Shall we see a Real Elder Price not a stage Elder Price? Lets compare the Broadway show to real mission life.

So you want some other truth about what its really like to serve in Africa, This is a great article done to compare and contrast the Book of Mormon Broadway Musical to a real Elder Price that serves.

The first part of the Real Elder Price here
The second part of the Real Elder Price here

Loved these stories and wanted to share.

Broadway is not always what its cracked up to be truth find here.

African Saints find hope in the gospel (and perform Book of Mormon productions of their own)

A truely uplifting story that holds real truth about what the

BOOK OF MORMON gives to the African people.
Click that link back there to read real info and here good things about the gospel.

South Africas oldest tree and other photos.

The Baobab Tree thought to be oldest in the world.Cool river and water falls.

This week has been a pretty interesting week, we have realized that we aren't going to make our baptism goal for August, but we now have a chance to set new goals for Sept-Dec This week has been an interesting week for us because we still don't have our car back,(I can't remember if I told you about the accident or not) and it is getting hot around here. The appointments we had set for this week were a bit far from each other so we had to do alot of walking and rearranging of our scheduled appointments. On a good note it has helped us to meet alot more people and we have been seeing some success as we have used the members a little bit more in our teaching, for instance just yesterday we put a father led family on baptismal date and another man we were teaching just because the member we took with us knew each of them. I hope we continue to see success as the few members we have get excited about the work. There is this new program we are starting called U-night, we've actually been at it for a few weeks now, but I think I forgot to tell about it. It's a missionary finding tool that provides an opportunity for members to invite friends to investigate the church while having some fun at the same time. We have set every Friday and 6:30 to be our day. Each Friday a small lesson is planned on something that everyone can benefit from. Things like (love, service, overcoming trials...) and then afterward we have an activity and some refreshments. It's been working slowly but surly, recently members have been inviting more friends to come and now all we have to do is had this thing over to the branch to run and ourselves to meet the new investigators. This brach is small and it gets frustrating, but I think one day it will be big. On Saturday the branch had planned to do it's Helping hands project, which is a giant service project that the church does all over Africa. Unfortunately the day came and no one was prepared, we didn't have the paint we were going to use and the school we were going to paint (the meeting place in Motupa) was locked up due to a South Africa wide strike that all the teachers are on. This country likes to strike, since I've been here I've seen 3 major strikes. I'm sure you can look it up some how. Anyway to make a long story short Elder Makosa and I had to hike around all tracting Saturday because we only had three appointments planned for after the project, and that didn't go well I could explain the experience as.... knock knock " Hello my name is"...SLAM! anyway we still had smiles on our faces. It's been good and I'm still enjoying every minute of it.
Love Elder Jones

1.Do you use the huge electrical converter that we bought at Missionary mall?
1. actually no I don't really use it much just when I charge my razor, The outlet system here is so messed up, when I got here I had to get more converters for my converters. It's wacky.

2. Is it the one that broke that made your camera work or what charges it?
2. I'm not sure I really understand this question, my camera doesn't charge, but it uses rechargeable batteries.

3. How are you storing your photos? Do you need more storage cards or a jump drive?
3.I'm doing just fine with storing photos, I just put them on a cd or dvd when my card is full.

5, So do you wish that you had taken Mrs. Judds finance class a bit more serious? 5.Kinda, but I don't know if it would have helped much

5. Do you are you writing in your journal? You should and then bring it to your letter writing day and remember through the week while writing us.
5.I'm still struggling with that, it's more like once or twice a week.

6. Do you need more toothpaste? Med? Shoes? Paper? Pencil? Shorts? We have jerky for you.
6.No I'm good on all of that stuff, But yes send the jerky and some captain crunch.

7. What thing would your companion think would be cool from us, Try not to ask him so if it is not there when he is it wont hurt to not get something if he is transferred it's mainly a generic kind of think that I wonder about. Ya know what I mean, I imagine they do not get many packages from home.
7. That is a great question, I'm not really sure but I do know that he is expecting me to give him something before he leaves, which could possibly be soon, but I'm not sure

8. What is the river and the falls that are behind you in the pic you sent last time? Is it Sabia river?
8.I'm not sure what river it is, it was actually an interesting story that we found them, the Zone Leaders asked us to go down the road towards their area because they said they lost something there and we found those falls along the way.

A short note of part of our crazy week.
I really need these questions answered and I just want to tell you that I love you. The kids are so ready for school to start. C is loving football. They are making enough money to pay for the fees to play soccer and football. Even Jer is happy to be getting into school. Burnadean wants me to become a sub bus driver which will take training time and a CDL but I am going to work towards it because by the time Jer is in Kindergarten then I would maybe be able to take over her spot. Then I would be home when they are and gone only when they are. I feel like the Lord is watching over me and our family as a whole in so many ways. Because it's been so wild a week of talking to authorities I can't think of anything much else. C says he met a friend of yours up at Timberline that you knew at college he wants to know if it's ok to say hi to her on your facebook I told him no. Ok Please tell us your adventures and I hope the two you mentioned last letter are getting to church and the one is being able to stay away from the addiction that he has. I love you lots.
Mom
Next week story about running out of gas on Mon. the craziest day last week. Also Dads computer is having a waze and I can't get the photos on his computer yet and there are a few really funny ones. Z and K totally muddy so so that You can not tell who they are.


Hi Tyrell it's your dad. It sounds like you are taking on alot of responsibility. It's good for you. You learn much about alot of stuff out there. A mission will teach you more in two years than four years of college. It has been raining alot the last couple of Weeks, and it makes it hard to get my hay put up. I and some other leaders took the scouts on a horse back ride up on Monroe mountain last Saturday and it was a great adventure. We will have to do it again when you get back. Keep working hard and pray much and study with a prayer in your heart. You have shown that you are successful. Build on that because there is no limit to what you can do. Success builds on success. Take care I have to go now.
Dad
To Dad
I've defiantly noticed some of the changes that have taken place since I've been here and you are defiantly right about the growth that you can have if you do it right. Man I miss going horse riding, every time I have an interview with the Mission President he says stuff about that, he owns a ranch somewhere there. It kinda makes me trunky at times. I like hearing about all of the stuff that happens on the farm so keep me informed, thanks Dad. I've been having some trouble with D&C section 121 when it talks about being reproving with sharpness but showing love afterward, I'm supposed to constantly help my district improve, but when I give suggestions, sometimes I just get a whole bunch of excuses and justifying back. How can I be more persuasive but not be overbearing?

Well I got to go, Love you dad

Tyrell

My Missionary and Humanitarian Kits arriving in South Africa.

1. Please tell us about the photos that have all the boxes in them what are they and what were you doing.
1. Yeah I forgot to tell about that. The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day-Saints donated 300 New school kits for the kids attending the school we have church in. They included a bag some notebooks a few pencils and pens with sharpeners, and a ruler for that stuff. There also was some calculators, but I'm not sure or not. It was great!!! We always see kids around the village now that have those bags. We've noticed that some of them have been personalized as well.

2. Who were the dignitary men was one of them Brother Koelliker?
2. No one of them was the 2nd counselor to our Mission President.

3. Were these photos in Tazneen?
3.Most of those photos were from Motupa and Kruger National Park.

4.Which young man is your companion the one cooking the food by the stove or the one in Kruger park with the red shirt?
4.The one with the red shirt. The one cooking is Elder Chikonye a Lenyenye elder.

5. Was the young man in the photo with the funny hat in Kruger store Lenni?
5.No that was one of our brach missionaries named Chris, and the other was Jomo

6. Did Lenni get baptized you never confirmed that.
6.Yes he did, he got baptized the same Sunday as Sister Beverly. There should have been a picture of it. They were both confirmed yesterday

7. Were you there when Elder Watson and Elder Koelliker spoke I think you said that but can't place time like I am thinking you were in Soweto at the time.
7.I'm actually not sure what your talking about with this. I've seen Elder Koelliker once and Elder Watson several times at zone conferences and what what.

8.Should I write smaller letters so you have more time to write back?
8.No I like hearing whats going on. The thing that makes me slow is when I get letters from President Poulsen that I have to read.

9.Has it cost you every Internet cafe that you have used?
9.Yup and it's gotten more expensive each one I have used.

10.What does it usually cost to send email?
10.They charge us per how long we are on the computer which is an hour. My first area it was R5 my second area was R10 and this area is R30 but they actually give us a discount here because we come in every Monday so it's only R15.


11.Did you have to have any other shots once you got to the MTC after all the ones we had at home?
11.Yeah I had to get a couple but I can't remember what they were.

12. Are you wishing you had updated photos that were tangible to look at of your family or is the one family photo good enough?
12. it's always nice to see the photos of the going's on at home. Just keep e-mailing them that is nice.

13. Do you think you have found all the encouragement notes that were hidden in your stuff a year later now?
13.I'm pretty sure I found most of them in the mtc and then I found a few in my first area as I started reading some of the books that I have.

14. So having been wearing garments for a year now are the drylux still your favorite over there in the hot of Africa?
14.Well that's a good question, they defiantly absorb the moisture much better then the silk ones.

15.What packaged foods are you missing and want us to send. Beans? taco shells? Chicken in a can? Energy bars? What tell me.
15.Well I can get all that here, but I actually have struggled to find the chicken in a can, but that's because you can find chicken in almost any other form imaginable here. People love chicken. I'm not sure if I would like that in a package. Stuff that I do miss....... it's so hard for me to think of right now..... Whoppers! yes I would love some whoppers. I would love some Captain crunch Cereal to much!... Root beer.....I would say some more sunflower seeds, but I think there bad for my teeth and it might be what was causing my gumline to recede....Jerky.... and yes a Symphony Bar
If there is anything else I'll let you know. I usually don't think about that kind of stuff so I'll see.

16. Do they grow tomatoes over there?
16. Yes they do

17.Does Elder Makoso speak Sestheo?
17.He is from Zimbabwe, he speaks Shona. but he does understand it more then I do.

Well this week feels like it has flown by, but it also seems like it has been forever. It's interesting now to be District Leader cause I'm still trying to figure out all of my duties for that. And being the ward clerk has slowly started becoming easier because I sat down with the Branch President and asked him to show me some of the stuff that was important. We also went to transfers on Wed to pick up the new elder and it was a long 5 hour drive down and a long 5 hour drive back. We now have Elder Lechner with us in the flat. He's a missionary who was in the MTC with me. it's nice to see a familiar face.

And for some reason I really can't think of anything to say right now..... so you might not like it but this may just be the end of my e-mail... yep nothings coming to me...

I'll e-mail dad and maybe he'll let your read his.

Love Elder Jones.

PHOTO'S OF THE END OF JOURNEY TO WHERE HUMANITARIAN SCHOOL KITS ARRIVE THAT ARE MADE BY RELIEF SOCIETY MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY-SAINTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND THEN SHIPPED AROUND THE WORLD.

Dear son
Never forget this:
How old was the young man that the Lord trusted with his ancient gold book to translate called that wonderful book
THE BOOK OF MORMON?

This should be posted in everyone room.

Our Deepest Fear
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.
by Marianne Williamson

You are in the business of doing this in your new position as a District Leader and a Missionary. You will be amazing son lean on the Lord.
This week has been somewhat quite the boys went up to Hoovers and cut split wrapped and sold firewood and made a bit of money. They can't wait until they can do it again, they want to make some more mola. I think that C will start doing it even to the Flying U if he can figure out a safe storage area so no one would steal it until it gets sold. He got to go to Lagoon with the money with D. Then J the next day got to go for a date with TT for his first big official 16 date even though his whole family went also. She stayed over at the oldest boys girlfriends house and I sure hope she becomes better friends. It has rained and rained this week, flooded my window actually and C and I had to jerk the air-conditioner out. I got shocked what a lovely feeling. Dad has been going like crazy and so we have hardly seen him. The house has stayed clean and they are taking me seriously with the pick up of things which has been nice. The starting school count down is getting near. K is still asking everyday when. Even Jer has started to say little things about doing school. Pictures will go into fair Mon. Well it's Friday and the whole house went to pot. I am not sure what I am going to do with C. He thinks money grows on trees and that he really isn't to having to work hard at keeping stuff nice now that he got what he wanted with going to Lagoon. He did the run away thing again but this time it was because I told him he could walk home after he was done doing the wood today for being so dang rude. Well he talked Mc into getting out when Dad stoped to to pick up the twin to tie with. So K and Z made 60 bucks with Dad helping them. C is still being all balky and teen rude tonight. J is thrilled because she walked into a Local restaurant and landed a table busing job that could have started that night but she had said she would babysit so she couldn't start till Sat night. I hope it gets her a little advance cash and then can move to another better job since it might end in Sept. She riped the clutch out of the car going from 5th to 1st at 30 or so miles an hour. So another 340.00 out of her pocket in less then a months time from fixing the tie rods that you wheeled out when it was yours. I even landed a job cleaning the cabins so I was in a bit of shock. They blessed the twin babies this weekend but we are not going up because of J's new job and the car that has no air conditioner and will cook you to death. Sorry for all the questions but I am trying to figure out what those photos are. Love you and have a great week.
Love Mom

Dad note
Hi Bud.
Mom chats enough that she most likely said everything that I know. The Lord will not expect more then you can do so do not get over whelmed and keep trying as hard as you can and pray often. Those are the secrets to being a successful missionary. I love you and I think you are doing a good job and do not try to be perfect there was only one person on this earth who was and you are not him. Even the flesh and blood brothers and sisters of Jesus rejected his teachings. Everyone gets the freedom to choose.
Love Dad

Dear Dad
I think I've realized some things this week and they've helped alot on the side of being frustrated. I realized that one thing I've done is get frustrated over things that haven't happened yet but I'm afraid might happen and so during church I was thinking about that and I wrote a little list of things in my planner that I need to do, and i call it the "take your own advice page" I realized that it's not worth getting upset and fretting about things that you can't control. You are going to make mistakes but all you can do is get back up and do better next time. If that doesn't work then try something else. Being on mission definitely makes you think about alot of things at all times of the day. I just need to relax my mind sometimes and realize I'm not the only one out here, I have my Companion and The savior to help take the burden away. Thanks for the encouraging advice dad and I love getting e-mails and letters from you. How is things on the farm? Does J have her license yet or what I keep hearing about her driving but I'm not sure if that is with you and mom or by herself. Is there anything that I can help you with or encourage you about.

Anyway, I love you lots Dad
your son
Tyrell

South African Animals up close

Elder Tyrell Jones visit to Kruger National Park . To see information about this park and it's history click this to learn more about South Africa's great reserve for it's wild animals.

My first 5K race and Marthon running.

My start out look for the Monroe 24th Of July Milk Run.


I include this in my mornings in my preparing to run my first 5K race which might not be a marathon yet but someday I just might get there if I listen to more of this kind of advice.


Sister Elaine S. Dalton
"Sister Dalton quoted a famous African runner as having said, “The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare.” She called a long-time friend and marathon runner, Amy Heap, from the congregation and asked her what she knew about preparing for marathons. Her ready answer was that Sister Dalton herself had taught her that “You must teach yourself to mind [obey] yourself.” This was important, she said, in “… preparing precisely and preparing daily.”
Seizing on that thought, Sister Dalton asked the young women which of them would be willing to do three simple things to help them prepare to run their “spiritual” marathon. As hands were raised she charged them to pray night and morning every day, 100%, to read the Book of Mormon five minutes every day, 100% and to smile every day, 100%. She told them that, if they would do those three simple things, the Lord would support them in life’s race. “I would never ask the young women to do anything I myself did not do,” she said. She further urged them to listen carefully to the Spirit. “The Lord’s way is quiet,” she said, “and only those who are paying attention will hear Him.”

She closed her remarks citing another African marathoner as having said that “My country did not send me here to start the race, but to finish the race.” She urged the young women to finish their own spiritual marathons."


Belive it or not I took 3rd in my first 5K race and ran with my 61 year old Sister in Law Carol Dopp. A goal well made and finished. She took first for her age group. We are the best winners ever in my opinion.

Fathers Day what a Day!

1. Have you noticed fewer homeless children and people on the street. This is an issue that has come to my attention from some comments that were made by other people that they just move the problem people out until the huge nation event is over.

1. Well I'm not really sure because I haven't seen to many homeless people on the streets except for a few here and there. You have to remember I haven't been in mainland Joburg much.

2. So do you count a mission start date from the time you leave the mission home or the home that you live in from your birth?

2.You count your mission from the day you started the MTC

3. Some money will be in account soon for warm clothing like Mon or Tue ok. We heard that it can get really cold there at times.

3.don't worry to much about the money for warm stuff now. I got it sorted out and the place I'm in is much warmer then where it was

.4. Were you able to fit all your old and new paraphernalia in your suitcases?

4.Yup, and I condensed everything down to two cases and a crate.

5. Do you long for a hand written letter from us? If so why does it make us seem more there

5.No e-mail is good enough. I do wish that other people would write me letters more often or dear elders or something. P.s. You should ask Emily on facebook if she got my last letter or not because I haven't heard from her in a while now.

6. What is your favorite part of a mission Day. The scripture reading or the exercising in the morn or the tracting What?

6. Well that's a good question. I really like to study in the morning, but you have more adventures when your out Proselyting

Well this week has been great. I am now in an area called Tzaneen (za-neen). It is a five hour drive from the mission office and it is in the top right corner of South Africa in the Province of Limpopo. THIS PLACE IS SWEET!!!!!!!!! It's just like you would imagine the African jungle....Kinda. Anyway. The place is SUPER green and we live in the mountains. Tzaneen is actually a town with streets and a mall and what what, But some of the area we work is a village called Motupa and that is directly in the mountains where there is tons of green trees(mango trees, Banana trees, Litchi Trees, Paw paw trees, Orange trees and a whole lot of others. Only a few are in season tho) and farms and stuff. You would be jealous Dad.

I wish I could send pictures but my reader thing is messed up so I have to get a new one some time, but when I do it will be way cool.

Now as for the work. It's a little tough. We are working in a very small brach with about 30 or so members and a group with about 10 or eleven out in the village of Motupa. The saints here really show their faith because most of them have to walk/or find transport for quite a distance, from where they stay to get to church. And in the Village of Motupa there is a lot of persecution going around about how we are satanists or something like that, but they are holding strong. Soon this place is going to have two booming branches. So far for the week, I've seen monkeys twice and that's about it for cool animals. I guess there is a reserve not to far from here that we will have to go check out that has Elephants and stuff.

I now have a new companion. His name is Elder Makosa and he is from Zimbabwe. He is a very humble guy and is always smiling or laughing about something.

I don't have much to write about yet, but this is just the beginning of my adventures in Tzaneen. I'll send some pics to show you the differences in the two areas.

Love Elder T. Jones

P.S. I hope you had the most awsome of Fathers days Dad!!!......That is after all the crazy horse stuff happend.

The weekly news if I can keep track of it all.

I ran 4 miles and walked one yesterday. Mc did get up and go 2 miles with me that morning that we wrote last and he of course ran circles around me. He would go slow and then fast and then stop and pass me. He is so fast and getting faster as his legs seem to get longer. He is almost as tall as C which is kind of crazy to say because C had grown at least 3 inches and is as tall as J. This drives her nuts, she so wants to be taller but that's not going to happen ever. She did her first horse show and won all the speed events. Big K was gone and I think she's going to be her biggest competition this year. Mc didn't compete and drove us crazy so we made it clear that he has to compete or stay home and babysit because he was so wild that night and helped all the other little boys be all wild too. The next day we rode in a fundraiser for a police officer who died in the line of duty here and they both tied for second place in one of those extreme rides ( which really wasn't that extreme)K won a Bullies dinner prize and J got 59 bucks at Burns and Mc 25 at Pepperbelly's. Hobbles would not get in the horse trailer at the end for nothing and Arab went right in. It wasn't our trailer so we are not sure why he had a spaze attack except it wasn't his. I did the Scout day camp and got sunburned beyond belife. It was the first really nice sunny day to me. We have a garden in the back yard which is all starting to come up now. The new FFA teacher came and looked at J and C's projects for next summer. J finally has a red steer that she is going to show at the fair. C's is black. J is the only one who is doing sheep this year. C told me he wanted to about a week ago and that's just a bit to late since we already weighed the others in at the first of May.

A side note someday when you get to see You Tube again there is the coolest clip that goes along with Jeffery R. Hollands talk Good things to Come, that has your very own cousin's baby as the portrayed baby in the clip. It is about him telling about his family and a hard time and that if you just hang on to the Gospel good things will come some time. Maybe not here on this earth but sometime. It is really inspirational. Duty to God award is a special thing that all the boys and C got to earn up at the camp. Not many earned it but he did. He will have to tell you what he had to do to get it but he was very please with himself for getting it. He said at first he hated the camp but as time went on he adjusted and came to accept the tight rules and structure that they made them deal with. It was not a fun and games kind of camp, it was all about leading and learning and stress too and how to deal with hard stuff in life. He also got to know Brother Jensen at Timberline.For Fathers day we had to have Dad get a rude wakening. C and I had gone for a walk and decided to get the chores done before we went home. When we got there we could not find Kalif and Hobbles anywhere. Khalif's gates were kicked to pieces and pretty much turned inside out and over. All the mares were out. So C started feeding and I went up to the Dairy barn, no horses. All of a sudden there were the two with their butts facing each other and not moving at all. We found them tangled in the fencing gate that attaches to the far field, for Kalif it was with wire wrapped around his leg holding him there and Hobbles almost through the fence with his front legs. I called Dad saying hurry get wire cutters and run down the railroad track. The dumb things were so cut up and Hobbles is going to have to be watched because it wire cut right on his back hock pretty deep, though he isn't yet limping. Then we found a pipe cracked in the basement leaking water all along the outside wall. We all hurried to get ready for church and then Dad shut the water down. After Church you guessed we glued repairs of pipe together. And our lunch meal was cake and ice cream since I had no water to cook with. We had planed to do breakfast in bed but that went out with the horse adventure. Next years play at Snow college will be Seussical the musical isn't that kind of familiar territory.

Well on a spiritual note. C was advanced to a Teacher today and seems lots more grown up since attending Timberline. He actually hopes that he gets an invite to be on staff. And he in the end didn't want it to end as he learned so much about himself. I hope that he will keep reading his Book of Mormon and also help us all to get back into doing that since it has been turned upside down lately. I pray that you are well that you are growing an even stronger testimony daily and that you can see the work of the Lord in your life now and even in the future as he guides and directs you to be a tool in his hands. This of course only comes when you allow that to be a part of your life which I am sure is happening right now for you. I love you very much and hope that your transfer was all that you had hoped for. Love Mom,

Dad says keep praying and learning all that you can.

Even little Z can write the Missionary.

From z
jones tyrell ilikeu iloveu urawosome haveuatetigermeat? tyrell beagood missionary. love z

P.S. Nope I havn't eaten tiger meat

1. Have you eaten hiskabobs, Uncle Tom wants to know, it's a snake with it's head cut off and skinned and then put a stick in it and roast it on the fire?

1. I haven't eaten a Hiskabob No. I actually haven't even heard of that.

2. Do you remember hearing about how people are called to certain places to serve their mission by Brother Rasban in conference this year? I shared that talk with C and he said wow I always wondered how it happened. He to said he would serve were ever the Lord wanted him to go. Chas Hathaway put the talk on his blog and that's how I found it to read to C.

2.Yeah that was a sweet! talk

3.What number are you at on baptising?

3. I haven't been counting. And maybe you could clarify.. Is that people who have been taught by me that have been baptized or is that people who I have actually baptized

4.How are you shoes holding up?

4.My shoes are ok.

5. Did you find a sweater vest to use?

5.Not yet. But I'm not sure I have enough in the account. I would need at least 20 bucks...I think.

6.Now that Elder Forman is in a new spot did you need a backpack sent to you that works better on a bike?

6.He let me keep the back pack. He goes home next month

7. I guess I never answered the question you asked about mission news letters do you want me to keep them? They are put out by your Mission Pres. every month and they post them on the mission home page. I would think that you could print them out at a later date if it is important when you get home.

7.Yeah I think I know what you are talking about. We actually get a copy of those. You should look up a story about Benjamin Moepudi.

8. So what is the name of the ward you are in right now? Do you know any of the kids that will be playing in theWorld Cup that attend your ward?

8.It's just the Dobsonville ward. The name of our area is the same as the ward. I'm not sure what you mean about the world cup thing because that is a national event with professional teams.

9. Did Linet get to be baptized yet? And what is happening with the Diesko family?

9.No she hasn't been baptized yet and she didn't come to church this sunday and we don't know why. The Diseko Family Is SWEET!!! Reneilwe, the sister is now on date and the family has been striving to keep the word of wisdom. They gave us all their tea and Tobacco to take away! but we think the Dad might still smoke every once and a while.

10.Have you found another family that is led by the Father yet?

10.yeah we've found a few. but we haven't met with them enough yet to know how things will go.

Dear Elder Tyrell Jones

This top note from Z was written and sounded out by himself with only a tiny help on the big words. Pretty soon he will be reading to us. Finally we have got the garden all in and today it went from cool to HOT. Hopefully it will cool a little so that the mountains let the water out slowly and we do not flood out. I have gotten more asparagus this year then ever before because of the cool weather. It will soon end now that its getting hot. I have kind had tunnel vision this week with trying to lose the last 3 pounds to my goal of 145 which is still being somewhat elusive. I have been getting up in the morning and walking and running to also get to running 3 miles but I am still only at 2 miles running. The kids are so sleep in and up late that is driving me crazy. I finally laid a threat that if there was anyone up late then on Fri. I would leave them here while I went to the family reunion. So they all believed me and stayed in bed at 11:00pm. We had some adventure of J driving from Scipio all the way to the hotel. She kept not being willing to pull over at Payson when I told her that I would drive now. Till finally I directed her off the ramp and she started to beg to be done cause the traffic was so close to her. I told her to bad now we were almost there. She was shocked when we pulled up to the hotel and she had driven for an hour and half. She even did pretty good through it all. We had hoped to have time to swim before leaving to drive up to Soldier Hollow were Alli Livingstons reception was being held. It was fun the best part was the photo booth that they set up to have your candid photos done and we all did goofy takes and then put one on her book as our signature for attending. I am going to scan them in and put them on our family blog so that we can see all the funny faces of our mini vacation this summer. My cousin Mystalyn's boys were out catching mice and rabbits and so the boys went right out to join up whether they knew them or not. They even saw a porcupine and Jer was so mad that he didn't get to see it cause he was inside with me. After that he was stuck to them like glue. When we got back to the hotel they all went swimming till 1:00 am, sleep and then back at it again at 9:00 am right down to the last 30 min before check out time. Then we went to Aunt Rozan's school and had a big dinner get together.Cody and Jer shared a birthday cake but Cody had to leave because no one would take his work shift. We didn't have a lighter so the candles were not lit so we all just started to sing Happy Birthday. Jer kept yelling not yet he was just about to cry when we ended and then yelled "Not yet there has to be fire on it first" one of my cousins lit it with a lighter and we all sang again. He was thrilled and blew his number 4 out very well. Dad had brought him a motorbike since he had been saying he was getting one for over a week along with a house, car, mustang, four wheeler, and you name it any car item he could think up. We got to see Nana June but Pa did not travel up he just didn't feel well enough to do it. I saw cousins I haven't seen in 19 years at least. It was fun connecting and finding out what they were all doing. Dad even was able to get someone to take his shift for the day and came up in the morning.J of course drove back with him so that she could drive her car back. C did not go with us because he was placed in charge of a scout camp so that he could divide patrols and assign out meals. They went up to the red water falls that you can slide down up in Capitol Reef. he said it was very very fun. I think you once went there with Bro. Howell. Dad said in priesthood today they were asking how you were doing and he told them some of your stories. So what is the total that you have of baptism amounts, have you kept track of that? Well I must be glad and secure that you are loving your mission because someone asked how long you had been gone and I said 6 months and Dad said no 8 and then we both realized it had been 9 time is flying so fast we are not even keeping track very well. Make the most of it of course thats why they say THE BEST TWO YEARS right. Love you tons have a great week and keep smiling. Keep discouragement at bay by saying your prayers all the time under your breath if necessary.

Your super duper great. and we love you lots. The Family

Dear Family

Well it's funny that you mention world cup, because this place has gone crazy!!!! Everyone has been painting the streets with BafanaBafana colors and South Africa flags. And every night you can hear people blowing on their Vuvuzela's (a trumpet like thingy) all over Soweto. Along with that, every person you meet on the street asks "Can you feel it?"

Well the story for this week happened on Sunday. There is a Less active member of the young men's who was recently baptized, and hasn't been coming to church and we found out that he was just sitting at home. So Elder Bakker and I organized the group of young men and we drove to his house to have church with him there. He was a little surprised at that but I think it was good for him. And I think it helped the young men to get a good sense of the importance of fellow shiping in the ward. Overall it's been a pretty good week for us and the area is slowly becoming stronger and stronger. There is rumour that I might be leaving so you'll find out about that next week but with some of the visa problems and the time Elder Bakker and I have been together I might just stay one more transfer, making this a 6 month stay in Soweto....But well just have to see. I wish I could say more now but I'm having trouble thinking of things to say.

Well I guess I can say that since I've come on mission my testimony has really grown, especially about the book of Mormon. That book is great and it will help you in any situation you come across. I Encourage everyone to read it and apply it to your life. I love the Church and I know that it is true. For all of those who are keeping strong... Keep on keeping on. And for all those who are finding it hard to stay the course. Talk to someone who will help, Read, and pray and you will find your way.

Love,

Elder Jones