Mormon Missionary we love you.

Well this week has been pretty exciting I could say. Starting with Tuesday we had Zone leader Council which really helped a lot on how we can better improve our zone performance. Zone leader council took most of the day to attend, but we did have some time to visit an investigator and a member family that invited us for dinner. I'm really excited to apply the stuff to our zone.

Wed we had another interesting day. We had some appointments up to about 4:00, and then all of our appointments after that had to be cancelled because the Assistants asked us to go and pick up a missionary from the airport, because they were going to be in the north east. Well we did as we were asked and we went to the airport and waited a long time until the missionary finally came out of the terminal. We picked him up because he arrived 2 weeks before his MTC date, so until he enters the MTC he is going to be working in our zone with Elder Heward. He has quite an interesting story. He is originally from South Africa, but he has been spending the last year in Utah. He went to Utah looking for his long lost father, Found his father, Found that he was a member of the church, and ended up joining the church as well, and decided to serve a mission. He got his call to serve in the Johannesburg mission, because there actually wasn't any other option due to visa problems. In all of this he accidentally overstayed his visa and got thrown in jail for 4 days so now he is in South Africa early. Story of a life time!

    Thursday was interesting. we had planning as always. And then we had exchanges so that our Investigators could be interviewed for baptism. I went out of the area because I don't quite know it yet, and I went to an area where the missionary has been there as long as me, and that was our only option because the district leader had to go do the interviews.... Lets just say we were a bit lost and we didn't make it to our appointments. The car also started to overheat so we had to take it to a petrol station and get it cooled down. In all of that we did manage to contact some great new people, one of which was a father led family and we set 2 appointments so you can't say the day wasn't a success.

Friday was also interesting. Due to the recent events of Elder Van Heereden's life we had to pick him up and take him to the U.S. consulate building so he could turn in some forms that would allow him back into the United States after his mission. He plans to go back because he has a scholarship to BYU. That didn't really take a lot of time so we were back in time for district meeting. Which was great! The rest of the day went ok. We did a lot of finding and also an interview for some Elders in the zone. It's been hard to be in our own area this week but it's paid off. the Zone just achieved 30 baptisms with a goal of 31 so we were really close to making it for may. I'm sure we'll make it for June with a goal of 30.

Saturday was a normal day apart from when the first thing we had to do was change a tire on our car that had gotten a screw in it. After changing and fixing the tire, we were rolling awesome.

Sunday was great, we found out that we cant use our shower because all of the plumbing is plugged up and whenever you flush the toilet the base of the shower fills with sewage water, so we went over to the other Elders flat to shower and prepare. We made it to church on time and filled the font! As church started we had another interesting experience with one of our investigators named Ral, coming to church completely out of his mind I'm not sure what he was doing, but he was definitely under the influence of something very hardcore, because after a while he could hardly stand straight or stay awake. He kept falling on my shoulder and then waking back up. Finally we had to go out with him and try to figure out how to get him home. It really makes me feel sick inside to see so much self induced pain. He is definitely struggling so keep him in your prayers.

     On a lighter note we had 3 baptisms and the baptism went wonderfully. It was the baptisms of Renaius, Sarah and Tafadzwa. It was a good end to a week. Other than that we are now staying in a different flat until the plumbing is fixed up.

1. Baptisms did they go through?

1. Answered

2. Where is your companion from again?

2.He is from England

3. What is the town area like there?

3.It's a lot like Monroe but bigger

4. Did you need money put in account it should be working for you now.

4.well i don't know if i need money but i could probably use it.

5. Is there anyone that has inspired you while your serving there whether its a member or one who joins.

5.I would say Elder Van Heereden

6. What is one food that you would like to never see again since being on your mission.

6.um..... i don't know. Probably Mgoudu (this is cow intestines)

7. DO you HAVE you temple recommend up to date
7.yes
8.How is the changes with the mission president affecting you?

8.hasn't happened yet

9. So now are you being able to run with the change of place and companions?

9.I'm getting it now

Well that's all i have time for
Love Elder Jones

To my dear Missionary son

I am trying to make sure you get at least one note this week as I am at Beths typing it. The computers at home are having issues so that's why I am thinking ahead as we have to take Dads in to get fixed and we might not have it back in time to write a note Sunday.

I need to know out of those two classes which one you would want of the jump in class, Marriage and Courtship or the Public Speaking if taking the time to drive up there is something you want to do. I have to get the registration on it done next week. It can be dropped up till Aug 22 if you want to change you mind but as of right now one has to be picked and on your schedule before the class filles up. Its not really one I want to pick but I did say that the Marriage one would be the best as a class working towards graduation just pick based on the names and then we will reevaluated as the time gets near.

The kids are done with school today and so summer has started. I hope I can keep them busy. I have decided that I wont work because first I have no car to drive. And I kind of need to be here to referee the kids being at home. Jo and C both are going to be working at the ice house so that xxes me out of a car to drive. I also need to be on top of Jer and keeping him eating. I found out that I still may have the job come starting school because the boy who I sat with will be back on the bus come Aug. So it looks pretty good for my chances.

Well enough about me. We want to hear what your adventures are right now. Now that your in a new spot.

We think we have asked you every question that is possible to ask we too are having a hard time thinking up things to ask. Maybe I need to ask Mark and Chad what they would like to know about you now that you have been there so long.

Well Maybe there will be more letters later this week but as of right now that's it for my computer time as I have got to head for home to keep the roof on since they are all there and most likely doing the swim in the mud or play in the water while they change it since they think summer is here. The crazy thing is there is still all the snow in the mountains to melt and its cool all the time unless we have a really fast snap of warm up.

Love you lots keep up the good work for the Lord. Have the best week ever

Nearing a phone call time from the Missionary!!!!!

Ok so seeing's how this e-mail is Entitled phone call, I'll tell you the plans. The Senior couple here has offered to let us use their computer, because they have skype. So if I call you from skype it should only cost $0.02 a minute for 45 minute's making that a whopping $0.90 I'm not sure how you feel about that, it might be a little expensive....Just kidding. Tell me if that will work if not I'll make different plans. I hope that will work. We've been given some guide lines that we are only to call our parents, but we can speak with other brothers and sisters if they are present so it should be just the same as the last times. My advice is try to do a speakerphone thing or something that way I'll get enough time to talk with everyone... I'm not sure but yeah anyway if you have questions just e-mail them

1.Is Elder Lechner from Utah?
1.Elder Lechner is from Wyoming

2. Dad wants to know how big are the cockroaches give a measurement.
2.I'd say the biggest has been a little over an inch.

3. What is your favorite animal that you have seen over there ( J says bring her a Zebra and Jer wants a giraffe)
3. Well I'd have to say the very rare and ferocious house cat. Just kidding..... Um we see little monkeys all the time and their pretty cool.

4. Dad wants to know if you eat grapefruit over there?
4.Yeah I was eating lots of grape fruit when I first got here but they seem to be running out of supply

5. Dad wants to know what the most spiritual experience you have had while you have been there.
5. The most spiritual experience........... That is an absolutely difficult question to answer.

6. Are you going to try doing a Christmas bush this year?
6. No probably not, I don't think that even when we did it last year it was a great idea

7. What is your favorite temple?
7.My favorite temple is my home temple.

8. Dad wants to know if you have had any walking accidents?
8. I'm not really sure what you mean my Walking accidents, Like is that getting hit by a car, chased by monkeys or something that means I had to change my pants? Get back to me on that one.

9. They want to know if you are loosing your hair on the top?
9.Nope still got a full head o hair

10. How do you feel about your Father in Heaven and Fathers in general now that you have been away from home watching other fathers?
10. I realize that I probably should have respected my father a little bit more, because he is a great father. The ones hear don't usually seem to stick around much. And if they do they don't set the best example for their kids. Most of the members of the church are good examples though.

11. Tells a measurement on the growth of your testimony?
11. A lot of growth, the trouble is I feel like I always have to fight to keep it. But I guess that's just the way it is.

12. What is the one Christmas tradition that meant Christmas to you and you never wanted to forget doing it.
12.Breakfast after opening all the stuff....food of course

Well this week was a great week, We finally got all our post and yes I got three packages. 2 from the fam and 1 from Brock and Jamie. I Especially like the journal entries from Dad's journal. They are giving me a stronger desire to write more in mine.
Let me just tell you some of the highlights of the week. Sunday we had a lesson with two of our older investigators Brother France and Samuel. They are in thier 60's or so and they seem older then they look but they have been keeping all of the commandments and attending church for the past month or so and the only thing holding them back is the fact that neither of them were legally married to their wives, they only did the traditional thing, so we told them in order to keep the law of chastity and be baptized they have to be married legally and lawfully so this coming Tuesday we are going to attend a small...Very small marriage ceremony set up by me and my companion. Bro Mazzini in our branch is a marriage officer here and he is going to do the marriage. Although the wife's don't want to leave their church they seem to be excited about the whole marriage thing and they are supporting their husbands. I think they will come around eventually. Elde Rasi and myself are going to be the witness's and they only need 1 or two more close family to make it official so we invited the others and Bam! they will be legally married. And then have interviews on Friday for baptism. We Elder Rasi and I are making sure to take it by the spirit so if there is anything that seems amiss we will have to move their date to the 26th but so far everything is going well. This last week our District achieved our baptismal goal of 28 with Modjadji getting 3 more baptisms putting us at 30 baptisms in the last 4 months. The best part is that all those who have been baptized are still going strong in the church and I just looked at the time and I went over so I have to go. but I love you all

Elder Jones

From the family:
Brock is finally this week back to work but then they laid Uncle Jathan off because the part he was doing is done and it takes more skill that he does not have so we are praying that he can find something that will help them.
Christmas packages were two packages one rather long and large and one a small box. We sent an apron to your past companion also. They were sent out at the very last week of Oct. Then Aunt Jamie sent one two weeks later.
Aunt Bethany wanted to know the price exactly of sunscreen there because it costs like 7.00$ here.
Well I have possible job idea for you for upon your return, You could be a sub bus driver and then anywhere in the state of Utah you could make money. I found out today that in our district alone there are 47 permanent drivers and only a total of 57 drivers. That's only 10 subs that they can pull from so it could be a real possibility for you because they said they are very short handed and several are much older drivers. This week and many weeks seem to be flying by faster and faster and its almost hard to keep track of what happens through the week. Mon. we all had one quiet evening and stayed home and went to bed like really early being like 8:00pm. Tue C had a match against Canyon View and he won 12 to 8 he almost had the kid pined three times but he still had fun. Dad and I went to see the Cardiologist and Jer will not have to go back for two whole years. They said that his heart looks really good and is getting stronger. We drove super fast but did not make it back in time to see C wrestle. On Wed the little boys wrestled at a Junior High tournament against Juab, North Sanpete and Manti. K lost his first and then won by a bye because the kid walked on the mat looked at K and said he didn't want to do it and the kid was a 5th grader. Mc won one and lost two his win was 1 to 14 he is really learning lots about how to make this work for him. I again didn't get to watch because I had a training. Thur was back to quiet after practices and Fri too. Sat I had to do training all day long and the kids all hung at home. C and Dad after his wrestling practice helped complete B Howells eagle project, a maker welcoming everyone to Joseph. J has been helping me keep the little guys busy this week and staying with them at home so they didn't have to go to all the matches. We finally on Sat got the tree up and they think that they want it out in the middle of the room. I will see how well this goes but I guess I am just going to let it happen. I can't wait until the basement is done so we can have a real big family kind of Christmas in much larger spaciousness and then who will care if the tree sits in the middle of the room. There will be lots of space. Sondra and Chad are out there in the east and he is learning to fly and work on copters. He likes it.
This year everyone in the family has agreed to help a little girl that needs a special dog that helps alert her parent by paying towards some funding to help her. Its the little girl I told you about that her Mom had a nervous break down when she was normal and then all of a sudden quit being normal and became baby like again. The kids are excited to see the pic of the dog when they finally raise enough money to get one. The poor Mom was having kind of a rough time about the whole idea but has decided that it just might be a good one especially when her little girl just sits and is silently crying and her Mom doesn't even realize it because she still has to be busy doing things in the house. So we are all very excited to hear your voice and accent and wondering how will the calls work and have you found someone that you can use their land line off of? Phone calles have lots of moms are starting to talk about it on the Missionary MOMs site. By the way you should tell Elder Lechner (sp) to have his Mom join the site under the African site.
We asked the Kids the tradition question and it was rather interesting to see the input.
These are some silly questions but that's the mood that they all seem to be in tonight as we write.
We hope that many of your goals were met through this week in the Baptism area please update us on the wonderful work you are doing.
Love the family

Thanksgiving Over now for us and the Missionary

.

1.C is having a wasa about getting rid of your facebook. He said why can't we just delete people and then he can put back on whoever he wants back there. I need to know what your thinking and why. 3.Is it easy for you to resist looking at it when you are doing your emails to us?

Remember Brother Cottle's blessing and how he specifically told you to obey all the rules and you would be blessed on your mission. I am realizing how amazing that blessing can be.

C ate like a pig for Thanksgiving and is now running every morning again to drop back to the 103 spot. He did not believe us when we told him that he could very well be so sorry if he wasn't careful. I guess he has to live and learn. His first match is on Tue so we will see how things go for him.

This is Sunday morning and it is very quiet and peaceful I am reflecting on times when you where here and wondering how you think and feel about your life as a child in our home. 2.Did you feel safe, alone, happy or scared? It is so wild here some days with the way all these boys get going that I often can't wait until they are grown and be bit more quiet and then I think I must be crazy because then that would mean I was older and the fun moments would maybe be all gone. Just reflecting because some Sundays I feel so frustrated with how crazy they seem to be especially when they are cooped in the house and its cold so cold that know one wants to be outside.

In the last week we have had record cold for this Nov. already down in the -degrees and then add the wind and Dads office is so stinking cold. He finally broke down and got a heater that can move all over to try and get the office warm and to take the chill off when it hits morning and we have to stoke the fire again. I have wanted this heater for like three years so I couldn't believe it when he got it. I still wish that we had done a wood burning stove somewhere in the house though for when the electricity is out.

We have started reading Papa's missionary journal and 4.C wants to know if you are keeping one. It is really fun to hear Papas outlook of Japan and what it was like to try teaching and learning a language at the same time. They only went to the MTC for a week back then and their companions taught them the language by just not talking anymore English. It was hard and he really put all his feelings out there in his journal

I am now working on a goal to lose the last 20 pounds so that I will be back to what I weighed before I got pregnant with Mc. I ran my first 10K on Thanksgiving morning just here at the house alone with the treadmill while some of my friends ran up in SLC. That is 6 .2 miles. So I felt pretty good about that because then it didn't matter how much I ate I had burned so many calories. It really feels good to be back in shape even if I still have spots that I wish would not be so soft. J said at least she knows she can be in shape after having kids because I did it. I told her she better start running or something then or she wouldn't do it later in life. I at least danced and ran when I was a teenager which is more then what she is doing these days. While watching them prepare to sing in sacrament meeting I got to wondering. 5. Do you ever have to lead the singing or help with the singing at the branch or the bigger church in town? 6. Have you had to give very many talks in church while being in Tazneen or Motupa branch (sp?) In Church today they talked about how the Tithing was used to help with all the activities that are involved with the wards along with building of temples ward houses and materials that are used within our class rooms during church. That the fast offerings were for those who have need for food and helps when they are in a desperate situations. It was rather eye opening talk about how the monies are used within our church. I had to go to primary again with Jer he is really having a hard time parting from me but it will happen in time I am sure. This week we see the Cardiologist for Jer and I wonder if they will say he can go without the oxygen at night I bet not but I wonder. We will for sure have to have back up or put the alarms back on to monitor him which will mean I sleep less because of the beeping that it does

Well there are about 83 days left before Will returns home. He was sent to a more risky area of Columbia near the jungles and it will be his last transfer till returning home in about January. He is another reason that C said it would be dumb to erase your facebook. We were going to do the Christmas tree today but Dad sat down in sacrament meeting and his phone range and we were left to figure out how to get home after church. So no tree decorating today. Please fill us in on all the weekly stuff you did and I hope that the way I asked questions today isn't to hard to pull the answers out if they are just tell me to write different next time. Love you and have the most amazing great week ok.

Love the whole family.


Elder Tyrell Jones return letter.
1.Please delete my facebook thats it.
2.I'm not really sure how to answer that question??? It just felt like the place I grew up
3.....
4. Yeah I'm trying but not doing so well
5.Well for the past six months I have been leading at every sacrament meeting until yesterday, because I asked another member to try it.
6.To many talks in both the Motupa and Tzaneen branch. There's only so many who will give talks the others are just scared out of their wits and won't do it.





Well this week is the week before transfers, and it has been a week full of guessing and trying to predict if anyone is leaving or staying and doing this or that, but we finally got our answer on Saturday night. And the answer is...........................................................................The whole District is staying exactly the same, So by the end of this transfer I will have served in Tzaneen for a whole 7 1/2 months! man that's a long time. I still haven't had a 6 month area yet, I've completely skipped it all together :)
Anyway let me give you a report for the week. Monday was a normal p-day, we shopped e-mailed and did all that good stuff, The coming p-day should be somewhat exciting though, were planning on going to a zoo type place....Maybe. Tuesday was an ok day but we didn't have the Interviews we were hoping for due to our investigator not coming to church. But we'll recover and we'll do our best to help him out. Wed I was on exchange with Elder Lechner! in Lenyenye. It was the first full exchange that we have had. He was in the MTC with me and we were pretty good friends there so it was way fun. He'll probably be a good friend when I get home. As a matter of fact we have a deal that whoever gets married first, has to buy the other a meal at Olive-garden. anyway it was a really fun exchange and at the end they had one interview planned and the interview went very well and she was baptized this Sunday. She was the Wife of a member but she had never been baptized because she was in Zimbabwe, she loves the church the only difficulty was her ability to speak English. Lenyenye seems to be doing very well. there stats are always really strong and they have really helped a lot of inactive members get active again so that's exciting. Thursday was Thanksgiving, so we cooked some macaroni(there are pics) and we ate it during our weekly planning. Friday we had district meeting and I kinda took a load off my shoulders and assigned Elder Lechner, Elder Searcy and Elder Palmer to basically take the discussion so it was nice that way. Saturday everyone was in suspense until we got our Transfer information and then Sunday We had 6 investigators at church, and 4 of them are preparing to be baptized in the coming weeks.
We have just achieved 59 for our trimester goal and we have a goal of 19 for a zone in December. We are way on track and the Zone leaders are telling us that if we achieve our goal in December we will be the first zone to achieve over 100% for not only the trimester alone but for each month of the trimester. It's always really exciting and motivating to hear all that stuff so it keeps us going.
Well I've got just a few questions,

1.Did Justin ever get my letter? 2. Hows Uncle Brock?
3. How many packages did you send, and when?

Well I think that's about it for that.
I love you all and I love to hear from you all.
Elder Jones

Goal met by the Missionary.Baptisms completed ahead of time.

1.When you say you are not eating very healthy what does that mean. Are you not eating or does that mean that your are living on roman noddles. You know if you do not eat enough Protein then you can lose lots of muscle especially if you are having to walk around alot.
1. Mom you actually hit it right on the nose! Roman noodles all the way, except they aren't called roman noodles. I just don't really know how to shop, and I don't feel like there is ever time to cook. and I can't afford lots of meat.

2. So how is your goal setting going are you learning things about setting goals that will help you when your return?
2. Well I sure hope so.

3. What are your planning skills like now that you have been a missionary for a year?
3. Well I'd think they are a little better, but I haven't tried them on everyday life kinda stuff.

4. Discerning what does that mean to you? You said that you were trying to discern if one of the investigators was ready can you help us to understand what you learned about discerning in this area.
4. Discern to me means to be able to find what needs to be done, by the spirit.

5. Have you been to the little museum that holds drums from the Queen Modjadji it is there somewhere in Tazneen.
5.I'm not sure where that is. This whole area is Called Tzaneen... Motupa, Modjadji, Lenyenye. You'll have to find out which part of Tzaneen. (our area is called Tzaneen because we are in the center of Tzaneen Town.)

Wow sounds like an eventful week. A lot of things just clicked over again in my mind again and that is the fact that C and J and everyone is just growing up fast. It's way weird to hear that C is sucking weight and that J is driving around kingdom come. Just wondering, does the whole family usually read my e-mails or not? Well this week has been quite eventful for us. It started out normal, and then by Thursday we got a phone call from one of our members in Motupa, and he was sounding pretty distressed. He was saying that his house had been hit by a major hailstorm and that all his windows were broken and that his house was full of water. We told him that we couldn't really come over so soon because we usually do our weekly planning on Thursday and we don't get out of the flat until around 1:30-2:00. He begged us to do everything we could to come as soon as possible and I told him we would have to get permission to move our planning. Eventually I go a hold of Pres Poulsen and explained the situation. He said it was a good idea to move our planning and go help Bro Kuda. He told us to tell the Branch president and other leaders and then go. After we got everything we, picked up Kuda, who was in town explaining his situation to his boss, and the we left to Motupa. What once was a very green place full of mango trees and gum trees was now full of trees without leaves and houses without windows and roofs. When we got to Kuda's village, his was hit the worst, and he wasn't lying when he said his house was messed up. It took us 3-4 hours (not quite sure) to get everything cleaned up and livable again. We had to Clean out water and mud and hang up all his clothes, some of which we took home to wash for him. We had to clean up all of the leaves and branches from around his house, but eventually we got everything done. Things are relaxed now, but I tell you I had never seen so much damage done by a hail storm. The pieces of hail were about the size of golf balls.
After alot of thought and prayer we finally decide that Bro and Sister Mpofu were ready for baptism and they have showed it through the sacrifices they have made, and this Sunday Sister Tinashe and Bro Mpofu and his wife were all baptized for the remission of sins. It was pretty rewarding to see and I think it excited the brach a little bit. We had some investigators there to watch the baptism and I think it has done some good. On the other had, when we got to the service in Motupa we were disappointed to find that two of our awesome investigators were not at church. Bro Modika and Bro Samuel are some investigators we found last week, and they came to church without even a hesitation last week as well. This week unfortunately they were not there so we went to their home after Church to find quite a few people there sitting around Brother Modika, who was just starring off into space. After sitting down some asked if we had heard what happened and I replied that we did not know. They then continued to say that Bro Modika's son had been murdered on Saturday night. That was quite a shock and we decided that that was a pretty good reason to have missed church. We didn't know quite what to do so we just shared a few thoughts and then left them with a prayer. I hope things will be ok with their family. They could use our prayers.
On a lighter note, with the three baptisms we met our trimester goal of 9, with one month to spare.

Well I love you all.

Elder Jones

Our Newsletter full this week.
Jef Lun is getting married next week. Just is trying to finish the last few classes that are required for par-legal degree. Rh is still in Hawaii but will be back for Christmas. Devins brothers said he sucks at writing and if he does its like a paragraph and he seems to always be baptizing which was better then how their missions were. Yesterday they were all cleaning out their Moms attic of old stuff and so we got to see all of them. Sam I haven't heard anything newer then what I said last week and Cody loves college, Samantha loves college, Dallas loves college. Sarah R,Jamie R,Meg H & Brenton H, are all listed as getting or gotten married. Will is home some time in January. There are several of your high school friends who are returned missionaries that are requesting to be friends on facebook.
Winter is here with a vengeance and its dang stinking cold, there is still no coal available and we are getting a bit worried because we are going to maybe have to get a different inside heater. The basement is cleaned out pretty much and now Dad is trying to figure out what he is going to do to finish the floor. Dad got technical enough to figure out how to hook up netflix so we can watch movies over the Internet since he keeps forgetting to return ones that we rent and we have a bill that made me really upset and I told everyone no more rentals ever because he can't remember to return them but now we have got to figure out a new TV because the lap top is just to dang small to see and even really hear the show when its a family trying to watch. We have about talked everyone into just getting one big Christmas gift and that be a TV this year.
This week was tough starting on Tue C came being all frustrated because he was at 107 and couldn't drop even with all the hard wrestling that they were doing. The coaches really want him at 103 because there is a senior who is well known all over and they know that because C knows what he is doing he could be the only kid to beat this kid from Emery county. The only other kids that is on their team at that weight has never wrestled. Well we put him on a really strict smaller portion high protein diet and started him drinking water, finally by Sat morning he was at 103.4 at 5 am but the hydration test and weigh in was at 1:30pm so by that time because you weigh more in the afternoon he was back up to 104.3. They decided that he would wait one more week and keep hard working out and stay on a small high protein diet until next Saturday since they really only started working out last Thur. I am not sure that this will happen the kid has really no fat anywhere on him and he still has to grow some over the next few months. He has a much harder time going without food then you did. You should have seen him on Friday night he cooked food for everyone and washed dishes. He did not eat that night and finally I told him he should go to bed instead of torturing himself. We took Mc and the K and Z to the first wrestle tournament in Saline, Mc is so very very good at wrestling also. He almost took second but the kid he won beat him out of the spot in a round robin. K did take second but only because he had a bye. Z took forth because someone did not show up to wrestle so it gave him the medal that they had. They were all thrilled and so you know what its going to be like a bit more crazy with two boys wrestling practice at different times.
Oh today is Sunday and I am not sure why it has to be such a struggle to get to church all the time as of late. The boys stoked the stove but it didn't burn so in the morning there was not enough hot water for everyone to get clean. Then we have boys who drag the feet about getting ready and so we were almost late. Then the two oldest boys decided to sit out in the foyer. Dad and J were the ones that stayed home from lack of a shower. I got to teach a group of really wild primary 3 year olds as a sub this time because the new teachers had to be out of town. One of the little boys is from we think a part member family but we are not sure. I say we because Darren had made a comment in his testimony how it felt good to him to have Alonzo there to help him when they need to give blessings to those who are in need of comfort durning procedures. Then today as I went to walk into the primary the Mother of these little children that we were trying to figure out if they were members was introduced to me with her Hubby standing there. The person who was introducing said and oh this is Alonzo's wife the one who you met at the Hospital. Dad knew who I was talking about when I told him about it later after church and he said he wasn't sure but he thought that she was a member and he was not. Crazy thing is that the little kids know me from riding on the bus with them. Hopefully the missionaries will soon maybe have some people to teach the truth to here in our ward if they are only a part member family.
We received a very nice letter from your Mission Pres today. Telling us that you were prayerfully chosen to be a trainer and because of your obedience, hard work and faithfulness while serving there. I thought everyone had a chance to be a trainer but I guess that may not be so true based on the things that were said in the letter from your Mission Pres.
I guess the more things happen with you serving the more I realize that I do not know the process of what takes place in the process of a missionary. Please tell us all about your new companion and we are hoping that you were able to reach the goal of all the baptisms.
Love you have a great week and I hope that you are starting on some new people that need the gospel because those that you have been teaching were able to be baptized.
Love all of us

Hey cousins write to the Missionary!

1. Do people there get to go to the temple very often or does it seem very far for them to travel to Johannesburg?
1.Well from here it is way to far to travel, and most people don't have their own cars, so if they want to go to the temple, then they have to wait until there is a branch temple trip.

2. Tell us about the orphanage there and what more you see with the humanitarian kits that you gave out. One of the Howell girls sewed many of them that got sent from our stake.
2.Well we actually haven't been to that place in a while now because they haven't had anything for us to do. It's not really an orphanage, it's just a place that provides meals for the kids coming from school and for some of the orphaned kids around. It's a nice place, but I'm not really sure how it all works.

4. Has the fruit gotten ripe and what are you eating now days?
4. Well The Mango's are getting big, but their not quite ready yet. Everyone says they will be ready early December, and there is a large possibility that i could leave before that, i really hope that i don't, but you never know. Litchis are starting to grow and we even saw a guava tree the other day(the fruit was still tiny though) I'm not really eating that healthy I think.

Well this week has been AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our district is still doing very well and all of the new missionaries are getting along well. It's nice to have them all around, because you don't have to put up with missionaries that don't want to be obedient.-Elder Lechner is my favorite missionary. You should definitely send him a package. (typed by Elder Lechner)- I got to tell you mission is awesome. This week Elder Rasi and i have focused most of our time on preparing and trying to discern if Brother and Sister Mpofu are ready and we feel that they are. It's been tuff for them due to brother mpofu's work, His boss is a Muslim and doesn't really respect their belief. he says he will relive them on Sundays, and then he never shows up. It kinda sucks, but Bro Mpofu says he's not going to put up with it much anymore and so he might quit or something. they are and awesome family and if they make it to baptism this Sunday and tinashe as well, we will have made our overall goal for the trimester (Sept-Dec) it will give us a chance to really work hard and bring more to eternal life in December. We are doing very well, and the work is great.

1. Just a question about how Justin Rhett and my other cousins and friends are doing through out the world (Devin, Sam...)
2. How is Aunt Jadie, Amber.......

I love you all family and I hope to hear from you all
Elder Jones

Family letter to the missionary.

Mon Nov 1

Well I guess you will get two letters today. This time I made sure to get the letter written early so that didn't end up having kids keep me from sending a note to you. I even checked the time and it should have gotten to you before you were sending to us. I love you too lots young man you make me very happy that you are setting a great example to your brothers. I hope you can understand the end of C letter that he mailed in the Christmas box it shows how you are an example to them by his signature.

Tell all those Greenie Elders that they are amazing to be serving and know that they will settle down soon just hopefully they will keep that fire in them that they need to reach all those who want a better life.
Today is Thur as I add some to the note I realize that I accidentally put your other address on the letter that I sent last week. I am so sorry I sure couldn't understand why you would not have gotten my letter as I knew I had sent it before you were looking at email. I hope that you have gotten several different photos over the last two weeks because I have sent some like J and the dance and the boys the fire and Halloween pumpkin gathering with the whole Bingham side of the family. Tonight Dad and I went to dinner with all his bros and sis to celebrate their birthdays. Twila said that Sam is now a Zone Leader and his trainer who is from that area is done serving but he gets to see Sam often. Sam says he really has enjoyed that and the Young man said that his Portuguese is just like everyone on the Island where he is, this is a compliment to him.
Dallas said that there are a few people who have said things like "oh your Tyrells cousin" while he has been up at Snow College.
Well it's Saturday and we have now gotten through the race that I wrote to you about last week in the letter I sent to Timbuktu. Mc and K did the mile race and K took second and Mc took 3rd they both realized that they needed to train more, a little girl beat K by a long shot and her Mom is also the one who won in the age group younger then mine. I came in second and Dad stayed right by me speeding up and down along the race. We were not last but almost so no one got a turkey for our thanksgiving dinner. It was fun and I will be trying to send a pic so you can see the running results of all of us. Brother and sister Shaw raced in the race also. J stayed with the little boys and took the pictures for us. C went to Mountain Pleasant instead of racing to watch the Football team all of a sudden after losing almost the whole season they won enough to make them be in a position to play in the finals. They beat the two top ranked teams and then today they got beat out . He said he had fun but he is never going to go on a rooter bus again. His number this year was 11 and that pic is yes him at his last game. Lins Grocery store is closing and so lots of sales have been going on. Lots of people out of work also. It seems a bit crazy to close the store with the best parking lot and bigger freezers. We had just picked up an application to see if J could work there but oh well. I have been permanently hired on with the Sevier School District and it is now official. So nothing going on with anyone that I can see on your facebook like wedding invites so you must have boring friends. We are very ready to hear what happening on that side of the world with your goals and baptism and new companion and whatever else you can tell us of the special work that your are doing.

Start looking for a package its in the mail for over a week now and there is Christmas for you and one other person and maybe even a few other fun combinations of things. Sunday, Dad's turn to stay home with a sick kids Z this time. Dad was sustained today as the new secretary in the Young men's group so now he can keep C under control maybe. Hopefully work will not get in the way of him being able to go to the activities. It was very interesting to walk into sacrament, There was the young women who I help on the bus with her wheel chair ramp. Then one of the very rowdy little boys and his sister that I have to keep sitting down on the bus. Again towards the back was a little tiny boy who always wants to sit by the N B boy and draw pictures with him. And then another little girl that I always have to tell her to sit down. It was very overwhelming they are not members or inactive families I was really not sure which and then at the end of the fast and testimony meeting I felt more and more strongly about bearing my testimony to the love and knowledge that the Lord knows how to help us if we but listen and ask him for help. I bore my testimony about feeling grateful that Iwas able to get this job and that I cared deeply for these children that were his and I hoped that no one like the Mothers would be offended if I bossed them around and made them sit down and even reminded them that they should not act that way because that is how Heavenly Father and Jesus would want them to act. I felt very overwhelmed and seeing a bit of my patriarchal blessing coming to light in my life as it says that I will be a mother to the children of the neighborhood and they even call me bus Moma sometimes or Teacher Jones. Mc passed the sacrament for the first time today and did very well. Then he did the fast offerings. C went with him a couple of times and I even saw him helping him to make his tie a bit straighter at M's M house. Later J did her project for the values of young women hood. She demonstrated that she could make and find out how to make the Jalapeno Poppers. She gave a sample to everyone. On the way home we talked about a new goal to make and she is now going to try reading the Book of Mormon before you come home, me and T are going to read with her and I got her a special book marker to mark as she goes she is also giving one to T. I think I sent one like it to you it was yellow. Then C I found out has to read also to get his duty to God for being a teacher and Mc made a goal to just read more for school so they got a book mark and C read out loud to Mc and they started the first chapter. I read to Z but K had already fallen asleep. At least this Sunday was a bit more peaceful then the last month ones. Most of all I hope that J and C by reading can somehow become a bit better friends. The first of this week was rough with them having some struggles with each other and then poor J and T had a struggle with tec crew. Well with two letters I am not sure you are going to have time to answer all the questions nor read everything nor look at everything so I except whatever comes back ok and just know that we love you lots and lots.

Love you have a super great week Love all your family

Missionary tells how to find why baptism is important.

The Mom Says:

I did ask a question last time I just didn't number it so this time I will number them so you know they are questions.

1.So how are you getting on with your companion?

1. I'm getting along well, with my companion.

2.What is he like?

2. Well this is kind of a broad question, but I will answer to my best. He's my first companion who is shorter than me.(by almost less then half an inch though) He smiles all the time. And he can speak Shona. He loves the work and he is a good missionary.

3.How do you handle all the differences that I am sure you are finding with working with many different young men.

3. Well sometimes you just have to swallow your pride and leave it at that for the unimportant stuff, but if there are things where a missionary is out of line then you have to address it.

4.Is there anything that your companion would need that you have and he goes without?

4. Well probably not right now, because we all get the same allotment and stuff. He would probably need help when he gets home though.

5.Are you still learning a language?

5. I'm trying but I haven't been focusing to much on it lately. It's difficult, because there are so many different languages and everyone has a different idea of how to use them. For example you could ask someone how to say hello in Sotho, and then someone else down the road will say you are wrong and try to correct you. It's tough.

6.So do you see cock roaches there and are they in your apartment?

6. We have tons of Cock Roaches. as a matter of fact we just bought some more DOOM today.

7. Have you eaten the other fruits that you mentioned that were not ripe when you arrived there at first?

7.No their not quite ripe yet. We are getting alot of Mulberries around here, but those are at home too. The Mangos are just now starting to grow, but there about the size of a plum and still super green.

8. Max did the baptism go forward?

8. Max isn't scheduled for baptism until the 31st, he is doing great and his wife said if she sees a big change in him, then she will follow but right now she is sticking to her church. It's good, because we are already seeing a great change.

9. Did his family come with him in baptism?

9.answered

10.Have you ever had to pay for extra luggage that you had with you?

10.Nope

11. How much has the branch grown since you have been there?

11.Well we so far have baptized 7 people. and alot of less active members have been coming to church now.

The missionaries return to our letter:

Yo! that's scary, is she doing ok? it sounds like alot of people are getting sick or what what. I hope Brock gets well. Did you know that most of the world doesn't understand what it means to be baptized, but you can find out from the scriptures. Mosiah 18 is a good chapter for that.

I'll tell you, every time I get an e-mail from home it seems like time is just flying by... WOOSH!!. Hearing about Rhett and Justin and my brothers and sisters in high school doing sports and what what. It's crazy!! and I didn't know Cody was old enough to graduate yet. Time just goes to fast, Especially when every second is measured. I've never had to measure time more in my life then on my mission. From the whole two years, to every month, then to the weeks and then to the days, to each appointment and every second. When you are given only so much time to use, you have to use every second of it WISELY.

Well this week was another really great week for our district and for the area. We had four Baptisms in the district and four Confirmations, Unfortunately one who was supposed to be confirmed didn't come to Church so she now has to wait another week, which can get scary. I was told that our District is carrying the zone so we could use lots and lots of prayers from home and maybe even fasting that we can reach our Goals for the coming months(goals of bringing 70 Souls to eternal life). The zone is at 23 and our District is at 12. The trimester ends in Dec and then we start again in January.

Just to give some advice to the members of the stake. It can be pretty difficult for missionaries to follow the rules if the members don't help them. That is something that we are battling with here in Tzaneen sometimes. The members don't really know what is expected of missionaries so they keep asking us to do things that we aren't supposed to do. So help the missionaries out and learn what is expected of them so you can help them live up to that expectation.

Well I love to hear from everyone so keep sending those e-mails

Love Elder T. Jones

P.S. have you heard if any of my friends or people I know have gotten married?

Our letter to the Missionary

Aunt Twila ended up having an appendectomy she was who was in the hospital when Dad got there on the Sat ( he didnt say that I found out from Aunt Terry). We saw the missionaries that week that you asked and C said they came to seminary and then played night games with him and B and Kes over in Monroe, but he was a bit bugged that all they seemed to do was play and not take their curfew hour serious. I have heard of no one from here coming over there to serve. Many of the new Missionary Moms are having their sons go to Durban and Botswana area.This week has settled into a quiet roll of going to school and me riding the bus, doing chores. Mc's team won the soccer championship again and they got cool dog tag awards with a Pepsi hat. So that's two years in a row for him now. C did a really good job playing football the other night and Kevin Anderson said he just loves to watch him play. It reminds him of when you would play and he was the coach way back forever ago. Hopefully today the fire has been put out because it is raining cats and dogs here. There is a lot of controversy over this fire because they could have put it out and it wasn't done. This spring run of is going to put a lot of mud into the ditches and the pipes which is not going to be very fun to keep cleaned out. The mountains are going to have nothing to hold the dirt together with and so who know what its going to be like this spring. Conference was nice to listen to but hard with these noisy boys who do not want to sit still. When you are praying please pray for Uncle Brock. Uncle Brock is pretty laid up because he bumped his leg and got a huge infection and it has made his leg very very swollen. It has Dad worried it is so bad. Papa gave him a blessing that Nana said was very tender and that someday he would look back on this and understand why it had happened. There are loved ones who do not understand why we do baptism in our Church. Rhett is over in Hawaii now and Justin is almost done with prelaw he has two classes left to go. Cody is down at SUU now to. J will be going to homecoming with T which should be interesting since he has a great big cast on his foot and it still hurts a lot. Well the Cabins are done for the year and so I am so grateful that the Lord provided another employment to help us out. Uncle Jathan has been learning to weld so that he could go to work with Brock but it has turned strange from all that is happening to Brock. He has still been going to work with Brocks Boss which has really been very nice to help them a little bit. We had a huge diesel wreck that was carrying Stoffers frozen meals. It crashed up the Marysvale canyon and it filled everyones freezers up. We took lots up to Jathan and Julie and to Aunt Ambers also. We are also praying for that families loss of their father. We begged Papa to please be very careful when he drives also. Well I think that is all the news for this week. I love you very much and hope that your week was amazing and very filled with the Lords work. Oh ya do not worry about what you need to be doing here because it can wait till you get back. The Lord is taking care of that by teaching and tempering you now while you are serving and learning what he wants you to know now.

Those pics you sent remind me of the little boys all working together to carry buckets of water to the horse and now here you are showing us that the skill we taught here is a very usable skill when serving a mission. HEEhee.

Love you with all our hearts love the Mom

Praying for those that our missionary is trying to teach.

---

1. Are you doing ok money wise still?

1. Yeah i'm always ok money wise.

2. The dang kids ate my box of Captain crunch that I got for you, does it have to be the name brand or is the Malto meal in a bag kind just as good?

2.Malt o Meal is what i grew up eating so that's fine by me

3.How are the 4 people that we have been praying for doing?

3.Well those 4 people are ok but we made an interesting discovery this week which i will tell in the main letter

4. Tell me some tie colors that you would like or do you even care?

4. Green Blue, Red! Yellow....Whatever just send some awesome ties.

5. Dad says who did you give all your ties to usually that happens towards the end of your mission not before the one year point hits so he is wondering.

5.I've been giving them to recent converts that we baptize

6. Did you get Dads last advice note or only mine?

6. I did, i thought i replied but i don't think it sent for some reason

Those photos are all just random shots. I have no idea how to make them smaller to send to you so please tell me if you were able to see at least 4 pic to every send and there were 5 sends that I did. J sitting on the car with the smoke in the background is Sat as the fire began to flame up again. It has been burning for a little over a month now. Then there are pics at the county fair and just everyday catches of all the kids.

Well can't wait to hear your adventures for the week. Also tell us one faith promoting thing that happened to you.

7. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PICTURES THEY ARE GREAT!!!

Love Mom

Dear Family

Well i hope that i can type fast today because i have some interesting stories, but I'm only left with 30min and that time goes by fast especially when you are trying to think of how to write things down. Well i will start with Monday. Last Monday as i mentioned i had the opportunity to do a baptism interview. The interview was with an 18 year old kid named Layne. Now in the interviews we were taught not to make it seem like an interrogation or make it awkward and that is the first thing that i did. But i didn't realize i was doing it until after i had done so. We were sitting on the same couch and when everyone left the room it was bothering me because i had to turn my head all funny to talk with him so i grabbed a near by chair so i could face him. That made him a little bit nervous i think. So the whole time we were in the interview he didn't look at me and i was finding it very hard to find some common ground so i thought let's just get this over with and i started asking the questions. Finally at the end i asked if he thought he was ready to be baptized and after he said yes i replied "I think you are too"... it seemed like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders and he took such a big breath i thought i wasn't going to be any air left for me to breath. there was a big smile on his face and he opened right up. We called the others in the room and they were all very excited for him as we filled out the baptism record. He was successfully brought into the straight gate this Sunday.

Tuesday we went to see our dear brother Clifford and his brothers so we could help check on how they were doing and we came a cross a very interesting plant in the yard that we had not noticed before. To describe it it grows almost like a tomato plant, but it has 5 little leaves that all grow in a beautifully fan shaped pattern. And if you can't guess what it is I'll give you a hint. ( Marijuana) also known as (Dakga). This was very disappointing. The very thing we are trying to battle for our dear brother was growing in a nice little prepared space in the yard. As we stood there Elijah and Bongoni noticed us looking at the plant and realized that we knew what it was. Niether Elijah or Bongoni struggle with it but they didn't want to say anything to kind of protect their brother and themselves. Elijah acted like he didn't know what it was and Bongone Openly admitted to having purposefully stepped on it earlier. anyway we told them that we would leave it up to Clifford to remove it and then we tried to start our lesson. Unfortunately it was very hard to concentrate and after a minute Elijah stood up and pulled the plant violently from the ground, and then threw it in the outhouse toilet. We were very shocked at this and didn't want to take the blame, but Elijah explained that he would tell Clifford he did it and there wouldn't be a problem because Elijah is the older brother. with this we started the lesson and things went well. We later came to find out that Clifford was very understanding and he didn't even get angry. So we hope things will only get better. Unfortunately he didn't attend church with us yet.

Wed we went for more training, but this week it was at our chapel so we didn't have to travel so far. I think we are finally finished with all of it so now we can really get down to business and work.

Thursday we had very full day and we were able to set up a schedule with some of our Branch missionaries to make daily visits to Clifford so he can have a good influence around him at all times.

Friday we had an awesome opportunity to do some community service in Motupa, for a little place that cooks meals for children in the village. many of the kids don't have parents so it's quite a nice service opportunity. I sure hope it gives us a good impression for the people living around there

Saturday we also did some service at our branch presidents house, because we are really trying to gain a good relationship with him. We are trying to get some branch activities going so we are being as good as possible.

Sunday we had about 11 Investigators who attended church so that was a plus. Unfortunately many of those who have baptism dates did not come. We have a goal to Get 3 baptisms this month and we are coming close to making it but it will be up to the agency of those we are teaching.

Well I'm out of time sorry, i hope this is a informative e-mail, I'm doing better at writing in my journal.

Love Elder Jones

P.S. Dad i love you, sorry for not e-mailing again, i would still like to hear from you

P.P.S mom could you save my e-mails, many of them will make good journal entries. Especially many of the ones from my first months on mission.

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

Missionary made a district leader for Tazneen

1. Have you had to use your converter very often?
1. I only use the converter when I send pics. I just got a new one with the money you sent so it should work. I just sent some pics with it. I hope it lasts though because it is cheap.
2. What kind of exercising are you doing is it only soccer?
2.I actually haven't played soccer since I got here to Tzaneen. I usually just do some push ups and jumping jacks or what what when I wake up in the morning.
3. When will you be going to another zone conference.
3. That is an absolutely good question, because I'm not sure. The mission just sent around an e-mail saying that the missions all over are changing, and we will only have ZC 4 times a year now. We will be going through some new teaching skills training that they are implementing into the MTC's. so I will have to wait for transfer news to come out, so I can know that.
4.How is Beverly progressing?
4. Beverly has been baptized!!!!
5.What is one new tradition that you have learned about while in Tazaneen?
5. One new tradition.
6.Please tell us a small story that your companion has told you about his country that borders the area you are now in.
6. Well alot of people here, actually almost all people here speak Sesotho and I have really been trying to learn as much of that as I can. Tumela-hello, Leeki-How are you, Rona, I'm fine...
7.Do people sing on the street like they did in Soweto?
7. Just me and my companion.
8.Mc wants to know if you have eaten grub worms like in the pictures we saw before you left?
8.I have eaten only one, but it was dried and tasted like Cardboard. I have yet to eat them prepared as a juicy meal. But I fear I will regret that day.
9.What are the houses like in the village?
9.You will see a picture of one in the pics that I sent.
10.Are there flowers there and what do they look like can you take pictures?
10.Well that's a good question. There are some unique flowers here but not many many. I haven't taken any pics of them. By the way, did somebody enter my photos in the fair?
11.Did you get Emily's letter yet?
11. Nope I haven't gotten any letters in a very long time.

Well I'm going to make this e-mail short even though I have alot to say. With Sister Beverly we managed to set an interview for her this week and she passed with flying colors. I baptized her and I almost fell. She is a big woman, but she is defiantly converted. I would say you have to be to have gone so long and finally realize that you can't make excuses anymore. It was a fantastic baptism and we had 83 people at church, that is a record number here. It was a fantastic Sunday. Now for earlier in the week, Saturday morning to be exact, We received transfer news because transfers are coming up on Wednesday. Well this phone call was from President Poulsen and he was calling to assign me as the new District Leader here in Tzaneen since our District leader is leaving. I sure hope I can cope with it. I am grateful for that e-mail Dad it has really helped me alot I have realized a little through out this week that things are going to get really stressful but I can't let it get me down. I am only just one man...Young man and I can only do my best, and if I'm doing my best that's what the Lord wants. Thanks Dad so much and although I'm meshing all of my writing into one letter because of time I really appreciate you alot and if makes me feel like a load of pressure is gone whenever I hear from you.

Sincerely,

Elder T. Jones

The Dads letter this time.

Hi Bud
It's your Dad. It sounds like you have alot going on in your new area with being the ward clerk and teaching new branch members how to organize the congregation. At the same time you still have to keep up with the missionary work. It appears to be a daunting task to perform. But, I know you can do it. The lord has great things planned for you. He will not ask anything of you that you can't do. The more you learn, the easier it gets. Learning is not always in books or the scriptures. Although they are important. Sometimes the best way to learn is by doing. This can be stressful with so much responsibility, and you can do it. I know what you are capable of. Listen to the holy ghost and follow the promptings he gives you. Pray always, and follow his guidance. You will not go wrong.
Some times your companions can be a little challenging. If they come from areas or cultures that are different it makes it even more difficult. Learn from them. Everybody has something to teach and to learn. Don't get discouraged, it only slows a person down. Be positive at all times and take on a good attitude. It is amazing how much your attitude can effect your success.
On my mission I converted three people, one of them was me. It isn't import how many people you baptize, it's important how many people you convert. Stay in tune and the spirit will lead you to the people prepared to hear the Gospel.
Things are speeding along on this side of the world. summer is half over and thing's are so busy we haven't taken much time to enjoy it. Between the hospital and the farm we don' t stop moving. I'm sure mom keeps you up to date on what's happening but life is always crazy in such a big household. Tomorrow your mother is going to run in a three mile race on the 24th of July milk run. She has been training for about a month now. Since she has lost so much weight she thinks it's time to get into shape and start doing things. J found that Hobbles can run and now is barrel around the area. She is also doing the tecky thing at the high school again with the plays. I didn't know they did plays during the summer. But what do I know I'm just the father. J is broadening her circle of friends which is nice.
I'm trying to learn to e-mail so my letters will be more frequent. Its a challenge I plan to master. I have to go now but I will try to be better at writing more often.
Love Dad.

K's letter to you.
How is it going and how have you been? I can't wait till school starts and I got new cool shoes to wear but Mom won't let me wear them yet.
I have been going to church lately and it has been a great time. Krista was here from Texas and substitutes taught my class today.
I love you very much Love K


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The Moms letter now.
One of the Moms of a missionary leaving to go there on Mon. said that they have read and reread all our questions trying to learn what they can about being a missionary there. So thanks for being such a good writer son
I am just writing about the family going ons I promise that letter was your Dads but I had to let him go through my email. I am going to slowly teach him to do it through his. It was pretty funny watching him, it took him forever to type out I thought that it was going to be like the longest letter on earth until he had me do the spell check and realized it wasn't but he put lots of thought into what he wanted you to hear. Stay happy and at peace even if that area is tough you were sent there for a reason one I know because you are such a bright light of happiness to those who do not know truth just make sure you let it shine and not your frustration. Sat. night J ran the barrels in Scipio. She didn't win even Big K didn't win. But they had fun. Aunt Celia told us that she had just been talking with Brother Kolicker who is home for 4 weeks to meet with the brethren and you came up and how you had spoken with him a few times. He said now isn't he in Tazneen right now? She was unsure what the place was called but said yes he isn't in the city now. Brother Kolicker said that is a very tough place to be and he will do a very good job with his attitude for that place. So he still remembers you and your light and that your will have an affect just because you let it shine there even if know one yet comes to the waters of baptism. Just serve your fellow man humbly and happily and you will somehow touch them. Chas Hathaway was in the township Seshego and he also says he is so jealous. They would go over to Tazneen because it was in the same district is what I think he called it. He misses Africa. Dad's first comment about you and hiking in the jungle was "don't, especially if your companion doesn't want to. He would know first hand and it most likely would not be safe and safety is the most important for you whether that is spiritual, physical or mental. He didn't write that in his note because he wrote several days after we got your letter and most likely forgot that he had said that. Also maybe feeding the monkeys isn't a very good idea as what if one of them bites you. So he doesn't want you to do that either unless Elder Makoso says its an ok thing". Sorry I am sounding bossy Mommy, it's just that I love you lots and it's what I do. This week was a wild one. I had had enough of the boys not cleaning a thing up and making it slowly worse. You couldn't even get in C and Mc room plus there was a tube of toothpaste from a camp bag that got stepped on over and over into the carpet but it was under so many layers who would have known. Also tent was laid across the laundry room to to long. All privileges to go and do were suspended until a huge list of put back together got fixed. They didn't believe me the first day and dragged every job out till J ended up missing Tec and that she was supposed to do plus losing her phone C also lost his phone but didn't bring it to me and they ran away. C and her walked to do the dog kennels. They then walked to young mens,womens and it was Bishop interviews. C insisted that he wasn't going to be going to the temple outing because of football starting so he started for home and J went with them to do the interviews. She came back way humbled. C walked all the way home so he had gone all the way around the valley. He had to get up at 6am and do his jobs to make it so I was willing to take him to wrestling came the next morning. But he did it and the room can finally be walked into and the toothpaste is cleaned up. The white truck took up time again and kept me in town and not finishing the cleaning up that was needed but Mc and Z really went to town cleaning. J even did and said "Mom I vacuumed like you do" which it's about time. I have managed to still run about every other day so I am ready for my race goal. I have always wanted to run in the Milk Run I think because Twila did and I thought well if she can I should be able to also. That was a lot of years ago. So I have finally done it. Aunt Carol at 61 years of age ran with me and came in one sec behind me. I had my phone out and was looking at the time that I had crossed and she was right behind me and said what time is it and my clock had changed just before that. She kept right up with me she slowed and then would catch up and slow and catch up. I just had to keep the steady pace I never really stoped except to gulp a drink at the mid point. I had a hard time catching my breath at the bottom of my lungs which really bugged me finally at the half way point I was able to breath deeply the whole last part. I took 3rd place for my age group I was not the last by a long shot and I ran it in 33.53 min which is faster then I had ever timed myself. I felt pretty good and I got a bronze medal out of it. Then I had to turn around and walk the whole main street route with the cub scouts. Its a good thing that I have been sometimes walking up to 6 miles with running. I must admit my legs were tired, pavement is harder to go on all around. Well today both Russell and Kathrine did their farewells and leave on Wed. for the MTC one going to the Kathrine to the Ukraine Russian speaking and Russell to California. Well I can't really think more what to say mostly because I want to hear what you have to say I personally love to hear from you and all that you are doing right now. I am going on a walk with your Dad now and we sent swimming for family home evening and it was Dads idea the kids loved it.
Love ya son