Crazy...

Hola everyone!

I honestly don't really know where to begin this week.  So much has happened and I can't keep my mind straight over all of it.  We had transfers, office work, a missed baptism, and just alot of stuff.  So hopefully I can keep it all straight and you guys understand.

So Monday was kind of like the calm before the storm.  There was really a whole lot of things to do.  I was just organizing and trying to make sure all the things from my part was ready for the new missionaries.  So there's Monday....

Tuesday!  We had 23 new missionaries arrive the mission on Tuesday.  Once we got them all from the bus stop to the mission home, we helped get them all settled in you could say.  I told them my part about mail, phones, and materials; and everyone else talked about their thing.  Then, I just kind of chilled at the Mission Home all day and helped Sister Douglas with preparing dinner.  And let me tell you, those tacos sure were yummy!!

Wednesday was absolutely crazy!!  We got up early and headed to the Mission Home at 6:30 to begin transfers.  There we picked up the new missionaries and took them to our "Central" area of transfers. My job during transfers was to be the "taxi" for all the missionaries serving in the Naverrete Zone.  An office elder and I were "co-pilots" and headed to Naverette to pick up the leaving missionaries from their houses.  Then back to Santiago to the "Central" area.  There we picked up the missionaries who were headed to Naverette.  It was all going pretty smoothly and we were almost done until I got a call from one of the driver's saying he got into an accident.  That was not a phone call I ever wanted to hear.  Turns out he hit a motorcycle in President Douglas' car.  So of course with cars being my responsibility I started trying to sort that problem out (Don't worry.  It wasn't a bad accident).  Well, as I'm on the way there I get another call from another elder telling me he had been arrested and was detained at the police station for supposedly running a red light.  (So I imagine what you're thinking, and it wasn't too bad.  They only had him confined to the Police Station, not in any cell or anything).  So after that phone call I had to change plans and try to get an accident figured out and bail this other elder out of jail.  Needless to say, last Wednesday just wasn't my day...but luckily I got it all worked out.

Thursday was a little bit better, but still pretty hectic.  I spent the first part of the day trying to resolve all of these car problems.  Finally, we got the ticket paid for the red light; and the accident sorted out with the police, insurance, and the church fleet coorinator in Santo Domingo.  However, in the afternoon things changed again.  We had a lesson with Omar and Carolina about her baptism.  We told her that we just don't feel like she's quite ready to be baptized and needs some more time to prepare.  She's not quite sure about her testimony and relies alot on her husband.  Well, she was angry at us for trying to change her baptism date and cancelling her baptism today.  However, she continued on optimistic...

Fast forward to Friday afternoon.  I'm working in the office doing the mail and she comes in with her husband.  She turns to me and says, "Um, I don't think we can meet on Sunday anymore.  And I'm not going to keep coming to church.  You guys have really destroyed my desire to get baptized."  That was terrible!  I was so sad after that.  For one, it proved she honestly was ready to get baptized.  But two, she doesn't have the faith to keep moving forward and blames us for trying to help her.  It was just another thing to add to the pile of life this week.  But, she's going to talk to the bishop so I hope that helps her out.  Hopefully, this all works out this her.

So, that was Elder Jensen's crazy week in the Dominican Republic.  Transfers, accidents, and a failed baptism is alot is one week.  However, it's helped me handle stressful situations and prepare for time like these that will happen throughout my life.  I'm grateful for the opportunity to have this mission experience and all the things that I'm learning.  Honestly, the mission is great and I love it!  I know that Heavenly Father lives and he loves each one of us.  His son, Jesus Christ is our savior and he will always be there to walk next to us in our hardest moments.  I love this gospel and I am grateful for my testimony.  I hope all is well and that we can all remain strong is our testimonies and follow our older brother.  En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

Have a great week everyone!  Hope that everything continues to go well!  Que vaya con Dios.

Love, 

Elder Jensen