So this week was crazy!!! Elder Sewell almost died! Wanna hear about it?

So this week was crazy!!! Elder Sewell almost died! Wanna hear about it?
 SO last monday the reason we didn't get to email is due to Elder Seewells back pain that was due to a fall from like 2 weeks ago where he tweaked his back and it just progressively got worse till monday he decided to call it in to the office. President just said Go to the emergency room so we sure as heck did and it was a long long time we waited there with all these funny Samoan people around. ;) It wasn't the nicest hospital I've ever seen but it was admiarable for Samoa. He ended up getting a shot in the but and some pain meds with a prescritpion to just lay down ALL WEEK LONG... So that was the week... until... ;)
So we were both just taking it Easy on tueseday and wednesday as well just going to fafaga each night to get a little less housy all the time... ;) He decided on Wednesday night that he would fast to see if he could get God to take away the back pain so we could get back to work only to wake up the very next morn with a horrible stomach sickness. His body wouldn't accept any food or drink. So then we got to go to the hospital again and meet the new nurse in the mission as well. It was crazy and nuts he got more meds and we just kind of stayed home all week trying not to get stir crazy but he's all better now. Thats how he almost died. Sorry the some elders from our district came by to pick up some supplies they needed. ;)
 Oh no Elder Allen actually Got transfered to Savaii nad he cried the night we got transfer calls. WE miss him but it is nice just being us again and being back in our groove of things. He's doing great over there though. I'm still the DL and the District got all switched up again but all is well besides the church leaders. They're a bit on the complaining side when it comes to how president Hanneman runs the mission because its so different from what they were used too.

August 21st

These are excerpts from Robert today. We ended up just sending some questions back and forth so its a
little disjointed for you all reading this but one of my goals is to save this info for Elder Jones when he comes home so we can talk about all the things we don't have time to talk about one hour a week. So sorry if its weird.


The last 3 weeks has been a blast and I feel like speaking wise I've taken a leap because all day long I have to keep them on the same page. Elder Allen has pretty darn good english but not fluent and Elder Sewell is still struggling with the Samoan so I'm gateway to everything we do. Its been really fun though because they're both just hilarious. What specifically do you want to know though? We've had like 4 baptisms this month have 4 marriages to do this week and then a baptisms as well and then the first week of September will be a total of 5 Baptisms I think unless God puts anyone else in our path before then. ?Busy busy busy is the story but its really fun. Any specific questions? I'm in for a chat. PS I finished the SD card last night with a video of a speech Elder Allen put on. a Samoan speech. Its pretty sweet. I'll have it in the mail this week for you all. :)

So Elder Allen Came because Elder Murray got transferred to Tutuila to be a ZL and then I got his comapnion along with becoming the new DL. SO I'm training the both of them and leading the District as of 3 weeks ago... I don't understand the second question... SO the letters I have not stopped writing but The business has increased like 3 fold since I've been in Lalovi so I seldom make it to bed on time therefore I do my journal and skip the letters. I'm super sorry but I'm just aiming to get some sleep each night. 11:30 or 12 is my average time I make it to bed. But I still do wirte here and there at night when I get a chance.

I tried the wifi but it  didn't work out... No we weren't in a parade at all. I don't know when he was. Probably on the backside because up front they just had a big party at the church. Backside of the island...

Well its a bit difficult due to the language but it sure is teaching me a lot. Elder Allen is a native from Fusi Safata on the backside of the island. If I ever get to serve in the office I think there is wifi there but I don't know we'll see. 3 days to close that thing!?!?! Thats pretty crazy!! I'd probably be worse because I odn't know how to use phones anymoe... At least buttonless ones... ;) ANy other questions?

 THIS IS THE WEIRD PART I WAS REFERING TO. I HAD JUST TOLD HIM HE COULD READ A CEREAL BOX AND IT WOULD MAKE ME HAPPY CAUSE I JUST LOVE HEARING HIS VOICE. ;)

No news on the debit card.

Lalovi ward stake amd windows vista alcatel onetouch sharp 12digit 2 color printer. ;) Not a cereal box but all the gadgets and doodads over here in the clerks office. ;) My time is up though mommy so know that I flipping love the crap out of you guys and I'm praying for you like all time! THanks for all the love and support. 

Love Elder Jones

Exerpt from June 21 Letter

Ia, 'ou te fia tusitusi atu i le gagana o lo'u loto. le fa'asamoa. E olioli pea a'u e tautalaina i lenei gagana auā.  E i ai tele o aso e faigatā ona. e le mafai ono 'ou malamalama so'o se mea. 'Ae 'ou te iloa ma 'ou te mautinoa pe afai. e fa'amoemoe a'u i le alofagia a le atua ia te a'u, e lē i ai so'o se vaega lava ou te popole ai. E tutusa lelei ma le tusi o Salamo 23:1 "O Ieova, o lo'u leoleo mamoe o ia, leai se mea ou te mativa ai" Tinā ou te tusitusia atu i le fa'atumuina o lo'u loto ma ie alofa, atoa ma le mana  o la'u moli mau, ma ou te faapea atu; Faafetai lava mo taimi uma e te talosia i le atua, Ia e tausi la'u tama tama, 'ou te faailoa atu, o lo'o manuia lou tama tama auā o ia lava lea e galulue i le afioaga ma le malamalama a iesu ma le atua. 'ou te talosia atu, faamoemoe i le atua ma le lē Aunoa.

Google Translation.

Well, I'd like to write in the language of my heart. Samoan. You enjoy myself spoken this language for. There are many days with difficulty. may be I understand anything. But I know and I'm sure if. I hope the favor of the gods to me, not in any part I was worried about. Similarly, the book of Psalms 23: 1 "The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want" Mother, I write to fill my heart with the love and the power of my testimony, and I would say; Thank you for always praying to God, to keep my son, and I will show, the success of your son for the same work in the presence and knowledge of Jesus and the gods. I pray that hope in God and regularly.

I feel like it kinda got the meaning but I guess I will just save this here till Elder Jones comes home to translate. On a side note I recognize a lot of the words from my study of Samoan. yeah!!

August 14th

Well me and sewell AKA Boss Hog Outlaw is now me an sewell plus Allen the Samoan from Fusi Safata. We're having a blast! I'm now the district leader over here in the Upolu west stake so thats cool. We three cover half .the stake together 3 large wards and a branch. Meaning we're always on bikes just sweating ourselves to death all day long and my collars have never been dirtier all my mission and trust me I know because I hand wash them every week. ;) So yeah all is good. Especially because Sewell is the kind of MAN who loves to get dirty. Elder Allen has really good english which is a huge blessing because him and sewell don't need me to be there to translate all the time. 

So we asked him some questions about his companions and told him he was really rocking the mission and that pretty soon Samoa would be mormon and then he could come back to the mainland and this was his reply:

 

I'm not coming back mom!! I;ve already got a piece of land and with that 20 dollars carla sent me for my B-day I hired some Samoan dudes to build me a nice little beach front house for my grandkids to vacation with me in some day. ;) 

and then

Yeah it should be done in like a week or two. samoans are pretty quick unless the sun is out or its raining then they just sleep. ;) So pray that all goes well. 

This Cracks me up. Love that Boy!!

July 31st

So sorry about the shortness of emails this week but I had 14 to start with so I had a struggle trying to get them all. But This week was awesome!

WE had this double baptisms this weekend with a 27 year old guy names Ioane and then a 17 year old who I have an envisionment of him serving in Arizona like 3 years from now for his mission and I will spoil the crap out of him!!!! I may make it hard form him to do the work though but thats okay He'll know how much I love him. It was cool weekend! The week on the other hand was just busy busy busy due to lessons and lessons and more lessons to teach. But that was the fun stuff all week because teaching in samoan is pretty fun and especially being called to call people to repentance. Its terrifying and hard but man oh man does it feel good when WE do it Gods way through the spirit of Prophecy and the spirit of revelation. Its so cool! We've got a lot of people we just have to bold with and that's really just the way to treat samoans when it comes to conversion into the Church of Christ because because the Culture is such a big interference with things that we can't do much less than just tell them straight! :) Stressfull but its all about living according to the code of the priesthood. Its the only way. Reproving be times with sharpness but then having a increase of love fr them. Its the way to go. 

We also got yelled at by our bishop for subbing for a seminary class one afternoon last week that never actually happened because none of the class showed up... It was weird and now the issue is all solved but He just told us that's not our work to be doing and that He is our authority so we just listen to what he says and we do it... Just go and preach he says. I like the last part he said because its the most true. It sounds pretty weird because it is but its really funny and a lot of other emotions at times while working with Samoan church leaders but I do enjoy it and God is just teaching us tons through them. I'm just glad that I've got elder Sewell as my backbone because this Guy is just bold and doesn't play around when someone is in the wrong. Its made me glad that he's not fluent in Samoan because He might of caused a ruckus here and there but the funny thing is he would have been right. I love it. 

So long story short mommy Jones is that I'm great. The work is progressing and Elder Sewell and I are having a great time together. 

PLUS!!!!! elder Redd says Hi!!! I love ya mommmy Jones!

Love your son!!!!!!

 Elder Jones

Bro and sister Flake come to visit and bring Salsa and chocolate

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