Aug 28 2016

Homecoming

just a few photos of some of the people who stopped by to welcome Kalen home

August 27 2016

After a delay on Friday in Panama and overnight stay in Houston Texas Kalen came walking out of the terminal in SLC on Sat the 27th of Aug at 11:45 am. Here are just a few of the joyous moments we shared. Mom, dad, Tracee, Ally, Grandma and Grandpa Curtis, aunts, uncles and many cousins were there. Even Pres and Sister Willard surprised him by showing up. What a great reunion and day we had. As I complete this mission blog I must say that the blessings we have received by having this faithful missionary serving in Bolivia can not be counted. My heart is full as I think of the many people who are now apart of our international ward family. Thank you for reading and sharing in this mission journey with Elder Jones and for the many prayers and support over the last 2 years. We are so happy to have him home and see the wonderful young man he has become. My testimony of Jesus Christ is undeniable and my eternal thank you goes to the Lord for keeping my son safe and returning him home to our family. love you all Lori Jones

Aug 22 2016

My last email home from the mission.
I love you too mom, thanks for always watching over me but I think this time around I will be good on the planes. I´m super pro now. I have been on too many planes. here´s a list: SLC to Atlanta, to Bogotá, to Lima, to Santa Cruz, to Tarija, back to Santa Cruz, back to Tarija, back to Santa Cruz, soon to come to Panamá City, to Houston, to SLC. I don't think I want to be a pilor anymore flying is not that fun.  See you soon

Almost done

This was my last Zone Conference with two of my buddies, Elder Lozano who is Secretary to the President, and Elder Bennet who was my comp in the MTC. I love you so much mom. I haven´t really let myself think to deeply about coming home either for two reasons, one this has been my life for two years and it has always just seemed like a dream that I would go home and see you guys again, and two I am still here working and I need to keep working because it´s not over just yet. 

Aug 15 2016

Here are the photos from baptism 6 of August with the Justiniano family.

This is from our baptism two days ago, (13 of August), with Luis Miguel Carrillo an his wife who is a member. Something special about his is that a few months ago before meeting the missionaries, he didn´t want to hear about the Church because he was firm in his habit and traditions as a Catholic. He was the one who softened his own heart with a little help from his awesome wife. He came to us looking for help so that he can one day go to the temple and be sealed to his wife and his new little baby girl. We are so happy for him. It was also the first time that I have been in the water baptizing since last year in December. I was super happy for him.

Aug 8 2016

I will keep some of my bolivian money because I want something to show others when I come home. I am passing the days well off and I am working really hard.  Every night I come home absolutely exausted. My feet are totally destroyed.   I am not trunky at all but I do get kinda excited to see everyone. We had another baptism on Saturday of the Justiniano family. (no photos today I don´t have my card reader.) Rolando, the dad, after 16 or so years of being inactive, he´s come back really strong, has received the priesthood and baptized his wife and oldest son. We are so happy for them because they have been working towards this for over 4 months, with their marriage and everything. So awesome!

Aug 1 2016

Here is the baptism of little Sara Morales and a Noche de Hermanamiento that we did with members, like a big Family home evening.

July 25 2016

Happy Anniversary mom and dad. I love you so much. I also love being here during this wonderful time of service. This Saturday is the baptism of a 9 year old girl who is the daughter of a less active. Then also on this Saturday we have the marriage of the Justiniano family who have been working for this day for over 4 months. Then the next week Sis Justiniano and her oldest son Jorge (9), both get baptized, and we are in the process of getting Bro. Justiniano an interview for tomorrow to receive the priesthood this Sunday so he can baptize his wife and son next Saturday the 8th of August. Also the 6th of August is Independence Day here in Bolivia so it´s gonna be fun packed but probably not as great as Independence Day in the States but whatever. Then the 13th we have a guy who is already married to his less active wife and he wants to be baptized as well. But not only that but because he lives with his parents in law, everyone helps him learn while we´re not there and he already knows about the temple and sealings. He wants to be sealed so that he never has to separated from his wife or his new baby girl. We are super excited. Elder Sierra my comp from Florida and I. His parents are latinos. His dad is from Guatemala and his mom is from Colombia. They both moved to Florida and there they met and there they stayed.

July 18 2016

We had a Welcome Conference for President Rodríguez last week. Here are my comps. Left to right are Elder Viscafé from Bolivia, Elder Sánchez from Colombia and Elder Talaverano my current comp from Peru.

July 11 2016

Well, they have finally arrived my travel papers to return home are here. I am not so happy to know that I´m almost at the end as much as I am to not have you asking me every week for the info hahahahaha jk love you mom.
Starting at 2 am we leave Santa Cruz to Panama then to Houston Tx and the last leg finally into SLC arriving at 7:50 pm on Aug 26th. Anyone who would like to welcome me home at the airport I will be glad to see you.

4th of July 2016 Love America

First things first, President Rodríguez is awesome. He has a firey heart and burning desire to see the missionas well as us as missionaries improve. Quick sad note, 2 of my past companions go home this week. Elder Jarvis and Elder Butts. It hurts to see them go and see the mission become even smaller but they are going to enjoy it back at home. Remember Elder Jarvis was from Portland Oregon and Elder Butts is from Houston Texas. I love you all and can't wait to see you. Thanks for the pictures of the girls I can't believe how much they have changed and grown up.  I am so excited that you were able to meet Pres and Sister Willard.  I loved them so much.

July 3 2016

Insert from parents. We had the great privilage to meet Pres. and Sister Willard and hear them bear testimony of the great work going on in Bolivia with the missionaries. It was a tender moment to hug a mom who had just seen our son days before and to know that she had shared my "mom" role for him the last 2 years.  Thank you both for your thoughtful and tender care of our son.

June 27 2016

Well transfers are the 13th of July and then I am in my last transfer! I am super excited but I have not let it affect my work ethic. Not much has been different except that President Willard goes home tomorrow and President Rodriguez gets here tomorrow as well. We are all super excited but sad at the same time. Pres Rodriguez is from Spain. Well my comp Elder Butts from my last area just informed me that a kid that I found is gonna get baptized this Saturday and I am so happy for him, paving the way for the rest of his family I know it.

June 20 2016

Mom and Dad I would really like for you to go meet my president and his wife.  Details below
Dear Parents and Family,

It has been a privilege and an honor to serve with your child here in the Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission - the Mission of Miracles! As we prepare to conclude our service here, please know of our love and appreciation for your missionary and for you as their support at home. We can honestly say that the Lord sent us the very best missionaries in the whole world, and we feel so blessed to have had them here with us during our time in Bolivia.

President and Sister Rodriguez will be arriving on or around the 1st of July. We have spoken with them on many occasions, and they are amazing! We have already felt of the love and concern they have for each one of the missionaries. Several times they have asked us: "How is it possible to feel so much love for people you haven’t even met?" We know that your missionary will be in good hands.

With love and gratitude,
President and Sister Willard

If you are in Utah on July 3rd, we will be sharing our testimonies at 9am at the Riverdale chapel located at 5500 South 1175 West. We would love to meet you if you are in town.

June 13 2016

Well, I am super sick. I am stuffed up, with a small headache and loving being here in the mission. We had a conference with Pres Willard last Friday and it was amazing. It was also our last opportunity to have an interview with him. I felt so inspired afterwards and I came out with a new goal, to see others as God sees them, to see them as children of our Heavenly Father. I realized in our interview (as well as he told me) that many people have mirrors in front of their faces. The difference between a mirror and a window??? one we see ourselves and one we can see others through it. We must look through the window, and not only that but the eyes in poetry and in theater are many times refered to as the "windows" to the soul. I know that if we could see through the "windows" of our Father´s eyes, we could always have His Spirit to be with us and this world would be a much better place. I invite everyone of you and I have decided to take my mirror and smash it on the floor. We must follow the example of our Savior and live lives of selfless service and dedication to God. Will you do it??? Love you all, Elder Jones

June 6 2016

Well I just want to let you know that transfers were last Wednesday and my turn came. I was so sad when I heard that I was leaving my other area Progreso. I loved being in that ward and I loved all of the members. We were working so hard I know that they are going to be baptizing here shortly. Now I´m back in Santa Cruz, but this time I´m in an area that I already know. I am in Guapilo 2. Over a year and 4 months have gone by since I was here. Weird huh, this is were my District Leader used to live and were my Zone Leaders lived in Zona La Pampa. Now we are Zona Lucero but still the same area. The three wards that make up this Zone are Guapilo, Lucero and guess who, La Libertad. Unfortunately I can´t go back there in exchanges because my District Leader doesn´t live there but I talk with the Elders that are there about how everything is. I live at the edge of the city, I basically live halif in the city and half in the jungle. My new comp is Elder Talaverano from Lima, Peru. He´s 23 years old and he´s been in the mission for about 8 months. He´s the youngest of his siblings and the only missionary of his family. He was trained by Elder Smith, the same Elder Smith from my group and my comp from the MTC.

Transfers by airplane every time

Elder Jones

It's winter and rainy here.

This is how I wear out good shoes.

My new comp

May 30 2016

I have just under a 90 days left in the mission.  While I am really excited to see my family and be reunited with them I will miss the wonderful people of Bolivia.  The culture and country is so beautiful and I have come to the love the people with all my heart.

May 23 2016

 Just working and walking and walking and walking.  We do not have bikes in my mission.

May 16, 2016

This past weekend we had the privilege to be visited by Elder Juan Uceda of the First Quorum of the Seventy and with him another seventy Elder Hales. Visiting us also was the Temple President of the Cochabamba, Bolivia temple, President Jensen. Then we had the extrordinary opportunity to see the only Stake here in Tarija, DIVIDE in two. Tarija Stake and now Tabladita Stake. Our former counselor is now our Stake President, President Daniel Copa. He also lives here in my ward. He is awesome. It was such an honor to be here because there has only been one stake here for 20 years!!! Since March of 1996. Funny to think that I was born at that time and now here I am 20 years later seeing the birth of the next stake in Tarija. I felt so blessed to be there and to hear some really fantastic talks.

One thing I wanted to share was the talk by Elder Uceda but I don´t have much time so I will inform you about it next week. I´ll try to write it all out on paper then take a picture. Hope you all have a great week.
Love,
Elder Jones

May 9, 2016

It was awesome to talk to the family yesterday and Kelly in Chicago.  That will be my last phone call and then I am home.

I am doing great and I am hoping to stay in this area till I finish. We met an awesome family last Friday because of a referal from a brother. For the moment we are only visiting with the mom and 2 kids but they are super good. Paulina and her kids Brayan and Lizbeth. The 2 kids went to church but the mom had to sell on Sunday. I would say that is probably one of the biggest challenges about South America and especially Bolivia is that no one kepps that Sabbath day holy, maybe they go to catholic church but then they go right home to have parties and sometimes drink. Everyone here works too. I have met so many people who work 7 days a week from 6 in the morning till 8 at night, life is hard here for them but they don´t understand that God will help them if they trust him. 

Love you all

Elder Jones

Skype is awesome!  love computers 

When Kalen sees Kelly 

When Kelly sees Kalen 

We facetime with Kelly on Ipad and Kalen on computer so they can both see each other.  Makes the 3 years apart more bearable.

May 2, 2016

I am going to send more pictures today.  I have made pancakes from scratch three times and today turned out the best, before they were chewy and then they were flat but today was good. I´ve also made french toast.  Here is my super satisfied comp this morning, just me posing and doing some break dancing for fun in the apartment.  Throw back to my hip hop class at ALA.  Can't wait to talk to you all next week.  Love you

 gotta love the hot plate

We have no furniture so you better dance when you have the space