February 23, 2009
Hellllllllllllllooooooooooooooooo World!
Another week has passed down south. They just go faster and faster it seems like! It's crazy because we have pday on Monday, district meeting on Tuesday as well as ward coordination, then weekly planning for 3 hours on Thursday, then we play soccer on Saturday. The week is so full and it goes by so quick! This week we are really excited because we have a noche de hogar every night… we are trying hard to get the members involved in the work because we really struggle finding people on our own. People like listening to their friends better than us Americans!
Today is day 1 of the new transfer (already number 4!) I am staying put in Trelew with elder Cox. Elder Evans, one of our zone leaders who lived with us, went home last night. It was sad. But I am a bit happy he's gone—now I will stop thinking about home and what that feels like! I have a few ´´new` ties from him, so that's pretty nice! But he was a great elder and I learned some good things from him. We only are changing 3 elders in our zone this transfer. I am really happy with that—our zone is so much fun and I didn't want any of them to leave!
Mom- funny thing you ask about me playing piano and singing in church—we have an old lady named Ophelia who was baptized a few years ago. And by old, I mean we go to the old people home to pick her up and put her in a tiny little truck to take to church. I sit by her on the piano and hold the music close to her face so she can see it, and I always sing loud in her ear because sometimes she starts playing faster and slower. So after one Sunday, she says elder Jensen… you have a beautiful voice. Come over to the clinic and well put a song together for sacrament meeting! So I think I am singing this coming Sunday… wish me (and her little old fingers) luck!! I am kinda nervous, but more so about her ability to play the song. Well see! I also play when she is sick, and I play in our district meetings as well as baptisms. All that piano playing time is slowly coming back to me, and I wish I would have stuck with it!!!
I'm excited about everyone going to BYU and on missions. I like to say I live with very few regrets, and I know that both BYU and my mission are two things of which I have no regret! What fun experiences!
Today we are going to take a chill day. By chill I mean we cleaned our pigsty apartment in the morning, we are writing now, and later we are going to go back and write letters and nap. I haven't written a letter in WAY too long, so I apologize, but know that they are on the way! I need a little recharge day today… I am absolutely exhausted- mentally, physically, and mentally again. I'm ready to sleep a bit of that off!
Noelia her Menos Activo future husband and her 2 kids all came to church yesterday!! They are going to get baptized this transfer. They have to! Gabriel, the future husband, has a hearing today in court to get his divorce, so we are hoping and praying that goes through, and that they can get married this coming month so we can see some baptisms! It has been a real struggle this past transfer to work and have success in terms of baptisms. We have been working really hard and doing tons of contacting and trying to teach as many people as possible, but just nothing comes through. I was doing some math this morning, and I have done 2570 contacts since I have been here. 1 of those contacts got baptized (Matias) that is .003891% (if I remember right). That kinda goes to show that contacting is not the best way of baptizing.
I have done divisions a few times in the past 2 weeks and those have been REALLY refreshing for me. It is really weighing on me sometimes this whole training business. I am not about to complain about it, but it just has been a really trying time! I have had to rely on the Lord more than I ever have before. I have had to be more patient than I ever have before. I have had to learn more than I ever have before. But through all of that, this has been one of the most rewarding transfers I have had, despite only having 1 baptism.
This past weekly planning session, we decided something had to change. We decided that we would suck it up (for lack of a better phrase) and be 100% obedient. This is a TALL order, but we are trying. And that's what the Lord requires. Elder Cox still reads 24/7 ( I had to give him a chat about not pulling out his book and reading during comp study) and so the effort is there. This transfer, we are going to see miracles. We put the goal of 4 baptisms. When Noelia and her kids pull through, that's 3, so that means we have at least one person out there waiting for us to find and baptize this transfer. I am excited to go do it!
I have been doing a lot better during my personal study recently. Before I would read and read and it wouldn't get me anywhere. Now, I have really started to pay close attention to all the little details, to look for things to apply to me, and to write them down. Right now I have a determination and focus in the things I am looking for (how to become a better missionary by following the example of BofM stories) and I read a lot about Moroni´s character this morning. It's interesting because all their attributes we can apply to us today.
I go through my moments of hardship and doubt. Everyone does. But I have 2 awesome parents who taught me how to live my life and that the church is true. And more than their words, they taught me by their actions. We have a sense of peace in our home. We live really tranquil. We are different from the world, and it is because our parents put their lives in order and lived the commandments. I cannot deny that either of you have a testimony, and sometimes that is all I need to have a testimony of my own. I can look at your works and know the church is true. Now its time for me to go to battle. I will be true at all times. I will be firm in my mind, and put my trust in God continually. I do not have a doubt that both of my parents have an incredible testimony, and that is what is pushing me through right now. Thank you so so much.
I wish I had more than 40 minutes to write. I have so much I want to say, but I have to go! I guess ill just write it in my journal and tell you all later. The church is true. You know it and I know it.
Letters are coming!
Love, Elder Jensen
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