On the road again...

February 8, 2010

 

Hey family!

It's kinda a stressful morning—we are leaving on the gira in a little while. We have our laundry being washed right now, are taking stats from last week, and still have to pack and buy food for the gira. Hopefully we can get it all done quick so that we can leave on time!

This past week has been a heck of a week. We had zone conferences Tuesday through Friday, then divisions on Saturday. The zone conferences are probably my favorite yet—me and elder Camacho do a workshop on planning, and it is one of my absolute favorite workshops I've seen or done on my mission. A lot of times with the workshops, we do little practices, like doing contacts or teaching or something like that that is kinda hypothetical and the missionaries don't always take it too seriously. This transfer, we knew we had to talk a lot about planning, and I really feel like we were inspired with the practices that we have done because each of the three is something specific to the area of the elders, and none of it is hypothetical—all of it is real and applies immediately to their area. Elder Bowen gave us a pretty big chat about what we had to do, and know we are showing the mission how to get it done. We now have to do at least 325 contacts per week, and that swooned a lot of the mission. But now in our workshop, we are showing them how to plan in a way that makes it impossible to get that number. I really have felt like this workshop was inspired, and it has helped me so much in accomplishing all the things that I should be doing.

This week, I have had almost no time to work. Normally we have about 58 hours during the week to work. I always have less than that, but now with zone conferences, it's been even less. I think I had 25.5 hours to work this week, between traveling and zone conferences. And you know what? I had a great week—I taught 4 with members, 12 others, found 10 new, and did 325 contacts. I give it all to planning and walking real fast! If only I had been planning like I am now earlier in my mission!! I've got this thing in me that I have to get the standard of contacts every week. I know I've talked about this before, but I've still got that in me that no matter what I have to get there. This week it got bumped from 154 to 325. Looking at the hours I was going to be able to work I was terrified that I wasn't going to be able to get it. But, I think I would have melted or something if I didn't get that done. So, I found ways to get out and work that I hadn't used before. We are with the area doctor in zone conferences, and he takes about 45 minutes to do a presentation. So in NQN 1 I left with elder Cox for 20 minutes during lunch to do contacts, and we got 18 real quick. In Roca, I couldn't escape because it was a catered lunch by some members, but in NQN 2 I asked president if we could sneak out during the doctor's presentation and he said that was okay, so me and elder Camacho went out and did about 25 contacts during that presentation. We did the same in Zapala, doing about 34 during his presentation and lunch. Then this weekend, I did 155 in two days to get there to 325. I am convinced that the success I've had on my mission comes from that dedication to getting the goal and to talking to everyone. It is so hard; I worked really hard this week. It just made me take advantage of every possible moment to get it done. Now, going on the Gira, I am not sure how we are going to get it done, but I'm going to give it everything I've got. 325 is a ton of contacts, but I've got to just find a way to do it. Sometimes I dream about the day when I'm not AP anymore and what I'm going to be able to do. I think one week before I'm done I want to do like 700 or 800 contacts in a week! That'd be cool.  I feel like I've learned a ton being herein the office and am excited to go and do it in an area.

We had a miracle happen this week. We talked to a guy for a half hour last Sunday and set up a cita for last Monday. We went over and there were 9 people there—this guy and his wife, who both are members inactivos, and their 5 kids, grandma, and grand daughter. It was incredible, and I learned a great lesson with them. We testified so much during that lesson and talked a lot about the blessings of the message we share. It was touching seeing their reactions. The mom was crying during the lesson, and 3 of the kids were just soaking it all up what we said. We taught them on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and last night. They came to church and loved it. It was great seeing the man and his wife come back and be able to participate again—he loved it. He almost ran up to give his testimony, and it was a very tender testimony he gave as he talked about how whenever he's needed help and prayed for help the missionaries have knocked on his door or stopped him in the street. I wanted to smack him and say ´then why do you keep falling?!´  But it was a very tender testimony. We are going to baptize a couple of them this week—they have got some pretty hefty problems to come over. I don't think that the whole family will be ready for this transfer—there are some that are going to take some time to fix some things, but there are a couple that could easily get baptized this transfer. I am so happy—this is the first time I've felt that tingly feeling that I'm going to baptize in this area. We went over last night and left them a calendar of readings to do this week while we are gone. Of course we had fun with it and put a picture of us on it so they don't miss us and everything. They are just so good. I feel really blessed to have found them.  They all came to church yesterday and just loved it, all except their 15 year old son, but that's alright. He'll come around.

I'm excited to go out on this gira—we are going to see some good things. Our mission is in a point where we are struggling a bit to have the desire to do this stuff elder Bowen taught. Everyone knows its possible, it just comes down to working real hard. I just feel great working hard. A couple of weeks ago, I just had zero desires to go and work. It was a hard stretch, but im glad to be out of it and wanting to work again. I don't know why you go through ups and downs as missionaries, but it happens. I just like being the happy smiley hard working missionary.

Its really fun being with Dr Peterson He is an incredible man—he was a missionary in Uruguay, mission president in Mexico, mission doctor in Guatemala, Pocatello, and here. He was a stake patriarch Spanish speaking for 14 stakes in Idaho. He is a really incredible man and I'm looking forward to taking this trip with him. He was the mission doctor for El Salvador and knows the Jones's too! Small world.  Mom—I had a good chat with him about my stomach. We talked a lot about irritable bowel syndrome and everything, and all the pains and aches and runs come from that. It's gotten worse recently (and this is what I thought) just because of the added stress I have now as AP. There isn't too too much I can do to avoid it. He gave me a fun little sheet of yoga stuff I can do to relax, and said just keep taking the drugs you take. I never really feel stressed, but I know on the inside I have it. It's just the way my body reacts to it I guess. I'll probably chat with him another time about it before the gira ends. I have noticed though that I can't eat potatoes anymore! I ate those everyday for a while, and now every time I eat them I just get killed. But I'm going to make It through. Don't worry—just keep praying!

Tell Stella I say hey and good luck and to enjoy every moment. Tell Janice thanks for that story—that's kinda how I feel about Santiago, and tell everyone else I love them!!

Love,

 

TAYLOR JENSEN