Week 22 "D.'s Baptism"

Hello everyone!  Just want to say how grateful I am for all your support, all your prayers for me, other missionaries, and our investigators.  We really benefit from them. 

D.'s Baptism

Well among the many happenings of the week the overriding event was the baptism of our investigator D.  D. is a very thoughtful learner, and through this process of teaching him, getting him to read the book of Mormon has been really tough, so my parents had the great idea to send a children's Book of Mormon and the first day he had it, he read twenty-two pages! I was so proud of him, and so far his favorite story in the Book of Mormon is King Benjamin.  After we received the children's Book of Mormon we continued to teach D. throughout the week, reviewing lessons and preparing him for baptism.  The day of his baptism, we came to fill the font and sadly, the hot water ran out, so we just performed the baptism in 50 degree water!

Cleaning the font for D.'s baptism

   

In addition to the baptism, the week has been super!  The church has started an initiative called ''He is the Gift'' Which talks about how Christ was the real first gift of Christmas, and by giving his life for us, we can all live again.  It's been fun to put the program into practice and talk to people about Christ every day, and really get into the true spirit of Christmas. 

Christmas in Lille

  Christmas spirit is coming to Lille, well it's already here.  There is a giant ferris wheel in the center of the town, along with stands selling gaufres (waffles) and classic American Christmas music playing.  I cannot figure out where the snow is, though.  We are at the same latitude as Canada up here but the sky can't seem to muster any snow.  Oh well, I guess I'll just have to imagine it.  We made lots of snowflakes and decorated our apartment, so that added to the Christmas spirit. 

Our number of transfers in the mission field

  Well, that's what I got for the week everyone.  Look for a way to incorporate Christ this Christmas, whether it be looking for opportunities to help others, or listening to a friend or a sibling, there's always enough of Christ to go around, especially during Christmas.  Love you all!

Elder Jamison Jones - and PS.  The mission is the greatest.

Week 21 "HELLO HELLO, HAPPY DECEMBER!"

Today I have a hard time believing that I'm here, on a mission in December already, this is absolutely crazy.  These last two weeks, time has started to roll faster and faster, and man, time is a tricky force.  

an EGG VENDING machine!

    Thanksgiving week, as you know, was this week, so I tried focusing on being more thankful for everything I have, and I took a challenge my dad gave me to individually thank a different person every day.  Whether or not I fulfilled the challenge day by day, I made sure to thank a lot more people, and I felt happy by doing so.  During lunch at our district meeting we went around the table (huge with 30 missionaries) and said what we were thankful for, and that exercise always opens my eyes to how much we really have, life is a blessing and there are things to be grateful for every day.  Tuesday was the real thanksgiving party, as our entire zone came together for a big lunch, and every sort of thanksgiving food except a turkey, but we substituted rotisserie chicken, which was just as good.  

Thanksgiving

We had the cool opportunity to visit a city called St. Quentin, to have a church member who's a dentist diagnose one of Elder Sanchezes' tooth.  We woke up at 5:45 to catch an early train, and sprinted to the station, only to find our tickets had fallen out during the run.  Luckily we retraced our steps, found the tickets, and caught the next train to Paris, and after a five dollar breakfast at MacDo (that's what the French call it) for a baby sized juice and egg mcmuffin we headed to St. Quentin.  The train journey amazed me as we rode through french countryside that was, to be brief, very beauiful.  After our St Quentin fun, we returned to Lille at night and taught some our our wonderful investigators to finish up a full day!

A monument in a city called St. Quentin.

A very cool cathedral building in Lille 

Okay, that's enough fun for the week, let me share something more on the missionary work, spiritual side, because I feel like my email wouldn't be complete without it.  This last week I have tried to focus on learning and balancing the seriousness, rules, and hard work of a mission with having fun.  This is very hard for me to do because I want to focus on the work, but at the same time, enjoy my time here in france by taking breaks, enjoying the culture, and taking in the sights of beautiful France.  My companion elder Sanchez balances me out very well in this aspect. He is very good in helping me relax, and I have benefited a lot from his personality.  I'm sure he has benefited from my constant rule-based mindset and my assurance that we are following rules.  We had a lot of fun things happen this week, and I am so grateful that the Lord put me here to do the missionary work that needs to be done.  Our ami D. is most likely getting Baptized this week, and I am so thankful for everyone who has been praying for him, because he has progressed spiritually so much thanks to your prayers and our efforts in teaching him, which I know are guided by the spirit. 

   Thank you all for the love and support!  If you keep a positive attitude in your circumstances they will improve!

Love You all! 

Elder Jamison Jones

Cool photo of christmas lights and the moon

My Companion Elder Sanchez

Week 20 "Thanksgiving and Boats"

Elder Mitch Wilson, friend from high school

The majority of stuff coming to my mind today concerning what I should write on centers around a story I first heard in the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness.  In the film a little kid tells his dad a story of a man who is drowning in the ocean.  A nearby boat sees him, runs to his rescue and the crew tells him to climb aboard.  In response the man says, no thank you, God will save me.  Confused, the boat leaves the man and continues on.  A bit later, another boat sees the man and the captain says, hey, hop on, you're drowning!  The guy drowning again says, no thank you, God will save me.  Once again confused the second boat leaves only to be followed by a third boat, which tries to save the man in the same way, to which he refuses with the same answer, ''No thank you, God will save me.''  At last, the man exhausts all of his energy and drowns.  When he reaches heaven he asks God, a little upset, ''Hey, why didn't you save me?''  God then replies, ''I sent you three boats, you dummy!''

We were on a bus last week, and this old muslim man offers to let me sit by him.  He talked to me on the bus for about five minutes, then let me know that I would be helping him find a store he was looking for.  We walked him all the way to a grocery store then he bisoued us to say thank you; which means he kissed my cheek(s)  haha it was bizarre but a great experience, and pretty funny too.

   Are we sometimes like the man drowning in the ocean, who can't seem to see the purpose of the rescue boat? I would say yes, definitely; and in a way I have felt like the man who realised later, all of the help being provided to him.  During the mission and throughout the course of the last two years I have had a few poignant questions relating to gospel subjects, and I feel like I've sometimes suppressed the counsel and advice from others that Heavenly Father was sending to me as an answer to my prayers.  The prominent advice I have received is first, to Trust in Heavenly Father, second, to stop being so hard on myself, and third, to stop worrying so much. 

service at a member's house

 I feel like that counsel, to me, is like the rescue boats; help from a loving Heavenly Father who knows me and wants me to be happy. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father sends these boats of rescue to me and to all of us.  Everyone, as some advice for the week,  be careful not to miss the rescue God is trying to send you.  Heavenly Father loves us completely, he wants us to be with him and he is going to help all of us with spiritual life rafts if we're humble.  Heck I'm not perfect at this myself but I know that if we all trust in the Lord and give our best effort, he will help you!

Making Omelets last night - They had jalapeños (spicy) but they were so good!

   Happenings this week, Mission conference in Paris, Exchanges with elder Van Tonder and Elder Traue, Extremely delicious home made omelets, and Visits to fun stores like Furet du Nord and Paul's Patisserie on P Day!   Our amis are progressing well, and we have had more opportunities to go out finding new people to teach as well.  Fun news; I saw my high school buddy Mitch Wilson at the Mission Conference this week!  I regret that I can't write everything that happened in the week, but there is a brief summary, and I love you all, love the mission just as much, and you all go out and have a great, thankful week!

THE EIFFEL TOWER

Paris: Gare du Nord

Week 19 "New Companion"

Bonjour tout le monde, j'avais un bon semaine, vraiment c’était super bien-passe.  Enough with the French, let me let you all in on how the week went.  Because tuesday was Armistice (Vet's Day) and elder Johnson's last day in lille, the members and investigators had all the more reason to see us.  We had a lesson, lunch with a member family, cancelled lesson, another lesson, and dinner with a member couple, wow!  By the end of the night my stomach was stuffed full of specialty french food and carbonara pasta.  The night continued late with everyone in the apartment but me packing for the upcoming transfer.  We woke up early the next morning and I said goodbye to Elder Fults, Christensen, and Johnson, my trainer.  I will miss his focus on the work and love for the people we teach, but hey, time to move on!  I spent the day with Elder Traue (Pronounced Troy) from Idaho, walking back and forth from train station to apartment, and I didn't mind one bit since walking around lille is so beautiful.

Elder Sanchez and Me - Bridge picture over the Gare (Train Station)

   At 4:30 in the afternoon I got my third companion of the mission, elder Sanchez from Logan, Utah!  In fact, he was called to the France, Paris mission, Spanish speaking, which until I arrived in the field did not know existed as a mission call.  So far, he hasn't had too many opportunities to use his native language, but he is hoping that soon he will get moved to Belguim where more people speak spanish.  Elder sanchez is a fun-loving, healthy, and relaxed missionary, all of which are qualities I love!  Sometimes I'm thinking of ten things at a time and he just helps me and says, okay, think of one thing at a time here, slow it down (it reminds me of how my mom told me to start with my socks when I had to clean my dirty room.)  Elder sanchez has a love for working out and eating healthy food, and I'm glad to have a companion who I can do P90X with in the mornings, hah.

Hanging out with the French Chocolate store worker on P-day

   One of the benefits of having three new people in the apartment is, well the new people.  Elder Stucki (goes home in three months), Elder Taylor(just started), and Elder Sanchez(my companion) are all clean, organized, obedient missionaries with good personalities, and I am looking forward to getting to know them more! Another reason I like these missionaries is they like to buy a lot of food; I am hungry all the time out here.  

   We have had great success this week.  I have really been working on not fearing the work, but waking up every day with a resolution to go out and be happy for what we are doing.  Although I don't speak fluent french or have a vocabulary and grammar that will convince people to listen to us, I am a missionary called of God to be here in lille, and to speak with his tongue and with his spirit.  I think more than anything God wants us to trust in him and relax, knowing that everything will be alright if we stay with him.  The world is a crazy place and Satan wants us to feel unsure of ourselves, doubt ourselves, and feel confused.  If you feel this way, I know sometimes I do, you can do a couple of things to get back on track.  Pray, read your scriptures, and go to church, and also, just decide to be happy - right now! Man, the mission is teaching me so many things and I'm grateful for every day out here.  

What? Elder Sanchez found a bunch of American food!

   Our investigators (called amis de l'eglise = friends of the gospel in French)  D. and D.  are both progressing really well right now.  One is a soft-spoken fifty-year-old French man, and the other is a student in his 20's studying engineering.  For one of them, we have to teach very very slowly and use a lot of visuals, and for the other he asks a lot of thought-provoking questions that I think are really interesting, like 'doesn't John the Revelator still hold the keys of the priesthood?'.  Even though both people we're teaching are very different, the principles we teach them are always the same, such as God loves you, and you can pray to know for yourself if the Book of Mormon is true; both of those things are true.  

God loves Y O U (very individually)  and the Book of Mormon is true!  You just have to believe it and pray to know that it is true.  And then let that desire to believe and know work in you.  Just want to believe before you believe, and like Alma says, the tiniest particle of faith will start to grow in you, and through repenting daily, doing good, and keeping that desire to grow in faith, a new and awesome light will start to come.  I'm starting to feel it here on the mission. 

   Love you all, I had a fun P-day today shopping in Lille Center and eating KFC!  Ironic, right?

Keep up the good work wherever you are; find someone in need and help them, and choose to be happy, because God loves you!

Elder Jamison Jones

Week 18 "Loving Lille"

Hello, everyone!  Once again, time to sit down and tell you all how well the week went.  This marked my twelfth week, or my last week as a "blue" or new missionary.  This wednesday is my third transfer, or six week period of the mission in the field; I'm sad to leave elder Johnson but the good news is that I'm staying here in Lille, and I'm getting a new companion named elder Sanchez.  I haven't met him yet but I've heard good things.  

   This week has thankfully been another busy one. We are in the process of teaching two people with the name Didier, and they are both progressing very well.  Since we don't have much time to go out contacting on the streets, we do most of our contacting here in the Metro.  It's the perfect time to talk to people because everyone is stuck in the same place.  Since I have a difficult time going right into a gospel subject with people, I usually start off the conversation by asking where something is in the city, like a library, and most people, like ninety-five percent will give you some sort of answer, to which you can hit off a conversation, asking them where they're from, what they're doing here, and if they like it here. After awhile people usually come to ask, "So what are you doing here, are you studying at the college here too?" and that is the cue you want, and you can use to say, actually, I'm a missionary..... and contunue like that!  Talking to people has been one of my favorite parts of a mission and although I'm not a professional I'm doing my best, and trying again when I mess up, so you could say things are pretty awesome.  

   That brings me to why this week has been so great for me.  I'm learning more and more how to use the atonement on my mission, and I know this is going to be probably the most helpful tool for improving and becoming the missionary God wants me to be, and that I want to be too.  I have been particularly inspired by Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk, Four Titles, addressed to priesthood holders, but the center principles apply to everyone.  The first title we all have is Son or Daughter of Heavenly Father.  As children of our heavenly father, we are all like stumbling toddlers, trying to do our best but more often then not falling flat on our faces because we are so excited to try to walk.  

All that our Father in Heaven asks of us is to try, and to keep trying, and he will help us.  And he's not going to get mad at us if we fall, he is proud of each effort we make to come closer to him, however small.  As we realize our weaknesses and try to come close to God every day, using the atonement to get back up each time we fall down, we will receive blessings, and basically our lives will be filled with good.  

   Everyone, have a good week, try and fail and use the atonement to get back up!

Love you all!

Elder Jamison Jones

Week 17 "Lilloween"

Hello, everyone! Good to be on the ol'computer again.  

   Well as you all know, this week was Halloween, and here in Lille, the two wards organized a big activity that they called Lilloween, because, you know, we're in Lille, hah.  So I didn't know that the French people celebrated Halloween and I've heard it varies here in france but in the north, especially in our ward, they went all out!  The day of, we took lots of cardboard, fabric, and other things and basically built a Haunted House in the relatively big primary room!  The house included two prison cells, a creepy hospital room, electric chair, a sticky gooey tunnel, and a treasure chest with candy at the end!  The preparation for the event was really fun, and it gave us an awesome opportunity to help the wards. I never thought that I would be doing something like this on my mission, but it was way fun to be a part of! 

wednesday night when we went to eat at our bishop's house with his family

   Also this week, we had some great lessons with one of our investigators D.  He is an older man who is very soft spoken but feels the spirit and is very kind, and we had the opportunity to meet with him for six days last week, wow! I have really enjoyed getting to know him and since he's a quieter sort of guy Elder Johnson and I are usually the ones starting conversations with him, and although he doesn't say that much I feel greatful for the opportunity we have to reach out and be his friend.  Also, another companionship referred us to a new investigator named A.   He wants to be baptized, and he is really busy right now training to be a pastry chef, but we are trying to meet with him as often as possible so that he can be baptized.  The coolest thing about it, for me at least, is he speaks perfect english, woohoo!  So I get the opportunity to teach someone in my native language, which I am so grateful for!

   I think the best part of the week was our personal interviews with President and Sister Babin.  I expressed some of my concerns in the work, and how I am pretty hard on myself, because I don't follow all the promptings I get, or I'm scared to raise my voice when I know how something should be done and I don't do anything.  Sister Babin was so comforting to me, and she told me to not be so hard on myself, and gave me the scripture 1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear"

Emailing this morning

   There are a lot of fears I have on my mission, and I don't know why but here at the beginning I just feel like sometimes I don't know what's going on, and stuck in a time of self-doubt and worry.  But I can change all of that.  Although I have these times, I have times of real, true peace and happiness as well, and a lot of that feeling comes from remembering and using the atonement as often as we can, which is every day!  I bore my testimony in church yesterday and said, If you don't believe the church is true our you have doubts, stop believing it's not true.  Once you believe it, it will become real.  This church, the gospel, the atonement is all real and true, so why not trust and use it?  Man, I wish I could be better every day, but in my constant pattern of mistakes and improvement I think I'm being humbled.  I continue to try my best out here every day, and all in all, this is the greatest experience!  Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, and good works.  Love you all!

Elder Jamison Jones

Lilloween

My Halloween Costume

Yummy cake