When I say it's REALLY official...it's because Matthew's mom got a letter from the Mission President with a picture and a letter from Elder Jones!! It's completely official now...he has an area to serve in IN Chile...he has a companion who is helping him with the language...and we have ANOTHER picture proving he's there!!! So he's made it and he seems to be adjusting and enjoying it!!
I'm posting the picture and the letter Elder Jones wrote...his companion is Elder Frogget and he is currently serving in Punta Mount...he seems excited and says teaching and making contacts for REAL are a bit more difficult then teaching the teachers at the MTC :) Imagine that!!! He'll do great and be doing even better with the language there in no time!! He says it's hard to understand the Chileans because they speak SO fast, but he'll get it...it'll just take time!!!
Here is the letter from Elder Jones...if you can't see it good enough...click on it and read it that way!!! Just thought you'd all enjoy seeing an actual letter from Matthew!!
And here's Elder Jones...with his Mission President/Mission Mom (Pres. & Sis. Rappleye) and his new companion Elder Frogget!!!
Elder Jones told us in his email on
Monday that his companion is helping translate the language and what the
people are saying!! So I think he's in good hands!!! He's got help and
has the Lord on his side, who is CONSTANTLY watching out for him!!! He'll be fluent in no time and speaking to people who need to hear the message he is teaching!!! It'll be great to hear how things are going and his teaching stories!!!
Elder Jones left Monday morning for a LONG day of flying!! He was able to call home while waiting in the LA airport for his next flight!! It was quite the call!! The family was able to conference just about everyone in and allow all of us to hear Matthew's voice!!! It was harder then I expected it to be...our kids (Klous especially) had a tough time talking to him and hearing him say "Hi Bud" or anything else that Uncle Matthew would usually say to him!!! So it was a quick chat on our end and then we just listened!! It was great to hear his voice...but he was quick to go and get on with his journey!!!
I've been waiting and watching the blog the mission president's wife has set up for the pictures of the "arriving" missionaries!!! I was pleasantly surprised to see it late tonight and see that Elder Matthew Jones has officially made it to the Chile Osorno Mission!!!
Here is the proof!!!
Here he is with the other "new" missionaries to the mission and their Mission President and his wife!!!
Good luck Elder Jones and we look forward to hearing great things and seeing more pictures!!!
Well Elder Jones has been at the MTC now for 8 weeks now...he's preparing to leave the MTC and head to the Chile Osorno Mission this coming Monday. He is scheduled for a LONG couple days of flying, but will eventually make it to Chile!!!
Elder Jones has been growing and changing SO much while learning at the MTC!!! He told us in his last letter that he had to say a prayer in English and he couldn't do it!?!?! He thinks he won't be able to speak English at all when he gets home!!!
He is more then excited to get out on the streets and be able to share the gospel with the people of Chile. He has grown a LOT, and you can tell through his letters. He continues to share his testimony and experiences with us through e-mails and letters. It is truly a great thing he is doing!!!
Elder Jones will be leaving Utah and headed for South America next week...so if you would like to write to him, please use the address listed on the side for the mission home in Osorno, Chile.
Stay tuned for more updates, pictures, and emails as he gets to officially interact and be with the people of Chile!!! He will do GREAT things!!
