Hey Family and Friends!
Elder Jenson's Sector in Renca
This week has been really good!! We had our Zone Conference Thursday and General Conference this weekend! Crazy that girls can go on missions at 19 and guys at 18 now! What's Taylor going to do?
Elder Jenson and 2 Chilean Sister Missionaries excited for the lower missionary service age
Church Lowers Missionary Service Age
In a move to expand the opportunities for young members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to serve full-time missions, Church President Thomas S. Monson announced that, effective immediately, men may now begin serving at age 18 and women at age 19. The announcement was made during the opening session of the Church's 182nd Semiannual General Conference, broadcast worldwide from Salt Lake City, Utah. The Church anticipates that lowering the age requirement will significantly increase the number of missionaries who will serve by expanding the options for when they may begin their service.
Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said at a press conference following the announcement referring to a mural in the room that illustrates Jesus Christ's instruction to His apostles to preach to all the world, "We are expanding our efforts to give more young men and women an opportunity to participate in that divine commission."
Elder Russell M. Nelson of The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Logros (Achievements)
INVESTIGADORES CON FECHA 8
Investigadores que asisten a la reunion sac. 3
Lecciones con miembro 3
Otras lecciones 11
Investigadores que estan progresando 2
Ref recibidas 7
Ref contactadas 7
Nuevos investigadores 6
Lecciones a conv. rec. menos act. 7
Contactos 101
MED 311
*MED is new in our mission as of Thursday. MED is a measure of effectiveness in your work. 10 points for a lesson with investigadores, 10 points for ref contacted and 1 point for a contact. At the end of the week you add it all up. President Essig wants each companionship to have at least 300 for the week (on a normal week of proselyting). This week with Zone Conference and General Conference, Elder Weigel and I were pretty limited but had 311. Last week we had 440!! This is a new system in our mission that is pretty cool.
INVESTIGATORS WITH A BAPTISM DATE
Carlos: (21/10/12) Carlos came to one session of General Conference and liked it. Carlos actually got a call after a little while after the session started and had to leave. After a while, Elder Weigel and I went looking for him and he was no where to be found. Carlos is struggling with alot of problems in his life. At 20 years old he had a 4 yr. old daughter die right before her 5th birthday. The last lesson Elder Weigel and I had with Carlos before Conference started out with him saying,"Yo tengo puras ganas de bautizarme!" That was cool! Carlos has the drive, it's just going to take him a while to put his life in order and change some things in order for him to be able to be baptized and a faithful member of the church.
Paola, Osvaldo, Osvaldo Jr. and Gonzalo: (11/11/12) This is a really great family that we have been in contact with lately. They couldn't come to Conference but they really wanted to! Paola could be the nicest person I've ever met in my whole life! Osvaldo, the Dad, likes to play soccer tons! That's all he does during the weekends. Osvaldo Jr. is 13 and he's great. Gonzalo is 11 and he's a funny little guy. Elder Weigel and I were reading in 2 Nephi 31:5 (And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfill all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!) about the importance of baptism with this family. We committed them to baptism after a little bit of doubt on their part but they all said they would prepare themselves for 11/11/12. Elder Weigel and I have another lesson with this great family Wednesday.
Beatriz and Genesis: (21/10/12) It seemed like these 2 disappeared this week! Elder Weigel and I visited their house Wed,Thurs,Fri and Sat and they were no where to be found! We also left tons of notes with the General Conference schedule on their house. We finally were able to talk with Beautriz on Sunday in between sessions and she said that she was unable to attend. We don't really know what is going on with them or why they were never at their house this week. They probably went vacationing somewhere.
Victor: (4/11/12): Victor came to Conference! My favorite session too! Victor came to the morning session on Sunday where I heard the most powerful talk I've ever heard in my entire life...the talk by Elder Holland.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
"The voice of Christ comes ringing down through the halls of time asking each one of us, while there is time, "Do you love me?" And for every one of us I answer with my honor and my soul, "Yea, Lord, we do love thee." And having set our hand to the plough, we will never look back until the work is finished and that love of God and neighbor rules the world." Drawing from the teachings of the Savior during His life and ministry, Elder Holland reminded Church members of His powerful words, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Wow, whenever I have a bad thought enter into my mind, I will remember Elder Holland's talk and picture the Savior looking at me and asking me the question,"Lovest thou me?" Victor said that he loved Conference and that he was going to call Elder Weigel and I today when he got off work so that we could come over and continue teaching him. The only thing Victor has to do now is to live separately from Amauri and Claudia. We can make this happen!
OTHERS
Maria: Maria came to the Sunday morning session of General Conference as well. She came with Hermana Pati who has been her friend for a while or at least since Elder Weigel and I have been teaching her. We visited with Maria this week and she said she was doing good. She wants to be baptized but it's a hard time in her life right now with her boyfriend who she's been with for 14 years. Hermana Pati is going to continue talking with (fellowshipping) Maria and updating us on her situation.
Renca Sector right by the Jose Miguel Infante 3 Church
Lots of success this week! Elder Weigel and I are working so hard and giving it all our effort. We have to be patient with those that are struggling with reading, praying and going to church. I just want a baptism! This is definately a test of my patience and faith. This last Zone Conference was in Quilicura and was so awesome. We started at 9 in the morning and didn't end until 5.
Quilicura Chile
Quilicura (pronounced KILL-eeKOOR-uh) is located at the northwestern edge of Santiago and borders Renca to the south. The origin of the name Quilicura comes from the words kila meaning three and kura meaning stones. The "Three Stones" are three hills which separate the area and form the border with Renca. Quilicura is home to many industries and its residents are mostly low-income families.
At Zone Conference we discussed obedience and how to resolve problems that arise with reading the Book of Mormon, Law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom. We spent the day practicing scenarios with another missionary inviting them to commit to reading the Book of Mormon, living the Law of Chastity and keeping the Word of Wisdom. We practiced different problems and then had to do our best to resolve them. This was a really helpful exercise to practice because when you come across this problem with investigators, you already have practiced ways to resolve the problem.
I thought General Conference was the best conference yet! President Monson's talk in Priesthood was really, really good and powerful and Elder Holland's talk as I said was the most powerful talk I've heard in my life. I was able to understand everything that was being said in the talks even though it was in Spanish. My Spanish is really improving!!
President Thomas S. Monson
We should develop the capacity to see men not as they are, but as they can become when they are members of the Church, when they have a testimony of the gospel and when their lives are in harmony with its teachings. "Courage is the word we need to hold near our heart," President Monson told the assembled priesthood brethern, "Courage to turn our backs on temptation, courage to life up our voices in testimony, to all whom we meet, remembering that everyone must have an opprotunity to hear the message. It is not an easy thing for most to do this. But we can come to believe in the words of Paul to Timothy: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord" (2 Timothy 1:7-8).
Favorite Chilean food for the week is....BERLINES!
Berlines are "better than a donut" according to Elder Jenson!
Berlines are usually filled with custard, jam or dulce de leche (called manjar). Berlines are the quintessential Chilean midmorning snack or after school treat.
Renca School Van-(The driver picks the kids up at their houses every morning for school)
I received 10 letters this week! Thank-you so much for your support! I love hearing from friends and family!
For P-day we went downtown and I picked up a few items and was able to send a few letters in the mail.
Elder Jenson sent his brother Taylor a special letter wishing him a Happy 18th Birthday. Part of his letter included the following...
"If there's one bit of advice I have for you, it's to STUDY the scriptures with a purpose!"
I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you all!!!!
Love,
Tan
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