Every Good Thing
7 years ago
November 29, 2008
Jensens Don't Get Flashed--Knock On Wood!
Greetings Family and Friends!
Stacey's e-mail this past week started out by explaining that she had received an inappropriate letter from one of her investigators and that she was worried she would be transferred, hence the "not being flashed" reference in the title of this post. While it made her understandably uncomfortable she was able to quickly get past it and wrote:
Before you worry about me for even one second, stop yourself. Ím completely protected and there are several members and leaders who know all about what happened and are on call to guard me, especially in the chapel. The bishop would have spoken to him if he had shown up at church and he told us in the best English he could muster that he was ready to "drop the Amér. with love" how cute is our bishop! He is taking care of us and so are many other people. We are completely safe and I dońt even feel worried now.That is the power of the atonement, because at first even though I knew that I had done nothing wrong, I still felt upset… just because it ís so out of the norm as far as things that happen in our lives here on the mission. I called the Zone Leaders Saturday morning during companion study and told them that I still felt uncomfortable about it. Elder Vernon said , "Hermana, pray to feel peace and the Lord will help you feel better." So I prayed again, and my companion prayed for me and within an hour or two… I wasńt thinking about it, and when we got back to the pension that night I wasn't bothered by it at all anymore. The next day I got up and went to the chapel prepared to face him. Thankfully he didńt show up--but anyway… by the end of Sunday I was completely over it. It is truly amazing, time heals all wounds, but the atonement healed my wound without much time having to pass. I truly felt the love of the Lord as I was able to literally get over the trauma so quickly and refocus on the work. Now it feels like it happened years ago and it doesńt hurt me.
Here is a little more of her letter:
Daddy, I heard about the BYU game through the grapevine of the Elders. But they didńt seem to know we were ever tied. It made me sad, to be sure, but you had prepared me, so it didńt last long. Who is our Vice President? Nobody here seems to know.
Mommy – about the story you sent me about the tired elder on the plane… I feel just about that exhausted already and Íve got a year to go! My feet are the worst… and the heat is just insane. We love the neck cooler bandanas, except for the fact that after 4 or 5 short days of using them they are pretty dirty and smelly!
So yeah, remember the baptismal goal of 5? Looks like wére going to get 3. (Hayde and Florencia and Gerardo will all be baptized on the 6th of December!) What happened with Pablo? Well he FINALLY recognized that he needs to get baptized, but ready for this… he is leaving for Uruguay on Saturday and cańt get baptized on the Friday before he goes because he smokes 2 cigarettes a day. TWO! We are teaching people who smoke 30-40 and he only smokes 2 and yet that is now what is keeping him from baptism. There is a rule in the mission that you have to be 2 weeks sober of any Word of Wisdom problem before getting baptized. So yeah, héll be long gone before he is able to quit--and unfortunately he doesńt have much faith to believe that he can quit. Ím so tired of the doctors in this country telling people that 4-5 cigarettes a day is actually good for you. As if! You have no idea how often people try to tell us that. So yeah… wéll be having 3 baptisms… which is still one better than the goal of 2 that the zone leaders gave us, but I sure wanted 5.
Ím pretty sure that Ím not going to be too homesick over the holidays because my mind cannot believe that it could possibly be Christmas if it is this hot. So yeah, Thanksgiving and Christmas will come and go before my mind gets convinced that all of that is actually happening. The Elders said that it really is just like that… you dońt even realize Christmas is passing you by. Happy Thanksgiving on Thursday… eat lots of apple pie and think of me (because I have recently come to love apple pie).
Mommy, guess what I like to do with all the smokers. I do muscle testing with them! Empty fist first, then with a cigarette in the other hand and then the clincher is when I take the cigarette away and replace it with a BOM and do it again and they are as strong as they were the first time. Unfortunately not a single one of them has given me the reaction Íd like. Not a single one said… "whoa, yoúre right, Ím never smoking again… and yeah, Ím going to read this book!" But I keep doing it because maybe it'll sink in to one of them.
I sent off a Christmas package and was a little sad not to receive the word that you received it… it should have gotten there, or be arriving ASAP. I sent 2 CDs and 1 DVD of digital pictures (I just ruined the surprise… which I didńt want to do, but I need to know if you got them because then I cań erase my memory cards.) But if you did get all 3 (meaning that no one tampered with the package I sent home) then tell me so I can erase the memory cards and start all over again!
We went to the temple today and loved it. I have been in Argentina for 4 months now and my Castellano is pretty good, but I still do't understand a lot of what is said to me. Íd say I get about 80-85%. I almost always get the message, but the details sail right over my head and then when they follow-up question me about the details it is pretty awkward. I really hope that I overcome this during the coming year. My comp and I are getting along great and working hard.
Daddy, I am so glad you had a blast reffing the BYU vs. U Alumni game. How cool that you got to see Lavell! I love you tons and really enjoyed your letter.
Mommy, please dońt worry about me. I promise that I am in good hands and that my leaders will not hesitate to flash me at the drop of a hat if I am ever remotely near danger.
NataJasa – take good care of each other and know that while you are cold… I am sweating my brains out!
I love you all so much and want you to know that I can testify that nothing can stop this work… not love letters from investigators, not the insane heat, nothing. We are here to win. 3 baptisms or 5. I am fighting with all I have each and every day and getting better each day.
I love you so!
Wubba,
Hermana Jensen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1 COMMENTS:
ajohns37 said...
Stacey has such strength and a cute sense of humor. The challenges missionaries go through on their missions will help them throughout their life. Thanks for such an amazing daughter and a fun blog spot. All our love, The Johns family
DECEMBER 1, 2008 8:27 AM
Stacey's e-mail this past week started out by explaining that she had received an inappropriate letter from one of her investigators and that she was worried she would be transferred, hence the "not being flashed" reference in the title of this post. While it made her understandably uncomfortable she was able to quickly get past it and wrote:
Before you worry about me for even one second, stop yourself. Ím completely protected and there are several members and leaders who know all about what happened and are on call to guard me, especially in the chapel. The bishop would have spoken to him if he had shown up at church and he told us in the best English he could muster that he was ready to "drop the Amér. with love" how cute is our bishop! He is taking care of us and so are many other people. We are completely safe and I dońt even feel worried now.That is the power of the atonement, because at first even though I knew that I had done nothing wrong, I still felt upset… just because it ís so out of the norm as far as things that happen in our lives here on the mission. I called the Zone Leaders Saturday morning during companion study and told them that I still felt uncomfortable about it. Elder Vernon said , "Hermana, pray to feel peace and the Lord will help you feel better." So I prayed again, and my companion prayed for me and within an hour or two… I wasńt thinking about it, and when we got back to the pension that night I wasn't bothered by it at all anymore. The next day I got up and went to the chapel prepared to face him. Thankfully he didńt show up--but anyway… by the end of Sunday I was completely over it. It is truly amazing, time heals all wounds, but the atonement healed my wound without much time having to pass. I truly felt the love of the Lord as I was able to literally get over the trauma so quickly and refocus on the work. Now it feels like it happened years ago and it doesńt hurt me.
Here is a little more of her letter:
Daddy, I heard about the BYU game through the grapevine of the Elders. But they didńt seem to know we were ever tied. It made me sad, to be sure, but you had prepared me, so it didńt last long. Who is our Vice President? Nobody here seems to know.
Mommy – about the story you sent me about the tired elder on the plane… I feel just about that exhausted already and Íve got a year to go! My feet are the worst… and the heat is just insane. We love the neck cooler bandanas, except for the fact that after 4 or 5 short days of using them they are pretty dirty and smelly!
So yeah, remember the baptismal goal of 5? Looks like wére going to get 3. (Hayde and Florencia and Gerardo will all be baptized on the 6th of December!) What happened with Pablo? Well he FINALLY recognized that he needs to get baptized, but ready for this… he is leaving for Uruguay on Saturday and cańt get baptized on the Friday before he goes because he smokes 2 cigarettes a day. TWO! We are teaching people who smoke 30-40 and he only smokes 2 and yet that is now what is keeping him from baptism. There is a rule in the mission that you have to be 2 weeks sober of any Word of Wisdom problem before getting baptized. So yeah, héll be long gone before he is able to quit--and unfortunately he doesńt have much faith to believe that he can quit. Ím so tired of the doctors in this country telling people that 4-5 cigarettes a day is actually good for you. As if! You have no idea how often people try to tell us that. So yeah… wéll be having 3 baptisms… which is still one better than the goal of 2 that the zone leaders gave us, but I sure wanted 5.
Ím pretty sure that Ím not going to be too homesick over the holidays because my mind cannot believe that it could possibly be Christmas if it is this hot. So yeah, Thanksgiving and Christmas will come and go before my mind gets convinced that all of that is actually happening. The Elders said that it really is just like that… you dońt even realize Christmas is passing you by. Happy Thanksgiving on Thursday… eat lots of apple pie and think of me (because I have recently come to love apple pie).
Mommy, guess what I like to do with all the smokers. I do muscle testing with them! Empty fist first, then with a cigarette in the other hand and then the clincher is when I take the cigarette away and replace it with a BOM and do it again and they are as strong as they were the first time. Unfortunately not a single one of them has given me the reaction Íd like. Not a single one said… "whoa, yoúre right, Ím never smoking again… and yeah, Ím going to read this book!" But I keep doing it because maybe it'll sink in to one of them.
I sent off a Christmas package and was a little sad not to receive the word that you received it… it should have gotten there, or be arriving ASAP. I sent 2 CDs and 1 DVD of digital pictures (I just ruined the surprise… which I didńt want to do, but I need to know if you got them because then I cań erase my memory cards.) But if you did get all 3 (meaning that no one tampered with the package I sent home) then tell me so I can erase the memory cards and start all over again!
We went to the temple today and loved it. I have been in Argentina for 4 months now and my Castellano is pretty good, but I still do't understand a lot of what is said to me. Íd say I get about 80-85%. I almost always get the message, but the details sail right over my head and then when they follow-up question me about the details it is pretty awkward. I really hope that I overcome this during the coming year. My comp and I are getting along great and working hard.
Daddy, I am so glad you had a blast reffing the BYU vs. U Alumni game. How cool that you got to see Lavell! I love you tons and really enjoyed your letter.
Mommy, please dońt worry about me. I promise that I am in good hands and that my leaders will not hesitate to flash me at the drop of a hat if I am ever remotely near danger.
NataJasa – take good care of each other and know that while you are cold… I am sweating my brains out!
I love you all so much and want you to know that I can testify that nothing can stop this work… not love letters from investigators, not the insane heat, nothing. We are here to win. 3 baptisms or 5. I am fighting with all I have each and every day and getting better each day.
I love you so!
Wubba,
Hermana Jensen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1 COMMENTS:
ajohns37 said...
Stacey has such strength and a cute sense of humor. The challenges missionaries go through on their missions will help them throughout their life. Thanks for such an amazing daughter and a fun blog spot. All our love, The Johns family
DECEMBER 1, 2008 8:27 AM
November 18, 2008
Livin' The Dream!
The Mission Scarf Award for"Best Companionship Overall"
(The elders receive ties!)
I got the envelope package! I´m lovin´ everything you sent. I even liked the candy. Thanks for the CTR rings… I´m going to think about who would really want one and give them to them. The pens are sweet and I slept great last night taking the meds you sent. And today my comp and I are sporting our super cool bandana coolers! You made the right choice with white and I even think they look kind of cool with my shirts. It isn´t super hot yet today, but I´m sure that once we get out in the sun we´ll notice just how awesome they are… but I already know! It dawned on me that you two should use them next summer when you are working out in the yard! I don´t know why I didn´t think of this before… or why I haven´t seen a single elder using one, but I´m quite sure that I will soon become well-known for being able to stay cool in the sweltering heat… All thanks to my AMAZING family! Thanks for always being so supportive and complying with my every little request. The photos made me super happy… my favorite was obviously the picture of little Davy in his Boca jersey! He´s so cute I could just eat him!
Ready for a funny story about this week… get this… a member (that is not considered a recent convert meaning that the member that did this has AT LEAST one year in the church) said the closing prayer in sacrament meeting and like half way in the middle of the prayer out of nowhere she started repeating the ”our Father” catholic prayer! I opened my eyes and looked up at the bishopric and the first counselor grimaced and put his hand to his forehead in obvious agony. Then I looked over at my comp. who opened her eyes and we mouthed “what the heck” to each other. No one else seemed too taken aback, but we were pretty blown away and sad because we had 6 investigators in the meeting listening to this “example” of a prayer. Um… funny in retrospect, but now we get to explain to everybody that that is not how we pray.
The other exciting thing about this week is that I called Hermana Benton to ask her to change the mission rule to allow the sister missionaries to proselyte in the little flesh colored shoe socks instead of knee his or nylons. She said yes! So we went out and the 4th store had them! They´re called ‘plantillas’ and they go for about 8 pesos each, but I gladly bought 9 pairs and feel so free and happy walking around with my legs all free. You´d be surprised how uncomfortable it is to have to walk around with your calves all held tight with nylons in the heat and all. Needless to say, this week was much more pleasant! Go Hermana Benton!
Recently in companion study my comp pointed out that Abinadi was a stellar missionary and the only convert he had – had to run away. Abinadi never knew about Alma and all the good that was done as a result. He may have felt frustrated thinking nobody was listening to him… but somebody was… and that somebody did some pretty amazing things afterwards. For this reason we must not let ourselves get discouraged when it seems like we are talking to ourselves, because maybe someone is going to run away and ponder what we said and have a mighty change of heart. That´s my little analogy for the week.
My nails are finally growing and growing strong. I even stopped and pampered myself for enough time to French manicure them! They are gorgeous and it is amazing Mom how having pretty nails can help me get through a rough day. It´s funny, really.
On my 6 month birthday I was humbled because I made some pathetic Castellano mistakes.
Fact about the mission… the weeks pass like days and the days pass like weeks. It´s incredible it seems like we show up for church and have to wait for our investigators and all the drama of Sundays… every day, and yet at the same time the days drag by, hour after hour like you've been walking for months. It is true… the weeks pass like days and the days pass like weeks.
Gera didn´t show up to church on Sunday and gave us quite a scare… he was a little sick, but luckily all is well and he continues to progress and keep commitments and we had a cool FHE with the ward mission leader last night and watched the Restoration DVD. So he´s still good… we changed his date to the 6th of December so that we could baptize him, and Hayde and Florencia all at once. He´s still doing great.
Hayde and Florencia came to church for the second week in a row (for Hayde the Mom) and the third time in a row for Florencia (the 12 year old that we went and picked up in a remise 3 weeks ago). We are so blessed to have them because they accept every single commitment with a smile and really are going to stay active. Hayde loves homemaking and is even trying to quit her Sunday job altogether so that she can really always keep the Sabbath day holy! The weird thing about that is that even if people have to work, we just try and get them to be able to show up to Church in the morning and then go to work… we also try to get them to quit that job altogether but what I´m trying to communicate is that it´s like we make exceptions for them if they have to work, but can still make it to church it´s ok. It shouldn´t be that way (except in the obvious exceptions) but that´s something that is truly complicated by the circumstances of the country. For example… if the colectivo drivers didn´t work on Sundays… half the members would have to walk REALLY long distances to get to church. So yeah, the colectivo drivers have to work, doctors have to work… and the list goes on.
We had Pablo and Fernando (the 2 really awesome investigators that do not have baptismal dates) over for an FHE in the house of the mission leader and we watched the Restoration DVD and then had a long discussion about baptism and why they should both accept the date of the 6th of December. WHAT ARE THE ODDS that Pablo would choose this moment to tell us that he´s probably going to be leaving town in 8 days on business for, oh, you know, like 2 MONTHS! First Fernando with his random “I´m leaving today for Misiones and I don´t know if I´m coming back” and now Pablo with his “I´m really interested in this church and I´ll keep investigating when I get back…” NOOOOOO! I couldn´t believe my ears and confess that I let one, just one, tear fall as the reality of his sentence sunk in. We were about to lose an investigator, and not just an investigator… a progressing investigator, who should have a baptismal date, who only lacks one Sunday assistance and a few commandments (law of chastity, tithing, and fasting) … that is the only thing that is standing between him and being able to get baptized… according to the baptismal interview and all. And of course he needs a little more conviction in Joseph Smith, but that was why we got together to watch the movie, so that he could have his “aha” moment and realize that Joseph Smith really was a prophet and that he received the priesthood… I was pretty bold and committed him to pray and ask God if he should stay and get baptized on the 6th anyways. We followed up the next day and he said that when he prayed he felt like there´s still so much to learn and that he doesn´t need to rush into anything. And yeah, how can you blame him for saying that? We´re talking about him making a sacred covenant with God and no he shouldn´t do it blindly, but at the same time, what he wants is perfect knowledge not faith. The purpose of this life is to walk by FAITH. Anyways… we are going to have another lesson with him tomorrow and he´ll know for sure if he´s leaving on business or not… I´m trying to prepare myself for another heart break and yet keep the faith that he could realize that he needs to stay and get baptized… because it is obviously the Lord´s will that Pablo get baptized… but when?
And with Fernando… we gave him the exact same challenge to pray and ask if he should get baptized on the 6th. We followed up and he is STRUGGLING… it´s like he´s wallowing in anguish truly searching to find out if this is true, but he just doesn´t see it yet. We testified, I shared personal experiences, scriptures came to my mind through the power of the Holy Ghost and I shared them with him, we promised him that, like Joseph, he could receive an answer and we left him with the assignment to read Enos and pray again. It tears at my heart to see these two men who are SO CLOSE and yet so far and know that I truly bear the responsibility for helping them qualify for salvation. I know they are sincere and Fernando is almost suffering in confusion and yet, they have to get their own confirmation.
I´m prepping myself for the pre-Christmas transfer, I can´t deny that it´s going to be a bit rough, but who knows… maybe it´ll be my best Christmas ever… maybe we´ll find a family where the parents are actually married and they have 8 kids ages 8 to 17 that all want to get baptized and sealed in a year. You never know. :)
FYI next week is temple p-day which is AWESOME.
Ready for a funny story about this week… get this… a member (that is not considered a recent convert meaning that the member that did this has AT LEAST one year in the church) said the closing prayer in sacrament meeting and like half way in the middle of the prayer out of nowhere she started repeating the ”our Father” catholic prayer! I opened my eyes and looked up at the bishopric and the first counselor grimaced and put his hand to his forehead in obvious agony. Then I looked over at my comp. who opened her eyes and we mouthed “what the heck” to each other. No one else seemed too taken aback, but we were pretty blown away and sad because we had 6 investigators in the meeting listening to this “example” of a prayer. Um… funny in retrospect, but now we get to explain to everybody that that is not how we pray.
The other exciting thing about this week is that I called Hermana Benton to ask her to change the mission rule to allow the sister missionaries to proselyte in the little flesh colored shoe socks instead of knee his or nylons. She said yes! So we went out and the 4th store had them! They´re called ‘plantillas’ and they go for about 8 pesos each, but I gladly bought 9 pairs and feel so free and happy walking around with my legs all free. You´d be surprised how uncomfortable it is to have to walk around with your calves all held tight with nylons in the heat and all. Needless to say, this week was much more pleasant! Go Hermana Benton!
Recently in companion study my comp pointed out that Abinadi was a stellar missionary and the only convert he had – had to run away. Abinadi never knew about Alma and all the good that was done as a result. He may have felt frustrated thinking nobody was listening to him… but somebody was… and that somebody did some pretty amazing things afterwards. For this reason we must not let ourselves get discouraged when it seems like we are talking to ourselves, because maybe someone is going to run away and ponder what we said and have a mighty change of heart. That´s my little analogy for the week.
My nails are finally growing and growing strong. I even stopped and pampered myself for enough time to French manicure them! They are gorgeous and it is amazing Mom how having pretty nails can help me get through a rough day. It´s funny, really.
On my 6 month birthday I was humbled because I made some pathetic Castellano mistakes.
Fact about the mission… the weeks pass like days and the days pass like weeks. It´s incredible it seems like we show up for church and have to wait for our investigators and all the drama of Sundays… every day, and yet at the same time the days drag by, hour after hour like you've been walking for months. It is true… the weeks pass like days and the days pass like weeks.
Gera didn´t show up to church on Sunday and gave us quite a scare… he was a little sick, but luckily all is well and he continues to progress and keep commitments and we had a cool FHE with the ward mission leader last night and watched the Restoration DVD. So he´s still good… we changed his date to the 6th of December so that we could baptize him, and Hayde and Florencia all at once. He´s still doing great.
Hayde and Florencia came to church for the second week in a row (for Hayde the Mom) and the third time in a row for Florencia (the 12 year old that we went and picked up in a remise 3 weeks ago). We are so blessed to have them because they accept every single commitment with a smile and really are going to stay active. Hayde loves homemaking and is even trying to quit her Sunday job altogether so that she can really always keep the Sabbath day holy! The weird thing about that is that even if people have to work, we just try and get them to be able to show up to Church in the morning and then go to work… we also try to get them to quit that job altogether but what I´m trying to communicate is that it´s like we make exceptions for them if they have to work, but can still make it to church it´s ok. It shouldn´t be that way (except in the obvious exceptions) but that´s something that is truly complicated by the circumstances of the country. For example… if the colectivo drivers didn´t work on Sundays… half the members would have to walk REALLY long distances to get to church. So yeah, the colectivo drivers have to work, doctors have to work… and the list goes on.
We had Pablo and Fernando (the 2 really awesome investigators that do not have baptismal dates) over for an FHE in the house of the mission leader and we watched the Restoration DVD and then had a long discussion about baptism and why they should both accept the date of the 6th of December. WHAT ARE THE ODDS that Pablo would choose this moment to tell us that he´s probably going to be leaving town in 8 days on business for, oh, you know, like 2 MONTHS! First Fernando with his random “I´m leaving today for Misiones and I don´t know if I´m coming back” and now Pablo with his “I´m really interested in this church and I´ll keep investigating when I get back…” NOOOOOO! I couldn´t believe my ears and confess that I let one, just one, tear fall as the reality of his sentence sunk in. We were about to lose an investigator, and not just an investigator… a progressing investigator, who should have a baptismal date, who only lacks one Sunday assistance and a few commandments (law of chastity, tithing, and fasting) … that is the only thing that is standing between him and being able to get baptized… according to the baptismal interview and all. And of course he needs a little more conviction in Joseph Smith, but that was why we got together to watch the movie, so that he could have his “aha” moment and realize that Joseph Smith really was a prophet and that he received the priesthood… I was pretty bold and committed him to pray and ask God if he should stay and get baptized on the 6th anyways. We followed up the next day and he said that when he prayed he felt like there´s still so much to learn and that he doesn´t need to rush into anything. And yeah, how can you blame him for saying that? We´re talking about him making a sacred covenant with God and no he shouldn´t do it blindly, but at the same time, what he wants is perfect knowledge not faith. The purpose of this life is to walk by FAITH. Anyways… we are going to have another lesson with him tomorrow and he´ll know for sure if he´s leaving on business or not… I´m trying to prepare myself for another heart break and yet keep the faith that he could realize that he needs to stay and get baptized… because it is obviously the Lord´s will that Pablo get baptized… but when?
And with Fernando… we gave him the exact same challenge to pray and ask if he should get baptized on the 6th. We followed up and he is STRUGGLING… it´s like he´s wallowing in anguish truly searching to find out if this is true, but he just doesn´t see it yet. We testified, I shared personal experiences, scriptures came to my mind through the power of the Holy Ghost and I shared them with him, we promised him that, like Joseph, he could receive an answer and we left him with the assignment to read Enos and pray again. It tears at my heart to see these two men who are SO CLOSE and yet so far and know that I truly bear the responsibility for helping them qualify for salvation. I know they are sincere and Fernando is almost suffering in confusion and yet, they have to get their own confirmation.
I´m prepping myself for the pre-Christmas transfer, I can´t deny that it´s going to be a bit rough, but who knows… maybe it´ll be my best Christmas ever… maybe we´ll find a family where the parents are actually married and they have 8 kids ages 8 to 17 that all want to get baptized and sealed in a year. You never know. :)
FYI next week is temple p-day which is AWESOME.
Thanks so much for your love, prayers, packages, support, ideas, updates, and testimonies. I am so grateful that I have the assurance that my family back home is strong in the gospel.
All my love, forever and always,
Hermana Jensen
October 30, 2008
WAHOO!!
IT CAME!!!
And it was the best package a sister missionary could possibly receive in the whole World! I lined everything up and took pictures just like Christmas… because it is Christmas! I was so happy and relieved to see that you made away like a bandit with lots of the shirts. Way to go! I love them so. Please pass along my gratitude to all who took part in my perfect package!
When the hour changed it was Sunday, so we had to leave the pension at 8:30 to walk to church. But we survived and I've got about as much energy as can be expected for working the way we do in the climate we endure!
Carrying two pairs of shoes would solve the rain problem… but that's asking to be robbed. Plus we aren´t allowed to walk around with back packs… again… because we´d get robbed. A few years ago an Elder here was killed because as he was getting on a train someone grabbed his backpack. As he was trying to take it off to hand it over he couldn´t do it-- or took too long doing it and the guy freaked out and shot him. So we don´t use backpacks now.
Halloween… we´ll see how they celebrate it here. I think there is a ward dance that night. Everyone asks us about this holiday. They are very curious and rarely satisfied with our answers of why we do it and if we are really worshipping Satan and the like. We explain that it´s a holiday centered on cool costumes and candy. The concept of trick or treating is literally beyond their comprehension-- that you go begging for candy from your neighbors-- and it obviously shocked them when I told them I did it as a sophomore and junior in college… hehe
Daddy- your letter was so long… I was super impressed! Thank heavens BYU won again, but I guess that loss to TCU killed the hope of a BCS bowl, right ? Bummer. I laughed out loud when you said you and mommy were going to dress up for Halloween! Good one. I miss you. I´m glad you remember playing in the snow with me! I love you tons.
NataJasa – I got all of your letters from dearelder! Thank heavens… I was afraid you had forgotten about me… psyche! I loved what you sent me and think about your family all the time… in a good non-trunky way of course!
Interesting facts about ARGENTINA:
There are vans with giant speakers on top of them that drive around town playing commercials… it´s like a way of advertising on the radio but different. It´s really distracting when you´re teaching someone on the street, but it´s just a bonus!
The transfer ends on the 10th of November and I´m pretty sure I¨m leaving Castelar. Which is what I want. I'm ready for a change of scenery, members, investigators, less actives and streets! I will have been here for 4 months and yeah, I'm ready for something new. I can´t decide if I want to go to "campo" yet or not. I´m bound to be sent to the outskirts sooner or later, but when?
This past week my companion and I received the award "capos de oeste" which means like "awesome of the West" it doesn´t translate, but it means that for week 4 in the transfer we had the best numbers for the 5 key indicators of all the companionships in the zone of Castelar… which is like 10 or 12. Not bad! We won a certificate and alfajores! Yet again, you may rest assured that we are working hard!
On Sunday Raul received the Aaronic Priesthood and we were invited to witness the ordinance. It was cool and I cried a little, but I was already a bit emotional because not 5 minutes before Fernando came up to me to say goodbye and he informed us that that afternoon he was leaving for Misiones which is a whole other province of Buenos Aires! He doesn´t know when he´s coming back. We told him to keep reading his BOM and this morning he called us to ask if anyone in the ward needs free baby clothes and so we´re still in contact with him and we´re going to make sure he knows where the chapel is there and send the missionaries for him, but I´m sad because obviously I wanted to be a part of the whole story and see him get baptized! Maybe he´ll come back this week and surprise us and ask to be baptized on the 8th before I leave the area… you never know. That is one thing I am sure of… you never know anything in the mission.
Yesterday after District Meeting "the tapa lady" came and we were all able to place our orders to buy those cool leather scripture cases with pictures of Christ and temples and stuff burned into them! It was so hard to pick which pictures I wanted… It took 45 minutes for me to decide! Anyway… if you guys want I could order you some the next time she comes… which is every few months. I could buy everyone little cases for their mini hymn books… it´s a thought. If you really don´t want one or wouldn´t use it, then tell me and I won´t do it, but if you want something tell me and I can get them. It takes months to get them, but mine are ordered and so in a few months I´ll be able to take pictures and send them home to show you!
Sorry if this email was empty of the good stuff. I tried to touch all the bases. The most important thing is that you know that the package arrived and it was more than I could have ever hoped for in a million years! I was sad that it cost so much to send it, but that sure showed me how loved I am! Thanks for being willing to pay extra to make sure that I would actually get it! I love you so much and pray for you all daily… and for Sunwood, and of course for Davy!
ETTE (Endure To The End) and I can´t wait to be with you all again! But for now, there is work to be done, and I´m ready to get my hands dirty in the vineyard of the Lord!
WUBBA!
Hermana Jensen!
And it was the best package a sister missionary could possibly receive in the whole World! I lined everything up and took pictures just like Christmas… because it is Christmas! I was so happy and relieved to see that you made away like a bandit with lots of the shirts. Way to go! I love them so. Please pass along my gratitude to all who took part in my perfect package!
When the hour changed it was Sunday, so we had to leave the pension at 8:30 to walk to church. But we survived and I've got about as much energy as can be expected for working the way we do in the climate we endure!
Carrying two pairs of shoes would solve the rain problem… but that's asking to be robbed. Plus we aren´t allowed to walk around with back packs… again… because we´d get robbed. A few years ago an Elder here was killed because as he was getting on a train someone grabbed his backpack. As he was trying to take it off to hand it over he couldn´t do it-- or took too long doing it and the guy freaked out and shot him. So we don´t use backpacks now.
Halloween… we´ll see how they celebrate it here. I think there is a ward dance that night. Everyone asks us about this holiday. They are very curious and rarely satisfied with our answers of why we do it and if we are really worshipping Satan and the like. We explain that it´s a holiday centered on cool costumes and candy. The concept of trick or treating is literally beyond their comprehension-- that you go begging for candy from your neighbors-- and it obviously shocked them when I told them I did it as a sophomore and junior in college… hehe
Daddy- your letter was so long… I was super impressed! Thank heavens BYU won again, but I guess that loss to TCU killed the hope of a BCS bowl, right ? Bummer. I laughed out loud when you said you and mommy were going to dress up for Halloween! Good one. I miss you. I´m glad you remember playing in the snow with me! I love you tons.
NataJasa – I got all of your letters from dearelder! Thank heavens… I was afraid you had forgotten about me… psyche! I loved what you sent me and think about your family all the time… in a good non-trunky way of course!
Interesting facts about ARGENTINA:
There are vans with giant speakers on top of them that drive around town playing commercials… it´s like a way of advertising on the radio but different. It´s really distracting when you´re teaching someone on the street, but it´s just a bonus!
The transfer ends on the 10th of November and I´m pretty sure I¨m leaving Castelar. Which is what I want. I'm ready for a change of scenery, members, investigators, less actives and streets! I will have been here for 4 months and yeah, I'm ready for something new. I can´t decide if I want to go to "campo" yet or not. I´m bound to be sent to the outskirts sooner or later, but when?
This past week my companion and I received the award "capos de oeste" which means like "awesome of the West" it doesn´t translate, but it means that for week 4 in the transfer we had the best numbers for the 5 key indicators of all the companionships in the zone of Castelar… which is like 10 or 12. Not bad! We won a certificate and alfajores! Yet again, you may rest assured that we are working hard!
On Sunday Raul received the Aaronic Priesthood and we were invited to witness the ordinance. It was cool and I cried a little, but I was already a bit emotional because not 5 minutes before Fernando came up to me to say goodbye and he informed us that that afternoon he was leaving for Misiones which is a whole other province of Buenos Aires! He doesn´t know when he´s coming back. We told him to keep reading his BOM and this morning he called us to ask if anyone in the ward needs free baby clothes and so we´re still in contact with him and we´re going to make sure he knows where the chapel is there and send the missionaries for him, but I´m sad because obviously I wanted to be a part of the whole story and see him get baptized! Maybe he´ll come back this week and surprise us and ask to be baptized on the 8th before I leave the area… you never know. That is one thing I am sure of… you never know anything in the mission.
Yesterday after District Meeting "the tapa lady" came and we were all able to place our orders to buy those cool leather scripture cases with pictures of Christ and temples and stuff burned into them! It was so hard to pick which pictures I wanted… It took 45 minutes for me to decide! Anyway… if you guys want I could order you some the next time she comes… which is every few months. I could buy everyone little cases for their mini hymn books… it´s a thought. If you really don´t want one or wouldn´t use it, then tell me and I won´t do it, but if you want something tell me and I can get them. It takes months to get them, but mine are ordered and so in a few months I´ll be able to take pictures and send them home to show you!
Sorry if this email was empty of the good stuff. I tried to touch all the bases. The most important thing is that you know that the package arrived and it was more than I could have ever hoped for in a million years! I was sad that it cost so much to send it, but that sure showed me how loved I am! Thanks for being willing to pay extra to make sure that I would actually get it! I love you so much and pray for you all daily… and for Sunwood, and of course for Davy!
ETTE (Endure To The End) and I can´t wait to be with you all again! But for now, there is work to be done, and I´m ready to get my hands dirty in the vineyard of the Lord!
WUBBA!
Hermana Jensen!
October 24, 2008
Here We Go Again!
October 21, 2008
Here we go again!
I sent this in two parts because there is a big storm going on here and I was afraid the power was going to go out on us.
About the package… I bet it is waiting for me in the office, really. We get mail tomorrow instead of yesterday because tomorrow is Zone Conference. I'll let you know ASAP when I get it, but please put your worries to rest, I'm sure it is here! I can hardly wait, and how did you know I wanted another skirt? I didńt dare ask for one, because I didńt want to stress you out, but Ím super excited to have another one!
GET THIS: If you haveńt already received a letter from Argentina (that isn't from me)… get excited! Raul Antonio Cappanna, the most wonderful little grandpa in the world has sent you two a letter thanking you and congratulating you for raising such a daughter (that sounds REALLY proud, but he showed it to me before he sent it off and that is what it says) It made me cry… Íll let you find out why, but I urge you to take good care of it for me until I get home because I can surely promise you that it will be the most cherished keepsake of my entire mission. Official soccer jerseys, Argentine money, and mate mugs-- will all take a back seat to the precious words of my dear, dear, Raul!
Typing errors: yes, the explanation is this… I learned my lesson that week I lost my entire letter. Now I write my letters in Microsoft Word and then paste them into the browser right before I send them off, this means that Microsoft Word thinks Ím spelling EVERYTHING wrong because it wants it to be in Castellano. Some words that are similar will go through an automatic correction process and be changed to what it wants it to be. Usually I go back and catch them, but some slip through and that is why every time I typed the word "would" it changed it to say "world" instead. Such is the life.
The bonfire…well, it didńt go up in flames like I planned because all the plants were too green and it was just too humid. We left piles and piles of cut plants to dry over the week and come back and burn, but today we had a downpour, which complicates our solution somewhat. Now we have to wait for them to dry again. But, the neighbors had already dumped more garbage in front of poor Mariós house the VERY NEXT DAY. Did I mention that was one of the reasons we went to cut down the plants – to get rid of the garbage for him? Anyway, I went right over to a group of 7 men and asked them who had done it. They all denied it and I told them that if they see anyone doing it to kindly tell them to stop it. I talked to some members and they told me that even if I called the police, nothing would really be done. UGH! I thought we would be able to burn everything, but I learned that Ím not in the United States, "Toto, I dońt think wére in Kansas anymore!"
Nope, I haveńt gotten a mailed letter in at least a month or so. I haveńt received those that you said you sent me and Hermana Torres and Sister Benton, but Ïm sure theýre on their way!
Maurie! YEA!! I am so glad to hear that she is going on a mission. Yoúve got to tell me where shés going the instant the news hits facebook! Thanks for chatting with her, I hope to hear from her soon!
Want to experience confusion? Well, I suggest you open up the Spanish to English dictionary I left home and look up the Spanish verbs "esperar" and "picar" you will be pleasantly surprised to learn that not only do these verbs have more than one or two meanings (for they have dozens) but also that the meanings are often so different that it is crazy! Imagine trying to infer from context clues what someone is trying to convey when they say "me pica." Welcome to my world!
Heré is a challenge I/we face. It can just up and start raining and I mean RAINING, and for these times it would be great to have my awesome boots, but if it is not raining, the boots are like a sauna and it is about all one can take to not let the heat and discomfort make you want to scream on the street. It is just awful to walk around in the heat and have your feet be sweating like mad, plus, no one wants to increase the chances of getting atheletés foot! Any ideas? The reasonable answer would be, check the weather and find out if you are going to need the boots that day… but guess what… that is not an option. We walk out the door at 10:30 in the morning and come back at 9:00 pm and the weather that can take place during the day is as big of a mystery as the location of the 3 Nephites! So yeah, just another bonus of the mission!
Mom, do you want a little assignment? First of all, Ím curious to know the name of the mission of my home… meaning the missionaries that are serving there… is it the Salt Lake South Mission or what? Also, how many missionaries are there in our home ward or stake. Can you give me the scoop on that?
Another assignment… I am curious to know if there is a map of the states on the church website that shows where all the temples in the U.S. are. People ask me a lot, and Ïd like to be able to tell them. Also – what are all the Utah temples… sometimes I just cańt remember them all, but I think therés like 14.
Daddy: randomly I remembered a time this morning when we were staying at the Olson’s and one Sunday morning before church, you joined me outside where I was playing in the snow and you and I built a snowman together. I remember being so shocked that you were doing it without wearing gloves! That is one of my happy memories of my daddy and me!
There are lots of trees here that are really cool and what I love is that you can look around and see a forest of 20 different kinds of trees all right next to each other. Like a pine tree next to a palm tree! Yoúd love it!
Nata/Jasa, about the daylight savings time… luckily it was just an hour that we lost and not 2 like you mentioned was possible, but let me tell you it was still tough to lose an hour! And it was Motheŕs Day here, so we were tired, and it is amazing that even though the day held no significance for us personally… when you hear the word "madre" a hundred times in a day… it can just about make you completely homesick, but we survived! I love you so much and think about little Davy tons!
Raul is so awesome! In his interview to get the Priesthood, he asked the Bishop if he (Raul) could show up early and stand at the door and welcome the members as they enter the chapel… He wants to be the ward greeter and he doesńt even know that that job exists! Needless to say, that next Sunday when my companion and I entered the chapel, Raul was waiting at the door to greet us and shake our hands. He is so cool! He also just about cried when he told us that he wanted us to be the first to know that next week he will be receiving the Priesthood… he is so sweet, and he served us mandarin jello the other day – which made me remember Daddy!
MOMMY: one more little homework… sorry… but I need to you research or ask around to learn about these coolers that are long and thin and made of fabric and they have some kind of squishy jell inside it and you get it wet and put it on your neck when you go hiking and it stays cool and wet and helps you not get heat exhaustion. I think we are going to need them this summer. It is already getting pretty intense and they would really help us be more comfortable. Thanks for your help with this!
Fernando will not be getting baptized this coming Saturday, though that was the plan. He still needs all of lesson 4 which you can refer to and you will learn that this is often where the REAL problems come in… wéve been struggling with him with the first 3 lessons that are easier--but I still really hope that he will be baptized before the end of the transfer so that we can reach our baptismal goal of 2 converts! Even though Raul counts for like 79 in my book! But anyway, Fernando's doubts and questions are too much for two gringas that dońt have that deep of a vocabulary. Wére trying to work a lot with the members to help us out in this regard. I hope to report next week that he has accepted to be baptized the 8th of November. Wéll see.
Mommy and Daddy, I love hearing your words, your encouragement and praise really helps me get through the hard days. I promise that Ím trying not to stress too much. I work hard and have faith. I love you so much and want to promise you that even if something tragic were to happen in our family (like what happened to Elders Wall and Fish) that I KNOW that we will be together again. We dońt always understand why these things happen, but if we remain faithful and endure to the end, we can ask our Heavenly Father when all is said and done and we will be more than satisfied with His answer, and we will thank Him. I testify that we can overcome All challenges through faith in the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.
One more week gone. I love you tons! Until next week, smile and enjoy the cold weather.
And let's just not think about the cougs...how sad!
Hermana Jensen!
Here we go again!
I sent this in two parts because there is a big storm going on here and I was afraid the power was going to go out on us.
About the package… I bet it is waiting for me in the office, really. We get mail tomorrow instead of yesterday because tomorrow is Zone Conference. I'll let you know ASAP when I get it, but please put your worries to rest, I'm sure it is here! I can hardly wait, and how did you know I wanted another skirt? I didńt dare ask for one, because I didńt want to stress you out, but Ím super excited to have another one!
GET THIS: If you haveńt already received a letter from Argentina (that isn't from me)… get excited! Raul Antonio Cappanna, the most wonderful little grandpa in the world has sent you two a letter thanking you and congratulating you for raising such a daughter (that sounds REALLY proud, but he showed it to me before he sent it off and that is what it says) It made me cry… Íll let you find out why, but I urge you to take good care of it for me until I get home because I can surely promise you that it will be the most cherished keepsake of my entire mission. Official soccer jerseys, Argentine money, and mate mugs-- will all take a back seat to the precious words of my dear, dear, Raul!
Typing errors: yes, the explanation is this… I learned my lesson that week I lost my entire letter. Now I write my letters in Microsoft Word and then paste them into the browser right before I send them off, this means that Microsoft Word thinks Ím spelling EVERYTHING wrong because it wants it to be in Castellano. Some words that are similar will go through an automatic correction process and be changed to what it wants it to be. Usually I go back and catch them, but some slip through and that is why every time I typed the word "would" it changed it to say "world" instead. Such is the life.
The bonfire…well, it didńt go up in flames like I planned because all the plants were too green and it was just too humid. We left piles and piles of cut plants to dry over the week and come back and burn, but today we had a downpour, which complicates our solution somewhat. Now we have to wait for them to dry again. But, the neighbors had already dumped more garbage in front of poor Mariós house the VERY NEXT DAY. Did I mention that was one of the reasons we went to cut down the plants – to get rid of the garbage for him? Anyway, I went right over to a group of 7 men and asked them who had done it. They all denied it and I told them that if they see anyone doing it to kindly tell them to stop it. I talked to some members and they told me that even if I called the police, nothing would really be done. UGH! I thought we would be able to burn everything, but I learned that Ím not in the United States, "Toto, I dońt think wére in Kansas anymore!"
Nope, I haveńt gotten a mailed letter in at least a month or so. I haveńt received those that you said you sent me and Hermana Torres and Sister Benton, but Ïm sure theýre on their way!
Maurie! YEA!! I am so glad to hear that she is going on a mission. Yoúve got to tell me where shés going the instant the news hits facebook! Thanks for chatting with her, I hope to hear from her soon!
Want to experience confusion? Well, I suggest you open up the Spanish to English dictionary I left home and look up the Spanish verbs "esperar" and "picar" you will be pleasantly surprised to learn that not only do these verbs have more than one or two meanings (for they have dozens) but also that the meanings are often so different that it is crazy! Imagine trying to infer from context clues what someone is trying to convey when they say "me pica." Welcome to my world!
Heré is a challenge I/we face. It can just up and start raining and I mean RAINING, and for these times it would be great to have my awesome boots, but if it is not raining, the boots are like a sauna and it is about all one can take to not let the heat and discomfort make you want to scream on the street. It is just awful to walk around in the heat and have your feet be sweating like mad, plus, no one wants to increase the chances of getting atheletés foot! Any ideas? The reasonable answer would be, check the weather and find out if you are going to need the boots that day… but guess what… that is not an option. We walk out the door at 10:30 in the morning and come back at 9:00 pm and the weather that can take place during the day is as big of a mystery as the location of the 3 Nephites! So yeah, just another bonus of the mission!
Mom, do you want a little assignment? First of all, Ím curious to know the name of the mission of my home… meaning the missionaries that are serving there… is it the Salt Lake South Mission or what? Also, how many missionaries are there in our home ward or stake. Can you give me the scoop on that?
Another assignment… I am curious to know if there is a map of the states on the church website that shows where all the temples in the U.S. are. People ask me a lot, and Ïd like to be able to tell them. Also – what are all the Utah temples… sometimes I just cańt remember them all, but I think therés like 14.
Daddy: randomly I remembered a time this morning when we were staying at the Olson’s and one Sunday morning before church, you joined me outside where I was playing in the snow and you and I built a snowman together. I remember being so shocked that you were doing it without wearing gloves! That is one of my happy memories of my daddy and me!
There are lots of trees here that are really cool and what I love is that you can look around and see a forest of 20 different kinds of trees all right next to each other. Like a pine tree next to a palm tree! Yoúd love it!
Nata/Jasa, about the daylight savings time… luckily it was just an hour that we lost and not 2 like you mentioned was possible, but let me tell you it was still tough to lose an hour! And it was Motheŕs Day here, so we were tired, and it is amazing that even though the day held no significance for us personally… when you hear the word "madre" a hundred times in a day… it can just about make you completely homesick, but we survived! I love you so much and think about little Davy tons!
Raul is so awesome! In his interview to get the Priesthood, he asked the Bishop if he (Raul) could show up early and stand at the door and welcome the members as they enter the chapel… He wants to be the ward greeter and he doesńt even know that that job exists! Needless to say, that next Sunday when my companion and I entered the chapel, Raul was waiting at the door to greet us and shake our hands. He is so cool! He also just about cried when he told us that he wanted us to be the first to know that next week he will be receiving the Priesthood… he is so sweet, and he served us mandarin jello the other day – which made me remember Daddy!
MOMMY: one more little homework… sorry… but I need to you research or ask around to learn about these coolers that are long and thin and made of fabric and they have some kind of squishy jell inside it and you get it wet and put it on your neck when you go hiking and it stays cool and wet and helps you not get heat exhaustion. I think we are going to need them this summer. It is already getting pretty intense and they would really help us be more comfortable. Thanks for your help with this!
Fernando will not be getting baptized this coming Saturday, though that was the plan. He still needs all of lesson 4 which you can refer to and you will learn that this is often where the REAL problems come in… wéve been struggling with him with the first 3 lessons that are easier--but I still really hope that he will be baptized before the end of the transfer so that we can reach our baptismal goal of 2 converts! Even though Raul counts for like 79 in my book! But anyway, Fernando's doubts and questions are too much for two gringas that dońt have that deep of a vocabulary. Wére trying to work a lot with the members to help us out in this regard. I hope to report next week that he has accepted to be baptized the 8th of November. Wéll see.
Mommy and Daddy, I love hearing your words, your encouragement and praise really helps me get through the hard days. I promise that Ím trying not to stress too much. I work hard and have faith. I love you so much and want to promise you that even if something tragic were to happen in our family (like what happened to Elders Wall and Fish) that I KNOW that we will be together again. We dońt always understand why these things happen, but if we remain faithful and endure to the end, we can ask our Heavenly Father when all is said and done and we will be more than satisfied with His answer, and we will thank Him. I testify that we can overcome All challenges through faith in the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.
One more week gone. I love you tons! Until next week, smile and enjoy the cold weather.
And let's just not think about the cougs...how sad!
Hermana Jensen!
October 19, 2008
October 15, 2008
A Wonderful Week- But Never Without Heartache
President and Sister Benton, (left) Raul, (center) andHermana Jensen and her new companion;
Hermana Brittany Johns from Idaho!
Raul Antonio Cappanna (left)
baptized by Guillermo Martin Villareal
So our baptism was so special, but let me just say that it started off HORRIBLE! We got there an hour and a half early to calmly get everything prepared and we found the font completely full with nothing but COLD water. We had delegated to the Aaronic Priesthood to turn on the faucet that morning when they got to the chapel for fast offerings and unfortunately they filled it for 4 hours with cold water. I began to bucket out cold water into a drain while we re-lit the pilot light in the thermotanque and started adding hot water. We finally figured out how to drain it from the bottom and we did that for about an hour while we added hot water on the top. I also got in about knee deep and agitated the water with a broom and my leg. One of the APs showed up with one of the Office Elders and helped… it eventually was good enough… I guess, I’ll never know how cold or lukewarm it was in the end.Needless to say when I first encountered the problem and was bucketing out water I was also crying. Graciela found me crying and went to tell Raul who showed up 40 minutes early like a good boy and he came in to help us light the fire and said not to worry because it didńt matter and that he would get baptized no matter how cold it was. I wiped away my tears and tried to do my best to solve the problem and I guess it all worked out. Later when I asked Raul how cold the water was he responded saying something precious in castellano about how there was fire in his soul and that he didńt feel the cold or something like that. He truly is golden!
The President and his wife weren't able to make it for the baptismal service, but were there after to visit and have refreshments. The reason was really sad. I now solicite your prayers in behalf of 2 of our missionaries… Elder Wall (who has a year in the mission) had his 48 year old father passed away suddenly from complications of a surgery that led to a blood clot in his brain and he never woke up. President Benton got the call Saturday morning before our baptisms and was breaking the news to Elder Wall during our baptism. From what they told us, he is doing more or less OK, but what can you expect. As if that isńt bad enough, the very next day, Sunday morning the Pres. got another call. Elder Fish (who has been out 7 months) lost his 48 year old mother who passed away of a heart attack on Sunday. We are all devastated. It broke my heart to hear of these 2 sudden and completely unexpected deaths. All of the missionaries are praying for the Elders and their families and I ask you to join us and pray for them too. It doesńt look like either of them will be going home for the funerals, but I could be wrong.
I was able to sit front row and center when Elder Nelson spoke to us on the 13th. It is great to be a sister missionary because we get reserved seats for all the good meetings and I was the 7th of 350 to shake his hand! It was so amazing that he chose to leave us an Apostolic blessing in which he blessed our families. Tears streamed down my face as he looked me straight in the eyes and blessed our families for our service. He did not know that 2 of our Elders had each recently lost a parent. I cried because I couldńt imagine how painful it must have been to hear such a blessing given in light of the circumstances. However, after the meeting, but before the Apostle left the building, we were told that he went to speak with Elder Wall and Elder Fish. We have no idea what he said to them, but we were all grateful that he did and hoped that maybe he would give them a blessing.
The talks were really good. The theme was, "The Lord Uses the Unusual to Accomplish the Impossible" cool, huh? Obviously he likened it to missionary work. His wife who spoke before him talked about how the littlest things can totally destroy us. She said "Dońt blow it" and we loved it! So true.
We got caught in the rain again. We had an umbrella-- but not our boots or coats. In seconds it was pouring down and it was almost 9 p.m.-- and it was cold. We huddled together under one normal umbrella and went straight to the pension where we wanted to drink my hot cocoa, but couldńt because the next day was Fast Sunday...but last night we had our hot cocoa and we took pictures! Lightening in Argentina is sure a sight to be seen! HUGE bolts and lots of them, and thunder too… but only once in a great while, but when it does thunder it shakes buildings! For fun!
We miss Wendýs… that is what all the missionaries talked about in the micro (like a 16 passenger van) to and from Belgrano where the meeting was with the Buenos Aires North Mission and Elder Nelson and his wife. Anyways....yeah, we miss Wendýs.
Today we went to JUMBO – kind of like WalMart, and I spent $170 pesos buying good shampoo, conditioner, mouse, gel, Ponds face cream, more sheets for the summer, groceries, and a pair of hand held weed cutters for a service project wére going to do. Wére going to cut all the plants down and with the supervision and assistance of the Elders have a huge bonfire! Ím excited!
Ím really loving the mission and dońt want the time to pass me by. Ím really so happy and working hard.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
Hermana Jensen
Sad Mission News
This is from the Benton's Blog:
"God... grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
This weekend, we had to tell two of our missionaries, Elder Wall and Elder Fish the very sad news that each one of them had suffered the loss of one of their parents, as both parents had passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in Utah during the weekend. Elder Wall lost his father on Saturday, and Elder Fish lost his mother on Sunday morning. Both parents were only 48 years old.
These unfortunate tragedies were beyond our control, but, after telling them the distressing news about their parents, we were able to bring Elder Wall (on the right) and Elder Fish (on the left) to the Mission Home, where we spent a Sunday afternoon with them, along with their Missionary Companions, and our Missionary Assistants. We were finally able to coax a brief a smile from each of these missionaries, after expressing love to them, crying with them, praying with them, counseling with them, reading scriptures with them, walking with them, and feeding them a delicious lunch topped off with homemade brownies, ice cream and strawberries.
We are all profoundly grateful for our knowledge of the Gospel, its principles and ordinances, and for the Atoning sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, as Elder Fish and Elder Wall return to their missionary work, and their mourning process, we send them on with our great love and some encouraging, comforting words from prophets of old:
From the "Book of Mormon", the elderly prophet and righteous King Benjamin, at the end of his life, as he delivers departing words of wisdom to his beloved people says:
"Believe in God; believe that He is, and that He created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that He has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."
(Mosiah 4:9)
The Prophet Nephi, writing in the "Book of Mormon":
"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men." (2 Nephi 31: 19)
As the Prophet Joseph Smith states, "indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul---We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely,or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." (13th Article of Faith)
Finally, we hope Elder Wall and Elder Fish will carry President Benton's refrain in their hearts with them as they go on:
"Adelante con fe y esperanza!" (Go forward with faith and hope!)
We love you Elder Fish and Elder Wall, as if you are our own sons!
P.S. We are all looking forward to tomorrow, because tomorrow, an Apostle of the Lord, Elder Russell M. Nelson, will be here in Buenos Aires to speak to us! We know that Elder Wall and Elder Fish will be blessed and comforted by Elder Nelson's visit.
"God... grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
This weekend, we had to tell two of our missionaries, Elder Wall and Elder Fish the very sad news that each one of them had suffered the loss of one of their parents, as both parents had passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in Utah during the weekend. Elder Wall lost his father on Saturday, and Elder Fish lost his mother on Sunday morning. Both parents were only 48 years old.
These unfortunate tragedies were beyond our control, but, after telling them the distressing news about their parents, we were able to bring Elder Wall (on the right) and Elder Fish (on the left) to the Mission Home, where we spent a Sunday afternoon with them, along with their Missionary Companions, and our Missionary Assistants. We were finally able to coax a brief a smile from each of these missionaries, after expressing love to them, crying with them, praying with them, counseling with them, reading scriptures with them, walking with them, and feeding them a delicious lunch topped off with homemade brownies, ice cream and strawberries.
We are all profoundly grateful for our knowledge of the Gospel, its principles and ordinances, and for the Atoning sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, as Elder Fish and Elder Wall return to their missionary work, and their mourning process, we send them on with our great love and some encouraging, comforting words from prophets of old:
From the "Book of Mormon", the elderly prophet and righteous King Benjamin, at the end of his life, as he delivers departing words of wisdom to his beloved people says:
"Believe in God; believe that He is, and that He created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that He has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."
(Mosiah 4:9)
The Prophet Nephi, writing in the "Book of Mormon":
"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men." (2 Nephi 31: 19)
As the Prophet Joseph Smith states, "indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul---We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely,or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." (13th Article of Faith)
Finally, we hope Elder Wall and Elder Fish will carry President Benton's refrain in their hearts with them as they go on:
"Adelante con fe y esperanza!" (Go forward with faith and hope!)
We love you Elder Fish and Elder Wall, as if you are our own sons!
P.S. We are all looking forward to tomorrow, because tomorrow, an Apostle of the Lord, Elder Russell M. Nelson, will be here in Buenos Aires to speak to us! We know that Elder Wall and Elder Fish will be blessed and comforted by Elder Nelson's visit.
October 10, 2008
Come What May-- And Love It!
An Argentina soccer shirt for Davy!
Davy wearing his soccer shirt from his mission serving Aunt Stacey!
An Argentine mailing label
and paper money
along with favorite treats!
along with favorite treats! Oct. 7, 2008
YEA! Ím so glad you already got my package… I thought it would arrive around Thanksgiving, but gee… lots sooner. Did you like the tretas? The package only cost me around 15 dollars to fill and about 20 to send to you. I thought it would be a fun surprise for you all. Glad you liked it.
Ím trying to take pictures of lots of stuff, I think Ím going to bite the bullet and send off some cds with all the pix soon, but Ím still thinking about it, yeah, Íll probably send them off next p day or the one after that. I want you to have pictures, and it really takes so much time to attach them with the emails, so yeah, Ím going to get on that.
What is going on in Utah? People keep stopping me and telling me "how sad…" or something and Ím totally like "what, what is going on there?" The other day someone told me that there had been a shooting in a university and I didńt know if the story was legit or totally bogus. I assume that yoúd tell me about anything that crazy, but you never know…
Did you all know that I turned 5 months old in the mission today? Yep, Ím 5 months old! Ím navigating the area and accidentally had us get off the colective a stop or two early once so we had to walk like 6 blocks more, but I learned a lesson and didńt repeat the mistake the next time!
Daddy – I totally hear you about "you cańt get any wetter." I haveńt quite been totally soaked yet, but definitely my feet… oh, it was super cold and I was caught without my cool boots. I hope we get to go to a BCS bowl, even though that would mean wéd probably lose it, right? Maybe not. Too bad the cougs areńt playing that well, but it does my heart good to hear that at least they are winning. Yes, we were able to stay for the second session of Sunday conference because Rolando Destito, one of my first baptisms (he got baptized August 9th with Azucena Rodríguez) stayed and so yeah… It was INCREDIBLE! You are right… Tears fell from my eyes when that seventy said that we often think we need to have this incredible experience to have a testimony, but that it is not true. I TOTALLY needed to hear it and it was really an answer to my prayers… for 5 months... I had been needing to hear it, and it was truly a special experience.
We watched the 2 morning sessions sitting next to Raul (so in Castellano) and the 2 afternoon sessions in the special English room for the missionaries who have less than a year. I got more out of the sessions in English, but was still quite edified by the sessions in a foreign language. It was really interesting because I realized that everyone sitting next to us in the stake center (which was our chapel… and SUPER convenient for us because we were able to go out and work between sessions) didńt understand the hymns that were being sung because they were in English.
I just loved conference… it was definitely the best general conference of my life! "come what may and love it" (venga lo que venga, y disfrútelo) and Elder Holland's talk about angels. I decided that I will dedicate the rest of my life to becoming an angel! I also got a kick out of the sister that talked about missionary work and reminded people to write the missionaries! When she said that, I hoped that I would be getting a ton of mail in the next few weeks. Hehe!
Interesting thing about Argentina… yes, there is a WalMart, but not in any of the sister areas. We have a big mall just outside our area and we go there once or twice a transfer, but mostly we do all our shopping in the little stores in the streets. There isńt really one-stop shopping here. In stead, every thing has it's own little store. Therés a fruit and vegetable store, therés a shoe repair store, the dry-cleaners, the laundromat, the toy shop, the costume shop, the little school supply store, a place where you buy cleaning supplies, the Internet shops, the locutorios… where we make calls and pay for them… (we have been out of minutes on our cell phone for 10 days and it makes things INCREDIBLY complicated… mainly because when we try to call certain people, their phones dońt accept calls from locutorios… for example… Gabriela, the mom with the 7 kids that we are desperately trying to have daily contact with her, but it's practically impossible. But luckily, next month we will get our minutes doubled and we will have 500, which I think should not run out if we are careful. But yeah, 250 ran out in about 2 weeks. LAME!
Speaking of her… shés still just afraid to commit to a baptismal date because she might be getting back together with the father of her kids… Pray for her to just accept what she already knows she needs to do, and GET BAPTIZED this transfer… Íll just die if I have to leave the area with this family unbaptzied… I just cańt bear to leave without seeing the fruits our labors…
Luckily… Ím becoming the missionary 24/7. It's good because Ïm really losing myself in the work, but it's bad because it's starting to cost me my sleep because I think about the people and how to help them until I fall asleep and when I wake up in the middle of the night, I think about them again, all morning and all through study I rack my brain for ways to help them see and progress… I confess it's kind of stressful and Ím trying to not let it affect my physically. But it's really like more than I can explain… it's the missionary life. Luckily there is also a lot of happiness like planning Rauĺs baptismal service. He will be baptized this Saturday and I am so excited! Íll send pictures. He is incredible…He made my whole mission worth it. Even if I dońt baptize one single more person, it was worth if for Raul Antonio Cappanna.
Guess what… on the 13th of October Russell M. Nelson is coming to speak to the Buenos Aires West and North Missions and I am singing in a choir of 8 missionaries in this meeting! Wish me luck, we only have the chance to practice once altogether right before the meeting. Pray for me to have a good voice and know my part! (Tell me which part is mine and which part is yours)... remember that song? Íll let you know how it goes.
Wow, another hour gone. Thanks for your letters, your love, your advice, your updates, your support, your prayers, all you do!
Thanks for the new shirts… I trust that you found the best of the best. I look forward to it and thank you all for your efforts, your sacrifices, and your dedication to take care of me.
I pray for you all daily, especially little Davy!
I miss you, but in like 13 months wéll be together again!
Wubba,
Hermana Stacey Jensen
YEA! Ím so glad you already got my package… I thought it would arrive around Thanksgiving, but gee… lots sooner. Did you like the tretas? The package only cost me around 15 dollars to fill and about 20 to send to you. I thought it would be a fun surprise for you all. Glad you liked it.
Ím trying to take pictures of lots of stuff, I think Ím going to bite the bullet and send off some cds with all the pix soon, but Ím still thinking about it, yeah, Íll probably send them off next p day or the one after that. I want you to have pictures, and it really takes so much time to attach them with the emails, so yeah, Ím going to get on that.
What is going on in Utah? People keep stopping me and telling me "how sad…" or something and Ím totally like "what, what is going on there?" The other day someone told me that there had been a shooting in a university and I didńt know if the story was legit or totally bogus. I assume that yoúd tell me about anything that crazy, but you never know…
Did you all know that I turned 5 months old in the mission today? Yep, Ím 5 months old! Ím navigating the area and accidentally had us get off the colective a stop or two early once so we had to walk like 6 blocks more, but I learned a lesson and didńt repeat the mistake the next time!
Daddy – I totally hear you about "you cańt get any wetter." I haveńt quite been totally soaked yet, but definitely my feet… oh, it was super cold and I was caught without my cool boots. I hope we get to go to a BCS bowl, even though that would mean wéd probably lose it, right? Maybe not. Too bad the cougs areńt playing that well, but it does my heart good to hear that at least they are winning. Yes, we were able to stay for the second session of Sunday conference because Rolando Destito, one of my first baptisms (he got baptized August 9th with Azucena Rodríguez) stayed and so yeah… It was INCREDIBLE! You are right… Tears fell from my eyes when that seventy said that we often think we need to have this incredible experience to have a testimony, but that it is not true. I TOTALLY needed to hear it and it was really an answer to my prayers… for 5 months... I had been needing to hear it, and it was truly a special experience.
We watched the 2 morning sessions sitting next to Raul (so in Castellano) and the 2 afternoon sessions in the special English room for the missionaries who have less than a year. I got more out of the sessions in English, but was still quite edified by the sessions in a foreign language. It was really interesting because I realized that everyone sitting next to us in the stake center (which was our chapel… and SUPER convenient for us because we were able to go out and work between sessions) didńt understand the hymns that were being sung because they were in English.
I just loved conference… it was definitely the best general conference of my life! "come what may and love it" (venga lo que venga, y disfrútelo) and Elder Holland's talk about angels. I decided that I will dedicate the rest of my life to becoming an angel! I also got a kick out of the sister that talked about missionary work and reminded people to write the missionaries! When she said that, I hoped that I would be getting a ton of mail in the next few weeks. Hehe!
Interesting thing about Argentina… yes, there is a WalMart, but not in any of the sister areas. We have a big mall just outside our area and we go there once or twice a transfer, but mostly we do all our shopping in the little stores in the streets. There isńt really one-stop shopping here. In stead, every thing has it's own little store. Therés a fruit and vegetable store, therés a shoe repair store, the dry-cleaners, the laundromat, the toy shop, the costume shop, the little school supply store, a place where you buy cleaning supplies, the Internet shops, the locutorios… where we make calls and pay for them… (we have been out of minutes on our cell phone for 10 days and it makes things INCREDIBLY complicated… mainly because when we try to call certain people, their phones dońt accept calls from locutorios… for example… Gabriela, the mom with the 7 kids that we are desperately trying to have daily contact with her, but it's practically impossible. But luckily, next month we will get our minutes doubled and we will have 500, which I think should not run out if we are careful. But yeah, 250 ran out in about 2 weeks. LAME!
Speaking of her… shés still just afraid to commit to a baptismal date because she might be getting back together with the father of her kids… Pray for her to just accept what she already knows she needs to do, and GET BAPTIZED this transfer… Íll just die if I have to leave the area with this family unbaptzied… I just cańt bear to leave without seeing the fruits our labors…
Luckily… Ím becoming the missionary 24/7. It's good because Ïm really losing myself in the work, but it's bad because it's starting to cost me my sleep because I think about the people and how to help them until I fall asleep and when I wake up in the middle of the night, I think about them again, all morning and all through study I rack my brain for ways to help them see and progress… I confess it's kind of stressful and Ím trying to not let it affect my physically. But it's really like more than I can explain… it's the missionary life. Luckily there is also a lot of happiness like planning Rauĺs baptismal service. He will be baptized this Saturday and I am so excited! Íll send pictures. He is incredible…He made my whole mission worth it. Even if I dońt baptize one single more person, it was worth if for Raul Antonio Cappanna.
Guess what… on the 13th of October Russell M. Nelson is coming to speak to the Buenos Aires West and North Missions and I am singing in a choir of 8 missionaries in this meeting! Wish me luck, we only have the chance to practice once altogether right before the meeting. Pray for me to have a good voice and know my part! (Tell me which part is mine and which part is yours)... remember that song? Íll let you know how it goes.
Wow, another hour gone. Thanks for your letters, your love, your advice, your updates, your support, your prayers, all you do!
Thanks for the new shirts… I trust that you found the best of the best. I look forward to it and thank you all for your efforts, your sacrifices, and your dedication to take care of me.
I pray for you all daily, especially little Davy!
I miss you, but in like 13 months wéll be together again!
Wubba,
Hermana Stacey Jensen
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