Hey all!!
Elder Diaz and Elder Jenson new companions in Lo Prado-2 July 29, 2013
So sadly, I left El Salto this morning :( I'm now in Lo Prado 2...Zone San Pablo as a District Leader Trainer :) about a 45 minute Metro ride away (I'm actually right next to Elder McKinley right now writing you this letter. We're in the same zone!) President Essig made a bunch of changes in the mission. I am now training! I have my first son in the mission!! His name is Elder Diaz. He's only 18 years old and is from Peru. Pretty crazy!
I will now be training and a district leader at the same time! Since Zone Leaders have to be together, President Essig made some changes in the mission where all but one zone leader was made a trainer district leader. I will be finishing the training of my companion (for those who don't know what that is, when you get to the mission, there's two changes of 6 weeks that you have to be trained in the mission field. My companion was trained for his first 6 weeks and now I'm going to finish the last 6 weeks of his training)! Elder Diaz ia a little timid, but wants to work and that's the most important thing.
Esteban and Elder Jenson at Esteban's baptism July 28, 2013 in El Salto
ESTEBAN MILLA WAS BAPTIZED YESTERDAY!!! It was a sweet baptismal service. Esteban asked me to baptize him! We have a great relationship. He's one of my good friends. I was more than willing and was able to raise my arm to the square with the holy authority of the priesthood and baptize one of Gods children. One of the coolest experiences ever!!! I love doing it. Esteban was so excited, motivated and prepared to be baptized and take that great step in his life. I'm so happy for him. He already wants to go on a mission and was like, "I think I'm gonna go on a mission when I'm like 20 so I can save a little and be like you." I was like ya do it!!! I'll never forget this day or guy!
Elder Jenson and Esteban right before Esteban's baptism "in front of the same picture of Jesus and John the Baptist I stood by when I was baptized"
Lissette, Katherine, Esteban and Elder Jenson on July 28, 2013-El Salto
It's sad leaving El Salto1 because that sector is on fire with success. Being able to finish the change with two baptisms and having so many for sure baptisms in the change to come was tough. Katherine, Luz and Ingrid are three of them!! Katherine is so ready. She shared her whole story with my companions and I last week of how she came to know that this is the true church and it was incredible. I couldn't believe it. Katherine told us that before she met us, she was praying fervently to her Father in Heaven about what she should do in her life and how she could come to live with Him again. I told you about the friend that she has that got sealed in the temple right? So, after praying for a long time, Katherine's friend, Veronica (the one that got sealed in the temple after losing her 5 yr old son in an accident) invited her over to her house (about an hour drive in a car) to catch up. Katherine said she was going to go and then Lissette got sick. Katherine called Veronica to tell her that she wasn't going to be able to go. After she called her, she felt really strongly that she had to go to her friends house. Katherine didn't know why, but she just felt she had to do it. Lissette and she drove the long drive to Veronica's house now knowing that for some reason they had to go. The missionaries showed up at Veronica's house that night and they started talking a little but about the church. The missionaries invited Katherine to have the missionaries in her area over and sent the reference....we were the missionaries that got the reference and went to Katherine's house....you know the rest of the story!!!! So, here we are Esteban got baptized and Katherine's just around the corner!! Katherine told me that she'll get baptized in the next few weeks for sure! That's pretty powerful for me to be able to hear that story and know that our Heavenly Father is preparing many of His children for me here in Chile but I never know who they are. I just have to be diligent, obedient and continue to open my mouth to find them.
Since yesterday was my last Sunday in El Salto I took one last picture of my investigators and I who attended church before I headed to Lo Prado 2.
Elder Castro, Elder Rodriguez, Luz, Jose David, David, Elder Jenson and Elder Ramirez after Elder Jenson's last Sunday in El Salto July 28, 2013
Here's a picture of my Columbian friends! They were really sad when they found out I was being tranferred to a different sector. They were like, "Wait, but you can't come back and visit every once in awhile and keep teaching us?" I had to tell them that unfortunatley not :( They're a great family that will go far in the church someday! Luz told my companions and I that within the next week or two she will feel ready for baptism. Luz told us that she knows that the church is true and she's felt it strongly. She told us that she just wasn't quite ready to make that decision and do it yesterday. That's a bummer I won't be able to see her get baptized, but that doesn't matter at all!! What matters is that she gets baptized!!!
Elder Rodriguez, Elder Castro, Carola, Elder Jenson and Elder Ramirez- El Salto July 28, 2013
CAROLA FINALLY WENT TO CHURCH!!!!!! Yesterday was the first time in the 2 months that we've known her that she attended. She loved it! Carola has a baptismal date set for the 25th of August. After Carola found out that I was leaving the sector she cried pretty hard...it was so sad cuz she was like..."it's really sad for me because you were the one that brought me the truth and happiness and now you can't keep teaching me until I get baptized." When Carola said that, it was a tear jerker for me as well. I told Carola that it was going to be alright and that Elder Rodriguez was still going to be in the sector and that he was going to help her all along the way.
Elder Castro, Elder Rodriquez, Erika, Angela, Fernando, Elder Jenson and Elder Ramirez -El Salto July 28, 2013
I love this family...Amalia, Giselle, Alexandra, Giselle's son Benjamin, Christian and Elder Jenson. (Look at Benjamin! He's lookin at me and trying to copy my thumbs up! HAHA!)
My companions and I had a sick week in El Salto teaching 32 lessons (16 with a member and 16 others). 7 investigators attended church and a baptism!!! I'm excited to take that success into my next sector in Lo Prado 2. It seems like this sector is once again suffering, but I'm ready for another challenge!! I will need lots of prayers from all of you so that I can fulfill my duties here on my mission and please the Lord with all my hard work. I'm definitely going to give it my all!!!
I hope you liked the pics this week! There were lots. Great job to Tal on her modesty fashion show she put on, lookin good Tar in your new glasses. No letters or packages this week because of transfers. Double next week!!! I don't have any more time. I've got to get back and clean our house. Hope you all have a great week!!! Thanks for your support.
Love,
Elder Jenson
PS. Here's a little advice for Tay, Tar and Tal so that they can prepare for their missions...
1. I think the best advice I can give you is to find people for the missionaries to teach and be engaged always in missionary work. If you can't find people for the missionaries to teach (highly doubt that), you need to hit the pavement and go and visit people that are in need!! (inactives, sick etc.)
2. Open your mouths!!
3. Read Preach My Gospel...it's AWESOME!!!
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