Pobre Gringos Como Nosotros!!! - August 29, 2016

Hola Mi Familia!!

How are you all doing I’m glad to hear that Macy will finally get some love after Sadie left haha!! Well this week was really good!!! So we’ll start with Tuesday! We have a progressing investigator named flor!! She’s awesome!! She is the one that had the dream and she’s progressing really well!! We have her baptismal date set for the end of September!! So that is really exciting!! She has been coming to church every week for like 2 and we had lunch with her this week!! So the point I’m making is the lunch! She lives in a barrio (little town) of perouanos!! So their food is super good and SUPER cheap ha ha. So it’s perfect for some pobre gringos como nosotros!! So we had literally the most filling lunch in the entire world!!! Like holy crap I was dying it hurt to walk afterwards but it was soooo good!!! Alright that was Tuesday!! So now on Wednesday. We had the activity cumpleanos del nino!! We went and we watched movies with all of the little kids ever and made tons of food so that was a nice activity to attend haha!! Alright Thursday we went so hard oh my gosh. We found so many new people to teach we found 8 new people to teach!! And this week we found 20 people to teach a freaking area record so that was really exciting. Now we just have to freaking bautizarles!!! And that same day we made some amazing empanadas!!! I’ve learned how to cook a lot here because the members really aren’t lunch giving folks all the time haha!!! But that’s alright!! Alright now we have Friday, this day was sooo soooo cold!!! But for a reason twas a sad day!! We went to carinas house and the mom has pulled her away from baptism and won’t tell us why!! We’ve taught them everything and how they can do it they just have the will to try!! We had to leave them as a teaching family we’ll still visit them occasionally but not as much!):  that’ really sad but we can’t keep going for them to not follow through with their assignments while there are others dying to hear this word!! Alright now we have Saturday!! We went to our favorite, well at least my favorite family which is the family Britos!! They are the family I have a picture with from like my first week here!!! So there wedding is on the 9th and We get to go it’s us and their family!!! We are so lucky! I’m always gonna stay in touch with those guys!!! And Sunday was really good!! We went to church and were asked to give talks next week so that’s exciting. I’ll get to give a talk sweeet!!! And here’s what the talks will be about!! So me and summer decided to make a new plan misional por nuestro barrio!!! Dice all these things about how we’re going to get everyone hyped about missionary work!! We’re going to try to make this ward a lot more missionary work oriented!!! so that shall be sweet!!!! I’m very excited to get that started!!! And today which is p-day!!! We went and had a pijamada at the lideres del zonas pension which is always sweeeet!!! We talked and told stories and they only talk in Spanish and I can finally understand the stories and laugh at them when their funny rather than having to ask after the fact what the heck is going on!! So this morning me and summers woke up and ran our 5k as usual which is always actually pretty nice!!! Then we went and played futbol for probably 3 hours. Futbol is freaking fun oh my goodness I somehow mete 5 goals hoy dia - how in the freeck!  Well now we are here in cyber and we have some time to email here!!! So that is pretty exciting. I’m just loving the mission. It’s a really good time I’m starting to really love this life. It’s a good time and it’s so much hard work but I love it!!! I love you guys so much and hope you are all doing like freaking great at home because here is sweet!!!! Kaylee and Aiden practice your piano hard and you’ll be super good super fast!!! Austin keep practicing that dance and be nice to that girl!! MOM and DAD keep being the best parents ever!!! Keep reading every night, the scriptures are so so so important I know you guys can do it!!!

i love you guys!!!(:

Elder Jones💓

Email Elder Jones: jones.andrew@myldsmail.net

Ups and Downs - August 21, 2016

Mi familia!!! 

      Bueno, let’s begin. So this week was a week of ups and downs!! This week we had a lot of new investigators we had one lady named marta who I have to tell you about!! so we contacted her and she was great so she seemed super open to everything we had to say!! So we leave her with a folleto to READ a folleto to read right because people read and they like them!! So we come back and as it turns It she loved the folleto she looooved it but...she didn’t read it she only looked at the pictures and deciphered them in her own way... what? She was like these white guys with their hand on his head (joseph smith) I feel like churches think that like use the hands a lot... well everyone learns on their own level and she was on a second grade level sadly and that is a story of a lady that kicked us out after she said " I feel cold and that’s a sign of the devil get out" well it was windy sadly that’s what happened....

     Next the story of the all the dogs breaking the law of chastity!! There is a very large reason there are so many freaking dogs here and its becuase they don’t know the law of chastity.. I’ve seen more dogs fornicating here than I’ve seen dogs in highlands ranch I think.

    Alright, next we have the story of a very sad thing that happened on Sunday!!! So we were having the baptism of carina celeste rojas the sweetest girl that really wants to get baptized like soo bad. That’s really like what she wants to do!! Se WE get here and her mom to church and Its all great and they are there the pila bautismal is full. She has her dress and I have my white clothes!!!, Then her mom gets a call and apparently her daughter at home got in a fight with her grandma and they left... carina cried and for the first time for a reason I wouldn’t expect so did I... I really wish people could see how much the Lord can help them!! All they need is a desire to change and they can change their lives!! I just got an email from you haha, don’t worry I’m focusing!! Anyways so that was really hard and I was really sad about it I just wish she and her mom knew what we could do!!

    Alright next story the story of flor savedra!! Weve been teaching her since the day I got here and she was not going anywhere!!! She just wasn’t progressing which was really sad. We all want her to be baptized and see how much of a difference it can make in her life with the holy ghost!! So one morning she calls us and tells us to come over fast!!! So were like ohh dang what is going on!!! So we go over there and she tells us she had a dream and we were like pulling up chairs like please please tell us this dream!!Apparently she had a dream she was at a family gathering and some old man came up to her and said " I’m just so glad that your lds and that your whole family is too", then she said" You know what so am I want to be baptized and be in this" She woke up and literally went and told her mom, dad, sister, brothers, aunt, uncles, aunts friend, and her kids. Now we are teaching all of them holy crap biggest goldmine in the history of mankind!!! Everyone is learning so much and feeling the spirit I think we’ve given out like 16 book of Mormons to all of the new investigators we got hahah!!! its insaneee!!! It was super exciting and the spirit helped us out a freaking ton!!!

     So last night we had a sleep over at the zone leaders house and as it turns out the pension isn’t blessed because its new... here’s a scary story some what.. so here in south america stuff like vudu and scary ghost stories are a lot more real than in the _U.S honeslty and its scary... so there is a cemetery that is in our area where every night people will go and rob the bodies that are put in there!!! It’s also a place where people are killed a lot.. So two missionaries in our zone who are a little trucho  (disobedient) went and took pictures of it at about 8 30!! Every time I’ve slept at the ZL pensh I feel a little weird but yes after they went and took the pictures something was in that house... I was never alone except for one time!! I want upstairs to get a matte cup and the lights wouldn’t work I went up and felt the most disgusting feeling in me. I felt cold alone and honestly something was in that room with me.. I ran downstairs and told the ZL that we needed to bless the house that night. So we did and that disgusting feeling was gone... stuff like that is real down here holy crap that was really scary and honestly the most presence of someone not in this world... not fun ha ha.

Well I don’t have my camera today which Is pretty sad because of the sleepover that we had!!! I will send pictures next week hopefully of a baptism haha of carina!!! I would really love that!!! Anyways Mom, Dad, Austin, Kaylee, Aiden I love you all so much and Austin keep slaying that lady haha, kaylee you look super pretty in the pictures I’m getting so thats a little weird for me to see, aiden that 360 flat I just about broke this computer when I saw it. Dad I know you had to sleep but write some more haha!!, mom your cleaners look absolutely faaabulous!!!  (:(: I love you all so much and I’m having such a good time down here in argentina!!!!! See you all in a week!!!!

Love,

Elder Jones

PIG FACE

Hola mama y papa. Here is a picture of a great meal we had and dang it was freaking weird!! So this week was really good. We're having Carinas baptism this week I hope. Her mom just lost her job so we're going over there today to do some service. Hey really sorry that I couldn't email yesterday freaking no one works here and some days like no one works...shows why this place is 3rd world haha!! The mission is going great!  Finding lots of new investigators!! I don't have a ton of time to email today which kinda sucks but hey I love it here its crazy and everyone looks so happy I'm so glad!! Alright well I'll see if I can send one more picture before I have to go but I'll see you guys in a little less than a week and I'll have a real good email that day!!!

Training in Cordoba!

MY family oh my how are you guys?! hey so argentina is freaking crazzyyy!!! Like wow this world is totally different. Alright so lets begin this is for everyone and everyone that wants to know whats going on and I'll send personal letters talking to people but this is about whats going on here!!  First we had our flight to argentina and it was a solid 11 hours so I slept basically the whole way which was suuuper nice and then we landed oh man! I thought that was it, but then we had to go to another airport and hang out there for I don't know, 2 hours and fly to Cordoba!! We got there and our mission president was there when we arrived, it was awesome!! So we had to drive to the mission home and like faaa. Oh and the word faaa is like oh my gosh here. Everyone says it including president haha sounds kinda bad but thats alright!! 

Anyway we got in the car and faaa the streets here....are insane.... we went freaking 120 just because and...ya just because we could!! There are lanes but in reality there are no lanes. We literally don't use lanes here you just drive literally within like an inch of every other car while going 120 oh my gosh!! So we got to the mission house and we had some candy and alfajones and faa those were huge, they would give me diabetes. Luckily I only had one!!  So we all hung out there and we all got to see each other. Elder Kimberling and I were hanging out there and same with 2 more from our district, Elder Gwilliam and Elder Parkke. 

We went and we slept in a hotel that night and the next day we got our papas (trainers).   So I got the dopest trainer! His name is Elder Summers and he is like the hardest worker ever! He is a gringo and my goodness he speaks like one hahaha. Its wierd because when we get in remmis also known as taxis back in the states, he starts talking and the people don't talk to him. Then I start speaking and they're like "oh he speaks spanish"! Its like a terible trap that I have to deal with every time I need to start speaking like a gringo because thats hard!! So our area is Ituzaingo and it is freaking awesome!! Our penshion is just me and my companion, and we have a sweet study room and lots of places to sit and eat and such for lunch.  I have my own desk so that is sweet! 

So lets start with some experiences and culture shock type deal. So first the dogs!! Second day I counted 236 dogs and after that i just stopped counting! There are mutts EVERYWHERE and  they are literally all over the place. No matter where you go there is a dog barking at you!! Its nuts!! Next is the matte drink that tastes like dirt but people love it and literally everyone drinks it!! Its starting to grow on me, but my breath always smells teeerrrible after I drink it so that is a downside but its good!! I had to get a special cup and straw for it haha its crazy!! 

Next is proselyting!! Everyone says Argentina is so friendly.  I don't think I've knocked on a door since ummmm I was in the states. Here we always clap at doors and people will come out and every time they are so friendly!! Okay, something weird about these houses here. They are made of tiny bricks and terrible...but...every one has direct TV... everyone! And everyone has a freaking galaxy phone or something like wow check out those priorities!! So next about one of our families!!  The family Gritos!! All of the kids are baptized they have a total of 27 kids and three sets of parents in the family and they are awesommeee!!! They are always at church and trying to help. They live on a pig farm and its the coolest place ever. It's a big piece of land and they're awesome! I love being with them! They're super fun and just so nice!! Okay another piece of culture shock is that everything here is served with bread.. like good bread! I'm like working on swearing that off because its goes on places....ya like the gut. Speaking about my gut, every morning me and Summers go and run outside while its still dark and this dog every morning somehow finds me and runs with me without fail. Like how do you know who I am dog, stop. 

Alright this email is all over the place but thats ok!! I hope all the priests back home are doing good. Here is some advice for them... The MTC is great all the vocab they teach you about the gospel, but study other things.  I wish I would have!! And study like as hard as you can!! Alright so sad news about this week and so far the hardest thing about the mission,  I made my first baptismal invitation and she said yes!!! She is 9 years old her name is Carina and she is the sweetest girl. Her brothers are baptized and her mom is working on some preocupaciones!! So she said yes and that Sunday we had the font full of water. We had her dress ready and the talks, the service, it was all ready to go.. and she wasn't at her house that morning.  She was at her aunts down in centro that kinda crushed me but its okay. We'll get her next week!!! We gotta get her number and we're gonna call them every night and see how they're doing!!! So yes alright, que mas we have lots more investigators that  I could talk about but I'll save those for other emails!! Today was our first PDay and last night we had a sleepover at our zone leaders pension, it was sweeeett!!! We all cooked food and in the morning took a hour and a half bus to a cascada. It was super fun!! We hung out and jumped off cliffs and stuff and just messed around and played futbol like literally every person does here!! So something for everyone that ever goes to Argentina!! There is a town rivalry in futbol, Entre talleres y riverplate! Everyone there better be fore talleres because I am haha!! I love those guys!! So I can get a guitar here and I'm planning on doing that for sure.  I would very much like to have a guitarra in my pensh that would be sweeett!! 

Anyway, I love Argentina and the people here they are all amazing and now I'm gonna connect some pictures for you all to see of everything!!! Hope you all are doing well.  I love you all lot, especially my family.  Love you mom, dad, kaylee, austin and aiden.  I'll talk to you all of you guys real soon like next Monday and you can hear some more!! 
Sinceramente, Elder Jones

Welcome to Cordoba!

Dear Parents,

            We are pleased to inform you that your son has arrived to the Argentina Córdoba Mission perfectly well.  We received him in the airport and we came directly to the mission home where we had a welcome meeting and a traditional dinner for this area.  They will spend this night in a nice hotel and that is close to our home.  Tomorrow he will meet his companion and they will go to their area together. 

We are extremely grateful to receive a noble spirit like your son who is so consecrated to the Lord.  Thank you very much for all that you have done to prepare him.  We will take care of your son as if he were our own child.

Love,

            President & Sister Correa 

Ready for Argentina!

So I have a spiritual experience for you! This week we taught our TRC lesson for the last time! His name is Brian and he is the coolest paid investigator to walk the planet!! So we all know that they are paid members to act like they are investigators but everyone can always come more unto Christ then they have before!!!! So we started the lesson with the plan of salvation! We started teaching him and tore through that lesson with some sweeet spanish!! So after that we just talked to him about his life!! To say bye to him for the last time! He has always doubted himself about what hes doing in his life and how good of a person hes being! So I bore my testimony about how good of a person he is the spirit came over me and I started crying and just got choked up because I talked about Sam a little bit because Brian works with special ed kids!, so I looked down so he couldn't see me crying!! I kept bearing my testimony to him and I looked up and he was bawling too! and so was my companion! They both were feeling the spirit so strong and so was I!! after he said to us! "you guys know that i'm a member and I'm paid to do this but you guys really just helped me so much in my life thank you!! then he came up and hugged me super hard and my companion too then he bore his testimony!! it was amazing to hear and understand in spanish!! it was an amazing experience!!!

The spirit is the real teacher!! we're just vessels for it to reside and teach through us!! I love this gospel and surprisingly reading the scriptures is literally the highlight of my day every day!! I love the scriptures and spanish. I can understand just about anything speaking is really where sometimes Its hard but hey I can always improve!! I'm excited to get out there ohh ya well alrighty Ill talk to you later!!! Love you tons!!

Well it is my last day at the MTC am I ready to leave? not really no!! but am I excited to get the heck out of here!! yes, yes I am!! So after today english will be of no use to me so that is absolutely crazy!! I think that you guys can send letters down to argentina so never ever hold back letters from me because us missionaries live or mail and you for sure know that!! I love you guys tons and get a little family email together so I can read it when I get down there because that will help haha!! Im very excited to start my actual mission so yes!!

Talk to you guys soon!!

Elder Kimberling- Best MTC Companion Ever! 

July 19, 2016

MI FAMILIA! Como han estado!! I've missed you guys I'm glad you are all having fun because I am too!!(: So I'm going to the temple right now but!! after I'll have enough time to write a big boy email don't you worry. Here are some pictures to look at in the mean time!! Oh and by the way be on the lookout for letter!! Because I've kept up on sending letters quiiteee well!!!(:

Padre: Hola, como he estado, yo reconoco todos los tiempos buenos con usted y gracias por esos!! Estoy uno de los "perros Mayores" Estoy muy animado a ir a argentina y yo creo que estoy listo por este. Yo he tenido tres investigadores el la SSM, Ellos estaban los investigadores mejores, ellos estaban muy facil a ensenar!! me caye bien con todos mis maestors y estan muy amoroso a nosotros! Estoy animado a invitar a las personas a venir a cristo mediante sus desiciones y mediante los enzenanzas de jesucristo!! Yo se que no estoy listo para argentina perro la gente de argentina estan listo para la iglesia y mediante mi, el espiritu puede cambiar los corazones de hombres!! Gracias por su ejemplo a mi!! Le Amo PAPA ADIOS!!

MAMA: hola mama!!(: Ill speak in english for you!! Im having a great time here at the MTC and I love it here!! The spanish isn't anything incredible pero el don de lenguas es real and I love that I can learn so quickly here!! I study as hard as I can and am starting alma tommorow!! I've restarted the book of mormon and the stories are so interesting to me. I love the stories of the book of mormon!! Thankyou for all the dear elders they are the best things ever to get and sadly I can't get them in Argentina!!): and Next p day I'll tell you my schedule for when I get to call you guys!!! I'm so excited for that!! ahh man the fire alarm just went off that sucks I’ll be back soon familia!!!

Alright so im back!!! Gosh that was annoying some kid pulled it was pleb! Anyways the MTC is great and I'm having a great time here!!!! Gracias por todo!!!!And mom I want you to watch a mormon message as soon as you can because I know sometimes you have hard days with all the ninos and think you get nothing done heres the video name "you never know" maybe watch it for family home evening!! Anyways Im still not all the way through all of that stuff you sent me it was so gooodd!!! I gained five pounds in the first 2 weeks but ive lost 6 in the past week through working out at 6 every morning and eating suuuper good!!! I love it here its awesome,!!! Love you mama!!

Now here is a story for you!!(: This last week we had a very special guest here at the MTC we 

had elder Bednar here!!! So here is a little spiritual thought for you!!he said "girls do 9 out of 10 things right and do one wrong, they focus solely on the thing they did wrong and its sad, Men however do 9 things wrong, and the one mediocre thing they do they only focus on that! "you as a Jones family do amazing things all the time and I know that, don't focus on the bad but on the good  and see how good and how much you can change peoples lives!!(:!now after your done reading your story i just told you, share it with all of the kids!!