"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