"I Just Love This Work!"

September 2, 2013

Hey everyone!!

Elder Diaz and I had a great week this week...the only bummer was that our two best investigators that we were teaching and were so ready for baptism, Jovana and Joselyn, moved out of the sector on Friday!! That was such a bummer because they were scheduled to get baptized in two weeks, the 15th of September. Elder Diaz and I still need to figure out where they moved to so that we can send the reference off to another sector with a huge bessing!! I guess the Lord wanted that to happen!

Elder Diaz and I were blessed to teach 17 lessons with a member this week! The most lessons with a member in the whole mission! That was huge and helped a ton with our investigators. There are a few members that have really been helping us a lot (Alejandro, Pres Arriaza, Jace and others). The other thing that Elder Diaz and I focused on this week was part member families. Obviously, these lessons are going to be with a member. We've found that there's so much more support and it's so much easier with members present when we teach our lessons.

Also, three investigators came to church this week...their names are Norma, Rafaela and Carmen. Rafaela is the only one that is progressing this week and has a baptismal date for the 22nd of September. Anllelina and her family didn't come to church because Samantha was sick and her jaw was killing her. Elder Diaz and I set Anllelina with another baptismal date for the 22nd of September and will now have to attend these next three weeks so she can get baptized with Rafaela the 22nd...it would be perfect since they're both 9 year old girls! They can fellowship eachother! :) Rafaela is the granddaughter of the Relief Society President in our ward and never got baptized when she was 8!

Elder Diaz and I have been playing creative games with eachother pretending to be potential investigators so we can improve and get better at contacting. We've even practiced a few times in the house and will keep practicing throughout this week.

The Lord is always putting people in our way. I know that the Lord provides people wherever we are so that Elder Diaz and I can have success if we're diligent and obedient to the mission rules. This has shown to be true in our sector in Lo Prado 2. I just love this work!!

I just want to recommend a few videos for the family and any future missionary that is reading this!! So, you go to lds.org and then click on mormon channel on the left hand side. After that, under series, there's a series called "the district". There, you will find some real live lessons and ways to teach the missionary lessons. Elder Diaz and I watch those videos as I train Elder Diaz. When you are called to serve as a missionary, you will watch them in your first three months as a missionary in the field. Tay and Tar you gotta watch them!!


Thoughts/Highlights of the week:

The district is doing well. There's some sister missionaries that are killin it in San Francisco 3...they've baptized two weeks in a row. I did the baptismal interviews for them and it was an awesome experience! There was one little girl that hugged me without knowing that she couldn't after we were done and I told her she could get baptized...haha she was so excited!

We have Stake Conference next week and our next Zone Conference is in a month or so

I need to email Jonathan and see how he is doing

I have continued in the New Testament and I'm now in 2 Corinthians Chapter 2...Paul is a boss!

Haven't gotten mail for at least a month....don't know when I'll get mail...probably this week if the protest is over.

Pretty crazy that I'm 15 months old in the mission! Time is flyin by and I can't believe it.

Looks like a pretty sweet schedule for the USU golf team this year. I can't believe they're starting a new year again. I wanna hear all about it.

*Our family was surprised by 3 live email recordings this week instead of pictures. Have to say that hearing Elder Jenson's voice was like Christmas! Here are the highlights as told my Elder Jenson and translated by Trevor:

We had some good news and bad news in our sector this week. Today is Saturday the 31st of August (Elder Diaz is heard saying in the background "You've got to speak Spanish to your family" and then Elder Jenson says, "I'll record a little at the end.") So on Friday, Elder Diaz and I went to visit Jovana and Joselyn and when we knocked on their door the owner came out and said that they had moved today. That was rough to take. They were our best investigators. Last night was bad, I felt horrible. It was tough to take not knowing where Jovana and Joselyn had gone. They had told Elder Diaz and I that the owner was increasing their rent and that they might have to move but they didn't tell us they were moving. Now our two best investigators are Anllelina and Rafaela. Rafella's parents are members and her Grandma is our Relief Society President. It was a blessing the Lord gave Elder Diaz and I this week to begin teaching her. Today Elder Diaz and I taught Rafaela for the first time. We prayed and felt the 22nd of September was the right date for Rafaela. The good news is that we were blessed with new investigators. Elder Diaz and I met another investigator of ours Susana last Saturday and taught her at the church this week. When Susana didn't come to church last Sunday, Elder Diaz and I went to her house. Alejandra, Susana's sister, answered the door and said Susana wasn't there. Alejandra said that she had read the pamphlet Elder Diaz and I had given Susana twice and asked if she could have one for herself because she loved it. Elder Jenson then said, "Actually we have a book for you. It's called the Book of Mormon". Alejandra gladly accepted it and we set a return appointment to teach Alejandra at the church after leaving her with a scripture and teaching her about the gospel and how it can help her. Alejandra thanked Elder Diaz and I for coming to her house and said "I found the truth. I feel so good." On our return appointment on Wednesday with Alejandra, the Stake Patriarch (who's in our Stake and ward boundaries) came with us to our lesson on the Restoration of the gospel and Joseph Smith. At the end of the lesson we set the 29th of September as Alejandra's baptismal date and she said, "I want all my family to come to church with me. I want to help my family." Alejandra comes from a family of 8. Elder Diaz and I were blessed again. Even with the set back of Jovana and Joselyn we're doing good. Everything happens for a reason. Then Elder Jenson asks Elder Diaz if he wants to say a message to his family. Elder Diaz asks Elder Jenson, "Can I speak in Spanish?" Elder Jenson says, "Yes". Elder Diaz then says..."Hello to everyone there in Colorado. Thank-you for having a son so cool, so beautiful and precious. I'm learning a lot from Elder Jenson. Greeting to everybody and to all Elder Jenson's friends and family. I hope you have a great week. Hugs and kisses to everyone and to all the brethren and sisters in the Church in Colorado." Then Elder Jenson closes in Spanish by telling us that... "I'm looking forward to Stake Conference this next week. Elder Wilhelm, an Area Seventy, is going to come from the Southern part of Chile to speak to our Stake so it's going to be really powerful and good. I love everybody alot and think of you often. Tender kisses and hugs from me and Chile. I'll talk to you next week. Bye"


So, I sent you recordings about our investigators and don't have much more time to tell you about them. Alejandra was the miracle of the week and now has a date for the 29th of September. She's so prepared!!

Have a great week!! Love u lots!

Love,
Elder Jenson