Saturday, December 29, 2012

Happy Holidays...

Hola Everyone!!

It was SO GOOD to talk with the family yesterday!!  I had so much fun and was super happy the whole entire day!  It seemed for a minute that we didn´t know what to say, but just seeing my family through skype and hearing their voice was the best!  I´m glad to know my family is happy and that everything seems to be going great!  I LOVE MY FAMILY; THEY ARE AWESOME!!

So as my family knows my companion had to return to Peru due to health issues.  I was going to be in a trio with the Zone Leaders until transfer day, but one of the new missionaries from Mexico is coming early.  So he´ll be staying with me for a few days and I´ll be helping him until he is transferred to his trainer.  I´m a little anxious, but I´m looking forward to the opportunity!

Things are going really good and I´m excited for the New Year!  This is a time where we can start a new plan, goal, or an opportunity to improve and become more like Christ!  Alot of time, we soon forget of our desire to do better and fall back into old habits and routines.  I hope this year we can all do a little better to do our part to become a better person and let Heavenly Father do the rest.  As long a we give him everything we have, we have his promise that he´ll do the rest and help us become the person we are capable of becoming.  I encourage us to make goals and then have the strength, faith, and desire to put our trust in the Lord and strive to make a change for good!  I know God will help us and through his son´s Atonement we can all stand perfect one day!  En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

Love,
Elder Jensen

Merry Christmas...

Hola everyone!

This past week has been quite interesting.  We had Zone Conferences, activities, flash mobs, you name it.  It was a very busy week with lots of stuff going on, but relatively slow with our investigators.  Weird how that happens...

So last friday we had a special Christmas Zone Conference.  One word: yummy!!  Yep, we had a really good dinner.  Sister Douglas made turkey, stuffing, rice, pumpkin dessert, rolls, and some other yummy food.  I was very happy and content after the meal, but we even did more stuff!  We had a same devotional on testimonies by President Douglas followed by a very long testimony meeting.  I felt like every missionary thought they needed to bear their testimony, but it was good they had the chance.  After the testimony meeting we practiced for a flash mob we did on Saturday (more on that in a minute).  Then we finished off a wonderful day with a Christmas Program with singing, and reading the Christmas Story.  Yep, Friday night was a really good day.

So Saturday!  We had a interesting morning, but a really interesting evening.  So there's this huge mall in Santiago with a Movie Theater, 3 floors, stores, food court, all around big.  Sister Douglas had the idea of doing a flash mob with the missionaries singing Christmas songs.  So that's exactly what we did.  Saturday night as 6 we all busted down and broke into song and dance.  We, the missionaries, sang Joy to the Word, In Judea, Silent Night, and Feliz Navidad!  We had a really good time and the people seemed to enjoy the little moment of caroling with 70 mormon missionaries scattered throughout this mall.  Sister Douglas had some people record, so hopefully in the next few weeks I'll have a link you can use to watch it.  It may not look very well done, but we had a fun time doing it and helped bring alittle Christmas Cheer in people's lives.

So with Christmas just around the corner, many people start thinking about presents, movies, money, food, and family.  However, what about that little baby born in a manger?  In Lucas is one of my favorite parts of the Christmas Story.  The Sheperds in the fields are just minding their own business when an angel suddenly appears.  They were scared, really scared.  Honestly, if an angel appeared to me, I think I would too!  But then this angel shared one of the biggest moments in earth's history. Christ, our savior is born.  Then even better, a choir of angels appeared and sand to these sheperds.  Picture MoTab singing to you personally, but on heavenly steroids.  Yep, kinda a big deal.  So anyways, after all the heavenly music went away, the sheperds said to each other.  "Come, let us go done to Bethlahem."  You notice they didn't say, "We'll go in the morning."  "Let me sleep first."  "I'm hungry, can we eat first"  "Oh Christ is born? That's nice"  No these sheperds left immediately to find the little baby Jesus to respect and worship our Savior.  It made me wonder, do we immediatley leave and find Christ when we hear the good news?  Or do we sleep, eat, watch that movie, send that text, post that status, or watch that game before we go and hearken the call?  I testify that we all have heard that call!  We as members of the true church have heard that heavenly chorus sing, and now we must leave and find our Savior.  At times it may not be easy, and we might struggle, but we can all find him!  No task is impossible to pass when we are in the way toward our Savior.  I hope we can all remember the reason Christmas a little bit better this year.  It's of time of Love, Family, and our Lord.  I beckon the call to each of you.  "Come let us go and find this savior, Christ the Lord!"

Merry Christmas!!

Love,
Elder Jensen

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Another Week...

Hola everyone!
 
This week has been another slow week in Gurabo. We've taught some really good lessons and found one or two people who might be interested in hearing our message. However, this past week has been really hard for some of our investigators. It seems Satan knows as well as we do that the people that we are teaching have the potential to become amazing warriors for the gospel of truth. He seems to be hitting our investigators at their weaknesses and stalling their progression. Hopefully, we can help them overcome and prepare to follow and receive our Savior, Jesus Christ. I'm learning though, that we as missionaries can invite and testify, but in the overall grand schemes of things they must exercise their agency and act. This is the beauty of God's Plan for us. We all have the ability to choose for ourselves and not be forced to make a certain decision. This is why we are here on earth. We choose God's Plan and rejected the awful plan of Satan. Anyways, we'll see what this coming week brings. We have Christmas Zone Conferences and a really cool activity planned on Saturday. Hopefully alot of new and exciting things to say next week.
 
So a few days ago I was reading in the Book of Alma in Chapter 30. This chapter is about when Korihor, the anti-Christ, comes into the people of Nephi and begins preaching false doctrine. Many people allow this man to wander around destroying souls, and corrupting men. However, when this Anti-Christ entered the People of Ammon, they bound him and took him to their chief judge Ammon. He then declared that this man be banned from their lands. It made me start wondering. Do we allow sin to wander around our lives and just take a few things here and there, or do we immeditately bind and banish sin like the Ammonites? Are we converted enough to have the courage and strength to get rid of sin, or do we simply try to ignore sin and allow it to overtake others? As we strive to become more like to people of Ammon, I know that we will find our homes, lives, and attitude a little happier and we'll be able to help others overcome sin and take control of their lives. I encourage each of us to be a little more like the People of Ammon and I testify we'll be happier!
 
Oh, so random story. Last Sunday, we were singing the opening him and I felt a tap on my shoulder. A brother handed me a note that said, "Elder Jensen, can you give a talk today? Someones not here who had a talk." So with about 5 minutes notice I tried to whip together a talk about the Purpose and Reality of our Heavenly Father. I don't think it was my best talk, but it certainly wasn't my worst either.
 
Anyways, I hope you all have an excellent week and enjoy the wonderful Holiday season where we spend more time with family celebrating the birth of our Savior and King. Happy Holidays!!

Love,
Elder Jensen

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Hello...

Hello Everyone!

Did I ever say how much I love my family??  Thanks for the Christmas Package, it's really big and I LOVE IT!!  I was so happy when I got it.  All the presents are still wrapped, so I open one everyday like I'm supposed to!  So far: a tie, Lifesavers, yo-yo, and Almond Joys!  Thanks!

This past week has been pretty slow without any changes.  I feel kind of bad I don't have too much to write about, but that's just how some weeks go!  I decided I'm going to send a lot of pictures this week, so enjoy!!

I know this church is true and missionary work rocks!!  Thanks for all the support and prayers, they mean a lot!!

Love,
Elder Jensen