Merry Christmas

This week has been super good! We have been super busy with service and with teaching opportunities! We have been working with an excommunicated member this week. We went over for service twice for him this week. We have been thinking about getting him back into the church and rebaptized. We talked to the bishop though and he's been excommunicated a couple times in the past. So he said it might be a process for him to actually come back but we're starting the fellowship and service and teaching process. I'm hoping that we can help him get back into following the commandments and such. 

We have been meeting with members more this week and this next week we are meeting with more members. It has been awesome meeting with members and getting to know them better. I've been getting to know the members a lot better and it's fun getting to know them. We are ushers in church and some of the old ladies in the ward told me that I was their favorite hahaha. That's good I guess. 

And I chipped a freaking tooth this week. I can't believe it. The second time as a missionary. I was eating some leftover texas roadhouse that we had. I was eating ribs and I bite down and I hit a tiny bone. Didn't think much of it. Then we were at a member's having dinner and I start feeling the tooth and think something is different with the tooth. I get home and I look and I saw that I fetching chipped a tooth. And it's the front tooth too. It's not too bad but ill have to go to the dentist hopefully this week or early next week and get it fixed. Idk how that happened cause I've never chipped any teeth in my life besides these past 3 months I've chipped two. Gotta be kidding me. 

I just get super excited when our lessons actually go through and we can actually teach them. There's a lot of people that I talk to on Facebook that don't care. They just flat out reject it and I'm like come on! This'll help you! But nope. But I make sure to let them know that they can always reach out. 

I just want to be the best missionary I can be. I am doing my best to learn and grow and teach. I just can't wait to be in Panama. I enjoy being here and getting to know the members and the people here. It has really has been awesome but I'm anxious to get to Panama.

We did have zone conference this week and it was really good. I enjoyed the counsel that we received from President Monson and it was awesome. It was a little tiring and long but it turned out awesome. We did get counsel on what to do better as a zone and I want to be accountable and obedient to his counsel as he is presiding over the mission. But he told us to focus more on members than on Facebook finding. He said that we should have at least 1 member lesson a day and put them before Facebook. So that's one thing that I thought was super important because we have been doing it the other way. 

But I'm doing well and enjoying the mission a lot! I am super tired all of the time but loving the work! 

Love you tons!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

ELDER ABRAM JONES 

God's Plan

 

Well. Another week gone. 

Felt like I just wrote an email. But here we go again. 

This week has been full of good things. From Monday night to Tuesday night I had exchanges. I was companions with another greenie. Crazy how they put us both together for a day with only being in the field for like 3 weeks. It went well and we had a good time. And I finally got to drive which is so nice cause I haven't driven in months.

This week was just full of doing service and we had a couple awesome teaching appointments! Service is always a good time. We were able to hand out service flyers in a neighborhood and so I got a little bit of the tracting experience. It was a good time doing that. Yet we were in a little sketchy neighborhood but still, good times. 

We met with a less active member this week. He hasn't been to church in 25 years. He was so personable and just so easy to talk to. Well after 25 years of not coming back to church, he wants to come back. Like really wants to come back. So we just talked for like an hour and a half and it was just so cool. Idk how to describe it but man I just know I'm here in South Carolina to help him come back to church. It's all part of God's Plan! He even set his own expectations on when to come back! Can't wait to help him come back to church.

Well, President Nelson's message on Friday was just the best. It was awesome being able to hear from a prophet who gives us specific and direct revelation that God wants us to hear and do today! So cool being able to see him pray for us and just hear of his love. It was so awesome. So y'all can just watch it again cause it's amazing. 

Anyways, idk what else to say. Just a lot of working and serving and staring at a computer screen all day. But missionary work is awesome. 

Love y'all!! 

ELDER JONES

Third Week

This week has been pretty good! I did have a terrible migraine on Monday night after we played basketball and had dinner. After a lesson, we went home at 9 and I went to bed right after. I couldn't sleep so my comp gave me a blessing and it helped a TON! I was able to fall asleep and the next morning I didn't have a headache.

We did more service this week. More painting which was fun. Our friend, Patricia, has a ton of questions. So we were able to answer a ton of the Bible questions she has. I hope we can help her progress.

We have been able to teach a bit this week too. We taught a lady named Angela. She wants her cousin to learn about the gospel with her so we are gonna meet again next week its exciting. We also had a first lesson with a woman named Chasity. The question she has was how she knows which denomination is the right denomination and I was so pumped when she asked that! So we're hoping to teach her the restoration this next week, hopefully with her fiancee. I'm so excited!! A lot of teaching is over the phone and stuff which I'm not used to, but I hope that I will. 

This week I had interviews with my mission president, President Monson. He is nice and asked about Facebook finding and my Spanish and just getting used to the mission life. It was a good little convo. I then talked to Sister Monson and she's awesome. She just asked some get to know you questions and she's an awesome person. Needless to say, interviews went well. 

On Thursday we went and had dinner with Boesl family. They are such a cool family. Just their warmness and kindness made me feel at home. We had baked ziti and it was good stuff. We played basketball with their son on Monday. It was a good time. It's cool to be on the other side now as a missionary and see how awesome families are.

On Saturday we were at the church doing some Facebook finding and our bishop called. He wanted us to get to his house so we could have pancakes. So we got over there and had some good pancakes and then just talked with him. Bishop Edwards is like the coolest guy!! 

A couple days this week it POURED rain. I've never seen it rain for that long that hard. It was pretty awesome.

I love being a missionary. I love sharing the gospel with others and giving others the light they're lacking in their lives. I love sharing the love Jesus Christ has with others.  Even though it's not Panama it's awesome being here and having the experiences I'm having here. Cause I know the Lord needs me here for specific people! I love this gospel.

LOVE YOU TONS!! 

ELDER ABRAM JONES

Unforgettable

 

Well, it's been a good week. 

It started off a little rough. I was pretty homesick on Monday, just missing the fam and being at home. Yet I was able to call my family on Monday night and it helped a ton haha it was really good to see them. 

Honestly the days just mold into one another. We do so much and so it kinda just goes and goes. We do a lot of stuff on Facebook. A lot of adding people and it is hard. We try to find people and add them and then message them about the gospel yet people just leave me on read (I'm already used to that cause I would get left on read all the time at home 😂). But it's a lot and a lot of people just don't want to hear from missionaries haha. Some guys thought I was a guy from state farm I thought it was funny cause it happened with two guys in a row hahaha. 

We had a lot of meetings this week. We had a zone conference on Tuesday,  it was like 5 hours long on zoom but I'm used to that because of the MTC hahaha. It was really good though, I heard a lot of stuff that I needed to hear. 

We were able to do service this week for a lady named Patricia. She is awesome! We went last week to help with her yard and this week we painted a room in her house. Good thing I have some experience from work haha shoutout to elder Moore! Haha. It was sweet cause she started talking to us about the things about her church that she doesn't like. Like pastors getting paid. And not willing to help or serve. And not caring about her problems. And not having a personal relationship with God. My comp and I were able to give her a Book of Mormon and share our testimonies with her. It was such a cool experience! 

We had a baptism this week for a guy named David. My comp and I had 2 lessons with the guy. One over the phone and the other was going over the baptismal interview questions. He got baptized on Saturday and it was a cool experience. From the other missionaries, we heard that he had a problem with nicotine and tea but it was awesome to see him progress so much in a week and stop doing those things. It was so cool seeing him be baptized and see how excited he was. I was able to participate in the confirmation and that was so cool!!

This week has been really good! I really hope to find and teach more people this week and I know it'll happen!! I love being a missionary. It's the hardest thing I've done before. I can tell it's gonna be the hardest 2 years of my life. But it will be worth it. 

Jesus Christ has overcome all things and because He has, we can!! Jesus Christ is living! He is our Savior and He loves us!! 

Thanks for your prayers and support!! Have a good week y'all!!

Y'all Boys

 

Well well well - - -

It's my first week in South Carolina. First time being on a plane and it's the farthest I've been away from home. Well, I flew out Wednesday at 6 am, had a stop in Dallas then flew to South Carolina. I got here and just chilled in a stake center from like 2-7, it was kinda boring and I was not used to the humidity and so it was killer hot. We stayed in a hotel that night, I was in the same room as Elder Teller (an elder from my MTC district) so that was hype. 

On Thursday we got assigned our trainers. My trainer is Elder Weiss from Gilbert Arizona. He's a pretty cool guy, he's pretty chill and he and I got along pretty well. This week we were able to do some service, have dinner at a member's house, go to a wars Halloween party, and a couple other things.

We met with a member that is actually in a band. It's called the moth and the flame. So go check it out haha they came out with a song the other day so go listen to it haha. 

We were able to attend a baptism and it was such a cool experience. The guy that was being baptized had a stroke and so he was paralyzed on his left side. He was in a wheelchair and all and it was so cool to see how eager he was to be baptized. 

On Saturday we were invited to go play some golf with the elders' quorum presidency and at first, I was a little hesitant. We went and for the first bit, I was wondering why we were wasting our time golfing not on a p day. At about hole 3 or 4 I remembered a story that my MTC teacher Hermana Nelson shared with our class. She shared that on a normal day she and her companion went to a friend's house and spent 4 hours with them making food. She had the same feelings I did of not wanting to do it since it seemed like she was wasting her time. But for her, they ended up gaining so much of their trust they were able to create a connection that allowed this family to invite others into their home and share more about the gospel with them and their friends. I remembered this and then I was able to enjoy myself. I was then able to talk more openly and have a good time and create a bond with the members in the ward. It was a good time. 

Well, this week has been good, way different than what I thought it was gonna be like and something like I've never done before. And it's awesome but just a little bit stressful so I'm doing my best. 

But I did finish the Book of Mormon yesterday!! I finished it in 20 days and it was such an amazing experience! My testimony grew so much in Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon! It is the best book!

Hope you all have a grand week!!

ELDER JONES

p.s. I was able to see elder Denning from high school on Saturday and it was hype (and yes I forgot a tie.. a rookie mistake).

Elder AJones: Week Number Two

One great thing about Home MTC is to get a Friday night visit from
missionaries I know and love: Elder Matthews and Elder Lucero

Wow.

It has been such a good week of the MTC.

This week started off great. On Tuesday, I got my reassignment and I couldn't be happier. I got reassigned to COLUMBIA SOUTH CAROLINA!!! I'm so excited to be able to serve and teach the people of South Carolina. I know the Lord needs me there and I'm so very willing to go. An Elder and an Hermana from my district are also going to South Carolina and they're both awesome!

Meet my District

This week flew by. It's crazy how fast time flies by in the MTC. Just constantly busy with classes or studies or trying to learn Spanish. But it is honestly so much fun. My district is just getting better every day. We just have a good time in our classes and it's so much fun getting to get to know them better every single day.

This week my companion, Elder Rees, and I taught our first lessons. They were in English so that was a relief. We taught a woman named Aubrie. We gave two lessons, one on Thursday and one on Friday. Might I say teaching is so much harder than you think it is. It's completely different than giving a lesson in Priesthood and teaching someone who doesn't know literally anything about the gospel. 

The first lesson we taught was on the Family: A Proclamation to the World. It went terrible. We didn't share any scriptures or anything. And we only brought up Jesus Christ-like once!! So ya it wasn't good like at all. But then on Friday we decided to teach her about the Restoration of the Gospel and Joseph Smith. We followed a lesson plan from Preach My Gospel and I just have to say WOW. The lesson went great! The Spirit was so strong and it was amazing to testify of Jesus Christ and of Joseph Smith.

Here's a quick quote from President Thomas S. Monson, "There is absolutely nothing in this world that will provide more comfort and happiness than a testimony of the truth [of the Restored Gospel]."

This week has been amazing. I've learned so much and I have felt happier than ever. I can testify to the words of President Monson. I'm so happy to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so happy to be able to serve the Lord every day. It is an amazing feeling.

Hope you all have a great week! 

Elder AJones: First Week of Home MTC

Me with my companion Elder Rees

Hola everyone!!

I've only been in the MTC for 3 days but it truly has been an amazing experience!! The days are full and I am constantly busy doing things, whether I'm in class or trying to memorize words and phrases or studying Spanish or the scriptures.

My typical day this week looked like this: 

6:00 - Wake up, exercise, shower, eat breakfast

7:00-8:00 - Personal Study

8:00-9:00 - MTC workshop 

9:00-12:00 - Class

12:00-2:00 - Lunch Break

2:00-5:00 - Class

5:00-6:00 - Companionship Study

6:00-8:00 - Dinner Break

8:00-9:00 - Language Study

10:30 - Bedtime

It has been absolutely crazy, my days haven't been this full in a very long time and it's nice to be busy. By the end of the day, I'm completely exhausted but I feel accomplished. 

My companion is Elder Rees from Orem, Utah. He is honestly such an awesome person. I know everyone says their companions are awesome but I'm telling you this guy is so cool. In our first class of the MTC, we were put in breakout rooms with our comps to get to know them a little bit. And it was a little awkward. I'm kinda awkward when I don't know people, I kinda just let them lead the discussion. And I'm telling you it's more awkward trying to get to know a person over zoom than in person. Well, when we talked a little bit and I first thought that it was gonna be a long 6 weeks. Then we had companionship study the next day. It was honestly so awesome. The Spirit came and we were able to learn so much from each other and the Spirit helped us become friends so fast. He has such a strong testimony of the gospel and he is the companion I need for the MTC, especially since he's pretty much a master at Spanish. He had Spanish immersion since like 2nd grade and he took the AP Spanish test and passed it as a sophomore. Man, he's just the coolest guy. My district is pretty cool as well. It's awesome how fast we have already grown as a district in getting to know one another.

Learning Spanish is hard. High school Spanish has helped a little bit but it is still so hard learning all the new gospel words and phrases. But the gift of tongues is real!! I was able to memorize the missionary purpose in English and Spanish in about a day.. the English one took me like 5 minutes!! The Spirit really does allow us to learn and grow.

I want all of you to know that the mission is SO AWESOME!! It has already been so hard and exhausting but spiritually rewarding. I love getting up in the morning and the first thing I do is put on my tag. It is so cool that I have this opportunity to serve the Lord. If anyone is thinking about serving a mission... DO IT!! You won't regret it!! 

I know this gospel is true. I know that we have a living prophet on the earth today and he gives us revelation from God for our day!! I know the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, are written for us, to help us through these days. I know Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Restoration, that he translated the Book of Mormon through the power of God. I invite you all to read the talk "God's Compelling Witness: The Book of Mormon" by Tad R. Callister. This talk really helped solidify my testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. I know this church, La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días, is the only true church on the earth today. 

I'm so happy to serve the Lord, it has already been so awesome and it's only the third day.

Preparation Day with your sibs