A 'White Wash' In Merlo!

In Castellano the word for transferred and the word for translated is the same, so I can honestly and sarcastically say that I have been TRANSLATED! I get a kick out of that every time I think about it because even though I loved spending 6 months in Haedo-- I needed a change so I truly feel like I have been translated.

So the transfer ended and on Monday morning we went to the misión offices in Ramos Mejia and awaited the inevitable. As we were shaking hands with the President and Hermna Benton before the meeting began (as we always do row by row, every missionary) my future started to reveal itself. When I shook the Presidents hand he said, “you ready for some fun stuff?” I said, “sí” and just looked at him. My heart started to beat a thousand times a minute and during the whole meeting I was racking my brain trying to figure out just what was ahead for me. Eventually the moment arrived. I was right about replacing Elders and totally wrong about where. The thing is that during the part of the meeting when the APs showed all the numbers and success and stuff it became quite clear that the zone that had the most baptisms was Merlo. I then started to covet the areas in Merlo and desire to go there.....but I thought there was no chance because President had mentioned that he just might send me to Aldo Bonzo to open it to Sisters there. Anyway, they showed us that as a misión we had 172 converts! It is a very high number (the record is 179) and I felt so happy!

They began showing all the transfers and when they passed the zone of Aldo Bonzo I began wondering what the President had meant. But then to my great surprise and joy, I was shown with Sister Carrasco replacing two Elders in the area of San Antonio de Padua in MERLO! When that happens it´s called a “white wash.” In L.A. we called it “flushing the area” but whatever you call it, you can imagine what it means-- a lot of work for those who show up not knowing the members... the buses, where the church is, where to do Internet, where to take your dirty clothes, where to buy fruit, where to photocopy your map and so on. You know nothing more than what you can learn by reading the area book and the letter the Elders leave you.

Turns out that this area has been the home of two Elders that later served as APs. The current senior AP Elder Pollock served here about a year ago, so he told us a little bit about the area and how great it is. If I am not mistaken we are the first sister missionaries EVER to serve in Merlo. It is a little bit dangerous – the President told us to be careful at night. I think I am going to start strapping my camera to my skirt with a belt and hide it under my coat instead of putting it in my bag, so that just in case I get robbed… I lose my scriptures and pamphlets and nothing more.

Before I forget… do you remember some years ago when you gave that Spanish mom with her 3 boys a ride and the baby Paco had some eye problems…? Well, the other day they popped into my mind and it dawned on me that if you still know where they live, you need to send the missionaries to contact them. It would be a great referral for them. So, would you mind looking into that? They totally need the gospel!

Is it true that they are opening a mission in China? We heard a rumor and I want confirmation. I hope it´s true… the second comino might happen soon!

Here people eat hamburgers empty… just the bun, the patty, and ketchup, but no lettuce, no cheese, no pickles, no onions, no mushrooms… just the patty and something to spread on the bread. It is very boring!

I´m a little Christmas hungry… walking around all bundled up at night and thinking that soon the day will be here....but it´s ok, when I come home and Christmas really is on its way… that will be a horse of a different color!

Mom- do you remember like a month ago I sent pictures of the baptism of Antonio and Andrea? Could you forward those pictures to Hermano Achinelli at this address: ------- He baptized them and wants pictures and I don't have time to look for them. Thanks!

Guess what… the other night this guy in the store pulled an awesome pick-up line on my companion – Hermana Di Stéfano… he said, “does it hurt” and when she said, “what” he said “being that beautiful” she had to explain it all to me afterwards, but we died laughing! The funnier part is how quick on her feet she is because she responded, “I don´t know, ask my companion!”

She and I also taught a workshop in the district meeting a week ago. We were assigned to teach ánimo – which doesn´t translate really well, but it means like energy or I don´t know… there isn´t a word. Anyways, it was fun to do, I felt like a leader for a minute finally giving one of the workshops and not just listening to it. I enjoyed it!

For the first time in my life I am so tired that I fell asleep saying my prayers before bed. The thing is that I started being more descriptive expressing my gratitude and so when you are that specific naming stuff, it takes more time and then makes it a lot more likely to fall asleep before you finish. I feel guilty… I need to find some way to give thanks, but not fall asleep while I pray. Don´t worry, I´ll come up with something!

My new address is -------- in the area of San Antonio de Padua in the zone of Merlo. It is a cool apartment and we spent a while getting all settled in and now I feel a little bit better. I hate not being unpacked, so once we got unpacked and stuff I was able to calm down a little bit.

My new companion has almost 9 months and is from Neuquén too. Just like Hermana Di Stéfano. It´s in the South part of Argentina and she is very timid and speaks softly, but I like her. I know that we are going to get along well and we are going to work super hard. I rededicated myself to be 100% obedient and work “15 minutes more” each day—President talked about that in the meeting. I woke up early Monday morning (the day of the transfer) and Tuesday morning and couldn´t go back to sleep so I took the extra 40 minutes each morning to talk with my Heavenly Father. I told Him that I know I need to be better and that my faith is weaker than I want it to be. I told Him that I want to be led to find the people He has prepared. I promised that I would work until I bleed and give until I fall. I want to finish the mission working so hard that there isn´t even time to eat at night because we are so busy confirming appointments.

When I saw my picture going to Merlo… everyone was so surprised and like gasped at the drastic change of sending sisters to Merlo. I saw my picture and thought to myself… I hope the mission never ends. I don´t want to go home… I need to do this! It was super empowering and really hit me hard.... the President received revelation and has sent us here to San Antonio de Padua....Merlo because this is where we need to be. I am ready to work and change and sacrifice and give and testify and do it until I can´t speak one more syllable. I am going to ask for miracles and be worthy and have enough faith to receive them!

FYI – I left Haedo 1 with 2 investigators-- each with baptismal dates. One is Lucia who will finally be 18 years old and will be baptized and the other is a woman who last week stopped US in the street and asked if we were going to visit her. We took her name and address and taught her, brought her to church and she is progressing great. She has to quit smoking and everything else with the Word of wisdom, but she is truly prepared and I am confident that she will make it. We were also were stopped in the street Saturday night by a man who had been taught before I was sent there. He told us that he had moved, gave us his new address and we invited him to church the next day. He showed up and Hermana Di Stéfano with her mini will begin teaching him. I am sure that he´ll be baptized too. So maybe the “explosion of baptisms” will take place after I leave, but hey… that´s ok.

Random story – Antonio and Andrea give us a ride home after FHE every Monday and Antonio always speeds up pretending he is going to run over the stray dogs in the street and Andrea always screams and panics. It makes me laugh. I remember that I was once like her and Antonio reminds me of you daddy. It is great fun!

This letter is very poorly written because I am telling everything out of order-- but when Hermana Carrasco and I finally got to our pension in Padua and walked in, it was weird because you could almost feel that Elders had been there. They were kind enough to leave us milk in the fridge and 2 rolls of T.P., along with clean dishes and some cleaning supplies. The place hasn´t been dusted or swept in quite a while, but I am quite confident that they made a sincere effort to leave it in good condition for us.

Nata and Jason – your son is so dang cute! I want to eat him. I hope you are doing very well and that you are having FHE every week.

I hope you are doing that too, Mom and Dad! I love you so much!

Gotta go, I beg you to pray for us. We don´t know where we are, who anyone is, but we know the direction of the church. Please pray for us to find people that want to listen. We need tender mercies and we need lots of them. I´m scared, but I have faith!

I love you so much and I have faith that I am where the Lord wants me to be!

Thanks for the music… thanks for everything!

Hermana Jensen!
San Antonio de Padua - MERLO!

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1 comments:
ajohns37 said...
Love you Famila Jensen. She'll do well in Merlo. It hit us that our little Hermana just probably hit her last transfer in Mercedes. Wow, what a ride, but as President Monson says, "Enjoy the journey." and we have with you! All our love, The Familia Johns.

June 10, 2009 1:26 PM