Nov. 3

I always try to think of a creative title to my email so people will actually read them. :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

We had a fantastic Halloween  carving pumpkins at district meeting... and then we took some Halloween treats around to our investigators, which was a good excuse to go and see them all! On our route we pulled into an apartment complex and their were cops EVERYWHERE. Uh Oh.. we know basically everyone in this aparment complex... we were praying it wasn't anyone we knew. It was. We have another investigator in jail. #bummerdeal but I guess things like that happen when you are serving in the meth capitol of Oregon. (No worries mom, all the people are still really nice.) We also had a ward Halloween party that A TON of our people showed up to! 

There are so many miracles and tender mercies which happen in missionary work I never know where to start! It is truly through opposition that you come to understand HOLINESS. 

But I think I had the FUNNIEST lesson I have EVER had on my mission this last week, with a sweet old lady named Linda! Linda has a wild rabbit which just hops around her house. It isn't potty trained either... so you have to be careful where you step. Randomly, throughout the lesson, it will dart acrsoss the living room. She also has a "handicapped" or "disabled" cat. It can't walk in a straight line and is constantly falling over/ tripping over itself... it just hobbles along. She also has a parrot which likes to make comments while you are teaching. Just the situation itself is enough to make you laugh!! Anyway, we were re-teaching her the restoration, and it finally clicked.. Linda said in a really gruff voice, "So YOU are telling ME I have to be baptized mormon?"(linda was baptized Catholic)

INSERT LONG AND AWKWARD PAUSE.... 

Me: "Yes."

Linda, super nonchalantly, "I don't have a problem with that."We then committed her to specifically pray to know the Book of Mormon is true and in her prayer she said, "I already know the book of mormon is true." HAHAHAHA SHE IS THE FUNNIEST PERSON EVER. Sister Vance and I usually leave the lesson laughing hysterically, and Linda is just happy that we are happy :) 

We also have been teaching a little girl, Maddison, who is 11. She LOVES church. Whenever we teach her, she invites all the little kids on the block. So, we end up teaching a heard of little children! Madison will say, "Damion, who is 5, needs to know about God. Can he sit in during our lesson?" What a good little missionary all ready! They are  always super exciting lessons :) All the little kids say their parents are ok with it, but can you truly believe a two year old explained to their mother they are meeting with mormon missionaries? OH WELL :D 

This week Sister Vance felt strongly that there were two new investigators who needed the gospel, so we tracted DOUBLE what we normally tract. Our VERY LAST HOUSE of the week let us inside, and we taught a FAMILY! It was a mom, a dad, and their seven year old son. As I have been studying the Savior's life I have noticed a common theme.. DESPERATION. For example, in the story of Peter walking on water, the disciples rowed until the "fourth watch." The winds were contrary to their rowing, their little boat was being tossed to and fro on the water! It wasn't until the fourth watch, 3-6 in the morning, that the Savior appeared to them. This is often how God is in our life. He allows us to grow. He allows us to stretch. He makes us exert ALL our efforts, until we can't go in more before he steps in and helps us! God is there, he is real, and He wants what is best for us. However, He loves us enough to allow us to FAIL, but He will never allow us to become a FAILURE. It is through trials, tribulations, and exerting our own strength that we grow, and can become the disciples which he wants us to become.

Love you all!

Sister Jones

p.s. the gospel is true.