Abundancia

Another week has passed. When I am in the middle of the week, the days pass slow and then at the end, I look back and say where did that week go?

I cant believe we are in the last week of September. Chase only has like 3 weeks left in the mission and I am almost at my year mark.

So, here in the mission, in my area Abundancia, we are teaching our investigators, recent converts and the less actives, we are teaching- not a ton of lessons, but we are working hard. This week was a little bit tough, since even though we are teaching good lessons with the spirit, we arent seeing progress with our investigators. The family Otta Paz travel to see their family in Montero (my first area) every weekend so they cant asist church. Juan and Eunise cant get married right now, for problems with family and they have debts that they have to pay back. 

So, right now, it is just a little frustrating since it isnt going how I want it to go... But, I know that maybe this is a lesson that the Lord wants me to learn- that it isnt my time, but His. I constantly have to humble myself... I have a problem with pride.

Yesterday, I spoke in church, my first time in my mission where I was actually called up to speak in church. I spoke on faith and repentence and how it is important to share this information with others. It was good. 

It was funny. The ward members said I speak like one of them now- Santa Cruz is well known to speak ¨Camba¨ which is a form of really lazy spanish that they speak here. They say ¨Puej¨ instead of ¨Pues¨ and other things. But, it was a compliment that they said that. I would rather speak Camba like them, rather than gringo.

I know that everyone is asking for pictures. It´s just that I hardly take pictures here in Bolivia. There isnt much to take pictures and we dont do a lot of service or activities or anything worthy of taking pictures. Maybe this week, I will have something to take a picture of.

Really, I laugh all the time, because I see the reasons why God called me here to Santa Cruz so that I can grow and change and be a new person. It is incredible how God knows me and how I was supposed to be called here to Bolivia. I am trying to stay strong really, and I hope it doesnt sound like I am sad or anything... Just trying to stay in there. I know that this week will be better so I dont need to worry.

I love you, my family. I know that God is watching over us all. I know He loves us and I know without a doubt that the true happiness is with the family. I love you.

 

Talk to you next week. 

-Elder Jensen

Good morning everyone out there!

This week was not that eventful. It wasn't a bad week, we just didn't have many newsworthy events happen. But, it was a good week.

This week, we had interviews with President and Sister Willard again. I love them so much and they really want to help us out, so they are doing interviews more often, which is fine by me. Every time I talk to them I leave feeling more of the spirit and more of a desire to do what the lord wants me to do. 

Here in Bolivia, there is a holiday that is called Pedestrian Day. It is tradition that they don't have taxi´s or buses going in the center of Santa Cruz. I don't know why they do it, but President Willard talked about how they stopped the buses for one day to make the city better... or something like that. So, in the interview we talked about one thing that maybe we need to leave behind or stop doing to make my life better. It was super great and I love that man. I feel loved every time I talk to him and Sister Willard.

We are still here in Abundancia working with the members and the investigators. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with everything since we have to help both sides - the members and the investigators. But then I just remember my farewell talk and how I have to just take bites out of the apple. Not the whole thing. I can just do what I can do, then leave the rest up to God.

We have a couple people we are working with.

Felipe - He is a 17 year old kid that wants to get baptized, but his mom is in Chile and he wants her to be there at his baptism. She comes back
at the end of the year, so I think we are just going to teach him and his brother so they can be baptized some other time.

Fatima - She is a reference of a returned missionary. She received her answer that Joseph Smith was a prophet, but we discovered that she and the returned missionary are breaking the law of chastity. So, we were going to teach her about that but we haven't been able to find her this past week. She is never home and neither is her boyfriend, the returned missionary. But, we are going to keep on keeping on.

We have a couple other families that we are teaching. The familia Otta Paz and Juan y Eunise. They are doing really well and want to know, but they haven't taken the time to go to church or to pray to know if it is true. It is a little frustrating, but I just have to remember it isn't my time, but their time that they will receive an answer and do the things they need to do.

Like I said, we didn't have much newsworthy this week, so sorry if this letter isn't super great. I am doing good here in the mission. It isn't as hard as it once was and the time passes fast. I am learning new things all the time. I am seeing how I must be as a dad, as a member of the church, and as a disciple of Christ. Maybe I am not perfect, but I have the Lord Jesus Christ to help me where I lack. I still don't understand why he would help a sinner like me, but I know with my heart that He will always help us. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He is there whenever we need him. 

A member gave us a CD with Mormon Messages on them that we can use while we teach. I love one of them by Quinten Cook.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz41YxNiHEg

it is super powerful and I loved it.

I love you family. I know that God is watching out for you. 

To all my friends out there in the mission... Hello!!!!

I hope everything is going well out there where ever you are. I am super happy to know that you are all doing great and loving the mission!

This week, I got an email from Krista Nelson about all of my friends out there in the mission. I loved reading their letters and seeing their pictures. 

Whenever I hear about how many missionaries are out, I just think about how much of a royal army God has prepared. I love it.

This week was good. I just got an email from my last companion that he told me
Franz and Julio Cesar got married and baptized on Saturday. I wasnt there to see it, but I am so happy that all went well with them.

This week in the Abundancia ward, a member here was cooking on his stove. His propane tank had a leak so when he lit the match, the gas tank blew up. 90% of his body was burned. He was put in the hospital and was fighting for a couple days, but he passed away. The ward held a funeral and we were invited. 

It was sad, but at the same time, the members bore powerful testimonies of Christ and the plan of salvation. It was interesting that none of them were bawling, but they were calm as they expressed their love for the man and for the peace that the true gospel brings.

I know without a doubt that we will see our loved ones after death. In the church, we have the truth so we dont need to doubt or fear death, we just need to express our love for one another always and to live the gospel of Jesus Christ, because like the members said, we dont know when we will go to the other side.

So, know that I love every one of you. I honestly know that we will be together with God after this life and that this life has a purpose. Such hope and comfort it brings to know that.

Other news this week. 

We are working hard to find people this week. We have a couple with baptismal dates, but we need to find more people. We want to work with the members. The ward here isnt super strong, but we want to help them out. So, we are going to go to work with the members and hopefully, if all goes well, we will find a few Part Family members that need the gospel.

Nothing special happened this week really. Just working hard and getting to know my new companion. I am learning to love him. He is funny.

I love you so much everyone!
Keep on swimming and doing all the stuff that you do. 

Come closer to Christ to find more happiness!

-Elder Jensen

Hola Gringo-landia

Hello out there in Gringo-landia... That is what they call the United States. 

I got transfered again!

We were almost positive that Elder Gueto was going to go, but I got transfered. I am now here in the Piraí stake in Santa Cruz, in the fifth ring. As you get closer to the center the richer and more proud the people are. 

This is the closest I have been to the center of town, so I was super confused and surprised when a lot of people have really nice cars and trucks.

My area is Abundancia. It is a ward. Yesterday in Sacrament meeting we had a little bit more than 50 people. It is not that big of a ward or area, like my last area. The ward is good from what I can tell. They arent super active in the missionary work, but we are going to work with them.

My companion is Elder Condori. He is 21 years old from La Paz, Bolivia. He is kinda strange and he worries way too much about everything. I am thinking he is my lesson in patience. But, he is happy and likes to work, which is great. He likes to do contacting way too much, but at least he wants to find the people that are prepared by the lord.

Since I got transfered, I wont get to see the wedding of Julio Cesar or Franz this week. But, my last companion just emailed me and told me everything is set and ready to go for Saturday, the members are getting more involved there too and they raised enough money to have the wedding in the chapel (it is cheaper in the laywers office). So, I am still so happy for them.

We got to the house and it is a good one. I am used to the house being loud, since I was living with 3 other people and they loved to have fun and everything. But now the house is just quiet since my companion is kinda quiet. I dont like a quiet house, but whatever. 

We live in a house above a plastic chair/table renting place. our house has three rooms and is comfortable. But it doesnt have a kitchen area, so we wash our dirty plates in the bathroom sink. It is great. 

Here in Santa Cruz the cold time has ended and the sun has come out. It is hot!!! But now I am used to it. It isn't a problem anymore for me. 

I love you so much! 

Until next week!!

My last day with the four elders and my old house- it was falling apart and stuff, and had termites and bugs. And in my bedroom we didnt have glass in the windows, so we were basically sleeping outside, but I loved that house.