Week 7

 I have no idea why we did not get an email last week. Robert didn't share the answer. He had  a lot of emails to reply to this week and seemed to be short on time so our emails were very short. Here is and excerpt:

I love our family so much too!!! For every single one of those reasons you said! I can go anywhere, do anything, and if I'm with all you crazy kids I'll be having the best of times! :) Thanks for writing about that because those are the best emails when I get to hear that the times I enjoyed most and was the most happy are still happening without me. It doesn't make me sad one bit just more excited to add Samoa to our family expeditions! :) I'll teach you all different things that you'll love hate and be confused by that we can all joke about after I get home. It'll amplify the fun we'll have together! :)

So I am just like you in my thoughts of Samoa because what you described was my vision for what it would be like but that changed immediately. :) It could be different if I go to Savaii though. :) I'm in love with this place regardless though! :) 

We get fed Fafaga at 5 every afternoon so yes we get fed and it's always enough. Way too much actually plus the longer I'm here the more I like it. 

Yeah we have district meeting once a week but other than no its just Elder Redd and I roaming around the area. The other day we had to tell two elders that just got transferred they were about a mile outside of their area. It made me feel like less of a newbie. :) 

I think mission president and His wife are great!! I don't know much about them other than what I learned the first 2 days being in the office. President is not very organized but He will always do what the Lord wants and I have no doubt He is constantly shown what that is. That is very comforting because this mission needs some big changes and He is making that happen. There's a lot of problems with Elders doing dumb stuff and not being missionaries. I love president for what he does. His wife makes me eager to go into the office because shes a lot like you. Just a goof ball who loves everyone and doesn't really know what else to do besides love. I loved talking with her those first couple days!! It was very very sweet and plus she is just like Her husband and taught some powerful and simple truths out of the scriptures in our little meeting.

6th week in Samoa No Email

There was no email this week. I heard that it was transfer week for the mission so he may have a new area or companion. The consequences of this though are he  was too busy to go the church with Elder Redd to send an email. I did get a letter in my mailbox today though. It was so great. It made me cry. I may type it up to add to the blog since I kinda plan to print this blog for his use. Like a scrap book or something. Talofa

No place on earth other than here could make me happier at this point in my life

So this week was great despite a lousy weekly planning session on Sunday. We accomplished much and I definitely learned a lot because my Soa let me lead a lot more this week. We're working well together, my Samoan can hold its own, at least to some degree now, and we're getting planning down pretty well so I can almost guarantee that the work this week will take off very dramatically. A side note about Aso Tofi, (Thursday) is that while we were in a lesson with a crazy old lady named Tete, and her Daughter Lia a song came on that Mommy Jones really really likes. Any guesses? Well remember that one musical that all you crazy girls used to sing to me all the time, not Saturdays warrior, but the one thats about all the crazy girls in a different country. It was Mamma Mia!! We sat down and as we started greeting and chatting about weeks the memories started to rush in and my Samoan had no more space in my brain. I giggled a little bit but luckily Tete is crazy, and Lia was practicing some good old fashioned Samoan Culture (Aganu`u) and was whipping up some grub. Therefore she wasn't within earshot or eye shot to see the cheesy little grin on my face. After this happening I decided that was the house of things Robert past because about 2 weeks ago one of the little'ns came bounding in on His Fiery noble steed whom I know to called as Sprocket. I was on a split otherwise I would have got a picture of it for you but I'm sure that won't be the last time the knight and his champion horse will return. I almost broke down that day too but, (broke down in joy, there's no such thing as sad in the work of Salvation unless you don't fully understand God's perspective yet) even if I did the mighty Samoan Aganu`u saved me again and Lia was chasing her kids with a broom because they weren't very... ummm... Aganu`ufied... ;) Plus Tete was just grinning while holding one of the grand kids without a care in the world... ;) She's really not that crazy, just a bored old lady without a husband who just watches 9 kids all day long for her entire life. 

(*disclaimer* I am worried someone will be hurt or offended by Robert calling Tete crazy so I would like to say when he says crazy I know he means like our home is crazy busy, silly, loud . Like being a mom with many kids can get erratic at times.)

We're also teaching another sweet old Samoan lady who's name is Otelia and man do I love this lady. She's already a member but fell away for unknown reasons, probably because someone invited her to another church. Either way we visit her and man oh man she has a sweet heart. She's very patient with our Samoan is very accepting of us and loves the book of Mormon. She's just trying to find God she says which makes me upset at the Elders who taught her initially because they didn't do this sweet old lady right. Anyways as far as stories about her go, this week she was talking with us about the tree of life and all of a sudden wanted to talk about the mini earthquake we felt the night before at like 9:30 at night. So we went with it because our Samoan isn't good enough to do any redirection that wouldn't offend somebody and then we all turned into a laughter fest. After the earthquake interruption Elder Redd summarized the plan of Salvation in a simple sentence and went to actually say the words "The plan of Salvation" and she said wrong! He kept trying and here's where the fun really began. `O le ata `O le Fa`aolataga. Thats the plan of Salvation. This is what he said. If you catch the difference the first time through I'll be very proud. O` le `ata `o le fa`aolataga... Did you see it? That one means the smile,or laugh of Salvation. Not a big slip-up but she was hung up on it and started to tease him for the way he said it. By this point I was giggling, laughing, joining in with her, etc... The difference  is this, ata, and `ata. The first one means picture, second means laugh. (Samoan is very basic so there's no very specific words, especially for the gospel) IE: Faife`au tala`i they mean missionary when they say it but here's the exact translation; Fai-do, make, etc.. fe`au- Chore tala- story `i- somehow that makes it preacher, Tala`i- preacher. So the Samoan word for Missionary is Do the chore preaching. I couldn't have chose a better mission/language to learn at the foundation of the world. It was a great time with her. Shortly after we calmed down we gave here an assignment in the book of Mormon, closed with a prayer, and left as she continued to tease. I miss her. :) 

Mommy Jones I hope you know that I'm having a blast out here! No place on earth other than here could make me happier a this point in my life. This is where I get to give everything to God. I get to be a part of his fulfillment of prophecy and I am literally helping him fulfill ancient covenants to His children about the gathering of Israel. The best part is how much work goes into it! Heavenly father gives me so much to do because I learn from it but none of it really matters. He's just keeping me occupied while He does His work. He does need us to gather His sheep. He just really really loves us. So much so that He allows us to be his instruments, very imperfect but still usable. I am very personally seeing the hands of God reach out to all those who let Him in. This time is time for me to just align myself completely with Him. He already knows what Fale o`o to walk up to, or which street to go down. He's got all of our lessons planned out for the next two weeks. But because He not only wants new members but rather He wants to retain old ones, so he commands His prophets to speak for Him and invite all who are willing and able into His work "that is to change the world" (The first great commandment) -Elder Holland, all so that He can watch over us. He calls us on missions so He can be within arms reach for two years before we're sent into the lone and dreary world. The mission field shouldn't be one of dread, misery, or woe because we don't get to indulge in the world for 2 years. It should be each of our very own very personal garden of Eden. The place and the time we are permitted to walk with God every step of our days so that when we can't anymore in the struggles of life within the dominion of Satan, we know who we are and who's presence we came from. I know that I am walking with God every day here in Samoa and luckily when I don't choose to walk with Him, He gave us someone to make up for that lossed time. The Savior is at the head of this Church and is definitely in the center of my heart where He rightly deserves to be. May we all clear the path for Him to rest within our hearts so that we all may rest in the sight of the Lord. 

Love, Elder Jones.

 This is Lemi he is one of Elder Redd's Converts before I got here he could really use some prayers he is struggling. Thanks.

I sure love this boy 2/7/16

Okay thats a lot to reply to and theres not much time left...

I'm glad to hear you're still stalking me because I swear I see you all over the place. Not really but I do see pieces of mommy Jones in different people. It's Elder Iakopo by the way(Ya- koh-po). 

Mom I don't want you to ever send like I'm telling you you're not good enough!!! THose are never my intentions. I love you too much to let myself do that but being here on a mission my life is all about helping other do more. It's all about teaching a truth and then inviting them to change.It's never because they're not good enough but rather God has called me to help others find more. Elder Holland says no matter what someone says or does that the gospel will always relate to it and can always offer them more. The people here in Samoa are always trying to give, do, and say more  especially give more food because they love the message that we share with their nation. That's all I'm saying when I offer counsel or insight or bear testimony. "I love you, have more, I love you". I revere your name mommy Jones. I hardly ever use Leilani because and when I do I get teared up and my heart fills with like mommy Jones love juice which is actually just extra invigorated blood or something that pumps into my heart because I think of my Mommy. Never forget that...The part about me loving you, you could probably forget the weird explanation because its kinda..weird... 

Anyhow!!!! I'm so stoked that my family is getting up all zombie style in the morning around the same time I do and studies the scriptures. Do you see the change it's having already? I promise there's more of something in our family, you've just gotta find it. :) 

Awh man I love those time just playing and laughing with my mommy Jones!!!! Those are like the funnest times of my existence!

Dang thats great about Amanda!!! I'm so proud. So much for her new lap-top though... ;) Oh Ammon, and Mom... I bet that exchange you had with him was exactly the way I pictured it just 12 times more hilarious. :) I love that turd! Thanks for not soft serving it! Man you sure do like that Elder Legrande.. He's home now right? 

So my Soa thinks that the dates those two lovely sisters went on were my fault because of Missionary blessings!! ;) woot woot!!! You're welcome!. ;) I love the description that went into the picture. You're the best mommy jones! That other missionary mommy is pretty wise. Tell Caleb Halliday I'm very proud of Him and that taking Cydney out is far better than planning a date with me. :)

Okay so this weeks message is basically what I told Cydney about faith. I have no clue out of all the things that I'm doing as a missionary, which one is inspired. But I'm learning tons about belief. I am also experimenting on the word like Alma tells us to do and I'm believing the crap out of Samoa! Plus my soa is a great example of just believing. Neither of us teach very well. We definitely don't speak fluently. I don't understand what everyone needs because I can't understand everything they're saying. But what I do know is that God is at the head of this work. If you don't believe me than look in Jacob five and ponder about the gathering of Israel through all 77 verses. Then do it again, and then read the next chapter to clarify what you thought it meant. I also know that this companionship is appointed by a very inspired mission president who I'm sure has been doing nothing but Believing his whole life and now he knows, much more than me. Lastly I know without a doubt that Christ is with us wherever we go because we are doing all that we can to bind Him and God in all of their promises to us. Their promises are endless and are always fulfilled if we "do what we can" the Savior says. Thanks for all the love. Be sure to have a believing week.
Love Elder Jones.

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Manono Tai