From Jordan: Week 42

From: Jordan Stamps Jones <jsjones@myldsmail.net>
Date: September 28, 2014 at 10:25:06 PM MDT
To: Steven Jones <sajmba2002@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Week 42 - Doctrine and Covenants 58:42 Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

This week has had us do a lot of street contacting. Ironically it seems, the high school students of 노원구 seem to be more focused on school during test week than the college students of 이문. It's all fun, though. We got to visit some members for ward conference (a much bigger deal here than back home). We also found out that part of what we thought was our district is outside our zone, and that the district is actually split into areas. No one knew... Elder Ahn and I get to work in one of the smaller areas up a canyon. It was fun the one time we've been. We'll be doing more work up there this week.

Elder Ahn has made it very clear to me how blessed we are to have all the church materials in our own language. There are a bunch of little things about the gospel that he doesn't know about because it isn't taught in Korean. We have been having very educational companionship studies lately. :) We should always be aware of our blessings. Brigham Young said, "I do not know of any save the unpardonable sin which is more grievous than the sin of ingratitude." Pretty serious, but, as humans, we really do need to be more grateful. I think the upcoming conference will serve that end very well. ;) I look forward to letting the speakers be more able to speak by the spirit and less hindered by English. ASk dad how difficult English is to learn. It takes seeing someone else try to learn it to really understand how obscenely absurd English can be. I am very grateful to be learning the "most logical language"... I would be lying though if the thousands of "feeling words" (words with meaning based on the situation more than a dictionary) weren't taking me for quite the ride. 

Things are all really good, though. It is still funny to see emails from south of the border about multitudes of baptisms while here, I look at my companion's screen and see him sending a picture of himself eating Krispy Kremes to his brother because that is news. Every mission is so different and so needed by the people in it. I still am not entirely sure what I am to learn here, but the lack of people clamoring for baptism has allowed me to become closer to modern prophets and their words in a way that I don't think I could've otherwise. We are so blessed to have modern prophets. Please help everyone you can to prepare for this upcoming conference. Looking back on old Ensigns and Liahonas, every ounce of prophetic counsel has been warranted and in the very time that it was given. It is so true that we are giving revelation for us in our time of need. I hope we all use it.

Thank you for everything you do. I am grateful for your emails, your love, and your prayers. The strength is truly felt. We pray for you, and I know that if you take the time to look and listen, the miracles are all too evident. I hope you are all having a wonderful Autumn. It is a beautiful time when we can really see in the world around us, that though things may change, at times seemingly for the worse, there at the base of it all is God working to make things even better in the long term. I love you all and hope you enjoy this conference. I'll tell you what I thought of it in another 2 weeks, probably. We're all excited here. ;)

Press forward with steadfast faith in Christ.

Best wishes,

Elder Jones