Week 12 "Absolutely crazy"

   How has the mission been so far, Jamison? Well, honestly, it's been absolutely crazy, because I have never had an experience in my life where I've felt so joyful, depressed, motivated, lazy, purposefull, and totally out of it all at the same time.  

Elder Kasteler and Me in Paris!

   I love the story of the Other Prodigal Son, the story that Jeffery R. Holland told in a conference talk.  In the story he focused not on the son who wasted his substance in riotous living, but the son who had worked in the field his whole life, and never left his father.  When the prodigal son returns and recieves a robe and a party from his father the other son leaves and throws a pity party for himself, basically is mad that the son who had wasted his life and had now returned is being so celebrated.  In the back of my mind, I always had a thought that a mission would be easier for me than for everyone else, I don't know why but maybe I thought I lived some higher law, and because I tried hard to follow the rules all the time, it seemed like once I got out here I would able to climb to the top of my imaginary ladder, and look down at everyone else who was struggling up, and think to myself, "It's a good thing I obeyed when everyone else didn't because now I'm here at the top and it's not so hard for me."

Elder Christensen gave me a haircut!

   This is not my everyday train of thought, don't worry I'm not that egoistic, sometimes I have a hard time remembering that God, no matter where we are in our eternal progression, loves each one of us and wants us to keep improving always.  So I have felt a little bit surprised on my mission as one, it's not at all like I expected it to be, and two, we are always working to improve. 

THE PACKAGE I RECEIVED FROM MY PARENTS, wooho

  What I need to also work on out here is not comparing myself to other people.  It's sometimes hard to hear about other missionaries' experiences and feel like we aren't as good of a missionary as they are.  Honestly if I read everyone's mission emails I might get down on myself because honestly everyone usually shares the higlights on their emails, and not the underlying struggle.  One of the hardest times for me this week was on the Paris Metro.  All the new missionaries came to Paris last week to finish legality, and we were together in a large group. As I sat there on the metro I overheard a sister missionary start up a conversation with a lady about the gospel on the metro.  Her french was mediocre, and the lady wasn't interested but she was bold enough to start a conversation anyway.  Sometimes I make the mistake of seeing others' experiences and instead of being happy for them, I get jealous and feel like, why can't I do that? I need to work on being happy for others out here, and counting my blessings instead of comparing what I have done to what others have done. 

Elder Johnson and Me on the TGV

   In terms of happenings this week, we have been so busy with investigators that we haven't even gone out contacting.  Our investigator M.. is so close to baptism.  Today should be her seventh day without smoking!  Another experience, after teaching D.. for over six weeks, he came to church AND his friend came too!  We helped a family move from one house to another, and I love doing service every week, it's so much fun. Let's see what else...we went to Paris to confirm our legality, and after we finished we got to walk around for a bit.  Paris was so beautiful!

THE TGV BACK FROM PARIS

   Food update of the week: Pain Perdue: the REAL version of French Bread.  Basically if you leave bread out for over a day and it starts to go stale, you put egg and cinnamon and the normal stuff all over the bread, then stick it in the oven, and voila! You have legitimate French bread.  Our only mistake when making it was we left the bread for a week, and it was as stale as rocks, and it didn't soften up much in the oven which it's supposed to do normally.  Nevertheless, it was fun to make a random creation in the kitchen.  One of my favorite experiences of the week was at night, I was doing dishes, feeling once again like no one else in this apartment does dishes but oh well, and Elder Christensen came up and said, "You know I just wanted to thank you for doing dishes because for my entire mission, I've always been the one doing all the dishes, and It's nice to have someone else who will help, additionally I want to apologize for not doing as many dishes and I will try better to help more with that." I was so happy to hear that because although I was doing something so small I felt like I was doing something good.  And I'm going to continue to look for the small everyday victories like that each day.  

Love you all, and continue to look for the small, everyday victories you have!

Elder Jamison Jones

Week 11 "It's a Good Life"

   

Fun fact, once I get on this computer, I change the settings every time from a french to english keyboard, because I can type much faster.  Maybe someday, I'll default to the french ways but for now, I'm still going the American way with the computers.  

   As I'm still pretty new out here there are a lot of small concerns I face every day that accumulate into the stress which is a mission.  The newness of everything stresses me out.  I look around and all the signs, stores, and nutrition facts on the food cartons are in french.  That, combined with the fact I'm in a new place, Lille, and I never know where I am.  Haha, there are no mountains, my natural compass, only buildings, parks, metro stops, people, and patisseries.  The metro throws me off every time; you descend into the ground only to find yourself ten minutes later in a completely new location. Additionally, everyone speaks french, so I'm doing my best to get something out of what people are saying, and most of the time, it involves me nodding head and agreeing with whatever is said.  The last part of newness, or one of the less enjoyable, is being the youngest.  At home, school, and in friend groups I've always been the one who knows what is going on, and who has an Idea of how to do things the right way.  Right now I'm what everyone in the Paris Mission calls a "Bleu" which means I'm new.  Madeline, I think I have a better Idea of what you feel like being the youngest sibling.  It's hard being told what to do by everyone else all day!

a cool sunset from Lille

   Despite the little hardships of the newness of my mission, I'm learning every day how to be better, and I'm also seeing a lot of miracles out here.  Last wednesday when we did exchanges with the zone leaders. Elder Olsen worked through the "Adjusting to Missionary Life" packet, and I realized some of the ways in which I'm accumulating stress I don't need out here.  One of the things I can do better, I've realized, is to think about what needs to be done right now, not what should have been done, or what needs to be done.  Another time in the week, I got the opportunity to talk to Elder Johnson, my companion about the stresses of being a new missionary and let him know what I was experiencing.  He listened to me and we resolved some of the small issues that come from the missionary learning curve.  I think the best way to resolve any issues we have with others is to communicate.  Elder Johnson is such an incredible example and a great trainer.  This week my cousin Willy in California had a cool opportunity to help out some surfing buddies with an issue they were having, by just asking, what's the problem, and going from there.  Figuring out what the problem is makes the problem a lot easier to fix. 

   In other news of this week, we went to a chinese restaurant with a member, after a lesson.  Two of our investigators, a mother and her son, are really close to baptism.  I continue to get mail from the USA, so thank you all for still remembering me! 

Love you all, and can't wait to write next week!

This is the ward building we go to every week

Week 10 "TAHITI WEEK!"

So, the week started off very well, as we had zone conference in Brussels, Belgium! We had the opportunity to travel to belgium in a TGV, one of the really fast bullet trains and I loved looking out the window seeing the land go by so fast it's like a big smeary painting.  We arrived in belgium and found our way to the chapel in Strombek, Belgium, which had The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-Day Saints sign in three languages, Flemish, English, and French!  At zone conference we heard some great talks from president and sister Babin, and I know that they're really inspired to help us missionaries with our concerns and challenges.  

Emailing on P Day

   I also had a fun exchange with Elder Traue.  We taught THREE lessons in a day, and that was awesome! We truly have some great investigators, and I'm so impressed with their sacrifices they're making in their lives for the church.  One is trying to quit smoking, and others have challenges I shouldn't disclose, but know that they're trying hard and making amazing progress!  I am trying to offer more frequent, more sincere prayers for each of them, and though it's hard for me making the transision to focusing all my heart, might, mind, and strength on others, I know It'll come.  The Lord gives good gifts to those who patiently wait, and try their best to obey too.  

Our apartment, with two of the other elders beds, the living room, and kitchen

    Okay, who has heard of a Friterie? I hadn't until we went on wednesday night.  Basically, a place where they make tons of FRIES, and sell some burgers too. The food tasted so good, although in a personal opinion, the fries from Five Guys, and Apollo Burger are better. :)  Ok, just going to crank out all the talk about food right now.  Best things eaten this week, probably Goffe, which is a belgian waffle, From Haagen Dazs, the Burger and Fries at the Friterie, and the Teriyaki elder Johnson and I made.  In terms of drinks, the best thing is Ginger Beer, don't sweat it, no alcohol.  So you could say I'm definitely well-fed here in france, although today all I've eaten is some choco puff cereal and a nutella sandwhich, haha, so elder Johnson and I are going to go get some more food after we finish emails.  

The friterie with elder traue, so good!

    So you're wondering why this week is called Tahiti week and that is because Sister Tane from Tahiti, with missionary and ward-member help, organized a tahitian dance night!  After saturday soccer, we helped the sisters all afternoon get ready for the Tahitian dance celebration.  In preparation, I got the priveledge of making some paper craft flowers, which I really enjoyed because I'm a bit art-deprived on the mission, although I know whatever I give up out here will be returned to me a hundred fold when I get back, so (ça va) no worries.  Anyway, we made all of these craft flowers to help her out, and I enjoyed that break from the norm, even if it was making craft flowers.  The tahitian night started with everyone eating pineapples, and crêpes, then continued with learning some tahitian songs and dances.  All the men learned the Haka together, which was really fun.  The night was a big success, and showed how missionaries can think outside the box to bring more people to know the gospel.  We saw many non-members there, and were able to talk to quite a few people.  

Soeur Tane, missionaries, members, and me making paper flowers for the tahitian night.

   Here is my spiritual thought process for the week.  I really enjoy the mission, but most of the time it's really difficult, especially right now at the beginning of my mission, remembering to focus on our investigators and stop daydreaming about random things, which I dispondently admit to doing sometimes.  By no means is any thing we're doing out here easy, but that's what makes it so worth it.  AH! It is so hard some days when I feel lack-luster and I just want to be such a good missionary.  Although I have these feelings right now, I know that if I trust in the Lord, I'll be able to overcome my impurities and occasional negative thinking.  I know that this gospel is good, because I know if anything, it has held the amazing family I come from together.  As humble words of inspiration to close the week...when you're down on yourself, look for opportunities to get out of yourself and help others, the Lord can always use you, and he will always help you out!

Love you all, thanks for your prayers and I'll be trying my best out here!

Elder Jamison Jones

 The sunset from our apartment window. 

The metro on a blur setting , it is so fun and cool to ride in!

Week 9 "Month 3!"

Haha, okay now that I figured out how to change the computer settings back to english I can type a letter, so here we go! 

    This one's going to be shorter, so I'll just highlight on some of the good parts of the week, and then share a spiritual thought too.

Selfie in front of apartment

So to start off the week, we had some african food at a member family's house.  I loved the food, and they had a son who just finished his mission in Africa.  There is a real aura of happiness about people who have completed their mission, and I hope to reach that one day eventually.  For now I just have to keep waking up every day and doing the work.  The next day we did some service, where we went over to a member's house and cleared junk out of an old shed.  I really enjoy service because I don't have the pressure of wondering who to contact on the street or how to speak the language as much, It's just work work work and keep going, which I can do.  The only problem came when, after we drove to the dump to toss the old stuff,  I picked up a big bag of garbage and tossed it in the dumpster, only to find a French man yelling at me and I didn't know what he was saying.  My companion told me I had thrown the bag of trash into a wood only dumpster..oh..so with my lengthy arms I reached in and with some difficulty pulled it back out.  It's a little nerve-racking to be yelled at in a language that's not your own.

Braderie, which is basically the biggest on-street garage sale in the world

   So I have been thinking a lot this week about the spirit and how I feel impressions.  These feelings are different for everyone, and I am so glad I came on a mission because although I don't understand the spirit completely I know I'm going to discover much about how these feelings work with me out here.  This week and thus far on my mission, I've felt overwhelmed oftentimes with finding people, especially contacting on the street, because I am nervous of having an awkward conversation, or just not knowing what to say.  Despite my feelings of nervousness the Lord has definitely found a way to work through me.

Elder Johnson and I eating MUSSELS!!

   We had some pretty great miracles this week.  Friday, the entire mission combined to have a finding day, where we determined to find, with the Lyon mission, 1000 new people to teach.  As I was thinking about and trying to follow the spirit that day, I was trying to do a lot of little things.  Say hi to more people on the street, have small talk with people in the metro.  My ultimate goal was to contact but I was improving in small little ways and I felt good about that.  As the day moved on, we met a ward member to go visit a less-active member at a foyer, or a homeless shelter area.  As we waited for our friend to come out, we had three people come up to us at the shelter and ask questions about the church.  In my french I knew I was able to explain a little bit about our church's beliefs, although the comprehension for me is really going to take some time.  By the time we left the foyer, we had taught three lessons, and had two people who wanted to meet again. 

   Another way I saw the lord work through me this week was at the Braderie, which is basically the biggest on-street garage sale in the world.  Haha, was totally crazy; people came from all over europe to sell their odds and ends on the street, so the city was packed, and the metro was even more packed.  My trainer Elder Johnson had the idea to set up a stand to tell people about the church and hand out book of mormons, so on saturday we did just that! In total, we ended up giving out (as a district) probably 20-25 Books of Mormon.  There were some really great people who came up and talked to us, and I got more opportunities to explain our beliefs in a way where I felt the Lord was really directing. 

    As I write this email, I have a better perspective on how awesome missionary work is.   Day by day it's hard and at first, confusing too, but the Lord finds ways to work through us if we wake up, keep our heads up, and go at it!

Panoramic with another set of Elders in our apartment

Week 8 "Week 2 in Lille"

Hello, everyone! Good to sit down at the computer again and send out an email! I love hearing that people love hearing these, because I'm really feeling a lot every week, so just want you all to know how much your care is helping me through this experience as well.

Home Cookin' with Elders Jones & Johnson

     We started off the week with exchanges.  After our district meeting, I went out with elder Jacobson, he is a missionary that's full of fire, always ready to teach someone.  I got some great advice from him concerning the language, and just how to be a better missionary in general.  We talked to a lot of people, and he gave me some confidence when, after I was like, how are you so good at this, said, "It'll come Frere (brother)." Man, I sure hope so.  We took a train to an area called Villeneuve d'Asaq, Pronounced Vil..na..desk.  French are crazy.  We went there to teach a family and prepare a kid for his baptism, and taught about the, well I can't remember, but It was a good lesson.  After, the family fed us, and it was awesome because we had Croque Monsieurs (Grilled cheese w/ham) and salad.  Just a side note...French food is SO good! Even the cheap things at the supermarket missionaries buy. After we talked, or my companion talked with the family and I half understood, half nooded and agreed, which doesn't always work.  For dessert, we ate grilled banana nutella sandwhiches, and chocolate cake.  I sad, "this is good that we have cake because It's like we're celebrating my birthday"  They wished me a happy birthday, and sent me back with some cake and a candle.  After I was back with my companion elder Johnson, we got back to work with the Lille area.

Elder picking up birthday breakfast for the crew

Jamison's birthday breakfast...all sugar and a baguette!

     Sometimes the mission is birthday cake and grilled cheese, and other times It's the standard missionary work of knocking doors, contacting people on the street, and just doing the Lord's work. I'm so grateful for my trainer, Elder Johnson who's helping me so much here at the start.  Sometimes he'll quiz me on who our investigators are, and what I remember we're teaching on, which I forget half the time.  He's really responsible, and has a very caring personality, which just goes to show that the Lord watches out for us here on the mission.  As district leader, he makes calls to check up on the companionships every night, and I can tell he cares about how everyone is doing.  Since I come from a family of all sisters, there's a lot of emotion and a lot of time for caring for each other, and having only Elders I just met to talk to, I don't have much of an outlet to share my feelings.  Sometimes I'm just frustrated, or tired, or just bothered that I don't have my family to be there right next to me, but that's just growing up.  I don't feel like a mission would be a real mission if you came out, endured for a little while, and then said, okay, now I know what a mission is like and I can go home.  Nope, not really.  I feel that I'll be able to say I know a mission when it's over.  Running a race bears great similarity to a mission.  You prepare before, then you're out running and it's tiring, but you have to keep going till you reach the finish line at the end.  Don't walk, but don't sprint either, because bothreally show that you didn't think 

through the race well.  Hey, maybe, just maybe, I'll make it to the end of the race.  But for now, I'm just running.

Museum of Natural History across the street from Jamison's apartment

     I love my mission because although inwardly, this all feels very hard for me, I know that good will come out of it, If I'm working hard.  I could always work harder, and one problem I have is learning how to know if I'm doing all that I can, and giving my best effort.  I know I'm tired at the end of every day, but I don't yet recognize what my full effort is.  I'm trying, and sometimes I feel confused and sometimes I understand, and that's a mission for me right now.  I don't know exactly where I am or what I'm doing, but I know that this gospel has brought me closer to my family, and has grown me into a more patient, loving person.  I know that deep down all of this feels good, and sometimes it can be hard to recognize that when you're on a metro, stressing out about how to start a gospel conversation with the old lady across from you.  But I know it will work out soon.  The Lord shows us miracles and the sun comes out after each storm.

Elders Johnson & Jones eating Kababs

   Now on a fun note...my Birthday was this week! I woke up saturday morning, and (accidentally? :) slept in for 20 minutes.  Then I walked over to the bakery across the street with another elder and bought a baguette, Fruit tart, Millefeuille, Merveilleux, Croissant and two other things, and spend eleven euros.  (Just like my dad would, I went over the top in a good way to celebrate) We had crepes for breakfast with all the pastries, and I felt happy to celebrate my birthday the French way.  Finishing crepes, we metro-ed over to the soccer field, and we were happy to have some of the people we had contacted on the metro the day before come to our soccer game with the missionaries.  I think it is crazy that we have people here in france that speak so many languages, but we can still all play soccer together and have a good time.  Also, I scored a goal and that was awesome because I mean, hey it's my birthday.  After a couple hours of that, we hurried over to a couple of appointments with investigators (called "amis" (pronounced AAh Me) in France) and had some really great lessons, and one of our investigators is committed to baptism, so we'll keep praying that she stays with it! The night finished at the church, where we had another investigator activity.  Playing ping pong and eating watermelon were a perfect way to finish the night.  I'm so greatful to the Lord, who in awesome ways, every time, comes through for us.  When we feel tired or just confused and fed up, look for the good things, because they're there. 

Have a good week, love you all!

Elder Jamison Jones

Jamison catching up on emails on P-Day

Selfie in front of Jamison's apartment