Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Feliz Navidad!


Jensen clan!
How are ya´ll? I hope this week was amazing for you and that you are all looking forward to Christmas this coming week. Oh and the end of the world, apparently. Get ready for that.

Just here in Peru, with three weeks left in the MTC. It is so crazy how fast it is flying and how I have already been in the South American continent for three weeks.

This week we learned and spoke more Spanish. We learn more and more each day about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and personally, I keep learning over and over again how insignificant I am and how great our God is. And how we will never be able to pay back the price that Christ paid for us to obtain exaltation. The Atonement is such a mystery to me, how one person would do that all and not be so selfish as I know I might have been.

The native elders and hermanas are here for three weeks each, so the first group just barely left. I definitely found my Latino brother. He is crazy and I am pretty sure he was supposed to be born a Jensen but just got lost on the way down to earth. I love him. Elder Perez. Before he left, he said that he would never forget me and that in me, he saw a brother... He has a special place in his heart for me. The people of South America are so nice and loving, and now we get to have an another group come in and we get to learn and grow close to them for the three weeks.

Umm... We just got back from the temple and we had to sit there for an extra hour because they didnt have enough temple workers to do one part of it. I was dying. But, I got a lot of prayers in to my father. About you all. I pray each and every day individually about you all. God has not forgotten the Jensen family, that I know for sure. We have been so blessed and continue to be blessed.

What else happened this week?
.....

I got an ingrown toe nail... and then I dug it out and now I have a normal toe.
Super fun.

I love that picture of Oakley in the pot. She looks so happy and I love her so much.
Go ahead and send me as many pictures as you would like.

We do the same thing day in and day out but it isnt ever boring and I just love it so much more here than Provo.

Christmas in Peru is supposed to be like the 4th of July in U.S. Tons of fireworks and party and junk. Way fun. Cant wait.

There isnt much more but I am super excited to go out into the field. I still have a lot of work to do, but with God with me, I can do this. And I know Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are both there for all of us. I love it, I feel their love every day. I can feel your love and your prayers as I am upheld and lifted up by the power of Jesus Christ. There is no way this work could be possible if it werent the Lords.

I love you all and I am so grateful for you and your examples to me over the years.

I dont get to call you on Christmas mom and dad, but prolly emailing. Not sure what that schedule is though.. But I think for Christmas eve we are doing a service project thing at a local orphanage here. I love you so much.

Stop what you are doing right now and pray to Heavenly Father that you may be more committed to Him than you have been. I promise you as a representative of Jesus Christ that He will bless you with more determination and more love for the important things in this life and with even more happiness!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Lima Peru * Earth Quaked


Hello everyone!
I seriously cant believe it has already been another week come and gone. This one went soooo fast and it is just crazy!
 
Some significant things that happened in my week:
We had an earthquake here two days ago. It was the perfect alarm clock since it was like at 6:25am which is when I wake up. It wasnt a big one but enough to wake me up. Peru is crazy!
 
We actually went out into Lima city and knocked on doors and taught people. Such an amazing, humbling experience.
They put us with a native elder and we just all split up and go on our own. I was with an Elder Torres. He was super nervous to begin and kept looking at me to talk, but I could not understand a word the people were saying. We are so used to our teachers who talk slow and ennunciate... I dont know how to spell that word... And the Peruvians just mumble, talk so quiet and so fast. I loved it though. Elder Torres then got the hang of it and we taught like 11 people. It was grand. We go out again this next Saturday.  A lot of us really realized for the first time the importance of this message that we have... That we need to share it with people because it isnt just to make peoples days better or easier to bear the challenges of the world... but it is for the eternities. It is just incredible. I love this gospel that we have.
 
We learned some Spanish, taught some investigators, ate some Peruvian food, went to the bathroom a couple of times, played some Volleyball and futbol. Umm... We had a Christmas light festival last night when they turned on the lights here at the MTC. It was grand. We got out of class and got hot chocolate (watered down chocolately water) and some cookies. Then we just took pictures with everyone...
 
Spanish is coming and I like it everyday when I feel like I can express myself. But, as I was shown on Saturday, I will not be able to speak to the Bolivians when I get there, which I am okay with.
 
Something that really hit me hard this week is that this gospel has the power to fill us with happiness if we let it and if we accept it when our whole hearts. And if we pray for specific things, God will bless us with specific things. I pray for happiness every day and it is incredible how I dont stress about things and I am just happy all the time. i love this so gospel so much.
 
I pray for you all every day more than you know. I love you all so much and I ask God all the time to bless you with the answers that you need and that you will be happy. I promise you that if you will try with your whole heart to be better and to try your best to come unto Christ, He will be more in your life. Please, come unto Him. The only way to be truly happy in this life is to pray and come unto Christ. To live this gospel.
 
¡¡Ser Mormon Es Ser Feliz!!
 
I know this to be true!
I love you all so much!
Until next week,
Elder Jensen!
 
P.S. How is the rest of the fam? Grams and everyone?
Tell them all hi and tell them I love them so much

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Just on a Whole 'Nother Continent


Hello again my wonderful family!!!
 
I am just here in Peru. I have been here for a week and I love it. It is a lot less crazy and to the extreme as the Provo MTC. It has been good here. In our room, we have two Latinos and us in there. we talk to them and learn so much from them. I love the people here. Everyone is so nice and all of the Latinos are such a great example to me and how I should be. They are so excited for the opportunity to be here and to serve and to be on the Lords side. That is how I want to be every single day.
 
This week, I have really grown to love my companion, Elder Bardin. He is a great guy and before, when I was hard on myself, I was hard on him too. we have been learning a lot of the importance of prayer and so I have been praying a lot to be happy and not stressed. And to love him. I can only say that God has indeed answered those prayers and my heart has been opened and is so full of love for the mission, for my companion (even with his lack of any Spanish), and for the gospel. This really is the only way we can be happy in this life- through this the only true gospel.
 
Peru is great. The weather is so nice all year round and we get to study outside every day so it isnt like we are locked up in a prison. The food is really good. Chicken and rice, basically every meal. The bacteria is different here than in the states so everyone in my district has been hit with a bad case of travelers diarrihea. Well, everyone except me. My stomach, although we thought it was super weak, is doing really well. Maybe I have had South American bacteria in my stomach all my life... Prolly, it could happen. God definitely knew that this is where I would be going all my life. Our Heavenly Father has prepared me in ways that I didnt even realize until now. Its incredible.
 
Umm... Thanks for sending the pictures! I love them.
 
I cant even remember what happened this week. Just a whole lot of talking and studying and learning good things. Spanish, the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and all that good stuff.
 
I love you all so much. You are so amazing... all yalls and Im so happy and grateful that we have this truth in our lives. Because we are so blessed. Never take for granted this knowledge that we have, for those before us, if they wouldve had the chance to live the gospel of Jesus Christ, they wouldve done anything they could for it. Anything. We are so blessed that we have this knowledge that we can be happy!
I love you so much!
 
Nos vemos,
Elder Jensen 2.0

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Peru CCM


Hola, mi familia.
Well, I am just here in Peru, it is pretty cool, I guess. We got in yesterday at like 2:30 in the morning after what seemed the longest flight in all of America. I couldnt watch any movies or anything think like that so the 6 hour flight seemed LIKE ETERNITY. But it is fine. The keyboard is weird here and I cannot type apostrophes and therefore it is going to sound weird, but I do not even care.
 
So, we got in super early, went through immigration and all that jazz. That all went super easy. And just like I said on the phone, being a missionary felt more real because people were asking who we were and what we were doing. The questions we were asked were not what I was expecting, like one lady asked us if a mission was how we show our coming of age or something, like in Catholism or something like that. I do not even know.
 
Most of the Elders got switched up with their companionships, but not me. Elder Bardin and I are still companions. Which I was kinda hoping for someone new, just to change things up, but it is fine. The CCM de Peru is small. Only 110 missionaries here and it is great though. Everyone speaks Spanish and I understand very little super fun.
I got my haircut (otra vez) and everyone was laughing because he apparently missed spots. I do not know since I have not looked at myself yet.
 
The day is just beginning and I am already liking it here.
 
I heard from Josh that Jordan Nelson and Jace Wade got their mission calls! Super amazing!
My P-Days are on Tuesdays, so now you can look forward to that day.
 
Umm... Yo no se que escribir aqui. Pero, la iglesia is verdadero. Y mas importante in nuestras vidas. Por favor, venir a Cristo. El espera para ustedes y El SeƱor ama vosotros.
Te amo mucho. Gracias por tu amor y support.
(I am working on the Spanish.)
 
I love being a missionary. It is harder and different than I thought, but it is so rewarding and I love it! Some days are harder than others, but if we have faith in God, He will lift us up and make our burdens light.
 
I will talk to you all next week!
 
- Elder Jensen 2.0

Monday, November 26, 2012

I'm Done Here!




Hi there, my wonderful family. 

Well, today is my last day in the Provo, MTC. It has been a great three weeks but I am so ready and excited to get down to Peru. And I'm a tiny bit nervous since I won't be able to speak with anyone there. But, who cares? The Spirit speaks through all languages so it won't even matter. 

Anyway, this week has been great. 

Thanksgiving was fantastic and it seems like it was forever ago. We woke up super early and got in line to get seats for the morning devotional with an apostle. It was Jeffrey R. Holland. I like him. He basically just bore testimony and had his family bear testimony of the truthfulness of this work. 
I loved it. He said some really powerful things like,

"I hate it when missionaries say 'when I get back to real life,' this is not true! This is real life! This mission is the closest you will ever get in this Earthly life to our Father in Heaven. There is no other life than this"

"If you can't do this for yourself, or for your family, or for anyone else, do it for the Son of God who bore all of our pains and doubts. Rely on Him and He will make it worth it."

Anyway, and then we did some fun service project and schtuff. 
We had fake MTC food complete with yardbird and all. 

I have been getting frustrated with myself over some things. Especially as my patience wears thin with my companion. But, I have been focusing more on prayer and taking time to think about what i'm going to say and to whom I am talking. 

It's been amazing the change that I have felt. I'm feeling more happy and strengthened by our God. I know that he is here with us. 

Sunday is always the best. We take the sacrament and listen to talks in Spanish. Then we have a devotional where some important people come and talk to us all. Then we watch a movie. Yesterday we watched "Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration" and the Holy Ghost just burned in my heart of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith and all that he went through. I felt like standing up and singing "The Spirit of God" because of the way that my soul felt like there was a fire in it. 
Please pray to our Father in Heaven if you have any doubts. 

He will answer. I promise you that. I know that what I am doing is so true and I am so happy doing it. 



Mom/Dad- 
I will call from the airport tomorrow sometime around 8 or 8:30. If I don't call then, I'll call during our two hour layover in Atlanta. I wrote this all in the letter that I sent you on Friday, but I forgot that you would be up here. So, it's prolly waiting for you at home. Or you've prolly read it already. 

I love you all so much and I am so happy that we get to spend eternity together. 

Corey/Brooke - 
I could use some emails from you two. I want to hear how things are going with Oakley and your lives. 



I'll probably be sending pictures your way. 
I love you so much!

-Elder Jensen 2.0

Monday, November 19, 2012

Forever Long Days, Super Short Weeks


Well, hello there my family!
 
It's my P-Day again so that means an email! I bet you are all waiting at your computers just wishing that this email would show up... Well here it is!
 
Time here at the MTC is warped. We have forever long days, and super short weeks. It's so weird. All the days just mix in together and I'm not really sure what happened when.
But, this is my last week at the MTC and it's so crazy! I can't believe it's already here and that we'll be going to Peru in just a week from tomorrow. We got our travel papers and everything and it's all ready to go. My three roommates and I leave early next Tuesday morning, go to the Salt Lake Airport, fly to Georgia, and then from Atlanta to Lima, Peru. We arrive there about 1:30 in the morning. Should be fun.
We're excited, but at the same time sad. This time here has been amazing. The spirit is so strong here and the bond that we've made with the Elder's in my district is just as strong. I love these Elders' with my whole heart and it's definitely going to be sad leaving them. But, it's all going to be okay. The Lord needs us in the Peru, MTC and that is where we will go.
 
I just barely got back from the Provo Temple. Wow, I love that place. As a man and a woman joined each other in the room and hugged and just smiled at each other, I just couldn't help but think of my eternal family back home. We are so lucky and blessed to have this knowledge in our lives. I love it! Please go to the temple, for me, and thank our Eternal Father in Heaven for that incredible blessing.
 
I sent a letter home for both mom and dad so hopefully you get it, but I'm prolly going to talk about a lot about the stuff that I wrote about.
 
Spanish is coming along. I still have to carry the lesson when my companion and I teach, pero esta bien. I have definitely learned a lot since being here - about spanish, myself and the gospel.
 
let's see... It's Yardbird day on Thursday... We get to hear from a general authority and all that, which should be super great and then just do a lot of service and junk. Fun and spiritual. I like that.
Umm...  the first couple weeks are all the same. We spend tons of time in our classroom where we study, prepare and learn the gospel and Spanish. That's basically all we do all day and then sometime near the end of the day we teach an "investigator" about what we believe. It's stressful because we are told all the time to teach by the spirit, but I don't know how to speak the language so I can't speak the words the Spirit would have me say. But we are getting better each time we teach.
 
Elder Bardin and I have grown closer together. He's opened up a lot and has a good heart. He is a thinker and so sometimes I get frustrated with him when he zones out all the time in class and doesn't pay attention. We've talked about it and he's working on things.
 
Anyway, I've got to go get my haircut and do my laundry so I love you all!
 
I'll talk to you next Monday and then on Tuesday, mom and dad, you will get a call from me.
I have no idea the time or which one of you I should call, but I can't wait to talk to you!
 
I love you so much. I hope you know that.
-Elder Jensen 2.0
The Chan-man

Monday, November 12, 2012

First EMAIL from MTC


HELLO FAMILY!

Seesh, it's like you guys love me or something with all the mail that I have gotten! I love it. Haha. Thank you so much for sending me those and making me feel loved and important.

I've only sent one letter so hopefully that got to you. The first week was soo crazy. The other Elders say it's like having a firehose put into your mouth and your expected to drink it all. Which is impossible. But, all is well here now that my little district has made it to Sunday.
So, like I mentioned in the letter, my companion's name is Elder Bardin. He's from Arizona and is serving in my mission. My room (4 elders including me) is all serving in Santa Cruz, Bolivia and we all go down to the Peru, CCM together! Elder Bardin is super nice and has a desire to serve and to learn the language. 'Cept it's difficult because he took two years of German in high school and was hoping to get called to a German speaking mission, but the Lord needed him in Bolivia. So, basically, he doesn't speak a lick of Spanish and so I have to carry the weight of both of us when we are teaching our investigator. Which is equally frustrating and really good for me. Teaching in Spanish right out of the gate was hard, but we made it through.

It seriously feels like three weeks ago that you dropped me off. I've learned and experienced so much already. The MTC food isn't too bad and I haven't gotten sick in the tummy because of it. But, Elder Bardin has. He has pretty constant diarriah (muy bad poops) since day 1 and it's so fun going and sitting outside of the door while he poops his guts out. Ya, not that fun at all.

Entonces, I am the district leader and it's been good. I've grown to love these Elders already and it's going to be so hard to leave them here in three weeks. They are all super outgoing and fun and strong in the gospel. I love them and I love being at the MTC!

Since time is limited, I'm going to be hand writing to the letters that I've already recieved so you can expect those. They have us on a pretty strict schedule here and it's good, but frustrating when you just want to have a moment to breathe. But, everything is good.

I love you all so much. Saying good bye was hard, but I couldn't help feeling happy and smiling as I left. I know this is where I am supposed to be and I'm doing what Heavenly Father y Jesucristo want me to do. I love them both so much and I know that this gospel is true! There is absolutely no doubt in my mind and I love it! The MTC is so full with the spirit and it just warms my heart being here and not having to worry about messing up or anything.

Please kiss Oakley for me! I miss her cute smile!

For now, my family, this is it. The Lord is hastening the work and we feel it here at the MTC. There are rumors that people are being called to China, but we don't know if that's true. Please pray and come closer to our Heavenly Father! I love you!

Su hijo,
Elder Jensen 2.0

This gospel is the truth!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

My Feelings at the Beginning!

Whoo... Here it is. In little more than 3 hours, I will be entering the Missionary Training Center in Provo! It's so crazy that it's actually here! It doesn't feel real at all, it feels like I should have about a month left - a month of Just Dance, movie marathons and fun times with my friends and family. But, it's here, so I must go on.

Monday night, I was set apart as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was incredible. I could feel the Lord's spirit there in the room and my family's love as they went around the circle and told me a bunch of things that they loved about me and they thought would make me a great missionary. There is little else that can make me cry more than spiritual things like that. After I bore my testimony to the fam bam about the happiness that I have found only through the gospel, I was set apart by President Bangerter (I love that man.)
He blessed me with some really cool blessings. And then I was set to go. So we packed up the van that we rented and we went on to SLC.

Last night, my mom, dad, aunt, and I all went through the Salt Lake temple. There is seriously no better place to feel the Spirit of the Lord since it is His home. I loved it. Each time I have gone through, I am just overwhelmed with the feeling of eternal families and the happiness and love that comes from the knowledge. I know that our families will be together forever and I am so happy for that.

Today, I will enter the doors of the MTC at approx. 12:45.
Pray for me?

Or perhaps just write me. My address is on the side there on the right. I love you all and I know that Heavenly Father is well aware of you and me.

My mom will post my letters/emails that I send home.

God be with each of us
-Chandler