Week 48 "SO MANY CHANGES!!"

Oh my goodness so many exciting things happened this week I think I might explode!

A. MY BROTHER JAMO IS ENGAGEDDDDDD ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! I am so happy for him and so happy that Haylie is going to be my new sister

My Brother Proposed to Haylie Vandenburghe last Thursday in Kauai overlooking the Napali Coast!
They both served in the France Paris mission!

B. I am staying in Ecully another transfer and SOEUR CUSICK is my companion.

I literally thought it was a joke when President told me. We were having a sleepover with the Val de Soan Soeurs and then we got transfer calls in the morning. President was like, "Soeur Jones, are you sitting down? You might want to sit down". When he told me Soeur Cusick would be my companion I have laughed half cried and then fell on the ground. Hahahaha. And then when I went to meet her at the gare today... we ran towards each other and just SCREAMED and hugged for 5 minutes. It was so funny. Everyone around us was staring.

I love Soeur Margrin though. She is going back to Tahiti. Back home. Ahhhhhh I LOVE her. She taught me so much. She taught me to not be stressed on the mission but just love the people. To share the gospel because you love it. To forgive quickly. To enjoy food and not care about how much you eat. To be obedient because you love the Lord. To follow the spirit. She is the definition of love.

Soeur Margrin is returning with honor!!

There are a lot of changes in my life. My brother got engaged, he will be married soon, I will have a new sister, my own sisters are growing up, I am changing and growing... And I know changes will just keep happening. So my motto for this next transfer is..... "embrace change." Thomas s Monson's talk "finding joy in the journey" says,

"Day by day, minute by minute, second by second we went from where we were to where we are now. The lives of all of us, of course, go through similar alterations and changes. The difference between the changes in my life and the changes in yours is only in the details. Time never stands still; it must steadily march on, and with the marching come the changes.

This is our one and only chance at mortal life--here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey--now."

So I am going to do my best to do that. To let change happen. It is a part of life. I am a missionary right now. So this is where I will be.

This week "A" was baptized. She is the ami of the assistants. But I am good friends with her. She is just my girl. This week I went over to her apartment and she tried on some of my outfits to wear the day of her baptism. The day of her baptism is was raining. The earth felt so fresh and clean. Perfect for her special day. It was so sweet to see her dressed in all white. She loves black. It is her favorite color. And that is fine. But it was also so beautiful to see her dressed in all white. When she went I into the water, I felt that God told me, "this is real" "the priesthood is real." "A" is clean. She is pure. I ran to help her change in the bathroom right after. She just started bawling but she was smiling. It was the best moment. I asked her how she felt and she said it was "magic." She was laughing and smiling and talking with all the people after her baptism. The next day she wore a long white skirt for the day of her confirmation and she just was SHINING. Although the baptism was incredible, my favorite part about all this was seeing the little increments of change in "A". Each week she came to church she seemed a little happier. And now just looking at her, she is filled with so much hope and purity. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. When we use it and we repent, we are changed.

Elder Underwood made a comment in amis class Sunday that I thought was so true. Someone asked the question, how do we prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ? And he said, repentance. We repent. And I thought about that for a while. Repentance is truly such a joy. When we repent, we draw closer to Christ and ask for his help to become better. I am so grateful I can repent and change into someone better through Jesus Christ. WITH Jesus Christ.

This week we also had a cool RDV with a new ami named "T". She is from Madagascar and in her 20s. She is super prepared. She told us how she prayed to feel protected a week ago, and then met us and was led to the chapel. As she stared at the portrait of Christ she knew that her prayer had been answered and that she was led to something good. The truth. I know God answers sincere prayers. I am excited to see where things go with her. She has so much potential.

Also, another exciting event happened when Soeur Brown called us in the morning to come help her grocery shop. Um YESSSSSSS. And drink diet cokes with her. Oh Soeur Brown. Love her.