Elder HJones: Take Up Your Cross and Follow Him

I don't really like to think a lot about how much time I have. A lot of missionaries think about how much time they have, and many know how many days they have remaining. I don't like to think a lot about how much time I have or how much I have left. But I do have to say, time flies!! I can't believe that I hit halfway this week. It's really crazy. There is a feeling a joy and happiness knowing that I  have accomplished one year in the mission. But, it's also sad to think that in a year I will have to remove the name badge.

Everything is normal now for me in Chile (or shall I say, everything is normal for me here in Paipote). I am pretty sure that I should just buy a house right here because I don't think I will every leave! haha  Yes, I am used to the food, the language (even though I cannot speak perfectly yet), and I love the culture.

So this past week, I was able to speak in sacrament meeting. I still remember the first time I spoke in sacrament meting as a missionary. I was really nervous and the members probably didn't understand anything that I said! ha ha

But this time, as I prepared my talk, I thought of two questions. Questions that I am trying to apply better in my life to help strengthen my testimony and help others gain a testimony.

1. What has Jesus Christ done for me?
2. What am I willing to do for Him?

Jesus has done everything for everyone one of us. We can never repay Him for the many things that  He has done. But what are we willing to do for Him? Are you willing to follow His example and "take up your cross?" I know that we can never repay Him. But we can do what He commands. We can do the simple things in this gospel to take up our crosses and follow Him.

Les amo! Elder Jones

Elder HJones: Be Ye Therefore Perfect

This past week was good. We are working a lot with three investigators Daniela, Eveling, and Alonso. They need a mighty change of heart. They need to soften their hearts to hear the message of the gospel. So we are praying and and helping them change and see the many blessings that this gospel has. 

As missionaries we are representatives of Jesus Christ. We teach the things that Jesus Christ taught. We do the things that Jesus Christ did. We wear His name on our chest, we do our very best to follow His perfect example.

Jesus taught and lived the statement, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) Jesus commands us to be perfect, but can we really follow this commandment and be perfect? I have talked to many many people during my mission and many use this word "perfect" to stop themselves from progressing. They put in their heads that to go to church, to be baptized, and to live the gospel, perfection is neccesary. Yes, we should all strive to be perfect, but as we all know, its impossible. But Jesus Christ did the impossible and performed the infinite Atonement. He gave us a tool that we can use. We can never be perfect, but we can always follow His perfect example and use His Atonement.

Hasta Luego!!

Elder Jones

Elder HJones: Transfers

So this week was cambios (transfers). And when cambios come you can never be sure what will happen. I was almost sure that I was leaving...but I am staying in Paipote! I guess God has a different plan then I do. I already have six months here in Paipote and will be here longer, so I guess there is someon in Paipote that I still need to find. And we are having success here, so I am excited to stay and work another transfer with Elder Matos. And I was also called as district leader, so that's pretty exciting.

There are six missionaries in our district. Elder Matos and me, and four sister missionaries. Some new sisters are coming to our area next week so I will tell you more about my district. But I am excited, happy to be a leader to help other missionaries. I know this assignment will help me grow a lot.

As I have been on the mission I have really learned to love the people. We don't walk into a home and teach the lessons just because we need to. We learn to love the people and desire their salvation. And it's sad when people don't want to progress and make the steps to receive the blessings that God has for them. Sometimes, people don't realize how much we really do love the people. We walk everyday, all day. We talk with everyone we meet. We study, pray, and fast for the people because we love them. And it's hard when people don't see the gospel as something that will change and bless their lives. This gospel is the greatest blessing that we can receive. If we apply it and live it, it will change our lives.

And it was a kinda hard week. We have been teaching an awesome family. A single mom with five children and two of the children are interested in the gospel. They came to church and love to pray and read. This past week we challenged them to be baptized. It didn't go that well. Their mom doesn't want to give permission and the kids want to wait until they are older. It kinda broke my heart. We promised blessings, bore testimony...but nope. They are a really humble family and they don't have much. It makes me sad that they don't want to make the necessary steps to receive the blessings that God has for them. This gospel can change their lives, and they want to wait. It's sad for me. But hopefully in the future they will accept it.

This gospel is such a great blessing. It changes lives. In Mosiah 2:41 it says that we receive blessings spiritually and temporally. This gospel is a blessing for everything in our lives. It brings happiness. And it makes me sad when people don't want to accept it. But people have agency. Vamos con fe!

Have a great week! Elder Jones

Elder HJonees: The Gospel is a Miracle

So on Saturday we baptized Max and Ignacio. Really a miracle how we found them.

Two to three weeks ago we contacted Max in the street. He was really receptive and he gave us his address to pass by another day. After we continued to pass by the address we couldn't find him. We called him and he never answered. But one day, after leaving the house without finding anyone, we called him. And a lady answered. We were walking on a long dirt road and in front of us walking towards us was a lady holding her baby. She too was talking on the phone. And on the phone Elder Matos asked, "Are you the lady holding the baby walking towards two missionaries?" And sure enough...it was her!! She was the mom of Max. And we learned that she is a member!! She gave us their real address...we were knocking a door like 2 houses away, and we past by another day. And they got baptized this past week!!

God has a plan for each one of us. He knows that this gospel is a wonderful blessing and He wants everyone to have it. And He puts people or things in our path so we can recieve it. This gospel is true. This gospel is a miracle.

Have a fantastic week!

Love, Elder Jones 

Elder HJones: Blessings

Yesterday I was able to talk with the family! It was super awesome to be able to see them and talk with them a little bit. I was a little jealous when I heard that Zeram and Corom were able to talk with each other, but it's all good! I am just so grateful for my family and I feel their love even though we are many miles apart.

On Friday we had a family home evening with a family: a mother and her 3 kids. The Spirit was really strong. We missionaries and some members were able to share our testimonies and share the blessings that have come through this gospel. This family is working towards gaining their own testimony through attending church and reading the scriptures. We met the mom three months ago and she is already in the middle of Alma!

I know the gospel is true. Family can live together for eternity. It is such a pleasure to see people change their live to have the blessings of this wonderful gospel!

Elder Jones

Elder HJones: Prepare

So throughout the mission I have learned a lot about the word prepare.

We need to prepare ourselves before our missions. Prepare ourselves to work hard, to be obedient, and to follow the will of God. The mission isn't easy. It is full of ups and downs, and we can always prepare ourselves. Not just for a full-time mission. Our missions in all things.

And if we prepare, God will prepare. If we do our part and prepare ourselves first, God will always be there and send blessings.

Jacob 5:61 Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way, that I may bring forth again the natural  fruit, which natural fruit is good and the most precious above all other fruit. 

 We, as missionaries, are laboring in His vineyard, preparing the way for all His children to partake of the most precious fruit. Not just us as missionaries, but all of us as members of this church.

The Good News of the week is that we have found the most receptive investigator! She is super awesome! Her name is Maribel and she has been prepared from God, seriously. We met her last week in the street and she accepted a baptismal date!! She reads in the scriptures (normally we have to nag twice times already, and she wants to get baptized. She told us that the first time we contacted her in the street her mind was full of worries. She had so many things to do, so many questions. But when we talked with her she was filled with peace and comfort. This is the best part of the mission. When people recognize the peace that comes from the gospel. And the gratitude of being a representative of Jesus Christ!

Have a great week. Happy early Mother's Day!

Elder Jones​

Elder HJones: Remember Him

So we had transfers (cambios) and just as I had assumed, I am staying in Paipote. I will continue working with my companion Elder Estes and finish his training. He is super awesome and I am super excited to work with him another next transfer. 

There is a scripture that really describes the mission. It is found in Helaman 12:3,

3 And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him.

I have seen this a lot in the mission. We, as missionaries, experience many difficulties and trials to help us grow. We go through hardships so we can remember Him, so we can trust in Him. This past week our baptism fell through. Because he was under 18, his mom made the decision that she didn't want her son to be baptized. It was hard because I was super excited to see Bastian get baptized. We have been working with him for a while and have really become friends.

But, like in Helaman 12:3, we don't understand everything. Sometimes we are a little prideful, caught up in our own success. And without the help of God through trials we will never truly be successful.

Les amo! Elder Jones

Elder HJones: The Atonement

This week I saw the Atonement of Jesus Christ in action. It's real. Nothing is more powerful than this love that Christ has for us.

We have an investigator that is experiencing some really difficult times. Last week, he was involved in a car accident. I don't know all the details of the story, but he hit a motorcycle driver and the driver didn't survive. He is struggling a lot. We were able to pass by his home and teach him, give him words of comfort. We taught the Plan of Salvation and about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is only through the Atonement can we be healed. The Atonement is helping him, carrying him through this trial. 

I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ can and will carry each one of us through our difficulties and trials. I have seen it in the mission and continue to see it.

Have a super awesome week! Elder Jones   

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 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 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 HJones: The Fruits of our Labors

This week was full of blessings from God! Its so amazing to serve a mission, because you see so many miracles and blessings through hard work. One thing I have learned a lot on the mission is just that. If we are willing to work, do everything we can, God will bless us. He knows are hearts and intentions and wants to bless us.

God's blessings are like the rain. A non-stop rain storm. He wants to get us soaking wet, He is constantly raining blessings on us. Its us that use an umbrella and stop the blessings from reaching us.

This week we had two baptisms for Ismael and Leandro! Super awesome to see them get baptized! We also had seven investigators in church with us! Through our hard work, we were able to see great things happen this past week!

Another awesome thing: I was able to confirm one of our baptisms, to confirm him a member of the church and give him the gift of the Holy Ghost. What a cool experience that was! Maybe one of the coolest experiences in the mission thus far! The best part of the mission is definitely being able to bless the lives of other people!!

Love, Elder Jones

Elder HJones: The Book of Mormon Unites

So this week was good, a lot of new people to teach and work with. The sector that I am in is gold, so much potential because there are so many people to bring to Christ. We had stake conference this past Sunday. It was awesome. An Area Seventy and our Mission President were there and spoke.

Just for my Pops and Zeram!

One thing that was said in this conference that has stood out to me was, "The Book of Mormon unites families. The Book of Mormon saves marriages." And its so true! This is why its so important to READ IT! To have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, of this restored Gospel.

Sometimes its hard to get our investigators to read the Book of Mormon. They don't have "time" or they "forgot." This is why we stress so much for people to read and pray if the Book of Mormon is true. Because the Book of Mormon unites.

Its true. If you read it and pray with faith, with a desire to know, you will receive an answer. I promise.

Please pray that we can baptize more, help the less actives return, and know what to do to receive help from members.

Thanks so much! Love you!

Elder Jones

Yeah

Futbol on Pday

Mas futbol on Pday

Le Bus