Happy Thursdaay...

Sorry for the delay in the post.

Hola Everyone!

Well, it's weird to think today is Thursday, because it honestly feels like Wednesday today.  Yesterday was Zone Conferences, so I'm having my P-day today instead.  Oh, this will probably be my last "middle of the week" P-day for a long time.  Because starting next Wednesday (Transfers) I'll be in the office "officially."  And the office elders' P-days are on Saturdays, so long story short: my P-days will be on Saturdays now.

Well, this past week has been a pretty regular week for me. I've continued my training in the office, mastered Dominican Driving, and walked around in the sun.  We've continued teaching the same investigators and trying to help them progress.  However, I feel we take 5 steps forward and 3 steps back, but I feel like the lord is helping us and touching the hearts of our investigators.

So yesterday was Zone Conferences with Elder Anderson.  It was really good!!  Pres. and Sis. Douglas talked about the importance of teaching families and how we need to focus our efforts on getting people to the temple.  Pres. and Sis. Anderson talked about sacrifice.  Sister Anderson said something I really like.  She said, "We should sacrifice our best to the lord, because he wants to give us something better: Eternal Life."  Sometimes we think we are sacrificing  too much; 2 years, 10%, 2 meals; 3 hours; etc.  But compared to Eternal life, what are we really losing?  I know it's not always easy to sacrifice for the lord.  I'd be a hypocrite if I said it was.  However, I believe it's where our hearts are that really matters in the end.  Our we trying to be obedient?  Do we sacrifice with love?  Are we trying to follow Christ's example?  I think that if we are trying our best and do our best effort to follow Jesus Christ and his father's plan we can be happy!  Heavenly Father knows it's not easy.  However, he does know we can give our best effort, so that's what he expects.  I know that if we give our best effort and sacrifice for the lord, we'll receive eternal life.  I know that god lives, and that through Christ we can make it.  This is the true church and I'm grateful for this opportunity to serve a missionary.  En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

Have a great week everyone!  Talk to you again next Saturday!

Love,

Elder Jensen

Hello...

Hola everyone,

It sounds like after a few busy weeks things have finally slowed down for a couple days.  I think it's the calm before another big storm of school, football games, work, and a new season of the year.  Things seem to be changing lots, but I feel like I'm just in my "caribbean world."

So this past week was a very slow week for me as well.  Noelia continues to progress, but she's having pregnancy troubles.  So, that is putting a big rock block in the way on her progression.  She's been put on bed rest and can't attend church.  And to be baptized into the church, you kind of need to attend it, so we've pushed her date down the ward a little so it won't be so pressured to make it.

We've struggled alot trying to find people the teach during my time here in Hato Mayor.  The people just don't seem to want to progress.  Some people listen, but they can't seem to keep commitments and follow their path to Christ's gospel.  People have their agency to choose and act for themselves, but it's sad to see them choose in a way contrary to the will of our Heavenly Father!  As missionaries we are charged to preach the gospel.   We invite all people to follow Christ.  If the people don't want to, well, that's up to them.  I hope that people will starting and continuing listening to this wonderful message missionaries bring to the world.

The Hato Mayor ward is a great ward!  I've never seen a Ward Mission Leader work as hard as the one we've got.  He leaves with us, reports on the progress of investigators, and really tries to magnify his calling.  Our bishop is great person too, and wants to see this ward grow during his time as bishop.  The members are great, and alot are very strong members of the church.  Overall, I enjoy serving in this ward.  I hope we can all try to fulfill our callings and strive to help build our wards and the kingdom of god.

I'm doing well and love missionary work!  My training in the office is going good and I'll officially "take-over" in exactly two weeks.  I'm learning how to drive here and continuing to learn how everything works.  I'm excited to serve in this assignment and look forward to working in "colder weather" for a time, haha.  

I know this church is true and god lives!

Have a great week everyone!

Love,

Elder Jensen

P.S.  Next Wednesday the Mission a Special Zone Conference with The Area President, Elder Anderson.  So, I won't have my P-Day next Wednesday.  So, I'll email next Thursday.....entonces, esperamos el próximo jueves

Happy August...

Hola mi familia,

Well, things continue to get busier and busier for me.  I'm continuing my training in the office and will "officially" take over my position at the end of August (when transfer rolls around).  I'm continuing learning the ropes and getting the hang of my assignments.  I made a mistake last week in my email.  I said that I was in charge of 220 cell phones, but actually it's only 130-ish.  My math is getting a little rusty, so sorry.  But, things are going great, and I'm loving the A/C.  It's been especially hot lately and I'm liking the "cooler" climate.

So my new area is alot different then Fantino.  The ward has about 90-120 people attend church every week and the church runs fairly well in this ward.  We have some awesome members who enjoy leaving with us and really care about doing the work of the lord.  I'm enjoying my time here, and I hope to see Noelia get baptized at the end of the month.  We've been teaching a few other people, but no one but her is really progressing.  We've started visiting the members asking for referrals, and tried to help some of the less-actives be spiritual fed again.  So overall, we've got alot of work going in this area, it's just been a little difficult finding good people to teach.  But, I know the lord has something in the works for us.

My reading of the Book of Mormon has continued going great!  I've just finished up the Book of the prophet Mormon and it just eats my heart out.  I don't understand how a converted people of the lord who had been blessed beyond measure fall into the woes of sin.  I mean, eventually the whole Nephite race was whipped off the face of the earth for their wickedness.  It's sad to see a great, god-worshipping people fall into the depths of sin and suffer the consequences.  It makes me worry about what can happen to us.  If a civilization who saw the lord Jesus Christ can fall and suffer, it makes me wonder what can happen to us!  We've been warned of the wickedness that is continuing to enter the world.  If we decide to enter the world and participate in the wickedness, we'll not come back in very good shape.  We might not be whipped off the earth physically, but I know that we'll be whipped off spiritually.  But, I do know that if we always acknowledge our faults and rely on the lord for help, we can move forward with faith.  The lord gave the Nephites many chances to repent.  We continually receive chances as well.  If we heed those calls and strive to do better, we'll be blessed.

I know that god lives and he loves us.  If we do as he asks and try our best, we will be happy.  Jesus Christ is our savior and is always ready to help us, but first we need to ask.  This church is true and I'm a real missionary of Jesus Christ.  I know it, I love it, and I'm living it!  In the name of Jesucristo, Amen.

Love you guys!  Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Jensen

Weekly email...

Hola everyone,

This past week has been quite an interesting week.  Last Thursday and Friday I started my training in the office, Saturday I was at the hospital with my companion, and the last couple of days just kind of blurred by.  It seems like I've been busy doing everything but missionary work, haha.

So the office......I'm going to be one busy person!!  I've only trained 3 days and I've already had to do so much.  I'm in charge of all the missionaries' cell phones (which is about 220), all the mission mail (pamphets, BOMs, letters, packages, etc), and all the other random office work involved in the "material" things of the missionaries.  Its really fun and there's A/C in the office, but I'm going to be a very, very busy missionary in a couple of weeks.  However, I look forward to the experience and working a little closer to Pres. Douglas and seeing how that man does things.  So overall, it's been great!

So my companion got bit by a tiny, little spider a week ago.  We both thought is was no big deal.  Well, we were kind of wrong.  On Saturday afternoon he shows me his hand and asked, "Is this normal?"  His hand was pretty big and swollen.  So, Sister Douglas sent us to the hospital to figure out what was wrong.  After all was said and done, it turned out that he had an allergic reaction to this spider bite.  I was hoping he'd start shooting out webs and climbing walls, but I was a little disappointed.  Oh well, that's life sometimes.

So I'm starting to know the area and some of the investigators are really cool!  We have started meeting with this women who married a returned missionary.  She's really open to the gospel and wants to continue learning.  I mean, Noelia (this lady) and her husband already have plans to head to the temple to be sealed in a little over a year.  She's a great person and I can see her desire to join the church.  However, she's working Sunday mornings and can't really attend church.  But, she's already on top of that and is trying to trade shifts with her other co-workers.  I'm very excited we've met this nice couple and I hope I can see Noelia get baptized too!

I've been studying alot in 3 Nephi and Christ's visit to the Americas.  Wow, so much happened in just 3 days; it's just amazing!  I really love how much faith the Nephites and surviving  lamanites had in their savior and redeemer.  The miracles, and the events that passed in these few chapters of the Book of Mormon are filled with some of Christ's greatest miracles among the children of men.  I wonder what the world would be like if the Latter-Day Saints of God had the kind of faith like these ancient saints of god! had  What do you think we could do?  How would our faith and example effect our neighbors, friends, and family?  I think we'd see a whole new world and life centered in our master Jesus Christ.  I know that it's not easy, but if we continue doing the little things in life like reading our scriptures, trusting in the prophet's words, attending church, and having a sincere prayer to our Heavenly Father, I know that eventually the time will come in our existence that we'll have a great faith in our Savior and see miracles in our lives.  

I still have a lot to work on, but I know that Christ lives and he is our savior.  He is God's son and he atoned for our sins!  God is our Father-in-heaven and wants to bless us.  We can always turn to him with our problems and questions.  This is the true church and I'm a real missionary.  I love sharing my testimony with the people of the Dominican Republic and I'm grateful for this opportunity to serve in his Royal Army.  Missionary work rocks!  En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

Have a great week everyone!

Love, 

Elder Jensen