I dont have much to tell this week, because this week passed super fast.

The Romero family - Ricardo and Noemi - are still progressing. We thought their baptism would be for this week, but I didnt know that we needed to present their documents and IDs and everything for their marriage, 15 days minimum before the actual marriage.

Which means, now we have to push back their wedding and baptism for the 15 of June. We have transfers coming up the 6th, so Elder Caro and I are afraid that we wont get to see them get baptized. But, that is the mission life, I guess. And we arent even sure if we will get transferred, so why worry about it? 

They come to church every week and they love learning. We introduced them to the Bishop, and they brought up that they wanted a subscription to the Liahona. I love teaching them because they have a hunger to learn and to live the teachings of Jesus Christ. 

We are basically just looking for people to teach right now, and it is going slow - the finding part. I have never liked the finding part, just the teaching part. But, whatever. 

Ummm... We are teaching Marisol. The lady who we have been teaching since I got here to my area, El Fuerte in Cañoto. She has a lot of problems from her childhood and we are going to teach her one more time tonight, and then if she didnt keep her committment, our leaders tell us not to focus on her, and to leave her, for other Elders in the future.

In my last area, we had an activity or played soccer every other week. Here, we only play once or twice in a transfer (6 weeks) so, I havent played soccer or just had some time to relieve stress for a while and this week, I have really felt the effects of a lot of stress. And our leaders want more numbers, so they call us every day to see how our day went and what we are going to do, to have more numbers.

I dont know. I didnt really enjoy the work this week because of the stress and the calls. But, I always have another week to improve no?

My card works, so dont worry. All is well in that department. Haha. 

That is all for this week, 

I love you all so much! 

-Elder Jensen

I Never Know What to Put Here

Hey there! 

How goes it there in the States or in Guatemala?

It is going well here in Bolivia. The winter has set in, but it is very strange here. Wednesday, it rained all night and most of the morning, so our streets were flooded and it was freezing. 

Thursday, no rain, but freezing wind. 

Friday, still with freezing wind.

Saturday, the sun came out and once again just about 100º here in Bolivia. They tell me winter is like that... Freezing for a couple days, then once again, hot as ever for another couple of days, then cold.

Very strange. But, that is Bolivia for ya.

This week, we are still teaching the familia Romero. They are so great and they both want to be baptized and they introduced us to her niece and we taught them all, and they bore strong testimonies. Ricardo said that he wants his three-year-old son, named Axel (they call him Chino, because he is squinty) to be exactly like us one day, serving a mission. 

I keep looking for their problem or doubt in the gospel, but I think they really don’t have one. Maybe just getting their papers all ready to be married. It takes a little bit of time, to get everything ready here. But, I know they will do it. 

We also taught Marisol, our other investigator. Last night we visited her and she really wants to be baptized, she just hasn’t found her answer yet and the other missionaries before me, just taught her super fast, they taught lessons, and not to a person. So, now we are starting over with her, teaching her all again. But, last night, as we went around the table the Bishop and his family (Marisol is best friends with the bishops wife, so we teach her in their home) I asked everyone, like we used to do, around the table after church, what everyone learned this week. 

She gave us an answer and with a little bit of digging, we learned her mom or someone hurt her really bad and that she hates her family. We had planned to teach about the restoration, but because we are here to teach people and help them in their lives, we taught about forgiveness and with the love of God, we can do it. 

The time is going by fast here. Every day, Elder Caro says, ya se fue otro dia. I will let you translate that. But, it is so true. Every day passes faster and faster. And lately, more and more I have been feeling the Spirit guide me and I am feeling more like an instrument in the Lords hands. I love it. 

After I spoke with dad, I realized that here in my mission, we don’t work with members hardly at all. We ask them to accompany us to lessons and then they go home. I realized for some time now I have been feeling friction and frustration, because the way Preach My Gospel tells us to work, is not the way we do it here in my mission. I am not sure why. 

So, this week, Friday as we planned this next week, I basically told my companion how I feel, and we both agreed that our emphasis here in the mission are the souls of the people, not the numbers. Our leaders emphasize numbers all the time, but I don’t want to work for numbers anymore. 

So, my companion and I have begun working with the members more. We have only done 2 days of meeting with the members and stuff, but we have improved a lot, in just two days, to gain the trust and know more members. 

We are still here working and working hard to improve and to do the Lords work. Remember, faith is a principle of action. To have more faith, act and I promise you will see the difference. 

I pray for you all, every night by name. I know God loves us and I know Jesus suffered for us. Like Chase wrote, I think about the Atonement a lot. I have a scar on my wrist when I crashed with my friends, tiny, but a scar. 

I imagine that with that scar, I will never forget the people I was with, or that memory. I will never forget. 

Likewise, when Christ was resurrected, he chose to have his scars still from on the cross. TO REMEMBER US. To remember what he felt as he suffered for us. I will forever be thankful for that. I don’t understand everything, but here in the mission, I have learned more than anything the true love of God and that His love is enough. Even if we don’t receive blessings that we can see, His love is more than we could ever want.

And now, I want to say that I love you. I truly love you, my family and I can’t wait to introduce you all, one day, to the Family Romero when we are together in Heaven... Or maybe one day, if you all visit my country here in Bolivia. 

I love you!

-Elder Jensen

P.S. our president changed the rules finally for email. We can email whomever we want and we have more time to email...

So, everybody... Email chandler.jensen@myldsmail.net

Cool, thanks

MOM; my district leader just gave me a letter from you. THANKS! It is my card. I will call the number right now to activate.

Day After Mother's Day

Because you didnt get to see me on Skype, I decided to take a picture this morning so you can see me! 

HI!

A picture of the 1 year old baby of the family Romero that we are teaching. They invited us over for birthday cake for his birthday. Me, my companion, and a member with us, Hermano Rocha, who has a powerful testimony and always is willing to help us.

Awesome story I forgot to tell you about this family. They came to church yesterday, and in Sunday School, the teacher taught about the Kirtland temple. She was teaching to members, so she wasnt worried about our investigators that wouldnt understand, but even with tons of stuff they didnt understand, the coolest thing happened. 

The wife, Noemi, leaned over to my companion and asked him, How long after someone is baptized can they go to the temple?

THEY ARE GOING TO BE AN ETERNAL FAMILY! I just know it. I have yet to find a doubt with them. They accept everything and have a hunger to learn and to follow. It is basically like they are members already - they both gave opinions and answers to questions in Sunday school. 

Instrument in His Hands

Wow, I dont even know where this week went. I seriously feel like it just disappeared. I guess what they say, after the first 6 months it starts flying past, day after day. 

This week, we got to know more members here in the ward. The missionaries in this area have never had good numbers of lessons with members, so Elder Caro and I are trying to raise that number. Elder Beltran who was senior companion before me knew more members and had all the info in his head, but since he left, we dont know anyone. And the most powerful lessons are with members, so we have been visiting and talking with the members to know more people and have more help. And it has worked. We taught more lessons with members this week than others. Which, is really good. 

Dad, Elder Caro is going to Waraquebu or something like that. Which mission did you serve in? How do I not know that, not sure, but oh well. 

This week I really felt like I was an instrument used in the hands of the Lord. One day we were just contacting like normal in one area and street that we contact a lot. I remember just feeling like I should be adventurous and go down another street. Without telling Elder Caro why, I turned down the street and started walking. I remember ignoring the first couple houses, and about half way down the street, we started to knock on doors. We knocked on one, the wife came out, we introduced ourselves and she said her husband wasnt there, and to come back the next day, which is basically what everyone tells us. So, I doubted that they would listen to us more. But we made an appointment for the next day and came back. Her husband was there and they listened to us. He told us that about a year ago, he had a horrible car accident and was in a coma for a couple weeks, then God gave him a second chance. He is super ready for the chuch, and they came to church yesterday and he said that he felt different than in other churches. 

Some times, the Lord uses you to find the people that need the gospel. It was an incredible experience and honor to be used by God. They have a goal for baptism this 1st of June and they have to be married that day too. I loved it! So there you have it, a great story of my mission. 

Here are some pictures, if I remember what they are: 

Elder Caro and I hiding under my big jacket from the rain (it has been pouring here, it is rainy season for the next 2 months) 

When it rains here, the streets flood and we have rivers with tons of mud. Our pension is much better here and she makes great food every day. A parrot. 

Everyone has one here and this one was speaking to us yesterday. We made pancakes, thanks to the package that Kelsi sent me... THANKS STACEY for the pancakes and chips and everything! I loved it and you basically saved me. Haha. I need more American food. Thats it for this week! I will call you on Mothers Day! Bye!! I LOVE YOU!