Elder ZJones: Servants of the Lord

There was a ton of rain this past week--not something I really look forward to! haha It can be hard to teach and help investigators when it is rainy. Nobody likes or wants to come to church when there is
rain. Thus, we had no investigators in church this past week, but one.

We baptized Lautaro this past week and he came to church to be confirmed and to receive the Holy Ghost. It was such an amazing experience to see how happy he was as well as the happiness it brought to his family. We are hoping to continue to help his sister to know the importance of baptism and to be baptized in the following week(s).

We had Ward Conference this week. One thing that I liked and remembered was the importance of the first two and great commandments: to love the Lord with all our hearts and to love out neighbor as well. As we serve and as we teach, we are able to show the Lord of our love to him. My dad said to me that we can´t accomplish the second commandment without accomplishing the first. It is a way that we show our love to God. We can show Him in the way that we serve through our thoughts, actions, and desires. I know that as we strive to become more like him and serve to love Him,
we will be happier and receive His help in all things.

Chilean Torta Frita

During Personal Study this past week I studied in John 15:1-16. I learned a lot, but want to share one thing with you.

1. I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

As we know, as servants of the Lord, we are the branches. We help Christ in all things. He is the Center and Nourisher. We are only here to help support Him and hold the fruit. We cannot receive the fruit and do things by ourselves. It is only through Christ, our Vine, that we are able to receive  blessings. He needs us to. So as we put our efforts in a well, to nourish and help the fruit grow, we can prepare the fruit (people, converts, less active members) to be picked and ready for the husbandman, our Heavenly Father. He wants everyone to come back to him and a great
responsibility is our duty in His vineyard.

Have a great week. I know this gospel is true and the Lord can help us be great servants in His work here on the earth.

Elder Jones

Elder ZJones: Staying in Jardines

We have transfers this week. I am staying in Jardines again but receiving a new companion. Elder Marquez is heading to a new area about 3-4 hours distance from my area. I am receiving a Chileno names Elder Rivas. I served with him in one of my past districts. I am excited to work with him and know that we can get a lot of work done here in this area!

This week I was reading in my personal study and found this scripture that I like.

Words Of Mormon 1:7
And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will

The Lord works in us to fulfill His purposes. He puts His trust in us and wants us to help Him with His will. We know His will is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. As His disciples and members of His church, we can help him fulfill His purposes. He knows all things and he can help us know the things that will help us become more like him and progress to live with Him someday! Have a great week!

Elder Jones

Elder ZJones: The Blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ

Con Pte. Resek

I feel like every topic that I share, it is very similar to that of Hyrum's every week! haha

This week we had interviews with President Resek. I love interviews. It is a time that we are able to talk about the mission, our lives, and our invesigators. It is a time I really feel the love Presidente Resek has for each and every missionary.

During the interview we talked about one of our investigators. I asked for help on how we can help them progress. With time during the interview he said that everyone here needs the atonement, and that we need to share with them the importance of the atonement. He said "Don´t go a day on the mission without teaching about the Atonement!"

Conferencia de Zona

I thought about it and it is something that has stuck with me since. Jesus Christ and His suffering and His gift of eternal life needs to be the base of everything we teach. All of us use it everyday and every week.

A way that we can show our love and the importance of the Atonement to us personally is to share about it with others and share how it has helped us personally and in our lives. I know that as we help others, everyday, know the importance of the Atonement and Jesus Christ and help them apply those things in their lives and in their families, it will bless their lives and the Lord will see that the Atonement is of importance to us and will then bless us!

Have a great week!
Love, Elder Jones

Elder Shepard trying to impersonate me

Elder ZJones: Zone Conference This Week

We had many miracles this week. Veronica and Adrian got married!! Veronica was then baptized. It was such an awesome experience to see how much it affected them and their family. Her parents then invited us to stop by and teach them. We are hoping to help them to receive the joy of baptism and this gospel. Luana also finally got baptized this week. The Lord really helped us this week to prepare them to be baptized and now there are many more ready to receive the gospel this month.

We had zone conference and talked about characteristics of baptizers and the ways we can be better at inviting and teaching to baptize. Elder Marquez and I have started applying these things to help us more in our area. We have seen the Lord help us more and more in our area.

Have a great week and love you all!!
Elder Jones

Elder ZJones: We Have a Living Prophet

Chilin' between conference sessions

Wasn't General Conference awesome!! Everything about Conference increased my testimony especially in knowing the love that our Father in Heaven has for each one of us and the guidance of the Prophet that we have in this world. There have been some changes made to better move forward the work of the Lord in His last days, and this pertains to every single member of His church. With the changes in the Priesthood, Ministering, and seven new temples on the way, the Lord is preparing to take a big step forward and help us prepare the world for His gospel and His coming!

I like the verses in Mosiah 8: 16-18 which talk about prophets.

16 And Ammon said that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have great power given him from God.

17 But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known.

18 Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings.

Like it says in the last verse, the Lord, through our faith, is providing miracles and blessing for us a members, received from his leaders, that we can to to better bring forth his work this day!

We have two baptisms planned for this week. Veronica, is going to get married this week as well, which is a great step towards entering the temple and making those sacred covenants with God. We are planning to baptize her this Saturday. Luana is also excited to be baptized as well. I know that they are ready to make these commitments with God.

Everything is good here. As a district we had the challenge to invite 100 people to be baptized. And we did! We invited 50 people to be baptized. My testimony has grown on the importance of inviting and helping everyone know the importance of their baptismal covenant with God!

Thanks for everything! I know that we have a prophet here on this earth who leads and guides us and as we follow and listen to his words, we can receive all the blessings the Lord has promised us!!

Elder Jones

Asado

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 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 ZJones: New Area

New Area

Sorry about not emailing last week. I had a lot going on. My new area is Jardines in the city of Moreno in Buenos Aires Argentina. It is a pretty big area. And it is great. I feel a lot more support from the members here. The area is ready for us to find, teach, and baptize.

There are four missionaries in the area. We share the same apartment but the other companionship is in a different district. Elder Garnica is from Arizon, but his parents are from Mexico. He has one year on the mission. Elder Quintero is from Spain and has 8 months.

Oh funny story. On the day of transfers, I left my carry on in the offices. So for 2-3 days or so I thought I lost it. haha. It had all my bathroom stuff and a pair of shoes. So, guess what?  I didn't brush for three days - - -

just kidding-- I bought a toothbrush!

Right now, we have one investigators we have been focusing on named Ismael. He is gaining a stronger testimony and continues to read and pray. If you can pray that he can continue to prepare to be baptized, that would be awesome! We have a baptismal date with him for the 24th. He has the desire and keeps all the commitments that we give him. He reads and prays, so when we go by we answer any questions that he has. He even came to church yesterday!

Mate

It's kinda funny. With members and investigators, we talk about our families, and sometimes the topic of parents serving missions comes up. So when I tell them that my dad served here in Argentina and that he still drinks mate all the time, they love it! They ask if I drank it before the mission and if my family made Argentine food (YES! Yes we did!) It is always fun to talk about.

We had Zone Conference this week as well. Talked a lot abut baptism and how we can baptize four each month.

In Alma 26:37 we read:

Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen.

I know this to be true. He is mindful of me, my companion, and my investigators. And as we know this we can have this joy and thanksgiving. I invite you all to be more like our Savior and be mindful of all people. In so doing you will receive more joy!

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers! Please pray for Elder Sena and me that we can find those who are ready!

Elder Jones