May 2, 2011 - Photos

Photos!

Elder Jackson and me (sorry, but I was making a weird face)

Sister Daniya and me - She is the best member missionary I have ever met

The fountain next to the hotel

The hotel near our house and the church

Train tracks

A Catholic church 

 District Lunch

 Elder Belashov, doing service

Sunset

"Happy Trails" in Ukrainian as we left a town

Tlumach, the name of the town

Ukrainian countryside

3 Horsepower ;)

 More country

The district, walking down a dusty road

I had to throw this in.  This is someone's seat in the stands.  It is probably a king that sits there.  It is just really funny that someone put that in the stands. 

Enjoy!

May 2, 2011

Mom,

You are so silly.  I am excited for next week too.  (I told him I was excited to talk with him on Mother's Day.)  And as far as details, I give them when I can, but I usually just don't know what to say.  (This is referring to details of what he does each day.)  For me, each and every day is about the same so there isn't usually a lot to tell.  Oh and I will try to send pictures when I find some that I want to send.  I don't have much new, and hardly have anything with me.

So I got the talk that you sent and I have been studying it.  Thanks a ton.  I think that is really cool that you are going to be able to speak next week in church.  Good luck.  I hope that I have sent you enough details to know what to say about my mission experience.  I can tell you now that it is without a doubt the best and most important thing I have ever done.  By the way, you have to let me know how Jacob's farewell goes.  I will probably write him a quick note next week.  And I haven't heard from Curtis, but I print off and read his blog updates and that is enough.

So this week was a pretty slow one here.  We had some great weather, but the work is still really slow.  We got to go out to a town that is about 30 minutes away as a district and spent the day there talking to people.  We met a really cool guy who is the neighbor of a member that lives there so hopefully we can start working with him.  The weather took a nasty turn yesterday and it has been raining very steadily for 18 hours now.  I am sure it will be a wet week.  Church was good yesterday and one of the families blessed their new baby daughter which was really cool.  The blessings of families and the priesthood really are so great.  What an awesome blessing to have the knowledge that we have as well.  I know that this church is true.  I have truly developed a deep love for our Savior on my mission and I know that He does love us as well.  Through Him we can become better people each day as we strive to do what God has commanded.  I know that the gospel is true and by living the principles that we are taught, we can become perfected.  This is our purpose here and the Church exists to help make that possible.  I love you and can't wait for Sunday.  Thanks as always for being an awesome example.

Love,

Elder Jones

April 25, 2011

Hey Mom,

Happy Anniversary!

So that would work well for the phone call.  Anytime after 4 we should be in home already.  If not, we will be on our way home.  President Belashov always has some things after church, but our meetings end at 2 so by four we should be fine.  5:00 would be perfect.  5:30 would possible be late for you, but if you prefer that than I am fine with that.  Whatever works for you is good.

 

Now, to my business :)  First I wanted to ask how Grayden and Sam are doing.  When does Sam get back?  Also, can you send me my login id and password for my University of Utah account because I am starting to think a little about what I need to do.  I got some information recently about the FBI and I am trying to consider my options a little.  That would be great if you could send those to me.

Happy Easter by the way! I am glad that you had an opportunity to be with the family and celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior.  What an awesome event, right.  I had a really awesome opportunity to spend time with some members and their family here.  The Parks, a Senior Couple that serves in the office in Kyiv, came to visit yesterday and they wanted to visit one of the families so I went with them as their translator.  It was really fun to go with them and the members to the members grandmothers house where they had their family together.  There were 12 of us total and they had a nice Easter meal while they got to know the Parks a little better and we got to know them a little better.  Ukrainians all go to Church on Easter and then afterward get together as a family to celebrate and I was so honored to be a part of that.  

Speaking of testimony, there is a quote in Preach my Gospel that says if we don't share our testimony, it will die.  All of us as members of the church have a responsibility to do missionary work which is an opportunity for us to nurture our testimony and help develop it.  If we don't work on it by keeping the commandments, studying our scriptures, and then sharing that testimony, it will not grow and may even start to die.  That is something that I have certainly gained a testimony of here on in the mission field.

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is so simple and when we live by it, we are so blessed.  Seriously, we are probably the most blessed people who have ever lived in the world.  We have so many opportunities to serve and there are so many things that help us in this life.  The gospel needs to be the central part of our lives and as we focus on it, we are promised joy and happiness, because we don't need to worry about the world.  I know that this Church is true.  It was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith.  The Church is organized to help us become like Jesus Christ, which is our goal in this life.  I know that through the ordinances of Christ's everlasting gospel, we can live together forever.  What a great promise that we must live worthy of always.  I love you mom.  Thanks for all you do.

Love,

Elder Jones

April 18, 2011

Hi Mom,

So I am glad for the package too.  Elder Belashov and I enjoyed the first box of mike and ikes and the peanut butter too. :)  And Lviv was a lot of fun.  I got to see a couple of the youth there which was nice as I got to talk to them a little.  

Once the sun comes out here, the whole country is going to be so gorgeous.  May will definitely be the best time to come back and see Ukraine if possible. 

Thanks for the Easter scriptures.  The new Liahona has something similar in it for children.  I will definitely take a look at these.  I am really excited for Easter and the opportunity to see the Spirit work among the Ukrainians here as they remember their Savior.

Tell Margot hello from me and that she can expect a letter.  I sent it a week ago and I hope she enjoys it.  I am glad to hear that she is doing alright, in spite of the situation.  I hope that she heals well. 

So the work here is going pretty slowly and we have been trying to work hard with less active members.  With President Belashov over so many people, it certainly makes it interesting to focus on missionary work for him.  He has lots of branch business, but we get out and do work and this week I hope to be a little more diligent so we can find some new people.  Things will turn around I am sure; I just need to get to work.  Oh and I got to speak in sacrament and one of the members here told me to tell you that I did a good job, so you can be proud of me.  I actually still don't like speaking, but I am getting better at it and I love teaching now which is interesting, but fun.  We'll see if I have callings in the future where I get to teach - that would be cool.  But then again, we always are able to teach so I am just glad for the gained experience.

Well, thanks for everything again mom.  I know that this Church is true.  It is led by Jesus Christ through his mouthpiece, Thomas S. Monson who is a true prophet.  I know that Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the Restoration and thanks to him, we have all necessary for salvation on the Earth again.  God is our loving Heavenly Father and His plan is perfect.  I am so thankful to Him for the opportunity to teach and help His children to come to Jesus Christ, the Savior of all mankind.

I love you Mom,

Elder Jones

April 12, 2011

Hi Mom,

So I got the package and it was stuffed.  Thanks!  It wasn't too fun to carry it home from Lviv, but that's ok.  I am glad that you liked the pictures and I will try to send more in the next couple of weeks.  

So spring has started here for sure, but that means that everyday we are getting rain with the occasional hail or snow mix.  It certainly makes missionary work interesting, but it is also cool to see the rebirth of everything.  This country is so beautiful in the spring.  Thanks for thinking ahead with the dining room table, by the way.  (I told him we bought a new dining room table that will easily seat eight - all the kids and their spouses, so they need to live close by.  A big thanks to Mom and Dad Chidester for the Christmas money to fund the purchase.)  Hopefully I don't go too far.

So thanks so much for sending the Fourth Missionary talk.  I will print it off eventually, but for now, it is fine.  This talk is so incredible and has totally changed my view on the mission and what I am here to do.  I love the scripture, 3 Nephi 27:27 - "what manner of men ought ye to be?"  We are here to become like Christ.  That is why he performed the atonement, to make that possible.  Life is hard and the mission is one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I have no doubts whatsoever that this is the most important thing I have ever done.  I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for this opportunity.

Hmm, favorite scripture is a tough question.  I have so many of them.  I love 2 Nephi 31:19-21.  Also 3 Nephi 27:27 and Alma 26, the whole chapter.  3 Nephi 5:13 is a new favorite of mine too.  Anyway, I am sorry, but I can't really pick one.

So it is great to be back in Ivano and I am so happy that I got to see Zhanna.  She is so awesome and she is doing great.  I have a lot of work to do here and a short time to do it, so I am going to try and be extra diligent while I am here.

I got to watch conference this past weekend in Ukrainian and then yesterday in Lviv at our conference they gave us cds with conference so I will listen in English now.  Once the Liahona comes, I will study that too.  I haven't seen or read Priesthood yet, but I printed off the talks from the First Presidency so I will read those soon.  This conference was just incredible and I can't wait to continue to study it.

Thanks mom for all you do.  Thanks for your great example in following our Savior and His prophet.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of God, called of Him to lead this church.  I know that we are here to become like our Savior and thanks to the atonement, that is possible.  Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.  He atoned to redeem us from our sins, and to give us the strength we need to reach our potential, become like Him and truly be happy.  I know He lives.

Love,

Elder Jones

April 4, 2011 - Photos

Well, now that I am in Ivano, the internet club works just fine so here are some photos from the last week.

1. Some of the members in Lviv

2. Elder Wallis and I on top of a tower in Lviv

3. Yura (George) and I.  He just got baptized this past Saturday in Lviv.  Sadly I wasn't there to see it, but I know he is going to be a great member.

4 and 5.  Members and missionaries in Lviv at the train station on the day we left

6. Elder Wallis and Saltmarsh in Kyiv, waiting for transfers

Enjoy!

April 4, 2011 - To Mom and excerpts from letter to Caitlin

Mom,

So the statue was Taras Shevchenko, the Ukrainian hero and poet in downtown (center) Lviv.  I think I took that photo in December which is why it was so gray.

 

I haven't gotten the package yet.  If it comes by the weekend, I will get it next Monday because we will have a conference then, and if not, then it will be at the end of the transfer probably.

By the way, I bought a hard drive this week from another missionary and so I am going to back all of my stuff up on that.

 

Well, this past week was a pretty crazy one.  On Tuesday, we found out that Elder Wallis and I, along with Elder Larsen and Elder Clemmens, all got transferred out of Lviv.  We closed the one apartment because they were taking our companionship out, but I thought I was just going to go to the other apartment with Elder Saltmarsh for the next transfer.  I was wrong.  So we got all of our stuff packed up and on Wednesday night, we headed into Kyiv for transfers.  On Thursday, we had a big transfer meeting with about 3/4 of the mission there and I was convinced I would be going somewhere in Kyiv.  I was wrong again.  They passed all the Kyiv areas and then got out west where I've been my whole mission.  I ended up getting assigned in Ivano-Frankivsk again, with Elder Belashov again...what a shock.  I was so incredibly surprised to hear my name called with his.  I honestly don't understand it, but I am really happy to be back and excited for what's up ahead.

 

On Saturday, we had a country wide "Helping Hands" day and here in Ivano we repainted and repaired a children's playground area thing.  It was a neat experience and fun to be able to get out and work.  Sunday was really cool as well as I got to see some members and Zhanna, our recent convert who is doing really well.  I am super happy to be back here and work with them again.  Oh and Elder Belashov is the branch president here so it will be a lot of fun to see how that goes.

 

I am so excited for conference which we will watch next week.  I bet it was absolutely incredible and I am sure it will be really cool to see, whether in English or Ukrainian.  I am glad to hear that you enjoyed it.  Elder Grow spoke to us in the MTC so I am excited to hear his talk.  Conference is always such an opportunity to receive revelation and guidance and so I am really excited to hear it and figure out how I can become even more like our Savior.  

 

By the way, there is a talk I read recently called "The fourth Missionary" by Elder Larry Corbridge of the Seventy.  It was absolutely incredible and has truly changed my mission and my life.  I don't know if you can find it anywhere on the internet, but if you could find it and then send me a copy, that would be so great.  Thanks.

 

Mom, thanks for all you do.  I am so happy that you are happy and that all is well.  I am so thankful for your testimony which truly strengthens mine daily.  I know that this church is true.  Jesus Christ is our Savior and has made it possible for us to fulfill our potential.  We are here to become like Him and I know that as we live the gospel, we are indeed fulfilling our purpose.  True happiness comes through Christ and His gospel and I know this, because I am truly happy right now.  I know that this is the work of the Lord and we are all here to help in it.  The worth of each soul is great in the sight of God so we must all do our part to bring these souls, including our own, to Him.  I know that Thomas Monson is a prophet, called of God to lead His Church.  Follow his words and example and we will always have that happiness that we are here to find.  I love you Mom.

 

All my Love,

Elder Jones

 

Excerpts from letter to Caitlin:

I am glad to hear that you have your recommend up to date.  I got to go to the temple this past week which was awesome.  It was a great opportunity and I love the spiritual recharge I get every time I go.  This work is really exhausting, especially spiritually, and so the temple is one of the best places for missionaries to go.

Oh, and Elder Sudbury totally passed a hi to me the other week.  Our mission office elders called him because they had a referral for them and he was like, hey my friend is in that mission, so he told the Elders to call me and say hi.  Anyway, I am sure he is doing great work down there in Mexico.