Johannesburg South Africa Temple

Johannesburg South Africa Temple
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Friday, May 28, 2010

In 4 months it will be a year Whoa

1. How does your Mission Pres. feel about emailing your cousins that are missionaries?
1. Well The first time I talked to him he said I should only e-mail my direct family. That is why I usually respond to others in the e-mails I send to you.
2. So what drinks do they say you can or can not drink there in South Africa? Is Coke still what they recommend in some areas?
2. Well if you are referring to the Word of Wisdom then they say you can drink Rooibos Tea in place of regular (black)tea. I actually don't drink a lot of Soda unless members give it to us. There are a lot of different soda's here or, Cool Drink, as they call it. They have this stuff called Ginger Beer(non-alcoholic) and it's made with ginger so it tickles (burns) the back of your throat when you drink it.
3. How is your new companion adjusting to you and the new beat that you have?
3.I don't know? we seem to be getting along well right now but we've only been together a week today. He's actually really cool and kind goofy himself so I think things will go great.
4. What is it like to be the companion of a district leader?
4.Well it's not too much different other than you go on exchanges a lot because he is supposed to so he can see how everyone is doing. Which means, because the AP's (Assistants to the Mission President) are in our district. I have to go out with them and that is kinda weird and a little intimidating, but I always learn a lot when I go with them.
5. Tell us one faith building experience that you have had this week?
5.Well there is an awesome family that we are teaching called the Diseko Family and I realized the other day how much I really loved them because I became so frustrated when they said that they still aren't ready, when I know that they've been answered. Most of them come to church every Sunday and their family has been strengthened so much since we've been there. They even said that themselves. I decided to bare my testimony and when I did I got all emotional when I started talking about them. I love the work here and I'm still trying to learn to love the people, but I think I'm getting it.
6. Are there ever monkeys loose in the city limits?
6.Nope... Well actually there was an experience in my last district where there was a monkey in a tree, but it had gotten away from a zoo or something. Other then that you have to go to Botswana or something.
9. Any one who needs our family to pray for them?
9.Yes the Deseko Family! and pray that we can find Father Led Families
10. What one thing do you like most that is different from Ridgeway in the Dobsenville area?
10.The Productivity. Dobsenville is leading the zone right now in year to date baptisms and Ridgway just got merged/closed with another area.
11.What do you mean that they have to go to church so many times depending on their age before they are baptized?
11.Well if you don't have family support you have to come to church for at least three months if your under 18 and for six if your under 16.

It's crazy to hear of all the things going on back home. J driving and stuff. crazy!! Well this week has been nice because I've had a companion. The work is going well but we are struggling to get responsible Male adults in our teaching pool. We've just started to put into effect a Plan called u-nite which makes it possible for us to teach people in mass groups with members for support. We're hoping it will work well so keep it in your prayers as well. I love the work but I've been getting kind of discouraged at times. When it feels like we are struggling to get fathers but I know we are doing a good job. We currently have 10 people who are on date for baptism and we are teaching a lot of good lessons. 3 of those on date will be baptized next week (hopefully) and they are doing well so far so I don't really have doubts. I'm also running out of time now to e-mail so I may have to make it short, But I'm gong to send some pics of our recent adventures.(don't put the I love Soweto one on the blog. You may not understand why but don't do it !) Send my love to everyone and please send some more addresses.
Love Elder Jones






From the Fam

Well another week has passed, maybe I had better say flew by. As I look back through it I wonder how I got to all the things I got to. After today I hope I can keep all those boys busy this summer it's been wild here and it was cold again so they were stuck in the house, moaning about why it wouldn't get warm. The young women did a car wash (freeze out) fundraiser. J moaned it was cold all day to her since she started it out wet and then did dog kennels and still had to stay wet. She scares the crap right out of me with her driving, I think I yelled 5 times to look before changing lanes or she would be dead. Once C screamed at her cause a car almost pulled out in front of her. That was a tricky thing they did making parents have to drive with their kids first instead of the Drivers Ed teachers. Jer and I went to the grow Dr. and he is making progress in height, it's slow but he is moving up not gaining pounds but moving up. They have the surgery scheduled again we will see how that progresses. Well the little kids pray for those you ask us too. Sometimes J and C struggling with the teen years and talking to the Lord so they don't include those who need help in their prayers sometimes. This morning Amber called K is in the hospital with very low oxygen and they can't tell why. They think she is having a sever anaphylaxis reaction to something she is allergic to. Remember when Jer did that bright red all over his little body, and Dad took off like crazy to the hospital, K was all red like that too and her eyes were white and her airway was shutting down. Now they have to just figure out what that something is. Amber said it is so hard for her when something like this happens, she has this shut down response that makes her stress out and almost not be able to function and then it clears so Pray for her and K.(This was not in the letter, it often is so hard when going through a struggle and all you want is normal whatever normal is to you. Often the package that you are handed is so hard but yet if you looked at someone elses package theirs would seem harder, be it handicapped, mental illness, physical damage whatever. This life gives us lessons now we just have to learn them even when it's more comfy to desire normal like I said whatever that is. Now back to the letter.) I am trying to get addresses. Kimberly Christhensen is marrying Cortney Christensens big brother. Today the stake counsel man speaker was Mr. Brady who served his mission in Joberg South Africa. I gave him our blog address and yours and then we were talking and I found out that Chas Hathaway who I mentioned to you was his second companion. Then to top off the day Chas did a special note on his blog that's all about you and our families blog and how we write ? back and forth on the being of a missionary. So kid your published now for sure. I want you to know that there is stuff that I do not put on the blog that is in our letters because its Private, please make sure I know if you do not want a name or story placed on the blog if the person or thing needs to stay private ok. Well I have now lost 35 pounds I have five more to get to my goal of 145 before summer hits and then the rest I will lose at the start of the school year if I haven't already done so by running. I am getting in shape to do a 5K with Aunt Bethany not sure which one maybe the Milk run for the 4th of July we will see though. I have a blog friend that has been trying to lose weight and also struggles with Bipolar recovery plus a baby who is very handicapped. It has been amazing to see the recovery that she writes about. Well I had better get to bed as I have to go to Z little graduation class from Kindergarten and then help Dad start a new field with the first time watering tomorrow. I love you I hope this week was great and Dad says I love you lots too son. Have fun reading his little mission clips he says your mission sounds way more exciting then mine ever was.
Love all of us.

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