Week #72 (10-12-09)

Wow...I only have 3 days and then I will be in the mission home!! Weird!!

 

I don´t have much time to email but I just wanted to say that last week was great. I got to go back to Bremen and see all the people that I love!! On friday I get to see 2 of them again, but it was so great to say a final goodbye to people that I came to love and serve and laugh with!! I loved that ward so much!! We also got 2 new investigators last week...one of them can´t really speak German, but that´s not that important!! :o) We are trying to find a Russian translator...do you think Mikey would have time? JK!! Our next appointment is in 3 weeks so we have a little bit of time to find someone.

 

It´s really strange to be here at the end, but I think that I explained a lot of my feelings last week. I´m still working till the end and trying to stay focused. I´m so grateful that I got to come here to Germany on my mission and to be able to learn to love another culture and people. I can´t really see how much I have changed, but I hope that the Lord will show me. I have worked so hard, but also can´t wait to take a little break when I get home before I jump right back into school in January. I love you and can´t wait to see you!! Have a great couple weeks before I actually get home!!

 

Sister Jones

Week #71 (10-5-09

This last week was pretty eventful. We still don´t have any investigators...going on many weeks now...but we got to have zone conference and also a music night.

The music night was pretty good. It went smoothly and the music was beautiful. We had a power point that had pictures and power statements of the principles of the gospel. There were quite a few people there and even 2 non members. Both really enjoyed it and said that there was a really good feeling there. Other members also commented on the wonderful Spirit they felt. To me that made it a success. I wish that more member would have invited friends (because the 2 people that came were invited by us), but I really felt like the Lord was happy with what we had done. Plus, the people who were involved were way helpful with set-up and practicing and stuff. It was great.

 

This was probably one of the best ZC from my whole mission. The Spirit was just really strong and it was really inspiring. Sister Folsom and I were asked to sing and that went pretty well. We also wore all black to morn my death!! :o) I will have to show you some funny pics when I get back!! hehe!! I had to give my finishers testimony and that was pretty unreal. I couldn´t believe that it was my turn. When I walked up to the front I felt kind of like I had an out of body experience. I obviously cried because that is a gift of the Spirit the Lord has given me...I didn´t realize it was a gift till I came out here. I´m glad that I didn´t lose that. I then spoke about me opening my mission call and how excited I was to come to Germany...the one place I wanted to go!! During ZC we watched a talk from Elder Holland given in the MTC and so I referred to something that he said in his talk. He talked about how missions are supposed to be hard. If they are hard then we did them right. So I told them that my mission was so HARD, so I hope that that means that I did it right. I then bore my testimony in German and went and sat down. It was a weird experience. I just never imagined that day to come. for 11 zone conferences I have seen people get older, bear their testimony and then leave, but I never really believed that it would happen to me. (Stupid I know). Well, it happened and I was so nervous, but I think it went well. Sister Psota thanked me for being honest and talking about how hard my mission was because every mission is hard, but people just don´t talk about that much. No one warned her how hard it would be and she was also surprised how hard it is. I think it´s not that no one told her, but just that it is too hard to express how hard it is. It is good and worth it as well, but for me it was mostly hard, but I know that I needed to experience this because these are the last days and god is preparing His children for the hardest times in the history of the world. I know that I am better prepared. Missions are great, but hard....all things that are great are hard. Look at Christ´s life...I don´t think that he had one easy day in his whole life, but in the end...once it was all said and done...it was worth it. My mission is very personal to me. All the struggles and hard times are too hard to put into words to help others understand. I´m afraid that when I come home that people are just going to be like...So, how was your mission? I don´t really know what I´m going to say. It is all so personal...the struggles, the heartache, the rejection, the happiness, spiritual experiences...are all so personal that I don´t know if anyone will every really understand how many tears of sorrow and happiness I shed to get to this point. But it´s ok, because I didn´t do it for them...I did it for Christ, my Lord. The Man that came and died for me. The Man that was rejected more then me,was spit upon and cast out and yelled at more then me. The Man who was beaten and hit and hung on a cross for me. He understands how hard a mission is...way more then me. I did it for him because he did something for me. He gave his life for me so that I can live, so that I can have hope and joy and eternal life. He is the reason I didn´t give up, He is the reason I woke up every morning. He is the reason I live my life the way I do. For Him I would do anything...even serve a mission, which is the hardest thing I have ever chosen to do, but it was worth it just to see the light of Christ come into the eyes of others. I love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives and loves each of us and that if we just believe and follow him we will not have any empty chairs in the kingdom of our father!!

 

Love,

Sister Jones

Week #70 (9-28-09) "three weeks"

Well tomorrow is my last zone conference. When someone is brand new they have to get up and give their testimony in German at their first zone conference. Then the last one before they get sent home...they also have to get up and bear their testimony. Well...they also seem to also talk a little bit about their mission too. Well I´m really nervous for it. This is not real!! I just had my 18 month birthday on the mission last Saturday and it still has not hit me!! (That is probably a good thing though) I´m not going home, am I?? Weird. I just feel like I´m getting transferred, which I am, but I´m nervous for what comes this time. Before I had a little plan. ( I mean I was only transferred twice) But my plan was to go into the new city and meet the members and the investigators and just kind of jump into the city with both feet. I made goals on how I could do that and did my best to stick with the goals. Like sitting by a different member in church each Sunday so that I could get to know the ward....and things like that. Well now I don´t know what it is going to be like getting transferred home. I have forgotten how it is not having someone with me constantly, or how it is being able to sleep in past 6:30 when I wanted, or never really having my whole day planned out to the minute!! What is that like?? I have no clue!! :o) I have tried to work hard my whole mission and I still am working. I don´t want to give up when I am so close to the end!! I just don´t think about what it is going to be like....the transition will be weird, but I don´t have to worry about that till it comes!! We still have a ton to do here in kiel before I leave!!

 

This last week was busy. We still only have one investigator and we met with her on Friday. It was pretty good. The rest of the week we spent finding, planning English class and the music night. The fliers for English didn´t get done till Sat. so we FINALLY have fliers and posters to hand out and put up. I hope one week is enough time to get people to come. They want an English class and then don´t do anything to help us get it started. The music night is coming along, but I´m totally stressed out. We have a power point with pics and "power statements" about the principles of the gospel and also songs to go along with them. I just hope that music turns out good. We already have a nonmember that is coming. She is the friend of a member and just loves me...I don´t know why, but she does and she wants to come and hear me sing. She is so cool and I wish I had more time so I could teach her, but she is not interested in the gospel yet. I will be friends with her on facebook though and get her somehow!! :o) I hope that some other people come. Just pray that it will go good!!

 

We also sang last week at the Woman´s Day in Neumünster. The topic was "what am I worth" and we sang the YW song for the value individual worth. It went pretty well and the speaker did amazing!! We got to do it twice because she taught the class twice. Then we went to a Handball game. We did that as our district activity and took time out of our P-day today to do that for a few hours on Saturday. It was a lot different then I thought it would be. The Soccer fans in Germany are CRAZY...loud and drunk, but this crowd was a lot calmer. Once I started understanding the game it was better, but the little rules still confuse me. I would never watch it on TV, but it was still worth it to go. Kiel is the best team in the league of Handball teams...and they sure were good.

 

Well I will let you know next week all about the music night and zone conference. 

 

Sister Jones

Week #69 (9-21-09) "Four Weeks"

Well, something cool happened this last week. I got a call from one of the members of the bishopric in Bremen and they are opening their new ward building in a few weeks. They are going to be having a bunch of cool stuff to get people from the community to come and see what we are all about. I got to see the building when I was in Bremen, but it was still a contruction site...I had a hard time envisioníng what it would look like finished. Well, this guy called and asked if I would come back on the 8th of okt to sing for a music night they will be having. He had asked my pres. ahead of time and had gotten permission for me to go. I will be singing a song by myself and probably one with my comp. I feel so honored to have been asked. I´m aslo eycited because I get to see my wonderful ward members of Bremen again and also see some of the people that I taught. WAHOO!! I can´t wait!!

 

Other than that the work is going kind of slow still, but we are trying our best to find people. We taught this russian lady last week, but it was hard because she doen´t speak much German and I can´t speak any Russian. Sometimes she would say a russian word in her sentence and I could guess what she was trying to say!! :o) She is so cool and she wants to read the BofM, which we gave her in Russian. We also left her with a DVD of Joseph Smith, which she can also watch in Russian. I have seen that movie in so many languages and no matter the language I can always feel the Spirit.

 

I love this gospel and I´m so grateful that I´m able to serve a mission for the Lord. What a great time this is in my life to be able to sleep, dring and eat the Gospel. This is a really hard thing to do and I think that the hardest thing is just the weight of responsibility that we carry. God didn´t call me here to do an easy thing, he called me here to do the hardest thing I will ever do. I´m grateful that I am here and that I´m able to serve the Lord and the wonderful People of Germany.

 

Love ya,

Sister Jones

Week #68 (9-14-09) "5 weeks"

Well the days are just flying by and I can´t believe that it is Monday again. We got to see Präsident last week at Zone Meeting. It was great to see him and talk to him a bit. He is so wonderful and inspired. He is also so encouraging and has so much faith in me. I wish I could see in me what he sees in me. I´m so grateful that I´m able to serve with such a great leader.

 

We still had a lot of finding time this last week, but I think it is paying off. We found a few people who agreed to meet with us this next week. I hope and pray that they go through. We want to see miracles and know that they happen. This is a Gospel of Miracles and I know that God gives us them when we have faith.

 

We are planing a music night for the beginning of Oct. It was supposed to be on the 11th, but now it is one the 2nd. It should be cool...we have a lot of talented people here. I just hope that non members come. We found some cool music for it and I´m getting excited!!

We also had an Eis Party with the ward (Icecream party) and it was so great. I love this ward.

 

Well, I hope that you have a great week and enjoy the best state ever!! :o)

Love you,

Sister Jones

Week #67 (9-7-09) "6 weeks"

This week was a lot better, but still a struggle. We went by on a few old investigators...to try and get more people to teach. Suprisingly 2 of them let us in and we got to talk to them for a little bit. Neither of them wanted to meet with us again, but we got to leave a spiritual thought and even sing for one of them. I hope that they felt the Spirit and will one day remember what it felt like to have the missionaries in their home.

 

We sadly had to say goodbye to Matthew...our wonderful American investigator. I got to call America a few time this last week to talk to the Elders in MN about him. I had forgoten what the phone ring sounds like when you call an American number...yes that is weird, but they sound different here and I have forgotten that sound. Anyway, we taught Matthew about the Spirit and getting answers and we had the coolest experience with him. Our goal before we came to the appointment was to get him to feel of the Spirit while we were there. That has been a hard thing for us because he has a lot of questions and wants to discuse something till it makes sense to him. So we decided to talk about the Atonement and also the 3rd lesson (faith, repent, baptism, Holy Ghost, endure) and we were also going to sing him a hymn. Well, we got there and followed up on the Word of Wisdom and found out that he had not given up coffee yet. So we talked more about that and then we asked him how he feels when he reads in the Bof M or when he prays and he says normal...he doesn´t feel anything. So we talked a bit more and then I got the feeling that we should sing. So I told him that we were going to sing a song for him and then after the song we were going to kneel down together and he was going to pray and that we would not get up until he felt something!! So Sister Folsom and I sang How Great Thou Art and then we all knelt down and he prayed. It was the most honest and open prayer ever!! He even cried a bit...well, more got choked up and got watery eyes. We then sat down again and I asked him what he felt. He thought for a moment and then said that he felt like a burning in his chest and a tingling in his fingers and also like a feeling of assurance. I got to then bear my testimony that that was the Spirit of God that just bore witness that God is there and loves him. We finished up with a few scriptures and then we said goodbye. I don´t know if I will ever see him again, but if I do I hope that I see him a member of the church. As I walked away from the door I yelled back to him not to forget what he felt tonight. The Lord loves him so much, he just has a hard time trusting Him and having faith. He is so cool and the Elders in America said that when he comes back to Germany in a month and a half...he will come back a member...I hope and pray that they are right!!

 

We have interviews this next week so it will be nice to see and talk to Präsident. I will let you know how it goes.

 

I love you.

Sister Jones

Week 66 (8-31-09) "I lied last week...I am counting and now it is 7"

Well this letter is not going to be any good because I don´t have much time. I have a lot of feelings right now...mixed feelings and just wrote a huge letter to my mission Pres about what is going on inside of me and what my feelings and thoughts are....and now I don´t have much time left.

 

Our amazing American investigator, Matthew, is sadly going back to the US on Friday and will be there until after I go home. The good news is that he came to church again yesterday and he agreed to meet with the missionaries when he is in the US!! He is so great!! I really hope that he gets baptized. We are meeting with him again on Thursday night before he leaves!!

 

Frau Plagmann, who came to church last week, called us this last week and told us that she doesn´t want to leave her church and that she doesn´t want to meet with us either. She was very nice about it, but still has no interest in learning more. Welcome to my mission...I find great people who are not crazy and they read, come to church and/or keep commitments, but then they eventually say they have no interest!! I´m not bitter, just tired of not being able to see success here in Germany...man are these people so awesome, but SO hard!!

 

Other then that the week was ok. We did some service with an old member and she is so funny. Her family hardly comes to visit, so she is always excited when we come. She loves the missionaries.

 

Well I´m sorry for the crappy email. I will try to be more possitive and happy next week, but I´m afraid that if I keep writing I will be too negative

Sister Jones

Week #65 (8-24-09) "7 weeks and I'm not counting"...

This last week feels like a lifetime, but in a good way. On Wednesday we had an Ausstellung(street display) in Rendsburg, which is about a half hour train ride from Kiel. I had been starting to get sick last week with a sore throat, but felt good enough to stand in the choir of missionaries and sing for a few hours. BAD idea. Near the end I couldn´t sing anymore because it hurt to bad. Well Wednesday came and I had lost a lot of my voice. Having the strong vocal chords that I have, I have never fully lost my voice, but I pretty much sound like a man and if I try to talk normal or higher then normal my voice cracks and squeaks!! It was pretty funny at first, but now it is Monday and it is still not back...maybe a bit better or maybe I´m just getting used to speaking low and manly!! :o) The street display was fun, but we didn´t get any contacts or anything. We had about 12 missionaries there from our zone and we talked to a lot of people, but no one was interested. It was good though just to get our church´s name out there and our information out there.

So there is this nonmember guy named Claus who comes to the RIZ (the outreach center) quite a bit and we have become better and better friends every time. He is super funny and very nice. We got to do a little bit of service for him this week...we moved some boxes into his apartment. We also got to do this theatre activity with him a few weeks ago...I have a video of it that you will have to see later...it is super funny!! I really hope that we can become good enough friends with him to get him to meet with the missionaries again. He already did once and isn´t really interested in the Gospel, but loves hanging out with people with high standards..."like the Mormons"...he said.

We got to meet with Matthew again this week...our amazing investigator from America!! It was a great appointment and we committed him to spend this time that he is in Germany to really find out whether this is true or not. He agreed to read and pray everyday and come to church!! Well, Americans rock...he came to church!! It was SO great. We watched the Restoration and the Spirit was so strong as we bore testimony to him about Joseph Smith and the book of Mormon. He is totally going to get baptized...if not here then in America and then I can fly there and see it!! WAHOO!! :o)

We also got in contact with this contact from a few weeks ago and she totally let us in and we taught her and made out another appointment for this week. She is our new investigator...she is super cool!! She also came to church!! Yeah that´s right...we had 2 investigators at church!! YEAH!! That´s all thanks to my wonderful elders in Neumünster...we decided to have one companionship fast every sat-sun for the whole district and they did it and we got SO many blessings!! I really have gained a testimony of fasting since I have been on my mission!! It totally works!! This last week was amazing and I´m excited for the new investigators that we have!! They are normal people, not crazies and will be great new additions to the ward when they get baptized!! Thanks for your prayers of faith and keep it up...I want to go out with a bang...not finish my mission with only finding time!! :o)

 

I love you and hope that you have a great week!!

Sister Jones

Week #64 (8-17-09)

This last week was great.We had zone conference in Neumünster which is only a 25 minute train ride from Kiel. It was super cool. I love being able to learn from Präsident and his wife!! They are so awesome!! The AP´s also talked about the importance of planning out your lessons really well and being on the same page as your comp before the lesson. It was probably the best zone conference for me yet.I can´t believe that I only have one more. So unfair...!! I love getting to be spiritually uplifted so often...I actually wish that it was more often. :o)

 

After zone conference I got to go to Schwerin with sister Hurst for an exchange. That was my first time in the old East Germany. It obviously doesn´t look so depressing as before because they have rebuilt a lot...well most of the cities, but you can still tell that there are differences. The people are a lot less friendly which isn´t saying much because they aren´t too friendly to strangers in the west anyway...but especially about the gospel. We would start to talk to people and they wouldn´t even look at us. In the west they usually talk to us for a second before they walk away. The people are just so atheist. So sad!! A lot of the buildings also look a lot the same. My comp said that the ones that look the same were all built during communism...I´m talking about the apartment buildings...when you get a higher look at the city it looks so boring because all the high buildings are pretty much the same...cold and gray. There is a super cool castle there. It is like gold colored!! The sisters live like across a lake from it!! WOW!! I loved it there but was grateful to come back to the west...I know it is all one Germany now, but there is still a difference. One of my MTC comps is serving in the Berlin mission and she said that one city she served in almost everyone had rainbow colored hair, tattoos all over and also piercings everywhere. They have gone so extreme because they weren´t aloud to do anything like that before. There is a huge difference between the look of this side and the other. It is so interesting!!

 

We also got to teach quite a few more lessons this week. The lord is blessing us with success as we continue to show our patience and diligence!! 

 

Sister Jones

Christi and the castle in Schwerin

Water tower they found while out knocking on doors...Sister Hurst.

"Me after a hard day of work....all I want is water!"

Week #63 (8-10-09)

Well well...another week of finding. It is really hard, but can also be rewarding. We found a few more contacts this week, but naturally they are going on vacation till September!! :o) That is just how it has been for us!! But we are trying to stay positive. I had my birthday and I was not excited for it...funny this happened though (well not funny...more ironic). My comp woke up on my birthday and told me that she had thrown up in the night and she was super weak and tired from that....she slept almost all day. We didn´t even go outside. The missionary couple came over and gave her a blessing and gave me a birthday cake and the Elders stopped by to give me a card...don´t worry, they didn´t come in!! :o) So I pretty much read and listened to music on my birthday. Wow...I was not expecting that. The Elders made fun of me and said that I prayed her sick so I wouldn´t have to do anything on my birthday. I laughed...but it was SO not true!! That would just be mean.

 

We saw a really cool miracle yesterday. We just had 2 appointments fall out and we were not excited to keep working. My wonderful little golden though decided that we should get on a random bus and then get off at a random stop and try to find someone. So we get on and then got off and walked....there was NO ONE around!! It was Sunday...there is never anyone around on Sunday. Well, we walked for about 15 minutes or more and were about 10 minutes from our home when we saw a guy. We approached him and I started to talk to him like I normally do when he said..."Uh...Sprechen Sie Englisch?" (Do you speak English) and I was so excited because he had a total American accent. We talked for a really long time about the gospel and then we also set up an appointment to meet with him this week. He is super cool...from Minnesota and will be here till December...and guess what?? He is not going on vacation...so we can start teaching him now!! WAHOOO!! We are totally going to baptise him!! :o)

 

Well I have to go and play!! :o) Have a great week!! 

Sister Jones

Week #62 (8-3-09)

Well this last week was really long. In 7 days we only taught 2 lessons!! We had SO much finding time...we almost died!! Don´t get me wrong I love missionary work, but hour after hour and day after day of doors and street contacting in Germany really wears on a person. We are still alive and excited for a new week. We did find 7 contacts last week. Many of them were pretty good, but they will be busy for the next few weeks. I think I forgot how it was last summer...When Europeans go on vacation it is for usually at least 10 days. Did you know that Germans get between 24-30 PAID vacation days a year?? Could you imagine that?? WOW.!! So everyone is on vacation or going on vacation and that makes it hard, but that is haw it was last year as well. This time is almost harder then Christmas. Well, it will be fine because they have to come back at sometime and then that is when we will get them!! hehe!!

Well, I´m sorry if this letter is not very exciting. We experienced a lot last week, but I´m so exhausted that I don´t really feel like typing any of it. We are going to watch a movie today so that we can relax before another long week of walking, talking and being told no!! We will be praying for some serious miracles this week. I know that there are people out there that are prepared, but the hard thing is trying to find where they are and still keep a positive attitude among the NO!! I love the work and know that the miracles are there for us...we just have to prove that we are faithful even when it is hard!!

 

I love you and hope you have a great week!!

Sister Jones

Week #61 (7-27-09)

Well I got my golden, Sister Folsom...let´s just say my mission has changed a lot in the last few days. I always told people that Sister Sayson (my first golden) was  not really like a golden. She could speak the language already and I just had to show her around a bit and show her how I approach people and pretty much just how to do missionary work. People always told me that she was a real golden, but I didn´t agree. To me, a golden is someone who has no idea what is going on (cause they can´t understand the language or what people say to them), and who can´t say much except bear their memorized MTC testimony. Sister Sayson could say anything she wanted to, but my poor comp can´t. I feel so bad for her...I have completely forgotten what it was like to be new. I have come so far and I didn´t even give myself credit for it. I was always so critical of myself and the slow useless progress that I was making...I wanted it to be now and immediate. Well...now that the tables are turned and I see her at the point I was at, I have realized that I really have changed and progressed. It was just so slow that I couldn´t see it. I´m so grateful to the Lord for the blessings that he has given to me. I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn in the next 3 months, but I´m excited to learn what the Lord has in store for me. It will be hard, but totally worth it.

I don´t have too much to say because we did a lot of traveling this week and a lot of finding time. We had a few lessons and found a new investigator. This guy came up to us on the street a few weeks ago and asked for the address of our church then ran off. He then came to church last week. Then, through the persuasion of me and a member, he decided to meet with us this last week. Now we have another appointment for this coming week as well. The Lord blesses us every where we go. We also got a new missionary couple..they just got to Kiel yesterday. We met them and they are SUPER nice. They don´t speak any German, but will for sure work good with the young people. I´m excited to work with them.

 

love,

Sister Jones

Week #60 (7-20-09) 100th POST!

Well you know how I said last week was the best one ever?? Well I lied because this week tops all!! :o)

 

Well first to start off with the not so great part of the week. We had transfer calls again on Saturday morning and Sister Psota is being transfered and my new comp is a GOLDEN!! That means fresh from the Provo, MTC!! AHHHHHH!!! I know that I was already a trainer, but she was German...this is completely different!! I´m really nervous, but I know it will be fine!! I kind of wanted a Golden for my last couple transfers because I think that will help me keep going...she will have that new missionary excitement and I want to experience that again!! I will let you know more next week after I meet her and everything.

 

Well, so much happened this week and I don´t have time to tell all of the experiences, but the best experience I had this week was when we did a power hour with one of the members in the ward. (We did 4 this last week and saw a miracle each time.) We went to the members house and chatted for a few minutes and then we gave them a Spiritual thought about having the faith to find and the power of praying specifically. The Spirit was SO strong and then the member prayed before we left. That is when it happened. I was closing my eyes when she prayed...obviously...and I saw many streets in my head...it is hard to explain what it looked like, but it´s like I was driving through the city super fast and just saw a whole bunch of streets, but didn´t recognize anything. Then I saw this street really clearly. There were apartments on one side and grass on the other side of the street. I saw it so clearly and knew that we had to find that street. We then left the house I felt such a pumping and hurrying feeling in my heart. My heart was beating so fast and I knew that there was a woman who was waiting for us to give her the Book of Mormon with the testimony from this member in it. I told my comp what happened and she said that the same thing happened to her, but she didn´t see a specific street. I was explaining to her what it looked like and she told me the name of what she thought it was. Well we went there and when I walked around the corner it looked just like what I saw when the member prayed. During this hour we prayed like 4 times to know where this person was at. Right at the end of the hour we found her. We rang the bell and walked up the stairs and right when we saw her we both got the feeling that she was the one. We talked to her for a while and then gave her the book. She isn´t interested in meeting with us right now, but we are going to go back in a few weeks to see how she likes the book. Even though she wasn´t interested in meeting with us I know that we were lead to her. She needed that book and the Lord knew it. I have never had such an experience my whole mission. I have never had such a strong impression and urgency to find someone before. Man, the Lord really cares about His children...why can´t they see that?? Why can´t we remember that as members. We are so easy to forget what the Lord does for us. He loves us and I know that He is always there for us. I know He lives and that Christ is his son. This Gospel is true and will lead us to Eternal Life.

 

I love you and hope that you have a great week!!

Sister Jones

Even from Germany...

Teri,

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

 

I just wanted to send you a quick note to say hi and wish you all the best for your birthday!!

 

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag!!

 

Love,

Sister Jones

(***sorry family...but she beat you all!  Thanks Chris!)

***And everyone better not forget...her birthday is quickly approaching...AUGUST 8th!

#59 (7-13-09)

This week was so full of MIRACLES!! We did this really cool thing with the RS sisters...well 6 of them. We got up last Sunday and said that we wanted to try something new for the week. I think I might have mentioned it last week, but anyway...we asked for one sister to pray for Sister Psota and I by name on a specific day. We got 6 people to volunteer and then they chose the day. We asked them to pray for us through out the day and then we would call them that night and tell them what happened!! Well last week we found 2 new investigators (a husband and wife) and a bunch of good contacts. We also had an appointment with Herr Wiese (a new investigator from 2 weeks ago) and he had already read 100 pages in the book of Mormon. He even told us the story about Nephi and Lehi and how great and righteous they are...he is 79 years old!! :o) We have another appt. this week. Then we also met with this other guy, Daniel, who was pretty contentious the first time we met with him...this last week he was completely different. He had read in the Book of Mormon and he really expressed a desire to find out the truth. He even prayed at the end of the lesson. It was a miracle. We also had little miracles along the way...it was so great!! I really have gained a testimony of how important it is to pray specifically for things. The Lord already knows our thoughts, but he wants us to ASK for what we need and want!! This week we are trying something else with the RS, but I will talk about it next week!!
Well, I hate to talk about the weather, but it kind of sucks up here in the north. It was really hot and sunny when I first got here and now for the last week or 2 it has rained EVERYDAY!! It will be sunny, cloudy, then rainy...then sunny, cloudy, then rainy...repeated the whole day!! It is hard to dress yourself when the temp changes so much!! Naja...it´s still beautiful here and I will just be praying for a little bit more stability!! :o)

Love,
Sister Jones

Week #58 (7-6-09)

This week we saw a lot of miracles. President called us on Thursday and told us that he was going to be praying for us specifically that day by name. He told us that we would see a lot of miracles that day. We were really excited and knew that that was true. So we only had 2 appts. planned for that day and ended up getting 2 more appts. with contacts and both of them became our new investigators. WAHOO!!! 2 new investigators!! We were so excited to call president that night and tell him our miracles. He was so excited for us. We then got another new investigator on Friday!! 3 in one week!! It was so amazing. We then decided that we would try something with the RS in our ward. On Sunday we asked specific people to pray for us by name this week. One Sister for each day of the week. We told them that we would also call them at the end of the day and tell them what happened. I´m so excited to see what happens this week!! I know we will see many miracles. We then decided that we would pray for the specific sisters as well on the days that they are praying for us. This ward is super cool and I´m excited to continue to get to know them and build friendships with them.

We also had a BBQ on Saturday for the fourth!! GO AMERICA!! It was totally American and we had a blast!! Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, watermelon, potato salad....and a football...we had everything except for fireworks...but we are not allowed to have those anyways!! It was so great!! I love the fourth of July...that is my favorite holiday.

Well those are the highlights from my week. Sister Psota and I are having a ton of fun together. We understand each other really well and laugh a lot. She is really great to work with!!

Have a great week!!
Sister Jones

Week #57 (6-29-09)

My comp and I and the Elders at the Schweiz Night that we had!!



This week was another hard week, but we saw miracles and we didn´t have as many appointments fall out...well, also because we didn´t have as many scheduled!

Last Sunday we had found a guy on the street who was Muslim and he told us we could bring him a book of Mormon. So we set up an appointment to meet at his house and got his address and phone number. Well, on Tuesday we went to the appointment and his name was not on any of the doors bells. (He told us it would be). So we decided there had to be a reason why we were sent here to this place at this time and we were determined to find someone. So we started doing doors. We did the building that this guy told us..where he was supposed to be living and didn´t find anyone interested...so we went on to the building next to it. We rang the bells and the third one let us in the building. We walked up so many stairs and then there he was...the guy we were supposed to have an appointment with. I thought that we had written down the wrong number or something when we first talked to him. Well, he let us in and we prayed and started talking. He told us the whole appointment that he was Muslim and that he doesn´t want to change, but he was excited when we gave him a book of Mormon in his language!! He said that he would be interested in reading it. We didn´t set up another appointment because he didn´t want to, but he did agree to let us come back in a few weeks and see how he likes the book. Ok, now comes the funny part. Right at the end of the appointment he asked us how we found him...we looked at him a little strange and reminded him that we had met him on the street and we had set up an appointment, then he asked us again, but how did you find me. He knew that he had given us the wrong number (the phone number was also wrong that he gave us) and thought that since he gave us a different name then was on the doorbell and the wrong building that we wouldn´t be able to find him...he didn´t say that, but it was clear from how the appointment went and how he asked that question that he didn´t want us to come in the first place. Well...the Lord really wanted us to meet with him and to find him..again!! We did and did our best to bring him the truth..isn´t that a funny story??

On Friday we had our Schweizer Abend (Swizerland night) put on by my very own Sister Psota. She was super stressed out, but it went great. The games and info was fun and the food was great as well!! We have such cool YSA´s in this ward!! I love having activities with them..and they also are SO willing to come on Joint Teaches. I really like it here in Kiel. I know that as I get used to being here that I will love it just as much at Bremen and Bielefeld. I really enjoyed church on Sunday as well and we had a cool eating appointment with a family after who has 6 kids!! That is REALLY rare for Germany...even Germans in the church normally only have 3-4 kids!! They are a cool family, but it really helped me be thankful that I´m here on a mission and not married at home with a bunch of little boys running around and beating each other up!! They were cute, but NO thank you!! lol!!

We did some more street contacting with Anna on Sunday night and it was SO wonderful. The people we talked to were pretty nice and we had some great conversations. She wants to do a mini mission with us for a week, but we still have to get permission from pres. I think it would be good for all of us. She knows the city really well and has some great ideas of where we can work. She also has a new member excitement for missionary work and that would help us too. Her family are non members and I think that would also help her to know how to talk to them about the gospel...practice makes perfect!!
Sorry if this letter sucks!! I really am doing fine, but I feel my energy and excitement being pulled out of me...the end is coming and I hate that feeling!! I want to work really hard till the end....something needs to change so that I can keep going. I´m so tired that I almost fell asleep in church on Sunday...I´ve never done that on my mission...not even at the beginning when I had jet lag!! Just pray for me and I will be fine!! I really do love it here and there is nothing I would rather be doing with my life!! I´m in the right place and I´m with the right person and we can find the people who are ready...they are there just waiting for us!! Thanks for your love and support. Have a great week!!

I love you,
Sister Jones

Week #56 (6-22-09)

Well I hope that you had a great week last week!! My week was hard. I love my comp and my area, the ward and the members, but starting the transfer with a new comp in a new area always brings the same thing....NOTHING!! We had 8 appointments fall out and 2 people told us that they don´t want to meet with us anymore. Every time I have gotten a new comp everything that you had spent so much time building up falls down, but you want to know a miracle that happened?? We didn´t get discouraged. Even though everything was falling out and we have really only 1 investigator now...we still kept going and were still really cheerful!! Cool huh?? The Lord LOVES us and wants us to succeed, but people have free agency and if they choose not to listen or meet with us then the Lord will bless us in other ways.

We had District meeting last week and my comp and I had a part of it. We decided to talk about miracles. So we sang them a song about miracles and and then talked about how miracles only come when we have faith and believe that they are possible. We then commited them to look for miracles everyday and to write them in their planners (inspired by Elder Turvey like 2 transfers ago and yes I have written one down everyday for 2 transfers and will continue to the end of my mission!!) and then also to fast once a week this transfer to show the Lord that we will sacrafice for Him to find those who are prepared and then we even made them glasses..."Miracle Glasses" and told them that if they are having a hard time finding miracles then they just need to put on their miracle glasses and they will find them!! It was super cool and they all agreed to our commitments!! It will be a great transfer, but it will also be really hard. The biggest miracles I have seen on my mission came after MUCH trial and tribulation!!

We got to go back to Bremen this last week. I had planned a music night and President let me go back for it!! It was SO wonderful to see the members that I love!! Serously...I noticed something really cool. The new Elder in Bremen told me that he didn´t like one of the members in the ward already and asked if anyone liked him. I raised my hand proud and said that I don´t only like him, but I love him. I struggled with this member as well at the beginning, but I really tried to understand him and I truly came to love him. It was the greatest feeling really...to know that I really did something in that ward...I made a difference. Maybe just a small one, but I learned to love every single member and I showed that love. This member even told me that when my mom comes to pick me up that if we need a place to stay I could stay with him and his wife!! It just felt so good to be back in my ward...so many members told me that they missed me and that it was great to see me again!! I miss them SO much...maybe even more then Bielefeld and Bielefeld was my favorite place for so long!! Any way...The concert went well and we had fun together. There weren´t that many people there, but it was still great!!

Well I think that is all the new stuff!!
Have a great week!!
Sister Jones

Week #55 (6-15-09)

Well...So much has happened this week...I really feel like this one week has been 2 weeks. Especially since I didn´t write much last week.

 

Before I went to Kiel we had to visit a lot mission people before I left! On Monday we visited Olga and I was SO sad!! She kind of "tschüß"ed us. She still wants to meet with the sisters, but she is struggling with depression and needs a little break!! I have met SO many people that have depression...it is so crazy!! When we finally said goodbye she hugged me forever and told me a bunch of stuff. Then right before she let go she thanked me for all that I taught her. I was immediately humbled. Me?? I taught someone something?? I try to teach through the Spirit when I'm at a lesson, but sometimes I´m not sure if they have fully understood because of the language barrier, but she understood me...or I should say she understood the spirit and learned from me through the spirit!! SO COOL!! I can be an effective teacher in German!! I was so thankful for all of my experiences with her. As I rode away on my bike I started to cry a bit. This has happened so much on my mission. I want to baptize, but it is SO hard because most of the people here choose not to. I mean I know that we are not working in vain. No effort is wasted...maybe they will join later. But I want to be there. I want to see them in white walking into the baptismal font. I want to see them make a sacred covenant with God and change their life not only here, but eternally!! It just hurts my little heart sometimes. I want to see the success of my labors, but sometimes that is just not how it is and I understand that. It doesn´t matter if I see her get baptized or if someone else does. The most important thing is that she does it someday. I just want to keep in contact with her and others so that I know when it happens!! I will miss her so much...I already do!!!

I also visited Rosa Barufe, Sch. Lütjen, Familie Rust and Familie Uhlenberg. I´m going to miss them all. The ward was also hard to say goodbye too. OOOHHHH.....I want to go back!! It is so hard to leave a place where you know everyone and feel so comfortable with the people...I have really learned to love them. I will remember so many people in that ward. I also had to say goodbye to Barbara...the one that was on baptismal date. We ate breakfast with her and chatted a bit, but lately I have just had a different feeling by her. She gave us a letter before we left and I was really nervous what it said. We went home, grabbed our bags and read it in the train to Hamburg. She pretty much told us that we are going in different directions and that she believes different then us and that she is not going to change. The weird thing is that she even made out an appointment with sister Sayson before we left. I just think she is scared. She doesn´t read in the book of mormon any more and when she prays she doesn´t want to pray to god..she has issues with guys!! I was so sure that she was the one...that she was ready. We even reminded her a few weeks ago how we found her and what a miracle that was and she even agreed, but she chose a different path!! I really hope that the sisters can get her to come back onto our path, but we shall see. It just hurt my heart to say goodbye and then to read that letter.

Well anyway...we rode up to Hamburg with an Elder who was going to be in Kiel with me. So it was just sister Sayson and an Elder...he was our comp!! That was interesting. I remember when that happened to me when I went to get sister Sayson at the mission home...it was such a weird feeling. So we all met in Hamburg and then I had to say goodbye to My daughter Sister Sayson. 3 transfers is a LONG time, but it was so wonderful I love her SO much and miss her. We worked good together and had a lot of fun too!! My new comp is SO great!! She is a lot like me...which could cause problems, but we know that already so we are prepared. So far we are having a great time!! She is loud like me, but I still beat her and she is pretty out going and really funny!! I just hope that we don´t have too much fun!! I never thought that having too much fun with a comp could be a bad thing, but if it gets distracting then yeah!! We work good together already...we found a new investigator on Friday already!! I also got to meet a new member...she just got baptized last week and she is so cool. We are friends already!! I also got to meet the ward and that was hard for me. I had forgotten how hard it is to be the new one. The Elder that came up from Bremen with me (he was in oldenburg) is my district leader and in my ward, so I wasn´t the only new one, but it is just hard not knowing anyone. It will get better as I make friends. I tried to learn a few names, but they have some WEIRD last names in this ward...every time someone said there name I had to ask to repeat it!! lol!! It was funny!! The ward is a lot smaller then Bremen...a lot!! They seem really cool though and I´m still excited to work here. The city is a lot smaller too. I mean...it is still big, but they only have busses and not bahns...I have always had bahns!! So weird. We use bikes a lot more here then in Bremen, but the city is a lot more hilly then Bremen, so that is hard. Bremen was like the flattest city every...except for Bremerhaven (where my old district leader lives). This city has more hills, but is not as pretty as Bremen, but still beautiful. I mean, I´m in Germany!! Pretty much every city is beautiful.

 

Well I better go.

Love you,

Sister Jones

Week #54 (6-8-09)

This last Saturday morning was transfer calls and guess what?? I´m going to Kiel. It´s far north by the water. I have heard it is very pretty, but very cold!! I´m glad that I will be there for the summer and not the winter. My comp´s name is Sister Psota and she is from Swizerland!! I´ve seen her at the train station in amburg before and she is really small...short and skinny!! I´m going to feel like a giant!! :o) She sounds really nice and I´m pretty sure that we will have a good time together. I will miss sister Sayson...I love her so much!! We have done so much together, but I´m excited to move on and see another city, meet a new ward, and have a new comp. I´m pretty sure I will die in Kiel. (that´s mission talk for ending your mission). I´m excited to go!!

I had to say goodbye to my ward yesterday and I was so sad. So many people came up to me to say goodbye. It made me feel so good. I have made so many friends in this ward. I love them and will miss them!!

I don´t have much time to write today because it is my last pday in Bremen and I want to see some sights!! I love you!

Sister Jones