Out east to Naco-nowhere =D

Hey y'all!
I was transferred to Nacogdoches Texas! The work here is so different
than it is in the city, but it is so much fun! Now I feel like I
really am in Texas! We are the farthest out sisters area! It is a
very humble area. The personality here is great! I already love the
people so much! This is the oldest town in the entire mission! And the
town part is tiny, but our area is huge, it would take almost an hour
to drive across the whole thing! The people here are SO friendly and
can really really really talk! We spend a lot of time driving and a
lot of time listening to people tell stories. We are becoming pros in
the art of interrupting...
The Ward is very very small number wise, many of the less actives
don't come to church because it is so far away from them. So
geographically it's huge.

My companion is sister Ricks. She is from Springville Utah. She is
awesome we get along so well! I can tell this is going to be a great
transfer! She is such a hard worker! We are so motivated and excited
to kick up the work in Nacogdoches.  We have already seen so many
miracles! Our investigators pool has doubled in one week!

Bre and Luv: two SFA college students we teach, they have a date for
August 22nd! They are such cute friends =)

Bridgett, Destiny, and Diamond Akridge: family we teach, Bridgett is
the mother of Destiny and Diamond, those girls are SO smart!

Annette: 84 year old sweet woman we taught for he first time yesterday
and set a date with her for August 29th! We aren't sure how much she
understood, but she LOVED our visit and we love her! <3 she just
needs some company, she needs the Ward family!

Jessica: we met her yesterday as well! We knocked on her door and she
let us in without even knowing who we were yet! That's east Texas for
you! She opened up to us and told us her story and cried when we
shared our message! She was such a miracle!

Charity: a less active girl we are working with, she LOVES Disney! She
drew me an Olaf picture! <3

We are also working to get Ashely, Phillip, and Janna to the temple,
they are all three recent converts.

Love,
Sister Jones

Last dinner in The Colony! The Joneses and Alexis were there!

Nacogdoches, TX

1710 E. Starr Ave #111
Nacogdoches,TX 75961

Song Practice

"thank you for loving me enough to cut me down"

hey y'all!

I am leaving The Colony! =(

It broke my heart to hear Elder Langford tell me that I have served my

purpose here in The Colony! I have grown to love this part of the

vinyard so much more than I thought I was capable. I am excited though

to see where the Lord would have me serve next. I will do my very best

and rely on the Lord for all the rest in my new area.

Sister Iona is so ready to take over =) I hope she gets to train soon!

She is amazing, a great example for all missionaries. Taking over the

area will be a wonderful opportunity for her to shine and lead! I am

so excited for her! She is going to dance her culture for our zone

today! =)

I was companions with Sister Chloe Warren for a day! On exchanges

Sister Warren showed our recent convert a video that probably touched

me more than anyone else in the room. It is called "The Will of God."

this video was about a Currant bush. The quote that stood out to me

was "thank you for loving me enough to cut me down" I felt that

Heavenly Father wanted me to see that video and feel that message

before transfers. It is comforting to me to know that being cut down

is a part of God's plan so we can grow into what he wants for us. This

new change allows for more humility and growth, which I am ever

grateful for. I have a wonderful chance to change and repent,

continuous change is what I should strive for.

We had our miracle baptism on Saturday! The spirit was SO strong! The

Less active couple that introduced Alexis to the church were crying

through it. Sister Marsh even gave a beautiful talk and bore a

powerful testimony at the baptism. Alexis bore her sweet testimony as

well.

We also set a baptismal date with two other investigators this week! I

hope I can come back for their baptisms! Carolyn has a new date for

August 1st, and Ramiro has a date for August 15th. I met Ramiro

tracting with Sister Terry 5 months ago and found him again at a gas

station a few dats ago.

Helen called us and told us she wants to be baptized!

We were on our way to an appointment last night and we called out to a

girl walking down the street, but she had her headphones in, so we had

to follow or casually as possible chase after her! When we finally and

slightly awkwardly got her attention she opened up to us and told us

her boyfriend has just died. We shared the message of life after death

and the Savior's atonement and ressurection for us and she started to

cry tears of joy! We hugged this complete stranger in the street. With

the spirit there, she was no longer a stranger to us, but a beautiful

and loved daughter of God. She is so excited to hear more of this

wonderful message of life, love, peace, joy, and hope!!!!

I feel lilke the most blessed Sister alive to have been here for so long!

y'all have a blessed week!

Love,

Sister Jones

I Love The Colony!

Hey y'all!
We have a miracle baptism coming up this Saturday! Alexis is getting
baptized on Saturday at 1 PM. We are so excited for her! she is the
most prepared person I may have ever taught. She started off our
lessons by asking us about how she can be baptized. And what she needs
to do. She came to church for two weeks in a row and we got permission
from the mission present to baptize her before her third time at
church because she wants to be baptized as soon as possible. She is so
excited to learn more about the gospel and she really understands it.
She is 19 years old and is such a sweetheart. She has a really good
values and she is so happy that now she has a foundation and a family
that uphold her values with her. She passed her baptismal interview
after having only had one lesson! We are teaching her every day so
that she can learn everything before Saturday. I am so blessed to be a
missionary in the colony and to be able to experience the joy of
finding the gospel and becoming converted with Alexis. She reminds me
of the great joy that the gospel brings. 😄
We also got to go to the temple with Debbie and Ben to do proxy
baptisms for their family names! It was such a sacred and spiritual
experience. Debbie and Ben described the feeling as an overwhelming
joy and peace. We are so proud of them! Debbie wanted me to do the
confirmations for the baptisms she did, I feel so blessed to have had
the opportunity to aid in the work of salvation not only for her but
for her ancestors! 😊
Sister Iona and I were able to sing in Sacrament meeting yesterday. We
sing Love at Home, it was so pretty! We took turns singing verses,
sister Iona sang in Samoan!
Love,
Sister Jones

Teaching Bennie about the Atonement

Teaching Bennie about the Atonement

Making Cookies for Investigators

Debbie & Ben

Dallas Temple with Debbie & Ben 

Dallas Temple with Debbie & Ben

Dallas Temple with Debbie & Ben

Dallas Temple with Debbie & Ben

Training

Happy July!!!!!

Hey y'all!
This was a crazy week! We send a baptismal date with an investigator
on Monday and by Sunday he totally dropped us! I just goes to show you
can find whatever you're looking for on the Internet. We did have a
lot of miracles though! We had a less active come to the Fourth of
July breakfast and bring a nonmember friend. They both came to church
the next day. Alexis, the nonmember friend, loved church and wants to
come back every single week. She is very excited to learn more!
Caroline is still doing well.  we were able to go over and paint her
nails early this week and we heart attack her on Friday.😊 we will see
if she can progress and make her baptismal date on the 18th.
Jesse Moffett, to Jaderious's dad, is now praying for a baptismal
date. Hopefully this time he will give us a date!
We are also still working with Mary Lynn and Marilouise and Helen.
Josh should receive the priesthood this coming Sunday, we are so
excited for him!
Debbie and then are preparing family needs to take to the temple to do
proxy baptisms for the first time!
Fourth of July was really fun. We didn't have any appointments, but we
were able to stop in on most of our investigators. We had to be in by
nine so we didn't see any fireworks are celebrations but I hear
they're very big in Texas. Everybody that we saw was wearing red white
and blue!
We had 58 lessons this week! The Lord has really prepare the colony
and we are so blessed to be the missionaries here! 😄
Love,
Sister Jones