Happy Birthday Oakley!

Hello to everyone!

How goes it? Once again, another week has passed and little Oakley now is one year old. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Cool. I am an uncle to a one year old. Wow. 

Anyway, here in Bolivia, the weather is bi-polar and cant decide if it wants to be cold or hot. So in the morning Tuesday, it was so hot and I didnt put on my jacket, obviously, so then it got cold in the afternoon and started to rain. We went to the house to put on my stuff, but still that time in the cold, made me sick... Now I am stuffy and I cant hear out of my ears and I cant sleep all that well, but I have pills to help me. But all is well here.

We taught super great lessons these last two days. One to the cousin of Wara, the girl that got baptized recently, she is a member whose mom is inactive and her husband isnt a member but wants to get baptized. The girl doesnt want to get married because she is afraid of something... We think it is because she doesnt want to follow the example of her mom and fall away with her husband. I dont know. But we taught her and I bore testimony using the example of you mom. The spirit was strong as we bore testimony that we have to obey God first, even when it means leaving behind our family. 

So, thank you mom, for your amazing example. 

We are seeing the difference already with the members. The work is moving faster as we work with the members more and we can see that they are loving it as we are training them and involving them in the work. Yesterday, they were so excited to fellowship the new investigadors to the classes, they stole them away instead of bringing them to the Doctrine Principles class where they should be. It was super funny and made us happy. 

We are progressing here and getting the Lord´s work how it should be here in Bolivia. I love it and it makes me happy and love the work. 

Not much is going on here, just searching and teaching everyone that we meet... And yesterday, I got vomitted on in the bus system (micros), he was drunk and he threw up and it landed right next to me on the floor with a tiny bit on my arm and a lot on my companion´s pants. Hahah. Crazy Bolivians. 

Wara is doing great, she is going to go to do Baptisms for the Dead in the Cochabamba temple on Thursday, she is super scared and nervous but she is going to go. Haha. She is so funny. 

Anyway, that is all for this week. I love you my family!

-Elder Jensen

Wara's Baptism

Hey there my family! 

How goes it there in the States and Guatemala? It sounds like all is well, except for Corey´s ugly face now without teeth... Cor, you would fit right in here in Bolivia, the majority of the people don't have teeth... One of the members here in Suarez only has one, on the bottom in the middle (I wonder how he eats, I want to ask him one day)

Well, with me, we had transfers this week, and I am still with Elder Gueto from Columbia, here in La Merced Stake in the Suarez ward. The only changes we had were that the Peruvian in our house went to another area, and Elder Morris, the new gringo is training a new Elder from La Paz, Bolivia.

Yesterday, we had the baptism of Wara Isabel Aguilar Espada, the 13 year old girl whose family was inactive for a long time. She was super nervous and we had to have the help of a member to coax her into the cold water in the font. It was super great though and she bore her testimony after saying that some people just say they know the church is true, but she knows the church to be true. And that she wants to be a missionary. Amazing! She is great.

After the baptism, we gave a training for the members on how they can help with retention and reactivation, especially to make a new person feel right at home in the church. We taught, and then did practices. They are super great, this ward has such big desires to share the gospel and help with the work of the Lord, usually they just lack the knowledge how, which is what we are helping them with. 

Attached is a picture of Elder Gueto and me. We had to go to Wara´s house to get a paper signed and to teach her, after she wanted to take pictures so we were just being dumb and we took some pictures.

CONGRATULATIONS MASON!!! YOU ARE GOING OUT TO SERVE THE LORD!! I am so proud of you bud! The mission is hard, but we have the Lord with us and it is honestly the best thing ever! Just be yourself and work hard and read the Book of Mormon! You are going to learn new things and be shaped into the man that God wants you to be! I love you Mason!

Also, you and your family, email me ya?

This week I have grown in the knowledge of the Book of Mormon. In the MTC, Elder Bednar told us to read The Book of Mormon with a specific questions and then to look for answers to that question, I was doing that little by little, but this week I just got super into it and have found such amazing treasures that I will never forget... For example, in Alma, there is a scripture that tells that the king gathered his people in and that he wouldn't go out into the city without his guards... I know that we have to do that as family and friends, grow together and be each others guards. We have to help each other be diligent and faithful.The Book of Mormon is amazing! I love it and I feel a hunger to read it. 

That is all for this week. This week was a lot better and I have learned a lot this week! I LOVE YOU MY FAMILY!!!

Short & Sweet

Hi there! 

Well, I really got nothing to say this week because we barely left the house except to go to the hospital. 

My companion was feeling gross Tuesday and then at 2 in the morning he woke me up and was shivering really bad. I took him to the hospital and he had dengue, the mosquito virus that is common here. So we were just stuck in the house until yesterday, when they told us it would be okay to work again. 

Oh, also, we got to know President Willard. He is great and super young and a spiritual giant. Reminds me of President Wade. We met together as a zone in the mission house and presented ourselves and just got to know them. I felt the spirit really strong. 

Ummm... We have an investigator that we are preparing for baptism, her name is Wara and she is 13 years old and her family was inactive for like 23 years and we are activing them and helping them. It is great and they love when we come. 

I am doing good. Just sitting in our house was a little bit boring and I didnt love it but I read the scriptures and learned a bit more from D&C section 88... It is great. I liked it. 

I love you my family. I know I dont have much to tell you in this letter, but I love you and I hope everything goes well this week. 

Super Great Week

Hello there everyone!

Great news, we got our new mission president this week! He is so relaxed and cool and I feel like I can actually talk to him if I am having problems, unlike my last one. But, just different people, no?

We still havent gotten to know him yet, but his first week he has already been making changes. He has taken off the focus from numbers and all that to the work of the Lord. He is going to give us cell phones so we can work more efficiently and also, we will get one hour to eat dinner with the members. 

But, best thing of all, he has already cut down contacting. Now, we have more time to work with the members and we are already putting in effect. Saturday, the four of us here in the Suarez ward gathered the ward members and gave a training on how to actually invite your friends. The members need a lot of help here and they loved the training and want to do another one. 

This week was super great. 

I learned a lot. A lot about the second coming. Every morning we have an hour for personal study, I studied one day about the second coming. And it just hit me. The Lord is real. He really is coming one day soon. He really is coming and we need to be ready for Him to come. I felt it just deep down in my heart, that He really is coming. I loved it. 

umm.. We are working with inactive and recent converts to teach them and help them prepare to enter the temple. That is mostly what we are doing right now, with a few part families that there teenage daughter, Wara, needs to be baptized. We are working with her and she is doing great. 

All is well here in Bolivia, we went through a couple days that were super hot and then today is super cold. But, we are all good. We have food (the other gringo here in my house, Elder Morris and I make been and cheese burritos almost every night. We found mexican style tortillas and salsa, so we are super happy. Haha.)

I truly am changing. Sometimes I cant see it, but I am sure I am changing. 

I love you my family! 

Until next week,

Elder Jensen

Hot Water!

Hi there my family! 

What is up? 

Basically, I am super great! This week, I dont know, I just loved it. Nothing super special happened. Just loving the mission. 

Up until now, I didnt know a thing called hot water existed in Bolivia. In my 6 months here in Bolivia, we have just had cold showers and on the cold days, I dreaded getting in the shower in the cold morning. But, this week, we messed with some wires on our shower (it is a shower head that has wires to heat the water as it comes out of the shower head) and we got hot water. Now I just sit there in the shower loving my life. 

This week was the last week of President Calderon, and today starts our new president, President Willard. Apparently he served in California and spoke English mostly, so he speaks Spanish like a gringo. But, I am super excited to see what changes are coming our way. 

Monday, we stayed in our house all day because my companion was sick, same with Tuesday. 

We are starting to know more members, so we go and teach a little message in the members house so they can work with us, like the World Training told us to do. Then they give me food, which I am always hungry, so they just keep giving me more. I like the food here now, it isnt AMAZING like Chase is eating but its good. Carne or chicken, rice, a potato or two and some Chamomille tea.

We are still working here in our area. I am learning to have some fun but still work hard. I know that is why the Lord put me with my companion. He is hilarious and super fun, but we work hard. I needed to learn how and he is teaching me. 

I just got Uncle Eric´s DearElder. Thank you! I love getting mail to let me know you still love me. Haha.

Just still here in Bolivia, loving the work and teaching the lost children of our Father in Heaven who need the truth. 

Umm... until next week. 

I love you!

.Elder Jensen

P.S. Just saying, it is faster and easier for anyone to email me. Now we can email everyone and I have more time, so anyone, EMAIL ME!chandler.jensen@myldsmail.net

On the Lord's Errand in Bolivia

This weeks story is all about a man that my companion and I call ¨nuestro amigo¨

We were walking as normally as ever on Friday, when my companion told me that there was a man in a house waving to us and pointing to us to come in. I didn’t see him, so we walked back a tiny bit to the house we had passed. He was there still waving at us. We didn’t understand if we should enter his home or not, but as he continued to wave to us, we went for it and entered into his home. 

Nuestro Amigo was outside sitting on a chair, and as we got closer to him, he picked up his right arm and right leg and let them drop, letting us know that half of his body doesn’t work. He couldn’t talk either except for grunts. But, he motioned for us to sit down and teach him. 

He understood us perfectly; just his body was damaged. So, we taught him about the resurrection and that his body will be made perfect. The joy in his eyes just made it all worth it. We offered to give him a blessing of strength and peace, he grunted yes and we gave him a blessing. I just felt that God loves him. After as we said good-bye, he grasped our hands tightly to say thank you with tears and joy in his eyes.

Then right before leaving, he pointed to me, and then to my companion, and then he pointed up. And even though his body is damaged and he couldn’t say anything else, he managed to say, ¨de Dios¨

He recognized us as the Lord’s servants and that we are on the Lord’s errand. The Spirit was there so strong and I loved it. 

So, there you have it. This week’s story.

As for the world training, our president didn’t even tell us anything about it, so we had to call him to ask permission. He told us we could go, if our weekly numbers are good. Which I disagree with, but whatever... But, our numbers are good, so we could’ve gone if my companion didn’t get sick after church. So, we spent the day in the hospital waiting for his test results. (my first time going to the hospital when it wasn’t me that was sick) but all is good with him now. Just is sick because of the weather. 

The other companionship in my ward went and they told us a little about it. How missionaries are wasting way too much time finding and contacting people... Which is entirely what my mission does. I know everything is going to change with this new president.

Oh, the weather. It is officially winter here in Santa Cruz…rainy and cold and with the humidity, it is STINKIN cold. I will attach a picture of me and the other gringo in my ward, Elder Morris from Arizona. The other is of my companion, Elder Gueto and me.  But, all is well, my big jacket and my scarf from the Claytons saved my life. 

AND what every mom loves to hear

Two things mom...

One, will you make sure that my card has money on it? I have to buy our weekly groceries with it today, because my mission is poor and doesnt have money. Thanks

Two, I have to ask, no, beg forgiveness of you. 

I have learned here in the mission more about life and God than anything else. I understand now why you always wanted a clean house and why you always told me that it is just easier to clean things right away. I understand now, mom, living with three other guys who are not clean. It is driving me crazy that our house is dirty. 

Also, for your amazing cooking ability. Thank you mom. Seriously, you have no idea how much I miss your food. Haha. 

Here in Bolivia, if the kids do something wrong, the parents, most of the time, call them stupid and that they don't have brains. They yell at them for the littlest things and sometimes hit them. It is very common. 

Mom, I love you so much. You are the most amazing mom there ever was in this earth. I want my wife to be like you, mom. I miss you, I love you, and I dont know how but, could you ever forgive me for all those days where you went into my room and found a disaster? All those days that I didnt clean or do what you asked?

Please forgive me mom. 

(Told you you would like this email)

This Week

Hi my family...

Another week has gone by. Some days pretty tough and others like yesterday I loved and I was refreshed and renewed spiritually. But I am still here in the mission field and loving it. It is tough but I love it. 

Here is what happened this week...

Monday, I was feeling super gross and all sicky. So we called Sister Calderon and she told me I was just dehydrated. So, she gave me permission to drink gaterade (its against the mission rules here unless you are sick) and to rest monday.. 

Then Tuesday, I had even more pain in my stomach and still diarrhea so we called again and she told me to go to the clinic here in the center of Santa Cruz. They took blood, I pooped in a cup, and we waited forever just for them to tell me that I was perfectly healthly. The tests didnt show anything. So they gave me some medicine but I was still feeling really gross. 

So I decided to pray. For some reason I feel bad asking people for a blessing, and I wanted to pray to improve my faith and to really see if I had the faith to be healed by God. As we walked to eat lunch Wednesday, I prayed and honestly it was like a balloon popped in my stomach and I just felt all the pain in my stomach go away and now I am totally fine. Well, still have diarrhea, but that is normal for the gringos here in Bolivia (the food does not treat us well)... I honestly know that God will watch out and heal us if we just have the faith in Him. 

I thought all the gritty details were necesary (I know it is spelled wrong. I cant remember how to spell it-oh Spanish!) to tell the full story, so whatever.

I cant believe Gramps is having problems with cancer and his spleen. He is in my prayers here in Bolivia. Actually, you all are. 

Umm... This week, my companion Elder Gueto and I are still looking for the people. We have met a couple people that are interested which is super great. Yesterday, we left with a member so he could show us the house of his friend. We entered and found out that it was a woman who mostly spoke quetchua...Or however you spell the native language here in Bolivia. So, we just sat there as this member and her spoke in this other language. It sounds awesome, and I want to learn it. 

We met with President and Sister Calderon to practice teaching the lessons on Thursday. Basically the whole day, each companionship went up in front of everyone to practice teaching about the doctine of Christ, the Book of Mormon and the Sabbath Day. It was good to practice and to learn more. 

In this zone conference, he told us all good bye and to obey our new President. I am excited to get this new president and to see the changes. I think it is what my mission needs right now.

Nothing much really happened. We met with a member that has a great plan for our ward to work with us. But, we cant really put it into action because the way we work in my mission right now, isnt with the members of the ward. We hardly ever work with them. But, we have this plan now and my companion and the other two elders in our ward, we are all super excited about this plan, but now we are just waiting this 13 days until we get the new president so we can change the way we work here. 

That is all from me, here in Bolivia. 

I know this is truly where I am supposed to be and I know that the Lord is watching out for us. Not just the missionaries, but the members and the families of the world. I know that He is a God of love and is truly our Father in Heaven. If you doubt that, pray about it and ask him if He loves you. You will see.

I love you all so much! Talk to you next week!

-Elder Jensen