ACTING IN South Africa, Go Figure!

Family Questions
1.Where is Elder Forman from and how many in his family, Is his mom on the LDS Missionary Moms list?
2. Are you having fun and where you able to fix your watch with the pins I sent?

1.Elder Forman is from St George and the whole mission mom thing (http://www.ldsmissionarymoms.com/), I don't have a clue and he doesn't either.
2. I'm having a blast! Missionary work is definitely tiring but it's worth it. You meet lots of people and learn more culture every time you meet someone new.

Our area here in Dobsonville is going crazy!!!! We had another baptism yesterday and our Area is leading the Zone. Every 4 months we set some goals of the number of baptisms we hope to get and we only need to baptize 5 more people for April to reach our goal. It might be a little difficult and it's going to take a lot of effort but I think we can make it. It probably sounds like I'm just talking numbers but I know the people we have been teaching and baptizing and we still visit them.
We had transfers on Wednesday and Elder Bullard finely got a companion. Myself and Elder Forman are staying together at least one more so we are gonna keep on Rockin Dobsenville.
Other than our baptisms and transfers, not much has been happening. Except that our ward is going to be putting on a play for a missionary fireside and Elder Forman and I came and were judges for the tryouts today. After the tryouts everyone was trying to get me to preform something and I eventually gave in. I preformed a monologue that I could still remember from Snow College , but it wasn't very good cause I'm way out of practice. Anyway they said they liked it either way so it was good, but it made me a little homesick.

I definitely want to see some pics of the family, maybe you can send some in that package.

Well I got to go

Elder T, Jones

P.S. I haven't received a FWD From Will lately, how's he doing?

Jer loves school

Photo shoot of my cute boy at preschool. Learning to wash hands, sit in the circle, waiting his turn, and eating, always done better with peer pressure around him.

Wrestling Winners of 2009-2010 SEASON.

As if wrestling isn't enough now we are moving on into soccer too. I thought I better get the winners photos for wrestling up before we were in the middle of the Utahs summer soccer olympics and freestyle wrestling for the boy who broke the rib and was grounded for the Junior High wrestling season. The bottom picture is of Mc wrestling at the Junior high State wrestling while only a fifthe grader. So the boy is older then him that he won. Top photo is K's first big win in wrestling he took second place.

Near bottle hit! Thankgoodness a Miss.

Well, sounds like you've all had a pretty good week. I like hearing from the family still so keep sending e-mails and stuff. This week for us has been pretty awesome. We have had quite alot of success which seems to come from nowhere. We are just getting good investigators left and right. Just to tell highlights of the week, Saturday we taught two Father lead families. One was a part member family and the other were just regular investigators. We have been teaching the dad in the part member family and he accepted a baptismal date after telling us that he had received an answer that the things we are teaching are true. I feel like things are going to work out for him as long as he can start coming to church more. And the second family we taught was someone who stoped us as we were going past her house the other day and said she had a Book of Mormon but didn't understand it so we set an appointment and came by to explain. While we were there we found out that the ladies mother was a member and her step dad was actually 2nd counciler in the Dopsenville Bishopric. We also found out that they didn't know anything about Joseph Smith so we taught about the restoration. After reciting Joseph Smith history the lady said she had cold chills and that she felt really good and after the lesson both her and her husband, without us asking, said they knew what we were teaching was true. So from that we put them on date and the wife even came to church. The husband had a previous engagement so he couldn't but he said he will be there this coming Sunday. That basically brightened up our day a whole lot and we felt way good as we taught the rest of the lessons for the day. It was cool because Saturday is usually hard for us because everyone goes places and those who stay around are drunk. We must be doing something right.
Now for the story of the week. On Wednesday Elder Forman and I were riding from an area called Snake Park to main Dopsenville, Elder Forman in front, myself in back. When this drunk guy tried to get Elder Forman to stop. Elder Forman ignored the man because he was pretty drunk and wasn't worth talking to. After Elder Forman passed, the man stepped right out in front of me so I tried to go out around him which was hard because I was also trying to eat an apple at the same time. When I got close to the man he grabbed my sleeve in an attempt to pull me off the bike, which I was able to recover from without falling. I got passed the man when suddenly a liter sized beer bottle came whizzing an inch past my head going a hundred miles an hour. The bottle hit the ground in front of me and shattered into a million pieces. I looked back to see the angry man shouting and cursing at me. I told Elder Forman to just keep riding because he looked like was ready to go back and beat the crap out of the guy. After we rode down the rest of the road we stoped and talked about what had just happened and Elder Forman said he saw the whole thing. He also said he saw a truck full of guys get out and take care of the man so the whole thing was pretty intense. At least we got out without glass in our heads and all in one piece.

Anyway it has turned out to be an interesting week and I'm writing in a rush so it may not make sense, but as as for stuff for the package I have thought of some more ideas you could maybe send some:
Sunbursts, Definitely some sunflower seeds, some old fashioned horehound candy, and maybe some captain crunch.

Love
Elder Jones

A Missionary Baptism with Photos.

Dopsenville township Soweto South Africa.
On 3/14/10,
1.What would you want us to send in a box it hasn't left yet.
2. Tell me if you get any of the pictures that I sent because the computer kept not working and I am not sure what went or if it went at all.
3. I hope you even got our letter today so tell me if you heard about Donald Calison and then I will know that you got the letter.
4. Is your shoes ok you never sent me a picture the boys want to see what it looks like.
5. Have you seen anymore crazy bugs the kids want to know.
6. What is the best thing about this week.
So I hope this gets to you and know that we did try to send photos but the computer is having a spaz out.
Love the Family

Elder Tyrell's answers.
1.Well Ties are always good. And last time you sent jerky Which they really don't have here. They have stuff called Biltong and it's not that great. Maybe you could send some... John Bytheway talks on CD or something similar to that. And whatever else you want to put in there that you know I like or will show your love :)
2.No I didn't get the pictures, but you don't have to worry about that, maybe you can send some in the package.
3.Yeah I got the letter and that is way sad about Donald. I was on the wrestling team with him. He was a cool guy. You should pray for his family and friends.
4.Yeah my shoes are OK, and they weren't the ones I got from Missionary Mall so can't really do anything about it. But I do have I tie that I need to send a picture of
5. No I haven't. Surprisingly all of the people here that I have shown that to have never seen one either.
6.The best thing about this week is that we had 5 people baptized yesterday. This area is booming I just hope that we will still have new people to teach for march. We need to do some finding.








What a great question to ask just before I give an overview of the week.
this week has been good. I have been growing in unity with Elder Forman as we have both been working out our differences each day and we have been teaching really powerfully together because of it. Not to much has happened other than the baptism and preparing for it. We did get super lost on Tuesday though because the person we were trying to find was in a part of our area that we had never been before. And it was interesting because the people who helped us find the place turned out to have been smoking Dhaka (weed) just before we met them and they slowly became really weird as we found the place and then they wanted money from us for the help which we didn't have so we gave them pass-a-long cards and told them to go sleep it off. We eventually found our way back to the chapel after meeting with Esther for only 5 minuets because by that time it was about 8:30pm so we had to leave. But we now know how to get there so it's all good.





World cup Soccer 2010 to be held here in this Stadium Johannesburg South Africa.

It seems like time is just flying by so fast. On Wednesday I will have been here for 6 months. THAT'S CRAZY!!!!!! o well now I know why everyone says the time is short.
I'd like to now give a sweet shout out to my sister who is now sweet 16 WOOT WOOT!!! Happy B-day J!!!! I love you lots and wish I could be there to give you a big birthday hug. Maybe I'll have to send one in the mail, but it might melt :) and by the way you need to send me more e-mails. That's a great idea about the Book of Mormon thing. I think the whole family should do that for at least one family and then invite them to church. That's the way missionary work should be. Read 1 Nephi 13:37 then read the definition of ZION in the book True To The Faith. So that's a challenge for the family. Please report back.
OK now I need from Dad to tell me all the information he knows about Cain, not for any specific reason just to find out some stuff. Well I love you all a lot and I hope all you kids are helping mom and dad out a lot, they need it!

Love
Elder Tyrell Jones

I'm a big boy now!

Well a mile stone has been met. Jer went to preschool with only big boy pants on. The box of diapers that I spent twenty bucks on has been sitting there untouched for a week now. Oh how I wish I could have fortold that expenditure. It's a family miles stone too because it means the end of the monthly diaper purchase YEAH YEAH YEAH! (That's the Dad cheering more money for a bill!) So that phase is over in this house and I must admit along with the cheer I am glad. It's been 19 years of an off an on necessary purchase that was never struck off the budgeted list.

Excuses made & forgivin. A Letter Finnaly!

Good Day Missionary Son.
Maybe if I take all the questions that you haven't answered and made a letter of that it will be enough. Except I have to say that as of Sunday morning I have lost 16pounds on that diet pretty good huh. Also there was a huge earthquake in Chile last Sunday and the Mission Pres. was told in the middle of the night that it would happen he awoke from a dream and a voice telling him to prepare the missionaries and have them prepare 72 hour kits to carry at all times. It came at 3 in the am and was pretty scary and very loud. The Temple Pres. spoke about how he could feel the Teutonic plates in the earth slid and grind and hear the earths groaning sounds as it moved together loudly. This has been a very peaceful week. All the boys slept down in the bottoms in a tent on a very very cold night. The next night it snowed so Dad wouldn't let them he was concerned about K and Z getting to cold. May you grow closer and in more understanding of the Lords desires as you teach. I hope you have thought about how you can serve him in you life after your mission in the career that you choose. So Question time.


1.Did you get to go to the Soccer World cup stadium after all?
2.Do you get Elder's Will and Sam's letters and Devin's finally?
3.Do you need us to send bribe candy for the kids in Soweto?
4. So office work was that rough? You said you never wanted to have to do that when you were on your mission remember..
5. How do you know that I post to the world and not fix your spelling?
7. Do the natives meaning from there not black necessarily call it Joburg or Jhannisburg or Johannesburg proper. A MishMOM was wondering and it made me wonder.
8. Do you live inside or outside of Soweto the township?
9.Do we need to pray for anyone that you are needing help with?
10.Do you still have a washing machine in your apartment?
11. Are you in need of anything as we are getting another package ready to send.
12.You never said if we made the music on the ipod right or is it to many Christmas songs or what do you think about it.
13.Has your testimony of the gospel grown more or are you starting to ask questions about things that you took for granted all your life?

A Note from the Church program that I mentioned last letter and couldn't find that I really liked.
The Prophet Joseph Smith declared-and he never taught more comforting doctrine- that the eternal sealing of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wonder, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice: they will suffer for their sins: and may tread a thorny path: but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving fathers heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children: hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.
Elder Orson F. Whitney Conference Report, April 1929

After Valentines day I was so glad to see this little article as I thought about all those I loved and some of the struggles we were facing on that day past. It made me realize that FAITH is so important to have and share and make grow. Also your foot art in the wall on the stair case is still there waiting for your attention. McKinley and you can learn how to fix it and his when you return.
Have a super week.
Love the family.

Tyrell's reply:)
Sorry I haven't E-mailed much lately. I didn't manage my time very well last week. I'm not going to lie mom loosing 16 pounds is quite a feat for a woman your age (j/k) But really that is impressive, keep it up and you will feel much better about yourself. But make sure you do it healthy, You need to still be alive when I get home. One of the elders in our flat's mom died while he has been on his mission. So just wanted to tell everyone I love them very much first of all and now for the answers to the long awaited questions.

1.Yeah i did get to go and i was planning on sending the pictures 3 times now, but i keep forgetting to bring my card to the e-mail shop.
2. Yeah i have been getting them. It's cool to see how they are doing and to see that they are engaged in the same cause that i am.
3. Actually kids and anyone else goes crazy over sweets if you tell them it's from America, but a lot of kids already try to get candy off of us and it's kind of a nuisance at times so i don't want that kind of thing happening to much.
4.Yeah the office work wasn't that bad and we didn't have to do it to long, but i would much rather be out in the field. I feel bad For the AP's because they have to spend a lot of time in the office.
5. You always say that everyone looks at my letters on the blog... and i peeked at it once :(
7.It's called lots of stuff. Jo'burg, Johannesburg, whatever. But I've never heard Jhannisburg.
8.I live outside of the township. None of the missionaries live in any township anywhere. They are mostly just tin shacks and tiny little houses. We always live in gated Flat complexes.
9.Yes you need to pray for Thando who just got evicted from his shack and he has a girlfriend and a baby to take care of.
10.Yeah we have a washing machine, but it is a constant battle because the seal always comes off the door and leaks water all over the floor.
11.Well I can't think of anything that i am in desperate need of, but I could tell you some things that i want. I'll make a list, unless you send it before next e-mail shop. It's ok if you do. Just getting mail makes it all worth it.
12.Yeah the music on the i-pod is great. It's hard to listen to it sometimes because we don't get much time to anyway.
13.My testimony of the gospel has grown more than i ever thought it could. I've learned so much about the gospel and have put it into effect. And because of that i have seen the blessing that can come. I've seen it working in others lives as well, when they do what is right and sacrifice things to come closer to our Heavenly Father. I've actually had a great personal experience that has strengthen my testimony the most. But I'm going to send that story in a letter.

Well this week has been great as well as the past couple of weeks. We had the chance to hear from Elder M. Jensen of the 70. who came here to reorganize the Soweto stake believe it or not. We had a great morning side fireside where he came and talked a little about "Mission Culture" He defined this as the way things are done within our mission. He complemented us a lot on how well we were doing as a mission, but he also had some things to say about how we could improve. It was powerful and i think it made us all want to do a little bit better then we have been doing. He also talked a lot about faith, and how we can develop faith. He said it starts with a simple equation... Faith= Power and action. we need to do things to develop our faith. Even if we only have a particle of faith or Desire to belive. and as we do this eventually our faith will grow to be and exceeding amount of faith or, Exceeding faith=remission of sins. I wish I could share everything we learned, but i have quite a few notes so that's the jist of it. It was defiantly more powerful then i make it sound though. Things have finnaly settled down a bit, other than that we are still waiting for a new companion to be with Elder Bullard so now he is working with a ward missionary. But I'm just going to have to say none of this has effected the work in Dopsenvill. We have now had 2 baptisms since I've been here and we have another one planned for next week. This one might be a little scary because were not sure if all of the candidates are fully prepared, we've done our best so the rest is up to the spirit in wether or not they pass the interviews i guess. We have been teaching some really good people, unfortunately we haven't been finding to many new investigators lately so we need to start working harder on that.
Well i think that's about it for now. Love every one lots and lots.

Elder T. Jones

P.S. Send me some pics of the family over the net so i can see the new mom.

The boys Job or at least they think that so we get them to do the chores easily!

These are some of the biggest eggs that they have gathered. Talk about good organic spoiled rotten scrap lovin Chickens that's how these boys treat them. They were so frustrated when they stoped laying in December to do their annual molt. But I guess they are paying the boys back nicely now.

HUMMDRUM

Sorry No letter again from the African Land. The only one privileged one was J. and she won't share at all so hopefully we get some news on Monday. We are happy that it is starting to get warmer and drying up. I still won't wash my car yet, what is the point it might snow again and I am not wasting my moo la in that way. Even if I stand out like a sore car thumb in town. SpRiNg bring it on we can't wait for it to arrive.