my heart just dropped than he says "because guess where you are going.?."

Sister Magaad and I. I'm going to miss her a ton.

Subject: Weekly Email 03/11/14
Magandang Umaga po Sa inyo lahat:)

Man so much has happened this week on both sides. Andelyn getting her wisdom teeth out (don't worry it gets better Sis:) and all the busy stuff you guys are all doing.

Well This transfer announcements are one of the most shocking I must say ha-ha. I got a call yesterday from the Assistant to the President, he says "Sister Jones how are you liking being an STL?" I say "It's great! I love it!" he says "well...you actually are now being released as STL"  my heart just dropped than he says "because guess where you are going.?." I'm like whaaa?? (there is only one place in the mission where it's impossible to be an STL because it's so far away.....the island of Mindoro)....so I say "Mindoro?"   " yes Sister Jones, you are getting transferred to the island of MINDORO!".... basically it's the last thing that I thought would EVER happen.  There are only a few sisters who get to serve in Mindoro, they only have 4 sisters over there! I never thought I would be one of them ha.....I'm kind of still in shock I really don't know what to think....I'm not gonna be a city girl anymore I'll be in the REAL jungle. But I'm excited for what is ahead of me. I'm a little nervous about going to there to be honest, it's very different from where I've served in the past and it will definitely be something new. But I know that I'm needed there to serve the Lord and I'll go where he wants me to go. Even if it means getting released as STL.  When I got off the phone I just started crying, I really hope that I was able to do what Heavenly Father wanted me to do with this calling. I'm sad to be released, I will really miss the Sisters but I'm glad I had the opportunity to be a part of their missions and hopefully be a good example to them.
It's gonna be hard to leave this area, I have  fallen in love with the members and the investigators here. Just this past week we have had a lot of them really progressing and extending more baptismal dates to them all. The area is  progressing and our investigator Marisel will be getting married and baptized in a few weeks. It's so great and I'm actually glad to leave it like this. I'm proud of the work we've done here, we worked hard to keep up the area even though our time was limited. It is a great area with so much potential. It's probably been one of my favorite areas. I have also really enjoyed being companions with Sister Maagad. She is  humble and patient and teaches with such a great spirit. I have learned many things from her this transfer, and it was great fun to travel around together working with the other Sisters. 
We also had mission tour this past week. Our mission was visited by Elder  Larry J. Echo hawk of the Quorum of the Seventy, he came to observe our mission and give instruction to us from the First Presidency.  It was amazing to hear from him, he spoke a lot about his experiences with the Prophet Thomas S. Monson and about the organization of the quorums in the church and how church leaders are called like our Mission President.  My testimony of the organization of the church was strengthened and I felt the spirit so strong testify to me that this truly is Jesus Christ's Church restored to the earth and that we have a living prophet.  Elder Echo Hawk loves to tell stories and I wish I could write you them all right now ha-ha but that would take forever. He was just so awesome and so was his wife.  She radiated with the Spirit and her testimony is so strong, I want to be a woman like her someday...
Well Tomorrow I will be on a plane flying to Mindoro to serve there with my new companion Sister Acostan, She is also Filipino she's been out for about 8 months in the mission.  And my anak Sister Ika will be there and she is training a newbie so I'm going to have a granddaughter in the mission hehe yay!

 

The economy of Mindoro is largely based on agriculture. Products consist of a wide variety of fruits, such as citrus, bananas, lanzones, rambutan, and coconuts, such cereals as rice and maize, sugar cane, peanuts, fish (catfish, milkfish, tilapia), livestock, and poultry. Logging and the mining of marble and copper also thrive.
Tourism is a lucrative business as well, with locations such as Apo Reef National Park, Lubang Island, Puerto Galera, Sabang Beach, and Mount Halcon. Puerto Galera's beaches are the island's most known tourist attraction and are widely visited.

Family, thank you for your prayers...I really feel peace and comfort and I'm able to be focused on my mission.  I'm just so grateful for you:)  enjoy the pictures, I sent A LOT ha-ha your welcome mom ;)
love you all!
-Sister Ammah Jones

Well Transfers are next week....and I am stressin haha I really really want to stay here.

Hey Fam!

Well the birthday celebrations for Amelia looked fun:D I loved the video, looks like she has a lot of good friends. and I'm excited to hear that Andelyn got her patriarchal blessing, how special, can't wait to hear about it in her letter that will probably come in a million years haha jk. 

Well this week was so good, we did splits with 6 sisters in Antipolo and Pasig City.  I always love being in Antipolo, it's so beautiful and almost kind of provincy.  But I had some great spiritual experiences with them.  While doing splits sometimes it's hard to teach other missionaries investigators and less-actives because it's my first time even meeting them and I don't know what their needs are or what they are struggling with,  because of that I really have to listen to the spirit to know what to say to them. I don't know their needs, but Heavenly Father does, and I know that if I'm an obedient missionary and continue to open my mouth than Heavenly Father will keep his promise to me and fill my mouth with the words and things that they need to hear in order to repent and come unto Christ.  I really know that he has been doing just that, I just teach and things  come and the language just flows.  Than we walk out and I don't  remember half the things I said but I  feel the spirit and I leave knowing that we really helped them. It's such a good feeling...:) I'm  so grateful for the Spirit.  

Well Transfers are next week....and I am stressin haha I really really want to stay here.  We are  working hard and I  absolutely love this area and the ward.  I just want to stay for another 6 weeks, that's all I'm asking! I guess we will see....I would really like to stay with Sister Maagad for another transfer too.  She's a great missionary and we have so much fun together and we are obedient.  She's such a jokester like me and we always laugh with each other haha I've really enjoyed this transfer with her.  The bishopric is so involved in our work, we report to them in counsel every 2 weeks about the work that we are doing.  We talk about each less-active family and bishop gives us suggestions on what we can do to help them come back to church.  On Saturday we saw one of our less-active single adults Gerald and we say, "Gerald, are you coming to church tomorrow?" and he says "Nope...we are all going swimming!" and we say whaaaa?? yep I guess all the families that live in one of our areas that is all less-active, they are all hangin out and going swimming on Sunday instead of coming to church.....I felt like walking over to one of cement houses I was near by and hitting my head against it haha. .We still got some work to do with them I guess ha. But I love them all, most of them are recent members to the church and they used to be really active about a year ago, but because of fair to get to church, and jobs etc... they all slowly are inactive now.  Bishop really wants us to focus on this area and we are planning to have a big FHE with the 6 families there in a few weeks...I'm excited! hopefully I'll still be here. Basically Bishop is awesome and he knows we are busy being STL's so sometimes he and one of his counselors will visit some of the families that we couldn't get to that week.  They are awesome! 

So my computer won't let me upload pics again today so next week na long, sorry:( 

Well I love you guys and just remember next week is transfer day so I won't email till Monday night for you.  My pday will be on Tuesday. I love you please stay safe and know I am thinking about you.  Have a great week! :)

love, Sister Ammah Jones 

A letter from Ammah AND a letter from Sister Sabiano our adopted missionary.

On Sunday, February 23, 2014 10:04 PM, Ammah Jones <ammah.jones@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Kamusta sa inyo lahat!

First off I just gotta say......HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Amelia Bedilia aka Braceface:) hehe Grabe ka your turning 14 years old this week, can't believe it.  But I hope you have a great day and that everyone treats you extra special:) I'll be thinking of you Sis! p.s. the new braces look cute on you;)

Well this week was good, We had 3 days worth of splits with the other sisters and it went great. We worked out in Antipolo and I always love working over their it's so beautiful and it's so cold! We were walking around at night and It was so chilly haha But the sisters their are great and they have lots of great progressing investigators.  Some of the investigators were families that I taught last time we did splits with them too so it was so good to see that they were still listening to the missionaries:)

Our area is doing good, Sister maagad and i have been getting a little bit stressed out because with the responsibility to do splits and we have limited time in our own area so some of our investigators aren't really progressing as fast as we would like and bishop has given us a lot of assignments for this week of visits to do and activities to plan.  Part of the problem is that our area is so huge, it's definately the biggest area i've served in and that i've seen when doing splits in other areas.  But I know that If we continue to be prayerful and ask the lord for help he will help us to keep up the work in our area and keep up with the responsibilities as STL's...working on that Faith principle on the time I tell ya haha:) 
Our workshop at Zone Conference went pretty good everyone enjoyed it.  I also really enjoyed giving it.  I took a picture of part of it I'll send it next week.  Also Sister Sabiano bore her testimony and  I balled through her whole testimony and she talked about her family back home and the Typhoon when it hit Leyte.  She talked about things she learned on her mission and about the support she had from her brother and one of her companions mothers aka you:)  She said with tears streaming down her face "one of my companions mothers has emailed me every week for over half my mission...She became my mother in my mission...and that companions family has become my family" Mom, I'm going to miss her so much.

 

I'm a little short on time today so I'll end this now but just know I love you!

love, Sister Ammah Jones

FROM AMMAH'S 1st companion in the mission and eventually her STL. Sister Trainer Leader.

 She is from Leyte Philippines. A city that was ruined in the hurricane.

 

Good day Jones Family! 

 

Last wednesday was my last zone conference and i bore my testimony ..that is so weird and I met my companion in the MTC that day too..She went home already last week. Our 18 months had passed already and it too fast.. I remember that when  I bore my testimony how the Lord had been always there for me for my preparation and I really felt the hand of Heavenly father and felt that HE really exists and mindful of me.. He sent many people in my life so I can perform my calling in the greatest way  could ever be..During my testimony i hide my feeling and my tears keep running down my cheeks,,.. I want to share with you the miracles I 've seen before my mission and during my mission,..

the day  I started my preparation for my mission......

 At my house my parents will not allow us to read our scriptures, or even listen with the church music.. how many times that my father will try to burn my book of mormon but ended up not doing so.. When he will loose on the cock fight or something bad luck ,trials happened in the family my parents will blame my religion ..one of the superstitious beliefs here in the Philippines is if we will change our religion bad luck happen for the rest of our life..  so whatever happens the blame is always on me and my brother.. he is always angry with us if he will see us working with the missionaries and my parents hated  seeing us wearing our Sunday best...the thing that  I will do is hide my skirts and change at the chapel and work with the missionaries and one night we went home late because we worked with missionaries and it was raining so hard so we didn't go home early.. My father slap my face but I never cried in front of him for knowing that I helped someone that day to be lifted up spiritually.. I don't know what to do with my application to serve a mission so my Missioanry Prep.Class helped me in my process and my bishop is always there for me during my dental and medical..He helped me some of my financial need for my money was not enough..the day that my parents know my application was sent they stopped  sending me to school and they said now I can do whatever  I want..they just sign my papers because they don't want to give any support.. my desire of going to the mission has been increasing through the trials I been encountering.. the night before I will enter the MTC my parents told me that If I will continue serving my mission they will never accept me after my service. That night my father told me that I am not using my brain anymore  that he is totally disappointed with me with all the decisions I am making that days.. THey were so mad at me but that night I could totally see that it is not them ..the parents I know are so kind and loving.. I know that satan that night had hold their hearts.. the same night the missionaries assigned in our ward drop off in our house and just said these words" don't forget that missionary force is on your side" and after saying those words they turn  and leave.. My tears was dropping feeling of Heavenly Fathers love and arms encirlced in me and giving me comfort.. that night I went to one of the member house ( he served also his mission now and his serving also in Quezon City..) this person was a convert and same missionaries taught my brother and me.. he the only member and experiencing the same situation with..HE just bore his testimony to me and he lifted me up seeing his strong faith at that young age.. after talking to him I was really comforted..Arriving at our house everybody was sleeping and i went to all the letters I received ..there  i saw a note from a missionary assigned in our ward ( this missionary was transferred already that time and on his next area he saw my former bishop and give a note for me not knowing why) I read that note again that night there he wrote that " REmember , when you have hard times on your mission , it is better to get on your knees and pray then try to endure and to only complain.. " I prayed to Heavenly Father for almost 6 hours seeking guidance and comfort and  I received it from Him.. The day comes of my entrance to the MTC..when I woke up nobody was at home... I need to be at the Mission Office at 3pm but my money is not yet  enough to travel to the MTC and other things I needed...My Bishop and I went to the city to check if he has money but the bank was offline..we went home no money yet..1:30 pm we went to one of the members house and ask for help..they have money but they need to use it for their fertilizers on the rice fields but they decided to gave it to me because I need it more and they have faith that they can find more the next days..around 2 pm the Mission President called me that in 30 mins in need to be in the office so he can set me apart..I went home and pull my luggage's but nobody was still home..walking away from home the spirit was telling me not to look back for if I do that I will go back and not to serve my mission..that was the most painful thing I ever did but replaced with too much joy knowing that I can serve my mission after all the things that happened.. I saw my bishop crying while  I was leaving ..the day I left home I told my self I will accept what will happen to me but I will strive my very best to be successful on my mission so when I go back my parents saw the happiness i felt during my mission that  I will never feel any regret of my decision..   At the MTC the LOrd provided me the companions who can help me to be more stronger..on my mission the lord gave me companions and mission leaders who will support me and strengthen me. one of the blessings I received  is your family..the family that is very dear to me..the family that heavenly father sent for me in answer to my prayers..no words I can express how  grateful I am to your lovely family.. it is really true that the LOrd will provide someone for us to uplift us and be there for us .. I know that in the Pre-existence the Father knows that I will need you in my life that's why Sister JOnes became my companion.. I have so much joy leaving my mission for I know I will still have the people I love after my mission.. the lord show me how many times in his mighty hand to help me and help me feel that he really exists by sending other people to me..

now, I am so happy leaving my mission,with great courage to move forward, great love for my family and other people and ready to establish a family that can go back to the celestial kingdom.

have a great week..

love,

Sister Sabiano

Philippines Quezon City Mission

August 2012-March 2014

Ammah and her 1st companion and trainer Sister Charmagne Sabiano.

The people that I am serving among at this time are the "Pioneers of the Philippines".

Email 02/17/14 

 

I loved the pictures and the descriptions of your experiences in the new Gilbert Temple, it looks absolutely gorgeous.  I can't wait to see it in person:) I got teary-eyed hearing about you and especially the girls feeling the spirit as they walked through each room.  Temples are so amazing, and we are so blessed to have so many that are close to us in Mesa. 

This week has been so great, i've recieved revelation for myself on how I can make the most of my time left here in my mission.  We had Stake Conference and there was so many wonderful talks that were so uplifting.  President Revillo was there for both adult sessions and gave some great talks and I really felt the spirit.  The first session on Saturday was kind of like a testimony meeting, President Revillo, and Elder Pajaro and his wife (member of the seventy) shared with us the stories of their conversion.  The great thing about the members in the Philippines right now, is that most of them are converts to the church, everyone has a great story of the missionaries coming to their house and teaching them the gospel.  52 years ago President Gordon B. Hinckley came to the Philippines and opened it up for missionary work. The people that I am serving among at this time are the "pioneers of the Philippines".  So many of them joined the church against family wishes and have been disowned from their families, here, tradition is HUGE.  Basically whatever religion your parents are is what you will be till you die.  The members here have given up much to join the The Church of Jesus Christ.  Elder Pajaro cried through his story of joining the church and how he will never forget the missionaries who taught him.  And I just sat their with my eyes brimmed with tears as each person bore their testimonies about missionaries and just thanked Heavenly Father in my heart that I get to be part of this great work in the Philippines.  The church is growing rapidly here and I get to be a small part of it...wow:)  

The Stake Conference was just what I needed, I have been feeling a little discouraged lately with some of our investigators so it made me feel better and gave me the pick-me-up that I needed.  We just don't have many progressing investigators right now and i've been getting a little frustrated.  I try so hard to be patient and I feel the spirit when we are teaching and I just pray that they are feeling it too and realize the precious knowledge that is right in front of them.  Sometimes I just want to grab them by the shoulders and be like "come on! you know it's true!" haha but that would not be something the Savior would do now would it. We do have Sister Marisel and she could be baptized today she is so prepared, we are just working on getting her married to her live in partner. They are so close! They just need money to get a valid I.D. for one of them for paperwork purposes, they had the money but a month ago Marisel got this huge lump on her throat the size of a tennis ball and had to use the money to go get medication to get rid of it.  So now it's almost gone and they are starting to save up again.  So it's a slow process....but she goes to church every Sunday and is over half way done with the Book of Mormon...She's so awesome!

This week we have zone conferences with 4 other zones so half of the mission will be there and Me and sister Maagad were asked to give an hour workshop during it.  Oi haha thats about 100 missionaries! So we've been preparing for that and i'm actually super excited, it's about Tips to overcoming companionship differences (aka: marriage prep class hehe!) joke! I think it will go well, but pray for us anyways! We are also the musical number as well,  Me sister Maagad and another sister in our zone will be singing Consider the Lilies with a sister from another zone playing the piano for us.  Hopefuly it all goes well:)

well times up I gotta go! love you guys so much!

till next week, mahal na mahal ko kayo!

love, Sister Ammah jones

From Mom: My talk about Ammah's mission this past Sunday

To anyone who is interested. I was asked to speak in church this past Sunday about Ammah's mission and I thought... if nothing else it will be part of her blog so she has it forever. For those of you that are not members of the LDS church. We do not have a Pastor or Bishop or Priest that gives a sermon from the pulpit every week. That happens occasionally, Instead the members are invited to speak on different gospel principles ie..prayer, tithing, scripture reading, genealogy, Christs life, Service...etc....you get the picture.  So this is my talk, I printed it out but tried to use it just as notes as much as I could.

 

Hello,

 Most of you know who I and my family are, for those of you who are new. My husband David Jones and I have been married for  23 years and we have 3 lovely daughters, our oldest daughter Ammah is serving a mission in Quezon City Philippines which is basically Manilla the Capitol of the Philippines.

Her mission has consisted of jungle,

 rain forest,

 mountains,

outer city and inner city.

 

My talk assignment today is” how I think my missionary has been changed for the good while serving and…how we as a family have been blessed by her serving her mission.

Before Ammah left on her mission, Her life consisted of

friends,

the singles ward, and activities with them

her job at the Hospital,

school,

reading the newest Hunger games or Harry Potter book

playing her guitar and learning new songs for her band,

shopping for a new outfit,

trying out a new hair style,

what boy she was going out with or trying to get rid of

going to movies and events

and sleep since she worked nights.

 

In  comparison….Now her life is about everyone else but herself.

here are just a few things that I have loved hearing from her. And I think I might need to frame them.

 

1.  Apparently….My husband and I are NOW the best parents there EVER was and she appreciates and loves us so much more than she ever knew she did before she left.

 

2. She cherishes our advice….What?? Yup…she wrote that in a letter home while asking for our advice about what to do when she gets home in July.

 

3. All the pictures she has sent home show a Sparkling apartment with beds made, not a stitch of clothing on the floor and the desks are always neatly organized. I even asked several of her companions if Ammah is messy? Apperantly she is very organized. Yeah…that’s a change. I can’t wait to see that change in person and I hope that one sticks for life.

 

On a more serious note: I have realized that her life really has done a 180 degree turn because her life is all about serving others with no thought to herself.

 

Gone is the trendy hairstyle…which has been replaced by a sweaty pony tail.

 

 Her hot shower has been downgraded to a bucket and a ladle,

 

Her novels have been replaced by her scriptures and Preach My Gospel manuals

 

Her movie night consists of lds.org Bible videos during her emailing time each week, or church movies when there is allotted time.

 

 Her comfy bed has been replaced by a bug net covered bunk bed with only a sheet for a cover

 

 And, her fun high heels have been replaced by rubber clogs that clean up easily with a little hose water.

 

But those are all physical or monetary things that have changed for her.

 

From the beginning I could see an instant love for the Filipino people growing.

 

When the Typhoon hit the Philippines in November last year,she wrote about her deep sadness for all the loss of life and stated “these are MY people, and I love them with all my heart”.

 

All she cares about now is her investigators, the less actives, how she can get them to church,  the sister missionaries she is over as a Sister Trainer Leader, her next work shop she has to plan for, the children in her ward and helping them stay strong in the church and prepare to serve missions themselves. She even gave several young boys piggy banks to start saving for their missions and adds pesos to their banks whenever she visits them.

 

She prays for miracles to happen for new members and investigators and is elated when she sees that a miracle has happened.

 

While she was sick with Dengue fever last month she wrote/ Quote”

”I’m so upset:(  we had 4 companionships to do splits with this week and another workshop to give.  I didn't sleep at all last night because my body just hurts and I was uncomfortable and cried half the night cause I was sooo sick of having a fever and I was really looking forward to working with the sisters this week.”

 

It’s as if her illness was just a total nuisance that was getting in the way of her service.

 

She has learned how to work. Now, I should tell you that she was working a 40 hour work week for 2 years before she left on her mission and was going to school part time so she knows how to be busy and work hard but working in the mission is a whole different kind of work. It’s Sun up to Sun Down and all she thinks about even in her sleep which she wrote home about several months into her mission. Quote:“Funny story, I have been having a hard time sleeping since I've been in the mission field I wake myself up at 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 because I wake her up with my talking too, I did this a little before the mission but now that I'm in the mission it is a lot worse.   I think its worse because I go to bed so exhausted every night.  Hopefully it doesn't keep going on cause it's embarrassing!”

 

She feels immense responsibility to find people to share the gospel with and hurts when things don’t progress. She has had to learn a lot about moving on and leaving an investigator alone for a while. She wrote in a letter…”Quote”

 

 “Some of the investigators we have had… we have had to drop because they aren't progressing...it's so so sad when we have to decide to drop someone.  We don't completely say goodbye to them though we just "put them on a shelf" so to say.  Maybe it's just not their time right now and that's okay.  I  pray that someday they will think about the things we have taught them and maybe some missionaries in the future will find them again when they are prepared. For right now we have to use the lords time wisely and find those who have been prepared to hear the gospel right now.  One of these is a 14 year old boy Erwin whom I have taught since my 2nd week in this area.  I have so much love for that kid and a week ago we had to say goodbye.  We still visit and say hi to him, but my eyes watered as we left that house...I pray for him every night.  hmm.. but that's the life of a missionary though.  You find those prepared and than the ones that are not so prepared and you love them all.”

 

 

That is my favorite sentences she has written home. It is such a humble jumble of words.

  

Something else I have noticed in her is how humble she has become. She recently took part in the teaching and baptism of a 92 year old woman.

She had been taking discussions for 40 years from other missionaries.

3 children out of 4 of her own children had converted many years ago

 

At the baptism the women's family kept thanking Ammah and her companion for finally teaching their mother in a way that helped her accept the gospel and be baptized. They kept patting their cheeks and hugging them but Ammah wrote home that it really had nothing to do with her and her companion. It was all the seeds sown by previous missionaries over a 40 year period of time and living with her different member children's homes and their good examples of being happy in the gospel that compelled her to finally take the step towards baptism.

It has been such a blessing in our lives to have Ammah serving the Lord for this past year. We have grown closer as a family and have become more involved in the missionary work ourselves. My two daughters have invited several non member friends to join them for activities, YW’s, church, seminary, invited them to baptisms and to the Gilbert Temple open house. We have even had the most amazing experience with Amelia’s friend Jade who was baptized 4 months ago and now she is the president of her beehive class in young women's in her very own ward. Even a few nights ago we had a long discussion where we answered questions about the Temple and our beliefs with a friend of Andelyns at our Kitchen table over bowls of ice cream.

 I’m not sure but I feel as though our family has caught the missionary spirit since Ammah has been gone and we have all really enjoyed inviting people to partake of the gospel.

I have noticed

Her letters seem to draw us closer as a family and with each of our own relationships with Ammah, The girls write her with question and want advice and can’t wait for Ammah to receive their letters and they are impatient for her to send letters back to them.

 

She has even counseled me a few times when I have had issues or problems. Wow have the tides turned.

 

We also have enjoyed working Ammah’s mission into different conversations, It is a wonderful way to head a conversation with a new acquaintance  in a gospel oriented direction.

The same thing has happened with her blog. Sisterammahjones.blogspot.com

We have found that  many people not in our family and not members of the church are addicted to her letters home, and even remind me that I’m late posting her latest letters home to her blog.

Her serving a mission helps us to want to be better people. To try harder in our lives to live the gospel principles. If our daughter can give 18  months  solely to the Lord…what can we be doing at home. Sadly…I  think our efforts pale in comparison but we do keep trying and that is all God expects of us. To never give up, I have read several times in Ammah’s letters that “this is going to be the hardest 18 months of my life but I can do it and I can do it with a smile in my heart.

I am grateful I have been asked to share these things with you all today and I hope you have felt the spirit in these words.

 

 Shannon Jones

 

 

I was talking to them in Tagalog and I convinced them that I was born in the Philippines in Cebu,

Hello Family! 

Man sounds like you guys have been doing lots of fun stuff, I'm glad the NAU trip went good and the girls did good dancing:) wow and so many fun activities coming up for the young women too, how fun! Hopefully I'll be blessed to be able to work with Young Women when I'm older. 

Well this is going to be pretty short I feel like I just emailed you yesterday. We had MLC (Missionary Leadership Counsel) this week.  It was great, I love being able to see the “behind the scenes” of the mission.  Every time I attend I just see the love that President Revillo has for his missionaries and for this mission.  It's great to be able to be a part of the counsel and be able to give suggestions and opinions.  

Sister Maagad and I have been working hard still finding houses. This past Saturday we found a bunch of families across the river that we really wanted to meet.  They are all such great families and I instantly just feel like I’ve known them forever haha.  I love the Filipino culture; they just love visits and are so nice and homey. The only bad part is that everyone feels like they need to feed us and my companion is allergic to anything chicken (eggs etc..) so if they cook something she can't eat they look at me like 'okay, now you need to eat for the two of you' haha! nooo!!! 

 

There are still so many people for us to find this week, so we will continue to work hard! :) Missionary work is great! I just feel blessed every day that I am a part of this great work.  We worked with one companionship this week and it went good, we visited one family in their area.  The mother was a past investigator and we were re contacting her.  She invited us in and her 3 children were immediately hanging on my legs and hugging me haha they were the cutest things ever! I was talking to them in Tagalog and I convinced them that I was born in the Philippines in Cebu, and didn't know how to speak English.  haha they were so funny they really thought I was serious. 

The children that thought I was from Cebu Philippines. haha...

 

I guess that's a compliment, it must mean my Tagalog is pretty good;)  But the mom was really nice and we had a good conversation with her about how she felt about what the missionaries had taught her in the past and she loved how it was all about Christ and strengthening families.  I knew I probably wouldn't see her again so I just bore my testimony before we left about what the missionaries had taught her before was true and to please continue to listen to the missionaries because they would lead her to great happiness that she hadn't experienced yet.  She smiled back at me and said she would.  The one thing that is hard about being an STL is that I teach so many people in other sisters areas only once and we have such great lessons and the spirit is so strong but then I never get to see those people again and don't really know what happens to some of them.  But, it's such a blessing to teach so many people even outside of my assigned area.  I just love everything about my mission:) 

 Our apartment, our bedroom is the door on the right.

Our bedroom.

I’m glad to hear you are all doing great! I love you so so much! Stay safe always please:) 

p.s. my companion laughs exactly like Sarah Beatrice Porter it's kinda freaky! But I love it haha. 

"Live so that those who know you, but don't know him(Christ), Will want to know him...because they know you...."

  

Hey Fam! 

 

Well sounds like things at home are going good, the girls are busy with dance as usual, and the tap dance looks so great! It should do well in competition I’m thinking :) Mom thanks for all the great pictures, short videos and the updates. Jade, thanks for the little message I loved it! Keep up the missionary work your doing so good, remember by small and simple things are great things brought to pass (Alma 37:6-7);) 

 

Well this week was full of great miracles and special memories. Nanay Romana and Shyla were baptized on Friday:) it was such a great day and the largest baptism I’ve ever been to in the Philippines.  All of Nanay's children were there along with her great and great great grandchildren.  The baptism service was wonderful with great talks and a musical number from the Missionaries (us) and her children and grandchildren.  After Nanay was baptized we ran back and saw her in the bathroom she had a big smile on her face and kept saying "masirap ang pakiramdam ko" (I feel so good inside) awe... she was so cute!

 

Sister Campbell (my last companion and Nanay’s missionary too) got permission from President to come back and see the baptisms, it was so good to see her again I felt like it had been forever ha! Nanay’s family and children kept coming up to us and hugging us and kissing our cheeks saying over and over how grateful they were to us for teaching Nanay and that we taught in a way that helped her feel the spirit and accept the gospel. 

 

Sister Nanay, Sister Campbell and Me at the baptism 

Shyla and Nanay in the baptism clothes.

 All the new converts being baptized that day, there were 3 of them

 I just adore Shyla, she will be a wonderful missionary some day

I guess the missionaries have been coming to her house for over 40 years now and she never accepted it till now.  I know it doesn't have to do with us though, over the years while living with her different children and watching their good examples softened her heart to the gospel and it took until now for her eyes to be opened and to see what great truth she had in front of her, sister Campbell and I were lucky enough to be here and help her along.  I feel blessed to be a part of this miracle that has happened.  You should have seen the faces of her children, they were so happy that they are one step closer to an eternal family, and they have been waiting for years. The whole service I watched their faces as they dabbed at tears and had smiles on their faces. The gospel of Jesus Christ truly blesses families:)  Nanay even bore her testimony of the gospel and about our Prophet Thomas S. Monson and about the Restoration through Joseph Smith.  We were so proud! It was such a good day, one that I won't ever forget:) 

 

This transfer has started out so great; I love my new companion Sister Maagad.  I can really feel a strong spirit in our companionship and we have been obedient with our time and our studies.  She is a great teacher and I'll learn many things from her this transfer and we will do great work in this area and... I can already feel my Tagalog improving too, when we walk we talk in Tagalog which is something I didn't do much before because I’ve had American companions for the last 9 months. It feels so good! 

 

I've been a little stressed lately leading the area, since I was sick my last transfer and we didn't have much time to work in our own area I’m not familiar with the area sooo I've been leading us around and we are trying to find the less-actives houses and investigators houses that I’ve never been too.  It’s very hard to find houses here. The addresses are just enough to get us to the general area and then we have to ask around about 10 times and the neighbors eventually lead us to people we are looking for. But it's fun because it gives us reasons to talk to more people and start conversations about the gospel.

 

I love love love this ward and this area, it's definitely the biggest area I've been in, and so many people which I love! The auxiliary leaders are great and help us; they really care about the missionary work and the less actives here. I hope to stay here for a while :) 

 

We worked with Sister Sabiano and Sister Welling a few days ago; it was strange to be the STL (sister trainer leader) for my own STL haha.  But it was so good to talk to S. Sabiano, I will miss her so much when she leaves, she only has 5 weeks more:( I’m gonna cry! I’m just glad I get to see her often before she leaves.  I really enjoyed working with Sister Welling, she's a beautiful missionary and has such a sweet and inspired spirit :) I feel very blessed to be surrounded by such great missionary sisters, every time we do splits with other sisters no matter how long they've been in the mission  I learn from them.

 

I love you all so much and I’ve been keeping you each in my prayers, I pray for each of your needs and think of you often every day, I’m always so happy to hear of your efforts to share the gospel, I heard a quote the other day that I really liked it says

"Live so that those who know you, but don't know him(Christ), Will want to know him...because they know you...."

 

Always be an example and others will see and will want to know what makes you a little different:) Keep being wonderful, Mahal kita! 

This is Quin (we call her chacha) hehe she is definately the chubbiest 3 year old Ive ever seen and she has quite the attitude let me tell you oh, and she speaks like an adult! I'm guessing she's probably around 70 pounds.  She's so big and when we visit her family (mom:member Dad:investigator) all she does is open the fridge and grab the liter bottle of sprite and chuggs it haha oh gosh... but she's so cute!!!

Love, Sister Ammah Jones 

p.s. I’m still doing great, I think I’m back to full strength now...I just need to not get bit again and I’ll be okay! Thanks for your prayers!