July 24th

SO this week was crazy crazy crazy busy mommy Jones! WE had a baptism to prepare for that was for a sweet little girl named meafou and alsowe have 2 more coming up this week and then in the next month we have 2 couple trying to get married so they can e baptized... Plus a couple other people who very well could be baptized next month as well. Long story short its flipping busy oover here in Lalovi! BUt it is a ton of fun and I'm still just amazed at how many people God has had waiting for us here in Lalovi, For me and Elder Sewell the village white dudes. I'd say village idiots but we have to be able to speak to be an idiot. ;)

We're having a great time though. 

THe work over here is a TON different from america and everything we do has to go thorugh like a Samoan islands filter... Its hard to explain but like its mostly because of the culture. You know how the lamanites are just under the sin blanket of the traditions of their fathers? Well thats basically exactly how Samoa is and as an Elder over here we've just gotta wade thorugh it. Elder Sewell and I and even every companionship we've talked about how nice it would be to serve in america where the ward does this, and the people do this, and the bishop does that, etc... But really we just have to wade thorugh the spiritual high and lows of Samoa. Its pretty flipping weird at times to be honest and a lot of times I don't feel like a missionary should but then I just think back to all the really lame times for the BOM Elders and I just say hey! I did that smae thing! :) SO the work is a rollercoaster and the weirdest part/coolest part is how There is no such thing as Aethiest. Everyone who lives in Samoa knows and lives by one God. THe problem is is that the Religion and Culture are so intertwined that members think cultural things are still supported by the church but they aren't so it causes issues. anyways though the coolest part is that because everyone is Christian everyone is welcome to us and all are open to baptism. ITs really a big problem though because baprtism is just a thing you do so that you're allowed to go that church when you're here in Samoa its not a life altering hting. The biggest struggle of my mission is trying to discern who is a real convert because the Samoans and their culture just keep me guessing. So yeah thats the work. I love it! :) I just wish it was less confusing but it keeps me humble too. :) 

Sewell is great! He's a hilarious little turd! I really enjoy the way we do things but above all what I like about him is He's bold. Thats what I realized this week finally. He's a bold little sucker and doesn't give a care in the world about it. The gospel is the gospel the doctrine is the doctrine and there is one way to heaven, saving ordinances so we'll lay it out really simply for you and all you ahve to do is ust keep stepping. Hes super blunt. I just wish he was fluent already so that in lessons he could just be as bold as he is with me while doing role plays. :) I love this Elder! I assume Gods lesson to me through this comapnion is at least that. Kimball was change, Redd was Be humble, And Afuvai was love with understanding, so now that I've gotten all soft and mushy God needs me to get some more fire like abinadi. Of course it took me this long into this area to realize it though even thoguyh in the day of my trio with Fifita and Tautuaa the day before I got sewell God told me to be like Abinadi in this area. Or maybe he just was telling me that I was going to get an Abinadi to train... Either way I love Elder Sewell and I'm just praying that as we take on the first 3 months of his mission I do it the way that God wants me to and we both learn what He needs us to. 

I don't remember who elder Cuter is but I hope you don't mean Elder Redd because He's not done!?!?!? 

All those random Samoans are people I tell about you. One is the daughter of the BIshops counselor, and another is one of our investigators who wants to remember us and keep in touch after the mission. I'd just give them my name to look up on facebook but there are a million Robert Joness on Facebook but only 1 Leilani Steele Jones so its true when I say your the best because you're literally 1 in like 7 billion people on Facebook. So please just accept them and then ask them this question; "E te silafia Elder Jones? O a`u o lona tina Leilani." Then just send them to your friends list to friend me so when I get home I can keep in touch with all these people through Facebook. I will miss them so many! Pretty pretty please. 

ANywho I love ya a ton! HAve a great week and be safe out there in record heat! :) I love you guys! Especially mom

So What kind of questions do you have for me?

Me -What was it like when the flakes came? How did they find you? What is your area like? Where do the third wheels stay when they join you? Do you have 3 fala ?

Robert- The flakes were riding around with the Schaeffermeyers and ran into the three of us on the road while we were walking to fafaga. It was a delightful little carepackage. SUper good. They all jsut pulled over and we chatted for like 5 ish minutes then they got in the car and left after like 2 pictures I think.

Me -Is Elder Murry still the zl? When did you take that group photo with those 7 elders? Are you safe and happy? Are your clothes ok? Shoes dead yet?

Robert - No murray isn't anymore. Its Iakopo and a Samoan named VAeai. :) I love them! THats at our service project we did in Falelatai. I am very very safe and Extremely happy like all the time because I'm in the land of the happy people of the Pacific. Plus I'm just a hppy person in general and you know that. :) My clothes are solid and trucking along. My shoes are still holding up surpisingly and thats another miracle to me. 7 months out of these bad boys. Then I just wear the other pair for like sundays and meeting thats basically it... but yeah all is well. I will need a black belt for those black shoes you sent though right

Me- What is it like when you send pictures is it hard does it take long times? It seems like it in lalovi

Robert- YEah it takes heaps of time and then It slows the internet WWAAAAAAYYYYY down to where it won't wor anymore and then I don't even get to chat with you. My plan though is to send home the SD cards for you guys because I have the mass storage as a back up just in case the mail system proves untrustworthy. So I might  just stop trying to do pictures so much till a new area but I'll let you all know hwne I finsih the SD card and throw it in the mail. :) So yea its a bummer.

Me- Oh shoot I was trying so hard not to send a package 4 weeks in a row. Just cause shipping rate is ridiculous. Wait one minute your shoes are tan.

Robert-

SWEEEEEEETTTT that fits perfectly then. No worries I have no need for a black belt then especially since I never took Karate. :) Times pretty much up though. I've only got 2 fala though and we just put the third wheels on the floor and squeeze them into our little table for studies. :) Its really a fun time. we miss Elder Murray tons! I love ya Mommy Jones and Cienna Jones, and Cydney Jones, And Lindsay Jones and Collin Jones, and Tucker Jones, and Carlie Jones, and Daddy jones.

Ps the mission ran out of Samoan planners so they had Tongan ones shipped in because the others weren't able to get  here fast enough or something. The next six weeks will be in tongan... ;) I don't like it but oh well. tongan is like the Russian of the pacific and Samoan is like french or italian. Its just flowy and pretty. ;)

 

Me- You can read tongan?

 

Robert- Read but not speak or understand.... All planners are set up the same though

 

Me- That's funny. I'll add it to the list of talents you have though. Lol

 

Robert- Im not really sure what to write again. We were in a trio with Elder Murray till Thursday while he waited for his new trainee/ son. We had a blast with Him especially because He was my first ZL. 

This week we also did a district service project and de-lavarocked a lava rock infested garden area. It was pretty sweet and just more proof that Samoans are super human beings. THye're so flipping strong! Just stupid strong!!!! 

Me-How do you get lava rock infested? Doesn't that involve hot rock? I haven't heard of any erruptions

 

Robert-

WEll the whole island has lava rock all over it so theres lava rock all over the place in fact thats why theres hardly any beaches in Samoa but especially upolu because its all jsut Lava rock. So everyone usses them as house foundations, and walls for things. Taeipo from my last area. Her parents had some dumped into the ocean in Tuanai and then dirt and then they built a house and eventually donated some of that land to the church to build the chapel their. Crazy huh? So yeah Lava lava lava ROCKS!!!!

 

Me- Do you live on upolu? Do you boat to manono?

 

Robert- YEs. and yes we would but President just gave Manono to the elders in Samatau so now we just have Apolima isalnd left for us to go to but we haven't gone to either yet becasu the work is way better up on the island.

 

Me- Thank you for clearing that up. Glad the work is good on the island. Thanks for all the answers. My brain is so much clearer. Love you Robbie

 

Robert- hahaha anytime!!! oh its awesome! ANytime. How about next week? I love you too mommy! :) 

Bonus Photo this week from Elder Iakopo!!

Internet issues this week

SWEET!!! THanks mommy Jones!!!! Also thanks for sending the flakes to me with salsa and my favorite snack. THe salsa is great on my eggs in the morning! :) I love you gys! Congratutlate collin and Carlie for me. :)

 We made brownies today for P-day because Elder Murray our district leader has been with us for the week while He's waiting for transfers on Wednesday where he will get one of the newbies and start training. His mom had sent the mix to him around Christmas so it worked out perfectly that he is in a trio with us for a week so He can finally use them. He's been a party to be around but then also a huge help for me at the same time
 Because he's got way more mission experience so He's just been a good resource of wisdom to use a lot during this last week.

Ps sorry but the internet was failing for the last 30 minutes and I've gotta go in like 7 ish minutes....

We also made some french taost this week!!! It was sooooooooo good!

 Goodness P-days are stressful time wise!!! I;ve gotta go get ready for our fafaga but I lov you heaps and have grown a ton this week. You're all in my prayers. I love love love ya!

4th of July in Samoa

Well this week was pretty interesting but very fast and very enjoyable! :) We didn't get to do much work to be honest but we had a fun adventure I feel. I really appreciated the way that God taught me even though we didn't get to do much work in our area.

So my comapnion, Elder Sewell has been struggling health wise since he got here. almost every day he's ahd some kind of illness or pain but this week was what seemed to be the peak of it all. He wasn't feeling good at all on wednesday so we stayed in and rested a bunch and then Thursday morning He woke up worse and we ended up taking a taxi into the mission office to deal with him there. He wasn't like tragically ill or something but he wasn't getting anybetter with the situation we were in at our house way over here in Lalovi so we got to go kick it in the office for a night and he got heaps better. It was a blast to be honest. For me it was like a mini vacation especially because when we got there I met the package you had sent and the other one with the USB and adapter thingy, Plus on top of that all the Senior couples who were taking care of my soa and I SPOILED THE CRAP OUT OF US. THey gave us so much food that is so foreign to get here in Samoa like the pizza you have a picture of now. It was very realxing and like a spa trip or something for me but all the while my soa was pretty delirious and just trying to overcome whatever Samoa had done to him. Then he got better real quick and we made it back home but still have basically just rested all week to make sure his illness is just gone completely because we have a lot of work to attend to. The area is huge, we have a lot of member support, and there are plenty of people waiting for us in the area. 

ANyhow all is well. Today for our P-day we made the chocolate chip muffins you sent me which were awesome! THnaks a ton for that! We're still trying to find something to blow up tongiht but we can't really think of anything that might be explosive here in Samoa so we're still open to ideas if you have any, We've still got one more 4th left on our missions and I personally plan on going out with a bang! :) 

Also A little side note about rihgt now. In other words this is live news. Our Ward mission leader is sleeping on the floor behind us as we email because He loves the AC in the bishops office where we use the computer so he came by for a nice 2 hour nap. :) He's a great guy! His name is Fatu and he's been a huge help to us. Its things like this though just remind me how weird I'll be when I get home because him being here and just things like this in general are pretty normal... A ward mission leader from a different area spent the night at our house when I was in Tuanai. Weird stuff but it was all just the easiest way to get the service done that we had planned for that day. I love it here in Samoa and Heavenly Father really teaches me in the coolest ways and especially in the office this week. But you'll have to wait for that story in the journal entry letters I send you. But anyways this place is a miracle to me. I love it here. :) 

Elder Jones

 

This Week was awesome

Here is me out with our ward mission leader getting to know our area a lot better and I liked the way my hair looks so thats really why I sent it. Then the next one should help explain the area. Its a gorgeous picture and the two islands in the distance are Manono tai (closer) and Apolima (farther). WE cover the villages inland of those two islands 4 to be exact and then Manono tai as well. so it really is just a massive area.

The computer is struggling today so I might not get to send much out but this is my try. The week was awesome besides two things. 

1: Taro makes me sick now. It hasn't my whole mission and its my favorite thing to eat out here but for the last 2 weeks especially this one I eat it and then have diarhea for 1 day and half. Super lame...

2: The screen on my camera broke internally. I guess it got smooshed in my bag or something but it still takes pictures and still works and about 40% of the screen still shows clear picture so Its useable but ya that was the other dumb part of the week... I think God just wants to make sure I come back to see these people later on in my life rather than just remember them through pictures and journal entries but man thats lame. 

Also this week was pretty spiritually powerful for me. Although I can do al

ot with my language abilities I still am very limited but thats the beauty of the brand new area and me training is that God just wants to show me how much betterthis work is if I truly just rely on him. So all this week every word that comes from my mouth, well most of them have only come out of reliance and trust on the spirit and all the promises that God puts in his scriptures for His missionaries. I'm here to tell the world that they're all true and if Elder Sewell and I don't get to do much "missionary work" in this area then I know that God at least worked miracles within my heart and my companions. The mission is so cool! I recommend it for everyone because they're available to everyone nowadays. Youth and seniors so GO and preach but don't do it your way because God's is was better. 

I love you guys and thanks for all the support.

Love Elder jones

Lalovi and Manono

So a lot has changed Mommy Jones. Elder Afuvai is all the way back in washington and I've got a new companion that I picked up from the airport. THe two pictures on here are with Elder Afuvai the day he left. The one of them has my old house with us two our ZL's and the two Elders that are going to be serving in Tuana`i now because I got transferred to Lalovi. Crazy huh? I know. Our area is huge!!!!!!!! WE cover Lalovie, Satuimalufilufi, Apolima uta, Manono Uta, and Manono tai. Its a total of a 2 wards and a Sunday school thats going to be a branch soon...Its nuts. Plus just reading this you don't even know thta Manono tai is one of those smaller islands inbetween the two big ones of Savaii and Upolu. CRAZY HUH? I KNOW. All is well though we've just been getting familiar with the area. Luckily we have bikes because I would not want to walk all of this day to day. You should look it up on a map... THis area is HUGE!!!! I really do love it so far though. WE have a freat ward mission leader who's been a huge help and the rest of the memebers we've metare great so far!

My new Soa Elder Sewell is from North Dakota but he grew up in Philadelphia. Hes a really cool guy. He worked on, in... an oil field for the last year and 8 months I think it was... Crazy huh? He turns twenty a day after I turn 19 so He's like basically and old man already. ;) He's a good guy thoguh. He's handling all the beautiful messes Samoa has had in store for him so far and I'm super proud of him. He's sure making my job as a trainer pretty easy. Thats pretty much it for the change... 

The week was cool too. Monday through half of Wednesday was in my last area, the other half of monday was spent with Elder fifita and his tongan trainee, and then from late in the night on until now we've been in our new area. So much new and different to experience. The new area is pretty different from the last. I'm still on the main road but not nearly as close to town so theres hardly any commotion on the road all day like in my last area which is nice. Everything is a ton more peaceful and I'm enjoying it so far but its also weird to not have all the sound... Oh yeah!!! The night I got my companion We all went to a hotel and ate at a place called Aggie Grays. It was cool Just six of us where we did a little mini training session with president and the ZL's. We got so spoiled! That place was like the nicest place I've ever been it feels like. It didn't even seem like Samoa anymore. Its a super nice hotel resort thing. Sooo cool! 

Afuvai is all the way on the left.. THe other one took too long to load sooo yeah... sorry.... THis one took like 25 minutes to load. I love ya tons mom and family!!! Take care outthere in Utah and just keep praying for my Soa and I to be able to accomplish thats in store in our new area. I'm always praying for you guys!!!! I love love love ya all!!!!!

Elder Jones