Divine Intervention!
week 70, 68 weeks in Phoenix mission, 20 weeks in Glendale
Dear friends and family,
We had a wonderful week! The area is going great! We had the best week
we've had in a long time. We found some new people to teach, those who
have a baptismal date are progressing and coming to church, and our
members are helping! It doesn't get much better than that. Oh, and
Elder Fernandez is like the best trainee ever—he makes me wonder why
the heck I was so stressed at the beginning of my mission. He's always
so calm! Anyway, here was my week!
Monday: Monday was an adventure. After studies we went to Target and
got some things. We were searching for a game called Munchkin. Since
Elder Thaut left, we didn't have it anymore...no luck at Target. We
even went to the big Walmart instead of the Neighborhood Market in
search of the game. Finally we came home and accepted the fact that we
would not get it. Elder Bryan suggested trying Barnes and Noble. They
had it! So we got it! Afterward we went to the church and played
speedball. It was pretty intense. After pday we went out and contacted
a referral that turned out to be a family of 5!! We talked to the dad
and he is very interested after attending the Christmas lights at the
Mesa temple. After the visit we went to someone's house to give a
blessing to a man with terminal cancer. I had never given a blessing
to someone who was that sick, but the Spirit guided. It was a humbling
experience. Afterward his family (all non-members, his neighbor is
friends with a member. So no members were present.) asked us a lot of
questions about blessings, the Priesthood, and missionaries in
general. It was a pretty cool experience to teach them about the
priesthood. It was a great way to end the night.
Temp: 75°F
Tuesday: I don't remember much that happened Tuesday. I forgot to
write in my journal. Either that or we were just rushed. We had a few
lessons, one with Gary, who we've been working with for a while. He is
starting to come along and realize the importance of the gospel in his
life. We were led to his door by pure revelation three months ago. We
have been talking with him ever since.
Wednesday: It was a super busy day. We ended the day with 7 lessons. I
think I biked more than I did any other day on my mission. We were on
our own for the day, with appointments on the opposite side of our
area—multiple times. I guess I'm just preparing Elder Fernandez to
walk on his mission when he gets to Argentina! Probably our best
appointment for the day was our last one. We met with a lady named
Sam. She was baptized a little while ago in a different area, but she
came to church a few weeks before. She just moved into this area. She
explained how she has such a love for the gospel, but she doesn't
realize how to access Jesus Christ's Atonement. She knows it works,
but she can't figure out how to access it. So we explained to her how
she can, by repenting, having faith and showing that faith by coming
to church and reading her scriptures. Most importantly, by praying. We
will now see her once a week! She's awesome!
Temp: 76°F
Thursday: Weekly planning. Then we had a lesson with Rusty and Liz,
our two most solid investigators. We taught them the Restoration all
the way through. They understand the need for a Prophet, and the need
for a restoration. It was a great lesson. They are on track to be
baptized on their date, Jan 2nd!!
Friday: Zone meeting and then exchanges with a Elder Clough! One thing
really hit me in our zone meeting. One of our zone leaders, Elder
Gardner, asked a question, "Would you be the same missionary if Jesus
Christ was your companion?" We all thought about it. He then followed
with this—"He kind of is--your companion is a representative of Jesus
Christ. You should act how He would act." We need to be an example.
After dinner we had a lesson with the Sesay family, a big family in
the ward from Liberia. Their daughter just turned 9 so we get to teach
and baptize her! It's always fun to go over there because they're all
so lively and energetic.
Temp: 67°F
Saturday: I was on exchange with Elder Clough until 3. We went finding
in the afternoon and focused on contacting. We talked to everyone we
saw and even met a pretty crazy person. (That's pretty normal here.) I
exchanged back with a Elder Fernandez, taught a lesson to Javier, and
we went to the ward Christmas party! There were about 250 people
there! Lots of less-active members came, and Rusty and Liz came! They
were fellowshipped really well. I think they like the French sisters a
lot too haha. They were there with their French convert, Raphaël! It
was a wonderful dinner and program. Everyone enjoyed it.
Temp: 61°F
We had a wonderful week! The area is going great! We had the best week
we've had in a long time. We found some new people to teach, those who
have a baptismal date are progressing and coming to church, and our
members are helping! It doesn't get much better than that. Oh, and
Elder Fernandez is like the best trainee ever—he makes me wonder why
the heck I was so stressed at the beginning of my mission. He's always
so calm! Anyway, here was my week!
Monday: Monday was an adventure. After studies we went to Target and
got some things. We were searching for a game called Munchkin. Since
Elder Thaut left, we didn't have it anymore...no luck at Target. We
even went to the big Walmart instead of the Neighborhood Market in
search of the game. Finally we came home and accepted the fact that we
would not get it. Elder Bryan suggested trying Barnes and Noble. They
had it! So we got it! Afterward we went to the church and played
speedball. It was pretty intense. After pday we went out and contacted
a referral that turned out to be a family of 5!! We talked to the dad
and he is very interested after attending the Christmas lights at the
Mesa temple. After the visit we went to someone's house to give a
blessing to a man with terminal cancer. I had never given a blessing
to someone who was that sick, but the Spirit guided. It was a humbling
experience. Afterward his family (all non-members, his neighbor is
friends with a member. So no members were present.) asked us a lot of
questions about blessings, the Priesthood, and missionaries in
general. It was a pretty cool experience to teach them about the
priesthood. It was a great way to end the night.
Temp: 75°F
Tuesday: I don't remember much that happened Tuesday. I forgot to
write in my journal. Either that or we were just rushed. We had a few
lessons, one with Gary, who we've been working with for a while. He is
starting to come along and realize the importance of the gospel in his
life. We were led to his door by pure revelation three months ago. We
have been talking with him ever since.
Wednesday: It was a super busy day. We ended the day with 7 lessons. I
think I biked more than I did any other day on my mission. We were on
our own for the day, with appointments on the opposite side of our
area—multiple times. I guess I'm just preparing Elder Fernandez to
walk on his mission when he gets to Argentina! Probably our best
appointment for the day was our last one. We met with a lady named
Sam. She was baptized a little while ago in a different area, but she
came to church a few weeks before. She just moved into this area. She
explained how she has such a love for the gospel, but she doesn't
realize how to access Jesus Christ's Atonement. She knows it works,
but she can't figure out how to access it. So we explained to her how
she can, by repenting, having faith and showing that faith by coming
to church and reading her scriptures. Most importantly, by praying. We
will now see her once a week! She's awesome!
Temp: 76°F
Thursday: Weekly planning. Then we had a lesson with Rusty and Liz,
our two most solid investigators. We taught them the Restoration all
the way through. They understand the need for a Prophet, and the need
for a restoration. It was a great lesson. They are on track to be
baptized on their date, Jan 2nd!!
Friday: Zone meeting and then exchanges with a Elder Clough! One thing
really hit me in our zone meeting. One of our zone leaders, Elder
Gardner, asked a question, "Would you be the same missionary if Jesus
Christ was your companion?" We all thought about it. He then followed
with this—"He kind of is--your companion is a representative of Jesus
Christ. You should act how He would act." We need to be an example.
After dinner we had a lesson with the Sesay family, a big family in
the ward from Liberia. Their daughter just turned 9 so we get to teach
and baptize her! It's always fun to go over there because they're all
so lively and energetic.
Temp: 67°F
Saturday: I was on exchange with Elder Clough until 3. We went finding
in the afternoon and focused on contacting. We talked to everyone we
saw and even met a pretty crazy person. (That's pretty normal here.) I
exchanged back with a Elder Fernandez, taught a lesson to Javier, and
we went to the ward Christmas party! There were about 250 people
there! Lots of less-active members came, and Rusty and Liz came! They
were fellowshipped really well. I think they like the French sisters a
lot too haha. They were there with their French convert, Raphaël! It
was a wonderful dinner and program. Everyone enjoyed it.
Temp: 61°F
Sunday: It was a wonderful Sunday. Rusty and Liz came to church and
enjoyed it. Plus, a guy named Randall came to church after his friend
invited him. He stayed for the whole block and enjoyed it! When he
introduced himself in priesthood meeting, they asked if he was a
member. He responded with, "Not yet. But with more days like today,
hopefully soon!" So we got his information and we have an appointment
with him this week. And he even seems normal!!! Not even crazy!! Had
dinner with the Barton's which is always a treat. Then Brother Barton
went out with us to visit Gary. His mom was there and is interested
too! We taught the Plan of Salvation and he really enjoyed it and said
it makes a lot of sense. It calmed my heart when he opened up and said
that it just "clicked" with him that he needs to be reading the Book
of Mormon. We invite him, but it really clicked this time. I'm eager
to see how it goes for him.
Temp: 60°F
That was my week! Thanks for all of your love and support. Our mission
office has a new address, so if you want to send me mail (pretty
please! :)), send it to: (or get my apt from my mom)
Elder Kevin Jones
Arizona Phoenix Mission
6833 W. Bell Rd.
Glendale, AZ 85308
enjoyed it. Plus, a guy named Randall came to church after his friend
invited him. He stayed for the whole block and enjoyed it! When he
introduced himself in priesthood meeting, they asked if he was a
member. He responded with, "Not yet. But with more days like today,
hopefully soon!" So we got his information and we have an appointment
with him this week. And he even seems normal!!! Not even crazy!! Had
dinner with the Barton's which is always a treat. Then Brother Barton
went out with us to visit Gary. His mom was there and is interested
too! We taught the Plan of Salvation and he really enjoyed it and said
it makes a lot of sense. It calmed my heart when he opened up and said
that it just "clicked" with him that he needs to be reading the Book
of Mormon. We invite him, but it really clicked this time. I'm eager
to see how it goes for him.
Temp: 60°F
That was my week! Thanks for all of your love and support. Our mission
office has a new address, so if you want to send me mail (pretty
please! :)), send it to: (or get my apt from my mom)
Elder Kevin Jones
Arizona Phoenix Mission
6833 W. Bell Rd.
Glendale, AZ 85308
* Note from MOM: Just an update on the mail sent to the Mission home office- only letters can go there now. If you are sending a package it needs to go to the OLD Mission home address for the next month. But you can still send letters and packages directly to Elder Jones' apartment. The office holds their packages for them. He would love letters!!
The gospel is true. It changes lives; it changes people.
The gospel is true. It changes lives; it changes people.
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| .Zone picture! Left to right: (standing) Elders Gardner, Miller, Wheeler, Rodriguez, Dawson, Bradley, Bryan, Jones (Sitting) Elders Clough, Stott, Conover, Cespedes, Dwigans, Davenport, Fernandez |
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| Elder Jones and Elder Conover He is a friend of an Elder serving in our ward. |
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| Elder Fernandez and Mike's drawing (of Elder Fernandez...) on the tablecloth at the ward party.....yep that's Mike! Hahaha |
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| Elder Jones at ward Christmas Party and the drawing. :) |
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| don't do selfies very much....so here's rock hands. |
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| My weekly selfie |
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| Elder Jones and Fernandez getting birthday cupcakes from a member |
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| Elder Jones same night |