Elder ZJones: Bendiciones del Senor

 

This week has been one to remember! I saw the Lord helping us in many ways. This past Sunday we helped a family of cousins and friends come to church. Five of them came and they loved it! We are teaching them and helping them a lot. We are preparing them to be baptized this weekend and helping them to receive the Holy Ghost. We are super excited and grateful that the Lord has helped us with this family.

Yesterday, as we passed by to visit them, one girl said that she does't feel ready to be baptized. But we explained to her that the Lord has specific blessings for her that He wants to give to her now. We also explained why we are baptized. It is to help us to become clean of sin. We don't have to be perfect before we are baptized, we need to follow Him and trust that he will help us and guide us. Pray for them this week that they can prepare for this weekend. (Rudolfo, Patricia, Monica, Agustin and Jazmin).

We are also helping a couple, Javier and Rocio, to get married. They have all their papers ready and will be getting married in a month. We are excited for them and will continue to help them to come to church and to do those things that they are doing now.

I hit a year in the mission which is super crazy to think! I am grateful for all the things that I have learned. I am grateful for Jesus Christ and His Atonement, The Plan of Happiness, and that Families are centered in His Plan.

In The Family, A Proclamation To The World, it says:
"Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities."

When these priniciples are in the home, God will bless us, strengthen us and guide us!

Love You! Have a great week!

Elder Jones

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 HJones: We Have a Living Prophet

So this whole entire week, Ezrom's call has been in the back of my mind and now I finally know! Dang...Bolivia Santa Cruz, that's SUPER AWESOME. We are all going to be speaking Spanish when we all return.

We are working really hard and finding awesome people. Just last Tuesday one of our investigators got married! His wife is a member and he isn't. But they got married and now he can be baptized. But we are still working with him to have the desire to be baptized. His name is Marcos, he could use some prayers.

We are also working with Rocio. She is awesome and always wants to learn more. She struggles a little with the "enduring to the end" subject. She is definitely ready for baptism, but has a couple fears. Right now she's in Peru on vacation until the beginning of April. We gave her scriptures to read in the Book of Mormon for everyday she is gone and we promised her that if she reads, she will find the desire to be baptized and her fears and doubts wont stop her. So we are praying for God's help right now. MIRACLES!

So I have kinda gotten used to the training process. Of course, it's not easy, but I have gotten used to it. My companion is awesome. Normally, new missionaries in the mission are scared to talk and teach, but not Elder Estes. He always wants to share his testimony and teach what he knows...super genial. He always wants to work hard and serve others. This past week, one of our investigators got married! His wife is a member and they finally made the decision to be married. So we are working with him to be baptized, and to eventually go to the temple to be sealed for eternity!

Sometimes it's difficult for people to understand that we have a living prophet on the earth today. That a prophet receives direct revelation from God for everyone in the world. This week we will have the opportunity to hear his voice, to listen to his words and teachings. This is a great opportunity to know for ourselves that President Nelson is a prophet of God. My invitation for you is to listen to General Conference, to listen to the prophets and apostles of the church. They have answers to our questions, and we can find our answers through listening to their words. My first week in Chile was the week of General Confernce...wow I have come a long way. But I am super grateful to sustain President Nelson and hear his words!

Missionary work is awesome. Dedicating two years of my life to serve God and the people in Chile is nothing but a blessing. We have a loving Heavenly Father and he is always pouring blessings upon us.

Love, Elder Jones