Be Perfect Even as I

March 18, 2013

Hey All!

Elder Jenson in front of the Vespucio Chapel in Vespucio, Chile at night.

Tay had a good run and made it all the way to the Final Four!! Good for him...I knew that was going to be a challenging game against East but they gave it their all. I'm proud of you bro!!

This week was a pretty good week. Not too many encounters with the flaites. Elder Cambroni and I taught a good amount of lessons this week and we have lots of investigators that are finding out for themselves that being baptized and a member of His church is what God wants them to do at this point in their lives.

Logros (Achievements)

bautismos  0

confirmaciones  0

inv con fecha  3

inv que asisten a la reunion sac  2

lecciones con miembro  6

otras lecciones 18

inv que estan progresando

ref recibidas  1

ref contactadas  5

nuevos inv  8

lecciones a cr ma  7

contactos  77

MED  397

Well, like I said, Elder Cambroni and I had a pretty good week this week. We are still struggling with getting people to church. We will be drilling church, church, church in our investigators heads this week along with inviting EVERYONE to church that we contact and challenging members to invite friends. The members are slacking a little bit. It's a little tough when no one is available to help us in the week with a few visits with our investigators. Joel, who usually helps us throughout the week got his mission call to Venezuela! He's really excited. Joel is unable to help us this week because his mother lost a baby this week in pregnancy and he's been at home helping her. I was asked to give a talk this next Sunday....so you know the topic I'll be giving my talk on!!!!!!

Elder Barlow

The district is doing well. I did an interchange with Elder Barlow this week in my sector, Vespucio. It was great to be able to learn from him and the way in which he teaches. Elder Barlow brings the spirit into the lesson and gives a different perspective and twist on lessons that I hadn't thought of at times. Very helpful.

INVESTIGATORS:

Many of our investigators are figuring out that this message Elder Cambroni and I give is a message from God. It's so fun and incredible to see it click and have them realize this.  Exciting!

Elder Cambroni, Sergio, Elder Jenson, Danitza (holding baby Matias) and their 13 yr old son Andrew (also in the picture are two friends of the Naranjo family)

Sergio Naranjo:  This morning Elder Cambroni and I went to the Registro Civil with Sergio and Danitza (I called President Essig and he gave me permission) and were able to pedir la hora for a wedding on May 4th. Everything was booked up until that date so we took it. That means that their wedding will be right before the next change ends and that Sergio and Danitza will be able to get married which means Sergio can get baptized!!!!!! I'm so excited for Sergio to be able to make this decision to be baptized in a little over a month. He's so ready! Every member that has accompanied Elder Cambroni and I to visit Sergio says that he is a chosen one and will be a leader in the church one day. I'm convinced of that as well.

Jose Gallardo/Norma Espinoza: This week was a great week with them. The best lesson was when we all watched the Restoration video together. As we watched it, I was praying so hard that our Heavenly Father would send His spirit to testify of the truthfulness of the gospel to two of His children. By the end of the video (and commenting after), Jose and Norma were both in tears...I see Jose as one of those macho men who don't cry, but the spirit really got to him. I was so happy to see before my eyes my prayers answered and more! Jose and Norma really wanted to attend church this week but one of their really close friends died and they had to go to the funeral. Next week they will be in church! Jose still has his baptismal date for the 31st of March and Elder Cambroni and I will be working hard with him so he can be prepared to meet his baptismal goal!

Leiva Navarro Family: Elder Cambroni and I had a great lesson with them this week. They took our challenge and read 3 Nephi 11 and also prayed about it! We discussed what they had read and they mentioned they felt the need to follow our Savior Jesus Christ. They also mentioned that they feel calm and peaceful when Elder Cambroni and I come over and love it when we visit. The Navarro's are always busy. They went on vacation to southern Chile this last weekend so they didn't attend church. This weekend they are gone as well....but Elder Cambroni and I aren't giving up and will be committing them to come to church in two weeks! I'm really excited about this family and their future in the church.

Rene Torres and Jessica Vielma both have baptismal dates for the 14th of April. These are newer investigators. We will be working with them alot so that they can find out that this is the only true church and that their Heavenly Father wants them to be baptized!

I'm in 3 Nephi 13 right now in my Spanish scriptures. My favorite scripture for the week is found in 3 Nephi 12:48 "Therefore, I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."  (it's a good one :) )

Highlights/Thoughts for the week:

*Golfing at Cuidad Empresarial at Rebels Golf Center on P-day!

Elder Jenson, Elder Barlow, Elder Alvarez and Elder Cambroni enjoying a morning of golf in Chile on P-Day!

 

 



"I'm loving the "Hawaiian" candy and tie! Thank-you so much for thinking of me Michael and Kristen. Means alot!"

 



* I got 28 dearelders, letters from Seth, Grandma Jenson and the family as well as a "Hawaiian" package from Uncle Michael and Aunt Kristen and my St. Patrick's Day package from home.

"Wow, thank-you so much for thinking of me. The candy in the US is soooooo good! I appreciate all the family support. Love you!"

* Our Chile Santiago North mission continues to grow. We have 9 Elders and 16 Sisters arriving this week! Crazy! Transfers are this next week as well. President says he's making a lot of transfers due to so many arriving missionaries. You never know....might get an email next Monday saying I was transferred.

* I'm way happy here in Chile...like too happy! Elder Cambroni and I figured out the spots where the flaites like to go so we try not to walk by there. Learned our lesson last week! Don't worry about me. I'll be fine :)...love ya mama!

Well, I hope you all have an awesome week! I love you all!

Love,

Tan

Jesus Christ, Lamb of God

March 11, 2013

Hey Family and Friends!!

 

I can barely even write this letter I'm so happy for Tay and making it to the Final 4!!!!! I'm so proud of Tay I can't stand it. Tears of joy! I wish I could be there to see it, but the Lord has called me to do something even more important that has ETERNAL consequences! I love you bro! I'll definitely be thinking about you.

This week was a good week for Elder Cambroni and I in Vespucio! We have a lot of investigators that have a lot of potential and some that are progressing fairly rapidly. Each day I have the chance to put my nametag on that has my name on it, plus the Lord's and preach this gospel that brings eternal blessings and happiness...NOTHING compares or is better than that! Elder Cambroni and I are starting to get more and more people to church and committed. This is a good feeling as investigators commit to come and then actually show up! The District is doing very well. Hermana Alonso and Hermana Villota baptized two children this week. It was so great to be able to interview them and see their readiness and excitement for baptism. All is well here in Vespucio. Lots of animo!

Logros (Achievements)

bautismos  0

confirmaciones  0

inv con fecha  2

inv que asisten a la reunion sac  3 (Gladis, Sergio and Jose)

lecciones con miembro  9

otras lecciones  12

inv progresando  1

ref recibidas  1

ref contactadas  8

neuvos  inv  8

lecciones a cr ma  8

contactos  74

MED  409

MED (Medida de Eficacia y Diligencia or in English Measurement of Effectiveness and Diligence) has changed in our mission to 15 points for a lesson with a member, 10 points for a lesson without a member, 10 points for a reference contact and 1 point for a contact. I agree that lessons with a member should count for more because members are so necessary and critical in lessons and invaluable in teaching.

President and Sister Essig, Santiago North Mission President

 



 

Elder Walter F. Gonzalez, President of the South America South Area



Elder Cambroni and I finally broke that chain of having 2 investigators attend church. We had Stake Conference this week and our Stake Presidency was changed. Our Mission President gave a talk and also Elder Gonzales (Area President) spoke to us about families. It was so great to be able to hear from them and really feel of the strong spirit they brought. Elder Cambroni and I had to take two busses to get to Stake Conference. 3 investigators of ours came!!   It was great to see their commitment.

Jesus Christ, Lamb of God

So this week, the "flaites" were relentless! They seemed to always be down our backs and it was horrible. Elder Cambroni and I were walking and talking with the mom of a convert that was baptized about a year and a half ago (she's not a member) and all of a sudden two flaites come out of no where running towards us. They completely interrupt our conversation and ask us for one of our pass along cards. Elder Cambroni and I try to continue talking to the mom but the flaites won't go away and continue to mess with us. Then one of the flaites puts the pass along card in my face and starts saying in Spanish, "Yo what's this mean?!" Then he screams curse words at Elder Cambroni and I. He then put the card in my face again and punched me right in the "private"...hard! I didn't do anything. Immediately the scripture in Mosiah came to mind (Mosiah 14:7... He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth.) that talks about why Jesus Christ is called the Lamb of God. It's because when he was beaten, bruised, whipped, crowned with thorns, spit upon etc., he didn't even say a word. That's how lambs are...you bring them to be slaughtered and they don't even make a peep. Then two days later, the same flaite sees Elder Cambroni and I and starts skipping towards us with a grin on his face and a cigarette in his mouth. One of the Hermanas in our ward had just given us a loaf of bread and I had it in my backpack, but it was sticking out a little bit. The flaite skipped up behind me and snatched the bread right out of my backpack. He then skipped away laughing and then came back. He got all serious about how he was going to rob us. In the end, nothing happened!

INVESTIGATORS

 

ORACION=PRAYER

Jose Gallardo is progressing and is doing really well. He has a desire to get baptized and has a baptismal date for the 31st of March. Elder Cambroni and I have to teach him  about the Word of Wisdom (not drinking wine). Jose and his wife Norma are doing well.

Sergio is so ready for baptism. He continues to keep his commitments and has been to church 6 weeks in a row. He went to "pedir la hora" to get married this week so that he can get baptized which will be in June or July! Elder Cambroni and I will be calling around to other registros civiles so that Sergio can make that step of baptism a lot quicker. Pray for Sergio please so that we can make this happen and that he can receive eternal blessings as soon as possible!

The Leiva Navarro family is really well. They attended our ward activity this last Friday night (talent show and a dance afterwards) and had a blast. Elder Cambroni and I were only able to be there for about an hour, but the Navarro family stayed and said that they didn't go home until 11:00 or so. They have read 3 Nephi 11 twice, read the restoration pamphlet and prayed about it. Elder Cambroni and I are going to invite them to be baptized this week. Pray for the Navarro family so that they accept a baptismal date!


Highlights of the week/Thoughts

* I got the St. Paty's package this week! That was really nice of you to send that....I'm especially loving all the stuff from Hawaii! I def have enough treats for the next while :)

* We actually got mail this week. I got 10 dearelders and the package as well as letters from Grandma Jenson, Nana and Papa and the family. It was great to get those letters from you all. I appreciate them so much.

*Elder Cambroni and I are still teaching English classes on Saturday. We had 8 attend this week! It was great to teach English and take that opportunity to share the gospel as well with our "students".

*Our District went to Rebel Golf Center in Santiago for our P-Day activity today and hit a bucket of balls for $5. One club per person....that's golf for you in Chile! Loved every minute!

Well, I hope all is well with you. I know that the family is having the time of your life with Tay doing so well and living the dream on the court. Hope you have a great time and that I hear that Legend is in the finals this week and then wins!!!

 

"Thanks for your support. I'm more than happy here in Chile!"

Love,

Tan

THINK IT, BELIEVE IT and then just DO IT!

March 4, 2013

Hey Everyone!!

Elder Jenson at Zone Conference learning and enjoying being a missionary in Chile!

This has been such a great week! Finding so many people to hear the gospel and being a part of this great work. Elder Cambroni and I taught tons of lessons this week just being a companionship and not a trio. It was awesome to spend the week testifying to the people of Chile eternal truths the whole day, every day this week!!

Logros (Achievements)

bautismos  0

confirmaciones  0

inv con fecha  3

inv que asisten a la reunion sac  2 (AHHHHHHHHHHHHH)

lecciones con miembro  8

otras lecciones  20

inv que estan progresando  1 (Jose Gallardo)

ref recibidas  5

ref contactadas  10

nuevos  inv  14

lecciones a cr ma  7

contactos  62

MED  442


Welllll, as you can see, lots of our investigators lost their baptismal date this week. Elder Cambroni and I dropped a few investigators who just aren't willing to progress and keep their commitments which was sad. Then, there were a bunch of our investigators that committed to come to church and just didn't! Elder Cambroni and I will have a powerful lesson with them this week and commit them like never before to Come unto Christ and receive that FULLNESS of the gospel. Elder Cambroni and I found many people to teach this week. It will be great for us to see who are the chosen ones and who are going to make the decision to progress.

There are two more companionships in my district besides Elder Cambroni and I.

 

Elder Barlow is from Salt Lake City and has been in the CSN Mission since June 2012.

 

 

Elder Alvarez is from southern Chile and has been in the CSN Mission since July 2012.

 

 

Sister Alonso is from Argentina and has been a CSN missionary since October 2011 and Sister Villota is from Columbia. It's definitely been a little different serving as a District Leader. More responsibility and leadership (that I don't even feel worthy of giving only being out 9 months in the mission), than being a senior companion. There are a lot more worries than your own sector and investigators. Kind of overwhelming, but good for me!

This week I want to talk about something a little bit different that can make a difference in our prespective on life and what we can achieve here as sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. In the past few months, I've been listening to a lot of talks from leaders in the church, inspirational speakers etc. I have learned a TON. I usually listen to the talks in the night time and have really learned a lot about who I really am and how I can use that knowledge to create success in my mission. I also keep gaining and learning ideas from others that have a lot more experience than me and it has been great to apply that to the work as well. Here are a few (of the many) talks that I have listened to lately that I HIGHLY recommend....

a. Mormon Channel: everything creative: interview with Alex Boye (if you go to lds.org and type in the search bar "mormon channel alex boye" i think its the second thing that pops up)

Alex Boye said, "We need to let go of our E-G-O's where we Edge God Out. We cannot survive in this world without His influence in our lives." 

b. Hyrum Smith- Self Worth (I'm pretty sure this is where dad got his "is it nice, is it true, and is it necessary" idea)

 

 

Hyrum Smith said, "If your self-worth is based on anything other than your relationship with Christ, you are in big trouble."

c. Brad Wilcox-His Grace is Sufficient

 

Brad Wilcox said, "God's grace is divine power to help us with all of our shortcomings and is available to us at all times."

d. Hugh B. Brown

-God is the Gardener-"God is the gardener here. He knows what he wants you to be."
-Profile of a Prophet- "John, the disciple of Jesus declared, "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10). And if he had the spirit of prophecy, he was a prophet."

 

I KNOW that if you listen to these talks (or interviews), that your perspective on life will change at least a little bit. It changed my perspective a TON. I hope you will take the time to listen to these and let it change your life as it has mine. I just got done listening to the interview with Alex Boye, the famous singer and member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and it made me tear up how powerful and inspirational it was. We each have the potential and the capacity to be anyone we want to be. We just have to THINK IT, BELIEVE IT and then just DO IT!

Highlights/Thoughts:

*Didn't get any dearelders or packages this week. I think the system was down.

*I will take a few more pics this week of the church and a little bit of the streets in my sector if I can and not get my camera stolen :)

*That's awesome that Tay's team made it to the Sweet 16! Tell him good luck for me and to take it to Chatfield this week to be able to go on to the Elite 8!

*Your trip pictures looked awesome!!!....but I think I still win being here in Chile preaching the gospel:)

*Thanks for supporting me, it means alot! Love you!!

Espero que usteded tengan una buena semana. Sepan que les amo a todos ustedes!!

Love ,

Tan

A Leader = Exact Obedience!

February 25, 2013

Hey Family and Friends!

February 24, 2013 baptism of previous investigators (Alberto, Fabienne and Romina) Elder Jenson taught in Quilicura.

Well, there were cambios this week...but I will be staying in Vespucio for the next 4 weeks!!...first time in a while that I wasn't changed. It feels so good to not have to pack up all my stuff again and go to another sector where I don't know anyone. Plus, I'm really excited about Vespucio and Elder Cambroni and I should have lots of success this change. Elder Cambroni and I had another excellent week here in Vespucio and the Lord continues to bless us more than we could ask for. It's a great feeling.

Logros (Achievements)

bautismos  0

confirmaciones  0

inv con fecha  9

inv que asisten a la reunion sac  2

lecciones con miembro  11

otras lecciones  11

inv que estan progresando  1

ref recibidas  1

ref contactadas  8

lecciones a cr ma  7

contactos  80

MED 380

Elder Cambroni and I keep having 9 investigators with a baptismal date at the end of the week...some lose their date and then we find new people to put with a baptismal date. We're stuck on that number 2 with investigators coming to church as well!!! This week Elder Cambroni and I made a goal to have 5 attend church. We're going to make this goal one way or another! Our ward is so awesome and the spirit is felt so strongly! Our investigators NEED to come to church to have that spiritual experience! Samuel is the one progressing this week...his brother dropped him off at church and he kept telling Elder Cambroni and I that he felt the spirit so strongly! It was great to hear that from Samuel. Our other investigator in church this week was Sergio Naranjo! He's more faithful than some of the members here! Our church attendance continues to be low with 58 this week...we've had 60, 50, and 52 while I've been here. (As I'm writing this I just saw a guy walk by the window and I could've sworn it was Coach Johnson from Chaparral! Coach Johnson was Elder Jenson's High School golf Coach).

So this Wednesday, the assistants called and said that we were going to have an interchange and that I would be with one of the assistants for the day! I was wondering why that might be but didn't really worry about it. Elder Fuentes came to Vespucio and we had a great day together. I learned a lot from him and how to do the work and be successful. We taught a lot and found lots of people to teach. Then, on Saturday night, Elder Cambroni and I were in a lesson with Rene Torres, our last lesson of the day, and all of the sudden the phone goes off. I look at the phone to put it on silent and I see that its President Essig...well, I politely asked to be excused for a minute. I answered the phone, a little worried, and President Essig said,"Good Evening, how's it going?" The normal stuff and then all of a sudden President says,"So Elder Jenson, I'd like to make you District Leader! Do you think you can do that?" I was like,"Uhhhh ya!" Then President said,"Great! Just remember that being a leader requires that you be exactly obedient to the mission rules. Will you do that?" I said absolutely and then we ended our conversation. So, I'm the new District Leader here in Zapadores (Vespucio sector)! It will be a great time for me to serve and help others as I learn more and more!

 



And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I ^awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.



I gave a talk yesterday as well on faith in Jesus Christ and answered 4 questions...

1. What is faith?
2. Why is faith important?
3. How can we obtain faith and if we already have a little bit of faith, how can we grow it?
4. How can we use that faith we have to open our mouths and share this gospel?

Elder Cambroni gave a short talk and left 20 minutes for me. I had done my weekly studies on faith the week before so I had many scriptures in mind and found that I filled up 20 minutes very easily. I feel my faith growing every week as I am involved in this great work!

Highlights/Thoughts:

1. I feel so loved! I received so many awesome packages and letters these past two week from so many families and friends. 

Tell the Allen's that I love them alot and appreciate all the drawings and cards! :) 

 

Thanks and lots of love to the Rafie's for thinking of me! :)

 

 

 

I loved Will and Lauren's homemade hearts they sent me telling me they loved me! I love them too!!

 

 



 

I loved the cards from the Stephen Horsley's and the package full of some of my favorite treats....thank-you so much! Love you guys!

 

Thanks Nana and Papa for the "Hawaiian" Valentines package....the treats are already all gone and were soooo good! Love you!

 

 



2. Got a letter from Elder Logan Smith all the way from Russia! He said the weather there is like -35 degrees Celcius.....freezing! It was soooo awesome to read his letter!

3. Had one of my favorite foods in Chile for lunch this week a churrasco italiano and a completo italiano! Yum!

4. Tell Taylor I love him and I'll be thinking of him extra this week with his State Playoffs! It's true that I'm with him and he's always in my thoughts!

5. Getting 2 pictures from Elder Miklich telling me "I helped make this possible" by teaching Alberto, Fabienne and Romina in Quilicura who were baptized February 24, 2013. It was so fun to see pictures of them at their baptism.

I don't have any more time to write but just know that we have a lot of investigators doing well and progressing towards baptism! I'm excited for this change...oh, and by the way, this change is only 4 weeks long. This is the change where two weeks are cut off of our 2 year mission to accomodate the new mission age and influx of missionaries.....bummer!

I can feel the help of your prayers in this sector! I'm safe and doing well.

Hope you all have a great week! I love you all!

Tan