just a day in the life

Best Weekend Ever

2011-05-31T11:33:00.002-06:00

Sorry, no pictures, but...

this was a good weekend.

Originally i wanted to get out of provo and go somewhere (portland, idaho, vegas, southern utah), but everything seemed to fall through. I was asked to teach on sunday, so i gave up and decided to stay in provo. We had a blast. Here is a day-by-day:

FRIDAY

we had tried to get a camping trip together, but everything kept falling through and it was cold and rainy. Bummer. Hayley and I swung by the Liberty Square office on our way back from class because its hot dog friday every friday. We got there about 45 minutes after it ended and we asked if there were leftovers or anything. The lady hands us a bag of 60 cooked hotdogs and a huge bag of buns. Holy smokes! Needless to say, i've eaten a lot of hot dogs this weekend. (i ate hot dogs 1-3)

We ended up playing ultimate frisbee with a light-up frisbee for like 3 hours that night. It was a BLAST! We decided to have a campout despite the weather, so we went to a spot that we knew would be warm and dry: mitch's apartment. We set up a blanket fort and all fell asleep super quick because of the aforementioned ultimate game. Solid.

SATURDAY

We woke up late-ish. We ate hot dogs (4&5) for lunch and watched the Manchester United vs. Barcelona game (its for the UEFA cup) ((its soccer)). It was a really good game, so that was fun. After that, hayley and I went on a hike/picnic, but of course it started raining. we got back and went to the RB to play soccer in the dark with a group of people. We had been playing for a while and were having a blast, and then we saw a man walking across the field with a flashlight. Busted! it was a security guard who gave us a verbal warning and had us leave. As we were leaving, 2 police officers show up to give us a second verbal warning. They were hilarious! they were cracking jokes and just having a really fun time with us. My favorite line: we are going to take your names down for 2 reasons. 1- so that we can vouch for you and say you guys didnt do any damage here, and 2- so that it looks like we're doing our job. Win-Win, right? the best part of the whole thing is that we are going to make the famed BYU police beat this wednesday!!!! hooray!!

Afterwards, we went and ate hotdogs and watched some comedy. (hot dogs 6-9)

SUNDAY:

Church, day of rest, no hotdogs, but i did make skyline chili. YUM.

MONDAY:

woke up and we went and played kickball (sport #1 of the day) over at the Marriott center like we did when we camped there. we also had a wiffle ball bat and a tennis ball (sport #2) Of course, it started raining on us. bummer. we also lost the ball and poor mitch went crawling through some thorny bushes looking for it. (un)fortunately, we found it in this other place that wasnt the thorny bushes we were crawling through. We then had J-DAWGs which are delicious. (hot dogs 10&11)

We decided, since it was raining, to play Puerto Rico (my favorite board game). Of course, it gets sunny right when we start playing the game. We finished and decided we needed to barbque. Hayley and i threw a baseball for a bit (sport #3), then we all went to the park to have our Barbque. I didnt want anything, but felt the need to barbque something, so hayley and i brought corn on the cob. ha. We threw a frisbee (#4) kicked a soccer ball (#5) threw a football (#6). The park was kinda full, so we decided to come back and play ultimate in the dark again (#7). It was tons of fun!

And thus concluded the weekend. different sports played: 7. Total sporting activities: 11. Total hot dogs eaten: 11. Sports and hot dogs balance each other out pretty well.

Night at the Arcade

2011-05-31T11:08:00.003-06:00

Hay and I went to the Nickel City arcade and WORKED IT! We won a ton of tickets, and picked up some sweet prizes: A green inflated ball, a beach ball with soccer ball print, and some candy. It was well worth it-- now I have something i can kick around in the apartment that isnt a real soccer ball that can break things!

Highlight of the night was when i walked up to this machine and put the first ball in the 250 hole. Hayley didnt believe me at first, so i was sure to announce that I PUT IT IN THE 250! several times to drive the point home.

Whoops...

2011-05-05T12:02:00.002-06:00

Last saturday, Eric and I went skiing at Snowbird. It was an INCREDIBLE day. It snowed a good 8 inches on top of the powder that was already up there. Most of the time, we were up to our knees, and in some spots, it was up to our waist. Who would have thought that a spring skiing day would have been so nice? We skied well and pushed ourselves a lot. At the end of the day, we were exhausted and had a lot of good memories. Mother nature decided to help us out with the memories a bit...

...with a a massive sunburn!

It blistered up and is peeling and stuff. Oh, and I look like a dork with the burn line. Some people ask me if I went skiing this weekend, and I respond: "How'd you know?"

Lesson Learned: Wear sunscreen in the mountains, even when it is cloudy and snowing.

Lesson Re-Learned: I love skiing.

A tribute to Dr. Vean

2011-05-02T14:34:00.006-06:00

This post is a tribute to Dr. Vean.

"Mr. Vean," you ask? "Who is Dr. Vean?"

Sit down a moment and I'll tell you.

On our way down to Zion, I was talking on the phone to my 5-year-old nephew, Jacob. We were talking about our camping trip and what we were going to be doing. He then asked 'Know what you should name your tent?' "What?" The words that fell out of his mouth changed my life.

What?

Vean?

yeah!

I then announced to the car that our tent's name for the trip would be "Vean." Putzer liked that, but decided that if we called it Vean, it'd have to be Doctor Vean. It was also decided by the car that not only would the tent be called Dr. Vean, but every single thing we had would be referred to as "Dr. Vean"

"Hey! Jared! Can you pass me that Dr. Vean?"

"Which one?"

"That one--next to the Dr. Vean"

"Oh gotcha"

Here is a picture of Putzer hitting a Doctor Vean with a Doctor Vean:

And here are the Jensen boys with their Doctor Vean's on their backs
We didn't limit ourselves to just doctor vean. We referred to our mother as "Queen Vean," Dani as "Mrs. Vean," and Putzer and I's girlfriends as "Miss Vean." We also had Commander vean, Master Vean, the Vean Family, Count Vean, Sir Vean, and so on. We also had a surprise vean, as pictured below:

DARTH VEAN!

This bird was terrifyingly large. It wasnt afraid of us at all. It sat their, veaning it up, and waiting for some food. Another car pulled up while we were at the scenic overlook and they were too afraid to get out of the car! ha.

Anyways, here is a video of Putzer taking on Darth Vean:

Putt Putt and Scraggles (and Dad, Jared, Mr. Vean) go to Zion

2011-05-01T14:58:00.003-06:00

Last weekend, the Jensen Men took a trip to Zion to go backpacking. We headed out friday morning and to got Zions National Park early that afternoon. We hiked on in through some awesome canyons and forests. We saw some pretty amazing cliffs and waterfalls. We set up camp near a spring about 5 miles in. We got the tents up just before the sun set, so we were good to go! After a scrumptious dinner of Chicken a la King and Chicken and Noodles, we got in the tents and played some rook. It was pretty cozy cramming the 4 of us in a 2 man tent to play rook before bed. All in all, a good day.

Saturday we got up and threw a baseball around for a bit after breakfast. We then started a hike to Cable Mountain, a 3 mile hike from our site. As we got the the trail from our campsite, we found a guy standing there wanting to talk to us. His name was shaun, and he was in the area working and decided to hike through the park that day. He didn't want to be all alone, so we invited him to come along with us. He was a funny guy and chattered with us the whole time. The hike wasn't bad, and the view was breathtaking. We were standing on a 2000 foot cliff! It was spectacular.

That afternoon we got back to the campsite and threw a baseball again (I think we are the first people ever to take baseball gloves backpacking). We also dug a pretty sweet latrine using big rocks for a seat and even a stick as a toilet paper holder! Cool stuff.

We had a nice dinner that consisted of mashed potatoes, sweet and sour pork, and teriyaki chicken. Yum! We played some more rook, then went to bed.

Easter morning we had to stay in our tents for while because it was raining. Bummer. The rain and terrain didn't hinder the easter bunny from showing up, though. He came in all his glory, delivering easter treats to us and easter eggs around our campsite that we had to go and find. Go Easter Bunny!

After breakfast, we had a little morning devotional. It was really good. Dad had hidden some hymns in the topographical maps he gave to each of us at the beginning of the trip, so we sang songs and talked about the importance that the Savior has had in our lives. It was a great way to spend easter morning: a dad and three brothers in a gorgeous part of the country.

We decided to roll out and pack up camp. It had rained both nights and the thought of getting up at 7 in the cold rain to pack up our stuff monday morning to hike out did not seem appealing at all. We packed up and left and drove over to bryce canyon. That place is way cool! We drove and saw some of the scenery on sunday.

Monday morning Dad, Jared, and I woke up and went on a short hike through Queen's Gate (putzer decided to sleep in). It was really cool do go down through the little "pillasters" (as dad called them) and walk through the canyon. Its pretty spectacular. After that, we made the drive back up to Provo.

It was a great weekend, and we made a ton of fun memories. Dad proved he still has his knack for the outdoors! Even at 60, the man still can get it done. Happy Birthday, Pops!

TO SEE MORE PICTURES click here

For anyone who missed it, a couple of months ago we put together this video to announce the man-cation. We had to do a lot of electronic stuff to get it together with the three brothers being in different places. But here is the announcement:

Intramurals

2011-04-16T15:42:00.001-06:00

Another semester, another set of adventures in intramurals!

This semester, I played intertube waterpolo with the Christiansen Family team. We did well-- we were in the upper division and made it pretty deep in the upper tournament.

I also played coed soccer. Our team was made up of 1/3 of the guys from my guys intramural team from last fall and some girls that the other guys knew. We lost our first game 2-1 (against a team that had 1/3 of the guys from our fall team), then won our next two, then lost our last regular season game. They left us in the upper division for the tournament because the games we lost were pretty hard fought games (i assume).

anyways, we won our first game. Then our second. Then I had the car crash and wasnt able to play in our third game. It was the semifinals, and i was devastated. That was the same day i went to the hospital for them to tell me i had a concussion and that i needed to lay low. It was a very good thing i didnt play-- i had been feeling lightheaded and any small bonk on the head would have been very bad. I brought an extra jersey and gloves and one of the guys on our team suited up. He played really well and had 5 saves. We ended up winning 3-1. I was dying on the sideline. I was pacing and yelling encouragement and all the things i normally would from the goalbox. It was more stressful being on the sideline than on the field!

So we advanced to the finals. I decided to play and wore a headband for protection. The final score? I'll let the picture tell:

1. my favorite number is 8. 2. shutouts are my favorite, and 3. i didnt bonk my head a single time during the game. Perfect!

By winning an intramural championship, we won the much-heralded intramural championship t-shirt:

It already looks good on me

Team 156 (they didnt like the other two names we tried)

THE CHAMPS

My Brain Hurts

2011-04-09T16:18:00.004-06:00

Right about.... THERE! is where it hurts.

I went to the doctor on Thursday and had a ct scan to make sure my brain wasn't bleeding. They told me I had a concussion and that i had to rest and take pain killers. That explains my lack of focus, the lightheadedness, the dull headaches, the upset stomach, the drowsiness, and the reason why I havent gotten nearly enough done this week.

PS. this blog post was made because i cant focus on studying....

Hopefully I get better by finals week!

pps. after i published this, colton came in and i told him how i'd worked successfully for 15 minutes while he was in the shower. we then spent the next 8 minutes trying to play a jimmy eat world song at the same exact time on our two computers.

We got it now. Back to studying!

Candle Light Vigil

2011-04-07T11:02:00.000-06:00

Last night, we held the candle light vigil for ESPN. It was an emotional experience. Putzer gave us a riveting speech that highlighted the best ESPN had to give us.

We also have a urn with the ashes of a picture of ESPN.

Thanks to everyone who came!

Putt Putt and Scraggles try to go to conference...

2011-04-03T13:55:00.017-06:00

Here is the story for everyone who didn't get the full scoop:

So Sunday morning, we had tickets to go to General Conference up in Salt Lake. We woke up to 4 inches of snow down in Provo (crazy because i've been wearing shorts all week!). We jump on the highway and start on our trek up to Conference. I was driving, Hayley was sitting shotgun, Putzer was back left, and Elizabeth was back right.

We were passing Lehi on I-15 in the lefthand lane at about 8:15. It was rainy and so there was spray coming up onto the windshield. I saw infront of us that the car was slowing and stopping, and that the cars in front of him were swerving into the righthand lane. I started slowing down and came to a prompt stop at least 10 feet behind the tan car in front of me. There had been a small fender bender or accident in front of the tan car, and there was an asian guy outside his car waving his hands for traffic to slow down. 1. Why didnt they get into the lefthand emergency lane? and 2. Why are you outside your car waving your hands? Scary.

We didnt skid or screech or anything, it was just a hard stop. When we stopped, we all kind of gave a sigh of relief and said 'phew.' I look in my rear view mirror and saw a big white pickup coming hard right behind us. it was able to slow and swerve into the emergency lane between us and the barrier to our left. I am looking out my left window saying 'good thing he didnt hit us.' Then all of a sudden i thought 'OH NO! WE'RE GOING TO GET HIT!' (these thoughts happen in about a fourth of a second.)

Suddenly there was a BOOM! We were thrown forward, my face into the exploded airbags. We rocked forward into the tan car infront of us. As the car was bouncing back, we were hit again. The car came to a stop, and we were all stunned. There was smoke in the car, presumably from the airbags. Needless to say, we were pretty stunned. We sat there for a couple of seconds and didn't say anything, then when I thought it was safe-ish and we weren't about to take another hit, I opened up my door and got out. Hayley climbed over from her side out my door, and then Putzer and Elizabeth from the back. We walked out between our car and the barrier and just kinda looked at the car and what happened. There were about 9 cars in the pile-up.

The driver in the tan car infront came back and was talking to us and told me to turn off my car. He was an older man and wasn't injured at all. We didnt talk to anyone else until the firemen and police came.

A police officer came over and identified me as the driver and handed me something to fill out. A fireman came a minute later to talk to each of us and see if we were okay. He talked to hayley and she had a little debate about how old she was. She told him, and then he was worried about me because of my forehead, but I told him i was okay. I then took some pictures of the car and began filling out the report. Putzer and Elizabeth went and sat in someone's car who had stopped because Elizabeth was a bit shaken up and in pain.

George Benson had driven through the crashed cars and stopped to come and check on us. Sam and my friends Bryan and Matt were with him. They came over and were talking with us and looking at the car and stuff. A bit later a couple came over and had Hayley and me go get in there car. They had their heat blasting and people sitting in there getting looked at by paramedics. Hayley sat in there and I had to go talk to a police officer and get some papers out of my car. When I came back, she was crying a bit and shaking pretty hard and said her neck hurt a bit, so I went and grabbed a paramedic to talk to her. He was helping her calm down her breathing, and the owner of the car was giving her tissues and helping out a lot.

Elizabeth and Putzer left in an ambulance to head down to the Provo hospital about a half hour after the crash. Hayley and I left about an hour and twenty minutes after. We left just as they were scooping ESPN (my beloved friend and car) up onto the tow truck. I jumped into the front seat of the ambulance and we were off. I talked to Hayley's sister, and then to her parents. Sitting in the front seat of an ambulance with their daughter on a stretcher and neck brace in the back was not the ideal way to talk to her parents for the first time... Luckily Hayley was doing well. In fact, she was asking the paramedic in the back if she had all of her teeth and if she was still cute!

We got to the hospital and we were in a room near putzer and elizabeth. Elizabeth had had x-rays done do see if she had any broken ribs, and they took Hayley for a ct scan on her head and neck. we were there for a long long time, and all turned out well. Elizabeth was fine, and Hayley had a mild concussion and strained neck muscles. Putz and Elizabeth left about 45 minutes before us. Hayley's aunt and uncle made the drive down from north of Salt Lake to come and check on us and make sure she was alright. They were really nice and helpful in getting the medications and taking us back to our apartments.

Today we are all pretty sore and tired. But we'd all rather be sore and tired than have anything worse have happened to us.

We are really grateful for the protection that the Lord gave us yesterday. We consider ourselves extremely blessed to have been able to walk out of the car with minor injuries. We know that He is mindful of his children wherever they are, and that he truly watches over us. The prayers for protection that our parents offer every day were answered.

Here is an article on fox news. You can see (from left to right) Sam, Hayley, Bryan/George, Matt, Me, and ESPN.

Hayley throwing the dueces with her aunt and uncle

They put this thing between hayley and the backboard. Its pretty cool.

Ready to leave!

I promise she is smiling and not in pain!

Again, smiling, not in pain.

ESPN, my beloved car, went out like a champ. He was a hero. He sacrificed himself to save us. He was a great little soldier in the prime of his youth: 6 years, 40,700 miles. He had just gotten a tire rotation/oil change and new brakes (which probably helped us out a bunch). We had some great moments, but he never stood stronger than yesterday when he saved all four of us in the car. I'm gonna miss ya, bud.

The pictures of ESPN:

Its incredible how much damage was done to the front and back and how intact the cab stayed. That saved us.

This one is my favorite... it almost looks like a transformer in mid-transformation

That white car in the background hit us second (i'm pretty sure). the blue excursion is where we went and sat for a while. They were such a nice couple to stop and help everyone out.

My boy got hit hard

I'm pretty sure that the red car hit us first. We were stopped back where he is, and then between getting hit by him and the white car we got pushed up 10-12 feet into the tan car.

the spoiler popped right off! i should have kept it.

those are the curtain airbags in the window. They saved us big time.

Listen Responsibly: a rebuttal to my sister's blog

2010-11-03T12:38:00.004-06:00

While i respect the opinions of my sister's students, i disagree.

In their analysis, 'Think Responsibility,' they argue that we listen to too much music and that that drains our opinions and personality out. I have prepared the following counter-arguments.

1. listening to music while doing the mundane things in life makes you feel like you are starring in your own movie. Who hasnt thought that as they play their favorite song as a backdrop to a boring chore or walk? Personally, i enjoy throwing on my ipod to listen to a song every now and then on my walk back from class. Or better yet... 'we are the champions' after doing well on a test. Point: music spices up the mundane in life, and boosts self esteem by making one think they are starring in their own movie. (note: i kicking piles of dry leaves or giving a cheesy jump down the stairs ads to self-movie delight.)

2. I am a superstitious kinda guy. On the way to every soccer game i play, i listen to the same songs to get me fired up. If i was left to my own on these drives, i would be having the following think-conversation:
'you're going to win, T.'
'yes i am.'
'you're going to make some sick saves, T'
'sounds good to me.'
'you're going to throw it on the line tonight, T.'
'can i turn on the radio?'
Point: Listening to music can get you in the mood for anything (athletics, dates, homework, etc.)

3. Music relieves stress. This one is a fact. Here comes the example: This weekend, we discovered the 'Hide yo kids, hide yo wife' song, and have been singing it and quoting it always. On Monday, I had a tough spanish test to take, dealing with prepositions. That is not a something that rivets my soul, so my studying before the test was half-hearted. At one point, i got up off the couch and just said 'Well, its go time. I'm just going to go take this thing.' And I was off. I sat down in the ominous testing center and began. It was hard. Blast. I am about 14 questions in, 86 to go. Then, out of nowhere, enters the following: 'Hide yo kid, hide yo wife... We gonna find you, we gonna find you!' I literally put down my pencil and thought how ridiculous and hysterical it was that that song was stuck in my brain. Then i realized that it was perfect for the test! for the next 86 questions, i would read the statement and then, as i was examining the multiple guess responses, i would sing 'Im gonna find you! im gonna find you!' Turns out i found enough of the right answers, scoring a 93 on that test that i didnt really prepare too well for. Point: The humor and stress relief of music saved me on that test.

4. I am listening to music right now as i write this blog. currently playing: Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas. It gives me swagger to do what i do.

Maybe i am just avoiding awkward conversations with my subconscious. I just had 2 years of music-free life to get to know the insides of my brain. For now, i think i'll stick with the soundtrack currently playing in the background of my life.

Intramural Sporting News:

2010-11-03T12:22:00.002-06:00

Its been a while since i've posted. i am happy to say that i am still doing cool things with my life... its just that i never have my camera to take pictures! note to self: take your camera out of your trunk. Anywho, this post is dedicated to my intramural sports and the injuries they have produced!

#1. the Ankle. This happened in my first and only ultimate frisbee game about a month ago. I went up for a sick grab in the end zone, and in an effort to keep my foot inbounds, landed bad on it. A trip the next day to the ER showed i hadnt broken anything, but we are pretty sure i messed up the ligaments a bit. Note: it still hurts when i try and turn left or right off it, and is still swollen on the front part.
#2. No photo available. The Knee. In a soccer game, i landed bad on my knee and it swelled up really big afterwards. I iced it and everything, and the next day it was pretty bad. Luckily, though, it got better within two or three days. it was scary though! i couldnt bend it!

#3. Last saturday in our soccer game, i got a nice turf burn (all my soccer games are on turf.... its a blessing and a curse worthy of another blog post.) anyways, it scabbed up a bit. then last night in my game i opened it up again and it bled a lot! it was pretty intimidating i guess. After then game i took my sock off and it was still bleeding, so i let it run down to my ankle. showering fresh turf burns hurt!!

But, the good news is that our soccer team is currently 6-0. we have scored 36 goals and allowed 2. Thats not too shabby! we are in the tournament now, and played our first game last night ( a 6-0 victory.) apparently we are playing the #1 ranked team in our next game. (rankings are so arbitrary...we'll see how good they really are!)

Moral of the story: Life is meant to be lived in a hardcore fashion.

Finally... the ART EXTRAVAGANZA

2010-10-21T16:23:00.007-06:00

So here it is. The Art Extravaganza. We had some fine cheeses (Danish Blue, Bourson, Mozzarella, and Cheddar.) we had 4 different flavors of Martinellis, we had grape juice, apple cider, and sprite. We had brownies and souffles and candles. it was great. We had great turn out-- about 50 people total over the night. we finger painted and had classy conversation, with some chic jazz music in the background. Overall, i'd call it a great success.
We even put the crackers on plates and had herbal teas and everything.

Colton, Andrew, Me, and Gibbs. Classy.
Some of the girls from our ward. they got the 'dress up' memo. nice.This is a nice one me and nicole picked up at DI. we opened it up and repainted the little duck. we decided he needed to be Hawaiian. He looks good. Turns out, its actually a hallmark card, and on the inside it says 'Friends...winter, spring, summer, or fowl." (ha.). and on the lower part it says 'always behave like a duck. keep calm and unruffled on the surface, but paddle like the devil underneath." A good catch-phrase for life, i guess.
This is the second one. Another DI purchase. We 'argentine-d' this one, making it a kiosko with a yellow brick road lined by empty 2 liter bottles (an argentine classic) with shrine to 'gauchito gil' (another classic) and the 'falkland islands are really argentine' banner. (also, classic.)

Food Storage.

2010-10-15T19:03:00.002-06:00

in the past, i have always tried to have a nice little food storage in case of any emergencies. Freshman year, i had a nice supply of canned goods and other things. (see here)

This year is no different. A couple weeks ago, I went out to the grocery store Macey's to get some icecream with laura moster. When we walked in, they had huge pallets of cereal for $.98 each!!! are you kidding me? i love cereal. So we investigated a little and found out you needed a coupon to buy them for that cheap. Disappointed that i didnt have said coupon, we went and got our icecream. (it was delicious). As we were walking out, i said 'we have to at least ask if they have the coupons.' So we did. And they did-- you had to buy 5 and it dropped the price down to .98 each. WOW. I bought 20 boxes on the spot. STEAL!

I got home and unloaded my goods. I then paused and decided i need more. So i rounded up my roommate, Putzer, and his roommate landon and we raced back to maceys to get some more. A dollar a box? who wouldnt?

The final count: 35 boxes of an assortment of cap'n crunch, peanut butter cap'n crunch, honey bunches of oats, and maple brown sugar life. In addition to that, i have 10 boxes of Chewey Granola Bars (also a dollar a piece).

I am now set for the millennium. I just hope i dont get tired of this cereal!

I also had to get some soy milk to go with it--- 24 little boxes of it!

YUM!

Well, its been a while.

2010-09-29T16:49:00.004-06:00

Well, its been a while since ive posted. Ive successfully finished the first month being back from the mission! its been weird. But im still alive! Some quick hits on stuff ive done:

CLIMBING!!! ive been like 12 times now. i can still do it! wahoo!Movies-- Avatar, Batman (i had already seen it, but i love that one), Kung Fu Panda, Iron Man.
Music- i dont like the new music yet...
Classes-- im taking accounting, new testament, living prophets, spanish, communications, and humanities
Sports: Ulitmate Frisbee, Soccer, and Football. I sprained my ankle really bad playing ultimate. X-Rays showed it wasnt broken or too too bad, so with the help of my new trusty ankle brace, i was playing soccer 3 days later. (8-0 shutout. yeah baby.)thats about it on me for the past month. I dont have any crazy stories... yet.
just give that some time. I'll be back to it soon.

ps. i love mate.

Taylor's last letter from Argentina

2010-08-17T19:59:00.001-06:00

August 16, 2010

Every new beginning comes from some others beginning's end---

Dear Family-

This past week has been great. We did 331 contacts this week-- I haven't shut up yet! And we were able to find 8 people and teach 12 lessons. Not bad for our area. The best though is that we put two fechas!! One is with a lady named Lys who we have been teaching for about 2 months. She was the one who went to Disneyworld for 3 weeks (well she actually couldn't get a visa so she went to Rio de janero in Brazil). She came back and came to church last week, and last Tuesday we put a fecha with here. She is really funny because she is super firm. She has such a strong personality and when she makes decisions, she is really strong in them. So when we challenged her, at first she didn't want to, but putting in practice what we learned last week in Neuquen we were able to bring the spirit and have her accept a fecha. It was a really spiritual experience. We were teaching her in the house of Rosa and Luciana- our converts. They have become friends and really help each other. Lys is funny-- one time she told us `I don't understand why Rosa cries all the time when she talks about how the church changed her life. to me that seems really pathetic and weak!` haha. We told her she'll understand. And it's just a way for them to express themselves. But she is incredible-- we left her a reading calendar on Saturday with some questions of the soul and a chapter to read each day. We passed by Sunday night and she had already read 10 days. She says `I was bored and didn't have anything to do, and i like reading. ` It's been a great experience for us, watching her develop a testimony. I think she fits the word `investigator' better than any other convert I've had. She is really analytical and really wants to know for herself.

Her fecha (baptism) is for the 18th of September. The day after we put the fecha, her sister came up from Bolson and she invited her sister to the baptism and it turns out the sister was baptized a couple of years ago in Bolson! What a small world. Lys smokes a lot, but last night we challenged her to quit. She loves challenges and I have no doubt she'll quit smoking really fast. It's fun to see the spirit work in people. I know that in the process of teaching her, I have been prompted to say and ask things that I wouldn't normally ask or say. Things really bold. And it works! It's exactly what she needs to hear. I am excited for her, and we've already set it up that I'm going to call her on the 18th- the day of her baptism

It'ss been a tough week with my companion. He has a really tough personality-- we were talking about it yesterday. He treats people really bad and this week was like a black hole sucking out all of our animo. We talked about it and he just kinda laughed and said yep that's how I am I like to do things to make others suffer or get mad. He' nuts. But I've really felt like I've had the backpack this week. I expressed that to him after church on Sunday and he said `I know I've been doing it on purpose.` but this week he promised to work hard so we finish really well together.

So with that in mind, I've learned a lot this week. On Thursday, I was really frustrated because we hadn't been teaching or finding this week, and my friend acted as if he couldn't care less. I studied really hard Preach My Gospel chapter 9-- how to find. I was struck by the amount of times it talks about having the faith to find. It reminded me of what Pres. Cook taught-- contacts show work, new people shows faith. I went to bed Thursday night decided to find people the next day, and to have the faith that I'd be able to. Friday morning we get up and go. And you know what? We get into the first house we knock. We taught a really good lesson to a couple of guys from Buenos Aires and it was a really good lesson. I was so happy. Friday we had a fantastic day-- we ended up teaching 6 lessons, finding 5 and doing a bunch of contacts. I realized the importance in having faith to find. It was something that for me has bee wavering a bit this transfer. But now I've realized the importance of having it and being determined to get into a house. It requires confidence. It requires animo. It requires faith. I love it.

The other thing I learned this week is prayer. I have finally begun to understand the importance of prayer. These past 4 nights, I have knelt and prayed for literally 5 or 6 minutes. And it makes a HUGE difference. I feel great doing it, and I know its what I am supposed to be doing. I am really hoping I can make this a part of my regular life. I know that it is through these prayers that I have received revelation personal about the things I should do in my area, do in my companionship, and do in my life to be a better representative of Christ. Its through prayer that we receive personal revelation, and it's about time I started learning that, huh?

On Sunday we were knocking in a neighborhood that doesn't have a single member. We were talking about that and at one point we said `well, its time to get members in coihues!` The next house we knocked, we got in and taught a lesson. After 11 minutes in the lesson, the investigator had a fecha. And after 20 we prayed and left. It was awesome. It was exactly what we learned to do in NQN last week. We were really excited, and this area is coming back to life.

We are excited for this week. We are going to Esquel today and tomorrow for their district meeting, and we are going to work with some elders that are struggling down there. Then Wednesday we'll be back here for a district meeting with those in Barilo. then we're going to work our hardest and get 300+ contacts and teach and put some more fechas. Last week I was really preoccupied with how I was finishingI'm devastated I'm not baptizing this last transfer-- and I've been worried that we haven't been finding or teaching as much as I wanted to. But these past 3 days I have felt the confirmation of the spirit that I am finishing well. That I am working hard. Elder Argueta talked to me about that-- that no missionaries do 300 contacts their last weeks, that no one has so much desires to teach and work as I have, and no one avoids being trunky like I have. It felt really good to get that confirmation that what I am doing is acceptable for the Lord.

It's snowing a bit today-- and it couldn't be more gorgeous.

It is with great emotion and tenderness that I write this letter today. It is funny how in the MTC one waits with so much anxiety to receive their flight plans, whereas here at the end of my mission I have been dreading that envelope with flight plans. I have about 100 different emotions right now as I enjoy my last p-day here in Bariloche. I've felt a lot of anxiousness, wanting to get out and talk to as many people as I can this last week. I feel a lot of nervousness, thinking about the transition back to life without a plaque. I feel stress thinking about packing my life of 2 years into 2 suitcases!! I feel really awkward already!! It's hard to put into words what these two years have meant for me, the things I've learned, and the person I've become. I am excited to be able to see you all next week, and I'll try to sleep as much as I can on the plane so I can spend time with you all! I have a lot of mixed feelings-- on one hand, I never want to stop my service here in Argentina, and on the other I am ready to see my family again. (and sleep past 630! ha!)

Dad-- thank you for your advice. I think I feel very much the same-- I firmly believe that being a missionary is the absolute best calling in the church, and the best thing that could happen to me. I'm going to miss it dearly. But I'll just have to adjust and to the things I've learned here in a different style of life. I am preparing my talk-- sorry i forgot to tell you that I'll do it. i am also preparing to spend as much time as possible with the famI'm excited to see my friends, but I'd really like to spend most of my time with you all.

I want to share my testimony one more time through email that i know God loves us and that we are His children. I know that the families can be eternal, and I know that we must have faith in Jesus Christ to make that possible. He died for us. He took every error that I have made upon his shoulders so that I can come back to His presence to be judged and if I do my part I'll go to that judgment without spot or sin. I am eternally grateful for His sacrifice for sin and cannot wait for the day in which I can look Him in the eyes, feel for myself the marks in his hands and wet his feet with my tears. He is my Savior, and has redeemed me from my errors. I love this gospel. I love life. I love knowing that God loves us and that we will live with him again. There is nothing that brings more peace to my life than this. And the Spirit I have felt and learned to love here in Argentina will be something that I treasure for the rest of my life. I can feel such a difference in the moments that I have the spirit and in those that I don't. I have a new resolution to live my life in such a way that I will always have His spirit with me, so that I can live this life in the best way possible, so that I can be happy and help lift the burdens of others. I testify that these things are true, and leave these 2 years as evidence that I know they are true.

I love you all, and thanks for the letters today from Camie Jared and Putzer. You are all awesome. See you next Wednesday at 9 AM

Elder Taylor Alan Jensen

Forgot to send this last week!

2010-08-15T20:52:00.001-06:00

August 9, 2010

A GREAT week! As you know, we were up in NQN for 3 days for the training and the zone leader consejo. We were in meetings from about 8:30 till 5 or 6 every day. It was a lot. But i LOVED it! All of my best friends in the mission were there-- my buds from the office who are now zone leaders, elder Taylor, the office that is still in the office. It was just a blast. And luckily I was so excited to see them-- if it wasn't for that excitement, I'd have been toast. Monday night I couldn't sleep-- i got 4 hours of sleep. Then on the all nighter bus ride Tuesday night, I slept an hour and a half. But I had more energy those three days in Neuquen than I've had in a long long time. It was so fun!

The training was really good. I was really intrigued because nothing was new--- everything we read and practiced came straight out of the scriptures or predicad mi evangelio. There were 8 sessions-- (lets see if i can name them all...) 1. Doctrine of Christ. Revelation through Prayer. Revelation through the book of Mormon. Revelation through attending church. How to begin teaching. asking inspired questions. Oh no... I am forgetting two. Oh well. But it was really good-- there was a big push in not falling into a routine when teaching. We talked a lot about questions and asking inspired questions, and in leaving silence while teaching. I loved it because those things were things I had already started to work on as a teacher. It was a blast, and we all participated a lot. I was struck as I looked around the room. thought in my mind `wow. How many times am I going to sit down for hours with 20 of my best friends and talk about the scriptures and how to teach like this? It's incredible that 20 20 year olds would gladly do that. I know I don't have much time to put it in practice, but I'm working hard on doing the things we learned. The mission is going to be a lot better, and we are going to be such powerful teachers if we can get this going. It's at times like these when I say `aw man why couldn't I have learned that two years ago??? But everything has there time.

On Wednesday, we went and saw the Sepulvedas. Matias showed me his `mission carpeta (folder) where he has all his papers that he is filling out. He's planning to leave next year. It's incredible to think he's going to go on a mission. I am so happy for him, and he is excited. He's preparing himself very well, and is teaching with the missionaries a lot. He is actively teaching and working with his brother who still hasn't been baptized yet. I love that family so much. And they basically run the ward now. hno Sepulveda is the young men's president. Hermana is the relief society president. Jackie is the primary president. Fernando is the ward mission leader and gospel doctrine teacher. they run the ward. It's incredible how solid they are.

Thursday we went and visited Ezequiel. He's doing great-- he has a suit and tie and his mom bought him a bunch of church DVD`s and scriptures. He is a good kid.

Friday, me elder Taylor, Argueta and Henrie went to Allen. We saw Luis and his wife (who got married that morning. They ended up getting baptized on Saturday). We saw the oñate, Gladys, Edgardo Millequeo, and the Etchegaray with Gonzalo Marquez, and Octavio Moreno (the WML.) it was awesome. I have a lot of friends there, and we helped a lot of people there too. It was great to go and see all of them one more time.

Love you!

Taylor

Elder Jensen will arrive back in Cincinnati on August 25th

2010-08-02T20:48:00.001-06:00

August 2, 2010

Hi all--

It was a tough week. We had some challenges health wise between me and my companion. We took turns waking up sick. We are back to normal now, but its tough to work when you're sick!!

We have been really struggling to find and teach these past 2 weeks. We really haven

t taught much or found many new people. We are still working hard-- we did 321 contacts week 1, 305 week 2, and 317 this week. That was one of my goals-- get lots of contacts. But I almost don't want to count them because in doing almost 1000 contacts, we've found about 15 people this transfer. That's probably the lowest ratio I've had in my whole mission! But we are still trying hard.

Teaching Alberto was pretty rough this week. We went out there several times, but couldn't really teach him. On Tuesday, we went out there to teach Alberto and Malvina. We knocked the door of the house where he was staying, and he came outside and talked to us for a while. He told us he had gone to the doctor's for some problems he was having, and they did a whole bunch of exams for free. Turns out he isn't sick at all! He doesn't have any blood in his liver or anything! He was just crying as he told us this. He was so happy. And we were too. Then out comes the guy that owns the house where he was staying and the first thing the guy says to us is `i believe in a living Christ. ` and we say ... we do too... and then he just goes on a tirade just killing us and saying whatever thing about us and how its not good that we are outside at 8 o'clock working and that we knock doors at 2 in the afternoon and how Joseph Smith isn't the savior of the world and just all this trash. We kept our cool and just said `okay. Great! Yep. Good for you.` just taking all these blows. It was incredible. He told us several times how he was very bothered that we were talking to Alberto, and how he was trying to heal Alberto and didn't want any `turbulence` in the process. It was awful. Absolutely a wolf dressed in sheep's clothing. Then when he was done running his mouth he went back inside, and we arranged to meet Alberto in the house of some menos activos to teach him and his daughter. Alberto is looking for a new place to live because he doesn't want to be with those crazies either.

So the next day we went back and gosh it is so hard to find those two. The situation is so hard. Finally we got the two of them together and went over to the MA house and taught for just a quick little time because it was already late. We agreed to meet again on Friday to do the same, but when we got there Friday, neither of them were able to do it. We went to pick them up on Sunday, but neither was there again. All in all, we probably won't be going out to KM 23 very much more just because its expensive and is a lot of time, and the situation just is not stable enough to teach the gospel for now. It just broke our hearts. We probably are going to go out and see if we can find them one more time, but it just really is stretching us way too far and the situation just is not good for now.

In other news, we are going to NQN Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for a special training with all the changes. I'm excited to learn some new stuff that will help me this last little bit, and I'm also excited to see my Neuquen converts and also go to Allen to see Luis's baptism. That's going to be so great!!!

Me and my companion are getting along so well. We are just such good friends-- we've finally come to the stage where we just get along no matter what. And the best-- he said `please` for the first time the other day! haha. And he told me he was going to cry when I left! aw man... we're just good friends. We've already got a deal or two worked outI'm going to send him beef jerky and he's going to send me alfajores. We finally started learning English together too. We had a long chat the other day about his future. He just doesn't have one in El Salvador, and so he wants to go the states. I told him he had to learn English to have a chance to get in and he got really excited about doing it. Its fun-- I like talking to latins in English. It's fun.

Have a great week!!

Elder Jensen

Long update from down south

2010-07-28T20:35:00.000-06:00

July 26, 2010

Here come some miracle stories... maybe the best of my mission....

So, I told you all last week how we found Alberto, the guy who was looking for his kids and such here and found them and then we found him and had an incredible chat with him and put a fecha. See last week's email if you don't remember. So, we had a cita with him for Wednesday. We went out to km 13 to meet with him in his sister's house again, and we got there at 7, the time of the cita. We knocked and he wasn't there... no one was there. So we sat on a little trash bucket outside his house and waited. We were absolutely devastated to be honest. Wednesday, we had no citas and had been knocking literally all day with less fruits than an apple tree in winter. So we sat. And hoped he was just getting there a touch late. And we kept waiting, and kept hoping. Then, we saw him walking down the street. We were so happy. But he came to see if we were there and to see if he could shower at his sister's house. He has now moved to a tiny little place in km 23 (we live in 4.2, and the church is in 4,7. We take lots of busses) So he couldn't let us in and didn't really have time that night. So we said okay-- we set up a time to go out to 23 to teach him. He had read Alma 36 (i love that chapter for people who are trying to overcome bad decisions in the past) and had liked it. So we set ourselves a cita for Friday at 8. He had done a test on Wednesday for his cirrhosis and would have the results on Friday. So then comes Friday.....

I was on divisions with my bud Elder Skousen in Centro, so this is the story that my companion called to tell me Friday night. They were getting killed again-- another day of straight bitter contacts. so they decided to go to 23 to work. We haven't ever worked out there because of distance and time and such, but they went out to knock a bit before the cita. So they go and they get in a bunch of houses- like 4 houses. They ended up finding 10 news-- incredible. They were just teaching and getting in left and right. Then it came time to meet with Alberto, so they go down to the bus stop to wait for him. they waited. and waited. and then came 2 busses. He got off of the second bus and started walking up the path to the top of the hill where this neighborhood is. My companion chases him and calls his name 3 times. He doesn't respond. They caught up to him and took him a touch by surprise, and he was just so down in the dumps. They asked about his test, and he says it didn't come out well. Oh no. He didn't tell us how bad it was, but its bad. So my companion starts walking with him and talking and trying to animate him a little bit. Alberto says `I'm going to take you to my daughter's house so you can visit them when I'm gone. So they went over and met his 15 year old daughter, Malina. They start talking and its going well. my companion had contacted her earlier in the day and she was begging her mom to let them in, but the mom didn't want to. But now we figured out why-- she had taken the charlas in Buenos Aires and was about to get baptized, but then her parents got separated and she came down here and lost touch with the church. My companion goes-- you know what? We are going to have a baptism on the 14th of August. you know who is getting baptized? She goes... who? My comp says `ask your dad.` she looks at him. He goes errr..... me. And she looks at him with such awe and happiness and just goes no!!! really!?! And my companion told me when she said this, Alberta just kinda perked up, content that his daughter was happy with him. My companion then says `and Malina-- you know what- you can get baptized with your dad on the 14th as well. She goes `of course!` They then finished talking and arranged transportation to go to church on Sunday. My companion was at the point of tears when he called me, and me listening got there too. It was such a spiritual moment for all of us. I felt so strongly the love of God and how He created that situation to help Alberto in his great moment of need. Really, Alberto was planning on going back to Buenos Aires to die because he doesn't want his kids to see him die. his kids don't even know he is sick. But now, with this, we think he is going to stay here, just so he can be with his daughter and get baptized with her. If there was ever a man who needs the church in his life, it's Alberto. He is so down right now, and this is what he needs.

So then on Saturday, we were getting everything worked out for rides and such. we were going to go out there with a member in his car because the busses don't run as often on Sundays. We were preparing for 5 people in the church-- Alfredo (we taught him with the bishop on Thursday and it was great-- he is so analytical and really is learning. but he starts teaching school again and is going to be really busy.) Damian and Jessica who said they'd come but they are painting and remodeling their house, and Alberto con Malina. We were so excited, and had everything worked out how they were going to get there, and who was going to be their friend and everything. So we start rolling with the plan on Sunday. we leave super early to go out to 23 with a member. we were knocking on Malina`s door and no one answered! blast!!! we then went to Alberto's and found him leaving his door, so it was perfect. we jumped in the car with him and then went back to Malina`s. After knocking again, we decided to just go to church. So we went. We got there about 10 or 15 minutes early, and Alberto was really hesitant to go in. but I said `come on!` and he came in. We were sitting in the sacrament room together and chatting and we found out he had taken the lessons in Buenos Aires and had gone to church some times too. Awesome! we are about 5 minutes before the meeting he leans over and says `I'll be right backI'm going to run and buy some hard candy to get me through the meeting. I say okay... and he left. And he never came back!!!!!!! I was shocked! I have never even heard of that- having someone 5 minutes before the meeting and then they ran away! BLAST!!! We think he just felt uncomfortable because of all the stuff that's going on and just got overwhelmed. We are going to teach him again on Tuesday-- we went over to 23 and talked to some menos activos to set it up so that we teach Alberto and his daughter in their house because Alberto and his daughter both have really small uncomfortable house. We've got all sorts of stuff worked out for them, to teach them and bring to them to church and everything. I've never done this much work with 2 investigators before, but they are both incredible people, so it is well worth it.

I put some goals for the end of my mission my last transfer in Neuquen and I'm doing pretty well with them-- I wanted to read the Book of Mormon in Spanish my last 2 transfers, and I'm more than halfway now, so I've got about 12 pages per day and I'm there. I've also hit 300 + contacts most of the weeks and am going to do it for sure these next 4 weeks. I also want to baptize again before I go, so we are planning a whole lot for Alberto and his daughter.

Oh!! Big news. Next week we are going to Neuquen for 3 day training on the new stuff they are doing with missions. Luis Tagle was going to get baptized this Saturday, the 31st, but Elder Taylor is working with the hermanas there to get him baptized next week, like the 5th or 6th, so that me, Elder Taylor, Elder Henrie, and Elder Argueta can go back to Allen to see his baptism. I'M SO EXCITED!!!

Other news is that Elder Taylor got some of my old investigators to church this week. We talk a lot and he asked me how I baptized there and who he can baptize there, and I gave him some names and such and he is doing so well. He is an incredible missionary. Whenever we talk, we always joke about how the tables have turned and such. It's great.

Hope you have a great week, family!!!

Elder Jensen

Hello from Taylor

2010-07-19T20:38:00.001-06:00

July 19, 2010

Hi family!

It was a fun week of transfers and getting everything set up for this transfer. I am really excited because the majority of my district from Allen are back in the zone, and we are going to play soccer today like we did back in the day in Allen. It's going to be great!

Things are going alright here. We didn't have much time to work today because we had to be in the terminal basically all day on Monday and Tuesday ushering people in and out, and Friday we had a zone meeting and then drove with president down to Esquel to have a zone meeting there on Saturday. We got back to our area at about 5 on Saturday, so we had a couple things that ate a lot of our time this week. But--- we had some miracles happen.

My companion and I are getting along better. In my interview with president, I talked with him about it, and I was talking it became obvious why I am still with him-- he respects me a lot and I realized that we, despite our differences, have a very special bond. I get through to him when I talk, and he's gotten a lot better these two transfers. And he knows me really well and is the one who is going to help me finish my mission well. I really got a testimony in that interview that it's the Lord's will we are still together.

Another miracle we had happened last night. We both during the week felt a bit prompted to go and start working in km. 13. So on Sunday (when we finally had time) we went and got going. We were knocking and not having any real success. We finished this one set of blocks and decided to go to another. In the way, there was a string of 5 houses, so i say lets knock those on the way over. We start and we get to one house that lets us in. (finally!!). we got in and saw a articles of faith card stuck on the mirror in their entry way and we both raised our eyebrows and said ´hmm...´ We started talking with Alberto and he is a pretty incredible man. For the past year and a half, he's been looking for his 7 kids. His wife went crazy one day and ditched him and took his 7 kids, and he has been searching and searching all over the country. He got wind a month ago that they may be here in Bariloche, so he came and has been living with his sister. He didn't have money to make it through his journey, so sometimes he stopped and worked small jobs to get money to eat and to travel, and so now he is here. On Thursday, he found his kids and ex wife. He was just overjoyed. He openly expressed his gratitude to God and got pretty emotional. He said he knows it was God that led him here. He then said ´I'm looking for a churchthat's why I let you in.´ So we started. We taught about families, about God's love, about the atonement of Christ and how that can erase all sins. We asked him if he believed that, and he said ´no.. I don't think so.´ We then read parts of Alma 7 and bore strong testimony about how we've been washed clean, and told him he could experience the same. It clicked with him, and the spirit bore powerful testimony that it's true. We then read 14 and 15 in Alma 7 and challenged him to take the steps to repent and be baptized for the 14th of August. He accepted. We then verified it and asked him why he wants to and he said ´I just really want to be clean, to be pure, to get rid of all the bad that i have.´ we asked again if he wants to be baptized and he responds ´´ absolutely.´´ It was a pretty incredible lesson. This man has cirrhosis-- I don't know what it is in English, but its when you drink a lot and it kills your liver. He's quit drinking and the doctors told him a bit ago he has 6 months left. He says ´I've got more than that. I've got to be here for my kids. I'm going to be here for my kids.´ He's a strong guy. A really powerful guy. and we are really excited for him. Hopefully we can stay in contact with him and that he doesn't slip away!

We've got Alfredo as wellhe's the 55 year old guy we found last week. We taught him twice this week and both times he was waiting for us with a Fanta and cookies and a notebook to write down the things he learns. We tried to put a fecha with him on Tuesday, but he declined saying he wants to learn more. I don't blame him. I'd say the same thing. But he is reading and loves the book of Mormon. I'm almost certain he is going to be coming to church this Sunday. We've got another young couple named Damien and Jessica who also are planning on coming. This Sunday we didn't have anyone, but next Sunday we are looking at having at least 3 or 4 people there. It's going to be great. We've got a bishop and a ward that really supports and helps new members stay and feel welcomed.

Remember in about January one time I was on divisions here in Bariloche and we found the guy who waved us back to his house and let us in and he had gone to church in Roca, and then 3 months later I was here on divisions again and we taught him and eliminated his doubt about stuff he had read on the internet about the church?? They finally got baptized in a week ago. I love hearing things like that, and it makes me want to work harder because we never know when we are going to find the next familia Guzman (this couple) or Alberto or anyone.

I love this work. I love this life.

Elder Jensen

Update from Argentina

2010-07-09T19:47:00.000-06:00

July 5, 2010

Sorry that my letter didn't go through last week! You'll just have double for today.

This week has been so so. We didn't get much forward, and I kinda feel like if you're not moving forwards, you're moving backwards. We have had a lot of challenges this week that made it hard to buckle down and get it done in our area. Monday and Tuesday we were in Esquel and Trevelin working with some missionaries there. They were tough divisions down south-- some elders really struggle because they choose to not like the situation they are in and as a result shut down as a missionary.

Wednesday we were back here and working. This week I think I've had some of the best studies in my entire mission. About a week and a half ago, I put the goal to read the whole book of Mormon in Spanish before I go home. I still haven't done that yet-- and i need to read about 10 pages everyday. I've been doing it, and I'm actually ahead of schedule. And I have learned more this time through the book of Mormon than any other time I have read it in my entire life. It's been really incredible for me because I've really had to pay more attention as I read in Spanish and I am finding a lot of little things-- words that have a bit different translation or connotation in Spanish that just bring the scriptures alive. Then in our companionship studies, we just sit and talk about what we learned for an hour and we debate some stuff and try to figure stuff out. It's easily the best studies I've ever had in my whole mission. Even on the bus ride back from Esquel I pulled out my triple to read-- I love it!

We had a fun Saturday here. Argentina got crushed by Germany in the mundial. We were instructed to either stay in the house and study or go to the chapel to do something productive. We went to the chapel in Centro to be with the other missionaries. This weekend (the 10th) we are having a `white baptism.` we've got a baptism in our ward, and three others in the other wards in Bariloche, so we are all getting together the next weekend and baptizing the 4 in 1 ceremony. It's going to be really good. Everyone already has passed their interviews and is all ready to go. So we were in the church Saturday morning preparing a musical number for the baptism. Then we realized the hermanas weren't filling the font for their baptism that day, so we rushed over to the font to start filling it. It was filthy, so I took off my shoes and socks and got in there and gave it a good Nan Jensen scrubbing! Luckily we got it going-- the poor hermanas don't get any support from their ward. We missed our lunch doing that, and then ran over to our chapel to have our fecha interviewed, then ran back to Centro because the baptism of the hermanas asked me to baptize her. After that baptism, we went over to another chapel in Bariloche to attend another baptism and do an interview for the district leader there. It was a crazy crazy day.

The rest of the days this week have been filled with snow and rain. It gets really cold here! It's gorgeous as it snows, freezing cold as it rains, and terrible when its windy. But this is the best looking area in the entire mission-- I have zero complaints. I'm willing to get a little chilly and wet if it means working here in this area!

Today we are going up a mountain-- its going to be gorgeous. Get ready for some incredible photos.

Stomach update of the weekI'm going to get my parasite test done next Thursday or Friday when im in Neuquen. The transfer ends this week, so next week I'll be up there for zone leader conference. I've been having pain these past few days, but i think it has something to do with what I've eaten-- pasta with sauce that has tomatoes. The doctor told me to avoid that, but it's a touch difficult to avoid when you're with members. I've also gone completely off milk-- I am back on my soy milk with cereal. A member gave us a big glass of milk last Wednesday, and Thursday morning I about died, so I'm going to wait a bit to try milk again. Like 2 or 3 months ish :) one elder told me if I have a parasite I've got to get a bowl of milk and put my head close by it with my mouth open and the parasite will come crawling out. Gross. I think i might try it just for fun! Elder Crandell wrote me a note in my journal the other week and he put a sticker of a worm and said `thanks for all that milk you drink-- its great down here in your gall bladder!` ha. My parasite is the zone's mascot.

Anyways, this week we are going to teach 20 lessons. We are going to just go out and get it done. Our zone has really dipped these last 2 weeks and I feel a bit responsible because we haven't been as constant in animating the zone as we have been in past weeks. But we've put some good goals for the zone and we are going to work really hard to help them have a good week 6 so that we start next transfer out well. As a zone we've had 5 baptisms so far and we are looking forward to 5 in total this weekend. Our meta was 15 but we'll get 10. I'm nervous for next transfer because we only have 3 fechas for next transfer. It's kinda like we're just fading out and dying. President got some new instruction on preach my gospel from the general authorities this week, so I really hope that is going to spark us to know what to do to have more success. Onwards and upwards!

Elder Jensen

Through snow and cold........

2010-06-22T09:57:00.000-06:00

June 22, 2010

This email is going to be about a 180 degree turn around from last weeks.

It was an incredible, miraculous week. In our area, pioneros, where the work is hard and the people are mean and it gets dark early, we mustered 16 total lessons (7 with members present!) and found a whopping 25 new investigators!!!!! What? That's ridiculous. It was a week of many events, and trials, and challenges. Here we go:

Tuesday- district meeting in Esquel-- it went very well. We presented our zone plans. We talk a lot about desires and use D&C 11 to do it. I felt really prompted to base our plans in that, so with the help of elder Argueta we put together a nice presentation talk type of thing. Then, afterwards, we did interviews with the missionaries there. It was really good-- we weren't planning on doing them, but when I woke up I had a big push that I needed to do them today. I did one in particular with a missionary who is just melting down. He just told me he's depressed, doesn't like his area, members, companion, nothing. It was a tough one, but I gave him some stuff to read that had helped me in my `meltdowns` He's doing okay-- he had a transfer to start week 3 and has had 1 week with his new companion. And in that week they completely changed their dead area into one that is thumping. They put a fecha their first day together. They are great. So i was really glad for that prompting to do interviews because if we hadn't have done them, we wouldn't have known about his problems. It also was a confidence gainerhe's called us several times to talk and to complain and it's been good because we have his confidence.

We then jumped on our 5 hour bus back to Barilo and got here about 5. We got to Rosa and Luciana's about 20 minutes early. my companion was kinda walking slow up the hill to their street and saying `what are we going to do these 20 minutes?` Get in a house! I say. We started knocking and got in a house and found a family of 6! Awesome. They were having a birthday party and invited us in for a piece of cake. We gave them a DVD finding faith in Christ. It was good-- we haven't been able to get back into their house because they haven't been there the times we've tried, but they were really nice.

Wednesday was the first day we had worked together that we didn't get in a new house here in Bariloche. But, we did 123 contacts, so it's not like we weren't trying! We talked to some people who were really good and who we ended up getting into their house later in the week

Thursday- we woke up and it was freezing cold and snowing. But that didn't matter. In the morning we were knocking in a richer part and got into 2 houses in the morning!!!! Wow. It was great-- they both were really good and we've taught one of them 3 times now. It was a blast-- we started that day so good. Then in the afternoon, we taught 3 with member and 1 other. We ended that day with 3 with member, 3 others, 6 news and 51 contacts. That's as many lessons as they were teaching in an entire week here for the past couple of months. I keep telling my companion we can change this area in 1 week. He is hesitant about that, but these past 3 weeks have absolutely proved that. We have a good new family that we are going to try and put a fecha with this week. I'm so excited!!

Friday-- Friday was probably one of the hardest days in my life! On Thursday, the police killed a 15 year old kid here. His friends and gang and family revolted and started throwing rocks at the police station and that kind of stuff, and the police came out and by the end of the day 3 teens were killed. That got all the teens in Bariloche fired up and it just started a little war between the police and the `pibes` (guys). That shut down our city to missionary work for a couple of days because it was dangerous to work because we didn't know what was going to happen or where the disturbances would be. So, the other 8 missionaries had to stay in on Friday. Our area is so tranquilo that we could keep working. The hermanas had a member who died earlier this week in their ward, so they asked if they could go to the funeral. We let them. We then get a call about an hour later that they were walking back from the chapel and everyone started running and screaming, so everyone ducked into the mall there. Then some pibes went running through and the police were chasing them and yelling `everybody down! ` So the hermanas ducked into a store where they turned off the lights and hid with a group of other people. They were terrified and called us and were just telling us how there was a shoot out going on in the mall and stuff like that (the police are shooting a lot of rubber bullets) so we were frozen-- we were 15 kilometers away and the bus wasn't going to come for another 30 minutes. We called a taxi and went flying in to Centro to `rescue` the hermanas. We were scared too-- we had no idea if it was a real shoot out or rubber bullets or anything. But, turns out, it really wasn't a big big deal what happened in the mall. We got to Centro and the hermanas were able to get out and go back to the church. We met with them there, and they were absolutely fine. It wasn't too too much danger, but they were scared. We were terrified- it was absolutely our fault they were out. So we dodged a big bullet there (pun intended :) ) Things are more or less calm now, so the missionaries were able to get out on Sunday and work. But that was a big scare. I also went to the doctor on Friday to do the test-- I am going to pick up the results today at 6, so I'll be letting you know next week what's going on. I hope i have parasites-- my stomach is really achy. I haven't had the runs all week though, so thats a huge blessing. But at this point I want it to be parasites so I can take some medications to kill them. It's turned into the zone joke-- my parasites are now the zone's pets and everyone is making sure I feed them and stuff. Pretty funny. So we'll find out today.

Saturday was an interesting day. We woke up and had a big conversation about changes we need to make as a companionship. Friday about killed the both of us. We talked a lot about consecrating ourselves to the work and really dedicating ourselves. Doing what we should. I was pretty frustrated with a lot of things my companion was and wasn't doing, so I just put it all on the table. He was pretty down and we just had to make some changes to be the missionaries and leaders we need to be. So he said `if the 2 fechas pass their interviews, I'll be 100% obedient and do what I'm supposed to for the rest of my mission.` The interviews passed, and my companion took seriously his promise. He is a new man, and I am so excited because he is putting aside his stubbornness and pride and really growing as a leader. We are working really hard, and had some big miracles this weekend. The fechas are great-- they are getting baptized on Saturday. We have 2 members of our ward who go with us to almost every visit and just are so supportive. This is by far my best ward on the mission-- we have the whole stake presidency, Pres. Petersons 2nd councilor, and 2 or 3 other returned missionaries. Solid, solid group who do great welcoming people in.

The assistants were in for the weekend. I worked with elder Crandell-- I miss that guy! He's so good. I also worked with the new assistant. He is so polished and bright and good. He's a 27 year old Chilean who has already graduated as a doctor, so I talk to him about my stomach a lot. He is a really humble spiritual guy. He is a solid solid assistant.

Yesterday we had zone conference. It was incredible. Hermana Peterson talked about sacrifice. President talked about faith in a very powerful way. It was exactly the chat I had with elder Argueta and just cemented the changes we've made. We are doing a mundial (soccer tournament) of Bariloche and we gave out some fun prizes to all the companionships. We recognized something great each companionship has done, and the most incredible part is that our weekly key indicators have gone up in every single category in all three of the weeks!!!!! The zone is on fire right now-- we found 111 as a zone last week. That's INCREDIBLE.

Today we have zone p-day and got permission to watch the mundial. I'm pumped! It's going to be a blast. It's been a crazy week and I've learned and grown a whole lot. Elder Rasband said the apostles saw where we were going to end our mission. Here I amI've been prepared my whole mission to come here and end here. We're changing this area-- we're changing lives.

I love this area. I love this work.

Elder Jensen

Belated weekly letter from Elder Jensen

2010-06-19T21:37:00.001-06:00

June 14, 2010

hi family!

I'm back on my feet-- on Friday I was finally able to get out and work. On a day of pouring rain-- I was a bit of a zombie, but I think that getting out and working was the only thing that was going to make me better! I felt so dead and out of energy on Thursday that elder Argueta told me he was thinking about not even letting me out on Friday. He said `if you were my brother, I'd have you here in the doghouse another 3 days! ` But it felt good to get out and work-- i missed it! We were so bored. Between long naps and study sessions, we found a chess board and so between those three things, we kept our sanity. But the bronchitis and laryngitis and sinus-itis and all the other itis`s are out. I'm still on the anti-biotic for a couple more days. This week we'll have another fun medical week i thinkI'm going to go have a parasite test. I've had the runs for 5 straight weeks and the AP that replaced me has already graduated in Chile as a doctor and said I should go get that test--it costs 100 dollarsI've still got some money left over from buying my robbed stuff back, so I'll just use that. I'll let you know how it goes next week!

So far, Elder Argueta and I have entered in a new house every day we've worked. Its only been 6, but here in this area that is quite the run. We've got 3 fechas that are really solid for this transfer, so that is helping us keep going. 2 of them are getting baptized on the 26th and the other on July 10th. They all have come to church the past 3 weeks, so they are doing very well. The 2 that are getting baptized in 2 weeks are really interesting. its a mom and her 22 year old daughter. Supposedly, the mom has been on the verge of getting baptized 3 times already. She's the one me and elder Argueta found a month ago. They have been overcoming a lot of problems, and it's been really fun to watch them and how the gospel has helped them find peace and calmness as things around them crumble a bit. That's the magic of the message we are sharing!

This area is easily my hardest that I've had so far. I came in with the mentality that it's going to change and become an area where we are teaching a lot. I need to keep that in mind and just have patience with the area-- we have a lot of really really big houses in our area and those houses are not the nicest to be knocking! We have 2 `normal` neighborhoods of normal argentine houses and the rest are huge houses and mansions and cabins and touristy stuff. Those 2 neighborhoods have been knocked for years by missionaries, and they aren't too big. Last night we went out to one of the other `bigger house` neighborhoods to knock. In 2 hours, 11 people opened the door. Of those 11, I think about 3 actually listened to what we said. It was very frustrating- the people don't even listen to us. at one point I threw my arms up in the air and said `what are we doing here if no one is even going to listen to a thing we say!` I felt like we were just wasting time-- just walking and knocking without a chance. I am trying to have faith in this area. Like I said, we've entered in a house each day we've worked, so that's really good. I just want to be able to teach in this area. We taught 10 lessons this past week--elder Argueta went out on divisions on Wednesday for 3 of those-- so 7 in 3 days is not bad historically in this area. But that's the thing-- I don't want to just keep going along with the norm here in pioneros. I don't like hearing that it's a tough area, or that we just don't teach as much here. I know I'm going to be frustrated for a bit, but we'll just keep working hard and get through it. I've asked myself what's more cold-- the weather or the people. Hopefully the weather because its about to get really cold here!

The mundial began. In the states, that's no big deal. But here, its insane. I love it. But we can't watch any of the games, so that makes it interesting to figure out what to do, especially while Argentina or big name countries are playing. Luckily, the games are at 830, 11, or 330, so it doesn't interfere with `prime time` work in the evening. It's so much fun seeing how this country (and every other country) absolutely lives for soccer. I wish it were like that in the states!

Today we are in Esquel-- we are here to do divisions and p-day. It'll be fun. It's hard being a zone leader. It's a fun experience trying to motivate elders with all different kind of levels of commitment and excitement. Some jump right on whatever you say, and others you have to really push. We're trying to figure out how to jumpstart the zone-- we've got 12 fechas as a zone right now. We really need to baptize at least 10 this transfer as a zone, and so we are really trying to get the missionaries to put fechas and accomplish their goals. We are having our own little `mundial` here in Bariloche. Its fun----it's animating the missionaries to achieve their daily goals and get as much done as they can. We'll see how many fechas we can put as a zone this week!

Next Monday we have zone conference. I'm excited to see elder Crandell again. I miss those office elders a lot-- luckily I can call them up and we have to work with them a bit as zone leaders. But it will be good to get the zone together and talk about what we need to do specifically here in Bariloche to have success.

*trunky moment of the week* elder Argueta and I were falling asleep and he slaps his forehead and says `I've got only six months left!` then he paused and said `maybe I shouldn't have said that... you have 10 weeks left!` it took a little while to fall asleep after that!

Have a great week, family! I'm excited for a week of finding and going back to the basics. It's super fun with elder Argueta because this area is super hard, so having a friend already really helps. We have a good time together.

Taylor

Recovering this week.....

2010-06-08T19:59:00.001-06:00

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 Taylor-- he is incredible. haha. Every time I see him I am just so happy. The meta is 100 again for the mission. I feel good about our plans-- I read a lot about desires in D&C 11 and am teaching that to my zone. I think that's been the difference in my mission. It was fun presenting our plans because I got sick and had no voice at all, so they made fun of me and such, but it was fun. Afterwards, we went out and cooked tacos with the Sepulveda's and saw some people. Its fun having worked in the office because I get to go back every now and then!

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

Writing from a new city in Argentina

2010-06-02T17:27:00.000-06:00

NOTE FROM LAST WEEK THAT COULDN"T BE SENT UNTIL THIS WEEK:

Transfers are going to happen this weekend. I won't say much today (because I don't know anything yet) other than that I'm going to Bariloche as a zone leader and I'm going to be with elder Argueta again! Wow. What a surprise. Bariloche hit the fan these past two transfers and completely fell apart. Elder Argueta basically shut down because he didn't like his comp. He loves me, and when we were out there he told me he was praying I'd come out there and we could run the streets again. Well, my friend, I guess God answers prayers! This is going to be a bit of a bear for me. After the first time I did divisions in that area in Bariloche, I said ´I think that is the one area in the mission I wouldn't like to be in.´´ the area is 27 kilometers long and just the rich rich richest part of all of the Patagonia. I'll be sending some pics in the coming months. It is incredible how much money people have out there. And they teach about 6 lessons per week. For the past year, they've been teaching just 6 a week. That's awful, and not how I'm going to finish my mission. It's time to go and turn that area around, and turn the zone around. The zone can be very good... and I think that's why I'm going out there--to turn it around. Cool story-- when on divisions, me and elder Argueta found a lady who had been taught before. That lady has been progressing, and they were planning on putting a fecha with her for next transfer. Is that poetic or what? I'm excited to be with elder Argueta-- he is a champ, and I feel like we really had a special bond. I think we learned a ton from each other, and I know I can be a good influence for him to turn him back to how he should be working.

May 31, 2010

Well, here I am, sitting next to my El Salvadorian friend, typing. It's been a strange turn of events these last couple of days. Yesterday I officially ended as AP. it was strange. Handing over the phone and keys and binder were kinda tough-- I had really grown attached to the calling and have loved serving in that capacity. But, it's definitely time to move on and to go do something else. Bariloche has really struggled the past 2 transfers and so we had a lot of changes in this zone. Almost every companionship changed. This place has the potential to baptize a ton of people-- we just need to prepare ourselves to do it. There have been big problems with disobedience and lack of focus in this zone, and now I think I've been sent here to help get this zone back together. Elder Argueta is a good guyhe's a lot different from round 1. He's not as full of faith as he once was-- he really struggled with his last companion and that has left him not as strong as he'd like to be. He couldn't be happier I'm in as his companion-- he says he's just been waiting for a companion he gets along with to get things going again. Today i got in around 4-- we spent from 4 until 745 cleaning the pension. We literally took all the furniture out and cleaned the place out. We said we were taking out all the bad and negativity-- we cleaned it so well. We then changed all the location of all the beds and desks and it looks way different. The place was a mess, but now it's pretty nice. It's a small pension, and its got a couple of mold problems in the bathroom, but oh well, we'll get through it.

I've got a lot of mixed feelings-- I already miss the office. There I lived with 5 other elders who were just so much fun. I also could call anyone in the mission, and I knew everything that was happening. Now, separating yourself from that is a bit strange. I'll get used to it. Elder Argueta and I found a lady and her daughter 3 weeks ago when I was here on divisions, and the 2 of them both have fechas already. We have another little girl who is going to get baptized as well this transfer, so we are looking pretty good. I really want this zone to turn around and become the force it needs to be. If we are going to get to 100 baptisms as a mission, we have to baptize at least 15 or 20 here in Bariloche. There are 10 companionships. you'll have to MapQuest this-- we have 2 elders in Trevelin, 2 elders and 2 hermanas in Esquel, 2 elders in el Bolson, 2 in villa la Angostura and then 4 hermanas and 6 elders here in Bariloche. It's a very big zone, so we'll be doing a decent amount of traveling to go on divisions and to district meetings and such.

I feel like I've got a big challenge right now. The zone knows why I'm here. But baptizing is what I do and that's what we've got to do here in the zone. As a mission, we only baptized 49. I am happy that Elder Crandell and I got our goal of 3-- Samuel ended up getting baptized yesterday. He was great. He was really excited--- he's come a long way from that shy scared of water little boy I first met. He asked me to baptize him, and I tried to talk him into letting a member do it but he refused, so I gladly did it. I realized that in each of my 4 areas, we've baptized the last weekend I was there. I hope that continues!

The goodbyes weren't too bad. I didn't really have a strong connection with this ward like I did in Allen or Trelew. We only had 2 of the families that lived on our side, and with our limited time we didn't pass by the members too much. With he converts it also wasn't bad at all because on Friday I go back to Neuquen for the zone leader council. The council ends at 5 ish and then we can go and visit people if we've worked there before, so I'm going to go visit Ezequiel and then go make tacos with the Sepulveda's. the goodbyes were really just `see you on Friday!` and then it will be `see you in 6 weeks!` and then it will be `see you in six more weeks!` so it really wasn't too bad.

I've got to spill the beans on something too-- this past month I've been pretty sick. I have had the runs every day for about 4 weeks now. They convinced me to go to the doctor and I did 2 weeks ago. He gave me some pills that were supposed to regulate me and help out my guts a bit. They didn't do anything. So I went back in the last Friday. He was shocked they didn't do anything, so then he gave me some antibiotics and decided it was an infection or something. The next day i couldn't even leave. went to the bathroom more that day than some missionaries do contacts in a week! I was nervous about traveling like that, but it's settled down a lot and I'm doing a little better. Its not back to normal yet though so I think next Friday when I'm in Neuquen I'm going to go back to the doctor. It actually turns out the first pills he gave me were pills for anxiety problems---he says a lot of problems like the ones I've been having are caused by anxiety and stress. I say `hmm that's funny. Why would that happen the last couple of weeks of my 5th transfer as AP? It's got to be something else. But they relax you a whole ton, so I've slept real well this week! And I've had some pretty crazy dreams too! Haha. But just thought I'd give you the heads up so you can throw a little health line or two in your prayers so I can sprint to the finish and not to the toilet!

I'm down a little bit right now, just for the circumstances in which I've found myself. But, like I said last email, I've done this before in Allen. In Junin. In the office. So, now it's just time to write the chapter `Bariloche`

I love you all. Take care.
I love snow ;)
Elder Jensen

Latest Elder Jensen update

2010-05-25T19:48:00.000-06:00

May 25, 2010

Wow! Sounds like quite the adventure you two had moving all of that stuff out! I'm glad you were at least able to find a couple of treasures to take home. Sounds like contacting to me-- sift through all the stuff and every now and then you get something great!

Ezequiel got confirmed this Sunday and was doing just great. Yesterday we had an activity in the church and he showed up way early and just grabbed some ping pong stuff and started playing with whoever was there. He was a terribly shy kid at first, and now he is just really calm and has no problem in coming to activities and interacting with the other people. The family Sepulveda have been instrumental in helping him feel welcome and comfortable. I think my love for the familia Sepulveda has grown each passing week. This week, we had an investigator come to church for the first time and I grabbed Jackie and said ´hey there is someone here for the first time more or less your age... could you go meet her and ask her to sit with you? Jackie about ran over to do it, and I looked over about 5 minutes later and they were just deep in conversation. After church, Jackie comes over and says ´yeah she's great. I'm going over to visit her on Wednesday at 5!´ That family is incredible. They may be one of the best member missionary families I have ever seen. I think they've given away more than 10 books of Mormon in the past 2 months. Fernando (the son in law) has a brother who came to the wedding and is a good guy. I then made a street contact with him about 2 months later (about 2 weeks ago) and invited ourselves over. Unfortunately he doesn't live in our area, but he lives in the area of 2 elders that live with us. They passed by and started teaching and he is progressing a ton! He came to our ward's activity yesterday and is just a really special guy. I know he's going to get baptized next transfer for sure. And I am also sure that he isn't the end of baptisms that stem from the familia Sepulveda. They have 2 cousins or sister in laws or something that we are going to teach this next week who are thinking about starting coming to church even before we've taught them. Fernando´s mom and other sister also are going to start receiving missionaries soon. It's incredible to think of the difference that was made that one afternoon when elder Camacho and I went out knocking. It was about 3 in the afternoon when we met them. a lot of missionaries think that is a dead hour, the siesta. But I have looked at my baptisms and i think about 75% have been found in that ´dead´ hour. Incredible.

Samuel didn't get baptized this past Sunday. We've got a cita with them in about an hour, so we are going to put everything in line so that he gets baptized this Sunday for sure! We saw him one day in the street and he say ´and when am I getting baptized!?´ We'll take care of that pretty quick. I also received news this week that one of my investigators from Trelew is getting baptized next week-- I tried so hard to get this guy to progress, but it wasn't his time. Now he's getting in the water! It's so exciting.

Allen was great. I got to see the Onate's, Marquez, Eechegaray, Luis Tagle, and Tamara. They are doing okay--- hna Marquez just started crying when she saw us and said ´oh elders I've needed you so bad.´ it absolutely broke my heart. They had fallen and were having a ton of problems with her son who is losing his vision and is becoming suicidal. It was a really tough hour we spent there, but in the end, we read 1 Nephi 8 and drew the vision of the tree of life (something we had done before) and we reviewed it. I had them all label themselves, where they were. Some were in the river, some in the midst of darkness. I then labeled myself as Lehi (in the sense that as missionaries we call people to the tree) and then read some of the passages of that chapter in which Lehi is scared for some of his children and exhorts them with all the feeling of a tender father. I read those, and put in there the words missionary or brother. It was a touching moment for all of us, and i hope they can realize and understand that the iron rod wasn't us. It was and still is the book of Mormon, going to church, and praying. I think sometimes the rod gets confused. But I love that family so much and really hope they can overcome these mists of darkness that are surrounding them. The Echegaray´s were doing well. The boys were really happy to see us. Elder Henrie had a really special connection with Christian, and he was pretty emotional to see elder Henrie again. They had all kinds of food for us and it was awesome! They also have been reading the blog-- they have a translating program or something, so they were up to date about how we got robbed and all that. How fun! Luis Tagle announced he was getting married in July and baptized the next day. He's incredible. He knows a ton of church doctrine and is just waiting for the moment to get baptized. They had had a baby since I'd been gone! I didn't realize I was gone for so long! haha. I'm excited for him-- he is going to be a good leader in the church.

It's time to sprint to the finish. I'll be doing it through the snow! Mama- don't worry-- I'll grab boots here. I think they have extras, so I'll be good on that.

I love you family! Happy anniversary mom and dad!

Belated news from Elder Jensen

2010-05-25T19:11:00.001-06:00

May 19, 2010

Hi parents! Today is a big day---- IM GOING BACK TO ALLEN!! WAHOO!!!

The hermanas have set it all up for us and I am so excited--- we're having lunch with the Oñates, seeing Luis and the Marquez's and Tamara and the Echegarays and Edgardo Millaqueo. It's going to be a great day! I'm going down there with Elder Henrie, driving stick the entire way! Wish me luck! (I've actually learned it pretty well-- I only kill it every now and then, but I'm getting better!)

This past week was a good one. We went for the new standard-- I still haven't gotten it. It's a lot higher than those other standards I got. We raised it up in January and a few people have gotten it. It's been really good. So Elder Crandell and I did everything we could to try and get it, but we fell short. We had an awesome week though-- we taught 11 lessons with a member present and 11 others and did 400 contacts. Here in our area, those may be the best numbers ever! The familia Sepulveda helped us out a lot. We did divisions with them one night-- it was really good. We divided and conquered. i went out with hermano Sepulveda and we taught three lessons. Elder Crandell went out a knocked with Matthias and they got into 2 houses, so we ended that night with 5 with member. Our ward doesn't have much priesthood-- its basically the familia Sepulveda, the bishop and his counselor, and 2 or 3 other men. We've been losing attendance recently, and when we set stuff up with them a lot of the time we get no showed. But the familia Sepulveda would die before the no show us. They are great. And the other office elders are now teaching some of there family members who live over in their area. The work goes on, and i am convinced we are going to be able to baptize a lot of their family members here in this city. We have given them several books of Mormon and they keep giving them out. They are doing really well.

Ezequiel got baptized on Sunday. He was so happy-- this boy was a tough one. he was so nervous and so hesitant to commit a couple of weeks ago. When we left on the gira, we left elder Pederson and elder Henrie in charge of getting him progressing and to his baptismal interview. Somehow they did it! On Sunday in church, he said ´i feel really calm and tranquilo about this decision to get baptized. I'm excited to do it.´ That's the spirit, my boy! Elder Crandell baptized him and it was a bit of a challenge because elder Crandell is a pretty small person and Ezequiel is a very large person, but they practiced about 10 times and when they got in the water it went perfectly the first time. We're really proud of him- he is such a good pure boy. His mom is a member since like 1983 or something and is starting to come back. hno Sepulveda got her to give a talk in the baptism and it went well. Her husband isn't a member-- he doesn't drink or smoke or anything. he was just raised in a catholic school. he likes to go hide in the kitchen whenever we go over, so we haven't taught him yet. But the hna said that she'd invite us over for lunch or dinner some day and then we can start with him. I dint have any problem with that! Lunch + New investigator = the perfect combo.

We've started talking a touch about the transfers. We are really out in the dark this time around. There are some big changes that are going to be made-- a lot of changes with zone leaders and probably with me. I am excited to find out what is going to happen. I made goals while I was on the gira about how I wanted to finish this mission. I've got a good amount of specific things I want to get done before i leave. I'm just praying now that the Lord puts me in the place I need to be so I can get those things done, whether that be here in the office or as a zone leader or trainer or senior comp or wherever. We'll find out!

In one of these pictures, we are playing the bean game! It had been a long time. Elder Cox´s family mailed it to him so we played that one night after planning. Elder Cox is doing super well-- he is opening a new area and is really working well down there.

Well, its time to go back to Allen. I'm so excited. We found in our area (one of our next baptisms) the sister of a family I was teaching for a long time in AllenI'm so excited. I'm going to see that family in Allen today, and then we teach the sister again on Friday. Things are looking good here in the office.

Here is something I sent to president today.-- he asked us all to name a couple of things we are grateful for in our emails to him this week.

When you told us about the gratitude that is in this email a couple of days ago, I started thinking. I've decided I've got a lot to be grateful for. I am grateful to the Lord for granting that I have success on the mission. I'm not perfect, and don't deserve what I've been blessed with. But the Lord is merciful, and grants unto us gifts. I feel blessed for those gifts. I feel grateful for my companions-- I've had the best companions in the entire mission! There is not one of them that I regret being with. The other day elder Crandell and i were talking and telling each other what we've learned from all of our companions. I realized that I had indeed learned a distinct lesson from each of them and that those lessons have shaped me into what I am now. I am also grateful for my family who support me. I know that they are there for me. I know that they pray for me. I know that they think about me a lot and really kind of participate with me here on the mission. That's a blessing a lot of elders don't have, and I am very grateful for them.

I love you parents! Have fun cleaning!

Elder Jensen

Elder Jensen update

2010-05-07T21:51:00.001-06:00

May 6, 2010

Hi family! Greetings from my beloved Trelew. We've had a good gira so far. We started out last Saturday to come on down to Bariloche. We worked with the zone leaders in their area. Their area is a bit tough-- it's a really really rich area in Bariloche, so they don't teach and find nearly as much as other areas in the mission. We were really excited though-- on Saturday from 4-9, we found 5. Then Sunday elder Crandell and elder Hudnall found a few. Then Monday, together we found 5 more. It was a really successful weekend. Elder Argueta is one of those zone leaders in Bariloche, so it was fun to be able to work with him again. It was really good for both of us--he is really struggling with humbling himself and being a good companion, and I'm struggling with not being tired! So it was a good time for us to kinda drop the cane on each other and still love each other at the same time. The zone in Barilo is really struggling with unity. When we first got there for the conference, I was a bit frustrated because as the missionaries walked into the chapel; they formed 2 groups-- latins and north Americans. One group spoke English, the other Spanish. I was the only North American over with the latins, and it was just ugly and I know thats how it is on p-days and district meetings. So, luckily in these zone conferences, Elder Crandell and I do an obedience chat at the beginning. So in that, we dropped cane hard on speaking the language and exactly why it was a problem. It was perfect-- I used the being devastated tactics in doing it, asking some reflective questions that kinda made them understand. It went really well-- for the rest of the conference, Spanish was spoken and they didn't divide into groups. It was a great change, and we really needed that there. Also, the missionary we visited 2 weeks ago was smiling and just doing great. I was really happy. I talked to him for a bit and just expressed how happy he seemed and how much he had changed. He spoke some fun broken English back to me and told me he was reading the book of Mormon and that was helping him so much. It was really touching for me to see the drastic change that he had taken. A lot of times we think we are here just to change investigators when the reality is that we change ourselves more than anyone else.

We saw elder Bowen on Sunday. He gave a talk in stake conference about fasting, paying a generous fast offering, and paying a full tithing. I love hearing him speak because he drops it on everyone but does it in a really loving way and as he does it, everyone knows that he is exactly right. Mom- he told me to tell you hi. He's going to beat me back to the states by a transfer, but said `I'm sure we'll see you there! `

Matias got confirmed this last Sunday, and little Samuel is still anxious to get baptized. Elder Henrie and Elder Pederson in the office are taking care of our area for us this week, and so they get to set up the interview and everything. We are anxious to find out what happens with Ezequiel. He is still borderline if he is going to do it or not. I don't think he's going to get baptized on the 15th like we're planning. I'm hoping for a miracle from the missionaries that are passing by! He's a good guy; he's just a bit slow and is nervous about doing it.

I'm excited to talk to you on Sunday! Hopefully we get up there without problems or anything. Have some questions for me! and I'll try not to be a blabberbox this time and talk the whole time! I got my `trunky papers` this past Thursday. you get that when you are about 3.5 months out, and they are the papers that are your `sprint to the finish` thing and the data about where you are going to fly home to and such like that. I assume thats going to be cincy? We'll talk about that a touch on Sunday I think. Putz starts orientation the 27th? I will land on the 25th in the states, so it's going to be a crazy couple of days!

I'm excited to be here in Trelew right now-- they have stake conference this Sunday, so I get to see my whole ward!! wahoo! They've put a fecha with Noelia Azocar`s mom, so I'm really excited to talk to them and see how they're doing. This zone is taking off right now- they put 10 new fechas this past week. Some of my absolute favorite missionaries are here, so we're looking for some big things this transfer.

I love you family and I'm excited to talk to you this weekend!!

tbone

Hey from Argentina

2010-04-30T14:31:00.001-06:00

April 28, 2010

Hi family!

It's been a great week! I last wrote on Monday, so I've got a bit of catch up to do! Transfer week went really really well. We prayed for no floods or famines or earthquakes or diseases or any other kind of pestilence that may imide the busses, and if something does happen, that the busses can quickly get around it. Our prayers were answered! The flood didn't wash out the road or anything, and everyone got to their new areas on time. wahoo!

We said bye to the old missionaries and hi to the new ones on Tuesday. The group we got was awesome. we had 1 argentine who is a solid solid missionary, 1 Paraguayan who is good and really excited, a Costa Rican who is hilarious and will be great (he went with Elder Nilsson to Trelew...I'm really excited about that one!) and 4 north Americans--3 hermanas and 1 elder. It was a good group, and they are all eager to be here and start working. I love doing the new missionary trainings. I remind president that I've attended more of them than him :)

On Friday, we had the zone leader council. This transfer, we've decided its time to get our goal of 100 baptisms. So starting about a week ago, Elder Crandell and I started talking about 100 with everyone. It's time to get that done. We are making a big push. In the zone conference, we are doing workshops on being devastated, using the book of Mormon, and putting fechas. Elder Crandell and I also have a 40 minute chat on obedience where we review the doctrine of obedience and the small and simple things we have to do to focus and work hard here on the mission. We feel like it's gone really well, and the missionaries have commented that this zone conference has been really good and spiritual. I feel good about it so far-- on Monday we had Neuquen 1 and on Tuesday Zapala. Thursday we are going to Roca, Friday to Neuquen 2, Saturday we leave on the gira. Then next Monday Bariloche, Wednesday is Puerto Madryn/Trelew, Friday is Comodoro/Caleta Olivia. It's a pretty quick gira, but I'm excited to get back to my own area and work hard to finish out my time here in the office.

On Sunday, I baptized Matias Gonzalez. It was a good baptism-- started on time, a good turn out from the ward. We couldn't get Samuel to want to get baptized before the ceremony, but before he left he came up to us and said he'd get baptized on May 25th. That falls on a Saturday, so we asked if we could bump it up to the 16th when we were baptizing another young man. He agreed-- and so now he is on to get baptized. wahoo! I knew that that would happen. I had extra clothes with me and everything because I knew that seeing his older brother get baptized would help him overcome his fear of water. Now he is ready to go for the 16th. Excellent! At the beginning of this year, the bishop put a goal with the other elders to baptize 12 in the ward this year. Well, the familia Sepulveda was 5, their grandma was a 6th, Matias was 7, and now Ezequiel and Samuel will be 8 and 9. I really want to get that baptismal goal here before I go! Next transfers are the 30th of May, so hopefully we can come up with 3 more baptisms beyond those that are already planned. We share a ward with Elder Pederson and Elder Henrie, so I know that they may have some people who are close. We'll see.

I was talking to the bishop on Sunday after the baptism about the familia Sepulveda. He turns to me and goes ´elder Jensen, you have no idea how much you've changed this ward. The Sepulveda's have given us a spark! The ward was struggling and without any energy whatsoever, then all of a sudden there are 9 more people attending, and the adults in the family all have callings and are all worthy and just LOVE every moment they have in the church. Now you've brought Matias and Samuel, 2 people that they tried to baptize a couple times in the past years, to membership in the church. You better hold onto that key i loaned you! (referring to the key to the baptismal font-- i was going to give it back after the Sepulveda's baptism, but instead said ´I'm going to hang on to this because we're not done yet.´ It was just really neat talking about the Sepulvedas with the bishop as we watched them serve cake to everyone in attendance, as the strongly bear testimony of their willingness to serve in whatever moment, and the strength of their obedience and testimony. I am continually awed at them-- they still have 2 or 3 family home evenings every week. Matias goes out with us every time we visit Ezequiel, and hno Sepulveda has completely embraced his role as ward mission leader. they are just one incredible family.

One thing I have reflected on this week is something I read in Laura's letter in the Voices of the Valiant is the need to baptize your replacement. My companion and I were talking about some of the people that we've baptized on our missions and I realized that I've baptized a lot of young, future missionaries. Literally in each of my areas, when I got there there was not a youth program, and in each of them by the time I was transferred, we had a large number of young men. I really became excited for the day that i hear from them, telling me their papers are in, or that they've gotten their call. I know that some of my young boys have fallen into inactivity, but I know that there are others that are pushing forward valiantly. I also know that in families like the Sepulveda's and the Azocars, one day in the next years, I will hear that they've been to the temple, that they've sent out missionaries, that they've become bishops or other things. It just made me reflect a lot on the amount of good a missionary can do. Then yesterday when I went to Zapala, I talked to the missionaries in Junin. I feel bad that I never baptized a convert there (I baptized that one 8 year old). The missionaries there picked up where I left off-- they baptized one of the people elder Henrie and I found, and now have a fecha with his mother. They have a fecha with another one of our investigators that we had tried so hard to get baptized. Fabian the druggie attends every Sunday and is fighting to get baptized; Cesar and Juliana are attending regularly, and are very devoted. We are still just waiting for them to get married so they can get baptized. I got a call from my friend elder Balinski in Centenario Trelew on Monday telling me he's put a fecha with Noelia Azocar´s mom, and that they are just the most incredible family. I never imagined, 20+ months ago when I started this adventure that these things were to happen. It's hard for me to believe it. I just feel very grateful that the Lord has blessed me and made me an instrument in His hands. I am starting to believe the promise of President Hinckley that serving a mission will bless you for every day for the rest of your life.

President is taking his first p-day that I've ever seen, and we're cooking an asado right now, so I've got to go live it up. Tell the YM/YW that I got the box they sent and loved the treats! I wore the ´census 2010´ shirt and hat all night and todayit's my new favorite shirt/hat combo. And the skyline chili can was great! I'm just waiting for the perfect moment to open that bad boy up. I'll write them a letter soon--- don't know when, but soon!

I love you all and am still waiting for Putz's pictures!!

Elder Taylor Alan Jensen

Argentina update

2010-04-23T06:51:00.000-06:00

Dear Readers---

I'm slow to pass along Elder Jensen's letters and in fact I totally missed last week. The update from that letter is that he will stay as Assistant to the President for one more 6 week transfer. Then he will have 12 weeks remaining in his mission and he will be "back on the streets" as he calls it. He is having a wonderful experience!

April 19, 2010

Hi family!

I think week 6 and week 1 are the hardest two weeks. We've been planning an awful lot for next transfer, and are really really excited. I think this is the transfer that we are going to get to 100. We ended with 59 this transfer, but we had so many, WAY TOO MANY, fechas that fell right at the last second. I think a lot of those should get baptized in the coming 2 weeks, so hopefully they'll be able to get into the water. This transfer we have really analyzed what it is that brings success in the mission. My companion and I have talked about it a lot. We think we've narrowed it down to one thing: Desire. If we really desire to baptize, we'll be obedient, we'll practice and get the teaching skills we need, we'll work hard every day. I think that that's the one thing we really have to have to have success. Now the tricky part: teach that to 150 missionaries. But, we are going to do it through a couple of workshops this gira. We've got one that's going to be good- its going to be Dale Bradford's being devastated and putting fechas and having them keep strong. We also are going to do one on using the Book of Mormon and helping the investigators realize how important it is and read it more. President has a riveting talk lined up where he is going to hit hard our call as missionaries, and my companion and i are going to talk about desire and how that helps us be more obedient. It's going to be a good oneI'm really excited.

We are going to do our part to get to 100. we had one of our fechas pass their interview yesterday. His 9 year old brother didn't get interviewed because he is terrified of water. We are really hoping he will be able to see his brother get baptized this Sunday and feel the courage he needs to go get in the water.

I'm glad granny and grandpa are out there. That's got to be a lot of fun. I am anxiously awaiting putzers foto!!! Tell him to write me! It's been a while since I've heard from him. Here in the office we don't have too many changes. The only one is that Elder Henrie is coming to replace an office elder that has been here 6 months. That will be interesting. The one that is leaving is hilarious, lazy, and very entertaining. Its going to be different with elder Henrie because thats pretty opposite of him, but they are going to be a lot more obedient and its going to be good. i love the elders here in the office-- there are some really good men here that I'm working with. It makes it fun because we've all been here at least 3 transfers together, so we know each other pretty well. Last week, we had our first Noche de Hogar (family home evening) in the house. It was really fun. I was kicking myself for not having started them earlier! We played the bag game and had desert and everything! haha. It was great.

I'm glad it's a new transfer. We didn't do well numbers wise this past transfer...transfers always bring a good change and an opportunity to change. We have made some very good and specific goals on how we can be better. This transfer we were very effective with our time, but we just weren't able to get out and work as much as we wanted to. This transfer, we are going to be just as effective with our time working, but we are going to create more of it.

That's about it from the south. So far, transfers are going very smoothly and we haven't had any problems yet. wahoo. Knock on wood!

PS. I'm going to see Elder Bowen again the first weekend of may--- he's going out to Bariloche for a stake conference and we are planning on being there as a part of the gira.

Your Boy

Taylor

On the road again....

2010-03-18T17:36:00.000-06:00

March 15, 2010

Surprise! I've got 4 hours of p-day today-- I am here in the costal city of Comodoro, having driven 9 hours in the past day and a half. Elder Crandell and I are driving our own gira, and its been a blast. He is a funny, humble, goofy kid and we just mesh so well together. Activities in the drive down include: talking about our upcoming zone conferences, mourning and having a little funeral for the armadillo he ran over, chasing guanachos (llamas), drinking Terma (an argentine drink that you pour in and then squirt some soda water in and it is really good!!! its really bitter, but I am addicted. we brought a cooler with just Terma for our drive, and we are convinced that we are the only assistants ever to do so. it was a great drive down. Last night, we stayed with my old companion, elder Taylor, and his old companion, Elder Perez. It was fun-- it's always great to see your old comps. Elder Taylor now has the time that I had when I finished training him. Don't worry-- he's not old yet--he still doesn't grow facial hair :)

This past week was real tough-- I talked about the cut in the ruta. That about killed us because we had people coming up for zone leader consejo and to pick up their new missionaries that couldn't get here. Luckily, the zone leaders were able to get here by Thursday, so we just sent the companion-less refuerzos on the bus back with them. In the mix of the grand disaster, we only worked 15 hours this week and just couldn't escape for more time. But in that 15 hours, we were able to teach 12 lessons and put a fecha, so I feel sad I wasn't able to get out and do my job more, but happy that we were able to really focus on our fechas and get them moving. Now those people are sitting in the hands of the office elders to visit them this week and I'm terrified. Last time it was bad, so hopefully this time, they'll make it through okay!

We gave the familia Sepulveda some white shirts and ties this week. They strolled into church looking really good on Sunday. Lazaro kept asking which tie was for him. The more I tried to explain that they were big people ties, the more he didn't care. It was really funny. Luckily, his mom, Jacqui, saved me. They are just an incredible family. This week we went by and they had one of the boys from the ward there. It's a boy whose parents just had a brutal separation and he is kinda an odd ball and didn't have many friends. Now they have taken him in and welcomed him to their home. They are always telling us to send our investigators over to hang out or to read together, or offering to swing by and pick up investigators to go to church. They are like the perfect family! The members here get a bit lazy, like showing up 30 minutes late and not helping the missionaries. But these are like super members! We put a fecha with their cousin this week. Its a kid who wants to change, and they have just been pouring their testimonies on him left and right, so he is interested now. We are baptizing their grandma next Saturday, so we are all really excited about that. They are just incredible.

I'm happy to say that I've been thinking about my future this gira too. Elder Crandell keeps asking me good questions that make me think, so i think I've got it narrowed down to three fields at least now. I'll probably get that class thing you sent next week when I get back.

welp, I'm going to go. Have a grrrrrrrrrrrreaaaaaaaaaattttttttt week!

Elder Jensen

This is long one!

2010-03-14T18:15:00.001-06:00

March 10, 2010

Well, it has been a long long long week. Here we go!

Friday-- we woke up to president calling us at 12 am. A missionary was being taken to the hospital here in Neuquen for appendicitis. We went, and were in the hospital till 2:30. Turns out it wasn't appendicitis, but rather just some bacteria or something. I don't really know. It was a funny funny moment-- Elder Camacho gets the call and wakes me up and then he leaves to go get dressed. He heard that I didn't get out of bed so he walks back in and wakes me up again. I just kinda mumble something I don't know. I then speak a bit louder and then I woke up. He left while I started getting out of bed, and I basically slept walked to where he was changing and asked what was going on. He told me, and then I went back to our room where my clothes were and got dressed. I then walked out into the kitchen and said ´I know you already told me, but what is going on??´ He then explains it again. I then went and used the bathroom. I guess I fell asleep in there again because the next thing I remembered is Elder Camacho laughing and saying ´elder Jensen! Wake up! President is here to take us! Did you fall asleep? ´ It was a funny night, and i guess that its a good thing we don't have to wake up in the middle of the night too often!

Later that day, at 10 AM, Jaqui and Fernando got married! it was great-- we had a lot of members of Fernandos family there that we hadn't met, and they were pretty nice people. The wedding is kinda anti-climatic.-. - Its just a legal thing. They read the laws that talk about marriage, and then they have to sign some papers and their witnesses have to sign some papers. But it was good. We threw rice and everything, and within 30 seconds the place was filled with pigeons! I had always wondered why there were so many pigeons in that specific block of our area, and now I understand! They are just there to eat all the rice when people get married! Ha!

Then, at about 11, we went back to the hospital to check up on our missionary there. He was having a lot of studies done to find out exactly what was going on. We drove his companion back to his apartment to shower and change and stuff, and did that for a while. That night, we had a dinner reception for Jaqui and Fernando. Mom- i cooked an awesome cake. We decorated it all up and put balloons around and we had good turnout. The ward was really excited for them. And they were really excited too. One of them was having problems with smoking still--he had cut down from 40 per day to about 3 that week of his baptism. We talked to the bishop about it and he basically told us we had to baptize him, that this was his moment and that we just had to help him understand that when he gets baptized, he's making a covenant with God that he isn't going to smoke any more. President said if we got that kind of support from the bishop, go for it! So on Saturday, we had a good chat with Fernando to explain that to him. While we were talking with him, his HILARIOUS 4 year old son comes running over and yells ´This guy is a liar. One day, we were walking and he saw a cigarette and he picked it up and smoked it in his mom's house! SMOKER SINNER SMOKER SINNER!!´ It was really awkward and really funny at the same time. But he said ok and that from Saturday at 6 onwards, he was done smoking. We are still going to work with him on it, but he has changed so so so much. It's incredible. We had a fun lesson with the Sepulveda family the morning of their baptism and they all just talked about all the changes they had made and all the differences in their home. It just always amazes me to see the faith of these people as they take giant steps in changing their lives for just the small whispers of the spirit. They have completely changed the way they live and work for what they have felt this past month or so.

The baptism was great. We had 7 in total-- 2 little 8 year olds from the ward got baptized with them. The baptismal room was so full that many of the members couldn't even fit in there to see it. Hermano Sepulveda baptized his 4 kids and yerno, and they were so happy. And we, obviously, were too. I've sent some of the pictures-- this family is a missionaries dream.

Sunday we picked up my new companion ELDER CRANDELL from the terminal and went straight to church. I'm so excited to be with Elder Crandell. He has been in Trelew as a zone leader the past 6 months, and I've been in charge of the Trelew zone, so we are good buds. He is a pretty small guy, but he is just packed with energy. I think he also is one of the humblest guys i know as well. I am kinda hoping i stay 2 more transfers in the office just because I love him so much! We are going to have a great transfer-- we have 2 really solid fechas now-- one with the Sepulveda's grandma, and the other with a 16 year old kid named Ezekiel. He is the son of a menos activia, and he is so solid. We taught him the other day and he gave the first prayer in his whole life and was just incredible!! He asks for help being more responsible, that his mind could be opened so he could understand more of what he reads, for just really touching things. It was probably one of the most sincere prayers I have ever heard. It was really neat. He is scheduled for April 3rd, and Rosario (the Sepulveda's grandma) for the 27th of March. They both came to the baptism and to church for the first time this weekend. We also have another menos activo family that is reactivating now-- they have 2 sons who also aren't members that we are going to baptize this transfer. We have another lady named Teresa who is about 65 and just a goofy lady, but she has come to church 2 times now and really likes it, so I think that here with the assistants, we are going to go back to back transfers baptizing 5 people. I am really content with that because between the assistants and office elders, they only baptized 1 person the entire past year. Now we've got a really productive area. I give a lot of credit to elder Camacho-- we worked really hard up until the end, and that missionary went out on top. Baptizing 5 your last weekend is just an incredible way to end. He was kind of sad to leave, but just because we have these 5 more people to baptize. He left knowing he had done what the Lord wanted him to do, and he left with the respect of the whole mission. I'm going to miss that kid, but I'm sure we'll keep in touch. We have already planned some of the pranks he is going to play on us in the office from his house. (I don't know why I was part of planning pranks against myself, but it's going to be funny!) I'm going to miss him dearly, but Elder Crandell is a great missionary.

Elder Taylor is now in Elder Crandell's spot as zone leader in Trelew, and elder Argueta is a zone leader now in Bariloche. That's perfect because I'm in charge of both of those zones, so I get to talk to those guys a lot.

Monday was transfer day. It was also a nightmare. There was a huge rainstorm and it washed out a section of the major highway from the south to neuquen. The going home missionaries got here about 14 hours late, and the transfers have been so messed up. I think I've spent more time on my cell phone the past two days than I have my entire life. We have to re route everyone through Bariloche and we've had to reschedule meetings because the trainers couldn't get to neuquen and it's just been a disaster. Hopefully they'll finish repairing it soon!! It's just been a really really stressful two days, and my poor companion doesn't really know what's going on. It takes about a week or so to understand all the going abouts of the office, so he'll be caught up soon.

On Friday, we are heading on south on the Gira. We are doing it early this time. Its going to be a blastI'm excited for the time I'm going to spend with Elder Crandell- He is such a fun little guy. And he can drive! So I won't have to drive the whole gira like the last times.

We've got a lot of excitement for this transfer-- we are ready to do some incredible things here in the mission, and I am excited for the things we've planned to do in zone conference because they are things I've really felt inspired that the mission needs to here. We love our stressful life, and mission Elder Camacho, and its starting to turn into winter a bit too!! Wahoo.

I love you all. It's about time I wrote a nice long email with pictures, huh?

I'm off to train and inspire the new missionaries--- have a great day!!

Elder Jensen

(Editor's note: I tried to attach photos but couldn't get them to send)

2010-03-03T15:56:00.001-07:00

March 2, 2010

Hi all

It's been a great week down here. We had a lot of setbacks and problems in the office and such, but we have had some great successes this week too. The familia Sepulveda all passed their baptismal interviews last Saturday. President came and did some, and Elder Nilsson did some too. It was such a sweet peace as they all walked out happily, and they are so excited to get baptized on Saturday. On Monday we went over and brought 5 bars of soap and had them all carve a big B for Bautismo--now they are going to remember how their baptism is gong to rinse them clean! haha. It's a fun idea. We have seen some incredible changes in them these 6 weeks. Fernando stopped smoking and robbing, and they boys have dedicated themselves to being good. Jaqui and Fernando are getting married at 10 this Friday, and we are going to have a fun little reception on Friday night in the church. Mom--you remember that Pillsbury cake mix you sent for my birthday? I think that might end up going to this wedding reception. I hadn't gotten around to using it yet, and if figure this is a great chance to do it! we are going to go over tomorrow and decorate a little and make it really nice. The ward is excited for them--our ward has about 45 active people, and the Sepulvedas will now be easily the biggest active family in the ward. And they are all so excited to be there and to learn. Every time we go there, I am just blown away. we leave little hints at what we are going to teach in the next visit and when we come, the hermano just assigns the song and prayer and then calls on some of his kids to share what they've learned and to basically teach the lesson to us. It's pretty incredible. Tonight we are going over for a noche de hogar-- we are going to watch a video and I'm making ´peño corn.´ I am professional making it nowI've mastered it. the first couple of times I burned it really bad in our house and the senior couple yelled at me, but then if figured out I have to use a different pot. Now it's good.

In Chile there was an 8,8 earthquake. It was felt here, but not strongly. It hit at about 3:45ish in the morning. I slept through it, but some missionaries woke up and the people who were awake here in neuquen all felt it. There wasn't any damage here or anything, and all of our Chilean missionaries are alright. Elder Camacho is from Santiago and just found out his family is safe, but their house isn't doing well, but all the parents and everything is alright with the Chilean missionaries. Then 2 nights ago, we had a little earthquake here, but again I slept through it, and again it didn't do any damage.

This is week 6, so we just are finding out transfers. I am really really really excited about my new companion. I'll tell you who it is next week when transfers are official, but I am really excited. I'm sad to say goodbye to elder Camacho though. He has been a really good bud for me and has really helped and taught me a lot. He is just a fun guy who is really professional when he needs to be and always has a good joke to crack when we have a lot of stress.

Im looking a little bit forward to see what changes will happen. Sometimes I get frustrated with people because of dumb disobedient things they do and the lack of focus some people have. But we do our best to animate the people to live better, to be better, and to work better. Its fun. Yesterday we planned out our plans for next transfer and for the next gira and everything. We are going to do our workshop about the atonement of Christ. That will be a good one-- we've been studying it a lot as a mission. Last Gira, president challenged everyone to read the book of Mormon before Easter. Im just starting Mosiah today-- a nice pace of about 12 pages a day. It's been fun looking for ways the atonement gives us strength and helps us keep going strong.

Dad- thanks for sending me your notes from Grandma's funeral. It was touching to read them and reflect on all the memories grandma has given me and for all the incredible things she has done. Dr. Peterson told me there are two kinds of people- people that see a tough situation and change it and make it good, or people that see a tough situation and let it stay tough. Grandma is definitely in the first category and has been an incredible inspiration to all of us to keep working, to live your testimony, and to serve everyone.

We are in a bit of a funk right now--we haven't found any new investigators in about a week. Hopefully we'll break out soon! And look forward to some great pictures next week-- the wedding and 5 baptisms!!

I love you all--

nesneJ nalA rolyaT redlE

Back from the gira

2010-02-17T21:00:00.001-07:00

February 17, 2010

Hey family!

We got back from the gira (tour of the southern part of the mission) yesterday. It was a pretty successful gira. All the zone conferences went really well, and we feel good about the teaching we did. It's a teaching that has completely changed my life. It's about planning and it works. But it makes me sad because looking at the missionaries numbers from last week, very few people put it in practice the stuff we taught. It makes me sad because now I am accomplishing SO much more with the time I have. I just love being a missionary and being even more effective with my time!

We had a good gira. There were a couple of days where I wasn't doing well. I kinda just crashed for a few days and just kinda lost it. I still worked hard and taught well, but on the inside I just felt absolutely empty. I was really struggling with it till Saturday afternoon when we arrived in Bariloche. I talked to my companion about it a little and he suggested I did a ´spiritual fast´ In this program, I was going to write down about 15 or 20 things that I was going to do or not do for 40 days. I wrote down a lot of good stuff, and I won't lie I haven't done everyone of them these past 5 days, but man I feel so much better. I had a good real fast from Saturday to Sunday, and I feel like I'm back in control now. I just completely lost it for a bit, and was just dead. Now i feel awesome, just so happy. I think for one of the first times in my life I understand what repentance is. In the dictionary in the Spanish book of Mormon, it says that it means you see yourself and God in a new light. I think that absolutely happened to me this past weekend. On Saturday, I just was so down and just weighed down by that burden, but then I worked really hard to pull myself out, to give absolutely everything to invite the spirit back into my life and to ask for forgiveness for the things I had done wrong. Then on Sunday in church, it just hit me. I had a completely different light about myself. I just felt different, like I had the spirit, like I could do anything, and like I had been forgiven. That was a sensation that I'm not sure I had ever had before. (ps, it makes it even better that on the computer right next to me they are playing the Rudy soundtrack of this big motivational orchestra. haha.) It was a great experience, and I have learned an awful lot. I am not the same person I was before the gira--I feel like I know myself a whole lot more, that I understand a whole lot more of having the gospel in my life, and the importance of giving my all always to have the spirit in my life. It was a pretty incredible turnaround, and I just feel so good now, like I felt back in Allen or something. Just purely happy and content. That's how I long to feel always.

On Saturday, we did divisions with some elders in Bariloche. One is one of my favorites in the mission. He came in with elder Cox and I've worked with him 2 or 3 times. He is just a purely good guy. Humble, hard worker, fun, easy to talk to. Just one of the top 5 missionaries in my book. His companion that he is training, however, is on the verge of giving up the mission and going home. We worked with them on Saturday and then elder Camacho worked with him on Sunday to see if we could get some animo in him. He speaks GREAT Spanish! he's a great teacher. But he just hasn't decided he wants to be here. They are going to make a final decision in a couple of hours what is going to happen. He drove back in the car with us from Bariloche to neuquen. I just hope he realizes what this work is and how much it changes lives. I've tried putting it into words what my mission has meant to me and I just cant. Mom- it reminds me a lot of something you wrote me in the MTC. It was the first or second letter you wrote, and in the last line or two you said something or other would happen if I would ´humble myself and commit to this experience.´ Working with him just brought that flying back into my mind because I realized that everything good that has happened on my mission is because I did that-- humbled myself and committed, giving everything to this experience. I just absolutely love it here.

We got to be with Doctor Peterson and his wife for the whole trip. I fell in love. They are so awesome. He has served 9 years of his life as a missionary, mission president, and twice as mission doctor. I learned so much from him. He just would always come and give me these huge hugs. We became really good friends. I had another little health interview on their last day here, but I did it just to talk to him. At the end, he just says elder it's been so good being with you! We're going to miss you! You are the kind of person that gives us hope in the future. You're the kind of person that can go into any situation and make good things happen. That's the difference between a good area and bad area in a mission- the missionaries and their attitudes. You are going to do incredible things in your life.´ Then, we took him to the airport while president finished up zone conference and I asked for his last bit of advice for me and elder Camacho. He says ´you two are incredible missionaries. You need to know you're the best. Don't let it get to your head because you have to be humble and you know that. But you are two young men with bright minds that can do anything. Anything! You can become anything you want, and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Don't let the time it takes to accomplish something take you away from it. Lots of doctors faze out because they don't want to take so long studying. Do what you want to do, and don't let anyone tell you you can't. He then talked about callings and leadership and stuff that we'd be doing after the mission. I was just so touched the entire time i was with him. He is an incredible man, and I want to be like that when I'm older!

We got back yesterday and set out right away to work. It started pouring rain, and that is always a blast! I love it. Me and elder Camacho are such good buds now. We just kinda walk around and accidently bump each other into puddles and stuff. I love working with him, he's so much fun. But we went over to the sepulveda´s house, the ones who we found and have come to church 2 Sundays in a row now. We put a fecha with them for the 6th of March. Only three of the kids were there, but that was okay because they were the three that were most interested and didn't have to do any marriage or divorce papers or anything. They were just so happy and excited for it!! wahoo!!!!

Well, other than that, I'm out. My hands are tired from typing so fast. and we get a full p-day today!! wahoo! I need a good nap and to write letters. It's been a long time.

Take care! I love you! Thanks for writing me and supporting me!

Tay

On the road again...

2010-02-10T19:25:00.001-07:00

February 8, 2010

Hey family!

It's kinda a stressful morningwe 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 yetme 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 hypotheticalall 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 weekI 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 therethis 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 againhe 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 weekthey have got some pretty hefty problems to come over. I don't think that the whole family will be ready for this transferthere 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 happythis 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 girawe 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 manhe 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. MomI 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 worryjust keep praying!

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

Love,

TAYLOR JENSEN

Taylor's letter

2010-02-02T06:55:00.000-07:00

February 1, 2010

Hey family

It's been another crazy week 1. I think "week 1's"are the busiest weeks of my life. I think for one of the first times in my life I felt really stressed out this week. I am taking advantage of a little nap after writing this emailits tough when I only have 3 hours on p-day to get everything done I want to!! But we have zone conferences starting tomorrow, and we had to meet with president to get all of that stuff worked out and ready to go tomorrow.

We got some really good missionaries again. I am convinced that the Lord has sent us 3 really really good groups these past three transfers because we need them to put in practice this new stuff Elder Bowen has taught us. We are struggling to get the mission the faith it needs to keep going on those things. We have seen some pretty incredible changes in some, and just hope we can keep spreading the animo. There is a touch of a sense of frustration or desanimo in the mission because this new energy is a lot of work, and we were very comfortable where we were at. Now we all know what we can get, and some aren't too happy to leave that comfort zone, but they feel bad not leaving it because they know they can and should leave it. It's interesting to see.

We´ve already done a good amount of divisionsI did half of Thursday and all of Friday here with Elder Price, a new zone leader this transfer. It was goodwe did some good things and worked really hard. On Saturday, I was still in my area with another new zone leader, Elder Diaz. We had a good day. I think the highlight of our day was at about 6 o'clock. We were just dying of heat and weren't really finding anyone, so we swung by a recent convert's house. He is about 74 years old and just gentle and so fun. He's kinda slow but I just love him to death. His wife lets us in and we go in. he comes out of the bedroom and says ´what would you like to do?´ I took that to mean he wanted to leave with us, but knowing our plans I didn't really know if he could walk and keep up with us, so I said ´well, we wanted to come here and share with you!´ ´yeah, but what do you want to do?´ ´when?¨ ´after¨ ´well, we've got a couple of people to go visit´ Perfect! I'll come with you!¨ It was greatI was nervous at first, but out we went. Our first cita was with Mercedes, Daniel (our recent convert)´s mom. We went in and taught. And Santiago (the older man accompanying us) chimed in a couple times and it was just so incredibly on point and exactly what needed to be said. I kinda just sat there in amazement, because he has such a strong testimony and good way to express himself that I had never seen before. As I listened, it was almost an exact mix of grandpa Walters and Paul Bang. Just a voice full of love and right on point with what the spirit wanted them to say. It was a really sweet experience. Mercedes said the prayer and cried as she asked for strength to go to church and to keep getting better. It was a very spiritual experience for me.

We then took him over to another investigator, Jorge, who has been going to church for about a year but hasn't gotten baptized. I heard the same voice come out of Santiagoand it just connected with Jorge. He didn't commit to being baptized yet, but I just feel like we are making a little bit of progress. Well see if he can keep progressing.

We are starting with zone conferences here in Neuquen tomorrow. We have Roca and Zapala this week too. Then next Monday we are leaving to do an 8 day gira. I'm glad its going to be a short one---I want some more time in my area! I feel bad because two of the office elders were working really hard in the area we now have but we just have been struggling to sustain the progress they made. But, we've got a couple of member references that are just awesome and ready to get baptized. We've put the meta of 3 baptisms for this transfer, which is really high for the office (they baptized just 2 all last year), so we are trying to help these people progress quickly

.
Thanks for sharing about stake conferencethat was quite the adventure! I am really glad that we have the spirit that helps us save ourselves when the plans we had made fall through. I have seen it over and over on the mission, and I know that you received some of that help back home.

WOW!!! Lehla is going to MONGOLIA?? Whoa! I heard they have to take tents there. And I thought bringing a sleeping bag was cool. Congratsshe's going to love it.

Thanks for being such good parents! I think you are the best. (and going to be mission presidents some day).

Love,
TAYLOR

Missionary update

2010-01-28T20:26:00.001-07:00

January 25, 2010

Hey family!

It's a Monday. We are catching a quick break and I think this is the best time to email, so here we go!

This week was a bit tough. Getting back after that huge week we just had was great, but we just didn't have the best week here in our own area. It was tough. On Sunday, I decided I needed to get myself to 300 contacts so that I am setting an example and doing what I should be doing. That meant I had to do 106 on Sunday. I got them done, but barely. It was 106 here this weekend. That's toasty! But we did find a couple of good new people. Just not 43. I just hope that we can work really hard here and teach a lot and find a lot here.

We have 6 people going home and 7 coming in. I'm excited for these trainersthere are always a couple of my old companions that train these days. Elder Arguetta is coming up to train, and Hermana LeGrow who was in Allen with us for a long time. It's interesting to see what happens in a mission after the area seventy comes in and throws down the gauntlet. There is always a spike, and then everyone just seems to return to the normal. It's disappointing, and I really am trying to help everyone stay up and work harder, but even most of the zone leaders went back down. I can't complain too much.in my area we fell in terms of lessons and news. But we are sure trying really hard!

This week we have all of our big meetingsold missionaries go, new come, zone leaders, and then we are doing divisions on Friday. We are starting the local zone conferences next Tuesday, and then the gira starts the Tuesday after that. We are doing a lot of divisions again this transfer, but not on the gira. The gira is only going to be 8 days because we are going with the doctor of this area South America south. Mom- don't worry. I'm going to have a lot of time in the car to talk to him about my problems we are taking one car with the 6 of us. I had another problem this week, but now I'ts all good. I think I can't eat potatoes anymore---I think those get my stomach every time. Weird huh.

We finished this transfer with 51 baptisms as a mission. We've improved by 6 each of the transfers I've been here. I hope we can keep going, but jump it up a lot. It's just hard because I know that if we do what Elder Bowen taught we'll get there, but not very many are doing it, so we aren't going to get to our goal of 100 baptisms until everyone commits. We'll just keep pushing them. I hope we have some more roger banisters stand out in the crowd so that it can raise everyone up.

Elder Taylor missed the standard by 1 person in church. Poor guy. He was sick today so when I called him he sounded so bad. Elder Henrie is doing well. He's staying in Junin. His companion just endedand he has been telling me that elder Henrie has loosened up and is joking more and doing better. I'm happyI haven't seen him in a long time.
It's going to be a good challenging transfer. No one of the 6 of us in the office left, to we hope to work even harder. Elder Camacho goes home at the end of this transfer, so we made some good goals to work hard until the end. I hope it doesn't wear off on me. I am his ´trunky police´. People aren't allowed to say anything trunky around him or else I bust them. It'll be fun.

Sorry I don't have much to reportI'm pretty burnt out and there are a lot of people that just walked in here. I need a good relaxing pday!!

I love you all. Thanks for your support and for always being positive and uplifting and sharing all the stuff you're learning and doing with me.

love you!
t

It's been a long time

2010-01-22T12:40:00.001-07:00

January 21, 2010

Hey Family!!

Well, it's been a real long time since I've written you! I'm 2 Jinches taller and a lot better looking The Gira was incredible. Here is what we accomplished: I did 401 contacts, found 43 new people, taught 34 total lessons, and put a fecha with someone. That is easily the best week I have ever had in my mission. It was absolutely incredible. But I think even more than the numbers we accomplished, me and elder Camacho proved to the mission that there are no limits as to what we can accomplish. When elder Bowen first said we had to do 50 contacts a day, I wasn't sure if it was possible. Then we went out and did it, and now I think its easier to do 50 a day than 22 because sometimes with 22 you pick and choose and don't go out of your way to contact, but with 50, the choice is already made. You are going to go and talk to every single person you see. Elder Camacho did 504 contacts this week. That's absolutely unheard of. Im really excited for the changes we are seeing already in the mission. There are some that have taken this new challenge and run with it. Elder Taylor did 350 ish, elder Argueta was above 300 as well. Then there are those that are hesitant, that are comfortable with what they were doing before. Its going to be interesting to see how all of the missionaries grasp this new era of the mission. There is some fear, there is some hesitancy, but there are also many who are doing it and seeing huge results. Elder Bowen used Roger Bannister (the first guy to run a mile in less than 4 minutes) as an example of someone who took off artificial limitations. He then asked us ´Who of you is Roger Bannister? Who will it be?´ I know that this week, me and elder Camacho and a pair of zone leaders were the roger banisters of the mission. I'm excited to see what happens now. We have put a lofty goal of 100 baptisms for this transfer And I know that if we as a mission put this stuff in practice, we are guaranteed to get it. Now its just getting each companionship to believe it and do it!

So we spent 2 days in Puerto Madryn, 2 in Trelew, 2 in Comodoro, 2 in Caleta Olivia, 1.5 in sequel, 1 in Bariloche, and then came home. It was quite the journey. I drove for more than 30 hours doing the Gira. It was fun though. Elder Camacho is so funnyI think there are very few missionaries I could drive around with for 30 hours. I wrote a post it note that said ´I am roger bannister´ and stuck it on his name tag. He then put it on the mirror on the passenger's side and every couple of hours he'd flip it down and proclaim ´I AM ROGER BANNISTER!´ It kept me laughing the whole time. In each zone, we arrived and the zone leaders were kinda wondering how this whole thing would happen, what exactly Elder Bowen asked of us. It was great because we just set right out to work and did huge amounts of lessons and contacts. And it was incredible what happened. With each zone leader and in each area, we set out and got into a lot of houses to teach. We did a lot of contacts. We found families to bring to Christ. It was really special the spirit we felt the whole time, just knowing in the back of our mind what we were going to do in each city as we arrived and seeing the look on the zone leaders faces a bit unsure of how it was going to be. We left confident from each place that the zone leaders got it and that they´d be able to do it with their district leaders and everything.

On Monday in Trelew, we took a 2 hour p-day for the zone leaders to write to their families and shop and for me to go visit the flia Azocar and Matias, 2 of my converts from Trelew. The Azocars cooked us an asado and it was really good. I love going back to that house because they just RADIATE the spirit. They are so happy now and so calm. They had had a baby a couple months ago, so it was fun to see them playing with her and stuff. They are planning to go the temple in bs. As., and they both had callings. That was exciting for me. I also saw Matias. He had gone a bit inactive and that made me sad. But, now the elders are starting to teach the rest of his siblings that I tried to baptize and they are having a bit more success, so in the process, Matias is being reactivated. He was waiting outside for me to get there and had grown like 4 inches. It was fun to go in and see their family again too. One thing that always impresses me as I work with different missionaries (I worked with 13 in the past 2 weeks) is the level of dedication they have. I saw it all, working with some very dedicated zone leaders to some struggling elders. I think that my time as assistant has helped me learn more than any other time in my mission about the importance of taking this seriously and working hard.

We have transfers this weekend and there are a lot of strange changes. One though I m very happy aboutelder Camacho is staying a third with me here! Its his last, and president likes his presence, so we are going to have a third together. I'm excited about thatI love the guy to death. He just always is doing goofy stuff.

Dad- I'm trying to think of a good example of the spirit magnifying us for you. I'm not going to lie, there have been a ton. I think I have 2 examples in my mission. 1we all know my health problems, and for me it is a miracle that I have missed only ½ of a day of work despite all the stuff that's been gurgling inside of me. I absolutely feel something pushing me to keep going. Last night is an example. We left the house to work and about 15 minutes later I was having some pretty serious pain, to the point that I was about to ask if we could go back. But there is always something, someone pushing me to keep going. Something in the back of my head that makes me keep putting one foot in front of the other. At the end of the day we were able to talk to more than 50 people and get in and teach one man and his 2 little kids. By the end of the night, my pain was just gone. I absolutely think every time I have a moment like that ´well, there are 2 teams at play here. One that wants me to stop, another that wants me to keep going.´ Then its always my decision which I'll follow.

My other example is in my calling here as AP. I came in never having been a zone leader or anything; not really knowing how things are in the office, and in the trainings, in the zone conferences, and ESPECIALLY in this last Gira, there was just such a strong spirit present as I got up in front of groups of missionaries and just radiated a message. It wasn't the natural Jensen; it was absolutely the spirit making me more than I am.

I love you all a whole lot. Next week is week one, a new start, new missionaries, new hopes, and a new adventure.
Chao!
Elder Jensen

Get Ready!

2010-01-08T08:49:00.001-07:00

January 7, 2010

Dear family

It's been a good one!!! We had the two conferences with Elder Bowen and they were powerful. A year ago, Eder Adukitis came to our mission and it literally changed my mission. After that conference, I figured out how to enter into new houses. Now, my mission has been changed again. My vision has been lifted and I've got a new drive to do this thing.

We had a meeting with Elder Bowen for about an hour and a half on Monday. It was me and Elder Camacho, and the 4 office elders. He told me and Elder Camacho we need to be teaching about 28 lessons every week. Ooh. The most I've ever taught is about 34 ish. In the office my average is about 10 to 12. But I'm so ready. I was so bogged down because I wasn't accomplishing much, and now I'm stoked to go out there and do it. He talked a lot about having faith, because where doubt and fear are faith cannot exist. We can take what he is saying and go with it and get the blessings, or we can have doubt or faith and not. It was cool.

We then had a leadership meeting in which we asked questions and he helped us become better leaders. He also went through exodus 18 and talked a lot about delegation and trusting those you work with.

Then in the conference, he talked a whole lot about covenants. He had asked us to study the oath and covenant of the priesthood, the baptismal covenant, the Abrahamic covenant, and the endowment to prepare ourselves. He then went through and taught us some really powerful stuff. He says, after this meeting, I won't ever have to worry about your obedience again. He dropped it on us a little bit, but I absolutely loved it. He told us as a mission we need to use our time better. The average number for lessons taught is about 11 or12 in a week, which is weak. He says we have to get that up. And how? Finding more people to teach. And how? Contacting! He then says 22 is weak. We need to do about 50 a day. He then said we had to double our contacts. My jaw dropped because last week I did 207. Ha! I'm well on my way this week though. It was just an incredible conference and I'm not doing justice explaining any of this stuff, but I'll tell you later.

Monday night we had a really special lesson. We went out and taught this lady---do you remember a few weeks ago the lady we found that her boy friend had walked behind us and entered the house while we were knocking our way there?? It's that lady. She's great. Me and Elder Briggs taught here twice, and then elder Camacho went and taught her one time. She had just broken up with her boyfriend and had asked them to help her have more charity and love. So they read Moroni 7. She then went on a 2 week vacation to Junin (which, by the way has 2 fechas now). So she comes back and we met with her on Monday night. She tells us how happy she's been and how much better she feels after reading that chapter. I told her that's just the beginning. As she follows more and more what Christ teaches and learns more and more, she's just going feel better and better. And she knows it. So then Elder Skousen explained clearly what the Book of Mormon is, then elder Camacho gave an example of what we can learn from it from 3 ne 27 where it talks about faith, repentance, baptism, the spirit, etc. Then it comes back to me and we put a fecha!! It was so perfect. The spirit was absolutely present, and she was so ready to accept it. After we put it, she says, so now what do I have to do? Perfect, I say. You need to read and pray daily and come to church on Sundays. She says great. I'll do it. So after we had put our next cita for Thursday, I say so what are you going to do between now and Thursday? Read and pray!! And when are you going to start?? Today!! And are you excited?? SI!!! (she kinda threw her hands up in the air and everything on that last one.) it was just so perfect, and im really excited.

When I got here there really wasn't anything going on. We had 2 good investigators and that was it. Now we are just bursting with people. It's so exciting!! It makes me really not want to leave on this gira because I'm so excited to be teaching these good people.

Yesterday we were in Zapala. It was a good day. At first, I didn't really want to go because if I'm going to somehow get to 28 lessons a week, I feel a lot stronger pushing for it in my area than in someone else's just because I have not too much control on the citas and plans they make. So we set out and worked on Wednesday. The plans were bleakwe had a maybe cita in the morning that wasn't there, and a maybe cita at night, also not there, and a cita with members right after lunch that was there. The rest of the planned time was called ´encontrando´ which is ´finding´ which a lot of missionaries use to label dead time in which they go through the motions because the APs are there. So I was a little nervous of having so much encontrando time. But I knew that the purpose of us doing these divisions is to put into practice what Elder Bowen taught us and to get these zone leaders to do it to, so with a smile on my face we put some high goals6 other lessons, 5 new, and 55 contacts. And we set out. We found one new guy in the morning who was GREAT! He let us in and we had a great lesson with him, and they set up another cita for today with him. He was good. We then contacted and tried to get in more, but didn't get in anymore. We then went and ate lunch and set out again. We went to a member's house to do an activity to get them to set up a time to teach a friend or someone in their home. It went okay. The hermana had just gone through a hard time of losing 2 brothers within a week 2 months ago. My comp got a little frustrated because they wouldn't commit to have us teach something in their home. I felt the spirit or something because I started talking to the hermana and how Christ has helped her come through and is strengthening her and how this is helping her get closer to Him. Then I asked what it would be like to try and go through this without Christ and the church. She says ´impossible.´ Then I said ´think of someone who is also going through a situation like yours. They don't have what you have hermana. They don't have this church.´ I then paused. A second later I asked ´who came to your mind that we can teach here in your home so they too can get through their struggles?´ the husband responded first, trying to excuse his wife again from trying to share the gospel, but she piped up the name of someone. She says when he comes over to get paid on Friday, I'm going to talk to him because his mom is really ill and he could use this.´ I was overjoyed. The spirit works!

We set out again. We found another man who wants to change and recognized that his baptism wasn't done right. We were going to invite him to get baptized, there on the spot during the lesson, but decided it would be better if we do it next Friday when they go back to teach his family of 5. He was a great guy, and I'm really excited to see if they will (they easily can) put a fecha with him on Friday!

We set out again, and found another new. He was a so so guy. We set out again, and got into a house of someone named Mara. We sit down she says ´we have a big family. I am one of 13.´ My jaw dropped. Awesome!!! We started teaching, and it was great. She told us she was strong in her church, but as we taught and testified of the gospel truths, we felt a change in her. She almost fell off the couch she was sitting on she was leaning forward so much to hear us. By the end of the lesson, she said I've felt something special. Something that tells me you guys are right.´ even though we wanted to tell her ´yeah we know´ we told her to pray about it. One of the things Elder Bowen taught us to do is to basically force them to say the last prayer, so we started doing it. We taught her how to pray, and about 8 words in she was just balling. She is going to get baptized, I know it! She felt the spirit so strongly testify of the things that we said.

Yesterday I was a different missionary. You should have seen the smile I wore literally all day. I want you to know how much I love these people. I absolutely love being here and teaching people. I wish you could see me in actionit's different than you've ever seen me before. I know that the spirit testified through me yesterday. It's a feeling I cannot explainwalking into someone's house and teaching them what God wants them to do. Testifying of His love, His plan, His mercy is something I just get real emotional about doing!! I love it. A lot of times missionaries say ´there is no other place I'd rather be right now.´ I don't agreeI have 1 place I'd rather begetting on an airplane to arrive here and start my 2 year clock over. Knowing what I know now, I can only imagine the things I can do. I am so excited to keep working and give this my all. We talked a lot about magnifying our callings, and sometimes I get nervous because there are so many tiny little things that we need to do to magnify it as missionaries. I get stressed because I'm not perfect and so I have times when I don't think I'm magnifying it. Yesterday I absolutely did. We taught 5 lessons, found 5 news, and did 67 contacts. That's exactly what Elder Bowen taught us to do, and I know that Elder Camacho and I helped these zone leaders to know that they can do it too. I felt the spirit confirm to me that I had given it all, and to be honest I had never really sought that confirmation before. I felt it really strongly that even though I'm not perfect, I'm going to be able to go out on this Gira and get the Lord's work done. What a feeling of peace I felt.

It's hard for me to go on the Gira because I don't want to leave these investigators in the hands of other missionaries for 2 weeks, but leaving Zapala yesterday was just as hard!! Haha I was so excited for those people.

I just love this.

Elder Jensen.

Christmas Greetings from Argentina

2009-12-31T09:26:00.001-07:00

December 30, 2009

Hey family!

Merry week after Christmas! It's been a good couple of days since we talked. It was fun talking to you and hearing from everyone! Sorry for talking so muchI hung up the phone and said oh wow I think I just talked the whole hour sorry! I just had some stories I couldn't email. It's weird to think I just have 1 phone call left, huh? It blows me away. The hermanas I got here with are leaving next transfer

Friday was fun. I played ping pong most of the day, as you already know. I also tore my pants open! Oops! But, one of the benefits of living here in the office is that there are two hermanas that are so so willing to help you out, I've had a couple of pairs of pants stitched up, and my two torn shirts fixed. It's great. The ping pong was goodme and elder Camacho and elder Savornin(one of the new office elders) are all dead even skill wise, so its pretty intense. We all have our paddles here ready to play when we are done emailing.

Saturday turned out great. Daniel got baptized and it was good. Unfortunately, he had to get dipped under 4 times because his elbow was popping up. Oops! But all in all, it turned out good. We didn't get much support from the wardwe had the bishop, an hermano, and at the last second a family of 5 walked in. but fortunately, there were 9 missionaries there, so there was still a good number. I went over to Daniel's on Monday and it was really cool hearing about how much he has changed. He was telling us about how he felt before, during, and after. It honestly blows me away every time I hear people talk like that the absolute faith that they exercise as the drop bad habits and do things that the Lord wants them to. The truth is that it is an incredible lesson in humility for me. I've been a member forever and sometimes its hard for me to do stuff.

The hermano Marquez is officially living in Plottier now. He is building out there and now sleeps there to protect the house. He came to Neuquen yesterday and called us to come over, so we went running. They are so good. They had a chat with the hermanas that are in Plottier and the hermanas gave him 6 chapters of reading. He was joking about how they are tougher teachers and such, but I think I might just have to step it up a bit! Haha. Tomorrow we are going to go over and dig some more and paint. I'm excitedhe is such an incredible guy, and his family is just great.

We had a neat experience on Monday night. Me and elder Nilsson were out working and our cita at 8 no showed us. Into my mind popped the contact we did with a guy who had gone up to hear us sing in Centro and so we went to give him a try. He had just had his truck break down and had just gotten home, so he invited us in. We got in and taught and he was an awesome awesome guy. I gave him a Book of Mormon and said ´did you know Christ came to America after his resurrection in Israel?´ and it was hilariousit blew his socks off. He almost started reading about it right when I handed him the book. He's a good one for sure, and I am convinced that the Lord puts us in the places we need to be.

Tonight we have a noche de hogar with a couple who needs to be married. He's started to quit smoking and they are planning to get married when they finish their house. We are going to noche de hogar it to see if we can get the married faster and baptized. Wish us luck! The husband has come 3 times to church, and the wife none because she works, but she's looking for new work. We'll see what happens!!

We are anxiously awaiting President Bowen. He gets in on Sunday, then we have 2 conferences with him Monday and Tuesday. Then on Wednesday and Thursday, we are doing divisions with Zapala zone leaders and Friday we are heading out south. I'm emailing again next Thursday, then im not going to email for a week, then ne next Monday like the 20th or 19th or something, so you can double up your letters for next week so I can have something good to read!! Haha. I think I am going to be behind the wheel for 3 years on this gira because I am driving the whole way. I think its going to be about 40 hourswow!!!!I'm just glad I got a bag of sunflower seeds to tide me over!

Mom- those new shirts are INCREDIBLE!!!!! They are the perfect fit AND they have an elastic top button. They are the most comfy shirts I've ever worn. They are awesome. The shoes are fine, and the socks are great. Thanks so much!! (and we just busted out the caramels todayyum!)

Well, its time to go school these guys in ping pong. Look forward to next week's letter to see what Elder Bowen teaches!!
Love you!
Jensen

The news from Elder Jensen

2009-12-08T20:42:00.001-07:00

Hey family!! Greetings from Neuquen where i´m sleeping in my own bed, wearing clean shirts, and sleeping 8 hours again.

About 4 months before a missionary goes home, they get a paper that is a pledge to sprint to the finish, in which they and president sign that they are going to give it there all and work real hard. This week, I wrote my own pledge about sprinting in the office. Its so easy to get lazy or to not do the little things I have been doing the past year here. So this week, I wrote my own with a lot of specific things, like not letting us working only 4 or 5 hours a day proselyting be an excuse for not having the numbers ive always put up, and not letting the weird schedule we have be an excuse for not getting my studying in. Its going to be tough, but I am still a missionary, and I am going to baptize in this area. Its been a long long time since weve baptized in the office, and that's going to change.

This week has been pretty good. Its by far been my best week numbers wise here in neuquen-I taught 13 lessons! Wahoo. Other weeks, I hadn't had double digits which is horrible for me. I´m really excited now---weve found some GREAT new families and had 3 people come to church yesterday. We have 3 families of people that are progressing and its really fun to go and teach solid people that we can see have testimonies already. One of the families is a family of 5 that me and elder Nilsson found week 3 and they are progressing so much. They are reading and praying and are coming to church next week. We ate skyline with them on Saturday, and then talked about baptism and stuff. They are so going to get baptized. They just don't know it yet. They are nervous because they've never been to church before, but once they come once, they´ll be excited. The mom is such a nice, loving person, and the dad looks like mr. miagi from karate kid and he is just hilarious. I love being there. And they love us being there. And the best part is is that they recognize the feelings they have when we come and when they read and such. I was talking to elder Nilsson about the importance of love when we teach and that's something that is absolutely is present when we are with them. He chased us down on his scooter after one lesson to give us a tupper of cake that his wife wanted to give us. It was hilarious seeing mr. miagi on a scooter chasing us down the street. Man I love that family.

Another family is a couple who surprised us by going to church yesterday. They are really good toothey are always asking really really good questions that shows us that they are thinking and really trying to apply what they are learning. They came to church yesterday even though he thought he had to work. They liked it so much they decided to go to the first presidency broadcast last night even though it started at 10 at night. Awesome.

The third was another couple who we are teaching and the wife is similar in that she asks really in depth questions and really understands what we are teaching. The crowning momentshe says I feel like these things you are teaching are things ive always known but never heard said out loud before. Wow. Im excited in our area now---before when I first got here there was nothing nothing, but now we have some really solid families.

We had a really cool thing happen last night. So the office elders and me and my companion all share 1 area, so sometimes we visit the same person on the same day or cross in the street. Yesterday we met up by chance at the house of a member. As we left, I had someone in my head I wanted to go visit. We gave our cita we had to the other elders and they went and did it. Me and my companion, Elder Briggs (we do divisions a ton so that when me and my comp leave on the gira someone knows the people we find) started knocking a little bit on the way over to this house in my head. For some reason, I decided to knock the block before the block where this house is, so we did and it was alright. We then started knocking our way down the next block to the corner where this house was. We were 2 houses away and a guy walks behind us and around the corner. We then go around the corner and knock the house I had in mind. It just so happened that that guy had just walked in and we were able to pass in too (we aren't allowed to enter houses with women without a guy being there). This lady I had contacted earlier, but hadn't been able to get in a teach because there wasn't a guy, and we could never get a member to go with us. But there that night it just so happened that her friend came over and we were able to go in. And it just so happened that we had to knock that block and a half before because if we had gone right on over we would not have been able to get in. Get it? The Lord guides us in this work, and I absolutely know that He gave me those promptings to go over there and to knock my way over there. Wow. What a cool experience. (and they really loved what we taught. Icing on the cake).

This week is transfer week, so president is working hard on those right now. Me and my comp give suggestions on who should train and be zone leaders, and then president shuts himself in and works on it for a long time. I was in charge of writing the suggestions on the white board, and of course the first name I put down on the board for trainers was my own. We had a good laugh, and president said ´maybe in a couple transfers.´ Weve got a group of 14 missionaries coming in, so we are all really excited.

Christmas callI am going to call from here, but its not clear if we need to get calling cards. Elder Camacho said no, that we can just use the office phone, but elder nilsson said the finance guy said we had to get cards. The finance guy is out in bariloche right now so ill ask him when he gets back and let you know for sure next email. It would be a lot better if you could buy it this time because I don't want to have to deal with those cheap garbage cards like I had last time. As for times, we have no idea yet. We´ll get on that in 2 weeks or so after transfers and such.

Well, im going to go play some soccer. Its getting real hot here now. Mama-I haven't gotten your package yet. And im sending you all something this week too, so let me know if you get it! And to all my friends who have written me and I haven't written backIM SORRY!!!!!! Im going to write a bit today. I just don't have pdays anymore!!!!

Les quiero un montón. Have a great week!!!

Until next transfer, (wow. This transfer FLEW by)
Elder Jensen

A Missionary on the Go!

2009-11-22T18:01:00.001-07:00

November 18, 2009

Hey Family!!

WHEW!!!! It's kinda hard for me to remember the blur that we like to call this past week. I think last week I wrote on Thursday, so I'll start from last Friday. We finished up the zone conferences last week in Roca on Friday. It was really fun to see my old district there where a couple of the members are still intact and doing well. We drove by Allen on the way down to Roca and I said in the car with president driving ´president!! Take me home!!´ It was kind of a joke, but in all seriousness I would go back there in a heartbeat. We kept going and had a good conference with Roca. It was fun talking to the hermanas and finding out all the stuff that was happening in Allen with our families and investigators and members that live there. I got a couple of letter s from them and they are doing alright. They've had a bit of ups and downs since we got pulled, but they'll pull through I hope. I really want to go back and see them, but unfortunately, the schedule and rules we have make it pretty tough to get back there. We did get to drop the hermanas back in Allen on our way back, so I got to drive right through my area. It was awesome and made me miss it so bad.

Saturday and Sunday are precious days for me now because those are the only two days I get to work all day like a normal missionary. Except this Saturday and Sunday were really hard for me. I feel like I'm whitewashing again because this area really has nothing. The only problem is that we don't have too too great of a relation with the members because when we go out we only have 4.5 hours to work so we try and visit investigators. The only problemwe don't really have any. So we've been working and talking to EVERYONE, just like we've been teaching the mission. I've been really struggling here because I haven't gotten into a single house in my two weeks in neuquen and that was eating me alive. I was dying and miserable, just so desperate to get in and teach someone something that is going to help them out. This past weekend, I carried on with that anguish, just trying with all of my might to get in somewhere. I decided that I had to change somethingbeing here and having our schedule makes it really hard to get more than a half hour of personal study in. When we are traveling, it becomes almost impossible. I decided that I had to start studying and making it something I just did everyday. So I began setting my alarm even earlier on the days that we had to leave and travel. I found some time each day and have started studying again. I also became as some of the prophets in the book of Mormon just ´wrestling with the Lord´ and praying hard hard hard that He would just guide us to some house, have some person let us in. And we didn't get in Saturday. Sunday we walked around doing straight contacts again. In my two weeks here, I had done 360 contacts, 3 lessons, and not entered into a single new house. It was awful. But, Monday was an incredible day. We did 40 contacts, taught 3 lessons, entered into 3 new houses, and found 8 people, including a family of 5 that me and elder Nilsson are going to go make skyline for in a bit. It was a miracle, and I have never been so happy!!!! It was a big tender mercy from the Lord. Yesterday, we continued and entered a house and found a family of 3. I just breathed a big sigh of relief, and now I'll be able to settle into this place and do what I've always donefind, teach, baptize!!

Last week we had a funny experienceI got robbed!!! Aw man! This one was fun. Me and my 6´4´´ companion, elder Nilsson, my best bud from Roca, were working together (I almost never work with my real comp because when we go on the Gira we want the office elders to know our investigators and stuff, so we always just work on divisions with the office). I thought being with him would give me some protection, that all the unity stuff we've been sharing in zone conference would do something but it didn't. We do a contact with a guy in the street and invite ourselves over to his house. He says sure I live 4 houses that way and we start walking over with him. We're chatting and everything and enter with him through his fence. He then takes us around to the side of his house and starts being weird and playing around in his pockets and pants. He then says my grandma has interest in your message. There she is! He says, pointing to his dog. At this point, my companion says this is dumb and turns and leaves. In the mean time, the guy has me cornered a bit by the wall and tells me to give him my money. I told him I don't have any and that I'm going to leave. He says no seriously give it to me. I respond no seriously I don't have any. I turn to leave, keeping my eyes on this guy. He grabs my proselyting back from behind and I just tear it away from him and leave. I left the fence only to find that my companion is about a half a block away just walking. I jog over and say ´hey man. How are ya? Good, and you? He responds. I'm fine. Other than I just got robbed, everything is going great.´ His surprise was hilarious. I gave him a half hug as we walked away laughing and joking and me making fun of him for leaving me hanging. But, again, if these people want to rob me they just have to bring their A game. And I'm really lucky again the guy didn't have a knife or gun or anything.

Noelia passed her interview and is getting baptized this Saturday. President said we could work our schedule for when we are in Trelew so I can go and be there. That is going to be very special. The elders there have told the ward I'm going to be there so I am really hoping to see a lot of my people!! I'm really pumped.

The new missionaries are getting here tonight, we are training tomorrow and then leaving at about 2 to go down on the gira (the loop) we have Trelew and Puerto Madryn together on Friday, Caleta Olivia on Tuesday, Comodoro on Wednesday, and Bariloche on Friday. The other days will be used for doing divisions with zone leaders and traveling. We are going together in president's Hilux (it's a lot like mom's car) and he and I will take turns driving. It's going to be a great time to study, talk and get to know president, and maybe sleep a little????? Well see.

I'm on the run again. My time is so darn limited!! Oh well. Have a great weekI'lll be writing from the south of the world next week!! I love you all and really appreciate all of your prayers!

I love you all. Love, Elder Jensen

A little longer letter from Elder Jensen

2009-11-12T21:36:00.001-07:00

November 12, 2009

Hey all--

Well; it's been a rush so far. I woke up an hour early to email this morning because I just do not have time to do anything! It's really a different lifestyle. I have woken up at 5:30 or earlier more than half of my days as assistant. That's a lot different. These last two transfers I was always so tired that I was pretty useless from 6:30 to 7 ish until I got in the shower. But now, I'm up an hour early and working on projects or stuff like that. It also applies to the other end- we are supposed to go to bed at 10:30, but my comp and I have been staying up late because we get swamped with phone calls till 10:30, we have stuff we need to do to prepare for the zone conferences the next day, and so we normally are in bed at about 11 ish. I'm holding up well so farit's just a lot less sleep than the sacred 8 hours we are supposed to have!

This week, we started zone conferences. First up was Zapala, the zone where Junin is. It was fun to see my old district there. The elders in San martin changed- one stayed and one left, and now the one that came in gets along incredibly well with the one that stayed. That made me really happyhe needed a good companion. Elder Henrie is doing alright, it looks like. His new companion is an x zone leader who was zone leader for a long time and is now finishing his mission. I think that he will help Elder Henrie a lot. For that zone conference, we had to wake up at 4:45 to leave at 5:30 and get there at 8. But the conference went really well. It was a pretty powerful one this transfer, and we're changed several things in the mission. All my mission I have had this strange obsession with contacts. President recently has also gotten that strange obsession, so that's one of the big things we are talking about in the zone conferences. I get really excited talking about it, and we've put really high goals in the mission to get everyone out and working more. President is calling this the New Era. We've put a goal to baptize a whole lot more this transfer, and that goal is being backed up by the zones. In the past week, the mission has soared from 70 fechas to about 90 as of last night. There is a lot of positive energy now!
Yesterday, we were here with one of the Neuquen zones, and it also was a good conference. Elder Cox is here in this zone, so it was fun to see him again. Its interesting being in each zone conference, because every zone has its own unique kinda feel. I think a lot of that also depends on the zone leaders- if they are hard workers and set a good example or not. Its also fun being at every zone conference because you get to see how the messages and principles adapt themselves to each individual zone.

Tomorrow we head on out to Roca, so I get to see my old district out there. Then Saturday and Sunday we get to work all day! Yay! Next week, we head on out south on Thursday afternoon and are gone till the 30th or so. We had a nice little miracle happen this week too. We had 8 new missionaries come at the beginning of this transfer, but 5 more were delayed. We've been really worried about when they were going it be able to get here. If we leave on the gira (the loop down south for the zone conferences), we would have to have them wait till December when we got back up here. That would really really be a pain, because there are 5 elders and hermanas here that have a ´mini missionary´ and not all of the mini missionaries can be minis that long. We finally got a call last night that they were going to arrive on the 18th. That is absolutely perfectnow we'll have a short little training meeting on the 19th and roll on out that afternoon. The Lord is mindful of us, even way down south at the tip of south America!
Its fun working in the office. It drives me nuts because we don't go out and work as much as a normal elder, but I understand why. I actually hardly ever work proselyting with my real companion, Elder Camacho. I work most of the time with Elder Nilsson, who spent 6 months in my district in Roca (Allen). It's really funny, because every time we did divisions down there, we'd always dream of how it would be if we could just be companions- what kinda things we'd do, how well we'd work together. Well, now we get to see! So I am happy because I have 2 great companions up here in the office. Elder Camacho is great too. He is Elder Foye´s trainer, so he has some fun stories about that. We also have the office senior couple that lives here in the house with us. They are HILARIOUS. The hermana is just so loving and nice and cooks us stuff a couple times a week. Her husband is a really strong presence that just makes me laugh. He has no problem in yelling ´WHO LEFT THE DOOR OPEN! DO WE LIVE IN A BARN??´ it's also funny because he speaks very very limited Spanish, so when he needs to make a phone call he makes us do it. That can be good and bad. These past 4 weeks, the internet here in the office has been horrible, so he has made me call and be pushy with the internet people who are just a horrible company. He hands me the phone and says Elder Jensen these people are idiots and I want you to tell them that. Tell em every bad word you know in Spanish so we can get this thing fixed! Haha. (don't worry, I didn't tell em any bad words).

Next transfer, we are getting 14 new missionaries! And we are also going to do a mission tour with the Bowens. I'm excited for that. Also, Elder Taylor's baptismal goal is 15 this transfer. That made a pretty big splash here in the office. I talked to him last night for the first time in more than 3 months, and he sounds good. He is a great missionary.

Well, its time to shower and head off to a zone conference. I've been trying to throw a picture in this email, but the internet is being spotty again, so I haven't been able to upload it. Maybe next week if I call em up and give them a hassle again we'll have better internet!

I love you!

JENSEN

News of a transfer

2009-11-03T18:15:00.001-07:00

November 3, 2009

Hey family!

Well, to be honest, I don't really remember too too much of what happened
this past week in Junin. It went by pretty quick, and I've had a bit of a
whirlwind weekend. Let's startthis week, we'll go backwards, from yesterday
back to last Monday ish, depending on what I remember!

I am in Neuquen. I was called as the Assistant to the President. Wow. Never
has this happened in remembered history of the mission where someone who was
never a zone leader gotten that bump, but here I am. I got a bit of a
warning this past weekI got a call on Thursday from president asking for my
drivers license numberand there are only 2 places you need to drive- the
office and as Assistant. I knew I wasn't coming up to be in the office, but
I thought maybe it was just for next transfer or something. But nope. Friday
night, President called me and extended the calling. I told him he blew his
cover a bit calling for my drivers license, and that I figured I was coming
up to be assistant. He says well you aren't a Hinckley scholar for nothing.
I say `well, I had the dark horse idea that you were sending a car down to
Junín de los Andes! ` haha. I'm glad I have a mission president that I can
joke around like that with.

He tells me that the mission is struggling, and that we're making a lot of
changes. The assistant I am replacing only was the assistant for 3 transfersyou
almost always are for 4. But I feel like that assistant was SO much better
of a missionary than me. I love the kid. But president tells me it all
starts with contacting and finding, and looking at your numbers, and what
you've done with the districts in Roca and Junin, you are the man for the
job. I told him I absolutely agree with what he said about contacts, that I
would do all I can to help jumpstart the whole mission on doing their 154
every week. We'll see how it goes!

So I rolled out on Sunday right after church. Normally transfers happen
Mondays, but I had to be in neuquen Monday morning because the missionaries
that end come and leave. It was a sad experience, taking the missionaries to
the airport this morning. We sent home several great missionaries todayand
ex AP, and Elder Goveia from Trelew. It sad, and gave me a lot of desires to
work hard to the end of my mission. Some of those guys were just I don't
know. They had stopped working a while ago and just left. How sad. That's
not going to be me.

In a couple hours, the new missionaries get here and we have to go pick them
up and start the training and stuff with them. I'm really excited. I still
remember getting off the plane and seeing president cook with Elder Romero
and Guzman! Haha. They get here in just a couple of hours.

These past two days have been spent planning the workshops in the zone
conferences with my companion, Elder Camacho (who is the trainer of Elder
Foye que tal!) He's from Santiago, Chile. He's a good guy, and reminds me
of elder Valencia. I don't know if its because I am the junior guy again or
what, but he reminds me of elder Valencia. We have been making a power point
and organizing everything. It's a lot different the work we do its not
nearly as much `missionary work.` we spend the whole day in the office until
430 then we go work. It's going to be a bit of an adjustment, but that's
alright. In November, we are only going to be here in neuquen for 10 of the
30 days, so my emails will be coming from somewhere in Argentina at some
point of the weekif you don't get one for a couple days, don't worry!

I am living a block away from the mission home with the senior couple, The
Graves, Elder Nilsson (my best friend from Roca (while I was in Allen)),
and my comp and his comp. It's nice. But different. We've just got a lot of
stuff to organize and put together.

My last week in Junin was good. We had 5 in church!!!!!!!!!! It was
incredible. We actually were hoping for 7, but 5 is absolutely incredible
for that little place. Cesar and his girlfriend came, with their little
nephew who I hope is getting baptized this transfer. Then 2 other of our
investigators came, and it was great. One of them got up and took a picture
of Elder Henrie on her cell phone while he bore his testimony. It was a
strange moment.

On Saturday, I dressed up in all white! Happy Halloween! I baptized an 8
year old in our branch named Nahuel. His step dad is a member, but didn't
want to do it, which made me sad. See last weeks rant about being a good
priesthood holder. But yep. We had passed by and taught him a couple times
this week, and it was good. I was happy to baptize in that place before I
left! The druggie from last email came with his wife and daughter and LOVED
it. I was so happy!! The members accepted him really well.

The rest of the week I don't really remember that well, to be honest. It
snowed and rained and stuff, and we taught Cesar and our druggie a couple
times, and it was a good week. It's all left because of the blur that was
this weekend though!

I found out from one of the elders that is going home that Noelia, wife of
Gabriel and mother of Leo and Lucas from Trelew is getting baptized this
coming weekend!!!! We had started the whole process with their divorce
papers when we were there, and they finally came through and the finally got
married and now she is getting baptized!! Wahoo!! I also heard good things
about a lot of my converts down there, and less of them are inactive than I
thought. I also heard rough news that my family in Allen is struggling big
time. I'm going to have to write them a letter or figure out some way to
help them out. I just wish everyone would stay in the church and remember
the things they have felt and learned!!

DadI have to give you a HUGE thank you for the strings you pulled to get my
my license. It arrived on Mondayright in time!! My comp doesn't drive, and
the old assistant was leaving and so we were in a bit of a pinch. But the
papers got here, and I'm legal! Wahoo! It really saved us and was clutch.
THANKS! I'll be taking my eye test soon and getting that up to you. I
absolutely love driving, but this place is hard! There are not stop signs or
lights or anything. The rule is whoever is going faster gets the right of
way in an intersection. YIKES is all I have to say about that! So far, I
have been zipping around with out a problem. I think I must have the spirit
or something because I don't drive crazy like I used to

Mama- I'll get you a picture next week. I will take a good one. Why don't
you just put my cardboard cutout in the picture!?! Haha. But yeahI'll get
on that this week.

Putzergood work on anchorman. You make me proud. You won the contest in my
heart.

Well, all, I'm out to go work. We don't really get p-days as assistants. But
that's okaywe have a lot of good stuff to make up for it. Like a dryer and
a real washing machine! Good stuff.

Love you family. Stay strong. Dunno when I'll write next, but I'll be loving
you till then.

OH!! Julie Beck, Hermana. Matsumori, and the Bowens were over for lunch on
Monday. I finally met your cousin, mama! They are doing a mission tour in
December or January, so I'll be able to spend some good time with them.

Love you! Chau!!
ELDER JENSEN

Missionaries celebrate 21st birthdays different than most people!

2009-10-28T21:23:00.000-06:00

A Happy Missionary in Argentina!

2009-10-28T21:22:00.001-06:00

Hey all.

It's been an incredible week. I've only read parts of emails to me because I have a bit to write.

So last Tuesday we were on divisions. I was with elder Carpenter, who came into the mission with me. He's a great guy and we had a really good day together. We were out clapping one area and did a contact with a man who said come back another time. You tell me when and I'll be there. So I said 6 tomorrow? He says yes. I'll be there. I really need you guys right now. So then I said ...well how about 6 today? He says absolutely. So it was set. He says I'm not going to be one of those guys who tells you to come and won't be there. I really need you.

We went back at 6 to talk to him and he didn't respond when we clapped. A bit sad and thinking it was too good to be true, we walk to the door and it opens. He lets us in. He then proceeds to spill everything from his heart onto the table. It was pretty devastating to hear about how wrecked this guy's life is. Last Sunday, mother's day here, he almost killed himself. He is a drug addict. He has spent 7 years in prison. He gets `dirty money` and says he's ashamed of how he gets it so he won't tell us. (nor do I pry). His wife left him, and he feels dead alone. He was adopted, and his adoptive parents and brothers and everyone are gone. Dead or on the other end of the country. He was unemployed, had debts, and was just miserable. Then, after hearing this, we started talking. We talked about God and His infinite love for us. We talked about reasons why we sufferI made an analogy of God and him to him and his 3 year old who was sitting on his lap, saying God wants us to do good things, but will never force us to do things, just like you and your daughter. You teach and hope she chooses right, but can never make the decision for her. He then looks at me and says `you know, crazy, I've been thinking about that for years and this is the first time that has ever made sense to me.` ( he likes calling us loco or negro. I love it.) But it was an analogy that was absolutely inspired, and it just clicked so much with him. We then kept going, talking about prayers and having a relation with God and how important that was. He talked about being too embarrassed to pray and I went right back to the analogy of his daughter. When she messes up and is hurting, do you want to talk to her and comfort her and help her get back on her feet? Absolutely, he says. Well, do you not think God is waiting for you with open arms, just waiting for you to come back to Him? He starts crying. He says `what do I have to do to feel the peace you two feel, to be good like you two are good?` We explained the first steps are praying and telling God all the things he has just told us. We then handed him a Book of Mormon and I left him Alma 36 and said `like you, alma was in the bad. He was killing people spiritually. He was taking away people's eternal life. How do you think he feared God? But look- he made a huge change. We can read here about the pain he felt before, like you have felt, and then we can see the huge change that passed afterwards, like you my friend will also feel. It was a special special experience sharing that chat with him, and it's been one of the few times on my mission where I feel like the spirit has absolutely guided me in every single thing I said to that man. We gave him a huge hug and set a cita to come back the next day.

Next day rolls around and I'm giggling inside with the reaction my comp is going to have to this man. My companion feels bad walking into the grocery store with his backpack on instead of leaving it in the lockers, so I was just imagining his reaction with this man. But all went well. We showed up, he opens the door and I step in and he just grabs me in the biggest hug. It was really neat. We then sit down, and he says `sabe que loco? Mi vida ha cambiado! ` (you know what, crazy, my life has changed) He begins by saying that for the first time in years, he prayed. And prayed and prayed. He read the scripture, and said `that's me! That was me! But now I know I can change too. ` He rented out a room in his house he had been trying to rent out for a while. He went to pay a big bill and they said he didn't have to pay it anymore. He didn't to a gram of cocaine that 24 hours (and actually was sweating a bit during the charla for not having done it) He was woken up by a call offering him a job. He got another small job to paint something. He started texting his wife and having amistad between them again. And then he stops, and choked up, he says, and more than anything, I have peace. I feel tranquilo. I am not angry or sad or anything, I am just at ease. I'm not all the way to happy, but this is just incredible what I feel right now. I haven't felt this way in more than 15 years. I just looked at him stunned. I was just in awe of the changes that had passed in his life. We began to speak, and we prayed together to give thanks for this special thing that had happened. We then talked a bit about Joseph smith and explained the book of Mormon more. We then talked about the path that he's got to go get on. It was a great charla. We left him 2 ne 31 to read and to start thinking about faith, repentance, and baptism. We then set a cita for Friday.

On Friday we went back, and were greeted by another enormous hug. We sit down and chat. Again, things in his life had just gotten way better. His wife had come back and they were thinking about getting back together, and he had read and prayed and had been sharing this stuff with the guys he lives with and wife. It was great. We sat down, and, inspired again, we opened to alma 32 and read about faith. Again, I tried to apply it to him and say look- you've had a lot of things that have humbled you to the point of letting us in. Now you've opened up and allowed a seed to be planted. We read and when we got to verse 18 and 19 it was his turn to read. As he read, his face just lit up. After he was done with 19, we just paused. I looked at him, matching his smile with my own, and said `and how does it feel (as it `takes root`?)` He just looks at me and begins to just say `I can't describe it.` he starts trying, and the tears started falling out of his eyes. We finished the chapter and invited him to church, which he readily accepted.

I don't think I have ever been more humbled seeing the changes God can bring about in people. I've ever been so happy to go and just hear how a person is doing before. It's incredible the things he's told us, the changes he's felt. It's going to be a long long process to get him baptized, but I count him as one of the greatest miracles I've seen thus far on my mission. I also give thanks to the Lord for guiding us as the missionaries in every little thing to say to him, and for the changes that the spirit has brought about in him.

Cesar came to church again and loved it. He also is changing a lot. Last week we had 2 charlas with him during the mundial qualifying games for soccer. He turned off the game and readily listened. This Saturday, he skipped his soccer team's game to be with us. He is in a tough spotwe taught the law of chastity and invited him to start living it. It's going to be hardthe guy is 18, has a 2 month old, and is girlfriend lives with him sometimes. He's really mature, but young! He is ready to get baptized, he just has to resolve this aspect of his life. Saturday, we went over the baptismal interview questions and showed him he is ready that he just has to fix that part. He says oooh. I really want to get baptized and know this is true, but that's complicated! We offered to have an interview with President Fernandez the next day in church and he readily accepted. On Sunday we all stayed after and talked for about 40 minutes about his options. Sounds like they are going to go the marriage option! Wahoo! We are having a chat with him and his girlfriend and president Fernandez on Tuesdaypray for us!!!!! But Cesar is awesome. He is an absolute light for this branch and his menos activo family.

Friday we had a good teaching moment between me and my companion. We were in a lesson and the man saw a picture of Jesus with his hands on the head of one of his apostles. The guy said `can you give blessings like that? I just want a blessing to get back on track in my life` I look at my comp and say yeah... and my comp says absolutely not that he is not ready. So we say we'll come back and do it the next day. When we left, I got real stern and said elder why you are not ready to give a blessing? He replies `I will not mock God` to which I reply `elder you just did by not giving one of God's children a blessing in his time of need` he says `explain` I say `God has given you a sacred power and trust to use to bless and heal and help His children. He is looking to you to bless those in need, and when we let ourselves be fooled into thinking we aren't ready or shouldn't use that power, we mock God.´ He says oh. And then just goes quiet for a while. It was another instance of the D&C 130 scriptureI cracked real hard. But he tells me the next day that he learned a lot from that moment and that he will never again be caught not ready. Sometimes I really have my wonders and doubts on if I've been a good trainer for him or not, but as I look at moments like that, I know that I have not only been a good trainer for him on his mission, but that a lot of these things will be carried on into his life.

I did end up getting my bday box, mom! Thanks a bunch! I laughed as I opened the ties because I would not have been caught dead wearing the paisley tie you sent 1 year ago. But nowI love it!! Haha. I guess people can change. I rock a nice pink tie sometimes too. How about that? We celebrated low keyI bought myself a nice tub of ice cream, and my comp got me some candy and such.

I have a lot of respect for the families here in Junin. Our branch president went and picked up about 6 youth every morning for seminary. The man, as tired as he is of it, really does a great job of helping this place. We had 24 in church this week, but only one investigator. Anna was sick, and we had 4 others that slept in. We have a lot of lessons planned for this week to go to and visit with membersI'm really excited, and so is this branch! My comp called the president the other day and he says `you wont be with elder Jensen forever,` and `it is critical to get the members involved this week. I've been suspicious how long my days in Junin will be, and I have my guesses. But we are sure getting the members involved this week!! We're really excited.

Ps we taught 27 total lessons last week. That's a ton of lessons in a white washed area.

Oh!! And I didn't even say! Thursday, it rained 24 straight hours. Friday, we woke up to 2 inches of SNOW!!! Wahoo! It was flurrying all day long and was absolutely GORGEOUS! I haven't seen snow in a real long time.

And this b-day was a lot better than last year's adventure.
Tomorrow I complete 1 year in Argentina. Wahoo!

I love you all!

Elder Jensen

Editor is late with the news this week!

2009-10-24T00:30:00.000-06:00

October 19, 2009

Hey fam

Greetings from Junín (dadnot Jumin, not JaminJunín) here with the Zone leaders who came down from Zapala to do divisions today and tomorrow. The elders are also up from San Martin for p-day and district meeting tomorrow. Good stuff.

This week we had 2 people come to church!!!!!!! We are really really excited. This is the first time anyone who isn't a member has come to church in more than 7 months. That's ridiculous, but that's changing now. Cesar came, and loved it, and we had another lady named Ana who came and she also liked it. I'm not sure how she felt during the meeting, but afterwards when everyone was talking to her and asking when they could come by and stuff, it was great. The members (well, we have 3 active adults) and they did an awesome job making these new people feel welcomed. It was just awesome to see because in Allen, that ward really really struggled welcoming new people.

We are excited about Cesar and his desires. We have a cita with him and President Fernandez tomorrow--- I think we may be doing law of chastity. That's going to be a tough lesson to do, but I hope it will help him settle all of his things out. I'm also going in with our zone leader, so well have some good backup.

We did a contact in the street about 3 weeks ago with an elderly couple. We then finally found their house last Monday and went in and taught. It went pretty wellhe is 78 and is losing his health big time, and she is nice and can't read. We challenged them to pray and all after our lesson, and when we came back on Wednesday, she had prayed and said she felt desires to cry! Perfect! We immediately challenged her to come to church, and she accepted. We couldn't put a fecha because they have to get married too (why do I always find people who have to get married!!??) but it was good. We then went on Saturday with an hermana in our branch to have a lesson and it went great. She then came on Sunday and was received very warmly. We are seeing progress. Slowly but surely, its coming.

This week I'll turn 21. I'll get sentimental next week when I am one year older and wiser too. For now, I'm just kind of numb emotionally. I didn't get any bday stuff today because the elders from san martin didn't bring up the bolsa that our stuff comes in.

Still hangin in there. We are going to get this area baptizing. Thanks for all your love and support

Signing off on year number 20,
Taylor Jensen

The news from down south

2009-10-16T20:49:00.001-06:00

Editor's note:

The editor has been traveling this week and didn't get Elder Jensen's letter forwarded in a timely manner. Sorry about that! He uses several terms and Spanish words that may not be understood by his faithful readers. Here is a little glossary:

menos activo---a member of the Church but not attending regularly

cita---an appointment to teach a lesson

rama--local branch of the Church

divisions---when 2 missionary campanions switch and serve for a day with 2 other missionaries

whitewashing---all missionaries in an area are transferred to a new location and replaced with new missionaries which means there is no continuity

fecha--commitment to set a date to be baptized

animo--energy/drive

Hope this is helpful!

October 12.2009

Hey family!

This week was a good one. We had a miracle happen on Friday. We are really fighting to get good investigators and people who are ready to progress and go now. On Friday morning, we were trying to find old contacts, but no one was home. We kind of started wandering around, not knowing where we were going. I then saw the house of a menos activo we had contacted 2 weeks before. I decided, half out of desperation, to go contact it. An 18 year old boy named Cesar opens up and cordially lets us in. We talked with him (who isn't a member) and his dad (who has been inactive for 15 years) about the church. It was short, but good. We set up a cita for the following night. Saturday, we went by with our Branch President. We had 2 citas and the first one no showed us and our branch president was blaming it on the Argentina-Peru soccer game that was playing. He kept telling us "They aren't going to be home. Just go set a cita for Sunday." We drove over to their home, and I jumped out of the car praying with all my heart they'd let us in for 2 reasons: 1- we were with the branch president and it would be a great member present lesson, and 2- to get the branch president to get a positive outlook on what was going on here. Well, the door opened, they turned off the TV, and we chatted for 45 minutes. The spirit made me bold and I challenged the dad to get active so he can baptize his son. They both readily accepted. It was a very sweet moment, and our branch president is excited that we have a few people on the point of baptism now. It's been tough, but there has been a great change in the attitude these past 3 weeks. I know things will keep changing and that this rama will get turned around.

We did divisions for the 1st time with the San Martin elders on Tuesday and it went well. I was with a porteño (elder from Buenos Aires) and it was GREAT!! Haha. It was a great break to be with him and not have to shoulder everything. He was a good elder with a strong testimony. We were able to get in a few houses and teach, and one of the lessons we taught was really powerful. We are doing divisions again with them on Tuesday.

We are doing a ton of contacting and entering in a ton of houses and teaching a good amount. It's just hard because we enter, enter, enter and then never are able to find the people again. It's kind of frustrating and results in us walking a lot.

We had 13 in church this week. We had 3 people come who didn't my first week, so that's good. There are just a lot of people here who are toeing the line of being active and menos activo. It's tough because I feel like a lot of our calling is to help this branch and support the worn out branch president. Luckily, this past week we've pumped some new energy into him by having 2 people who are progressing and coming to church next week. I think that as we continue to do that and get energy in him, we can really change the attitude of this place and get it more positive.

I literally have never been more tired in my life. We walk an awful lot here, and walk and walk. Then add on the stress of whitewashing and having a comp that does not speak well at all and I'm exhausted. I woke up this morning and felt like I hadn't even gone to bed. Thank goodness for p-day. I feel bad-- we are in such a beautiful place and all I want to do is go get in my sleeping bag.

I got 2 awesome letters this week from Hermana Marquez and Tamara. It gave me a lot of animo because things are going well back there. Karen and Gonzalo are singing in a stake choir (haha. I never saw that happening). Gonzalo is going early to church to prepare the sacrament. Octavio hasn't gone because he still gets little ´attacks´ of missing his elders, where he remembers and it really hurts him still. But Tamara is hanging in there and doing great and really helping them stay strong. She's incredible. I'm still grateful to this day for the opportunity I had to find them, to bring them together, and that they are so great.

I don't really have much to say this week. Sorry! Hopefully things will pick up a bit more and we'll have more people here to talk about. I know God is aware of us and our needs. He trusts us in this work and will lead us to the people that are prepared. We need to be obedient, prepare ourselves through studying, and work our absolute hardest, and we will become tools in the master's hands. This is the greatest work because God is in charge. Now we just have to go out and do it!

Love,
Taylor Jensen

Hello

2009-10-05T19:45:00.000-06:00

Hey all

It's been a big ol weekend down here! We had a zone conference up in Zapala on Friday, then General Conference on Saturday and Sunday. I was able to listen to the 4 general sessions---the Elders down in San Martin (Elder Gibson and Suarez) had the members record it on a VHS so we're going to watch it tomorrow in district meeting. I'm really excited!

I am very grateful for the technology that allows us to watch and listen to these sessions. Saturday my companion and I were here in the cyber listening to the conference, and Sunday we were in the home of a member listening in Spanish. It was a very good conference, and I CANNOT WAIT to get the Liahona that has all the stuffmom can you send one to me ASAP? The mission has a little bit of a delay getting that stuff then sending it out. I loved Elder Holland's talkI couldn't see him, but I almost started laughing imagining him up there yelling! He gets so into it. He was the only one that we could hear his voice behind the translators, and I know that he was up there with a ton of energy. Unfortunately, the Spanish translators are a bit monotone, so you lose a little bit of that energy and emotion they put in.

I especially enjoyed Elder Scott's talk. He is great. I'm just excited to download the audio files onto my pen drive so we can listen to them in the apartment. (ooh yeah! I just got on lds.org and the audio files are already up!! Yay :)

Speaking of our apartment, I think I've gone from the worst in the mission to the best. Our new place is awesome!!! 2 floors, 2 bedrooms upstairs, the living area downstairs and the kitchen and bathroom. It's got a bathroom door, shower curtain, toilet seat, and everything a missionary could ask for. It's great. And we woke up this morning to snow flurries outside! What a blessing!! I made myself hot chocolate to celebrate.

This week was interesting. This whole whitewashing thing is real hard. We did 200 contacts, taught 14, and found 15 new investigators. We put another fecha for the 24th, but that one and the one with Claudia fell because neither came to Conference (they have to have at least 3 times in church before getting baptized.) I'm going to drop it on them both pretty hard today and tomorrowthey both were set to come and everything and then ditched for real weak excuses. I don't get ´duro´ often, but today and tomorrow, I'm going to with them.

I am continually amazed at the miracles I see here in Junin. (still don't know what Junin means...) On Thursday, I was kinda out of it and didn't really have too much of a desire to do anything. We set out, knocking, finding, looking for anyone who would have the slightest desire. We were knocking close to the house and were going to go back for lunch at 1230. it was 1207 as we rounded this corner, and I, in almost pain, was saying in my mind, let's just go back to the house and eat. But...something in me stirred. I kept quiet and just kept going. 2 houses later, we knocked. A girl popped her head out the door, and she had about 4 piercings in her face. I let my companion do the contact. He did one of his 4 contactsthe plan of salvation one. And then she said somethingcome in! We did. We found her and her husband and their 2 daughters. We taught. Something clicked within me because I taught with the spirit. At the end of the ´our life one earth part,´ I asked her how she felt about that. She said incredible. Peaceful. She had gone to other churches before and they all told her she was already damned because she smoked and that there was nothing she could do to change that. What a message of hope we gave her that morning! She had become so disillusioned towards God and the churches of the world because of that. Now, she has hope. I looked her in the eyes and said ´there is not one single thing you can do, (other than denying the holy ghost) that you can not be washed clean from.´ It clicked. We're going back at 6 tonight to explain Joseph Smith and the restoration. I'm excited. We're also going over on Wednesday morning to paint their house with the san martin elders.

The other fecha we put was a similar story. We were contacting and I saw him washing his shoes in a bucket out front. As soon as I saw him I knew we were getting in. We did. (I forget if I've already told this story). So then we teach and he's had the missionaries before 4 years ago, 2 years ago, and 2 months ago. We taught, and put a fecha. He's a good good guy who just got separated 2 weeks ago. We're really hopeful that he'll be able to progress.

It was funny being at zone conference. I overheard our zone leaders and assistants talking and saying ´Junin hasn't had a fecha in 7 months. Now elder Jensen comes in and puts 2 in a week. Are you kidding me?´ It gives me hope that what I'm doing here is good. I felt really crummy yesterday when both fechas dropped because neither came to church. But I hope I'm doing something good here. I hope I'm helping someone be happier. I hope I'm making a difference in someone's life. My companion told me yesterday of all the change I've made in his life, so that made me feel a bit better.

Zone conference was great. It talked about 3 of my 4 burning questionshow to work better with the ward and church leaders, comp unity, and starting the lessons better with good questions. I'm amazed at the conference's ability to answer all of my questions and doubts. I am also grateful for the inspired leaders we have who come to help those in need like me.

I'm looking forward optimistically to the next week. I hit a rough stretch of apathy this weekend. Whenever people ask me what my worst fear is, I normally say apathy. I hit it real hard this weekend, which is unfortunate because I missed a bit of the spirituality of conference. But thats why I'm downloading some of the talks now! To make up for it.

Junin is pretty resorty. There are a good chunk of people who speak a bit of English here. There is a lot of fishing here. The district is struggling a bit. There is a myth that these are tough areas with rich people who are never home and don't want to listen. I'm trying to break that...we're doing divisions tomorrow, so that'll be good to work with one of the two and try to raise the vision a bit. It will also be good Jfor my sanity to work with one of them

Thanks for everything fam. We will thus conclude this letter and have a recess for 1 week.

Elder Jensen

News from a new location in Argentina

2009-09-28T18:56:00.000-06:00

Hey fam-

Greetings from Junín de los Andes! The place is pretty beautiful...I feel at home amongst the mountains and such. It's nice to be here. I've gotten a better-looking area with each transfer! Wahoo!

The last few days in Allen were heart-wrenching! It was SO hard to leave that place. We had a constant stream of teary goodbyes and hugs. It was really hard to leave all my converts and members there. I have had a ton of good memories there, and I was sure to take a ton of pictures with everyone. I also carried around my ´memories book´ for everyone to sign. My favorite entry is from Leo, the Marquez's cat, who taped a picture of himself in and wrote ´now I don't have to hide myself when Elder Jensen comes over´ haha. I liked pulling his tail or doing mean things like that.

On Monday night, we went and had 2 citas with our investigators and the hermanas so they could meet them and such. They went well, and I am confident the hermanas will be fine with those two. One of them got baptized yesterday. I wish I could have been there so bad!! We then went to the Etchegoray´s house (Christian) and they were really sad we were leaving. We have made a real big impact on them, and especially on their menos activo parents. It rips me apart because there are going to be 3 more baptisms out of that house this transfer! I just hope they send me the pictures... those lucky hermanas picked up an incredible area.

On Tuesday, we went and met two of our other fechas with the hermanas, and one of them I am certain is going to fall with them, but the other won't. We then went and cleaned up the house and our mission finance guy came down to pick up some of the furniture. That was fun... I just love cleaning an apartment where missionaries have lived for 4 years! (note sarcasm). We then went over and had a goodbye lunch with Luis and the hermanas. It was really goodhe is talking to his ´wife´and it looks like they'll be getting married before the end of the year. I sure hope so! The guy has read the book of Mormon twice in the past 2.5 months!! It was a teary goodbye with him. He's a guy who has a HUGE testimony of the church. I just hope he gets married and baptized soon! We then went over with the hermanas to Edgardo and his family. We helped lay bricks for a bit with them, then had the goodbye chat. Again, the onions were attacking me as I bore my testimony and read some scriptures that applied to them, like 2 Nephi 31: 19-21, and some stuff in Alma 26. It was really emotional, and they all teared up too, which is funny, because Edgardo is a big tough guy with tats and everything. But I know that I have made a big difference in that home. There are a couple of his brothers that are investigating, and they had tears in their eyes too. Hopefully baptisms will follow. I know that Luis and Edgardo had special relationships with me and I hope neither fall because it's a lot different the relationship they'll have with hermanas. Hermanas just aren't as fun as us! Haha. They also can't climb up the side of a house to lay bricks.

We then went out and said goodbye to the Oñate family, who is so good to the missionaries. They gave us one last big loaf of bread. Yum. Then we trekked on over to see another member family, then Victor Panero, the kid who is my bud here who baptized his mom a while ago, and then we went over to Octavio Moreno's house (our ward mission leader) and had a good farewell there. He was basically my dad there in Allen. He's a good guy. Then we went over to the Marquez home. And then the floodgates opened up. I haven't cried that long in a long long time. It was a really special spirit we felt as we all went around bearing testimony and saying things we've learned one from another. It was filled with tears and fun stories we had. Leo the cat even came and sat on my lap. It was especially hard on the kids- Octavio and Gonzalo. I have really been a father figure to them these past 5 months. Gonzalo signed all his stuff in my book ´your kid rapper in Allen´ Tamara and Christian were also there, and it was just a good positive experience. We are just a big ole family now! It was fun. We took some family pictures and everything. I videoed a lot of it so I could remember all their testimonies and good things and such. It was a tough tough goodbye.

We then came back to the apartment, finished cleaning and packing and such, and Wednesday morning we rolled out, closing that chapter of Jensalonians. I was just excited to get on the bus and sleep! I had slept about 4 or 5 hours every night for the past 4 nights!

We took a long bus ride over to Junín de los Andes and got here at about 7. Our Branch President was no where to be seen, so we found a phone and called the zone leaders and then they sent him. He's a goofy guy who is here with his family of 7. He drove us over to our apartment; we dropped our stuff and went out to work! Later that night, we leafed through the area book to find....nothing. The place is empty. So, we are starting from scratch. In 3 days, we did 241 contacts. WOW. We found a couple of decent people. We had one really neat experience

It was cold and snowing. It was 8 at night, and we were looking for a menos activo and it had a house number. We got there and couldn't find the house number. We knocked where I thought it should be and it turns out to be the house but the family doesn't live there. The lady, however, had been listening to the missionaries a year ago and invited us in. We taught lesson one a bit and it went well. Looking at the clock, knowing it was snowing, and wanting to change the area, I felt something special. I whipped out Mosiah 14 where it talks about baptism. We read that, talked about baptism, and put a fecha right there with this lady! Hey-oh! Day 2 whitewashing an area and we put a fecha! That's the way I like to start this place.

We have spent a long long time knocking and finding, and we've knocked literally ¼ of the city in 4 days. Hehe. We did 241 contacts, and taught 14 lessons. Not too shabby for a half week of whitewashing! But it's really an uphill struggle. Our branch pres doesn't have much hope or energy for the work, in church on Sunday (in a small rented house) we had 18 peopleus, a high counselor, the Branch President's family of 7, their grandma, and their 7 cousins who were visiting from Chile. Normally, we have 24 they say, but it is bleak. I am 1st counselor in the branch presidency, and also there are only 3 men in the wardme, my comp, and the branch pres. It's a battle! And to be honest, my patience wore real real thin this weekend. My comp has a lot of struggles still and I lost my patience with it. He just really struggles being a missionary and getting what that means, and I have been real real patient. But I lost that this week. I think it's because I feel like I have been dead alone this past month doing the work, and white washing is something I cannot do alone. I need his help, and so now I am pushing him really hard. Its putting us both at our limits, and sometimes it boils over a bit. I have really really loved training. I honestly love it. But right now, it is a big burden.

We have 4 in our district. The other two are in gorgeous san martin, an hour away. They haven't baptized here or in san martin in a while, so I guess I'm here to help turn that around. We set a lofty baptism goal and are hoping to achieve it. I told them in district meeting ´we are in the most beautiful part of the mission, after meeting you two I know we're the best looking missionaries in the mission, so now its time to put up the best looking numbers in the mission.¨ I'm an artist when it comes to motivational speeches

Church was real good this Sunday. The high counselor gave a talk about pulling out our stumbling blocks, and then in priesthood, he taught about the adversity talk by Pres. Eyring. It was EXACTLY what I needed, and we talked exactly about the problems we were having. It was perfect. I know the spirit helps us, and that church helps us get over our problems. It was perfect.

This place is dead on Jackson Hole Wyoming. Stores and everything. I just hope that we can find the people I know I am here to baptize, and at the same time jump start this sagging branch.

The running back with a line man on his foot crossed the line of scrimmage, but unfortunately it started snowing and the conditions got worse. But, he sees the end zone...

Why do I use football analogies? I'm a soccer player at heart.

Anywho,

Taylor

PS ´welp` is my form of saying well. Welp, everything is going well. Welp, I'm in Junín now. That sense of the word.

boom outta here

2009-09-21T18:39:00.001-06:00

September 21, 2009

´m outta here!

Welp, its time to head ´em up and roll ´em out. Elder Jensen is out.

We'll start from the beginning of this week. We had a baptism lined up for Saturday, so we were going standard from the beginning. We started out having 3 member present lessons on Monday. That was incredibleits HARD to teach 3 lessons Monday because you only have 3 hours working. But, things were falling in place as they always do standard week. That was just a sign of the great week.

Tuesday we had a crazy morning. At 7:40, Gonzalo came over looking for breakfast (he's addicted to the German pancakes I make), so if threw one in the oven. Then, at 7:57, the Assistants called me to tell us that they and President were coming to our district meeting that day. Oh no! Got to make it good! At 8:07 hno. Oñate came to visit us on his way to work and we talked for about 5 minutes about home teaching or something. Oh noit was a talk he was supposed to give on Sunday that he wanted help with. He left and I started planning our District Meeting again. Gonzalo ate with us and then stayed and did personal study with us till 9 when he left to go to seminary. Good man. At 8:40 the assistants called again to tell us that they had a problem and weren't coming. Blast. 8:46 Gladys (another member of the ward) comes over to drop off a letter to send to another missionary). At 9:17 the assistants called to say they were coming. We then missed the bus and the hermanas did too, so we had the assistants pick us up on their way over to Roca. It was quite the morning. But we had a GREAT district meeting. I think they came because our district had an average of 175 contacts that past week. WOW. That is INCREDIBLE, and president was really proud of our district.

I did divisions down in Roca that day and we taught 4 more w- member and a pair of others. I has having my comp practice navigating our area for the doubt that I was leaving. He did alright.

We had a normal standard week and all, and we just have such an awesome area. We ended the week with 15 with member. That's my highest total ever. We also ended with 15 other lessonstotaling 30 on the week. It was an incredible week. I am so happy here. The whole week I was with anguish trying to figure out if I was out or no. It was killing meI don't want to leave at all. I have way too many investigators here! Way too many awesome converts!

We had a great comp study on Friday morning. I basically gave my comp a sermon. It was really good, and I felt the spirit really strongly guiding me and saying things I needed to say to him. It was a really powerful chat, and it helped my comp a lot. He has what I had the first week of my mission X1000. It kills him everyday and is a huge fight to keep the adversary from putting thoughts into his mind and telling him he's not worthy and stuff like that. I gave him a strong chat from all the things that have helped meletter from dad, a huge chain of scriptures, a few things from PME. It was great. I just started rolling; he took out a paper and just started writing. It was probably the closest thing I'm ever going to have to my own book in the bible1st Jensalonians. It was a really powerful spiritual experience, and helped me understand a bit of why I am training him.

Baptism day rolls around and we go have an interview for our baptism for next Saturday the 26th. He passed, and we're excited for his baptism. We started filling the font and it was going great. We then went back to the church an hour before the baptism and they had cut the water in that part of Allen (it happens all the timethey cut it once a week ish) and we were stuck. Christian would have had to lay down and have my comp sitting on him to get him all the way under. It was a mess. We decided something must be done. We ran over to the fire station a block away and hired a truck to come fill our font with water. It was great the truck pulled up right to the door of the church and put the hose in and let loose. The only problemthe water was not very clean! We had greenish brownish water to baptize in!! It was the closest I'm ever coming to a river baptism, I guess. But after fixing that whole problem, we settled in and had a very nice baptism. It was a very very tender moment for me and my companion. He has been so nervous and so worried if he should be here or is worthy or what not and has just been going crazy (he goes into frenzies sometimes). I saw he was getting anxious and pulled him aside before the baptism, gave him a hug, put our heads touching and gave him a pep chat. It was very tender thing, and I really felt the spirit, and I think I have finally found out why I am his trainer. I literally have taken him under my arm and led him, and its something that I wont forget. It's something that hasn't been easy, but I know that I have had a lasting effect on him and his mission and the way he views himself.

I stood on the stairs to watch the baptism. He said the prayer SLOWLY, and deliberately. It was great. Such determination to baptize our buddy. He nailed it. It was perfect, and I just felt the spirit so strong. I haven't been that happy in a long time. This baptism was really special; just because of all the struggles my comp has been through. After the baptism ended, I cornered my comp and gave him a huge hug. It lasted probably 2 or 3 minutes. It was something really special. I know that I feel cheesy saying it, but I really feel proud of him like a dad feels proud of his son when his son overcomes something or does something special. It's something that I'm not going to forgetthe joy I saw on his face knowing he had just done something and overcome the challenges that are in his life.

The rest of the night was spent making sure that all of our people were coming to church and being nervous about the transfer calls. I had been thinking the whole day I was leaving, then staying, then leaving then staying. It was a mess. But---HERES THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: I¨M OUT! to JUNIN DE LOS ANDES!!!!!! The craziest part of it allmy comp is coming with me! We're whitewashing the area, and they are closing our area. Now the hermanas have all of Allen. I was devastated. We have a lot of missionaries that are leaving and very few coming, so they had to take missionaries out of areas where there are more than one set in a ward. I thought they were going to bump the hermanas because we had all these fechas and baptisms, but nope. We called up president for his thoughts and he said Junín has struggled and so has san martin de los Andes. Now they're white washing it to get it back up and for me to be District Leader and get San martin working better too. He said it's going to be a big challenge over there, but after coming to District meeting, he has no doubts. Welp, I'll go and do what the Lord commands. We were pretty stunned, and began trying to figure it all out. I then looked up on the wall where my comp had written ´trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding (proverbs 3:5) ´ well, I don't understand it at all, but we'll go to work. We were supposed to leave today at 9 in the morning, but we called and got it changed to Wednesday so we can clean our house up and pack and introduce the hermanas to all our investigators. Its a BIG load what they have now, and I just hope that our investigators can make the switch. The members were devastated. They always tell us they love the hermanas, but they like our spirits and smiles and energy. I just hope that our fechas can keep going and get baptized, and we don't lose anyone in the switch. We'll pray for the best.

Church was interesting. I had to give a talk for said Oñate, who went to see the missionary who baptized him (who is going home now), so I had the talk. It was charity and amor. I was sitting in sacrament meeting and turned around and saw hermana. Marquez and Tamara and I started getting choked up. Then it was my turn to talk. I made the announcement we were leaving and everyone was like ´what!?´ I then told them I love onions, and eat them a lot and so if they see tears, it's because of that and not because I'm sad I'm leaving. I read my first scripture in Moroni 7 and started choking up. Then I went to ether 12 and was reading another one and the tears started. I just then shut my scriptures and went into my goodbye speech, giving my testimony, testifying of Gods love for us, and just sharing the things that mean the most to me. I talked about the love I've seen and felt in the ward. The whole time my eyes are just running. At one point I took a pause to kinda gather my self and just said ´darn onions´ haha. It was an emotional daya lot of the hermanas in the church were crying, then Christian and his brother were real real sad and crying in the bathroom and so was Victor Panero. We've made a big impact in this ward. I know that I was supposed to come here, and I walk away with an incredible amount of memories and really sacred spiritual experiences that I haven't shared in emails. It is really hard for me to leave here, and I pray that my boys stay active. I've heard a lot of my Trelew boys have fallen already. I just pray that I've put enough of a support system in here to keep these people active. This has been a really great place for me and has pushed me hard. Now it's time to pack up and roll out. I look forward to the challenges that lay in front of me, and I leave here knowing that these people have strong testimonies and are going to keep growing strong. I love this place and all the things its done for me. I leave behind a ton of great friends that I'll connect with again on facebook. I know that I'm not done eating onions, but I hope I can make it out of here without crying too much.

PS. The box made it on time and had the perfect amount of shirts and ties to give to my people. THANKS SO MUCH IT MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE!!! The people here need that kind of stuff.

I love you all so much
TJ

Elder Jensen the poet

2009-09-14T20:53:00.000-06:00

(Editor's note: before reading Elder Jensen's attempt at poetry you need to know that the city where he is serving (Allen) is pronounced Ashen)

September 14, 2009

Greetings from a Cyber on the other side of the world, where Tamara and Karen just walked in. They both say hey. Karen is studying to be a hair cutter and is cutting me and my comps hair in a bit what fun! A real haircut!

I've realized I start every email the same ´this week was good, this week was great, this week was interesting, etc.´ I decided I need to start my email in a different way. How about a poem?

Allen, oh Allen
I'm always dashin´
From cita to cita

This week I've been rashin´
With a sick stomach
From eating your food

Allen oh Allen
My time is slowly passin´
As transfers come this week

Allen oh Allen

That was pretty good, huh? We did a lot of good things this week. Christian passed his interview and is set to be baptized this next Saturday. His brother has a bit more time, but he'll get baptized next transfer for sure. Christian is really excited. His family, most of whom are members, are showing signs of coming back to church as well we have a noche de hogar with them tonight, so I'm excited to give a big pep talk and try and get them to come back!

We've got ourselves set up to hit the standard this next week. We already have 3 fechas for the first 3 weeks of the transfer. I'm really excited. We have another kid who we are going to put on with on Thursday when he gets back from an ear surgery in Buenos Aires (he was born without an ear and is getting a fake one put onits pretty legit looking!) Having 3 solid fechas (and one more coming) makes me REALLY REALLY want to stay here. We get the transfer call on Saturday. It honestly feels unreal that there are transfers already. It also feels unreal that I'm still in Allen. It also feels unreal that I could be leaving Allen. It's a weird mixture of feelings. We'll see what happens. I don't feel like my comp is ready for me to leave I think I'm going to have one more here. I am afraid that if I leave the area will fall big time because he is still struggling to learn the stuff. But, we'll see what the Lord has in store for me. I'll go where He wants me to go, do what He wants me to do, even if it means going to open another area and trainhaha. That's the joke in our district right now that I'm going to go and whitewash an area and train. I think I'd just laugh. I've realized I have not had a normal comp study or anything yet because I'm always training and always working with new missionaries studying and practicing teaching. It's going to be weird when I have a ´normal´ comp. But we'll see. I am scared of leaving; I'm also scared of staying. I feel like I'm in a trance where I've been here all my life. Our investigators and menos activos and members keep saying ´you're still here?!´ haha. I love it though.

This week was a bit tough on the ward. We found out Tamara is struggling a bit. She knows its true, but is just in a bad funk where she doesn't want to do anything. She did come to church yesterday though, and she is still the same old jolly person. She's just got a lot on her plate with her fam and her illness, and its wearing on her a lot. Were hoping she'll be able to pull through. I think she will.

We also had a problem with a couple in our ward who is a prominent couple who was going to go and get sealed and didn't because they ran into problems. We are very concerned about them, because they are the powerhouse couple in the ward and we really are praying hard that they'll resolve all of their problems. Everyone thought they'd get sealed and he'd be called as bishop. But, for now, we're hoping they can stay together and keep strong in the gospel. We also have about 5 other members who said missionaries can you pass by? I need help. We went to lunch out in the country and when we arrived the whole family was crying because they are having problems with the neighbors and the neighbor came over and punched the daughter then punched out the back window of her new car that she's been working years to get. I feel like I have a lot on my shoulders right now. I think I feel that way a lot more here than in Trelew because we don't have a bishop that lives here to help the people out, so they really turn to the missionaries for help. I really hope that our ward can make it through. Literally I don't know a member or recent convert who isn't in the fight right now everyone has something bad going on and it really brings anguish to me because I have worked real hard here trying to unite the ward, and I thought we had it 2 weeks ago. Sigh. We'll keep working with them.

The one bright spot in the ward right now is Hno. Millanao. He was inactive when I got here and has since been reactivated. He's a guy I've spent some time with because he was sealed in the temple and Is a great guy. He started coming a month and a half ago and now yesterday got called as young men's president. I raised my hand real real high to sustain him! Haha. But he his going to be the leader my boys desperately need in the church to help them keep going. I am so happy last week I thought all my converts were going to go inactive because our ward doesn't have leadership and doesn't take care of them, but now I know my boys will be taken care of. Now I just have to work on the others

That's fun that Allison and Karen came over! Oh summer times in cincy. I didn't tell you guys I walked into a house a couple weeks ago and saw the tennis tourney in cinci and I had to look at it a sec to see if I could see you all, but no luck. That would have been real weird.

I love you all have a great week!! We'll see where elder Jensen's journey will continue this Saturday!

Love,
Elder Jensen

The news from way down south!

2009-09-08T10:34:00.001-06:00

September 7, 2009

Hey fam.

It's been a good week, although I didn't really notice till we did numbers last night. We taught 19 other lessons and 8 with a member. We put 2 more fechas, and got 8 into church. I think that's one of my all-time highs. It was a GREAT week, but it felt like a bit of a drag at times. Still adjusting to the new life, the new trials, and the new challenges. It's been a big struggle these past few daysI've been so good this transfer being patient and all, but these past 3 days I wore thin. I think at some point you have to draw a line between being patient in the adjustment time and being hard to avoid having bad habits. This is a tough tough experience for me, but I am grateful that I have trials. Sometimes I wish I didn't, but if I never had anything wrong, I'd never learn anything. This one is just a long termed trial...

We had a fun day Tuesday. We did divisions with the elders in Roca and it was REALLY good. Turns out me and this elder, Elder Skousen, are almost identical. Both played soccer, both like Guster and a couple other groups, both have the same sense of humor and attitude towards missionary work, and the same birthday (I'm a year older). It was a great great day. But more than anything, it gave me a little breath of fresh air and really really helped me get back on my game. We have 2 fechas for the 19th with Christian and Alex Etchegoray. Christian is really excited, Alex is so so but both have come to church the past 3 or 4 weeks, so we'll see what we can do there. I think they both can get baptized. They are good friends with Gonzalo now, so I'm trying to plant the idea of Gonzalo baptizing Alex (Christian said Elder Henrie is going to baptize him so he feels better and smiles). But we are excited about them.

This past week, our district had an average of 154 contacts. I have been preaching this for a while and finally as a district we got it. I am excited to see what happens as a result of doing this. In my personal experience, I teach a ton more and have a ton more fechas than people who don't do their 154, so I'm excited to see what good things happen in the district this week.

We put a fecha with Marcos, the guy we found in an incredible way, this week. He was excited. He's just like Elder Henrieit cracks me up. But he keeps saying he wants to integrate himself into the church. We told him how to do it! He already has all these sketches on his computer of the church because he worked on a project in the church and has all the architectural blueprints. It was kinda cool.

I enjoyed Sunday. I think I have the ´my boys part Allen´ now. We had 11 youth there8 of which I've had a direct part in reactivating or bringing. It was fun seeing them be friends and giving each other support in the way Bryan, Ivan and Matias did back in Trelew. These ones are a bit older, but they are a good group of guys. We're trying to get them as solid as they can because this ward just does not do a good job in retention and taking care of them as they should. I talked to our ward mission leader and ward leader a little strongly to get them on the ball protecting these converts. It just breaks my heart thinking that they could stop going. Last year, this ward baptized 24. of them, one family of 5 is active and one other person. I just can't stand the thought of any of my converts falling into that number of inactives, so I am working my tail off making sure that these people get callings and stick in the church.

I'm glad you're talking to a Carlos. He's a great guy. I also laugh every time I read his emails because he often ends his thoughts or comments with Amen. It cracks me up. He's a great guy.

Way to go BYU! That's really exciting! Keep me posted!

We walked a ton this week. I am so exhausted. But I decided this week that I was going to pop up out of bed and exercise si o si every day. And I started doing it. It was kinda cool what happenedI had more energy, not less! And it made me feel like I was being a better missionary. I realized I got a little lazy, and I made some really specific goals to get myself back on the ball. It's really helped. It got real cold again, and me and my comp were pretty sick Thursday-Friday-Saturday, but now we are doing better. We're going to go play some soccer down in Roca.

Thanks for everything family. We're crossing the line of scrimmage, not three legged racing yet.

TAYLOR
L
A
JENSEN

The news from Argentina

2009-08-31T20:01:00.001-06:00

August 31, 2009

Hey family

Life is a bit better. It's like going from overcast storm clouds to no rain and you think you can see the sun. But, the threat of rain is still there. I'm hangin in here. We got more work done this week, and we did manage to get out of the house on time 2 days! But, there is still more climbing to do. (I just remembered I LOVE climbing, so I guess that means I should look forward to what I still have left to do, huh?)

This week was interesting. We haven't had any fechas in a while. We had 4 when Elder Taylor left, but they all fell for one reason or another. But the 4 still will get baptizedwe just ran into some problems we didn't see before. So we've been about 2.5 weeks without fechasway too long for me. This week, I had a good chat with the zone leaders to give me some motivation. They told me that I just had to go do what I've been doing my whole mission and not let the new circumstance take me off my game. I agreed. They said ´Elder. You go put three fechas this week¨ My mouth said okay I'll do it, but my brain was telling me otherwise. We started working. We had some good things happen and some really bad things happen. But we ended the week with 2 fechas! One for the 26th (next transfer) and one for the 19th (last week of this transfer). I was REALLY excited. I have this determination (this is something the zone leaders reminded me of) to do 154 contacts every week and to baptized at least once per transfer. Up till now, I've done it. And now, I am really excited because its going to continue!!! For the 19th is Christian Etchegoray, the son of a menos activo family. His older sister got baptized 2 weeks ago, and he and his brother Alex (look for his fecha soon) have started to come as well. We had our first discussion with him yesterday after church, and it went perfect. To the point of Joseph's first prayer playing in the background just as we were doing the first vision! (we were in the church teaching and the ward secretary, who couldn't even hear us, decided he wanted music. Hmmm.) He readily accepted the fecha, saying ´I want to be a member of the true church of Christ!´ he went straight home and told his family, who were really excited for him.

We had a cool experience on Wednesday. We have some apartments in our area and we had an appointment in one of them at 4. He wasn't there. One thing my comp always says is that we have to contact or knock the first door we see when we get no showed, and that came to my mind as we went down the stairs (half as a skeptical idea that I'd been annoyed of hearing, but you'll see in a sec it wasn't). We knock the door and it's a guy named Marcos. He let us in, and told us we had contacted him last week and given him a brochure about the plan of salvation. He had read the whole thing and loved it. We taught about the restoration and invited him to church, and he readily accepted. Unfortunately, he slept in. But we'll get him this Sunday. God always puts people in our paths, and we have to accept it. It was funny because he kinda kicked us out even as we wanted to end with a prayer, but he said he really had to go. Just as we walk out, our appointment that lives on the floor above was walking by the door, and we went and taught him. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence that we got the boot without a prayer? We wouldn't have gone back up to check if he was home...

We had 6 people in church this week, so that was exciting. We have another girl that we just started teaching whose family is a member and she just never has been taught and baptized. She gave a talk yesterday in church, so I don't think she's missing much to get baptized. We also got a reference from an hermana in our ward that her grandson never got baptized and she wants us to go and teach and baptize him. We'll see what happens! The area is livening up! Yay!

My companion still struggles a LOT with the language. He doesn't focus because his mind is literally always running. We get back to the house and he goes to write down all the electronic designs he's thought of during the day. But I think he's starting to realize he has to focus and learn because he blew up yesterday during lunch. He got in such a frenzy. I just hope that these experiences when he gets worked up serve to get his desires to learn up instead of breaking his fragile self esteem. I've been working hard to figure out what it is I'm supposed to teach him and how I'm supposed to help him through this. We'll see what the coming weeks have in store.

We had a good experience on Sunday. Gonzalo got the priesthood and was not excited to pass the sacrament. He was really shy about it and I had to drag him into sacrament meeting. But when it came time to do the sacrament, he looked over at me and gave me this look like. ´well, Elder Jensen, are we going to go pass it or no? ´ So we did. It's a fun experience when you get to do things like that with your converts.

What did Carlos say in his letter??? He's such a good guy. I miss him! Tamara went down to Beltran where her mom lives and is trying to figure out where she is going to live. She has some medical issues and is going to have surgery down there this week, so we're keeping her in our prayers. She is in a tough spot. The members here need her dearlythere are 2 families that Tamara has helped a lot staying active and being more faithful, and in the past 2 weeks they've fallen a bit, but at the same time, her mom has started progressing little by little in the gospel, and she would have a place to live down there. It's a tough decision, but she knows how to pray and get answers, so I told her just to do that. She told me something cool tooshe said you know Elder Jensen, I've heard a lot of bad stories about missionaries and what they do. I know that you're not perfect, but I want you to know you're an incredible missionary. It's not that plaque wearing that makes you who you are, it is what's behind it (the heart) that makes you who you are.´ it was funny. There we were talking about what she can do to overcome all of her challenges, giving her a pep talk and all, and then she turns it right back on me and starts trying to help me get over my challenges. In my mind I was like ´wait a minute. I'm the missionary here! ´ haha.

Another plaque storyhermana Marquez (mom of Gonzalo, Karen, and Octavio) told me ´you know elder, that day you took off your plaque to talk to Gonzalo, I noticed something. Nothing changed. You are the same person with or without that plaque.´ Those two comments gave me a little bit of the boost I needed to keep pushing through.

I hope that the sun pops out soon (its been so warm herethat was definitely a tender mercy of the Lord to help me be happier! One day when we left, I literally smiled for the first 23 minutes because of how nice of a day it was).

Elder Taylor Jensen

Year mark!! whoop whoop

2009-08-19T09:26:00.001-06:00

August 18, 2009

Well, this is it. The Year Mark Email. Wow. I´m officially old in the mission.

This past week was probably the hardest in my mission life. I was sick sick this week, and was with Gonzalo during the day and a member at night until Gonzalo got home from school. It was a really tough schedule and it just killed me. It was hard working because my poor companion had 2 weeks as a member and is 16 years old, so when we did contacts, he was so embarrassed that he would just keep walking or he'd turn and pretend he wasn't with me. Teaching lessons, he didn't really want to contribute more than 2 or 3 sentences. I can't fault himhe's got 2 weeks as a member and 16 years of life. But trying to do what I do was a lot harder this week. I ended up doing literally 154 contacts by my self. It was a big struggle. It made me really want to have my new missionary. Tamara did GREAT this week. She literally wants to turn in her papers now. She is going to serve a mission no matter what. I was talking to her the other day and she says ´you know, I've been kicked out of my house, my sister doesn't talk to me, my mom doesn't like it that I'm a member, but imp in the right path and that's all that matters.´ I had her write her conversion in a little book for me and she says that when we knocked, they never answer the door in their house and she felt something pounding inside of her and she said i have to go get it! Her mom said ´I'm going to kill you if you open it!´ and she ran down the stairs to get it saying ´i don't care I have to answer it!´ and when she did and saw me and Argueta's smiling faces, she says she just felt a wooosh and just wanted to give us the biggest hugs. She had been praying to know where to go, and then we came. It is pretty incredible to talk to her.

I went up to Neuquen on Saturday morning to go pick up my third kid. When I got there I asked president to have an interview while we were waiting to start. We went in and had a really good 10 or 15 minute chat about some things, and then as we were leaving, I asked him about what special things he wanted me to do in Allen this next transfer or 2. He said that he had a really special experience in it. He said that originally he was going to bump me up and have Elder Taylor train, but he had something lingering. He said that he switched it up (elder Taylor is with a missionary in his last transfer now, so he'll probably train next transfer) and put me to train. He told me I have a gift of making people work hard, love the work, and feel real good about themselves, and that I was going to need these skills with the new missionary he is assigning me. With that assurance, he added ´and it means that you could be in Allen for a very long time. We'll see when next transfers come around.´ but he said that when he did divisions with us, it cemented the decision, and he got emotional talking about the process. So, now I know a little more about why I'm staying put!

My new companion is Elder Henrie from Bountiful Utah. He's a good guy. He's a really really analytical and technical guy. The first thing he did when he walked into our house was analyze the electrical wiring and water hook ups. Hehe. President told me he's a bit more complex than Elder Taylor, and that is true! He's a very bright kid, and he'll learn the language fast (I hope!) He is struggling understanding me, so we've got a ways to go. But, we put a language plan in this morning, and we'll get him rolling. We have a couple investigators who also have expressed that they are really happy that I stayed and said that if Elder Taylor stayed they may not have kept coming to church. So I am starting to see why I am staying here, and I'm sure it will continue to unfold as the weeks go on.

We had zone conference yesterday and it was my absolute favorite in all my time in the mission. I'll write about it next week though.

It has been interesting to reflect on what this year of missionary work has meant to me. I think I have learned a ton. I also think every missionary says that, so I'll delve into some more specifics.

I think I've learned more to love people. To be patient. I've had the opportunity to train 3 new missionaries (I've done the math and have time to train 4 or 5 more before I go home...I'm trying to set the record!! Haha) but being with them requires patience. But there is a difference between patience and pushing the work forward. I think I've found that line. I feel like I'm more selfless and that I have moments where I put others needs before my own. I think that's a big thing that has changed.

I've learned to be fearless. I've learned what it means to be diligent. I'm not perfect at either, but I have grown a lot in those two aspects. I know a lot more now about the blessings and the power that exists in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have seen so many things happen here in Allen alone that really make me emotional to think about. Last Monday, we were in the Marquez house and they shared Alma 5 13-16ish and i just started crying as they made me read it and then answered yes to the questions and described the joy that has entered their life and how they honestly can imagine being raised up to dwell with God in heaven now. It was an incredible experience, and one that I will never forget. That family has taught me so many things. Faith, love, and the importance of the gospel.

I've learned to love people. It all starts with my companion. Last transfer I learned what it means to love your companion. I have the goal to get to that point now with Elder Henrie. Its going to be a bit more of a struggle because we are programmed really differently, but we have a couple things in common. But if you just always think positively about people, you have to like them, right? That's something me and Elder Taylor learned last transfer.

I've learned about determination. On my mission, I've been determined to baptize every transfer and with every companion. That's something I set my mind to and have done. I've done it with getting 154 contacts. I've done it with getting along with my comps. When we set our minds on something and its God's will, we'll get it.

I've developed the habit of feeding my spiritual needs everyday. There is a HUGE difference between the days I study and the days I don't have a good study. That's something I want to carry with me.

I've learned about the mercy of God. I feel like I am not worthy of the blessings the Lord has given me on my mission. I have come to help a lot of people enter the waters of baptism and confirmation. I have helped a lot of people change their lives around. And I know that its not me thats doing it. I don't feel worthy of all the things the Lord has blessed me with in my time here.

I've learned how to smile and make the best out of every situation. I, how to cook, how to live and manage, have learned how to speak Spanish yourself.

But I think the thing i have learned most is that the church is true. It is God's path, and also happens to be the path to bring the most happiness possible in life. I love being a missionary and I am sad that I am at the halfway point because that means I have more time served than time left. It's passed really fast, and I still am kinda laughing that I'm only in my 2nd city. But, I know it's where I need to be. This second half will be even better than the first half! I want you all to know that I am happy (even if the first part of this email describing my past week don't express that! Haha) that I am working my hardest, that I am not ´on a mission,´ but rather ´have become and am striving to become a better missionary,´ that I have zero regrets in serving a mission, and that I love this. I think that that's the best way I can sum this up. I am happy, i love what I am doing, and there is no other place in the world I'd rather be right now. My hope and prayer is that I can continue learning, being humble, bringing lots of people to the waters of baptism and activity in the church. I know that the more I put my faith in the Lord, the more he helps me out. The natural Taylor Jensen can't do this. I have been taught that. I give my glory to the mercies of the Lord in allowing me the privilege to be led to find these incredible people, to help them come to Christ, and to help them be happy. There is no greater thing than doing this. I've seen missionaries going home, and I can hardly imagine what I'll feel. I'm going to cry myself dry!

Thanks for everything you've done for me, family and friends. It gives me great joy every time I hear from you and hear how well you're all doing. I know that we're a family that will be together forever. Isn't it incredible to think that? Your testimonies have strengthened me, your examples have led me, and your smiles have warmed me. I know that I am the man (I do turn 21 in a bit!) because of you and the examples you've left me.

We've got 1 more year till we see each other. I look forward to the things that I'll learn, that I'll do, that I'll see, that I'll experience, that I'll love. I know that we are experiencing these things as a family, and that your faithfulness and prayers have blessed me so much down here. I hope I can repay the favor.

I have so much more I want to say and tell, but my cold little fingers can't do it fast enough! I'm trying to write as much as I can in my journal so I'll remember all the good stories when I get back! I love you all so much. Have an incredible week.

Elder Jensen

Hola from Argentina

2009-08-12T16:33:00.001-06:00

August 10, 2009

Big news

We had transfers last Saturday and I am going................to STAY HERE IN ALLEN TO TRAIN AGAIN!!!! I was absolutely shocked. I was sure I was out, and the zone leaders said they told the assistants I've been ready to be a zone leader for a time now´, so we all thought I was out as a zone leader, but apparently I've got some more work to do here in Allen. My comp is going out the beautiful El Bolson. What a lucky guy. We have a funny funny video of the transfer phone call. My face when they tell me I'm staying to train in Allen is priceless confusion. But, I'll do what they tell me! President Peterson called us that night about something and asked how I was doing and I said ´pretty surprised´ and he said ´you know, I was too´ so I'm sure something special is going to happen here in Allen. It was a bit tough of a blow for me because I had been thinking I was out, and I found myself on my knees that night praying and saying ´well, here I am. What would you have me do? ´ I always tell people not to ask why things happen, and had to apply that same teaching to my life. But, something special is going to happen here. It means I'll have at least 6 months here in Allen, but it could go 7.5 if i train the normal 2 transfers. We'll see. But, here's what happened this week:

Edgardo and Juan Carlos got the priesthood this Sunday. That was great. Edgardo is SOO ready. Juan Carlos is hangin in there. He still has a lot of evangelical blood in him. But he is very faithfully coming to church and to cut branches with us. He always gives us a big hug, and the phrase ´thank you baby´ is heard about 5 times a minute while talking to him.

Edgardo´s brother, Romualdo, and sister in law, Evilina, decided to get married! They are planning on getting married October 4th! Evilina has been taught along with Edgardo but never could get baptized because she isn't married. But now, she will get baptized! She is in 4th Nephishe started reading about 3 months ago when we started passing by. I'm really excited. We went over to their house this week and helped build wallsI laid a lot of bricks. It was a ton of fun, and just like service worked with Edgardo, Romualdo and Ruben, Edgardos two other brothers, are loosening up to us. Good stuff.

We have some other investigators who also are planning on getting married. Raul and Maria both want to get baptized so bad, but cant because of marriage stuff. We've got president working on their divorce papers, and it looks like it could come through if i stay three months here. They love us and give us food and drive us around and just have embraced the gospel so well. The other is Luis Tagle. At church yesterday I told Luis I'm staying here to see his marriage and baptism. He said things are looking like they're going in that direction. I really want to be here for his baptism. He has already read the whole book of Mormon and is basically a member. He already visits Edgardo and is really good friends with the people in the ward. He's such a good good guy.

This week, my new comp doesn't get here till Saturday, so i have a whole week. I have 2 options. 1. I go to Roca and kill a week not working in my area. That stinks. Or 2. I find a mini missionary. I put my brain to work and asked Gonzalo Marquez what he's up to this week. He says, well, not much. So, Gonzalo is going to come and live with me and be my comp this week! This will be great, because sometimes we're nervous about him and if he's happy and stuff, so hopefully this will help him a lot. It'll be an interesting week. And it'll prepare me to trainGonzalo got baptized 2 weeks ago!

Our elders quorum president told me this week that he's going to call Edgardo as 2nd councilor when he gets the Melchezidek priesthood in October. I'm really really excited for that. Our ward is really coming together and really becoming strong. The organizations are being organized, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a bishop if i leave in November. (It'll either be Sept 21 or Nov 2). Exciting things are happening, and the font is still going to be filling this transfer. The hermana here, hermana LeGrow, is training too. She has the same problem as me, and we talked to Tamara and Tamara is going to be her mini missionary. That's great---Tamara is seriously considering going on a mission! It'll be a good time here in Allen.

Love you all!
TAYLOR papichulo JENSEN

Here Comes a Big One!

2009-08-04T06:28:00.001-06:00

August 3, 2009

Get ready. It was a big week and I wrote an outline of things i´d like to discuss in this email. Here we go

1. We had a great week. We got the standard again, and in doing so, me and my comp became the first in the mission to go back-to-back weeks hitting it. That's big time. I was told that there are about 30 missionaries who have gotten the standard, there are 4 of those who have gotten it twice, 1 (my comp) who has gotten it 3 times, and me who now has gotten it 6 times. We were pretty excited. It is not easy, and Sunday night we didn't even celebrate because we were too tired. We just gathered the numbers from the district and made our calls to report them and went to bed early! Maybe we'll celebrate it tonightI just found popcorn this past week and have been making some popcorn. Yum!

2. On Friday, we had a pretty special day. We found 8 new investigators. We got into 3 different houses and taught some really great people. It was really neat to see how some of our plans fell through to let us search and clap new houses or have old contacts pop into our mind. Something I've learned is that when plans fall through, there is something good to do. Sometimes we find it, sometimes we don't. But Friday, finding 8 new investigators was huge. We are excited because we'd been feeling a little drained on new investigators to teach, and now we are set up to have a good week this week.

3. Tamara, our recent convert, is going through a bit of a trial of her faith. She has started living with the Marquez family because of all the garbage her sister was giving her about being a member. It's been a real blessing for both of the familiesto have Tamara living with the Marquez and the Marquez having her basically as a sister. She had an interview with the stake president (as did Edgardo) yesterday during church. She has a lot of interest in serving a mission, and I know that she has a great support system here to do that.

4. We called and invited President Peterson to our baptism on Saturday. We called him Friday night to confirm that he was coming and he said yes and he said he'd be delighted to come at 2 and do a couple hours of work with us. At the same time, his wife went out with the sisters. That called for a quick, stressed planning for those hours! Before we were just going to find some new people, but we set up a cita with Raul and Maria, 2 of our real good investigators who are working on getting married, and the familia Marquez. The 2 citas turned out great. Raul and Maria both want to get baptized ASAP but are delayed by divorce papers. We should be able to fix all of that and get them baptized next transfer. With the Marquez, we talked about following faithfully and preparing to be a missionary. Tamara and pres. Talked for about 10 minutes after the cita. We're really excited for the 2 families.

5. The baptism was great. They were both so happy. We started on time, had great talks, and had a million people come. All of Edgardo´s family was there, and some of Mariano´s was there. All of Mariano's family has been sealed in the temple, but most have since divorced. Its really sad to see, but he was excited and so was his abuela, who is a very faithful member. It was a great baptism. I baptized Edgardo and Elder Taylor baptized Mariano.

6. On Friday night as we planned, I had an old contact come to mind. We planned to go to the barrio where that contact lives, and as we walked over I walked straight to that house to start. And what do you know? The lady we contacted was there. We passed in, and had a great chat with her. She was excited to learn about the church and unfortunately couldn't come to the baptism or sacrament meeting on Sunday. But we're excited to start teaching her. It was a neat experience for me to literally be led to that house. We're excited to keep teaching them and help them come unto Christ.

7. Almost done. But this one is a really funny story. We got robbed yesterday! Well, kind of. Someone tried to rob us! We were knocking a house and he came up behind us and I just thought he lived there, so I turned around and started contacting him. I ask him what his name is and if this is his house and he says no its not, pero te robo (but I'm robbing you). I just told him nah you're not robbing us and kept going with the contact, talking about Christ. He says give me your pants and jackets and shirt and shoes and belt. I say ´look you've already got your own. You don't need mine!´ he says no give them to me because I'm going to sell them to buy more drugs because I'm addicted. I tell him ´you're a child of God. You don't need to be a drug addict. He loves you! ´ he just told me again he was going to take our suits and shoes. I say look I'll give you a pamphlet about the church, but I'm not giving you my stuff. Then we try to start walking down the street again and he puts himself in front of us a bit. He says ´give me your clothes. I'm robbing you.´ then comes my favorite partI say ´you want us to get naked right here in the middle of the street?´ and he says ´yes´ then I give a really awkward look to him and then to my companion and mutter ´that's kind of weird´ he looks at me and says ´well what are you going to do?´ I say ´we're going to keep working. We're sharing about God with people. Want to come with?´ and we start walking again and he gets in front of us again to stop us. He then says ´you want me to stab you? (I've been watching his hands and his pockets this whole time and had already seen that he doesn't have a knife or gun or anything. I say nah that's alright. We're going to leave now. I look at my comp and he says to me in English lets go to other sides of the street and run. So, that's what we did. We ran a half a block and he tried running 4 steps but kind of stumbled a bit. He'd had a couple drinks and didn't have a chance chasing us down. Fun experience, huh? It was a blast. Calm, cool, collected, and witty. Next time, I want to try and convince him that I'm the one robbing him haha. But no I'm really thankful he didn't have a knife or gun or anything. People get robbed and beat up here a lot. Like weekly we have people telling us about people who get knifed or shot. But this guy he's got to bring his A game next time if he's getting anything out of us.

8. This is my favorite number. We have a lot of really good investigators. We have one named Luis. I think I've talked about him before. He is incredible. He just finished the Book of Mormon. He really really wants to get baptized, but his girlfriend isn't ready to get married yet. We've been working and praying hard with them, and she is there and listens from the other room every time we teach. But she just doesn't want to yet. This Thursday, we cooked tacos with them ( a real treatthey don't have tacos here!) and afterwards she asked us what she had to wear to come to church! Yes!!! Unfortunately, Luis's brother broke his leg real real bad working and had to stay in Roca, so they were there helping with that and couldn't come. But we're seeing progress. They went to the ward mission leader's house last Sunday to drink a mate and that was real real good. She is going to come around soon and they should be baptized next transfer.

9. I had smores on Friday night with the familia Millequeo (Edgardo´s family. It was SOOOOOOOOO good. Its been a darn long time since I've had smores. We had a nice little testimony meeting around their fire and it was a really good moment.

10. One more. In church, we had 66 people. Of that 66, 8 (yes! Hector came yesterday!) were my converts, 5 were menos activos that I helped reactivate, and 5 were investigators we helped bring. That's 17. Then you take out the 4 missionaries and stake president that was there and its 17/61. That's a big chunk of the ward that I've had a direct part in bringing. That makes me feel okay

I love you all! Have a great week!

Baptism of Karen and Gonzalo

2009-07-29T07:02:00.001-06:00

Hey from Argentina

2009-07-28T15:35:00.001-06:00

Hey Family!

We had a GREAT week. It was a blastso many good things happened. Ready, set, here we go.

1. We got the standard. They recently raised the levels to get it, and we persevered to get it. On Sunday, we got into a house or two and got some new investigators. We wrapped up all of our contacting, had 10 lessons with a member present and 20 other lessons. It was an incredible week, and we just loved it. Me and my companion are on an all-time high. We just love each other and have so much fun teaching. It's funny because we can read each other so well. I don't even have to look at him to know exactly what he's thinking or what he's going to do while we're teaching. It's really ´one voice´ when we are together teaching. Transfers are Aug. 10, and I think I'm outta here. Half of me doesn't want to go, just because of how well we are doing (not halfjust a part ofJtogether. The other half still doesn't like allen me)

2. We got our washer!!! It's nothing special. It's a bucket that agitates the water. But, it's better than the bucket that didn't agitate the water I used before! I was so happy to have it. Now I'll be able to wash clothes more often. That's a good thing

3. We had a bit of a surprise on Saturday. We went to Roca to do an interview on the 2 kids who didn't pass last weekend to see if they were doing better (more on that in a sec), and we got back to Allen and went to the Marquez to take them across the street to the chapel. Hna opens the door and says frantically ´elders I've been trying to call you all morning! ´ Not good to hear on baptism day. But then after we say uh oh what's going on? She says ´Gonzalo wants to get baptized today too! ´ We then said hmm. Okay. Perfect. Luckily the zone leaders were coming up to interview Gonzalo for the 8th of august and Mariano for next Saturday. So, they came up, interviewed him, we threw white clothes on him, and he got baptized with his sister! It was really good, and actually what we had wanted all along. He originally wanted to get baptized by himself, but something happened that changed his mind. Keep reading.

4. We had a GREAT noche de hogar with the Marquez family on Friday night. This one was a Taylor Jensen special. We climbed up onto the roof of their apartment complex with the flia Marquez and Tamara. We then proceeded to stargaze for about 5 minutes. I then stood up and opened up my scriptures and read some scriptures that I had read while in the mountains in Utah and deciding if God really exists and if I should serve a mission that really had a huge impact on me. I shared those with them, we stargazed a bit more and came down, had a game and a treat and left. It was a huge success. That night, at 1 in the morning, Gonzalo woke up his mom to tell her he felt the spirit really strongly and wanted to get baptized tomorrow with his sister. It was really good.

5. We started up the home teaching program in the ward. Now that we have an Elders Quorum president, we have home teaching organized and we left to do it on Wednesday. I went out with my companion, hno. Arevelo, and my comp went out with Ariel. It was really fun and brought back really good memories of me and Brother Bang. I tried to put in practice what he taught me leaving challenges for the kids to memorize scriptures and showing tons of love. It was a good experience.

6. I drank root beer this morning for the first time in more than a year. I also made popcorn (I was SO EXCITED when I found pop corn kernels in the store. I think I was almost running down the isles to show my comp. it was a really weird sight for the people there probably. But I like popcorn.) and I also ate Oreos with my comp to celebrate the standard. All things I haven't had in a while.

7. I'm almost out of stuff and time. We're going to the river to have an asado and play soccer

8. I like this number, so of course I had to stop on 8. We had 2 more baptisms next weekend. I'm really excited. It's a fun time to be here. All the members keep saying ´elder you are baptizing like crazy! ´ I like hearing that

I love you all and thanks for the love and support. Sorry if I don't write as many letters anymore we can't send them through the pouch anymore so I have to mail them from Argentina to the states. That means I will be sending out a batch every couple of weeks or so. Sorry!!

Love,
Elder Jensen

Two weeks of Argentine news

2009-07-24T13:52:00.001-06:00

July 13, 2009

Hey Family!

I understand I have a bit bigger audience than normal, so I'm thinking of what I can do to spice this letter up! Unfortunately, Argentines don't like spicy food at all, so I'm struggling to come up with something good!

This week was a good one. We didn't teach quite as much as normal, but that's because we had a Zone conference on Wednesday. It was a good conference. Our new president is a great guy. He is a bit more relaxed than President Cook, but that's alright. It allows us to have a bit of fun as we are learning and putting things in practice. He is going to be a good president and do a lot of good. He was struggling a bit with his Spanish, but I can certainly relate thinking back to my first week here in Argentina! His wife is pretty shy, but they are great.

It's been interesting here with all of this swine flu panic going on. People are still pretty nervous about it. (I still say its just winter, wash your hands!). But people have started walking around with those SARS masks on. I really want to get one, but my companion has made it clear that if I buy it he will be walking on the other side of the street from me. Maybe I'll get it to get some alone time.

This Saturday, Victor baptized his mom. It was a very tender serviceshe has been waiting 8 years to get baptized, and was very excited to do it. Afterwards, she bore a very sweet testimony, and she is very excited to go to the temple with Victor to do the temple work for her husband. I know that that will be a very special experience.

Sunday was a good day. We were able to have church (we have been telling all the missionaries and members and investigators to pray for it, and we were able to have the sacrament meeting) It was a very good testimony meeting. Tamara got up and bore her testimony, and it was really good to hear from her. It was her first testimony meeting since being baptized, and I continue to marvel how prepared she was to meet us and accept the gospel in her life. She now leaves with the hermanas 2 days a week, and we call her to go to a few appointments with us. This week, she has basically lived at the Marquez house. I think she slept there 3 nights this week. It's been great for them to form this friendship, because there aren't many youth in the church here in Allen. She has been great in helping Octavio as new member, and in helping nurture Karen and Gonzalo as they prepare for their own baptisms. Gonzalo is in a state of flux right now. He hasn't decided if he wants to get baptized now or not. Its a bit tough for me because I know he has felt the spirit and I know he knows its true. We'll keep working with him.

On Saturday, we went to the church again to cut branches on the trees. It was greatwe had Juan Carlos and Gonzalo. Its funny to see them together. To be honest, Juan Carlos is a strange man, and Gonzalo is a bit of a strange 16 year old, and some how they have forged a strange friendship and Gonzalo is always excited to go and work when Juan Carlos is there. But, a friend is a friend, and we're hoping that this will help Gonzalo as he decides when he gets baptized.

Tamara is doing greatshe has the relief society lesson this coming Sunday (we're crossing our fingers that we're having the 3 hours next Sunday!). Juan Carlos is doing alright. He's come a long way since his baptism. The man has a lot of energy to work. Unfortunately, he has not received the priesthood yet because our ward leader went on a 4 week vacation and he still needs to be taught a little bit more.

It's been a full week because with our ward leader out of town for a month, I've assumed a lot of the responsibility here in the ward. Assigning talks, doing tithing, and directing the meetings are the basics. But it puts a little bit more on my shoulders in addition to training and being a district leader. But as more is on my shoulders, the stronger they get!

Yesterday, we were out working and we ran out of stuff to do about a half an hour before our next appointment. I say ´companion. Where are we off to?´ He says ´lets just go close to the next cita and find some people to teach.´ So off we go. About the 6th house, we were greeted by a little kid who said hi elders! Come in! We hesitantly stepped through the door and found it was the house of one of the members of our ward and it was her grandson who opened the door. He says ´did you come here to teach me so I can get baptized? ´ hesitantly, knowing it was too good to be true, we said yes and he said perfect. He was going to have an interview with our ward leader to get baptized, but the ward leader went out of town (and it's a missionary interview because he is 9). So now we have 2 baptisms planned for the 1st of august. PutzerI know you are turning 18 (wow are you serious) that day, so I am 16 baptisms short of getting 18 haha. But that was a fun experience, and I'd like to have that happen more when we go out finding new people.

Edgardo is going great. He finished 2nd nefi this week and is just cruising. He told uselders. I have to read 300 pages in 3 weeks, so that's 100 a week, so that's about 14 a day. I'm going to do it! We are so proud of him. It's really been a 180 degree turn around that we've seen in his life. Its great being a missionary!

With much love!
Elder Taylor Jensen

July 20, 2009

Hi Family!

It's been an interesting week. I was going through a bit of a slump. Doing divisions with an elder in Roca who is not doing well didn't help, neither did cold weather or rain. ButI have come out of it, thanks to a good chat with my comp where we decided the only way to get out was to work and love working. We started with a gamedon't make the same contact twice in the same day (it's hard when you are doing more than 154 every week). If you do, you have to buy a couple penny candies for your comp. That was fun. And it helped us have a good day. And then the next day, also a tough day, was better because we were smiling. And ever since that Thursday, me and my comp have become the best of friends. It really really helps working and doing this work when there is a good relation between you and your companion. Contention is of the devil and drives away the spirit like none other. I always talk about that when I do interviews with my district, and me and my companions never have really had contention problems, but we've never been the best of friends till now. And it makes it a blast to go and work.

This coming Saturday, Karen Marquez is going to be baptized. We're really excited. She (as have the others I've baptized) has developed a testimony of the church. She has prayed to know if the church is true and if the book of Mormon is true, and has received a miraculous response. It's really a blast to work with people and see that as they do what we ask them to, that they receive responses. We've seen it happen with Octavio. With Edgardo. Even little 9 year old Mariono has been reading and praying. Its great having people doing what is asked and receiving the blessings.

I guess I got a testimony and went off on that schpeel because I went to Roca to do 3 interviews this Saturday. We were supposed to have one at 9 and the other two at 12. We had a whacky day and had the 2 at 130 and the other at about 445. I didn't get back to my area till 630! Not good, especially since Saturday is our day to get people to church. I think the Lord knew our intentions and blessed us because we worked hard in Roca doing contacts and teaching with the other elders because we had 6 in church yesterday. But- it was an interesting day for me. I didn't pass 2 of the interviews, and it was one of the hardest things to do for me. So much of missionary work is baptize, baptize, baptize, so when you take someone to an interview you have it in mind that they'll pass. It's almost like it's assumed. I don't like it, but it happens. But these two...I just couldn't! And it was even harder because they were from the 2 elders that are really struggling in my district. But, I told them what they could do to help get these two kids ready and we are going to try again in a couple of weeks. It was difficult for me, but I went back into the room after the interviews to think and I prayed long and hard and definitely got an answer through the spirit. It was a really neat experience.

Today we woke up and gave our house a good cleaning. It hasn't been cleaned since we painted, so there was still paint on the floor and dirt everywhere. It was gross. But now we've got it all cleaned out and ready to feel the spirit again! Haha. But we also reorganized all the furniture. And by furniture, I mean our bunks and closets. It's a change, at least!

It's raining here and it's gotten cold cold cold. I now wear thermals underneath the suit and a hat and gloves every day. I cut my hair short so I can wear a hat without having the nasty hat head afterwards too. Except now I sleep with a hat because my head is cold. In other news, I played with an armadillo this week. That was fun too!
We're looking forward to this week. We are going to hit the standard again. It's really really hard to do, but after how we felt last week, we're ready to do something great. We've got our house reorganized and ready to do it, we've just bought our food and are going to eat super healthy this week, and we've both cut our hair. Everything is in line to have a great week with a lot of success.

Mama- I got your package too!!! Thanks!!!! I'm really really excited to have some root beer. And rice crispy treats. And fruit snacks. And hot tamales. Yum!

Thanks for everything!

Love,
Taylor

Group photo for Octavio's baptism in Allen

2009-07-06T15:25:00.000-06:00