The Glory of My God

well.  being sick as a missionary is probably the worst thing ever, but we're on tail end of it so hopefully the rest of this week is better. 

The wonderful land of Alberta sent us a big bucket of snow for the first few days of spring, but it should all start melting here pretty soon. :)

I'm sort of starting to get to know the bus routes and stops we use most frequently, it'll come with time. 

Funny/awesome/sad/random happenings this week:

*we taught a man who claimed to be Jesus Christ and asked us if we would help him organize a church..but then he accepted the invitation to be baptized.  ...not too sure about him. :)

*we got a new investigator, Peter, who is from Kenya.  He's very talkative and passionate about his beliefs, but is very interested in learning more. 

*I sat down by this man named Andrew on the bus one morning, and started talking with him.  He was super nice, and I was almost waiting for him to tell me which ward he was in or something, because he just seemed like a member.  Turns out, he's not a member, and I gave him a Book of Mormon and basically taught him the restoration and he LOVED it.  He kept saying that there was something different about us and he wanted what we had.  He doesn't live in our area, he's on the west side, and one of my good pals from the MTC is in the area he lives in!  So I know he's in good hands.  :)  God really does put people in our paths that are prepared. 

*we went to Brian's(the lost sheep we found at the bus stop) house with the elders and he really opened up and it was such a powerful lesson. 

*PEGGY QUIT SMOKING!!!  then she started again.  but we're not giving up on her, she'll get there.  It hasn't helped that she came down with the flu as well. 

*we started teaching our new investigator, Henk!  Henk can't speak, he has a hole in his throat from cancer, so he writes everything on this note pad he carries around.  It was a miracle that we found him!  I got sick Friday night, and Saturday morning felt even worse.  But for some reason I just couldn't stay inside, so we went to meet with a less active who lives at a halfway house downtown.  We read the Book of Mormon with her, and then on our way out, Henk waved us down and wrote a question for us on his notepad, "do you have the truth?" we told him we do, and taught him about the Book of Mormon.  He was so happy and said he would read it!  We were supposed to teach him again on Monday morning, but Satan's really rude sometimes and we were too sick to go out.  We'll be seeing him tomorrow though!  The work of God cannot be frustrated!

*my hair got stuck to the bus stop shelter pole...kind of like on the movie A Christmas Story....yeah it was an adventure to get it off. 

I was reading in Alma 60, and the last verse just hit me! verse 36:
"I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country."

most times, as followers of Jesus Christ, the "honour" and "glory" of the world do not come.  But as long as we are doing all we can for the glory of our God, everything else will fall into place.  The honour of the world is nothing compared to the blessings and glory of the Lord. 

 

The church is true! 

 

Onward, ever onward.

Sister Jones

Don't Count The Cost

greetings from the big city of Edmonton!

 

the new area is a bit crazy, right downtown.  We're a walking/bussing area, but I would argue that we do little to no walking and almost never stop running.  Let's just say I'm definitely sore. :)  I absolutely LOVE the energy of the city.  Everything is so fast and it reminds me of how urgent this work really is.  SO MANY PEOPLE TO SHARE HAPPINESS WITH! 

 

I'm follow up training Sister Trujillo.  She's amazing!  From Colorado and has so much drive for the work, I couldn't have asked for a better companion.

 

This week has been insane!  Before leaving Drayton, I said goodbye to all my favorite people, it was sad.  Drayton Valley has become my home!  But all is well because Heavenly Father has a plan.  and Forest Heights is a whole new adventure. 

 

We met with our investigator, Peggy, on Friday, and she's such a sweetheart!  She's on date for baptism in June, she's trying to quit smoking.  We're going to go over the stop smoking program with her this week and hopefully she can get baptized sooner! 

 

I've found my new favorite thing.....BUS CONTACTING!!! 

it's so much fun. 

as long as we don't miss our stop..hahah that's always stressful. 

I'm slowly learning the routes and the area, by the end of this week I'm hoping to know how to get around without too much help.

 

COOL STORY:

Sister Trujillo and I were waiting for our bus while downtown, and started talking to this lady about the gospel, and this guy stood next to me and I felt like I should talk to him.  So I turned, and he says, "How are the battles today, sister?"  We got talking and turns out he's a member!  He said he didn't know what ward he's in and hasn't been to church in years, so we got his address and everything, and he's in our ward. :)  The Elders are going to stop by his place and we're going to help him get back to church. :)  The Lord really does put people in our path everyday that we can reach out to, we just have to be doing our part. 

I was reading a talk this week about missionary work (go figure) and one line in it really stood out to me.  "Don't Count The Cost."  When God asks us to make a sacrifice, there will ALWAYS be a cost; and as humans, we tend to focus too much on the cost.  BUT THAT WILL GET YOU NOWHERE!  Anything God asks us to do will bring immeasurable blessings when compared to the cost.  So I'm trying my best to forget about the cost of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, and constantly remember why I'm here.  I'm here because I love the Lord, and I love the people, and I know that this is the real deal! 

Onward, ever onward.

Sister Jones

You can take me out of Drayton Valley, but you can't take the Drayton Valley out of me

well i'm being transferred and to be completely honest I'm a bit peeved!!!  BUT....obviously Heavenly Father knows what he's doing.  I just have to humble myself and do as the Lord asks to see what I can learn in the big city of Edmonton!  I have been serving outlying my whole mission, and now am headed to Forest Heights!  Which is apparently the downtown of Edmonton and super crazy.  (this is what I'm told) so a new adventure is about to begin!  *holds back tears*..............

this week was really great though!

We taught Chaise a few times and watched the Joseph Smith movie with him and Carrie.  The spirit was definitely there and he most definitely felt it.  He has been a little hesitant about everything though because he really doesn't want to be deceived.  Which is understandable.  He's still on date though and still not smoking. :) I'm so sad I won't be here for his baptism.  We also went to his open mic night and met a pastor named Seth who wants to meet with us.  We're not sure of his intentions, but it'll be an adventure for sure!  

We had our musical fireside which ended up just being the sister missionary, Palsky, and Curry show.  it was a success though!  Lots of nonmembers came and the spirit was so strong.  I didn't die singing in front of everyone, so that was a plus..  Heavenly Father definitely doesn't call the qualified..but qualifies the called.  

Gloria, our etgernigator finally committed to pray about baptism!!!  She has been investigating for almost 3 years and still won't commit, but she's getting there!  She's the greatest.  

On Friday, we got dropped by Mellisa and her family.  

Then Lynn dropped us and said this isn't helping her at all.  

Agency is the worst sometimes!!!  

and we decided that daylight savings is just Satan in disguise, because nobody came to church since they slept in!  hahah.  such is life I guess!

But honestly Drayton Valley has been the greatest place on earth.  It is my home.  And I'm so sad to be leaving all the people I love so much, but I'm excited to see what's in store for the future.  

looking back on my time in DV, I think the biggest lesson I have learned is that nobody is ever too far gone for the atonement.  Not ever.  The power of his grace reaches far beyond any of us can imagine.  We've taught recovering meth addicts, drug dealers, and criminals, and been able to see the love and power of the atonement change their hearts and countenances into who God has created them to be.  I have learned to love more deeply than I ever knew I could, and I've seen how pure, Christlike love can enable people to leave behind their old ways and take courage.  Courage to humble themselves before our loving Heavenly Father and submit to his will, however hard it will be.  I love this gospel.  I love these people.  and I'm happy to say I'm a changed person from serving in the promised land of Drunken Valley...I mean..Drayton Valley ;) 

"and they separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken." Alma 17:13

Onward, ever onward.  

Sister Jones

"My joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God"

OH MY WORD it has been a marvellous week.  And we have only Heavenly Father and the wonderful members here to thank for that.  Sister Whiting and I started a 40 day fast from sweets for our investigators 8 days ago, and here some of the miracles that have come of it:

-Tuesday, we met with Chaise.  We had planned on teaching him the Plan of Salvation, but as we were talking before, he pulled out his pack of cigarettes and said he was thinking about quitting.  We said he could crush them right now, and then HE DID.  HE JUST CRUSHED 'EM!  So we were all freaking out so excited, and Sister Whiting and I booked it back to our apartment to grab the quit smoking program for him to go through it.  He's still a non-smoker, DAY 6! :)  

-We met with him again on Friday, and taught him the plan of salvation.  He loved it and committed to baptism on MARCH 28th!!!!  And he got a hair cut!!! It's amazing, his countenance has changed so much and the spirit truly is working in his life.  He made the comment that this is something that will completely change the direction he is going in life, and he's happy about that. THE ATONEMENT IS REAL. We've been reading the Book of Mormon with him just about everyday since.  He also came to church yesterday and everybody introduced themselves and really made him feel welcome.  We asked him how he liked it after, and he said, "it was actually really good." he didn't think it would be hahah...such a punk.  but he loved it! 

-Anita, from the gas station came as well!!! She brought her little boy and was just so enthused about church!  She says she wants to be baptized and that she's going to come every sunday from now on. :)  We're teaching her tonight and planning on setting a date for her baptism.

-While attempting to contact a former, we found Greg!  This super sweet old man that let us come back the next day. Sister Curry came (asked for work off--such a gem!) and we taught him the restoration.  He is so ready for the gospel!!!  So prepared.  We'll be teaching him again tomorrow.    

-We were finally able to teach Laurence, he's one of the investigators that the elders had  before their area closed down, and it has been a joke trying to meet with him.  So many complications, but he came to church yesterday as well, and when we had our lesson, he committed to baptism on May 15th!!!  He's such a sweet soul.  

Fast and testimony meeting yesterday was INCREDIBLE.  The spirit was so apparent, and my heart just couldn't stop rejoicing in the Lord.  This gospel is real.  I know it is.  

Just a few minutes ago...Sister Whiting and I went outside the church for a second, and tried to come back in when we realized we locked our keys inside.  With no jackets and the windchill of Alberta, we just huddled in a ball up against the church building because we were sooo cold.  We called Sister Giddey, and she said she'd be right over.  We sat there for probably 20 minutes (which doesn't sound too long...but felt like an eternity) and just froze and our eyes were watering and we couldn't feel our hands and we thought we were going to freeze to death.  We just sang, "Come Come Ye Saints" to ourselves and cried.  

When we got to the part where it says, "Grace shall be as your day" Sister Giddey drove up!!!  It reminded me of a lot of things...but mostly made me reflect on my mission.  It has been about 7 months now, (ahhhhh) and most of that 7 months has been working and working and not feeling like anything was coming of it.  But Grace always comes, just like this week came.  Miracles always come when we do our best and leave it all up to God.  And sometimes, you just have to keep working (or keep enduring the windchill) for a little bit longer until the promises of the Lord are fulfilled.   

Ammon says it better than I can:

I just love the Book of Mormon :)

35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has allpower, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.

 36 Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land.

 37 Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen.

Onward, Ever onward.

Sister Jones

Exchanges with Sister Cardona

"Oh, Lord, I am yet strong. Give me one more mountain."

IT'S SO WARM!

I'll start this off by bragging that I'm wearing a short sleeve shirt today with no tights because it's +4 degrees and my heart is rejoicing in this tender mercy.  

This week has been emotionally draining, but all in all, the gospel is so real and it is the ONLY thing that will get us through this life.  I didn't realize it was possible to love people this much and truly desire their salvation more than anything else.  

HAPPENINGS OF THIS WEEK

-we were supposed to meet Chaise at dairy queen to teach him but he didn't show up, so we bought some blizzards and decided to take one to him. (even though we don't even know where he lives..)  It sounds lame, but we REALLY felt like we needed to take it to him.  If God wanted us to do this, we figured that He would provide a way for us to find him.  We prayed real hard, then drove and asked a member if she knew, after some very vague directions, we weren't sure if it was the right one, but we knocked and there he was! (sorry for the run-on sentence)  God always provides a way.

-we also got to give him a church tour!  it was during a scouting activity, so tons of members were there and everyone just flocked to him to introduce themselves and it was really neat.  He's also going to participate in our musical fireside next week, so that'll be an awesome experience!  

 

Precious, the hedgehog!

-on Friday, the Kinniburgh's really wanted to show us their new hedgehog, Precious, so we decided we'd finish our weekly planning there.  We had to get gas before, and we talked to our friend, Anita, who works at the Fas Gas, and she said, "where is your church again??  I lost the card you gave me and I showed up to the wrong church last sunday and didn't see you so I left!"  She totally wants to come to our church, so we gave her another card and got her number so we can start teaching her this week.  As we were walking out of the gas station, her co-worker was just arriving to take over, so if we had left any later, we wouldn't have seen her! Nothing is coincidence.  

-while contacting formers we taught this polish couple.  They're super catholic, and it was a gong show but we were able to leave a book of mormon for them and left with some polish chocolate....which we ate then after realized it tasted like coffee and couldn't read the package because it was in POLISH!  So we potentially broke the word of wisdom.  oops.  

-the stake presidency came to Drayton and  wait for it.... WE GOT A NEW BRANCH PRESIDENCY!!!  Everyone knew it was coming, but guess who our new branch president is..... PRESIDENT GIDDEY!!!  Our branch mission leader who has the greatest south african little family I've ever met.  So we're currently without a branch mission leader, but we'll be getting one soon. :)  When things like this happen, my testimony of the priesthood power just grows tenfold!  It's unreal.  Also, President Wong (the stake president) just gave everyone a smack down about becoming a ward.  He basically said that we almost have the numbers to become a ward, but when it comes to the spiritual maturity of the members, we need to take it up a few notches!  He's basically a general authority.  So cool.  

holy cricket, I have learned so much this week.  There was a speech given by Elder Holland called, "For Times of Trouble" that Sister Whiting showed me, and it gave me a whole new perspective.  http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=869

give it a good read.  (i know, it's long, but it's worth it!)

there's a line in there that has really hit me this week after lots of trial, "Oh, Lord, I am yet strong.  Give me one more mountain." [Joshua 14:11-12] 

when we are going through times of trouble, what is our attitude?  God will always give us just what we need to become who he has created us to be.  And it's our job to take that mountain, and CLIMB IT!  

He then talks about Enoch, “Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, [I] am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech?” [Moses 6:31] 

God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called.  And even though I'm just a little 20 year old unexperienced missionary who hasn't dealt with many hard things in her life...with the power of the Lord, I can do all things.   

Onward, ever onward.

Sister Jones

a "once more" kind of attitude

What a week!

-we got to stay in the mission home in Sherwood Park on Monday night for Zone Conference on Tuesday.  love that place!

-Zone Conference was SO good.  we learned about having our hearts in the right place and how that can motivate us to be consecrated missionaries.  Our zone leader's trainings are always so awesome.  they're rockstars.  

MTC besties at Zone Conference :)

-we have now contacted about 30 of the former investigators from the area book (out of 89) and have a couple more weeks to contact the rest.  Yes.  We're expecting miracles!  We have been able to set up return appointments with a lot of the formers we've contacted so that'll make for a joyful week!

-we also went ice fishing yesterday which was cold and no we didn't catch anything.  definitely an adventure.

ice fishing!

-we had a pretty good lesson with Lynn, she's still reading the book of mormon, having a rough time with prayer.  But she's progressing.  She doesn't think she is, but she  has been acting in faith and really trying her best.  We're going to have a lesson with her in the church this week to help her feel more comfortable to come on Sunday! :)

-Brandy, a girl who is in Junior High, her family investigated the church a while back, we (basically just Sister Whiting) have been tutoring her with her math.  She told us this week that before we started helping her, she was getting 20-30% on all her tests, and on her last test, she got above 80%!!!  #miraclesonmiraclesonmiracles  #servicesoftenshearts

-We had a lesson with our NEW INVESTIGATOR, Colin!  I'm going to back up for a minute...

a week ago from last Sunday, we were tracting.  We knocked a few doors and after all of them slamming in our faces, we weren't sure if God was telling us to go somewhere else, or if we should stay and try a little longer.  We decided to knock one more house, and we met Colin.  He told us he wasn't religious and wasn't really interested.  we gave him a mormon.org card and went on to try another area.  About an hour later, we got a text asking if this is the sister missionaries, and it turns out it was Colin!  He said he would have invited us in to teach him if his friends weren't there, so we set up a lesson for later in the week!!!  NO EFFORT IS WASTED!  We gave him a tour of the church building and then started teaching him the nature of God.  He doesn't really have a religious background at all.  We had the lesson in the chapel, and let me just tell you lessons in the chapel are INCREDIBLE!!!  When you walk into the chapel, you can just FEEL a difference.  The spirit resides there and when we enter, we open our hearts a little more to feel its guidance.  I JUST LOVE IT!  Colin said the closing prayer and he hasn't really ever prayed before!!! JDASIOG;HR;AJFRE'AJFE;FJKDS;AJFIO;RJIO;E   it was so awesome.  AND he said he would be baptized when he knows it's true.  NO EFFORT IS WASTED, I TELL YOU!  I have learned that when you develop a "once more" attitude, you truly see miracles.  Let's knock one more house, let's meet with them once more, let's try to talk to one more stranger, etc.  Looking at all we have to do as missionaries can get pretty overwhelming.  But if we just tell ourselves, "one more time."  Eventually, we can attain the summit and sing the song of redeeming love as we serve the Lord with all our hearts!  

whatever it is that you're going through, don't give up. Every time we try one more time, we're exercising our faith, and God ALWAYS blesses his children who exercise their faith.   just try once more. :) 

Onward, ever onward.

Sister Jones

"...but that ALL should come to repentance."

It has been snowing quite a bit this week so we have done LOTS of shoveling for strangers and investigators.  (let me tell you my body is feeling it..hahha) We had a cool experience while shoveling though!  We decided to knock doors and ask if we could shovel their driveways,and do some finding that way.  the first house we knocked on wouldn't let us...awkward..but the next house we knocked on did!  They were so confused, we just told them we wanted to help and it was free!  In the middle of shoveling, the guy comes out (his name was Bill) and asks us, "soooo are you mentally deficient, or....?"  HA maybe we are I don't know but then we just told him that we teach about Christ and what better way to teach than to live as he did.  He thought that was really neat.  We gave him a card and he was so grateful and his heart was softened by service.  Pretty neat.  

We had a really awesome lesson with Lynn on Thursday!!!  In our previous lesson, we had taught the restoration, and she said she needed a little time to let it all sink in, so we watched the 20 minute Restoration video with her.  the spirit was so strong, and I FINALLY felt like we were asking inspired questions and truly teaching to her needs.  she opened up about her concerns and her feelings about it all and we were able to let the spirit testify through us to her.  

I also got bit by a dog this week.  hahahah don't worry mom, it wasn't bad, just bit my hand but my mittens protected me :)  

OH and Gord hasn't been smoking for 2 weeks and they're getting sealed on Valentines Day of next year and I can't even tell you how happy my heart is for them.  I just want to shout out and REJOICE I'm so happy!  

We also talked to a potential named Daisy who is Hispanic!  We gave her a Spanish Book of Mormon and are going to have a Skype lesson with the Spanish elders in the city so they can teach her! :)  

We have been trying to contact all the formers in our area book this transfer, and we now have a few lessons set up for this week with some of them!  

we also had this less active, Brother P, come to church yesterday. I just want to say I thought I was going to faint I was so surprised!  I honestly thought that it would never happen in a million years (oh ye of little faith..) and HE CAME and my heart just rejoiced.  

There's this really cool thing as a missionary when you're teaching a lesson, and all of a sudden this huge spiritual epiphany comes to you and it all just makes sense and your heart is filled with joy! ------->  We were teaching a less active about the sacrament, and then it just dawned on me.  The sacrament is for everyone.  The sacrament is for me.  Here I am, declaring repentance to these people and I haven't even fully taken advantage of the beautiful gift to be given a clean slate every single week as I can repent and partake of the sacrament.  I tend to get down on myself because of my weaknesses and sometimes even think that it is too late to be the best missionary I can be because of past mistakes, but that is SO not true.  We can't limit the power of the atonement.  It reaches every single one of our weaknesses and Jesus Christ can literally pull us out of our natural ways.  We just have to accept his grace as we do all we can to be better than we were yesterday or even 5 seconds ago.  After the Sacrament yesterday, a recent convert, Amber, leans over to me and goes, "now would be the perfect time to die." hahah it was funny but isn't that so true!  The sacrament cleanses us and literally our sins are gone.  GONE!  I can testify that true repentance is daily, even hourly, and Jesus Christ can always always ALWAYS, make us clean again.  

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."     [2 Peter 3:9]

the church is true and God loves all of you!

Onward, ever onward.

Sister Jones

 

  Everyday I'm shovelin'

Our awesome Branch President owns a car care place and put this sign outside of his shop #preachit