Hermana Jensen: Mission Updates: 05/01/2008

May 31, 2008

Up, Up And Away-- To L.A.!

On Tuesday morning, Stacey called us from the airport before heading out to Los Angeles. She said she had been assigned to fly out with an Elder as her traveling companion, which was funny because I pictured him waiting for her outside a restroom or listening to her conversation with us. We had a nice phone call full of questions, answers, expressed emotions galore and of course happy tears. There were many things said and conveyed, but above all was our love for each other and our gratitude for the comfort, guidance and strength we will receive while we are apart.

Here are a few lines from a letter, written three days before she left the MTC:

The Lord answers prayers! I prayed for you to check your email because I desperately needed that info and you did. The littlest things like that make me cry. It is a miracle how much the Lord loves us and that He will give us what we need exactly when we need it.

We had a special opportunity this week - one of our teachers (for me it was Hno. Toledo) gave us a Priesthood blessing - en espanol. Before he asked me what I wanted, what I desired, and stuff and of course I said the gift of tongues. In my blessing, he blessed me to receive "el don de lenguas ahora" - ahora means "now" I couldn't stop the tears then or now as I tell you about how strongly I felt the Lord's love for me in that moment. He wants me to have success and He wants to bless me. I just have to work hard, be obedient, give Him all my heart, might, mind, and strength and He will pour out His blessings upon me. From that moment on I felt different. I still make tons of mistakes, say things incorrectly, blank out when I'm trying to speak and stuff, but I feel different. I'm not fluent or perfect, but know that He is helping me.

We taught lesson 2 in the TRC - our last time in the TRC (where pretend investigators listen to you--in Spanish of course) and for the first time I felt like I truly taught with the Spirit. Our pretend investigator almost started crying and when I responded with my testimony, I was fighting back the tears as well. It was incredible because up until that point, I felt like every time I teach and testify, it is completely "dry." That's what I call it when you don't just feel the Spirit like drowning you, ya know? Anyway, it was a landmark for me here in the MTC. It was a blessing from my loving Heavenly Father who wanted to show me that even now I can teach with the Spirit and I can testify with power.

I have a testimony that nothing just happens by coincidence. I believe that each missionary in our district and zone has taught me something. My teachers were literally the best teachers I could have ever asked for. They were so different that it was refreshing to have them both each day because it kept me sane. Both have incredible testimonies and have changed my life for good.

I'm healthy and well and truly blessed with energy - the rigors are already a lot, and all we do is sit in class. I have to get up around 5:45 to shower and get ready to be in the classroom to study at 7 and then lights out is at 10:30, but I usually stay on my knees for 10-15 minutes in the dark as I pour out my heart and soul to my Heavenly Father. He hears me. So I'm always tired, but always able. The beds aren't that nice, but I'm shocked that I'm actually sleeping just fine. It's almost like I have a pretend "heaven memory foam" on my bed, but I assure you I don't!

Pray for me as I'm packing today, I need peace and faith to abide with me in spades as I embark on this adventure. I'm nervous, but that's good.

In our departure meeting last night there were 340 of us. 40 going to Argentina - me and 2 other Hermanas :)

I feel so different, and I'm not. I'm like the other 3000 missionaries here, dressed up, in a tag, and studying like crazy. I can't imagine how different I'll feel when I get out to the field and really am the different one, with the truth to share with the world.

I'll call you tomorrow. Thanks for being responsive to the promptings of the Spirit from my prayers.

I love you so much. Never forget that this is His work and He will guide it and all of us.

I love you.

Hermana Jensen

May 23, 2008

Headed For The Field After 17 Days At The MTC

Greetings one and all! On Thursday night Stacey called home for a brief five-minute phone call to let us know that on Tuesday, May 27, she will be en route to the California Los Angeles Mission. It is Spanish-speaking and, per Google, I learned that it's also affectionately called "The C.L.A.M." She will serve there until her VISA is completed, and then be on her way to Argentina.

It was great to hear her voice, which was filled with complete and utter excitement and shock that she is headed to the field to talk to and teach random strangers! She said that although they have been practicing with volunteers, pretending to open their doors, this will all be very new, and let's face it --- scary! In those few moments, she also had just enough time to squeeze in a couple of "I love you's" and "I miss you's," and then tell us a quick story about running into the new "Buenos Aires West" mission president and his wife, earlier that afternoon at the MTC. They will be in Argentina a month or so after she is there (if all goes as planned) and are excited to see each other again.

Hermana Jensen is doing well! She is happy and upbeat and thankfully, not even a little homesick, which is great news. In a letter written last week, she explained that she is learning how to teach the lessons in Spanish, but has NO TIME to learn Spanish. Apparently, the advanced class doesn't teach Spanish, which completely makes sense; but she says that since she isn't native, like everyone else in the class, she is left with a lot of questions. While this can be trying at times, she wrote that she trusts that everything will work out and is diligently striving to have more faith to be blessed to learn quickly and be as fluent as she can, as soon as possible. She closed by saying she feels "so far away from home, but so close to the Lord." What a great quote!

Below is her new address. Write when you get a chance, she'd love it!

California Los Angeles Mission Home
Hermana Stacey Lynn Jensen
1591 East Temple Way
Los Angeles, CA 90024-5801

Thanks for reading and please continue to pray for her to receive the gift of tongues. Have a beautiful weekend!

Love,
Karen

In The Beginning

Stacey's first district meeting

Just a reminder of where she's going

Hermanas Garcia, Mayor, Jensen, and Alcantara

The classic shot in front of the sign

Getting In The MTC Groove

2nd Companion, Hermana Alcantara on P-day

They LOVE their jeans!

First Companion, Hermana Pruner

Once a Cougar, always a Cougar!

Stacey and Hermana Smith sporting their BYU gear before bed

Stacey's 2nd district, "Advanced Spanish," with a sub-teacher

3 Things She Is Never Without

May 14, 2008

Another Update- More Curves Ahead!

Hi Everybody,

We received our first e-mail from Stacey on Tuesday, which is her new P-Day because of her transfer. She sent a fun, informative e-mail and wrote about her latest curve and request from us. Here are some highlights:

Family!

Ok, so this is going to be way scrambled and there are bound to be mistakes. I have 19 minutes and I feel like I could type for 3 hours!

Today I went to travel services to make sure that they are expediting my VISA since I'm leaving in 15 days, and got some "news." I say news because to me it is both good and bad. Ready?
I'm actually going to serve a mini-mission somewhere in Utah while I wait for my VISA and stuff and fingerprinting. They think I will probably hit Argentina in the second or third week of June.
That's good because: I get a chance to teach lessons and get the hang of proselyting here where I am very familiar. I can learn things in English about teaching and doing the work.
That's bad because if I go to an English speaking mission I am concerned that I will lose my Spanish that I am working so hard to master.
I'm trying to only see the good, but it never ceases to amaze me how many curve balls I'm being thrown here.

There is no time for ANYTHING! Today was p-day, but it was packed with a temple trip, laundry, emailing, buying stuff at the bookstore and it's almost over.

I love dearelder letters - they are great! Don't feel pressured to write a ton, but moderately short letters are great. We have almost no time to read them.*** When you do send those, will you all put the date in caps at the very top - so when I get 5 at a time, I know which to read first - that would be GREAT!

My minutes are gone. I'm sending a letter in the mail, look for it-- Happy Birthday to Dad tomorrow!

I love you more than you could ever know.

If you only say one thing when you pray for me - I beg you to pray for me to receive the gift of tongues. I need it so much!

Gotta go!
Hermana Jensen!

Well, that's it for now...thanks for reading!

Karen

May 10, 2008

Mission Update! May 10, 2008

We received our first letter from Stacey today. She wrote it her first night there, on Wednesday and started out by saying:

Mom and Dad, No worries- I'm lovin' it! Which was just what we wanted to hear-- and of course very comforting.

After telling us about her companion, "Hermana Pruner" from Canada, she told us about a large devotional they had with the MTC Presidency, interviews with District Leaders, and that per alphabet she was the Senior Companion. She was called to be the "Coordinating Sister," which she said means that it is her job to make sure the four girls in her room are ok (herself included!), and report it at Branch Council. They took a tour, started unpacking, wrote home and then went to bed. Classes started the next morning at 6:55 a.m. She ended by writing, Nephi wasn't kidding about the, "I cannot write a hundredth part" thing. I feel it! But know that I love you, I'm happy and I want you to be happy.

Next Dave and I read the second letter she had enclosed and written, "open last," on and it said:

Change of Plans

After about an hour in class, my teacher took me and another Hermana downstairs to be tested. He sent her to intermediate--still 9 weeks and me to advanced. 3 weeks here then Argentina--in the field!

I'm pretty scared, excited, nervous, panicked, shocked! I'm probably going to stay this way a while. I hope my VISA gets processed and I get everything all figured out. I'll write as soon as I can!

Love,
Hermana Jensen

WHEW--Here we go! That's the news for now, I just wanted everyone to be updated! Have a wonderful night and Happy Mother's Day tomorrow...and of course take good care!

Love,
Karen

p.s. the dearelder.com letters to the MTC are only delivered Monday through Friday. I checked the site and it said they arrive in the afternoon and the missionaries get them on their way to dinner. FUN!