2.28.11

Hey All!

So, this week has been crazy. I have gone through companion swap after companion swap. Right now I'm with Elder Gylling. But this week has been awesome! I've learned a lot and this last Sunday I had to speak in Sacrament Meeting. I felt like a goof! But, oh well, everything happens for a reason, I guess! It's crazy to think that a week from right now, I will be in the air on my way to Detroit! I'm way excited though!!! I've made a ton of new friends and have seen some old ones. Not quite sure how to get pictures back to the home so they can get sent out but I'm workin' on it! (Memory cards are hard to do when I only have one of 'em.) Ha. Well I still love getting letters in the mail. :) I only have a half hour on the computer, so it's hard to write everyone back. If any of ya have any questions, it'll be faster just to write me! Well, I gotta get goin' and do some laundry.

The temple is amazing. The church is amazing and the Book of Mormon is amazing. :) Hahaha - just thought I'd throw that out there.

I have been filling up my journal; I encourage ALL of you to keep one. Even if it's like just a once a week thing! It's cool to look back and see how I felt or what happened.

I love ya all and can't wait to hear from ya. You're all in my prayers! Peace out.

Love, Elder Jones

2.24 - to the seminary classes

Vallivue Seminary!

Hey there! Hope all is well back in the 208! I'm lovin' it here in the MTC! I haven't stopped smiling since I got here. I've never felt the Spirit so strong other than in the Temple. I have learned so much it's not even funny. Listen to Brother Mortenson, he's got you on the right track; even though sometimes it may not feel that way. Read your scrips! It is such a blessing to know them off the top of your head. I personally don't know that blessing yet, but I hope I will someday! :) Be nice to the freshmen, I feel like one right now. I feel lost and don't really know what's going on. This place is huge!

Now I know you're in the D&C this year, but I got a challenge for ya. Right now I'm teaching an atheist named Wes. In Alma 32, it talks about the great experiment and a seed. I challenge you, just as I have challenged Wes, to try the experiment, plant that seed in your heart or your friend's heart and ask God if that seed is good or not. Because Elder Holland said, "You must be converted before you can convert."

Anywho, right now I'm in a 3-some of Elders because my original companion wussed out and went home last Friday; he only stayed TWO days! Make sure you are mentally ready for everything! I'm having a hard time with Elder *** because he won't stop talking when we teach, and when he does that, I get frustrated, along with Elder ***, and the Spirit just leaves. But I'm being very humbled and it's getting easier to stand him. :) I love my comps to death, but it can be irritating. So the lesson I'm being taught is to be patient, but also be eager to jump back in, so I can have the Spirit with me. I go off of Proverbs 27:17. It helps. :)

Elders Larsen & Gylling are called to serve in the Riverside, California mssion, and I'm the only Elder in my class that will be serving in the Michigan Detroit Mission. But I'm stoked anyway!

Anyway, I gotta get going, but here's my address in case any of you want to write to me. I haven't got any letters yet, so a letter or two would be nice. Love ya guys, and hope everything is well.

Peace out!

Elder Jones

2.24.2011

More letters today! Made my day - a letter for the family, a letter to the seminary, and a letter to the MOFia. He's been busy! :)

Dear Family,

Hey guys! Hope all is well back home! There's a lot to tell, so I'm just gonna hit the main points.

On Friday, Elder Strong left, so now I'm in a 3-some with Elder Gylling and Elder Larsen. I've been learning a lot. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. That sounds weird, but oddly enough, it's true.

So I can only write on Mondays, so you'll probably only be getting a letter like once a week. But I would like a few here and there. ;)

I'm loving it here. I have never felt the Spirit so strongly besides when I'm the Temple. Speaking of that!! Today's my p-day and we went to the temple this morning and it was AWESOME!! I did sealings for the first time and it was awesome. I was able to witness and be a son. I did like 15 names! The Temple was just awesome.

I honestly haven't stopped smiling since I got here. I just can't help myself.

Real quick though, if you could send me my track pants that I had, that'd be awesome! And the rest of those Wisp toothbrush things, along with the memory cards. They are (or were) on my bed. And some more stamps would be cool, too.

I'm really starting to know for myself what 'love thy neighbor as thyself' means. I am coming a lot closer to loving everyone. There are a few elders I'll admit are still a little hard to love, but I still want the best for them.

Emily - be good and listen to Mom and Dad. It may be hard at times, but they really do mean well. I'm starting to learn that for myself. And I really really really am challenging you to read the Book of Mormon all the way through; you'll like it a lot. ;) I swear!

Ben - Be good and play nice. Don't focus on the Pokemon so much, kid! Just have fun. :)

Brett - Please take this other letter to the seminary, and could you get their address for me? It would be much appreciated. I implore you to read 1 Nephi 8. It is an amazing scripture. And if you pair it with Alma 32, things will click.

I love you guys! You are all individually in my prayers!

Hope to hear from ya soon! Peace out.

With love,

Elder Jones

Got a letter today!

Well, two letters, but one was a thank you card he wrote before he left but forgot to leave with us. I think he meant for his letter to arrive yesterday, since he listed a few things for FHE, but since the mail isn't delivered on holidays...

"Hey! Feb. 17, 2011

So it's been an interesting TWO days, but it feels like a week. My first companion is Elder Strong. But... turns out he's not that strong, because he's leaving tomorrow. Only a day and a half in, and he's decided to leave. I think it stinks, but oh well, no changing his mind. So starting tomorrow I'll be part of a 3-some with Elder Larson and Elder Gylling. Elder Larson was called as district leader, and me and Elder Gylling were called as senior companions. Larson & Gylling are both going to the Riverside, Cali mission. My departure date is estimated at March 7th. In my class there is me, Larson, Gylling, Sister Dunn, Sister Perry, Sister Ete, and Sister Shaw. They're going to (in order) Detroit, Riverside, Riverside, Detroit, New Zealand, Riverside and Riverside, all English speaking, so all of our leaving dates are the same day. I gotta get going, but I want to say I love you guys and I'm missin' ya! Say hi to everyone for me. I won't be writing everyone at once, ya know? So it will be staggered. Love ya guys!

Love,

ELDER (whoa!) Jones

PS - you can send the BSU tie! Tell Vince he was right!

PPS - bigger envelopes would be cool too.

Oh, and here are your scriptures for you guys to study for FHE! Proverbs 27:17; 2 Cor. 12:10; 2 Nephi 31:11; Alma 53:20-21; Doctrine & Covenants 74:5 & 7; Mosiah 13:3; D&C 58:4; Proverbs 3:5-6; Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 16:7; Proverbs 20:9 & 13; Proverbs 27:17; St. John 5:39 & 43-47; St. John 11:35; St. John 14:15 & 26; James 1:5 & 22-23 & 27; 2 Peter 1:10; 1 John 4:7-8"

First email is here :)

Showed up about an hour ago. Edited for spelling and punctuation. :)

"Yo!

Thanks all who have emailed me! I can only get on the computer to check email once a week for about a half hour so letters are very very very appreciated! Haven't got one yet but I'm hopin' it's soon. ;) Haha. But anyway, it's been a busy week! The days feel like weeks and so far, this last week has felt like one long day. My first companion was Elder Strong, but he left Friday morning because he said he had "separation anxiety". He wasn't too focused on anything at all except for his family, so I wasn't surprised he left. So now I'm part of a 3some with Elder Gylling and Elder Larson. They're from Colorado and Utah. They are both serving in the Riverside California mission. And in my district (classroom), there are four sister missionaries. All but one are serving in the Riverside Cali and the one sister, Sister Perry in going to be serving in the New Zealand Aukland mission, (is that how to spell it? ha). So that's pretty exciting. I'm stoked for this week! I'm way excited to be here and I can't wait to get out into the field. Well I gotta go do some laundry so I'll write ya next week! Hope to get some letters from ya guys! I'll put my MTC address down at the bottom just in case ya lost it. ;) Haha. Peace out.

Mom & Dad - Thanks for everything! But ya can forget about the bigger envelopes, I got some in the book store.

Tony - thanks for the advice! Haha. I've been stayin' away from it since I got here cuz I heard the same thing!! And yes, Sam did beat you :).

To all (who I have an address for) - I'll try to write ya this week!

Elder Jones"

(edited out the address) :)

February 16, 2011: Arrive at MTC

This past Wednesday, we drove to Provo to drop Elder Jones off at the Missionary Training Center. We didn't get any photos at the MTC itself - the new drop-off procedures don't give you any time for photography - but that morning we went to Temple Square and he humored me by letting me take all the photos I wanted. Well, almost. :)

After we took photos, we grabbed some lunch and headed down to Provo. I'll admit, when I first read about the 'new' way of dropping them off at the curb, I was kinda horrified, but, really, it wasn't that bad. The sidewalk outside the main entrance was completely lined with missionaries - it was totally cool - kind of reminded me of a bunch of guardian angels in a way. There were numbered flags lined up along the sidewalk, and when we drove in, they told us which number to drive to - we were down at the very very end, #25 - and as we drove along, the missionaries that weren't helping a family were smiling and waving. Once we pulled up, they came forward & started helping - there were probably 3 or 4 missionaries per car? Maybe more? It was kind of a blur, really. Things went smoothly - we literally only had less than 2 minutes with Elder Jones after we pulled up to the curb. The sidewalk was lined with missionaries waiting to greet us & they had his luggage from the back by the time I'd helped the little ones out of the truck. We all had time for a final, long hug & a few words, then they said, "Thank you for your son, Mom!" and led him away. It literally took us longer to find where they wanted us to park than it did to say goodbye. Anyway, it was pretty quick and I liked it. I'm not one to prolong agony.

So now we wait until we hear from him. I've already emailed him a couple of times and sent a snail mail letter. :)