How Was Your Testimony Strengthened Today?

July 8, 2013

Elder McKinley and Elder Jenson at Leadership Council this week

This week was a pretty great week here in El Salto. Even thou Elder Rodriguez was pretty sick in the week, we were able to still have a ton of success. The Lord has blessed us every single day with people to teach and help them progress towards their baptisms. We're really excited for each one of our investigators.

Logros (Achievements)

baptisms  0

confirmations  0

inv with baptismal date  11

inv in sacrament meeting  9!!!!!

lessons with member  18

other lessons  6

progressing inv  8!!!

ref received  5

ref contacted  6

contacts  18

MED  408


My companions and I had a sweet week. I think 9 investigators in church is the most I've had my whole mission! I remember when I started my mission my companions and I would struggle to get 1 or 2 to come to church. Sometimes we'd go weeks without any investigator coming to church. I've learned so much on my mission from experience, companions and Pres. Essig and have been able to develop a lot of attributes on my mission. I'm really grateful for all of the progress that I've made personally and for all the confidence the Lord has in me.

8 progressing investigators is awesome to see. My companions and I recognize that we are just trying our best, but that the Lord is doing everything. It's great to know that the Lord is trusting in us with His children. It's pretty crazy to think that their salvation depends on our obedience to the spirit and diligence in our sector. It just makes me want to work even harder. My companions and I just need to convert our progressing investigators into baptisms! We're in the process of doing just that!

INVESTIGATORS THAT ARE PROGRESSING THIS WEEK

Elder Castro, Lissette, Esteban, Katherine and Elder Jenson after church July 7, 2013 in El Salto Chile

Katherine/Esteban/Lissette- My companions and I had a sweet lesson with them this past Friday. Roxana Taiva accompanied us to the lesson and wha da ya know...they already knew eachother!!!! They continued to grow their friendship as we had a great conversation about the plan of salvation. Hna Taiva has a powerful testimony and bore it during our lesson. Her testimony gave the family more and more interest and excitement to go to church this Sunday and keep looking for that answer that this is the true church. They're awesome!

Viviana- She went to church this week as always! Viviana has her baptismal date set for the 20th of July. My companions and I are going to pass by her house with our bishop at 730pm with the baptismal schedule in hand so we can fill in all the songs, prayers and talks by whoever she wants. It's going to be a powerful and direct lesson that I'm looking forward to.

Luz- She went to church yesterday with her husband (Jose) and 5 year old son (Jose David)!! It was so sweet to see her bring her whole family! My companions and I had met her husband only once before due to his travels. Jose came home for just Sunday (8 hr bus ride) to spend time with his family and then get back to work. They decided to spend some time as a family in church! Not a better place :) We had some great lessons with Luz this week and actually had lunch with her on Tuesday as well. I even helped her with her english!!! Luz is progressing well.

Cristian- He went to church for the 4th time in a row! Cristian is changing into a stud. He reads his scriptures every day and we're really happy for him. My companions and I had a powerful lesson with Cristian on Sunday and he's determined and focused to drop his habits. I talked a lot about "training your brain"...thanks dad!! haha!

Erika and Fernando- We had a good lesson with them on Saturday where they committed themselves to come to church together and they did! We still need to go get the paper so that Fernando can get his previous marriage taken care of. My companions and I let Fernando act first and he didn't do it so we're now taking action and are going with him on Tuesday at 11am to get the paper that he needs with him...that's what happens when you don't act!!  haha

NEWBIES

Leonor (Granny)- She's a new investigator that has a date for the 4th of August. My companions and I contacted her and she was like.."No, I'm never going to change my Catholic religion"....but then she felt the spirit :) Leonor accepted a baptismal date and said that si o si she'll go to church this next week. Leonor couldn't go to church yesterday because she was goin out of town.

Highlights and Thoughts

Service is one of my favorite things to do!

Elder Shelley and I painting the Toro's ceiling with texture paint Bishop bought. It got alllll over me!

 

Elder Jenson and Jose Toro outside his house after we finished our painting

 

 

Elder Jenson and Elders celebrating a job well done at the Toro home (Bishop taking the picture)



Chileans obviously don't celebrate the 4th of July since its the Independence day for the US. They have their Independence Day the 18th of September.

Heard from Brendan Dennis this week! That was cool to catch up with him. He says he's living in CO now and has a job at an investment company. Pretty cool!

I almost wet my pants when this happened....we had lunch with the Chacon family yesterday and for dessert we had "hot fudge" waffles!!!! It was AWESOME!

I was reading in the Liahona this morning and I came across a sweet talk given by ORSON F. WHITNEY called "Edificados sobre la roca" in Spanish. You'll have to search for it and read it in English. It talks about the main difference between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and every other church on the earth today. The main reason is that the Church of Jesus Christ bases itself on modern revelation whereas other churches base themselves on solely the Bible. The importance of a prophet on the earth is unexplainable. It's so important!!! Without a living prophet we would be so lost in darkness!

Sounds like Tarryn had great experiences at EFY...I had them too!

I had a cool impression this morning in my personal study. The idea popped into my head so I thought I'd share it with you. Not that I'm thinking about getting married right now or anything, butttttttt I was reading a talk in the Liahona by Elder David A. Bednar that's called "Las cosas como son" and it was talking a little bit about temptation and also the relation between spouses and basically what not to do..haha. So I got the idea that between parents or as a family, before you go to bed each night, share an experience that happened that day that strengthened your testimony. Try it!!

I'll close my letter this week with my testimony in Spanish:

Estamos super felices por el exito que hemos tenido y que vamos a seguir teniendo. Hay muchas personas que el Senor esta preparando aca en El Salto y le agradecemos mucho. He aprendido que el Senor pondra personas en mi camono si yo pongo todo mi corazon, alma, mente y fuerza en su obra. El confia en mi...Por que no puedo confiar en El? Sigan adelante y firmes en la fe. Si no se han bautizado en la iglesia de Jesucristo, hablen con los misioneros y HAGANLO!!! Seran mas felices que pueden imaginar. Les quiero mucho y solo quiero lo mejor por ustedes. Tengen una buena semana y sepan que oro por ustedes de dia y noche.

Love,
Elder Jenson