Elder ZJones: Less Than a Week in the MTC

 

Well, I have less than a week here in the MTC and can´t wait to get out of here. I have learned a lot here about Spanish and the gospel, and can´t wait to apply it day to day with real people. With all the experiences I have had during proselyting, I am more and more anxious to leave.

I think I will be getting to my mission by one of the buses that the MTC uses. From what I understand, Presidente Resek will come and meet us here and drive with us up to the mission home. After that I have no clue what is going to happen.

On Saturday, we were able to go proselyting. My companion and I had such a great experience. About an hour into it we weren´t getting anywhere. Nobody wanted to talk to us and we didn´t know what or where we wanted to go. So I decided that we should say a prayer. In doing so, I asked Heavenly Father to bring someone to us so that we can teach them about the restored gospel. We said amen and looked up and saw a man running towards us. He stopped when he came to us and told us he was in a hurry but wanted us to teach him. He asked if we could get his number and name so we can call and teach him. He pleaded that we call him later. We then asked him if he knew anyone that would want to hear our message. He didn't but told us to go across the street to some homes. We went knocking and met four people. We were able to get more referrals and place a Book of Mormon.

This experience solidified my testimony of prayer. I know when we ask God with a sincere heart, ready to receive, He will give it to us. I am grateful for this gospel and all that it teaches me. I can´t wait to have greater experiences throughout my mission. The work is true!


Love, Elder Jones

Elder ZJones: Proselyting

Hello Everyone!!! I am doing great! I am half-way through the MTC now!!! What an experience it has been. There has been tons and tons of studying. But I have learned a lot. My Spanish is still very bad but it is getting better.

I did have my first hair cut and it is very short!!! But I am going to have to get used to it for the next two years.

I have two MTC instructors. Hermana Carduz served in the Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission and is from Argentina. My other instructor is Hermano Ledesma and he served in Mexico. They are both pretty awesome and have taught me a lot!!

We don´t have a gym here. We are able to go outside where they have courts and goals. I play both basketball and soccer. It is way fun to play soccer with the Latinos. They are sooo good! 

There are a lot of dogs here!! Last week during Physical Activity, we were able to witness two dogs fighting!! It got all our hearts racing!! It is something I don´t want to witness again!

I had the chance to go proselyting last Friday and it was an awesome experience. The best thing that happened was when my companion and I taught a quick lesson to a guy who was probably about 25 years old. We first started talking about soccer because he was wearing a Messi Jersey. He then asked us who we were and why we were in Argentina. We were able to explain to him our purpose and beliefs. He is Christian and believes in the Bible. After talking with him we gave him a Book of Mormon and we asked him if he would read it!! It was such an amazing experience to share what we believe with others. Me and my companion couldn't stop smiling afterwards. We were so happy and couldn't wait to talk to other people!! We also talked to some kids and handed out some cards. It was such an awesome experience, one I won't forget!!

On Sunday we watched a devotional given by Elder Oaks. Two things that I learned were

1. The Lord helps those who help themselves.
            We have to do our part first. I feel like a lot of the time we think that the Lord will do everything for us, that He will give us the Gift of Tongues and have us speak the language. But this doesn't work if we don´t do our part. We have to put in the effort to receive these blessings.

2. We aren´t here to be thanked, we are here to serve.
             I am not in Argentina to have those around me to thank me. I am here to serve. We should worry about what other people think of us. I saw this a lot while I was proselyting. Many of the people muttered under there breath when we walked passed or yelled at us. But this isn't something we need to worry about. We need to worry about serving these people. They are the ones that need the help and need to know the truthfulness of the gospel that can help them want to serve.

I am getting shots on Monday. I have to get a flu shot and another one and apparently everyone gets sick from it!! Can´t wait for that!

I know this gospel is true. I am grateful to be here and learn so much. I pray for you and know that Heavenly Father loves you!! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Elder Jones

Elder ZJones: Grateful

Hey everyone!!! What a week it has been already!!

So there are 8 in our district.
Elder Holmes from New Mexico
Elder Blackburn and Elder Hollinger from Oregon
Elder Bodily and Elder Dixon from Utah
Hermana Hosman from Arizona
Hermana Gibson from Wyoming.

The food here is really good. A lot of what they serve is meat!

The temple was such an amazing experience. Doing endowments in Spanish was one of the best things. Though I didn't understand most of it, it was a blessing to have so many temples near me at home.

This week I was able to go and do endowments in the Buenos Aires Temple. It was such a blessing to be able to do that. Though it was all in Spanish I still felt the spirit. I am grateful that I had some many close temples in Utah.

The MTC is great. The day to day things are mostly the same!! Everything is centered around teaching. We teach them the lessons like they are our investigators. It has helped a lot with Spanish, but it is also very hard. Yesterday, me and my companion bombed it and it went so bad!! Through that, we have been able to evaluate the things that we can do better for our next lesson.

In this MTC, we watch devotionals instead of having general authorities come down to speak. Yesterday, we watched one given by Elder Neil L. Anderson. He explained that we need to push ourselves further, forget ourselves, and seek the Lord for help. I am going to use these three things as I try to keep learning the language and the gospel.

We were able to go to the city to get are visas and boy IS IT A BIG CITY!!!

On Saturday we get to go proselyting in Buenos Aires!! They will drop us off and give us couple hours to teach . . .And I still don't know the language. It will be an awesome experience to interact with them and hopefully help me with my Spanish. Pray that I will feel of the Spirit when we proselyte.

So far this experience has been great. I am grateful for Jesus Christ and For our loving Heavenly Father. I love this gospel!!

Elder Jones