Service: Feeding Calves & Painting Fences

**Questions for our Missionary**

What scripture story is your favorite this week? 

I love Mathew 14 where it talks about Peter walking on the sea to reach the Savior. One thing I have learned on my mission is how much Peter was chastened in the preparation to being the next prophet after the Savior died and was resurrected! I love peter! he is a very interesting prophet and apostle of the Lord! But I especially love this story because the Savior, in a sense, teases Peter for his 'little faith'. "O Thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" I love this! Jesus Christ knew that Peter would ask to come to Him and ask to walk on water and his faith was perfect except in the moment when the wind was crazy and the waves were huge, that his human mind kicks in with doubts and he started to sink! I think we all have this sometimes! When our faith is weak we start to sink, but we are not afar off or in too deep of waters because Jesus Christ is always there to catch hold of us. The whole ship of disciples testify of Him after that by saying, "Of a truth thou are the Son Of God" !!! So cool.

Have you gotten new carpet in your apartment yet?

Haha no. We have been kneeling on our chairs for morning study haha :)

Have you had anymore tornadoes or sirens going off?

No. That was just the one time but this time of year they said is prevalent for them, they don't ever touch ground though. We were okay, we knew what to do in case, and Heavenly Father has His protective arm around us! :)

Is the ward your going to in Richmond bigger than Olney ward?

Richmond is a Ward. Olney was a Branch. A branch will always be smaller before it turns into a ward. If it were a ward I still think that Richmond would be bigger because it covers a bigger space of land and that there are more less-active members here.

I saw on FB that the Thaxton's were heading back home, have you talked to them or caught up with them at all?

Yeah they are probably headed out this next week! :( I will miss this so much! I love those two crazy old people! :)

 

(I absolutely love this pic)

Dear Family and friends,

Well this week went by all too fast! We had so many great lesson that we taught this week, but I will only mention a few!

This week we had the opportunity to teach Blake a couple of times this week and we felt impressed to speak to him about missionary work. We  went down to the computer lab and showed him the video of President Monson announcing the missionary age change, told him what missionary work is and how it works. Than Sister Hannah explained why she decided to serve a mission and then I started to tear up because I was reminded on why I wanted to serve a mission. We told him that he had the same opportunity to serve and asked him if he has thought about it since we have talked to him-he said that he has. He explained though when we started to get excited that he doesn't want to miss out on finishing up school-we talk with the idea that I haven't even started college yet and that he would be okay. I then bore my testimony of my mission and why I served. I explained that if Sister Hannah and I had not both made this decision that we would not have found him skateboarding on the side walk and in turn he probably would not have found the truth or gotten out of the state of darkness that has ached him. He looked away and then said "It's true". We challenged him to pray about it and ask God what he should do. Then we told him about the schedule of our day and how it all works. He was kind of excited and then we left him with that! On Sunday Sister Hannah and Tabitha Ellis (An RM this last week) were asked to speak! The whole day was literally planned out by lesson about missionary work! We were hoping that that was an answer to his prayers. We don't know yet though! Fingers Crossed!

Building a fence for a nonmember in the wilds of Kentucky.

Also this week we had the opportunity to serve a nonmember farm owner whose farm last year went up in flames and everything except her home (thank goodness) was torched.

All she wanted us to do was have one group build fences and the other group paint the fences! So obviously the male members and missionaries and Blake go off and build the fences while all the women and the little kids painted them! It was so much fun! 

 We managed to get quite a bit done and before we left we got to feed baby calves bottles of milk!!! So cute!

 Then we had appointments all day long and got home late that night and we were not only drenched in sweat but we were 
exhausted!

in honor of Duke #1 Champs, Ward member Sarah Brenner wears her UKC pride.

It was just so awesome to serve this woman and how she felt that our church were so willing to serve her. 

Serving others truly brings the spirit in!

courtesy of Sis. Hannah:  she found this a strange place to crash, but if you know Katelyn at all, she can sleep in any place/position - even the landing of the stairs.

Someone we are teaching recently, his name is Johnny, has been a really cool investigator to teach! He is the EKU quarterback and we met him while contacting people in the EKU dining hall. 

He said at the time that he has read the Koran and been studying many other religions because he has been seriously searching for something. We met with him a couple of times and the first lesson we had with him was quite interesting. We decided to bring members of the ward that are professors of EKU and have them fellowship. 

We got through most of the lesson and were able to teach most of it. I stated this this church was to only true church on earth (Ha-ha I am not scared to say it anymore!) and he just nodded and just wanted to look submissive without a response  to that. Then I asked him what do you think of this statement that I just said? I know it is a huge claim, what are your thoughts? He then said well I believe that the Jewish religion and the Quran are the most true of anything on earth, and I think you are wrong. HE said it politely and then I smile and part of me felt ready to stand up and say no your wrong and instead Heavenly Father softened my heart and I said "I believe that all religions have something true that rings about them, and more so the Karen and the Jewish religions are so close to the truth but the Book Of Mormon holds every bit of truth. You cannot take our claim for it because we are only humans. But you have to take it to God because if this Book is true that everything we have to share and offer is true. We want you to partake of the truth." 

He then said that he would read it and we thought after that, that it was so funny how the couple that were with us reacted. They kind of twinged when Johnny said that we were wrong. WE laughed at this because people tell us this all the time that we are wrong-what is different by each of their claims? Theirs is not back up by the knowledge and testimonies that we have of the Gospel. It is also not backed up by the authority of The Everlasting God. Prophets have prophesied that he as members would be persecuted by our beliefs in the last days. However, as the apostles and prophets have also testified is that if we are courageous and stand up for what we know and believe than nothing will harm us-whether it is words or physical trial.    This statement to Johnny must have done some good because the spirit testified to his heart more truth and he came to church yesterday! He was picked up by the couple and then all the day long he asked questions and was fellow shipped by the ward! however, most of the fellow shippers were men because they heard he was the quarterback and they all talked football with him. Ha-ha, oh well but Johnny's statement right before he left was, "Next week I am bringing one of my friends!" :D  It was so cool!

(Sister Hannah) Thursday was by far the best day of the week.  We had every single appointment go through, district meeting and ward coordination.  The appointments were all so awesome and spirit led.  Sometimes I feel like all I do is bear my testimony, but sometimes, that is all the investigator needs because the spirit is there.  My favorite thing to tell everyone is "don't take my word for it, pray about it for YOURSELF." That is the most liberating thing ever.  People don't understand how strong the power of prayer really is! That night we had Mexican Lasagna! so delicious! Thank you Sister Bennett! We then had a super cool experience with a previous investigator, Wendall.  He suffers from schizophrenia and was reading in the Bible about Jesus casting out devils.  He called us and asked if he could receive a blessing! I was shocked because he dropped us! I was also just thrilled because he recognized that we have the priesthood power in our church, JUST AS JESUS CHRIST DID!! YES! It is true!

courtesy of Sis. Hannah:  Kentucky river

Lastly, I know we talk about our progressing investigators way too much but Blake was in a lesson with us this last week and at the end of the lesson before he prayed he said "Oh my friend said to mention his name. He wants to meet with you both" We jumped at that and went with him after that lesson to meet with his friend! As we were meeting with him we asked him why he wanted to meet and he said "I saw a change in Blake--he is just happier and I want to know what he has and what you guys are teaching him." We handed Blake's friend a Book Of Mormon and set up to return again the next day. Well he didn't show up but looking back we were just amazed that Blake has changed so much that his friend even noticed! And that is huge!

I have had a huge testimony this week of heavenly father speaking through others. We were at a fireside last night and this man bore his testimony and the one phrase that he said that I clearly remembered was "Remember the substance of the Gospel" . What is the substance of the Gospel? It is that basic joyful and profound feeling of the Gospel that testifies of truth. I know that through this feeling we can be continually converted!

(Sister Hannah) Sunday.  Oh how I love Sunday's.  Spiritual revival.  Yesterday I spoke in sacrament, Sister J and I taught Gospel Principles and sat in on Primary.  I loved it! I was most definitely spiritually fed! I believe that talks are meant for the person giving them because boy did I learn a lot! I spoke on what my mission has taught me about Jesus Christ and boy has it taught me a ton! The one thing I have truly learned about on my mission is the atonement of Jesus Christ.  It is real.  It is POWERFUL.  It is THERE for every single person to use.  USE IT! We also attended a fireside for recent converts and investigators and the testimonies born were so powerful! The most powerful statement that was said was "remember the substance of the gospel. It is not the missionaries, they will get transferred.  It is not the members, they will not always be as cool as your home ward.  The substance of the gospel is that it teaches the truth of the plan of happiness with the proper authority."  Oh man, how awesome is that? I just love it.  It is SO TRUE!!

I love you all and hope and pray that your week is full of miracles!

~Hearken To It, then Do It,

Sister Jones 

P.S. I have been craving dad's salsa and some of your homemade bread! If you were able to send those things that would be so cool! 

Anyway sorry this is short! I hope to hear from you all this week? Write me a hard copy letter? Please? I will keep writing you all letters until I receive one ;)

~Your Daughter, Sister Jones