From: Jordan Stamps Jones <jsjones@myldsmail.net>
To: Steven Jones <sajmba2002@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 9, 2014 10:32 AM
Subject: Re: Week 5 - the World strikes back
Thank you for the news, I'm sorry to hear about Dallin's situation, and I hope he heals quickly. I'll keep him in my prayers. The same goes for the missionaries in the ward.
I'll work on smiling more. I do smile, but it never seems to be when cameras are around. It may be that I don't have fun getting my pictures taken.
Whatever the case, I have had a fairly uneventful week this week, aside from one or two things. One, the new schedule. P-day is now on Thursdays. Classes are in the morning and afternoon and study time is at night. So far, this has had a slight negative impact on my study, but I think a net positive overall. We also got to go to the temple today for the first time. It was very instructional and I look forward to telling you more about my experiences when I come home. I also had an experience that really reminded me that God can speak through us. Once again, I can only do the story justice by telling you in person... Sorry...
All in all though, things are going well, life is good, the language is progressing, and the district is growing as a whole. I look forward to getting to the field, but I know my time here is important as well.
Thank you for everything you do, and I will try to write more later.
Press forward with steadfast faith in Christ
Best wishes,
Elder Jones
Thursday, January 9, 2014
The World Strikes Back (from dad)
Dear Elder Jones (or Jordan for
short),
Hope you are doing well. I sent
you the email about Dallin. By the time you read it he will be home. You have
already completed 5 weeks in the MTC and only 99 left. You are now in the
double digits instead of the triple digits, to give you some math language. We
are doing well. Mom said that she talked with Mrs. Mangelson and told her that
you were bored except for the Korean. She said that it is a good thing that you
are learning Korean instead of Chinese; otherwise you would be bored with that
too.
Mom read a bit of your email in
church on Sunday and mentioned the part about Bro. Hecker. He was surprised and
a bit embarrassed but thanked her afterward. The girls are back in school and
mom is back at work. We miss you taking Hannah to school in the mornings but it
is selfishness on our part. You are a great young man who helped with the
family and did what was right. In a way you are still helping the family and
doing what is right. Please keep up the good work. We saw some of the pictures
that your companion took. It would be great if you smiled more. You were the
only one not smiling. If you smile the world will look brighter and you will
influence others in a positive manner. Plus you have great smile, especially
when you are having fun.
I didn't understand why you
wanted me to read the paragraph in the handbook. I assume that you meant the
missionary handbook. You could have meant Handbook 2 but I need some guidance
for the section if that is what you meant.
The elders in the stake have been
sick for a little while and we haven't seen them much during the holidays. I
hope to use them in going around to all of the houses in the ward area to help
gather information for the ward directory. We use the online tool but we also
want to get the information on the non-members for emergency purposes. It may
also allow the missionaries to get some more contacts.
I know you have several emails to
read so I will end now.
Know that you are loved and that
Heavenly Father is smiling at you, so smile back every now and then.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Love,
Hannah, Rachel, Bekah, dad, mom,
Sarah
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Letter to everyone
Well, this week has been fairly uneventful. Language study progressed. The district developed. I was tired.
The only truly eventful thing that happened this week only happened a few hours ago. I came to the realization that I was 1/24th of the way through my mission.
I know that doesn't seem like very much, and, in many ways, it is not. The fact remains, however, that time is passing at a surprisingly fast pace. If my whole mission goes by as quickly as this first month has, I feel I will be home in no time. In many ways that is comforting and invigorating, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that time is fleeting and that I need to use every moment to the fullest.
I thank everyone who has prayed for me and the missionaries. I am grateful for the mail I have received and I look forward to responding to everyone the first chance I get.
I wish I could say more, but time is short. Thank you to everyone who has helped and is helping me on this mission. You are all in my prayers.
Press forward with steadfast faith in Christ
Best wishes,
Elder Jones
The only truly eventful thing that happened this week only happened a few hours ago. I came to the realization that I was 1/24th of the way through my mission.
I know that doesn't seem like very much, and, in many ways, it is not. The fact remains, however, that time is passing at a surprisingly fast pace. If my whole mission goes by as quickly as this first month has, I feel I will be home in no time. In many ways that is comforting and invigorating, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that time is fleeting and that I need to use every moment to the fullest.
I thank everyone who has prayed for me and the missionaries. I am grateful for the mail I have received and I look forward to responding to everyone the first chance I get.
I wish I could say more, but time is short. Thank you to everyone who has helped and is helping me on this mission. You are all in my prayers.
Press forward with steadfast faith in Christ
Best wishes,
Elder Jones
Friday, January 3, 2014
Noting that we were on the computer at the same time...
I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I miss you I love you! [From mom]
To mom
Thank you for the concern [about my boredom]. I think it will get better as time goes along. I just don't like that I am not learning anything other than the language and culture of Korea. I miss the lessons back in our ward about ideas and tangents that would stretch and challenge the mind. Here, it is all review or additional perspective. This is not bad, but I feel no challenge to grow. The only time I get to do that is during personal time which never seems to last long enough.
Despite their busy schedule, Grandma and Grandpa were able to write me. I will be writing them back this week. It was helpful and good to hear from them. I have been trying to follow your suggestion, but there are only so many sentences to make with words like baptism or priesthood. I will be working on everyone's suggestions though.
I had been making one of the letters to you or dad the "public" letter for the week, I thought... Nonetheless, I will be doing a public letter once in the field. The MTC does not inspire many letters. They would all be terribly similar. I will see what I can do, but, at least this week, there is literally nothing to write about. Tell dad to read the first paragraph about communicating with family in the Handbook.
I will tell Elder Taylor you like his letters. He likes writing letters, so don't feel bad if you write more.
Thank you for everything. I look forward to hearing from you again soon.
Press forward with steadfast faith in Christ
Best wishes,
Elder Jones
Despite their busy schedule, Grandma and Grandpa were able to write me. I will be writing them back this week. It was helpful and good to hear from them. I have been trying to follow your suggestion, but there are only so many sentences to make with words like baptism or priesthood. I will be working on everyone's suggestions though.
I had been making one of the letters to you or dad the "public" letter for the week, I thought... Nonetheless, I will be doing a public letter once in the field. The MTC does not inspire many letters. They would all be terribly similar. I will see what I can do, but, at least this week, there is literally nothing to write about. Tell dad to read the first paragraph about communicating with family in the Handbook.
I will tell Elder Taylor you like his letters. He likes writing letters, so don't feel bad if you write more.
Thank you for everything. I look forward to hearing from you again soon.
Press forward with steadfast faith in Christ
Best wishes,
Elder Jones
MTC Week 4 - A New Year - The Beginning (from J)
From: Jordan Stamps Jones <jsjones@myldsmail.net>
To: Steven Jones <sajmba2002@yahoo.com>
Sent: Friday, January 3, 2014 12:34 PM
Subject: Re: MTC Week 4 - a new year - the beginning
Thank you for the messages! I'm glad Christmas was so much fun and that all the talks went well.
I am working on being more effective in study and more motivated in work, but it is somewhat monotonous here. That is not necessarily bad, but there is never much excitement. The closest we have come to being excited recently is our surprise that our schedules change next week. Nevertheless, I will be taking your advice and I will work on being more productive.
Thank you again for your love and prayers. I miss you all and I wish I could write more, but time is short today... I will write soon ;)
Much love, thank you.
Press forward with steadfast faith in Christ
Best wishes,
Elder Jones
To: Steven Jones <sajmba2002@yahoo.com>
Sent: Friday, January 3, 2014 12:34 PM
Subject: Re: MTC Week 4 - a new year - the beginning
Thank you for the messages! I'm glad Christmas was so much fun and that all the talks went well.
I am working on being more effective in study and more motivated in work, but it is somewhat monotonous here. That is not necessarily bad, but there is never much excitement. The closest we have come to being excited recently is our surprise that our schedules change next week. Nevertheless, I will be taking your advice and I will work on being more productive.
Thank you again for your love and prayers. I miss you all and I wish I could write more, but time is short today... I will write soon ;)
Much love, thank you.
Press forward with steadfast faith in Christ
Best wishes,
Elder Jones
To Paduwan Jordan: Week 4...A New Beginning
Elder Jones (Paduwan Jordan),
Thank you for your letters and email last week. It was great hearing your testimony. Christmas was good. Hannah now has your phone number and mom has your phone. She had an accident with hers and shattered the screen. Rachel also has a phone so now mom only has to wrestle with Sarah to get her phone back. I have been letting Sarah use my Nook during the vacation but I ask her to do chores in order for her to use it. It seems to be working for now. On Thursday we tended the kids so that Bonni and Chris could go to the temple. On Friday we went to Temple Square to see the lights. On Saturday we went swimming with the cousins. On Sunday we had our usual dinner at Robert's house. On Monday we had FHE and then went to Robert's for dinner. On Tuesday we went to Robert's and watched The Lone Ranger. You will be able to see it in two years if you want. It was okay and had some funny lines but wasn't exceptional. On Wednesday Bonni and Chris drove back to Colorado. As you say in your emails, not a lot of exciting things. However, on Friday we had a hot air balloon land in our yard. Mom uploaded the pictures but don't know if she will send them to you.
Josep Rivera did well on his talk. He enters the MTC on January 15th. Maddie gave a great talk on grace. She flew out New Year's morning at 1 am. Kevin Wellman did well but he had to cut it short because Maddie had taken over half the time.
We are thrilled to hear that the Korean is coming along. I thought it was interesting that you said that during the other part of the day that it was boring. Do I need to remind you of Brother Bytheway's talk about bricks and ants? This is a time for you to feel the Spirit and be guided by its influence. If you are studying about faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, think of some of the stories from the scriptures and then translate them to Korean. Then do it again with a different story from another book of scriptures. If you used the Book of Mormon the first time, use the D & C or New Testament the second time. Then be adventuresome and use the Old Testament.
If you have completed the exercises, write down in a notebook different ways to start conversations with others. You will find in your mission that you will talk with a lot of different people. However, just like Alma with the Zoramites, you will have more success with the temporally poor people. Listen to the Spirit to come up with ways to capture the attention of rich people, poor people, men, women, children...
I respect you for what you have accomplished already. My dad tried to help me be more outgoing but I resisted. On your mission you will always have people come up to you because of the Spirit. You will need to be able to keep their interested once you start speaking. As you know, a monotone voice will not do that.
Keep up the great work. We love you and are always praying for you. Sometimes I have to remind your sisters to include you in their prayers but they are getting better. Just remember that the time goes by quickly. Dallin Colgrove only has 6 months left. Kevin Wellman claims that he was the hardest working trunky missionary in his mission. He didn't want to think about how much time was left so he continually had his companion out the door working as fast as he could.
Please let us know how we can help you enjoy this experience more.
Love,
Sarah, Hannah, Rachel, Bekah, dad, and mom and everyone else
Thank you for your letters and email last week. It was great hearing your testimony. Christmas was good. Hannah now has your phone number and mom has your phone. She had an accident with hers and shattered the screen. Rachel also has a phone so now mom only has to wrestle with Sarah to get her phone back. I have been letting Sarah use my Nook during the vacation but I ask her to do chores in order for her to use it. It seems to be working for now. On Thursday we tended the kids so that Bonni and Chris could go to the temple. On Friday we went to Temple Square to see the lights. On Saturday we went swimming with the cousins. On Sunday we had our usual dinner at Robert's house. On Monday we had FHE and then went to Robert's for dinner. On Tuesday we went to Robert's and watched The Lone Ranger. You will be able to see it in two years if you want. It was okay and had some funny lines but wasn't exceptional. On Wednesday Bonni and Chris drove back to Colorado. As you say in your emails, not a lot of exciting things. However, on Friday we had a hot air balloon land in our yard. Mom uploaded the pictures but don't know if she will send them to you.
Josep Rivera did well on his talk. He enters the MTC on January 15th. Maddie gave a great talk on grace. She flew out New Year's morning at 1 am. Kevin Wellman did well but he had to cut it short because Maddie had taken over half the time.
We are thrilled to hear that the Korean is coming along. I thought it was interesting that you said that during the other part of the day that it was boring. Do I need to remind you of Brother Bytheway's talk about bricks and ants? This is a time for you to feel the Spirit and be guided by its influence. If you are studying about faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, think of some of the stories from the scriptures and then translate them to Korean. Then do it again with a different story from another book of scriptures. If you used the Book of Mormon the first time, use the D & C or New Testament the second time. Then be adventuresome and use the Old Testament.
If you have completed the exercises, write down in a notebook different ways to start conversations with others. You will find in your mission that you will talk with a lot of different people. However, just like Alma with the Zoramites, you will have more success with the temporally poor people. Listen to the Spirit to come up with ways to capture the attention of rich people, poor people, men, women, children...
I respect you for what you have accomplished already. My dad tried to help me be more outgoing but I resisted. On your mission you will always have people come up to you because of the Spirit. You will need to be able to keep their interested once you start speaking. As you know, a monotone voice will not do that.
Keep up the great work. We love you and are always praying for you. Sometimes I have to remind your sisters to include you in their prayers but they are getting better. Just remember that the time goes by quickly. Dallin Colgrove only has 6 months left. Kevin Wellman claims that he was the hardest working trunky missionary in his mission. He didn't want to think about how much time was left so he continually had his companion out the door working as fast as he could.
Please let us know how we can help you enjoy this experience more.
Love,
Sarah, Hannah, Rachel, Bekah, dad, and mom and everyone else
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