What happened to 2015?!

Prospero Año y Felicidad a todos! What happened with 2015!? It just moved right along didn't it? One moment I was in Provo and the next in the capitol of Mexico! This New Year's will be special because it means almost a full year of missionary work for me. There are many goals I have that I will be working on. One scripture I love that I would like to share with you all as you are thinking about your own New Year's goals is Doctrina y Convenios 58: 27-28. My mission president loves this scripture. The power really is in each of us to do good things and be anxiously engaged in bringing that goodness to others.

I had a very interesting Sunday (December 27). Yesterday one of our investigators who we haven't been able to contact for over a month now since the first lesson with him (which was very spiritual) showed up at the church yesterday and came to all three hours! It was incredible! He really enjoyed it and wants us to visit him this week. His name is Mauricio. The assistants to the president (elders in our mission) found him in a moment when he was seeking for God again in his life. They passed him along as a reference to us. I am looking forward to working with him more.

I also met a returned missionary who served in my mission a few years ago who now has a nice thick beard and longer curly hair pulled back into a ponytail. He is doing a bike ride for Pennies4Miles -- a cancer research fund. He began his bikeride in Anchorage, Alaska, on June 1st, rode to New York, is here in Mexico now, and will be going all the way to the tip of Argentina. All he has is his bike and a backpack. It was very fun meeting him! In the words of one of the Elders, "He is a MAN" haha :)

After lunch on our way back to the church the five of us missionaries were walking behind a man in a fedorah hat, black leather jacket and tight maroon pants speaking in English with a funny accent. He was obviously in distress as he was talking on the phone saying over and over again, "Mike, Mike get me out of here! I missed my flight last night and I'm stranded here in Mexico City! Mike!!!" We kept walking but I think we all had the same impression to talk to him, so we sent the Elders back to ask him if they could help him. His name is Leonardo de Julianni. Turns out that he grew up in the church and is a musician/backup guitar player for bands like Phobia, Swedish House Mafia, and others I can't remember the names of. He is from Irvine, California, but his dad actually lives in our area and his mom was Italian. He speaks fluent Spanish and Italtian so that was fun for Hermana Wong. We invited him inside the church where Elder Miller offered a prayer and then Leo asked if he could offer one. He began sobbing as he prayed, apologizing for not being a better son but feeling so grateful for the opportunity to live and be forgiven. He also prayed for his 7 year old daughter who lives in Utah with her mom and step-dad and is preparing to be baptized. It was a very sincere prayer. He kept telling us how much he loves missionaries and how this was a sign for him that he needs to go back to church. I truly hope he does. It was a very exciting Sunday to say the least :)

I love you all so much and hope you enjoy your last week of 2015. It's been a good one. Thank you to everyone who wrote me the letters! Best Christmas present ever. I have loved reading them :) Dear familia, it was so wonderful to see all of you again as we Skyped on Christmas Day. I had a ton of fun talking with you and hearing your voices. Love you guys. Time is flying.

Hermana Jones