March 17, 2009Yeehaw! I´m super happy. Quite over-whelmed, and I´ll soon tell you why, but quite happy!
Please keep the green binder because I will need to fill it with all of the pages I have already written.
Daddy – the dad steered the car through then rolled down window and pushed sideways. The 11 year old daughter pushed from the passenger side and me and the 13 year old pushed from the trunk. My comp walked by my side… she has a bad back and couldn´t push.
On Sunday we were finishing out the sixth week of the transfer and we were trying to teach… Sundays are quite fruitless. Anyways we passed by one of our investigators whose wife is someone we are reactivating and halfway through the lesson I realized I was in for it. I had been feeling a little lousy for 3 or 4 hours and didn´t know why. Dizzy, light headed, nauseous and basically wanting to crawl into bed, but anyway during this lesson I knew I wouldn´t even survive the colectivo ride to the center and then the 6 block walk to the pench (mission slang for pension). I asked the investigator to call us a remise (a cheap taxi) and we headed straight for the apartment-- the entire time I was ready to lose it. We got in an hour early, but I knew it didn´t matter. I spent the night quite sick and miserable. We did numbers as I lied on the tile floor and then I took a bath and went to bed. I tried to drink Alka Seltzer to make myself throw up, but could only swallow 2 gulps and could bear no more. At 11 pm I woke up went to the bathroom and threw up SOOOOO much pasta – which we had eaten for lunch. I´m not even kidding. I thought that the worst was behind me and went back to bed still feeling quite lousy, but better. I woke up at 1 am and was completely dehydrated and with a raging fever. We couldn´t find my thermometer BUT I KNOW I BROUGHT ONE---we were quite sure that the fever was pretty high, so high that my comp got wet wash cloths and put them all over my neck, forehead, and arms. She changed them every minute or so and when that didn´t work she made me take a cold bath. I was freezing cold under the blanket but she said I was super hot. After the bath and Ibuprofen the fever started to go down and we went back to sleep. At 4 am I woke up thirsty and she checked my fever. At 6:30 when the alarm went off I felt truly beaten up. My body ached all over. I skipped exercises and took another bath. I puttered my way through the morning starving and dehydrated but unable to stomach much. I pulled myself together and we loaded her stuff in the remise and went to the transfer meeting… we knew she was going straight to campo because the Elders told her to pack up and bring it with her.We got to the offices and I stopped one of the APs and had him send a companionship of elders to go and buy me some Gatorade… that helped a ton. I have a testimony of Gatorade! The transfer meeting was great. We broke a mission record and had 179 converts this transfer. The previous mission record for a single transfer was like 162 or something. This was incredible! Over 70% of the areas had at least one convert. We did not win the mission scarf… DUH! But I was relieved to not be called up in front of the mission a 4th time in a row.
Ready to find out what happens to me? I am training a mini missionary now. It´s probably super tough to train, but even harder training someone who hasn´t been in the MTC, hasn´t memorized the lessons (meaning the principles, and commitments) and hasn´t been taught about anything. I am in for a challenge. And my new companion is young, but it´s what the Lord wants me to do, and I´ll do it. That was what President meant when he said I would be teaching the area to leave in the hands of my companion. I will be teaching this transfer and the next one so that I can leave it in the hands of the next one. So get comfy Hermana Jensen!! I will be staying in Haedo 1 for 6 whole months! That´s even longer than I was in Castelar… by an entire month! But-- I´m not just training a mini, I will also be doing something else new. The President stopped me and said he had called me to be what I can only equivocate to as being like the “Full Field Sister Trainer” like we had in the L.A. mission. I will be the sister that goes around doing a ton of divisions with all of the other sisters. He told me he had a special assignment and told me to talk to the APs. I went to Elder Kelly and he said that I will be doing divisions a ton to help the other sisters improve their teaching. Holy Cow! I am not the senior sister in the mission… at all. Hermana Cole, Torres, Jensen, Lavigne, and Greenland all have more time than me. It´s super humbling...I prayed a ton yesterday that the Lord will qualify me to complete this assignment. I am afraid that my area will suffer with all of the divisions and the fact that we will surely lose a ton of time in transit bringing them to pass, but I am going to make a promise with the Lord that I will fulfill the assignment the very best I can and trust that He will take care of the people in my area even when I have to sacrifice time spent with them. The sacrifice has already begun. My mini hasn´t arrived, so I was put directly into a trio with Haedo 2 after the meeting. I got permission from the APs to work in both areas until I get my mini, but I already had to cancel an appointment with one of our most progressing investigators because we were in Haedo 2. But I need to have faith that the Lord will make this ok. I trust we will be able to take care of both areas for the few days until my mini comes… and then the entire transfer with the many divisions.
So, my mini is from Argentina… I don´t know her name yet, but she will be from around here--from this province.
I know these last 7 and a half months will fly by. I will probably only have one area after this one and I pray that I go to campo (the country).
I want to “die” in campo where there are few colectivos and we have to walk a ton so that I can come home with a nice tan! That is my goal… well, one of them.
I want to “die” in campo where there are few colectivos and we have to walk a ton so that I can come home with a nice tan! That is my goal… well, one of them. Nata – I saw a dog the other day that looked a little bit like Wishbone and it made me think of you and your fame in AP Lit and Mr. Davis asking you, “What does Wishbone have to say about that one AP?” Oh, I always felt so cool being your little sister. I remember when seniors stopped me in the hall in BHS and asked if I was your little sister and I proudly confirmed it! I miss ya, Nata. Have you heard of the band Daddy Yankee? I like them. I heard a bit of a song from a deacon in the ward and it made me want to dance! You should check them out.
Jason – I will be carefully putting into practice your advice with respect to training. Here we go!
Not even the Elders seem too interested in talking about the tourney here… I guess it´s because we don´t know who´s good this year, so what can we say other than “go cougs”?
Thanks for blessing my package to get to me. I hope you also prayed for the one I sent off to you guys because that has my Mission LIFE in pictures! I´m sure it will get to you.
I had this random urge the other day to lie to Hermana Roy and teach her English phrases that don´t make any sense like that one guy taught Michael Scott on the Office. I started giggling and told her that it would be funny to do it, but I didn´t. I sure laughed to myself pondering it.
Thought for the week: You know you are truly capable in another language when you can joust verbally in it. When you pick up on sarcasm and get the jokes. It is so cool. It happens very infrequently for me. I cannot joust verbally with these people, but it´s probably better that way because I would just lay it down too hard telling them that it´s this way or the highway. Yeah, it´s better that I can´t.
I wrote a cool song about the “cartoneros” the people that dumpster dive and collect all the bottles and metal to recycle it. I wrote it to the tune of Brightly Beams or Father´s Mercy. I sang it to some of the sisters and they got a kick out of it. I´d send it to you, but it´s in Castellano… I´ll explain it after the mission.
What was Christopher Columbus´real name? Here they call him “Colon” and it makes me crazy because you can´t change someone´s name. And then my comp told me that maybe we Americans had changed his name to Christopher Columbus. After all he was a Spaniard… they also call Pinnochio “Pinocho...”
American cheddar cheese doesn´t exist here (but I did track down their sour cream… I am yet to try it… I have nothing to eat it with – which of course wouldn´t stop you, Mommy, but me… a yittle bit!) Anyway. there is one street that has a factory on it and the entire street smells like mac n cheese. The other day when we passed it I stopped to smell it and it was ike I was soaking it in. Oh how I miss our cheddar cheese! I am rationing the mac n cheese powder you sent me like mad! I have used one.
I feel like this week we went into investigator debt because we lost more than we found. Bummer.
This Sunday something truly heavenly happened… daylight savings time and we got to sleep one more blessed hour! I almost cried tears of joy! The funny thing is that almost nobody knew about it. People showed up an hour early to church… we had to call and tell all our investigators so they didn´t do the same… like it wasn´t common knowledge or printed in the calendar or anything… it just seemed to spread by word of mouth.
We are teaching a couple that are Evangelists and they are great but don´t understand the basics like the trinity or the authority being given from God to MEN. It´s so tough because they can finish quoting every scripture from the Bible that we start quoting--but with their interpretation and we get almost nowhere. But they could be so great! Our other investigators aren't married but they came to Sacrament on Sunday and loved it. We are going to work like mad with them because they totally could be awesome and fast… if they go to the registrars like NOW to get married it could be just a month!
We are also teaching the parents of an 11 year old member that are married...but will need to suddenly feel it. Unfortunately this was the appointment I had to cancel because of the trio companionship… it hurt because it was the only day all week that they could for sure receive us. Shoot, but the Lord knows and He´ll take care of things.
Jorge is the husband of the woman I mentioned earlier where we were teaching when I got sick. He too could be awesome. He already has his assistance but no testimony and no answer and doesn´t want to get baptized.
We are working with the wife of the YM president and another girl who is the girlfriend of a less active RM. She works when the registrars office is open so they can never take their date to get married...something that requires a month. We told them to fast for God to provide a way. If she didn´t show up to work she´d get fired and lose the medical benefits and the 7 month old baby would have no care.
In a few weeks the stake is doing an activity just like what we did with the "3 Kingdoms of Glory" and the carnival like we did 12 years ago in the 2nd ward. Remember? Anyway, all the missionaries are the angels that take the people to be judged. The thing is, the activity is also for investigators and I don´t know how I feel about them coming to this activity. It could totally open their eyes and make them want to get baptized OR it could totally turn them off and we could lose them. I need to have faith that the first thing will happen and not the second.
Bad news of the week. Faustino came one Sunday after his confirmation – where he was ordained a Priest and never again (never meaning not these last 2). He doesn´t answer his cell phone and we stopped by to visit him and his wife threw us out FOREVER. We can´t even go by anymore. He is in the mercy of the members that can visit him, but we can´t. What happened to his testimony?? He passed his interview, was baptized and the Bishop found him worthy to receive the Priesthood… I just don´t know what went wrong!
Anyway, pray for me to do well with training a mini, surviving a trio and being the sister trainer. I know I can do it!
I love you all so much-- never forget that!
Endure to the end!
Never give up!
Never Surrender!
Hermana Jensen
Jason – I will be carefully putting into practice your advice with respect to training. Here we go!
Not even the Elders seem too interested in talking about the tourney here… I guess it´s because we don´t know who´s good this year, so what can we say other than “go cougs”?
Thanks for blessing my package to get to me. I hope you also prayed for the one I sent off to you guys because that has my Mission LIFE in pictures! I´m sure it will get to you.
I had this random urge the other day to lie to Hermana Roy and teach her English phrases that don´t make any sense like that one guy taught Michael Scott on the Office. I started giggling and told her that it would be funny to do it, but I didn´t. I sure laughed to myself pondering it.
Thought for the week: You know you are truly capable in another language when you can joust verbally in it. When you pick up on sarcasm and get the jokes. It is so cool. It happens very infrequently for me. I cannot joust verbally with these people, but it´s probably better that way because I would just lay it down too hard telling them that it´s this way or the highway. Yeah, it´s better that I can´t.
I wrote a cool song about the “cartoneros” the people that dumpster dive and collect all the bottles and metal to recycle it. I wrote it to the tune of Brightly Beams or Father´s Mercy. I sang it to some of the sisters and they got a kick out of it. I´d send it to you, but it´s in Castellano… I´ll explain it after the mission.
What was Christopher Columbus´real name? Here they call him “Colon” and it makes me crazy because you can´t change someone´s name. And then my comp told me that maybe we Americans had changed his name to Christopher Columbus. After all he was a Spaniard… they also call Pinnochio “Pinocho...”
American cheddar cheese doesn´t exist here (but I did track down their sour cream… I am yet to try it… I have nothing to eat it with – which of course wouldn´t stop you, Mommy, but me… a yittle bit!) Anyway. there is one street that has a factory on it and the entire street smells like mac n cheese. The other day when we passed it I stopped to smell it and it was ike I was soaking it in. Oh how I miss our cheddar cheese! I am rationing the mac n cheese powder you sent me like mad! I have used one.
I feel like this week we went into investigator debt because we lost more than we found. Bummer.
This Sunday something truly heavenly happened… daylight savings time and we got to sleep one more blessed hour! I almost cried tears of joy! The funny thing is that almost nobody knew about it. People showed up an hour early to church… we had to call and tell all our investigators so they didn´t do the same… like it wasn´t common knowledge or printed in the calendar or anything… it just seemed to spread by word of mouth.
We are teaching a couple that are Evangelists and they are great but don´t understand the basics like the trinity or the authority being given from God to MEN. It´s so tough because they can finish quoting every scripture from the Bible that we start quoting--but with their interpretation and we get almost nowhere. But they could be so great! Our other investigators aren't married but they came to Sacrament on Sunday and loved it. We are going to work like mad with them because they totally could be awesome and fast… if they go to the registrars like NOW to get married it could be just a month!
We are also teaching the parents of an 11 year old member that are married...but will need to suddenly feel it. Unfortunately this was the appointment I had to cancel because of the trio companionship… it hurt because it was the only day all week that they could for sure receive us. Shoot, but the Lord knows and He´ll take care of things.
Jorge is the husband of the woman I mentioned earlier where we were teaching when I got sick. He too could be awesome. He already has his assistance but no testimony and no answer and doesn´t want to get baptized.
We are working with the wife of the YM president and another girl who is the girlfriend of a less active RM. She works when the registrars office is open so they can never take their date to get married...something that requires a month. We told them to fast for God to provide a way. If she didn´t show up to work she´d get fired and lose the medical benefits and the 7 month old baby would have no care.
In a few weeks the stake is doing an activity just like what we did with the "3 Kingdoms of Glory" and the carnival like we did 12 years ago in the 2nd ward. Remember? Anyway, all the missionaries are the angels that take the people to be judged. The thing is, the activity is also for investigators and I don´t know how I feel about them coming to this activity. It could totally open their eyes and make them want to get baptized OR it could totally turn them off and we could lose them. I need to have faith that the first thing will happen and not the second.
Bad news of the week. Faustino came one Sunday after his confirmation – where he was ordained a Priest and never again (never meaning not these last 2). He doesn´t answer his cell phone and we stopped by to visit him and his wife threw us out FOREVER. We can´t even go by anymore. He is in the mercy of the members that can visit him, but we can´t. What happened to his testimony?? He passed his interview, was baptized and the Bishop found him worthy to receive the Priesthood… I just don´t know what went wrong!
Anyway, pray for me to do well with training a mini, surviving a trio and being the sister trainer. I know I can do it!
I love you all so much-- never forget that!
Endure to the end!
Never give up!
Never Surrender!
Hermana Jensen
