Growth

Hello all!

This last week has been a week of growth and learning and it was great! The previous week was very difficult. So at the start of this last week I made myself some goals. As I indicated before, I decided to forget myself and get to work and to try to use the Book of Mormon in every single lesson. What a difference both of these goals made in my life. When we turn outward as the Savior ALWAYS did, instead of turning inward like the “natural man,” we gain a new perspective. We are also blessed. Even when things were most difficult for our Savior, He thought of others first. The scriptures are full of examples. For me, instead of feeling frustrated with people who didn't keep commitments or who were simply no shows for our lessons, I felt a desire to really help them instead. One of our baptismal dates with a man we have been teaching, and who was doing so well, fell through this last week. It was really hard. However, my companion and I realized that he has been dealing with some new situations that have arisen in his life. That realization helped our perspective regarding the timing of his baptism. It all helps me to remember that just having a good attitude, no matter what life brings, is so important.

Something I like to do during our long days in the streets is to laugh :) My companion and I have been much better about laughing lately and it helps me feel happier and healthier! Fun little blurb from the mind of Hermana Jones...in English we have the hymn "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today". In Spanish it is "Tengo Gozo en mi Alma Hoy" which translates to "I have joy in my soul today." During my many hours of walking I have discovered that the words "tengo algo en mi ojo hoy" fit perfectly to the tune of this hymn and it translates to "I have something in my eye today" and for some reason I just find this really funny. So whenever I feel a little down or tired I sing to myself "tengo algo en mi ojo hoy" and laugh myself silly...people maybe think I am crazy but it helps me feel better! Basically, the moral of the story is just find happiness in every aspect of life and learn to laugh and enjoy life :) Sorry, I don't know if this made sense :)

Now to the Book of Mormon! Man I love it. So much. The book of Jacob has become my new favorite. He was such an amazing leader who really tried to lead his people in love and righteousness. Also he throws the hammer down with Sherem in chapter 7 and it is a really good example for missionaries to follow. The lessons in which we used the Book of Mormon this past week were powerful. I love knowing that the prophets who came before Christ knew that He would come one day (Jacob 4:4). The Book of Mormon is in reality another Testament and witness of Jesus Christ.

I am looking forward to General Conference this coming weekend (General Conference is where members of our Church all over the world gather to hear from our Prophet and other Church leaders as they speak from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City). How special it will be to possibly witness the sustaining of 3 new Apostles. I will watch Conference on TV (via satellite transmission) in one of the offices in our Church building where it will be broadcast in English. It will be broadcast, viewed and translated in Spanish in the Chapel. I watched the Women’s General Meeting last Saturday, translated in Spanish, and understood mostly everything. The language is getting much better. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week. LLLLOOOOVVVVE YYYYOOOOUUU!

Hermana Jones

Viva Mexicooooooooooooo!

Hello family :)

My note this week is a little more culturally flavored. However, first I will say that this past week has been challenging. We have lost a few investigators and not many are progressing. I have learned some things though. Life is a lot happier when you stop focusing on yourself and start thinking about other people. Also, there is nothing better than hard work. When you need to feel better, find someone to serve or something to work hard at, or both! My new motto for this week is "Forget yourself and get to work!" There is a lot I still need to learn here but I am grateful for this opportunity to serve.

As for this great country of Mexico, September 16 was Dia de Independencia (Mexican Independence Day) which meant a huge day of celebration for the country. For wise reasons, we stayed inside after comida on Tuesday and did not go out to work. We ate pozole (a delicious type of soup) and chile en nogada. SO GOOD. Both are traditional foods for the holiday. We celebrated as best we could inside our apartment haha. I wore a hat that was given to me by a person that we taught, a shirt that I recently bought, a skirt that I bought at a little stand outside a grocery store, and the bracelet that was given to me by a Church member who was recently baptized. There were fireworks all night long! Fortunately, I was out like a light as soon as I went to bed but my poor companion couldn't sleep. The next day when we went out to work there was no one in the streets. NO ONE. And that is really strange for one of the largest cities in the world. Everyone stayed up all night partying and waiting for the big Viva Mexico shout that they do at night...so the next day everyone was sleeping. Needless to say we did not teach or contact very much that next day haha and the streets were covered in ripped up newspapers and exploded fireworks.

We also got to visit the Centro last Monday. I loved it. Taking the Metro was a great adventure. It is plum loco...so many people, and a lot of fun :) Mexico City is truly an incredible city with an amazing history and culture. (Click on the pics to enlarge them)

We took the Tourbus which in my opinion was a very good choice as far as seeing the sites of the city. Also Hermana Wolferts and I ate McDonald's for the first time since being here. I love Mexican food but it was nice to have a little taste of home :)

Me at Templo Mayor, which are ancient Aztec ruins near the Catedral Metropolitana (Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral)

The Zocalo (main plaza in central Mexico City). Also people in their traditional wear getting ready for the festivities :)

Palacio Nacional (National Palace, the main government building...it is a long building) and us Hermanas being a little silly :) These are taken looking away from the Metropolitan Cathedral.

The Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral is pretty impressive. We went inside and I must say it is a beautiful cathedral with great history.

Chile en nogada...Mmmmmmmm...

Life in my area. I love the plants in Mexico :) 

These two dogs are ALWAYS together. We see them often in our area.

The other day I stepped on this hole cover by accident. It flipped and my leg went right down! Thankfully, no harm done haha silly me :)

More of the life in my area :)

Study with Hermana Llaguarima (photo credit to Sister Stutznegger).

Love you! Hugs and kisses!

Hermana Jones

The Atonement is not just a nice message in a pamphlet, it is real.

I am so sorry that this is so late and so short. We had a very fun day today because we went to the Zocalo! That is what they call the main square in central Mexico City, but the formal name is Plaza de la Constitucion. El Centro es tan chido (Mexican slang word for cool). Seriously, I loved it. It was a nice breath of fresh air, and we even got soaked in the rain. They are setting up for a huge Mexican Independence Day celebration at the Zocalo on September 16. 

On our way to write we had a neat experience with a woman in the lobby of our apartment place who asked us if we prayed for people specifically. We talked to her about how we do pray for people specifically and how our Heavenly Father has great blessings in store for each of His children. We also talked to her about the Temple. She wrote her name down for us to and asked us to pray for her and we talked with her more about the gospel. I also felt impressed to ask if she would like us to pray with her right there, which we did, and she was so grateful. I am so grateful for the guidance of the Spirit. It makes what would otherwise be awkward, like me trying to speak Spanish, into a missionary of God. It was a small but special and significant experience for me.  

I know that Heavenly Father guides us and protects us. We have been blessed with the gift of discernment and to feel the guidance of the Holy Ghost. What a blessing that is. There have been several times when my companion and I have had to duck into a store real quick, or things like that, because men like to follow us. But, we have been protected and blessed.

I have also really utilized the Savior’s Atonement here. Feelings of inadequacy are not uncommon. However, the other day when my companion and I were walking through the streets of Mexico City with not much success, and it was hot and tiring, I stopped for a moment to think about my Savior, instead of about myself, and I felt as though He was walking alongside me right then and there. I know that His influence is always here. I was reminded that the Atonement is here for missionaries too. It’s not just a nice, theoretical message in a pamphlet that we share with people in the street. It is real, and it is here for each one of us. I love the scripture in 1 Nephi 21:15-16. As missionaries, even though we cannot do everything, right now, it does not matter because the worst thing we could do is not work. This time is really going by fast and will only get faster, so we need to enjoy every moment we have.

The Mexico City Temple was rededicated yesterday. Amazing! We had the opportunity to watch all three sessions. President Henry B. Eyring and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland spoke and man were they amazing as always. Elder Holland talked about Malachi 4:5-6 and about the sealing power. He reminded us about our Heavenly Father’s desire that His children return to Him. He taught about the power of the Priesthood to make that possible. It was a great reminder to me about why I am here and what missionary work is all about. President Eyring also told us to “stay the course.” He was so tender with the people of Mexico and shared his heritage with them. I cannot do justice to what they said in their awesome way but it was powerful.

Other quick updates...I got my haircut and all is well with that. Ugh, we need to wrap up and I am sorry I could not write more or send pics. It's just that a ton of friends wrote me today and I took the time to write notes back. I am so sorry but I want to tell you that I love each one of you so deeply and so strongly and I cannot adequately express it, in ingles o en Español, but I love you and pray for each of you all the time. Tenga un buen semana, and I look forward to reading your emails!

Con amor, 

Hermana Jones

I love the scriptures.

Hola! First, I have some great news. Diego was baptized on Saturday! It was such a special experience. First Hermana Wong and Hermana Wolferts had a baptismal service for a family of three. Then Diego was baptized, and then Sergio was baptized (who my companion and I had taught for a little bit but then was taught by the other Hermanas). It felt amazing to be a part of the great work of bringing souls unto Christ. I have learned that I definitely don't have anything to do with conversion; it is all the Spirit and the power of God. I recognize that I am merely an instrument in His hands. If I had to teach in Spanish without Divine help nothing would ever happen! I love this work and know that it is true. Diego has such a strong testimony of the Gospel. It has been amazing to watch him grow and progress. His mom, who has been less active in the Gospel for a very long time, came to his baptism and then to all of the Church services with him yesterday. We have an appointment with her this week :) Diego shared his testimony yesterday as well and it was so powerful. I am looking forward to witnessing his progression in the Gospel. 

I love the scriptures. I love that the Book of Mormon is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. With the Bible, it contains the fullness of the Savior’s everlasting Gospel. With the Bible, it serves as a second witness of the reality and divinity of our Savior, Jesus Christ. What a gift for us to have not one, but two witnesses of the most important person and message in the world’s history. As a mission, we are a week into our mission-wide 90 Day Book of Mormon Project and I love it. I am learning so much from these amazing scriptures. We average about 2 to 3 to 4 chapters every day depending on how long they are and we mark them with a coloring system. We will finish in 90 days and every missionary is reading in their native language. I encourage and invite everyone who would like to participate in this with me! My testimony of the Book of Mormon, which was already strong, has already grown so much in just one week. 

I am so grateful for our Heavenly Father’s love. Yesterday at Church I was having a hard time because I was struggling to understand what was being said. Some days I feel like I can understand and say everything I want, and then other days Spanish just doesn't work haha. Frankly, yesterday I was just feeling really discouraged. But then Sacrament meeting came around and it was amazing (for my friends of other faiths, Sacrament meeting is the most sacred and important portion of our worship services on the Sabbath day). I felt the Spirit so strongly. A less active girl with a brand new baby boy came to Church and he received his baby blessing. Diego was confirmed a member of the Church and received the Gift of the Holy Ghost. A girl close to my age opened her mission call right there in front of the whole Ward...she will be serving in the Mexico Merida Mission. And, the testimonies that were shared by the Ward members during Sacrament meeting were so powerful. Then afterwards we talked with lots of people in the Ward and I felt so much love from them. I know that Heavenly Father always blesses His missionaries and that the Savior knows how to succor us. I love being a missionary and I love each of you. Thank you for all that you do.

Love Señorita Miel (a name lovingly given to me by the other Hermanas which means Miss Honey :)

We are family! I got all my sisters and me! I love my Hermanas so much and will miss the combi ride to and from the Temple with them almost every day (I won't miss the car-sickness though...seriously so grateful I don't have to drive here because it is crazy!). There are 18 of us - 6 Americanas, 7 Mexicanas, 2 from Guatemala, 1 from Peru, 1 from Honduras, and my companion from Ecuador. They are the beeeeeeest!

This is the giant painting in the reception tent at the Temple and I love it. I have loved my time serving in the Temple...now it is back to a regular schedule.

This is my companion and me with street smoothies...literally just blended up fruit in a sandwich bag with a straw. There are so many fruits here that I have never heard of before and they are delicious! I love Mexico! Mexico is hard to describe but I can assure you that the scenery in my bit of the mission is nothing like people in the States see in movies such as Nacho Libre. Maybe other parts of Mexico but not here.

I haven't seen the horizon since I left the CCM except for when we would drive by the airport and are on an overpass, but that is it. I am in the trenches of the city, which I have been told is the ugliest part of Mexico. I really hope I can come back and see other parts of the country some day but for now I love my concrete mission!! As my dad always says, honeymoons and vacations are about places, but missions are about people. I love these people, and their home is my home.

Parent note: the trenches of Mexico City appear to be surrounded by beauty. This is a great picture of the volcano Popocatepetl that President Stutznegger posted on Facebook. That particular mountain (17,802 ft, aka "Popo") is an active volcano and lies to the southeast of Mexico City beyond Emily's mission boundaries (the hills in the foreground are part of her mission). Also, the volcano Iztaccihuatl is shown in the main picture at the top of Emily's blog, along with her picture and information. The Mexico City Temple is also prominent in the foreground of that picture. Iztaccihuatl (17,160 ft, aka "Izta" and "Ixta") is an extinct volcano also just southeast of Emily's mission boundaries.

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!

There is something special about Mexico

Hello all! I don't know about you but time is flying by here. The days are long but the weeks are fast. I am almost halfway done with training already! I find that when we hunker down and work the day is suddenly over. I much prefer working to sitting around. First of all, congrats Matt on your awesome soccer game! Sounds like you represented the Jonesie name well :) I am looking forward to hearing more updates about this season! Glad you and Jackson have awesome schedules for school this year.

Well one thing I have learned this week is that even if I can't always contribute to the extent that I would like, I can always be kind and testify. Those are two things I can do. Our purpose is to bring others to Christ, but if I am to do that, I need to be a light for others. I take every opportunity I can to tell the people here how much I love Mexico and that I consider it my home. They always really appreciate that. And it's true! I really do love Mexico! I miss the States a lot but there is something special about Mexico here. Every time we enter a home we leave with some sort of gift, or food, or service of some sort. People are very generous. I love them so much and look forward to having the ability to relate with them better as I can speak more fluently. 

One cool experience I had a couple weeks ago was with a 12 year old girl named Ruth. Her family is currently less active in the Gospel and her dad is not a member of the Church. One night when we were visiting with her mom in the kitchen I could hear "Suzuki Book 1" songs being played on a violin. My ears instantly perked up (Mom note: Emily learned violin through the Suzuki method). I went to the room next door and there was Ruth practicing on her violin. I had the opportunity to praise her on her playing (she really does have great musicality) and then I played "Allegro" in Book 1 as well as "Nearer My God To Thee" (Mas Cerca Dios De Ti). The whole family was oooing and awwing and wanting me to play more. It was a great bonding moment where we were able to connect and I was given an opportunity to be a friend to them. It was a neat experience.

 

More about Julio! I talked about him a little last week. He is preparing to be baptized on October 4 :) He is so ready and willing to keep commitments and meet with us. I have really come to notice the difference between people who are ready to learn about the Gospel and who are teachable and others who are ready to have the small seed of faith planted. We went to the Temple open house with Julio last week and it was a great experience. I saw him praying in the Celestial Room and he loved the paintings in the Temple. 

So this is the Temple schedule. We wake up around 5:30 or 4ish every morning, get to the Temple around 8:30, and start at 9:00 and go until 3:00 in the afternoon. We switch off spending 3 hours in the reception tent and 3 hours in the video rooms. So many people came on Thursday and Saturday this last week. At one point Hermana Llaguarima and I had 4 rooms that we rotated through at once (usually 3). We start one group with the video, and move to the next, and then the next, and then let the first one out and start a new group. It is just crazy and I love it! A group of Americans came and the guide told me to conduct the presentation in English; it honestly was one of the hardest things I have done on my mission haha. I have been speaking Spanish 24/7 and my mind is immersed in it. So, at first I could not remember how to say good morning in English and it was so difficult to invite visitors to turn off their cell phones and let them know that they would be given shoe coverings while in the Temple etc. It was even kind of hard to share my testimony in English at the end. So weird. They were all kind of laughing at me a little :) I love bearing my testimony at the end of the video. I also love seeing the people in the room smile as I speak. I am not sure if it’s because I sound silly or what, but the Spirit is there. I also felt the Spirit very strongly when we talked with one particular group all in wheelchairs. I teared up a little because they made such a sacrifice to come to the Temple. I am amazed by the sacrifices that people make.

Guess what?! The currency has moved to 17 pesos per dollar instead of just 15! Woohoo! I bought a new skirt and shirt for our Wednesday meeting with Elder Christofferson. I am so looking forward to that experience. Also I saw the Coyote and thought of you, Dad! Can I please have Sister Hall's email (director of BYU Men´s Chorus)? If you can find that I would love it. Thanks. 

Aaah, I am short on time today due to a meeting. I saw Elder Mitchell at the Temple this last week (he was the one who was on the "Kiss Cam" with me at the BYU basketball game as we both looked up at the video board in horror hahahahhahaha). It was good to see him -- tons of missionaries come from the CCM to visit the Temple.

 

Also, I forgot to mention previously that I sang with Elder Juarez at Ruth's baptism a couple of weeks ago. We sang "Lord I Would Follow Thee." There are days when I am just walking down the street and I feel so good. Missionary work es tan dificil but it feels great to be here. I love you :) Again, thank you so so much for your notes and prayers. They mean so much.

Love, Hermana Jones

PS Hopefully more pics next week.

Quiet moment in the reception tent following a Temple tour (photo credit to Sister Stutznegger).

Families can be together forever.

First, mi familia. Mom, AAAAAAWWWWW I just love you so much; thank you for your note and updates. Sometimes I cry a little inside when I see other daughters with their moms. I miss you but I know that this time will make our reunion that much sweeter. Thank you for your example and prayers and everything you do for me. I am so glad you had a girls trip! How fun!

My dearest padre, thank you so much for the emails you send me every week. Thank you also for the scriptures you marked for me, they have been very helpful. You are the wisest person I know. You have always been such a strength and example to me. Thank you. I love you.

Matt, congratulations on making VARSITY! WHAT. So awesome! I am so excited for you! Represent the "Jonesie" name with valor and honor. Also I am excited to hear about how school is going when you start. This year was one of my favorite high school years. It is such a fun time. I love you and pray for you.

Jackson, I can´t wait to hear about your schedule for school! I hope you enjoy your last little bit of vacation! In answer to your questions, I am feeling great and I love the mission! You will be able to do this one day too. Someday I want to bring you back to Mexico. It is a pretty awesome place. I love you and think about you all the time.

Feliz Cumpleanos, Bishop! You the best! You are number 1! Hola my dear friend Makenzie :) miss and love you buddy. I love hearing about everyone back home, at school and on missions. Thank you for the updates. Also tell the Egberts hello for me and that I am happy for them :)

Oh boy what a week. Yesterday my companion and I enjoyed some great experiences. Diego came to Church all on his own as always and is preparing for baptism on September 5. He is amazing. A few months ago he was not interested in the Church at all when my companion contacted him but later had an experience in which he felt as though he had been reborn and contacted us. He keeps every commitment that he makes and his testimony of the Gospel grows every day.

We are also teaching two new really amazing people! One is Julio, a man who contacted us in the street about English classes. He is a musician who lived in Tennessee for awhile and wants to learn English. Since that night he approached us we have kept in contact, and guess what?? Yesterday he came to church on his own! It was so neat. We had lunch with him and his family later that day and afterwards taught them about how the Savior’s Gospel has been brought back to the earth. It was really an interesting experience because many members of Julio´s family are of another faith. His 14 year old nephew just wanted to bible bash (argue about the meaning of scriptures and doctrine) but the Spirit was with us as we taught and we were able to avoid contention. Our purpose is to teach and invite, not to contend and argue. It was a great learning experience for me and it made me appreciate the happy, peaceful feelings the Gospel brings me. It is not just about knowing where scriptures and doctrines are in the Bible. It is about developing faith in Christ and finding truth and light. I was grateful for that experience. Afterwards when we were talking just with Julio, he talked to us about what he felt while we were teaching...he expressed it as a feeling of tranquility...and loved what we taught about God being our Heavenly Father. We are taking him and a few members of his family who are interested to the Temple with us this Wednesday. I have high hopes for him :)

We also had Noche de Hogar with the family of a woman who recently joined the Church and one of them came to Church yesterday too. They loved hearing about the Temple. Noche de Hogar is a really powerful tool here. We try to have at least one a week, if not two, in the home of a Church member and we invite conversos, menos activos, and investigadores to it. It is always so much fun and a great teaching experience. (For my friends of other faiths, Noche de Hogar is Family Home Evening, in which we devote time on Monday evenings to family time which can include family prayer, singing together, discussion of a Gospel topic, family activities and...treats...mmmm!)

Serving at the Temple has been amazing. I get lots of kisses on the cheek from sweet old ladies and little kids. Many people ask to take pics with me. It has also been a great opportunity to grow closer with the other 16 Hermanas in my mission. I love them. Serving a mission is a wonderful way to meet new people. I talk to people every day whom I never knew existed. I love it. Spanish is getting better. Yes, I did see Sister Burt! Haha what a surprise that was (she is from my home area). I really enjoyed talking with her and the family she is staying with. Not gonna lie, I shed a tear or two after she left, but only for 5ish seconds and then I was back to work. I have been more sentimental this week due to the Temple because it is focuses our attention to the eternal nature of families. I know that families can be together forever. It is true and that is that. Families are eternal, not just for this life, and I am grateful for the role that Temples play in family progression.

I love you all. Enjoy the last little bit of summer vacation!

Love Hermana Jones (sometimes pronounced Honess, or Juan, or Joe-ness haha I love it :)

Early Saturday morning at the Temple, ready to serve with the Hermanas of my great mission.

(Photo credit to Sister Stutznegger)