Zone Conference Week!

Ni sa bula vinaka

These past few weeks have been way good. We have been working really hard in our area and trying to get a lot done before the transfer ends. We have an investigator who's name is Dite. She is the sister of Mika who we just baptized. I hope we have her baptism before the transfer ends just in case I leave.

We went to Labasa for zone conference as well. It was a way fun time but the travel is such a pain. Just more boats and buses. I didn't drink water the whole day while traveling there and when we got there we played a ton of volleyball and rugby. I think combined with being on the boat and playing all day, it really messed up my body. I didn't feel good for the rest of the week. But I am all good now.

We had a branch party where we played volleyball and watched a movie. It was a lot of fun. When we showed up to the party I asked where the branch president was. They pointed out to the ocean and I saw a little yellow barrel out there and two heads. He was out there diving with the unit leader from Navakawau. They were getting food for the party later that night.

Another funny thing. We got stranded in Navakawau and we were forced to sleep in the tent of some members. It was way sketchy but hey, it's Fiji.

From the Zone Conference and the studies I have been doing, I have gained such a powerful testimony of the the atonement. Being a missionary is so great because it gives you a lot of time to study and think and ponder. I am trying to fine tune my life so that I can be a better missionary out here, but ultimately I want to become a good man. One is loves his family and puts God first. There are a lot of men in my life that I look up to and I want to become like them. I am trying my best to be a good person for the people here. I know God lives and he loves us.

Love Elder Jones

Looking outside of my door

President Alafi (Branch President)

Our dinner that was caught for us

What they caught

Brother Muri (Unit leader)

Branch activity with a movie that was payed on a generator 

Batiepa, a recent convert to our branch

The sunsets are beautiful

Joeli, one of my favorites here in Fiji

Jioji back from Suva, he leaves in two weeks to serve a mission in Brisbane

Some of my favorite pics

When in Fiji......

Getting mail is always good

We have to walk everywhere

My new companion Elder Mckee

This is Cebo, I baptized him on Saturday.

KANA VAKALEVU!

Baptism Week

This week was way awesome. It started off with exchanges in Somosomo with Elder Albert. He is a way funny guy from Micronesia. We worked way hard and had a lot of fun. It was nice being in an area with a store. I learned a lot from him.

Monday- Played touch rugby and watched a little bit of State of Origin at Paradise restaraunt. It was way good. Also played a little billiards. I will face anyone when I get home.

Tuesday- Went out with Albert in his area. We hiked all the way up Tagimoucia road. It was way fun going out with him.

Wednesday- Went out and found a bunch of new people to teach in Somosomo. Elder Ablert kept telling me how cool I was. He is shy because he doesn't speak very much Fijian. We taught a man about the restoration and it felt like it clicked to him. It is so great to help someone learn something good that can help them.

Thursday- We had ZTM in Taveuni. The Zone Leaders traveled out here to give us some trainings. It was good but we pretty much just spent the whole day waiting for the bus and traveling back to our area.

Friday- We worked with our baptismal canidate Cebo. He is a 17 year old kid and is way cool. He already hangs out with all of the young men in our branch. He told us that he is way excited to be baptized.

Saturday- We gave this French woman a Book of Mormon and she said she was stoked to read it because she really related to Joseph Smith because she too right now is looking for the true church. It is weird teaching in English.... But it was fun to answer her questions about the Sabath day. Lot's of people here are 7th day Adven. I was also able to baptize Cebo today. As usual everyone was about 45 minutes late for the baptism. It's what people call "Fiji Time" ha doesn't really work like that in America but it's all goods. It was so good to help him. He is such an awesome person.

Sunday- We walked all the way to Navakawau for church. We got there and everyone was preparing for the feast. The king of Navakawau died so there is a lot of eating. His funeral is on Tuesday. It is so cool to learn and be apart of Fiji culture. We were even part of the ceremony where they accepted the food and we all clapped and stuff. It's way cool. Afterward we rode home in the back of a truck in the rain.

This week I felt and even deeper love for the people I am serving. I have always known that I care about the people here but this week I really felt a strong love for them. I have been in Taveuni for a long time and I have come so close to the members. I found out the reason I stayed. My branch president told our mission president to keep me in this area for as long as he could. When he told me that I felt really good. Like I am actually doing something good here and that people want me here. I know that the church is true and there is no greater happiness that I have ever felt than being here in Fiji serving the people. I wish you could all meet them because they are so loving and kind. I am so happy to be serving here. I love you all

Moce Mada.

Elder Jones

P.S. To answer some questions.

1. Yes there is 1 TV I have seen in my area. It is powered by a generator. They only watch rugby on it.

2. If I had to guess I would say only about 2,000 people live in my area but more half of those people live too far for us to even see.

3. In our area we have a branch and a unit. They both get about 30 people to church every week.

Week of June !2

Bula bula, 

Transfers came and guess what, I am still on the "Garden Island"!

I am way excited because I love this area and I have got really close to the members and people here. I got a new companion. His name is Elder Mckee. He is from Washington State. I hope that we will have a lot of fun together.

Our new companions arrive.

Last week we went right to work in our area. We have a kid who is about 15 named Cebo and he asked me to baptize him. We are planning on baptizing him this Saturday. We have been having a lot of success in the village of Navakawau. We are teaching the sister of our recent convert Mika. Her name is Dite and she is way cool and way intersted. We are also teaching the family of our other recent convert Joeli. Oh and the Dad of our other recent convert Amani. It has been so cool to see all of these guys go out and share the gospel with their families. They have taught their families some of the things we taught them and it is really touching to see. Amani's dad is already to Mosiah in the Book of Mormon. What a stud haha.

I love it here in Taveuni. It gets lonely sometimes and I wish I had some of the nice things that we have in America but I wouldn't trade it for anything. The people are what make it all worth it. The Fijian people have taught me more about love than anyone I have ever met. The exemplify the example Jesus Christ set when he was on the earth. For their love, I will always be grateful.

Loloma Levu,

Elder Jones

The service is what is helping the beautiful people survive and is what is opening our hearts to love.

Our crew who helped to get all the clothes organized.

The had to put like items in to like piles

Finally it started to look organized

May 29th, 2016

Tou lako, Turaga, luitaki au ki na bula tawamudu

Bula everyone! Things are still good here in the island of Taveuni. This week was really good. Elder Howard and I did a lot of work and found a lot of success. The Lord has definitely prepared a lot of people to hear the gospel.

We were in Navakawau this week. The sister of Amani (my recent convert) told us that she would be baptized. Joeli, the kid I baptized last week, has a family that is being prepared. We were sitting with a group of kids in the village around the age of 14. We asked each of them which church they were. Most of the said Catholic but Joeli's siblings said they were LDS. I was very surprised and I am excited for them. Also Mika, our other recent convert has been very strong with his testimony. His mom told us that their family was having black tea and he told them no. He taught them a little bit about all that we taught him. His sister wants to take the lessons now. There is so much good going on right now.

We also so some of the crew from stranded that is being filmed here. Let me know if the show is any good.

The Lord is preparing many people to hear the word of God. A lot of Fijian people believe that the cyclone was a sign from God that they were disobedient. A lot of hearts are being softened. It is amazing to be part of this great work.

Whenever I come to town I get a Coke now. I think it must be in the genes or something because lots of my relatives also enjoy the smoothe taste haha. I just mostly drink it though because the water isn't the best. It is a lot safer to drink Coke. I hope all is well at home. Never feel alone because the Lord has our back and will be there if we open the door.

Love Elder Jones

 Stranded drone thing that is worth 6 of my old car.

Maybe one of the contestants from Survivor.

May 22nd, 2016

Ni sa bula vinaka! 

Monday- Preparation Day in Somosomo as usual. I was able to finally skype home to my family which was way awesome. It was much needed and I am glad to hear that they are all doing fine.

Tuesday- We went down to our area. We walked around and taught a few lessons. We found a new investigator kid named Cebo. He is way cool and seems way interested. He already went to church and I am way happy for him.

Wednesday- We spent our whole day in Navakawau. We went around seeing our less actives, recent converts, and investigators. We were really focusing on Mika, Joeli, and Farasiko. They had a baptismal date set for the following Sunday. We walked back and got a ride home in the back of a truck. Way nice because I hate the 2 hour walk back to our flat in the dark.

Thursday- We started exchanges. I went with Elder Forebush up in his area. Their area is way nice. It actually has pavement and there are some resorts up there. One white guy yelled at us telling us to go back to Utah. Elder Forebush was pretty upset but I was just wondering how he knew we were both from Utah hahaha.

Friday- Continued exchanges with Elder Forebush. He is a way cool guy from Bluffdale. Wherever that is. We went and tried to eat at a restaurant but it was like $60 bucks for a pizza so I was like forget this. We ended up just going to the store and eating junk. I keep buying Coke trying to clean my stomach out but it doesn't seem to be working. I have felt a little sick to my stomach the past while. Hope it's not anything serious.

Saturday- Switched back and went to Vuna. I wasn't feeling well and the exchanges with the bus took a long time so we didn't have much time to go out.

Sunday- We woke up early and hiked to Navakawau. We had all of our baptismal clothing with us too so it was a pain. We finally got there and were able to baptize 2 of the boys. We all got dressed in white and then walked down to the ocean. I felt the spirit so strongly because I knew that this is a huge step in their lives. They are good guys. When they bore their testimony it was so strong. Afterwards we ate some octopus again which was way good.

God lives and he loves us. No matter what you are doing, do well your part. I am trying to do well my part here in Taveuni at the moment. I love you all.

Love Elder Jones  

May 8th, 2016

Bula bula bula.

This week has been a little crazy. We started off in our area and we did good work. We have been teaching these 3 boys in Navakawau and we are planning on baptizing them in a few weeks. I am so excited. One of the days, we went to Navakawau to find that our youth, our investigators, and our unit leader were preparing plates of food to sell to people to save up money to go to district conference on the 8th of May. I asked them where they got all of the fish. They told me that they had gone diving the night before to catch all the fish. I gladly bought a plate to contribute. It was delicious. I was so surprised at the faith of these people. I even got to try some octopus which was good.

Later on in the week, we had a long trip to Labasa for District Conference. It was so good. Our District leader got replaced by someone else and the branch president from Vuna got put in as 2nd counselor. I was sad about that because I love President Alafi.

I am not able to skype because of different circumstances. I am sad to not see my family... I wish all the Mothers out there a wonderful Mother' Day because you are the reason that we have such great people. I love you all so much and hope you have a wonderful day.

I know that God lives and he loves us all. We are his children and he is mindful of us. If we reach out, he will accept us. Jesus is the only begotten son that died for us and he is always willing to help us. Stay close to him and yo will be alright.

Love Elder Jones

Boat in Fiji.

Octopus!