Ammah's Day after Christmas Letter. See all her pictures in the Blog below this one!

 

Hello Family and Friends! 

Well yesterday was awesome cause I got to talk to my awesome family,  Ever since then I've just been playing it over in my head.  I don't even feel like it really happened ha I feel like it was a dream, a really awesome Dream! But it was so nice and everyone looks so good:) 

 

I did have a pretty great Christmas and I wasn't really to homesick much.  We had some families that had us over for Dinner and pretty much every appointment we went to on Christmas Eve and on Christmas, they all gave us so much food.  Last night I felt like I was gonna puke, so stuffed! The families are so  awesome though and I already feel like some members here are part of my family.  One of them is Shyla, she's a member and I already feel like we are best friends,  she comes and works with us often and she wants to serve a mission too.  She started crying yesterday when we gave her our christmas present and card, cause her family is far away right now so we are basically like her family. And she wrote me a card as well and it was the sweetest thing ever and I'll keep it forever! 

We also spent all Christmas visiting investigators and giving them cards we made and a little gift comprised of The living Christ, The Family Proclamation and a Family History Paper.  Hopefully they all like it and can feel our love for them:) 

Well I'm pretty much loving this area and loving my companion sister Campbell.  She is from Idaho and she's crazy! haha we get along so well and I'm excited for all the work we will do this transfer.  Since we are Sister Training Leaders (STL's) we don't get to work in our area very much so the days we do have in our area are precious.  We decided to stay this week to spend Christmas with the families in our ward and starting next week we will start traveling around the mission and visiting the Sisters doing 24 hour splits with them.  I'm really excited! Some weeks we have 4 days in a row where we don't come home and just keep traveling and spending the night at the sisters houses.  It's a lot of work! and everyday in a different area ha but I'm excited to see the other areas of the mission and meet some of the sisters that I don't know to well.  It will be great:) 

The ward here is awesome and I already feel right at home.  This past week we have gotten so many referrals from the members, and they come with us and introduce us to their friends and families who are non-members.  They are awesome and working so hard to share the gospel with their friends:) awww.  It helps a lot because we won't have a lot of time to go out tracking and finding in our own area so we are getting new investigators from the Members, hallelujah! and some of them are so prepared to hear the gospel and they are great potential investigators. and it's so cool because when we talk to them they tell us they are interested because they have seen the examples of the members that they know and they see their families and how close they are and how good their kids are and they want that in their lives.  So Family and friends, you never know who is watching you but always be a good example and share the gospel through the things that you do because I know people see it and  they wonder about how they can receive the blessings that you have. AND don't be afraid to ask them if they would like the missionaries to come over and share with them more.  Members are a key instrument in Missionary work, I've realized that hear and I'm so grateful to the members who have been helping us, I'm so proud and excited to be in this ward:) 

Again to my family, it was so great to talk to you yesterday and I love you more and more every week and every letter and I can't believe it's almost been a year since I've seen you! so crazy! 

Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year Everyone! Maligayang Pasko at Masaganang Bagong Taon sa inyo lahat! Mahal ko kayo:) I love you! 

nagmamahal, Sister Ammah Jones

Mom-enjoy the thousands of pictures haha! I told you I had a lot:) just remember to save them..please:) love u! 

TONS OF PICTURES FROM AMMAH!!!

 

 Ammah and her brand new Sister Trainer Leader Companion Sister Campbell from Idaho, but she is Filippino. Ha.

 Ammah loves the kiddies

 Apartment in Pateros (she just left her)

 Sights she she's each day

 Ammah and Sister Dicisons Christmas Cards.

 Mrs Shyla and her family, our hosts for  Christmas Eve, we had dinner and she gave us all presents.

 Recent baptized girl and her little cousin that Ammah adores

 My new house is a Condominium and we are on the 7thfloor walk up, it has a pool and a basketball court in the basement. Am I still in the Philippines. Someone pinch me. We have a shower too!

Our Condo. Nice huh???? 

 Me and Sister Campbell on our Christmas Eve at Shyla's house

 Everyone dresses up for Christmas Parties here. I know weird...We went as "Sr. Companions" haha...Mom says I look like Granny Jones

 All my little friends from Pateros

 Two little boys of new members. We gave them piggy banks to save for their missions and put pesos in it when we see them.

 Me and Sister Dickison.

 The streets in my neighborhood

 I love the Pateros Ward

 Little primary girls who did the crazy Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie number for primary program. HAHA...only in the Philippines.

 Our little Punks from Pateros. haha

 Cute Puppy that looks just like Ruby when she was a puppy.

 More Christmas Eve

 Sister Sabiano, My first comp when I got here

 Sister Tereke...aka...Pocahontas Her hair goes all the way to her knees.

 Me and my new STL comp Sister Campbell. She is Awesome

 Sister Sabiano. Mom sent her a Christmas box and she is wearing the top and necklace that were her gifts in the box.

 Sister Campbell killing our companion with cockroach spray. Not really. haha.  

Hello Family and Friends!!

First off Thank You for all of the Birthday Wishes:) I can't believe I'm turning 22 I'm getting old! haha jokelang but really! Since tomorrow is transfer day we are celebrating tonight, we are going to pick up a cake on the way home and have a small party later tonight with the other 4 sisters who live in our same apartment complex.  One of them has a birthday as well this week on the 19th so we are celebrating it all together.  So it should be fun:) 

Whew! I don't even know where to start because this week has been crazy great and so many things have happened.  First off, Transfers! I got a call from President Revillo on Sunday night and he asked if I would accept the calling to be one of the new Sister Trainer Leaders in the mission.  So because of this it means that I will be transferred and will become companions with Sister Campbell who is currently a STL.  I'm so excited because I love her and I actually just worked with her last week on Thursday for the day and we just work so great together and talked the whole day while working so we already know each other pretty well now haha:) Happy Day!  I'm a little nervous for this new calling it's a big responsibility, We have about 25+ sisters in our route and will travel around the mission working with them and doing training. but I am really grateful that I get this opportunity to work with the sisters in our mission and help them in their missionary work.  I hope that I will be able to Strengthen them and be a good example for them.   I am very sad to leave Sister Dickison though:( We were hoping that we would be together one more transfer but I guess the lord has other plans.  She is still in my group of sisters that I am over so I will get to work with her again in these next 6 weeks.  Thank goodness:)  But her new companion is one of my past companions and I know they will get along great! 

 

We had 2 Christmas parties this week, one for the mission and the missionaries and one for our ward.  They were both so fun:) Our mission party was great they even let us watch a movie called "Arthur's Christmas" which was insanely cute and I recommend that you rent it and watch it! It has such a great message:) It made me miss watching movies though haha! All the zones performed skits and they were really funny and some super creative!  Our ward Christmas party was...different...haha! different from the States you will have to ask me about it when we skype hehe but it was fun and the members even brought some non-member friends with them so that was great and we had fun meeting them and talking to them.  We have plans to come to their houses and share a message with them later this week.  It was a costume party too actually (I know weird...cause its Christmas)  but yah so sister DIckison and I dressed as Senior Sister missionaries haha we looked pretty legit and everyone called us "the Lola's" (the grandmothers) all night haha It was fun.  Mom, don't worry I took lots of pics;) 

I am also sad to leave this area, it's really progressing and we have progressing investigators who are going to be baptized in January.  One of them being a 14 year old girl named Angelica.  The family she is living with referred her to us. She is a survivor of Typhoon Yolanda, her school and house and everything got washed away so her family sent her alone here to live with extended family and continue her schooling.  She's very shy and quiet but very kind and sweet and we just fell in love with her! She gets sad sometimes and starts crying if she talks about home or her family, wish I could be here to see her get baptized but it's okay.  I know she will be blessed and find strength and comfort in the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

 

We have also been finding many great families! Yay:) I am so sad to leave them but I know they are in good hands.  During our first lesson with one specific family, the spirit was so strong and by the end of the lesson the Dad in the family and I were crying, he was talking about how much he loves his family and how he didn't know why he had stopped us in the street and asked us to share a message with him.  We shared our testimonies about the special message we had for him and his family and how Families can be together forever, I told him that it was not an accident that he stopped us and that we happened to be there at the right time.  It's just a testimony to me that the Lord truly guides us in everything, he guides us to certain places at certain times for a certain reason.  I'm grateful that I've learned better in my mission how to listen to the spirit and let go of my wants and desires and let the Holy ghost be my guide.  And I'm grateful for this past Transfer and for my companion and our unity in teaching and in the same righteous desires.  

I can't wait to talk to you next week family:) I will email again on my next p-day on Monday, we will work out the specifics more than.  Have a wonderful week and enjoy all the Christmas celebrations coming up, and again thank you for all the Birthday wishes Everyone!  love you! 

Sister Ammah Jones   

December 9

Hey Fam:) 

 

I finally was able to watch Amelia's dance from her concert, Solo and the hip hop one.....I'm speechless...Amelia: where the heck did my sister go?! Why are you so tall now haha and oh my goodness the technique was amazing and I'm so impressed the choreography was beautiful and unique, I'm so proud!:)  Both of you Andelyn and Amelia just look so beautiful up on stage your dances looked so good, Great Job!  I love technology haha It makes me feel like I'm not missing to much. 

Andelyn sounds like you had a great time at the Dance as well, pictures please! and your date looks like a cutey haha.  

 

Well this week we had zone conference, 3 zones were present each has about 25 missionaries in them from around the mission.  Sister Dickison and I sang the musical number for the program haha we were pretty nervous but it went so well.  Heavenly Father helped us out and we were able to bring the spirit to the conference.  We sang "Brightly beams our fathers mercy"  it was the best we had ever practiced it and we got tons of compliments and everyone loved it.  I even got to see Sister Wilson again:) We both can't believe we only have 7 months left, time is flying!  We had a lot of great workshops there and I learned a lot of things.  It's always great listening to the President and his wife speak, I really love President Revillo he just has a strong spirit about him.  

 

This week was good, found a few more investigators and lost a few as well.  It's always discouraging when you've taught people for a while and they just really don't have the desire to be baptized.  I've found that it's always one excuse..."I'm to busy"  I'm to be busy to go to church, I didn't read the book of Mormon cause I had to many things to do.  I can't be baptized in your church cause I'm just to busy.....ughhh After my mission I promise you won't ever hear me say those words!....  All we can do is continue to strengthen their faith and love in our Heavenly Father and maybe they will gain a desire to put the lord first in their lives.  Their are so many things to do in this life and responsibilities we have, BUT most of the things we feel like we need to do are just temporal things that are important just for this life, we need to prioritize the things that are of Eternal importance.  I have always loved the story of Martha and Mary in the new Testament.  Christ comes and is teaching in their house and Mary is sitting at his feet listening while Martha is cleaning and doing chores and preparing food etc..She gets frustrated and asks  Christ to tell Mary to help her but Christ tells her that the things she has chosen to do are good but that  Mary had chosen the better part, which was to listen to the words of the Savior.  That also reminds me of the talk by Elder Dallin h. Oaks about "good, better & Best"  As a missionary this has been something the President and his wife have been talking a lot to us about as well.  Choosing the best way to use our time in the field and being the most productive.  Their is a difference to being "busy" and being "productive".  I love you my sweet family, please remember to always put the lord first and make time for him! 

2 more weeks and we get to skype!!!! Also reminder next week is transfer day so I won't email till Tuesday and I'll be day away from turning 22 what the?! That's pretty crayyyyy haha.  

anywhaysss! Love you guys so so much stay sweet:) 

love Sister Ammah Jones

we've had people literally walk up to us and ask us to please come teach their families and help them have a better life.

Hi Fam:)

ahh sounds like thanksgiving at the beards was great:) I couldn't open some of the pictures but I'm sure they were cute hehe.  

 

This past week has been great, we worked really hard and our numbers showed it.  They were the best we've had all transfer!  We found 22 new investigators this week, in my last letter I said that 20 might happen and we even got 2 more than we thought!! The lord has really been blessing us for opening our mouths and teaching the restored gospel.  Some of it hasn't even been from our own efforts, we've had people literally walk up to us and ask us to please come teach their families and help them have a better life.  ummm...Yah of course!

It feels so good to help people and teach them about our Savior Jesus Christ.  It brings me so much joy and I love feeling so tired and worn out at the end of the day because I know that we worked hard and are doing what the lord would have us do.  This Sunday was also a good one, we had a few investigators come to church, and tons of our more less-active members attended as well, we were so proud:) One of these families is the Lopez family, and I just love them.  We teach the grandparents and all their grandchildren once a week.  They officially are considered active now cause they've come 4 weeks in a row to church.. Yay:) one of the grandkids is my absolute favorite he is 2 years old and his name is Patrick.  He shakes our hands about 10 times each visit he just loves when we come over.  I have a picture of him and his older brother Jef (10yr)  with little plastic piggy banks they are using to put in extra pesos to save up for their missions one day.  Sister Dickison and I donated a few pesos to add to their banks.  They are darling! one day I'll be able to send you the picture when I get my camera card fixed:(

Me and Sister Dickison wished each other Happy Thanksgiving on Thursday and than studied and went to work but on Saturday we went to a birthday party of the anak of our less actives and got stuffed so I guess we will count that as our Thanksgiving dinner ha!.

Also I got to have dinner at Grandma's yesterday......my mission Grandmother! Her name is Karen she was actually the Trainer of my trainer  S. Sabiano so that is why she is my G-ma, she just got married in July and lives with her husband Gilbert in our ward and they are so awesome and feed us every Sunday night.  

 

This past week in my personal studies I've read a lot of talks and scriptures about our Heavenly Father and how great his plan is for us and how well he knows each of his children so well.  It's so amazing that the most powerful being in the universe knows us each by name and has a perfect plan for each one of us.  How Grateful I am for the knowledge that I am a daughter of God, and that I am not forgotten.  Throughout my mission I have felt his guidance and influence so strongly, and my mission has helped my relationship with him grow.  Multiple times each day we are on our knees pleading with him to help us and guide us in his work.  And through that...I've learned to trust in him more...and have more faith in his plan and in his timing.  Jesus taught that the first and great commandment is to love God with all our hearts, if we love him...we will WANT to return to him and that makes us WANT to keep all his commandments.  And has great things in store for those that love him and keep his commandments.  One of my favorite scriptures lately has been in 1 Corinthians 2:9-  "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which the lord hath prepared for them that love him"  We cannot imagine what is waiting for us, but when we understand and study more about who God is...the more we love him...and the more we love him..the more obedient we are to his commandments...and if we are obedient in this life we will receive Eternal Life..that is his promise to us.  

I love you all so much:) Please be safe and be good;) Ingat kayo! 

Love, Sister Ammah Jones