Week 10 " Zone Conference in Nimes."

Sister Holmgren and I in Nimes the morning after a rainstorm on our way to zone conference.

This week we had zone conference in Nîmes. Did you know that "denim"originally was created here? De Nîmes... Of Nîmes. Pretty cool. Okay so we got into Nîmes around 8 pm. We went to go get tacos with some of the Elders before we had to check into our hotel. "It's only a 10 minute walk" was actually a 25 minute walk. And it started POURING RAIN. So we got our tacos to-go and sprinted back to our hotel to check in on time. Soeur Cusick, Soeur Clark, Soeur Holmgren and I could barely even see where we were going it was raining so hard. 

Thunderstorm with some people from my zone

The most rain I have ever seen. Also- full on thunderbolts cracking through the night sky. One of the thunderbolts struck right above the colosseum in Nîmes. I was laughing really hard because Soeur Clark was wearing her glasses but they were all foggy so she just kept running
into stuff. I was trying to carry the tacos but the bag ripped and I was just praying the tacos would be okay because I was so hungry.

You can't even tell how wet I am in this picture. The taco bag is ripping. I had to ring out my dress because it was so full of water!

It was insane! The hotel we stayed at was just an average "Jo" hotel. But as a missionary- the BEST thing ever. (And I know you are laughing parents because you have been staying in a hotel for 6 months and you are like GET ME OUT OF HERE... I HATE HOTELS) But It was a dream for me! You never get to do stuff like that as a missionary.

Hotel with Soeur Cusick, Soeur Holmgren, and Soeur Holmgren

(Sisters from Cannes and Nice)

President Brown is inspired. He has so much love for his missionaries that it just makes me want to work hard and love the Lord with ALL my might. I also love Soeur Brown because I relate to her personality. She is fun, easy going, spontaneous, and care free. They are the perfect Mission Presidents for me. It was powerful because for part of
zone conference, President Brown spoke to us while we were seated in the colosseum! 

The Colosseum

What I personally got out of zone conference is that my time is now. It's time to not beat around the bush any more with missionary work. If someone isn't ready to hear the gospel, move on because there are other people who the Lord HAS prepared. I felt like the Lord told me, "I need you in France, at this time, right now. Do not doubt me. Trust my words. Trust my love, Your time is now. I will be on your right hand and on your left. My angels around you to bear you up." I am a firm believer in personal revelation. We read the same Book of Mormon, hear the same talks, go to the same sacrament meetings, but we can ALL get something different out of it. We can all receive exactly what we need to hear if we pay attention to the Holy Ghost. That's why it's so important to apply gospel principles to your own life and not just say, "Oh, well that was a nice quote, I'm going to write that down." Think how you can APPLY it. Otherwise it's just another cute quote hanging up on the wall.

Train ride back home after zone conference 

Our amis (investigators): 
Our most consistent ami right now is "C". Do you remember my first email from Nice how I talked about talking to that old woman on a bench? When she said that she could feel my conviction? Okay- so she ended up not being interested in learning more. But the old man sitting next to her, "C", has been meeting with us ever since that first week here. It is really hard with him though because we aren't sure if he is actually interested in our church or just socializing with us. He lost his wife a couple years ago and is pretty old and lonely. We don't really feel progress with him.

Madame "G" is the one we taught up on the hill as it rained. She is so sweet and old. She has been taught basically all the missionary discussions before from the Elders. But hasn't committed to be baptized. Now the sisters (we) are teaching her. It is difficult with her health to come to church. But she seems really prepared and receptive.

"M" is an evangelist from Africa. We have had only one lesson with her. She is SO believing and passionate about her God. But she is also really active in her church. It is hard to explain to her why it is necessary to be baptized with someone who has the proper priesthood. "A"  She is 21 years old, from Turkey working as a journalist here. We met her on a bus. We haven't had any lessons with her yet.
But SHE brought up God before we did. She is so believing and I feel like she is SO ready to accept the restored gospel. But it's not up to me to decide. Just pray that she will at least find ONE time to meet with us and give it a chance.

Elder Hoggan from Olympus High School!!

 We have found a lot of people to teach, but I feel like none of them are REALLY interested in continuing lessons. The thing about missionary work, is you hear all these miracle stories. And there ARE miracles. That is true. But sometimes you picture the picture perfect lessons with amis who are just prepared and ready to be baptized! But in the end, these are REAL people. There is no better way to describe it other than just saying this is real. These are real humans with real lives that we teach. There are a lot of hard moments on the
mission. But the joyful, miraculous moments make all the hard moments that much sweeter.

I came into the mission thinking I was a certain person. I thought I knew what I was good at and what my weak points were. But Heavenly Father knows me. He knows who I can become. I feel myself being stripped away from everything I thought I was. And it is painfully humbling. But I feel myself growing, my testimony deepening, my love for my dear Savior becoming so real. I am learning to trust that HE
knows my potential. He knows who I can become. He BELIEVES in me. Let us not only believe in Him, but believe Him. We are capable of so much more than we can even imagine. Trust Him. Trust His love.

For anyone who thinks that missionaries are perfect people, who had perfect family situations back home, or never made a mistake, or whatever it is... you are absolutely wrong. Every single missionary I've met and talked to here all has THEIR story. Why THEY are here. Every missionary is struggling with something different. They are not here because they are perfect. They are here because they chose to be
here. Despite having made mistakes, having difficult family situations back home, not having a testimony at some point in their life, messing up... whatever it is. They still chose to come here. Perfect people do not go to the celestial kingdom. Repentant people go to the celestial kingdom. Repentant people feel comfortable and at home in the celestial kingdom. Repentance is changing for the better. It is the best gift we've ever been given. Jesus Christ performed the atonement
so we could change for the better. Let us USE that gift every day. It feels so good to say "I'm sorry" or "how can I improve?"

Prepare for a mission by developing your own story. A love for the Book of Mormon and for Jesus Christ. A relationship with Heavenly Father. When the winds (and I mean REALLY strong winds) come, you will stand your ground. You will feel the pain of the wind but it won't break you. If I didn't have a personal relationship with Heavenly Father, I honestly don't know if I could do this mission. The more I come to know Heavenly Father, the more I understand the love he has
for me. God IS love.

Love, Soeur Jones

FOOD: 

Stir Fry. So colorful and yummy: NEWS: I am really starting to like peppers and tomatoes!

I was going to get an almond croissant for Daddy today but then we got this instead. Waffle, banana yumminess!

PDAY:

Famous French Perfume. We went into this amazing shop because I LOVE perfume. A German woman came in to take picutres for an article they are writing on this perfume. Moulinard is the name of it. 

On our way home from the grocery store in Nice, France