Sister Madalyn Jones: Sun, Changes and Elevators

HELLO EVERYONE!!

Hope you all had a great week!! We had a good week here in Faro!

Thank you for all the kind words and letting me rant everything last week. Also I received a ton of emails this week of encouragement because of mom’s post I think haha. BUT actually changes happened!!

SO after a week together last Monday we learned that my comp, Sister Rubio, would be transferred. She has problems with her foot and it was really hard for her to work, so she was sent to be closer to the mission office in Lisbon. SO now I have a new companion, SISTER AIONO! She’s American but her family is from Samoa and she’s so cool!! I really like serving with her! She only has 2 more transfers too but she is dedicated to working and really excited about the work. She is literally just like Krista Moody. She is outgoing and loud and lots of fun! It’s been a good week together! We have been trying to work hard, find people, and help this area! I am really excited about the work here. She is so fun and we are enjoying ourselves out here in FARO!

Speaking of Faro it is SO warm and SO sunny and I am SO happy with that. It is also really close to the ocean so we get the salty smell whenever we have a breeze and it’s the best feeling ever. Like the sun is shining everyday and i don’t need a jacket ever, its the GREATEST thing ever!! I love it here!

Also my back is feeling better, I think that I just had to get used to it but now I am fine, if I have problems in the future I will say something. Also I passed the sickness and am putting on the weight that I lost last week hahaha

But we are doing a full on whitewash! Talking to everyone and just on the search for new people! I have basically memorized the map and learning how to read it really well!! It’s been hard but I have a HUGE testimony that the Lord qualifies who He calls and I have felt that SO much this week. I know that He has been helping us with the work out here in Faro and I am SO grateful for that!!

Also we have had some great adventures this week (like every other week of my mission).. This week it was getting stuck in an elevator. We were trying to use the elevator to go to the 7th floor, but it wasn’t doing anything, I decided to do an intelligent thing and just push all of the buttons and see what would happen. Well the elevator dropped hard to the negative 2nd floor. We were like what the heck! We tried getting out of there.. but it wasn’t lined up with the wall so the door would not open (elevators are different here). We low-key started panicking a little, tried everything we could and we could not get out. SO finally we called the elders and they ran over to help us (after laughing for like 10 minutes.. rude). But they decided there was like nothing they could do.. besides call the fireman. So after an hour of being stuck in that small elevator (talk about Closter phobic am I right?) SIX fireman ran down, opened the door, and we walked out. Don’t ask me why 6 firemen were needed? But we thanked them all for coming and went on with our day. We didn’t use an elevator for the rest of the day...

SO yea that was an adventure. But other than that this week has been a lot of street contacts, door knocking, and area book using. Its been hard but I know that as we work hard and be obedient the Lord will bless us and help us do His work here!! I am so grateful for this time I have to be a missionary and learn SO much everyday!!

Thank you to everyone for all the prayers, support, and love. You guys are the BEST! Thank you for all the words of encouragement and the support. I have the best fan club!

I am so much happier! We had a good week and I really learned how much I love to work hard here!!

Com amor,~

Sister Jones