Week 13 (Dec 26, 2011): I Feel My Saviors Love

Dear Family,

Ah, it was so good to talk to all of you yesterday ' sorry all I did was bawl...I will try to not do that next time!! But really, what a blessing skype worked...I love you all so much.

This week was a little slow finding people to teach. One day though we were headed to Vinciente and he had not returned from his work yet. We weren't sure when they would get back so we started contacting the homes nearby with no luck. We walked over to a spot of shad to pray and after felt that we should walk towards the super mercado which made no sense because there were no homes en camino... or a least we thought! We found this home that was far behind the Carcinera. The mother let us in and we talked to her for a while... She is expecting a baby in April and has five other kids. She told us how she has epilepsy and how her husband is so cruel to her and her kids and every Sunday she goes to the church nearby to pray for the Lord's help. We had to leave for another appointment soon after sitting down with her, but it hurts too much to see someone hurting physically and emotionally. We taught the first lesson and testified the best the we could... I pray that the spirit touched her heart nd that we can keep teaching her...and her kids.

I am out of time, I attached a picture of Hermana Leonor and the ward Christmas dinner that they had. She is the mother of Vinciente that I have been telling you about...she could talk for hours... they all can and do here! And I love that.

I know that the Gospel is true. I know that my Savior lives and guides this work. I am learning to listen to His spirit. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and the words of the prophets will speak to us and teach us through the spirit of the Lord if we will just study, ponder and pray. The Lord is teaching me and helping me to grow to be able to do this work. My mission scripture, if it could have been a song would be I Feel My Saviors Love. Every word of that songs describes how I feel. I love this work and the people. I love my Savior and know that He loves us and our Father in Heaven wants so much for us to be happy. I love you all... more than I can say.

Te amo, Hermana Natasha Jones

Mom' also the only thing that I could think of for you to send would be more socks and a new jump rope. Soup packets and everything else that you said in your last email would be awesome too!! just dont make it too expensive! THAnkyouuuu!!

Week 12 (Dec 19, 2011): Home & Visiting Teaching is His Work.

Dear family,

Well this is my last email before Christmas!!! Merry Christmas!!! Love you all. This week has been filled with lots of lessons. I didn't keep a very good journal this week so i don't know what to write about!! Hmm... I am actually sending pictures today!!! We are still working with Vinciente Fransisco.

About a third to half of our work is trying to work with recent converts and less active members. One thing to say... THE LORD HAD AND HAS A HUGE PURPOSE IN VISITING TEACHING AND HOME TEACHING!! And it needs to be so much more than just teaching. Hermana Plummer told me that just years ago the baptisms here increased dramatically, but shortly after the attendance rate started to drop at church. Visiting teaching is not very well implemented and would help so many of these new members to stay active if they just knew someone cared about them in the ward and was there to help them and answer questions...

Well sorry this email is super short, but i have to wrap up... i will keep a better journal so i can send better emails and tell you all about the people here. They love God.

I love this Gospel. I love this work. It takes more... a 100% more than what i have to offer, but that is the beauty of the work...it isn't mine, it is the Lords so i can have confidence that I cant mess it up if i am depending on Him. I know that He lives and guides His church and this work. I love you all, but what an opportunity on a mission... to learn to love the Lord more than anything and anyone else. I thank my Father in Heaven every day for this work and for my family.

Love,
Hermana Natasha Jones

Week 11 (Dec 13, 2011): Our lives are analogous to a mission.

¡Hola from Paraguay, Ñemby!

How are all of you? It has been getting hotter and hotter here! I will tell you about some of our investigators and our lessons! We finalay had a lesson with a lady named Suni. She has two little kids, both under the age of ten. She lives more in the chaco, so it is pretty difficult to get to her house. We took the bus to her house at the beginning of the week and taught her lesson one. She had read the entire pamphlet about the restauration that hermana plummer and her old companion left with and had lots of questions. As we taught the first vision, the spirit was very strong. Her children are so beautiful nd for parts of the lesson would be running around wrestlin and at first i thought it would be distracting. but then i remembered two things- 1. the savior always set the best example of how to never ¨turn the children away¨ for such is the kingdom of God. and 2. how that sound, of children laughing is one of dad´s favorite sounds and for sure it might be distracting but the they are so perfect that I think that it only made it more possible for the spirit to be there! There was a part where her son jsut ran up to her in the middle of the lesson and gave her a big hug for no reason. I thought of your letter dad about caden during family home evening. I think the little boy could feel the spirit ad that was one of his ways of expressing that too, just like caden.

Often the past couple of days, I have thought of this mission very much like our mission here on earth and my decision to come here to earth. In heaven, I was excited to come to earth and to learn and grow so that I could recieve the blessings that Father in Heaven wants to give to all of his children- eternal life. I don´t kjnow if in heaven i was taught specifically about all of my trials, but i believe i at least knew it wouldn´t be easy, but that there was a way provided...namely our savior, Jesus Christ. I was excited to come and had been taught and prepared but probably didn´t know exactly what to expect. The same is with the mission. When I was trying to decide to come, there were many things that seemed might be hard but I didn´t know exactly what to expect. I had and have been taught and prepared to serve this mission in so many ways. And now i am here. Now I have the decision to make to choose how I am going to rely on my Savior and how much I am going to do every second of every day to help others recieve the same blessings of the restored gospel for their families.

I do know though that the blessings recieved from following the doctrine of our saviors gospel here in this life and here on this mission are far greater than I could ever repay or even think of repaying my Father in Heaven for. I am learning to love the people here and learning how to live more focused in one purpose... to teach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ for others to recieve the full blessings of the Atonement in this life for themsleves and for their families now and for eternities.

Everyone has their nativies and christmas lights up. It is neat to see and hear more about Jesus during this season than discounts on girfts, deadlines for sales, and Santa Clause in place of the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Savior. I miss the family, but it was interesting today... I erad some of the family history you gave me Grandma during breakfast and i felt and recognized a little bit of my bigger picture. My ancestors have been faithfull and obedient and diligent in building the kingdom. And with great oppornituies comes great sacrifice and hearing their stories boyed me up, feelin and knowing I have help that surrounds me from those i may not reme3mber but that i love. Also a sense of hertiage and responsibiliy to live up to that- truly the spirit of Elijah.

I know this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know He lives. I love each of you so so much.

Love,
Hermana Natasha Jones

Week 10(Dec 5, 2011): Emi and the Power of the Atonement

Dear family,

Well i am herree!!! I am writing this email with mariachi (i don´t know the actuall name) blarring in the computer lab that we go to every pday on mondays!

My first day here, we landed and it looked like a jungle!! For the first time I was kinda scarred..! But President Callen and his wife were waiting for us at baggage claim and we had about a day of training and classes with him and his wife and the trainers for about a day and then, my trainer, hermana plumer came and picked me up!! we took a taxi to our house about 15 minutes away in our area Ñemby! It poured my first day and the streets flood really fast here so we tried to stay on the sidewalks as much as possible as we walked to our first appointment!

My companion is very hardworking and i really love her... she is so kind and fun so it has made the transition easier :)

It is interesting but I don´t believe that I would have choosen paraguay for a mission if i had had the choice! not that i don´t love it, but i do come home every night smelling like i have been camping and empty my shoes of all of the red dirt (all of the roads, except for the main ones which is very few are paved but are rocky with red dirt everywhere!)... called empiedra. Crossing the street with a mother pig and her babis is normal and having roosters at most of our lessons is too!

BUT because this is the Lord´s work, and not mine and because my Father in Heaven knows my strengths, weaknesses and desires so much better, He has blessed me to be here in Ñemby, Paraguay with these humble, beautiful people. And as i am teaching in lessons, I can´t help but thank Father in Heaven for sending me to such humble, god-loving people! I feel the support of your prayers- thank you a thousand times.

Yesterday at church was so neat! Some people bore their testimonies in Gutani, the indian language here, which i of course did not understat at all!!

We also sat by Fransico with one of our newer members, Emi. Hermana Plumer told me that he used to be a bum on the street and always was drunk but a couple years ago two Elders taught and baptized him and you would never know now! We had to help him get on the bus to get home because he can´t see vvery well... he was a very strong testimony to me of the power of the Atonement.

Also, Sister Leonor Danduro, a member of twenty years, told us yesterday her son, Vinciente Francisco had told her that he wanted to be baptized! He is 38 and lives with her... he was born with severe mental disabilities and so his brain functions more like that of a child. We went to their house later that night and taught a part of the first lesson and focused it on prophets with our gospel art book. his mom is at every lesson with us to help him and us and helps him to read and pray and keep his commitments. He was so excited when i gave him his very own book of mormon at the end of the lesson... he had the biggest smile and then kissed the book! He loves his savior and Heavenly Father and wants to learn... it is a privilege to teach him and so many others who have such a strong desire to follow and love our savior.

I love this Gospel, I know that it is true. I thank my Father in Heaven for allowing me to born in a day and age with the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love you all so much. SO MUCH!

Con muchisimo amor,

Hermana Natasha Jones

ps. i am out of time and cannot figure out my camera... i PROMISE to send picutres next week.. those are always the best part of emails! i wish i could write in words how much i love all of you!

Week 9(Nov 29, 2011): Arrival in Paraguay

Dear family,

I am sitting in one President Callen´s secretaries offices writing a really quick email. My preparation day will be on Mondays so i will write you again then! We made it here safe... It is beautiful here and i even had the opportunity to talk to a bunch of different people and families in the airports and on the plane! I love my mission president and his wife... they are so loving and have made me feel right at home. Having orientation right now and just had a very yummy Paraguayan meal. Sure do love you all. I love this work and am excited to meet the people and my companion in the morning.

con mucho amor,
Hermana Jones

Week 9(Nov 26, 2011): Thanksgiving, and Hallelujah!

Querido familia,

I LEAVE IN JUST TWO DAYS... MORE LIKE ONE AND A HALF!!! I am so excited to finally be able to leave for Paraguay to teach the Gospel!! I love you all so much. Jessica-we stop in the nightmare airport in Fort Worth on our way there...I may just visit the massage chairs again...haha. As a missionary I luckily will not have any distractions that will make us miss our flight (aka RedBox).

We had such an amazing week! Our last full days of classes were on Mon-Wed and we finished up lessons with our "investigators" that we have working with this whole time. The way that they have the MTC set up now is incredible. I have already taught at least 30 or 40 lessons or "part lessons" all, or almost all, in Spanish. We have gone from having our lessons written out the first three or four lessons, to just being able to really be guided by the spirit as to what/how we need to teach to really help our investigator.

On our Tuesday night devotional, guess who spoke?! An apostle of the Lord, Elder Christoferson!!! He talked to us about our missions and his and told us to 1.always be focused in everything on the missionary purpose, 2. earn the trust of the members and 3. learn to sanctify your heart to God (Mosiah3). There was so much power just when he walked into the room.

THEN on Thanksgiving morning we had another devotional and another apostle was there to speak to us: Elder Nielson!!! Wow! He and Elder Christoferson told us that if we didn't take any other notes, to write down and pass on how grateful they are to you for sending your sons and daughters to serve missions. He gave a powerful talk about, of course, gratitude and showing that thanks through our service. At the end, he played a song from the Men's Mormon Tabernacle choir called Hallelujah. I think you would really like it, you can probably look it up. Hallelujah means "praise to the Lord God, Jehovah". As it was played, he asked us to think about our families, our missions and all that the Lord has given us. I was filled with so much gratitude. It was one of the best thanksgivings ever.

We had a great thanksgiving meal and then sack paper dinners (hahah) that night and a humanitarian service project for the people of the Sudan. Later that night, they gave us popcorn and let us watch "17 Miracles"!

I just want to tell you all how much I love this gospel. I wish it was a part of everything that I did... and as a missionary you receive help to be able to do that, but I just feel my Savior's love around me. I know that he died for each of us to fulfill our Father in Heaven's perfect plan. I love Him and I love my Father in Heaven. I want to live with Him again someday with my family and will never find something that I am more grateful for than that. There is a way. Through the atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

God bless you all- I love you more than I can say... each of you.

Con amor,

Hermana Natasha Jones

Week 8(Nov 18, 2011): Sister Somu from Cambodia

Dear family,

How was your week? I hope you are all doing well! This week was really good and just jammed packed with things to do, which is great. Ahh so many things I want to write about - I will just start from the beginning of the week.

Last Sunday we had a really good devotional from a Brother Heaton who is the administrating director and coordinator for all the MTC. Anyways, his talk was about tithing and how we can and should teach this law more effectively by the Spirit. I wrote some others things about his talk in your letter :) After his talk, every sunday night we have the chance to watch a church video (either the Joseph Smith movie, Legacy, or The Testiments) OR a bunch of other recordings of different talks by different apostles and prophets. Our district stayed to watch Legacy. Every time anyone kisses or anything, the whole gym errupts as all of the Elders start whistling and stuff. I don't think President Brown, our Mission president here at the MTC likes it very much!

Oh and I forgot to tell you! From our very first week in the MTC, we are expected to have prepared a talk for that upcoming talk... in our mission language!! Ah! And then Bishop stands up and announces who the speakers will be, so you don't even know until like two seconds before! Great prep for the mission thought... I now have almost six or seven talks ready if I ever need to give a talk that was unplanned!

I met this really sweet sister from Cambodia the other day, Sister Somu (right next to India, no? how neat is that?). The Lord has his hand in our lives, guiding and directing us all of the time. Meeting her was a tender mercy- she had such a strong testimony. She has already left for temple square, but was living on my floor. When she was just sixteen or seventeen, she met the missionaries and was baptized. She told them later that she wanted to cut her hair like a boy so that she could serve a mission too, just like them! They don't send sisters to Cambodia, so she had never seen a sister missionary! I wish I could write everything that she said, but she has basically given up almost everything to come and serve a mission because she knows without a doubt that we are each children of God and we each need to hear and follow our Father in Heaven's plan. Humble life reaps humble and faithful people.
When she had her interview with her mission president, he and his wife asked if she was nervous. She said, "I am not nervous! I am not going to be alone!" They looked a little confused and then she said, "I have the Holy Ghost with me... always!". ( I am sending you a picture of her later :)

Oh and guess what else... Heavenly Father let me see Carly and Nataly today!! Car was working in the foyer of the MTC because she was workign on grounds crew for BYU and Nataly and her Mom were in the temple. Oh my goodness... it was such a blessing to see them and get hugs and get to talk to people that I love so much.

Oh and guess what else? WE GOT OUR TRAVEL PLANS LAST NIGHT!!!!!! I am leaving the MTC for the airport on the 28th at 10 am and my flight takes off at 2 or 2:30 that afternoon. I will write you more about my travel plans in my letter, but I am soo excited!!! Grandpa, we have a four hour layover in SauPaulo, Brazil, so I bought a Portugese Book of Mormon today. Keep in your prayers taht I will: 1. find someone that can kinda understand my spanish! and 2. that needs and is prepared for our message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!!!! I will arrive in Paraguay and be with my mission president around two or four pm your time the next day!!!!! yippeeee!

Family, I absolutly love being a missionary. I know that the true Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to share and teach and help others to come unto Christ. I am trying to do as much as I can so that I can be worthy of His Spirit to lead and direct me to teach each and every moment. I love you all... so very much. Serving a mission for the Lord is so far the next to biggest blessing in my life (the first being my family). I know that our Savior and Father in Heaven love us. And that is enough for me. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love you all. So much.

con mucho amor,

Hermana Natasha Jones!

They have hundreds of pictures of different missions in every building, in every hallway here! They line the halls with them!

This one is....finally, PARAGUAY!!!! (Hermana Willnauer and I)

Hermana Genna Applegate & Hermana Jessica Willnauer

Blessings from the Lord.

Service on Wednesday at 6:00 a.m. ... cleaning urinals?! I guess I better be grateful for it now, just in case I don't get to have that in Paraguay :-)

I have the weirdest laundry bag!! haha

The fact that it was yours though, Dad is a lot of fun! (minus the "Mr. Gunny" eyeballs part of course! ;-)

Pics of the food Mom?! You got it!

They have so much ice cream here too!!! Don't worry though, I have actually lost weight...probably from stress.

I will gain it all back when they have BYU Gram Canyon ice cream again though!

The food really messes with your insides...if you know what I mean!

P.S. Look at that NAME TAG!

Thank you!!!

All of the letters, pictures and packages mean a lot....and mom thank you for the package from Uncle Jim and Aunt Luwain. I can't even explain how badly I wanted something smelly. :-)

My roomates wanted to cry, they were so happy about the wall flower, and the "thin mints" are my favorite!

One of the three or four rooms that I live, eat, sleep, and learn in!

Because we speak "only Spanish" I have my dictionary with me 24/7 (I even take it to the gym)

Studying hard....planning lots...

Learning to work as a companionship is hard, but rewarding when done right.

Carrying about a third of the books that I use in the MTC

Hermana Jones entering the MTC.
"I'm now an official missionary!!!"

May 17th, 2011 - Calling home via Skype to open my call with the family on line.
"You are hereby called to serve in the Paraguay Asuncion Mission...."
"President Thomas S. Monson"

Hermana Applegate, Willnauer, & I, working on our Spanish.

Hermana Applegate - She is from a small farm town in Colorado, Political Science Major, and our Senior Companion. She keeps Hermana Willnauer & I in line when we can't stop laughing. Hermana Willnauer - is from Kansas City.

We are each very different (well maybe not Herm. W & I), but the Lord has put us together & we feed off of each other's strenths. I Love my Companions!!!!

Week 7(Nov 11, 2011): Needing to Rely on the Father

Dear family...

Mom, Dad, Jessica, Nick, Spencer, Caden, Grandma, Grandpa... and everyone else :)

I hope you are all doing well! I sure do love each of you. A week really does feel like only a day on the mission. I can't believe how fast time flies. Okay so what about this week..? Hmm -

Well for starters, this weeks devotional was given by Elder and Sister Gavarret. They both served missions in Paraguay and Uruguay and are from South America. Elder Gavarret is a member of the Quorum of the Seventy. Elder Gavarret was also the mission president of Paraguay Asuncion!! How neat is that? At the end of both of their talks, they bore testimony in Spanish and Guarani (the native language of the Paraguay people!) So afterwards, my district and I went up to talk to him and his wife and as they were leaving, Elder Gavarret said a bunch of things in Spanish, and we were all so nervous or SOMETHING that the only word in Spanish that we could remember was "gracias" which all 11 or so of us shouted to him in unison as he was leaving the gymnasium. I am sure he is worried now for President Callen... our mission president in Paraguay. Hahaha

Some of my favorite scriptures this week have been Ether 12 and 2 Nephi 4. I can't remember the verse in 2 nephi, but in it we are taught about how God created things to act and to be acted upon. A little background with this story...Okay and my companion, Hermana Willnauer got a letter the other day from a mutual friend who is serving a mission in Guatemala. She is always very happy but is really struggling in her mission. This just made me worried because I feel like a mission YES will be hard, but that it shouldn't be this thing that you are trying to "survive". Anyways... this was just another reason that I was grateful for my India trip. I had, before I left, promised Heavenly Father that I wasn't going to complain... not even the tiniest bit because I wanted to make sure that I got all that I could out of it. And I did that and I was able to feel the spirit so many times and learn so many lessons while I was there because of my Savior and because I decided That was the blessing that I wanted...

And it is the same and will be the same when I leave for the field in just two weeks. Heavenly Father has given us our agency... he has given us weaknesses for our benefit so that we can rely on Him and continue to be strengthened through His Son's atonement and we work faithfully and diligently. I know that this gospel is true and that our Father in Heaven loves us and has a perfect plan for each of his children. We are not alone. I love Him and I love my Savior. And I love you.

Te quiero,

Hermana Natasha Jones

Week 6 (Nov 4, 2011): Becoming Friends with My Companions

Dear family,

I sure do love all of you. Thank you for all of your prayers and support. I can feel the strength that comes from prayers each day. This week we have been working with our investigators Rojelio, Miguel, and Thomas. Through all of these lessons I am learning so much better how to work in a companionship. Not just with one other person, but with three!!! Heavenly Father has blessed me so much though. Sometimes it is really hard to teach as a "trio" because we all think so differently, but it is helping us to learn to work together as a team even more because we NEVER loose sight of each other!!! haha and it is just really good preparation for the field. Three and a half more weeks... can you believe it?! Oh yea, Heavenly Father has blessed me so much though with my companions. They have become my best best friends. I can rely on them, and know that we are each trying to do our best and build up the companionship. It is so true that . I can completely be myself with them...well one, that comes with being around someone for five weeks straight! But also, we just have a lot of fun together. They are through and through really strong people and I couldn't be more grateful for companions that I am such good friends with.

So some things that happened this week:

On Tuesday, one of our teachers, Brother Talataina, told us about how the Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson came to speak to everyone at BYU!!! We thought for sure that our devotional that night would be the prophet. Tons of Elders and Sister rushed through dinner to go and stand in line for the devotional early. Some our Elders went early to save seats. Hermana Applegate was on a comp switch with some other sisters to be in the choir (they have choir that you can participate in every Sunday and Tuesday!! sometimes I don't do it though because you have to leave class a little early during lang. study on Tuesdays)... anyways so when Hermana Willnauer and I got to the doors it was body to body Elders and everyone was Freaking out! We wanted to get there so early so 1. we could sit really close to the Prophet, and 2. we would get to shake his hand afterwards! When they opened the doors, it was like when they are opening a store for black Friday. No joke. Some Elder's around us were like "Push and shove, everybody, push and shove... just don't touch an Hermana!" hahah. Anyways, Hermana Willnauer and I decided it was a good thing it wasn't the Prophet because he would have been so ashamed!!! hahah

It was a member of the quorum of the seventy, Elder Zwick, and his wife! He and his wife talked about prayer and once again, I forgot my notes, but I will try and remember them for next week so that I can share some of their thoughts with you. It was so good, I love hearing from 1. the Lord's servants and 2. the testimonies of good and honest people.

Oh ya. And it snowed!!! Wait. you probably already knew that because Jess is in Provo too... hahah I always forget that.

Oh and Grandma and Grandpa, a member of the Branch Presidency and his wife sat with us for dinner and somehow Wallace and Gromit came up. They were very impressed that I knew the names of each of the characters and movies and no one else did. Brother Malan was so excited... so I just had to tell you thank you haha

Mom- I had to play for sacrament meeting the other day... got to. And it was so bad!!!! hahah but I was so grateful that I knew how to play... that will probably happen more often in Paraguay, no?!

Spanish is going well... I am learning more and more each day ONLY through a LOT of help from Heavenly Father. Actually let me restate that... ONLY through Heavenly Father's help. I saw one of my friends from Freshman year who works here and she is from Mexico. I talked to her in Spanish for like half an hour!!! She said that my Spanish was really good, but she was probably trying not to laugh... hahah. But really, the Lord helps us so much. I continue to carry my dictionary with my everywhere and trust that as I continually look up every single word I can and use the language as much as I can He will help me to remember the words to say. Dad, it is funny though as you were talking about Caden and his letters the other day and how he mixes up his p's and b's... I am at his level right now communication wise!!! hahah I am almost out of time, so I will write some in Spanish next Friday :)

A favorite scripture I loved studying this week was John 17. Thank you for sharing all of your thoughts and scriptures with me Mom, Dad, and Jess and everyone.... they mean a lot to me and sometimes are the answer to prayers.

Lovyou alll soooo much.... MUCHO MUCHO MAS... TE AMO

Hermana Natasha Jones

Week 5 (Oct 28, 2011): Learning to Rely on the Spirit

Dear Family,

Hello again! It feels like deja vu... like I was just here writing you a day ago. Time has never gone so quickly!! So this week was really amazing. Not anything huge that happened, but I just felt like I learned a lot.

I always thought that I was a decent teacher. I had been able to teach in Sunday School and Relief Society callings for most of my time at BYU and I love teaching. But the more time that I am here and the more lessons that I teach (We work with more and more "investigators" each week) I realize just how far I am from the mark that I thought I was at...if that makes any sense. I remember when I first was called as a sunday school teacher my freshman year and thought I was going to die. I don't know if you remember when I called that night Mom and Dad...actually I am sure you do! I was SO scarred!!! How in the world was I going to teach all of those return missionaries while I was the little eighteen-year-old baby who had maybe given a handful of talks in church and had taught maybe ONE laurel class?!! But the Lord truly does qualifies thoes who he calls. Not that I ever became an amazing teacher, but I was able to fulfill my calling as a teacher and teach by the Spirit. And that was all that He needed me to do. To work hard and trust in Him and that my calling came from Him.

Just like then, the mission is extremely humbling. I have relaized to a great extent just how little of this work I can do without Him. None of it!!! I know that the key to success in the work is having the continued guidance of the Spirit, and relying on the strength that comes from our Savior's Atonement and a loving Father in Heaven. I am learning to become and do what Heavenly Father needs me to do and be.

Investigators...Hermana Willnauer and I cannot be companions in the field. We laugh too much!! Our investigators that we are working with this week are Rojelio and Miguel. We have been working with them for the past two weeks and they both have ´baptismal dates´´!!

Yo se que nosotros tenemos un Padre Celestial amoroso. Nos ama mucho mas y el nos ama tan mucho que el da su hijo, Jesucristo, mortar por nuestros pecados y proveer un manera a volver a El con nuestros familias. Yo se Presidente Thomas S. Monson es una profeta de nuestro Padre Celestial y que cuando nostoros seguir la voluntad de Dios constantemene, recibiremos mucho bendiciones por nos y nosotros familias. Yo se que El Libro de Mormon y la Santa Biblia son the palabra de Dios y que Jose Smith restaurada la iglesia de Dios y el sacerdocio de Dios que fue lleno. Yo se que nosotros somos los hijos de Dios y que Dios es la Padre de la spiritus de nos.

Hard to type in Spanish but... I love you all. More than I can say. I love serving a mission. The Lord sustains those He calls... and all of us in everything our Father in Heaven needs us to do.

Con mucho besos y ambrosos,

Hermana Natasha Jones

ps boys' your letter is on the way!!!!

Week 4 (Oct 21, 2011): Hearing from Elder Scott

Mi querido familia,

Wow! Week number...well I guess I just finished my third week this past wednesday! Or fourth...I actually have no idea! I am heading into my fourth week?!! Well, this week has been great. I have really learned how to better concecrate my time to the Lord through planning each and every minute to something that will help me to learn the language, the grammer, learn how to serve the needs of our "progressing investigators".

And guess who we got to hear from this past Tuesday night's devotional? An apostle of the Lord- Elder Richard G. Scott!! Our District Leader, Elder Lund, always takes five minutes to eat dinner so that we can get good seats for every speaker each Tuesday night. Well, last week we heard from Sister Julie B. Beck and her husband!!! And this week we were right up front on his left side when he walked in!!!! You know someone is a servant of the Lord when you can feel their love from Wow! Mom, you wanted a picture of all of the missionaries in the auditorium but we actually aren't allowed (they probably don't want us taking pictures with the Apostles). The speakers on Sunday and Tuesday nights are always really good... I want to write everything down that I learn, see, hear, and feel here in the MTC...I might have even bought two extra journals while I was here..haha. I wish I had brought my journal to give you all some quotes, but I didn't bring my journal so I can't share any of those thoughts, but it was basically an extension of his General Conference talk...except directed more towards us and our investigators!

Mom, when groups of sisters leave each week, they leave behind anything that puts them over the weight limit on their flights, so I am proud to say that we have collected about five different shampoos and conditioners...its just like home :)\

Dad, grandpa and the boys- the tree house sounds sooo funn!!!!!! I so glad you were able to do that!!! Take pictures! (okay that's dumb. I know you have already taken fifty mom :))...which i am grateful for.

To everyone that has helped me to get to were I am now, here in the Missionary Training Center both monetarily and spiritually- thank you. I couldn't say that enough. I love it here. It is definitly harder than I had imagined it would be but I am grateful for a challenge that is teaching me to rely completely on the Lord. This work is no more than learning to become an effective and loving conduit for the Lord's spirit so that we can touch others and teach others...not just teach, but show others how to follow our Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for my loving Father in Heaven who has allowed me to choose to serve this mission and is so loving that He would allow me to be able to be a part of this work. Not just for the next eighteen years but for the rest of our lives. It is a daunting task. One that I am not able to do on my own. I continue to realize just how impossible anything and everything is for me alone...more than I have before. But the Atonement of our Savior blesses us and strengthens us. I do not know and understand so many things. I have NO idea how in the world I will be able to do everything that the Lord is going to ask me to do but I do know that He has lifted me and made me equall to the tasks. The guidance of the spirit is the key to the work.

Yo tengo un testimonio de la amor nuestro Padre Celestial tiene para todos sus hijos. Yo se que mi Senor vivir.... en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

ahhh time is up so i will make sure to bear testimony in spanish at the beginning from now on. love you all SOOO much~!!!1

Te amo mucho,

Hermana Natasha Jones

Week 3 (Oct 14, 2011): Life in the MTC

Dear dear dear family,

I LOVE YOU ALLL SO MUCH!!!

So much to tell you. Thanks for all of the letters and DearElders. I absolutely loved the pictures that you all drew and the hearts and all of the prayers and words of encouragement...once again, they mean more than I can explain. My Spanish is starting to improve a lot more- the key? #1. lots of prayer, #2 speaking the language all of the time, asking lots of questions, and carrying a dictionary with you everywhere #3 once again, lots of prayer- praying for the gift of tounges and all the help that the Lord will give me...I can't believe that I will be in Paraguay in just three weeks though!

So I realized in my last emails and letters I didn't tell you a whole lot about my week and what I was doing. Soo I want to give you a brief run down of my week. Every day is very similar, and it is only boring if you aren't focsed on why you are here! We wake up, I try to go to the kickboxing or aerobic classes in the morning, get ready in record time (spencer, thank you for the practice every morning this fall when I was RUNNING around trying to get ready for the bus!!! it is a lot like that... and will be for a while :) probably good though) - oh Mom that actually reminded me... I am going through withdrawls not having alll of my lotions and perfumes!!! I bought hairspray today in the bookstore just because it smells good and I don't even use hairspray?!!) anyways, then after that we eat, have lots of class, personal study time, comp study time, personal planning for the next day, about two of actually teaching lessons to every day in spanish... solomente espanol!!! And after that we study more, do language study with our comps. and on didfferent computer programs and practice books. I also have gym every day except for PDay and if it is nice outside, we are allowed to play soccer or run around the lower fields around the temple. Ummm acutally that is about all we do! May sound boring, but I absolutely love it!!

Mom, I had a meeting with my mission president this week and he wanted us to show him our planners and our preach my gospel journals and stuff... when I showed him my planner i am not sure if he was surprised or scarred. What can I say, I like to plan things out, like my Mom- just not as much :)

Dad, I willl send you a letter with the families ;)

Jess, sorry I am running out of time, but I just sent you an email like five minutes ago!!!

Spencer, Nick and Caden, your letters are on their way!! Oh and Nick, WAY to go on your time!!! You were smoking!!!! I told one of my Elder friends (he has won state championships for cross country) and he was really impressed- anyways, I am very proud of each of you.

Wish i had more time to tell everyone thank you for sending me letters and DearElders, but I love you all so much...

con mucho amor - ustedes hermana,

Hermana Natasha Jones

Week 3 (Oct 14, 2011): At Provo Temple

Okay just really fast... we can't attatch pictures here at the MTC... things are pretty restricted soooo we ended up going to the temple this morning and saw sister willnauer's two best friends!!! and shelly sent us this picutre so I am mailing some pics today, but will send this one for now.... Going to the temple is THE BEST-every week... how neat is that!

Week 2 (Oct 7th, 2011): Teaching Miestro Talataina

Dear family,

THis is the most amazing blessing EVER... othere than the blessings that come from our Father in Heaven from obediently living the gospel, having the opportunity to share it is the biggest blessing ever. 24/7 I am learining to "consecrate" myself and my life and everything that I can to learn Spanish, learn how to better teach doctrine and teach by the Spirit. I wrote you each a letter today but will send them once I have my pictures to send with them on Monday. So much to tell you.

I love this. My teacher, miestro Talataina is a huge Tongan BYU football player that looks like he could kill you if he didn't smile so much. I couldn't ask for a better teacher. He teaches with a lot of clarity (as much as i can understand at least- he will only speak spanish with and to us!! unless he is trying to get a grammer point across. He met with each of us individually this week to see how we were doing and how our experiences had been so far. he laughed when I told him I was trying to set more specific goals to learn the language... not because of the goal, but because I he realized how much of a perfectionist I am... He has challenged me to speak ONLY SPANISH! That was the way he did it and he said that was the only way that he felt so confident with the language when leaving for the mission feild. Soo... I am learning to speak SOLOMENTE ESPANOL TODO TIEMPO!

Another thing: I love emails, but DearElder is better because I can read them the day that you write them once I get back to my dorm and then write a longer email and tell you more... sorry this one is so short.

One last special experience. Last sat. we had our first investigator lesson in solomente espanol... we had two follow up lessons and guess what... HE IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!! They have teachers here that role play as fake investigators... he was a golden one... wanted to know and acted and his faith grew very quickly (prob. because he was our first one..haha). I was so excited... I can't wait to teach "real" investigators and help them to feel and know their purpose in life.

I will bear my testimony in spanish next week when I have more time, but for now:

I love this gospel. I know that it is true and I know that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us so much. I know that the Book of Mormon is necissary for teaching correct doctrine and giving specific and direct direction for all of our lives. I know that our Father in Heaven loves each of us. And that is the core of my testimony and the core reason and drive for serving this mission. I lvoe you all more than I could ever say.

con mucho amor,

Hermana Jones

#1. "Obedience is the price, faith is the power, love is the motive, the spirit is the key, Christ is the reason, we can return to our Father. the Gospel is true and it is for me and for you."

ps. boys by the time I send this you will be getting into bed!!! love you each so much... if I was there I would give you each a big hug and kiss (Nick this won't stop no matter how old and mature you get :)

oh and we were able to go to the temple today!!!! yea!!!! the provo one is beautiful

Week 1: Enter Mission Training Center

Dear Family,

Wow. Okay only 30 min to check and write back for email... not a whole lot, but apporpriate to help us stay focused on the work here and in the missionary field. Mom and Dad, I forgot to attatch grandma and grandpa's emails in my contacts so could you maybe send that to me? Thank you so much! My P-Day will typically be on Fri. but yesterday was so busy with "new missionary" meetings and classes, etc. that it was moved this week to today! P-day with General Conference... a great combination! Although I am not really ready for a pday right now... I want to keep learning more!!!! I wrote the family and Jessica each letters and will sent those on Monday so will try to include something else other than what I have already written. Dad, thank you for the very sweet and encouraging letter...nothing better to say with this work than "God's speed"! It is HIS work and I love it her. I can't say yet that I am ready to go out into the mission field down in Paraguay because there is so much work that I need to do with learning the language.

Family guess what?!! I am only allowed to pray in spanish now! I can actually say more than I ever thought I would be able to after only three days...missionaries obtain so much help from the Lord but ONLY thorugh our hard work and diligence can He bless us with the gift of tounges. There is a saying here that the days feel like weeks and the weeks like days. It is very true (in a very good way :). From six am to 10:30 my day is packed with learning... there is a lot of structure, but also a lot of the learning and time is surprisingly left up to our own discression. It is a blessing that they do it this way if you are willing to stay focused and work hard.

Mom, thank you so much for your DearElder (funny that you were in the MathLab... I am sure the family is excited to see you). I never realized how much getting mail felt like Christmas. Our meistro, Brother Talataina told us that on his mission he was a terrible Elder to write because he would never write back. His attitude was kinda: "hey you guys, see you in two years!" I admire my teacher a lot for his diligence. He was and is a very strong leader and I couldn't ask for a more loving teacher. BUT that is definitly not my attitude with letter writting! While I know that I will not and do not have a lot of time, I love my family very much and want them to know that!!! Mom and Jess honestly, when you two dropped me off I was so excited to be going, but after I dropped off my bags, put on my name badge and sat down in our first meeting, I felt SO homesick. Don't worry, it doesnt' end there :) For the first two hours I just missed my family so much but as I prayed and started to "get to work" that missing family was taken away... not completely...but almost like the Savior, through His atonement replaced only momentarily the spot that I felt was missing in my life. I feel like I am in the best situation!!! I miss my family so much that if I take my mind off of the work, I am sad but so far, after my first one or two hours I have been completely fine. Wow. Another miracle in my life.

(please tell sister Christopher thank you for her DearElder also. You can tell that she loved her mission.)

I absolutely love my companions...Hermana Applegate and Hermana Jessica Willnauer (Mom, this ist hte friend that I told you about!!! We are MTC companions!!!!!). We have so much fun together and have a lot of fun helping eachother learn the language and learn to work as a companionship to help eachother do better and help set goals for our companionship to be more effective. I wrote this in the letter but I want to tell you because it is so exciting! We taught our first "investigator" Pablo!! They have teachers here that role play as investigators adn we only teach in spanish and they only converse to us in spanish! Our first class here, our teacher walked in and only speaks in spanish to us also! Complete impersion.

Well I have about three more min... We are about to head to the other converence session. Family, I LOVE hearing how you are doing. Thank you for all of your love and support. I realize more and more that this mission, while it is My mission that I am serving for the Lord, you are also serving so much thriough all of your love, support and prayers.

I will bear testimony in spanish with what time I have and bear testimony more next week:

Yo se que el Libro de Mormon es la palabra de Dios y que Thomas S. Monson es un profeta de nosotros Padre ...

ah out of time! love you alllllllllllllll :)

Dear Friends,

I have chosen to serve a mission for my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! I will be teaching the restored gospel of Jesus christ in the Spanish Language for a period of 18 months. I have been assigned to serve the people in the Paraguay Asuncion Mission.

I cannot tell you how excited I am to serve a mission and teach God's children in Paraguay about the restored gospel an the love that Jesus Christ has for each and every one of us!

I included a couple of links below, so if you are interested in learning more about the missionary work that I will be doing or about what I am going to be teaching, you can take a look at those. I am so excited to be serving a mission and cannot tell you how much this opportunity means to me. It is something that I have wanted to do all my life because I believe what I will be teaching with all of my heart and has made me so happy.

I will be setting up a mission email that I will be able to use once a week while on my mission. If you would like to be included on that email, please write your email below. This will be my way of sharing a part of my life and stories with you.

A list of some of our basic and core beliefs:

https://lds.org/scriptures/pgp/a-of-f/1?lang=eng

Missionary Work:

https://mormon.org/missionary-work

About the Book of Mormon- one of our books of scripture that accompany the Holy Bible:
(I will be using the Book of Mormon along with the Holy bible to teach while on my mission)

http://mormon.org/book-of-mormon/