December 27, 2013

December 27, 2013

Mom- I can say my prayers in Tag-lish, and since it's easier to say "Nagpapasalamat po ako para sa/kay..." I've been more thankful in my prayers recently. I'm so sorry about pictures, it turns out I forgot the USB cable for my camera, unless it's hiding really well in one of my suitcases, and I can't plug my SD into the computer unless my district gets the laptops and so far we've only had the regular computers.

Christmas was great! I'm sorry that I wasn't able to talk more about it on Wednesday, but I'd like to start out by saying that my district is so awesome. Our district decided to do Secret Santa and it was so much fun. We all drew names last week before our P-day so we had some time to quietly figure out what to get them from Rustan's, the little grocery store down the street that missionaries are allowed to go on P-day, for Pasco. I got Sister Dalley. She is such a sweetheart. Poor Sister Davis got Elder Toupo, who is one of the coolest missionaries ever, and had no idea what to get him. Our whole district on P-day had so much fun going through Rustan's trying to get their Secret Santa gift without letting the recipient know who they had and we were there for almost the whole time allotted to us for shopping there and at the Distribution Center. Sister Davis and I wanted to get a set of Tagalog scriptures to help with our study so we got over to the Distribution Center during our last ten minutes of "shopping time" and to our suprise: 1)All the Tagalog scriptures were gone, except for the Bible, and 2) there were a lot of people there. So we both grabbed a Tagalog Bible and I grabbed a Tagalog Hymn book, and got into line as quickly as possible. Standing right behind us were a couple of Sisters serving in the Manila mission so we started talking to one since the other one was on the phone answering a call from some of their investigators. I'm am very grateful that I came to the MTC here, the Sister we were talking to is from California and she went to the MTC in Provo and she was talking about how she had jet lag on the first day in the field. Not very fun when you have to focus and speak in a language you hardly know and walk around for 16 hours. We unfortunately weren't able to make our purchase due to the time we were there, but it's good to know that things get a lot easier out in the field, that some things just take time to get used to and you will. 

Christmas Eve, we had a devotional with Elder and Sister Nielson, of the Seventy, who is in charge of the Philippines missions came. And the MTC choir, aka all the missionaries in the MTC, sang a Christmas medly and I was asked to direct the music. There are some things those who are preparing or planning on going on a mission should learn: memorize the scripture masteries you have in Seminary (at least what they talk about and their references), memorized the Articles of Faith (all of them, completly), the importance of prayer and doing it morning and night, daily scripture study, and either how to play the piano or to lead music. It was kind of sad how many times the senior Sister thanked me for leading the music. I forgot how much I love directing hymns, actually. I loved Elder Neilson's talk that he gave, he spoke on how we can become better disciples of Christ and the main thing he spoke about was submitting our will to the Father's will and that through the Enabling/Strengthening Power, not just the Healing Power, of Christ's Atonement helps us to become His disciples. Afterwards, we went to the kitchen to have donuts and then we got the brilliant idea to have a snowball fight in the hallway by our classroom, using the napkins from the kitchen. That was probably the most fun 15 minutes ever. 

Chirstmas day we went down and exchanged gifts and it was so funny because Elder Niwelua ( I can't spell his name right) came in with a light layering of a shaving cream beard. So yes there are fake Santas here too Boo. Everyone liked their gifts and I am so grateful for the candy and the new "Preach My Gospel" in Tagalog (yay!) and the Articles of Faith in Tagalog (yay!). Then we watched the Live broadcast from Provo for thier Christmas Eve devotional, that was very uplifting. Later in the day, all the districts sang Christmas songs and it was very cool. We watched some uplifting Christmas videos, including "It's a wonderful life," "Mr. Kruger's christmas," and "The other Wiseman." Then we went to the temple grounds again to take pictures.

Today we were actually able to go into the temple, our time last week got filled up with the incoming missionaries families, and can I just say again how special the temple is to me and that it really is the Lord's house and to encourage everyone to either become or to remain worthy to enter into the temple.

I know I am where I am supposed to be right now. I love you all very much and you are always in my prayers. Make it an awesome day!

Sister Jones 

Christmas Day!

Maligayan Pasco everyone!

I know that it's not quite that time yet over there, but close enough. I only have about twenty more minutes, but I love you all very much and I would like for you all to remember the real reason why we celebrate Christmas. It's for the birth of the Savior which should eventually direct our thoughts to His great Atonement. We had an amazing devotional last night with the Philippines area president last night and he was talking about how we can become disciples of Christ and about the Enabling Power, or the power that makes us into what we can/need to be, of the Atonement. He was also talking about how we cannot become true disciples of Christ until we can fully submit our will to the Lord as He did to His Father while in the garden.

I cannot say enough how much the Lord has blessed me since I've come here: He put me with the best district in the MTC, who did an amazing job acting out the Nativity story in our district room; He put me with the best companion I could ever ask for; the most awesome and patient teachers, who love to laugh; and I can feel Him carrying me throughout the day, even when I'm tired or frustrated at myself, it's so amazing to feel His love for me evey passing moment during the day.

I want to share one thing that happened last night. I was feeling a little homesick, yes it happens, but not that often (too much to do to really think about it), and the Sisters in my district decided to have a short devotional with the Sisters in the room next to us. After it was done, we had a prayer, and in my heart, I wished that I was home where we hug each other after family prayer, and God heard the desire of my heart because right after the prayer, Sister Roisum asked "Anyone want a hug?" I probably looked like a freak with how quickly I moved for her, but to be honest, I needed that answer to my prayer.

Alam ko po na (I know that) God loves us all very much, He answers our prayers, He wants us to ask Him for help, to be grateful for what we have, and He is always watching out for us. Sa pangalan ni Jesucristo, amen.

Sister Jones

Maligaya Pasko! (Merry Christmas)

December 20, 2013

Maligaya Pasko! (Merry Christmas)

It's great to hear from everyone. Things are still going well for me and I will be allowed to email on Christmas (Christmas eve for you I guess) between 9:15-12:45 my time. Dad, I don't think that I'm allowed to print up letters...sorry. "DEAR ELDER" ME! There's a board right across from where my district room where I can pick it up. ;) Thanks for the pictures.

I'm still doing great and we're actually moving on to the more gramatical part of our language training, so forming sentences has become a little eaiser, but now we need to figure out when each concept applies. Teaching has also gotten considerbly easier as well. Our very first teaching appointment was the second day we were in the MTC, in Tagalog, and everyone was freaked out and felt bad about how well they did. It's still stressful, but I feel like Heavenly Father has been holding all of us up and has been guiding us.

The new set of missionaries came to the MTC today and Ammon District (the one I'm in) was assigned to greet and direct the new missionaries through orientation. Wait, I'm suddenly one of the more experienced missionaries?!? It almost seems surreal that two weeks ago I was just as lost as the language training missionaries, and as homesick as the natives and the language traniees. Oh well, there'll be more noise going on around the MTC (the senior language class and the natives had left on Wednesday, and, unlike the Provo MTC, there were about 30 missionaries in both buildings).

The food still tastes great, but I think the staff is used to serving Elders. They give us so much food! I feel bad that I can't eat everything on my plate, but then I also feel bad asking for smaller portions.

It's still weird for me to believe that it's Christmas time here: I think this might be a Northern bias, but it doesn't feel like that time of year unless you have to wear at least three layers to be comfortable. But still, the nice Christmas tree in the main entrance is a great reminder of the time of year and what it means. There is a Nativity on it that I think mom would like. On Sunday, all the missionaries were able to go to the temple across the street to take pictures of the lights on the temple grounds. I love the temple so much, my district wasn't able to go this week because the time that we were schedualled (?) got filled up. A bit of a bummer, but we were able to go last week and the Spirit was so strong as we went through.

I love you all!

Sister Mikenna Jones

First Week in the Philippines MTC

December 13, 2013

Glad to hear that Saryn is done with finals, the first quarter tends to be the most stressful. Well I made it! I didn't cry once on the flight over to Seattle or to Japan or to Manila. Yes, all of my stuff made it just fine. I met up with Sister Roisum (Roy-sum) is Seattle and we were the only two missionaries heading over to the Philippines, but we were pretty sure that we would meet up with some others by the time we got to Japan. We got to Japan and no one was there...(no I didn't try the Ramen because I wasn't able to find a Ramen place and we only had about fifteen minutes before boarding and the line was terrible). Then we got on the next plane and got to the Manila airport and still didn't see any other missionaries there, so we grabbed all of our bags, exchanged our money and then went out to the meeting place and started looking for the person who was supposed to have a sign that said "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," but we couldn't find him. We were in the right place, pero he was no where to be seen. So, we said a prayer, called someone and waited again, when suddenly out of nowhere (at this time it was about 12:30 am) the guy comes running up and he just said "Wait here, your ride's coming, don't move!" and then ran off in the other direction. And our ride did come and we did make it to the hotel ok, (mom, I was too full of snacks, and still have too many, that I had on the plane ride) and got checked in and then waited for a while, and while we did a group of four sisters and three elders walked in. Their flight had gotten in about an hour after ours. We didn't go to bed until 2:00 am and had a bit of a power nap since we were supposed to leave at 4:30. IT WAS FREEZING COLD! They have these super fans here that make you forget about the temperature outside, but with only a sheet on top of you, it can be a long time to try to sleep. I am so grateful for the blanket that I brought with me for the plane, it is so helpful at night. We made it to the MTC at about 6:30 in the morning, and waited for orientation to begin. My companion is Sister davis from Sandy, Utah. She knows people from Moses Lake! Shailee Perry and Bryce (the one who plays piano for choir), Sister Jackie Davis says hi. My district is made up of me and my kasama (companion), Sister Dalley and Sister Vi, Sister Roisum and Sister Laiti (La-eat-ee), Elder Marsh and Elder Newaylua, and Elder Seiuli and EIder Tupo. The MTC here is incredibly small, I am so glad because I probably would have more problems trying toadjust to the size of the Provo MTC. I have to say, having only four hours of sleep in 36 hours makes it difficult to stay awake for sixteen hours of focused study. By about 8 am we were all convinced that it was about 3pm since we had been in dark rooms and all the windows are slightly tinted the whole day. When it was really 6pm Sister Dalley, myself, and my kasama were visibly nodding off and jerking awake while our MTC president was talking so he politly suggested "to those who [were] having a hard time staying awake to stand in the back." We did for the rest of orientation and then went to bed. The food here is good...Filipinos love their rice. It's included with EVERY meal. The only time we didn't have rice with a meal, the language training missionaries that had been here longer got really excited, so I guess that means that that doesn't happen very often. Tagalog is the language of tounge twisters. I have to say a word three times before I get it right (all the throaty "ng"s in the middle of a word doesn't help much either) at least. I love my district, we laugh a lot and care for each other, AND WE CAN ALL SING! The Elders are from Samoa, New Zeland, and Tonga, Sister Dalley was in choir, and the other Sisters enjoy singing so it is so cool when we sing hyms together. I don't have much time left, I'll try uploading some pictures next week. I love the gospel, I am so grateful for the Priesthood, Heavenly Father loves us so much, and it is possible to not be allowed to get up at three to do laundry and be able to get it done anyway.

Sister Jones 

I made it!

  December 6, 2013

Hi mom! I don't have much time, but I'll be writing more about my trip this Friday (Thursday for you). I made it just fine, I'm really tired, it's super hot and I think I'll be drinking more than the required 2 water bottles a day, they gave me a booster on the Hep A and B (grr), and my mission companion is Sister Davis from Sandy, Utah and she is awesome. I love you and you will hear from me later next week. Tell everyone hi for me.

Love

Sister Jones

Mom and me at the airport

With dad at the airport

With family after being set apart as a missionary