Be worthy to be visited by angels my sons. PRAY!

One thing that I always do is try and have a conversation with the Lord daily even min by min if the day is tough. And you know I am always talking to the angels that the Lord sends all over this universe to do the extra work that he needs assistance with. Think about that, his church it is a very organized church with a system of people doing a chain of commands in proper lines of authority. Some wards work better then others at doing the delegating to the one that is below them. The same kind of organization has got to be happening in the Heavens and those who have passed on. So the other day at the bottom of a note about priesthood it says
"Live Worthy Enough To Be Visited By Angels".

I guess that means we need to be talking to them and listening to the Holy Ghost and all the messengers that he has in his chain of command. Prayer is the only way to get those messages over there for him to hear or any angles that he has assigned to collect the prayer and work on our needs and desires. Can you see in your minds eye what your assigned angel would be doing if you do not take the time to talk to Heavenly Father daily even min by min. He or she is just stetting there waisting away his eternities waiting to do the job that he was assigned in trying to assist you to accomplish, grow, strain, understand, receive, and become a God or Goddess by learning all that our bodies were sent here on this earth to learn.

So that said take the time to keep an angle working and PRAY!!!

The Lord works in Many Ways.

1. Lennie how is he doing almost ready to be baptized the day after the biggest Pioneer Celebration that Utah can muster, did you remember that was a Utah holiday?

1. He is going to be baptized this coming Sunday.

2. Please buy the card reader we want to see pictures of you again.
2. I can't afford a new one until I have about R120, that equals about $17. If you could help me with that it would be nice.

3. Did you move out of your apartment this p-day?
3. No we haven't moved out yet, but that is a good question because I haven't been thinking about that much this week and we may need to find out.

4. Did any of Lennies friends make a baptism commitment yet?
4.Yes they did, and we are now teaching one of his friends whole family. Unfortunately one of his friends fell subject to the false rumors about satanist and has been dodging us lately.

5. Chase Hathaway served in the township just over from
Tazneen and told a story about monkeys and being curious have you had any come close to you and be curious about what you might be doings?
5.Was the township called Lenyenye? I have seen monkeys quite a lot around here but they always run away from you when you get close. I ll have to try and feed them

6. Have you gone on any P-day hikes in the jungle yet?
6.Nope I haven't and I'm not sure when I will. I would love to do it but the problem is that it is kinda dangerous and my companion wants nothing to do with it.

7. Now the boys wonder if you have seen giraffes up close?
7.Yes I saw Giraffes the same day I saw elephants. I have plenty of cool pics to send

8. Faith must be tried to be called faith tested. What do you think about this saying that I heard the other day. Any thoughts about how our family was faith tested by Jer's birth?
8. I'm not sure if that is the exact quote, but it kinda makes sense. If you have faith but nothing ever tries it then it hasn't been tested much.

Well this week has been an interesting week with a lot of frustration at times. But this Sunday was a great reliever of the stress. There is a lady who we have been teaching named sister Beverly. She has been taught for about 6 months. She was doing everything she is supposed to, to gain a testimony except one thing. and that is to pray. Every Sunday she was coming to church and she was participating a lot in Relief Society activities. But every time the subject of baptism came up around her so did all of her excuses. Since I have been here, Elder Makosa and myself have seen a lot of changes in her and she started to progress closer and closer to the goal but still until recently she has struggled with the idea. Then Yesterday, we came to her house at the end of the night to talk with her and I told her how frustrated I have been this week. She started to quote from the bible in an attempt to cheer me up and she was saying something about how the road to God is a rough one and the road to Satan looks nice and easy. As she was saying these things it was helping me, but I was only kind of half listening. As she talked she started to mention how great a day she had had and how she had loved church. Then out of now where she said..."and I'd like to be baptized next Sunday"... At first Elder Makosa and myself didn't think much of it, but after going over the statement again in my head I asked her to repeat what she had just said. After doing so Elder Makosa and I almost fell out of our seats. She said that she had heard about the mention of Lenny's baptism coming up and it made her think a lot about it. She said she went home and knelt down to ask God if that is something she should do. She said after praying she had never felt so good and so sure about something in her life and she has decided that that is what she wants in her life. We ended up changing the lesson for the night and instead just shared our testimonies. We told her we would make sure to review some things with her and then schedule and interview. She accepted that she might not be baptized next week, but would wait until she could be interviewed. What an experience! it just goes to show how powerful prayer can really be. I encourage all of you to continue praying about the truth and really come to know for yourselves if the church is true. It is our testimonies that drive us to live the gospel and do what is right. If we can each have that spiritual witness to the truth then when our faith is tested, we will always pass the test.

Well, I love all of you and hope you are doing your part to learn the gospel, nothing comes free, especially the best things.

Elder Jones

The Family says.
Wow if life slows down I am not sure what we might do around here. Maybe I should go backward with the weeks happenings.

J isn't eating again this Sunday morning, this time the sticky mouse catching pad was set by the stove top and it finally caught the dang mouse that somehow is getting on the top of the island. 13 years in this house and that has never been a problem and this summer we can not get rid of them. She said Mom are you trying to starve me two Sundays in a row and I can't handle it. Heehee. evil laugh at least it's caught now.
Arrived home late last night from an afternoon at the Smith family reunion. Photos were sent of our family doings there. Drive was eventful the car had an awful smell and all of a sudden us in the back yelled we wanted out because it smelled like smoke. I have never seen little people haul out so fast. For some reason there was oil spurting on the engine and making it burn up causing the smoke. Dad never did figure out why and Darren, and Golden stayed behind us to make sure we arrived home safe which we did or I guess I wouldn't be writing this to you. When we arrived at church today Darren came up and said it's the strangest thing.
When we stoped to see what was wrong with your car I asked Dad -Golden to look at the 4wheelers he was hauling and check all the tie downs. He had the big 5th wheel that they haul hay on and there were like 4 or maybe 5 plus a dune buggy and a mini bike strapped on. As they were looking at why our car was shooting smoke Golden found that one of the big huge 4 wheelers straps were broken and not even latched on. If he had pulled to the side
Darren was on the wheeler would have rolled off the trailer at that point but there was a hill so he had gone off the opposite side of the road. Can you imagine that wheeler coming off and someone hitting into it in the dark of the night not to mention the loss and cost. Well we went ahead as they I guess retied it down and we ran into the worst wind and storm we couldn't even see the road for a little bit. By the time they got to the storm it was most likely not the worst of it and didn't blow the high trailer over and they did have a bit of rain to have to see through. We may never know what danger was prevented but I felt a thrill run through me of confirmation that there must have been a reason to slow us all down as we were traveling home. The car never blew smoke again and we got home just fine. I also realized that at that time you would have been doing your morning study and prayers and so maybe what words you spoke protected us also. Darren even said that he had kept feeling that he needed to check the 4 wheelers and hadn't yet but that gave him a moment to stop and say hey Dad you look while I help them. J got to drive the team of Belgium's and had a blast and then they let her and K get up on their huge backs. She said ok I will just stay here all night. We thought her Hobbles was a really tall horse. Those are monstrously huge.
Fri we spent doing the water at Whites and shoeing the horses so that Hobbles will run faster. J had a barrel run of 16.4 and is going to do the rodeo at Scipio on the 24th. So the horse had to have a nail job. Wed and Thur the white truck kept me stuck in town trying to get little things fixed on it so it could be inspected. Tue and Mon is a blur and to many things happened in between there. Tonight I had to go help Sondra pack the last of the things into her car so she could go to Chads military graduation and they are moved out. It's strange to see the cabin empty and wonder if another honeymooner will get married and move into it soon.
C spent the whole week up at a place called Camp TIFEE and loved it he swam the mile and only one leader beat him. Brother Howell said he must be the energizer bunny because he just never gets tired. We went up to the reunion and him and Mc proceeded to spend the night again 6 nights of camping for that boy. J says you need to answer her note and that she loves you lots. Everyone has there eyes on her and the Bishop gave her a hard time for walking down town with holding a boys hand and then the next day he sees her riding bare back down the road in town. She was so embarrassed she wouldn't talk to him. He said it's ok it's natural and laughed she still was all goofy about being teased. Ron Brown called and was happy to hear that you were out serving the Lord he thinks your a great kid. Well the summer is hot and very raging busy for the next three weeks. Parades rodeos and showing lambs and then quiet peace because school will start and then its time to get wood and harvest the garden. The time is flying by faster and faster it it just amazing to see it that way. I love you lots and can't wait to hear the weeks adventures. Oh ya Dad says we are going to all go for a family Home evening Horse ride tomorrow since he is going to be home early for once this week. They have been going over time which is a blessing because there for a little bit he was getting worried that we wouldn't have enough because of short hours at work. I love you we all love you can't wait to hear from you. Love Mom

Can't stand the suspence wondering if you are transferred?

1. Camera card fixed? Do you need a new one?
1. The card works but I have to get a new converter thing to send pics with it.

2. What new thing have you seen that you would never see in America?
2. Well, I've seen alot of things now and I've kinda become desensitized to it so I can't think. But you usually see people cooking chicken legs over bry stands on the street alot.

3. What scriptures did you read that made you feel closer to the Lord this week?
3. Well a good one that I read recently that shows the importance of following what you learn in life was Helaman 7: 23-24

4. One crazy thing that your companion did that you were not expecting.
4.I haven't really been with Elder Bakker long enough to say anything crazy has happened but I'll have to tell you some good stories later on.

5. Where is Elder Bakker from and how many in his family?
5.Elder Bakker is from Idaho. He has a mom a dad a twin brother (not identical) and a sister.

6. Did you follow where the Lord wanted you to go at some point this week, after making it a matter of prayer and or fasting?
6.Yeah we have actually done alot of that lately. We have decided to focus our efforts on Braamfischerville and Extention 2 Dobsonville.

7. Tell us one thing that you miss from home that they do not have there.
7. One thing that I miss Hmm........ I don't miss home! J/k well the things that I miss are stuff that you do. Like horse riding and other stuff you can't do on a mission.

8. So what are you doing with the calling card that won't work over there?
8.It's just sitting in my drawer

9. They post the newsletters several months after to the mission page like the one on now is March so tell us about Benjamin Moepudi did he get baptized or what?
9. Well Bro Benjamin is someone that I didn't really teach, but he was baptized when I was there. He was the arch bishop of a church here in South Africa and he realized some things were wrong. He found the church through his son who served a mission in Madagascar but is now living in California. He investigated and found it was the true Church. Wait for the story it's better.

10. How many have you personally taught and then seen through to baptism?
10. Haven't been counting, and don't really want to so stop asking. But I have baptized people I started teaching. (sorry I was trying to clarify as he asked me in the last letter.)

Yeah it's been pretty crazy with world cup going on but it was mostly during the first game between Bafana Bafana and Mexico. I think a tie was a good outcome especially for the missionary work to keep going. (I have some pics. I will send them next week probably)

Well transfer news came on Saturday and I found out I am leaving. But there is a catch... I don't have a clue where I'm going. Know one does. and I won't find out until the day I leave. I was just told to pack and show up to transfers. I was kind of upset to get that news because I don't feel prepared to leave here especially with a lot of baptisms coming up that I personally worked to get while I was working alone with member missionaries. I was especially sad because of the Diseko family.... MAN I LOVE THAT FAMILY!!!! But there is a great story to tell about them. I hope I can describe how awesome it was in a simple letter. Yesterday, My last Sunday, we set an appointment to meet them. The father had come to church finally and I was way excited about that. On our way there we were discussing what we would teach. Our first plans were to teach about Tithing and Fasting, but we felt that wasn't right so we taught Baptism and Confirmation. It was an awesome lesson and we taught in the dark because the power was out as usual. After the lesson I extended a commitment that had been extended many times before. I said "will you prepare to be baptized and confirmed?" To my great surprise The father was the first to say yes.... Right then and there I was so surprised that I didn't know what to say or what had just happened. Elder Bakker eventually repeated the question and Brother Diseko replied " Isn't that the main goal?" I almost fell out of my chair! After hearing this I asked if the family would like to set a goal to be baptized together and they all agreed to August 8. To make it short we took some pics because I was leaving but I'm so glad that I had the chance to be there for that. It helped me feel prepared to leave and I feel like I've done what I was meant to do here. I'm going to have to continue to pray for them but I know they will make it. Man they have helped my testimony to grow so much. I can't really explain how I feel, but I will definitely be sending pictures home.

Because of time I have to go, but I love you all and keep doing what's right.

Elder Jones

Dear Son who is far away and serving the Lord with all his might sacrificing to find and even grow his and others testimony's each and every day.

WORLD CUP crazy stuff, Dad and some of the boys watched the opening ceremonies, then on the news Fri. night we laughed about an elephant that made the US team late to play because it caused a traffic jam. So it must be just wild crazy over there with all the goings on for the Games. One guy is from the Real Salt Lake team lucky guy. Mc has been begging me to get him a new soccer ball. We are trying to decide whether he should play football or soccer since he is in 6th now. Uncle Shane will not be coaching that team because he has been moving with the team that is in 8th now. I finally reached my goal with bonus of 144.0 I got a new dress for the effort and still can't reach 3 miles running yet but it will come I am sure. Rhett will be graduating Marines next week so I am sending the last letters from the past month to him on Mon. He got the highest honorers for rifle shooting and did apply to be a sniper so I guess nobody better mess with a gun around him. The Jones family reunion is this weekend down in the bottoms but I am not sure many will come all the brothers are gone now of Grandpas and his one sister that is alive will be having a surgery so she won't be here. Supposedly on the 29th is the surgery for Jer again. We will see if they go forward again. We went to see his Dr. on Thursday and he thinks we should see the lung Dr. again just to make sure that there is lung tissue growth after the last three years has passed. I know they won't do a CAT scan because he already had two but it sure makes me wonder if they will be able to see changes on that little tiny xray they usually do. On this Dr. chart he could finally see growth where there has not been any over the last year that we had seen him so that's good. Little K is finally off the oxygen in the day but not at night. They are still being really careful. The weather turned off cold again with lots of rain but Sat I made the most of it and did my first 3 mile run in between rain down pours. It felt pretty good to accomplish that and to know that I can. I am thinking the Milk Run might be reachable now. C leaves to go to Timberline really early in the morning and Mc asked if he could go running with me in the morning so we will see if he can get out of bed to go with me. Brent spoke today in sacrament meeting today and told about his Hero Samuel the Lamanite and how he was often teaching alone. You could feel his spirit as he spoke about some people that he was able to touch while teaching the gospel. He comes to our ward most likely because of Tiffany. I forgot to tell you that her whole family went through the temple a few months ago. Nothing really exciting is happening but next week C will be ordained a teacher if Dad isn't called into work. Remember his Birthday. He won't even be here for his birthday so I wonder if they will make a party up there at Timberline for him. He is really getting good at preparing to camp its been fun watching him get ready today. J is doing the driving part now but I keep having to go take her over in the morning and we miss the teacher twice now. Yesterday K about killed the car by catching the charger cords into the fan belt. We were lucky that he hurried to turn it off when it sounded funny and learned a big lesson in not doing something that is for big people to do. Dads work hours started to pick up this last week just when he was wanting to go horse riding. The little boys did peewee 4-H and K did pretty good. Even B took Star and got her to do some of the stuff. Well we are all waiting to hear if you are staying or going to a new place in South Africa the news should be enlightening to us. Have a wonderful week of spreading the light and keep smiling did your card get fixed we need to see some photos of something new.
Love the Family

PRAYER

I am a firm believer in prayer. I know that when I am consistent in talking to my Father in Heaven he will help me to know and see things that are needed to make my life better . He will answer my call if I will keep talking to him. He is even better then the cell phone that I carry on me. His answers might not look like the emails I get with direct instructions or information about whats happening but he sure can make my heart feel full and guide me to what is best for a child of mine who is struggling or a friend who needs help from an earthly hand.

Remember to say your prayers morning and night so he can talk with you because your the one with the key that unlocks that door to him every time you communicate.

Think of speaking with him as if it's the most imp0rtant cell phone call you make twice a day!