Week 4: I'm Now A Teacher... 1 MILE IN!

How's it going mis amigos?!

This week has been long... and short at the same time I guess.

Believe it or not, it was filled with-you guessed it!-class!!! (cue the applause.) But in all seriousness (or at least a little more seriousness), class this week was amazing. We learned a lot of small things in Spanish that really helped with my ability to actually speak the language! On top of that, I also had a few really amazing spiritual experiences, as well as some things that just helped me to keep on going. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention--- being in the MTC is HARD! Don't get me wrong, I love it here, the people are swell, the spirit is super strong, the food is... tolerable. But, I really miss a lot of the conveniences from back home, my parents, friends, and not having to be in class for like 10 hours everyday! Oh well... All is well!

Tuesday morning after class, we had a workshop about the importance of repentance and baptism. However, when we got there, the teacher wasn't there. We sat waiting for roughly half an hour, which was fine because I made friends with a few sisters sitting in the row behind us, and we were making jokes and talking about home. After a while, it became quite evident that the teacher was not going to show up. In natural Isaac- err, Elder Jones-fashion, I asked my new friends if I should go up and teach the lesson. They immediately assumed the task of convincing me to play teacher. After taking a few minutes to assess the risks, I decided to go for it. I crept out the back door, took off my tag and ID (so that they wouldn't be able to identify me as an Elder), and started to practice my best teacher voice. Something interesting about the MTC is that most of the teachers are just recently returned missionaries, so maybe two or three years older than me. Soooo, I walked quickly in to the front of the room, and, snatching the microphone, I apologized profusely for my tardy, and began teaching the lesson. Guys, I had no idea what the topic even was! There was a slideshow, so I tried to follow it, but I was flying by the seat of my pants! Anyway, eventually I couldn't contain my laughter, and, through chokes of laughter, I tearfully admitted that I wasn't the teacher. But, since the teacher still hadn't arrived, I just kept on teaching. Eventually, someone did show up, and picked up where I left off. Now, I'm known to roughly 80 Elders and Sisters as "Brother Jones," or "The teacher." (Peep the picture of me in the front of the room)

One night, we had a teaching appointment (in spanish) with a man named Albin... but he never showed up!!! So, on a whim, we ended up teaching a man named Octavio. He was awesome. That said, at the beginning of the lesson, we were struggling. I feel like I am pretty competent when it comes to holding a conversation in spanish, but I was really struggling to manage that, and helping my comp out, and also answering the questions that Octavio had. Almost overcome with that stress, I said a quick prayer in my head. Eventually, the feeling of the room started to shift. I didn't say something crazy, my comp didn't start speaking fluent spanish, we didn't hear concourses of angels singing from above, but we felt the spirit. I could tell that Octavio could feel it, too. Eventually, Octavio told us that he didn't know if he had faith, but that he had a desire to believe. Immediately, I knew to share Alma 32:27, which reads,"But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than a desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words." Basically, this verse explains that if we exercise faith and act on the desire to believe, more knowledge and faith can come. Octavio was obviously struck by this, and we had a really good experience. Guys, I think this verse applies to each of us! If we try to exercise even what faith we might have, whether that is by praying, going to church, or anything else!

I've got plenty more stories, so if you want to hear some more, just let me know!

I love you all! Keep being awesome!!!

Love,

Elder Jones

Pictures: Me and my two blues piano buds, me with the guys from district, me fake teaching the class, and me with my glove balloon!

Week 3: When Is Nap Time Again? 0.75 Miles In...

Hello my people,

I have been waiting all week to email! So much has happened!!!

Sooooo on tuesday we had a devotional with... wait for it... Elder Cook! He came and gave a really great talk, and brought some pages from the original manuscript of the translated Book of Mormon! The talk was super good, and I got to sing in the choir for it. To all my future missionaries: do the MTC choir! It has been hands down my favorite part of the MTC so far, and the director is wayyy funny. The other day, he summarized a part in the Lord of the Rings where an enormous Orc with a torch becomes the target of every opposing fighter. Brother Eggert (the choir director) related this orc to each of us, because if Satan can stop you or me from progressing, he also stops every single person we help to progress. It was kind of like a motivation (but no pressure) kind of thing. But it got me pumped!

In other news, my teacher brought popcorn to class for us yesterday! Now this may not seem like a big deal, but I promise it was. For some reason, I (and just about everyone else in my district) have been wanting popcorn for like weeks!

I am the spikeball king. Actually not, but I've been playing for about a week and a half, and I really love it! There isn't a lot of downtime in the MTC, so it is super nice to go play some games when we have time.

To all my Johnson/San Antonio friends: I met Elder Ostler!!! We played soccer together yesterday, and he kind of carried our team hahaha

It's been a great week and I'm excited to hear from you!

Much love,

Elder Jones

Pictures: Only two this week... sorry :/

1. A tag picture (your welcome, mom) 2. Me and Elder Rosvall... who is serving in Russia!!!

See ya fam:)

Week 2: They're Always Listening! 0.5 Miles In

Buenas!

It's been a short week! And a long week. A sort of long-short week combo.

Most of my days this week have consisted of breakfast, class, lunch, study time (and more importantly, spikeball), dinner, class, and sleep. Wellllll, maybe not RIGHT to sleep. My nights have been a lot like the one I described in the previous email, lots of fun, lots of excitement, and lots and lots and lots of talking. 

My favorite story from this week happened yesterday while I was practicing piano during my free time!

So I discovered that during free time, I could go into one of the many rooms with a piano and jam. out. Yesterday, I was practicing exceptionally loudly in an exceptionally un-soundproofed room. My line-up that day consisted of a few of my originals, a few cool pop songs, and a very long rendition of my favorite hymn, "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief." After launching into a dramatic key change (which may or may not have made my voice shoot up about an octave. For those of you that have experienced my piano and singing sessions, you know that I get wayyyy into it. And by that, I mean swaying, pounding the keys, and singing at the top of my lungs. After a dramatic and very loud verse five, I turned around to make sure that my companion was still there, and to my shock (and horror tbh) I saw two sister missionaries standing behind me, watching me play the piano and sing like no one's watching. To be fair, I thought that no one was watching. Anyway, the sisters started to compliment my music, and, completely caught off guard, I spent way longer than I care to admit just blushing and muttering like -well- like the fool I am! After talking for a few minutes, they told me that they were in the room next door listening!!! Ahhhh I was embarrassed hahaha. I thanked them for saying that, and after the left, the whole mood of my day was improved.

In short, if you feel like there is something you can say to brighten someone's day, say it! That experience made my week!

Alright, I need to finish washing my laundry, but enjoy these pictures! They include (in random order because I'm not tech-savvy enough for these MTC computers): A pic of me and my comp, me with my district, my mom's beloved tag pic in front of the temple, and me wearing Elder Baumann's glasses in the cafeteria.

I miss you all so much!

With love,

Elder Jones

p.s. keep the emails coming... they're my fav

Oh, and for those who want it, here's my MTC address! ;)

Elder Isaac Royal Jones

NOV11 ECU-GUAS

2005 N 900 E Unit 150

Provo UT 84602

Week 1: First Quarter Mile Of The Marathon

Buenas mis Amigos!!!

Today marks day four in the MTC! These past few days have been super long, super tiring, but super spiritual. We've had mostly orientations and classes, so I don't have many stories... yet!

That said, last night was kind of one for the books. Me and mi compañero, Elder Mower were the first to get back to our rooms, and we thought it would be funny to scare the Russian Elders, Elder Baumann (de Austria) and Elder Hawkes. I hid on the top bunk, and as soon as they opened the door, we jumped out. Elder Baumann (who is probably at least 6 foot 6) stumbled back and hit his head on the doorframe, and shouted something in German. Luckily, these elders have a great sense of humor, so we all had a great laugh.

 Soon, we heard Elder Petersen and Elder Messick arrive at our room. We quickly decided to hide in our closets. Now, these closets are scarcely larger than two moving boxes stacked on top of each other. After minutes of uncomfortable waiting, Elder Hawkes emerged from his closet screaming, "I WAS PRACTICING RUSSIAN!" A few minutes later, I opened my closet door. Unfortunately, my feet were still stuck in the back of the closet, so I fell to the floor.  Hard.

The next few minutes were kind of a blur, but I guess our door shot open at the speed of light, and a dozen Elders came rushing into our room screaming, "IT'S LOTION NIGHT, IT'S LOTION NIGHT!" 

I guess in the MTC there's a tradition of lotion night every Friday night? I don't even know. Anyway, that was confusing, but surprisingly fun hahaha!

I miss you all tons! I would love to hear from each of you!!

In the missionary training center, I can only email on Preparation-day, which for me is Saturdays. However, I can read emails whenever I get them!! Fam, bring it on!!!

Love y'all,

Elder Jones

Entering The MTC