Week 68 "Happy Birthday to my Daddy"

Jason and Abby Baptism Day May 2005

Dad! Today is your birthday! November 20th! Happpyyyyyy birthdayyyy! I love you dad. I feel so blessed to have you as my daddy. Things that remind me of you.... Protein drinks, Freshly cut lawns and the smell of grass, Sunday walks, Hot tubs, Annoying animals and wandering dogs, Utah Utes and football games, Hawaii, Fall, Cool weather, Chocolate chip cookies, Carrot cake, Pollyanna and game nights, Going to bed early, and Marathons.

Dad, you inspire me to work hard and give me the confidence that I can do anything. You have a perspective that makes it seem like everything is going to be okay. I'm grateful for your advice you gave to me to "be present." It has carried me through these past 3 years of my life and certainly my mission. I hope you eat something unhealthy for your birthday! I love you so much daddy and can't wait to give you a big hug in a couple months. Happy birthday!

This week we went down to Aix en Provence to pick up my legality. We went to a boulangerie for breakfast and I got a warm, flaky pain aux chocolate. I DIED! I forgot how good fresh croissants and pain aux chocolate taste. Here in Suisse, we sure do have good chocolate. But France really is where they have the boulangeries and patisseries. Oh man, I'm going to miss that when I go back to America. I also bought a Santon nativity in Aix. I have been dreaming about buying one my entire mission. So I did it! Oh it is so cute and will look so cute in my future home lol. It was also fun staying over with Soeur del Mundo. She cracks me up. She is so real and we just love laughing together. Oh... and I got my french legality!

Manor cafe for breakfast this week.

So guess what? Last week we had a soirée familial with the family Volpecellis. We invited them to pray for missionary opportunities every day. So they did. Then, a couple days later, frère Volpecellis friend, "L", asked him if he could come to church with him. So yesterday, "L" and his daughter showed up for church! They are from Italy. It was such a miracle. AMAZING things happen when missionaries and members work together. So now tonight, we are teaching "L" and his family here at the church in a couple houses. Wow! This is the quote we shared with the Volpecellis:

"Brothers and sisters, fear will be replaced with faith and confidence when members and the full-time missionaries kneel in prayer and ask the Lord to bless them with missionary opportunities. Then, we must demonstrate our faith and watch for opportunities to introduce the gospel of Jesus Christ to our Heavenly Father’s children, and surely those opportunities will come. These opportunities will never require a forced or a contrived response. They will flow as a natural result of our love for our brothers and sisters. Just be positive, and those whom you speak with will feel your love. They will never forget that feeling, though the timing may not be right for them to embrace the gospel. That too may change in the future when their circumstances change."

I invite you to do that! Pray for missionary opportunities. I promise you the Lord will give them to you. And oh what joy you will feel!

Geneva Zone for our district meetings this week.

Sometimes I am fearful. It is still scary talking to people on the mission. Even after being here for over a year. I can understand the people and communicate. That is not the problem. But it is hard! I sometimes worry more about what people think of us. Or I doubt and say, eh, they won't be interested. Or I just get scared to be vulnerable and get rejected. Choosing to have faith over fear takes a constant effort. Faith is a living thing. We have to feed it. I think it is natural for us to doubt sometimes and think of the worst possible outcome. But Christ's way is always full of light. It is always replacing fear with faith. Even if that step of faith is so small. It is hard for me at times to see the results of my efforts here as a missionary. But I know this is where God called me to serve. So I will continue to take those daily steps of faith. To the very end of my mission and for the rest of my life to come. And I know one day, it will all make sense.

Love Soeur Jones