Feb. 9th- Headed to Corvallis!

Dear Familia, 

Transfer calls came this week aaaannnnddd.. 

I was blindsided! Sister Carter is staying in Klamath and I am headed up to Corvallis! We were positive that she would be leaving and that I would be staying... But God's ways are not mans ways! I have been called to be an STL with Sister Crabb. (For those of you who don't know, STL stands for sister training leader. It is like a district leader or a zone leader, only you train other sisters in the mission.) Corvallis is as north as you get in our mission, and I am going to go to a YSA Ward! I am super nervous, but I am starting to get used to the Lord calling me to positions which I am extremely uncomfortable with. You just pray, have faith, work hard, and somehow everything works out! 

Here is also the wonderful news... I feel like crying... I ran into the sister missionary who is currently serving in Coquille. The area is BOOMING. Mindy, that investigator who I always talked about, is getting baptized in March! The nugens, an older couple, are also getting baptized! Also, memory, a little girl which I taught, is getting baptized! I am so humbled to have been a small part in their stories :) 

I am grateful for the three months which I spent in Klamath falls. During this time I relied on the Lord more than in any other time during my mission (which I think also implies any other time during my life. I have grown so much, and because of those two transfers, I know that I can get through ANYTHING which the Lord calls me too! Alvin is getting frustrated with us as we teach the commandments, because he is basically all ready living all of them. We have to go over them anyway! If that is the worst concern which he has, I am not too nervous :) Sister Carter is like a whole new person, I trust her with the area and know she will continue to progress! 

Next week I will update you on all of my new adventures! I am so sorry, I can't email you all back individually because I left this morning at 9 and am arriving at 6:30/7! 

Love you all! 

Sister Jones

Feb. 2nd- My Lovely Life

The mission always says, "Klamath Falls. Miracle pit." I feel like I say this every week.. but can I just let you know, this is a TRUE STATEMENT. This week I was overcome at how amazing God is to us!

(Before I start telling you about all the amazing things which happened this week, our faith was tried. We went to do service for a lady and she had us rake up MOLDY APPLES. I am talking huge piles of apples which were fermented, pure liquid, and had a film of white mold over the top. I thought, "Good thing I love the gospel." I can check that off of my mission bucket list...)

First off, Alvin is just the BEST. We gave him a tithing pamphlet and then came by to teach it the next day. We asked, "Alvin, did you read the pamphlet?" Alvin responded, "No, and I don't need to. I know what tithing is and I will do it." By the end of the lesson he excitedly exclaimed, "I want to pay tithing so bad. I want those blessings!" Who says that? He also calls our church HIS church, and has been putting LDS on all of his application forms. Oh, and inviting everyone he sees to his baptism. :) Keep him in your prayers, he needs to quit smoking and drinking coffee by this Saturday.

Second off, this week I had the most spiritual church meeting of my entire mission. It was fast Sunday, which automatically makes it that much more awesome. We had Alvin there of course, and almost EVERY SINGLE testimony was bore by converts in the church sharing their conversion story. Chris, Nevaya, and Lucas also bore their testimonies. (They are siblings, Chris and Nevaya are baptized but Lucas isn't. Chris is 12 and Lucas is 8. Their father is out of the picture and their mom wants absolutely nothing to do with the church.) sister Carter and I helped Chris and Lucas at the pulpit, they were just the sweetest things! Lucas also passed me notes the entire sacrament meeting on my sticky notes, saying things like, "I love church. I love God. I want to get baptized." He also tried to give me the only dollar he owns, but I told him to save it. THEY ARE THE SWEETEST LITTLE THINGS. Also, two LA families we have been working with showed up for church. and a former investigator who dropped us two months ago. OH MY GOSH.

Earlier this week, we also had a last minute meeting with half of our mission and the President. 82 missionaries, over 1/3 of our mission, are leaving in May, June, and July. He called everyone to repentance and told them to keep working hard! HAHA! It is crazy!

These are at least the highlights of the week. Lately I have been thinking about what it means to have "real intent," and I realized that real intent means we do the RIGHT THINGS for the RIGHT REASONS. We can go to church, read our scriptures, and go through the motions without getting anything out of it. This is not what God intends for us! Let us do what is right, and remember the WHY behind the gospel.

THE CHURCH IS TRUE.

Sister Jones

Box of Sunshine!

Jan. 26th- Another Brother Unto Christ

My family emails keep getting shorter and shorter.. How mad would anyone be if I started sending out a weekly email which said, "same old, same old?" Hahaha just kidding, but really.. So much happens it is overwhelming to try and writ it all!

Funny moment of the week...I have not laughed this hard in a long time. Sister Carter and I were going through the car wash and it locked us in the car wash, but nothing was happening. Sister Carter got out of the car and was directing me when the car wash started.. But she wasn't in the car! Hahahahahaha she never made it back into the car either... FUNNIEST EXPERIENCE EVER. I am crying with laughter just thinking about it.

We went and saw Alvin this week, as usual... And he has officially decided to be baptized! He is SO EXCITED about the gospel that he can't stop telling everyone about it! When christ says to become as little children, I think that he also is meaning little children in the gospel. Little children in the gospel are not ashamed! They love it with their entire heart! It feels he, with excitement and love! Yaaaay for Alvin being baptized! We brought a guy in the ward over to one of his lessons, and the lesson turned into a "missionary present lesson" instead of a member present lesson! Haha you have got to love it :)

We had a spiritual lesson with Amy and Scott... Until Scott said, " I refuse to join any religion which tells me what I can and can't do." That ticked the member we had brought with us off. Hahahahahaha it isn't the religion, it is God, but whatever! :) keep praying for them, they would be amazing members!! They are one of our huge focus families right now! 

I know that the ONLY way to find ourself is by LOSING our lives for the Savior and His gospel. (Mark 8:35) Those we are empty are trying to find their worth on the worlds selfish terms. Neil A. Maxwell said, "BELIEVING takes the form of DOING...our lives could not truly be Christ-centered if we shunned the chores of the kingdom!" I officially have fallen in love with Klamath, I am never leaving. Also, I am extending the end date in my ministerial certificate to infinity. Love you lots, but this is where I am staying! 

Sister Jones 

Jan. 19th- Miracles, miracles, miracles.

My email time is dwindling before my face.. I am going to try and
highlight everything important.

Yes, the Oregon Ducks lost the championship game. These people were
devastated! We got special permission to watch the game, so that was a
BLAST! We were all hootin and hollerin. The quarterback for Ohio state
was c.jones... Just saying.

Sister Carter and I taught the most lessons this week that this area
has seen in the past six months! Woot! Also she is doing AMAZING!

Plus.. Super exciting, Alvin has prayed about it and wants to be
baptized on February 14th! Not quite the seventh, but we aren't
complaining. He can't get enough of the gospel! It is so amazing to
get to see the excitement that comes into individuals lives as things
start to click! They start moving forward with faith, and God
Illuminates the way before them! Keep him in your prayers!

So Vic I talked about last week? Ya, he wrote up a ten page paper
about how wrong our religion was with bible scriptures, citations,
quotes, the whole nine yards. Kinda awkward. Hahaha we laugh about it
now, but we basically left that appointment as quickly as possible.

We also went and saw two less actives on Sunday and challenged them to
come to church. We hadn't really talked with either of them before.
they both came, he first on for the first time in twelve years the
other one in thirty. MIRACLE.

Ok, so sorry but I am out of time! Aaah! But I have been thinking a
lot about what it means to have peace. Peace isn't the absence of a
trial or conflict. Peace is something we can have with us all the time
because of Jesus Christ. "peace I leave with you.. Not as the world
given, but give I unto you." Despite the world which rages on around
us, or busy life, the persecutions, we can find peace. I am so
grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Love you all!

Sister Jones

Jan. 5th- HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy 2015 everybody! As I reflected on this last year I thought of all the changes I have experienced- I finished my first year of college and said goodbye to my second family in Provo, I left on a mission, and I spent six wonderful months in Coquille with two wonderful companions. It has been a year of growth, learning, and... CHANGE! I don't care how cheesy this sounds, this past year I have grown closer to my Savior than ever before! He overcame the world! We can rely on Him for strength! I am FOREVER going to love the year 2014, because that is the year God changed my heart! No matter how painful the process, the end results are worth it. I am so excited for this next year, however, and all the adventures and growth it holds! I still have so much to learn! I get to spend 2015 serving God! How cool is that?

Now for the nitty gritty of my week!

Miracle: I lost the keys to our house, apartment, and my name tag. The miracle? I at least found the nametag. #dejavu

Funny Moment of the Week: We asked a little boy at dinner how he can do missionary work. his response was not exactly what we were looking for... "I am going to do missionary work by teaching people about Satan." Maybe I wasn't speaking clearly...

The lessons of the week worth noting:

Janette- the most organized hoarder I have ever met. Her house has PILES and PILES of stuff-but everything is color categorized. And dusted. And vacuumed. 

Ray- Prayed about the Book of Mormon. The answer he received was, "Not now." Is it appropriate to tell someone, "EH! Wrong answer?" Probably not. THE CHURCH IS TRUE THE BOOK IS BLUE.

SO, we probably had our biggest miracle on Saturday since being in this area. There was a non-member who has been coming to church the past couple of weeks, and we keep trying to set up appointments with him, and they keep falling through. On Saturday he called and asked, "could you come by at four?" ALVIN IS GOLDEN AND SO PREPARED. He asked SO many questions, our lesson with him took 2.5 hours. Testimonies were born, tears were shed, and experiences shared. I felt bad that we were there for so long... but he wouldn't let us leave. He had so many questions- many of which we told him we would address another time! He wanted to know President Monson's entire life story... every prophet in the book of mormon... whenever we bore our testimonies, he would ask, "WHY?" Sister Carter and I have been praying and felt strongly that we could have someone ready for baptism by February 7th. Alvin is an answer to that prayer! 

Second biggest miracle since being in this area: Sometimes you go through all your plans, and all of your back up plans, like a piece of tissue paper in a fire! Sunday was one of those days! I always think, "When everything falls through it is because God needs us to go somewhere we wouldn't go otherwise." Sister Carter and I pulled the car over and prayed! A house popped into my head, clear as day, of a lady which we had gone caroling to a couple of weeks prier. She had told us that she had cancer, and couldn't stop crying when we showed up at her house to carol. We stopped by her house and she broke into tears at the fact we remembered who she was. She couldn't stop thanking us for being an answer to her prayers. I will forever be grateful that I got to be an answer to her prayer. 

Third biggest miracle since being in this area: We got a missed call from a random number. I called it back and he said, "Hey this is Scott." (WHO IN THE WORLD ARE YOU SCOTT?) " I am Amy's husband (Amy is an investigator who loves the book of mormon, but her husband has always avoided us like the plague.) Could you come help me take down my Christmas decorations? ok bye." We went by this morning and he was sick, but he said, "Come by another time! That way we can take down the decorations and then talk after." MIRACLE. MIRACLE.

I have a testimony that God pushes us to our breaking point- and then showers us with miracles!

LOVE YOU ALL! 

Dec. 29th- I AM DREAMING OF A... Christmas in paradise.

Yellow!

It is finally snowing! A couple of days late, but everything is white
nonetheless. We are also out of miles (for the car) so we will get to
enjoy this lovely time of year :)

I am super almost out of time, but here we go.

Handing out free hot chocolate on Christmas Eve...

Christmas was wonderful! I loved talking to me sweet little family! We
got to watch Frozen, play games, eat LOTS AND LOTS OF FOOD, and then
go to bed early! (I honestly never thought i would be so excited to go
to bed at nine) we had a white elephant gift exchange, and the elder
who got my giant box of hair was SO MAD. I told him that it contained
the hair of everyone I love (investigators and recent converts) but
for some reason he still didn't like it. Hmm. Weird.

We also had so many miracles his week! Our Saturday was PACKED, and we
taught basically all of our lessons for the entire week :) we met with
a new gator, Ray. He has been very prepared! He is a nice old man who
is going to make a wonderful member! This area is starting to
progress, slowly but surely. I actually just found out that they split
the area when sister Carter got here, and so we basically opened the
area! (Also, sister Carter and I are both staying here for another
transfer)

Exciting lesson of the week: pass the putty. I went on exchanges with
sister Stover and we taught eight little children. We did this by
passing this silly putty around, and if the children's hymns stopped
on you, we asked a gospel related question. I.e. How do we pray?

I am so excited for the new year, basically the entire year I am going
to be serving the people of Oregon! We get to start OVER, and just
like Lots wife we should never look back! Jesus has told his
disciples, "once you put your shoulder to the plough, don't look
back." This work is never finished! Everyday we need to work harder,
and never look back to the past. Faith is ALWAYS directed to the
future! It is my prayer that we can ALL continually be bettering
ourselves!

I LOVE THE GOSPEL. Thanks for the sacrifices made on your part
allowing me to be out here!

Sister Jonesy

Dec. 22- Christmas Time!

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS.. AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Crazy story of the week! We had a dinner appointment and a little four
year old boy bit my butt. Twice. Which is SUPER awkward, and I am not
allowed to hold children, so I wasn't sure how to get him away.. MTC
didn't prepare me for this :)

We had a really good week! I don't know if I ever told you that the
elders got pulled from our ward for the rest of the transfer, but they
did... That means we can steal there investigators right? Right. We
thought so ;)

A couple of weeks ago we gave a lady a Book of Mormon on the doorstep.
We went back to follow up and she had been reading! Almost every day!
We dubbed it a mission miracle and had an amazing first lesson with
her :) she has a cute little family and is excited to talk with us
more!

We also had a lesson with six CRAZY kids! I have come to realize on my
mission that people get uninterested VERY quickly if you don't talk
super animated.. So I have this habit of getting VERY passionate when
talking to people about the gospel. Maybe passionate isn't the right
word.. More like excited! These kids were not paying attention, so I
turned the entire lesson into a game! We were teaching the gospel of
Jesus Christ and ended up writing the principles on paper and you had
to use them to get across the room without touching the floor. The
kids loved it.. As did I. All eight of us were laughing and I was
teaching the principles every time they stepped on one! It was
probably the most fun lesson I have had on my entire mission! There
was also a small moment where none of the children were fighting so we
considered it a success.

Merry Christmas everybody! I have loved being on a mission during the

Christmas season, there is absolutely NO "fluff." We spend all our
time thinking and teaching about the Savior! I feel so privileged to
be serving God during this time of the year. May we all remember what
is truly important!

Sorry this is a short email, I will just talk to my sweet little
family in three days!

Love you and see you then!

Sister Jones