J.J.'s Mission

22 December 2008

Photos, photos and more photos. I asked that J.J. send us photos for Christmas and that's just what he did. He said he sent an e-mail too but I haven't received it yet. So I'll post the photos now and hope for the e-mail so I can post it. For sure he had a baptism yesterday. That is the first photo!

Connie Jo just forwarded me J.J.'s e-mail today. He forgot to cc me on the e-mail. Gee, that wasn't very nice of him. And he hasn't answered any of my questions I had for him last week. Oh well, I'm just the Dad...Sister Lorena Barragan Solano (Granddaughter or Sister Buillermina) with Elder Green and Elder Gutierrez.

J.J. says he is "doing great". He always says that. J.J. says the weather has been nice the past couple of weeks - perfect spring weather. He doesn't miss the snow shoveling at all. He is interested in moving to a new area. He has been in the same area now for four months. And he wants a new companion too. Let's hope he gets his Christmas wish - changes are next week.

J.J. said they had been teaching Sister Lorena Solano for quite a few months. Her Mom didn't want her to get baptized. But one day Lorena's attitude changed. They would teach her and ask her to ready a chapter in the Book of Mormon and pray. He didn't think she really did it. Then one day they visited her "She looked happier. I could tell she finally prayed and asked for an answer like we invite them to, and she received it. She wanted to get baptized and I could tell she had a testimony, it was awesome!" J.J. said he felt so good that day, especially when they talked to her. He said the "Spirit was so strong!".

Sad to say his Christmas package we sent on 3 December has not arrived yet. Let's hope it gets there in the next couple of days. Otherwise it will become a New Year's package. You would think three weeks was long enough from Sandy, Utah, USA to Mexico City, Mexico?!

Ward Choir singing at the Ward Christmas party.

Elder Green and Elder Acosta ready to sing for the Ward.

Elder Gutierrez, Elder Fajardo, Elder Acosta (Z.L.) and Elder Green ready to perform for the Ward.

He did receive his first Christmas gift! One of the members in the Ward gave all the missionaries a pair of socks and a tie. J.J. received a yellow tie which was just what he needed as he said he did not have a yellow tie. Nice of the Sister in the Ward to give the missionaries gifts. Very kind of her indeed.

The Ward Christmas party was this past Saturday night. They all sang, the kids broke pinatas, they ate, danced and watched a funny skit some members put on. J.J. said it was a really fun night.Elder Green on a "split" with his Z.L. Elder Acosta with a Christmas tree fountain in the background.

J.J. was pleased to hear that our new Bishop -Bishop Hansen had a missionary parents dinner at his home last Thursday. Eight missionary parents got together to talk and eat. It was a great evening though other parents are counting the days their son gets home. We know J.J. is doing the RIGHT thing and can't be happier for him serving a mission for the Lord. We are not counting the days. We just pray for his success, happiness and safety.

He says he sent a photo of his new companion a few weeks ago but we never received it. But you can see his new companion in the top photo above. J.J. says the time goes by so fast. He can't keep track of time there. He says "Time goes by so fast, but yet so slow. The weeks fly by but then so much happens in the week that one week ago feels like a month ago". He was pleased to get a beach scene postcard from Thailand that his Dad sent him.

The four Elders who serve in the Ward boundaries.

This past week he became an "official" resident of Mexico. It took four months to come through. He had to go to the office last week to sign the immigration papers. And last Wednesday they had another Zone Conference. They are doing two every change (six weeks) now. Which J.J. says is "one more than needed I think". It was extra long he said - 6 hours long. But he says that's the usual so he is "pretty used to it".

Last Friday they did a District activity in his area. All the Elders came to his area and worked an area they have never worked before. The Z.L.'s who they share the area with were there too. He really likes the Z.L.'s he says. The morning they went out knocking on doors, contacting and teaching. He went with another gringo Elder - Elder Richards who has six weeks more than J.J. in the mission. He was nervous but they "taught a lesson and everything and did great, big confidence booster for sure". After the activity they went to Carl's Jr. for lunch. He said he hadn't had that in more than six months.

Lunch at Carl's Jr. with his District including the Z.L.'s.Notice the "Phood.com" on the cup!

Tomorrow the Elders get to go through the newly refurbished Mexico City Temple. It should be a "great experience, my first time in Spanish". He said he is a little nervous for that. He also has a baptism date set up for this coming weekend. The Baeza Family who J.J. really loves.

J.J. is excited to be able to talk to his family this Christmas Eve. We have arranged to call his cell phone number at 5:00 PM his time. It is one hour earlier than us here in Sandy, Utah. We are pleased to have his cell phone number too! We will ask his older sister to give him a call from her place in Taiwan. I think it is only fair she gets a chance to talk with him also.

For Christmas Eve day they have a Zone Conference lunch. And later that evening they are going with the Z.L.'s to a member's house. He says he has "really grown to love my Zone Leaders".

We wish Elder Jaron John Green a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a successful and HAPPY NEW YEAR as he teaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Mexico City. Will we miss him this first Christmas away from us? Yes! But we KNOW he is doing what the Lord would have him do at this point in his life.