Last week of transfer 3? WHAT?!

Its crazy how time flies!!! I hit my 4 months in the WA-TAC this coming Saturday! Its super crazy.

Not too much to report this week. We had our mission tour this week and it was amazing. Elder Snow and Sister Snow came and spoke with us. I wish I had remember to bring my notes! It was so great! We were all required to prepare a talk on faith and 4 missionaries were called to speak. President Blatter informed me I got lucky because he had put my name on the list of who he would like to speak. I love teaching investigators/small groups but half the mission of mostly missionaries with much more experience than me would have been highly terrifying/intimidating. President really knows how to get me worried (not in a bad way). Pretty sure he likes to see me under pressure. Its probably amusing or something. I'll have to work on that.

We are preparing another amazing person for baptism! Alyssa is Regina's (the miracle baptism from last week's email) daughter who informed us the Sunday after the baptism that she wanted to be baptized. The plan is for her to be baptizedon Saturday morning! She is an extremely shy 17 year old and we want to make sure she is completely ready before she's baptized but we had a break through yesterday and feel like she'll be ready! On top of being shy she has a severe case of social anxiety and despite that she came to ward conference yesterday and attended ALL 3 hours! Afterwards we asked how she was and she said she really enjoyed herself! And she now feels like she can have friends her own age! Its SO SO SOOO amazing to watch the Lord bless people as they try to align their lives with His will. God is so great! I know without a doubt that I am on His errand and that He is doing His work. All I'm doing is getting to watch the miracles unfold. Its such a blessing!

I'll keep you up to date with Alyssa next week!

I felt like I was living the life of a real missionary last week when we came home for dinner Tuesday night and as I went to pull my boots off the entire heel fell off it was quite a surprise. Thankfully we had some super glue so I was able to reattach it. Even bigger blessing is that it didn't rain at all last week! Though it is getting VERY cold. For a small moment the cold made me miss pants but when I remember why I was here doing what I'm doing it didn't seem to bother me anymore. Can you say blessing from above?

Like I've mentioned in past emails (I hope) as a mission we are all reading the Book of Mormon before the end of the year. To do so we have to read 7 pages a day. Looking back when we started this last month 7 pages was a struggle. It amazes me to see how I'm now having to force myself to stop at the 7 pages so that I stay paced with everyone else. I can't express to you how much I love the content of the Book of Mormon. I KNOW without a doubt in my mind that it is the word of God. These last few weeks we've met some people that have challenged/invited/instructed(various other type words) us to read the bible and just the bible. The first time someone told us this I didn't agree with her but I didn't tell her no. As we walked away from that door it really bothered me. As I pictured my life (even just one single day) where I didn't read the Book of Mormon I knew right then and there that I couldn't and wouldn't EVER go a day without reading the Book of Mormon. I wish I had told her that. Thankfully I remembered that experience the next few times we've had someone say that to us. I was so grateful to have grown even stronger in my testimony to where I lovingly but boldly was able to tell them that I would not take them up on that challenge and why. It was cool to experience. None of them accepted our invitation to learn for themselves. YET. I know everything happens in God's time.

Last thing to report for the week (told you I didn't have much to say) is to stay tuned for transfer results. If anyone plans on writing me I suggest you send it to the mission home just in case. (4007 Bridgeport W Suite D University Place, WA 98466)

I hope everyone is doing well!

Have You Ever Led the Life of a Homeless Person? ...

This week was a WHIRLWIND! It was a good one though!

Last Monday was our Zone activity. It was a lot of fun though a little dangerous from the missionary aspect. We played "Do You Love Your Neighbor" which for normal people would consist of slamming into one another along with various other crashes and fall. (For those of you who don't know this game its simple. Everyone sits in a chair arranged in a circle with one person in the middle. The point is to not be the one in the middle. Whoever is in the middle asks a person is they love their neighbor -hence the name- if the person replies yes the people on either side of the person have to switch seats before the person in the middle sits in one. If the person answers no they then reply with "but I love people..." and they give a different thing such as "who has ever worn hairspray" -that one is amusing to see who runs for it- anyone who fits the description has to move to another seat. The last person standing is the in middle.) Its an odd game but can become very amusing. Especially with missionaries when both Elders and Sisters are playing. The whole avoid contact rule creates some highly amusing situations.... Anyway that was Monday. 

Regina got baptized! It was so amazing! We hadn't taught her a single one of the lessons before Sunday but purely by the will of God we were able to teach her everything thoroughly and help her be completely ready for the special commitment that baptism is. We met with her EVERY day for at least an hour (or a few hours... it was a lot to cover in one week). On Saturday she got baptized! It was the most powerful baptism I've ever attended on the mission and before it. The spirit was so strong I wasn't sure how the room wasn't bursting. She had a lot off friends of different beliefs there and they could all feel it. The majority of them were in tears. As a result we have begun teaching Regina's daughter Alyssa who wants to be baptized and may also begin teaching 3 more of her friends. We'll see how it goes but it is truly amazing to watch how GOD moves His work along. 

Friday we had a note taped to the door from our apartment managers informing us of a 3 Day Pay or Vacate because there had been some weird issue with rent and there was a outstanding balance of $20 (pretty sure its because they notified us after the rent had been paid that they were raising it...) So anyway we called the mission office to inform the Elder in charge of housing when we informed him of the notice he calmly (very serious sounding) replied, "Have you ever lived the life of a homeless person?" When we answered no he (still serious) replied "Well in this mission you'll get all sorts of life experiences..." I busted up laughing because I knew Elder Harwood had a very unique sense of humor but poor Sister Kramer looked very concerned for the few seconds that he held back his laughter. Have I ever said how much I love being a missionary in the WA-TAC? It really is the greatest!

Tuesday I started getting sick. That's no fun. Thankfully its just a lame cold. I am super tired because of it though so I will apologize now to all who are expecting letters and don't receive one. I promise I haven't forgotten you but I really need a nap... Still love you all though!

Hope this email finds you all well!

Love,

Sister Jones

Halloween and a Shotgun Baptism!!!

This past week was crazy and this coming week is going to be crazier!!! I'm super short on time but I'll try to give a good update! 

So it started off pretty normal. Strike that it wasn't normal from the start. We had a typical p-day during the day and then began exchanges that night. Normally we swap in the morning but the Sister Training Leaders had a meeting earlyWednesday so we started at night.

They reorganized which sister training leaders are over which areas so I have two new sisters. They are super great! Sister Smith stayed in Lacey and Sister Kramer went with her. I FINALLY got to stay in OLY 4th with Sister Fowkes! I was way happy about that. Anyway so Tuesday we had lots of small little miracles and awesome lessons (taught and learned). I wish I was better at retaining details but I can promise you that it was awesome. I love both Sister Fowkes and Sister Smith they are outstanding missionaries. While we were very business it was still lots of fun. I still don't feel like I've worked a single day out here! I love being a missionary!

Wednesday was a normal day and so was Thursday day. Friday for Halloween we had zone meeting at 3. They switched up the building that we met at and due to technology issues none of us sister realized this so we were all super late. None of us were happy with that but it was still a great meeting. Then because it was Halloween we had to go to a members house instead of proselyting. I'm not going to lie. I'm not a fan of holidays on the mission. It was nice to have dinner with all of the missionaries in the zone but I just really wanted to be out doing the work. It drove me crazy having to sit on the couch and watch a movie. Could have been worse though! It just meant we worked even harder the next day to make up for some lost time :)

After the movie (The Best Two Year, which is way funnier when you know what missionary life is actually like) we had to go straight to our apartments. That didn't exactly happen for Sister Kramer and I. Shortly after getting in our car I noticed a bee not too far from my hand. Sister Kramer is terrified of bees and started screaming (I'm not a fan of them either) I pull over and we spend 10 minutes trying to kindly chase it out of the car.

One of my big take always from the week is that the times we struggle aren't those times that our situation is hard but the times when we aren't fully letting God into our lives. Seriously we probably looked like freaks. We had all the doors open and we're waving our coats in the car. We're total dorks. After ten minutes we couldn't see it in the car anymore so we finished our drive home. We record miles for the day and as we grab our stuff we discover it had been resting on the back of my seat! We left it in the car because it was too stubborn to leave. Not sure where it went... but it wasn't there the next morning!

Okay! So for the thing I've been most excited to share! We met with a woman named Regina Olson once before and put her on date to be baptized November 8th but then after a tragedy in the family we lost contact with her for two weeks. We went to visit her planning to move the date of her baptism but before we could she told us she knew the church was true and she wasn't going to let anything stop her from being baptized this coming Saturday (Nov 8th)! CRAZY RIGHT?! We hadn't even given her the full first lesson but she had gone to church once and researched a ton on her own and she has a stronger testimony than anyone I know! We told her all of the requirements to be baptized including having to attend one moreSunday before her baptism which means she couldn't miss yesterdays service. She said she wouldn't be missing another day unless she was in the ground. She is seriously amazing. Before we even told her she couldn't smoke because of the word of wisdom she informed us she had snapped in half every single cigarette she owned (in front of her daughter) and flushed them! Did I mention she's amazing?!

So yesterday sacrament was 10 minutes was from starting and Regina hadn't shown up. We were super bummed. 5 minutes before it started in walks Regina! From talking to her we found out her rides car wasn't working and she found out last minute so she started walking!!! She lives over 6 miles away from the church building. She told us that she had made it 5 miles and didn't think she could go any further (she has a good bit of health problems). She was about to give up when one of her neighbors brothers who didn't know she was going to church pulled over and teased her saying "aren't you supposed to be at church?" she told him she was trying to get there so he gave her a ride the last mile!  God really prepares a way for His children to do anything so long as its righteous. Where there is God there is a way! I love it!

Well that's all I have time for so I hope all is well! I love you and just want you all to know that there isn't a doubt in my mind that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is GOD's church reestablished on the Earth. I am so privileged to witness Him do His work!

<3

Miracles, Baptisms, and Firesides

1 Thessalonians 5:5-11

"(5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober(7) For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. (8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (11) Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do."

A member read these verses to us and I just loved them so I thought I would share them with you all!

This week has been amazing! On Wednesday I hit my three month mark. It's kind of disgusting how fast time is going. I feel like there isn't enough of it! Also on Wednesday one of our investigators had her baby! She is so cute and it killed me a little not being able to hold her. She is so tiny looking! (Then again I'm used to practically 10 lb nephews! Zoey is just under 7 lbs). It was way exciting news for us.

Saturday Sister Kramer and I got to be part of Garret Crist's baptism. Elder Singleton returned to OLY so that he could perform the baptism. It was such a sweet night. The spirit was so strong and even though there had been chaos and people going to the wrong building that was all forgotten after the baptism began.

I learned that once one person finds out you can conduct music (I conducted the music at the baptism) you end up having to conduct the music in sacrament meeting when the chorister is running late. So that was a fun surprise.

During Sunday school I taught the lesson. I was suppose to teach it with one of my favorite people Sister Berg but unfortunately they had to take Brother Berg to the hospital because of some insanely painful kidney stones. So I ended up teaching it by myself and it was such a testimony builder to see how when you let go and let God teach powerful things happen. We ended up using 2 quotes out of the manual and the rest was all guided by God. It was awesome.  Such a simple lesson on what honesty is turned into a lesson on Why being honest with ourselves and God is crucial to our salvation and the sharing of the Gospel. It was way cool to realize that even something as simple as telling someone how you're really doing when they ask is essential to sharing the gospel! I wish you all could have been there to feel the spirit teach so amazingly. I felt like it was pointless for me to be standing in front of the class because I didn't even have to speak! It was so great. There is no doubt in my mind that the church is Christ's true church reestablished here on the earth!

Sunday night our zone and a few other zones got to do a Why I Believe Fireside which is hosted by the mission and has recent converts (people baptized within a years time) share their testimonies. Christina McCarthy (for those who don't remember she was the first person I got to teach who has gotten baptized) was one of those recent converts to speak and she was seriously amazing! I was almost in tears by how powerful her testimony was. She seriously is going to be General Relief Society President or something. She is SO amazing! I love her so much.

This weekend was full of reunions with the baptism and the fireside I got to see so many of the missionaries I've come to love as family. It made me think of just how great its going to be when we all get to live together for ever! There's just a happiness that is indescribable.  

We mixed up our routine this morning and went shopping before we came to email and it was so cool as to why we were guided to do that. First off in the checkout line right before we were about to introduce ourselves to the cashier as missionaries he started asking what church we were from and ended up pouring out to us that he wants to learn more because he knows there's something out there he hasn't yet found! It was SO AWESOME! He doesn't live within the boundaries of our area but we are super excited to introduce him to the sisters in his area so that he can find that thing he's searching for because we know the truth of Christ's gospel will bless him an immeasurable amount.

The next cool Wal-Mart experience was as we were leaving we drove past a guy holding a sign about him being homeless and needing some help. We ended up turning around and going back to talk to him. When we approached him you saw recognition just light up his eyes. We gave him $10 (not much but enough for something warm to eat). We asked him if he had ever met missionaries and he informed us that he was a member who just hasn't gone to church in years. He said he's going to come to church on Sunday because he knows God is looking after him. We told him we knew the reason we felt like we should come back and talk to him was to let him know that God know's his situation and is taking care of it. I just love being a missionary SOOO much!!! It truly is the greatest thing ever!

I hope you are all doing well and a special love you to my mum! Happy Birthday Mum!