The Lord works in Many Ways.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elder Jones

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

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

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.

Even little Z can write the Missionary.

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

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

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

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

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

2.Yeah that was a sweet! talk

3.What number are you at on baptising?

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

4.How are you shoes holding up?

4.My shoes are ok.

5. Did you find a sweater vest to use?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear Elder Tyrell Jones

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

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

Dear Family

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

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

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

Love,

Elder Jones