Miracles, Lara's Baptism, and Accidents Happen

Hip hip hurray! :) Larsa is now a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!

Yay Larsa's was baptized! She is the cutest thing ever! The sisters have been teaching her for quite a few weeks and now she is a member! She had to be dunked twice and the baptism was a very amazing experience as sister reed spoke and the Hermana’s that we live with did a great musical number! Yay! And then yesterday were waiting for Larsa to get confirmed but her and her friend who was going to confirm her! We called and called and called and finally they showed up! She received the Holy Ghost and oh she started crying and was just so happy! I just know that the only true and LIVING GOSPEL is here and helps everyone to receiving the sweet tastes of salvation! I know this Gospel is true!
:)

At the bus transit center! I love taking the bus!

We had a cool experience on the bus! President Brough gave another training on how to use the Book of Mormon and how to also introduce it. So we decided that since we were taking the bus that day to the church we would use it. So we walked on the bus and literally every seat was filled. Right then a young black man looks at us and is like here would y'all like to sit down and gives us his seat! Then Sister Reed is an even bigger gentleman (and likes to beat me to it) and says "Okay sit down Sister Jones!" We argue about it for a second and then I finally sit down. Then the woman to my right says here you also take my seat. So she gets up puts her child on her lap and sits down somewhere else! I looked at sister reed and just grinned big. Then the woman that moved says to Sister Reed "I saw your name tags and knew who you were so I moved" and bam a long conversation about the Gospel starts! So cool! So I got jealous that she was talking to someone and really wanted to share it with someone else as well so, I mustered up the courage and turned to the woman to my right! She was so sweet! I used presidents training and literally it brought in the spirit soo strong! She left us with her name and phone number and we did the same! She said she would attend church this next Sunday!

So, funny story but first I have to start at the beginning!

So on Tuesday it was a weird day especially set aside for miracles! We were trying people all day and nothing seemed to work out. We went and visited a recent convert and got onto the bus. As we rode with all the other passengers there was a blonde girl that got on. She stuck out to me and I got the distinct impression to share the gospel with her. Unfortunately I was in a different seat so I prayed in my head that if Heavenly Father wanted me to share it with this girl that I would talk to at least ten more people if He would provide a way to share it with her. We planned to get off at stop farther down the road but this girl proceeded to get off right then. So what does the spirit tell me to do? Run. So we get off, grab our bikes and chase after her... I'm sure we looked creepy doing but our intentions were right. We caught up to her and told her that she was a beautiful daughter of God and that He wanted her to know about His restored gospel! She was so kind and said we could come and visit with her and took a Book of Mormon a and started to share with us how she had been going through some health challenges and finally she had been able to find relief and then find God. It was so cool! So spiritual!

We biked on and we only went so far before some kid was walking toward us and we stopped and talked to him. We only introduced ourselves before we were interrupted by a massive moving truck that didn't hit his breaks early enough had slammed right into a SUV and the glass shatter. The truck ended up push the SUV into two cars in front of them. Then a mom got our crying and screaming and ran to the back car seat. We all dropped our conversation and quickly skipped right on over to see if people were okay. They were all alright but some had really bad whiplash. A man had it so bad that when we knocked his window he asked if we were Jehovah’s Witnesses and if we could say a prayer with him. We did and told him we were Mormon. Then cops and fire trucks came and everything went really alright. We gave all of the people cards with our number and provided prayers! So cool! We provided our witness of the accident and biked away.

We looked back later and realized that if we had not felt impressed to talk to the kid and stop biking the glass from the SUV and other material would have directly hit us if we had kept biking! It was a sure testimony that Heavenly Father was looking out for us and also of following the promptings from God! :,)

That same night as the accident Sister Reed and I were biking from a missed appointment and this is where I didn't follow the promptings of the spirit. We rode through a small pile of leaves that were in the sidewalk and I didn't think much of it until a wire that was hidden in there got caught in my front wheel. I thought to try and get it out but another thought came "What if you fall off the bike and hurt yourself?" I thought no way, so I used the front of my boot and tried to kick the wire out. Well... I wasn't looking and my boot caught in between the front wheel and the bar and pinched my foot and I went flying over the handle bars and slammed my chin right on the pavement! I literally face-planted-it on the ground..... I didn't want to get up so I just kind of laid there. Sister Reed came running my way (good companion:) and asked if I was bleeding. I wasn't but then another woman's voice. A woman saw the whole thing and was walking with two labs who came up and licked the tears off my face haha and then she walked away....awkward. So now I have a massive bruised chin-I keep telling Sister Reed it's my newly found Kentucky chin hair :) haha I have to laugh about it or it's no fun!

     The next day we got a call from the man driving the moving truck, he apologized for his mistake and asked us if we could pray for him right on the phone, so we did. He was so grateful!

    Sister Reed got a health problem this week so we haven't been able to go outside very much but we went on splits with the Hermana’s so she could stay inside. Hermana Bennett and I went out and tracked and we knocked on quite a few doors and one of them a man opened the door and came right out and said 'I'm Methodist but you should try that family across the street. They are agnostic!' He pointed to a house of a family that was nicer but it was a little roughed up because they had five kids. We knocked on the door and a tired dad came to it and opened up. We said can we share a quick message with families and he said that we were welcome to come back! This was an answer to our prayers and we have an appointment to visit them this next week! So exciting! :D please pray that Sister Reed and I can find more investigators! We know they are out there we just have to stay righteous in order to find them!

Where are you spending Thanksgiving?**

At a couple’s home for lunch- brother and sister hale! Hey are awesome they are like the Thaxtons! I love them so much! And for dinner we are going to the church. A member is providing thanksgiving dinner for members of the ward without family nearby and they are doing a great meal! :D

Did you get my package - and is it keeping your legs warm?**

Yes! Thank you so much! They fit perfectly too!

How was your Sunday, did you get a nap?**

Haha nope, naps don't happen on Sunday's on a mission. Unless you want to use your lunch or dinner hour but there is too much work to be done!

I am really sad that Sister Butikofer passed away. I am grateful I'm am out here though. I mean, if I were home I would have been super distraught. But I know the plan of salvation and said long as bro. Butikofer and Jacobie(their grandson) and Ashley and her family are being well taken care of I know then that all will be alright. I know God has everything in his hands. 

And yeah I can't believe its five months. That's four transfer but now we are almost done with my fourth and going on three left. We live with very "trunky" Hermana’s and they talk about home way too much and wow they drive sister Reed nuts and she is so worried that I will getting trunky but no I mean I don't feel like wanting to come home. However it makes me sick to think that at some point all of this will be over! I love my mission so much! I am so grateful that I came out here! I have changed so much! And I just know that I will not be the same person that I was when I first came out on my mission! :) I just am so happy, I'm not disturbed by anything, I stand up for myself, I am able to clearly know who I am and why I'm here, I am so much more confident and I just don't care about the stupid stuff I would normally cry about and get anxious over! I'm just happy :)

Well sorry mom that was a long explanation of my thoughts but it's true and Syd will experience the same idea on her mission! Literally the mission changes hearts and helps us know who we are and why we are living and especially who Christ is. 

Uh! I am just so proud of Syd. She is incredible! I love her so much! And yes Jaden is about to become a spoiled squirt! Crazy!

Well this week was uh weird. Haha but I have never laughed so hard in my entire life because Sister Reed and I get along so well and we have been laughing about the Grinch and Spongebob jokes all week as we walk to our destinations! So great! :D 

I love you all and hope your week is safe and happy and that you are finding gratitude for every little thing you can find! I am so grateful for my sister! She leaves for her mission in 9 days! Yay! Congrats Syd! I know that England will be the right place for you and that the lord will strengthen and consecrate you! 

I love you!

-Love , Sister Jones