Elder ZJones: Power Outage at the Church

Yesterday morning at 7:00 there was a power outage in all of Argentina. As we were looking for people to take to church, it was pouring rain and nobody had electricity. When we got to church there were members waiting for the meeting to start. We just had sacrament meeting.

It was a blessing to be able to partake of the sacrament. Even in circumstances were there is no electricity or power, we were able to take part in an important decision for the week, go to church and renew our covenants.

On Saturday two families in our ward were sealed in the Temple. The fathers of the families were asked to share their testimonies about there experiences. The spirit was strong and it was awesome to hear the changes that covenants have made in their families. They both had different journeys, but they both can now receive the same blessings! I know this church is true and that temple covenants will bring us back to Him!

Elder EJones: Talk?

This week was good, like a normal week.

Finding and teaching more and more people everyday. One thing I learned from my companion, Elder Bello, is showing the lessons that we teach to people and letting them choose what message they want to learn and be taught. It makes it so that they can feel they have a message that they want to learn and one that can help them.

We helped an investigator wheelbarrow lots of dirt from the front of her yard to where she is building her house and it was super fun.

Things here in Quior 2 are really good. We are finding really good people that are progressing and they always need our prayers to keep pressing forward and having faith in the Lord.

So this week, we walked into the church like seven minutes early or so, and one of the brothers comes up to us and is like "Yeah, so the two people that had talks today can't make it...so can you two give 10 minute talks?" So Elder Bello and I gave sacrament meeting talks and had like two minutes to prepare. I felt like it was giving a lesson mas o menos (more or less), but it was funny how we were asked to speak and it was good.

I also got to bless the sacrament in Spanish which was really cool. I'm so grateful that the gospel is the same, that the Atonement is for everyone no matter where we are or what language we are speaking.

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. That in anything, when looking for answers or direction, we can turn to the Book of Mormon and find what we need. I know that it testifies of Jesus Christ, and that he truly lives. This gospel is true, and the Lord helps us as we help ourselves, and get lost in selfless service to others!!

. . . And this Saturday we find out if we have cambios, so well see. If I don't leave, I think for sure I'll be here for two more cambios because Elder Bello ends his mission in March. I like it here in Quior.

That's all for now. Praying for you.
Elder Jones

(P.S. really miss salads haha)

Elder HJones: Take Up Your Cross and Follow Him

I don't really like to think a lot about how much time I have. A lot of missionaries think about how much time they have, and many know how many days they have remaining. I don't like to think a lot about how much time I have or how much I have left. But I do have to say, time flies!! I can't believe that I hit halfway this week. It's really crazy. There is a feeling a joy and happiness knowing that I  have accomplished one year in the mission. But, it's also sad to think that in a year I will have to remove the name badge.

Everything is normal now for me in Chile (or shall I say, everything is normal for me here in Paipote). I am pretty sure that I should just buy a house right here because I don't think I will every leave! haha  Yes, I am used to the food, the language (even though I cannot speak perfectly yet), and I love the culture.

So this past week, I was able to speak in sacrament meeting. I still remember the first time I spoke in sacrament meting as a missionary. I was really nervous and the members probably didn't understand anything that I said! ha ha

But this time, as I prepared my talk, I thought of two questions. Questions that I am trying to apply better in my life to help strengthen my testimony and help others gain a testimony.

1. What has Jesus Christ done for me?
2. What am I willing to do for Him?

Jesus has done everything for everyone one of us. We can never repay Him for the many things that  He has done. But what are we willing to do for Him? Are you willing to follow His example and "take up your cross?" I know that we can never repay Him. But we can do what He commands. We can do the simple things in this gospel to take up our crosses and follow Him.

Les amo! Elder Jones

Elder ZJones: In the Service of God

Well, Ezrom has finally left for the mission! It is awesome to think that I have three brothers serving missions alongside me. I know that the Lord will bless us and my family. Like it says in Mosiah 2:17

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

As we serve Him, He will bless us with His help and with His guidance.

Everything is good here in Lujan. I have to say that I have gotten used to it and love the area. We ride our bikes about 20 minutes to get to our area. Our area is the poorer part in Lujan and it has been awesome working here. Dirt streets and stuff, but we have bikes. I thought it was super safe here, but yesterday, a teenager, who was high on something, tried to rob us. Nothing happened, really. He tried to hit me with a stick, but some other kids grabbed him. Everything turned out okay. The teenager didn't have any weapons or anything on him. Nonetheless, I believe it is a safer areas. ha ha.

This week, my companion and I had the blessing of helping seven people come to church. We prayed a lot. We asked the Lord that, if we do our part well, He would do His part in helping them come. I know that He helped us Sunday morning as we got up early looking for these people to help them come. As we go to church we can feel of His Spirit and His Love. But more importantly, we go to church to partake of the sacrament. We can think of the covenants that we have made with Him and do all we can to become better. It is a time to reflect and to feel of His love and His Atonement. I am grateful for my Savior and the example that we can follow.

Matthew 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

It is through the example of Christ and the chance that we have to change to become more like Our Father in Heaven! Have a great week!

Elder Jones

Elder HJones: The Reason We Attend Church

So this week was really good. We found some really cool people to teach.

One of the greatest things on the mission is when people listen to your message and make the steps to come unto Christ. The past couple weeks had been kinda slow. We didn't have many investigators progressing. But this week, some investigators have been progressing. They are listening to us more and keeping their commitments. It brings me so much joy when people come closer to Christ.

One of the hardest things on the mission is parents. When we teach younger people we need permission from parents. It is hard when the boy or girl is progressing and ready for baptism and then their parents prevent it. It's like the parents take away the agency from their kids. So that's kinda hard to consume, that parents prevent their children from becoming a member. But it's okay. Maybe my job is just to introduce the church or plant a small seed in a person or family.

I learned something really important this week.

Our stake here in Chile has a new "rule" for sacrament meeting. If you are not on time to receive the sacrament, you wont be able to take it. So, if you want to take the sacrament, you need to be on time!!

This is hard for people in Chile, because nobody is ever on time. Chile is famous for running late. But I guess it might be hard for anybody. But I thought about this and learned something important.
The reason we go to church is to partake of the sacrament. We sacrifice three hours of our day to attend church and take the sacrament. If renewing our covenants with God and becoming clean again is so important to us, we would do everything possible to be on time.

Weeks are crazy for me. Sometimes it's hard to just relax and think. But it is during the sacrament I can. I feel so much peace and love of my Savior during the sacrament. I feel like its personal time for me to think of Christ and the wonderful things He did for me. Its important to me to partake of the sacrament EVERY WEEK, and I hope it is for you, too.

Love you all, Elder Jones

Elder HJones: The Language of the Spirit

As you all probably heard we had an earthquake here in Mexico City. An 8.1. I slept right throught it. Didn't even know until someone told me in the morning. Don't really know how bad it was because nothing was affected at the MTC. Let's just say we were blessed.

I also had the opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting on Sunday. Everyone has to write a 5 minute spanish talk during the week on an assigned topic, then during the meeting they tell us who is speaking (normally 3-4 people). This week I was called on to speak. I spoke about the Plan of Salvation, and how the Atonement is what glues it all together. Through the Atonement we can become our best selves and eventually live with our Heavenly Father again. It was hard for me because the talk had to be in complete Spanish, and my Spanish is no bueno. But, it was a blessing. My testimony was really strengthened as I spoke. It was a great experience for me. It was hard, but it was worth it.  I learned that even if I can't speak the language perfectly its okay. The Spirit is what teaches and the only way to teach is with the language of the Spirit.

That same Sunday we listened to a devotional. It was a talk by Jeffery R. Holland. Don't know what it was called, but it was about Preach My Gospel, and feeding His sheep. I highly recommend reading or listening to it. Maybe one of the best talks I've ever heard! Just the words I heard and the Spirit I felt really motivated me to be a better missionary! And I also said the closing prayer in Spanish after that devotional...so I was really involved on Sunday.

This gospel brings so much happiness. I have felt more peace and joy in the past month, then I have in my life. I still miss you all, but this gospel is such a blessing. And I'm so grateful that I can sacrifice two years of my life to share it with others!

This gospel is true! I wouldn't have left my family, friends, and life if I didn't believe in it. It has brought me so much joy, and I just want to give it to others!

Love, Elder Jones

¨The work is more WHO WE ARE and WHAT WE ARE, then WHAT WE SAY.¨
- Elder Bednar (The Character of Christ)

Elder CJones: Investigator Flood and "Fuimos Bien Lejos"

Well, to say the least, we had 12 of our investigators show up at church on Sunday!! That is an amazing number!  Which means that many people are trying to change their lives so they can be baptized. We are so glad when the investigators want to show up. One of the hardest things here in Mexico is that the people don't like to come to church, so we have to make sure that they really want to come before we can baptize the people.

Our week was amazing. It was pure teaching and contacting. We worked hard to teach and to find the people that are ready to hear our message. We have a good amount of people that we are teaching and preparing to be baptized. Here are some of the people we are teaching:

Maya Family -
The father, Nacho, is a member. He was baptized almost 20 years ago. His wife, Reyna, was raised Catholic and they have two kids: Frank and Samantha. We first met them on a really rainy night at the very end of the day, this was about a month ago. We were on our way home and we felt that we needed to contact one more house. We knocked on the first door in the area and Nacho came out and invited us right in to share a message with them. We shared a message with them and asked them some questions about their family and that's when we found out about all the problems they have been having with the marriage. We shared a message with them and we all left that that lesson with tears and an amazing growth of a testimony. We are now preparing them to be married and then she can be baptized.

Palomeque Family -
The kids are baptized and the parents are waiting to be divorced from their first spouses and then they can be married. They already pay tithing and want to go to church every week. They love the church and help us take investigators to church every week.

There are so many others that we are teaching, but I can't share about everyone because that would just get crazy.

There are some people that want to know about the drug cartels and the military and all the crazy stuff that happens. Well, there are a lot of drug cartels and when I say a lot, I mean a lot. It's not surprising if we have to take cover because of shootings. The military uses a helicopter to shoot the members of the cartels. We see the members all the time and they carry guns and estrellas. Estrellas are used to pop tires, they are made of rebar and are sharp. I have heard a lot of gunshots. One night, about a month and a half ago, we saw a guy that got shot that was bleeding everywhere. But we as missionaries are safe and protected by the power of God.

I have been studying the scriptures a lot too. The scriptures are an amazing way for us to receive revelation to do better. In Doctrine and Covenants 18 we read:

"And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" 

As I read this I learned that it says that you will be with the person you help in the Kingdom of the Father. That means you will both make it to the Kingdom of God, we need to baptized people that are ready, not for the number because we are helping the people use the Gospel to return to the Celestial Kingdom.

Oh, and we have some houses that are really really far away. They are over a 3 hour walk. I will tell you about that next week. We tried to walk there one day after lunch, but it was impossible so we will go visit and contact a lot of people that day!!

I was thinking about the Atonement this week and I thought of this story.

"Brother Christianson taught Seminary. He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules. Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period and no other teacher wanted him, so he went into Brother Christianson's Seminary class.

Steve was told that he could not be late, so he arrived just seconds before the bell rang and he would sit in the very back of the room. He would also be the first to leave after the class was over.

One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Bro. Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?"

Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do."

Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many push-ups can you do?"

Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."

"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Brother Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"

Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."

"Do you think you could?" Again asked Brother Christianson.

"Well, I can try," said Steve.

"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I
need you to tell me you can do it," Brother Christianson said.

Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."

Brother Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room.

When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited-it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.

Bro. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want a donut?"

Cynthia said, "Yes."

Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"

Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Bro. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk..

Bro. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe do you want a donut?"

Joe said, "Yes." Bro. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut.

And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Bro. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.When Bro. Christianson asked, "Scott, do you want a donut?"

Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"

Bro. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."

Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."

Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"

Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"

Bro. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration
coming out around his brow. Bro. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.

Bro. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"

Jenny said, "No."

Then Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten, Jenny got a donut.

By now, the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Bro. Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. So Robert began to watch Steve closely. Bro. Christianson started down the fourth row.

During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the heaters along the sides of the room. When Bro. Christianson realized this; he did a quick count and saw 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Bro. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Bro. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"

Bro. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups. You can do them any way that you want." And Bro. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"

Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."

Bro. Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him."

Steve said, "Yes, let him come in."

Bro. Christianson said, "Okay, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"

"Yes."

"Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Bro. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular. Bro. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?

Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."

Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?" Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda.

Then Bro. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?" Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, "Bro. Christianson, can I help him?"

Bro. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, he has to do it alone, Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?"

As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Brother Christianson turned to the room and said, "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, pleaded to the Father, "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he collapsed on the cross and died. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten."

I love you all and I want you to know that the power of the Gospel and the Atonement of Jesus Christ makes it possible for all of us to return and use this amazing gift, but only if we use it.

--  Elder Corom Jones

"Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely. ... He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken." -President Dieter F Uchtdorf