Email Received April 20, 2011: We Are The Champions Right Now

Ok, I sent a snail-mail last Thurs, but just in case it hasn't gotten there yet:

I HAVE MY FLIGHT PLANS!!!!

I mean, AHHHHHH! It's real! I'm really going home! This is worse than High-school graduation! I'm never going to have this experience again! I mean, yah, I plan on serving again with my husband, but that's not the same. (BTW, y'all heard the Elder Holland quote saying we need every able member to serve 3-4 missions? I'm one down, 2 to go. ^_^) this was GOLDEN. I'm sure going to miss it, but at the same time, I can't wait to get home! I'm an emotional mess. I can't wait to get out of here, but I don't want to go at the same time.

Oh yeah, mentioned my departing testimony last week, right? Well, it was such a rush. The spirit was so strong. I don't really remember what I said, aside from the fact that it was not at all what I was expecting. But a week from now, I'll be on my way to the Chicago temple one last time. EEEEK.


OK, emotional outpouring over.

Had a great lesson with Imelda and Everardo yesterday. We reviewed the first lesson, because they didn't really get it the first time. but this time, at least for Everardo, it seemed to hit home. he got the significance of the apostasy, the miracle of the restored church, and he specifically talked about how just studying the Book of Mormon or the Bible alone would not be enough. I think he might make it. Imelda is still like, "God is good, but I'm catholic. I go to mass when I can." Problem is that they might be deported soon. Grr.

Had our first lesson with Rosa in a while. She's still good. She's shy about the whole baptism thing with her parents around, but she still really wants to be baptized. I just hope she doesn't disappear when I leave.

Ruben is in Mexico again. Hope that the new missionaries will get back with him again.

Hermana Walser is making herself known with the members. She's getting better with her Spanish. I hope she gets a native companion at some point. I know it helped me a lot. But there aren't any natives; it seems in the newest group.

Today, we're going to a sports complex for a zone activity. I'm happy. I'll get to see all my elders and sisters one more time.

Not much else going on, except me freaking out. It still doesn't seem real, all the time.

Love,
Hermana (not going to be able to claim that for much longer) Maren M Jones

Email Received April 13, 2011: One Last Shot

Second to last e-mail.  Creeeepyyyyy.

We went to the city today, my last time in grand old Chicago. We went to Navy Pier again. I really liked it. Hermana walser spent most of the time talking with her past companions. She and I have bumped heads a little recently. I feel like I'm walking on eggshells around her a lot. Still, we're getting along well enough. She’s really frustrated with the area, and I don't blame her.

Flipping through my past e-mails, I feel strange. 18 months summed up in 70-odd pages. Huh.

Found Rosa the other day. She’s still being mobbed by her family, but we had a few minutes to talk with her. We met her mom, officially, and we are going to see if we can start teaching her too.

I'm working hard, trying to give Hermana Walser a good introduction to all the members possible. Even if she can't speak the language, I'd like the members to be familiar with her, because (not sure if I ever mentioned this) president Doll has basically promised her that she'll be training, either this transfer or the next, most likely this.

We have Zone Meeting tomorrow. I get to give my departing testimony. I hope I know what to say, and how to say it.

Stray thought: Most of the other missionaries have had a topic for their homecoming talk before they go home. I wonder if I will get such a luxury.

Miss home, miss you guys, can't wait to see you.

Hermana Maren Jones.

Email Received April 6, 2011: "Not ready! Not ready! I'm out of here!"

Ok, so day before yesterday evening, I was looking at the calendar app in our new phone (more on that later) and I realized something:

COUNTING TODAY, I HAVE THREE MORE PREPARATION DAYS IN THE FIELD!!!

And ever since then, I've been in super-freak-out mode. I'm so shaky; I can barely walk straight most of the time. I'm sleeping better than I had been, but it's from sheer exhaustion, I think. I certainly can't type straight. Random things I'll be able to do, or have to deal with, keep popping into my head at random moments.

Using Facebook? Not having someone back me out of my parking spot? Looking for a job? Playing Video Games? Looking for a school? Not having a companion? Looking for somewhere to live? Church callings? Watching TV? Dating (did you listen to general conference)? Answering the phone in English? Not wearing a skirt?

I'M NOT READY!

Ok, Joking aside, I'll probably be OK, but I'm more nervous/excited than I've been since I was, like, 10. I feel woefully unprepared for the real world, but I'm excited to be home and do all the things I love. I'm nervous that Hermana Walser won't be ready to take over the area, but excited to move on and start my life.

Eeeeeeeeeek.

Ok, in terms of the work, we still aren't doing much. We’re trying to get creative in terms of contacting, but after we've tried everything, we're right back to knocking doors again.

On a lighter note, Ruben and Rosa are back. We have a narrow window to teach them together before he heads down to Mexico to help another of his daughters move, since her husband has been deported. But I think it might be good to be able to teach Rosa by herself.  Ruben's so shy about meeting members, but Rosa isn't. If we introduce her to some members, she might start coming to church without him.

Ok, we also got new phones. Before, we had a junky, but indestructible brick. I rather liked it, but it simply could not hold up to the intense texting loads. And it dropped calls a lot. Now we have the LG Remarq, a wide phone with a slide-out keyboard. Of course, when it was first announced, P. doll pulled his whole, "getting new iPhone," trick. I think he's played that one like, 7 times since I've been on the mission. And shortly thereafter, her joked about getting new iPads in July, teasing Elder Senator. I'm a little nervous about the full qwerty keyboard. I'm afraid it'll be easily broken. Of course, that will fall under the "not my problem" category, but all the same...

Email Received March 30, 2011: "Oh Mr. Sun"

Well. This week really kind of stank, in terms of missionary work. It was a long, boring, unproductive time, made up of knocking, mixed with being dropped by our last few investigators.

That said, I think I feel Ok. Now, at least.

By the time Saturday rolled around, I felt awful. I was disappointed, frustrated, and energyless. (I haven't slept well in almost two weeks. Grr.) Our coordination sheet had two names on it. We got to missionary coordination, and I tonelessly and emotionlessly went through the motions of trying to find members to come with us. Well, the district leader noticed, and after the meeting, asked if we were OK. Well, we basically went through the whole "absolutely, mostly, kinda-sorta, maybe, no." Well, he gave us a mixed motivation/chew out, and as the day went on, and I began to feel better. (P.S. I have learned in the mission that I'm not happy if I don't get chewed out on occasion.) Since then, things... well, they haven't picked up, but I feel better about it. I'm back to feeling good about doing missionary work.

More about Herman Walser: Born and raised in Utah, she's seen a lot. Her dad makes movie sets for a living and is currently applying for a job to manage church productions. She was an English major, currently is an entertainment management major (something like that) and is, according to Brigham Young, a "menace to society." She's sweet tempered, and just recently decided to find her way back to the church. Her greatest accomplishment in her mind right now, is that she's been sober for two years, a fact which she proudly shares every chance she gets. She's happier now, she says, than she's been for much longer than that. She's a classic pale beauty, with dark, curly hair, ivory skin, and a beautiful smile. Trouble maker and daredevil, she likes motorcycles, swimming, and movies. She's struggling with Spanish more because she struggles with grammar in general.

Slowly warming up out here. Can’t wait to get home, though, and back to the desert. Never thought I would want to, but so it is.

Sincerely,
Hermana Maren Jones