book of Mormon and find what we need. I know that it testifies of Jesus Christ, and that he truly lives. This gospel is true, and the Lord helps us as we help ourselves, and get lost in selfless service to others!!

. . . And this Saturday we find out if we have cambios, so well see. If I don't leave, I think for sure I'll be here for two more cambios because Elder Bello ends his mission in March. I like it here in Quior.

That's all for now. Praying for you.
Elder Jones

(P.S. really miss salads haha)

Elder EJones: A New Year!

3 Nephi 11:33
And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.

This week the Familia Guerra was baptized. We've been working with them for a few months now, from their wedding, to their progression spiritually, and now to their baptism. I know that the Lord has a plan for all of us. And I know that we can all learn and participate in that plan by being baptized. It is the door for further knowledge to learn and to grow and to become like our Savior Jesus Christ.

Here's a funny story: So we had an appointment at a house that we contacted this last week. And we were waiting outside the house for the residents to come. Over here, there's not really any doors so we just yell like "Buenos Tardes" and clap and people come to their door openings. So we were calling and waiting for a family in a home and we saw a volleyball on the ground. My companion and I started yelling "Wilson" because that's the name of the volleyball, right. And then we started laughing because we realized the name of the guy that lived in that house is named Wilson!! But he didn't come out because he wasn't there but it was still funny.

Elder EJones: It's NOT Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

Another week down, and they just keep getting faster it seems like. Things with Elder Bello are really good!! We are getting along really well together. He speaks English and is basically fluent so the fun thing is to talk with him in Spanish and he responds in English and everyone looks at us weird in the trufis and micros and stuff haha. And yes, we are working hard and trying to find and talk to more and more people everyday.

Christmas in [summer] is something else. Eating watermelon and mangoes and things like that makes it feel more like the 4th of July here and not like Christmas. But it's really good. I think here there's lots of fireworks and stuff on Christmas. People do have Christmas trees and lights and stuff here so that's pretty cool.

The food here is good. Lots of rice and chicken so that means lots of mass, so eating less and working out more in the mornings helps to stay healthier from all the rice we eat. jaja.

This week I learned more about faith. Faith is sincere and lasting repentance. To be sincere is to have meaningful, full purpose of heart in repentance. Lasting repentance is that we continue to repent day by day, and continue to change to align our lives more with the Lord. Literally with faith we can do all things with the Lord. We have to be willing to have faith, and act on that faith to receive the answers in the Lord in his time.

I know that Christ lives and loves me. He wants me to come unto him and I can as I exercise faith in him and strive to be better daily!!

This week were were able to baptize Olga Rodriguez. She has been progressing and learning since a few weeks before I got here to El Quior 2. I have been able to see the power of the Lord work in our area with investigators like her.

The Lord is willing to bless us as we are willing to follow his example to keep his commandments. He gave the commandments,

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

As we love the Lord with all our hearts, we are willing to follow him and keep all his commandments. We can find true happiness as we do so, and true joy that we want to and are willing to share!! Merry Christmas!

Love you,
Elder Jones

Elder EJones: The Waters of Baptism

And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.

This week Elder Reyes and I had the opportunity to baptize sisters. It was cool to witness the power of baptism and the Holy Ghost in the lives of those that we teach. baptism is the gate in which we enter to receive the blessings of Christ in our lives. To learn to be a light, and to represent Jesus Christ at all times. The gospel is true and Christ is the way.

Love you,
Elder Jones

P.S. Random side note...so Elder Reyes and I sang "Peace in Christ" this week at the baptism. Elder Reyes sang a verse in English; I sang another in Spanish; and then we sang together. It was pretty cool even though the both of us cannot sing. The first counselor in the bishopric was there and he was sick, with his whole body hurting. The next day, in sacrament meeting, the last thing he said after all the talks was that he went to the baptism in pain. Then, looking directly at me said, (in Spanish, of course," "But the elders sang a musical number and one of them had an amazing voice and in the moment he started singing my pain went away." It was kinda cool to hear that.

Elder EJones: Week 6!

This week has been a lot better. My companion and I have grown a lot: learning better together and laughing more. This week marks the first 6 weeks of my mission, the first transfer in the mission but it has been really good, I'm excited to make this next 6 weeks even better.

This week I read in Helaman about Samuel the Lamanite (Sam the Lam haha) and in his three or four chapters he mentions repentance 26 times. I'm learning that I need to do a better job at crying repentance. And that doesn't mean they have to be doing something bad or wrong, but to change. Like to start reading the Book of Mormon or start praying. And these are the same things Christ teaches when He visited the Americas. He taught the people to repent and be baptized in His name. This week was hard. Not a lot of people progressed and it feels like were losing some of our investigators. But I'm learning to submit my will to the Lord and do all I can to find people. He will help me find those he has prepared.

No weird food this week, just the normal. We always have soup and rice and chicken, it's all good. My health is still really good, so I'm glad. And I'm learning to be more happy, and that as I smile the happier I am. So don't forget to SMILE!!

Love you,
Elder Jones

P.S.
Just for the record. This week we helped some random lady bury her dead dog and helped other people figure out some electrical work in their house! It helps that my companion likes electrical work so we figured things out together! And it's so weird, I have the "work bug" alot!

(Definition "Work bug" what happens when you are compulsive about cleaning).

Elder EJones: One Day at a Time

This week was full of lots of things!!

We had the opportunity to hear from our prophet president Russell M. Nelson two times this week!! The first was a broadcast from Lima, Peru where he spoke to the missionaries. The second time was a transmission from La Paz for the members in Bolivia.

He spoke of the teaching of Jesus Christ in 3 Nephi and our responsibilities to learn the gospel and to share it. He reminded us to do as Jesus Christ did while He was on the earth: He taught to baptize, to teach doctrine, and that there be no disputations among the people. On Sunday, President Nelson spoke to all the members in Bolivia and talked in SPANISH!! He taught of the responsibility to learn the gospel in our families, and the responsibility of parents to teach their children!!

I had my testimony strengthened of the divinity and power of the prophet of God. As we listen to the words of the prophet, and apply his counsel in our lives to go to the temple, and to learn in our families, we can receive marvelous blessings!!

We had a baptism this week and it was an amazing experience. The first for me and Elder Reyes!! I got to baptize our investigator!! It was the coolest and most humbling experience in the world to be able to baptize in Spanish, and then my companion confirmed our friend in sacrament meeting.

Pray that the people will continue to open their hearts to receive this message, the message of eternal joy and happiness!!


haha Forgot to mention another thing. So Friday night at like 8:30 were walking to another appointment and we get a call for me to speak in church that Sunday. So I had Saturday to prepare a 10 minute talk in Spanish on "Enduring to the End" in our little time to study because we had the conference with President Nelson! haha. But it went well and the gift of tongues is real!!

Love you all,
Elder Jones

Elder EJones: Take Note

This week was full of ups and downs. First off, we invited a friend to watch conference and he said he would. So long story short, we didn't see him at the conference so when we had our appointment we asked him why he wasn't there. Turns out he was there!! He just walked in late and didn't see us. SO we got really excited! Turns out, he also had notes from all the Sunday morning talks so we were able to talk and testify of prophets!!

This week we also had a couple of friends that just kinda stopped listening to us, didn't want to read the Book of Mormon, or listen to our message. So that was kinda rough. I'm learning to be happy even if people reject the message we have.

We had a multi-stake conference this Sunday and got to hear from stake presidents and our mission president. They talked a lot about sustaining the prophet, living as examples, and living to show that we sustain the prophet. As we live to sustain the prophet, we live and are example and representatives of Christ. All of us should share the gospel and live as example to all those around us! I know this is Christs Church and that he calls prophets today!!

Love you all,
Elder Jones

Elder EJones: Prophets, Apostles, and Revelation

Conference in the Bishop's Office!

This week was a great week!!

General Conference was amazing. I was able to watch it in English with five other American missionaries in the bishop's office of one of our church buildings. It's amazing to me how the Lord is fulfilling his promise in the Book of Mormon to share His gospel with all people in their own language. I loved learning about taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ. It is our job to take upon us His name, and to become one in Christ. Love Him, defend Him, and serve Him by serving others.

This week was funny because in one of our lessons to a family they had me read a couple scriptures in English because they thought it was so cool. I also had the opportunity to give a priesthood blessing with my companion. This strengthened me to know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ, that it is the same Holy Ghost who testifies to all that these things are true. And that His gospel is true, no matter what language we are speaking.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's church and through His prophets we receive His word.

He loves us.

As we learn to put Him at the center of our lives and in our hearts, President Eyring said, He will write His name in our hearts.

Let us not forget that He lives and loves us, and through Him we can do all things.

Elder EJones: Assigned!

It is a pleasure to tell you that Elder Jones has arrived safe and sound to his new area, El Quior 2, with his trainer, Elder Reyes, from Perú.

Thank you for all your support and love. Elder Jones is serving in the Lord´s work, and even though the time seems long, we promise it will go by quickly and the blessings will be grand for working in His vineyard.

With love,
President and Sister Rodríguez
President of the Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission

Elder EJones: Arrived!

It’s a pleasure to inform you that Elder Jones has arrived safely to the Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission. We’re happy to receive him and serve together with him in the Work of the Lord.

We are going to do everything possible to help him have not just a positive experience as a missionary, but an experience that will serve them for the rest of their lives. We will take care of everything we can for your faithful son of God.

Mondays are our preparation days and you will receive notices from your son weekly. We encourage you to write and encourage your son each week to faithfully serve a full-time mission.

We know that this is the Work of God and that Elder Jones will share this truth with many people here in Bolivia.

Sincerely,

President and Sister Rodríguez
President of the Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission