Elder EJones: I am---

This last week we went to Tarija to have a conference with our new Mission President. He is really great. He's really excited to be here and to be able to work with us. I can tell that he has a love for the Lord and a desire to serve Him. But not just serve, but to work along side us to be able to serve the people and the Lord. He served his mission in Chile and when he was there, part of his mission was Copiapo where Hyrum served, so I thought that was way cool!!

We had cambios this week, and I'm staying here with my comp. So that's good. We are hoping to find more success and to help strengthen converts so that they can help others to come unto Christ.

This week we were able to baptize Gissel, Maybelin, and Nayeli. Two of them are sisters and the other is their cousin. They have progressed lots in the past couple of weeks and were able to get baptized. I think this week to they are gonna go to a youth conference activity. One thing I'm learning is to help all not only to come unto Christ and gain a testimony of Him, but to keep that testimony with them and become converted to the gospel.

One thing that I have loved this week comes from what I have been able to read in John. Christ talks may times of who He is as the son of God. Here are a few of the things that he teaches and tells us: (John 4-10)

I am the living water
I am the bread of life
I am the light of the world
I am the door
I am the good Shephard
I am the Son of God

Its been a good week!! Hope to make this next one better!!

Elder ZJones: Crazy Week

I think just about everything happened this past week!

- I got sick this week with a fever and headache

- I had my interview with Presidente Resek! We talked a lot about the importance of having a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

- We had Stake Conference. Elder Clayton from the 70 came and spoke to us. He spoke a lot about sharing our testimonies and sharing the gospel with those around us.

- My companion broke two toes while playing futbol. He had a cast on for a couple days and can barely walk! We will see what happens with him!

- Baptisms. We were able to baptize 3 kids from a part member family. They loved it. The mom cried during the baptism and they are excited to continue to come to church. We are going to help the parent get married!

- Elder Clayton and Elder Bragg came and talked with our mission

I know that this is the true church! I know that the things that I learn here on the mission about conversion, obedience, diligence, etc are meant to help me for after the mission and during my life!

Elder Jones

Elder ZJones: Stake Conference This Week

Hola!

I am excited for this week! We have Stake Conference this week and Elder Clayton, a General Authority, will be coming to speak. It will be blessing to be able to hear from him and apply the things that he teaches.

I have thought this past week a lot about the importance of fasting. To prepare I thought of how fasting will not only bless me but others.

It explains in Gospel Principles

When we fast wisely and prayerfully, we develop our faith. With that faith we will have greater spiritual power. For example, Alma (a Book of Mormon prophet) tells the story of meeting again with the sons of Mosiah many years after their miraculous conversion. He felt great joy when he learned that they had strengthened their faith and had developed great spiritual power. They had gained this power because “they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation” 

As we fast, we will receive the strength that we need for whatever lies ahead. The Lord will bless us and help us to feel a greater joy!

Elder Jones

Elder ZJones: It Was a Good Week

Last day with Elder Rivera

The weather here has been changing little by little. I can't believe that it is cold again. That means the time is blowing by super fast! I haven't received my "trunky papers" yet, (aka release date) luckily!

It was a good week. We had a lot of side things that we had to do because my companion was preparing to go home. He had his last interview with Presidente Resek. My companion wasn't trunky and it was hard for him to leave!! It was awesome working with him. We worked super hard even though we didn't receive all the results that we wanted. We worked to the last minute.

We baptized two individuals this past week! We baptized Pablo and Deysi. They were super excited. Their parents want to be baptized, but it is hard because they aren't married and they have to get married first. They don't have documents from Argentina, just from Paraguay, so the process takes a while. But today they went with a member to the registro civil to figure everything out. I love it when members help us out. So we will see what happens with them. We have a lot of people that we need to visit this week and help them to come to church. We had 7 in church and are grateful. We will be working with them this week.

I am super excited for General Conference! I am excited for any changes and the new things that we will be seeing.

With my changes......I will be staying in Gral Rodrighuez. So, by the end of the transfer, I will have six months in the area! haha I will receive Elder Candela as my new companion. He is from Spain. I am excited to learn from him. He has about 16 months in the mission. He was also AP for a transfer. So I am excited to learn from him and to find miracles as well! Other that that, in the zone there was just two changes, so about everything is the same.

I was reading this week about Alma and his change. In Mosiah 7, the last two verses it says:

36 And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the knowledge of their Redeemer.

37 And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth.

He wants us all to be instruments in his hands to teach and preach good tidings of good. What are good tidings of good.

13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

As we follow Him and listen to the Spirit and to those things that entice us to follow Him and when we share these things, we can publish these tiding of good!

Exito este semana en los estudios y trabajo. Voy a tratar a llamarles este jueves!

Elder Jones

Elder HJones: Live the Gospel

This week was definitely one to remember.

Amanda, Ayleen, Jasmin, and Valentina

This week I had two conferences with President Ferreira. One conference was in Antofagasta. I had to travel 8 hours in a bus to get there! The other conference was in Copiapo, really close where I am serving. I learned a lot! One thing that I really liked was something that our mission president said, "Cuando vivimos el Evangelio, empezamos a entender y sentir mas." This is true. When we live the gospel, when we keep the commandments, we will understand more and feel closer to our Heavenly Father. I have seen it this past week. When people start to change and live the gospel, they are happier. Because this gospel brings happiness!

So here's a funny Story: On Saturday my companion and I were picking up baptismal clothes for our baptisms. We met the person bringing the clothing in front of a casino... a really expensive casino! And we were about to leave and President Ferreira pulls up in his car with his wife and daughter.and he invited us to eat lunch with him! And we ate at a really expensive nice place. It was way good!

This week we had four baptisms. God has blessed us a lot. They are all daughters of less active members. Their families have experienced a lot of difficulties both inside and outside of the church. But now they are coming to church. We are helping them to become eternal families!

Hasta Luego,
Elder Jones