No Surrender!

Last night we attended a lesson the missionaries taught to our friend, Jamie Garcia.  He is almost ready for baptism.  Before the elders came he talked to us about the challenges of starting a new life. He said, "I love this church,  I love these people.  This book is my life."  Then he said, regarding the challenges, "No surrender!"

The missionaries, Elder Puefua from Samoa and Elder Avila from Argentina (who is German) taught a beautiful lesson on repentance and forgiveness.  Jamie talked about the time he forgave someone who got mad at him because of a misunderstanding.  He has been preparing for this change in his life for a long time.

Jamie with Elder Jones

Elder Puefua, Jamie, Elder Jones, Elder Avila

Last Saturday, a week ago today, we held our International Spanish Indexing Day.  It started actually at 10 pm the night before with the YSA coming to stay all night and index.  We cooked spaghetti at midnight and then indexed.  The cold tile floors could not compete with their warm, soft beds, so the last of them left about 4 am.  So did we!  

The next day people came and we indexed from 9 am until about 8 pm.  Several success stories, and lots of fun.  The internet got overloaded about noon and shut us down, so we cooked spaghetti AGAIN (but for a different crowd) and after a fervent prayer and a warm meal, the internet was working and we went back to it.  A few pictures:

We all learned a lot and feel that it was mostly a success.  It will help us in our planning of a Family History Day in August.  

We have developed a plan to reactivate the YSA (Young Single Adults) in this District.  There are about 25 active and more than 400 inactive in a District of seven branches.  (This inactive rate is much higher in proportion to the other age groups in the branches because of a spike of young baptisms 15-20 years ago.)  Our plan includes active YSA working with the full time missionaries and the leadership of the branches to connect with those most likely to come back.  We are excited, and the missionaries are too.  

There has been some success in our branch already.  One young man named Harol was invited to a branch family home evening and then came to another activity.  When he was ready to come to church on Sunday he asked us what he should wear.  We said his best clothes, whatever that is  The next day he came to church in faded red jeans, hiking boots, and a bright blue Jack Daniels tee shirt!  But he listened, participated, and keeps coming back.  His understanding of the gospel is growing each time.  He even got an LDS account set up so he can index, although I'm not sure it is his "thing."  That is him in the middle indexing day photo to the far right.  We love having him around.  He keeps things very lively!

At a recent talent show Harol decided he wanted to juggle but had nothing to do it with.  I happened to have a pair of socks in my purse that I put there because it is starting to get cold. I folded them into "balls," but two socks doesn't quite do it when you want to show off, So last minute he talked Elder Puefua into taking one of his off and then he had three!  It was a very funny talent show.  Jamie Garcia is a magician and a radio DJ, so he did some magic tricks and was the MC.  It was quite a night.

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                                                 Jamie doing magic tricks at talent show.

Last Saturday night after the indexing day my feet hurt so badly from walking those tile floors for so long that I went to bed (about midnight) and was ready to stay home from church the next day if my feet still hurt.  Sunday morning I agreed with myself and decided to stay home.  Elder Jones came back from a meeting about 45 minutes before church time and said that two people very important to us were speaking in church, so I decided to go.  I got ready in a hurry and was walking up the hill to the church when I saw one of our "just getting active Young Singles."  He came over and greeted me and we had a wonderful but short conversation.  About a minute later I saw a lady carrying something interesting and acknowledged it.  She came over and gave me half of it (at church they all said it was a plant that makes a tea for stomach aches).  She talked to me for quite a while when I realized we had met her before.  I said to her, "Come to church with me."  But she said no.  Maybe another time.

I guess Heavenly Father was reminding me that I should not talk myself out of going to church so easily.  I repented.  Sacrament meeting was wonderful and it meant a lot to those who spoke that I was there.  

We will be coming home for Lauren and Patrick's wedding and are looking forward to it very much.   We will stay about two weeks.  It is a wonderful time to be together as a family.  

Love to you all.

Elder and Hna. Jones

Best friends!!

A few months ago Elder Jones said to his youngest daughter that having a best friend and then loving him enough to want to marry him makes for a great marriage.  She proved his theory a week ago by accepting a proposal of marriage from her best friend, Patrick!  To us it seems right in every way, and we long to be there to feel the spirit of youthful happiness.  We are coming home for this event, however, so we wont miss the most important part--that Lauren and Patrick will be married in the Draper Utah Temple in June!

But not all of the fun is in Bluffdale!  Ovalle recently celebrated its l84th birthday with a large variety of events.  On the way home from church we came across this celebration.  The mayor was even there and he shook my hand!  The most fun for me, of course, was the band and the children dancing.

This band played before the Mayor came out to talk.

Then the children danced.  It was delightful!

Then there was a game for older men kind of like horseshoes but with lead cylinders (about the size of a can of soup) that they threw from a long way away to a target.  We didn't understand the rules, but it was very interesting to watch.  It is a national sport and it seems they take it quite seriously.  Pictures below.  Man in yellow throwing, then target (clay square.)

A week ago today one of the Young Singles planned a hike.  We went with them and had a great time!  We hiked to a peak across the valley from our apartment.  It was an adventure!  Along the way we stopped a few times to sing, pray, and read scriptures.

  The boy on your right in the green sweatshirt joined the church just after we got here.  The one next to him is preparing for a mission and I am teaching him piano so he can play hymns.  (At his request.)  The next one (blue adidas logo) was baptized about 4 months ago.  He is a natural leader.  The one on the far left served a mission in Lima Peru.  The one in the hat is my wonderful companion!

"The girls."  We love these young people.  They are fun, sweet, and committed.  Every minute with them is a treasure.

We have developed a plan for activating the several hundred inactive Young Single Adults in our District.  We have a YSA Council and they will be working with the full time missionaries to visit those recommended by the Branch President.  We know there are many out there waiting for a way to reconnect.  This is it!

Jamie Garcia, the man from the hardware store that is an investigator, has been coming to church and receiving the lessons.  Last week's was on the Word of Wisdom.  It will be one of his challenges, but we visited with him yesterday and he seems strong.  We keep praying for him.

I showed Daniel (at the park where I run) the pictures of our hike and he said I could send some YSAs to visit him.  Some of our beautiful girls might do the trick!  Before we knew their names I nicknamed a few of the YSA so Elder Jones knew who I meant when I referred to them. "Hotrod," "muscle shirt," and "princess" defined a few of them.  Just after I gave one the name "hotrod" he came zooming around the corner driving a beat-up red compact!

The spirit whispers and directs constantly, and we feel progress in every way.  Small miracles keep us moving forward.  Missionary work is in God's hands, and he will provide.  God bless you all.

Elder and Hermana Jones