December 2, 2013
Wow 4 months?? That is crazy. It definitely does not feel like I have been gone for that long. I have learned tons!! I still have tons more to learn. My Spanish is going pretty well I feel like I understand almost everything that is going on. Speaking is still a struggle. Thanks for the advice about the coke. I will have to try that. It was fun to hear about your thanksgiving adventures. It doesn’t feel like Christmas time... It is really hot all the time. It is starting to rain more and more. I love it. I cannot think of anything else that I need. I love pictures and candy! haha I am pretty set on everything else. Oh I got your letter from August with the stamps haha. And the pictures of when I left the airport. Thanks for the letter! I loved it. I haven’t got the other package yet, I should get it soon. I think my zone leaders forget sometimes to give me the letters that I get...haha
Overall this has been a pretty good week. We had exchanges and I got to go to La Merced with Hermana Ibarra for 2 days. Hermana Ibarra is from Bolivia and is one of the most kind and caring Missionaries out there. She has a huge heart and is always looking on ways to improve. I just love her. She is really timid and quiet. Her regular voice is like my whisper. So it forced me to talk more. It was nice to be in a different area and see how things are going in La Merced. I did miss my investigators, area and companion. When I got back in San Ramon we had lots to do and accomplish. We had the baptism of Josselyn. She is a 14 year old girl, she is super cute. It rained really hard so a lot of people were not able to make it. But it was a good baptism. It was really cool the minute that she stepped in the water to be baptized the rain calmed down and it was silent outside. I could feel the spirit and knew that God loves her.
We have been really blessed with investigators that are progressing and attending church. It makes me happy. I love my companion. We have lots of fun together. We smile, laugh and cry together. I feel like she is one of my sisters. I have the sad feeling that we will be separated this transfer. But I know that change gives us opportunities to grow and learn. So I just keep telling myself that so that I can maintain a happy attitude about changes Transfers are on the 16th so that will be interesting to see what happens. My companion just got called to be one of the new sister leaders. So she will be traveling to Huancayo this week for training. I will be in La Merced for 2 more days with the other sisters. I will miss my area that is for sure. I don’t like not knowing what I am doing. Haha
One of my investigators right now is Felipe. He is a abuelito( grandpa) and he lives with his grandson that is 4 years old. His grandson is just about the cutest thing ever. Whenever he sees us he runs and gives us a hug. I kind of want to take him home with me. They live in really humble home. One funny thing is that their dog follows them around everywhere even into church haha. So this Sunday me and my companion where trying to chase dogs out of the chapel.. You can imagine how much I loved that haha.
December 9, 2013
Thank you for always sending me stuff. I love it. I took out my cute little nativity that you sent me.
Most of our investigators have been youth, I love it! They have different struggles than the youth in the USA, but similar struggles too. Family life here is hard. Most of the people we teach come from broken families and very humble circumstances. We are very blessed. Normally both parents work, and the kids are left at home. The problems for the youth are in the streets. There is lots of drinking and partying at night. It is really easy for them to slip out of the church. I wish I could speak more Spanish to help more. But it will come.
Anyway. life is good. This week I was in La Merced for 2 days because my companion went to Huancayo for training. It was weird being away from my area for a few days. When we got back we were really busy making up for the days we are gone. I have a feeling that we will probably be separated this next transfer because there are lots of new sisters coming in. There are 14 sisters coming in this transfer. It will be an adventure that is for sure. The mission president is awesome. He basically told me in the email we will be changed, but all is well. I am really nervous about it. But I know that change is good and that it is only going to stretch me and make me a better missionary. So yeah that has been the inner battle for the week haha. By next week I should know all about the changes.
We had a bird fly into our apartment today. My companion and I were laughing so hard. I video taped it but the computer won’t let me send it. Haha
Anyway I love you lots! Tell the family I said hello and that I love them!
Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers!
Te quiero mucho!
Hermana jones
December 16, 2013
It turns out that I will not find out about transfers until tonight.. so we are trying to wait patiently.. ahhhhhhhH!H!!! haha We are pretty sure that we will change because we have been together for almost 3 months. I am kinda sad about it because I love my companion. She is awesome. We have fun together. But Changes will be good. It will be a good opportunity to change the things that I want to change and to be the missionary I want to be.
It doesn’t really seem like Christmas here. Probably because it is so hot outside! And like you said it is not very commercialized. Everyone here has a catholic background so Christmas is mainly about Christ. Also people here don’t have a whole lot of money, Things just are much simpler, I really like it. The main thing that is different is the Christmas cake that they always eat. It is called paneton. It tastes pretty good. Our ward is having a talent show and a lot of people are dancing. It should be pretty entertaining :)
Things are going good here in San Ramon. We had 3 baptisms this week!! Kendall (the 9 year old), Felipe (the old man with his dog and grandson) and Walter (the other older man, His mom is a member).We were a little worried at the start of the baptism because one of the people being baptized (hermano Felipe) did not show up. We ran to his house, and he wasn`t there. We ran back to the chapel for the baptism, and then ran to his house and finally found him. He came to the baptism and all turned out fine. It was an adventure for sure. Another one of our recent baptisms was Kendal, It was truly a miracle that his father softened his heart and let us teach his son. It is amazing to see the changes in people. The baptism went well. I took a picture of Felipe leaving with his dog.. Seriously one of the funniest things ever. Every Sunday we have to chase his dog out of the chapel .
I lost my Book of Mormon this week. We think I left it in a moto. I was really sad because it had a bunch of papers and things that I use alot. I am hoping that it will turn into a missionary experience, and that one day it will return to me. In the meantime I am using my other book of mormon cover.
Anyway things are going well. I am a little nervous about cambios... and sad to probably leave my amazing companion. But I know that it will only help me become better. This week I have really realized that I need to rely more on the Lord. I am the type of person that likes to be able to do things on my own.. but this work is not my work. It is the work of the Lord and I need to turn to him.
My shoes are holding up great, my purse kind of fell apart so I bought a new one :) Thank you mom for sending me money! I love you all!
te quiero mucho!!
Hermanita Jones
December 23, 2013
Things have been going good! I have moved areas!! Are you ready for the big news?? I am in Huanuco (which is a dryer area, with lots of dirt) It is a pretty big city.
I am opening up a new area for sisters! It is the same situation as the one in San Ramon. We are just splitting the Elders area in half and taking one of the areas.
I AM TRAINING. AH! Haha My new companion is Hermana Chire. She is from Peru and is just the cutest thing. When I first found out that I would be leaving San Ramon I was shocked. Normally the newer people that finish their 12 week training will train in their area that they know. But not me! I feel like it is a huge responsibility to train.. and open up a new area. So yeah it will be an adventure. I am surprised at how much the Lord and my mission president trusts me. Haha Today I was reading in Nephi about how God commanded him to build a ship. He had no idea how to build the ship, but he trusted in the lord and was able to build it. I feel like here I am called to build a ship, sometimes I feel like I have no idea how to accomplish this. But I know that as I trust in the lord, little by little he will show me how to accomplish this great work.
Anyway, things are going pretty good for the first few days here in Primavera(the name of our area) Our goals for the first few days was to get to know members and try to understand the roads and the mission plan for our ward. We did lots of walking around trying to find people. We are still working on having lessons with investigators, we did lots of contacting. We have a few citas for this week so things are going good for only being here for a few days.
My companion Hermana Chire is really sweet. I can tell that she is having a hard time adjusting to the mission life. But she has opened up to me a little and I think that when we have more set citas it will be easier for
her to adjust. When you start a mission you don’t expect to be walking around in the dirt and sun to find members. But things are looking up. She has a great testimony and has lots to share. She helps me a lot with my Spanish and is patient with me. I am grateful that she is my companion!
It was really sad to leave my sweet companion Hermana Vergaray. We got really close. We both cried when we had to leave. Here are some pictures of the training meeting and the Christmas devotional with 3 zones. It has been an adventure.
Thanks for all of your support!
Love you bunches! I am excited to be able to talk to you!!
Love Hermana Jones
December 30, 2013
We have been able to contact lots of people and get to know our area a little better. Right now our ward is really excited about the 4 missionaries that they have in this ward. We are working a lot with the bishop to set up a mission plan for this ward. Luckily we have gotten a lot of help from the members to find less active members and meet new people. We are working hard so that can continue.
My Companion is doing good. It was kind of hard for her to focus that day that we talked with our families. But the more lessons we teach and the more families we find the easier it is to focus. Hard work really is the cure for lots of things. Hermana Chire is awesome. She has a strong testimony and so many gifts and talents to give. My goal is to become a better trainer and a better friend to her so that she will feel comfortable and open up a little more. Adjusting to the mission life has been hard for her. But she will get used to it. Like you said she doesn’t have to learn a new language or go to another country, so she will be just fine. :)
I like that our new city is a lot bigger than San Ramon. But at the same time I like the small town feel. Here there are a lot of people that live in the mountains and only speak qechua. I think that that is pretty awesome. I just need to learn Spanish first and then qechua. The Elders in my district are awesome. At first I had a hard time getting use to their personality. Sometimes it is hard to tell if they are being serious or if they are joking. But they are awesome. We have a lot of sisters in our zone which is awesome. The drive from the mission home was 8 hours, we took a van with all of the sisters and there was another van for all of the elders. I mostly just slept the whole way. The drivers here are crazy. I mean crazy. I never would want to drive here in Peru. My area is on the side of a mountain so we walk lots, which is good for us because we eat a lot too!
I feel like I am being stretched in so many ways. My Spanish has been stretched every day. With Hermana Vergaray I could get away with speaking a little English and she would understand. But with Hermana Chire I have to work harder on my Spanish. This is good for me.
Right now all of our new investigators are just really new. This week we are going to try to get more people in the chapel on Sunday.
Thank you for all that you do!! I love you all lots!!
Hermana Jones