Elder EJones: Miracles This Week

 

This week lots has happened. We were trying all week to find the Velasquez Family so that they could get baptized. But every time that we passed by their house they weren't there. We were able to find them Monday, but the day that they were supposed to have an appointment they were not there. The problem is that they phone that they have doesn't have service. It's like an iPod, so it doesn't work to send texts or to call. We found out finally where their family lives in Bermejo and we were able to look and find them on Saturday morning. We talked to them about the baptism that they were supposed to have. But when we were talking to them, the oldest daughter started talking about her questions and that she didn't want to get baptized. We talked to her for about 5 minutes, and then she told us that she would get baptized. So she did get baptized with her mom, and her two others sons didn't. They are 10 and 8, but their mom talked to us about some problems with her family so they weren't gonna get baptized that day.

That afternoon we were able to teach them a little and get them interviewed for that night. But here comes the story of the day.

In the afternoon we had filled up buckets of hot water from our house to take to the church because they told us they wanted the water to be warm. So we filled up paint 5 gallon buckets with hot water to take to the church. We took them to the church and began to fill up the font. We turned the font on to be able to fill it up as we left for their interviews and to pick them up to get baptized. When we came back the font was a little flooded and a few members were cleaning the font. The thing is that we had to run to the members house to do the interview and when we got back it was a little flooded, but for us the most important thing was that they were there. They had made the decision to get baptized.

Anyways, so we start getting everyone to change and stuff to be able to take pictures and start, and one of the members who was cleaning up the water called over the branch president and to us to talk with us in the president's office. He basically tried to yell at us about the water and that apparently there were bugs in the water. (Like there have been in every one of my areas). He basically told us everything that we did wrong and all that we needed to do to be better because of the little mistake we made. He told us that the font overflowed a little because we were in their interview. He was like "These are souls, you need to be doing a whole lot better." It got us kinda frustrated that he started going off at us when we were doing the best that we could. He then looked at the branch president and told him to deal with it and to do what he needs to do and then he left. Then the branch president was just like, "Yeah elders, don't worry. Just go get changed. It's all good."

It was the worst in the moment because we were in a hurry trying to get it all done and it started late, but our branch president was really chill and was like don't worry and then let us change so that we could start.

But this week was good. We were able to find the Velasquez Family, teach them, and they were able to make covenants with our Heavenly Father and receive the Holy Ghost.

Alex, who is 19, also got to get baptized. For me it was really cool. Something I have always wanted to do as a missionary is be able to help a young adult of that age to come unto Christ. And he did!! He's the best. He has progressed from the start. He has tattoos on his arms and when he read the word of wisdom pamphlet he said to us, "What am i supposed to do? I didn't know." But I'm really happy this week!! We were able to see lots of miracles. I know that the Lord loves us and has a plan for us.

I have a testimony of the plan of salvation and of the importance and the necessity of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost!!

Elder HJones: Commandments are Blessings

This week was really good! We found some awesome people and had a lot of success.

We had 12 investigators at church!! It was awesome! We have been teaching a Bolivian family and they are really receptive and humble. They are from Santa Cruz and they are not married. But we already talked about baptism and marriage, so they said that they will talk and pray to see if they should do it. The mother has a son and grandchildren in Santa Cruz and she wants the missionaries to visit them. So she is going to give us the address to send the missionaries to them in Santa Cruz! But they loved church! We are praying a lot for them to make the correct decisions in their lives to receive all the blessings that God has for them. They told us that the church takes away their burdens. Whenever we visit them and when they are in the church their burdens go away. Because like it says in Jacob 2:8, this gospel heals the wounded soul!

I am learning a lot as district leader. It went a lot better this week. I still have a lot to improve, but I am getting a little used to it. I conducted a baptismal interview yesterday for a man from Haiti. There are a lot of people for Haiti here, they come here to work. He was really humble and said something that I really liked, something that I wish investigators would say, "Si Dios quiere, voy a hacerlo." (If God wants me to, I will do it). Anyway, he is planning to be baptized on the 18th and I am super excited for him.

This has made me think, are we willing to do everything that God wants us to do? Are we willing to do things that maybe we don't want to do, or things that make us uncomfortable, because God wants us to? When we open our hearts and do the will of God we will find happiness. Maybe in the beginning we see commandments as rules and barriers, but they are what keep us on the strait and narrow path, to eventually partake of the most delicious, most white, and sweetest fruit that God has to offer!

This past week was really good, and now we are working with some people to baptize them next week. But thanks for everything. Thanks for your prayers!! Love you guys a ton!

Con amor,

Elder Jones

Elder HJones: This Week in Paipote

So this week was good, full of new things to do.

It's different being a district leader. Before, I could just worry about my own sector and be good to go. But now I have responsibility for two other sectors and five other missionaries going through my my head and I think of things I can do to help them. Now I find myself thinking about the other sectors a lot and their investigators and how I can help them. But I am very new at it and sometimes I feel like I don't know what I am doing. But I know that God is helping me.

I was able to do some baptismal interviews as a district leader and that was really cool. I interviewed three individuals this past week. One interview was for a 16 year old boy and two interviews for 10 year old girls. The boy didn't go to church this past week, so he cannot get baptized this week. One of the girls will get baptized on Saturday and the other needs permission from her parents....and they want to wait a couple months. But I was way cool to do the interviews and I am planning on doing a couple more this week.

Yesterday kinda stunk. We didn't have anyone in the church. It was the first time in my whole mission when I didn't have someone come to church with us. But this week we are going to work really hard to get people to the church. We have some awesome people we are teaching, but they need to come. 

I have learned a lot this transfer about patience. I pray for strength and patience everyday. And I know that God his helping me.

Con Amor, Elder Jones