63rd email: August 16th, 2010

A Kozak is like the olden time guys that lived in ukraine villages
Alyona is 16 almost 17...and she is getting baptised October 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh i could poop my pantaloons.  We talked about how we have examples of people in our life that make us want to be better... but these people also went through the neccessary steps to get where they are....like baptism.  If we want to become like those people we look up to, we've got to do what they did...and do.  The Elders and Sisters and Members she looks up to were baptised.  Christ was baptised.  It clicked for her and she's following these examples.  Man...we've worked so long with her... i'm so happy.

Bulgaria is part of the Bulgaria mission.haha...one country one mission

And they speak...bulgarian.  imagine that?

Arina is Alyona's little 8 year old sister who is soo funny and we're teaching her too and she loves me :)
Sveta's 25.  She's an absolute miracle.  I look at her life just a year ago...even just 3 months ago...and then I look at her now.  Christ's Gospel changes lives.  straight up.  I love her.  She spoke on Sunday about how her mission hasn't ended and about how she'll always do everything she can to help out the missionaries.  She has tasted that fire of missionary work :0) I was playing the piano after sacrament (President want's church to be more reverent in the interim periods) and I was all worried about one of our investigators that came for the first time and was just sitting by herself after the closing prayer.  I was about to just quit playing, but then i look up and sveta has her arms arounds her, just chatting away.  I couldv'e kissed her...she really gets it.

Sister Hulk Hoggan is so cool.  Like way cooler than me...i know, right?  haha.. I like her a lot....my style of sista''... She's already pushing me which is intrigueing :)  You guys basically know everything about her because of numerous stalking incidents, and she knows everything about me....even that I can't cook... haha.  It's kinda weird serving with an american and speaking english all the time...i get all mixed up...but i like it.  She went to school in Hawaii for 2 years, and is going back after the mission...she is almost a resident there... she's super sarcastic and funny and got a scholarship for being tall...yeah some foundation gave her 1500 for being tall...and it was a national level competition.  haha...i laughed so hard... good times are ahead. :0)

things are great...we had an amazing zone conference on tuesday...president pretty much said I'm staying in zap till the end which is glorious... the work here is taking off...i love being on a mission!  I'm praying for you alll and love you all...stay strong and thanks for your support and help.  
love Cectpa Rella chil'

ps.  haha...sister webb gave me her supply of kraft mac and cheese...funny huh? 
psps.. last night, we prayed with one of our investigators on top of an ancient kozak thinking rock.  haha.  Inspiring.  
psps.. Zap is full of greenies!  Our whole district is training right now.  
ps.  I have a real live companero! oh and i know her brother which is funny.  I was looking at her pictures and I was like..."Nick Hoggan?!" haha.. we were in Hawaii together and he gave me a pineapple on top of a mountain.  haha
psps.. mom. haha.. your hard core..  i think you're addicted to extreme activities. ;)

love me again

62nd email: August 9th, 2010

Dear Mom and Friends - 

So...We're still working with Sergei.  He's busy right now, but we won't let him forget his desire to learn about the gospel.  We're in the works of getting his dad a Book of Mormon.  We passed him to the Elders, and they're keeping in touch with him.
We have a new angel of an investigator.  I'm SO excited about her!  So we have this funny member...Brat Valeri...and he goes into this place to get free massages every day.  He's hilarious and speaks english like an englishman...so he invites this girl to FHE because she wanted to better her english skills....AND SHE CAME!  all by herself, she just waltzes into the Webbs door... we were like, "Who is that!"  She is simply a breath of fresh air.  I talked to her right off the bat and we hit it off so well.  She studied down in Yalta, finished, and then moved back home to live with her mom, brother and sister (she's the oldest of 3...3 kids!  that's unheard of) She was so excited to come to FHE and learn about God and the Bible and brought a notepad to take notes :)  She became a believer when she saw the example of her mother.  Their Dad left them, and her mom turned to God and they all saw how she changed for the better.  She began to believe and go to church in Yalta, but never felt comfortable in a specific church.  When we met with her later in the week, she said that she when she sat down at FHE and looked around and everyone, she felt so good.  She said to herself, "This is how is should be."  We are SO excited about her and I'm SO excited to continue to teach her.  She is just a genuine, sweet, and just really cool girl.  On her days off of work, she just serves people and helps people.  I pray that she can recognize truth in the Lord's church.  I pray that she will just fall in love with the teachings and revelations we have.  Oh my goodness.  She is another direct answer to a prayer.  I've now been in Zap for over 6 months and will proabably be here till the end.  It is a long time to be in one city.  I prayed that Heavenly Father would give me oppurtunities and people to teach to keep me going strong till the end.  And then He sent us Ira.  Seriously.  You'll meet her and you'll automatically feel how she just radiates with the Light of Christ!
Alyona is doing good.  She isn't going to be studying in Dnepr which is good... We're trying to help her desire to be baptised just set on fire, so she can firmly and confidently tell her parents that this is what she wants to do and ask for their support.  She's already in University and is a big girl, and I think her parents would give her permission.  They like the fact that she goes to church and that she brings Arina to church.  I've got to see her baptised.  We'll help her get there.
All is well with me...the Webbs leave this week and I'm super bummed, but we'll live I'm sure...
Love y'all... haha...stop stalking my poor companion!  Actually that's really funny.  She's in St. George?  Yeah you talk as if I know things...haha.. the entire mission is a mystery to me... i just live and serve with whoever President puts with me... :)  TEMPLE OPEN HOUSE IS GOING!!!! so cool.  
love you all...stay strong and happy.

Love cectpa kjones

p.ssssss  happy barfday danny-cakes... y' ald fogie..

ps. skydiving?  again?  haha...oh momachka...

61st email: August 2, 2010

Hey there familyyyyy -

Ummm.  What's new.  It's hot.  like way hot.  yesterday with 45 degrees ó I don't even know what that is in Farenheight, but it's hot.  and humid.  and people smell soo bad.  haha...you just get on the tramvy and are rushed with the glorious smell of old people armpits.  I'll try to bottle some up and send you some.  I'm still with Sveta.  President send that we probably won't get the new missionaries for another 2 weeks or so.  Both me and another elder in my district are waiting for these visa-less missionaries...so our district is a little hap-hazard.  But we make it work!  I'm excited for my new companion.  Tell her to get ready to come to the best city in the mission! 

I'm glad you're having fun at the cabin...man i'm yearning for that fresh mountain air!  Bottle some up and send it to me, k?  Zaporozhia is just not clean.  It's wonderful...but just too many factories! 

Did I tell you about Sergei?  So like 2 or 3 months ago when I was serving with Nastia, we were sign boarding.  I had just gotten a contact and was just writing their details in my planner.  I glance× up and I saw this kid that looked so familiar with a "Italy" shirt on.  I thought to myself...weird..wonder who that is, but thought nothing of it and continued writing in my planner.  Then l looked up again like 5 seconds later and he was standing across the square full on staring at me.  I was like, "Hello!'  and he was like "Hey."  It was kinda akward, so I was like, "Hey do you study English?"  and he yelled back, "Yeah, a little."  Then I yelled back, "Great!  We have free English practice...blah blah blah...it's tommorrow, can you come?"  and he yelled back, "Ok, where is it?"  basically it was a hilarious conversation that consisted of us yelling back an forth through a bunch of people.  Finally, he came up to me and we had a normal, pleasant conversation.  He still just looked so dang familiar to me! So, he agreed to come to english (like everyone else on the street) and I didn't get his number, so i figured it was the end of that.  Then the next day, he actually came!  He was in my beginning class, and he really liked it.  We talked a    little while after, had a good conversation about the gospel, and I invited him to come to church.  I was pretty sure that he would come...but again, I didn't take his phone number.  He ended up not showing up at church, and i was a little bummed.  I hoped that he would come to english again, but never showed up for another month.  Then, one day just for like a 30 minute interval, we were at the branch with one of our investigators practicing for a musical number on sunday.  In the middle of the song, I saw Sergei out in the hallway.  Weird.  so I went out and was like, "Hey! what are you doing here"  and he said that he was just close by, and decided to stop by. He also asked for the number of someone that can answer some questions about our church.  I gave him the number of our branch president (he wanted an adult's number, not missionaries) We had another great conversation, and I invited him to come to English again.  He said he'd come. I again didn't take down his number...  And then he didn't come again.  I was dissappointed again, but what do you do.  Then like a month later, on Sunday, I was saying my morning prayers and Sergei randomly popped into my head.  I know that for some reason, he keeps on running into our path, and I keep on failing to keep a connection with him.  I prayed that before I leave, Heavenly Father gave me another chance to be a bold representitive of Christ and invite Sergei to be taught.  We were sitting in Sunday School later that day, and guess who I see again in the hallway...yep...our Sergei.  I was in shock.  I prayed and asked for an oppurtunity, and God was like...alright, here you go.  We invited him to come in, he participated in our lesson (one of our strong, amazing members was there, which I was so happy about...his name is Anton and is seriously awesome, but he lives 3 hours away and can only come like once a month, if that.  He's a strong, confident, RM, priesthood holder...he helped answer Sergei's questions) and after the lesson, I caught him and straight up told    him about my prayer that morning.  He said that this whole time, people have been telling him how terrible our church is...that we're some kind of sect.  I found out that that is why he asked for President's number...so pass along to those people and his father that had so many negative feelings about our church.  He said to that morning, he just felt like he should drop everything that people were saying that was holding him back from us and just come.  He said that he wants to come to church and activities and be involved with us. So he came, and I got my chance to share the gospel with him and invite him to be taught.  Sergei is our new investigator.  He is definitely searching for truth, and has had quite the tough life to bring him to this path.  Miracle.  An immediate answeË to a prayer.  I'm still in shock...and that's not all even...so the other night, I get this call at like 10:15.  On the other end, there was this creepy, low voice that was asking for "Jones"  I threw the phone to Sveta, but she gave it back cause he wanted to talk to me.  So I was all tough sounding and asked him who he was and what he wanted from me.  He said, "This is Sergei's father.  I'm in Prison in Donetsk (North-Eastern Ukraine...not our mission).  I'm searching for truth, and I want to read this book, 'Another Testement of Jesus Christ'"  Again I was in shock.  All he wanted was for me to pass his number to the Elders in the Donesk mission.  I told him I would, but I couldn't promise anything...seeing as he is in prison.  We had a good conversation about God, and I told him I'd try to help.  Crazy!  I was thinking about Dad and the work he does in the jail.  This whole story with Sergei is a crazy, miraculous adventure.  We'll see what the Lord has in store for him and his family.

Welp, times up.  I lvoe you all so much and you're all in my prayers...i hope youre safe and happy and healthy... stock up on prunes and all-bran and get your cup oÁ milk and 5 servings of fruit and veggies!  haha... stay strong lil fam-damily...i'm doing my best half way across the world :)

love cectpa JONES!!!!

ps.  thankyouuuuuuuuu for da monniess!!  I bought roy the cutest ukrainian kozak shirt in the universe...oh so cute.

59th email: July 26th, 2010

hhhallooo again  -

we just had the best pday.  Lucy and Kellie came and he went to Khortitsa Island and ate Sharmas and played the guitar and some crazy Monopoly card game...i usually hate monopoly, but this was fun.  Oh it was so good to see Lucy...i just love her!  I don't know when I'll see her again which makes me sad...maybe when we're in Kiev for the temple...probably then.  So fun to hang out with her but weird that she's not a missionary! 

So Sister Hulk Hogan isn't coming in anytime soon.  We don't know what's going on, but I'm with mini missionaries again this transfer...ugh.  I'm pretty much 100% here till I die.  Crasy!  We'll see if she comes in next transfer.  There really is power in working with someone that has been set apart not only as a missionary, but as a missionary for Ukraine.  Theres a real difference when they're not.  BUT i guess this is how the Lord wants it. 

The Webbs got a transfer.  WHAT?  yeah that doesn't happen for senior couples...but Elder Webb got called to be Branch President in Kherson in place of another senior couple that are going home.  Their branch really need a strong priesthood holder...they have no one.  The craziest part is that we won't have a replacement senior couple.  That'll be tough and different.  We're alll pretty bummed about it.  What do ya do?  :) 

Yeah I have an awesome missionary tan line.  haha...it makes me laugh daily. 

OH!  I got your package Mon...thanks!!  I loved it all and blagadaryou!  I will now be a healthy lil rel.  By the way...Puerto Rico has lost her latin fever and is now set on America.  We'll see how that works out!  Sometimes I wish I wasn't from America.  Some people see me as opportunity, and that bugs me.  I understand.  This is a tough country to live in.  But it distracts them from the Gospel.  People put money and quality of life before salvation.  It's just how it works.  We've got to find the people that don't think that way...quite the task.

welp we have to go...love you!  be good

love cectpa jones

ps.  Will you send me a Specialized Geneological Interview Device? haha.. i died laughing

58th email: July 19th, 2010

hallo.

Of course my next companero gets visa problems... I am a cursed missionary.  I've had like 400 companions in 3 transfers!  President just sat me down and laughed on Sunday...haha...man...they talked about moving me out to serve in a threesome, then they talked about finding a different mini...then they talked about switching me to open Antartica...and we decided on me staying with Sveta until the new sister comes in.  Sweet Lizzie met her!  Yeah she's my next victim here in in Zap...haha...she'll absolutely love it.  I'm sooo excited to serve with her and to serve with a full-time set apart missionary for our mission.  so excited.  I'm thinking that I'll stay in Zap till the end of the mission, which would be intense, but really fun.  7 transfers... haha...we'll see what other twists and turns come my way...maybe Sister Smith will show up! 
I'll make sure and write Grandpa this week.  Send him my love...
It's great serving with Sveta...it reminds me of my times with Sister Lav...just super super fun and you get along great, but hard to remain focused.  We're still working hard, but we could be doing better. 
Congrats Johnny Cakes!  Your blessing will be awesome for you to read and reread throughout your senior year.  By the way, since when does everyone call you John?  Lame.  It's all grown up. 
It's boiling here.  Above 100 with a kajillion % humidity and no airconditioning at church with the sun facing the windows...these Saints are hard core.  Sister Webb was telling me that the air conditioning broke during church a couple Sundays ago in her city and they cancelled church.  haha...  President Nielsen was at our branch on Sunday and he was toastin...We are getting and AC installed as we speak...slash type...well as I type.  HOORAH! 
We did side-walk chalk contacting this week...SO FUNNY.  We drew a massive Plan of Salvation and just invited people to walk through it...i felt like a was a worker at an amusement Park..."And everybody!  Keep your arms at legs inside the vehicle as we are BORN!  WEEEE!  And now...hold tight as we travel to...dun dun dun...OUTER DARKNESS!!!!  haha...just kidding we didn't include outer darkness...but that wouldv'e been sweet.   next time next time. 
I got a call fromm the one and only Lucy Lav this week and she is traveling all throughout our mission with her old companion Sister Baxter...they're coming to Zap next P-day!  It'll be so great to see them...
Alyona is still a gem... after every lesson with her, I feel like we just in the cream of missionary work... she is so smart and strong and committed.  We've just got the help her build up her courage to ask her dad to get baptised.  she will...
Welp everythin is good!  Just doing everything we can to build up this branch and prepare these people for the Temple.  I'm so excited for it...
well that's all for this week!  love you all... stay strong...don'tget too toasty...take advantage of the sprinklers and pools cause you CAN. 

love cectpa Jones

p.p.s what happened to July?
psps what happened to Tom?
pspsps what happened to my newborn nephew almost WALKING?!
psps.  cover yous

57th email: July 12th, 2010

Hey der mommer and family -

Bulgaria was nuts!  I stayed with the Sisters there (I was with one of them in the MTC so it was so fun to see her) and they are just so happy and bubbly bunches of joy...really it seems like all the missionaries are happy bubbly bunches of joy...different mission.  So anyways, I just hung out with the Elders all day and tried to find people that speak Russian.  We walked around Sofia and saw the sights, ate at Subway, KFC, Burger King, Dunkin Doughnuts...all for lunch...the Elders were crazy.  McDonalds bought the rights to be the only fast food restaurant in Ukraine, so we've got none of that.  It was so funny.  We bought peanut butter (that got taken away in Vienna, dangit) and oreos and a bunch of other weird Bulgarian stuff. The best part was just being with my group again from the MTC...we had so much fun!  It was weird for us to just wander around the city with nothing to do and no language to speak...but what do you do? We ended playing like 4 hours of Mau (it's like Uno on steroids) in the food court... it was soo so funny.  Main thing I guess is that we got our visas and we're good to be here for another year!  Maybe I'll stay till next summer :) So yeah, I liked it there.  It's clean and pretty and there are mountains and people are really nice....but I'm glad I serve here.  I like this mission.  I like our mission President.  Bulgaria is like the size of our mission, so theres just one mission there.  When I flew under the brown clouds of Dnepropetrovsk, I felt right at home :)  haha...on my way back to Zap, our bus broke down!  It was like 2 in the morning and we were all just on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.  It was so funny watching them trying to fix the bus...they'd like pound really hard on the sides of the bus and then step back and look at it.  haha...soo funny.  after a couple hours of taking off all the tires and putting them all back on, we were good to go :)  I got back way late and poor Sveta was just waiting for me in the voksal...on her birthday...haha...she's a good sport.  So yeah, Sveta's my companion for another week and a half...the girl from Zap that I served with before Nastia...we get along really well and she's super easy going.  I like her alot :) 
Omigosh, yesterday we were walking up to the ostanovka from church and there was a huge accident...well not huge, but a car rammed into a Kvas stand and ice cream stand and into 2 women.  They were both pretty banged up and people were just standing around staring at them as they were lying on the ground bleeding... ?  I was able to help one of the ladies with her head wound and control the bleeding until the ambulance came.  They were both ok, just in shock with some deep cuts.  It was exciting :) 
Alyona went to Youth Conference this week and just LOVED it and raved about it.  She was in a group with President and Sister Nielsen and other youth throughout our mission.  Then she spoke about it on Sunday.  She is so close to getting baptised.  She's just got to straight up talk to her Dad about it! 
Welp...things are good...I get sick when I think about where all this time has gone.  I really need to write in my journal better!  But I'm happy and healthy and working hard.  Love you all!!  stay strong...love you

love cectpa jones

ps happy anniversary rentals... dad...let mom go swimming in the crater for $16...hahaha...

56th email: July 5th, 2010

I love how the font got bigger and bigger as the letter got longer and longer...haha...oh mamochka. 

So Yeah.  I've been serving in Dnepr for the past few days cause Chirstina went home a little earlier.  CrazY!  I miss Zap. These sisters are great though.  We went shopping all day for P-day.  ugh.  NOt great. But it's actually not that bad here.  We were greeted on the fourth of July with a wonderful flood in the center branch (they have 4 branches here) so that was funny cleaning up...we were up to our ankles in nasty flood water from the top floor and the entire ceiling in the Primary room fell.  no worries...we made it in time for Sacrament!  What else.  I DON"T HAVE AIDS!  phew.  I think I'll frame my certificate.  I leave for Bulgaria tomorrow... man it'll be so hilarious.  Almost my entire MTC district is serving in Dnepr right now and its so fun  to see them...I'm glad I don't serve here cause I"d be sooo distracted!  what else.  Mom, you can put some tums extra strength with calcium in there!  I've gone through the two bottles you sent me :)  and I'm doing ok on everything else. thanks :)  I'm sorry this is short, but Vova just called and I have to go to the office to fill out some paperwork.  Have so much fun in Richfield!  jealous.  next week will be a better letter :)  I love this misison and life and everything.  OH... send me some uno cards and phase ten cards...members LOVE them...so send a few.  and skip bo!  thanks for everything.  I'll take more pics, i promise...love you!!!!!\

love cectpa KJONEZ!!!!

ps.  so i forgot pday clothes and we went ice-skating today (with elder KUUUUU!!! and SLAEKER!!! )  and obviously you can't go ice skating in a skirt...so i was like...hey...sisters...help me out here :)  All we had was a pair of snow pants...i'm sitting her in the boiling heat...in snow pants...lovely :)