England to Paris to Belgium

Here is the group of missionaries in front of the England MTC the morning they left.

Jonah had to be ready to leave the MTC at 5:45 AM.  Here is the group on the plane ready to fly to Paris.

Jonah was happy that a good group of them were going to Paris.  He said it was hard to say goodbye to his friends from the MTC that weren't in his mission because he knew he wouldn't see them again.

Elder Loosli and Sister Cazer. 

Sister Munns posted some pictures and videos from the airport.

President and Sister Munns picked the missionaries up at the airport. Jonah said he met with them that day and said, "They are incredible! It's going to be amazing to work with them."

The Munn's greeted them at the airport and then they left and the missionaries rode the metro with the AP's to the mission home.  Jonah said they had him go on his own to talk to people and try and meet people.  He said it was terrifying.  He said his French is rough and it was hard to communicate, but he left the conversations feeling like he understood what was said, so that was good.  He gave out two Books of Mormon.  He got to message us when he got to the hotel to tell us he made it.  He told me about this experience and asked us to pray for him because this was going to be really hard to immerse himself and a very big adjustment.  All of the trainers were at the mission home and they got to meet everyone at dinner.  They told them they would find out who their trainer/companion was and what area they were going to the next day.

The mission home is right next to the Paris Temple.

Here is Jonah with President and Sister Munns. 

Sister Munns said it was their biggest group yet, 31 missionaries arrived that day.

13 of them were Elders.

They had dinner at the mission home when they got there. 

I got a Facebook message that night from Sister Hintze.  She told me that her and her husband are missionaries there and she had just had dinner with my awesome son.  It was so fun to hear from her.  They are Sister Munn's parents and he is the mission doctor.  Pretty cool.  She said she loved talking to Jonah and that her and her husband grew up in Provo.  She told me that she would send me a picture of Jonah with his companion the next day.  I got his picture of Elder Loosli with his new companion, Elder Zollinger.  Jonah messaged me in the middle of the night (thankfully I always seem to be awake when he messages in the middle of the night) and said, "Headed to Belgium! With the best companion I could have! I met him yesterday and was hoping I'd be with him." I asked him how he felt about all of it and he said, "It's so perfect, this was a miracle for sure."  I was so happy to hear that.  I had been worried about him, that's probably why I'm up in the middle of the night!

Here are the pictures Sister Munns posted of Jonah finding out who his companion was.  I love his big smile, he was very happy!

Then they told him he would be going to Belgium. 

I'm so glad Sister Munns posted all of these pictures. 

Elder Loosli excited about his new companion.

This is Sister Hutchison.  Her grandson played football for Provo High and told her that Jonah was coming to her mission so she was anxious to meet him and get a picture with him.

Here is the whole zone with President and Sister Munns.

After lunch they left the mission home to take a train to Belgium.

Jonah said they had a little extra time so they walked around the newer part of Paris.

He said he saw the Eiffel Tower from a distance, but not close enough to get a picture of it.

I know Jonah was feeling a little overwhelmed, but he's very good at being positive and taking it all in, the good and the bad.

I was surprised when Jonah called me Friday morning.  He was calling to tell me that he had already been pick pocketed.  He's not sure when or how it happened, but his wallet was in his shoulder bag and then it wasn't.  Luckily he didn't have his license in there, just credit cards.  I was able to call both of them and get them canceled right away.  Poor guy, that is a rough way to start your mission.  It was also very lucky that his mission debit card wasn't in there, so he will have his funds from that.  We will just have to send him a new credit card that he can use for extra stuff.  I was happy to see this picture on his google photos, hopefully the day ended better than it started!

Saying Goodbye to England

The Elders with Sister Preston, one of their teachers. 

Jonah said the sisters gave all the missionaries awards.  This is Jonah's. 

Elder Catania with Elder Loosli

Elder Whatcott and Elder Loosli. Elder Whatcott is from Provo as well, he went to Timpview High.

They went on a little church history trip on their last day.  Gordon B. Hinkley served his mission in England.  They saw his apartment that he lived in when he was a missionary.  Jonah said they told him that later when President Hinkley was the prophet he was in England and he went to his old apartment and knocked on the door and asked if he could come in.  His wife had died recently and he was really struggling with losing her.  He went and prayed in the apartment where he used to pray as a missionary.  He was given strength and was able to carry on.

This is River Ribble. The first baptisms in the British Isles took place here in 1837.

President Hinkley baptized people here as well.  It is near the Preston Temple.

They went to St. Leonard's church in Downham England.    

The stained glass windows look beautiful.

Jonah said they had a devotional in there. 

Outside there is a cemetery. 

I took this picture off a video I saw of Jonah.  I think he was happy it was a cool rainy day and he could wear his sweater.

Jonah said Downham was a cool town.

Elder Zeedik and Elder Whatcott with Elder Loosli.

Jonah enjoyed the day trip and seeing some of the sights in England.

Elder Loosli with Elder Bettridge.

Elder Cowden and Elder Loosli.

Elder Koyamagishi and Elder Loosli.

Elder Church, Elder Catania and Elder Loosli.

 Elder Prigoone. Jonah loves all of these missionaries.  When I would ask him about a picture he would tell me who it was and then tell me how amazing they are and how much he loves them.  He said that about every single one.

Here is the whole England MTC.

Here is a closer one.

All the Elders in the MTC on their last night together.

Jonah added this picture to his mission album. He left for Paris on July 23rd. He was nervous and excited about getting out into the mission field.  He loved the England MTC.  He loves all the people he met there.  He loved that the group there was small so he knew everyone.  He loved going into town on Pdays.  The England MTC was a great fit for him.

Week 5 in England-Trip to London Temple

Jonah had to say goodbye to one of his favorite teachers this week, Bro Fahey. 

He is leaving to teach in Fiji. 

Elder Loosli, Elder Zeedik, Elder Wood. 

Jonah is going to miss Elder Zeedik when they leave the MTC next week.  I hope they can be companions in the field at some point. 

I’m logged into Jonah’s google photos so I get to see all the albums he’s apart of.  I save any pictures of him to add on here.  I can’t tell if he’s impressed or freaked out by my detective skills. 

The Preston England temple that is on the same grounds as the MTC is closed for renovations, so they took the missionaries to the London England Temple.  It’s a six hour bus ride. 

This is the whole group from the England MTC with an Area Authority seventy that talked to them after. Jonah said it was a great talk. 

Here is Jonah’s district.

They left Thursday afternoon and came home Saturday morning. They stayed in the temple accommodations right next to the temple.

On Friday they did all the ordinances.  They did baptisms and iniatory and then had lunch and then they did an endowment session and sealings.  Jonah printed off family names to take before her left. 

Elder Loosli and Elder Blaylock. 

Jonah said it was great.  He felt like he learned a lot during the endowment session.  

He said he has been studying a lot about temples and that has really helped him.  He said “the endowment is all over the scriptures.”

We had a great call with Jonah Saturday morning.  He’s excited to fly out to Paris on Wednesday and find out where he’s going.  He said, “I could be teaching someone by Friday.”

He’s nervous about the language and his companion.  He said it will be hard to go from the group to one person.  He asked us to pray that he will get a good trainer and that he will be able to learn and adjust quickly. 

It was another great week for Elder Loosli.  He said he’s been studying about Joseph Smith and has grown his testimony of him being a prophet and translating the Book of Mormon so much.  It’s so fun to hear and see his excitement with everything he is learning.  He’s working so hard and giving it his all!