Another week...

Hello Family and Friends!

This past week has been a very interesting week indeed!  We got invited over and had a wonder Thanksgiving feast, a new companion, and a week of really hot weather!

So last Thursday for Thanksgiving, my companion, the Zone Leaders, and I went over to a guy named Lazurus for Dinner!  I can sum it up in about a sentence.  A home-made thanksgiving dinner away from home!  We had yummy turkey, stuffing, potatoes, rice, chocolate cake, icecream, juice, greens beans, and stuff.  Need less to say, I ate probably more last Thursday then I've eaten in one meal my whole entire mission.  It's no wonder the Americans can only eat like that one day a year.  I'll send pictures next week because I don't have a ton of time today!  But it was a very enjoyable experience.  Not like being at home, but pretty home like for being on the mission.

We are continuing our efforts with our investigators.  This past week has been kind of difficult to make any progression because I'm showing my companion the area, appointments fail, and different circumstances haven't allowed us to visit alot of them, but hopefully this week.  Sister Douglas said they are hoping to have a very white Christmas this year.  We really can't have snow here, but a dreamy white Christmas with all the investigators and missionaries dressed in white on 22 of December for baptisms.  As of now, my companion and I have 2 baptisms planned this day, but we definitely hope to have alot more this coming week!  I guess we'll see what Heavenly Father has in plan for our investigators.

They finally started to remodel the building we will meet in for the Gurabo Branch.  The new rumor is in the middle of January is the earliest we can start meeting there.  I don't think that the Branch will really start thriving until after the move.  It's just too hard travel for the members, but the Presidency is doing their best.  Funny story, President Rodriguez is coming to Salt Lake to see his sister's wedding on December 16.  Maybe you'll run into him, haha!

This week is going along and next week is about ready to get started.  Things continue to progress forward and I find that in one way or another the Lord always provides.  I'm starting to learn the blessings of more fervent prayer and how just little prayers of thanks in our hearts can make all the difference!  Prayer is direct communication with our Heavenly Father.  He never will hang up or get tired of our pleas for strength or help.  He wants us to turn to him and pour our hearts to him.  I know that God hears every prayer of his children.  He is ready to listen, so don't be afraid to tell him everything!  From, a quick "thank you" prayer to a "all the energy of soul" prayer, Heavenly Father is always attentive and has advice for our situations!  I challenge each of you to pray a little more often and have a conversation with him, not a quick written letter!  I promise that you will be happier and see Heavenly Father's hands in more in the small things and big things of life.  I'm so grateful I can pray to my God for every aid, question, and "venting" situation.  I know he is there to listen, so just speak!  En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

Love,

Elder Jensen

Happy Thanksgiving...

Hello Everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!  I'm so very grateful for everyone supporting me and reading my emails!  This past week has been full of things to do, and I look forward to telling you about them.

Up first, my new companion!  Elder Gomera finished his mission, so I received a new companion and I'm showing him the area, here in Gurabo.  His name is Elder Rosales and he is from the country of Peru!  He is in my same starting group, so he has around 6 months because I had 6 more weeks in the MTC.  He seems really nice, but a little shy.  I will definitely change that!  We have alot of work in head of us these next six weeks, so I hope he likes to work hard, haha!

On Friday morning, we continued our work helping that children's school.  We counts thousands of Christmas Cards that the children had drawn and they copied.  Did I say thousands???  Good, I thought so.  I never want that as a desk job.  It was fun, but only the first time.  I do enjoy giving service!

Saturday was an awesome day!!  We had two baptisms!  The family we have been teaching so hard finally hit some success.  Bienvenido wasn't able to bet married, but two of his daughters did.  Last Sunday, we were talking about Mosiah 18 and one of the daughters said, "the time of yes or no to baptism has long since past.  I want to be baptized on Saturday."  Elder Gomera and I looked at each other then said, "We're glad you've arrived at that answer."  Then her sister said she was ready too!  So there it is, two somewhat unexpected baptisms, but I'm so, so happy they decided to be baptized.  Now, we're working to get their parents married, and the wife to share with us, so the rest of the family can be baptized and then sealed in the temple in a year.  Yep, the church is true.

This past week has been really fun!  I know this church is true and that missionary work is awesome!  Serving Heavenly Father in the Dominican Republic is really rewarding and challenging.  I'm learning so much, and I'm grateful for my family and all the blessings I've received in my life.  This week is Thanksgiving, so I hope we can all be a little bit more grateful for what we have, and not worry about what we don't have.  Happy Thanksgiving, and good luck on Black Friday!

Love,

Elder Jensen

Hi...

Hello Everyone!!

This past week has been a very busy week.  I can't believe that Wednesday is already here!  We've had service projects, Zone Conferences, and all sorts of stuff.

So last Thursday we had Zone Conferences with Elder Cornish.  Amazing!!  We learned about the importance of the first lesson and how to teach "God is our loving Heavenly Father" first because everything leads back to that.  If people don't know we have a Father in Heaven, they won't believe the Plan, Prophets, The Atonement, scriptures, the church, everything.  If people don't realize we have a God who loves each one of us individually and personally, what is the point of all of this?  We also learned about teaching people and not lessons.  The mission has tons of investigators, but few baptisms; so Elder Cornish talked about why that's happening.  We need to have the spirit in the lessons, and that only comes if we teach the people and not the lessons.  President Douglas also talked about the responsibility we need to have with all the changes in the mission.  We so many new missionaries in the coming months, we will again have 4 man houses, and alot of missionaries will be training, so we must prepare for that.  Overall, I was very happy with Zone Conferences and I learned a ton!

Friday morning we did a service project at a school.  They want to use more of the school and maybe involve us missionaries more.  So we spent the morning cleaning this huge school house.  It was in the downtown, old part of Santiago, so it was a really old building and pretty cool!  My group was in charge of cleaning the side patio of the building.  After about an hour and a half we got it all clean and then they starting dropping trees off the roof, so that all went down the tube.  But we cleaned it up all again and made it look really nice!  I had a really good time and got to meet alot of new missionaries.  Go service!

The branch in Gurabo is really starting to take shape.  Callings are being made and the leaders of the branch all want our help.  They are asking for addresses of investigators, when they can do exchanges, who needs the Primary, who needs the Relief Society, who need this or that.  Honestly, I love it!  I don't know what to do with it all!  I really have a testimony that this branch will be one of the strongest wards in Santiago in a few years.

As far as investigators go, we are really working hard with a few families.  Hopefully I will have some news in the coming weeks.  We've also been trying to find some more.  Funny story, with the division of the ward/branch we lost 4 families to the other Elders.  They were complaining that it's too far from their house and the mission president said they just received 4 really good families for free and not complain.  Haha, I thought that was funny because I was really sad to tell them we couldn't teach them anymore.  They really are 4 really good families.

The work continues to push forward here in Gurabo!  I know this church is true and that Christ is our savior and redeemer!  This Christmas let us look for Christ more in our lives.  I encourage you all to read the December Ensign or Liahona, they're just absolutely loaded with amazing Christmas stories.  I know that as you look for Christ in Christmas, you'll find he's already found you.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 

Love,

Elder Jensen

Hello...

Hello Everyone!

First off to answer some questions about the mission, and how the new branch in Gurabo is doing.  My companion Elder Gomera is finishing his mission in 2 weeks, so I will be getting a new companion and staying in Gurabo until at least the beginning of the year.  He is a really good companion and I've learned so much from him.  The branch is officially in its second week as a branch of the church.  They are still finishing a small local place to meet in, so we are still meeting in the chapel of Los Jardines.  This branch has about 98 members, with about 30 active.  Just enough, that the missionaries don't have to teach, or participate heavily in the running of the branch.  I believe that within 3 years this branch will be one of the strongest wards in Santiago.  The leaders of the ward have a strong desire to work and help us missionaries to build up the kingdom of god in this small little section of Santiago.  Oh, I'm so excited to help this branch.  We had a meeting last night with the leaders of the branch and came up with some really bold goals, and plans to strengthen and build this branch.  I love missionary work!!

This past week has just rolled into another week from last week.  I honestly felt like yesterday was last P-day.  Josphina is continuing her streak of not smoking and is really helping us out missionary efforts.  We've received over 5 referrals from her in the last week alone.  Our investigators are continuing to progress, but it seems that whenever we take a few steps forward, Satan is there pushing them back.  Failed citas, unkempt commitments, an nonacceptance of not changing, etc. is really keeping our investigators from progressing more.  But, if they are unable to have faith and prevail against these trials, they will not most likely be able to prevail against harder ones in the future.  As we continue to have faith against the storms of life, God will give us the strength to continue to prevail against the bigger storms that come our way.  However without faith, we can't calm the stormy sea, or walk on the water.  Faith in our Heavenly Father's plan and the knowledge of his son's atonement is the fuel that can power our testimonies through the most trying of circumstances.  We just need to take a step back and realize God has his hands in our lives.  Tenga Fe!

Have a good week everyone and thank you for all the support and prayers!

Love,

Elder Jensen

Family and Friends...

Dear family and friends,

I'm thrilled to hear that everything is going well for the family.  .  But life seems to move on in Utah, and it continues pushing forward in the DR.

This past week we had a impact on the weather from Hurricane Sandi.  Not as bad as the US, but lots and lots of rain.  I was soaked from head to toe for about 3 days, as we walked around the area.  Not gonna lie, it was actually really, really fun!  I've never enjoyed getting soaked in October before, but here....not too bad!  I hope things continue to calm down and the damage can we taken care of now in New York.

Something really interesting happened last week with a less active member.  This member, Josphina, has a really strong testimony and loves to share the gospel, but has been inactive almost all her life as a member.  She is a heavy smoker and felt unworthy to attend church.  We sat and visited with her and her husband and let her share what she has been feeling and such.  We then shared our testimonies about the power of the Atonement to change oneself and sat in a moment of silence.  Then Josphina asked for a Priesthood blessing to help her quit smoking.  So thus ends part one...

Part two!  We stopped by Sunday afternoon, after guess what?  Church!!  Josphina attend church!!!!  She then told us that after we gave her a blessing a few days before, she had lost all desire and urge to smoke.  Even the thought made her feel sick!  How awesome is this!  Her faith is amazing!!!  She had the faith to be healed from a blessing, and because of her faith, it happened!!  I feel like this a a huge blessing for her, and the branch because she keeps saying, "Look out world, Josphina is back and sharing the gospel."  It made me super happy!!  

My testimony was strengthened by this experience with Josphina.  I testify that Jesus Christ can help us change and become new creatures through his atoning sacrifice.  He is our savior, lord, and king!  My message to the world is that Heavenly Father loves us, and through his son, everything that is ever wrong in life is made right by the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  He lives!  I know he lives! My calling is to carry his name and tell the world that God cares and Jesus Christ will ALWAYS be there!  Never forget that!!!  I know this church is his church and the work continues to roll forward even more rapidly then ever!  Sister Douglas told me that our mission is increasing from 170 missionaries to 275 missionaries with about 40% as sisters.  How can this work not be true?  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,

Elder Jensen

This week...

Hola everyone!

 

Another week in Gurabo has gone by and not alot of things to talk about this week. I feel kind of like you guys at times where not alot of things have happened. I've been teaching the same investigators (With some baptisms hopefully on the horizon), attending missionary meetings, and sleeping.

Offically next week Gurabo with be the newest branch in the Dominican Republic. It will take alot of work to get things started, but hopefully all the less-actives and investigators who can't afford to get to church will be able to start attending and strengthen the branch. We've started teaching a older woman, who all of her kids are LDS. She visited Utah last month and thought it was really cool. She showed us alot of Pamphlets about Temple Square. The church has really increased it's tourism stuff there! I felt like I was looking at the church version of a Disneyland map! But anyways, she said she's Catholic and doesn't want to change right away. But he kids told her, "Look, you can either get baptized in this life, or we'll baptize you in the next. So choose!" So she decided she might as well have the blessings in this life rather then miss the opportunity. I thought it was really funny that her kids kind of black mailed her into listening to us! Pretty funny story, so we'll wee what happens.

Life continues to drive forward. Days, and then weeks just kind of blur together and the next thing I know I'm here or there again. I don't feel like a huge difference is happening in my Spanish. But, many people comment on my improvement and complement me on how quickly I'm picking it up. Most American missionaries say that you never feel your Spanish is as good as it really is! I do feel that it is coming along and one day I'll speak it, haha.

 

My knowledge of the gospel and my testimony is really increasing. Reading the Book of Mormon everyday, and studying to teach my investigators really helps alot. I've been reading alot of different material and I came across a quote in the BOM study manual from Elder Holland about theories about how the Brother of Jared saw Christ. He said several different ideas, but all of them dealt with the outstanding faith that the Brother of Jared had. He had no doubt Christ is in all things and that he could touch the stones and give them light. In Ether 12:6, we learn more about how we can come to have that perfect faith. At times in life where we don't seem to be going forward and trials are pushing us sideways, maybe we need to just put faith in Christ and wonder why he wanted us to see the rest stop, or gas station off the freeway of life! I testify that in those minutes of trial is when we fill up the most of faith and testimony that Christ and our Heavenly Father are actively engaged to keep us driving on the freeway back to his presence. Don't ever forget that with Christ on our side, all things can happen. Even rocks that can give light. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love,

Elder Jensen

Merry Christmas...

Hola Everyone!

Merry Christmas from Gurabo!  Oh wait, its October!  The people in this country don't have Thanksgiving, nor Halloween so they are all getting decked out in Christmas already.  Investigators' houses, businesses, banks, posters, etc all are starting to be decked out in trees, lights, and the like!  I really like Christmas and all, but not until after Thanksgiving!  Haha, oh well I'll just go with it I guess!

This past week has been pretty slow!  On Monday we had a Zone Meeting and talked about some changes in the mission.  (Not quite as drastic as Matt's mission)  We are always suppose to have a BOM in our hands, and maintain the "Mission Language."  This means always "Elder" or "Hermano" not "Jensen" or "Rodriguez."  Also, we now have some different goals with member lessons, and the fellowshipping we want to happen in the wards we serve!  So, yeah just minor changes.  The biggest change this week is that Gurabo will now become a branch and split off of Los Jardines.  The reason is because Gurabo is a 10 minute drive from Los Jardines, and many members can't afford to make it Sundays.  The Stake President said each member will have to work very hard because technically this branch doesn't not meet the necessary requirements to be a branch.  So needless to say, the missionaries will be working very hard help this little branch get started.  It ought to be interesting to see what happens.

This week Bienvenido and his family are doing great!  He is determined to get baptized, and has a very, very strong desire to do so!  We are now working with him to save money so him and his wife can legally get married.  He keeps saying, "I'm going to get married, so I can get baptized!  I'm ready to be baptized!"  I'm so happy for this family!  I love them so much and hope we can make it happen these next few weeks!  This family is really cool and I'm glad I've been blessed to share the gospel with them!

Things continue moving forward and the work in the Dominican Republic is progressing!  I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve my Heavenly Father in helping him brings souls to Christ.  I look forward to the future of working along side more young men and young woman.  Its weird how missions are all about service, yet I think the lord serves us more!  I've learned so many things on my mission, and I couldn't progress without my Savior's help!  The mission is truly changing my outlook on things and leaving a impact on my soul!  Thanks for all you prayers and support!  Que vaya con Dios!

Love,

Elder Jensen