Jones, Jackson

Dear Parents, Leaders and Missionaries,   Yesterday, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and good people everywhere, joined in fasting and prayer to stay the disease circling the globe.  It was an opportunity to seek the power of the Lord to heal the earth.  It was a mighty time in our mission.  We felt the strength of joining with you to seek a common blessing.    The restrictions on travel and the directions on social distancing have started to show some success in Great Britain. The latest report demonstrates a bit of flattening in the ‘new cases’ curve.  It is hoped that this is not just a temporary lull.    The government has been very strong in committing people to stay indoors and maintain social distance.   Missionaries in the England Leeds Mission have been self-isolating for over two weeks. This has allowed us to avoid becoming ‘super spreaders’ and from becoming infected ourselves. During this time, we ...

Dear Parents, Bishops, Stake Presidents and Missionary,     Thank you for the wonderful notes of encouragement and gratitude.  It is an honor to serve with some of the best people we have ever known.  Again, we wish we had time to personally respond to each of you.  Please know that we love and appreciate all of you.      Much has happened in the last two days; in fact, during the last two hours. It is an amazingly wonderful time to be a missionary.     Earlier today, March 26, 2020, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles sent a letter with the subject: Further Adjustments to Missionary Service.     The letter described how some terms of service would be shortened. The inspiring words included “where possible, in some areas of the world, missionaries will remain and complete their regular term of service”.     Elder Brent H. Neilson, executive director of the Missionary Department provided specific de...

Dear Family and Church Leaders,   (And missionaries).      Tonight, we finally got some good, albeit, difficult news from the UK government. Britain’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has ordered intense restrictions on assembly and gatherings in England (see details below). This action will do much to keep England from following the path of other European countries.        Given some of the nonchalant attitudes of some citizens, this step was required and is welcomed.  Had others taken the action our mission took a week and a half ago, the spread of the Covid 19 would have been dramatically slowed.  We are grateful for the guidance we have received from Church leaders and especially from the Spirit.      All of our missionaries are safe and healthy, though they are a bit restless.  We are helping them to appreciate this time for in depth study, on-line service and personal growth. Your love and support is critica...

Well well well. Nothing too exciting happen this week because of quarantine, but I'll give you all an update. So leaving where I left off last time, i was in Peterborough with Elder Elder Stewart while we waited for transfers. The new zone leaders came and we spent the night with them in their flat. We got transfers that night and I'm still training. My new comp is Elder Pombo from the Philippines. His english is good enough to communicate which is nice. He also loves to clean so that makes it easier for me haha.  So currently I am back in Leicester, with no service in the flat which makes it sooo awesome. We really only study and watch chruch films. We try to keep in contact with Julian and we've not reached out to Stephen Ford because I'm not sure how accountable he is haha.  As for an update on the virus. We are still being kept here in England. We will most likely ride this thing out, but we may be sent home if it's too long, I dont know we will see what the Fir...

Church: ‘Substantial numbers’ of missionaries may return to home nations; mission lengths may be reduced; all MTCs will stop accepting new missionaries SALT LAKE CITY — Substantial numbers of Latter-day Saint missionaries will likely return to serve in their home countries and many may see the length of their missions reduced in the coming weeks as church leaders continue to respond to rapidly changing restrictions brought on by the coronavirus.     Additionally, no new missionaries will enter The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints’ 11 missionary training centers around the world, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles announced in a letter released Friday afternoon.     All new missionaries will be trained virtually, through online video conferencing. The church plans to send them to their assigned missions as soon as possible, the letter said.     Friday’s latest announcement from church leaders came after weeks of cascading deci...

Dear Parents and Leaders of Missionaries in the England Leeds Mission,    Thank you for the amazing men and women you sent to this area of the vineyard.  We have been studying together the words of Jacob and the Allegory of the Olive Tree.  We discussed this thought, "When we first came on our mission, we felt it an honor to be called to work FOR the Lord.     The recent events have convinced us that we are not working FOR the Lord, we are serving WITH the Lord".  We feel Him close.     Many of you have seen news (attached) about the changing situation of full-time missionaries. This information came to us late last night. Specific direction has not yet been provided, but we anticipate that we will receive additional instruction soon.     The guidelines are described as "temporary adjustments". The letter states, "In the coming weeks, based upon world conditions, substantial numbers of missionaries will likely need to be returned ...

Dear Parents and Church Leaders, Thank you for sending out some of the best missionaries ever!  It is an absolute honor to serve with these great elders and sisters. They are vigilant and obedient. They are dedicated to the Lord, and they are willing to wait upon Him.  Last evening during our 9:30 PM call, we held a discussion about liberty jail. We spoke of the pressure brought upon the church in those early days of the restoration. We shared the stories of Joseph Smith and his family; of the financial perils; of the pressure from outside of the church and apostasy from within. It was during this intense time that Joseph Smith was locked away in liberty jail. He was taken out from all of the adversity and placed under lock and key.  Yet, in this most difficult time, Joseph was allowed time to pray, to listen and to write.   You face daunting challenges at home, yet your missionaries are secure and safe here in the mission field. They have time to write and reflect. ...

Dear parents and church leaders,  Please accept apologies for not responding personally to each of you.  We have received well wishes, encouragement and questions from many of you.  We will try to write directly.    There are pressures on the England Leeds Mission, but plans have been executed quite well.  Flights have been difficult, but manageable. .Missionaries have been extremely obedient.  Work is progressing in a more technological way.  Most of you know that all of the senior missionaries were recalled from our mission. Two couples were allowed to stay, one to help run the office and one at a military base in the south of our mission.  Additionally, about nearly 30 missionaries with chronic illness or other health issues returned home.  They have been asked to conduct a 14 day isolation. We expect that like the rest of their mission, these elders and sisters are being obedient.  As a scaled down Missionary force, ...