How is it September already?!

What I want to know is how is it September already?! Well, I guess we have one more day of August but still. This is crazy. I have almost three months down in the mission. What happened?! I am quickly realizing that the only day I ever had an 18 month mission was the first day in the CCM. Every day after that is one less day to work and serve and teach! Yikes!

Elder D. Todd Christofferson came last Wednesday and spent a good three hours with us. Wow. What an incredible day. As soon as he walked in the room I felt the Spirit very powerfully. He truly is a witness of the Savior. Before we did anything else he had every missionary line up to shake his hand. The two seconds that I held his hand and looked into his eyes I felt the love of the Savior. So much love and power exuded from him. It was amazing.

I believe that the musical number went really well. Presidente Stutznegger shed tears, and when we ended Elder Christofferson whispered "Excelente" (he was sitting right behind us). During the meeting, Presidente and Sister Stutznegger, Elder Christofferson's wife, Elder Valenzuela from the Seventy and his wife, and three Stake Presidents from our mission spoke to us. Then, Elder Christofferson talked with us and gave us the opportunity to ask questions. Everything was in Spanish and I was able to pick up most of it. Even if I couldn't understand everything, I felt everything. I wish I could share all that I learned. I felt full of new power to go out and teach and be a representative of Christ. Elder Christofferson is such an amazing person. He is both funny and wise. Seriously so intelligent and yet he makes you feel like the most important person in the world. I love him! After we took the Mission photo he said goodbye to a group of us Hermanas. SO COOL. He said he felt the Spirit very strongly as we were singing. It was such a wonderful day. I am grateful to live in an era when there are living prophets and apostles on the earth. I can humbly say for myself that it is true. I was with one of the Lord's chosen servants and will be forever grateful for that experience, and for what I heard, felt and learned.

This is our Mission picture (above) with Elder and Sister Christofferson (front row/middle, with Elder and Sister Valenzuela, front row/middle, next to me). President and Sister Stutznegger are standing on the far left. Click on the pics to enlarge.

This is our Mission picture (above) with President and Sister Stutznegger in the front/middle.

This is our group that sang (above). L to R -- Elder Pollock, who accompanied us on the piano, Hermana Lambert, Elder Walters, Hermana Garner, Elder Mafi, me, and my District Leader Elder Juarez. We sang "O Mi Padre" to the music of "Come Thou Fount" (an arrangement that we have at home). We made several changes to it. I sang the tenor part, an octave higher, for the last two verses.

There are many good things are happening here. Diego is getting baptized this Saturday! WOOHOO!!! :D He is the beeeeest. We have a new Hermana joining us this week and she and her companion will be moving in with me and my companion tonight! We have been getting the apartment ready today. This is also my last week of service at the Temple...I have loved it!

Friday was my companion's 27th birthday. So, Thursday night we had a surprise party for her (we are so sneaky haha). Elder Juarez, my District Leader, dumped a bunch of confetti on her and then we had a confetti war and at cake :)

My companion, Hermana Llaguarima, is from Ecuador. That means that she is always cold even when I am dying of heat and that she can make some really delicious rice and fried bananas. That was a good night for sure. It called for a selfie.

Also, on another note, I was eating a piece of cake last night that has been sitting on the top of our microwave for the past maybe two weeks -- not the wisest choice I have ever made -- and while I was eating it I found a little worm crawling around in another part of the cake. Pray for me that I don't get parasites. Hahaha I am not smart. Love you!

Love, Hermana Jones

This is my District (above). L to R -- Elder Miller, Elder Juarez, Hermana Wolferts, Hermana Wong, Hermana Lambert, Hermana Llaguarima, me, and Hermana Villalobos. We are the only district that has all Hermanas (except for our District Leader and his companion, of course) and where everyone is training.

Hermana Wong helped me pick out this outfit. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Italian. She also studied fashion in France and Italy. She is amazing.

Mi amiga, Hermana Garner!

Silly Presidente :) I am so grateful to serve with President and Sister Stutznegger!