Monday - September 2, 2013 - Happy Labor Day!

Monday - September 2, 2013 - Happy Labor Day!!! I miss the Idaho State Fair Day!!!

FAMILY!!! How’s it going??? So it's totally raining cats and dogs here and I might have forgotten my umbrella. Shoot! I always have it with me because during this winter season it rains so random here. I loved reading your emails and thank you so much for sending them. I enjoyed reading all about your trip to Stanley and the fun you guys had there. The pictures were great! So fun. I have really learned a lot about parents and their relationship with children. Last week I was talking with my comp about little things with parents and how sometimes it's hard to accept counsel and wisdom. Well...due to other things happening this week, I received a lot of revelation in this area. I AM SO GRATEFUL for mom and dad...for their sacrifices and all. They probably were nervous and unsure when we didn't have much money but yet never showed it. We always had food to eat and presents at Christmas and fun fun fun birthday parties. We always had what we needed. Naun doesn't even really have parents. I'm sure he would appreciate someone worried about him and concerned about him. It shows love. I am so grateful for all the mom and dad have done and continue to do. I really really appreciate it and am so sorry for all the times that I've been so hard on you both and not taken your advice or counsel to heart. I'm learning. Anyway...that was something I wanted to share at first. I miss you guys so much each day and love you all. I always testify of the importance of families and you guys all enter my mind. So grateful that we are all sealed together. You guys are my best friends. The other night, we were teaching an FHE about father and son relationships. My comp and I bore testimony of father and child dates. I said....my dad hated when I called all the time with my drama but now he misses it. Ha-ha. Yep I know you all miss my drama and craziness. It was just funny. I'm realizing more and more how important family is.

Other things....Naun was baptized!!!!! And confirmed on Sunday. He's so funny. Sunday, he and another teenager visited people with us. They shared their testimonies and taught a few things. I'm pretty sure that was one of the best experiences on my mission....listening to one of my converts share his testimony with other people. He was always called on to pray and does such a good job. He really does talk with Heavenly Father. He shared his testimony about the Ten Commandments and an experience of how he helped his friend understand that we do not take the Lord's name in vain. It was really sweet. He's just such a good kid. Roger is doing fine. He had his interview with the Bishop on Sunday after church. He got a new job and is trying to get his life in order. Keep praying for him.

We are teaching those couples still....Manuel, Luis, Andrei whose wives are members. They all have been taking the lessons for a few years now and they are all so ready. We challenged Manuel to baptism and he accepted!!! He wants an answer so bad!! He’s read the Book of Mormon several times, comes to church every week, and prays morning and night. He even received a blessing to help him know if it's true. Tonight we have an FHE with him and another super strong couple in the ward and we are going to talk about how to receive answers and recognize them as answers. He always is telling other people about the church! He said to us that he wants to know so badly and doesn't know what he's doing wrong in his prayers. Pray for him! He’s such a good guy! Already acts and looks Mormon. He told me that he wanted us to teach him because I'm so nice and sweet. Ha-ha just a nice guy. Luis is also awesome. They invited us for dinner and it was DELISH! He made tenderloin and it was so good. Pretty sure I'm deficient in iron because I was loving that meat. Ha-ha. That’s all I ate with mushrooms that he cooked in a vinegar! So good! Anyway we talked with him about Heavenly Father. He said he read Alma 22 but that the difference between him and King Lamoni is that he doesn't want to know if there is a God. My comp and I were just shocked. We were like.....uh...inspired question...come. Ha-ha. We sat there and waited. Then I just bore testimony to him completely. My comp bore her testimony and brought up his father who had passed away a couple years ago. She said...wouldn't you like to talk with him again? So we talked about that and invited him to pray. He said he'll continue to read and listen to his wife pray at first to start out. He said he feels like a hypocrite if he tries to pray now because it's like praying to a tree. So sad. He's a good guy...just needs some love from Heavenly Father and a spiritual experience. We are going to teach them a lesson this week about the temple. Hope it goes well.

Yessenia and Lester are AWESOME! They called us last night and said....we want to get married ASAP and can we be baptized right after? They asked to be married and baptized Sept. 24th. It all works out because they are willing to pay a lawyer and want to be baptized on the same day that her son was born. Like a big celebration! All is going so well with them. We are so excited in planning that. Things are just going so well in this area. We are loving it!

We are kind of in a trio because Hna. Rodriguez was deported to Columbia. It was super sad and a long story. But anyway. The other sister was changed from our area to another area and we have the other sister with us. But it's all good. We are loving life and working hard. Well...I have to go. But I love you guys all so much and hope you have a great week. Talk with you all next week.

Hna. Jones

P.S. I am being careful with the peanut/nut allergy thing. In every house and in every dinner/lunch there is fresca involved which means a packet of tang and water. If I say no, it's offensive. We drink zero soda and zero jamba juice things. We only drink frescas in homes where they give us some. And I'm not drinking everything people give. We’ll get better at asking.  Plus tons of people know about my allergy so they always say...this doesn't have nuts. Ha-ha. No worries. Being smart. Plus president gave us a long talk about being smart in all we do. So no worries. I know it's serious and I'm trying really hard to be smart. I promise. Plus my comp is all about helping me eat zero peanuts. 

 Feed the birds...toppins a bag...toppins...toppins....

Naun's baptism!

Got this from Hna. Wilkinson...thought it was funny because Grandma Jones works at the museum in Idaho for potatoes.

 Me and Hna. Abadillo crossing a bridge on UNUSED train tracks

 Hna. Cardenaz and I traded clothes for the day!

 Divisions with the other sisters.

 LECHETON! Donating boxes of milk like food bank in Costa Rica.

Me on the bus today. No umbrella - lots of rain!! I should know better!!! It is winter!!!