Nov 23, 2015

We have a sister who is getting baptized next week but she has been well prepared and lives with a member family. I really haven´t done much but teach the lessons. Not much else going on here. Not much time

Nov 16, 2015

I have noticed recently how much I am changing physically, spiritually and mentally. I don´t even really recognize myself sometimes. The weather here is just more humid is all that it gets. If you want to get cool then you need wind. I found some church shoes. There are markets here that bring in clothes and shoes from the states. Stuff we usually think is worn out or old and we give away, it ends up down here and they sell a pair of nice wing tip shoes that are in really good condition for just 20 pesos or 3 dollars. I just have to fight against the crowd a little.
We have a visit with Mario and Ingrid this week. We didn´t visit with them this last week because a week ago on Monday, Ingrid´s mom passed away and they´ve been busy. We are gonna visit Wednesday I think.

Elder Jones
This is me and Elder Jarvis

Nov 9, 2015

Well today I didn´t receive very many emails, but that's alright because it gives me time now to write to all of you.
Today is a great day to be alive. You know why?? Cause today is another gift from God to you and to me. What an amazing concept, God loves us no matter what happens. How amazing is that, that He gave His Son to die that we might live. I don´t know if I´ll ever be able to understand the depths and greatness of either the love of God or the sacrifice of His life. What an opportunity it is to talk to you. I hope that everything has been good with you and I sure hope that you are enjoying and taking advantage of being with your family. I sure miss mine. I love you with all my heart and I can´t wait to enjoy and take advantage of our time together after my mission. Remember that you are someone special to Someone else. You are also very special to me.  I am so happy to be here everyday. Anyone who has been on a mission knows that it is a hard job but in the end it is worth the sacrifice. I admit that I struggle here sometimes, but knowing that you support me gives me strength to continue on and find others that need my support. Thank you for being my strength and praying for me. I hope that the Lord blesses you in every moment and in everything you do. Don´t forget Him either. I love you and I am so grateful to be alive this day!!!  Transfers were last week on Wed right after I wrote. I am now with Elder Gomez, he´s from San Juan, Argentina. He is about to hit 10 months in the mission.  It is just about to hit winter so the rain should go away?  I hope

P.S. some photos of new things. new companion from Argentina. Me saying HI.  It rains a lot here. Me pretending to be in the Vietnam war with my umbrelagun!

Nov 2, 2015

My comp is great. We get along really well. Elder Jarvis is from Portland, Oregon. He finishes his mission one transfer before me. Elder Jarvis has already been accepted to BYU so he´ll be living in Utah afterwards. I told him that he can stay with you guys since you´ll be down two sons. We had a brother make the blue ties from last week and we had him put all of our names on the back. Our whole zone.
Mission story to share finally: yesterday as we were walking in the street, a man stopped us (and he wasn´t even drunk!!) and asked us if we taught about the Bible. We responded in affirmative and then he asked if we were mormons. We also responded in affirmative. He then proceeded to invite us over to his house. He lived just around the corner and we met him at his house an hour later. He was super nice but he and his family of 4 are going through a super rough time right now. He is out of work (which is not uncommon) but he also has no money to even buy dinner. They are seriously living off of bread alone. It was heart breaking and I felt so much love for him. I wanted to help him in any way I could, but the only thing that came to mind that could help was the Gospel. We had a good, short visit and we are planning on going back on Wednesday. His name is Mario and his wife is Ingrid.

Oct 26, 2015

Well mom it´s all been about the same since I came back to Santa Cruz. We have no investigators with baptismal dates in my area, we are only having about 14 lessons a week in total, and none of the members want to do missionary work. I´m struggling to be more positive and have hope. I am feeling pretty crappy right now sorry to vent. What should you do when you get down? Serve of course...

Oct 19, 2015

How´s the search for stuff on the University??? I need to be prepared now. Only now do I realize why you were talking to me about the future in High School. Also something weird you might want to hear. I don´t know if I´ll extend my mission. I don't get to decide anyways. If I go home in August on the 26th, (that would be the day in which I would be on a plane home) school starts the next week or two after I get home, no time to prepare. Now talking with Elder Winterholler from my group, we are thinking that we might come home 2 weeks even earlier just to give us a little time to prepare. The 10th of Aug we could be on our way home. But this is all just speculation.

Just a few area details to add: here in Bolivia the food is pretty standard. Liver, tongue, stomach and feet. Not kidding. The weather in La Paz is cold, in Cochabamba is nice California weather, in Santa Cruz it´s really hot and humid, and in Tarija it´s nice like Utah. In Tarija it gets cold but no snow, and it can get kinda hot. The food is different wherever you go. Wherever go though the food is always soup and then a plate of food. The food is normally rice with potato and chicken. There really is not much difference between meals. Also the people eat huge lunches and really small breakfasts. Dinner and breakfast almost don´t exist. Clothing is terrible. They dress normal here but a lot worse. See through shirts and short shorts all the time. The traditional clothes are cool, bright colors and long slightly poofy skirts. The shirts are also colorful.

Oct 12, 2015

Hi everyone, sorry for not writing you consistently. With bad internet down here sometimes I don´t have time to even look at all of my emails. I will try to be better next week. Some fun things though, I am pretty sure we are entering into rain season because it dumps hard here sometimes. I am also closing the gap till I come home. Sometimes thinking about it stresses me out but I am so excited and sad at the same time. There only 10 months left in this mission of mine. I hope that everyone is good and enjoying the blessing of the Gospel in their lives. May God bless all of you.
The new area is great. It is the smallest area that I have had in all of my mission. I can cross it from the longest straight line in about 15-20 minutes depending on our walking pace. I would like a new calendar for next year with more photos, like a collage. I also want you to look up entrance requirements to BYU and Coast Guard, also when both start. I am also thinking about not extending my mission so I will be flying home on the 26th of August if my math is right.
Love, Elder Jones

Oct 5 2015

First off Happy Birthday to my awesome sister Tracee who is now 13 and Aunt KaLani.
I am fine and my mission is going great.  Conference was super awesome. I want to say I love you mom and Elder Holland´s talk really impacted me. Thank you for bearing me and bearing with me. I love you so much and I miss you more and more everyday. Elder Woolf went home in July or at the beginning of August I think. He´s been home for two months now. Sad. My next companion, Elder Evenson goes home at the end of this transfer, November 5th.  It is still really hot here and increasing every day.  I need 2 pairs of shoes, which I can buy down here! I work a lot see my shoes.  A Chinese company put up a mall down here in Santa Cruz and brought in American stores and clothes.  

Love you all have a good week.