Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Monday - August 19, 2013

Monday - August 19, 2013

Happy Birthday Claire  Bear - turning 1 year old!!!! Hope that she has a great day!!!


 Us traveling by train to San Jose. Yes by train. It’s legit.



Our family photo. My trainer, "sisters" that she trained and then my two "daughters" who I trained.



Me with Hna. Ponce and Hna. Noj.



Hna. Cartagena, me, Hna. Hamblin (from Delta) and Hna. Vigil (from Brigham City)



 Me with Hna. Ixchajchal (from Guatemala (right)...other sister leader) and Hna. Ponce (left)



Me and my new comp.


We were running....tried to jump a puddle but really just landed in the puddle and covered in mud....shoe stuck in the mud. It was great. Hna. Cardenaz couldn't stop laughing.


  
Saw my old Paraiso Ward at the temple!!!!!!!!



 Us bowling! - P - Day!


Ok.....me.....my week has been NUTS! So we had the conference for sisters on Tuesday. I ended up teaching the class with how to get along with your companion with a new sister leader who actually has been the nurse her whole mission. She's one of my really good friends and goes home this next change. She's from Colorado and I  will definitely do stuff with her after our missions. But we taught and it went really well. Talked about not holding on to grudges. Let people repent and move on. They are learning too in how to progress. We explained the atonement with a companionship and how to forgive. I told them what dad told me with the not everyone likes you thing and also quit looking in the rearview mirror so focused on the past instead of focused in front to make sure no accidents happen. It was so good! The spirit was so strong. The sisters felt it and really had a good time. It was a definite success. All the sisters were there. We did classes, yoga, lunch, classes, activities and then president and his wife spoke. President talked about Mary (Christ’s mother) and her attributes and how we can pattern our lives after her qualities. It was great! Then after, my comp headed out to go stay with other sisters nearby and then she left Wednesday morning. We talked a lot the night before and during conference. She needs to return home and get her health issues resolved. Her stake president said that after 3 months if she is well enough - she could come back and finish. We will have to see. She pushed me and challenged me. I will definitely try and stay in contact with her.  We hugged and said bye. I got my new comp.....HNA. CARDENAZ! She’s crazy and so fun! She’s just like me and we have a blast. I met her my first day here in Costa Rica. She's been one of my really good friends this whole time here. She finishes in October so she'll finish here in Belen. I don't know if I'll have changes or finish here. But we have so much fun together. Our personalities together are off the wall. But in a good way. We have so much energy together. She's so focused and just awesome! Such a good missionary! We totally want to hang out after our missions but she's heading back to BYU Idaho. She's 23 and from northern northern California. I LOVE working with her. She's gringa.
We have been working so hard that every night when we come home, I'm exhausted! Literally can't keep my eyes open. That means we are working hard. Our first day together, we challenged 4 people to be baptized and then the next day 4 more. We found 3 new families through members and the members are working out of control! We have so many lessons with members right now and they are loving this new spark of energy with me and Hna. Cardenaz. Seriously she's excellent and has so many ideas! She's helping me to have more faith and a positive attitude. We have a baptism this Sunday actually. I had thought...oh next week and she said...why? What would Christ do? Like I said, she's excellent.
We taught a lesson to Fatima on Wednesday and I might have said a few things to her by the spirit that were...wow. So we taught with a member who was incredible and brought the spirit. We explained how she can know if this is true. I told her to read a chapter in the book or Mormon and said....I promise that if you actually read this chapter and pray with all of your heart, open to whatever type of answer, you will receive your answer tonight. 
Another family in the ward whose husband has been taking the lessons for 2 years told us today that they want to request us to teach them. The other sisters are teaching him and he wants us to stop by. We taught once and it was really great. He's so ready! He goes to church every Sunday and has read the book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants 4 times each. BUT he's very analytical and loves to read....and reads everything. He has a difficult time understanding Joseph Smith being a prophet. We just tried to explain - that the fruits of these teachings - modern revelation, the Book of Mormon, reading, praying and studying things out - he can come to know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet and that these teachings are true.
Naun is getting baptized this weekend. We taught him about the law of chastity and word of wisdom. He accepted it all! He's not drinking coffee anymore and only drinks juice. He's 14 and is just like Josue that we baptized. He's so ready. The sisters taught him before a few months ago and we found him again. His cousins are members. His mom gave her permission and it's awesome. The bishop came with us to teach him and actually accompanied us all of Saturday for 4 hours to visit families. The bishop is AMAZING! He cares about missionary work. I couldn't believe that the bishop sacrificed 4 hours. He enjoyed it so much that he asked to come again with us on Thursday to show us another area. And said he has a familiy for us to teach in our area. He's pumping the ward up and getting all excited. That's why I don't want to leave. He's great! And the ward members, when they leave with us they say, that was fun, invite so and so to our house for FHE. I LOVE IT HERE!
Well, I better head out. I love you and hope you all have a great week. 
Hna. Jones

P.s.  Yeudi and Pricilla are still struggling. I talked with the Paraiso Ward when they visited. It was so cool! I saw Dayanna and the bishop. Dayanna cried when she saw me. And actually the bishop teared up. He refused to talk with me and shake my hand. He is so kind. I just said thank you for everything that you did in helping me be a better person and missionary. He cried and said, NO, THANK YOU! It was incredible. I love them all so much. But anyway they told me they are doing all possible to visit this family. We'll see. 




No comments:

Post a Comment