Now it's REALLY official...

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!!!

He's officially IN Chile!!!

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!!!

He's getting ready to take off to CHILE :)

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!!

Video of his First Hasta Ver.... A Farewell to a District!

Whenever a District leaves their Zone, they get together and have a "Hasta Ver." Which is a get together where they sing "God be with you til we meet again". It was great to get a letter with a SD card in it. We were able to see pictures and of course this video. He says he's having fun and learning lots!

Updates!!

We've heard from Elder Jones...he's been doing pretty good with emails and letters on a weekly basis!!! It's hard to post all that is sent, seeing as how things go to different families. So I'll just post a short synopsis of how he's doing from what people have been told!!! 
He's been in the MTC now for 2 weeks...(tomorrow)...and is doing GREAT!!! From his emails and letters, he tells us that he is eating as much as he wants, drinking 2 BIG glasses of milk each meal, eating as much ice cream as he wants (he told that to his nephew in a letter), and growing spiritually AND physically ;) :) 
He is getting the language down and can only speak Spanish in his classes now. NO English. He says he can carry on a simple gospel conversation in Spanish!! He's also excited for new missionaries to come into his district this week, because that it'll mean he won't be the NEW one anymore!!! He's grateful for all the love, letters, and packages!! He does however ask to not send so much candy...because everyone has LOTS of candy they're all trying to get rid of!!! :)

So there you go!!! He is still Matthew...and doing SO good!!! He's growing and learning and loving it from what it sounds like!!! We really enjoy hearing from him...and know he will do great things!!

We here on the other side are also having a GREAT time getting packages and letters sent to him. The kids are ALWAYS wanting to color/draw pictures for Elder Jones!!! I hope he doesn't mind that!! And these are a couple pictures of the 4th of July package we sent to the MTC!!! However we got the email about "Not so much candy" AFTER he received this box!!! It was still fun getting red, white, and blue things all together to put in a box!!! We hope he enjoyed getting it!!!

The kids had LOTS of fun decorating and picking things out for it!!! These are the things that make this fun!!! And make time go by faster!!!

Sending Letters/package options...for the MTC

Hey all...

To anyone who is interested or would like to...you can write to Elder Jones by using dearelder.com :) You simply click on "write letter" and then fill in his information. You just need to put "Elder Matthew Davis Jones - MTC Mailbox #214"...and then they print off your letter and get it to him. If you write it before noon that day, he'll get it that day...otherwise it's given to him the next day.
Also...if you have any just letters or packages you want to get to him...you can bring them to the "Post Mart" stores...(in the strip-malls by ShopKo in Provo & Orem)...just have the same info on it for them to deliver. Packages are $2 and letters are free...so if you have a hand-written letter you don't want to put in the mail...you can bring them there, and he'll get them!!!

Got an email from him today in which he said..."mail time is the most anticipated time of the day"...so obviously he enjoys getting the letters and mail!!! So keep them going!!!
Let us know if you have questions!!!

Got a Letter!!! :)

Elder Jones sent his first letter to his parents/family!! They received it last night...and were real excited to hear from him!!! 

He said..

"Mi familia!

My branch president is President Stone.

I am in Branch #2.

My companion is Elder Heyman! Bom.com!

He is from Chandler, Arizona.

Dearelder.com subject line type (Elder Matthew Davis Jones Mailbox #214)

Life is going great. The language is hard but it's coming. My district is so spiritually strong. Elder Heyman is crazy good at Spanish and is helping me along. 

I drink 2 glasses of milk every meal, and eat more then I ever have!!

Love muchos,

el Eldre Jones"

So he's alive and well!!! Keep writing him and watching for more posts!!

Missionaries Love Mail...

Elder Matthew Jones would love to get letters from all of you. Here is his MTC address and we’ll keep you up to date with his new addresses as he moves around..

Elder Matthew Davis Jones
MTC Mailbox # 214
CHI-OSO 0821
2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604-1793 

Entering the MTC

Elder Jones was to report to the MTC at 12:55 p.m today, June 20, 2012. His mom told me he spent the morning packing last minute things, cleaning up his room, bringing his bike down to his room (and cleaning that), doing his laundry, and staying busy to make time go by. He got it all done, and Mom & Dad wanted to take him to lunch, but he didn't want that. He just ate a sandwich at home as his "last meal" before entering the MTC/mission field. Weirdo!!! :) Then it was off...off to his next chapter...

 The MTC :) Missionary Training Center...

 Apparently things have changed in the last while...they took the signs down that most Elders would stand by and pose by!! So this is the sign Elder Jones got!! :)

 Final shot with Mom & Dad...

 What a stud huh!! :) He was very anxious to get going and just GO to the MTC. The guys out helping them said he didn't really have to wait til his "set time" to go in...and that he could go then...to which Mom said..."NO, you're not taking him any sooner then you need to" :) But Elder Jones just wanted to go in!!

 He was sick of doing pictures and just wanted to get on with it!! But he was good to his Mommy and posed a few more time!!

 Then it was get the bags/suit-cases...say final good-byes and give hugs...(to which they had 2.5 minutes to do that)...

 And he was off...officially entering the MTC...

 God speed Elder Jones!!! You will do GREAT things!!! Good luck on this journey...you are loved and admired by many!! :)

Saying the good-byes...

By far...the HARDEST part of the night...we all knew it was coming...but put it off as much as we could!!! But it was bound to happen...and it did!!! So we said our good-byes...did our hugs...whispered little messages...and just savored those tender moments before Elder Jones was gone!!!

Grandma & Grandpa Pulham had to get home, so they started it off...

 

 Shauna started the "tie-ing" of Matthew...and that got the ball rolling.

 Michael brought the tie from him & Jessica...

Jessica had just had surgery that morning, so Matthew went to her for the hugs...so so hard :(

Then came THE hardest ones to watch...Matthew saying good-bye to the kiddos...we knew it would be sad...but to see how it hit the boys AND Matthew...was too too sweet...Klous & Zack are gonna miss him LOTS, but what an example he is being to them!!!

The other kids (Kyson & Aysha) did NOT want to get their picture taken or give him a hug...not a REAL hug at least. Everyone else that did walked away crying!!! Maybe that was why!?!?! ;)

 Mom was next...with the tie from her and Dad...

 Then Ryan and Becki did theirs...and I didn't realize how tough it would be.

 And before the end of the night...Ryan just needed a few more hugs from his little brother!!! :)

 We wanted a "cheek-to-cheek" picture...but Matthew was NOT having it...against mission rules maybe!?!? :)

Elder Matthew Jones...we LOVE you...we admire you...we will miss you...BUT we know you are doing the RIGHT thing at the RIGHT time. Thank you for your example...we look forward to his letters and pictures!!! 

God be with YOU until we meet again!!! We LOVE YOU!!!

Last night with Family...

The kids were VERY attached to Matthew last night. No one wanted to leave his side...and it made for good times to get pictures taken!!!

The boys...Matthew and his nephews!!! Zack-6, Klous-5, Kyson-2...they won't be this little in 2 years!!

Then Aysha(2) added the mix!! A little out-numbered when the boys are around!!!

SILLY FACES!!!

Priceless picture...walking to get set-apart!!!

Officially Elder Jones :)

With Grandma & Grandpa Pulham

Elder Jones and the kids

With Mom & Dad

With the siblings...minus his sister Erin :(

With his BIG brother Ryan!! 13 years ago Ryan left on his mission...such AWESOME men in this picture!!

With Chris & Jen Kelly

With Steve & Adrienne Jensen

And one of his best friend Connor Johnson...they'll be in the mission field at the same time for about a year...

Showing off the ties from the family...GREAT idea from Shauna!!

Talking "Missionary" talk...bringing back memories for Ryan!! :)

And one final family baseball game!!! Matthew, Ryan, Michael, and the boys!!!

Everyone wanted Matthew to be the pitcher!!

Then no one wanted the night to end. We hung out at the house til LATE at night...chatting, laughing, and just being together!!

Klous finally gave up and fell asleep cuddled next to Uncle Matthew...I mean Elder Jones :)

Farwell - Luncheon

Matthew did AMAZING at his farewell...(both of them)...but this is the "family ward" farewell, which brought a LOT of people together. Friends, family, neighbors, and people who we haven't seen in a long time. It was a great day...

Matthew and his parents were all able to speak...his parents spoke on "Repentance" and Matthew wasn't really given a topic, but chose to go with them and speak on "Forgiveness"...it was an incredible talk. He is a powerful young man, and was filled with the Spirit through his entire talk. He will do marvelous things as he's led by that same Spirit on his mission!!!

Here's Matthew...being the stud he is...with Norm Beagley & some of the Lamb family...and his buddy Connor!!

 

 

 Then came time for the luncheon. Matthew wanted a pasta bar...so we had noodles...LOTS of noodles...with marinara sauce and Matthew's delicious alfredo sauce. It was a great meal...there was also salads, breadsticks, watermelon, and banana bread....it was a good time had by all!!! 

Grandpa Pulham forgot his hat, so he made one out of red napkins!!! Pretty creative huh!!

After the friends & family left...it was "relaxing" time with immediate family...good time to just hang out with Uncle Matthew!!