Happy Random Thursday...

Sorry for the delay in the post...

Hola everyone,

So I'm writing today, since yesterday my companion and I spent the day translating for some American doctors.  It was really fun and I enjoyed translating for them.  I guess what happened was that Sister Douglas talked to one of her friends who works at St. Mark's hospital and a group of doctors came down and are giving free clinics to the poorest parts of the area.  It was a really good experience to help these people get some health care and see them leave happier and healthier too!  I would definitely do it again if they asked me to!

So this past week has been a big week of learning for me.  I've been busy trying to learn the area, get to know the investigators and the members, and I'm trying to learn my new position.  I got called about a week ago from President Douglas telling me that he would like me to be the new office Elder in charge of cell phones, mail, vehicles, and church materials.  I was not expecting that!  I'm excited to serve in this assignment, but its a really big job and alot of work.  I've started training today and I'm excited to serve in this new position and work with some really neat people.  I'm going to be training this whole transfer, so I'll officially become the "real deal" at the beginning of next transfer in about 5 weeks.

So as I've continued to serve in different areas around the country, I've noticed an overall commandment that the Dominican people have trouble keeping.  The law of Tithing.  It seems that the saints in this part of the world can't put their trust in god and give 10% (mind you, only 10% of what we earn) to the lord.  There's a scripture is Malachi that promises that the windows of heaven will be opened and there won't be enough room to receive them.  I recently received a letter from a member who told me about her blessings of paying tithing.  She commented that the trouble still comes around, but it is settled down much cheaper, smoother, and calm matter.  As I've seen people sacrifice almost all they have to pay the lord 10%, I've seen miracles and the blessings of the lord poor into their lives.  I know that the law of tithing isn't always easy.  Nothing in life ever is all the time, but I know that receiving the blessings of the lord is always worth it.  Without tithing, we wouldn't have temples, buildings, missionary work, and loads of other stuff.  We've all been blessed by tithing money, so I hope we can always put our trust in the lord and receive all the blessings of heaven.  The Dominican people still haven't learned that, but I hope we can all be examples of the believers and be full-tithe payers!  I know we will be blessed more then we can imagine.  En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

Have a great week everyone!!

Love,

Elder Jensen

Hello...

Hola,

So transfers today.....and I'm now in a place called Hato Mayor.  It's a neighborhood in Santiago so I'm back in the big city!  My new companion is named Elder Cabelacavo (something like that).  He's from California, but his parents are Mexican.  Therefore, he speaks really good Spanish and English, haha.  He only has 3 months in the mission, so hopefully we can learn alot from each other.  I'm looking forward to serving in this area.

So Libby got baptized last Saturday!!  It was a really good day.  However, the generator for the church broke half-way through the baptismal service, so I essentially baptized her in the dark with people using their cell-phones and flashlights.  It was very spiritual and I think Libby was very happy and excited. Definitely an excellent way to finish off my time in Fantino!!

Well, not much more is exciting this week.  So hopefully I can send a couple of pictures of members and my area.  The mission is great and I love serving the lord!  

Have a great week everyone!

Love,

Elder Jensen

Happy Wednesday...

Hola Everyone,

 

So this past week was pretty good!  We didn't really have too many exciting things happen, but I feel we made some progress.  Late Saturday night, I got a call from a member telling us not to announce Libby's baptism.  So of course, my companion and I both starting freaking out.  We kept saying, "not again, not again!"  So church rolls around the next day and Libby comes in and we go and talk with her with President Castano in his office.  She told us she was not feeling sure about her decision anymore.  I was really, really sad.  I've worked so hard and was sad that she started questioning herself again.  Well, what happened next was a complete miracle.  President Castano started talking about the adversary and how much he wants to destroy us and our salvation.  He explained to Libby that the adversary doesn't want her to get baptized and that if she keeps on pushing it further and further ahead, he'll always make it harder to take a stand and follow Christ.  She completely agreed and felt she needs to get baptized on Saturday.  She says she feels prepared, but at times she feels unsure.  So, we gave her a blessing that all would work out and that she could feel completely sure of her answer. So today is Wednesday, and Libby's baptism is still planned for Saturday and she's very, very excited for it now!!  I'm happy.

So on Thursday we received an awesome referral of a family in my area.  They are super legit!  This family will get baptized eventually I'm pretty sure.  Its a family of 6 and they are really interested in the gospel.  They even came to church last Sunday too!  I hope they progress and all get baptized soon!

Missionary work is pretty great and I love teaching people about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know this church is true and that Christ lives.  Heavenly Father loves each one of us and wants us to succeed!  We should never stop telling the world of that message!  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have an excellent week everyone!

Love,

Elder Jensen

 

Happy Independence Day...

So things in Fantino are hot!  I understand that it's been blazing hot (Or what you guys believe means hot) in Utah right now; we've also seen some heat, but also lot's of rain.  I walked through a couple rivers the other day.  Maybe I'll see my swimming skills put to use, haha.  But, the church has A/C so I'm happy.

This past week has been filled with a couple of interesting things.  We had Branch conference last Sunday and President Douglas came and spoke to us.  He shared different stories of the success and miracles that the mission is seeing in different area throughout the mission and that now is the time for Fantino.  He talked about how this church really is different from all the different churches and that we have a responsibility to share it with our friends and neighbors.  It was actually really, really good!  And Sister Douglas's Spanish is getting better!  After church, my companion and I invited them over to our house to eat Hamburgers and Potatoes.  They really were excited and had a really good time.  They said they were surprised that we had the courage to cook for our Mission President.  My companion and I thought that it was something we could do since they're always cooking for us missionaries.  It was really enjoyable!! We had a good time having lunch with President and Sister Douglas.

So things are really doing good with Libby!!  She told us last Sunday that she's feeling ready to be baptized again!  YEAH!!!  And we asked her how she felt about the 13th of July.  She felt that this is the day for her!!  I really have faith is will be the day this time!!  I've been working with her for over 5 months and I want to see here get baptized before I leave this area!  So hopefully is two weeks we'll see another baptism here in Fantino.

So life in the mission is continuing forward.  I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to serve a mission the the Dominican Republic.  I'm learning alot about the world, the importance of the church structure, and alot about myself personally.  I'm grateful for this church and I know that my savior lives.  I wouldn't trade this experience of serving as one of his missionaries for anything.  The gospel is true and my testimony continues to get stronger.  Thanks for all the prayers and support everyone!  Missionary service is awesome!!  

Have a great week everyone!

Love,
Elder Jensen

Happy Wednesday...

Hola everyone,

Wow, it's weird to see how fast the weeks seem to go by.  The days might drag on sometimes, but the weeks pass by like days.  Time is a really weird thing...

So last Sunday was the world wide training meeting on missionary work.  IT WAS AWESOME!!  I felt the spirit so strong!  I thought is was interesting that Elder Perry said that the time of knocking doors is ending; I have to agree because we really don't have success just knocking anymore.  However, he said that the church is hoping to use more social media and technology to spread the gospel.  I think missionaries will see a lot more success through tout the world, however, I'm not sure how we'll use it in my mission.  Alot of people here don't have Internet in their houses and use facebook only at Internet centers.   But, I'm sure that President Douglas and the Area Presidency will figure out the best way to incorporate this new contacting technique in the Caribbean.  Overall, the broadcast was really great and I learned alot.  Now, my companion and I are planning to show it to the leaders in the branch because nobody else came and watched it.  To tell you the truth, I feel it was honestly more for members then missionaries.  So I strongly encourage everyone to watch it.  You won't be disappointed...

Things in our area are slowly moving along.  My companion and I are focusing on our part and trusting that the lord will make up where we can't with the members.  We really hope that they can feel the joy of missionary work and the spirit of sharing the gospel like the stories in the Training meeting.  Members are the most important part of missionary work!

We continue to see some progress with our investigators.  We visited with Libby last week with a member.  He asked her what stopped her from being baptized.  She honestly didn't know the answer.  So we then helped her that it was the time to take a stand and make a decision.  She agreed that the time is now or never and that she needs to decide.  We have another visit with her this Friday and I hope, really hope that she gets baptized before I leave the area.  She has a testimony and I know she'll be a strong leader that Fantino needs.  She is our most progressing investigator at the time, but we're meeting some really cool new people.  So hopefully soon we'll have more.

I'm continuing my studies in the book of Alma and I've made it to the war chapters.  Captain Moroni is a stud!  In Alma 48:17 we learn that if all men could be steadfast like Moroni, Satan would have no more power over the hearts of men.  I want to be like Captain Moroni!  I think we should all learn from his example and stand up and defend our beliefs, families, and god!  Let us all be like Moroni, shall we?  

Have an excellent week everyone!!

Love, 

Elder Jensen

Hey...

Hola Everyone,

 

Things seem to be growing great in Utah and the family seems to be doing great.  It's a little wierd to think that in a couple more weeks I'll have another brother-in-law.  Kind of a wierd thought, but hey, I'm excited for Shawn and Megan!  It seems like it's getting alot hotter in Utah, but my mind still thinks its cold, and snowy.  Things are heating up in the Dominican Republic as well and we're continuing to have alot of rain.  But, I did buy a new umbrella, so I'm ready to conquer the world (or Fantino that is).

 

So this past week has been a really, really slow week.  We've walked alot, taught a few lessons, met a few people, and walked alittle bit more.  We continue to teach our investigators and haven't really found anyone new this past week.  The sad news is the awesome couple (Alexandra and Paulo) we found isn't going to progress.  Why?  Well, Paulo is headed to live in Italy on Saturday and he isn't planning on coming back any time soon.  I was very sad, but he gave us his contact information so the missionaries can visit him over there, so all hope is not lost!!  Libby, is good but still no baptism date yet.  Dori is slowing progressing, but we're trying hard to work with her husband too!  Miguel is very interested in our message and wants to change, but he works Sundays in the morning, so that's been a little difficult.  But all in all, we have found some good people to teach and so we're working hard to help them come unto Christ and be baptized.

 

I've continued learning alot of things from reading the scriptures.  I recently studied the chapter on Faith in Alma 32.  It's such a good "Devotional" about how we can receive eternal life.  I love how he talked about that all things start with a seed and if we exercise faith and act on that seed, we'll eventually see it grow into the Tree of Eternal life.  However, like all seeds, it needs a good heart (soil), The living water (Water), Sunlight (God's love), and a good gardener to constantly care for it.  I know that if we continue to nurish our seeds of faith, and do all we can to help it grow; one day we'll find that is has grown into a giant tree that we give us eternal life.  It won't happen over night, but if we continue is patience, we'll see it grow into something good.  I know that faith is important and we all need faith is our lord and savior, Jesus Christ.  I know this church is true and that god lives!  Missionary work is awesome and I love serving my Heavenly Father!

 

Have an excellent week everyone!!

 

Love,

Elder Jensen

Hello...

Hola,

I hope that things are continuing to go well back in the US of A.  We've continued to have quite a bit of rain, sun, and lot's of heat.  Back in Utah they can predict the weather by the day, but in the DR I think it's by the hour, haha.  One minute it's blazing hot, and then the next minute it's pouring rain.  Makes me laugh pretty hard!  But, I'm glad that life is busy and we're all keeping busy.

So life in the Domincan Republic has been moving along (Just like all the water, haha.)  We've continued contacting as many of the referrals from the open house that we can.  We found an AWESOME couple who I'm praying will start progressing.  We found there house one day and just sat down and starting talking with them.  The man, Paulo, said he really likes what he sees of the Mormon religion.  He likes the church, the manner of missionaries, our basic beliefs from the Articles of Faith, and so on!  He said he's heard Jehovah's witnesses, Evengelists, and doesn't really like them all that much.  But, he said we're pretty cool young "Muchachos."  We broke the ice right away and we were already laughing with each other.  The wife, Alexandra, is a little timid, but she's cool too!  However, when we started talking about Joseph Smith, Paulo said, "that's a little far fetched."  But, he agreed with us that he can't shut it down until he prays and asks God if Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet.  Anyways, really neat family and I hope that he can gain a testimony of Prophets in our days.

We've continued trying to work with our other investigators.  Libby still can't make up her mind and get baptized.  My companion and I are just scratching our heads on this one... Dori is continuing to progress slowly, but her husband doesn't seem very interested in our message.  We've also found some other young single adults to teach as well.  However, there are all women.  That's great that they're interested in the gospel, but when there's no guy around to be present it's a little difficult.  Where are all the families??

So yesterday had a excellent Zone Meeting with President Douglas.  He talked about the mission culture.  He said every kind of organization has a culture.  Apple, IBM, Google, etc. all have different types of cultures that seperate them for the rest.  He then talked about the Mission Culture of the DR Santiago mission.  It was really good!!  It made me start thinking about different cultures in my life: like my family, school, work, city, country, things like that.  But, the culture of the family is something really special.  Each family has a special culture from the rest.  As I've thought about the culture I hope to create for my family one day, I've thought alot about my family culture.  As I ponder the culture of the "Larry and Angela Jensen" Family I think of two words: Memories and Friendship.  Throughout all the years in my family we've built some incredible memories and lasting friendships with each other.  I'm grateful for the sacrifice of my parents to build this culture and the love that they show us as kids.  From dinner conversations to Disney World,  I'm grateful for the culture my family has established on lasting friendship as a family and the memories that we'll always cherish together.  I hope that each one of us can think of the kind of culture we are building or will build in our families.  As we center our homes on the gospel of Jesus Christ and the love he has for us, we'll find ourselves with a unique, life-saving culture that will help us one day return to our Heavenly Father in our Eternal Families.  God Lives and we all belong to the culture of our Heavenly Father.  I'm so grateful for my family and the love and support they continue to give me.  As we put god and family first and we'll always be happy.  En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

Have and excellent week!!  I love you all so much!!

Love,
Elder Jensen