Tuesday, February 19, 2013

"STAND IN HOLY PLACES!"

February 18, 2013

Hey Family and Friends!



It has been a great week here in Vespucio. Although Elder Cambroni and I only had one person progressing, she received her answer in church and had an incredible experience. I love going to church! The spirit is felt so strongly and is the place where investigators can receive their answer that this is the only true church! Elder Cambroni and I are finding more and more people to teach and invite to Come Unto Christ. I'm so excited for the future that this sector will have. Elder Cambroni and I have many people preparing themselves for baptism in March. I'm really excited to start to see the fruits of our hard work and diligence. The Lord is blessing Elder Cambroni and I every day. Watching the miracles happen is a fun sight to see!

Logros (Achievements)

bautismos  0

confirmaciones  0

inv con fecha bautismal  9

inv que asisten a la reunion sac  2 (Sergio, Cecilia Munoz)

lecciones con un miembro  9

otras lecciones  13

inv que estan progresando  1 (Cecilia Munoz)

ref recibidas  2

ref contactadas  12

nuevos inv  6

lecciones a cr ma  7

contactos  70

MED 410



Taylor, Elder Tanner Jenson, Tallyn and Tarryn "Standing in Holy Places"

Elder Cambroni and I are teaching more and more...it's fun!! Every time we get to Sunday morning we're thinking, "Wow, there's gonna be so many that come to church this week and then it doesn't happen!!!!" But, the ones who did come yesterday had a great experience as all of the youth that went to EFY this past week in Chile bore their testimonies. Their testimonies were soooo strong as they talked about experiences that they had and their excitement for the gospel went through the roof! It was great to hear and watch Cecilia listen with tears running down her face as she listened to the youth bear their personal testimonies of the gospel. It made me think a lot about my experiences at EFY and the great times that I had growing my testimony as well! It also made me think a lot about Tay, Tar and Tal and hoping that they are having those same spiritual experiences so their testimonies can grow. I hope you're all reading your scriptures and praying daily!!!


Brother Jim Tasker, Trevor, Taylor, Elder Tanner Jenson and Cory Calvert

As Jim Tasker once told me in Priest quorum one Sunday in one of his amazing lessons he gave each week, "the two most important things that you can be doing right now in your life to grow your testimony is daily personal prayer and daily scripture study." To this day, I still use this lesson I learned in my lessons in the mission field as I testify of the importance of those two extremely important things. The last young man that stood up to bear his testimony was 16 and his name is Bryan. His brother Joel is getting ready to go on a mission and already submitted his papers. Bryan talked about his big brother and the example that he is to him and a lot about the things that they did and had done together. That made me think about Taylor and I a lot and my eyes started welling up...I hope you all know I think about you daily and that you're always in my prayers! As the Youth theme this year says....STAND IN HOLY PLACES!!!


Elder Jenson and Taylor "Standing in Holy Places"



Investigators

Sergio Naranjo: He's doing so well right now. He and his wife had a baby last week. His name is Matias and he's just a little thing. They've had problems with him not eating so they've been in the hospital all week. Despite all of this, Sergio went to church!!! Sergio said,"Ya, even though my wife is going to stay home with the baby now that we're home from the hospital, I'll go! I love church!!!" That was so awesome...

Cecilia Munoz: (47 yrs old): Basically miracle times 10! She's the daughter of a member in the church and received her answer that this is the true church. All she wants to do is get baptized! (17th of March)

Leo (10 yrs old): Grandson of Cecilia. Leo had to go to his dads house this weekend or he would have been at church. Elder Cambroni and I are teaching he and Cecilia at the same time. We're trying to figure things out so that they can get baptized together. Leo says he wants to do it, but he's not that motivated, he's 10 but still....(17th of March)

Alex Perez: He works like crazy, but still has a baptismal date for the 10th of March. If he doesn't come to church this week, he loses his date...hopefully he can find some time for the Lord!

Daniela Gonzales/Kathalina Vasquez: They are the ones coming to my English classes. They seem to have more interest in that right now but they say that if God answers them, they will get baptized (3rd of March)...Elder Cambroni and I will probably have to change that date, but they have already come to church twice! We'll see what hapens.

Jose/Norma/Jorge: "The Golden Family" They are so great and ready to hear the gospel. They had to go out of town this week so they didn't come to church. They are gonna get baptized for sure!! They have their date for the 17th of March. Elder Cambroni and I might have to change that date, but they are on board with it all!!

Samuel Marin: He's a great man who had an accident about two years ago which put him in a wheel chair and the right side of his body is paralyzed. When Samuel talks, only a few words are understood. While talking with Samuel this week, Elder Cambroni and I discerned that he felt something different as we have been teaching him and he feels soooo good. Samuel basically makes gestures to us and tells us that his heart and what he's feeling inside tells him that he needs to do what we say. Samuel said that as he saw Elder Cambroni and I come up to him and talk to him one day as he was outside his house, he felt something inside him. Elder Cambroni and I have been teaching Samuel about two weeks now. It's challenging to understand him but Elder Cambroni and I know that he wants to get baptized. Samuel understands everything that we say, it's just difficult for him to express how he feels. When we ask him a question, he can hardly respond. Elder Cambroni and I talked with his brother about coming to church yesterday and he said that he would be more than happy to take Samuel to church. They didn't come to church so Elder Cambroni and I went to his house afterwards to find out that the brother had completely spaced it. The brother told Elder Cambroni and I that Samuel kept trying to tell him something in the morning but that he didn't understand him for some reason. Then Samuel said that he was trying to tell him that they needed to go to church. By that time it was too late. This next week Samuel will be able to come!! (17th of March is his baptismal date)

Highlights of the Week:

1. So these past few weeks I've gotten lots of letters and packages from relatives and friends. Here's the list..

*Taylor Tripp! (One of Elder Jenson's best friends growing up from Littleton!)
*Elder Logan Smith! (One of Elder Jenson's best basketball buddies from Littleton who is currently serving a mission in Russia!)
*The Allen Family
*The Stephen Horsley Family
*Nana and Papa
*The Michael Horsley Family
*The Rafie Family

Thank-you so much for sending those packages and letters!! I loved reading the letters and pictures and enjoyed the "sweet" treats that everyone sent!

2. I took the week off reading the scriptures where I was in Alma and just studied Faith. It was such a great week studying what faith really is, why it is important, and how I can strengthen my faith. I'll just share one thing from Preach my Gospel...On page 122 (in Spanish) it says something like this..."Pray and ask your Father in Heaven to receive these gifts and to be able to develop these attributes of Christ. YOU CAN'T DO IT ALONE! Recognize your weaknesses and humble yourself before Him." I loved reading that this week...We can never do it alone and because of that, we ALWAYS need to pray and ask for these Christlike attributes.

3.  Hna Chavez does our laundry and takes care of Elder Cambroni and I. She's so awesome and is always trying to help us out in any way.

4.  I only had 2 come to my English class this week. Elder Cambroni and I are hoping to have more this week...I teach basic sentences, words and phrases. They love it and learn a lot!

5. Sooooo I took pictures of the packages, letters etc. but this computers USB doesn't work so I can't send picts. Sorry!! I will send lots of pictures next week!

6. I'm happy!


Elder Tanner Jenson "Standing in Holy Places"


Well, I hope that you have a great week! Thanks for your love and support. Love you all!

Love,
Tan

Monday, February 11, 2013

Seeing Miracles in Vespucio!

February 11, 2013

Hey All!


Elder Jenson and "The Mother of Santiago, The Virgin Mary" statue on top of San Cristobal.


 
Elder Jenson with a "sweet view of Santiago in the background. You could see about 270 degrees around Santiago from way up on the top of the San Cristobal hill" :)


This week in Vespucio has been a really great week with lots of success. Hopefully President will see fit to keep me in this sector (Vespucio) for a while so I can get to know the investigators and members more and bring others unto Christ! It's pretty difficult getting switched around so much and not being able to get to know and connect with the members or investigators.

As tough times pass in my mission, I am learning more and more how to recount those many miracles that I have had the blessing to see and be a part of. Knowing there are miracles every day so far in my mission, I am able to pick myself up and keep going with even more fire and desire to serve. Seeing miracles has definitely helped me to put those tough experiences behind me amd look to the future for those many miracles that are ahead of me. If you're ever having a tough day, week, or anything...just think of those great times as a family, or whatever happy memory you can draw on so that it can brighten up your day and help you along!


Elder Jenson and Zone Zapadores resting after climbing the San Cristobal hill on P-day.

I am excited for the future of the Vespucio sector and know that there will be lots of fruits in the coming few months. As Elder Cambroni and I are working hard trying to find those who are ready to hear our gospel message, the list is just building upon itself as we have taught investigator after investigator this week. We have really been working though the Permaneced lists (lists of all the members that have been baptized, but are less active), visiting the less active members and teaching their family members that are not members while at the same time strengthening the less active members in the home. I've found that this method is really effective. It's like killing two birds with one stone!

Logros (Achievements)

bautismos  0

confirmaciones  0

inv con fecha bautismal  0

inv que asisten a la reunion sac  2

lecciones con miembro  10

otras lecciones  8

inv que estan progresando  2

ref recibidas  7

ref contactadas  5

nuevos inv  12

lecciones a cr ma  14

contactos  91

MED 321

Elder Cambroni and I are teaching more and more in Vespucio and it's so great to see the miracles. It's really fun to look for tiny miracles that are happening in this sector to prepare those that are ready for this gospel. Elder Cambroni and I taught a total of 32 lessons this week!! It was so awesome to see that happen....helping the inactive members come back to church and also finding 12 new people to teach! :)

Here are the scriptures I liked this week:

ALMA 26:3-5,12,22,27,35
             29:1-2
             32:16-18,26-27,41-42
             34:14,31-34
             36:18-20
             37:16-17
             38:9
             39:14
             40:11-14,23
             41:10
             42:4,27

Hope you enjoy those!! I'm in Alma 48 right now in my Spanish scriptures.

Investigators:

Sergio's wife had their baby this past Saturday so they didn't come to church. They are doing really well and Elder Cambroni and I are going to visit them again this Friday.

Daniela (13 yrs old) and Kathalina (14 yrs old) are the two who came to church yesterday and are our progressing investigators. They are two friends. Elder Cambroni and I met them because they came to the English class I started teaching at the church every Saturday. We will be teaching them a little bit more and hope to see great progress :) Daniela and Kathalina have a baptismal date for the 3rd of March.

Elder Cambroni and I just found a family of three last night and they are so awesome!!! I as well as Elder Cambroni felt the spirit so strongly throughout the lesson. This family has a baptismal date for the 17th of March. Golden!!! They are so prepared for this gospel.

Highlights/Thoughts:

*Thanks for all the dearelder letters and support this week. I felt your prayers too!

*I made an announcment in Sacrament meeting telling the ward that I would be teaching an English class starting Saturday. 5 people showed up. This week I'm going to invite our investigators to my class and also put up signs in the streets :) I expect more to come this coming Saturday.

*Elder Cambroni and I had a good week:) It seemed like the flaites (Chilean gangsters) left us alone!

*"I'm happy and safe!"

 
View of Santiago from San Cristobal. "I love being a missionary in Santiago!"

Well, that's all for this week! I hope you all have a good one!!

Love,

Tanner

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

"Heavenly Father watches over His Missionaries!"

February 4, 2013

Hey Everyone!


Elder Jenson and the Zapadores Zone climbed Cerro San Cristobal for P-day this week. "At the top of the hill there's a Virgin Mary statue. About 80% of Chileans are Catholic. There were tons of places to sit and say a prayer to the Virgin Mary.....I did not partake!  Silence........."

This week has been a week of miracles, but also interesting. Trying to find as many people as Elder Cambroni and I can to teach, feeling the spirit so strong, working really hard, Chilean gansters grabbing Elder Cambroni and I and opening the fire hydrant to spray us with water, a drunk guy snatching my agenda from me and then throwing it as hard as he could, another drunk guy shoving his hand in my pocket to try and steal my wallet, another crazy guy driving up in his car and telling Elder Cambroni and I how satan gives him power, people yelling at us all the time and me having to go to the bathroom wayyyyy too much! I'd say that's quite an interesting week!

Logros (Achievements)

bautismos  0

confirmaciones  0

inv con fecha  9

inv que asisten a la reunion sac  1

lecciones con miembro  10

otras lecciones  7

inv progresando  0

ref recibidas  0

ref contactadas  12

nuevos inv  10

lecciones a cr ma  11

contactos  71

med  351


When I got to Vespucio a week and a half ago, there was absolutely no one with a baptismal date and not a lot of missionary work going on. Elder Cambroni and I had to turn that around this week. I prayed the most that I've ever prayed in my whole life just pleading for help from Heavenly Father and we were so blessed this week. Elder Cambroni and I taught 17 lessons, put 9 people with a baptismal date and found a lot of people by teaching the converts to the church within the last two years. It's been really hard to get people to church because a lot of people are going out of town, going to their relatives over the weekend etc. Elder Cambroni and I did have one person in church and it was such a powerful experience for him!!!

I'll just tell you about one investigator named Sergio. So Sergio's pareja (girlfriend) is a member of the church (Danitza). Sergio is not a member and has been an investigator for a few weeks (the other missionaries found him). Elder Cambroni and I taught him the gospel of Jesus Christ this week and explained to him baptism and the requirements that need to be met before he gets baptized....get married. Danitza has all the desire in the world to get married and wants to get married as soon as possible. Sergio said they could get married next week, a month or two months but not any longer than two months. So yesterday Sergio came to church!! Both Sergio and Danitza showed up to church and it was testimony meeting. The spirit was so strong throughout the entire meeting, but the last testimony was extra special. His name is Joel. He's accompanied Elder Cambroni and I a bunch this week and sent in his own mission papers yesterday and is really pumped to go on a mission. Joel gave a very powerful testimony and by the end of it Sergio had tears streaming down his face. As I talked to Sergio afterwards and then again at his house that night, he said that that testimony he heard from Joel was just for him. He kept saying, "¡Me llegó tan fuerte!" (It hit me so hard!) I explained to Sergio that it was the spirit that moved him and explained how the spirit works. I was so glad that our Heavenly Father had Sergio present yesterday in sacrament meeting and sent His spirit to touch his heart. The gospel is so true!!!!! Elder Cambroni and I will be working hard with Sergio so that he can get baptized here in a few weeks to two months!

I am so grateful to be in the mission field and to be able to open my eyes and see all of the miracles that happen so that people can get baptized. There's so many miracles that have to happen so that people can experience that "change of heart" as it says in the scriptures. A lot of people in the street say that change is not possible and that you can only make a person better. But that's naive as the scriptures say that hearts can be changed and the gospel can and does change peoples lives!! Baptizing Kevin was one of the most incredible experiences that I have ever experienced in my whole life. Being able to hold the priesthood to make those ordinances happen is incredible and then using the priesthood by raising my arm to the square and saying the words "habiendo sido comisionado por Jesucristo, yo te bautizo en el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espiritu Santo" is just...there aren't even words to describe it. As I baptized Kevin, I felt that power of the priesthood being used. Kevin told me afterwards many times of how he felt so good and clean! I'm definitely grateful for that experience in my life to keep me pushing forward!!!

Highlights/Thoughts of the week:

1. Heard from Maddie Miller one of my best friends back home in Colorado for the first time in 8 months! That was soooooo awesome!!!


Our family saw Maddie for the first time in 8 months as well while she was home from college at one of Taylor's home basketball games this week!

2. I received the family Valentines package as well as packages from the Allen family and Bishop Stewart and his family. That was such a surprise and so awesome to get those packages. I felt so loved! I also got tons of dearelder letters this week as well from Nana, Papa, Grandpa and Grandma and the fam!
 

3. That's really cool that you were skyping with Junior this week! I taught him in Independencia and he's still working really hard to get baptized. I think Elder Millan is still working with him.


Trevor and Tarryn skyping Junior in Spanish class this week learning all about the Chilean culture. Pretty amazing experience!
 

4. Can't believe I've been out 8 months!


Tarryn taking down another Chile flag on January 30, 2013!
 
 
5. Sooooo.....since I took so many pictures with my camera at the Cerro San Cristobal it died.....you'll have to wait until next week to see the rest!

Que tengen una muy buena semana! Pienso en uds. Mucho en la semana y cada vez que me pongo la placa con el Apellido Jenson y el nombre de mi Salvador Jusucristo. Todo es verdad!!

(Translation: Have a very good week! I think of you guys often...alot during the week and every time I put on my nametag with the last name Jenson and the name of my Savior Jesus Christ. It's true!!)

*Heavenly Father watches over His missionaries! :)

Love,
Tan