Transfers, 100°F Day, and Connections! 13th P day in Peoria, 36th P day in the Phoenix Mission

Transfers, 100°F Day, and Connections! 13th P day in Peoria, 36th P day in the Phoenix Mission

Dear friends and family,

Hello, everyone! We had a great week. It was LONG. But good! We got
the news yesterday that Elder Flynn will be transferred out. He has
been here for 9 months, so it was expected. I will miss him, but I am
excited for new opportunities! Oh, and congrats to Olivia on getting
her mission call to Modesto, California! I wish I could have been
there to witness it, but I am still proud nonetheless. California will
be lucky to have her. Here was my week!

Monday: Extremely packed P-day. Again, I apologize for the pitiful
email. We had to do the normal stuff: laundry, lunch, haircut, emails.
Then we had a zone activity! I'll attach the zone photo. It was fun!
We played basketball, glow in the dark dodgeball, and chair soccer. A
member brought us Barro's Pizza for dinner which was delicious. We had
a great lesson with Leah. She finally told us her concerns about
baptism. She really has the desire to be baptized, but her mother
isn't very supportive. Her dad is, but her mom isn't. We told her to
pray to soften her mom's heart. She said she felt relieved that we
weren't upset with her or anything. In fact, we were relieved that she
WANTS to be baptized. We were worried that she didn't want to anymore.
So, good lesson. We got a picture with Leah and the Pottle family.
I'll attach it. Olivia got her mission call! Again, I'm so proud! I
went over to the other Elders' apartment for exchanges with Elder
Canny. 'Twas an interesting night over there, but I'll spare you the
details. Hahahahaha!
Temp: 80°F

Tuesday: It was a LONG day. We got up and changed into service
clothes. Elder Canny and Elder Rodriguez are the "moving Elders,"
which basically means they help the building coordinator move
missionaries in/out of their residences when needed. We had a moving
assignment, so I tagged along since I was there. We rode down to West
Maricopa to an apartment complex to move some furniture out of the
apartment and into the trailer. It was pretty easy; everything was
already out and ready to be moved. Plus, the apartment was spotless so
we didn't have to clean anything up. (Apparently the apartments aren't
always clean, haha) Elder Nolan, the building coordinator, took us to
Costco for hotdogs and sodas. It was pretty good, haha. While we were
there we met this lady who was from Columbia, MO! She noticed my Webb
City football MO state shirt. I told her I'll be attending MU after my
mission and she seemed pretty excited to meet someone else from
Missouri. She wasn't the only one who was excited! I was! After Costco
we rearranged one of the storage units. It was HOT. When we got home I
was as sore as I've ever been on my mission. No lie. We then had a
lesson with a Spanish guy named Alfredo. I didn't understand a word
that was said, but I could feel the Spirit. So yeah, long day!
Temp: 91°F

Wednesday: We went to the thrift shop to volunteer. We sorted and hung
up clothes for most of the time. We got to talk to one of the
volunteers there for a while. She had no idea we were out of high
school and out on a mission. I guess the name tags didn't give it
away! Haha. A member brought us Chick-fil-a for dinner because she had
some sick kids. Can't complain! We went out with a member to visit
Dion but he wasn't there. He walked up as we were leaving, and we got
to talk to him for a minute or so and set up a time to come by again.
We contacted a Jehovah's Witness, which was surprisingly fun. We
talked to her and she said she knocks on doors, too. I asked her how
their missionary program works and it was pretty cool to learn about
how they do things. She was very friendly. Obviously, not too
interested, though.
Temp: 93°F

Thursday: Weekly planning. Had dinner with a couple who is serving a
service mission! They're great. After dinner we went out with Bishop
Brewer, our ward mission leader, to visit some people. We taught two
people, one of whom we will be teaching weekly now! He expressed
desire to advance in the Priesthood after being inactive for many
years. I gave him a blessing to comfort him in his work transition.
Very successful day.
Temp: 99°F

Friday: We had zone meeting. We focused a lot on setting reasonable
goals and the importance of setting goals. Elder Flynn and I led a
discussion on doctrinal study. It went really well; the zone leaders
know how much Elder Flynn and I love our doctrinal study, so they gave
us that discussion. So it was pretty easy to prepare and give. After
the meeting, the Winceks took us to dinner. We went to a restaurant
called Rubio's. They're famous for their fish tacos. I can see why.
They were delicious. Best fish tacos I've ever had! President Griffin
called and talked to Elder Flynn about a medical question, and he told
him that he'll be transferred. So we've known for a few days now.
Temp: 100°F

Saturday: After studies we went to a lesson with Dion. He wasn't
there. :( sigh. We will keep trying! Brother Wincek took us around
visiting less-active members, but no one really answered. We tried,
though! We then took my bike over to the bike shop to repair the
brakes. They were almost nonexistent haha. He put new brakes on and
sent me on my way in about 15 minutes. I love that guy in the bike
shop. He's a great guy. He always makes sure the Elders are taken care
of. We then had dinner with a member. He is like 80 years old and he
has a 14 year-old kid. I don't even know. And his wife isn't young
either. Haha! It was a pretty awkward dinner, but still good! We then
had a lesson with Britney. We held it in the church because her A/C is
broken. We watched the Restoration movie on one of the big screen TV's
the church has. The Spirit was strong as Britney bore her testimony
about the Restoration.
Temp: 98°F

Sunday: Church. Same old, same old! 7 hours of church! I found a sign
in the young women's room that had a misspelling. I had to take a
picture of it. I'll attach it. Haha! We had a great break-the-fast
meal with a couple in the Oakwood Ward, the Babbels. (Pretty cool
name, huh?) They told us they used to live right outside Atlanta, GA.
I told them my uncle lived in Snellville, and Sister Babbel told us
that's where they lived! Turns out they were in the same ward and were
actually good friends with my aunt and uncle! We were just talking
about connections when you're Mormon haha. Anyway, it was a great
dinner. We then had a lesson with Alberto at Bishop Crump's home. We
got a picture and I'll attach it too.
Temp: 94°F

Monday: Monday work days are always rough! But we made do. We got the
official news that Elder Flynn is leaving, along with Elder Ingham and
Elder Canny in our district. Elder Canny was made the new Assistant to
the President!! The other elders told us he was freaking out and
basically crying because he just couldn't believe it hahaha. He'll do
great, though! :) We had a lesson with a less-active sister after
dinner. She complimented Elder Flynn and me on our teaching unity. The
Spirit was there. During and before the lesson, a pretty big storm was
rolling it. The wind and familiar rumble of thunder gave me a little
taste of nostalgia. I got a pretty cool picture on our way to
appointment with the clouds in the background.
Temp: 84°F


So that was my week. I'm looking forward to meeting my new companion.
Love and miss you all. Keep in touch!!

Much love,

Elder Jones
Oakwood / Centennial Wards
Arizona Phoenix Mission

Elder Jones with a storm brewing in the background

Alberto and Elder's Jones and Flynn

Elder jones says "Elder Flynn doing what he does best!"

Elder's Flynn and Jones

Leah and the Pottle Family

Elder Jones declares that "towards" isn't a word, I disagree!
I told Elder Jones that in my dictionary it could be "toward " or "towards", this was his response to me.... this REALLY describes him to a "T"!
"Just like God's laws, some people may think the rules can change
because of the ignorance of others. But in reality, the laws don't
change. So it applies in grammar."

Elder Jones with his new copanion Elder Bradshaw from TX

Members in ward Brother and Sister Rawson

Elder Jones with brother and Sister Babbel- they used to live in Snellville, GA and knew Richard and Suzanne family (my brother)

Elder Jones with Elder Canny, he is Norwegian.