Monday, September 29, 2014

This Week In Bermejo and Itinerary HOME!

This week here in Bermejo.

I am doing really well. I am finishing the best I can. I am focused and I am giving everything. My comp and I were seriously discouraged because it seems like we give so much and the members/the youth just keep doing the same things, last week we kind of gave up hope in the members, but we had my last zone conference on Friday with President Willard and we just got super excited. Then after the best Weekly Planning session of my mission, we are doing everything we can to finally work united with the members. We have had meetings with each of the presidencies of the branch, and now we have so much work to do... My goal these last three weeks is to help and strengthen my companion and the branch so the work will continue full speed after I leave. 

Here in Bermejo, I am helping the Branch President organize everything and now he’s asked me to train his newly called Executive Secretary (recent convert) and his new Ward Clerk (a recently activated member that just received the Melchizedek Priesthood.) I am seriously just so excited to work with the members. It is great. 

This week, we had a baptism. Brother Basilio Mamani got baptized. I baptized him. Everything was so great. The sister missionaries sang a great musical number and I just felt so good. 

Sunday was my last Fast and Testimony meeting here in Bolivia. It was a great meeting. A few recent converts got up and testified. I felt so happy to see them and to hear their first testimonies. 

I know I already sent you all my flight info. But, I officially come home on October 24th, at 7:50 at night. I can’t wait to see you all! 

I love you all so much.

-Elder Jensen


SERVICE               DATE  FROM           TO             DEPART  ARRIVE
_____________________ _____ ______________ ______________ _______ ______
COPA AIRLINES         24OCT SANTA CRUZ     PANAMA CITY    223A    614A
CM 126               FRIDAY VIRU VIRU INTL TOCUMEN INTL
V ECONOMY
                            MEAL                          NON STOP
                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         4:51 DURATION
                  AIRCRAFT: BOEING 737-800
                  NO SEATS ARE AVAILABLE TO PRE-ASSIGN
    PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY AND REQUEST YOUR PREFERRED SEATS AT CHECK-IN

UNITED AIRLINES       24OCT PANAMA CITY    HOUSTON TX     955A    210P    
UA 1031              FRIDAY TOCUMEN INTL   G.BUSH INTERCO
E ECONOMY                                  TERMINAL E
                            FOOD FOR PURCHASE             NON STOP
                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         4:15 DURATION
                  AIRCRAFT: BOEING 737-900
                            SEAT 30C NO SMOKING CONFIRMED

UNITED AIRLINES       24OCT HOUSTON TX     SALT LAKE C UT 540P    750P
UA 1080              FRIDAY G.BUSH INTERCO SALT LAKE CITY
E ECONOMY                   TERMINAL C     TERMINAL 1
                            FOOD FOR PURCHASE             NON STOP
                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         3:10 DURATION

Monday, September 22, 2014

One Month!

Good morning family! I hope you are already doing super well. 

This week was great! 

 President  Flores and his family made it back here. President is super excited to get to work after his little vacation. They gave me my package with food in it, thanks for that... I´ve been munching on the snacks since I got them, I feel fat. Haha 
They all had wonderful things to say about you all. They tell me that I am exactly like dad, and that mom cried and they told me that you are so excited to see your little boy. When they talked about you, I couldnt stop smiling, I was so happy to hear news from you all and stuff. 

Basilio Mamani is progressing well. He had his baptismal interview yesterday and everything went great! So, he will be baptized this Saturday!
We really dont know what happened to Abraham Arce. He was so excited to get baptized and to go to church, but I think he went on a trip and wasnt able to make it back on time to go to church. So, we´ll have to wait a couple more weeks until he can get baptized. 

We are seeing so many good things now in the area. More people are coming to church, more people are willing to serve in their callings. I have noticed that there is more excitement in the branch than when I got here. Things are going great... Now to just continue on until the end!

I love you all so much . You are all great and I cant wait to see you all in a months time! 
Talk to you next week!
-Elder Jensen

Monday, September 15, 2014

Five Weeks!

Hey there!

This week, like I said last week, we had transfers... And I am still here in Bermejo, still in Miraflores.  Still with my companion, Elder Santos. Here I will finish my mission. I am super happy because I didn’t want to leave here, so I am doing great.

This week in Bermejo.
- Abraham Arce and his wife Raquel are progressing, finally. They are doing great and they got super excited for his baptism here in 2 weeks. We have an appointment with them tonight at 7 and we are going to talk about eternal families and the temple, so they can get sealed in one year! I am so happy for them.

- Bacilio Mamani is also progressing nicely and will also get baptized on the 27 of this month. 

 I am just happy. I am happy with everything. My study of the gospel. My testimony. My mission. My family and friends that I love so much.  I am happy with our new pension (We had to change because of new rules from the Area Presidency- we cant eat lunch with families that have teenage daughters). We are now eating with the Morales family. They are recent converts and have the goal to go to the temple here in a couple months. We are helping their teenage son, Vicente, be less rebellious and more serious about the gospel so he can go on his mission next year.

I love you all so much. I hope you have a great week.
Love.


Elder Jensen

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Forty Six Days Left!

Hey there family!

It´s true what Elder Bednar told us when he came to Bolivia about a year and a half ago, ¨Time doesnt exist in the eternities. So, when we are closer to the Lord and we have His spirit, the faster time seems to go.¨

This week, I experimented that. The time is flying past so fast. Just 6 more weeks until i see you guys. How is that even possible? Wow.

This week I start my last transfer in the mission. tomorrow the Zone Leaders will call and tell me where I will finish my mission. The end is coming. But, with the end of my mission, my new life will start, with all the things I have experienced in the mission and all the things I have learned. A new Chandler. A new disciple of Jesús Christ. A new start and a new life. I am excited to go home and see everyone, and a bit sad to leave Bolivia. But, it´s fine because with technology and Facebook and everything, I can still talk with the people I love here.

This past week, I started to read more church books. I started to read the Teachings of the Presidents books. In our house there are a bunch. Last week, I read Spencer W. Kimball´s book and now I am reading Wilford Woodruff. They are great books, and I love their teachings and their words. So full of power and of the spirit. I am learning a lot and I am taking advantage of the time I have left here.

This week we worked super hard to find new people and to teach the doctrine of the Lord. We found new people... A great family... But, they dont live in my área, they live in the área of the sister missionaries. So, we passed the reference along. We are still working with Abraham Arce, but he is having problems with leaving behind the virgins and the saints of the Catholic church. Even though we taught him and we read the scriptures together that explain it clearly, it´s not that easy for him to leave something behind that he has always done. So, we´ll continue to pray for him and help him with that.

I love this mission. I love my mission, because I have the opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with the greatest men the world has ever known... As I bear testimony of the living Lord and Savior, I stand with Paul from the New Testament, Isaiah from the Old Testament, Joseph Smith, Thomas S. Spencer and the modern day apostles of the Lord. And even, I stand with the Lord himself. I know He is there. I know He lives and that He loves us. I know this and so much more. My mouth, and well, right now- my fingers can´t describe what I truly feel inside. It´s the best feeling I have ever felt and I truly love these Bolivian people and I love the Lord. I want to follow Him in all things, and in all ways. I wish I could be even better from him.

I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

Until next week,
Elder Jensen

Monday, September 1, 2014

7 Letters Away From Home

Another week, I cant believe I have like 7 weeks left. 

I wrote you all letters and gave them to President Flores who will talk to dad tomorrow to figure out when you can meet up. 
The letters aren't anything special, I just wanted to let you all know how I feel about everyone of you

So, now I have no time to write my weekly letter because I had to do things for the mission, so the small shoe box will have to suffice this week. 

But, I love you all. 
Cant wait to see you!

-Elder Jensen