Elder Caiden Jones

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#20: Improvement (Elder Jensen reference)

WOOOOOOOOOO

LETS GO BABYYYYYY

THATS WHAT WEVE BEEN WAITING FOR

THATS WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT

If you couldn't tell, I got my Visa.

Lots of hope since Sister Kline got hers and I found out Tuesday morning that my visa was granted on October 28th

The floodgates opened and a TON of people got their visas

Elder Oliverson got his and so hopefully we'll fly together at least once or at least see each other🤞

Not 100% sure when I'm gonna head out yet but I'll probably be in a trio for about a week and be in the land down unda on Novemeber 21 (probably)

Side note: We've been filming a movie. (Hopefully) Coming soon.

一部は日本語です

Second side note: If you're a missionary. Add me to your email list. Thank you

Crazy excited for the visa but now it's time for the weekly epistle

Google Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/SPHBKzMm2s5zEyUQ8

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Short:

Monday:

Pday was fun. We played a lot of basketball for zone sports but that's basically it. The rest of it was just regular pday things

Tuesday:

VISA! I found out before district council from first, my parents, but then the APs as well. After we got back we did studies and then went and did service for some members in the Los Flores ward (got a free couch out of it) then we went to Institute with Pei!

Wednesday:

Trio exchange! I went with two of the Spanish Elders into their area and it was a ton of fun. We started out with a pretty long lesson but it was awesome. So many cool things happened during that lesson. Afterwards we went and did some more museum service, then had dinner, participated in English class, and ended the exchange. Then we may or may not have filmed a little bit... *COMING SOON*

Thursday:

Happy Halloween! Nothing to crazy happened but we got to go on a mini exchange with the APs and I did some college finding. After that we had ZLC (another trio exchange) and Roleplays. We tried tracting but people thought we were trick or treaters. We also got to hang out with the district for the holidays!

Friday:

Classic Friday. Weekly, Wolfe's for lunch, Book of Mormon stand. We were able to talk to a lot of really cool people and hand out a lot of Books of Mormon! Then had a lesson with Ruben and dinner with the Rigbys

Saturday:

Happy Birthday Dad! We biked today and had a lot of time to go finding. Ran into Mitch (respectful basher) and talked with a few other people. We got to set up for a baptism and everything went well! Then we had dinner and afterwards visited some people. I got to celebrate with my family so that was fun because I also got to tell my siblings that I got my Visa

Sunday:

Stake Conference! It was cool. Pei came and she said she really enjoyed it! The rest of the day was a lot of tracting and visits. Many many return appointments. Then the night ended with some parking lot finding and an MRT meeting. Pretty good week.

This week I've realized how easy it is to fall into a routine. I forget that every person is unique with their own experiences, own likes and dislikes, own opinions, and so much more. As I forget that I start to lose focus on why I'm out, serving a mission. I'm here to help individuals, children of God, recognize how Jesus Christ can bless their life. As we reach out with true love and a pure desire to help others, the light of Christ will shine. My invitation to all of you is to reach out to somebody, anybody, and show them the pure love of Christ.

Love you all! 'Till next time,

- Elder Jones

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Long:

Monday:

Pday was a lot of basketball and getting excited about the visa. A lot of the day was spent talking with my parents about when I could possibly get it and the situations and everything. Little did I know I literally had it on Monday I just didn't find out till the next day. Then it was MRT where I got to clear up some misconceptions about polygamy so that's good.

Tuesday:

Visa day! I found out because my parents sent me a picture of my Immi account and then my APs walked in and went "TRAITOR!!" and from then I was freaking out a little but had to cool it for DC. Then we did some zone goal setting and went back to the pad. The ZLs were sick and so they asked us to do some service for their members moving a few couches between houses. It was pretty nice cause we got a new couch out of it and it's actually a really nice couch. Then we had dinner (may or may not have watched part of the world series) and then went to Institute with Pei! She's awesome but sadly she moves this Friday.

Wednesday:

We did an Elders Quorum (what we call the elders in the zone) exchange and I got to go with two Spanish missionaries into their area! I was with Elder Peterson and Elder Robertson and it was pretty fun. For the most part I wasn't able to help that much but we had a lesson with two of their friends and it was really cool. Throughout the lesson was a mix of English and Spanish and so I helped where I could. Near the end they both said that they would work towards being baptized! I was also able to give both of them blessings because they wanted the "new guy" to do it. After that we went and did more service at the museum which is always pretty fun. Then we went and had dinner with the Spanish district which was fun and afterwards had English class. Props to everyone learning a second language (especially the missionaries)

Thursday:

Happy Halloween!🎃 Nothing too crazy happened. The APs called us and asked us if we could do an emergency exchange because they had double booked something and wanted to go to both. So that means I got to go college finding. There was one guy dressed as a missionary for Halloween which was kinda funny. We were passing out candy and I felt like some creepy guy going like "Hey kid, want some candy?? Follow us to this building across the street and you'll get more candy." After the exchange we went to ZLC (where I go on mini exchanges with the Spanish Trio) and then we did Roleplays which were fun. Then we went tracting for a little but people kept thinking we were trick or treaters. Here's an example conversation:

"Oh you guys are early!"

"Oh, we actually aren't trick or treaters. We're the missionaries!"

"Oh ok. Good luck! God bless!"

*Closes door*

"Dang it."

Then we had dinner and played Secret Hitler with the district. I may get a little competitive sometimes. I may or may not have also trick or treated at our next door neighbors. Don't worry they know us really well so it's ok.

Friday:

We started out with studies, then had Wolfe's for lunch and then we did weekly. Pretty regular stuff. The Book of Mormon stand this week went really well. We were able to talk to a lot of people and answer a lot of question. I don't know exactly how many we gave away but it was quite a bit! Afterwards we were able to have a lesson with Ruben who is awesome! Then we had dinner with the Rigbys and called it a night.

Saturday:

My Dad's birthday! He's 42 now, so happy birthday to him. We went biking today and so we were able to talk to a lot of people. One of the most memorable was Mitch. He was pretty cool even though he only wanted to tell us how wrong we were. The difference was that after he would tell us why we were wrong he would give us an opportunity to tell him why we weren't. We weren't able to convert him right then and there but I want to visit him again. Afterwards we had Popeye's (gas) and then went to the church to help set up a baptism. It was pretty cool. Then we went to dinner (Smoke and Fire. Gas.) And visited Ruben again and met Elizabeth. Elizabeth is kind of...interesting. It'll be fun to talk to her again

Sunday:

Stake Conference was fun. My mission president and the temple president were there and it was cool to hear them and their wives speak. Pei was there and said she loved it. For the rest of the day we went tracting and parking lot finding. We weren't able to teach too many people but we have a LOT of return appointments. We'll see how many of those actually turn out but I've got faith. Then we had a miracle meeting for MRT. Those are fun I guess.

I've also had a lot of prayers answered this week. It's really strengthened my testimony that not all prayers are answered in the time or way that we want but they will be answered. If any of you have questions or concerns, pray. If any of you have received answers or blessings, pray. If any of you are waiting for answers, pray and be patient.

Also, cool scripture:

2 Nephi 26:24

"24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world..."

Lots of improvement this week. I can't wait to keep learning and serving. I hope all of you think about your current relationship with Jesus Christ and what you can do to strengthen it. Then do it. Jesus Christ loves you and although it may seem like it's hard, or takes too much time, or is something that can wait, that's Satan. Let Christ strengthen you. Rely upon Him and come unto Him as a little child. I have seen Him bless my life in so many incredible ways and in such a short time. You are being blessed every single day for every act of faith. Please recognize that.

Love you all! 'Till next time,

- Elder Jones