Photo Update!

District Meeting Costumes

Massive Snowball Fight!

The Elders Jack-o-Lanterns

Saying goodbye to Kristina

Saying goodbye to the Hatch family

Saying goodbye to the Green family

I'm a moose!

Saying goodbye to the Jarvis family

Bear Sausage?

hello hello!

This week went by so fast, so much to say but so little time!  

On Tuesday, we visited with Charlene (a less-active), and her daughter, Natalia, who is 8 and not baptized wants to start taking the lessons so she can be baptized!!!  We're also starting the stop smoking program with Charlene this week, we're so excited!  

We also made prayer rocks with Griffin and Alora.  They're the cutest kids ever, and I really believe they're going to get baptized soon!  We're going to talk about a date this week with them, and really focus on getting them to church.  

WE ALSO ATE BEAR SAUSAGE IT WAS DELICIOUS! 

 Exchanges were Wednesday and Thursday, and we found a couple solid potentials!  Basically all of our appointments fell through, so we did a ton of finding and stopping by people on the ward list that we don't know.  I learn so much from exchanges, I went with Sister Tanner again, she's such an awesome missionary.  

We had a couple lessons on Friday, one with our investigator Ashley.  She has been taking the lessons for a really long time, her common law is an inactive member.  They have committed to come to church a few times, but haven't come.  She knows it's all true, we just need to help her to feel the urgency and the importance of living the gospel.  She'll get there.  

We knocked on this old lady named Jean's door one night, and went back on Saturday to rake her leaves! She was SO happy we came, and we were glad we went when we did, because it snowed yesterday!  She is seriously the sweetest thing.  She was so grateful for our help.  

This weekend was Stake Conference, there were some awesome talks!  We have started to make a new ward mission plan with Bishop and our ward mission leader, and we're really hoping it gets the members excited about missionary work.  THIS IS THE WORK OF SALVATION, PEOPLE!  It's the most important thing you can be doing.  Sharing the gospel is the greatest and most important duty we have as members of the church.  Brother Pahulu said it very well, "if you're not looking for opportunities to share the gospel, you're not converted."  

This life we are all living is a LITERAL battle of good and evil.  I've seen how real Satan is, and the power he has over people's lives, but I've also seen how real God's power is.  If you want to be happy, you absolutely cannot be a fence sitter.  Decide now to take responsibility for your salvation, and always remember the good that you can do.  We have the ability to use God's power here on the earth, so let's use it!  

Onward, ever onward.

Sister Jones

only week 11 and I'm running out of email titles!

Not a ton happened this week, but it was MUCH better than last!

Last week we had a whopping 3 lessons.  All week.  Not even kidding.  But this week, we had 3 lessons by Tuesday!  We felt so much better about everything after that.  Sometimes you need a really slow week so you can recognize when things are going better.  On Tuesday, we were tracting and met a girl named Sheng.  She's Filipino and right when we said we share a message about Jesus Christ, she invited us in!  We taught her the first lesson, and she said she would read the Book of Mormon and pray about it!  she doesn't have a phone....but we set up a return appointment for Thursday, but when we showed up, she wasn't home.  We've gone back everyday to try to talk to her, but she's never home...but that's the only way we have to get a hold of her, so we'll keep trying!  

We also met with Charlene.  She's a less active who was baptized about 5 years ago, but only stayed active for about 6 months.  She has two kids, Natalia is 8, so she could get baptized!  We've been trying to teach her, but Charlene's schedule is crazy!  We watched a Mormon
message with her, and she actually prayed!  She always says she'll do it "next time", so this time, sister McEwen said, "you said that last time..." and Natalia really wanted her to, so she did!  It was SO GREAT!  Prayer is SO vital to spiritual progression.  There was a baptism of a child in the ward that night, so we invited them.  When we got there, she wasn't there, so we were bummed.  Then about 5 minutes after it started, the door opened, and there she was with her kids!  We were SO EXCITED to see her!  The spirit was strong, and Natalia LOVED the songs.  Helping people to feel the spirit brings the most amazing feeling.  

We also had a couple lessons with Griffin and Alora this week about keeping the Sabbath day holy.  They live about 20 minutes out of town, so that's the excuse their mom gives for not coming to church, but Griffin really wants to come.  His prayers are the sweetest.  This week he prayed that somehow they will be able to get to church next week, and that "the missionaries can keep coming back every week".  

We had 11 people who committed to coming to church (less actives/nonmembers) so we were so stoked about it!  Then when 1o'clock rolled around, none of them came.  NONE.  That was a huge bummer.  Kristina came though.  She's the other sister's investigator in the other ward, but she's also attending the Alliance church, and it's at the same times as their ward. so she comes with us, she's progressing so fast, she just needs to pick between our church and the alliance. She knows our church is true, she's getting there. :)  

This week I have learned so much about the atonement.  We talked to so many people with such rough lives, and it just strengthens my testimony of the atonement.  Because of Jesus Christ, literally ALL is possible.  We can become brand new.  I've really been thinking about the Christlike Attributes in Preach my Gospel, and how I need to stop focusing on becoming a better missionary, because I should be trying to become a more CHRISTLIKE missionary.  If we do everything as He would, people will recognize us for who we are as representatives of Him.   I know you've all probably seen this a million times, but it never gets old.  Watch it.  :)  https://www.lds.org/youth/video/because-of-him?lang=eng

Onward, ever onward.  

Sister Jones

 

 

 

Also, Sister McEwen and I drew these pictures of the elders with our feet...no big deal.

Grand Adventures

Holy cow I have literally NO time to write today because we went on the most GRAND adventure to a magical land called Kinuseo Falls.  Our Ward mission leader, Brother Brown and his family took us and it was SUCH a good time.  Also, it's Canadian Thanksgiving.  So we had a Thanksgiving dinner yesterday at Bishop's, and one today after Kinuseo Falls at another member's home.  so. much. food.  I probably don't need to eat for another year.

Soooo...this week was interesting.  We had 6 lessons planned for Tuesday, and were planning on a few of those becoming new investigators, aaaaand literally all of them fell through.  We ended up dropping a few of our investigators because they won't make the time or effort to meet with us and keep commitments...it had been really rough, but we are one step closer to a miracle.  

Yesterday, we went finding in Muskoseepi Park (also another one of nature's wonders here in GP) and ran into a less active family who moved here from Ontario about a month ago!  NOTHING IS COINCIDENCE!  God's hand is definitely in our lives everyday and He makes things happen how He has them planned.  We ended up getting their info and we're going to go visit them!  They have two boys, ages 8 and 10 and we're pretty sure they aren't baptized.  She said she wants them to go to Cubs and she was wondering where the church is!  We're so excited for them, they're making their way back for sure.  :)

 

On Saturday, we went out to Sister King's, and did some service for her.  She has her own ranch where she keeps other people's horses(not sure what the technical term is for that..) and we helped her rip out a few fences and re-wire them, rip out a couple gates and put them in other places.  We were there all day and I'm STILL sore..hahah it's a good kind of sore though.  It was a good time. 

 

 

sorry this is so short, like I said, I have ZERO time, but I absolutely LOVED this talk from conference, so ya'll need to read it!  If you've already read it again since conference, read it again!  Literally every sentence he says is SO powerful.  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/approaching-the-throne-of-god-with-confidence?lang=eng

 

 

Onward, ever onward.  

 

Sister Jones

leaves on leaves on lessons on leaves

The week started off a bit on the downside when we got kicked out of a Filipino family's home Monday evening.  We had tracted into Irene, who let us in immediately to teach her the week before, and she started reading the Book of Mormon and everything!  We went back on Monday and her whole family was home.  We started teaching the Plan of Salvation, and right when I introduced "agency", her nephew who is probably in his 30's FREAKED out.  Ha...in a nutshell he basically told us that agency isn't in the bible and if we teach anything that's not in the bible, we're not welcome in their home.  The spirit was GONE right after that incident..we opened up to Genesis about Adam and Eve and how they had agency, and he didn't even stay to hear our answer.  Irene's daughter had some objections about the Book of Mormon, so we tried to resolve them, but she was DEFINITELY not having it.  We had brought Fanny, a member who is from the Philippines, so she could speak Tagalog with them.  We didn't know what they were saying, then Fanny turns to us, "they're just waiting for you to leave."  So we said a prayer and left.  Afterwards, she told us that we are definitely not welcome there anymore...it made me realize that the missions we are serving really are just a tiny, miniscule glimpse of what the Savior went through.  The message of the Gospel can bring so much happiness and light into people's lives, but only if they let it.  Pride is what keeps people from improving their lives and living the gospel.  And we just have to realize that there's not much we can do as missionaries if people don't have the humility to listen to us.

Also, super funny...our bishop called us Tuesday night, because we had a question for him.  The first thing he says is, "guess what!  I just ran over a bear!"  Say what??!  We were laughing so hard.  Then on Thursday we had supper with them, and he was saying how he was going to feed us bear one day, then I was like, "Oh yeah are you going to go back and get that bear you ran over?" ( I was totally being sarcastic) then Dustin (his son) goes, "He already has it!" HA!  It was kind of a had to be there moment...but it was so funny.  I'm telling you, their family is the greatest.  

Wednesday was a crazy day!  We raked about 7 million leaves between two less actives and it was such a blast.  It was SOOO cold.  I thought my hands were going to fall off, but Heavenly Father protects His missionaries.  :) 

 

 

We also mutilated our tire by accidentally running over a broken glass bottle in the church parking lot.  We called the elders in our ward, and their car was in the shop, so they couldn't help us.  So we called the other elders, who just laughed hysterically at us. . . then the Stake president drives into the parking lot and says, "you look stranded!"  We told him what happened, and he put our spare on for us. :)  We have been driving on our donut since then, but we're getting our new tire today.  So we can actually drive. 

A new investigator moved into our ward!!!!  Her name is Robin and she's so solid.  She's been wanting to get baptized for over a year now, but her family is super anti.  She said now that she's married and moved away, she can do what she wants.  SO EXCITING!  We're just waiting for her husband to get the Melchizedek priesthood so he can confirm her.  MIRACLES ARE HAPPENING!  

Also, conference was AMAZING!  So much about prophets and Joseph Smith and families and the Sacrament.  I absolutely love how simple and clear the messages of the talks are.  The gospel really is so simple.  

In my personal studies a few days ago, I read Alma 2.  I'm not sure how I read this chapter multiple times before my mission and didn't realize how PACKED it is with instructions for us!  As we are prepared, and as we arm ourselves with the tools that the Lord has given us, we will be strengthened by Him and will not fall when the adversary is upon us.  I encourage you all to read it, and find a way to apply it to your daily life.  

Missionary work is the hardest thing I've ever done, but I know without a doubt that it's hard because, as Elder Holland says, "Salvation is NOT a cheap experience."  He's right.  Salvation isn't easy, and the road the Savior walked was the farthest thing from easy.  I'm so grateful I have this opportunity to serve in place of the Savior to bring His people unto Him.  

Onward, ever onward.

Sister Jones

Platform 9 3/4=Baptism

Hello hello!

This week was an adventure (as always) and it was also the first week of my second transfer!  CRAZY, RIGHT?!  Also, a group of new missionaries came out, so Sister Rush and I got really excited when we realized we're not the new kids anymore. :) 

The Dude

On Tuesday, we went over to the Dude's for what I thought was going to be a testimony meeting, since our District Leader was getting transferred, but it turned out to be a mini birthday party for me!  And I haven't even gotten to the good part...wait for it.....it was a HARRY POTTER PARTY!  My dream, right?  Ha the elders made us all wands.  And Hannah made me a HP birthday cake.  People are the greatest.  

Also, I have an analogy for you all! (hence the subject line).  Baptism is like Platform 9 3/4.  Going through the brick wall (baptism) seems extremely difficult if not impossible to do, but it is the first big step we must take to get to Hogwarts (aka the temple) to learn all the things we must do (spells) to combat Satan's power (aka Lord Voldemort/Horcruxes).  Even though it's a leap of faith to plow through the brick wall not knowing if you'll get through successfully, when you are on time (have faith) things will work out and you won't slam into a brick wall :)  If that made any sense..if it didn't......just go with it :)  

Our District heading to Hogwarts at Platform 9 3/4

We had a really cool experience as well later that day!  We were going over to see if a less active was home (she wasn't) and we felt like we should stop by Mak and Jennifer's (Jennifer dropped us the second week I was here)  We knocked on the door, and Mak opened and was like, "my SISTAS!  Where have you been?? Why haven't you been visiting me!" (also he's so black, and has a SWEET accent) then he invited us in and we were so confused!  We just sat down and talked for a while, then Jennifer came out, and talked with us as well.  Mak really wanted to show off his new MASSIVE sound system in their living room, so we made a compromise and listened to some church songs with them :)  We shared a scripture from Mosiah with them, and Mak had a book mark where the scripture was, so we asked him if he likes the Book of Mormon so far, and he said that it's his second time through....HE ALREADY READ THE WHOLE THING AND IS IN MOSIAH FOR THE SECOND TIME!  We were definitely not expecting that!  We asked him if he thinks it's true, and he said he knows it is.  Jennifer on the other hand hasn't read...which is why she dropped us.  The Book of Mormon is so vital in the conversion process!  It's impossible to gain a testimony of the church if you don't read the Book of Mormon.  So we committed her to read and pray to know if it's true.  She said she would!  I was about to commit Mak to be baptized, and right at that moment he said, "Sister Jones, would you like to close with a prayer?"  ha.  bad timing.  But he works in the oil fields, so he works 21 days straight, then comes home for 3 days...and he doesn't have a sunday off for a few months.  Getting him to church is going to be the only issue we have with him.  Aaaand they need to get married.  Things will happen for them eventually.  We're going to read with Jennifer this week. 

Wednesday was my birthday, and it was swell.  The other sisters decorated our room and we have soooo many balloons since it was Sister Campbell's bday last week and mine this week... we don't know what to do with them all!  We had Donairs for lunch, which was quite the adventure...(and by quite the adventure I mean world war 3 in my stomach) All is well!  :)  We were going to visit with a member in our ward, and we were 5 minutes early, so both of us thought to knock on the house two doors down from her.  We knocked, and got talking to the lady, her name is Eleni, and she's SO SOLID!  Her family is from Greece, so she said she was Greek Orthodox, and her fiance is Mennonite, but there aren't either of those churches here in GP, so she said they were looking for a church!  She went down to Edmonton for the weekend, so she didn't come to church, but we're meeting with her tomorrow to teach her the first lesson!  We are SO STOKED!

We also taught Irene and Vengia, the two women from the Philippines we found last week.  We taught them the first lesson again, Vengia has a ton of questions since she knows some Mormons back home.  We committed them to read and pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true, and we're teaching them again tonight!  

The rest of the week went a lot slower than we hoped for, Bobbie was sick so we didn't see her all week, and Shauna wasn't able to meet or come to the Women's broadcast or church...and Olivier was busy as well.  Missionary work is really hard when things are slow, but the Lord always has a plan, and things always go according to His plan.  Patience is what I've trying hard to develop this past week.  It's rough when you are really trying to fulfill your purpose, but have nobody to meet with!  But that's when we continue on in patience and diligence and do our best to find those who are prepared to receive the restored gospel.  

In my studies this morning, I read President Monson's talk, "I Will Not Fail Thee, nor Forsake Thee."  (you can find it here)

Basically the whole thing is remarkable, but these two quotes really stood out to me:

"We become impatient for a solution to our problems, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required."

"The history of the Church in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times, is replete with the experiences of those who have struggled and yet who have remained steadfast and of good cheer. The reason? They have made the gospel of Jesus Christ the center of their lives. This is what will pull us through whatever comes our way. We will still experience difficult challenges, but we will be able to face them, to meet them head-on, and to emerge victorious."

God knows that we must face challenges to be strengthened!  And He knows what I must face personally to be able to become the person He wants me to be.  THIS right here is the mission I was called to serve, and although the road is long, exhausting, and at times seemingly impossible, "the works of God cannot be frustrated".  

As we are exactly obedient and strive to be like Christ, we will have success.  I have learned that success isn't necessarily the outward results that people can see, but oftentimes the success we get is a change of heart, a new perspective, and a new attitude.  I know I'm supposed to be out here for a reason, and I learn so much everyday.  God knows who he wants us to be, it's our job to submit to His will and reach our fullest potential which is only possible through our Savior, Jesus Christ.  

Onward, ever onward,

Sister Jones 

xoxo

"Lovest thou me more than these [fish]?"

SO MUCH HAPPENED THIS WEEK.  I'll do my best to make sense, but as you all know, my brain goes faster than my fingers, so bear with me...

Last Monday, we drove to Edmonton for Mission Tour/Conference!!!  It's crazy how different people here in Canada are about driving.  It's a 5 hour drive from Grande Prairie to Edmonton, and it's so common for people to just go down to Edmonton for the day....We're spoiled back in Utah where everything is so close together.  The ride was good, AUTUMN HERE IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!  Also, we ate the best donuts I've ever eaten in my life at Crooked Creek, this little gas station on the way to Edmonton.  My life is now complete. 

Mission Conference on Tuesday was INCREDIBLE!  Elder and Sister Martino spoke to us as well as President and Sister Manion.  The Lord is truly hastening His work, it's so exciting to be a part of!  At the beginning, Elder Martino talked about our devotion to the Lord. He referenced John 21, when Christ asked Peter 3 times, "Lovest thou me?"

"Lovest thou me more than these [fish]?" It really got me thinking.  Do I really and truly love the Lord more than these "fishes"?  Do my actions show my love for Jesus Christ?  He then tells Peter for the third time, "Feed my sheep."  If we truly love the Lord, we will feed His sheep, because that is the most important work on the earth.  To spread the Gospel light to those around us.  We don't have to necessarily go out of our way to share the light with others, if you pray for the experiences, God will place them in your path.  All you have to do is act on them when He gives them to you.  I learned so much from Elder Martino, it was SO POWERFUL! 

President Manion also said something super awesome that really struck me.  "See opposition as opportunity."  SO COOL.  I've really been trying to  remember that this week. 

Sister McEwen and I are planning what we are going to call, "Becoming More Christlike By Christmas".  For the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas, we will be having a fireside/activity one night a week and learn about how we can apply certain Christlike attributes from chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel.  The members are going to help us and we're going to invite basically everyone in Grande Prairie to come to this event.  It's going to be strictly focused on Christ and how we can become more like Him.  We're hoping that as nonmembers come, they will be able to realize that Christ really is the center of our religion, in hopes that they will feel the spirit and want to learn more. :) It's going to be amazing! 

Wednesday night, we taught Griffin and Alora.  They're 11 and 9 years old, and their mom is less active.  They haven't been baptized, so we're trying to get them there.  We've been teaching them since I got here and they're finally comfortable with saying prayers in the lessons!  Griffin said in his prayer, "thank you for the missionaries, and please please bless that they will keep visiting us and teaching us." they're so precious!!!  

Thursday was Sister Campbell's birthday, so Sister McEwen, Sister Rush and I got up early to decorate the apartment. :) It was super great!  Then....Sister Campbell got a fun birthday present....Sister Rush comes out of the washroom and says, "umm...the toilet is exploding."  yep.  Toilet water ALL OVER the washroom floor...So we spent our Companion Studies cleaning it up. :)  Sister Campbell decided to use the tiny spots in the middle of the rugs that were dry to hop over to the bathtub and try to plunge the toilet to stop it from overflowing...I could not stop laughing.  And crying.  At the same time.  it was probably the most hilarious thing that's happened thus far in GP. Pretty effective use of our time I would say. ;)  We were laughing so hard...oh my heavens it was ridiculous.  Happy birthday Sister Campbell! :)

Now for the miracle of thew week...

Yesterday after church, ALL of our appointments besides supper fell through...Dahh!  It was such a bummer..so we decided to text a few of our investigators in hopes that maybe one of them would be able to meet.  Shauna texted us back and said she could!  FINALLY WE GOT TO MEET WITH SHAUNA!  We brought Hannah, with us.  She graduated high school last year and is planning on going on a mission, so she's GOLDEN to bring to lessons.  We met at the church and showed Shauna around a bit, but it was already 8:30 so we didn't giver her the full tour.  She brought her friend, Josh, with her, and we taught them lesson one, the Restoration.  I LOVE teaching the restoration so much, mostly because we get to teach the first vision.  I never knew before my mission how powerful the message of the restoration really is.  Reciting the First Vision in Joseph Smith's words brings the spirit like nothing else.  Shauna really wants to change her life around, she said she knows she's doing things that are wrong and she really wants to change, but she doesn't know how.  We committed her to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it, and when she knows it's true to be baptized!  I just lover her so much!  She said she would come to the General Women's broadcast on Saturday and then church on Sunday!  The gospel really is the only thing that brings everlasting light into our lives. 

As we live the principles of the gospel and keep God's commandments, we will have a bigger desire to be better.  The spirit can dwell within us and help our hearts to change.  There is no other way to have lasting joy than to accept Jesus Christ and live by his teachings.  As we act on the faith we do have, he will bless us with more and more faith than we thought we could even have. 

Ether 12:4 <------- SO SOLID

Onward, ever onward.

love
sister jones