Missionary asks about Family Prayer, Scripture reading, and Family Home Evening?

The Missionary's Questions to the Family.
1. How is family home evening going? 

2. How is family prayers going?

3. How is family scripture reading?

Family Answer: Honestly these are all always works in progress and refinement. There is an ebb and flow to them depending on the mood and strength of the family unit. So we are forever working to be better at each one and some days they are are done with greatness and some days we failed miserably and get up to the next day to work to do them again better the next time. We are not perfect but we are striving to gain that goal which will meet at some point if we try try try and keep always trying to reach that goal. 

1.I want to know what you mean about being obedient? Are you referring to the fact that sleeping is a favorite and hard for you even now that you are on a time zone that agrees with your biological internal clock or is it like Missionary Kathrine Howell says those who are native to the country often act as if the missionary rules do not apply to them?

1.Well I'm kind of confused about this Question, but I can say that I have been trying to develop alot more self control since I came on my mission and I started with making a resolution to be obedient all the time. Unfortunately you have to be with someone else all the time and they don't always want to be obedient and that causes contention. I don't like Contention and I don't like being disobedient so it's alot less stressful and alot more happy when your comp wants to be obedient too.

2.How do you practice listening to the spirit? 

2.We Do Real plays (Role plays) every day to try and discern the spirit, but mostly it just come in teaching and everyday life and decisions. You just have to search for it and you will find it. It's also easier when you don't watch TV and bother yourself with worldly stuff a majority of the time.

3.What are the Internet cafes like that you have to send letters to us from,are they hard to keep the spirit there about you because of the smoke or loud music?

3.The Internet cafes are ok. They are like public businesses so they don't allow smoking and what what inside. None of the Cafes I've been to are actually cafes. They are strictly for computer use.

4. What does it say on pg 15 of the 9:00pm schedule last sentence of the white handbook?

4.It says write in your journal. (I have been writing every night since the first day of January!)

5. Have you taken the time to see when your temple recommend expires? Make sure before you leave Africa that is is in affect with Pres. Poulsen so that you are able to attend here without having to take time to track down the people it will take to get it updated. 

5. I still have until July, then I will get it updated

6.What pictures would you like to see of our family do you have any choices that I could put on next week?

6.Any pictures I love pictures from home

7. Did you have lots of DA's this week? Has anyone asked you to do something that took practice that may have been lost from lack of practice? There is a sister that says she will make sure your fed if you have no DA's have you met her yet?

7.Not really, the ward is really good at giving us food though. We are not supposed to have DA's after 6:00 and that's when everyone wants to do it. The only way is if they have someone for us to teach.

Unfortunately I'm out of time but it's been a great week. I might have to write a letter. We'll see.

Love Elder Jones

 Dear Son and Brother

What a fun week we have had meeting your companions mother over the Missionaries Moms group.As soon as I saw the name I knew I had seen it on the group of the Moms from Africa. I am grateful for those who are willing to share and care about each other in this wonderful world that we live in. And we got see you little flat that sits sorta behind the green roofed house. The boys wonder if the car you have is still blue, that was the color of the one in the google maps address photo that Sister Seastrand sent for us to look at this week. 

This is my take on Listening to the spirit it takes practice every single day coupled with prayer so getting enough sleep helps turn on your ears to hear him loudly at times that you will need his quiet shouting like the time when the car was coming towards me on the freeway and I heard his shout to get in a different lane. 

The alumni wrestle happened this week and the team wiped out Gunnison C did not pin but he had 9 to 4 points on his opponent. I am not sure if you knew that Mike retired yet but can still whip Caleb Young on the mat. The two Willes brothers went against each other and tied up. It was fun to see some of the old guys on the mat. They honored Mike with a legend trophy that they want to start from now on. Thursday was crazy Mc went to the planetarium and then to a region wrestling. The buses made it back from SLC with barley enough time for them to hop in another car and head over to Millard county. He took 4th and was pretty pleased with himself. Of course we had to tell him earlier in the week that he had to finish out the season and go all the way to the end as he is starting to get tired of the practices every night after school. C that same night wrestled in Wayne county and pinned both of the kids he had to wrestle. Every kid on the varsity high school team has qualified to go to state this year. Jer goes around whistling all day now and asks me if I can whistle also. He even whistles in school and when he wants my attention.  Reminds me of someone else that's far away. I did another 6 mile run this week. My friend did an 8 mile run and so I guess this week I better get a move on if I am going to keep up with her.She already has ran a half marathon and she wants me to come run with her. I am a bit scared of it though because I have to talk myself into doing it everyday. Also running outside is way different then inside since there seems to be hills that pop up out of no where when you run outside, which of course makes you breath really hard at times and gets you into a discouraged state for a moment and then all of a sudden there is a flattening and if you kept going then you know that you can go more but if you quit on the hill then there is the talking yourself back into doing it more. This analogy reminds me of maybe how taking time to read the Book of Mormon when your at home and not having to do it can be just like preparing to run in a day but on your mission the time is set aside to do the reading its a part of the assignment. So I guess the bottom line is I just need to set the goal pay the fee and get running so that I am ready to run with her when the date arrives because when its all done I will feel so great. J even went with me on one of my walk/runs around the valley Sat. It only took us an hour and a half where last year it took me about two and a half hours to get around the valley. We couldn't run the whole time because she would get to tired and she had bad shoes on but it was fun to finally get her to go with me.  Tonight Z will be going to a get ready to be baptized class let me tell you he is so very thrilled to be able to go do this.

Please tell us all the new things that this week has brought to you in teaching the truth of all things that really matter most in this world.

Love the family who loves you here.

Personal Testimonies of some in our family.

1.Dad says you know walking along fall in a hole or walking along and slip in a ditch has there been anything like that in what you would call a walking accident?
1.Well not that I can really think of. Just bicycle accidents. I've definitely got a lot of mud on my shoes recently because there is a lot of dirt roads in Motupa and it's the rainy season.

2.WHAT IS THE EXACT PRICE OF A BOTTLE OF SUNSCREEN please. We are all wanting to know by now, ok, make the conversion from their money to our money please.
2.Well I can't really answer that because I haven't shopped today yet. ( a tiny bottle is 17$ in our American money finally told to us over the phone.)

3. Please give us more detail on the Christmas tradition that means so much to you. The eating of any old kind of foods or just the breakfast stuff that is in your stocking because we never ever ever at any other time of the year are allowed pop tarts and carnation milk drinks. Or are you talking about the family get together dinners?
3.Exactly! the pop tarts and the carnation milk drinks!

4. Tell us what to do about the skype computer to computer and their name so I can add it to my list please.
4.Well I've never used skype, but I assume we can do the computer to computer thing and my Mission President ok'd the the video thing, but I'm not sure if I personally want to do that part. If it's ok with you maybe just the voice thing.

5. Who can be here for the calls?
5.Well I forwarded the the e-mail President Poulsen sent, but the answer really is none but family.

Well let me set something straight. I'm not sure if you understand correctly what I meant by fight for my testimony. My Testimony is solid! I've never had the testimony that I've had while here on mission. But that's just the thing isn't it. Out here I'm devoting all my attention to the Lord. Therefor my testimony is strong. What I meant is that if you want to have a strong testimony you have to fight for it. You have to keep the commandments. You have to study your scriptures and say your prayers. And on mission, you have to be obedient! The days when I do exactly what I'm supposed to and I don't let the Natural man get in, then I feel my testimony grow. The days that I give in to temptation and falter are the days I don't feel that growth. Most days I grow, and I strive everyday to do what the Lord expects. There are days where I could have done better and I could have said or done something more to improve the situation but I don't and those are the days that I struggle. Everyday is a day to improve :)

Anyway, for the week it was great. We, for the first time on my mission, organized and completed a wedding, so that our investigators could be baptized! It was really quite funny. Bro Manzini of the district council came to do the wedding and he even did the whole " you may now kiss the bride" thing and I'm not going to lie it was funny to see Dear Brother Samuel (50 something years old), and his wife kiss each other. It was even funnier to see Dear Bro Frans (68 years old) Stretch out to kiss his wife and his wife run away. She said she was to old, and that there were to many people around. Either way we had a blast, and they are now legally and lawfully married. This Friday was their interview and they past, but I was a little bit worried that this last Sunday, dec 12th, was going to be to soon and I didn't know what would happen if we asked them if we could move the date back, so I just prayed and asked God to help with the situation so that the best possible thing would happen and on Saturday, President Swanapoel asked if we could just move the baptism to the 19th. I'm pretty sure it was an answer to my prayers because it gave us a good reason to give Brother Samuel and Frans so they didn't even get frustrated or upset. The interview is still valid and they are very prepared, it's just that we now have one more week to speak with them, prepare them, and resolve any hidden challenges.
Well some more awesome stuff that happened is we Set TWO very solid appointments, with TWO white father led families in TOWN. Which doesn't happen very often. The first was a family we had met before and set an appointment with the wife, but when we went back they weren't home. So on Saturday we went back to their house and found the Husband. we explained to him how we had met his wife and left a Book of Mormon, but we had missed them the second time. He said let me go get my wife and they both came back to speak with us. The wife at first seemed to think we only wanted to talk with her so she suggested we come to her work, but the I said " we would really like to meet with the whole family" so she looked at her husband and he gave a shrug of approval and said sure. We set an appointment for this coming wed at 6:00! man I'm excited and I sure hope we don't mess it up. The second family was a family that we had tracked to before but only found the Domestic worker we had left a Restoration pamphlet with here and one for the Owners so when we came back a lady came to the gate and we asked if she had received the pamphlet. She said yes but that she hadn't read it. We explained who we are and what we teach, then she asked "what makes you different from any other christian church?" we tried to explain the restoration but she said "any church has their own story" Then I pulled out the big guns.... The Book of Mormon and I said " well we have a book called the Book of Mormon and it is an evidence that what we say is true." We also explained that we only ask people to pray and search for themselves if our message is true. Then in an effort to kind of brush us off (at least it seemed to me) she said "I'd like to learn more about this book, so I'll read it then give you a call" then adding in the whole act really nice and genuine she said "but is there anything I can do for you guys?" and with all the sincerity I could muster I said " honestly, there would be nothing more to lift my spirits then if you would allow us to set an appointment to come back and share more with you." after a thoughtful second she said " ok, you can come Wed at 1:00 and my husband will be home" boy did my heart jump for joy! the Book of Mormon is powerful and I love it! It always seems to make good things happen. When you introduce it, it makes people curious. When people read from it they feel the spirit, when you teach from it no one can argue with what you say. It's just awesome. I don't have much more time to write, but Saturday we had the branch Christmas party and alot of our investigators came so it was a good fellow shipping activity.

Anyway I love you all
Elder Jones

The phone call I must admit I am ecstatic, Why do you have to call our land line why can't we go computer to computer so it is completely free? I have been doing a practice run with Estella she phoned over and taught us how to make it work because her and her Hubby skype to Japan all the time. So anyway we are awaiting your response and will do whatever is best just help us to know what we need to do like give us their contact name and we will add it this week and be prepared to go at 8:00 sharp. The only thing I am worried about is the fact that all the kids are crazy and perform for the video camera so Estella was laughing so hard. They have a hard time talking in turn also so I hope that all can be heard correctly on your end, they sure are loud here on this end. Does the computer you are going to use have a mic and a video cam on it we will be using Dads and it is all cool and set up to go now.
J and C came up with the crazy idea to have our tree right in the middle of the room so we keep having to dance around it, I admit it is making me a bit crazy to have it in the way so much.
The boys have been going to practice on Tue and then Wed having a match sometimes then back to practice on Thurs. K is wrestling with the Jr. High group because he just couldn't stand to wait. So Wed night they had matches in Millard and we barely made it in time. K scooted in and was right away out on the mat against a kid who was lots taller than him. He wrestled 4 matches he did not win but he just kept at it even with a stupid nasty coughing. The boys were all lots older than him mostly because at his weight of 85 they are lots older than him. He has the keep going attitude though so that's good now that he has gotten over his fears. Mc had to be talked into going and that was with a compromise that he not have to do the dance at the middle school. He ended up doing six matches most were Millard boys. Two he won and he never backed down once. He is so very very good but when he isn't in to being willing to do it there is pretty much nothing that will change his mind.

C lost at a NSHS battle of the axe to a kid he has won over and over through the years. It was kind of a shock to him. This weekend Fri they are in Juab and he pinned two and then one was won by points. The next was exhibition status and he lost but it still counted as a win for him this kid was a Jr. He said it is kind of harder since he had broken his ribs, he feels a bit slower and not as aggressive as he was in the past. There is some hesitancy that he gets but he hasn't figured out how to get over it. Saturday he wrestled all day and was supposed to have five. The first match he pinned and the second match of the day about tore his shoulder out because the Payson kid had an a full nelson and pulled the shoulder out with his head pushing against. The next match he was really sore and had been iced but he still pinned the kid but it did him in because the kid had an under hook that really finished off the sore shoulder. After that C had to talk to a trainer and they wouldn’t risk him getting hurt so that he couldn’t go the rest of the season. So the last two matches he had to do a bye in their favor. He has been on ice and heating pads with my tense machine pulsing all weekend trying to recover. Dad will most likely make him have xrays to make sure it is all ok in the morning so he can move forward since he has a match on Wed. We made it back to the ward Christmas party and really had a fun time participating in a reenactment of old time Christmas in Navuo. C left early with J because he had had enough of the pain and needed to lay it down but the rest of us had a blast, we wrote letters to all the missionaries in our ward and saw how a wagon wheel was made and ate from a famous bakery just kidding.

Devin sent home maple syrup that he taped out of a tree all on his own. I got to see pictures of him with his tongue hanging out there licking the sap as it dripped out. His companion is from Fillmore and he even wrestled with him during High school.
I haven't heard how Sam is doing so I will have to get an update.

On a more quiet private note Dad is wondering why you seem to struggle keeping your testimony? He well we are trying to understand what you mean when you say this. You are out teaching others this wonderful truth and way to help themselves return to the savior and yet you are having a hard time. I have whisper to remind you since you were such a young child that when Papa gave you that blessing that all you had to do was to have faith and you would be healed you took that and prayed every night that the problems that the medicine created in having scary dreams of hurting someone would leave and the hunger that plagued you would be taken away. You would tell me that you knew that you would be better soon and then 4 months later they told you that you could run, run and run. I remember we were in Milford with Dad and you went up and down that hill in front of the hotel running like crazy. Most of all you had the amazing faith to believe what Papa said that you would be fully healed with not a trace left of damage on your heart valve. Remember that's what the cardiologist said at your last visit “no one would be able to tell that you had been ill at one time except her and only because she had the records to prove that you had visited her”. The most important part of the whole thing is that you took the faith and grew it till it became the truth in your life and you were better. You prayed and believed that Heavenly Fathers promise would come about. Pres. Cottle said something to that affect also that you would grow and your testimony become stronger as you served the Lord. Dad says praying for deep testimony strength, that will help the Lord increase you and your testimony to an iron strength, ( he didn't say it just like that with those words but that is what he was trying to get at as we were talking about his concerns in this area for you so I am now trying to put it into words again to tell you about it) Sorry I wish I could have recorded exactly what he said. Anyway as you have said all the answers are in the scriptures and confirmed through prayer so now I better quit sounding all preachy to you the preacher boy of the moment.
Well it is Sunday the first of this letter was written throughout the week especially the private note part. Today as I sat in Relief Society and the lesson began I was amazed to be hearing pretty much what I had written to you about all the gifts that the Lord gives to us if we ask or are blessed with them through priesthood powers or they are told as to which one we are given in our patriarchal blessing. Now take the time to read D&C 46 and then read Moroni 7. What amazing things are said in those scriptures that can affect us for good if we choose to accept and use those gifts and listen to those angles that the Lord has working for him when we have faith. Moroni 7 will help you to grow your testimony especially as you pray.
Today we are reading about Papa and how he is working so hard to know the Japanese language while he is serving sometimes the gifts that we are given take time to be developed to, such as gift of translation for Papa, it came over time. My gift of faith came from many hard experiences of just keeping belief in the Lord until by the time Jeremy was born there was no way anything was going to keep me from believing that he would do anything but live. I will send some of Papas journal to you, it is so very fun to read how he is working within his mission. Makes us relate to you.
On a side note J and C have cleaned their letters out of their email and so they wonder if you would be able to forward to your address their letters so that I can print them off that way to keep for you? I told them I wasn’t sure if the LDS mail was like yahoo and kept letters and stuff like that or if after you read them they were just gone, I am assuming that its just like any other kind of email and has storage but will not be something you can get once you leave the mission field so anyway please forward so that we can complete the book we are doing for your mission letters.
Well smiled and keep really busy make sure you write in your journal even if it’s a boring day Papa did and it is still fun to see the note for the day as he served.
Have a super great week.

Love your family

Tzaneen WOW

1. Does your companion have big family support or none?
1.He only has brothers and sisters left and one of his brothers is on a mission.

2. Remember Nathan Roberts is serving in Zimbabwe did they ever meet I know that is a total long shot but you never know this world gets smaller every day.
2.No he doesn’t know Nathan.

3. So do you get to eat fresh avocados and mangoes and bananas and paw paws and Litchi fruit?
3.Well it's kinda sad because mangos aren't ready until December but there are avocados, but I don't like avocados. But bananas I have eaten so it's really nice. They have a banana here they call Sweet Banana's. THEY ARE SOOOOO GOOD! Pawpaw’s are growing but their not ripe yet and Litchis aren't in season, But I will hopefully be here for a lot of that. Oranges are in season along with lemons and other stuff.

4. Is the fruit good?
4.yes

5. What kind of house do you live in this time?
5.It's a flat. We are being kicked out at the end of July though... Don't ask me why, I really don't know

6. What are you doing to dissipate that you are Satanists in the eyes of the village of Motupa
6. Well mostly we have tried to serve others at every opportunity that we get. It's been tough but the church is still growing.

7. So when you get discouraged are you going to read D&C 122 or maybe 2 Nephi 32:7
7. I'll get back to you on that one.

8.So now are you going to try learning Sotho I understand many speak this in that area.
8.I Am trying to learn a little Sotho. It's been nice because I know a little Tswana from Soweto and Sotho and Tswana are really similar.

9. Just so you know I would love one of the African Eternal Families made from wood or whatever.
9.......
10. So is this Mutopa close to Mozambique on the map it looks that way except it is spelled with an a not a u so I just wondered.
10.If it is the Motupa near Tzaneen then yes, but Mozambique is still pretty far away.

Are you the senior companion?
11. This is a very strange question which I will answer... I have been on mission longer then him, but I don't know if I'm senior companion or not.

Do you want us to send boxed food to you ever?
12.What kind of boxed food? If it's stuff I can get here then no, but if it's stuff I can't then yes.

Tell one faith promoting story from the week.
13.Well I can just say that this whole experience in Tzaneen has been faith promoting. I've been able to really focus on our work with Elder Makosa and as we have done everything we know we can. We have seen a ton of success. We've found people who are genuinely interested and have even showed it by attending church even when they have little or no money for transportation. People have been calling us for the free books and dvd's that we give and we have seen a lot of good. It goes to show that when you do your part, god DOES his.

Well for the week it's been faith building and we are making great progress with our branch. We just had an official Group Formed in Motupa with a group leader called and counselors called. So we now no longer preside over the meetings in Motupa, But I was just called to be the Branch Clerk here and given the responsibility of Training a member of the church on how to be my assistant Even though I don't have a clue how to do that. (this will take effect next Sunday. Eventually this member will be the clerk when I leave and he is currently the ward mission leader which we are training him to be as well. The reason for all of this is so that we can help him to gain confidence in himself and allow us, the missionaries, to attend ward council meetings to help the work even more. It's a crazy three ring circus here in Tzaneen, but things are improving. The work is improving and we may soon be branching out into other villages around.
Well I was thinking the other day about the times when we see people progress the most and those times were when we taught families that read their scriptures, prayed together and, had weekly family home evening. And as I was thinking about all of this stuff, I was thinking about how those are things that our family used to do all of the time but slowly stopped doing. I don't know how well you have been doing recently but I wanted to add the challenge for everyone reading this to begin doing so tonight and then continue to do daily. I know that it may be hard to organize things like that with all the crazy kids but if you give little assignments to them it will help them be motivated.

A Family Home Evening program should go something like this

Welcoming to family home evening, including an overview of the following (by person conducting)

Opening Hymn (2-3 Min)

Opening Prayer

Spiritual/Scripture thought (1-2 min)

Short lesson on a gospel topic. (10-20 min)

Fun Game (10-20 min)

Closing hymn

Closing Prayer

Refreshments

This is a commitment for each of you to follow weekly. I will be following up to see how things go and this commitment extends to all of my family and extended family. If you are going to do this please let me know through e-mail. I know that it is the way to go if you want to raise strong families and gain trust between husbands and wives, parents and children. I love each of you very much and am grateful for the prayers.

Love Elder Jones

Dear Elder Jones
This letter is from a young man who was in your area just last year. He stated at that time there were only 20 members and that it was hard, I really like what he says at the very end of his letter about hard and easy. Be prepared Dad says for the dry spell now that you have not been thirsty in teaching but we also know you and your determined spirit to not let anything get you down. Plus you can think up the craziest ways to get people’s attention. This Elder also talks in other letters about how a more shall we say enthused companion made it easier after getting a transfer change for a new companion. Well I am sure this week has been very different since that last few months new learning and getting to know the area. I hope that it has been lots of fun. This week I am starting to feel like a beat up run over mother. The boys have way more energy then me and Z is on creation mode twenty-four seven. So we have a pool made out of scrap boards and the little blue chairs but I do not think it will hold water. If he is in the house then he has huts going and makes walls to keep Buddy bear pined in which of course will not work. He dumps the laundry every time I get it in the buckets and swims in it because without fail its everywhere all the time. K is so bored it’s pitiful. He picks on Z one min and then they are the best of friends. He would stay on a horse all day if he could. Mc of course gets lost in his computer games and then we finally have to limit him on how much time he can spend doing that. C is forever in motion again until he hits the bed. Some days I wonder if the house will be standing when they all grow up. On Wed we went to peewee 4-H and the deck door was left open well Jer screamed at C to get that snake out now. Sure enough a rather medium sized blow snake took off behind the TV and down into a crack where trim needs to be put back on. The boys tried to stay up till 2 am getting it to come out and then it disappeared total and never came back out so it’s either found a way out or lost inside there still. They are a lot better about getting the screen door to shut now.
Today we got to see the twins and they are sososososos cute. I will get the pictures sent next week because I still have to load them and it's really late and I want you to at least have a letter from us. They moved back to Utah and are in limbo till their house can be closed from the building permitting and bank stuff they have to do.
Please fast for Jer he will be having his surgery on Tue afternoon as long as tomorrows history is cleared by the people who put him to sleep. Dad can't come with me this time because he has gotten it off so many times and then it's canceled and this time everyone is out of town on vacation so there isn't anyone to trade the shifts with. But Papa, Uncle Jathan, Uncle Shane and and Dad all gave him a blessing and I felt really peaceful
J managed to kill her car by shifting into 1st going 30 miles and hour she thought that was how she needed to gear down to stop at a stop sign. She either tore out the clutch or ripped the transmition to pieces. At least it was Dad that was with her so they could know how to get it off the road. She goes to girls camp in the morning and so she says to tell you she loves you but she is short on time as her an Tasha are right now trying to gather all the gear they need
Mc goes on a hike the day after Jer. surgery so Lori has to come get him because I bet I won't be back yet. They are making us stay over night for observation after the surgery is over.
Brother Larry and Sister Pam Gay are going to serve a mission in Mascow Russia, even Kathrine Howell will be speaking Russia on her mission to the Ukraine. Jer is getting to be rather bossy and very spoiled with his attitude. Primary was rough someone gave their class tootsie rolls and he wanted one he wouldn't let up at all I finally had to leave with him so they could say the prayer. Well I better get this sent out so that you can have a bit of news and smile about our crazy week.

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

Truly THANKFUL

No feeding tube just the oxygen left Sept 2007.Jan. 2007 to Junes Cowboy still watching his sats with the Monitor even while in the car.


Faith and Gratitude We are where they said we would never be.
So maybe I am going back in time a few years but today as I put Jer. on the bus and we had no tubing attached to his little neck, I had a moment of WOW. My memory shot back in time to 3&half years ago sitting in a New Born Intensive Care Unit around this time of year pinning to just go home and be a complete family and be free from the struggle we were facing and remembering that they told me that he would never go to school with out a ventilator and the trach. It was an incredible WOW. So FAITH and GRATITUDE just over took me as he waved goodbye and I went home to write this. I am so blessed by the Lord and realize that. These scripture are so true 3 Ne. 17: 8 , D&C 42: 48, D&C 29: 6 , Heb. 11: 1. I received the most profound promise in a blessing before he was born but I still had to go the whole challenge to see it come to a realization. My Dad had stated in that blessing that everything would be all right after the challenges were over. They are not all over but we don’t have to drag that machine to school that’s for sure. So check out some of the photo progress that we made through the last three years. Notice how we gain kinds of tubing and then slowly lose those kinds of tubing. It took us from Aug 2006 to June 2007 to get rid of all those different kinds of tubing’s and we still to this day at night have the nasal tubing when he sleeps


The size he grew while we lived in the hospital was much bigger then a 10 dollar bill! But he went from having to have a tracheotomy, ventilator, and feeding tubes to freedom.
June 2006, 1lbs 14oz Breathing on his own! He was as big as a 10 dollar bill. Jer.'s starting Story was that he didn't need any help breathing for 24 hours and then assistance with blow by air for a month. Then what they call the NICU rollercoster ride hit and we just hung on tight!