lightthelmundo

That's the inciative of the church combined in English and Spanish if you were wondering. This past week has been DOPE. Lets start with last Friday or maybe it was Saturday. Anway. we had this HUGE event in a park for iluminaelmundo. There was a big tent with tables on the inside for self reliance, the Book of Mormon, the family and family history, and we had a stand for the iniciative itself, which we got assigned to cover. There were missionaries in the street that would contact and bring people to us, we'd explain them the inciative, and then a Bishop would take them right in to the other tables. It was super awesome. There was also a choir that we all sang in, and a huge inflatable dome with videos of the life of Christ on the inside. At the end we had a bunch of white balloons that we were released.  They gave me this huge bunch to let go, we counted down , and I was filming, I let them all go, and..uh...they may or may not have...

​gotten stuck in a power line... but oh well that's the story of my life. It was still fun. 

I got to make two more Texas creations this past week, which were pork loin with our famous rub and sweet potato pie. It was DELICIOUS. Some members let us use their kitchen and I  went to work. And then we took out the grill and again went to work, enjoy the picture of these beautiful creations.

​and I did it with a coal grill, not a gas grill.

​Now to start with this week, I got a new companion. His name is Elder Bowles. and as of right now he has about 2 and a half days in the mission field, which means I GET TO TRAIN!!! I've been wanting to train almost my whole mission now and finally President gave me the opportunity. His Spanish is okay, but this kid has brought some miracles. On Monday night we went out to work and we passed by this lady and I recognized her as an old investigator. We stopped teaching here because she always stood us up. So we started talking. Just earlier in the day I saw the other missionaries that had taught before. She said to me, "I actually just asked God that I would see you guys again" and so now we have an appt with her at 4 this afternoon. Pray for her, her name is Araceli. Also we found Nancy yesterday, she just let us right in her house and listened to us and said she liked the message a lot. I taught the whole time bc my compa didn't really know too well what was happening. But at the end he said "I know my Spanish isn't very good, but I want to testify of what my companion just said." He went on to give one of the best testimonies I've ever heard, and I felt the spirit so strongly. I love the new missionaries and the power they bring. Pray for her too, we meet with her tomorrow at 12. Those are small things that really just blow ones mind, and it's great to have those experiences early on in your mission.

​Me and Elder Bowles

Finally to end, I'd like to tell you all something I learned this past change. This past change I would honestly say that I changed me life. Up to that point I had a while of just working around, kinda halfing it, trying to do good but letting the natural man win a lot. But last change I really tried to just change, in the sense of humbling myself, learning to love, and serving others wholeheartedly and with everything I have. I try to spend as little on myself as I can so that I can bring my district small breakfasts, or treats, or things like that...so that they feel loved. I feel like my time to train came at a perfect moment, bc maybe I wouldn't have had the patience before last change. After 15 months, I really feel like I'm learning well how to represent the Lord. It's something beautiful to learn...how to live the law of consecration. Consecrate everything you have to the Lord....and to others. That means time, talents, possessions, and everything in between. I really do love the Lord. It's hard to express that love sometimes, but when we can learn how to show Him that we love Him, he blesses us, and we're just so much happier. I know that loving the Lord means that we're going to do something abut it. They can be small things, but we have to do them. The inciative this Christmas helps us to do just that, and be more like Christ.

I love you guys a lot!! Have a great Christmas, go do service just like Christ did! Have a great week

Elder Jones