Bermejo

Another week has passed by here in Bermejo. This week we had intense heat... It reminded me of St. George. Haha, but good news... Looks like I will be coming home with a good tan, and some scars from the mosquito bites, but dont even worry about it. 

This week passed by flying, even faster than the last.Time is really passing as I work and as I study and as I am a missionary of the only true church of God. I dont understand why I was so blessed to be raised in the church when so many others as perishing in confusion. I honestly am so grateful to the Lord for having helped me so much! 

This week, we are working as hard as we can with the branch. Sunday we had a branch council meeting and the Branch President was honest with us when he told us there is so much work to do and not many people willing to do it, but we started making plans and goals to start to improve. Maybe it will take months or years, maybe I will see the fruits of our labors, or maybe not, but I am happy that we are starting to work.  I am happy with this branch and for the Branch President. He is great.. you´ll get to meet him since he will be up there soon. 

We are continuing the work here in Bermejo... We are still teaching Abraham Arce and his wife. We are trying to help Vicente Morales and the youth here in the branch to fight and be strong saints of the Lord. So many people here, well in the world in general, have problems with pornagraphy. It is so sad as I have seen youth being trapped in it´s grasp. The church just did a Mormon Message about porn and I love it, because it is so true. I hope none of us will ever be trapped in it´s grasp. 

Friday, the branch president called us and asked me to prepare a talk on the family. Yesterday, I gave my church talk - my companion then taught the Gospel Principles class. I love teaching and testifying of the truthfulness of this work. I love this church and I love the words of the prophets, both ancient and modern prophets. I have truly been changed because of the church magazines and because of the Book of Mormon. It´s strange, today I recieved a bunch of pictures of friends and people I know and I love. I realized that I have been changed by my mission. The world may be the same as always, but I know look at things through new eyes, a new perspective of things. I love it. 

Well, that´s it for this week. 

I love you all so much and I am so grateful for you all. 

I hope you all are doing well, that you are safe and happy. I pray for you every day. 

I love you!

Until next week... 

Elder Jensen

Sixty-Seven Days!

This week in the mission, like I said last week, we had a third companion, Elder Correa. It was a lot of fun to work with him for a week before he left for his mission. His mom isn't a member, but she supported him in his decision, well, until the last couple days before he left. His last day, Wednesday, we ate lunch with him and his whole family. They made a Napolitana, a dish from Argentina. -- So great, I love it. Anyway, his mom was super sad and super worried about everything. She started asking us questions about the mission, if it is hard or what it´s like, what was my experience when I left on the mission. We talked about things and I told her that really the time passes so fast, that her son, before she knows it will be coming home. A changed man, a better man of God. That is what happened to me... This week passed so incredibly fast, I honestly dont remember much that we did... Other than work super hard...

Like I told you last week, we have our work cut out for us here in Bermejo in Miraflores. There are so many less actives here and even the people that got baptized arent going to church that much, so we have so much to do. But I am happy and I am doing really great. This week we are helping the branch organize the branch lists. No one really knows how to use a computer really well here, and even less know about the church system MLS. So, the Branch President asked me to help him with a couple projects and things with the computer and with MLS. I guess, finally I am putting to good use all my knowledge and skills on the computer. I am doing really well and working hard to finish off the mission.

This week we found a couple new people to teach, one is Abraham Arce, he is the husband of a less active sister, they have a 2 year old son. We have taught them a couple times and he committed to baptism, to leaving behind the alcohol and to going to church, and yesterday they went to church! It was so good to see them there... And they got there on time too! So great. 

The other sister we are teaching is Elenir Nieves. Her sister is member of the church but in the other branch. Her mom died recently so we taught her about the Plan of Salvation and she really liked it. She accepted a baptismal date for September. I am super happy for her.

That´s about it for the week. Like I said, it passed by so fast and I dont remember much. 

But, I love you so much. I cant wait to see you all.

I love you. 

-Elder Jensen

Church Turns 50 in Bolivia

Hello there everyone out there! I hope everything is going really well and that you´re all happy! 

This week went by super fast! I cant believe it is Monday again. So crazy. 

This week was good. We had a zone conference with President Willard and Sister Willard. Their daughter came home from her mission in Chile and they wanted everyone to meet here, so it was really good. One young man in our branch is going on his mission this week, and since it is a district, the Mission President sets apart missionaries. So, he went with us to the zone conference in Tarija. President asked my companion and I to accompany him in setting apart, so that was a neat experience. He doesnt have anyone to accompany him, so for this week, my companion and I are in a trio. Me, Elder Santos and this joven, Alvaro Correa. It´s been good, he´s a good kid. He leaves this week for his mission in Argentina

We really have so much work to do here in Bermejo. We may not have many people, but there are so many less actives as well as recient converts, that have stopped coming to church. We have to help the branch start working in the Work of Salvation. It is tough, because I feel like I am doing all that I can, and still not doing enough. But, little by little, we will start to see fruit.

I love you all so much and I am so happy for my friends that are returning home. Congrats to everyone and I cant wait to see you all.

I love you. 

-Elder Jensen

Me with the Christ that is in my area. very great view from up high. 

The Christ

Me getting ready for bed. The mosquitos got me...
I was itching so badly, but now I am okay. It´s what I get for not using repellent...

That´s me. I am a missionary of Jesus Christ. 

This year the church turns 50 years here in Bolivia, so they are doing a lot of activities and things to celebrate and to let more people know about us. This week, we had an activity for August 6, Indepence Day here in Bolivia. The members made food from the diferent departments here in Bolivia and they also danced their traditional dances. It was fun, and we were there to welcome all the visitors and to let people know about our message. It was good. 

The family that makes us lunch every day invited us to eat tacos, so we went there and ate tacos with them. Little tiny ones with just meat, tomatoes and guacamole. But it was still delicious!

I know it´s super blurry, but it´s fine. This week we had a zone conference in Tarija, the city 3 hours away. We got up early in the morning and we had to take a trufi (like a taxi) to the city. It is the craziest thing... The drivers drive super fast and there are tons of curves in the mountain road. It made another elder almost throw up. hahaha, but a good experience. That is my comp, Elder Santos from La Paz. 

Hi there family! 

This week, I am doing great. i am super excited, because like I told you last week, we had transfers. And like i guessed, I got transferred. Now, if you havent noticed, my entire mission I have been in one city, Santa Cruz. But, now with 21 months, President Willard sent me to Bermejo, at the border of Argentina.

Bermejo is a little town, and it is just a district of the mission, not a stake yet. In the town, there are 4 branches. My branch is Miraflores and it is the biggest and strongest branch of the town. We have a good attendance at church 120, and the Branch President is super great. His name is President Flores.

My companion is Elder Santos, from La Paz. He has 16 months in the mission. He works hard and is funny, so I am happy.

I am just so excited to finally be out of the city and to be able to help these members here for my last 3 months of my mission.

And not sure why, but this week, everyone in the entire world decided to email me, so I will send more info and pictures the next week.

I LOVE YOU ALL.

Talk to you next week

-Elder Jensen