Life in the Field: Teaching & Preaching

Riding the bus!

This week was pretty fun and interesting! We have five baptisms planned for this week! Three are for sure, but two of them really depends on how the week goes! BAPTISMS BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We got breakfast with Diego and his girlfriend, Dalia. They are both investigating. Diego has been going to church for awhile, but has some legal issues so he cant get baptized... He can get baptized probably in November. We only teach him once or maybe twice a week. He is an awesome guy. He put on his Atlas jersey because I told him I like the Chivas! Next time we teach him, I'm going to bring my Chivas jersey just to see what he says ;)

As well, we had a big meeting with all the leaders of Guadalajara on Wednesday. It was super long, but really great! Learned a lot and I'm going to work on being more humble this week! I think its something I need to better.

So we have an investigator and she has an image of the Holy Death. Oh my, it's so scary. She told us about it and how she has asked things from it and if she receives it, she completes her promise. For example, if she wants to go out with a certain guy, she will give to the Holy Death temple a bottle of Tequila. It happened, so she bought the bottle and gave it to the temple. She wants to get rid of it but she is afraid that the Holy Death with take all the things that matter to her away. That's how the thing works. If you don't complete with your promise, it takes away loved ones, money, and other things.... It's basically working with Satan. It works, but we know that the Gospel will help her over come it! I've always heard about La Santa Muerta, but it was the first time I've ever had an investigator with it. Pray for Fatima.

We had some good lessons as well this week. We also went on divisions with the Elders and we all slept in the same house. We started to play monopoly, and basically Elder Freeman and I started to win, and no one else wanted to play. Ha ha! It was a fun night!

Today we played football and basketball. It was fun getting out and running a little. Afterwards we went for pizza, and now we are writing! 

I've been reading "Jesus the Christ". It's amazing! I love this book! I'm hoping to finish it in the next month or two. So much information. A really great read. 

The people who are for sure going to get baptized are Diego Marron, Hermano Marron, and another boy named Diego. We have too many people named Diego! Hahaha! The two which are so so on the decision are Maria and her daughter. Prayers would be nice! :)

That's it! I think... I don't remember anything else note worthy... Its all a blur to be honest! 5 more months! I can't believe that. I am one of the oldies in my mission, but I feel like I just arrived a few months ago! 

Life in the Field: Hamburger Champion

Burger Champion!

This week was really good. We had a lot of success and we have some baptism dates coming up! 

We had four investigators come to church Sunday, and five less actives! Overall, a great Sunday! 

Today was a lot of fun. We went to the mall and walked around. I looked around and enjoyed the day! It wasn't super packed. Elder Herbert bought a few ties. I bought the last thing I needed to buy from Mexico before I go home. A blue Chivas Jersey. Now my collection is complete for Mexico/Guadalajara! I don't need anymore souvenirs. Maybe a cool Mayan or Aztec inspired chess set, but I haven't found any that I like. :(

We then went to eat hamburgers. I ate two huge burgers, so I can put my picture on the wall there. Hahaha! It was a good day! I took a picture with Elder Struhs, my old companion from the MTC. He is a district leader in the zone as well!

My area is freaking awesome right now! A lot of success! We have four baptism dates and we are going to put a fifth tonight! Four dates for March 5th, and one for March 12th! 

We are having a lot of success here! I really enjoy my area. The only bad thing is that we use a bunch of money on buses! I'm going to see if we can receive a little more money for bus use!

We are working really hard with one active family. The Alveres are the best! They help us so much with the work! And now they are seeing the blessings! Hermano Alveres found a job and will start working! :) Their daughter will probably go to California in the next 4 months to study high school because she is a US citizen. So that's cool! Her name is Kimberly, and she is 14. I told her that when she is over in California, I'll show her around and I'll tell everyone that she is my adopted little sister. Hahaha! I love her family to be honest. Pray for the Alveres family so everything goes well! They are the only family that really helps us in the work!

Well that's about it! Love you all soooo much!

Let's go to the mall, today!

Elder Jones & Elder Struhs, MTC Companions.

Jersey collection.

Life in the Field: Baptism of Anaji

This week was pretty great! There was a baptism, and a lot of people at church again!

We were working hard this week, a lot of work, lot of success, A lot of people are sick right now with some type of strep throat or throat infection... so, guess who got sick Thursday night? Hahaha! Yup! Me! I went to the doctor on Friday and got some antibiotics. I'm fine now. We didn't got to the Zone Meeting Friday because I had no energy in the morning. We didn't work all Friday. I just slept all day. Kinda boring, but it was quite amazing. I felt so much better the next day!

One of the girls who we teach came to church on Sunday with her Mom, but she was dressed up in her princess dress! It was sooo freaking sweet!!!!!!Her brother, as well, is funny. We were teaching her and her mom, and her brother, who is about 6, was just a crack up! This kid is amazing. I wish I could film him!

We have a new investigator who is really chosen as well! He has been to church four times now, and wants to get baptized! We are hoping to baptize him in March, so we can finish teaching all the things we need to teach him! So we should have a handful of baptisms in late February & early March!

Today we went to Plaza Forum and I bought some Starbucks! #whitegirlswag. I was thinking about buying some new pants or a shirt, but then I remembered that I have two pairs of suit pants that I've never used!

This past weekend we had a baptism! Her name is Anaji, and she is nine years old. Her mother, Maria, is a member but wasn't going to church for the past ten years. So, we started to teach her and as a result, her daughter was baptized and Maria is now active in the church! 

My old companion, Elder Herbert, baptized her. It took my companion three attempts to baptize her because her dress kept popping out of the water but, after three dunks it all worked out! I confirmed her a member of the church. It was an awesome experience because it was my first time confirming someone a member of the church and giving them the Holy Ghost!

Right now I'm reading Jesus the Christ. This book is so awesome! I think I'm in chapter 7 or 8 now... I really enjoy it and its very interesting! Good read!

This week on Wednesday, I'm going to complete 17 months in the mission! that means 6 more months and I'm home!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE DID THE TIME GO!?!??!!??! 

Besides that, all is well here in Guadalajara. Lots of work to do! It's getting a little warmer but that's fine. I need a little bit of color ;) I love hearing from you all back at home, Especially when you send pictures too! 

¡Gracias por su amor y sus oraciones! Espero que pronto hay mas bautismos. ¡Cuídense todos y nos vemos pronto!

Love you all!

Life in the Field: American Treats!

Someone is pretty dang happy to have Dr. Pepper back in his life!

This week was pretty awesome to be honest. A lot of work, and a lot of success!

I bought a soccer ball, which was nice. We are going to use it to go and play next week. We played basketball a few weeks ago and I was draining 3 pointers like a true baller! Haha. It's fun to go and play with the ward. I suck a soccer, but I'm good in the sense that I take up a lot of room, and its not easy to shoot past me! Haha! 

This week we ate with Diego again. He bought some Poptarts from the U.S.! There is a store where you can buy imported goods from other countries, and they had Dr. Pepper from the U.S.A., Poptarts, candies, etc. So he brought us back Fruit Rollups, candy, DR PEPPER FROM THE U.S.!!!!! Haha! It was awesome! The cinnamon Poptarts were the best thing ever to be honest! I miss those sooo much! Hahaha! Diego is the best. Hopefully he can get everything ready soon so he can get baptized! 

We had 5 people come to church this Sunday! This week probably 7!!!! It was awesome because I did a special fast to have progressing investigators and look! The blessings!!!!!!! We have A LOT of good investigators, and I think we will have some baptisms this transfer!

This week there will be a baptism in the other area in my ward. So I'll be interviewing. I taught this girl a few times, so its basically my baptism as well ;) Be ready for the photos! :))) 

Someone in our ward goes to the offices in the mission a lot, and he made a funny picture of the Assistant to the President. This freaking picture is so great! Haha! 

Today we spent 4 hours cleaning the house and cutting the lawn and trimming the trees, so we didn't do anything really fun today.... But I bought tortas ahogadas and tacos ahgadas and a big coca, so I'm pretty happy!

Keep on praying for me! We have a lot of work to do!

American treats from Diego!

"This is your face when someone says apostasy in prayer"

Life in the Field: The Weeks Go On....

District Meeting

Dear family,

This week was fun... A lot of crazy stuff, but I'm alive! 

Elder Matthews ended his mission, or in other words, he "died" :( Hahaha. We had a party after district meeting! We ate jello, played around a bit and took some funny pictures of him dead on the table. Hahaha! It was fun! I am going to miss Elder Matthews. ASI ES!!!!!

It was also the birthday of Hermana Cantarero, so I bought her some candy and such. It was a fun day. She gave me the number of Sergio Fausto, my first baptism! I talked to him and everything is well! He is planning to enter the temple in April! :) So awesome!!! He said when I want, we can go get lunch one Monday! I'm stoked! 

Diego invited us over to eat again! We ate pancakes, bacon, eggs, fruit, smoothies, and orange juice. Diego is the best! After we ate, he drew a photo of us all fat from eating. Ha ha! He is awesome. We started to teach his girlfriend the discussions. :) We are going to be eating with them on Thursday of this week as well.

I also have a picture of Elder Herbert sleeping in a lesson! Haha! He was sick that day. It was super funny. The members home we were at were laughing! They couldn't believe that he had fallen asleep!

I also kicked a soccer ball in the house and broke a window. Whoops! So, I paid 160 Pesos to fix it. That is just under $10 dollars, but I learned my lesson to not play soccer in the house!

We had a meeting with Elder De Hoyos, who is the president of all the areas in Mexico. It was awesome! I had a good answer to one of the questions he asked, so he invited me to come to the front of them room! I was up there for about 10 minutes, and he just had his arm around me and was teaching. For some reason, everyone loves Elder Jones! :) It was great to see all my friends again! I saw Elder Sweeten, Elder Sasser, Elder Clifford, Elder Dance, and others! 

We also got new temple recommend covers! They are sweeeeeet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got my package! :) Same with some letters from the YW in Becca's ward. Ha ha! #playerintheclub. Just kidding. But, it was great to get some letters. Thanks, Rachie! 

This week I saw a guy get beat up with a metal tube about 4 feet in front of me, so I started to book it the opposite direction. The police came right after we started to run. By far the craziest thing I have seen in Mexico so far!

We played some soccer Saturday,  and after we played some basketball... it was freaking awesome because I started to drain 3 pointers! Haha! So, basically, the tall one was playing the far game & 
destroying up close under the rim. Too beastly for these shorties! Haha!

So now I have a new comp. He is from The Dominican Republic. His name is Elder Vargas.

Love you family!

Goodbye Elder Matthews!

Dinner with Diego!

Just a little sleepy....