Zone Leader Craziness

Hey, I finally finished choosing my classes and housing for Fall term. What. a. process. haha. It is all good, though, and I should be good to go in August!

I have so much to say and have chosen to dedicate this entry to what transfer week is like as a zone leader. You guys already know the behind the scenes in the offices. Now you will get a look into the behind the scenes as a zone leader who helps and directs 14 missionaries, which is quite the experience. :)

Sunday

All of the missionaries within the zone who finish their two years of service pack up their bags and say goodbye to members and converts. They knock their last few doors and teach their last lessons, leaving behind the whole missionary experience. From what i´ve heard, it is a pretty emotional, bittersweet experience. These missionaries call me, and we coordinate what to do with their companions. This transfer, my companion went back home to California, and Elder Winger went home to Utah. So I just did splits and worked with Elder Winger´s comp these last few days. The rest of the zone is fine for now.

Monday

A normal day of work for all missionaries except those going home and the office elders. Many companionships are modified due to the elders and sister missionaries going home, just like what happened to me :)

Tuesday (special pday)

I come to the computer shack early just to get hte transfer list. It has all the zones and areas throughout our misison, of course with all the changes and suggestions from President. With the updated list in hand, i call all the anxious missionaries in the zone to inform them of any changes. These phone calls are really dramatic by the way, as i´m sure you could imagine! Some elders just stay in the same area with the same companion. Others pack up their bags and travel to another city the very next day! It all just depends on that transfer list. There is a lot of drama sometimes, but it´s fun. So no worries.

In the afternoon, I coordinate the traveling needs and bus tickets with other zone leaders.

Wednesday

The whole mission is chaotic for a couple of hours. We try to coordinate everything well, but there are always problems. Plus a lot of the newer American missionaries don´t know the language very well, so we have to help them out with reading their tickets and everything. I really appreciate what the zone leaders did for me so many months ago. I had know idea they did so much, especially since i remember just getting on a bus and then arriving at my new area with my new companion. Basically, the zone leaders and district leaders have to coordinate really well, otherwise a new American just gets lost somewhere and can´t communicate very well. This happens every once in a while. It is kinda funny to think about, but at the same time it can be really serious. For the most part, everything goes as planned. Well... Most of the time. At least we haven´t had problems in our zone yet :).

Thursday

All the new missionaries work with their new companions, and the trainers start their programs with the new missionaries.

A ton of missionaries call me since they have questions about the zone, city rules, limits, and just other random stuff!

It should be a good week! I am just really overloaded since I´m working alone without Elder Lemon. He was great, and it was tough to see him go. He should arrive home tomorrow morning, which is crazy for me!

We also have mission council this week, and then there are zone conferences next week. My next companion (Elder Brasher) will be extremely busy! I hope he is ready. haha. 

It is all part of the experience.

I will explain a lot more next week. My time is already spent, and i have to go buy bus tickets and call the other zone leaders.

Thanks for all your support and mail.

Elder Rojo.

Editor's Note

Elder Jones had limited time on the computer today, and he needed to spend most of that time on the BYU site to plan/decide on his schedule for fall semester. He is doing well though and enjoys being companions with Elder Lemon! They had some success with contacts this past week, so he was excited!

Please continue to write Elder Jones; he really does enjoy the letters and mail that he receives :)

Weekly Update!

Alright, I have been super busy these past few weeks and haven´t had time to sit down and write a general message to all of you guys. First off, I am doing well. Thanks for all the mail and words of encouragement. It really helps :)

Today, I have a another quick cultural note:

 Colectivos (Cole--leck--tee--voes). Here in Argentina, the majority of people use mass transit to make it downtown, travel between cities, or even just to visit family members who live far away. Instead of using the standard taxi or train, most people take the bus, better know as the "colectivo" here in good ol´ Argentina. These city buses carry about 50 people but sometimes close to 75 or 100 cram into any open space during the busiest hours. However, for the most part, these buses have plenty of empty seats and pass by every 20-30 minutes. 

Guess what? WE take these buses almost every single day! I actually took one from our apartment to the small, little downtown here in San Nicolas. It costs about four pesos, which is less than one dollar, and this converts a 50-min walk into a quick, convenient bus ride. 

We will probably take one back to our area, as well. Many missionaries use them to travel to the outskirts of their areas, especially when they have small towns to visit outside the actual city limits.

Though simple, old, and uncomfortable, these city buses save us time and from having sore feet at the end of the day. I do miss using the family car, but the mission always makes you appreciate the blessings of life we so often take for granted.

I hope you enjoyed it!

Thanks again for everything,

Elder Jones :)

Editor's Note: Elder Jones also wrote this in one of his emails to us:  "We worked really hard this week and almost had the best numbers in the whole mission. My companion and I both know that numbers don´t mean everything, but it is a reflection of how much we are doing! 

But seriously, that is so exciting! (Zach making the Klein High Baseball Team). I can´t believe he made the team; that is so exciting.  If he keeps taking the classes he has, he will make it into BYU too. I hope he does. He is such a beast! Mom, seriously, that was a great letter. 

I would write more, but I already wrote for the blog, wrote president, and now I have to respond about my college courses. I only have a few more minutes. I really appreciate all you guys do for me. Seriously. Thank you for the support and help with college. I was so glad to hear that the college rooming stuff worked out!"

BYU Fall 2013 Course Selection and Housing

Editor's Note...
Elder Jones did not have time to publish a blog entry this week.  As BYU registration and housing are due shortly for Fall 2013, this took most of his computer time.  He will have another entry next week.

If you enjoy reading his blog, maybe this would be a good week to write a letter or note to Elder Jones.  Please click on the link to the right and it will provide numerous ways to communicate with him.