Transfers!

Family!!

Sorry, I don't have a lot of time! BUT..... I've got a new companion!:)
Her name is Sister Thompson- and I met her like an hour ago but she is
awesome! Sister Kovac is headed to South Manhattan so she is in the
heart of it all, I am going to MISS HER SO MUCH!:)

But I am so excited for this cycle!

Love you all! Keep praying and reading your scriptures!:)

Love, Sister Jones

 Sister Kovac finds how I pray before studies amusing...

 Frenchy!! Sister Kovac is going to the city... 

Frenchy is moving toNew Jersey on Friday... 

I'm being abandoned!  Just kidding,

 I love them though! :)

There will be cuter pictures later! :)

Candy week!! :)

Hello family & friends!

This week Hanna wasn't able to write an update to share with everyone.  She sent a bunch of pictures & responded to our letters.  So, I am going to compile some of her comments & pictures for her update this week.  Here are her words:

"It was a good week, and transfers are coming up next week! So the next time you hear from me I might have a new companion!

Sister Kovac and I got a lot of candy this week... So we had Halloween a little early and
when we went grocery shopping today we basically just got green stuff (after eating so much candy, you just kinda want lettuce...)!

We candy attacked Bishop's door! Candy attacking works MIRACLES!:)

We also candy attacked our neighbor! They are the cutest family! This was some of the muchly much candy we got this week... We had to get rid of it somehow!:)

A guy who lives in our complex did this! He is a CHARACTER! We didn't know his name for the longest time so we referred to him as Billy Bob, we found out his name is Lee... I like Billy Bob better:) But this is soo him! He also walks around talking to a stuffed duck under his arm
sometimes:)

Milly! This is one of my favorite people on the planet:) She is the one we found on the car fast day right when we were about done with everything! She is the best! (We took this last pday when she went with us to get our flu shots, you know that me and shots don't mix, she held my hand while I was getting it! Bahaha, it was funny:)) "

It sounds like she is still doing wonderful & loving her mission!  I loved all the pictures this week, it makes my heart happy when I get to see her smiling face! :)

Thanks to all of you for your care & love for Hanna!

Melissa

Kick It Into Gear:)

Awesome week:) Let me tell you about it;)

So...On Thursday we had a member of the 70, Elder Mervyn B. Arnold,
come and gave us an awesome training! I describe it as a slap in the
face that feels really good. The mission got chastised pretty hard...
But it is so INSPIRING! There is so much room for improvement and the
Lord knows we can handle it, it's the best vote of confidence you can
get! Like the scripture, Proverbs 3:11-12 (with a little editing to
fit my situation)-
My daughter, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary
of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a
father the daughter in whom he delighteth.

It means He hasn't given up on me, He knows I can do better and so He
pushes me to become who He wants me to be, don't ever be scared of a
little chastisement!:)

Anyway, we tried put this in action and kick it into gear this week!
But first, a fun little side note about Thursday night... We had a
dinner appointment at a less active member's house, and we ate pig
foot. That's it, that's my story- I don't want to talk about it.

Friday we got to go on splits so it was off to Danbury for me:) I love
splits, it helps you stay more motivated to be in someone else's area
for a little bit. You better work hard because it effects someone
else's work! And it was a really fun split! My favorite part was when
we got to go help at a food pantry, which is really cool but it kind
of breaks your heart to see people in need like that... It makes you
really grateful for the things that you have. The rest of the day was
awesome too haha but we unsplit Saturday night and the next day was Sundayy!!

I really loved Sunday- two of the coolest things happened Sundayy!
- We met with Kathleen, I don't know if I've written about her yet?
But she is so amazing! We committed her to baptism on December 13!
And it was such a spiritual moment when she said yes, her face LIT UP
and she said yes very quickly! And as we were leaving she said that
she was SO SURE about it. I'm so excited for her!!
- We were tracting and it was getting late so we were about to leave
but we decided that we were going to do 3 more houses. And we got to
the last one (I swear, it's always the last one!) and this man
answers. We could tell that he was slightly tipsy, but it's the
Gospel, everyone needs it! So we started talking not thinking we had
much hope with him, but he was listening, and he told us about how he
was struggling with alcohol and how his father was just diagnosed with
cancer. So we were able to tell him about the Healing Through Christ
program that the church has for addiction recovery, and testify about
how families can be together forever, it was perfect. And he wouldn't
have listened if he wasn't a little bit drunk, it is weird how the
Lord leads you to exactly where you need to be at exactly the right
time if you let Him.

Monday we set District goals for how we can apply everything that
Elder Arnold told us! And then we said we get brownies if we reach our
goals:) Nothing is wrong with a little bribery! Especially since we
have really seen the blessing of our goals! We set one goal to bear
our testimony to at least 7 people a day, and it has only been 2 days
since we started that but it keeps you thinking about it whenever you
are talking to someone. It changes pleasant conversation into a real
opportunity to bring someone closer to Christ! And once you start
thinking of every conversation in that way, bearing your testimony to
7 people isn't enough! And if people don't accept it, that's ok, I
know I did my part!

Wow, I'm kind of all over the place... There are just too many cool
things to write about, missions are great. 🏻️

Anyway, I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week! Remember
that God loves you 

Love, Sister Jones


Ponderize! This week I'm ponderizing D&C 27:2, I want to make the
sacrament a bigger part of my life! It's the most important thing we
do all week!

We will bring the gospel to everyone! :)

It's not about me

Hey guys!!

I was kind of hit over the head multiple times this week by the fact
that this is not about me! I am serving the Lord and His children, and
it just isn't about me!

President told a story about a missionary who was returning home who
said that he had a lot of trouble with the music that we are allowed
to listen to. He really didn't like it... But he asked President not
to change it because it helped him to realize that it isn't about him.
A year and a half is all that is asked, a year and a half of it not
being about me. I've decided I'm going to try my hardest to make every
day not about me, I've already had some slip ups;) But it is amazing
how much the Lord helps you once you make up your mind to do
something!

I was hit over the head yet again during Conference when President
asked all the missionaries to watch Conference at the church rather
than at a member's house. I was kind of disappointed since Conference
has always been pajama Sunday when we get to have comfortable
seating... I was thinking about myself as I whined about that:) But
have no fear because I clued in eventually! As we watched Conference
and as I felt the Spirit so strongly as Sister Kovac and I sat in the
chapel (the only 2 in the room...) I finally got it! General
Conference is not about me, it isn't about being able to sit at home
in comfort on Sunday once every 6 months, it's about being able to
hear what God wants me to know straight from His prophets and
apostles! What!? Isn't that so awesome?:) I heard that all the time,
but it finally sunk in this Conference!:)

Oh and not to mention Elder Renlund's talk where he said that it isn't
about me... I kind of took that as another hit over the head!:) But
quick side note about him, and the other new apostles! How awesome was
that!? Getting to see and sustain 3 new apostles!? We would be lost
without these men and their inspiration from God, we are so lucky!!
And I see it more and more every day as I come across so many who
don't have that same blessing... Yet;)

So with those and many other hits over the head I decided that I would
start applying it more:) I started with my prayers, as I knelt down
one night a thought popped into my head, "it's not about you", and so
my prayer was only for others. And it's kind of funny how the Lord
works... As I have started praying only for others, I have found
myself happier, more confident, and better prepared than I have my
whole mission(however short of a time that may be;))! But I have
gained a testimony of the fact that when we focus on others and when
we truly strive to be unselfish, God will RAIN  blessings down on
us!

So, I'm still trying to get the hang of it all! But it is the sweetest
feeling to feel the Spirit and know that you are starting to head in
the right direction!:)

I love you all and I miss you everyday!:)

Love, Sister Jones


Ponderize: This week I have been ponderizing Helaman 10:4, it is such
an awesome verse that has helped me keep in mind that it isn't about
me!:)

I want these! :)

Pumpkin carving! 

Masterpieces! :)

New York- I'm Lovin It;)

Hello everyone:) I loved this week, I always do!

What really stood out this week was the importance of families! I love
my family so much and I'm really starting to understand what it means
to be able to help other families be together forever!

It's a miracle how many new families we were given to work with this
week, and I am so looking forward to seeing how the Gospel is going to
be able to change them:)

The Lane family: So Sister Kovac and I are really working on trying to
clean out our Areabook, contacting all the people we don't know and
stuff. So we called this one number and a man answered, we introduced
ourselves and asked if we could come over and teach them more. And his
response was so unexpected, he said that anyone who believes in God
and teaches about Him is welcome in their home. And so we went! (A few
nights later haha) But it was so amazing just seeing how the Lord
works, this family who missionaries met a long time ago and then they
kind of got lost, but then we decide to call at a time when they are
more prepared for the Gospel than they have ever been!:)

Vincent: We were tracting and Vincent answered the door holding his
little son. And we started talking about the power of the Book of
Mormon in bringing families closer together. We asked him if he would
read it if we left it with him and he said yes! And it was a very sure
yes, it kind of took me by surprise because that is not an answer we
normally get haha! But I loved it, we walked away from the house just
in awe at how prepared he was!

Yomaira: Also from tracting! She answered the door and I swear I
thought she was 16... But she is married and has 3 sons! But that
isn't important, what is important is how amazing she is! She invited
us in like she had known us for years, and we talked with her like we
were best friends! And she told us how her family is just always
looking for a church that they feel comfortable in and that they agree
with, and they haven't found one yet. So we invited them to church and
asked if we could come back to teach their family sometime and she
said yes! Again, so amazing, so prepared, so by the hand of God!:)

Jemaliegh: Have a written about Jemaleigh before? Anyway, Jemaleigh is
a less active and she is married to a non member, and Sister Kovac and
I have never met him because he works a lot. But we went over for
dinner a few nights ago and he was home! And we were able to teach
him! And Jemaleigh is less active because she doesn't go to church a
lot, but she still has the most solid testimony! And she constantly
bears her testimony to her husband and the Spirit is so strong when
she does! I am so excited to someday see them sealed in the temple
with their new son:) Because I just know that it is going to happen!

The Ofori family: The Ofori family is less active and they moved here
from Ghana! We have been trying so hard to get in contact with them
but have not been able to, until a little while ago! And it is just
the dad and his two twin sons, but we walked up to the house and the
boys were playing outside and one said, "Latter-Day Saints? We used to
go to Latter-Day Saints in Ghana." And it was so awesome to see these
two young boys remember this! Anyway, we were able to talk to their
dad and he really wanted his sons to go to church but he wasn't
willing to go himself. But a couple nights ago we had a lesson with
them and we focused on the two boys and it was so neat! At the end of
the lesson the dad said that he would like to be there when the boys
went to church so that he could show them support and help them to
understand what is going on!

So, those are some of the families that I am soooo excited for! And I
can't even begin to do these stories justice, they are so much more
miraculous than they seem on paper (or a computer screen!) and I am
SOO blessed that I get to see these miracles! I love how important
families are to our Heavenly Father! They are given to us so we can
learn and grow in the Gospel together, how sad life would be if
families didn't exist!

Also, who is excited about General Conference this weekend!? Raise of
hands! (And now I expect hundreds of pictures sent to me with people
raising their hands because we should all be excited for
conference!:)) Just take a minute to think about how amazing it is
that we get to hear from a Prophet of God! Gah, there are no words to
describe how excited I am!

I love you all:)

Love, Sister Jones

Sister Kovac's year celebration!

Bananas & Nutella.... cake is for squares :)

Jumping District! :)