August 4, 2014
This week has been a crazy one. I did two divisions this week with some of the girls that I am over. My companion just barely got to know the area... I think she was a little stressed out. But she has been helping me a lot. Sometimes I find it hard to remember what is going on in my own area because I am helping in other areas. We run lots of errands. But it has been really good for me. I am learning a lot and it is a new challenge to take on. Tomorrow we will have consejo. What happens in consejo is that all of the zone leaders and sister leaders come together. There is a topic that we study (for example this time is how to help the missionaries study more effectively) we all study the topic and then the assistants pick a companionship to teach. I always get super nervous. Then the assistants talk, then the president. We normally discuss problems that are going on in the mission. And Hermana Henderson makes brownies =) After that we go and hang out at the presidents house for the night. It is fun =) 2 hermana liders are going home so we are getting 3 more! I am excited.
Living in the house with 4 girls sometimes is like a sleepover. We laugh a lot. .It is like any other roommate relationship. There are problems but we all love each other and work it out. =) It has been a huge help to be with Hermana Sidan. I feel like we know each other really well after living together for 3 months. She misses Huanuco a lot. I hope to go back one day. We all eat at the same pension, it is nice.
Right now in Huancayo there are lots of parties. It is the time of "Santiago". Everyone puts on their fancy skirts, they go to different parties and dance and normally drink. It is fun to see all the people in their fancy skirts. I will have to try to get a picture =) the only sad part is all of the drinking.
We had an activity called "attacka de barrio" we went with a group of members and knocked on doors and got references. It was awesome. We are going to try doing it about once a month to keep the ward involved. We still don’t have a ward mission leader.. But I have been talking with our stake representative to help us out. I am sure we will get one soon =)
Most of the missionaries that are latinos are normally the first missionaries out in the field. I like being with Latin companions. My companion is a convert to the church. Her dad did not want her to be baptized or go on a mission. But she went anyway. She has such a strong testimony and has helped so many people here. I just love her.
Anyway a lot has happened this week but there is not a whole lot to write about haha. I have been mostly running around helping sisters. I cannot believe that I will almost have a year in the mission. It is kind of crazy. I am not sure what we will do =) probably eat chocolate and take pictures haha. I think I actually have divisions on that day.
I love you all so much!
Brazos! Quidese Mucho!!
Les Quiero!
Hermana Jones
August 12, 2014
Thank you for all the Birthday wishes! I cannot believe that it is my birthday and that I have 1 Year in the mission! How crazy is that?? I don’t know what we will be doing for my birthday but I think that my companion is planning something. I just act like I don’t know what is going on. Here when it is someone’s birthday they smash cake in your face and throw eggs and flour on you. So it should be pretty fun. =)
So this week has been a pretty good one. We had the leader consejo. It was really fun to see all of my friends from the different areas. The elders in the office told me that dad called =) The conference was really good. After we went to the presidents’ house and hung out and watched a movie. It was fun. Then the next day I had divisions with one of the Hermanas that I am over. She is from Australia. She is awesome. We laughed a lot.
We have a new investigator named Jim. He is from Ohio and does not speak any Spanish. He is a tall skinny guy. His wife is in the United States right now and he lives alone with 5 dogs that he took in from the street. It was really weird to teach the lessons in English. It made me realize how different the culture is. I love teaching in English. My poor companion doesn’t understand English. I am going to try to teach her parts of the lesson so that she can be a part of it. I hope she is open to learn. He takes sleeping pills and told us that he probably won’t be able to come to church in the morning. I told him that I was going to stop by anyway. We knocked on his door and he didn’t answer.. But when we passed by later he told me that he didn’t take his sleeping pills so that he could be awake in the morning. When we didn’t stop by he went looking all around for our church. But the poor guy does not know any Spanish. I was really surprised that he actually wanted to go to church! So I hope that everything goes well with our gringo investigator!
My companion is doing really well. We are trying to finish her training stuff. It is hard when I have to leave every week. But she is a good sport. It has been interesting living in a house with 4 girls. But luckily we love each other and have fun. This week we have a multizone conference. It should be fun.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope that you all can come out here. That would make my life =) I know for sure that I would like to visit Huánuco, to visit my converts and my pensionista. La Merced is Beautiful and is a good tourist place and we will be here in Huancayo. I am not sure about the plane stuff but I will try asking president about it. He would know. I would love for you guys to see the Jungle in la Merced. It is BEAUTIFUL! But if we don’t have time I would just rather go to Huánuco to visit the people there. I don’t know I will think about it more.
The Elders in the office told me that I got a package =) so I will probably get it tomorrow.
Love
Hermana Jones
August 18, 2014
Wow this week has been a long one. We had a multizone conference on Monday. I got my packages!!! THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH! I loved everything. I especially love the dress that you sent. I LOVE the skirt as well it is perfect for Huancayo weather.
My companion was sent to Lima the day of my birthday so I went with the other sisters that lived with us. They threw a surprise party with the elders. It was fun. The morning of my birthday they all woke up and threw eggs and flour at me... I started throwing it at them as well. Our house was a mess but it was my brithday so I didn’t have to clean it up =)
We found a few new investigators this week even though I was only in my area for 2 days. I am excited to have new people to teach. We were not able to visit Jim. I hope he is doing okay. The next few days I did divisions with other sisters. It was fun. I helped them contact and find new investigators for their area.
We had a stake activity this week. As a Zone we did a play of El Chavo... I had never seen it in my life but you should look it up. I was Patti. It turned out really good and funny. We had silly costumes.
We have been working really hard in our ward and it just seemed like nothing with happening. Then this week one of our investigators that has been attending church since October was able to talk to her mom to get permission for her baptism!!!!!! We all cried we were so happy. Miracles happen every day. I am trying to understand the Lords timing a little better. He always seems to bless us when we really need it.
That is so exciting that the ward is doing the fair booth. I bet that is going to help out a lot. I cannot believe everyone is home!!! ahhh that kind of scares me because that means I only have 6 months left. I already know it is going to be so hard to leave. I am excited that I will have a week to say goodbye to the people here. And that you guys are going to be able to meet all of the people that I have taught =)
I am thinking that we could spend like one day in each area. Maybe less here in Huancayo but I am not sure it just depends on these next few months and where I am serving. I will let you know =) I think it would be awesome to go to Cuzco! But we will have to figure it out!
Love you!!!
Hermana Jones
August 25, 2014
Wow mi papa es obispo!! (my dad is bishop). That is so crazy to me. The whole day yesterday my companion would say to me..¨Hermana Jones... su papa es obispo!¨ It was funny. I am so excited for your new calling as the mother of the ward =) You are a really good mom, so don’t worry it will just come naturally. That is so awesome that they are doing the booth. I cannot imagine getting that many references. I would probably cry from being so happy. haha Seriously that is such a great help for the missionary work. Aw I am so proud of Kjell for being a missionary. I wish I would have shared a little more when I was in High School.
This week has been a crazy one. In our house we live with 2 other sisters. One of them is finishing her mission and leaves tomorrow for Mexico. So it has been an adventure getting all of her stuff all packed up. I am very thankful for the packing experiences I have from moving and living in Idaho for school. I was able to fit all of her things, just the weight is the problem. haha Transfers are coming up this week. I will be really sad if i get transferred. I love my companion so much. We laugh all the time, we understand each other, and we have had so many spiritual experiences together.
This week we had so many little miracles.
We have been trying to get in contact with one of our references. But the address was hard to read and we didn’t know how to find her. As we were walking down the street we passed by a lady and her daughter. We smiled and said hi, but then kept walking. We both felt like we should go back and talk to her. My companion had to go to the bathroom but we decided to go back and invite them to church. As we talked with her we found out that she was the reference that we were trying to look for and we were able to get her address so that we can visit her. We felt really good and happy. I loved it.
Then we had a HUGE Miracle. We have been teaching this girl named Anabela for about 3 months. She has been attending church since October. She has almost finished her personal progress and has always wanted to be baptized. But she couldn’t because her mom did not want to give her permission. When Hermana Duarte got here she shared her experience with Anabela. Hermana Duarte waited 4 years to be able to be baptized. Her parents didn’t want to give her permission. Then one day the sister missionaries fasted with her. She asked her dad for permission and he signed the papers. She then promised Anabela that if she fasts and prays that her mom will give her permission. She did just that and her mom SIGNED THE PAPERS! We then had a baptism this week. I was able to play the cello too =) It was a beautiful experience. We all cried throughout almost all of the baptism it was precious.
Any way things are going really great! I am so thankful for this opportunity that I have to be a missionary and to see miracles in the lives of others. The biggest miracle is a change of heart. I love this gospel and I am amazed by the Lords hand in his work.
Sé que esta es la obra del Señor y que el nos ama mucho. Milagros pasa cada dÃa. Solo depende de nosotros si vemos los milagros. Amo esta evangelio y la misión. Les ‘]q aqa[aqws;s;s;;;;;sw;s mucho!!
Hermana Jones