A Broken Heart

This last week we found a new investigator!  Actually more like she found us :)  We went to the Jackson Branch after attending the Madison ward to teach a couple of girls there that we have picked up from some of the Jackson Elders.  While we were there we were also introduced to a girl. . .   She is 19 and came with one of her friends because she wants to make changes in her life and get up on her feet.  She is the sweetest person you will ever meet and has a sincere desire to do good and right, she just hasn't been taught how.  We had a great lesson with her on Thursday and will be seeing her again this week!

Sister Keyes and I also had the neat opportunity to teach our District Meeting this last week.  Our district leader (Elder Jones....different from the one I had in Shreveport haha) asked us to do it on the "How To Begin Teaching" section in chapter 10 of Preach My Gospel.  (You should look it up!)

I learned a lot about preparing.  Sister Keyes and I ended up spending an hour longer than we had planned preparing for this lesson, because we were also learning.  I was very humbled and even felt "broken down" through this experience.  I felt that my heart had been broken so that it could be healed the right way.  I know that as we are humble enough to be broken that we will be strengthened in our weakness.  The softer our hearts are, the less painful the breaking will be.  I didn't realize how hard mine had gotten in this certain aspect, but I realized I needed to be broken.

I know that no matter what trials or challenges we are facing, no matter what circumstances we are in, the Savior and His gospel will help us.  They will enable us to improve the quality of our lives and teach us how to make changes so that we can live in closer harmony with the teachings of Christ.  I know that as we make and keep covenants, we will receive the blessing our Father in Heaven is pouring out for us, just as President Uchtdorf said in the General Women's Broadcast.  The blessings are there if we will only keep His commandments and remove the umbrellas (or pavilions) that block us from receiving them.

I love this gospel because it is true.  It is true for everyone of us on this Earth.  It is true today, yesterday, and tomorrow.  It is true for you.  I know it will bless you, enable you, and redeem you, because our Savior made it possible.  I have felt it.  I was asked the question recently what my experience was to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that all of this gospel is true.  I pondered for a moment and then responded, "My Life."

My life has been the experience for me.  I haven't had one miraculous event or Impressive moment when it all clicked.  I have lived a life, a day at a time, striving to live according to the will and commandments of my Father.

I know that this is the gospel of Jesus Christ and that any one who wants to know if it's true, will.  I love you all and hope that the Lord will be able to continue to work through you and with you, as you soften your hearts for Him.  I love you!

Love,
Sister Felicia Jones :)

P.S. Here is a picture I took after Interviews at the Church building where the Mission Office is.  MJM! :)

Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven :)

This last week Sister Keyes and I spent 3 days in Meridian on exchanges with the two sets of sisters out there.  The exchanges went super well!  I am always so enlightened and motivated by the sisters when I go out with them.  The sisters in this mission are amazing and I love them!

The sad news of the week is that [our awesome investigator] isn't going to be baptized on the 27th.  He has had some very spiritual experiences and honestly some of the most spiritual lessons I've had on my mission have been with him.  However, he didn't act completely on the promptings of the Holy Ghost and has therefore had a lot of influence from friends and personal desires end up distracting him/putting him back.  I know that he has had prayers answered and gained knowledge that will enable him to make the decision to be baptized in the future. I also feel that watching General Conference will be something that will invite the spirit strongly to help him know that this church is the Church of Jesus Christ.

I am so excited for General Conference!  It is a huge blessing to have words from our Heavenly Father and Savior today through their prophets and apostles.  I know that they are called of God and bare special witness of our Savior Jesus Christ.  I know that if we listen and act on the messages they give, we will be prepared and we will be closer to our Heavenly Father.

I'm also working on the law of sacrifice right now.  I started a 40 day fast of things that I am sacrificing for the Lord at this time, to request His help in doing His work.  It began with an actual 2 meal fast from food and water to know what things should go on the list, and now I am doing my best to fast from those things.  I talked with President McDonough about sacrifice in my interview with him this last week and he said, "Sacrifice doesn't have to be miserable."  Haha it's so true! And yet, for some reason it's in my head that it should be.  Sometimes it is, but it doesn't have to be.  That pain has been covered by our Savior Jesus Christ, and we will enjoy the blessings of the sacrifice all the more if we truly give it with all our heart, so that there is little if any pain at all.

Many say that we as missionaries have sacrificed so much to come, and truly we have.  But the irony of it all is that if we give our sacrifice completely, 100%, then it turns into a bounteous blessing.  My mission is a blessing to me.  I'm so thankful to be out here serving my Father with my Savior.  I know that He is with us as we serve - in what ever way we do.  I know He loves us.  He has enabled me to do and become so much.  I love my brother and Savior Jesus Christ!  And I love my Heavenly Father!

May you feel there love this week as you continue to sacrifice and serve for them!  I love each one of you!

Obedience = enabling power

This week I gained a stronger testimony of obedience.  We have been asked in our mission to tract 7 hours each week (an hour a day).  I don't know why, but for some reason I have really struggled with this on my mission, and having a full testimony of doing it that much.  I know that sounds silly, especially to those who have served in areas where they tract more than double that a week; nevertheless, it has been a struggle for me.

This last week, a thought really hit me - Sometimes we judge what is most effective by how quickly it produces results.  I have learned that this is not always true.  What is most effective is what the Lord has asked us to do, because then we are enabled by His help.  Such is the case with tracting. :)

The Lord has asked us - asked me - to tract 7 hours each week, through his servant, President McDonough.  Many believe that there is a more effective way, and even Preach My Gospel says so, but the Lord has asked us at this time to do 7 hours of tracting each week.  As Sister Keyes and I did all we could to tract not only get 7 hours, but to tract everyday, we noticed the strength of the Lord more in our work and our lives.  The enabling power of the atonement was more present and we were able to accomplish greater things.  We also noticed that we didn't have a lot of "success" in our actual tracting efforts.  It was one of our lowest weeks for Book of Mormons given, lessons taught while tracting, and new investigators.

I know that the Lord has been shaping us and allowing us to gain a testimony of obedience.  I know that we will see the fruit of our labors, but just as fruit takes time to grow, our fruit may also take time to show.  I know that the best way is to do as the Brother of Jared did and follow the instructions that the Lord has already given us before we ask for more.  That we too may say, "O Lord, behold I have done even as thou hast commanded me..."

This week will be a new challenge, as we will be in Meridian from this afternoon through Wednesday night, but Sister Keyes and I are determined to do all that the Lord has commanded us.  I know that that is how we gain strength.

Also exciting news!  [One of our solid investigators] has a baptism date!  Hopefully he will be baptized on September 27th!  In just under 2 weeks!  We have a game plan to teach him everything he needs to be taught before then.  Some of my most powerful lessons have been with [this man].  He is awesome and I know that he will be baptized one day...hopefully soon!

I love you all!  Have an enabling week!

Raise the Bar :)

What a week...:)  This week was powerful in experience and in the impressions of the Holy Ghost.

[Our investigator family] got baptized and confirmed this weekend!  They are the cutest family ever!!  They are already so dedicated to living the gospel!  They even brought their tithing to church yesterday!  The spirit was very strong and everything went so smoothly.  Our ward mission leader and his wife were wonderful in putting it all together and making it a special experience for [this family].  We love them so much and are so happy for them!

Also, another one of our investigators came to the baptism!  Afterwards we had a lesson with him and one of the ward members, Sister Flamm, where he actually accepted a baptism date!  September 27th is what he is working towards!   He is a slightly older man (50's or 60's) and the sisters had been working with him for about 2 months before I got to Jackson.  He has slowly made progress to the point where now he is ready to commit to a date!  We are so happy for him!

We had our monthly MLC (missionary leadership council) meeting with President and Sister McDonough this last Thursday and Friday.  The bar was literally lifted.  We ended up making a change that I know and felt with my whole heart and very being will change this mission and those who serve in it.

This last meeting we set a new standard for the music we listen to.  Since I've been out, the guideline for music has simply been, follow the guidance given in the missionary white handbook, which councils us to "listen on to music that is consistent with the sacred spirit of [our] calling,...invites the Spirit, helps [us] focus on the work, and directs [our] thoughts and feelings to the Savior." We're not to listen to music "that pulls [our] thoughts away from [our] work, merely entertains, has romantic lyrics or overtones, or dulls [our] spiritual sensitivity by it's temp, beat, loudness, lyrics, or intensity."

Most missionaries in our mission are not listening to "bad music," but there is a higher level of work that we are wanting to accomplish, and we know that some sanctification will need to happen in order to see those goals accomplished.

With great discussion, pondering, prayer, and consideration of new and current missionaries, we set a standard to listen to only General Conference approved music.  I know this is going to be a sacrifice for many missionaries, including myself.  Many of you know that I love EFY music and other similar songs, but I am willing to give it up to achieve higher goals - to sanctify myself to do the Lord's will.

I know that this plays a parallel to each of our lives.  At MLC we talked about how our mission is at a kind of plateau right now, and that if we want to do better we need to raise to a higher plain.  It is similar in each of our lives.  We can be content and comfortable with where we are at and what we are doing, but if we stay there too long, we will end up on the other side of the plateau - going down.  As we commit to a higher level of living, we will be able to accomplish greater things, because we will be accessing more of the power of the atonement of Christ.  We will be replacing the natural man with the spirit of the Lord.

I have felt the desire to raise the bar and live a "higher law."  To commit to be more like the Savior and be more obedient.  I hope each of us will reflect and ponder how we can "try a little harder to be a little better" and align our way of living with the Savior.  I know He loves us and wants us to be happy with who we are, where we are, and what we are doing.  Be the best you can be.  He will help you and enable you.

A marvelous work :)

Another week has flown by!  Sorry my email didn't come yesterday because of the Labor day holiday...libraries were closed. :)  Hope you all enjoyed your day though!  Sister Keyes and I had some fun making some cookies and delivering them to some members as a service.  We tried some potential investigators, but none of them were home.  We also decided to have a little adventure and got some Thai food for lunch!  It was great!  I loved it! :)

This last week we helped settle some details and are now looking forward to [our special investigator] family being baptized this upcoming Saturday!  Only the mom and dad are being baptized because their two girls are 4 and 2, but we are so excited for them!  They are wonderful and are so excited!

It's been so fun to teach them because we've been able to do it so simply.  I know that sounds funny, but most of the people we talk to have been taught so much in what ever religion they grew up in that they have lots of more complex questions.  [This family] however, is not in that situation.  [The mother] grew up Catholic, but didn't feel that it all made sense.  [The father] didn't grow up with any religious background and has only been in the US for about 6 years.  He grew up in Mexico.  It has been so neat and rewarding to see their faith and knowledge grow.  They have good hearts and already have good values and are good parents.  The gospel just fit right into their life so well!  They were definitely prepared!

We also got the special opportunity to teach early morning seminary this last Thursday morning!  That is the first time I've been to early morning seminary haha.  It was great :)  I love the youth SO much.  They constantly inspire and amaze me!  We talked about Doctrine and Covenants 4, which is a section we as missionaries memorize and quote at every missionary meeting (district meeting, zone conference, MLC, etc)  It's a powerful guide to doing the work of the Lord - in any capacity.

One thing I learned about it this last week is that it was a revelation given before the church was organized.  It also impressed my mind that "if [you] have desires to serve God, [you] are called to the work," and that "faith, hope, charity, and love, with an eye single to the glory of God qualify [you] for the work."  It reminded me of the phrase President Monson said, "Him who the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies."  As we are called, we can expect to gain these attributes if we will "serve Him with all our heart, might, mind, and strength."  I am learning that.  I am feeling that.  I am experiencing that.

My testimony is growing that this is the Lord's work, the work of our Savior Jesus Christ, and that my dependability on Him is vital.  The work is going forward here, one step and one day at a time.  I love the Lord, and hope that I will be able to say that I gave all my heart, might, mind, and strength to Him.

I love you all!  Have a wonderful week!