A day in a Zone leaders life in Africa, Missionary work

1. So did you decide what one video documentary you could make if you had the opportunity to change the lives of people in south Africa

1a. Well, for a documentary I would have to say I don't know. unless it's just a documentary about missionary work.

2. How has your opinion of the atonement changed since you have been out over a year and a half?

2a.Well I'm not sure what you mean about my opinion of the atonement, but I can say I understand it much better now. It's one of those things that I can't really put into words and it's probably better to keep it personal.

3.What is one Gospel Principal that you would like to become better at and are working on now.

3a.I would really like to be better at Knowledge

 You forgot to answer these questions last time my dear.

1. Does anyone ever ask for extensions to their missions these days? Are you, just wondering?

1b.Yeah allot of missionaries do, but they usually don't get approval because they say we are called to serve for two years and then comes life. There is the occasional exception like if you don't have anything to do when you get home because of school or what what.but even then its rough.

2. What one thing would you want us to send to you this next month?

2b.Lots of photos and letters from people.

3. Please tell us one scripture that has helped you this week.

3b.Well that's a good question. I'd have to say John 15:7 combined with the Bible Dictionary under prayer.

4. When should a person ask the missionaries to meet with one of their friends?

4b. A person shouldn't ask the missionaries to come. They should introduce the friend to the missionaries. Invite the friend to a dinner with the missionaries. You don't have to wait to do that or have a special moment. Just do it.

5. How do you prepare for fast Sundays as a missionary?

5b. We prepare just the same as anyone would. We fast starting Saturday night or Sunday morning and then just fast.

 African Zone Leaders life read all about it here.

 Well this week was a pretty good week. Monday felt really hectic because we didn't have time to do much of anything, in fact we did our shopping and went straight to our first appointment with our groceries in the boot of the car. Tuesday, we had our exchanges.  Wed. was a pretty normal day. Thursday we had another Exchange for interviews, and then we switched back Thursday night. Friday was awesome. We had a temple trip and it's the first time I've been to the temple since April last year so it was really refreshing. Unfortunately Elder Seastrand couldn't come into the session because his recommend had expired, and he had forgotten to check. I think he was really upset because it may have been his last chance to attend the temple here before he goes home. It was a nice lesson of getting your recommend updated before it expires so you don't have a situation like that. I feel like I learned allot in the session and came out with a lot of questions to study up on. After the temple trip, I got to be on exchanges with Elder Lechner, one of my favorite missionaries in the world. He's now my district leader so he gets to conduct exchanges with me. I'm going to be friends with that guy even when I'm home. Saturday was a normal day, thank goodness, it's been really hectic having to do so many exchanges because half the people we are now teaching and have appointments with, I have never met and the other half, Elder Seastrand has never meant. (I'm exaggerating a little bit but that's how it feels) Sunday was great. We had some great investigators at church, but unfortunately we didn't see Clyde there. We didn't get to see him at our last appointments so that may have attributed to that. We did see however some investigators that we have had trouble contacting lately so it was nice to see that they can still progress. After church we had lunch and prepared to teach a U-night. It's a program that members invite non-members to as a kind of social gathering and they have a spiritual thought and game. The u-night was fantastic and they asked us to give the spiritual thought. We talked about the sacredness of families and their part in Gods plan. I think it got allot of people thinking, so we should see some fruit.

     Sometimes life as a leader can be stressful. There's so much you have to be thinking about all of the time and there is allot of places you have to be all at once. It's a good thing that there are two of us cause if it wasn't that way I don't know what we'd do. I feel like I'm really learning allot as of recently and really how important prayer has been. I know that the power of prayer is real, it just takes effort and faith. you have to pray for things that are according to Gods will, because he's not going to give you something that isn't in his plan. I'm really grateful for the spirit because without it we couldn't get half as much done as we should. He's always giving impressions and thoughts that help us keep going. Keep on praying and learning. Something I could suggest for the family to have and study is "Preach My Gospel" the principles there are meant to teach missionaries how to teach, but also how to convert yourself. You should get it and study it.

 

Love Elder T. Jones

 

P.s. Mom could you get Wills address for me, I'd like it before he sends me a letter or something 

The families weekly news brief Well Jo and T and now Cod are all working to get her new friend Ta to church, seminary,young women's, and the missionaries will be making contact with her tomorrow when she goes to church with Cod cause me and Jo saw the missionaries at the Wrestles and told them that she was going to go to church with Cod. They said that was where they were going to be tomorrow also and they knew Cod because he had gone on splits with the one the other week. So Ta even told me that she was so excited because Jo was going to get her some scriptures for Christmas, I was like why wait so long  for them. Jo told me that she already has a Book of Mormon so the rest of the set would be a nice thing to have too. Cod will be going on a mission in about 6 months so hopefully there will be some changes that can take place real soon.  Well today is Sunday and she went with Cod, she was wearing Jo skirt but i haven't heard what happened yet. She lives in Aunt Ambers ward so Aunt Amber is going to look out for someone who could fellowship her in their ward also.   Well we are all done with the wrestling THANK goodness maybe now we can get the house cleaned back up and the laundry off the couch and a whole bunch of other things done. Maybe some boys can get some scout things finished and clean their room up so its walkable in. C is wanting to play soccer so we will see how that goes. On a funny note at the end of the wrestle season there were two broken hands and a broken elbow of D B. C received the Biggest Heart award and lettered in wrestling so he felt pretty good and this week he has to stay after school so that he doesn't get to behind in typing and weights since his arm kind of handicaps him in that area. Mc wrestled like crazy and took second place, he said there is one kid that he has just not been able to beat all year but next year he is going to have it be different cause C is going to teach him some new moves to use on him. K took first because there was no one in his bracket his size but they bumped him up to 4th grade to wrestle and he took second in that area. Z took second also and the coach gave Jer a medal and he calls it his gold, he even had to take it to church today. Sam wrote to his Mom and she forwarded it, he says he will feel like he is in heaven when he returns as their housing is much to be desired and they have very little water to be able to use. I guess you could say you have it cushy over there right now.  Devin is I don't know were right now. Will made contact over his new facebook and said if you want he will make room for you in Ephraim when you get home even if you are not in school yet, he is going into a halfway point of the school that has already started but it isn't looking like that is possible by the way the schedule looks for when you arrive. I told him how to get your address so hopefully he will find a min to write you in all the settling he is trying to get done. Well that's all Love the family

Letter from Z   i love you ty i missu to. I took 2nd place in wrestling. hav you ate a worm. mom has a new phone. dad mis u.hav u had a fun tim.i love you ty.       love z

Letter from K

dear tyrell  i love you and i took first in wrestle and it wus my first time ever.  I am in the blue and gold banquet as a cowboy this year. So you remmeber doing scout skits? I am about to become a webelo I am all done with my bear book. i get to do 4-H this year. love k

We love to wrestle! 2011 a great finish for the little boys.

A couple of family photos it has been a while since we all got our mug shots on here and of course some want to hide parts of their faces and be goofy.

 The sport of wrestling today done by the Jones family after much training.C boy helped ref the matches of the older boys and even Jer got a medal which made his day of course he didn't wrestle. He calls it "my gold" We even got Jo girl to come watch this year and of course I am sure that it was only because there was someone there that kept her busy and  not too bored. The close of another year of wrestling has finally come for the Jones family.

Two silvers and one gold oh ya Jers is gold too he says even though I think the color is bronze really.

Valentine's Day Family Home Evening

We spent time as a family loving and caring for each other isn't that what  Valentine's day is supposed to be about anyway. We had dinner under the table while watching a show. Of course the one I picked out they deemed as to old fashioned. So they vetoed and picked one to their liking.

 

We put blankets over the table to make it into a cave, stuck the bean bag chairs under the table passed dinner pie out on plates after saying our family prayer.  They had fun didn't even spill any food on the floor headed to bed after, all of us feeling loved and happy on a beautiful day made to love each other and pay attention to caring for each other. The only thing I could do without is all the packages that cover the candies from school treats that are sugar loaded, that stuff could all go in the trash for all I care.

Hey if you need ideas for your own Family Home Evening click here to get some cool lesson plans or go outside the box like we did and eat under the table with an activity like the movie watch.  

The Dads Testimony to the Missionary and other family stuff.

Dear Tyrell
I'm sorry I don't write as much as I should. Things get busy and I don't take the time to let you know how proud I am of you. Mom talked with your companion's parents this week, I'm sure she will fill you in on the details. We bought a car this week that runs on natural gas. It has saved us a lot of money so far. The only down side is the places are limited to fill it up. It's used and has a lot of miles on it but it is new to us. The suburban is on its last tire. I hear a lot of good things coming from that area. Your Mission President sent us a letter two weeks ago and told us what a good job you are doing. You will never know how much you have changed the world in these short two years, but you do. With all the things happening in this world, it’s great to see positive and uplifting things taking place little at a time. Stay focused and work harder than ever. Time is getting short. It's time to take the things you have learned so far and put them to work. For me the last six months became the most productive because it took until then to get things right. Staying focused gets harder the closer you get to coming home. But if done right it will become the most productive time of your mission. The Gospel of Jesus Christ Is moving through the world like a forest fire and you are a part of that fire. I may not say much about my thoughts and feeling about the Gospel but it is the way back to our Heavenly Father. The Savior Jesus Christ is divine and he is the head of that great and glorious plan. By following his plan can only bring you happiness. I do believe that.

Well son take care and work hard and pray often. You are in our thoughts in all of our prayers every night. You couldn't make me any prouder than I am. My Mission President when I first arrived in the mission field gave me some good advice. He said you only have two years to make the best of your mission and then you have the rest of your life to think of it and talk about it. That is so true. There isn't a week goes by right now that something happens that reminds me of an experience I had while serving the Lord. I Love you and think of you often.

Love Dad

Letter from the Missionary to the Dad
Hey Dad thanks for the e-mail, it always gives me a boost when you send me something. This week has been good but a little bit challenging, at least in the end of the week on Wednesday we had exchanges and it was actually a really good exchange. I was with Elder U, the missionary that sat next to me on the plane ride over, and he's been struggling a little bit. The last couple of areas he's been to have been areas that he came into a whole lot of clean up and so he's been losing his joy for missionary work. I hope the exchange went well, he said he was going to do better by the end and so I now have to call him every once in a while to follow up on how he's doing. Thursday we had weekly planning and exchanges so it was kind of hectic. Elder Seastrand and I got back together Friday morning, planned for an hour, then drove to a township about 30 min away and then switched again. I then had to drive back having only gone that direction once and you guessed it, I missed our exit and we lost a whole lot of time. By the time we got back to the area, we had missed our appointments and only had time to visit our Bishop before we had to travel to another area again.(we cover two wards) Well this time I got pulled over in a routine police stop that they do around here, missed another exit and missed our last teaching appointment as well. I think the only effective thing we got to do was tract for 20 min and have correlation with the other ward mission leader. I've got to admit I was a little frustrated but after looking back, a lot of good happened. I got to talk a lot with Elder Kelly (the missionary I was with) and see things that we both could improve. His district is doing the best in the zone so he shared a little about what he's been doing. Now on Friday morning we were supposed to attend our districts district meeting and do splits with the Assistants, but I made the mistake of leaving our phone with Elder Kelly and didn't notice until we had already made it back home. So we had to pick up the assistant and the go back again to get our phone. Man I had a headache, but I learned a lot. I've recently been working on having much more meaningful prayers and it's paid off. On Saturday we had an appointment and I prayed that he would be able to accept the message. I also prayed that if he wasn't home we would be able to find someone who was prepared and I asked if it could be a Father led Family. Well we got to the appointment and no one answered when we knocked so Elder Seastrand called him and sure enough he wasn't around. Hoping that we could receive answers to our prayers, I spotted a lady that was walking down the street and started talking with her. She said she had a family, but unfortunately they are in Angola, she told us she would call us if she wanted us to come and then walked away. As I turned around a man was pulling into his driveway and he waved to us to come and talk with him. He invited us in and we taught him and his wife. That was really powerful and a definite answer to prayer. Over all it's been a good week and its crazy how fast time flies’s because this transfer is in its last week and it feels like I just got here. You should send me some crazy stories about your mission.

Love MilkToast
AKA The first little Alonzo Jones boy that got called this name
whenever they had to do hard work chores on the farm funny thing is he hated being called this..


Dear Elder T. Jones Letter from the Mom
Where do I begin there was so much that happened that I hope I can keep it all strait.

1. Mc of course tried to drive over the log that you saw and now the sub is in full need of repairs that will cost almost more then its worth to put into the car. So Dad got a car that will hopefully save us a small fortune as the price of gas goes up up up. The red truck took the amount it would cost to pay the car payment to fill up in gas and that just made Dad cringe into getting the new car that I am sure you will get when you come home.

2. Tue night after wrestle practices, C had a learning lesson on listening to the shouts of the Holy Ghost and the consequences of what happens when you choose not to. He said before hitting a 200 pound back of the head that he could hear a voice saying don't do it and was looking at D B but his lips were not moving and hearing "don't do it don't do it" and then just doinging it any way cause by that time he was in defense mode and mad. Thus a broken hand called a boxer break, we had xrays on Wed morning fanagled an appointment to hurry and do a half cast which meant we went to Provo on Thursday and got a special cast allowing the wrist and knuckles to move made to be able to still wrestle by a sport orthopedic hand specialist. While waiting to get into the cast maker we went and met your mission companions Mom, Dad and little sister. We had a rather fun get to know, even got to watch Elder Seastrands try for Broadway (well ok rest home, Oklahoma sing out as a priest) while we we there. Rushed back to get the cast on and then rushed to meet with the team that was playing laser tag before the State Wrestle tournament. I went home went to work on Fri and then Dad and I turned around and went back up to stay the night but missed C's matches as they were early in the day. He won both of them that day. The next day Sat. he won the first a kid that he beat all year those are the photos of him doing his squeeze on this kid, The kid really hates him and is the one who tried to hit him and the ref intervened. The next kid got ahold of his hand and he had a hard time getting it a way, after that his fire was a bit gone from the pain he was having in his hand along with the fact that he couldn't hold on with anything but the one hand. The kid beat him by one point after that was the Millard kid and without the two hands he just couldn't do it. So he places 4th but next year he says that will not be how it will play out. The cool thing is that he is the only freshman on that stand all the rest are Jr. and Seniors. That alone was an accomplishment.

3 Mc went on his first Kondike and they won that made him feel really good and he even stayed alive and didn't freeze and it hasn't been the warmest kind of winter this year. I didn't even have to hardly help him pack he had it all ready to go on Thur when I got back from Provo along with having the chores done and the fire all stoked up.
Jo helped me by watching the boys and of course talking Aunt Amber into helping her so she could go on a date Sat. day along with T talking his Mom into helping him on Fri night so they could go on another date with his big brother and new friend. Next week Jo will be bringing this new friend to Church as she is not a member and she has invited her to go to girls camp with her too. She fully intends on helping her to become a member so watch out the girl is getting missionaryish. T and Jo have tried to stoke the fire twice now and I fully recommend that they should make sure that they have a different source of heat in thier houses when they are adults as they suck at it and we have to fix it every time after. Mc wishes that he had been awake to help them because he ended up with the cold shower this Sunday morning after the take an hour shower girl got done with her luke warm one.
Today superman was on and Jer saw it and went up and put his PJs on then told me that he needed new super pants because there was a hole in the middle and the power fell out. Never laughed so hard, he also does not fly he rides his mot-er bike to the rescues. He alternates to a dog for Z's benefit periodically through the day.

Dad finally feels better and Mom is so glad that there is only one more week of wrestling because I am so tired of it now. I will have to go again to Provo so C can get a cast that is permanent and to make sure that nothing got riped up while wrestling. We have to be back by 2 so its going to be the craziest drive ever.


I have a really cool Hello Jones family on my facebook from a fellow that I think you know that just flew in from Columbia by the name of Will Casper.
Justin Carter is in LA performing at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival his group made it to the finals and preformed on Sat. Thats about all I know of that.
Robbie and Nathan return from their parts of Africa in two weeks it will be interesting to talk to them if I run into them.
I haven't heard updates on your other cousin missionaries so sorry no word but they must be doing great still.
It seems so strange to sit and think that almost two years have gone by and yet it isnt feeling like that much time as past all at the same time. Especially when I look at the basement and its not getting done very fast so there is still not a room to put you into at the moment. Not that you are very concerned about that I am sure. I am so grateful for all the things that you are learning and gaining that will help you to be the very best father and leader and continuing server to the Lord which is what our lives are supposed to be balanced with. Well I dont want to take up any more space because I want you to take up the space with what your mission is teaching you and helping you to gain that will help you be a better person.


 Love you have a super great week and teach many beautiful Children of God.


1. Does anyone ever ask for extenstions to thier missions these days? Are you, just wondering?
2. What one thing would you want us to send to you this next month?
3.Please tell us one scripture that has helped you this week.
4.When should a person ask the missionaries to meet with one of there friends?
5.How do you prepare for fast sundays as a missinary?

Missinary Letter back to the Mom
Well, I did write alot about this week on Dad's page, so you'll have to ask him to read it. Other than all that not much has happend. Other than we deep cleaned our flat and our car today.
I can't belive Will is already home. You need to send his mailing address to me so I can write to him. I havn't heard from my buddy in long time. I did get a letter from his sister though.
I got a letter from Sam, he filled me in on everything that has happend lately and you'll have to fill him in that I got some of his Christmas letters from the ward, he said he didn't get very many.
You'll have to give C my congradulations he's doing really good. You'll have to tell him to watch his temper though so he can do even better. I know plenty of wrestlers who lost their chance to wrestle because of stuff like that.
Well sorry it's short, but I did write stuff to Dad, you'll have to convince him to let you see it and put it on your blog.
Love Elder Jones

Wrestling shots of Caleb K. Jones over the 2011 year to 4th place at the 2A Utah State Wrestling tournament.

Boy in red and black is our Caleb K. Jones at Nephi tournament early in the year.

Caleb is wrestling with an injured shoulder but he still prevails and makes the pin.

The Varsity 103 guy for the Rams.

Finishing the match and then getting an ice pack to help numb the pain.

No he isn't a hunch back just an ice pack man.

Caleb never gives us relief from wrestling here he is with the Dad getting control at Christmas time but in the end the Dad lost and the C boy won the match. Could be because the other boy K was ganging up on the Dad with boxing gloves.

The kid never even had a chance to think Caleb had him pined to fast. Wrestling at the South Sevier High Alumni night.

Is there never a break does the C boy ever stand up strait? Wrestling on my bed first thing in the morning holding Mc down.

Caleb could wrestle for hours, here he is after having practised for 4 hours still messing around doing another take down on one of his coaches when we should be going home.

Regional wrestling the poor Caleb was recovering from the three days sickness that plagued everyone at our house this year. Made it hard to have energy to wrestle fast.

Caleb K. Jones placed 4th in the 2011 2A Utah Region Wrestling.

Caleb came to find out that there were two other distant second Jones cousins that wrestled in the Region tournament of course against some of his teammates so there is a certain rivalry even if they were cousins Caleb Jones(103) South Sevier, Clayton Cluff (215) of Parawan and James Hulet of Enterprise (125).

Spectrum's News link site.

Track Wrestling site State tournament results. 

Deseret News Link telling of the Team upset for the Millard schools loss.

Finally reaching the coveted chance to wrestle at State tournaments has arrived all the hard work has a reward at the end. The rough thing is that Caleb now is sporting a broken hand and will have to defend his spot with a handicap.

Caleb is known for his extreme squeeze tactic which he used to leverage himself while sporting his broken right hand.

Three pins done to make it this far now to get past the next batch.

The final accumulation of hard work the finale group of wrestler that have placed getting to march out of the Hall of wrestlers.

Caleb held the place of 4th having made it with a broken right hand, tough loss, but what a guy holding a placing in the 2A Utah State Wrestling Championship rounds.

Seriously glad that its over now we get to go get a permanent protective cast so that his hand can heal up hopefully it is still setting in a good alignment after all the grabbing that the other boys tried to do on it.

Mom is getting even for the dorky smile he gave me deserves what he gets when he smiles like a geeker.

South Africas Humanitarian News in the Church News.

Almost a year later I ran across this news write up for the humanitarian effort that our Missionary was involved in in the village of Motupa South Africa. I posted about it with his pictures back a while ago but here's the link to read more from the news report that was made in our church news article.

Click down there on the link to read for yourself, theres even photos to go along with it.

http://www.lds.co.za/index.php/news-a-events/news/92-motupakgomko-primary-school-receives-school-bags-from-lds-church-humanitarian-projects-

Elders can't look any happier can they?

Photos of role playing working to be a father led family baptism.2011 zone conference.


Sister and President Poulsen

Elder Tyrell J. Jones and Elder Seastrand are on the second row, left side in the front waving "HI" to the photographer taking the pictures of a wonderful group of missionaries from Johannesburg South Africa.

All together at the "Top of Africa" Zone Leaders.

Happy Zone Leaders in Johannesburg South Africa learning what they need to do to help others and continue to be good missionaries!