The Brazilian (And Native American Arizona) Adventure: Week 11 August
12--August 17
Dear Family and Friends
Last P-day we went to Gallup to hang out. We went to the mall .
 It was kinda weird being in the mall, I felt like a real person.
Until people started staring and some would turn around when they saw
us, and people would walk away fast when they would see us. So we
almost felt normal, almost. haha It was kinda funny. After the Mall,
we went to the local church building in Gallup and met up with the
local Elders there and we were balling it up. It got intense, these
guys were competitive. It was pretty dang fun.

Last Tuesday, Elder Kay and I went out to our Branch Presidents
 Winn ranch to help him bran some of his cows. That day we
branded about 40 cows. It was so fun. I was so dang tired though. For
some reason those cows don't like to get branded. They had a lot of
energy, they were hard to hold down. But it was a lot of fun. There
was this cowboy on a horse that would lasso the cows and drag
them where we were at and then Elder Kay, like a true Idaho rancher and
like a man, just ran at the cow, grabed it and just flipped it on its
side and then he would grab one of his front legs and sit on its neck
and I would loosen the rope from it's back legs or its neck and then I
would put my foot on one of his back legs and grab the other leg with
my hands and we would hold it down as President Winn fries it's back.
It always smells like steak. The whole time we were doing this, I was
just thinking. "Man it would suck to be a cow." I felt like a real
cowboy, Yeeeeehaaa gitty up gitty up! It was a blast.

I love doing service out here. It is so much fun. And it is truely
amazing how much the peoples hearts soften when you do service for
them. There have been so many times when peoples hearts are soften
through our service. We have been able to get so many Investigators
that way. People really don't care what you have to say until they
truely know you care about them. We have had the chance to prove that
many times. There was this one time when we were trying to go see this
lady that we met the other day who didn't really like mormons and who
had all this misunderstanding about us because of the things that her
church taught her. But we tried dropping by to teach her, but she was
busy cleaning and doing some things at her house and she did not want
to have a religious arguement according to her. So she kinda told us
that she really didn't want to hear us any day. She really didn't like
us or trust us. So before we left we just asked her if we coulc help
with anything, and with a suspiciouse look, she just said that we can
help her son shovel out all these tall weeds in the back with her son.
And without hesitation and to her suprised, we said we would and grab
a shovel and went to work. We worked out there for about a hour and
then we had to go. So we went to the front and were about to get into
the truck and leave. But then the lady, her name is Linda, walk out
side with a big smile and was so happy that we helped, she was so
thankful. She walked rihgt up to us and hugged us and it was so dang
weird. My first hug from a female since I've been on my mission and
it was just weird, I just patted her on the back. haha It was funny,
my companion felt so weird about it too. She said to drop by anytime
to share our message and she ended up liking us. It was awesome.

We went to go teach an Investigator last night and the lesson went so
great. Her name is Tishina. She did seem busy and she did have some
visitors. But we were able to teach her anyway. The lesson was
awesome, the spirit was so strong. We invited her to read the Book of
Mormon and to pray to find out if it was true. She said she would. We
invited her to say the closing prayer and she was shy at first, but
then after a while she decided to say it. She said such an amazing
prayer. The Spirit was intense, and I knew she felt it. She was crying
when she said amen. It was awesome. When we were leaving, we got a
late text from her telling us not to come and that she had company and
so we sent here a text telling her that we were sorry and that we just
got her text. But she text back saying that it was just fine and that
she was so thankful for us to come over and teach her about God. She
told us that she hopes to find out soon which church is right and then
she said that she is pretty sure that it is the LDS church. It was
awesome. I think the Lord didn't let that text come until we were done
teaching her. It was a miracle. A little one, but a miracle. I notice
little things like that all the time. It is amazing how the Lord is so
involved in this work and how much he is helping us out to do the His
work. You can notice a lot of cool things, when you try to look and
notice.

This week was so great. So many doors were opening to us. The people here
are great. Most have a desire to be baptized. They all just have a
problem with the commandments. Especially going to church every
sunday. It is frustrating. The Native Americans are not use to going
to church, so that is their biggest challenge. And to be baptized out
on the reservation, Invastigators need to go to church for all three
meetings 4 times out of 6 Sundays. And the last two have to be in a row.
So it is so hard for them to do that.

This mission is so awesome, I'm learning how to give everything I got
into this mission in every minute in my day. I'm learning how to be a
consecrated missionary, putting everything on the altar of sacrafice.
It is so awesome. I love it. Hope you all are doing great.

Love, The Elder Jones

The Brazilian (And Native American Arizona) Adventure: Week 10 August
6-August 11
Dear Family and Friends
Last week on Monday for P-Day. Our whole Zone got together and did
some activities. We had a Barbaque. We played some softball and some
Basketball. Basketball was supper tight and legit. We got some good
players, so it was fun. But man am I out of shape. I was breathing so
hard. I realized last week I'm getting fat and stuff. So when I
realized how out of shape I was. I was told me self "Oh naw hecks naw,
is you for real, that ain't gonna happen boy. Ya gots to be ready to
be helping some homies when they go be needing yo help. I done mest
up.". So I'm started to work out seriously now. I used to just do
some push ups and sit ups here and there. But now, I stepped it up
big. Tuesday morning I started to do a workout video called
"Insanity". This work out is insane, oh haha that's why they call it
that. But every morning, I'm sweating up a storm. My cloths and body
is so wet, it's like I jumped in a pool and got back out. Man I'm out of
shape. But I did it every morning this whole week. And I feel like a
champ now. But I'm going to keep going with it. I want to give up
sometimes, but I keep going. I'll tell you what my dad and older
brothers taught me better then to give up on things. So my Jones pride
is kicking in, and I'm going to show this little work out whats up
every morning. Hopefully.

This week was kinda a drunk man week. Those Navajos sure like their
alcohol. Me and Elder Kay met up with so many drunks. And it is so
hard teaching the gospel to a drunk. It's definitely a challenge. But I
think we did alright. I think they understood. haha They were so
flippen funny. One's name was Dougi, and he had a radio out in his
garden so that the music can keep his plants company, so that was
thoughtful of him. He also wanted to make me a Navajo. We also found a
drunk that crashed on the side of the rode and his car was stuck. It
was pretty cool though, he told us that he prayed to God for some
help, and then when he said amen, we came down the road and stopped to
help him. Just another miracle out here on my mission. We tried
pushing him out. When I was pushing him out, the muffler was right
under me and it was plugged up and so when he was pushing the gas a
lot, a big ball of dirt shot up and smashed me in the face and body.
So that kinda hurt. We then backed up, and drunk was pushing on the
gas like crazy trying to get out but he wasn't going no where. And
then he burnt out his car's engine and destroyed it. Some other noises
went on in the engine that didn't sound good. It was actually kinda
funny, I tried not laughing. So we just called President Batt to ask
if we can take him home, he gave the OK and we took him home.

My companion is so dang good at listening to the spirit. He is just a
rancher from Idaho. He doesn't know much about the gospel like me. But
he is good at following the spirit. We are always running into good
situations because of him. Some nights me and my trainer go on a
random rage and we wrestle around. We are pretty even. My trainer is
so legit. So out here on the mission, your trainer is known as you
father. And you are his son.  He shared me a quote given to him by my
great great grandpa- "It's not about how much gospel you know, it's
about how much gospel you live" That is such a great quote and I'm all
about that. My companion is awesome. I'm starting to learn how to
loosen up out here and just be myself. I was so dang stiff when I first
got out here. I was always trying to be the best missionary that I
could be, which is good, but I was not my self completely and I was
kinda serious all the time. But I'm starting to realize that the
only way I can be the best missionary, is if I'm myself. I'm not here
to change who I am, but I'm here to be the best me that I can be.
Elder Kay has taught me that.

On Saturday Elder Kay and I setted up a stand in an area where people
sell stuff and it was an interesting experience. We just gave away a
lot of things and talked to some people about the gospel. We talked to
another drunk for an hour. Well, he did most of the talking. He was
kinda funny. When we were done talking he just grabbed my chair and sat
by our stand and started to talk to everyone that walked by. He was a
funny old man.

Latter on that day. We went out to go help a family in the church on
there ranch with their cows, whose last names are the Nicotines. We
helped put some tags on the little cows ears and brand them. It was a
lot of fun. We lassol them, so I'm starting to learn how to lassol. Its 
pretty cool. When they would lasso them Elder Kay and I would wrestle
with the little cows and take them down and hold them for branding.
They are feisty. It was awesome. Elder Kay is a pro.

So awesome out here. Love you all. I hope you guys are doing good.

Love, The Elder Jones

The Brazilian (And Native American Arizona) Adventure: Week 9 July 29-August 5
Dear Family and Friends
The amount of lessons were pretty low this week, but the quality
was great. Most people were not home and so we didn't get the chance to
find and teach very many of our Investigators, which is pretty
normal out here on the Res. But Elder Kay and I were still keeping our
heads up and doing our best. And it is so amazing how the Lords just
guides us by the spirit on what to say and where to go and what to do.
But he only does that when we are obedient and doing our best.
Obedience-
brings blessings, but strict obedience brings miracles. And oh man,
has there been miracles so far. Very little ones, but still, great
miracles.

We found this awesome family this week. They are the Tishinie family.
The dads name is Glen. And he has a teenage son named Dominic and two
teenage daughters named Gabby and Gurdy, and Gurdy has a 1 year old
daughter. We taught them the first lesson and they seemed very
interested and open to it. As we taught, the spirit was so strong
guiding us the whole way. They asked great questions. When we told
them that they can find out for themselves if it is true or not. They
were very interested to find out for themselves, especially the
teens. It was so awesome. I hope the next coming lessons go well.

We are also teaching this great family, they are the Cleavlands. There
is a mother named Marylin and her sisters name is Ginn, Marylin and two
sons named Tim, who is about 14 and Eli who is 9. Marylin is a less
actrive and Ginn, Tim, and Eli are getting ready for baptism. We have
been teaching them for a while now. We are on the fourth lesson, The
Commandments, and they are enjoying it so much. They have been coming
to church for three sundays in a row. The kids are so excited about
church all the time. It is so awesome. If they come this coming
sunday, they can be baptized next Friday. August 16 I believe. I'm so
excited for them.

Last Thursday I went on exchanges. I went to Holbrook Arizona for the
day. My companion was Elder Thomas. haha Yeah! I know! It was sweet.
He was a smart Elder. Something I wish I was. It was so different
being in a bigger town. When we knocked, we didn't to go door to door
in a truck because houses were actually right next to each other. I
met a lot of interesting peolpe over there in that town.

It's so cool being out here on the Res. We do so much service. We do
something for someone almost everyday. For example we helped a lady
clean out a house and get out all this old carpet out of the floor and
get rid of all these old stinky and no good couches, fridge, and beds
out and threw them all away. We also found a mouse and we were chasing
it all over trying to kill it. The lady was screaming and panicking
with all her kids sreaming "Kill it! Kill it! Ahhhh!" It was so funny.
We actually ended up on the roof trying to hit it with a stick. The
little guy was supper fast. It ended up jumping off the roof and I got
it with a rock. So it was all good. We also helped out these Navajos
out on there ranch taking care of there cows. We helped them spray
some fly proof stuff on them. We guided the cows through the corrals.
We almost got kicked a couple of times. There was soooo much poop!
That was fun. I love doing service. A lot of missionaries have a hard
time with it. I'm glad my companion loves it too. It feels so great to
help people out.

Yesturday was a great Testimony meeting. A lot of people said some
great things. Our ward is great and they have some great testimonies,
but it is really hard to get them involveld in missionary work. Not
very many people do there home teaching. And so a lot of people have a
hard time reaching out to others and being unselfish. So that is
something that the Bishop, branch Presidency and us missionaries are
trying to figure out how to get members involed in home teaching and
getting to reach out to those in need. It is pretty hard. But we are
trying. Another challenge we have is getting our members to go back to
church and getting them active again. So that is something and that is
also challenging out here. But we are trying in that too.

I LOVE THIS MISSION!!! Seriously. I hope you are all doing fantastic
in your lives. And I hope the Lord is blessing you. Keep being the
best you can be 100%. All the time. I love you all so much and miss
you a ton plus 7 more pounds. Let me know how you are doing if you
can. I would love to hear form you all.

Love, The Elder Jones