Hermana Jones en Paraguay Asunción: 2012

Sunday, December 9, 2012

8 de Octubre 2012

Dear Mom, Dad, jess, Nick, Spencer, Caden Alexnadra and Dan....:) Wow. I have quite a big family!

Well, the work is going well down here in HOT Paraguay. We have had a great week and the heat is starting up again...haha um...it never really stopped!

General Conference was AMAZING (and yes, Spencer...I was watching it at the same time as you and the family :)

I especially loved President Uchtdorf's and President Monson's talks...oh and Elder Holland, who as hermana Arnell and I say, always gives us the "cha-ha". LOVED each talk and as I listened to the Tabernacle Choir, I am sure one day I will sing with them or do something for the Lord singing because #1 I love it, #2 when I sing I feel closest to my Father in heaven, and #3 it is a talent He has given me and I recognize how serious it is to not use our talents the more I read the scriptures. Thanks again 1000 X for helping me develop that and every other talent that I have.

As I listened to Elder hales and Holland, I was so grateful for the spirit felt. I want to show the Lord I love Him more. When Elder Scott talked, I felt a huge need to take advantage of free family history services at BYU wile I still can!

President Monson always has the most touching stories that help you listen and remember and apply...oh and the faces he makes are always the best.

I did something different...I wrote notes in purple and put a green star next to things I felt I should do and wrote in green what the spirit taught me but wasn't said. I am excited to apply what I have learned. "Ask in Faith"

I hope each of you can always have a Book of Mormon with you or a pass along card and always be willing and looking for people that the missionaries can teach. Elder Bednar said in a recent conference talk that missionaries are full time teachers and the members are full time finders....I hope/will always be actively searching for those the Lord has prepared (He is preparing everyone!) Alma 13:36 The majority of them just don't know it! We love everyone...pray for opportunities to serve and share and act upon the will of the Lord...every day searching for what that is! They don't know they are missing something in their lives, but we do so we HAVE to share it! It's not hard, as we just desire and are willing to do small and simple things...the Lord will see our willingness and pour down blessings to bless others!

I love this Gospel and I love that no matter what...we will live together forever because it's the Lord's promise and we are full of faith.

Love you all!

Love,
Su Hermana Jones

PS Elder Bednar will be here Oct 27/28 to talk to us-ah! Hermanas always have fron row seats ha ha!! (no pics, Mom...the President already told me :(

PPS Nick! You are going to be a very young missionary...thought of each of you boys and am SO excited for my brothers...:) Prepapense! (this was mentioned after the new mission age is 18 now, not 19, mentioned in the beginning of this recent conference)

27 de Agosto 2012,

Dear Mom, Dad, Nick, Spencer and Caden,

So, yesterday we talked to a lady in the street who told us, "Oh, I know about Mormons! They are having a huge celebration in Italy with over 4,000 people. My daughter is there working in Rome!!" I was confused at first but as we talked, I realized she was talking about the temple! I don't know how to describe it, but as we walked away, I just wanted to cry and shout out loud (okay..the spirit:) I was so excited- It is something I can't describe, I FEEL an excitement...not just by me, but those beyond the veil.

The Lord is preparing to come...I can feel it. I am excited that just one more temple has been dedicated. One thing that made me sad was that the mission secretary sent us an email telling us that the area presidency has said that our duty, as missionaries is not for the salvation of souls on the other side of the veil, so we can only go to the temple one time every year and then once at the end of our missions. I do agree and will support what they say, but I long to go to the temple...to learn and remember the billions of things that you learn there- to find strength in my covennats. Take ADVANTAGE of your time in the temple or to be ABLE to go!!

The picture I sent you a few weeks ago of the little girls with our backpacks...well, it was interesting. Yesterday, we left early to find an investigator (to wake them up ha ha) who lives in their neighborhood, so she could come to church. Well, she didn't end up coming to church, so we went to Hermana Clotilde's house (less-active member to remind her to come to church. She said she wouldn't go, but sent some of her beautiful grandkids to come with us. As we waited and helped them put on their shoes, I tried to brush their hair that is always matted down with knots...we were trying to hurry so we could make it on time. Danya (11 anos), Nigeli (8 anos) and Michele (6 anos) came with us and are always so excited to come! They always scream our names and tackle us.

Nigeli could feel the Spirit while we were at church and said that she wanted to get baptized. As we walked them to cross the street after church, hand in hand, I looked down at Michele with the typical dirt covering her freckles and sweat pants fromt he 80's and her typical grin as she smiled up at us and swung my hand and I couldn't stop smiling and then had the best thought of, "I can't wait to see you one day again when we are with Heavenly Father again!" I have had those feelings so many times...but only with very specific people.

I love the people of Paraguay...so much.
I am excited to one day return to the presence of my Father in Heaven and be with our familia forever and be able to continue being with those that I love from Paraguay.

I pray that I can bring souls to Him-help them receive the blessings of the Gospel - share the gospel with a friend!!!

Les amo muchisimo,
Su Hermana Jones

20 de Agosto 2012 (hand written letter to family)

Mi Querida Mom, Dad, Nick, Spencer and Caden,

How are all of you?! I am sitting at my desk listening to "Book of Mormon Stories". I LOVE the scriptures so much...we are so blessed to have prophets today.

We studied about the prophets in our Gospel Principles class and it would have been the best for our investigator, Carmen Gonzalez. Sundays are so different now. Everything we do during the week is in preparation for Sunday...personally and with your investigators to help them get to church and it is the best feeling when they come because it means they are just THAT much closer to being BAPTIZED!

Nick and Spencer...you two are going to be INCREDIBLE missionaries. As I am a missionary, I see the missionaries that have a lot of success and see my siblings/parents in them. :)

One missionary named Elder Marina, is from Honduras and reminds me of you, Spencer...LOTS of energy and always excited planning the next event (or baptism) Your energy and passion (and way of being on time ha ha), will be great strengths to you, buddy. His energy and enthusiasm for the work and the people has helped him to be a great instrument in the hands of the Lord! Another missionary, Elder Pouce, is also from Honduras is a lot like you, Nick. :) Nick you have always been very kind and loving and put the Lord first. Your love for Him and way of understanding others will allow you to be a "Captain Moroni" missionary-you and Spencer (and Caden).

Caden...well, bud, you love to read, so I am sure you will grow to love the scriptures and be a strong missionary, too!

No, but really...let's all, ALWAYS be missionaries and pray always for opportunities to share the Gospel-The Good News!"

Les quiero muchisimo-que tengan una buena semana.
Hermana Jones

13 de Agosoto 2012

Dear family...
Dad, Mom, Nick, Spencer and Caden,

By the time you get this, you will be starting your new school year! Nick, you are in high school1 That is so weird and exciting! And, Spencer you, too! You will be in the classes in Bath instead of Hillcrest. I hope you are enjoying your new teachers and that everyone is happy...we have so many reasons to be happy.

A neat story that just happened thirty seconds ago...I have to first explain. President Callen is VERY thrifty, and cut the missionary budget a lot (which I do think is great, but it also means we have to be careful with our money!) So...to be able to print pictures and send you cards every week, I am washing my clothes by hand! And, all my garments that once were white, now are yellow and grey because I sweat so much!! Ha Ha Gross, I know. Anyways, I was writing your letter and then looked out the window to our patio right as a gust of wind blew some of my garments to the ground and because I had turned around to look out the window, I was able to pick them up. I know that the Holy Ghost helps us do, even the small but important things.

I am grateful for this gospel. I know that if we each strive to do our very best and live worthy of the guidance of the Holy Ghost as we keep our covenants, Heavenly Father will bless us to be happy and happy forever as a family! Have a great week!

Les quiero cada uno do uds.
Love, Su Hermana Jones

6 de Agosto (letter handwritten to family),

Mom, Dad, Nick, Spence and Caden,

!?Como estan todos?! ?Saben que? Es el invierno aqui y hace casi treinta grados...o tal vaz menos. :) Estan locos porque piensen que hace frio areses jaja.

There you go, Nick! I thought I would give you a part to translate!

I have tried to send a letter every week but the last ones didn't get sent out because of the crazy Paraguayan mail.

This week we had a lesson with aless-active member named Cirilia Sales. She was baptized thirty years ago but, with time, stopped coming to church. She was never offended by what others said...she just didn't have really strong friendships with the members, so when the missionaries stopped visiting or moved away, she slowly stopped coming.

She came to church for the first time the other Sunday after thirty years! Woohoo!!
As we visited her again this week, she told us how she just didn't have the energy, liked another church where they sang with a band for two hours, and how there is too much commitment in the church and that she doesn't want to wear a skirt! Ah! All of the excuses possible...because it is HARD to break a bad habit/sin and replace it with good ones, but it is ALWAYS worth it! The Lord will never allow us to be tempted more than we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13)

As I listened to her and we asked her questions/read scriptures to try and figure out what/where her testimony was, I was filled with so much pain. She KNOWS it is the true church, she knows and names the blessings she will miss. But, she will not do it. I am sure I felt just the TINIEST glimpse of what our Father in Heaven feels when we leave from the influence of His Spirit as we sin. May we be filled with desires to always please Him! As we talked, I also realized just that much more how important it is to love and take care of our brothers and sisters...the Lord's way...Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching! Ah, it is divinely planned and ordained. I hope I can, for the rest of my life, go to church, searching for the one that is not there or that is there, but sad and lonely.

Heavenly Father lives and loves us! Have a great week each and everyone of you. Always remember that I love you more than everything (minus Heavenly Father) and if I don't write you each your own card or don't write lots, it's because of that. It is HIS time I am on.

Les quiero,
Love, Su Hermana Jones

16 de Julio 2012 (handwritten letter sent to the family)

Dear Mom, Dad, Nick, Spencer and Caden,

!Hola de su Hermana en Paraguay!

A neat story from this week....we started teaching Cirila Salen who is 45 and hasn't been to church in 30 years! She finally let us in to talk to her and she came to church yesterday for the first time!! Woohoo!! I was soo excited. The members really made her feel welcome also. We wore purple so she would let us in because it's her favorite color!

When we taught her, we taught about the importance of our baptismal covanants and the Atonement- how Christ has made the way possible to be free from any sins or mistakes we have made.

She stopped going because she lost contact with the sister missionaries and just didn't have a lot of friends at church and now she is struggling with a lot of problems with her son now who is addicted to drugs. Her daughter that she takes care of ran into the room and wanted to sing, so we suggested, "I Am a Child of God." "You will sing and I will cry," Cirilia said. As we sang, I knew she could feel Heavenly Father's love and hope for her that she hasn't felt in a really long time. Also, we stopped after a lesson the other day at a house and clapped...waited...no answer...clapped again..."?hello?" "someone" shouted in their dark garage, "Hi!" We are missionaries from La Iglesia de JesuCristo de los...." and then, I stopped and laughed as I realized I was talking to their parrot...we started laughing and I couldn't stop as we walked away and heard the parrot laughing with us. :)

Sure do love you all. Christ offers us hope and peace if we just live His gospel.

"Hurrah for Israel!"
Su Hermana JonesM

25 de Junio 2012 (hand written letter to the family)

Querida Familia,
I sure do love all of you. I keep forgetting you are not in school, but are enjoying summer! It's getting colder here but it's really not that bad...supposedly it only gets super cold for a month (Julio), so I am getting ready!

I thought it was neat what I learned in the scriptures in 3 Nefi 23. The Lord asks to see the records they have kept of the prophecies of the prophets. When Nefi brought them to Him, Christ asks Him why he hadn't written some of the prophecies of Samuel the Lamanite. Nefi realizes he should have written the prophecies and the Lord commands them to write them. It doesn't say how Nefi reacted, but I am sure, as a prophet, he was very humbled with the counsel the Lord gave to him. I am learning to be more humble. I want to be humble and patient.

I didn't tell you that I finished the Book of Mormon! It was about a week or two ago, and I was reading late at night as Hermana Arnell and I were in our room. As I closed my Libro de Mormon, finishing the last words of Moroni, I was filled with a sure testimony that the book was true. The Spirit filled my heart and the room. I know the Book of Mormon is true.

A quick story from my new ward. There is the family Parini and we had lunch with them on Wednesday/Friday (I can't remember which day?!) and Hermana Parini just grabbed my arms as I walked in and gave me the biggest hug telling me, "this is your home!" She told us, whenever the missionaries come over, her husband always worries a ton about what they are going to cook for us. They have a farm that he works at during the week and then comes home for the weekends...so they made cream with cookies from his cows.

!Amo a los Paraguayos! I know this is Christ's church. !Les quiero y espero que tengan una semana buenisima! !Podemos esta justos para siempre!

Su Hermana Jones

18 de Junio 2012 (hand written letter to the family)

Querida familia,

Oh how I love you all so much. Nick, I just read your letter of the struggle/battle you had withthe ancient toaster. ha ha I laughed a lot about that-that was really funny. I feel like Heavenly Father has blessed me way more than I deserve to have given me a family that I love so much...I know our family isn't perfect because I am not perfect, but sometimes I feel like my family is perfect and I love you all very much.

A neat story I would like to share with you: I am using Hermana Plummer's backpack right now because my other one isn't that great and my back had begun to hurt really bad. Well, as my back was starting to hurt, Hermana Arnell's feet started getting really bad also to the point she would be crying and she doesn't cry. Well, being tough like she always, is, if she sensed that I was in any pain with my back, she would ask if she could carry my backpack with hers for awhile. I always refused because...well I wasn't going to give her my backpack and add to her load when she could barely walk!! She would often, after a lesson just pick up my backpack, adding it to her weight and start walking and I couldn't really do anything about it! She told me last night that often when she would "take my load" for me she didn't feel the pain so strongly in her feet. The Lord, literally took away some of her pain as she tried to take away my pain. What a testimony of the Atonement of our Savior.

It is about 5:30 here, so I am wrapping up this letter to get ready to leave the house and teach the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!! We are teaching Noelia, Marcos and Elias tonight. They don't know that I am leaving so I have to tell them tonight and I hope they are not sad. we are going to teach them tithing with the gum you sent me, Mom!

Well, Hermana Arnell just woke up from her nap...ha ha...gotta go!
Les quiero Mom, Dad, Nick, Spencer and caden and Alexandra!
Hurrah for Israel!
Su Hermana Jonesstyle="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">

11 de Junio 2012

Dear Family, (Mom, Dad, Nick, Spencer and Caden) :)
I cannot believe how fast time flies. As a missionary, we often do not realize how much has happened in just one day and it feels like something happened five days ago when it really happened that very morning because our days are so jammed packed! I seriously come home every day amazed by everything that Heavenly Father helped us do and 100% exhausted but happy! So the days seem long and good, but the weeks fly by so fast and we are already winding down for transfers again...yikes! I have been in Nemby for seven months now and am hoping I get to continue serving here. (President Monson wants the missionaries in their areas for longer amounts of time so they can know the members better and work more with them.) :)

We are going to Asuncion again today. We went last week to see dr. Spencer about Hermana Arnell's feet. She probably wouldn't want me to tell all of you because she is really "tough" and doesn't like to cry (yes, she crys more now because she is my companion...jaja) I know that makes sense to you! But, it takes us about an hour to walk to different areas that only took us fiftenn munites in the past. The pain is so bad in her feet that she literally coannot take another step or she will fall over. She has had seven surgeries in her life and the doctor thinks that her nerves in her feet are surrounded by scar tissue from the surgeries. so to walk SO much and not really be able to rest causes the nerves to act up because with the scar tissue they can't "move" correctly with the muscles in her feet...and so all of that is causing incredible pain. hermana Arnell doesn't complain about pain or feeling sick either...she just wants to work hard. President Callen asked for an interview before he left so I hope that by some miracle her feet are healed.

One quick thought/story....Noelia, 13 anos and Marcos, 10 anos, came to church yesterday and they love it! Their younger brother, Elias, (8 anos), who we were teaching also...we have not been able to help him read in the Book of Mormon...and he doesn't want to come to church sometimes, so we are focusing on helping Neolia and marcos get baptized and then hopefully with their example, Elias will follow. :) Anyways, we had a lesson with the family and Noelia told us she didn't want to go to church but she was too embarrassed to tell us why. She finally whispered in my ear, "I can't read and I don't like it when they as me to read!" She can read, but it is really hard for her, so we told her we would as her teacher to not call on her in class to read and she agreed to come to church.

Well, they came and in the end as we were leaving the chapel she said, "I read a lot in class today!"...I started praying a lot and then I was able to read!!" her teacher is Hermana Ojeda's older sister, Hermana Rolon, and they had a combined class with the young men and Hermana Rolon said that everyone gave her a lot of suport and love. AFterwards, Noelia was so excited about "La forteleza para la Juvenud" (Strength for Youth) booklet that they gave her that she told us, she would be reading all of it this week! Noelia tals a lot and marcos is really serious and silent so we didn't get a whole lot our of him, but he told us he had to get home to read his Book of Mormon!

Nick and Spencer (and Caden :))...you are going to make AMAZING missionaries...and are going to love the mission. I have heard of brothers and sisters serving in the same missions and even the same area as their older brothers and sisters, so who knows! I think that would be so neat!!
Ho to prepare for a mission? Just keep doing what you are doing-read and love the scriptures and do all that you can to show your family and friends that you love them. :)
Les quiero cada uno de uds.
Love, Su Hermana Jones

Letter sent from June 4, 2012
Dear family,
This week I sent a SUPER short email and this letter is going to have to be super short also. I just made brownies and TRIED to make cornbread for FHE we are having with Carlitos (the boy we are teaching, 13 anos, friends of Mauricio Caledervilla, and I burnt the brownies and the cornbread is super iffy?! ha ha Ah! Who is my mom? ha ha...just teasing you, Mom.

I noticed in the last picture that you had pictures of me on the fridge, so if you still have those on there you need to switch them out with these!

I just want to bear my testimony:
(Nick...this is a test for you. You can be the "translator") :)
Yo se que esta es la iglesia verdadera. Yo se que el Libro de Mormon es verdadero y al ....in el BOM, yo siento el Espiritu tan fuerte. Voy a terminar en dos semanas!) Yo amo a mi Salvador, Jesucristo y le soy gracias por su sacrificio que es por todos...y es para mi. !!Les quiero?? Love, Su Hermana Jones

Sunday, November 25, 2012

My favorite Paraguayan Recipes

These are recipes sent to Jessica, who asked Natasha what her favorite recipes are, so she could make some of them for her when she got home.
1. Chipa ("look up the recipe, but take out the 10 lbs of pig fat they use puleezze!)
2. Empanadas del orno (mas verduras = mas rico!)
3. Ensalda de fruta (yo hago eso para comer en la noche y tienen en todos lados juego do naragnja fresco con...manzana, pina, mango y banana (picados)...o cualaquier ...jugo...toguqe quiere!"
4. Arroz con pollo y salsa - tiene que buscar una Paraguay. Receta por internet...eso si es rico!
5. Ensalda con tomatos grandes
6. Sopa Paraguaya - no me gusta pero la unica otra persona que no le gusta es Hermana Arnell...todos se enamoran con sopa...tradicional para cada feriado)

Monday, October 29, 2012

Week 58 (Oct 28, 2012): "My Life has Completely Changed!"

Querida familia,

Estoy feliz... I am grateful that my parents taught me to have faith and to "do hard things" (philippeans 4:13) and for a companion that teaches me so much and for my calling as a missionary... and just everything. I am grateful that we can repent and "put off the natural man" and for that I am grateful for my Father in Heaven. That He loves me and is patient with me and has blessed me, Hermana Jones, even though I am SO far from perfect, to represent His Son. I sometimes cannot believe it. I am grateful for the Holy Ghost that teaches us when we change and helps us feel when our Father in Heaven is proud of us. I know that this is His church and that I am a daughter of God. Our investigators and less- active members... okay everyone, need to know and feel what I do and what we do. There are so many people that need to hear the Gospel... share it! I know our Father in Heaven gives us blessings and talents because He trusts us to share them with His children to bring glory to His name.

Nimia told us just a few days ago how happy their family is now. She hadnt told us this earlier, but that they were about to seperate when the Lord guided us to her house. "We dont fight any more...I feel so different...My life has completly changed" are just a few of the words that she has said. She is even bringing friends to church because she is so convinced that this is the true church! Her little sister Luciana and her boyfriend Reinaldo are going to get married and baptized too at the end of this month! Keep them in your prayers.

We had the amazing experience of having a converence with just missionaries for a couple of hours with Elder Bednar sat. morning and then we had stake conference with him and his wife sunday morning! Something so exciting that he said was, "the time will come, and is not far distant, that Paraguay will be filled with stake centers"... he talked about the INCREDIBLE growth that Paraguay was going to see... and then he said, "but it will depend on you members... to the extent you keep your covenants and live the gospel."

I know that he is an apostle of the Lord. I know that President Monson is the senior apostle and that Christ is the head of His church. I am grateful to be a member and a representative. Thank you for your prayers and i love you all.

love,

hermana jones

Bautizmo de Nimia y Erika! they look tired because they are but they were SO HAPPY!

Erika, Hna. Santiago y yo!

Adibe Harika- she wasnt progressing, but i love her lots...

After the conference with Elder and Sister Bednar! We of course werent allowed to take a picture with him, but it was incredible... better than general conference! ... almost :)... Hna. Ence, Hna. Arnell, yo y Hna. Santiago (we are in the same stake so I have gotten to see her lots!)

Barrio Yukuky (pronounced: you- cuh -tuh... kinda hahah its guartani!) this is a picture in our poorest neighborhood... they have a HUGE sand area where they all get together on Sundays... right before we entered into a lesson, we stuck her camera on the wooden posts of their fence.. the hill behind us is called cerro lambare where hna. santiago lets me run every other day up to the top... :)

and Claudio just got baptized!!!! yesterday...their family is so much happier right now!

Week 57 (Oct 22, 2012): Nimia and Claudio Get Married!

Querida familia,

How are all of you!? This morning I only had an orange in the fridge so I ate mangos from our mango tree for breakfast... mmmmm!

Nimia and Claudio got married!!! And then Sunday morning we almost had a tornado during the night (not joking... lamp posts had fallen down and everything) and Nimia and Erika barely made it to their baptism because there was so much mud that they couldnt get out of their neighborhood! Claudio will be getting baptized this next Saturday because he needs to be more prepared for his baptism but he has agreed to being baptized this saturday night....but the baptism or his WIFE and daughter was very exciting and the spirit was so strong when they were confirmed.

Nimia is excited to go to the temple in a year to be sealed and Claudio is starting to understand everything a little better.

We helped the primary with their primary program and Erika had a part and everything about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. When you are in church... LOOK for those people that need extra attention and love. I used to go to church because I felt like it was another home for me... and I loved the scriptures and loved the people there. Now I realized even more just how important it is to be able to go to church and every moment at church is a time to serve... not just those close familiy friends that i love so much that, yes, i can help, but those that are sitting alone or feel different than the rest of the ward. Whatever it is... I realize now the importance of following the spirit to know who I need to talk to and help. I realize how far a smile and a hug really go. Many investigators or less-active members remember "the one who always gives me a hug" or "always asks me how i am doing". Please look for those that are in need and with a prayer and faith the Lord softly tells us which of his children need our help.

I often thought... "that would be so neat to have been a convert to the church... it would help me so much with investigators!". But I have realized that we are all converts to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We all reach a point in our lives where we finally understand the commandments and what the Gospel of Jesus Christ really means and we want to change and repent and follow him in EVERYTHING that we do...I love the Gospel and my Savior and want to be like Him. I am so grateful that I can repent and be a convert to the true church of Jesus Christ.

amor,

su Hermana Jones!

¡Que tengan un buen día!

Claudio and Nimia's Wedding

Week 56 (Oct 15, 2012): Erika Scares Nimia

Querida familia,

Oh i love my mission. I have been applying what i learned in general conference from elder neilson in our contacts in the streets... haha ,"ask the missionaries"!

The familia Colarte is doing great! They have come to church for a month/ more than a month straight and are excited to be baptized. It is neat to hear Erikas prayers in each lesson, ... "thank you that my parents are getting married and we are going to be baptized" is what she says every time.

Yesterday we taught about baptism and the confirmation and the Sabbath day (the importance of the sacrament) using an example with charcol and soap. Erika got her hands really dirty and then we related washing her hads to the repentance process before and after baptism... really creative I know!

Nimia is stronger in her testimony than Claudio, But claudio has strengthened his faith a lot also and it is neat to see. He has stopped smoking and drinking now. He talks about his Dad, who died a year ago, with lots of respect, He said that he never smoked or drank and treated his mom like a princess. I think he really wants to follow the example of his dad. He will be so excited as we teach more and more about eternal families and the temple.

Erika scarred her Mom during the lesson when she told a story about when she had gone to a baptism with Nigeli at the church about a year ago and the ladys foot kept going out of hte water... "so the man had to keep pushing her under the wather over and over again in the baptism font thats in the bathroom (because you have to enter from the bathroom)!" (acting it out as if he had been trowing her under the water or somehting!"

Nimia looked terrified hahah it was hilarious. We explained better afterwards!

Now we are teaching Nimia´s sister, Luciana, and she loves to read the Book of Mormon and came to church this past sunday!

Nigeli really was the missionary with their family... she always had her friend, Erika, come to the lessons! Nigeli´s mom is softening her heart and has said that nigeli can be baptized WHEN she leaves prison. So keep praying for her... Nigeli went there to talk to her mom and get permission and was really disappointed BUT the Lord will continue to soften her heart!

I know that this is the Lord´s Gospel. I know that He lives. I know that this is HIS work and we must always strive to be worthy of the spirit. I love you all and thank Father in Heaven that He loves me and is so patient with each and every one of us. He is our Father. We are His children. He gives us direction and protection in this short time that we are away from Him to learn and repent. Repentance is hard, but it is the only way that we become truely converted to the gospel of our Savior. That is why I am here... on my mission for others.

Les amo!!!

su hermana jones

ps. lo siento ... the other cyber with better internet didnt have connection today so i could send pictures... i am in the cocaroach cyber... yuck.

Week 55 (Oct 8, 2012): Nimia and Claudio Announce Marriage

Dear familia,

Wow. I am amazed by how blessed we are to be able to listen to and be guided by a prophet. I was so exciteddddd when President Monson announced the age change for missionaries, elderes y hermanas and the spirit was so strong! I loved all of the talks... but the one from Elder Nielson was a missionary favorite... haha it was fun to watch that one with 30 other missionaries!

Nimia and Claudio have decided to get married and so we are going to be super busy these next two weeks! I am so excited for them!!!! Their daughter Erika (10) will be getting baptized with them the next day on the 20th of october... and Ale will be baptized in four more years haha. They are starting ot read the scriptures as a family and I am so excited to be able to help them and feel that it is an honor. This is going to make such a difference in Erika and Ale´s life.

I know that this is Gods church and Gospel. He loves us and if we love Him, we will lay aside those things that keep us from Him (our sins) and will serve Him. I love my mission... I love my Savior and I hope that every day I can show Him that more and more.

Love you all.

love,
su Hermana Jones

My new favorite scripture or scriptures....

"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doesth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us ... fight the good fight of faith, by hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called." Hebrews 12:1 y 1 Tim 6:12

Mom or dad... could you send me the talks from the first presidencia (all three) but in spanish... we wont get the ensign until 2013... or january :) thank youuuu

ps jess... just sent yuou a card last week! just so you arent worried! I eat bread and beans and mangos i find in the street so i can send you cards... just kidding haha kinda. love you soooo much

Week 54 (Oct 1, 2012): Neca gives Esteban Baptismal Challenge

Querida familia,

I had too much fun sending the pictures! We finally found a cyber that is newer and doesnt have cocaroaches and computers from 1990! Woohoo so you can look forward to pictures (because the Jones family is OBSESSED with pictures... thanks to the example of Mom)!.

It has been an amazing week. Full of miracles. The Lord has the power to change hearts and I bear testimony that when we pray in faith, our faith can bless those around us. Heavenly Father loves us so much!

We stopped by Ña Ñecas house and there was a fourty year old man there helping her build her house. His name is Esteban and we sat down to teach him. He has no idea when he was born or where or how old he is. He littarly has no family. Ña Ñeca was really funny, she said, "Esteban, I am getting baptized the 20th of october. You will learn with these sisters and be baptized the 20th also. Do you understand?!" I have never had an investigator invite another to be baptized and put a baptism date! hahaha
It was a neat lesson because we were able to bear testimony of who he is and that God loves him... he is a son of god.

Nimia was SO excited this week because her husband is starting to read the book of mormon (claudio) and now they are planning on getting baptized and married in the end of octubre or beginning of november. It really is a miracle because I ... judging when i shouldnt have... thought he would be the last to listen to the discussions or come to churhc! But we are already seeing changes in him! Nigeli is frieds with her daughter Erika who has a HUGE smile jsut like alexandra and neighbors so when nigeli gets permission from her mom, she will have a lot of support to come to church because her grandma clotilde doesnt.

I know that Christ lives. I know that this is His Gospel and that the only thing that He wants us to do to show Him that we love Him is to keep his commandments.
Thank you for your prayers. They can be felt.

love

su Hermana Jones!!!

Yo y la hermana santiago- she is from perú and is increidble. Sometimes, if I am not careful, i forget that she is a new missionary. We are going to have a lot of baptisims together!

Nigeli with her grandma hna. clotilde and their CTR or HLJ rings! They love them... there are lots of little kids all around paraguay with a big smile thanks to you mom!

I finally got to see a picture of Marcos and Elias from their baptism from a few months ago when i saw hna. arnell at a service project! AHHHH!!!!

Ña Ñeca- the FUNNIEST PERSON IN THE ENTIRE WORLD! She was going to be getting baptized in the end of October but didnt come to church yesterday so we have to invite her for a different baptism date. She speaks Guartani mejor than spanish so we have the bishops wife, hna. sanabria come with us and translate and ña ñeca thinks that the wole wide world loves her thanks to hna. sanabria. she said yesterday... "everyone loves me! why do they love me so much!?" This is one of the skirts that the sisters sent... its so fun to have gifts to give... thanks! (oh and she looks like she is 60...no. 82!)

Yo y hna frasqueri... one of the "locals" that i was with for almost two weeks waiting for hna. santiago ... we are working on a painting project in the house of hna. rios... i love painting! i love paraguay! i love my companions! I love my MISSION!!!!

Hna. Ruis... my last "local" last transfer... our last district meeting for the weeks, i almost fell out of my seat haah

after church... Nimia and her daughter Erika (in the purple shirt and the skirt from AKRON :)) she loved it... this was a few weeks ago and now her husband Claudio is coming to church too and they are going to get married and then BAPTIZED!!!

Week 53 (Sep 24, 2012): Hermana Santiago Arrives

Dear family,

Well I have a new companion! But this time we will be together until the middle of dicember at least! She is from Peru and her name is Hermana Santiago! She got her this past tuesday! While she was in the mtc she got to go to the rededication of the temple in Argentina.

Nigleli still hasnt gotten permission from her mom but we send gifts to her often and she is doing well.

Nimia and Erika are planing on getting baptized the 13 of octubre and are really excited. The members all think that they are already members!

Ña ¨Ñeca... well teaching her is a little slow, but it makes me think of Vincente in Ñemby! It was SO HARD to help him understand everything but he was so exited to be baptized!

I love this Gospel and love each and every one of you. I am especially grateful for the gift of the Atonement that makes it possible that we live this life and are successful and happy. I now that Heavenly Father loves us and wants each and everyone of us to be happy.

Amor de su hermana en Paraguay!

love,

Hermana Jones

Week 52 (Sep 17, 2012): Servants of the Lord of the Vineyard

Querida familia,

It´s starting to get hot again and we are just starting spring!
woohoo 45 C with humidity! I am surprised that anyone lets us into
their houses because we are so sweaty!

Yesterday we had a stake conference with other stakes in Uruguay and
THE PROPHET spoke with one of the apostles, Elder Anderson! They
didnt tell us that he would be speaking so when he showed up on the
screen I almost cried! okay, i did.

We are teaching a mom named Nimia and her daughter Erika. Erika is
friends with Nigeli (the little girl who was going to be baptized, but
cant until her mom gives her permission).

They came to the conference and it was their first time at church and
they came the whole fourty-five minutes to the stake center in Pinosa!
President Monson talked a lot about "the rescue" or "el rescate"...
and told us a story of a less active member who said, "I know where
the church is, I just need someone to show me the way."

A neat story about how the Lord puts people in our path who are ready
to listen to and accept the Gospel:

As we made it to the conference and walked into the overstuffed
chapel, the elders said, "hermana, hermana! There is a family that is
here and wants to talk to you!"
As Hna. Ruis and I walked in, a short lady with super curly hair came
up and gave me the biggest hug. "Hermana Jones!" she said excitedly,
"I want you to meet my family!"

I recognized her face, but had no. idea. who she was, haha.
I couldnt tell her that because she had been so excited to introduce
me to her family and everything so later I asked the Elders from her
ward who she was and how she knew me.

Come to find out that the last transfer, Hna. Andrade and I talked to
her in the street when she was going home from work. She had been
really sad about something.

As I thought about it, I remembered her face and where we had been
when we had talked to her. I remember that she had been sitting
waiting for her bus just outside of our apartment but all I can
remember is her crying a lot and us praying to know what to say. We
then had invited her to talk to the Elders in her neighborhood.

Well, a short time after, the Elders came to her door. She recognized
the black name tag and excitedly let them in. She is now preparing to
be baptized with one of her daughters and her son and other daughter
were baptzied last weekend.

I have been reading Jacob 5 for these past few days trying to
understand it better and this part comes to mind when I think of this
experience... in Jacob 5:72 and 6:2 that the Lord called servants to work in the
vinyard for the last time. We are those servants... members and
full-time missionaries... and it says something like "and the Lord of
the vinyard worked with them". This story is one of a million that
every missionary and member sees... the Lord will work miracles
acording to our faith. This is His work and His glory... and we each
have the privelge to be a part of it as the Lord prepares the world
and every one of Gods children for His second coming.

¡Les quiero cada uno de ustedes!

su hermana jones

Week 51 (Sep 10, 2012): "Do Not Forget My Daughter"

Dear family,

Nigelis mom still says that she doesnt want her to be baptized because none of the members have visited her while she has been in jail. We had a lesson with hna. britez (the rs president) the other day and it was really good for nigeli and her sisters because it was likea mom figure for them. We play LOTS of games with them to help them learn.
We all finish

I have ANOTHER companion! hahah H. Frasqueri had to go back home to work... they didnt find a reemplacement for her. Oh I am going to miss her lots, but now I am with Hna. Ruis who is BUENISIMA también! She was just baptized the 3rd of December and ... well i hardly know her yet but I already love her lots. She doesnt want to be in the house today for pday... but wants to go out and teach already! I am excited.

We also finaly had a lesson with Roberto and Reinalda... the young couple with their son Junior with H. Britez also so that she could translate for us. They had lots of questions and said that they were going to talk as a couple before coming to "our" church.

We also have two investigators that are doing well. Adibe Harika... she is a mother of two kids that are already grown up. We had a lesson and the spirit was so strong. She started to cry as we bore our testimonies and it was a PeRFECT opportunity to teach about the spirit and how she will know that this is Gods church and gospel.
Gloria Eriko is also doing well. She is 50 years old and LOVES reading in her Book of Mormon.
Thanks for praying for everyone.

Quick story...

We had talked to an elderly lady the other day at her gate. Her maid was with her and as we talked to her, it seemed like something wasnt right... like when I worked in the mental hospital in provo. She reminded me of some of the patients there. We wrote down her address to come by another day.

The next day, we stopped by and clapped. Her maid came out first and explained to us that she was not okay mentally and that we shouldnt teach her. We thanked her and stood outside for a few minutes trying to figure out where we should go next. H. Frasqueri then said, "the lady is looking out of her window!"
I looked up and saw that she had started to come out. (I feel terrible that we did this), but we turned to walk away. As we did, I heard in my mind distinctly, "do not forget my daughter".
We stopped and we turned back immediately to find the lady and talk to her, but she had already gone inside.

I learned in that moment just how much our heavenly father loves and is away of each and every one of his kids. He suffers when we suffer, and it made Him sad to see that we would turn away from her. He loves her perfectly with all of her imperfections just as He does me, with all of my own imperfections. We will be going back to at least sing to her.

I love my Savior. I love this Gospel. I love that I can talk to my father in Heaven and He listens to me... no matter how long I want to talk to Him.

I love you all so much...les amo.

amor,

su Hermana Jones

Week 50 (Sep 3, 2012): Reinalda and Roberto

Dear family,

Well its been another week of changes! Typical everyday mission life!! My companion Hna. Páez who was serving here as a local missionary had to go home to help her mom so I have another "local" companion named Hna. Fraqueri who is awesome! She will be with me until Sept. 19 and then the mission will recieve new sister missionaries again and I will have a different companion.

This week we are working with a little girl named Nigeli to help her be baptized this weekend. She is sooo excited. Her grandma is a less-active member (clotilde) and all of Nigelis sisters are all members. They were all baptized about five years ago but her mom is now in jail and said yesterday that she didnt want Nigeli to be baptized. The grandma is basically her mom, but Nigeli needs to have the permission of her mom. We are going to talk to some of the church leaders in our ward to go to the jail to talk to her mom. Please keep her in your prayers because she is so excited to be baptized.

Another lesson... the Holy Ghost is the teacher!! We have a part of our area called Yukuty (pronounced Juoo kuh too)...were everyone speaks Guartaní. The majority can speak spanish also, but we found a family that is AMAZING but that speak Guataní! They can speak a little bit of spanish and can read and understand when other people speak to them, but it is really hard for them to speak. Soo it is obvious that Heavenly Father has sent me two paraguayn companions that can speak at least a LITTLE bit of Guartaní so that they can translate in the lessons.

The are named Reinalda y Roberto and have the cutest little son named Junior (3 años). He does NOT speak spanish haha and so after one of the lessons we stayed for a little bit to play soccer with him as his reward for letting us sit and teach his mom and dad. They live in a very very humble neighborhood and have one room for everything. There house is about the size of my bedroom. As I ran around with him, Hna. Frasqueri, Reinalda and Roberto shouted things in Guartaní trying to have me repeat what they said... haaha they just laughed every time I tried to say something. :)

The dad told us (or should i say told Hna Frasqueri and then she told me :)) how much respect they have for God. He said that they "fear God". As we talked to them more, I realized how it was a richeous fear (if that makes sence) or how it is described in the scriptures... that the richeous "fear God" because they understand who he is, our relationship with Him and the commandments that He has given us as His children. Roberto said how they as a family will always keep all of God´s commandments.

I yawned as I sat down the other day at the beginning of the lesson and Roberto said something almost kind of sternly at me. Hna. Frasqueri smiled and looked over at me and said, "He says that there is no ´being tired´ if you are serving the Lord!". I smiled and told him he was right. It took me aback and I was grateful that he and his wife have so much respect for God.

I really dont know how much they have understood the two times we have taught them because hna. f. understands guartaní but cant speak very well, but I know that they felt the Spirit. Hna Britez and her husband speak Guartaní really well so they will be coming to our lessons to help us.

Well, love you all so much! I hope you each have a great week.
I know that this is His Gospel and that the ONLY WAY to be happy is to learn to live it. Oh He loves us so much.

Amor,

Hermana Jones

Week 49 (Aug 28, 2012): God Expects us To be Examples

Dear family,

Its been a great week. We had our zone conference with Elder Zeballos
and it was incredible. He and his wife are from Chile.

I also just wanted to emphaze the importance of our silent and not so
silent examples to those around us. I can not tell you how many
people that I have started to teach and almost every single one of
them have had friends, family and neighboors who are members of the
church. It makes such a difference... almost 100% in their readiness
to listen to and share with the missionaries when they have seen that
those family and friends are happy and are good examples. On the
other hand, it is so sad to come to a home and the family or person
has had bad experiences with members of the church... OUR FATHER IN
HEAVEN EXPECTS US TO BE EXAMPLES IN ALL THINGS, AT ALL TIMES AND IN
ALL PLACES... that is the promise that we made with God when we were
baptized! As we keep our covenants, the Lord molds us and changes who
we are and through us and our faith, we will work miracles (2nefi24:27
or 27:24 cant remember!)m and give us the privalage of helping our
brothers and sisters come unto Christ and accept the Gospel because
they have seen and heard and know that we are different.

A quick story of how our small examples can change hearts and help
them be willing to hear the gospel:

There is a guy named Frederico who walks all day long with a basked of
"chipa" (a type of "bread" typico paraguayo... selling from house to
house. We, almost two months ago, when i first got here, stopped and
introduced ourselves to him and his wife, Jactcinta. They werent
excited to have us come by and teach them and they wouldnt tell us
their direction, so we never got to teach them, but we ALWAYS ran into
them durring the week and they have become our friends.

Well, they other day, we came to a home to talk to the lady that lived
there and from her backyard we could see a small little hut. Well,
come to find out Frederico and Jactcinta live there and when they came
out to greet us, Jacticinta told us that we could come by again that
week to teach them (this wednesday!!) and as we turned away to leave
and started walking away, she shouted, "wait! that card you gave us
with the direction of your church! I lost it and we have been wanting
to go to your church!".

When you hear people say things like this as a misisonary , you try
not to smile TOO big so that you dont worry or scare them! haha but I
was pretty happy.

I know that this gospel is true. I know that Christ suffered for each
and every one of us. He loves me and it makes me so happy to be able
to serve Him. I am one of millions... each and every one of us have
the opportunity to serve Him and be and instrument in His hands to
help our brothers and sisters hear the gospel and come unto Him. He
lives and loves us.

I love you all... Les amo cada uno de uds....I feel your prayers and
thank you for praying for our investigators also because I know it
will make a difference for them also.

amor,

su Hermana Jones

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Week 48 (Aug 20, 2012): Natalia Franco Seeking for the True Church

Querida familia,

While I was praying last night, I realized just how quickly Father in Heaven answered my prayer... while I was praying just a few seconds later! Wow. He answers prayers really fast! As I thought about this, I thought and realized even more just how much he loves me and each and every one of us. As I thought about this I realized even more how important it is to respond to the promtings of the Holy Ghost immediatley to show our love for Him... we are obedient because we love Him. Oh how I love this Gospel!

We found a girl named Natalia Franco who is 17. She is incredible. She told us how she has stopped going to a church because she hasnt felt like any of the churches are true. She was so excited when we talked with her telling us, "its been a year since i have been asking for an answer!" These types of lessons are dreams for missionaries!

Lilliana and Carmen are still progressing but have doubts about getting baptized so we are working with them this week. It is neat as you pray for your investigators how specific the answers can be for each of them as we pray for them and their needs.

This wednesday we will be hearing from a generally authority!!!!!! Ah I am really excited about that!

Family, I know that this church is true... I know that this is His Gopsel. I know that He loves us, His children, so much. I know that we can each return to live with Him and become like Him. I have so much hope for that. Gracias a todos for your prayers also. I know that He answers them.

amor,
su Hermana Jones

Week 47 (Aug 13, 2012): Meet Hermana Páez & Wedding Luncheon Letter

Mi querida familia,

Well, all I can say is that SO much happens in just one short week.

We had changes this past wednesday and Hermana Andrade went to the southern part of Paraguay called Incarnación and I am here with a "local"! Her name is Hermana Páez and she is from my "home" stake haah de lovely Ñemby- what a small world! When the mission is waiting for more missionaries, they call members that are interested in serving missions to serve for just one change or six weeks. She will be turning twenty-one this november (just like you jess!) and is preparing to serve a mission. She is probably the most humble person that I have ever met. I dont know how to explain it. She just wants to serve the Lord. She is extremely extremely shy but that doesnt stop her from sharing her testimony and serving as a missionary. Ah, she is such an example to me. She comes from an extremely humble background and I am very excited to have her as my companion!

Oh and a tender mercy from the Lord, H. Willnauer and H. Arnell were both having changes also, so I got to see them...two of my BEST friends! H. Willnauer is going to take harnells spot in.... ÑEMBY!!!! Ah she is going to take such good care of everyone! H. Arnell also told me that Midium and Norma, although they still havent been baptized are doing really well and come to church activities every once and a while! It is just a matter of time with the both of them!

Andd that Vincente is not doing very well, but that Marcos and Elias havent missed a DAy of church and come every sunday with a white shirt and tie! Ah that made me SOO HAPPY!! H. Arnell told me that there was a family that they started teaching who live around the corner of Marcos, Noelia and Elias and their son, who is the friend of Marcos, was baptized and the family is going to be baptized also soo they all go to church every sunday faithfully! Oh our God is a God of miracles!

Liliana is preparing to be married and wants to be baptized the first weekend in September...woohoo! She is very humble and loves to read the book of mormon. She works selling candy and has a little girl (7) named Fio.

We also found two investigadores "de oro" this week called Mia(36) and Ana(19). We are just starting to teach them, but I will let you know more!

Do you remember Martita?! The less active member that is 23 with a little girl nambed Yessica who hasnt been to the church in years!? Well she came for the first time yesterday and she looked so happy! When we introduced her to Hna. Ñunez, she told her "I am so happy because I have come back to church"!

This past saturday, Fabiola and Max were married! We stopped by for just a little bit and they were so happy! As we stepped out and started walking toward our next lesson, I just couldnt stop smiling. Max was less active for years and they have been living together for a while but now they are married!!!!! I just was so happy as I thought about how she just finshed a commandment and the next day she would finish another commandment being baptized. Oh it was so beautiful to see!

Family, sure do love each and every one of you. There is a scripture in DyC that says that Zion cannot be built without the laws of heaven... ahem or something like that... basically we cannot be a part of or "bring to pass" the salvation of souls or the "work and glory" of our Father in Heaven without sacrifice and consecration. It is so true...if we want people to repent and increase in their faith... ect. (live the Gospel of Jesus Christ) we must be willing to do what HE did..and be submissive, meek and humble (Mosiah 2;19 or cap. 3?) and willing to submit ourselves to whatever He seeth fit and willing to sacrifice all that we are and have to the service of others and to this work.

I love the Gospel. I love my savior Jesucristo y amo mi Padre Celestial. Espero que mi sacrificio puede cada día traele a ÉL gozo. I hope that my sacrifice can bring, each day, joy to my father in Heaven.

Les quiero.

amor,

su Hermana Jones

ps. The mission changes you. I am sitting at a desk and there are cocaroaches in this cyber that we are using. yup. and I am just sitting here calmly typing.

Included below is a letter that Natasha wrote to be read at Jessica and Dan's wedding luncheon on August 11th.

"Dear Jessica and Dan

Jessica is one in a billion. You will never find someone else as special as my baby sister Jess. She is the most incredible person and literaly is a light in my life.

Oh how much you have grown up! You are so so beautiful. From when you were little and would pretend to pass-out when you had too much homework or when I was thirteen and talked to my friend Hannah Bambrick because I was so worried that you would never grow out of your Sponge Bob phase haha an you never really did... but neither did Dad!

I remember how when we were little I would spend two or three hours cleaning my room and reoraganizing my furniture and you would spend those three maybe five hours playing school with Nick and Alexandra. You always make people feel special and so happy. Dan, I can not even begin to tell you how lucky you are to get to marry my sister! She is an example to me and I am sure to you in so many ways.

Jess, you always made me so happy...from when we shoved cough drops and gum in Chad Herstein´s locker, to honking the car horn in front of Mike and Loris house at midnight on a regular basis, or doing the thousands of things that we thought was funny but nobody else, to driving from seminary to school or laying on your big bunk bed talking aobut our lives, hopes and worries until dad or mom would tell us that we had to go to bed...I always know that my baby sister would be there for me and would make me happy... Dan she is going to be such an incredible wife and mom. She will make you so happy.

Now you are getting married! Turning the page in your life and starting a new part of your journey to reture to our Father in Heaven...ah! This is so exciting! His hand is so evident in your life! But now you are moving forward with your best friend... and hand in hand and step by step you will start to work and grow and love together every day to be able to live together forever as a family. Heavenly Father must be so happy right now. I am so happy for you two!

From down here in hot and beautiful Paraguay I hope you two can feel the huge (and a kiss for you Jess) and all of my love that I am sending for you Jess, my baby sister, and Dan my new big brother. I know that Alexandra and other loved ones (cat for sure ;)) are and will be at your side on your special day. Congratulations you two... FAMILIA PORTER!!!! I couldnt be happier and more excited!

amor,

Natasha ;)"

Week 46 (Aug 6, 2012): The Reaping Comes After Many Years

Querida familia,

Okay i tried to write "I love paraguay!" in Guaraní but it is a lot tougher than I thought it would be. During my language studies I started to study Guaraní this morning, but decided that it would be better to focus on my Spanish haha. But I still have a goal to be able to bear my testimony in Guaraní! All I know is that the members think it is really funny when I try to speak Guaraní!

It has been a great week.

The dad of Janina and Carmen asked us not to come by anymore. The members were so excited about them... and we were too, but we still are because it is just a matter of time. The reaping comes after many years of careful harvesting. I dont know if that made sence or sounded wierd haha but basically that they were really excited and interested in reading the book of mormon and getting to know what the church is like soo they still have their book of mormon and one day they will have other opportunities to hear the gospel!

Okay and speaking of sweet tender mercies of the Lord, a member and his girlfriend are getting married in the chapel. It was postoned because he had gotten really sick and was moved to this saturday! Who else is getting married this saturday!? haha Once again. Our Father in Heaveny is perfect and blesses us in very simple but grand ways every single day.

We finished our chain of miracles!!! I will send you a picutre in the mail! It was huuge! I dont know if you remember, but we wrote four miracles every day, me and Hna. Andrade, and made a huge chain.

I lovee my mission!!! It is sooo harrdd and sooo gooDDDD!!! Neal A. Maxwell said that "consecraction is the only way to render onself completly but to leave victorious!" As I put all my heart, might, mind and strength to serving the Lord, I know that the blessings that He will be able to pour out on our investigators, the members and me and my family are uncountable.

I love Him and I love His Gospel. I know that He loves us... if we fervently pray to know this for sure, He opens our eyes and we start to see, with eyes of gratitud, that everything around us testifys that He lives and loves us.

Les quiero cada uno de uds.

amor,

Hermana Jones

Yo y la hermana andrade en barrio Chuci

Week 45 (Jul 30, 2012): Relating to Alexandra

Dear family,

Ah! the lights just went out in the cyber and it didnt save my email! Sorry!!!!!

I just wrote the best letter of my whole mission and it erased it all!

I will hurry and tell you one story...

Carmen and Janina are still reading in their Book of Mormon and Carolina also. Liliana and Louise are starting to read together... I will give you more updates on them next week...

Remember how you all helped me write down my blessing from when I was set apart? Well a part of that blessing said that there would be people that would need to hear and learn from my experiences that I have had... specifically with Alexandra and our family. This is just one of many experiences...

Well the other morning, I put my pictures of Alexandra and the rest of the family in my scriptures that are normally in my scriptures in english not really thinking about it. That night we had a lesson with a lady named Gladys. IN the end of the lesson, she started crying as she told us about how much she still hurts and misses her little sister who died thirty years ago in a car accident. I was able to bear testimony of the restored gospel, that we can be with our families forever and that this life is not the end, but rather the smallest part of the plan that Heavenly Father had prepared for her and for her sister. As I did so, I was able to show her the pictures of our family and Alexandra and explain that something similar happened in our family and I testified of the healing and peace of that Atonement of our Savior.

I know that Heavnely Father wanted to hear my story and so Helped me think of taking those picures with me. He is a God of details. He is our Father and blesses us in big and small ways every single day of our lives and it is the biggest blessing when we can be an instrument in His hands to bless our brothers and sisters in big and small ways.

This is his Gospel. He lives and loves us.

Amor a todos .... les amo muchísimo!

su Hermana Jones

Hmn Antonia Aguino ("abuelita") lives right in front of Noelia, Marcos, and Elias. I fixed ehr shirt right before the picture was taken...but she didn't like it haha....Lessons are always very different with her, but have learned now to have more Christ-like love with teaching her. :-) She is really funny.

Week 44 (Jul 23, 2012): Dreaming of Carmen and Janina

Querida familia,

Mom and Dad, you just got my email for jess and so you understand why this email will have to be short... so sorry!

We started teaching two girls Carmen and Janina who are 14 and 15 and are incredible! There parents are awesome also...their dad is pretty firm in what he believes but we shared with him the other day and it went really really well! We brought them to an actividad in the church and it was so neat... hna. raquel, who is the yw leader, was so excited when she saw them and said that the night before she had a dream that two new girls came to the church and the very next day, Carmen and Janina came! That was so neat.

I am so sorry that this email is so short, but when you all to know that I am really happy down here serving the lord in Paraguay. I am so grateful and will be in debt to my Father in Heaven for all my life for sending me to Paraguay and giving me the opportunity to be a missionary here. "I feel my Saviors love in all the world around me"!

I know that this is Gods church. The priesthood has been restord. We have a prophet on the earth. Heavenly Father must love us so much. I love Him and hope to serve Him well each and every day of my mission and help others to know just how much He loves them and why HIS RESTORED GOSPEL is so important. I love you all... and promise the next week you will get a great email!

love,

hermana jones

PS I dont know if you are planning on doing this but car and bri, for their weddings had a luncheon afterwards with close family and friends and a few people always said a few words.... if you could read this for me for jess on her wedding day i just wrote something quick this morning.... or even can print it and give it to her her wedding day ifyou wont be doing a luncheon... thanks!

Dear Jessica and Dan

Jessica is one in a billion. You will never find someone else as special as my baby sister Jess. She is the most incredible person and literaly is a light in my life.

Oh how much you have grown up! You are so so beautiful. From when you were little and would pretend to pass-out when you had too much homework or when I was thirteen and talked to my friend Hannah Bambrick because I was so worried that you would never grow out of your Sponge Bob phase haha an you never really did... but neither did Dad!

I remember how when we were little I would spend two or three hours cleaning my room and reoraganizing my furniture and you would spend those three maybe five hours playing school with Nick and Alexandra. You always make people feel special and so happy. Dan, I can not even begin to tell you how lucky you are to get to marry my sister! She is an example to me and I am sure to you in so many ways.

Jess, you always made me so happy...from when we shoved cough drops and gum in Chad Herstein´s locker, to honking the car horn in front of Mike and Loris house at midnight on a regular basis, or doing the thousands of things that we thought was funny but nobody else, to driving from seminary to school or laying on your big bunk bed talking aobut our lives, hopes and worries until dad or mom would tell us that we had to go to bed...I always know that my baby sister would be there for me and would make me happy... Dan she is going to be such an incredible wife and mom. She will make you so happy.

Now you are getting married! Turning the page in your life and starting a new part of your journey to reture to our Father in Heaven...ah! This is so exciting! His hand is so evident in your life! But now you are moving forward with your best friend... and hand in hand and step by step you will start to work and grow and love together every day to be able to live together forever as a family. Heavenly Father must be so happy right now. I am so happy for you two!

From down here in hot and beautiful Paraguay I hope you two can feel the huge (and a kiss for you Jess) and all of my love that I am sending for you Jess, my baby sister, and Dan my new big brother. I know that Alexandra and other loved ones (cat for sure ;)) are and will be at your side on your special day. Congratulations you two... FAMILIA PORTER!!!! I couldnt be happier and more excited!

amor,

Natasha ;)

Yo y mi companera con Miriun (we always wrote her name wrong as Midium). I miss ehr and her girls a lot.

Week 43 (Jul 16, 2012): They Shall Mount Up with Wings As Eagles

A couple of quick stories.

Heavenly Father has blessed me with a lot of energy on the mission. Yea I always feel realllly tired to come home at night, but He always blesses me with energy to do everything that He wants me to do. Normally missionaries take naps on Pdays but I cant... there are too many things that I want to study or do and Heavenly Father has blessed me so much.

Gilberto still is planning on being baptized in the beginning of August but is afraid of not having time to go to church when he starts med school in Cuba this Dicember.

Marta, the less active member I told you about the other week is doing well. We had a lesson with her the other day and it is such a blessing to teach her because it strengthens my testimony of the Atonement. She litteraly has more light in her eyes as she starts to read her Book of Mormon again and talk to her boyfriend about the church.

Well this Friday morning, I dont know what happened but I WAS THE TIREDEST I have ever been in my liffffe! I remember at 6:30 rolling out of bed and kneeling down and just begging Heavenly Father to help me have energy to study and teach that day. This may be pathetic, but for my familiy you know that it is normal, I just cried and told Him that I did not think that I could do it that day because I felt so tired. Well as a stood up, He answered my prayer with a scripture in Isaiah40:29-30 that says, "they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strengthñ they shall mount up with wings as eaglesñ they shall run, and not be wearyñ and they shall walk and not faint...He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength". "Okay...I can do it," I thought in my head. As I sat down to study for my investigators...I WAS EXHAUSTED and almost fell asleep while I was reading..that has never happened to me (unlike you dad :). Well, the day went on and I forgot about feeling so tired in the morning until I knelt down again that night and I realized that I was not tired at all and felt like I could go out and teach for two more hours. As I had served the Lord as I served His children that day He gave me the energy that was not my own. His promises are real. We are children of a loving Father and He blesses us and answers our prayers. I know that as we read and study the scriptures, we recognize and recieve guidance more quickly and specifically not because Heavenly Father starts to want to bless us more because we are reading our scriptures but because we can recognize more easily the direction that He so lovingly gives us through the words of His prophets.

I love Him. I pray that we can all be firm in our testimonies of the Savior and share the Gospel of Christ with all of those who are with us and live in such a way so that we can all return to live with Him together as a famliy...foreverrrr!!!!! the biggest blessing He could ever give me

Les amo muchisimo muchisimo.

Un abrazo fuerte a todos,

Hermana Jones

Hn Mercedes Familia, her daughter + hijo Angel & his cousins, that were visiting for the day. We had lunch with them. They are less-active family only because of the job of Evelyn...she is looking for a nursing job that doesn't make her work Sundays. Her husband died right before they were sealed & still hasn't gone to the temple but wants to. They are a really special flia - the grandma always has HOT PINK nails and enjoys talking. :-)

Elephant Legs!!! haha! Please note that before the mission, Mom, I cried when I saw these shoes when they were shiny, new, and on the rack in the store....because I thought they were so ugly!..and look at them now!! This is what nine months in the mission foes to your shoes.

Me and Hna Arnell!!! This is in Bario Cu'guazu (neighborhood big weed is what it literally means!) Half of Nemby is "Campo" green with lots of red dirt and the half is kind of in the city.

Week 42 (Jul 9, 2012): The Miracle Chain

Querida familia,

What a week! I will nevvveeerrr be able to do anything to repay Heavenly Father for giving me this opportunity to serve as a missionary in Paraguay. Sometimes at night when I think about everything that happened during the day, I am amazed by all of the miracles that we saw during the day and all of the blessings that the Lord gave to us, those around us, and me personally. Hna. Anrade and I have started to write down four blessings or miracles that we recieved during the day after planning each night on four strips of paper. We are making a paper chain with all of the papers and more and more my testimony grows each day that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me and I am His daughter and that He loves and blesses us most of the time through other people. The chain is growing longer and longer. I will take a picture for you at the end of this transfer!

We are working with Carmen. A lady who is 52 and has two sons. She reads and marks her Book of Mormon every day and marks it and has come to church probably ten times, but is scarred of leaving behind her traditions and afraid of what her family will say or think. I love her a lot and hope that she can be baptized soon.

Last night we were walking home when we stopped to talk to a girl who looked like she was about twenty. Her name is Marta Riquelme. As we talked to her we came to find out that she is a member but had moved from her home ward and had stopped coming to church because she didnt know anyone and was living with her boyfriend and his parents. She kept saying "I cant believe it, I can´t believe it! I have been wanting to find the missionaries to talk to since I moved her!" She lives along the street that is our limit with the Elders and said that she always sees them walking up the street but they have never seen her when she would shout their names! She says that she wants to come back to church and wants her boyfriend to learn more about the gospel so that they can be married and "be a forever family" is what she said :) We are visiting her tonight.

Yesterday we had a neat experience. We had promised Gilberto and his friend Liliana that we would stop by to pick them up with someone with a car because he just had surgery on his foot and cant walk. Well...long story short, the person with the car didnt show up to take us to his house and pick him up and it was 10 minutes before nine. We called the bishop as a last resort and so he met us on the corner with his truck but his wife wasnt with him so I told him that we wouldnt be able to show him where Gilberto lived because his wife wasnt in the car. Well he said, Hermana we dont have time and then drove off! Sooo we started power walking to Gilbertos house because we couldnt tell him we would come by to take him to churhcc and then not come! Just five minutes later, the bishop drove up again, this time with his wife and she said, " He alwasy taught me that the people were more improtant than the programs.". Gilberto didnt end up coming to church and we started 20 minutes late but I was left with a deep gratitude for a bishop who trys to be like the savior and follows the words of the Prophet presidente Monson... "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved."

We also are starting to teach a lady named Gilda. She used to feed the missionaries about ten years ago, but had lost contact with them and the church. She has already read the libro de mormón cover to cover and says that she will do so again but this time praying to know that it is true! That was a miracle.

I know that this is God´s church that He guides and directs. I know that He live and loves us and is only a prayer away. I love this gospel. En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

Dios les bendiga esta semana.

amor,

su Hermana Jones

Hna Arnell, Elias, Noelia, Hna Ofeda, me, Israel and Marcos. Right after teaching the plan of salvation...we had an activity in the end there was a "judgement" and they got alfahoves (my favorite cookie here) to represent the celestial kingdom. :-)

Week 41 (Jul 2, 2012): Bearing Anothers Burden

Dear family,

Hope you all have had a great week!

Yesterday...oh how I love Sundays. Sundays in the mission are just as busy as any other day of the week for us haha but that is how it should be and I love it.

I recently read in the Liahona from June 2012 the story of the two sister missoinaries called "The miracle of Spiritual Healing". First, it is neat to read in the Liahona missionary stories now because every almost every single one I can relate to!

If you want to get a feel for what I am doing or experiencing more than just my emails...read the Ensign!! As I read the article I was touched by how blessed I am to be able to be helping so many people spiritually. I realized that maybe I have always meant to be a nurse...both spiritually and physically. I love what I do and I am not alone as I do His work. I can often feel that Heavenly Father is right beside me and blesses me constantly with the words I need to say and the direction I need to take in every aspect of the work and my life right now. He is so aware of my needs and because I know and have started to recognize that even more, I am able to search out the small needs of my companion, the investigators and the members here... small needs but they are important to them so they are important to Him...our Maker and Creator.

A neat story from yesterday...we had stopped by the house of a lady named Fátima to pick up her and her girls to go to church but they were still sleeping. As we walked to the chapel someone behind us honked. It was a recent convert named Carlos who was baptized about a month ago. He is about 46 and reminds me a little bit of Brother Leisure! Well he had just picked up a few other less active members and drove us the rest of way to the church with them. We told him how Fátima and her girls were going to come to church but hadn´t and he said, "well they don´t know what they are missing!". Then as we walked into the chapel he sighed to himself and said, "hogar, dulce hogar" or home sweet home. He has a strong testimony and loves the Gospel of Jesucristo. I love to see and feel of the recent covnverts testimonies.

I also never shared a story from Ñemby. As you know Mom and Dad and Jess... Heermana Arnell could barely even walk for a few weeks because her feet hurt so bad and she was having so many problems with the surgeries that she has had. I call her my Captin Moroni companion and this is why... before I got my bapckback from H. Plummer that works a LOT better my back had started to hurt REALLY bad to the point I thought I would cry before putting it on every day to leave the house. (not a surprise i know haha). I dont think I ever told H. Arnell because she was in so much more pain but she could tell that my back hurted and would ask to carry my backpack for me. No way was I going to add one more load on her! So I would always tell her no, but sometimes after lessons she would pick up my backpack before I did and would carry both of them for me while she could barely walk. She told me before I left that when she did that, there was still pain in her feet, but a lot of the pain was taken away. As she took on my load for me and served me, her burdens were lightened. I know that the Lord lives and loves us oh so much. This is His work. This is His gospel...and we are His hands.

Les amo a todos muchisimo.

amor,

su Hermana Jones

Hna Ojeda Hna Arnell Yo. I was going to send this one to Hna Ojeda but it got wet, so here you go...we are proud to be...American? Parguayo? Depende :-) Our colors are the same:-) I have been so blessed with every single companion :-) (Our kitchen is behind us... the size of our towel closet)

Hna Arnell, me, Hna Carmen & Hno Moguel. They drove over when we had gotten home late Tues. night to bring "alfahoves" (the most amazing cookie in the world) & to say goodbye. I love these people so much. Thank you for helping me serve a mission so that I can meet people liek them/help them. :-) Extras, the mansion that I never realized we were so spoiled to live in. :-)

Week 40 (Jun 25, 2012): Ita Enramada

Querida familia,

I am starting my time in Ita Enramada. It is SOOO different than Ñemby but I know that it is my time to be here and that I finished my work in Ñemby. There are a few poorer areas but the home are HUGE here and everyone has cars. I felt really out of place my first couple of days and just gaped at the homes as we walked around. Paraguay is a country were most of the people are extremely poor or extremely wealthy and I was in for a little bit of a shock when I left Ñemby! I am really close to downtown Asunción and we can look across a river on the edge of our area and see Argentina!

It was so hard to say goodbye...so many of the members were so kind to me as I left and came over to drop off food and letters and things like that before I left. Hna. Leanor gave me a purse that she has that she thought I might like...this is coming from someone who barely has anything. They are so humble and so giving. Marcos and Elias were baptized this past Saturday...that was really hard to tell them that I wouldnt be there and it is hard to explain why I cant make an exception for just an hour for them, but the rules are there and I am here in Ita Enramadad where the Lord needs me.

We are working with a guy named Gilberto right now. He is 21 and loves the lessons. He has a lot of finals this week so we will need to work on helping him still read his Libro de Mormón... we are stopping by every day to drop off cards with different short scriptures to read. He is preparing to be baptized the second weekend in July!

I am so excited to start working here even though I miss Ñemby so much! We went over to the chaple my first night and a bunch of the RS sisters were sitting in a room watcing a cooreagraphy of some Paraguayan dance and were all dressed up in long red skirts. When I asked Hermana Parini, the gospel doctrine teacher, who is about sixty or seventy years old what they were doing, she said, "Hermana we are adding a little bit of spice and color to the RS!".

The ward is great. My companions name is HNA. Andrade and she is from Mexico. I know that the Gospel is true and I know that I have a hight title to live up to...missionary...representativeof Jesucristo. I am so grateful Hevenly Father has given me this opportunity.

Amo a todos de uds.,

su Hermana Jones

"Mini Missioanries - All of Ita Enramada is very "chuchi" or fancy except for barrio Jukutu (same name in Giuarani). We can't be in their neighborhood when it gets dark because it is really dangerous (haha don't really mean that mom....only a little)

Week 39 (Jun 18, 2012): Leaving Nemby

Querida familia,

I will be leaving Ñemby, my first and only area, this Wednesday. I have been here for seven months! Woohoo!!!! It was really hard when I first found out, but I feel a strong confirmaion that my work here in Ñemby is "done"...at least for now...it never really stops because I will always remember so many of the people here. I love them so much...each and every one.

Noelia, Marcos and Elias will be getting baptized this Saturday!!!!!!! Noelia was a little nervous so they didnt get baptized this past saturday so I wont be able to be here for their baptizm, but I have been able to be here teaching and preparing them and that is enough for me! We are teaching them about tithing tonight with an activity that we have planned out. I am going to miss them a lot. Oh and we are starting to teach their MOM!!!!!!!

A quick story and lesson that I learned. We had a lesson with Antonlia abuelita the other day and had it in her daughters house who lives a 3 minute walk from her house. She told us she was going to walk home as we stood up to leave and so we asked if we could help her... but recieved the usually answer of, "no". We then walked over to Noelia, Marcos, and Elia´s house ( who live right in front of Antonia) and had a lesson for 45 minutes. As we left their house, I could see down the little hill that Antonia was slowly making her way up. With her heart attack that she had about three months ago and other health problems she walks with two canes and walks very very slowly. She had been walking and struggling back to her house for almost an hour when it takes us only five minutes to get there. We stopped again and asked her if we could ¨PLEASE help her get home and she got a little frustrated and said no.

As we walked away I realized how much we are all like that sometimes. We have sins that we struggle with that slow us down in our spiritual progression and dull the feelings of love and foregiveness that our Savior so freely gives us and as the Spirit gently prompts us to change and repent, so often we grudgenly say no and just like Antonia, take so much more time getting to where Heavnly Father wants us to be (spiritually and emotionally and temporally...in every aspect) because we are too prideful to accept the atoning sacrifice of our Savior. He pleads with us to come to Him and learn of Him. All that He asks is that we be like Him. Oh, I am so grateful for the Gospel. I know that it is true and I know that my Savior lives and loves me. I want to follow Him and be like Him.

I love you all... les quiero cada uno de ustedes. ¡Que vayan con Dios!

amor,

su Hermana Jones

Antonia- The first time my WHOLE mission that I have seen her smile! That meant a lot to me. At the end of the lesson she said... God loves everyone like you both love me. Where I know that He loves us SO much more, I felt a sacred sense of trust from my Father in Heaven and felt really grateful that I could meet Antonia.

Hna. Leanor- we still dont know where Vincente is, so that was hard. She gave me a very sweet gift of one of her purses...

Our neighbors...they dont want to come to church or hear the lessons, but we have become really great friends and I love them a lot.

Hna. Leanor, Hna. Franco and Mariela- Hna. Franco has always helped us and come to lessons with us when she can. Mariela has become good friends with Noelia and is coming with us to a lesson with Noelia, Marcos and Elias tonight!!!

Hno y Hna Cabdevilla- the parents of Mauricio (best friend is Carlitos who was going to be baptized)...we had luch with them yesterday and with the Hna Bracho... oh and her daughter Flopìe in the picture... the most shy girl I have ever met but FINALLY she will give me kisses on the cheek and thinks we are friends!

We live next to the familia Lanzoni (our landlords and munos activos)& they have: mandarine, mango, lime, bannana, and avacado trees. Picking mandarins on P-day...I ate four to six every day for a week. :-)