Weighing the show steers in with SNOW!

We awoke to lots of spring snow and coldness. Draw back, the two untrained show steers had to be loaded and taken to be weighed to know what the gains will become over the next few feed out months before the show. They were pleasantly surprised at how good they were weighing in by this date in the game.

That was way easier then we all expected.

The cutes pinky girl ever.

We were happy to see our cute cousin niece there girlying the gates to the shoots.

T watching the steers move below him in the  pass to the scales.

C boy thinking come on already the wall is not going to eat you steers move it.!

Pushing the steers through the gates into the shoot weighing scales. Yep that's one cute girl of mine with C boy standing  n front of her and the one holding the yellow prod making  them move forward is our niece. Of course lets not count out the handsome side wall prod man getting the steers to move on down the path, he is mine and no one else's.

Pretty girl Jo,T, and Z an K boys sticking their lovely tongues out at me. C boy is watching them be goofy.

What a big bunch of farm kids not even caring of all the muck around them.

Now be nice an load up again to head back home.

Yippy three more months to grass feed and pack on the pounds and then make some big money to put away for college. Jo and C look like it just might  be lucrative in the end.

Botswana trip, & the wearing of the pass around suit.

For the Questions,
1. Do u drink chocolate or eat it or have it powdered since its grown in that country or is it a product that seems to be only for the very wealthy?
1. There is a ton of chocolate here and it's not expensive.

2.Last week his question was he wanted to know if a brown suit was his cousins that he left in Africa when he finished his mission and the answer is.
2.Yes the brown suit was worn by Elder Mark Owens from your own home town and he is your cousin. He is amazed that it is still around so take a day wear it to a meeting and then pass it on with your name signed inside he says its tradition.

3.Tell us what it was like to see Botswana the land inside of South Africa, along with your adventure to drive cars there??????
We hope there are some pictures to go with that trip that you took to Botswanna.
3.Well the Botswana trip was cool, I'll tell you a little about it in the meat of my e-mail

4. Brother Aubery what has happened we have prayed all week for him.
4.Well this week, we haven't seen him since last Sunday, but we will be seeing him on Tuesday night. He still seems to have some hidden concerns that he doesn't fully want to talk about so it's hard for us to address them.

5. What do you think of the info about driving busses as a side job.
5.I really don't know. Um.... I never though of myself as ever driving bus for kids but you never know.

The Elders letter
I can't tell you how excited I am to hear that they are doing Beauty and the Beast at Snow. It's actually making it hard to think right now. (in highschool Tyrell was Lafou and he loved being that crazy guy.)

Anyway lets start with Monday. Not much happened then but we had a good p-day and got some general stuff done like cleaning and shopping and stuff.

Tuesday We started of by going to The Paul Nicol's home for handicap people and we organized a massive service project, for our whole zone to come and paint a part of the place it should be pretty easy with 20 missionaries so it's going to be great. and as the day progressed, we went to our appointments. it seems like we've been struggling a bit lately because alot of people have dropped us and alot of people aren't committing. So Elder Hatch and I have been filling up our time with trying to find new people to teach. Tuesday was full, but everyone except for Benee and Maria and The Baldwin Family (both member families). So we did some finding around and actually found a good family, The Groenewald (pronounced with a dutch accent) family.
Wednesday I was on exchanges with Elder Ramahefarivo (from Madagascar) We got to go to an employee meeting for a store called Clicks, and share a message from the scriptures about unity. After that the rest of the day was a bit drab. We set up some posters produced by the Church in an effort to stop people as they walked by and talk about coming to visit them, and unfortunately all of the people we found were not really in our area. after about and hour of that, the Elders In Kwaguqa (Kwa-goo-[click with your toung] and say wa) Telling us that there was one of our investigators in my area that needed to be interviewed for baptism that was to be this last Sunday. So after finding where he was we went to go and interview him. We had made a plan to meet him at a toll gate on the N4 freeway which was about 30mins from our area. we got to the toll gate and called the investigator who said he was on his way. After waiting another 30mins we called again and he said he was having trouble to find a taxi and that it might me another hour wait. I realized that we weren't going to be able to to that so we made plans to see him on Saturday. After getting back to the area our 4:30 appointment didn't show up and our 6:00 appointment cancelled as well. so then Elder Rama and i drove to Sunnyside to switch back with his comp and my comp so that Elder Hatch and I could pack our things and drive to Jo'burg for the night.(because of the trip to Botswana the next morning). Finally we got to Jo'burg and we packed our things into the medical flat for the night.

Thursday was the day we drove to Botswana. We woke up at about 5:00am to get ready and we were at the Mission office by 6:30 to receive instructions and to load up to go. The purpose of the trip was to pick up 12 mission cars and drive them back down to south Africa before we had to pay a fine, because the cars are registered in south Africa. So what they did is they loaded us up into two vans for the trip up and then we had to drive the cars back. It was a long drive up, but a longer drive back. To give you some details let me tell you some numbers. There were a total of 12 cars waiting for us in Botswana and a total of 6 companionship's and one senior couple making 14 of us in total. So to get back to south Africa we had to drive back the 12 cars plus the two vans.......so do the math. OK each of us had to drive our own car WITHOUT A COMPANION!! I'm going to tell you that was one bazaar experience. We were put into groups of four to be sure and stick together. It was me Elder Hatch (my comp) and two others behind us. I was the only one in my group that hasn't served in Botswana so I was right in the middle. The drive was honestly one of the weirdest things because I had no music and no companion to talk to.So I realized how weird it was to talk to myself after having not been alone for the past year and a half. After a long drive we got home and the deed was done. Unfortunately i didn't get to see much of Botswana because we just went in and came out, but I can say I have now touched ground in three separate countries.

Friday we had a Zone meeting and it was great, we talked about our upcoming goals for this trimester, and I got to say a few things that I enjoyed in General Conference, about Being and Doing.

Saturday was hectic because we had to drive all the way to Kwaguqa which is about an hour drive and do that interview. After that we came back and started our own day which was mostly finding again. At 4:00 we went to Sunnyside to do another interview and then got back to our area. to finish of the day

Sunday was average, we had about 2 investigators at church, Benee and Maria's Neighbors Finally gave in and came to Church and then the day went on from there. Please just keep praying for us that we can find lots of good families to teach and Mom keep up the good work on setting me up for school. Sorry I haven't had the chance to reply to you yet Dad sometimes I just don't have time to say all that I want to say.
Love Elder Jones

The families newesy news.
I am to tell you that our bus driver says you really should start the CDL training when you get home and be on the sub Bus list with her hubby training you because then where ever you go you could be a sub driver especially if you go to Ceder City because there is a huge turn around that happens there with young drivers graduating and leaving to do real life jobs. You have to be 21 so in a few weeks you will be just the right age to start training and have a side job that is not to expensive to get into either.

Working on getting you set up for school when the time comes. After talking to Will live in person( info to follow about what that means keep reading) he said the same kinds of things you were saying that acting could be sorta of a dead end job type thing and so he was looking more towards the angle of teaching drama in schools so that he could actually make money in life, and he did say a mission sure changes your views of life and what you might want out of it all in the end. I am going to add to the fact that with much prayer you will be guided if the Lord as a set path that he needs to you be following just make sure you listen after you talk to him about that path.

So (brakets info meaning read on) lets get to some crazy news notes. First I ran into Will Casper at Snow when I went up to see how I could make school work for you at the point you come home in. He said he had just gotten a letter from you. Also to tell you that he would be trying out for Gaston and hoped that you would try out for Lafou in the January production to be put on at Snow. So I went in to talk to Dr K  who was standing near Brad Olsen when I found them and they said to both write them an email note that I can send to them to make them aware that you desire to please have scholarship's within both possible departments. I am thinking based on Brads statement that he may be hoping to pull you over to his dept. possibly. Brad also said to make sure and tell you hello and that it would be really great to have you back again and to have some more crazy fun like running you into the wall in a wheel chair.

Family news: The river is getting higher and higher because of the vast amounts of snow and how cold it has been staying. The kids set the tent up in the bottoms and then slept there one night but the next night Uncle Ray said that he had raised the river level again so we would not let them stay down there. Its amazing that they did not freeze out because it was really not that warm of a weekend. Nana had an Easter party that she planed that we held at Bethany house. They had to find eggs and they had been hidden really good so they had a hard time finding them. They played pin the tail on the bunny and it was so funny when C did it they fliped the bunny drawing upside down so that there was no way that he could get near the spot that the tail should go. They fliped it again on its side when Jord did it but he somehow got it smack on the right spot even with the eyes covered and hands tied behind his back. We were all laughing pretty hard over that game. Well there will again be a son of the hospital staff going to Johannesburg. The Bastians,the lady who once cut your hair and are in Jadies and Chads ward son just got his mission call there to Johannesbug but he will not leave until the week you are arriving here.
Love me all the family too.

Zane Jones
i love you Have you ate or seen misquitoes? How many people have you baptized now?

Are you doing good on your mission? Do you remmeber how old I am? I lost my front tooth a few days ago.Bryce is also loosing a tooth too on the same side as me.

Have a great day did u gitr preznts yet?

Love You lots jones zane

BPD affects Chew and show from Jer! Now he will drink Shakeolegy too.

            

BPD creates eating struggles in kids sometimes.
They have to manage secretions and know how to swallow with the food and the mucus that naturally comes to help make it all slide through the throat area. So when Jer feels really great and has no congestion he is a somewhat willing eater within certain limits. Chocolate is his stand by and and he likes it on pretty much anything. He can identify a cocoa container out of all the ones sitting on a shelf and he likes chocolate milk or pretty much anything that has that protein structure.
He will even eat dark dark chocolate the kind that most people have to acquired a taste for.
Its salve to a mothers soul when nutritionists and psychologists at NICU follow up clinics tell you to go for it, let him eat whatever, as long as he is willing to try, get crazy, because with kids that have issues about eating there is no limit of tricks that some days must be tried.
Believe me I try alot of them that are crazy.

Nutella chocolate put on celery, he would not touch it. Next I tried it on the yellow cheese. Score, he did consume and ate all of the five little chunks with the nutella on it that I cut for him. Well that was on 2/25/11 and here we are today posting and the little stink wont try it again so he hasn't eaten any cheese for awhile but he has had a spoonful of chocolate about three different days. Viewable is the chicken nuggets, he only ate one that day without chocolate on it.

See I really am eating it he says. I couldn't believe it when I walked into the room a bit later to find him also licking the chocolate off the celery stick and then eating a part of that stick.

 Finally the Little Guy has branched out and tried something green at least for one day. It may take us another 3 or 4 months but at least he is trying to like a few new tastes, as long as its got a crunch to it that's the key. Eating puddings, or jelly, or runny looking stuff for him that's a big no no rule, it looks to much like a booger with food coloring to disguise it.

Eating is such a chore for him, we say things like do you want to grow big?

"NO I never want to be big like the other boys so I am not hungry"

If you eat then we won't have to give you hungry medicine!

" I already ate at school" The Mom knows this means he only ate the bread or the cracker and not another thing on the plate.

In about 15 min after the above conversation he will ask for a bottle of pedisure because drinking is lots easier then chewing and faster too.

I am going to put a plug in right here for a new shake drink that I have found that helps him get some hidden veggies and he actually likes it alot. If you ever want to try it I can get you some and if you ever want to order it please hit this hate veggies link and get some for yourself. It truly is a life saver at our house now because Jer has no idea he is getting spinach and other good stuff.

Eat your veggies, it is so important.

Newsletter for the week I can post now that his secret is done.

1.You said in your letter you wanted to not jump in in a mid semester and to spend time doing lots of good things, will you let me in on what that looks like to you pretty please the good things part maybe?


1.It's hard to explain what good things i want to do, but it's things that have to do with finding a career and earning money. I'm glad you've signed me up for school and what not. I don't want to say that i definitely can't jump in on the October to December thing because it sounds nice, i would like to know more details before you sign me right in. Could you send me more information, or tell me where i can find information because i can check it out on the net with my mission presidents permission.


2. Everyone asks me if they will make it so that you can have a turn in Botswanna. I can't imagine that is possible for all that serve there so tell me what your opinion is on that please. Have several been able to serve part of their time there in that part of your mission?


2.Well about Botswana, i have no control over that at all. It's just an area that i could be transferred to. if i do i do if i don't i don't. But just to tell you a secret, i get to go there on Thursday to help drive some cars down to south Africa. I may not serve there, but I'll get to go there :)

4. Who are the missionaries that share the same house with you?

4.It's Elder Mabashora and Elder Johnson and My comp Elder Hatch

5. Is your new companion willing to run with you? IF so are you still keeping up with that?

5.Yep our whole flat runs every morning.

Well this week has been pretty nice. On Monday we got the zone together to play soccer and lift every one's moral. Tuesday we went to set up a little service opportunity at a Hospital for the mental and physically challenged we also did a little tracting, and even taught some good lessons. We taught a lady and her Boyfriend (member). She's been coming to church awhile now but we just realized she's not a member. We had a great lesson and she asked a whole tone of questions. I hope she accepts a baptismal date in our next visit. Her name is Amanda and the member is Bro Saayman.

Wed we went to a school in a place called Silverton. We have been visiting schools to try and get involved in the church Youth programs in order to find more people to teach. The schools here allow religion to be taught so it's kind of nice. We actually got a place for wed the 4th to come and talk about For the strength of Youth. We're planning on handing out tons of the little pamphlets with our phone Numbers on them and offering to bring the big booklet to anyone who calls. I really hop it goes well.

Thursday We did our weekly planning and then most of our appointments cancelled through out the day. We've been doing alot of member work lately with the hope that in the not to distant future, all of our investigators will come from the members. It makes things so much easier to do when members introduce their friends. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I defiantly think you should all keep up the missionary work and don't slow down.

Friday started with interviews with our mission president, and then rolled out from there. I went on exchanges that day with a New Elder named Elder Richesen. he's been out about three months and he's great. I love being around missionaries that have a load of greeny fire. It helps me measure up a little more and try even harder.

Saturday we watched conference most of the day and the same with Sunday. I thought it was fantastic and i would suggest that you re-read those talks again. I especially liked when Elder Holland Mentioned FHE In his talk (just for you mom)

Sunday was the same as Saturday except we had a few more appointments. We taught The Nkwashu family that is still struggling to get to church, and Bro Aubrey. With Bro Aubrey we were very bold and we realized that that will be the only way to find his concerns. He's been investigating the church for 8 years now and his family is just waiting for him to join. Please pray for him he needs it.

Anyway, that's all i have time for but i love you all

Elder Jones
P.S. Mom, can you ask Mark Owens if he ever had the Brown suit on his mission? I read the name Owens inside of it so that would be really cool.

Family notes:
Well on to some cool news and lots of questions. Dad and i were listening to some celtic music and I had the thought that you were sent to the one place where the music would not distract you because you did not like rap stuff. I told Dad and he agreed with me. If you were in Ireland you would have forever wanted your violin. Levie Jones arrived home this week and reported for sacrament meeting.He sure is a quiet young man.  Yesterday we helped Brock and Papa put up a big green hoop house to start plants in and they are going to help us get one made for at our house. It was so hot inside we were sweltering. But to have lots of tomatoes fresh even after it freezes is going to be so fun. Ours will be smaller but thats ok we do not need to big a one. We are laying black plastic to keep the weeds down wich worked really great last year too. We just need it to be thicker plastic this time so it will last better. I wished we could have gone to see Elders Seastrands report in today but the driving is really limited because of the small cars we have now.Well i am going to send a lot of pic and tell you some newsy news. You have been granted money towards school costs should you decide to do that route. Class starts Oct. 17 and ends Dec. 12 they are what is called half class GE credits. That gives you only three weeks but its about the amount of time Will spent before he got here to jump in. It will be a tight stretch and the cost of living will have to be taken into consideration. But could be covered out of the savings that you have and if work study is allowed or you got a job. Will is right now doing some of those kinds of classes and helping on the tech crew his Mom wrote to me since he never gets on his facebook now that he is fully into school and not floating out there trying to be a normal instead of a return lost missionary as Courtney kind of put it. If the going in even in the half point that I just described to you wont work we can withdraw and it wont even be a problem. The monies can be held over to January along with the fact that I am getting on the ball and doing scholarships forms for 2012. Along with Like I said Heather is already wanting you to get to work whenever you can or need to with the fact that you can look at other job possibilities once you are here. Just telling you what I found out before getting your letter so you can think we will change it if needs be when you arrive home because we have plenty of time to do that. So that brings me to saying hava a great week.
Love the family

Soccer is in running in the Jones boys blood now instead of wrestling.

The South Sevier High School team has the C boy and two of his cousins that play with him. One from each of the sides of his family meaning one off the Moms side and one off the Dads side. Heres a team huddle. Belive it or not at the beginning of the season three of the players all had arm casts on including the C boy.

C ready to play soccer.

This is the first year that the Jr. has had a soccer team which of course makes it so that there is a a good high school team later on. Mc with the red hat is ready to play the soccer game too. 

Yep all ready for the challange and then we awoke to this the next morning. And where they were going to go play had even more inches of snow. Needless to say the games were cancelled. Hope my tree stays intact.

Missinary has a new companion again.

Well this week has been pretty good. Elder Seastrand Went home on Tuesday and i got another companion named Elder Hatch. He's from Washington State. So far he's really cool and has alot of good ideas to help the zone. Due to the change in everything, we've had a bit of down time with trying to get situated and get adjusted to all of the changes. But nevertheless, things have been pretty well. Wed we had Zone Leader council and that was really nice, we got some more great ideas about what we can do to help the zone lift where they stand. Thrusday we had planning and it also went well. Afterward, we had a some apointments that fell through but we still achieved our purpose by finding new people to teach. Friday we travelde out to the new area in our zone to attend their District meeting and we got a bit lost. It took us about 1hr to drive there, and once we got into town is when we got lost. We were waiting for the Elders to come and find us at The Protea Hotel wich later we found out was very confusing, because there are two Protea hotels there and they kept going to the wrong one. Eventually we figured out the problem and they found us. Their district meeting was Great and the Distirct leader Elder Ssempala is super awesome. Their district is going to lift the zone alot. Saturday we went on exchanges with Elder Udy and Elder Ray. I went in my area with Elder Ray. He's a super excited missionary and still really has the Greeny fire. I hope he can help encourage Elder Udy to keep a good smile. Sunday was great, the Van Dyk family got confirmed and Sister Dutio the family history specialist to talk about family history so they can take names to the temple. Their way excited to do it and thy have the forms now to get started. Now to answer your Questions:

1.P.S. Please forgive me I didn't get to the mailbox but I will this week. Please tell me of your needs, Anything, contact solution, desired candy crave, or food crave, or CD or inspired desires, What, let us know NOW its most likely the last box I will dare send and know that it will make it to you in a decent sort of time frame.
1.I think i would like the usual stuff you have sent and i especially enjoyed the Cereal (crunch berries) I always like jerky and all those goodies. Maybe a bottle of some Authentic hidden valley ranch dip and some cool ranch doritos would be nice.

2. What is the weather like there now?
2.It's getting a bit chilly in the evenings and early morning, but it's just hot or rainy during the day

3. What do you think about all that I said for school?
3. well i really don't want to jump in mid semester, but setting me up for the January semester would be nice. I'd like to work until then and i plan on filling my time up with lots of good things to do, so don't fill my scheduled so much that i can't put anything else into it. But thanks for all that.

4. New companion give us the update and the low down of his info?
4. answered above

5. What is the new teaching people that your now working with?
5.we are trying to build our teaching pool up a bit now. We recently got droped by a few people

7. So what happens when you have a companion that flys home is the transfer the same or different?
7. nope the transfer goes just the same

8. Conference it was your turn this week right how did you like the talks?
8.we don't see it until next week.

9. Is there lots of rap music that is played there?
9.Yes and what they call House music

10. How much responsibleness do we have towards helping our closest loved ones look and learn of the gospel? Please tell us your take on this subject.
10. Well i'm sure that we have quite a responsibility to help them as far as we can, but in the end they have agency and you can't force them. But fear of rejection is no reason to not even try.

Well i'm out of time so i'll talk to you later.

Elder T. Jones

Apr 11, 2011
Dear Elder Jones

Mothers day talk just saying now so you know. We at the first part of your mission paid for a card that holds money for calls to International locations. There is $ left to be able to use to talk with you for the last call of your mission just so that you know ok. Ya its a bit early to be telling you but I just got a little email update so while its on my brain I thought I would say something.

I in the last week ran into the Rose kid he says to tell you hi in broken Spanish, Cortney C who gave me some great advice for a very lost returning missionary ("get him enrolled in college asap and hand him a schedule so that you are told what to do for the first two weeks since thats how its been for the last two years his words not mine") and he says to tell you Hi keep up the good work. 

I actually found out that you can start school halfway in the middle but not so sure the class choices are much to be desired. But I am going to meet with a counselor to see if it works. Its too late to file for scholarships I should have done that in January but at that time it really didn't seem that there was any kind of need now I know better oops. Also Will told me that you could come and live with him if need be until that got all sorted out too so we will hope that you two have now written to each other. Also you are most likely going to be saying ughs lets not even talk about any of this yet so that you do not lose focus right? But I at least wanted you to know that there is going to be a sort of set plan already in place for you because many have said that return missionaries feel pretty lost when its time to come home and that it can make for a scary feeling when you have to face that time. So never fear Mother Planner is here and she has it all figured out (not) but I am willing to try.

J and Dad and I went to school the other day so that she could make a plan to start cutting hairs with cosmetology. Its going to take her having to do stuff online and maybe going to Ceder Ridge a bit which she is not to thrilled over but she is getting the idea that she has to be ahead in order to fit it all in. C to has this plan to get a scholarship to UVU so I am going to call and get a plan already in motion because we found that he has to have certain kinds of math, English and science to be able to even be looked at. Often the kids miss those and so they take basics and thats not what is wanted by the college so they dont get offered a invite. So now he is also going to do electronic high school and Ceder ridge to bump ahead.
J went to Prom with T she wore her lime green dress that she bought all by herself and she looked so very pretty. Dad got dragged there to do the Parent dance with her and they had so much fun. Even though she is not a Jr. they let the partner do the Promenade. She sure looked cute even though she has two left feet she says. I made his bouttonier and we did a whole different angle then the normal flower style. Bethany and I came up with a lime green race hotwheels car and a few tiny flowers and we wired and glued and it was the most guy related there ever could have been. Lots of people thought it was very cool. The next morning we had to get up really early to take J and C's fair steers in to be weighed. It was really hard to get everyone going as it was snowing like crazy and we had at least 4 inches of snow. On Mon and Tue we had all worn short sleeves and by Thur night it was starting to be cool and rainy and Sat SNOW again. We are really tired of it and I am sure you are missing it. Its late Sat night and its still snowing and it most likely will all night. The mountains are so overly full that we just hope that we do not flood away again especially the part that got burned so badly. Dads week off was a bit hard as the tractor broke down and he had to go get a part fixed just so he could get back to plowing, water line broke so that took a whole day and now snow stopped him totally as he really didn't want to get the tractor stuck. Poor Mc was supposed to have soccer game but Manti got lots of snow too so the ball would not have rolled on the ground thus it got cancelled. C this week had three games and the last one was really hard against Beaver. He got hit in the head two different times and had the worst headache. He was shaking pretty hard by the end of playing two games I am not sure if it was the head bumps or from starting to get cold that caused it. He was in bed so fast that night it was almost scary since he is not very good about that now days.
Well thats our little bit of news for the week not to much exciting really happened. Please remmeber I love you son and I am so grateful for this time that you have taken to serve the Lord and the example that it is setting for your little brothers. It also helps J to have a standard to set guys up against so that she picks wisely because she wants that in her future choice of a husband.
Love the mom telling all the family info news

Pretty Girl J goes to Prom again.

Now that's a bouttoner any guy would think cool made by the Mom and Aunt Bethany and car donated by little cousin Joselyn

Trav and Pretty Girl J

Announcing the Jr. He is she is not.

The start point of the special dance by the Jr. and their partners.

She is so tiny he can really lift her up.

She was told she should do the parent dance with her Dad and she really is not that great at dancing, of course she is showing her attitude about the whole thing.

At least her Dad knows how to dance and hang on to the girl.


Such sweet people.

Trav looks on to snatch her away, aren't those two related.

Oh one sweet kiss well deserved.