Last Full Week

Well, here it is the beginning of the end. Today starts the beginning of my last full week of being a missionary of the Lord Jesus Christ. The time has passed so fast and I dont quite understand how it is possible, but here we are.

First, Happy Birthday to Eric yesterday. I was thinking about you all day. The members that we live with invited us to un asado. Since I am here on the border of Argentina and Bolivia, they bring the beef from Argentina. So, yesterday, in your honor, I ate the best beef in the world, with some toasted bread, and some tomatos. So great.

Yesterday were the elections here in Bolivia. As missionaries we weren´t allowed to leave our houses yesterday, so I just sat there with my books, and studied Jesus the Christ and the scriptures. I love that book- if anyone hasnt read it, I fully recommend that you read it. I am halfway through, and this time through I am understanding so much more than I did the first time I read it. My testimony of the supremecy of the Lord has grown so much. He knew so much and was such an amazing example of being 100% obedient, even to the laws and customs of the times. It just amazes me when, before the mission, I thought He acted and did things without a special purpose, but now I know that He did everything with a purpose- to fulfill a prophecy or to bear testimony of His Father or to show us exactly how to be in this life. He is the most perfect example of love and of humility that there is and I know He lives. I know He truly is waiting for us to come to Him in humility and to obey Him. He is my savior and my friend. I may not have seen Him, but I have learned how to listen and recognize when He speaks to me through the Holy Ghost. I know He answers prayers, today I recieved revelation and I heard and felt what the Lord wants of me in the future. I love this relationship that I have with Christ and with my Heavenly Father. It is a relationship that I cherish. The happiness that it brings is like nothing else in this world.

Friday was the birthday of an 11 year old girl named Morena. She and her family (the Jerez family) got baptized about 8 months ago. They are a very big family and they are very poor. They dont have anything, but they continue strong in the church. Their kids are all small and some days go without food, so my companion and I wanted to do something special. Using some of the money that you sent me, we sent a member to go buy ingredients and things to make pizza. We used the oven of a member that makes bread. And we made 4 pizzas- ham and cheese pizzas. Pizza here in Bermejo/Bolivia is really gross, just tasteless cheese and one little aceituna (dont know the word in english) and plus, it is really expensive to buy pizza- 70 bolivianos ($10) for a small pizza. So, we made our own and we took the pizzas to the family´s house and we surprised them. We also bought other things that the family needed too, shampoos and other food. They were so happy. The kids just kept eating and their parents had to stop them from eating so they wouldnt get sick. The parents - Ramiro and Sonia - were just so happy and grateful that they started crying. They didnt have words to thank us, and we didnt have words to tell them it was okay, and that we wanted to do this for them. I loved that experience.

I love you my family and friends. You are all the best. Keep on going on and we´ll see each other next week.

I love you. 

See you soon. 

Elder Jensen

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

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

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

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

digging in to the chicken hearts

Hi everyone! I hope everything is going really well. I am doing great here in  Santa Cruz Bolivia. 

This week went by really fast. But, it was good. 

This week, my companion and I were able to finally finish teaching Martha Duran the 5 missionary lessons that we needed to teach so that she could officially be ¨rescued¨. It is great to see the changes in her. She fasted with us on Wednesday and told us that she is going to put her life in order and do everything like she should. Her kids are still rebellious and she was really sad about that, that she let her kids be the way they are. We read with her the story of Alma the Younger, when the angel appears to him. She understood that it will take a lot of faith, a lot of patience, and a lot of prayers, but the Lord will one day soften her sons hearts. 

It was a really good lesson. 

I sent you some pictures, I hope you like them. 

I love you all so much, I am doing great. wWe have transfers coming up this week again, so it is likely that I will be transferred. 

I love you 

Elder Jensen

chicken hearts

district

bishop's son

This week was good. We are continually seeing the miracles of the Lord as another family was about get baptized. This week, the Dolorier family (Maximo, Diana and Patrick) were able to get baptized. Maybe they werent my investigators, but I have seen them progress as they listening to the missionaries. I love them and I was so happy to see them get baptized on Saturday.

I have realized I need more  patience. As hard as I have been working I felt a bit frustrated that more people arent coming to church... We still had a lot of people there, but less than I was expecting. I realized that the patience is the ability to work and trust the Lord, maybe without seeing the results that are wanted. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, I can be changed. I can be more patient, I can be changed.

This week, we are still working with Jonathan Cabello and Milton Cabello Jonathan is getting excited to get his life in order and send in his mission papers. I am happy for him, he is progressing. Milton is a bit harder, but still we are seeing progress.

The Duran family is also doing great. Martha is doing great, but she needs help. She has so much on her plate, but it´s great, we were able to teach about fasting, and she is so willing to fast to have the Lord´s help with her family ( teenage rebelious kids) her work (super busy single mom) and her calling (primary president). She asked us to fast with her on Wednesday to help her with everything. She is great. I´m so happy for her and the changes she has made in her life.

I love you all so much. I know the Lord lives. He lives and through his atonement we can be better, we can become new creatures, we can and will be cleansed through him.

I read today a talk about the mercy of Christ, it said that Christ already paid everything for our sins, the debt that we owe has already been paided, but Christ asks us to show how much we love him and appreciate what he did for us by living the gospel... obeying the commandments and just being good, happy people. I know this to be true and I know that I love my Lord and Savior.

I love you my family. Have a great week!

-Elder Jensen

Interesting How the Lord Works

It´s interesting, how the Lord works. I have been able to see that truly He knows what He is doing. And He prepared each of us before we were born.

This week, we have been working with two teenagers, Milton and his older brother Jonathon. They are less actives. They are 22 and 19 years old and we have been visiting them so they can go on a mission. They are the oldest brothers of 6 boys. Their mom is Sister Peregrina, a single mom, who doesnt make enough money to support her family. They are hurting bad for money, but we have explained and helped Jonathon understand that the Lord can take better care of his family than he can, so yesterday, he had an interview with the bishop and he is going to start his mission papers this week.

His little brother, Milton, is a bit harder. He doesnt have a testimony of the church, he has a desire to go on a mission, but he isnt doing anything to prepare himself, so we have been helping. Yesterday, it was so great see their entire family there in church.

I was able to truly see and feel what it is like to be a bishop here in Bolivia. It´s a bit different here in Bolivia. Everyone thinks that the Bishop has to do everything, and so they all go to him to ask for church manuals, chalk, or for everything. Yesterday, he was doing something for a ward activity on Saturday instead of doing Bishop-related work. I looked at him and asked, ¨Bishop, do you want help?¨  He looked at me and with a sigh of gratitude, said thanks. My comp and I took that and helped him with some other things. With my love and knowledge of computers, I have been helping them put the ward in order, since there isnt a ward clerk, and the other Exectutive Clerk does nothing, so the Bishop asked our help. It was stressful, for the one minute of having a tiny bit of having his responsibilities. I learned that Bishop Vidaurre is a great man and he was prepared and chosen from before the world was to be a Bishop in a ward in a stake of Zion. That is just so amazing to me.

This week, the ward members went to the temple to do Baptisms for the Dead. It was so great to hear the words of a recient convert family, the Chavez family, Osman and Maria. They said that they felt just by going in the temple, they were changed, that they felt so much stronger and so much better. Sister Maria said, ¨After we finished, I didnt want to leave.¨ They felt the Lord´s spirit there in the temple and it was so great to hear and to feel the power of the Lord through them.

I know the church is true. I know it with all that I am and I know that the Lord lives. I know He has given us temples so we can feel just a tiny bit of what it is like in heaven. I know that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God and that he really did see God the Father and Jesus Christ. I know that, it´s so clear to me now. I know it. I love it. And I will live it forever, forever being faithful to God.

I love you all so much. Thanks for the pictures and the videos of Oaks. I love her. Haha. Stay safe and be happy!

.- Elder Jensen

Twenty Months

You know, when one has 20 months in the mission, one starts to see things differently. Every moment is truly the best, I mean, maybe the people yell at me and things, but really as I have said in past letters, I have and will continue to be changed by the mission, by the Bolivian people and by the Lord Jesus Christ. 

This week, a couple things happened. 

We had the opportunity to listen to a city-wide training for the missionaries and ward leaders. Elder Uceda taught us how to work in the Work of Salvation. It was really good. I loved it as he spoke and taught us about union. That with separation, comes weakness. When we are together as ward members, missionaries, family members, parents, there is strength and the power of God. The Lord will help us when we are united in one... Just as in the times of old, we will become the Lord’s people...ZION: 

I also had an excellent interview with President Willard. He is the best man ever. I talked with both President and Sister Willard about... Well, really one thing, now that I have a little time left, we talked about what I want to do, what I want to be when I go home. We talked about my worries. President gave me excellent advice that made me understand more... He told me if I give all that I have in these last months, the Lord will give me all after the mission. It was a great experience being there with President and Sister Willard, talking and just feeling the spirit.

I learned even more love for these people here. It has been raining, my clothes and my socks are worn out, but I don’t want to buy new ones, because it doesn’t bother me that my socks have holes in them. I am trying to give everything I have, and not worry about the little things.  The members take care of us. I learned more about humility and service- we went to visit Brother Yuri Chavez and his wife Silvia, who have the goal to go to the temple to get sealed the first week of August. We entered their house, and since our shoes were super dirty we took them off. They saw my wet/worn out socks and they made me take off my socks and they gave me two new pairs. I felt such gratitude and love for these people. They are the best ever. 

I feel so blessed here in Bolivia. The Lord has had his hand in my mission and my life, changing me more than anyone else. And for that, I am super grateful. I know the Lord loves me. I know He is there taking care of us. I don’t understand how He knows me and my problems out of the billions of people in the world, but I know He is there listening to my humble prayers. I can never be good enough to be worthy of His love; I can never repay Him for what He has done for me in just these 2 years. 

With all the love in the world, I want to say thank you for everything that you do for me. Your strength, your prayers and your love are felt, even here in Santa Cruz. 

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Elder Jensen

Baptism

Another week has passed by. I honestly don’t know where the week went. I was just working and doing everything like normal and now I find myself here in the internet café writing you. Time is passing fast, no? 

This week was great. We were able to witness the baptism of the sister Maria de Chavez. She is the wife of a recent convert- Osman Chavez. He got baptized about 7 months ago and since then, has been progressing and doing a lot in the church. Last week, he received the Melchizedek Priesthood, and Saturday, he baptized his wife. 

When he got baptized, his wife was the one who was most against him getting baptized. So, the Lord has worked a miracle in softening her heart and calling her to the discipleship of Jesus Christ. 

Osman was able to baptize and confirm his wife. it was so great as we saw the Spirit work in this family. 

Tomorrow, President Uceda, the Area President, is coming here and will train all the stakes/wards/missionaries in all of Santa Cruz. It should be good. And since my ward has experienced such a change in things, the Stake President told us that it is super likely that President Uceda calls us up front uses the ward as an example of how to do the Work of Salvation. 

I have grown to love the conference talks and the church magazines, they are the best.  Today I was reading a little bit in the November 2010 Liahona and I really liked this talk by Elder Uchtdorf. He says: First, our relationship with God is most sacred and vital. We are His spirit children. He is our Father. He desires our happiness. As we seek Him, as we learn of His Son, Jesus Christ, as we open our hearts to the influence of the Holy Spirit, our lives become more stable and secure. We experience greater peace, joy, and fulfillment as we give our best to live according to God’s eternal plan and keep His commandments.

We improve our relationship with our Heavenly Father by learning of Him, by communing with Him, by repenting of our sins, and by actively following Jesus Christ, for “no man cometh unto the Father, but by [Christ].” 10 To strengthen our relationship with God, we need some meaningful time alone with Him. Quietly focusing on daily personal prayer and scripture study, always aiming to be worthy of a current temple recommend—these will be some wise investments of our time and efforts to draw closer to our Heavenly Father. Let us heed the invitation in Psalms: “Be still, and know that I am God.” 11

Our second key relationship is with our families. Since “no other success can compensate for failure” here, we must place high priority on our families. We build deep and loving family relationships by doing simple things together, like family dinner and family home evening and by just having fun together. In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time. Taking time for each other is the key for harmony at home. We talk with, rather than about, each other. We learn from each other, and we appreciate our differences as well as our commonalities. We establish a divine bond with each other as we approach God together through family prayer, gospel study, and Sunday worship.

The third key relationship we have is with our fellowman. We build this relationship one person at a time—by being sensitive to the needs of others, serving them, and giving of our time and talents. I was deeply impressed by one sister who was burdened with the challenges of age and illness but decided that although she couldn’t do much, she could listen. And so each week she watched for people who looked troubled or discouraged, and she spent time with them, listening. What a blessing she was in the lives of so many people.

The fourth key relationship is with ourselves. It may seem odd to think of having a relationship with ourselves, but we do. Some people can’t get along with themselves. They criticize and belittle themselves all day long until they begin to hate themselves. May I suggest that you reduce the rush and take a little extra time to get to know yourself better. Walk in nature, watch a sunrise, enjoy God’s creations, ponder the truths of the restored gospel, and find out what they mean for you personally. Learn to see yourself as Heavenly Father sees you—as His precious daughter or son with divine potential.

I love you all. You are the best family ever and I hope and pray for you all to be happy. Keep safe this week.

-Elder Jensen

Hey everyone. I hope everything is doing really well. I am doing really well.

This week was good. I felt humbled today. I felt the love of our Father in Heaven in my life as yesterday my companion and I and the other missionaries in barrio Guaracal we were able to see miracles in the ward.

A recent convert was called to be Young Men´s President, a rescued less active, Martha Duran, was called to be Primary President- her sister, another rescued sister, Cinthia Duran, to be her first counselor. A less active family, Saulo and Fanny Ortiz, who had been inactive and had been talking bad about the ward to other members, came to church yesterday as a family. they had their interview with the Bishop and they told him that they want to come back to church and go to the temple.
The wife of the new member that got called to be Young Men´s President, Osman Chavez, came to church after a long time of always failing the sisters Baldridge and Ariza.

I am just humbled, as we do all we can do, and then the Lord does the rest. It is great to be a missionary in this time.

In my personal study, I finished the 4 gospels and started reading the book of Acts. I am completely convinced that if we pray with faith and we live righteously, we too will be able to see miracles in our lives- God never stopped being a God of Miracles. I have seen that in my mission.

I love this gospel. And I love you all. I know the Lord lives. and I know He loves us. I know that if we pray we can have more faith, and we can become more like Christ wants us to be.

I love you all so much. Sorry there isn't much this letter, but more next week.
Bye!

Good Week

Hi there, I hope you are doing really well. I am doing really well.

Well, here in Santa Cruz, another week has passed. It was a strange week, because some days were super cold and others were hot. The weather is a bit strange here, but I love it, so all is well.

This week, we were able to see miracles in the mission. With a sister that we have been teaching for a while now, Ana Alcantara and her two daughters, usually we have an appointment with her Monday nights, with a member. We passed by on Thursday and she said, that she was so surprised to see us, because that day, she prayed to know what church is the truth, and then we showed up. She said she felt something telling her that that was her answer. I felt so honored to be a servant of the Lord and be able to help this sister. She wants to be baptized, but she doesn't have the support of her husband but we are working with her and we are praying that we can talk to the husband.

Yesterday, was a good day, well, really this whole week, but I liked yesterday. The morning was cold, which means that a lot of people stay in bed sleeping, including the active members. So, we got to church, there werent many people there. The meeting started. I just loved it. More and more people trickled in...investigators, less actives, active families. And every time people entered the room, I just felt love and I just felt so happy for them. Honestly, I love this ward, Guaracal. They are the best. Tons of people gave wonderful testimonies and I felt so good in that ward, even though it was cold outside, the chapel was full and we felt the spirit.

After, at night, we had a special meeting for all of the recent converts, and rescued less actives. The stake president, President Enrique, spoke and called on 3 people to bear their testimonies. All 3 of them were from Barrio Guaracal. Martha Duran, who we are rescuing, her sister Cinthia Duran, the other elders are visiting her. And a recient convert, Osman Chavez, who yesterday got called to be Young Mens President. I am so grateful for these people who are trying so hard to live the gospel.

I know the Lord loves us, and that we can be together forever with Him and our Heavenly Father. I know this thanks to the scriptures. I can feel the Lord´s love for us and I know He lives. I know it with all that I am. I know I am not perfect, but I will keep on trying to give Him my entire heart. I love Him.

And I love you all. Thank you so much for your love, prayers, and your support. I love you so much.

Until next week,
Elder Jensen

Cinco de Mayo

Feliz Cinco de Mayo a todos! I dont know why we think 5 de mayo is some kind of holiday when none of the Latins think it is a special day, but oh well, we are just like that. Or maybe it is just special in a certain country or something like that. 

My week was great. This week, we changed a couple things around, namely we changed our pension to a member of our ward, Yuri Chavez and his wife Silvia. They are great and they make great food. He is from here, and she is from Peru, so they make good food that isnt just the same as always. I am happy about that. 

We are continuing forward trying to work harder and more united with the ward members, we still are not super united like the prophet and President Willard want, but we are trying. We are seeing progress, the most notable in the church assistance, more and more people are coming, which is great. But, still the progress in other areas of the work still isnt where it should be... Like members presenting their friends, or coming with us to teach investigators. But, little by little. 

This week, we had a powerful lesson with a less active. Martha Duran, her son that was recently baptized, Andres and her sister, Paula Duran, a returned missionary, but also less active. We taught them about the atonement of Jesus Christ, combined with our purpose on Earth and we also talked about repentence and faith. The spirit was so strong as we testified and taught about the Lord´s sacrifice and how we can use the power of the Atonement to return to live with God again. I really felt so good and I felt renewed understanding of our purpose on Earth and how we can become closer to Christ, through the power of the atonement. 

I am continually learning about the importance of humility and patience and charity. These are things that I have never been good as but, through daily study and prayer, I have been able to come closer to Christ, and thereby, I have, at some degree been able to become more patient, more humble, more charitable and more dependant on Christ. I am still not perfect, I never will be, but I know that as we come closer to Christ, our character changes. In Mosiah 3:19 it teaches us, that as we learn and strive to follow Christ, our nature changes... it isnt coincidence or anything, we literally become Saints, or disciples of Jesus Christ. he helps us as we strive to be like him. I just want to be like Him and to help others as well come unto Him- whether I be a missionary or a member of the Church, I have the responsibility to share and to bring others to Christ. Through my example, it is possible. 

I love you all so much. I know Christ lives. I love Him and I know He loves me. I will call you, dad, today to make sure Skype works, and then I will call you on Sunday at like 3 your time. If I can'
t get through, dont worry, I will get ahold of you some how. Haha. 

Please be safe. Be happy. Smile. Pray for missionary opportunities. 

I love you so much. 

I cant wait to talk to you!

-Elder Jensen

Fotos

Man, this internet place is horrible. Either the internet is super slow or today, the computers just shut off. So, I dont have much time to write a long letter, but I did manage to send off some pictures. 

This week we had two baptisms... Andres Duran and Cristian Mendoza. Their families were less actives and we are helping to strengthen them, and they hadnt been baptized so we baptized them. Everything went really well. 

Everything is going really well. I have been able to see changes in myself as I continue on the mission. I have been able to learn how to listen to the Spirit. I have been able to learn about our Father in Heaven and how important it is that we be close to Him and His Son. I know that is how we can be happy- being close to Christ and following Him. 

This week, I taught the lesson in the District Meeting, and I prepared a lesson beforehand, but as I began to talk with the missionaries in my District, I felt the impression of the Holy Ghost telling me that we should talk about something else. I felt grateful as we talked and I learned a lot of things about working with the members and everything. 

I love you guys so much. I am so grateful that you are all my family and that you are all there for me, praying, reading the sprictures and thinking about me. I feel your love and I feel your support. I love you so much.

That is it for the week... Blame the crappy computer. We´ll go to a different internet place next week. So, that is good. 

I love you!

.Elder Jensen

Me and my group at Immigrations (getting visa renewed for six more months!)

The Loayza family at the Cochabamba Temple

The bill and coins...Bolivianos (they call them pesos too)

this week in santa cruz

Hello my family!

This week was good. We had a conference with President Willlard, we learned a lot, we found new people to teach and we are just doing good. 

The conference was with President Willard and Sister Willard was on Wednesday. We talked a lot about repentance and the joy that comes with it. We talked about how Satan is the king of thoughts, but the Lord Jesus Christ is the lord of actions. So, when we have a thought of doubt or fear, we need to replace it with an action of faith. I thought about my area where I am. I realized maybe I am not doubting things, but I am not acting with enough faith. So, I said a prayer to our Heavenly Father saying, ¨I dont know where the people are that are prepared to recieve the gospel. I dont know exactly what these people need to hear. I dont know what thou would have me do, but I am willing to act with faith and do whatever thou would have me do.¨ 

After the prayer, I felt my faith grow and I was super thankful to my president for teaching us that principle. 

We found a new family to teach, Miguel Angel and his wife Ana. They arent married, but Miguel is super good and ready to accept that gospel. His wife is a bit harder, but we are excited to see what happens. They went to a ward activity and they really liked it. Miguel participated and won a game. It was good to see that they have friends in the  ward now. 

We are also teaching the Duran family... Less actives for a long time. They are all coming back to church. The three moms (sisters) and their kids. Their husbands still dont want to hear the gospel, but we have faith that soon they will come around.  

I love you my family!

Until Next week!

Wonderful Week

Hi there! I loved this week, so powerful and the Lord truly did bless me this week. Here is why. 

We have received a lot of new information and training from Elder C. Scott Grow, Councilor in the Area Presidency. He told us to trust in God and to learn how to teach and find people and just receive more personal revelation. We have set super high goals and we are working harder than ever before to achieve them... especially finding families to teach. 

This week we haven’t so much found families, but we are finding that the Lord has people that are prepared for us. For example this week, we found and taught two new people that are just so ready for the gospel... Javier Herera and Miguel Angel Walda. Miguel Angel especially is so great. We’ve only taught him once, but for the first time in my mission, a Bolivian man told us that his biggest desire in life is for his family to be happy and to follow God. It was so great. We have an appointment with him on Wednesday so we will see more of what happens to him. 

General Conference was particularly inspiring. I have always heard that we can make a list of questions and while listening to conference, the Lord will give us the answers, but I had never done it. Saturday morning before the conference I just had a strong desire to do it and to put God to the test. I made my list of questions, and I prayed to the Lord so He would know my desires. I went to conference (we as North Americans all went upstairs in the stake center and watched it in English). It was so great. I loved it and all my questions were answered, most by the words of the prophets and apostles, but also, from the things the Lord told me through the Holy Ghost. I know that the prophet is the prophet of God and he told us so many things that the Lord wants us to know and to do. I have set goals so as to follow the Lord’s will. 

The Lord wanted me to know of His love for me. As I sat in the micro on our way home from the conference, I just thought to myself about some things. I felt happy and grateful and I felt the promptings of the spirit as a feeling of love came into my heart and just a feeling a peace. I felt like the Lord was happy with me, like He was telling me that He is my God, and that I am His representative. Maybe I am not perfect, but He will help with in this work, and that He will be here with me. I want so much more to trust in God and to be a man that God can trust in. 

I love studying the Lord’s word every day. I am studying every day in Preach My Gospel and the Book of Mormon. Lately, after mom wrote me about her studying about the Lord Jesus Christ, I felt like for me to trust more in the Lord, I need to know Him more, so I have been studying a lot about Him; who He was, is and will be for us when He comes. I testify He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is everything for us and compared to Him, we are nothing. But to the Lord, we are everything. I know He lives and I know He loves us. I love you, my family more than anything else. You guys are just great. 

Until next week!

A recent convert who baptized his son

-Elder Jensen

Watching General Conference in English

Photos of Carnaval

Hey everyone.

I hope everything is going well there for ya´ll. 

The weather is beginning to change here in Santa Cruz. It is a bit colder and windier. Which I love. 

My week was really good. I truly have a learned a lot of things. You can never stop learning new things and that is what I love about the gospel... There is always more. 

This week, we just worked our butts off to try and find new people. We honestly just asked everyone who they knew that could benefit from our message. We just talked to everyone. 

A couple new people that we are excited to teach are Lupe Costas. She is an 18 year old girl who lives alone, is super Catholic, but open to reading the Book of Mormon. We left her homework to read the pamphlet of the restoration and she read the entire thing, which is super rare here in Bolivia... They are not the most ¨book-reading¨ people. Mostly they love to just watch movies. Haha. 

Umm... There is also Ingrid and her 60 year old uncle, Julio. We met them yesterday and they just openly let us in their home and we taught them a bit about the gospel. They said that they really liked what we have to say, and they want to continue listening. 

I am sending a lot of pictures, so I hope it makes up for the fact that I dont have a lot of things to say.

I had another interview with President Willard. We talked more about how I am doing and how I can continue to trust in the Lord and walk with Him. I know the church is true. The Lord Jesus Christ lives. I have never seen Him, but I know Him. I know Him and I continually get to know Him more and more as I pray, as I study the scriptures and as I continue faithfully in His work. He has rescued me. He has poured out his eternal light in my life. I love Him and I honestly don't know how I can ever repay Him for what He has done for me and for our family. 

I love you all so much! Bye!

-Elder Jensen

                                               Us up on the roof throwing water balloons at passerbys. It was fun. 

                             
This is what the Bolivians do during the three days of Carnaval.. They get in groups and go around throwing water balloons full of whatever they can find (paint, water, oil, mud, dog poo, hot sauce... Anything and everything) It looks super fun when it is just water and paint, but super gross when it is other stuff. 

Us up on the roof throwing water balloons at passerbys. It was fun. 
During carnaval, I borrowed the keyboard from the ward. I taught myself how to play the piano a bit. I can play a couple hymns, but just with my right hand. I want to keep learning and play really well after the mission. 

Elder Ure, Elder Torrez, Elder Woolf, Elder Castro, Elder Revolorio y yo, Elder Jensen

                                     All the elders together during carnaval. We ordered pizza. It was great. Haha. 

                                        
Haha, I had a lot of time on my hands during Carnaval, so I thought I would send a picture of my elbows... That I am still a freak and I think it is getting worse. Haha. 

A new sport I learned. During carnaval, the stake president (who lives in the apartment right next to us) asked permission from the mission president if we could go play with him. We went to a place nearby and learned this new sport... Fronton. It is super fun. It is like tennis, except you play with the wall in front. I want to play it in the states. 

Baptism Photos

Fotos!!!

The baptism of the Loayza family. 

My best friend and companion, Elder Avila and I with Ice Cream and Pizza Flavored Pringles. We were adventurous and make weird experiments with things.... We also made Coke Floats with the Ice Cream. 

The little boy of the Family Loayza that was my best buddy. For their baptism, the Loayza family all showed up in white shirts and ties, even the 3 year old. He wanted to put on my companion´s name tag so he could be a missionary too. 

A picture of the little party that we had after the baptism with the members of the Abundancia ward.

Hello there everyone!!! 

This week was a sad one, and also a happy one. 

Tuesday, we had the Baptism of the Loayza family. They were so great and all showed up on time and in white shirts and ties. They were so excited to wear their new clothes that their mom bought them. 

The baptism was really good. They were really nervous about being under water, but they got baptized with little problems... Just one of the boys (Julio) kinda freaked out under the water and elbowed his dad in the nose. His nose started to bleed a bit, but everything was good. 

After the baptism, we had a little party to celebrate with the loayza family. We had soda, chicken empanadas, and cake. It was really great. The ward members were super happy and everyone was laughing and just having a good time. But, when it was time for my companion and I to go, they got sad. They knew that I would be leaving that night. They all hugged me and thanked me for everything. The second consejero... of the bishopric dedicated a song to me, that was sung to him on his mission. He is a really old guy without any teeth or a good voice, but he sang a song about missionary work and how much our joy will be in heaven with the people that we got to know here in the mission. It may not have been the best voice, but it meant a lot to me. 

Then, we got home. Our District Leader called and told me that I would be going to the Cañoto stake again (I was here about a year ago), but in a different area, in the barrio Guaracal. My companion´s name is Elder Revolorio. He is from Guatemala, Guatemala City. He has 3 months in the mission, is a little serious, but a good guy. We live in the top floor of an apartment building with 5 other missionaries. The house is the best in the entire mission and I love it. 

Anyway, that is all for this week. I am excited for this new ward and new start to begin working with a new ward and a new companion. I miss my old companion, since we got a long so well, but it is always great to change. 

I love you all so much. I know I am doing what the Lord wants me to do and I know He has his hands in our lives.  He loves us and wants us to be happy... We just have to go to Him and do the things the way He wants so we can be truly happy. 

Until next week!
-Elder Jensen