Muitas Felicidades Muitos Anos da Vida!!

Hey Todos!

Yea I had the best birthday ever!!! It was seriously so good. I didnt have any expectations, I thought it would just be a normal day, but it was SO good. We decided to eat kebabs for lunch because we had weekly planning in the morning (kebabs are so good, I dont think they exist at home haha) and so while we were eating the senior couple, the Scholfmans, called because they wanted to take me out for ice cream for my birthday so we ate ice cream with them. I literally love them so much, they are like my grandparents here they are AMAZING. SO yea that was SO fun. Then the rest of the day we were just working like normal. We visited a less active who got back from Cape Verde this week, she found out it was my birthday and insisted that we all eat cookies together and celebrate my birthday with fresh squeezed orange juice. It was so nice of her. Then at night Milena and Sirlei (her mom) did a cute little surprise for me with chocolate and coconut cake it was SO cute. So we all date dinner together and then cake and ice cream. I love that little family SO much. They really are like my family here hahahha I love them. It was SO cute. And then on Saturday Vera and Paulo (my other favorite members) made us dinner and bought a cake and sang to me here. I really am so blessed in this area with members who really are like family. The coolest part is also that these two families are recent converts (well its been a little over a year with Vera and Paulo) but still, they are SO strong with awesome testimonies. But yea, it was SO good. The best birthday ever. 

But no I haven’t gotten the birthday package from you, but I should this week. Sister Tavares called me for my birthday!

(Mom note I asked her about refugees) Portugal has some refugees but I heard that they aren’t as open as other countries so its not as common. But basically only people from Nepal in this area, maybe in others are other people I don’t know. 

Its been a little less hot this week, but are a lot of hot winds which are way annoying. We don’t have air conditioning. Its actually not that common here in Portugal, like the houses aren’t insulated or anything, but we have a fan. 

But other that that we had a really good week! The week before really was our trail of faith when basically all of our appointments fell through, it was so hot, and we just didn’t find much success. But we continued on and this week we found a lot of new people with a lot of potential! We even found a family of Brazilians who are golden so it is going to be awesome to keep teaching these people! I could really see the Lord helping us and rewarding us for not giving up after a difficult week here! 

I really am so grateful for this work that I have the chance to be apart of. There really is no other joy than watching people change their lives and find more light and happiness through the Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Thank you for all the birthday wishes!!! Love you all!! 

SIster Jones

Its been so hot we decided to buy fans.  A selfie was a must!

Birthday meal at Kebab's

Sweaty greasy picture but with the cute cake they did for me (it was chocolate and coconut. My favorites) 

Birthday dinner at Sirlei and Milena´s    

Birthday dinner with Vera and Paulo (the sun here is so strong that I turned black)

Summers in Faro: Shirtless men and bad tan lines

Hello família!!! 

This week was so good and SO hot! Like its been in the 40s. I am not sure what that is in Fahrenheit. But it’s hot. But I am wearing sunblock, mom. Don’t worry. 

Also lets just note that Portugal during the summer is FULL of shirtless, hairy men. It’s the absolute WORST. Like seriously. Okay that is all. Please everyone put a shirt on. 

But this week was good! I learned a lot and have been focusing on being better everyday. We had zone conference and President Tavares talked a lot about leaving our comfort zone and reaching the zone of consecration. He talked a lot about specific things that missionaries in the comfort zone do, and how they can change to be in the consecrated zone. I won’t even lie, I identified a lot with the missionary in the comfort zone. I have been in Portugal for 9 months, I finally am comfortable with the language, culture, and everything that missionary work entitles-talking to everyone on the street, staying out all day, always finding ways to serve other, things like that. While its good to be confident with that stuff, we always need to search to do something more and always progress. This week I have made some goals to always do more, and do that hard things, to help me progress, but mostly to help the work here in Faro. 

Also this week we entered a pharmacy to buy something really quick, so i was being my clumsy self and not paying attention, walked right into a display of sunscreen and watched it all fall down, and every small container of sunscreen hit the ground. It was SO embarrassing. They all just looked at me like a stupid American. But hey, they became impressed when I could speak Portuguese so I think that took off a few of the stupid points I gained. My comp is basically embarrassed to be seen in public with me because things like this ALWAYS happen. 

BUT YEA. That’s about all I got this week. We are trying hard, praying a lot, and trying to get out of this dry spell. I have faith that this week will be really good! 

LOVE YOU ALL!!! Have a great week! Eat a good taco for me 

Sister Jones 

PS- Madalyn’s birthday is Friday the 23^rd so this was her response to wishing her Happy Birthday:  Thanks for the birthday wishes!!! We already have plans to eat dinner with my favorite family here in Faro so it should be good! Other than that we will basically just work like normal that day haha. No I didn’t get the package. We had conference this week and I got a birthday card from Uncle Doug and Nattress , but nothing other than that. I probably wont get it until next transfer, but its fine. Gives me something to look forward too. Eat good Mexican food for me please. And go swimming or the beach. That’s all I want to do right now haha!

 Those feet are not dirty...just tan haha!

An American sign in Portugal!

Sacrifice Brings Blessings

Hello everyone!! 

I really don’t have much to say this week! Its still way hot out here, and we are still working hard finding those people who are ready for the gospel!! 

It’s so hot, but I am putting on sunscreen everyday. The only place on my face that has gotten burnt are my eyelids which was very unpleasant and now they are all dry and peeling. SO strange haha.

This week we decided that we were going to do a sacrifice to show Heavenly Father our willingness to find new people. So we both decided what we were going to sacrifice, and did it for the whole week. We weren’t really seeing the fruits of our labors and were still having a hard time finding new people. But finally during the weekend we found 3 new people and were able to teach them lessons SO good! The spirit was really strong and they are all really cool! I am excited to keep teaching them. I know Heavenly Father is aware of us and as we sacrifice, we receive many blessings!! 

This week I was studying about conversion. As a missionary there is nothing more desirable than your investigators gaining a testimony, and then using that testimony to become converted to the Gospel. It really is a special process. But it is also a process that we all have to pass through. It’s not a one-time thing, but a daily effort. I was studying the Bible about it and was reading in Luke when Jesus is talking to Simon. In Luke 22:32 The Savor says to Simon "But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren" I thought that it was so interesting that Simon, who worked along side the Savior still wasn’t "converted”. It is a process that takes time, but I truly believe that once we are converted we can’t go back and return to our old ways. It’s a change of heart, mind, and being. As I was studying this topic I was thinking about the question: Do I have "weapons of rebellion" that keep me from being converted to the Lord? I think all of us have some "weapons" or things that keep us from fully giving up our heart for the Lord. I have made goals to get rid of those weapons, and distractions and fully convert to the Lord. And there is no better place to start than right here right now. 

Yesterday we ate lunch with the district president and another family who is preparing to go to the temple to be sealed. We shared our testimonies of eternal families and sang Families can be Forever and it was really special. I love my family!! 

So yea it was a great week!!! I love this Gospel and LOVE this work!!! 

Sister Jones