The Ducks are named Lehi and Sariah.

Hola mi familia y mi amigos!

It seems crazy that I've only been here for two weeks. It seems like a lot longer. After gym, we saw the bus coming in with the new missionaries. Throughout the day I kept my eyes peeled for Hermana Bullock. I saw her at dinner in the cafeteria. I came over, gave her a hug and a welcome to the MTC (or CCM, as it is said in Spanish). She seemed to be doing well. I look forward to seeing her the next 4 weeks around the campus.

On P-Day we went to temple, and it was great. I felt like a little kid at Christmas as the Provo temple is so much bigger than the Edmonton temple, and so pretty.

There's this place outside of campus where we're allowed to go on P-Days. It has a few food places. We went there for dinner, and went to this burger place which was yummy. We also went to this ice cream place called Sub-Zero. They make it in front of you, with liquid nitrogen. It's simply milk, your flavour, and topping. Mine was peanut butter and peanut butter cups.

When P-Day was over, we met a new teacher. Hna. Young. We love her! She served her mission in Chile. We also have another new teacher. Hno. Stewart, who served his mission in Paraguay.

We had a birthday! Hna. DeFriez turned 20 on Saturday. Her sister and her brother in law sent a cake that they made. Hna. Fletcher's parents also sent her a birthday present! It was a lovely day! The day before we had a card passed around the zone to wish her a happy birthday.

On Sunday, I got a new assignment. I'm the Music Coordinator. Basically, I pick the hymns that we sing for our branch. Which is now tiny. We went from 4 districts in it, and now there's only one besides our own. A district of Elders.

On our Sunday walk, our Elder friends from another zone couldn't find their district. So we took a volleyball picture together. They share our gym time.

We went to Choir practice on Sunday. And I was chosen to say the closing prayer. It was on our campus, so just the Spanish missionaries. That prayer, I wasn't entirely sure what to say. It was really short and I felt really short of myself because it was so short. But this Hermana behind me, she asked how long I've been here, and said that it was a great prayer. As a native Spanish speaker, she still stumbled across the words and was impressed by me. Heavenly Father knows us! He knows I needed that.

On Monday, we went to TRC, I don't really know what that means. But basically you talk to members of the church in Spanish. There was this one lady, Hna. Applegate, and she was so sweet. She's this grandma, and when we were done speaking with her, she gave us all a great grandma hug. I hope to see her again.

Our lessons we teach are not real investigators. They're roleplays. But they're great! We always evaluate ourselves after and see what we need to work on. I think that for whatever we have in life, we should always have something we want to work on. We are imperfect people, trying to become better. We have two investagators now, and we're picking another one up tomorrow.

I'm learning so much! I know I'm supposed to be here!

The ducks are named Lehi and Sariah.    

Love,

Hermana Jones

*Disclaimer* We have no idea what the ducks are.  Anybody?

Introducing Hermana Jones!

Hola Mi Familia y Amigos!

Crazy to think I´ve been here a little over a week. First question everyone has been asking: my companion! I actually have two here. Hermana DeFriez y Hermana Fletcher. Hrma. Fletcher´s didn´t show up so we are a trio! I love them! They´re both from Utah. Brigham City, and Orem respectively. Hrma Fletcher finds my Canadianisms funny. Especially when I say bag.

First day... very foggy.  It was great to see Uncle Chris and visit with him as he drove me to the MTC. It was so cool to get my badge. Hermana Jones. So after I got everything to my residence ... oh yes, I am on the West Campus. All the Spanish speaking missionaries are there.  I got to my classroom, which is in an apartment. And I met my district. We are all Hermanas and all going to Veracruz. The other companionship in my district is Hermana Orr y Hermana Furner. They´re pretty fantastic as well! 

My teacher is Hermana Ashby. She is the sweetest little thing. She served her mission in California. I forget where.

At dinner, I saw Elder Cruz (instagram), and Hermana Blankmeyer (facebook), so that was really cool too. 

We met our branch presidency and their wives on Thursday. I really like them. One of the counsellors, Brother Liston, served his mission in Edmonton. He remembers the street he lived on. He loves Edmonton! Sister Liston was saying if it wasn´t so cold they would think of living there.

Speaking of weather. It´s quite decent over here. Most days I don´t have to worry too much about a coat. But it´s been a little chillier these past couple of days.

We taught our first investigator on Friday. All in Spanish! We had our last lesson yesterday, which was sad. We really grew to love her. And we sure learned a lot in that experience. The first two lessons I feel we focused more on being worried about Spanish than really teaching her and showing we loved her. But the last two lessons were excellent! We started with her not really knowing a whole lot about God. She grew up in the Catholic church but stopped going as she grew older. Her sister has been a member of our church for 10 years now. We committed her to baptism, so that was really exciting.

Spanish... it´s going well. Taking French has definitely helped. I can see the similarities. I like Spanish because you actually pronounce everything.

I´m gonna skip to Sunday, because it was a bit of a funny day. So we didn´t know the night before that it was daylight savings. So... we missed breakfast. First thing is Relief Society. We go to the chapel on campus and we get a broadcast from main campus. And for sacrament meeting we go on a bus to another chapel and have it separately in our branches. The branch is our zone. We need to prepare a talk for each Sunday. There are two talks by missionaries but we don´t know who until the meeting. Hrma. DeFriez was chosen, she didn´t prep anything, but the talk she gave was wonderful. Also...it has to be in Spanish. One of the wives said it was the first time she´s seen in 1.5 years that a new missionary gave a talk.

Sunday night we have a devotional at main campus. It was someone from the board of something. I forget.

We have gym periods every day except pday and Sunday. I´ve been playing volleyball with my zone and another one. I am bad at it but I have become better. I even spiked the ball over the net once! And we don´t keep score and don´t go by all the rules. 

We also have devotional Tuesday night, Don R. Clarke from the 70. Tuesday I had a different companion for the day since my district but we went to SLC for their visas. She was leaving the next day and her comp left the day before.

Yesterday... that was our last lesson with our investigator. She sent a video to us telling us how she felt when she taught us. It was so weird to hear her in English!

I´m learning lots here. And you can definitely feel a strong spirit here!

Love,

Hermana Jones

I Will Not Fail Thee Nor Forsake Thee

Farewell Talk - Given on February 23, 2014

“I Will Not Fail Thee Nor Forsake Thee”

Hello Brothers and Sisters,

Going back to our first parents, Adam and Eve, we have all experienced adversity. Every day, we turn on the news and somewhere, something ugly happens.

President Thomas S Monson, in his October 2013 talk 'I Will Not Fail Thee Nor Forsake Thee' eloquently says:

“Brothers and sisters, it may be safely assumed that no person has ever lived entirely free of suffering and sorrow, nor has there ever been a period in human history that did not have its full share of turmoil and misery.”

“ When the pathway of life takes a cruel turn, there is the temptation to ask the question “Why me?” At the times there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel, no sunrise to end the night's darkness. We feel encompassed by the disappointment of shattered dreams and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea, “Is there no balm in Gilead?” We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We become impatient for a solution to our problems, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience that is required.

Brothers and sisters ... even when it feels like we are the only ones alone in our trials, that there is no one to reach out to, there is someone. There is our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Because he died on the cross, the Atonement can be used. We know that the Atonement can be used to repent of our sins, but I think that we forget that the Atonement is not only for this reason. Christ suffered for all the pains we would have in this life. To quote Preach My Gospel “ As we rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation. All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”

President Monson shares in his talk this story about his old seminary teacher Brother Brems.

In 1968, Brother Brems lost his wife, Sadie. Two of his eight children also passed away as the years went by.

One day nearly 13 years ago, Brother Brems’s oldest granddaughter telephoned me. She explained that her grandfather had reached his 105th birthday. She said, “He lives in a small care center but meets with his entire family each Sunday, where he delivers a gospel lesson.” She continued, “This past Sunday, Grandpa announced to us, ‘My dears, I am going to die this week. Will you please call Tommy Monson. He will know what to do.’”

I visited Brother Brems the very next evening. I had not seen him for a while. I could not speak to him, for he had lost his hearing. I could not write a message for him to read, because he had lost his sight. I was told that the family communicated with him by taking the finger of his right hand and then tracing on the palm of his left hand the name of the person visiting. Any message had to be conveyed in this same way. I followed the procedure by taking his finger and spelling T-O-M-M-Y M-O-N-S-O-N, the name by which he had always known me. Brother Brems became excited and, taking my hands, placed them on his head. I knew his desire was to receive a priesthood blessing. The driver who had taken me to the care center joined me as we placed our hands on the head of Brother Brems and provided the desired blessing. Afterward, tears streamed from his sightless eyes. He grasped our hands in gratitude. Although he had not heard the blessing we had given him, the Spirit was strong, and I believe he was inspired to know we had provided the blessing which he needed. This sweet man could no longer see. He could no longer hear. He was confined night and day to a small room in a care center. And yet the smile on his face and the words he spoke touched my heart. “Thank you,” he said. “My Heavenly Father has been so good to me.”

Within a week, just as Brother Brems had predicted, he passed away. Never did he dwell on what he was lacking; rather, he was always deeply grateful for his many blessings.

In style of President Monson, I found a sweet little poem about this topic. Poem: A Lesson in Adversity

Travelling by bus

those around me slumbered

yet sleep eluded me

I thought how fortunate

my companions were

oblivious to the aches and pains

they missed the pouring rain

I envied them so -

until they missed the rainbow

I have an experience I'd like to share. I used to work at a restaurant for 10 months, primarily as a hostess. From being a complete newbie that first had no clue how busy and hectic the restaurant word could be to feeling more confident in my job and knowing my way around, I gained a lot of respect from the various people I worked with for trying to do the I could. There was one night where I felt that all the respect disappeared from a particular coworker. I was at the end of my shift, but in preparation for something I forget the details of, the manager at the time needed us to stay a bit longer and cover the tables, benches, and everything with a plastic lining. After everything was done, he offered some alcoholic beverages to the three of us who helped lining everything. I politely declined. I was asked why I didn't drink alcohol and I explained that I was a Mormon, and that we have a Word of Wisdom that we follow. Most times that I've explained this to people who ask this, they accept this belief. This one lady however, not so much. From that, she began this rant of how Mormons were not Christians and that I needed to educate myself. This hurt. It hurt hard. Not because I felt that she was attacking me, but she was also attacking this church. Because I was so taken aback, so unprepared of what to do or say, I simply told her that I had a testimony I knew this church was true. That's all I knew what to do. After being rescued from my mother and at home, it took a few hours to calm myself down. Never before in my life do I feel I'd been criticized so hard. But this I can tell you. As hard as it was, and as hurt as I felt, I'm grateful for that moment. It really affirmed to me the truthfulness in the church. It's prepared me for when there will be people who reject the gospel on my mission, and who knows what else it may have prepared me for.

Trials and adversity are not just there to get through and be over with. They have a purpose in our lives. Can you think of a trial that you went through and you were the exact same person as before. My guess ... probably not. I've been through many trials, as everyone has. They sure were really hard at times, but I've become a stronger person because of them. President Monson has said that our trials are there to rebuild ourselves and be bettered by them. Through trials we can become more understanding, empathetic, and to gain stronger testimonies.

Adversity has also taught me to have faith. Faith to trust God and know He has a purpose for everything, faith to know I can endure ... faith to know I will feel joy again. Faith to know that I will see that rainbow. We can think of Job. A righteous man who feared God and had many riches – money, a lot of property, a wife, children... something or rather He lost everything. When we read Job 1: 20-21 it says “ Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshipped. 21- And said naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thee thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” He receives boils, his friends eventually scorn him. Such a huge trial towards Job, but nothing shakes the faith and love that he has for the Lord. Because of all that he endured, the Lord blesses him and receives not only his former prosperity, but many more blessings.

We do not come out of trials the same. I think that strength, alone, is a blessing that Heavenly Father gives us in going through trials. The blessings we receive from our trials are not only in our earthly, mortal states. This life is eternal and He has blessings waiting upon us in heaven.

Without pain we cannot know joy.

Through the example of Job loving the Lord always, it reminds me of something said by President Monson. “My brothers and sisters, may we make a commitment to our Heavenly Father that does not ebb and flow with the years and the crises of our lives. We should not need to experience difficulties for us to remember him, and we should not be driven to humility before giving him our faith and trust.

There is a quote by Jeffrey R Holland that says “Don't give up. Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. You keep your chin up. It will be alright in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.”

Why was I chosen to face the trials given to me?  I may have been given them because someone in Veracruz, Mexico specifically needs me for the particular trials I have faced and through that I can help them overcome their own. These are various guesses. However, I don't only have guesses as to why I have been faced with various trials. I've been faced with them because Heavenly Father knew I could conquer them and have joy.

I have been told time and again from returned missionaries that a mission is the hardest, yet one of the best times for their lives. I remember one of my uncles saying that because of the trials he had on his mission, the joys were even greater. I know that I will have many trials on my mission, but with my faith in the Lord, knowing that He will always be with me, I know He will help me to overcome them.

Just Like Yesterday

Lately I've been reminiscing on the day I received my mission call. It still seems like yesterday, and I still find it hard to believe that I'll be reporting to the MTC in less than a month. I thought I'd like to share it with the internet. But maybe some background first.

I submitted my papers at the end of September, so my first wait was to know when my call was assigned. On Friday October 18, 2013 ... I was at my desk studying when I got a call from my bishop. He told me that he went to check the status of my papers and that my call had been assigned on Tuesday the 15th. Imagine my excitement there! Both my cousin, and my friend got their calls a week and a half after they'd been assigned. From this, I figured it would be the same.

The next week, my parents checked the mailbox everyday and not waiting for me to come home from school, anxiously waiting for that big white envelope. It didn't come.

The week after, I told them I was going to check the mail. I was so sure that it had to come this next week. Having kept the mission a secret from almost my entire family, my mom and I planned that we would have a dinner at our house on Sunday, to reveal my call that we thought I was going to get that week. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday ... no big white envelope. Friday I was crossing my fingers. But... that didn't do anything. The mailbox remained empty. Our family dinner was good, but not as exciting as we planned for it to be.

Here we entered week 3 of waiting for my call, the week of October 27th. We already waited 2 weeks for this envelope to come, so we were quite anxious for the mail to come. Especially so, because my parents were leaving on vacation late Thursday night/early Friday morning. We wanted for them to be present when I read my call, as it just wouldn't be the same as on the phone. But my mom said she'd accept it if this had to be so.

Tuesday nights were my mission prep classes, so having not received anything Monday or Tuesday, I asked my fellow peers in my class what day their calls came. One said Wednesday and said that he had some friends who received theirs on a Thursday.

Wednesday after school, I went to check the mail and once again I was disappointed. I came in and told my mom I couldn't bear to be disappointed again, so I told her that she could check the mail on Thursday.

Thursday. It was an eventful day to start with. Not because it was Halloween. But while at school I started feeling unwell. I couldn't pay attention in any of my classes. I was even thinking about handing in my assignment for my last class and just leaving for the day. But I ended up staying for some reason. *if you easily have a queasy stomach, I suggest you skip a the rest of this until the following paragraph, I'll even skip a few more lines*  Immediately after that class I darted to the washroom cause I had to up-heave stomach content from my mouth, which is never a fun experience. So I called my mom, and told her that I did not want to bus home, and asked her to pick me up.

When she came to pick me up, she said she was basically staring out the window waiting for the mail minivan to arrive. She saw it come to one box, then the next and the next. It finally stopped at our set of mailbox. But shortly after, the minivan turned around. No time for mail to be put in any slots. "Noooo!" is what my mom told me she was thinking. The one part she didn't tell me, is when it came back.

After picking up some ginger ail from the store, I was back home, where I could just chill for once and not have to sit uncomfortably in squished university desks. My mom was at the table, doing something with her iPad, then told me to check something out at the table. Lo and behold, it was that big white envelope that held my call of where I'd be serving the Lord for 18 months. I don't think I can describe how happy I was. For my sister to be there when I opened my call, I decided to open it at 7:30 that evening. I phoned both of my grandparents to tell them my news, and they were both quite surprised and excited.

7:30 came. My sister and her roommate were here, along with my friend who was also in on the secret - as she found out when she saw me at mission prep. We had some of the family connected via skype, iPad, and the phone. I was expecting I'd get called to serve somewhere in Canada or the US. I never dreamed I'd be called to Mexico, but alas it is where the Lord needs me. My friend told me a few days before to savour the reading of the call and to remember the joy felt.  It's still there.

Here is a link to a video of me reading out my call.

Not Alone

I'm at 40 days now. That is not long at all. I still feel like I have so much to do. To be prepared to go through the temple, read and study Preach My Gospel, read and study The Book of Mormon and try to possibly go all the way through again before I leave. FIND CLOTHES!!! And still questioning luggage choices.

It can be stressful. Those are just some things. Physical matters.

But sometimes... I just feel a little freaked out. As you read through this post, always keep in mind, I am beyond excited to serve a mission. Some days I just feel lonely and I am afraid of what to do for the people I am leaving behind. I feel guilty that I am not gonna be there when they may need me. Sometimes I feel somewhat the other way around. What I am gonna do when I want them then and there ... which won't happen while on the mission. I'll be there in Mexico and they'll be here, my home sweet home and surrounding areas.

Being at work (for one more week), instead of school right now I feel especially out of the loop of how everyone's doing because I see my friends and family once, maybe, twice a week. I know this is nothing, as I will prepare to be apart with what I know and love for 18 months of my life.

I was feeling especially so on Tuesday. Tuesday night is institute night. I was at one end of the room at one point, and across the room I saw a friend of mine smile and wave at me. It was so nice! After Institute on Tuesday nights, there are freshly baked cookies baked by the senior missionary couple. She was up in the room with me and I told her "I see people!!!, which basically meant that I actually saw friends. We talked for a little and she gave me a hug. She probably didn't know how much I needed that hug that night.

I know I am going to have more hard days leading up to, and on my mission. When that happens, there is one thing that I should always remember. I am never alone. Never. Neither are you, as a matter of fact. We have our Heavenly Father with us. Always. To quote a good friend of mine, speaking of my mission "You won't be all by yourself! The Lord will be with you all the time." What a wonderful thought.

Taught By The Holy Ghost

I apologize for my lack of posts as of late. I will try to keep up.

Last week, another semester of institute started. I decided that I might as well go to some classes because I am sure they can benefit me on my mission. One of the classes I am taking is Book of Mormon Part 2, taught by Brother Eaton.

It was a great first lesson, and I wrote a few things down in my book that I learned. I participated in discussions quite a few times and loved hearing so many of the different insights that people had to say.

Nearing the end of the class, Brother Eaton asked to think of what we learned and what we were taught by the Holy Ghost. For everyone in the room, the instruction was the same. We all heard the same words. When people shared their answers of what they were taught, there were quite a variety of answers.

Though I know already, it really emphasized how the Lord knows each of our needs and the things we need to learn to help become better people. Since that lesson, I really try to act upon what I was taught that day. I definitely know it will help me on my mission. To forget about myself and go to work.

Who's Your Favourite Missionary?

Today marks 60 days. Tomorrow marks 2 months. In the words of my friend "it sounds so long but it's really not". I still feel like I have so much to do. It's a little bit crazy, but alas, I am still here.

A week for two after I received my call, I was at Gospel Principles class. The brother who was teaching us this class was asking who our favourite biblical missionaries were.  Some answers were Abinidi, Paul or Jesus Christ himself. Mine? Let me take you back about 7 months from now.

 In my scriptures I was reading about Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah who once were rebelling and telling people to stray from the church but then after the angel came down on them, they became converted. I was reading the chapters in which they are on missions and teaching people like the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's.  Here is something I wrote in my journal.

    " It doesn't really say it word for word - but these men were on missions. They could

      have chosen to stay where they did all their lives. But they didn't. They went out to              lands where they've never been, residing with people and loving, and saving them,                and teaching them about the gospel. Such selfless people!"

That was the night I knew I needed to serve a mission. It was an amazing to feel that Heavenly Father needed me somewhere else to be teaching the gospel. 

Guess what my answer was.