Monday, February 16, 2009

Elder Jensen in Argentina

Another week done down south! Its been an alright week. We have 2 new kids that we are going to hopefully start teaching. They are the grandsons of the lady that Carlos is renting his room from and they come over to her house every Saturday and Sunday. He told us he wants to get baptized and pass the sacrament. That sounds good to me!

Noelia and Gabriel are coming along nicely. We still have a few issues to work through with them, but they are always asking really really good questions and things during our lessons. We just have to get them to commit. They want to be baptized, but they all have to do the things they need to get there. Its always a fun preparing people and helping them come to the gospel.

Elder Cox is getting better and better with his Spanish. He works real real hard all the time on studying. (to the point where we hardly talk in the apartment because he is always reading! Luckily the zone leaders live with us or I'd go insane). We are setting ourselves up pretty well to have a good next transfer.

It's still hard down here because we don't have very many people to teach. I had to give an impromptu talk in sacrament meeting yesterday, and I dropped the cane softly to get a little more help out of the ward. We've decided we would start visiting members a bit more in the coming weeks, as well as using the area book more to find old investigators and good contacts people have had. Hopefully the combination of these things will come through and well get into some people's houses!

One thing President Cook told me a couple weeks ago is that as long as we are doing our part and working hard and getting the good numbers we get every week, everything else will come in time. I have a lot of time thinking throughout the day walking around and trying to figure out why missionary work is so hard. I decided that it has to be this way a bit. Opposition in all things, no? I think I am glad for these hard times because they make me grow and stretch so that when I get success, I appreciate it more. It also forces me to fine tune my teaching skills and depend upon the Lord more. Its a tough time down here, but I know that we will be getting wet again soon!

Speaking of getting wet, we had a mini flood here the other week. It was exciting! The streets were just soaked! And so were we! It was so fun contacting and talking to people just soaking wet. I have some fun pictures from it. We also have Elder Scott coming to our mission, but unfortunately, he is only going to Neuquen, so I wont be able to see him. But Elder Auidukakis (however you spell it) is coming, so that will be good too!

I am excited to hear about our new mission president! That will be really neat to have him! I love President Cook, and I'm sure I'll love our new one. Hermana Cook called this morning to tell me that Sister Bowen had talked with her and asked how I was doing.  Told her I was one of their stars and that I was doing great and that they loved me and had a lot of trust in me. Then she called me to make sure she wasn't lying haha. She said Sister Bowen was going to email you or something. I like having people back here vouching for me! Haha  (Sister Bowen is Nan's cousin who is living in Buenos Aires with her husband while he is the Area President for the Church in Argentina)

I'm glad to hear all of the random things my little nieces and nephews are doing. I always talk about them down here too! We have 2 sets of twins in my ward here, and they are just a bit younger and a bit older than the twins and its so funny being with them. We pick up a lot of little friends down here. We have a kid named Eziquias who comes tracting with us in one neighborhood. I have another little 6 year old girl who draws me pictures and brings them to church. Its fun being a missionary and having people love  you even though you can't understand them! It makes up for all the rude old people we run into. I've officially changed and am from Canada now. It makes dealing with Obama and America go away because no one has problems with Canada. My comp though will not even play with the thought about not showing American pride, so we get the heat anyways. Well work on that.

Well, I'm off to go play some more speedball. I love you all! Thanks for the recipes and the food and all!! Take care!

Elder TJ

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