BPD affects Chew and show from Jer! Now he will drink Shakeolegy too.

            

BPD creates eating struggles in kids sometimes.
They have to manage secretions and know how to swallow with the food and the mucus that naturally comes to help make it all slide through the throat area. So when Jer feels really great and has no congestion he is a somewhat willing eater within certain limits. Chocolate is his stand by and and he likes it on pretty much anything. He can identify a cocoa container out of all the ones sitting on a shelf and he likes chocolate milk or pretty much anything that has that protein structure.
He will even eat dark dark chocolate the kind that most people have to acquired a taste for.
Its salve to a mothers soul when nutritionists and psychologists at NICU follow up clinics tell you to go for it, let him eat whatever, as long as he is willing to try, get crazy, because with kids that have issues about eating there is no limit of tricks that some days must be tried.
Believe me I try alot of them that are crazy.

Nutella chocolate put on celery, he would not touch it. Next I tried it on the yellow cheese. Score, he did consume and ate all of the five little chunks with the nutella on it that I cut for him. Well that was on 2/25/11 and here we are today posting and the little stink wont try it again so he hasn't eaten any cheese for awhile but he has had a spoonful of chocolate about three different days. Viewable is the chicken nuggets, he only ate one that day without chocolate on it.

See I really am eating it he says. I couldn't believe it when I walked into the room a bit later to find him also licking the chocolate off the celery stick and then eating a part of that stick.

 Finally the Little Guy has branched out and tried something green at least for one day. It may take us another 3 or 4 months but at least he is trying to like a few new tastes, as long as its got a crunch to it that's the key. Eating puddings, or jelly, or runny looking stuff for him that's a big no no rule, it looks to much like a booger with food coloring to disguise it.

Eating is such a chore for him, we say things like do you want to grow big?

"NO I never want to be big like the other boys so I am not hungry"

If you eat then we won't have to give you hungry medicine!

" I already ate at school" The Mom knows this means he only ate the bread or the cracker and not another thing on the plate.

In about 15 min after the above conversation he will ask for a bottle of pedisure because drinking is lots easier then chewing and faster too.

I am going to put a plug in right here for a new shake drink that I have found that helps him get some hidden veggies and he actually likes it alot. If you ever want to try it I can get you some and if you ever want to order it please hit this hate veggies link and get some for yourself. It truly is a life saver at our house now because Jer has no idea he is getting spinach and other good stuff.

Eat your veggies, it is so important.

Newsletter for the week I can post now that his secret is done.

1.You said in your letter you wanted to not jump in in a mid semester and to spend time doing lots of good things, will you let me in on what that looks like to you pretty please the good things part maybe?


1.It's hard to explain what good things i want to do, but it's things that have to do with finding a career and earning money. I'm glad you've signed me up for school and what not. I don't want to say that i definitely can't jump in on the October to December thing because it sounds nice, i would like to know more details before you sign me right in. Could you send me more information, or tell me where i can find information because i can check it out on the net with my mission presidents permission.


2. Everyone asks me if they will make it so that you can have a turn in Botswanna. I can't imagine that is possible for all that serve there so tell me what your opinion is on that please. Have several been able to serve part of their time there in that part of your mission?


2.Well about Botswana, i have no control over that at all. It's just an area that i could be transferred to. if i do i do if i don't i don't. But just to tell you a secret, i get to go there on Thursday to help drive some cars down to south Africa. I may not serve there, but I'll get to go there :)

4. Who are the missionaries that share the same house with you?

4.It's Elder Mabashora and Elder Johnson and My comp Elder Hatch

5. Is your new companion willing to run with you? IF so are you still keeping up with that?

5.Yep our whole flat runs every morning.

Well this week has been pretty nice. On Monday we got the zone together to play soccer and lift every one's moral. Tuesday we went to set up a little service opportunity at a Hospital for the mental and physically challenged we also did a little tracting, and even taught some good lessons. We taught a lady and her Boyfriend (member). She's been coming to church awhile now but we just realized she's not a member. We had a great lesson and she asked a whole tone of questions. I hope she accepts a baptismal date in our next visit. Her name is Amanda and the member is Bro Saayman.

Wed we went to a school in a place called Silverton. We have been visiting schools to try and get involved in the church Youth programs in order to find more people to teach. The schools here allow religion to be taught so it's kind of nice. We actually got a place for wed the 4th to come and talk about For the strength of Youth. We're planning on handing out tons of the little pamphlets with our phone Numbers on them and offering to bring the big booklet to anyone who calls. I really hop it goes well.

Thursday We did our weekly planning and then most of our appointments cancelled through out the day. We've been doing alot of member work lately with the hope that in the not to distant future, all of our investigators will come from the members. It makes things so much easier to do when members introduce their friends. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I defiantly think you should all keep up the missionary work and don't slow down.

Friday started with interviews with our mission president, and then rolled out from there. I went on exchanges that day with a New Elder named Elder Richesen. he's been out about three months and he's great. I love being around missionaries that have a load of greeny fire. It helps me measure up a little more and try even harder.

Saturday we watched conference most of the day and the same with Sunday. I thought it was fantastic and i would suggest that you re-read those talks again. I especially liked when Elder Holland Mentioned FHE In his talk (just for you mom)

Sunday was the same as Saturday except we had a few more appointments. We taught The Nkwashu family that is still struggling to get to church, and Bro Aubrey. With Bro Aubrey we were very bold and we realized that that will be the only way to find his concerns. He's been investigating the church for 8 years now and his family is just waiting for him to join. Please pray for him he needs it.

Anyway, that's all i have time for but i love you all

Elder Jones
P.S. Mom, can you ask Mark Owens if he ever had the Brown suit on his mission? I read the name Owens inside of it so that would be really cool.

Family notes:
Well on to some cool news and lots of questions. Dad and i were listening to some celtic music and I had the thought that you were sent to the one place where the music would not distract you because you did not like rap stuff. I told Dad and he agreed with me. If you were in Ireland you would have forever wanted your violin. Levie Jones arrived home this week and reported for sacrament meeting.He sure is a quiet young man.  Yesterday we helped Brock and Papa put up a big green hoop house to start plants in and they are going to help us get one made for at our house. It was so hot inside we were sweltering. But to have lots of tomatoes fresh even after it freezes is going to be so fun. Ours will be smaller but thats ok we do not need to big a one. We are laying black plastic to keep the weeds down wich worked really great last year too. We just need it to be thicker plastic this time so it will last better. I wished we could have gone to see Elders Seastrands report in today but the driving is really limited because of the small cars we have now.Well i am going to send a lot of pic and tell you some newsy news. You have been granted money towards school costs should you decide to do that route. Class starts Oct. 17 and ends Dec. 12 they are what is called half class GE credits. That gives you only three weeks but its about the amount of time Will spent before he got here to jump in. It will be a tight stretch and the cost of living will have to be taken into consideration. But could be covered out of the savings that you have and if work study is allowed or you got a job. Will is right now doing some of those kinds of classes and helping on the tech crew his Mom wrote to me since he never gets on his facebook now that he is fully into school and not floating out there trying to be a normal instead of a return lost missionary as Courtney kind of put it. If the going in even in the half point that I just described to you wont work we can withdraw and it wont even be a problem. The monies can be held over to January along with the fact that I am getting on the ball and doing scholarships forms for 2012. Along with Like I said Heather is already wanting you to get to work whenever you can or need to with the fact that you can look at other job possibilities once you are here. Just telling you what I found out before getting your letter so you can think we will change it if needs be when you arrive home because we have plenty of time to do that. So that brings me to saying hava a great week.
Love the family

Soccer is in running in the Jones boys blood now instead of wrestling.

The South Sevier High School team has the C boy and two of his cousins that play with him. One from each of the sides of his family meaning one off the Moms side and one off the Dads side. Heres a team huddle. Belive it or not at the beginning of the season three of the players all had arm casts on including the C boy.

C ready to play soccer.

This is the first year that the Jr. has had a soccer team which of course makes it so that there is a a good high school team later on. Mc with the red hat is ready to play the soccer game too. 

Yep all ready for the challange and then we awoke to this the next morning. And where they were going to go play had even more inches of snow. Needless to say the games were cancelled. Hope my tree stays intact.

Missinary has a new companion again.

Well this week has been pretty good. Elder Seastrand Went home on Tuesday and i got another companion named Elder Hatch. He's from Washington State. So far he's really cool and has alot of good ideas to help the zone. Due to the change in everything, we've had a bit of down time with trying to get situated and get adjusted to all of the changes. But nevertheless, things have been pretty well. Wed we had Zone Leader council and that was really nice, we got some more great ideas about what we can do to help the zone lift where they stand. Thrusday we had planning and it also went well. Afterward, we had a some apointments that fell through but we still achieved our purpose by finding new people to teach. Friday we travelde out to the new area in our zone to attend their District meeting and we got a bit lost. It took us about 1hr to drive there, and once we got into town is when we got lost. We were waiting for the Elders to come and find us at The Protea Hotel wich later we found out was very confusing, because there are two Protea hotels there and they kept going to the wrong one. Eventually we figured out the problem and they found us. Their district meeting was Great and the Distirct leader Elder Ssempala is super awesome. Their district is going to lift the zone alot. Saturday we went on exchanges with Elder Udy and Elder Ray. I went in my area with Elder Ray. He's a super excited missionary and still really has the Greeny fire. I hope he can help encourage Elder Udy to keep a good smile. Sunday was great, the Van Dyk family got confirmed and Sister Dutio the family history specialist to talk about family history so they can take names to the temple. Their way excited to do it and thy have the forms now to get started. Now to answer your Questions:

1.P.S. Please forgive me I didn't get to the mailbox but I will this week. Please tell me of your needs, Anything, contact solution, desired candy crave, or food crave, or CD or inspired desires, What, let us know NOW its most likely the last box I will dare send and know that it will make it to you in a decent sort of time frame.
1.I think i would like the usual stuff you have sent and i especially enjoyed the Cereal (crunch berries) I always like jerky and all those goodies. Maybe a bottle of some Authentic hidden valley ranch dip and some cool ranch doritos would be nice.

2. What is the weather like there now?
2.It's getting a bit chilly in the evenings and early morning, but it's just hot or rainy during the day

3. What do you think about all that I said for school?
3. well i really don't want to jump in mid semester, but setting me up for the January semester would be nice. I'd like to work until then and i plan on filling my time up with lots of good things to do, so don't fill my scheduled so much that i can't put anything else into it. But thanks for all that.

4. New companion give us the update and the low down of his info?
4. answered above

5. What is the new teaching people that your now working with?
5.we are trying to build our teaching pool up a bit now. We recently got droped by a few people

7. So what happens when you have a companion that flys home is the transfer the same or different?
7. nope the transfer goes just the same

8. Conference it was your turn this week right how did you like the talks?
8.we don't see it until next week.

9. Is there lots of rap music that is played there?
9.Yes and what they call House music

10. How much responsibleness do we have towards helping our closest loved ones look and learn of the gospel? Please tell us your take on this subject.
10. Well i'm sure that we have quite a responsibility to help them as far as we can, but in the end they have agency and you can't force them. But fear of rejection is no reason to not even try.

Well i'm out of time so i'll talk to you later.

Elder T. Jones

Apr 11, 2011
Dear Elder Jones

Mothers day talk just saying now so you know. We at the first part of your mission paid for a card that holds money for calls to International locations. There is $ left to be able to use to talk with you for the last call of your mission just so that you know ok. Ya its a bit early to be telling you but I just got a little email update so while its on my brain I thought I would say something.

I in the last week ran into the Rose kid he says to tell you hi in broken Spanish, Cortney C who gave me some great advice for a very lost returning missionary ("get him enrolled in college asap and hand him a schedule so that you are told what to do for the first two weeks since thats how its been for the last two years his words not mine") and he says to tell you Hi keep up the good work. 

I actually found out that you can start school halfway in the middle but not so sure the class choices are much to be desired. But I am going to meet with a counselor to see if it works. Its too late to file for scholarships I should have done that in January but at that time it really didn't seem that there was any kind of need now I know better oops. Also Will told me that you could come and live with him if need be until that got all sorted out too so we will hope that you two have now written to each other. Also you are most likely going to be saying ughs lets not even talk about any of this yet so that you do not lose focus right? But I at least wanted you to know that there is going to be a sort of set plan already in place for you because many have said that return missionaries feel pretty lost when its time to come home and that it can make for a scary feeling when you have to face that time. So never fear Mother Planner is here and she has it all figured out (not) but I am willing to try.

J and Dad and I went to school the other day so that she could make a plan to start cutting hairs with cosmetology. Its going to take her having to do stuff online and maybe going to Ceder Ridge a bit which she is not to thrilled over but she is getting the idea that she has to be ahead in order to fit it all in. C to has this plan to get a scholarship to UVU so I am going to call and get a plan already in motion because we found that he has to have certain kinds of math, English and science to be able to even be looked at. Often the kids miss those and so they take basics and thats not what is wanted by the college so they dont get offered a invite. So now he is also going to do electronic high school and Ceder ridge to bump ahead.
J went to Prom with T she wore her lime green dress that she bought all by herself and she looked so very pretty. Dad got dragged there to do the Parent dance with her and they had so much fun. Even though she is not a Jr. they let the partner do the Promenade. She sure looked cute even though she has two left feet she says. I made his bouttonier and we did a whole different angle then the normal flower style. Bethany and I came up with a lime green race hotwheels car and a few tiny flowers and we wired and glued and it was the most guy related there ever could have been. Lots of people thought it was very cool. The next morning we had to get up really early to take J and C's fair steers in to be weighed. It was really hard to get everyone going as it was snowing like crazy and we had at least 4 inches of snow. On Mon and Tue we had all worn short sleeves and by Thur night it was starting to be cool and rainy and Sat SNOW again. We are really tired of it and I am sure you are missing it. Its late Sat night and its still snowing and it most likely will all night. The mountains are so overly full that we just hope that we do not flood away again especially the part that got burned so badly. Dads week off was a bit hard as the tractor broke down and he had to go get a part fixed just so he could get back to plowing, water line broke so that took a whole day and now snow stopped him totally as he really didn't want to get the tractor stuck. Poor Mc was supposed to have soccer game but Manti got lots of snow too so the ball would not have rolled on the ground thus it got cancelled. C this week had three games and the last one was really hard against Beaver. He got hit in the head two different times and had the worst headache. He was shaking pretty hard by the end of playing two games I am not sure if it was the head bumps or from starting to get cold that caused it. He was in bed so fast that night it was almost scary since he is not very good about that now days.
Well thats our little bit of news for the week not to much exciting really happened. Please remmeber I love you son and I am so grateful for this time that you have taken to serve the Lord and the example that it is setting for your little brothers. It also helps J to have a standard to set guys up against so that she picks wisely because she wants that in her future choice of a husband.
Love the mom telling all the family info news

Pretty Girl J goes to Prom again.

Now that's a bouttoner any guy would think cool made by the Mom and Aunt Bethany and car donated by little cousin Joselyn

Trav and Pretty Girl J

Announcing the Jr. He is she is not.

The start point of the special dance by the Jr. and their partners.

She is so tiny he can really lift her up.

She was told she should do the parent dance with her Dad and she really is not that great at dancing, of course she is showing her attitude about the whole thing.

At least her Dad knows how to dance and hang on to the girl.


Such sweet people.

Trav looks on to snatch her away, aren't those two related.

Oh one sweet kiss well deserved.

One more missionary day.

1. I wondered what your attitude would be if the Lord needed you to come home early to help

save the lives of others as in the case of some of the 45 missionaries that were sent home from Japan to make room for the ones who just arrived and so that the members would focus on rebuilding instead of concern to feeding the missionaries. Or in a possible other reasoning that the Lord would need you to say be home early how would you prepare yourself for that? Like Dad said he had to change the way he thought because of being sent home early as they changed the dates of the mission lengths world wide to 18months.
1. I guess I would do whatever I would be asked to do, but I think I'd be a bit sad. Luckily South Africa doesn't usually suffer from natural disasters, but you never know.

2. Who is the young black boy that you two are sitting on the couch with in the photos you sent?

2.Well He's actually a young Indian boy. His dad is a member and his mom is not a member. They recently moved out of our area so we were taking goodbye pictures on his birthday

3. What would it cost to ship that crate home verses giving away all your stuff and putting it into your luggage that would come home with you? C saw the wrestle shirt and was really surprise that you had taken it with you and wondered if you were now sick of the stuff you have with you and if you are leaving it there?
3.I'm not sure, the problem is I don't have everything that I want to send home yet so I've been waiting.

4.So I assume that you are now the senior companion again as the zone leader or was there a transfer of you also?

4.I don't have any idea whether I'm senior companion or not, transfers doesn't happen until tomorrow. and I won't even find out who my companion is until around 3:00. I'm still in the area, usually only one companion gets transferred at a time. If both gets transferred that means the closed the area for missionary work so I'm staying.

Well this week has been pretty hectic. Monday was normal Tuesday was normal except alot of appointments fell through. Wed was normal, and then came Thursday. Thursday we had our weekly planning as always and then when we were just outside of our 1st appointments, we got a phone call from the assistants telling us that we had to move on Friday, the following day. I must admit that was a bit of frustrating news, because we were told that we were going to move today, which is Monday and we had already made plans for all of those things to work out. So the free time we had on Thursday was spent going around cancelling our Friday appointments. Anyway moving to Friday, things worked out. We got to got to the temple with our zone which had been scheduled and was unchanged by the moving plans, then straight after we started packing and with the help of the housing couple Elder Sibley and Sister Sibley, we are now living in a new house. The house is bigger because tomorrow two other Elders will be moving in with us, because their opening up Elder Seastrand's and my Second area, Centurion, with their own elders. It's kind of exciting. We also got news that Place called Kwaguwa, is being brought into our zone and we are losing the Centurion area and they are making a new Centurion zone. It's history in the making I guess. I hope everything will go well and I hope I can orient the two new Elders to their ward as well as my companion to our ward and zone.
Saturday was a very nice day, we got to take Benee, Maria and Irene to see the temple grounds and have a little picnic with them. They are very excited to get to the temple and be sealed after one year of being members of the church.
Then Sunday we had the baptism of Benee, Maria and Irene. It was really special. They are going to be a strong family in the gospel. Benee already paid tithing last week, and they are holding family home evenings on their own. they read their scriptures each night and always say family prayer. They are definitely the model Family as of right now. Their still learning but their learning fast.
Most of today is going to be spent helping Elder Seastrand prepare his luggage and everything he needs to go home. It's crazy how fast time flys! I met him three months ago and he's already out of here. Crazy crazy crazy. I hope everyone is doing well, I hope all of the stresses of life in the family get ironed out and every one can keep smiling.

Elder T. Jones.

Mon, Apr 4, 2011
The news happenings
This week Dad took off next week so that he can plow and plant and clean up the corrals because the winter made a big mess. He never gets a farm full work day so he has been deciding that this is how he will get a jump start on the farming. Spring is also so teasing us these days. as it will be warm enough for shorts and then back to coats and boots from tons of snow. He is alos listening to his mission tapes and trying to figure out a way to get them on to paper form so that he has a record in case his tapes die. Sat Mc played his first soccer for Middle school and they won against North Sevier.  C and Mc went to Priesthood session all by themselves because Dad was plowing. C was very please when our fast resulted with that fast of an answer today. It was the most peaceful Sunday we have had in a very long time too because he tried very hard to stay reverent. C played against Grand and they won too. He is a really good player also and made several points and blocked lots of possible scores. Jer is just getting smarter and smarter with all the things he can do. He still sucks at eating but at least I have gotten him to drink a few more healthy protein sources now days.
I have not been running this last month because of trying to study for me test and because of the cold but I am gearing up to get going now that it seems to be getting a bit warmer. Please be really careful running with your really old shoes unless you got new ones. Old shoes can cause shin splints or heel injury's so slow and steady and how are you shoes holding or did you get a new pair? Also I would like you to bring home only one thing should you choose to leave everything else. Please bring your most torn apart shoes so that some day we can show your posterity what kind of missionary you where by the soles of your feet.
Oh sorry about no photos again. Hopefully next week everyone will be able to unload their cameras as only Dad, Justin You and Jamhal were missing when we all got our pictures taken on Jadies front porch. I of course forgot mine ugha. Jathan is supposed to send me his.
Love you lots have a great week of new changes and goodbyes,
Love Mom and the Family

Donate to Japan Relief

In response to the great need in Japan here is a link to exactly where and what needs can be given Please look here for Japans needs The Church has received many calls from individuals asking how to contribute to help those in need. For information, see the LDS Philanthropies website. 


This is a safe place to donate to go here. Just click back on that here and it will guide you to what is needed and how to give.Learn the things that are needed and the rules to what can be given.Our family donates every month along with making some of the items that go to this place, you can share a little too. Please Do.


Though I have never lived in Japan myself my parents and younger siblings have and they have people that they care about there. The country has always intrigued me and held my attentions even as a tiny child. The honesty and respect that they carry in their demeanor is something we can all learn from. They are a very peaceful people and strong. They will recover from this hardship but we can help a little to move that along.