Life in the Field: The Long Way Home

This week was good! I had interviews with President, which was nice! It was really good to just talk and talk and talk. He is an awesome President. Really shows his love for us. I talked to his wife for like 40 minutes about Disneyland and about life. She really loves to talk! It made me happy. I showed her my Disneyland pass and she was super duper happy!

Today, we went Downtown. TONS OF AMERICANS! Well not a ton, but a bit. We got some money out of the bank and then ate with some of the Elders, the zone leaders and another companionship. MY SANDWICH WAS HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still have a part of it in the house for tonight ;)

The other missionaries that were staying with us found a house and moved out Saturday. I swept the house after they left because they left it dirty! Oh well, now our house is pretty and clean! Next Monday is transfers and I will probably have a new companion.

Crazy story time....

So we were leaving a lesson, and decided to go the long way back because the short cut is pitch black-- no street lights. So, we took the longer way and were walking and got to the main road. We were walking, and there is an on ramp to the highway in front of us. A car was coming, didn't see the curve in the road, and drove through it! The car flew and almost landed in the highway! He was on the side walk, and he stopped about 6 or 8 yards in front of us! If we had taken the short way, we would have been hit! Lesson learned! If you're obedient, and follow promptings and laws of the land (taking the long way with light!) you are blessed. That's the secret of life, obedience!

Thanks for all the letters and love!!!!!!!

Elder Jones & Dean Chavez, a member in the area. He will be moving to Huntington Beach, CA.

Breakfast, lunch & dinner!

Haircut & looking handsome!

Life in the Field: Visa Renewals & Meeting Elder Durrant

This photo was posted on the mission Facebook Page with "I Love you Mom!" We love that Sister Egginton, the mission presidents wife, updates the page with photos!

This week was crazy! They called me on Tuesday and told me that I needed to be in Guadalajara on Thursday. We changed all our plans and came to Guadalajara and we went to the temple!!!!!!!!!!! THAT WAS AMAZING! The next morning we left to go renew our Visas.

We go take pictures and everything and then they told us that the pictures weren't any good, so we went and looked for different pictures, and again they told us that they weren't good because they weren't from a studio. They basically just didn't want to give us Visas! They then told us that the pictures we needed were going to take two days. Since we were going to be there two days, we walked around the city and went back to the temple, which was great!

The next day we got to Listen to Elder Durant, who gave the talk about ponderizing, which was sweet! HE IS SO TALL! I look up to him! Anyways, we learned some cool things and also listened to other members of the 70, which was cool. I gave a comment about a good teaching principle and Elder Durant loved it! He thanked me, and when we shook hands after he was telling me how awesome I am. HAHA! :)

After that, I saw Elder Clifford! Love that guy! He made me laugh a ton! I also saw Elder Mathews which was great. He is going to end soon. I also saw Elder Ball who is going home. I was following him for awhile in the mission... that was funny. We have a lot of the same areas! He is from San Diego as well! :)

After that we went to another area which was in Tlajomulco, to do divisions so we could work a little. It was a good ward. I liked it there. It's weird being in Guadalajara again, but its awesome here because there are a bunch of restaurant chains that are American! I had to buy some Dairy Queen and McDonalds and all that :) I'm fat!

Finally today, we got it all fixed and we have the Visas and everything ready. :) It was fun to see all my MTC companions again when we met up to renew our Visas. We had a fun couple of days in the city-- I am very tired from staying up late with them! 

Love you all! 

Elder Clifford and Elder Jones

Elder Jones meeting Elder Durrant

Elder Jones & Elder Struhs, MTC companions renewing Visas.

Elder Jones & Elder Ball. Elder Ball is from San Diego & his Aunt and Uncle (Bruce and Jill) were in our long time ward in Seal Beach! 

MTC Companions reunited for Visa renewals!

Elders with Karla, a member in their ward preparing to serve a mission!

This bird flew into the house and Elder Vargas caught it with his bare hands!

Life in the Field: "When Ye Are in the Service of Your Fellow Beings, Ye are Only in the Service of Your God"

And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God. Mosiah 2:17

This week was good. We did some fun things and it was a really fast week!

So we did some service for Hermana Adriana! She was baptized recently, which was cool. We started to paint her house! We still have a ton left to paint, but we have set a day aside to come back to complete it and help, which will be fun. We painted with her daughter Lili who is a member as well.

Then a few days after we painted, we were eating outside of a members house and it started to poor rain! So we ate with our umbrellas open! We were almost done with the food, so it wasn't too bad! Haha!

Today we had a zone activity and played sports and all which was fun. Took a ton of pictures, and overall a really fun day! We ate a ton of pizza, played soccer, volleyball, football, basketball and other things! It was a multi-zone activity, so super fun! I saw Elder Larson today which made me happy! He is training now, which is cool.

We have an investigator named Rosendo who is super awesome. I'm buying him the triple combination (Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine & Covenants) and the Bible. It's 80 pesos and he loves to read, so i know he will enjoy it. He is Mastering in some type of Mexican history. He loves to read and he is like 27. He is in Jacob now in the BOM. Super awesome.

We have some Elders sleeping in our house now. They are having problems in their area next to their house, so they have moved in with us to see if it settles down! We are having a lot of fun!

Overall everything is good :) 

I love you all so much!!!!!!!

Elder Dance AKA Elder Guapo & Elder Jones

Elder Christensen & Elder Jones

Zone Conference fun.

These Elders were in the MTC together!

Matching Soccer Jerseys!

Life in the Field: Conference & Go Carts

Go kart riding with Elder Christensen

This week was pretty sweet. A bunch of fun stuff and a bunch of craziness.....

We had our zone meeting which was fun. I got to see my old comp Elder Garcia which was funny. We talked a bit which was nice. He makes me laugh. Hahaha! We had some problems, but overall we got along pretty well when we were companions. 

We had our zone meeting and I got a TON of cards!!! Elder Dance called everyone over and said, "Hey everyone watch this!" and he gave all the cards to me and only one to Sister Anderson. Hahahahaha! Then i had two packages, which was legit!!! Everyone was jealous. Hermana Andersen was like, "What the heck?!?!?! The only people who write me on P-day is my Grandma.... and if I'm lucky i get letters or a package." She ended up getting a letter and a package, so that was great for her!

After that we went to the house and I opened up my box from DT and Vlad (friends from high school). I think the funny part is that I was in the bathroom when I opened the box! Karma.

For conference, we watched it in the high council room. With the AC on, drinking coke and eating chips and candy.  Pretty dang fly if you ask me! On Sunday I brought 2 liters of Coke & Lays chips and candy for everyone. Hahahaha! Elder Dance and Elder Christensen ate well with me :)

Conference was really good and I enjoyed the talks! Elder Nelson with the power! President Monson looked like was going to fall over. I was a little worried at the end of his talk. I hope he can get a little better! 

Today was fun! We went and ate with Elder Mendoza and Elder Christensen which was fun! Elder Christensen and I went on some go carts for 40 pesos. They were super fun! no seat belts or anything! I love Elder Christensen!!!!!!!

Elder Garcia, one of Dallin's old companions.

Zone Conference

T-shirt and package from DT & Vlad.

Life in the Field: Baptism & Ward Party

This week was good! A lot of things happened, and it was fun!

Elder Norman and I took some sweet pics! He went home today! He is from California and he lives in Ventura, which is cool. We are going to hangout after the mish.... Hahaha! He is awesome. He was in Moroleon, and now Elder Garcia is there!

After that, we were walking and noticed a ton of tomatoes in the street and people picking them up, so we picked up a ton of them and brought them to a members house. Haha! I think it was like 5 kilos. That was fun!

On Friday, the Stake President called us and told us that Adriana passed her interview and wanted to be baptized the same day! Awesome! We ran the the chapel, called our district leader, got the interview set up for her son and tried to ready the baptism font.... THERE WASN'T WATER!!! We had like 3 hours to kill before the baptism, but the water pump didn't work. So we were hoping they could fix it before the baptism, but they couldn't, so 30 min before the baptism we called a water tanker to fill it up! We had it filled in like 7 minutes! Hahaha! So awesome!!!!!!!!! 

I baptized Adriana, and she was sooo nervous! When I was helping her into the font, she was squeezing my hand! I baptized her, and my my comp baptized Benjamin, which was good! Overall a great day!

After the baptism, we had a Noche Mexicana, which was fun! We ended the service and went straight to the activity! So many people came to her baptism because everyone was at the church! Good day! Super funny as well! The 2nd counselor of the Stake Presidency danced with his wife, and we were laughing our butts off! I cracked some jokes on the mic, which was funny, and  there was a marriage proposal! SO crazy!!!!!!!!

Our converts Natalia and Victoria came to our sacrament and all of church! It was soooo great to see them!!!!!!!! Victoria gave the prayer to end the sacrament meeting which was awesome!!! I miss them a ton!!!!!!!!! :) It was fun!

Today we went to the centro and ate some Burger King and went looking at stuff to buy. I didn't buy anything but we had fun with some other missionaries! Overall a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Thanks for the love and support!!!! 

Elder Norman and Elder Jones

Marriage proposal at the ward activity!

A little girl in the ward getting ready to dance.

The water tank filling the baptismal font.