Week 65 (Dec 17, 2012): "I had a dream that a girl with blonde hair came to my door"

Querida familia,

Hey grandpa!  I am almost serving in Brazil!  haha we had transfers this past week and I was called to come to a city called Ciudad del Este.  My companion and I are learning a little bit of Portuges!  I am companions with Hna. Espinoza from Perú and we are so excited about our area!  We are along the fronteir of Brazil and our area is HUGE!!!!  There were elders here before but now we are "opening the area" and we had NO idea where we were on Wednesday when we got here!  It takes almos an hour to walk from one end to the other of our area.

They told us our transfers this Tuesday in district meeting, and at first I was SO SADDD about transfers.  Luciana and Reynaldo were just about to be married and baptized and Sergio and his brother, Alexander too... and I just love them so much... all of them.  It was really hard to say goodbye... but I was filled with excitment about my new area because I just felt the spirit so strong teach me that so many people were waiting us here.  It has been 17 years since sisters were here because a few missionaries had been shot and mugged so it was too dangerous for us.  Just kidding mom, but it was more dangerous earlier! 

We took a bus and drove through the red hills of paraguay and seven hours later, we got off the bus, got the keys to the apartment and our map, went to the apartment, planned the best we could with our area book and left to get to work!  I was SO SCARRED because we litterally didnt know anything but as I prayed on the bus a scripture came to mind from Jacob 5 (i think it is in 71-72) and it says that the servants of the vinyard left... or left Ita Enramada and went to Ciudad del Este... and "the Lord worked with them".  I bear testimony that this is not the work of the missonaries... but of the Lord.  HE works his vinyard and He has guided us so much these past couple of days. 

We have seen so many miracles.  Just one example... as we left our third story apt. our first day we saw the door open to one of our neighbors.  We talked to her and started teaching her... come to find out that she had left home years ago when she was 13 (her name is Noelia) so that she could be baptized and is now living with her boyfriend and her baby Mia and never leaves her apartment and so she never knew where the church was but has been wanting to come.  She is nineteen now and we have started teaching her and she is SO excited and her boyfriend came to church yesterday and is starting to read the book of mormon.  The Elders never taught her because her boyfriend, German was never at home but she was right there... one door away! I cant tell you how many people we are have been able to start to teach because they, for whatever reason, could not be taught by "elders". 

Another family we went to teach ... at the beginning of the lesson the grandma said excitedly after asking us who were were and everything, "last night I had a dream that a girl with blonde hair came to my door and I asked her how old she was and she said 22! That was you!"  We testifyed that the Lord had sent us and now she and her family are excited to come to church.

Oh so many stories of how the "Lord is working with us".  I testify that this is His work.  We are all children of God and need the Gospel because we need to be happy.  It is the only way.  Love you all.

cariñosamente,

Hermana Jones

 

Week 64 (Dec 10, 2012): Nygeli's Baptism Helps Other Members of the Family

Querida familia,

Oh it has been a HARD and JUST SO GOOD week!  I can never remember what was hard about the week, but just all of the amazing things that happened!  That is a testimony for me of the atonement of Christ.  He already suffered for those discouragements and trials that I had and so as I remember my blessings (or remember Him and recognize His hand in my life) I dont feel those burdens... they are completly washed away from my memory and I almost never write them in my journal so when i look back, I remember just how INcredible it was to be "Hermana Jones" for 18 months.  I love it!  Thanks for your prayers... they are felt also... a lot.

Well Nygeli got baptized... finally!!!! It was such a special baptism.  There were SO many people that gave up a lot to help Nygeli be baptized.  I remember about two months ago, kneeling down at night and feeling so sad and just crying and saying, "Father, please help us help Nygeli to be baptzied..." She would tell us that she was praying so that her mom would let her be baptzied.  At this point, her grandma who takes care of her wansnt very strong in her testimony.  I remember feeling very strongly that she would be baptized... but "not now" and that it would be for the benefit of her grandma and mom who is still in prison.  Yesterday we had a lesson with Hna. Clotilde... I cry just thinking of the changes I have seen in her these past three months as Nygeli has been waiting to be baptized.  She is EXCITED about paying her tithing even when they dont have food sometimes...she gives so much gracias a Dios when she prays that her grandaughter had been baptized and is "folling a good path" when three months ago, she didnt think it was inmportant... and she has come to church more this past month than she ever did my first four or five months here in Ita Enramada combined.

I love this Gospel.  I know that the Atonement of our Savior is for everyone and if we belive in Him, we WILL repent... until our last day here on earth (Helaman 14:8,13).

It is possible that I will leave this area on Wednesday.  I know that it is depending on His will... I just hope that my will turns out to be his will and i can stay here!  Oh, and Luciana and Reynaldo are still progressing... geeting ready for baptism!!!!!

les amo a TODOS!!!

amor,

Hermana Jones

 

Mini Zone Conference!

Milagros de las flores! mom and dad... i got the flowers and have given almost all of them out!! There was a lady who loved going to church (the one in the black shirt) and has stopped coming because her husband doesnt like the church. Well when we passed by, we went into her house to share with her sister and niece that are living there, but she didnt want to share with us! We gave her little toddler a flower right before having the lessson with her sister and then and only then did she accept to listen and share with us... it has been over 8 months and now she is planning on being baptized the 29th of this month!!! Service sent from ohio softens hearts! thanks so much!

NYGELI!!!! The spirit was soo strong at her baptism, we felt like it was because almost four months of sacrifice of so many people went into making it possible that she could be baptized... including your prayers! Marta and Antonio (I wrote about them two weeks ago) are at the right.

 

I cant even explain just how happy and excited they all were that my family and ward family had wanted to give them something for christmas... THEY LOVEEED THE FLOWERS!! And as we kept working yesterday and today, whenever we see them, they are wearing their flowers! Thank you mom, dad and young womens!!

This is Sergio. He is an 11 year old boy and NIck... he is so much like you! He is so friendly to everyone and is preparing to be baptized on dic. 19th with his little brother! He is going to be a great missionary.

Hna. Clotilde... she made me sheets! This is Nygelis grandma!

Emarrasing... four packages later (one from grandma and grandpa!!!! thank youooo!!!) the elders had to help us take it to our apartment after district meeting. They think that my mom thinks that i am dying or something because the packages were so big!!!! haha but no complaints... thanks mom and dad for the skirts ... all 60 or more of them!

 

Week 63 (Dec 3, 2012): Lorena and Sandra come to Church

Querida familia,

We have had a great week! 

Reynaldo is still working on Sundays.  Luciana is so ready to be baptized and her cousin and sister (the cousin and sister of Nimia also) are living with them for the next three months and are called Lorena (17) and Sandra (16)!  Lorena came to church and absolutley LOVED it and they are both getting ready to be baptized this month.  NImia is excited to bring her mom to church when she comes for christmas also :)

Antonio came to church yesterday and it was neat to see one of the members, the Hno Pablo, take care of him during the classes explaining everything.  Marta didnt come and we werent sure why but we will be visiting them tomorrow.  Go to lessons with the missionaries!  It is most likely the ONE thing that an investigator needs to finally come to church.  It is scary the first time.  

It is neat to see the gospel change lives.  Nimia and Claudio are planning on Nimia not working after Christmas so that she can stay at home with Erika and Ale.  I cant say enough how greatful that you were always, always ALWAYS at home and with me mom and i know that was because of the Gospel that you made that decison.

Something short about VT and HT... DO IT AND BE PERSISTENT... no matter if they are not home or slame the door in your face or hide from you a thousand times... THEY NEED YOU.  I will have to share the story next week or in a card the next week because I am out of time...

I love this gospel.  I know that my Savior lives and that the only true happiness comes from following His example.  Let us not desert Him but follow Him in everything that we do. 

Love,

 

Hermana Jones

Hna. Peña!!! de Bogotá, Colombia!!! That made me happy to see her!

Hna. Romero.  She washes our clothes and made us heating pads with rice inside!!  She is the one that turned five of the skirts you sent into little dresses for different little girls.

We had a lesson on modesty and afterward we all had to change our clothes to something modest and paint our nails.  Naygeli will be baptized this SATURDAY!!!!!!!

La Hna. Ramirez... one of the many skirts.  They made people so happy!

Week 62 (Nov 26, 2012): "Hermanas, I want to Change"

Querida familia,

One.  Mom the members love the gifts that you sent!  Hna. Formigli...a grandma that we teach told us the other day that she hadn´t opened her lotino that mom sent her because she is saving her "American lotion" for New Years!  ... "and i am not going to share it with anyone!" she stated firmly, which was funny because she is a very giving lady. 

"24th de noviembre...sábado"

"Today was just another day to see the miracles of the Lord.  We had decided we weren´t going to visit Marta and Antonio thursday during our weekly planning because they "wernt progressing".  but last night H. Santiago felt that we should visit them again. 

When we got there, we had to teach inside of their house because the music was too loud outside.  They ahve a house half the size of my bedroom with walls made from thin wood and deflated air mattresses.  The floor is made of dirt... Marta had just gotten back from the store to buy their food which consisted of a bag full of white bread and a small half-liter of milk.  She sat down on the bed next to Antonio.  He didnt put his shirt on and I could see that he had something wrong with his clavicle and the bone was protruding under the skin.  They dont have money to go to the doctor.  Marta tried to calm their kids down  one of which with his hair matted down with sand cried because he wanted her to hold him while she was tring to feed the sick baby.  ... we sange Silent Night and Anotnio started to tell us how much he wanted to change and how he gets so worred aobut giving his children food.  "sometime there just isnt enough mony because i cant find work and when i cant give food to my wife and kids, i feel like all that i can do is drink... we listened to him for a long time...and later testified of the savior and invited them to come to church again and prepare to be baptized... as he talked he had tears rolling down his faces as he said over and over again, "hermanas, I want to change... and want to change for my kids and for mi señora... "you can Antonio, Christ has prepare d the way so that you can... so that we all can".

Thinking back it makes me think of a scripture... in 1Juan 3:1-3...

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God., therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it dopes not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when we shall appear, we shall be like him, for we will see him as he is and every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himeself even as he is pure." 

I testify that we can all repent and change and come unto the Savior and become purified and changed.  There is hope because we are sons and daughters of God. 

love you all ...

Hermana Jones!

 

Ña Ñeca- whenever we pass her house she is always reading her giant BOM! She doesnt want to come to church but she says taht she is almost Mormon haha

Guada, Ana, Marta y Enrique right after the lesson!

 

Hna. Santiago and me after reporting numbers last night!

Week 61 (Nov 19, 2012): Guided in helping Yesica Gabilan find God

Dear familiy, 

I wanted to share a short part of my journal from Saturday.  I dont know why I wrote like this, haha, but it explains well about how it is to be a missionary and how i feel about my mission.

"As we walk, side by side in the hot, burning, Paraguayan sun, I have to smile and just be so greatful.  We are burnt to a crisp and when I wipe my face with my hand, sweat drips from my fingers to my arm.  Walking with my worn out shoes over the very uneven cobbled-stonned streets, I look up and see alll of the beautiful flowers... bright oranges and fuishas.  Oh I love Paraguay.

We stop to talk to an oder lady as we walk to a lesson.  She is waiting in the shade for her colectivo.  As we talk to the people and love them, we feel the power of the Holy Ghost and feel taht our mouths are filled.  The Lord always keeps His promises. 

Before we get to a lesson, I am really excited, because we had talked to her a few days ago, and we had felt like we had needed to visit her soon... right before the lsson, after we have crossed the rickity bridge that is missiong most of its planks, we stop under the old abandoned factory sign to say a quick prayer.  

We clap at her door and she lets us in.  her name is Yesica GAbilan and she is the oldest of four other brothers and sisters.  She grew up with her grandparents in the interior of the country...as we start the lesson, we already feel the Spirit so storntly which makes me excited because we know that the Lord has guided us to her house... as He does with every step.

As we asked her questions that we were guided to ask, she told us how a year ago, she had been trying to "find God" and change and repent.  She has started to go to a church in Luque and she feels so much peace now in her life.  We invite her to read the Book of Mormon and she is so excited.  We invite her to be baptized and she accepts with a huge smile.  As we leave her hose, we feel so much peace and feel so happy.  We feel the Spirit. 

We walk down the sand covered sidewalkt to get to Barrio Yukyky... our poverty stricken area.  The Natasha that once HATed getting dirty or refuse to use an outhouse or public bathroom now LOVEs being in an area where the streets are covered in trash and cow poop and the pigs walk at our side.

The people wear their stained covered clothes, while the moms are busily scrubbing the clothes of all of their children and their marido or husband. (who is working all day long, collecting plastic or cardboard in his horse buggy.  The children run through the streets without shoes,. playing soccer.  As we walk down the dusty road, I smile again.  Ilove Barrio Yukyuky...I love the Paraguayos and I love my mission."

Luciana and Reinaldo are doing great and preparing to be baptzied this first weekend in Diciembre and there will be another WEDDING!!!! They will be getting married and baptized RIGHT before having their first baby so thats exciting.

Nageli will be baptzied soon... I feel more than humbled to be on a mission.  Sometimes I think of all of the blessing that I have redcieved and the blessings that the Paraguayos have as they live the Gospel and I "stand all amazed".

Thank you for your prayers... they are felt and answered.  Oh, and if anyone reading this is trying to decided if they should go on a mission or not... JUST GOOOOOOO!!!!!! IT WILL BE THE BEST DECISION OF YOUR LIFE!!!!

lots of love, 

Hermana Jones

and haapy día del pavo.... ;)

Week 60 (Nov 12, 2012): Master Carver

Querida familia,

It has been another great week! I am so greatful to be on a mission and keep recognizing each and every day just how sacred of a calling it is that I have.

Nageli will be getting baptized soon! We are just waiting for permission from the prison (which we are not sure that it will happen or not) which will take a week or two. She was so nervous for her interview but is excited to be baptized to "be a daughter of God" (is what she says!)

The Salinas-Colarte is doing great! They are starting to have FHE and so that´s fun to see.

Luciana and Reinaldo will be baptized and married in the very beging of December! They are doing great as well.

We are excited about the work and I am happyyy! If you could all keep in your prayers that we find the people who are ready to be baptized this month of November!

I found a poem in an Ensign from Sep. 2005 that I wanted to share!

Master Carver (by J. Devn Cornish)

How slow the forming-

how hard some blows-

But I, the stone, must come to know

In my own person, my own soul,

Thy will, Thy purpose here below.

O Master, now I plead to Thee,

Cut off my roughness, form my face,

Refine my feelings, make of me

A fit reflection of Thy grace.

Yea, haste the day when I may kneel

Before Thee and great Elohim,

Accepted, peaceful in Thy home,

At last like Thee, each grain of stone.

I testify that this is the central purpose of our lives. To repent and learn from and follow the example of our Older Brother. He is our Savior. We have loving Parents in heaven who love us. I love my life.. I love "hard things" and I love my Father and my Savior who made it possible to return to live with Him. This is my goal and is for each and every one of God´s children... I know that we can EACH return to live with Him (DyC123:12 and Phillipeans 4:13).

I love you all!

Con muchísimo amor,

su Hermana Jones

 

District Meeting

 

With the Formigli family... a less-active family! I lvoe them so much... we are having FHE with them tonight!

 

 

Week 59 (Nov 5, 2012): Grateful to be a Missionary

Dear familiy,

I am so sorry.  Short email...

I am just so grateful to be a missionary.  I know that the purpose of this life is to prepare ourselves to return to live with God.  Let us all do that together so that we can live with Him again.  Love you all.

Love ,

Su Hermana Jones