June 8, 2010
Hi family!
I know, it's weird that I'm emailing on a Tuesday afternoon. I'll explain shortly. We just finished a district meeting with the district here and we put the challenge with them to baptize 5 between the 3 companionships. They have been struggling and not baptizing, so that's a big challenge for them.
Week 1 in Bariloche was everything I hoped it to be. Tuesday we went out and got in a house and taught. Wednesday, the same. Thursday, the same. When I got there, I asked for what their goals were for the week-- 3 with member, 4 others, 4 new investigators, and 335 contacts. I (I already knew this was going to happen way before I asked) said `nope. Not acceptable. We're better than that. Next week, we're putting higher goals. `` And with that, we left and worked. Between Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we taught 3 with member, 4 others, found 6, and put 3 new fechas. We saw some miracles, and we are changing this area. My goal is to teach 20 lessons in a week here in Pioneros. That's probably never been done before. I'm really excited-- I know we are going to change this area. It's interesting being with elder Argueta again. It's tough. He's got a lot of bad habits that we are going to change. He became really negative with his last companion and they fought all the time and that vibe killed the zone. Now we've got to change that. And he's changed already. In the calls he makes, he is more focused. But we still have some ground to cover.
Our very first new investigator came Tuesday morning. It went about like this <clap clap clap> (a guy comes out side and yells come in) we look at each other saying ¿really? He says `come in` again. So in we go. As we go up the walkway, he says `I fed a Mormon to my dogs for breakfast this morning. Right this way.., ` we entered into his home and he was just a nice old man who told us in the nicest way how big of sinners and liars we were. It was so nice though! He had a library of everything the Jehovah's Witnesses had ever written in Spanish, English, and German. He'd read everything. He then told us they are the biggest liars, even bigger than us. He, at one point yelled at my companion for not respecting the Sabbath, then turned to me with his finger still pointed at my comp and said `should i hit him now or later?` `later` I said with a smile. He pulled his finger back and said `okay. I'll save it for later.` needless to say, it was a crazy first investigator to find, but he was fun! We went back on Thursday and he took our jackets and gave us juice and was just such an interesting guy. He reads the bible literally 10 hours a day. Crazy. You can visit his site-- www.hermegedon.com or something like that :)
We had a good experience on Wednesday night. We were walking and it was 7:55. We were knocking a street, and it was cold and rainy and we had a cita at 8. There was one house left, and elder Argueta and I look at each other like `well, that one is far from the street, should we just go to the cita? elder Argueta feet were soaked and freezing. But then something kicked me so that we walked over. We knocked, and they let us in. we taught Claudio and Maria a bit of lesson one and put 2 fechas right there on the spot. Interesting. Wasn't Pioneros a tough area where you couldn't teach and find and baptize? think NOT! We had a cita to go visit them again Saturday but couldn't leave so we are going to have to go verify that fecha this week. We now have 5 fechas in our area. 2 are Claudio and Maria-- they aren't too firm of fechas but we have 3 that are strong strong. They went to church and everything, so they are going to get baptized for sure. But I'm excited just to change this area and make it what every other of my areas has been-- a baptizing one!
Thursday night we went up to Neuquen for a conference with all the leaders of zona. It was great-- it was really interesting and relaxing to be there without the AP mantle.--- it was so much more fun and tranquilo. And I love elder
Now, we got back early early Saturday morning. Like at 5:30am. And it's a bit tough to sleep on these busses. But I told elder Argueta we were going to get up and work anyways. But when it was time to do it, we just couldn't. We slept in. when it was time to leave, I felt like I was going to die with my throat and cough and headache, so we called hna Peterson and stayed in house. At about 5 we went to the doctors, where we found out I had severe bronchitis, laryngitis, a sinus infection, and a 103 degree fever. She told us to get some drugs and I had to rest rest rest rest and rest. So we did. I was like unconscious at this point-- we had waited about an hour and a half in the doctors and I was just toast. So we rested. Saturday, Sunday, yesterday. Today we left because we had a cita with the doctor and a district meeting. I'm doing a WHOLE LOT BETTER. I'm doing fine. But she is making me rest through Thursday from the missionary work because she says I was at the point of picking up pneumonia. So, I'm going back to the house to rest some more. I've slept so much these past days, and I feel exhausted right now. So it's probably a good thing that I don't die here in the mission. I feel bad because I wanted to come in and just jumpstart this area and zone, but looks like we're going to have a couple trials of our faith. Elder Argueta lost his wallet and some money so he's already passed his. But we're going to make it through and baptize. I'm taking more than 4000 mg of drugs per day! haha. It's crazy. My companion wakes me up to give me pills and stuff. He's taking such good care of me. The poor guy is bored out of his mind. Our pension is super clean though-- he has had too much time and not enough to do!
On Sunday, the stake president came to see us, the stake mission leader and his wife (who also went to the hospital with us), and some converts from this area that take care of us. They all brought food and it was SO nice to have people come and visit it made a big difference. Don't worry too much about me-- I've already passed the worst. Just keep praying, and hopefully Friday I'll be out working again!
I have 2 favors on my companion's part. His family doesn't write him much. Like once every 5 weeks or so. We have some Spanish speakers in the family and I think it would be good for him to know that someone is interested in him. jesus.argueta.man@myldsmail.net is his email-- maybe could someone send him a note or something? There is another elder in the mission who has been writing one of his comps families for the past year because his family doesn't write him. Elder Argueta also loves beef jerky...
I love you family. Thanks for supporting me. I'm trying to sprint to the finish--- even if this body of mine doesn't want to cooperate; we're going to get it done.
love you!
Elder Jensen
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