Elder Zwick Visit & Teaching by the Spirit

Dear Fam!

Well best news first! I am grateful because my sister, Sydney Jones, just got her call to the Birmingham, England mission! :D which is literally where my mission president went on his mission, Sister Patterson's boyfriend just got back from his and my grandpa, my bishop, stake president and great uncle also all went! What the heck?! I think I might have to have transfers all the way over to England! Ha ha but no seriously a lot of people we know have gone there!

Transfers

Well transfer news! A Sister Jensen! Who we have exchanged is going to be my companion! Tomorrow is transfers and I can't wait to grab hold of her and hug her long and hard and tell her that I love her and am grateful to start a new adventure with her! Crazy! She also has only been out six months! I feel like that should be a record but the very first STL in this mission was only out for six weeks so we’ll see you can break that record ;)! Probably my sister, just because she is amazing and will do incredible missionary work of miracles!

Elder Zwick from the Seventy visits

So cool thing is Elder Zwick did a mission tour conference with the Mission Leadership Council. And also the entire mission this last week. Can I just say that there is a reason he is in the area seventy?! He is awesome! I learned so much from these meetings that I could not even believe the information that poured out of his mouth. There was a moment that the silence from all the missionary's was so deafening that I watched as Elder Zwick that God's instrument. I know that what was shared was for our benefit and for the benefit of the world of Kentucky. Some things he told us to "tune up" on we're: simplify and intensify our teaching, become even more bold, be exactly obedient, and to work even more with members and less a actives and recent converts! All of the things he shared were the things I have needed to hear and also tune myself on.

Teaching by the Spirit

This last week we exchanged with Rolling Hills sisters and Glasgow sisters! It went well. I was with Sister Ramell and Sister Patterson was with Sister Achee. I can honestly say that it wasn't my best and most outstanding exchange with Sister Ramell. I feel as though I was not the fearless/ exactly obedient companion for her for the day. I feel bad. But I feel as though I have repented and that a new start is on the horizon. I was grateful to be companions with Sister Holt this week because we had one of the most incredible experiences on my mission. So we got down to Glasgow, dropped off our things and all of our appointments failed but that was okay because we knew that Heavenly Father had something important prepared for us. We started to talk to people around their apartment complex and a woman stuck out to the both is us. She said that that she declined the missionaries before and started to walk away and randomly other people were walking past and we're talking to her and so the situation became quite out of hand. The rest of them walked away and the impression came to as a question to this woman who stated she was atheist. I caught her attention and asked "If you were to believe that God was real what would you ask Him if you could ask Him something?" She said she wasn't sure but she would probably ask what happened really after we are all dead. We then were able to clearly testify of the plan of salvation and the purpose of her life and then she thought about all of it, asked us questions and we were able to give her a Book of Mormon even though she wasn't interested. Then Sister Holt (the amazing sister that she is) asked if she knew anyone that could use a message like this. She pointed to the farthest corner of the complex and said that the woman there would. We figured ever apartment had been worked before but trusted the referral and went to knock on the door. We did and the woman opened the door right open and invited us in like former friends. We sat down and she looked at us in a calm wait and said I think I have met you two before. I looked at her and asked " you mean us two personally or the sister missionaries in general?" And she said "You and Sister Holt"! (So cool!) then the words for how to begin teaching and our purpose fell out of my mouth and Sister Holt and I testified simply and intensely the restoration! It was an out of body experience because I feel like I was only there watching instead of truly guiding my own lips. This woman was engaged and didn't leave our eye contact until Sister Holt and I invited her to be baptized and she accepted and they now have a baptismal date! President we ended up applying every single piece of training that Elder Zwick gave and I know without a shadow of doubt in my end that this woman will be baptized and that we had to be prepared to receive her as an investigator!

Lessons learned

I learned this week that I need to always be better and try a little harder every second so that the Lord can consecrate my efforts to being His instrument! Being better every day never gets old! Always something new!

Truly I am going to Sister Patterson! I really have become great friends with her and she has put up with my confusion and complaints, but that is what companions are for, right? I love her and all that she does to hasten the work of the lord and strengthen her companions. I know God is proud of her :)

I love you ally and pray constantly for your happiness and well-being! Thank you for being awesome!

~Sister Jones

A Week of Success and Adam's Baptism!

A week of success! 8_3_15

What can I say about this week? It was so successful! My prayers have been answered, great and grand things are happening, our area is continually progressing and I am loving my companion!

This week we got the opportunity to exchange with our lovely sister in Charlestown! I got to be with Sister Webb and got to experience her light and truth that she has! 

We had the opportunity to read the baptismal interview questions to one of their new baptismal dates and also teach quite a few people. We had a miracle experience as we were trying to find people to teach, since our lessons canceled and we had a potential in the area we tracked a few doors and tried a few people.

 One man told us his belief in Christ was diminished because of an experience he had in the past. He said that he didn't want to go to church also because of that experience. We told him that Christ felt the pain he felt and that He loved Him. This man was very close to turning us away and then... He invited the sisters to come back no teach him! We were so excited and went to the potential investigator and he was awake. He came right outside and we thought we were just going to teach him about the Book of Mormon when we ended up teaching the restoration and he accepted a baptismal date! Yay! So awesome and we followed up with the Charlestown sisters and they said he was progressing so well and that even his friend got into a lesson as well and they went to church! So cool! I love miracles!

W/ Sister Jen Blackwell, awesome Missionary Mom 

 Had fun Painting these backdrops for a member child's birthday party.

Plus I got to play for a bit

This week one of our investigators was not home and so we decided to try a potential no he wasn't home either so we knocked on his neighbor’s door after receiving the impression. A man came outside and we told him who we were and he stepped right outside. He said he only had ten minutes for us to share something with him so we both thought "challenge accepted" we ended up teaching the entire restoration in under 9 minutes! We set a return appointment and walked away feeling excited. But people still have their agency and the appointment didn't work out but he is always there and didn't move out of the area so sister Patterson and I plan to go back there in the near future :)

Trip to the Zoo, a Louisville Slugger, & Fasting

Last Monday we got to go to the zoo! It was great fun and we got to hang out with some of our sisters and the Hermanas! We love them! And thank you so much to Sister Blackwell for taking and providing it for us.  We completely appreciate you!  Saturday Sister Patterson's recent convert drove down for the day and drove us around and saved us a ton of miles for the day! My goodness we were able to get so much done! We ate at my favorite restaurant for lunch and then talked to so many people and contacted referrals and set up return appointments with many incredible people! It was a blast!

 Sis. Blackwell not only took us to the zoo but made sure we left with our very own Louisville Sluggers!

Yesterday on Sunday we fasted. I will just tell you Heavenly Father knows to keep his promises. It was such a great day that as I was fasting I felt like I was on happy gas. I felt so calm and relaxed but submissive and ready for anything. I think I was looking weird because I just had this smile on my face all day long. It was kind of sad too because my favorite family is moving this week back to BLACKFOOT, IDAHO! Yay! They are the coolest family no sister hall's niece is Leah Anderson who is the sister of my co-workers where I lifeguarded before I came out on my mission! She has been a light in my missionary work here at brook side and I am really sad to see her go but I love her to pieces.  Brookside is amazing! We are finding continually and our investigator, Adam, is getting baptized this SATURDAY! Whoo! We feel so determined to help accomplish the mission goal as well as our own goals!

Helaman 10_following promptings from the Spirit

I recently read something so cool that I want to share with ya’ll! I was reading in chapter 10 of Helaman this morning and it was talking about Nephi and how he had shared about the Chief Judge being murdered and then they went and found that it was true but still no one believed that that was the truth or even that it meant anything.  Then Nephi gets discouraged and starts to walk home and as he does he hears a voice that says that God was proud of everything that Nephi had done and at he would continue to do many of the Lord’s work and then God rebukes him and commands him to go back and proclaim repentance to the people. So he stops, turns around and does exactly as he is commanded and declares truth. They don't listen and so he declares it again and they don't listen again and then try to take his life and then as they are about to do so Nephi disappears or something and is 'delivered' :D ! Then right at the end he comes back yet again to declare it! I learned from this that God is mindful of our efforts as missionaries and knows how hard we try and he will call us to continue to declare the truth and as we press forward with faith and do our very best He will deliver us and strengthen us! This chapter was so cool to read because I have seen this in my missionary work and also in the sisters we exchanged and how hard they try to please Heavenly Father, it's simply amazing! I love it!

Anyway life is great and we are continually doing our best!

Harken to it, then do it!

Adam’s Baptism 8_10_15

So this week was a hoot!

We did a lot of stuff this week and worked hard but the best part was, Adam Yashinto is now a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! Yay! 

A CD of Church music and talks we made for Adam as a Baptismal Gift.

 Adam Yashinto Baptized, 8_7_15

We were looking back on when we first met Adam to now and oh man he has changed so much! To think that he was a boy that had no concept of who God was and now he is a man of God is incredible. The baptism was awesome! We had many members attended and give their support. Unfortunately none of his friends or family attended but he asked a few times can I video tape this so my parents can see? We had to tell him no. But this is an opportunity for him to share the gospel with his own family and friends and help them experience the same joy! 

Adam came up straightway out of the water and got dressed, came out and said that he couldn't even explain the feeling he had right now. He said he felt so good and that he himself didn't even think that he would get this far. Then our ward mission leader asked him to come up and bare his testimony and he got up and said he was grateful for his missionaries and for the church and he said when he was first learning about the church he said it felt a little "sketchy" especially the "law of chastity".  But after he prayed about it and read more he knew it was all true and that our bodies really are gifts from God! He has been so awesome! Plus he received the Aaronic Priesthood! Yesterday at church we had five investigators at church! It was so cool! Some had to leave early but we were grateful that the lord trusted us and the members of His church with these precious souls.

Also our baptismal date for September 5 (wow can't believe we are setting dates in September!), Sarah Scire, came to church! Finally! Yay! We have taught her most of the lessons and all now that we need to do is get her to keep coming to church and teach a few more lessons and then she will be baptized as week! We have been teaching Sister Scire for a few months now and she is almost in the book of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon! Yay!

Dressed for success

This week we had our district meeting and the Hermana's called us and said we should dress up like elders since it was the last district meeting before transfers-- so we did and I think that we look pretty dang cute.  Then we had our district lunch and went out to five guys!  Mm mmm! We had the blessed opportunity to exchange with the Shephardsville sisters and I go be in Brookside again and this time with Sister Beecroft. She taught me how to be loving and kind to everyone we meet.  She will probably be training sometime soon, I just know it :)

 Sister P and Me.

Well this week went by way too fast and now I wait for my sister to get her mission call! The week better go by even faster! I love you Sydney and congrats on your call that you will be getting, just know I am crying her in Kentucky-they will be tears of joy!

[NOTE:  When asked, where do you think Sydney will get her mission call to?

If stateside,  Detroit, MI   If Foreign:  Sydney, Australia]

I love you all and hope you have your own missionary moments this

week! Let me know if you do! I want to hear it all!

Love, Sister Jones