Dear everybody who reads my blog feel free to send me letters I love getting them :-)  I am so happy that I am able to serve my mission in Indonesia. The people are great the food is great the gospel is great and it's so awesome living out here in this country.

 

Here's a picture of the parrot who bit me last week.  I gave him a "pass along card"!

 

 This week was good but we didn't do anything out of the ordinary on Monday we just stayed at the house and we rested so that we could have a good week, this week. I made sure to do my laundry, comb my hair, make my bed, clean my desk, brush my teeth, shine my shoes, tie my tie, iron my shirt, eat breakfast, read the scriptures, that's pretty much it :)

 

                                     

This is a little video that I took of my English class, if you can't tell what they are saying it's "Elder Jones has swag.  He is a good teacher :)" (I always teach swag just as a little joke.  I also teach the word groovy!)

                                                    (This video is of  snake fruit or known as "salak")

Ecco shoes are the greatest! They are solid! So for any missionaries planning to go out buy that brand.  I always try and snag a free shirt from Elders going home! So no worries. I’m living thrifty.

Tuesday we had a normal day proselyting and later that night we talked to Nicky .  He is doing really good.  We taught him about the law of chastity and the Word of Wisdom.  It was an awesome lesson and we could really feel the spirit and you could tell that he did as well.

Wednesday 

I was on a split with Elder Campbell.  That day we did lots of working but we got blown out by rain!I'm telling you Indonesia has the craziest rainstorms that I have ever seen in my entire life!  If even half of the power of one of these rain storms hit Wickenburg it would pretty much destroy the place.  That night we found refried beans at an import store and tortillas and then we made bean and cheese burritos, it's basically like heaven when all you usually eat his rice and eggs.

 Thursday 

We went to Ancol which is North Jakarta, pretty far north too.   We came back that evening and we went to go eat at this noodle place which was pretty good.   It's really been pouring here a lot this week all of our area has been flooded so it has been hard to go to the families and teach.   It's pretty crazy, we will ride in the ankots which are the little buses and they will go through the flooded streets and sometimes the water will come into the car.

Friday

We got a phone call from the Sister Training Leaders and they wanted us to go and give a blessing to a lady in our ward.   The AP's and the President are all in Surabaya because of zone training meeting but here they call it PL, anyway we went to her house and gave her a blessing and that was a cool experience. She also gave us some food which was nice of her.  It was really confusing trying to find her house and we had to ride three different buses to get there and one of the bus drivers lied to us and told us that that was the wrong bus just so we would get off but still give him money!

Then we went to the church and taught Nicky again.   We watched a movie, the movie was good and you could tell he felt the spirit.

Saturday 

Today we went to a family history meeting which was held at the Jakarta South building. It's fun to learn about that stuff. After that we went out to eat with Sister Ina and Sister Asa, my Indonesian family.   We went out to eat and it was awesome they made sure that I got some good food I always love hanging out with them :-)

Sunday

 We just went to church.  I feel like my posts are the same every week yes church was normal nothing happened there was three hours of goodness our investigators came to church we ate food after. Then we went home and we planned for the upcoming week. :)

 

Yeah! Well hey I have to go! Pray we feel the spirit this week and Nicky and Alek do well! :)

 I hope you all have a great week bye!

Love Elder Jones

 

 

Week 53 - Bitten by a Parrot

Greetings from the land of Indonesia, 

Another week of missionary life has come and gone.  Tuesday we had District Meeting.   Those are always a bit stressful but it’s okay.   After the meeting there was a huge rain storm while we were on the bus to a place called Sunter.  It took us 4 hours to get there when usually it's only 30 min!  Then we got to the members house and he said he was busy and didn’t want to meet so that was frustrating.   Then later that night I had to teach Elder Prayitno how to use a vending machine.  That was pretty funny!   He’s a good guy!

On Wednesday two new Indonesian missionary’s came in.  So we taught them the ropes.  It was an Elder and Sister.  We took them bag shopping and helped them learn to contact and stuff like that.   I had rice and eggs for dinner just in case you were wondering :)

Thursday I hit my YEAR mark crazy right?!?!   It turned out to be a normal day even though our appts got cancelled.  We still had a good day and stopped at the Bank of Indonesia, that was cool. 

 

 

new cell phone?

 

Friday, every person we contacted today didn’t want to learn.  It was a hard day.   We taught Nicky at 8:30 at the church till 9 and it started raining so hard we couldn’t leave.  We ended up getting home at 12pm by the bus! Alex is golden!  Nicky got permission from his parents to be baptized but is having a problem because his friend died.  Pray for them to feel the Holy Ghost.

My camera is having problems, I think from all the humidity.  My normal week days are traffic and a billion people.  I also got bit by a parrot this week...ha ha!

This is how we get around sometimes!

Always lots of fruit to eat

Hey, well I have to go, sorry!   I love you guys.  I hope you have a great week and I’ll talk to you next week :) bye! 

Love Elder Jones

Week 52 - One Year!

Hello Everyone,

This week is my year mark!  Sometimes it seems like I have so much time left, but I know it will fly by!  Just like this past year!

 

Last Monday for P-Day Elder Wood and Elder Barlow and I hit up the golf range... it was pretty fun! 

 Elder Woods and I

Lime in the coconut and shook it all up :)

Throughout the week we had a few good lessons! Remember the guy I met on the bus? He wants to get baptized on the 1st of February with Alex so that’s awesome! (Our investigator has to ask permission from his parents to be baptized because if you live at home you have to ask parental permission even though he is 23).   

I'm doing well and it was a good week, we got 6 lessons this week but I don’t like telling about investigators unless I really think they will get baptized.  So please pray for them.

We take the bus an hour everyday to our area.  Its a very poor area but the people are very nice!

 

Saturday we went to lunch with my Indonesian mom and her daughter (Sister Ita and Sister Asa) they are awesome :) They make sure to take care of me here! 

Ford dealership in Jakarta

They were happy to talk to us and even offered to let us test drive a car but we didn't.

We met a few people that spoke English here.  It's weird to speak English now because I think in Indonesian!

On Sunday we had 3 investigators come to church it was great! :) 

Today we woke up at 4am to go running around the soccer stadium.  It was pretty fun.  We’re planning on resting the rest of the day today. 

Now that the mail people are back from vacation I got a whole bunch of letters all at once!  Thanks everyone :)

 I’m excited to go to USU! Pilot program and business :) and I won’t get sick!! I know time will fly by. Well, have a great week tell Logan, Amanda and Court I love them! 

-Elder Jones

 Here's a video of "hairy fruit".  They look weird but taste really good! 

Week 51 - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  It’s been a great week.  Had some success, some exciting things happen and some fun also.  Here is a quick recap:

Monday 

P-Day.  Felt good to have a few hours to play.  We went go kart racing! I haven’t had that much fun in a long time!!

 

 

Small siesta!

 

Tuesday 

 I went on a split with Elder Wood and we met a guy on the bus who turned out to be a great contact!  We have been teaching him since then.  I’d say that he is a golden contact.  He wants to be baptized and is progressing quickly.  Awesome guy!  While on the bus,  I noticed that he was wearing a cross on a chain so I asked him about it and was able to strike up a conversation.  We talked for a long time and the rest is history.

Elder Wood and I also found a deep fryer at the house and deep fried Oreos in pancake batter!  Good stuff....

Wednesday

Today was New Year’s Eve and it was just a normal day for us missionaries.   I was on a split with Elder Campbell and that was fun.   We worked hard and got lots of contacts! There was a Christmas/New Year program we went to as well.  Then ate some pizza from the import store.  It was a good day! 

Thursday 

Last night there were a billion fireworks you couldn’t even sleep!   But it was still a lot of fun.  We had another lesson with the guy we met on the bus too! He is great!

Friday 

We had District meeting and then it started raining so hard we couldn’t leave.   We had 3 appointments that day but they all fell thru :(  Then I taught English class and a whole lot of new people came because I posted all these posters I made saying free English class!

Saturday 

Normal day. We just worked and weekly planned and posted more posters! 

Sunday 

We had a great day at church. I taught Gospel Principles class and did great! Then we had a little fireside at the house for all new members and investigators and watched the movie “A Treasure in Heaven”.   It was awesome because our friend I met on the bus came. This week we have gotten a lot of investigators! It’s been great!

I’m really starting to enjoy living here at the mission home.  Besides the 1^st world comforts, I really enjoy being around the Elders here.  The AP’s are the top notch missionaries in the mission and it’s fun to be around those guys.  Being with those guys every day raises my game and makes me a better Elder.  It’s been fun.  I’ve learned a lot from them.

I love my comp, he is an awesome guy and so funny.  Today he used a toaster for the first time ... but he put a marshmallow with chocolate in it and it melted and ruined everything.  Oh well!

 

Questions

What did you think of it snowing in Wickenburg?  The snow pictures you sent me were awesome!  I really wish I could have been there!

What is your Ward like? Our ward is like a branch there is about 35 people each week who are totally active.

Do you think you will see Kitty as a source of food instead of a pet when you come home?  Both :) make sure she is safe!

Did you hear about the plane crash out of Surabaya?          Yeah, that’s sad L

What else has been going on?  Not a whole lot.  Being in the city of Jakarta, things are pretty normal. Other than freak massive rain storms.

How was your week? Everything this week has been great and I’m learning more each day and trying to get better in all things .  

Why haven’t you gotten Christmas cards?  Haven’t gotten mail since before Christmas, everyone is on a holiday until today! 

How was this week’s other toe surgery?  This toe surgery was the worst one.  It hurt so bad you have no idea.  The lidocaine barely works for me and I could feel a lot of it.  But now I’m all better.  Got a checkup tomorrow!

I have to go!  Love you bye!

Elder Jones