I really am loving it but I tell ya it's hard EVERYDAY

Tao po??
 Which means "People?"

This is what we say instead of knocking on doors here in the Philippines. We stand outside of the houses and just say Tao Po?? and wait for someone to say we can come inside. Most people don't have doors, just metal pieces of some kind that are fastened with a hinge or two. They almost always leave them wide open because it's so hot and they want the breezes to come through their little homes.

Sister Sabiano and myself sporting our new t-shirts that say "It's more fun in Antipolo Philippines". Ha ha.. This is a saying we enjoy a lot around here. Gotta have a good sense of humor for sure.

 

 

Our District Trip - The place where the whole Sis. Taupale situation went down.

 

I get to talk to you all exactly two weeks from today ahhh!!!! I'm so stinkin excited talaga! but ayos long maging patient ako hah.

 

Andelyn good luck with Pom tryouts this week I'll be thinking of you and also Amelia good luck in your dance concert I know you will do great, break a leg kiddo;)

 

haha I laughed about the story of Hunter (Ammah's cousin who is staying with us while he goes through school) in phlebotomy  school because that happened to me all the time! It never ends either... even in the hospital I'd have old men who would pretend scream and jerk and scare me to death and then I'd threaten to poke them and miss next time on purpose ha-ha.  How fun that  Uncle Rick and  Aunt Coco could come visit and you all do a temple trip together, sounds so great:) I'm so proud of you guys for having your own missionary experiences there and sharing the gospel with those you come in contact, I look back at all the opportunities that came my way that I didn't jump on before the mish and I wish I could go back and smack myself ha-ha. This missionary spirit will forever be with me for the rest of my life and I look forward to being better about sharing the gospel after my mission.  But for now I will focus on the investigators and less actives we have here because we have oh so many. 

 

After I emailed last week we actually went to some of our investigators house down in the Borgy in Tagisan and we shared the Restoration video about Joseph Smith and the 1st vision.  In this little hut we had 36 people stuffed in watching this video. Crazaay. 20 of them were little kids from the neighborhood.  It was so great and the spirit was strong.  Our investigators started crying afterwards while we were discussing the video together.  I love watching people feel the spirit because some of them haven't truly felt it before and it's a new experience for them. 

 

We had a lot of opportunities to serve this week, we had the "national day of service" on Saturday and our stake got together and we cleaned up the streets of Antipolo.  On Tuesday our district went to a less actives house and helped get all this tall weed/grass stuff off her property.  I got real sunburned ha-ha but it felt good to help someone and boy it was a hard job. We all borrowed machetes from the neighbors and just started hacking away at the stuff .  It really feels great to serve the people here though, I love them all so much and just really feel like a part of them now. 

 

 It's been raining a lot this week lately, we were in the middle of a lesson with an investigator of ours and it just starts pouring rain out of nowhere and her house is real tiny and dark because she has no electricity, and  it's not made well so the rain was just pouring through the roof ha-ha.  We were sitting on the floor teaching her with water just pouring down on us and using a flashlight to read scriptures with her, I wanted to hurry up and end the lesson but Sister Sabiano being the example that she is encouraged me to keep teaching so we did and we finished the lesson.  That was a great lesson to me that no matter what circumstance, these people need to hear our message.  Whether it be pouring rain  or out in the burning sun, or we are so exhausted but need to visit an investigator on top of the mountain. No matter what it is we need to keep going because they need to receive this knowledge in their lives that we have these wonderful true doctrines on the earth today and we are the ones who are ordained to share these truths with them.  

 

Our investigator Tatay Nemejio is doing so great we taught him about the word of wisdom and invited him to keep it.  And we came back a few days later to follow up on how it was going and he shared with us experiences with co-workers that had offered him some tea and coffee and how he had rejected it and than even explained to them why he was doing so. He is so awesome and I'm so excited for the day that he will act upon the faith that he has and follow our savior into the waters of baptism. 

 

 I have yet to have a baptism in this area but we have some scheduled in the next 3 weeks so sobre excited ako to see our investigators progressing and hopefully before sister Sabiano and I are separated so that we can share the experience of watching our investigators be baptized together. 

 

I really am loving it but I tell ya it's hard EVERYDAY.  I feel like a bad missionary cause sometimes I just want to go home and get in my bed ha! but I just keep pushing myself and by the end of the day I'm so glad I did.  I really love these people and our investigators so much.     

 

I miss my puppy so  much. There are tons of wild dogs here but they are definitely not the kind you want to cuddle and pet, they are nasty and gross and just bark at you as you pass. And Mom we do actually have toilet paper here, they sell it in the stores only though.  They never have any in the bathrooms at restaurants or at the church  though and nothing not even water to rinse off sooo yep ya just gotta pull up your pants haha! but I've started carrying toilet paper with me so that fixed that problem.  

Well Family I love you all so so much good luck in all your endeavors this coming week.  You are always in my prayers and in my heart throughout the days.  Take Care until I can hear from you again next week.  Ingat na long po kayo! 

 

 Another temple pic ;)

 

Brother Enderle, the housing couple, they are leaving their missions this week.

Sleep teaching.

Magandang Hapon po Pamilya ko!

Sounds like you all are doing great:) so happy to hear it.  Andelyn good job on improving your grades and working so hard on all your dances and etc.. Good luck with all your recitals  this week and the next.  I'll be keeping you in my heart and in my prayers.  You will do great as you both usually do.  And how fun that Hunter will be living there for a few months:) what school is he doing his phlebotomy stuff at? Pima? Tell him good luck for me! So yes Mothers day is coming up and I am so excited to get to Skype with you! I will tell you more details about how and when in coming emails when I hear more from President Delamare. 

This week has been pretty good and we have worked really hard.  We found 14 new investigators this week in a new part of our area called taguisan.  We had the elders quorum president go down this mountain with us and he introduced us to all these families that live down in this mountain part.  The lord has really been blessing us with finding new people and these people are so prepared to hear our message.  It is quiet beautiful there too.  We have to hike to all the houses so it is really exhausting but the scenery is gorgeous.  and its the perfect setting to teach the gospel I tell ya.  We just sit in these little open bamboo huts in the middle of the rainforest with a breeze coming through and it's so quiet.  I absolutely LOVE it.  Everyday we have to hike to get everywhere and climb crazy stairs so we have both been losing weight ha-ha everyone keeps asking me if I have and I say I don't know cause I don't feel like it and we don't have a scale but they keep asking me so I must be ha-ha which I wasn't expecting cause this mission is actually a gaining weight mission ha go figure.

 I'm really excited about his new area though the people are so great and they are all families that we are teaching so it's so perfect.  We have been teaching a lot of lessons about the plan of salvation lately and it feels so good to testify to these families that they can be together for eternity.  I always bare my testimony and tell them the joy that I receive from knowing that I am sealed to my family in the temple for all eternity and that I have the opportunity to be with my future family forever as well.  Our Heavenly Father must truly love us so much to give us that opportunity to have temples here so that we can perform these sealing ordinances on earth.

 

 I am truly blessed to be a member of the true church of Jesus Christ that has a prophet, apostles, and priesthood authority that leads and guides it.  We had our zone interview this past week and I got to have a one on one interview with President Delamare.  I am so sad that he is leaving soon, he is a great President.  My interview with him was so good he is so kind and genuinely has a lot of love for his missionaries in Quezon city.  He offered me a priesthood blessing at the end which I gladly accepted.  He blessed me that I would be comforted and that my family would be protected while I was away and that they would have angels with them watching over them.  I feel like he read my mind because every night I pray for your safety and that Heavenly Father will keep you safe while I am away from you. I was really grateful that I accepted his invitation to receive that blessing cause I really needed it.  With all the people we are teaching and a really big ward social event coming up on may 3rd we have so much work to do and it is overwhelming. Sister Sabiano said that she told President during her interview that this is the busiest she has ever been in her 9 months in the mission so far.  I feel blessed that this is my first area cause I am starting out with a bang ha-ha.

 

Funny story, I have been having a hard time sleeping since I've been in the mission field because I wake my self up 4 or 5 times a night sleep talking ha-ha I will wake up sitting up in my bed teaching a lesson, or being in a district meeting ha-ha Sister Sabiano tells me what I say cause I wake her up with my talking too hah I did it before the mission but now that I'm in the mission it is a lot worse.  It isn't every night so I do get enough sleep that I need but I think it's worse cause I go to bed so exhausted every night.  Hopefully it doesn't keep going on cause it's embarrassing! hah oh well.

 Well I'm sorry mom no pictures this week I haven't taken any this week cause we have been so busy.  I love you all though, Good luck in all that you are doing this week please be safe and listen to the promptings from the spirit.  I think about you often and love you more than anything everyday I thank heavenly father for sending me into this family.  Sobre Mahal ko kayo:) Can't wait to Skype with you in three-ish weeks ha-ha and see all of your faces.  Ingat po! 

Love Always, Sister Jones

Sister Sabiano thinks I will be training next transfer.

Hello po my beloved family!

This week sounded really great for you all, Emily looked absolutely gorgeous in her wedding gown:) and so did you guys in your outfits.  I'm kind of scared to come home and see Amelia so freakishly tall. In the pictures she looks super tall.  ha-ha  Yes I’m sorry about my crazy email last week lol sister Taupale is doing very well she's actually training now and it seems like they are doing well.  And yes mom we had alerted the mission president, his wife was actually meeting us at the hospital when we got there.  It wasn't the first time I guess last transfer everyone woke up one morning and she just wouldn't wake up and was just passed out cold for a few hours, they took her to the hospital then too. Sister Sabiano was actually her companion at that time. 

Everything is going very well here I'm no longer the newbie in the house ha-ha Sister Taupale is training a Filipino sister from Cebu her name is sister Maagad.  She is super nice and a joy to have around the house.

 

We had our transfer meeting and it was so fun cause I got to relax the whole time while everyone was worrying about where they were being transferred too and who their new companions were and I was just there to sing.  I was able to see everyone from my batch from the mtc even Sister Wilson! We caught each other’s eye down the hall and ran to each other and gave each other a big hug hah! She is doing very well and we were just talking about how much we love the mission. It was sooo good to see her :)  Our song went great and I received  lots of compliments after, people kept telling me I sound like Ingrid Michelson hehe.  We sang Brightly Beams our Fathers Mercy-which is mine and Mom’s favorite hymn:) It was really fun though and I don't feel so new anymore cause I have been meeting all the missionaries and others were coming in.  I guess next transfer we are getting 10 new sisters so Sister Sabiano thinks I will be training next transfer.  I'm hoping that isn't the case! ha-ha I still have so much to learn!

Well I got to watch General Conference this weekend and it was truly wonderful .  It was so nice to sit in an air conditioned building watching it with other members J I took a lot of notes and listened carefully, I think it was the first time I had watched them all straight through the first time.  It was a great spiritual experience and there were so many great messages from the prophet, apostles, and other leaders of the church.  One of my favorites was Elder Bednars talk about Chastity, He was bold and firm in his words but, they were said with pure genuine love for all of us and our wellbeing.  It seemed to me like the theme this year was about building strong foundations especially in our homes and with our children, which is very appropriate for this time that we are in because we are in the last days...and Satan is trying harder than ever to tear and break down families.  Because they are the source of true happiness and love in this world and are the ideal environments for parents to teach their children the principles of the gospel.  I'm not getting trunky (homesick) or anything but the whole time I was just thinking of my future family and how much I just want to take all the things I've learned here in the mission so far and use them to strengthen my own family.  I can feel myself really changing and becoming better from all the things I’m learning here.  I have gained a strong testimony of the importance of prayer and studying the word of God.  After General Conference I just felt really empowered and driven to work even harder to testify of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ because it is through him that we receive eternal life with our families and exaltation in the world to come. I felt so good when they announced the number of missionaries serving around the world 65,000+, and to know that I am one of those:) I am really grateful to be counted in that number.  "No force on the face of the earth can stop this work from progressing" -President Hinckley.  How true that is!

Sister Sabiano and I have had a lot of great spiritual experiences with each other lately and we talk about them every day and how much we are grateful to be with one another at this time sharing these experiences with each other. 

I'm glad you enjoyed all the pictures ha-ha especially the Balut ones ha! I thought you would get a kick out of those:)

 Oh goodness, gross story of the week ;o(  So we are teaching a lesson with Sister Maricris and her son Jiero who is 2 years old and poor kid he was having the worst stomach problems and crying the whole lesson.  In the middle of our visit he throws up this 5 inch long parasite worm in the middle of us all, we were all freaking out.  It's not the first time I've heard of those parasites I've heard of a few missionaries finding those in the toilets after they use it etc.. yucky.. no wonder his poor tummy was hurting, My heart was hurting from him.  I'm not surprised that he would have something like that though cause the river bend they live on is absolutely filthy...so nasty.  And all the kids play along the side in the dirt etc.. I pray that I never get one of those oh my goodness it was just disturbing. 

The saying in our mission is "it's more fun in the Philippines" ha...sarcasm de ba? ha-ha

Well family I love you all so so much, know that I am doing well here even though it is insanely hot (it's summer here, and it's only rained one day since I’ve been here) can you believe that.  I love you all so much, I’ve shown some of our investigators my pictures and they always tell me how I have such a beautiful family:) Thank you for your prayers and your support, I can't tell you how much you mean to me.  Amelia I’m excited to get your letter:) but it will be 3 weeks till I get it ha-ha. I love you all so so much have a great week and be safe and keep sharing your spiritual experiences with me I love them:) Mahal ko kayo! Ingat po!

Love Sister Jones

P.S.

 Sige iyun..so that box sounds NUTS I’m kinda scared ha-ha! Hopefully I'll be able to lug it back to our apartment.  I don't really need too many things.  Any kind of snacks are good cause they are too expensive and all we eat is rice, noodles, and vegetables. Maybe like a box of captain crunch cereal? I miss cereal sooo much. Also floss is outrageous expensive so I haven't been buying it so FLOSS lots of floss please ha. And yes we have a little toaster oven seriously like the size or smaller of Amelia’s little Easy Bake Oven thing.  We do not have a full size oven just the little one.  yah the little powder mixes would be so cool to make little muffins or something! We buy little packets of soap for our laundry so I won't be needing the strips and we actually just got a washing machine today hee hee. I laugh because it looks like a little toy or something, it's just a little plastic tube looking thing that comes up to my hips so that will be cool (maybe) probably will still need to wash most of my clothes by hand cause that little machine doesn't look like it would be very affective.  Also the little candies would definitely be cool to give out to kids it's totally allowed, anything to eat they love.  

list:

-floss

-bugspray (i get attacked! and bug stuff is expensive here)
-cereal
-nutella (i'm addicted to it here but it's  too expensive)
-little candies for kids
-harddrive (to put pictures on etc.. and filipino music to bring home after)
-clean and clear facewash (it has little tiny hard beads in it and smells like mint, I used it before the mish and I'm almost out of the one I brought and they don't sell it here)
-baby wipes! they are so expensive and they are a life saver cause I just wipe my face, legs and arms down at the end of the day.
-snacks, candy heehee

That's all that I can think of right now if I think of anything else I will send it next week.

***** A little letter from Ammah’s companion to me (Shannon).  I have been writing her a little email each week as well as Ammah. She is full Filipino, but speaks English pretty well.********

Dear Sister Jones,

Thank you so much for the inspiring letter. I really felt that you are including me in your prayers cause I really felt the strength in me to go on.. We had a very good experience together this week. We had splits last Wednesday and sis.jones can really lead the area on her own.. I am so amazed while listening with her in our teaching appointments because she can teach the full lesson in Tagalog.. We really enjoying each other’s company.. ;) Your daughter is so sweet and I am really learning with her. I am more obedient now than before..hehehe. Thanks for the prayers..

Love lots,

Sister Sabiano

Well family....ha this has been a crazy week!

Kumusta pamilya ko! This is my City Cogeo. I walk these streets everyday. I took this picture from an over pass that goes  over the top of it. We live near here.

 

So I have to say I am so jealous of you all that you got to watch General Conference this week, we get to watch it this weekend at the stake center with the rest of our stake I am so excited! I really feel that I took it for granted when I was younger and through high school.  How blessed are we to be able to hear the words of a living prophet of God, Talaga?!That is something I am really looking forward to this weekend:) 

We have transfers tomorrow....and....I'm staying here in Cogeo as well as my beloved trainer. Transfers are so crazy you have no idea what is going to happen, any four of us in the apartment could have gone.  Sister Fuertes was the only one to go she is packing her things as we speak, we won't know till tomorrow what area she is being transferred too.  Sister Taupale is going to be training so I'm not the new one in the house and our district anymore! yay ha-ha We will meet her tomorrow.  If you aren't transferring you don't go to the big transfer meeting where everyone goes to collect their new companions etc.. but sister Sabiano and I are going because..  I'm singing at the meeting with sister Taupale.   So that should be fun and Sister Wilson will be there and I'm VERY excited to see her it's been 5 weeks!  Thanks for all the updates mom I was actually going to ask you how Cole was doing ha-ha but that's great that things are going better for him.  And I cant believe Kyle gets to hang out with David Archuleta on his mission what the heck?! I am so jealous! the Filipinos here in the wards loveee him  they always listen to his music on their phones, I always hear it playing.  But that is way cool jellyy ko!

 I have no doubt that Amelia is passing me up, in all the pictures you send she looks sooo tall.. ano bayen! So glad to hear that she made elite, congrats Amelia! I love you and wish I was there to see your concerts but I know you will do great as usual:)

 Also shout out to Aunt Emily, I am so happy for you and I hope you enjoy one of the most special days of your life I'll be thinking about you and wishing you the best on your wedding day:) Taylor is a lucky guy! I love you!

 

Well family....ha this has been a crazy week, I really don't know where to begin!  Last week on our p day after I emailed we had a district activity and we went out to the elders area to this resort which was about a 30 minute jeepney ride from our area.  Tons of missionaries have gone there for activities so we didn't see a problem with it.  Anyways it was absolutely GORGEOUS. You can stand on these decks that look out over rolling hills of green mountains I felt like I was in Ireland for a little bit :0) a breeze was blowing and someone was playing the guitar down in the mountains somewhere and it was so peaceful and  beautiful oh my goodness it was so cool! We didn't stay long cause we had to catch a jeepney going back or we were going to be stranded out there, but we couldn't find sister Taupale and sister Fuertes.  She had fallen off this rope bridge that they had there it was about 4 feet but sister Taupale is VERY prone to injuries. she has been to the hospital 4 times in the last 2 transfers, she fell off a moving tricycle last month and she has problems with her heart but this is her last transfer on her mission so they haven't sent her home yet.  Anyways she sprained her ankle and we all got in the jeepney, then she passes out on the ride home and starts breathing really weird so we told the driver to take us to the hospital.  so he's laying on the horn flying down the streets of Antipolo and we get to the hospital but they were completely useless. The only good hospital is St. Lukes and that was another 30 minutes away.  This hospital was so lousy that they didn't even help us get her into a taxi so we all wheel her out on a stretcher and pull her into a taxi she's still out cold.  So we all pack into this taxi van and I'm squished in the back part squatting on the floor with Sister Fuertes Elder Sommer and Elder Mondejo.  15 minutes into the ride S. Fuertes gets car sick cause the driver is swerving all over the place so we can get there faster and she throws up in the back and then I feel my butt all wet cause it came over to my side ha-ha so I'm sitting in her throw up and sister Taupale is passed out and we are all freaking out.  We were at the hospital till 1am.  Sister Taupale is doing fine now We don't know exactly what happened but she was passed out for a good hour and a half it was really freaky.  Everyone agreed that it was one of the craziest nights most of us had had on our missions so far, and it happened that it was in my first transfer in the mission  of course!  Definitely an eventful day for all of us  but everyone is doing fine no worries:)   

I tried balut this week! Sister Fuertes loves them so we bought a few on the way home one night cause she was in our companionship for a few days while S. Taupale was at the missionary resource center resting for a few days. Yup... I ate balut and it actually wasn't that bad I just freaked out cause I looked down and saw that I had bit into the body part ewww!! It actually tasted fine it was just the fact that I knew I was eating a boiled baby duck!

Another cool eating experience... when we had our service project for this week and they fed us after we were done.They just laid out two huge banana leaves  and spread rice all around and ulom (anything you put on top of rice, which is everything but rice pretty much ha-ha)  yah everyone just gathers around and just starts eating with their hands.  They all taught me how to do it the right way ha-ha I didn't know their was a specific way to eat with your hands??  It was so weird ! You just pack it with your fingers and than flick it into your mouth with your thumb.  We had cooked fish just chilling in the center and everyone just grabs chunks with their fingers and eats it.  It was definitely a new experience for me. 

We had a temple tour this week and we invited Tatay Nemejio and Jaimie to come and they did.  It was so  great to bring them and have them feel of the spirit that was there.  Especially because Tatay has been trying to get his answer about all that we have been teaching him.  So yesterday we asked him how he had felt about it and he said he really enjoyed it and he felt something really good inside :) He has been coming to church every Sunday and this past Sunday we had testimonies and one of our ward missionaries bore his testimony and the spirit was strong and Tatay actually told us that while listening to Brother Marks' testimony he received the answers he was looking for and he knows that all that we are teaching him is true.

    Tatay and Jamie with Sister Sabiano and Me! Yay...Good Day!

Family, never be afraid to bare your testimonies at any opportunity and when the spirit prompts you because you never know who could be listening and what your testimony can do for them.  You could be the answer to some ones prayer :) It has been a great blessing being here and watching people change their lives for the better and accept our Savior into their lives.  This plan that God has for us is so special and so wonderful and everyone deserves to hear the message we have to share.

I have really been doing great here on the mission! Of course it's hard everyday and we return home completely exhausted but as I'm reflecting over the days it is all worth it.. I love being here.  I love you guys so much. Thank you for all your prayers I truly am feeling them, cause when things get hard and I get frustrated something inside pushes me to keep going and I know it is from all the supporters I have back home.  I love you all, please be safe:) have a great week and listen to the spirit!
Love Sister Jones

 Our apartment from the outside. We are bottom right.

 Our zone

 Ward missionaries and investigators goofing around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

I'm feeling like a real Filipino missionary now.

 

                                                Hello Po!! Mahal ng araw!! Happy Easter!

So glad to hear that your talks went well for Easter Sunday Mom and Dad  :) I only have an hour to email today so I'll have to print out the rest of your email and read it later at home so I’ll comment on the stuff you guys said next week okay, because I need to email the mission president as well within this hour.  We individually email him every week and tell him how our week went etc.. Sigh!

 So I'm not going to lie yesterday I was sobre missing you guys cause it was my first holiday out in the field ha wierrrdd! And it really felt like any other day unfortunately nothing special even church wasn't much different and we just went out and taught lessons again after so it really was just like any other Sunday in the mish and I was just thinking about you guys and what you were going to be doing today.   Moral is that I missed you all tons! Love the pageant pictures and I know the feeling you’re having that it is all over it's so sad! Parrooo..I encourage you both to keep that feeling in your heart and carry it for as long as possible and let it give you that push to continue doing things that will let you have those feelings all the time! Scripture study and daily prayer will do that I promise because that’s how I feel every day after I've done my daily studying it just propels me forward and I’m excited to get out and share what I’ve learned for myself through studying

 I'm glad you enjoyed my pictures :) ha-ha yeah we have to cross that bridge twice a week.  Each time we cross I just picture in my mind one of those action movies where the bridge snaps and they hang on for dear life and swing to the edge! But it's pretty sturdy actually, it may not look like it but we are always very careful and only 2 people can cross at a time.

I'm feeling like a real Filipino missionary now ha-ha I'm getting really tan..lol I have serious tan lines on my feet from my shoes and also my wrist from my watch. I’m just getting used to everything like the bucket showers and the bugs, I’m getting good at washing my clothes by hand which takes forever and my hands are all raw afterwards but no worries! I love the food here and it's treating my body a little better but I still have my moments, so does sister Sabiano.  We were laughing last night because random moments throughout our studies or in the middle of the night one of us will jump up and run out of the room holding our stomachs and yelling "I have to go to the CR! (Bath room)" ha-ha! We are really getting close and are always laughing together and I’m learning how to become a better missionary under her care. I'm sobre grateful for her. 

 This week was a little tough ugh..because of Easter a lot of families aren’t home so we found no new investigators this week which is depressing but...we now have 14 investigators with baptismal dates woohoo!! Some of them are going to be tough to prepare for their dates though because it's sobre hard to get them to come to church.  First off, our ward meets at 8am which is really hard for people to get up and there on time, some live high up on mountain tops and they have to hike quite a ways to church, but mostly a lot of them just don't have money to ride a jeepney or tricycle which is a bummer but we keep telling them that if they have a sincere desire to come and really put forth an effort to save money throughout the week to come that the lord will provide!

We have some investigators who are absolutely wonderful and they are really progressing and doing the things we ask them like reading the book of Mormon and praying to know if what we teach is true.  I'm so excited for Maricris and Rafael (mentioned them 2 emails ago I think) they are saving up money to get birth certificates so that they can be married before their baptism.  And then Tatay Emijio and Jaime they came to church again and both want to get baptized.  We bought them a picture of the Quezon City temple and they hung it up in their house.  We have a temple tour on Saturday so we are excited to bring them to see it in real life :) 

The language is coming along slowly. I feel myself getting better but I still have a hard time knowing what people are saying. I feel like I haven't progressed in that area much at all since I've been here.  But I hear it's like that for a lot of missionaries.  Just can't wait till it really starts coming, most people say it's around the 3rd or 4th transfer where it all starts making sense and you can really start speaking well.  Ughhh I just can't wait! It's a constant thing that I just have to keep reminding myself every day that it will come and to be patient.  So I’m just trying to not let it bother me and just say what I can say, and then after the lesson Sister Sabiano fills me in on what I didn't understand.

I need to wrap this up now so I'll try to send a few more pics next week.  Happy Easter my family I miss you and Love you bunches and bunches. Be safe and listen to the Spirit :) I feel like Sister Melchin when I say that because she would always yell it to Sarah Michelle and me as we were running out the door to go meet with friends ha-ha.  Mahal ko Kayo! Ingat! 

 

Love, Sister Jones

 

Sister Sabiano fell asleep after we came home after one long day ha-ha. We had just walked through the door and I was only gone for 5 minutes washing up. and I came up and she was totally passed out haha. 

 

p.s. tell Sarah I’m learning how to cut pineapples this week ha-ha! 

 

Oh yeah -

I need more money put into my account.  I need to buy a proselyting bag.  My shoulder bag is killing my shoulder as we walk.  It's nice for church and meetings but not for out walking for 8 hours ha-ha. I’m buying a bag next week at transfer meeting, it clips around your waist, all the missionaries have them here and it will be tons better on my shoulder.  Its 500 pesos which is about 25 dollars in U.S. money.  I only get 3000 pesos every two weeks  :^O  It’s not enough!  1500 of it goes to traveling around.  I will probably buy some food from my card too cause we were STARVING this week. We ran out of money ha-ha. Thank you!!