Bom Dia!!!!!

Whuddddddduuuuuuuuup Família???

This week was SUPER fast.  Actually . . . Every week is super fast these days.  I feel like I can’t ever get a break . . . Haha.  It’s nice to be busy though.  Helps me stay focused.

     

Jane is still progressing a ton.  Apparently they watched the Joseph Smith Movie in Relief Society on Sunday and that helped take out a ton of her doubts.  She thought we worshipped him or something . . . It’s funny what people believe.  But she is way better now and POSSIBLY will be Baptized this week.  We aren’t sure and neither is she . . . Haha.  She is super nervous to take this step but she’s ready  =)  It’ll all be good!!!

Our Zone finished this week with four Baptisms.  That still isn’t very good, but it will do since it’s in the past!  Haha . . . I hope we can do much much much better this next week.  I’m nervous because we have transfers tomorrow (I stayed but Elder Renner was transferred) and our three District Leaders were transferred, so it’s basically gonna be like starting from scratch . . . Kinda difficult, but it’ll be a good challenge. 

       

We also were kinda lost on Friday night not knowing what to do so we said a prayer and the Spirit said to visit a house we had knocked a few weeks back.  We went directly there and met a whole family who has gone to a ton of churches but never "quite found the right one".  SUPER legit answer to a prayer.  We will see how it goes  =)

     

I’ve been thinkin a lot this week about patience . . . Leadership requires so much patience . . . People do such stupid stuff that we can’t understand and we still have to love them and help them . . . Haha . . . I get so stressed out with other peoples decisions sometimes.  It’s definitely something I need to improve.  President Gonzaga is an amazing example of that.  I have never seen him anxious or stressed.  Even in bad situations.  I need to learn that.

       

Well that’s about all I got this time.  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!  Be good, be safe, write lots.  LOVE YOU!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Ya Gotta Dig A Little Deeper!

Whuddup!!!

Hows it goin, y,all???  Doin’ good?  Stayin’ classy?  I know you is.  Keep up the good work. 

       

This week was SUPER fast once again!  We lost Wednesday at Zone Conference and we lost more than half of Friday and Saturday doing Baptismal Interviews in other areas.  Blessing?  For sure!!!!  Tiring?  Even more for sure!!!!

       

I feel like I have such little time to work these days.  I keep hearing about friends getting home from their Missions and stuff and I hit a year and six months on Saturday soooooooo . . . Well it just kinda makes me nervous.  Time passes so dang quickly.  I feel like I can’t stay on my feet completely we have so much to do.  Our Ward is progressing, everyone is becoming stronger it seems like.  Our Zone is progressing, taking difficult situations and learning and Baptizing more every time.  It’s awesome but dang!!!  Real Growth is exhausting!!!  There is so much to do . . . The Kingdom of God is growing so quickly . . . I feel like I can’t keep up with the growth completely!!!  I don’t know how Bishops and Stake Presidents and other leaders do it . . .

           

I just feel like time is running out for me.  I know I still have a while but every week passes in the blink of an eye and before I know it I am in front of the computer writing another letter to you all . . . LOTS TO DO!!!!

         

The Lord is blessing us a LOT with our little time we have to work.  We met a woman named Jane last Sunday that went to church yesterday and LOVED it.  She is one of those super Elect that the Lord is talkin’ about in the Scriptures.  She took her nephew to church as well and we are working with her Sister, Vania.  Not much is missin’ for her . . . Just needs to recognize the answers she has already received.  Last Sunday, she had been praying for some new way to learn more about the Scriptures and that was the day that we showed up.  It was an area where we NEVER work too.  Super cool  =)  The Lord just kinda took us there!!!

         

Another member also took two of his friends to church and we are working with them  =) 

           

Victor that went to church last week . . . We weren’t able to contact him  =/  His phone is always off or out of the area so we aren’t sure exactly what we are going to do just yet.

           

Our Zone finished this week with Six Baptisms which puts us with a need for 33 more to reach our goal.  Challenging?  #FASHODO  Possible?  #FASHODO!!!!  (Sorry if that doesn’t make sense.  Fa sho do means "for sure".  We can’t all be gangsters I guess). 

         

All in all it was a solid week!  Lots to improve!  Lots to learn!  I love it!!!!

         

Be good, be safe, thanks for always writing  =)  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

WHADDUP

IM A DEAD MAN WALKIN IN #CIVILWARS

HEY!!!!

How’s it goin?  Whuddup?  How’s the turkey? People here don’t celebrate Thanksgiving so that’s a total bummer  =(   BUT I will have about 70 more after this one, I hope  =)

       

This week was a rough one but a good one!  We tried doin’ things a little differently and it just didn’t go quite as planned, but . . . That’s pretty dang normal on the Mission . . . Haha.  Lots of plans, and they rarely come through!!  We tried searching out less-actives with a list a member gave us and that was an epic fail . . . People are always changing the number of their house or just painting over it so it’s almost impossible to find addresses . . . Super Legit.  I LOVE IT.  #JK  But really, that didn’t go well.  We actually had a TON of difficulties this week in finding new people.  Up until last night we had marked no Baptisms and made no new investigators.  It was terrible!!!  Just lots of weird reasons why things didn’t go quite as planned, but life goes on because . . .

We Baptized Thayna, Neide and Gilmara this last week!!!!  We weren’t really sure how it was all going to play out because they travel a little bit . . . But they all had the desire to be Baptized together this week so we got it done!  It was a HUGE blessing.  The Lord is seriously helpin’ us out SO much here.  It’s absolutely incredible!!!

       

We were really nervous because we didn’t have anyone set to go to church on Sunday so we prayed a ton for some sort of miracle and . . . Whaddya know!  A member brought her friend to church!  We are set up to visit him this next week.  His name his Victor and he’s 20.  Super chill and down to Earth.  SUCH A HUGE BLESSING.

         

These days are days I have to work hard to remember why my last time in this area was difficult.  I complained a lot last time.  I was weak and tired.  The Lord put me here, I believe, because he wants me to remember what I learned and don’t let the same stuff get me down a second time.  Pretty interesting but I love it.  The Lord works in so many strange ways and I learn SO much every day  =)

         

Our Zone Baptized seven people this last week!!!  That put us at the last week of the month with 21 Baptisms!  We broke the record for the last year but last September or October this Zone Baptized 35, so . . . That’s the goal to beat.  Our months are based on Sundays, so this next week counts as December already.  December will have 5 weeks so I’m excited to see what miracles our Zone can pull out.  We can do it!  Who’s on the Lords side who!!?!?!?!?  TABULEIRO!!!

         

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!  Be good, be safe.  We have a meeting on Wednesday, so I am hoping to receive lots of letters!  LOVE YOU!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Hold Up!!!

Zona Tabuleiro

A Week of Miracles!!!

Dallas says I gotta step up my game on the home stretch (although I consider the home stretch the last four or five months), so I promise to try to be better in my emails . . .

Hot diggidy dang!  It was a tiring week!!!  We are seeing soooo many miracles here!  I learned something this week.  I think little things I do cause me to be distracted.  Little jokes and songs and stuff like that and so I think sometimes I’m not quite as close to the Spirit as I should be . . . 

The Mission is basically just a huge repentance process. . . Haha.  I learned this week a lot about "line upon line, precept upon precept".  Let me preach a little bit.

     

I think it’s funny how people complain how they want some answer to some great question but they don’t even study the basics.  We want to know the biggest, bestest secrets that exist, but we don’t care to push through 2nd Nephi and REALLY try to understand Isaiah’s prophecies.  The Lord can’t give us more knowledge or blessings until we show that we are ready and worthy to receive more.  I can’t gain a greater knowledge of the Gospel until I search more and until I am more obedient.  If the Lord sees that I can’t be obedient to little things, why would he give me some calling where I have to be more obedient than I am capable of being?  So, in order to receive greater blessings, we have to be ready to make greater sacrifices.  We have to be willing to change.  Even the little things.  "If the Savior stood beside me would I do/say the things I do/say?"  We have so much that the Lord expects of us, but he won’t ask us to do something knowing that we will fail and then our condemnation will be greater.  The Lord has to trust us.  And we have to help him do that.

       

That was my lesson this week  =)

       

This week, we met a family of five.  Adrian and Celia are the parents and Izabel is the daughter.  I will focus on these three because the others aren’t of Baptismal age.  Adrian and Celia lost their house . . . Today.  But when we started teaching them, Adrian got a job out of nowhere and a new house to rent.  #BLESSINGSOFTHEGOSPEL  Ever since they started trying to stop smoking, they have started receiving lots of blessings like that.  They want to be Baptized A LOT and went to church on Sunday, but they need to get married and Celias record to work and all that is in Ceará, another state so it might take a while.  Family SUPER legit and they make us feel special because they just look at us and listen to us as if we were the greatest blessing that they have ever received . . . I LOVE THEM!!!!  Pray for the marriage to go through soon okay?

     

A woman named Neide also went to church with her daughter, Gilamara, and they want to be Baptized this Saturday.  They even are gonna come back from Gilmara’s school early on Thursday just so that we can prepare them more for their Baptism  =)

     

João Victor (the kid we Baptized two weeks ago) has a little brother named Diego who went to church who wants to be Baptized this Saturday as well  =)

       

A woman in our ward and neighbor of all the people previously mentioned has a daughter named Thayna that is going to be Baptized this Saturday as well!

       

There is another kid that lives on that same street named Micon.  He wants to be Baptized this Saturday as well!

Basically, we might have five or six Baptisms this next week!!!  So pray for all of them okay???

     

Our Zone finished this week with six Baptisms which puts us at nine in the month . . . Still not enough but we are improving!!!  Our Zone is getting more excited and really looking for those ELECTS more now.  I think that is one of our biggest problems.  Working with people who don’t progress.  So we talked a lot about that in our Zone Meeting.  I think it helped a lot.  Don’t waste time with people who want nothing!  Seek the ELECT!!!!

       

Well, I gotta go.  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!  Be good, be safe, write lots.  Pray for my investigators and my ZONE!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Whuddup!!!!!

Elder Reneer, Thales, Joao Victor, and Elder Jensen

Herro Herro.

Family and Friends,

#TABULEIROROUNDTWO 

I was transferred as we all know.  But what you all didn’t know is that . . . President put me right back in my last Zone as Zone Leader!!!!  It was reeeeeally weird and the first time that I didn’t really know how to react at Transfers . . . Haha.  At first I was pretty disappointed . . . I’m not gonna lie.  "Dang. Tabuleiro again?"  My last time here wasn’t very positive so I was super nervous.  But then I realized something . . . I have the chance to redeem myself in a certain way.  My attitude here was pretty bad last time.  I think I had very little faith and complained because of our difficulties in the area and the Zone.  I feel like I grew SO much in Aracaju South and I’m excited to be able to use that experience here to try again. 

     

President Gonzaga saw me after Transfers and said, "I don’t know why you need to go back there.  I was lookin’ at all the Zones and thinkin’ I could put you anywhere but I only really felt good with you in Tabuleiro again.  I think you need to finish your time there.  You have something to do."  So I have some sort of great purpose here!  Hope I can figure it out soon  =)

   

My new companion is Elder Reneer who is an American from Nebraska #FirstNebraskanInMyLife  He is super chill and is already helpin’ me out a ton.  Super focused and serious but likes to joke around as well.  He actually is from my original group before I changed my date to leave early, so I only have about six more weeks on the Mission than he does.  Pretty legit dude  =)

   

Our Zone started off this month with only three Baptisms . . . Two of which were of me and my companion.  We Baptized two kids called Thales and João Victor.  I got here and they were kinda "nehhhh", but when they realized they could be Baptized together and that their families would be there watching they decided to do it  =)  Our Zone needs to get goin’ . . .  Our Zone made a combined goal of 35 Baptisms in November, but if we Baptize three a week that will not happen . . . I think we forget very easily about the goals me make.  We make goals and then forget to REEEEALLY focus and get it done.  What are goals for if we just forget all about them?  That doesn’t make much sense at all . . . I think we can all improve on that.  Both on the Mission and off the Mission.  We can change  =)

     

This week . . . We saw a drunk guy with his baby girl in his arms listening to music and dancing and teaching her how to use a taser . . .  #IDidntKnowWhatToSay  #AwkwardMomentOfTheWeek

     

Well . . . Pray lots for me!!!  I love you all!  Write me lots.  Stay classy!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Bishop's`Family in Atalaia . . . Best family EVER!!!!

TRANSFERS!!!!!!!

SO . . .

I was transferred  =(  I’m happy, but sad at the same time.  I feel like I grew and learned so much here in Aracaju Sul . . . I stayed almost five months here!!!  I can’t BELIEVE how time flew by!!!!  Nuts!!!  My Bishop gave me the nicest complement ever yesterday . . . I almost cried.  He said (in broken English), "My family really like you.  I’m going to pray that you aren’t transferred"  =(((((  I’m gonna miss this place so dang much!!!!  So many awesome people here . . . But it looks like I’m headed back to Alagoas.  Exactly where, I do not know . . . I will find out on Tuesday  =)

         

Brida, a friend of the Bishop’s family was Baptized this last week.  It was awesome  =)  Piter . . . I don’t really understand why, but he left on Saturday night and wasn’t Baptized . . . He said he would go to church on Sunday and be Baptized afterward, but didn’t show up.  So I don’t really know what that is all about.  Lima was traveling so he didn’t go to church this week  =\  Life goes on!  #SÓBATIZA!!!!!!!!

         

A TON of people in my Zone were transferred . . . Even Elder White, but it looks like he is going to stay in Sergipe.  Don’t know why he got transferred.  Feel kinda bad for him cuz he cleaned our house so dang much and then has to leave . . . Hahaha . . . Maybe they are going to put Sisters here?  Who knows . . . Should be interesting!!!

         

I don’t have too much to fill ya in on cuz all the things we did this week, I won’t be following up on anymore . . . I learned so much here!!!  And worked so dang hard!!!  I feel ALMOST satisfied.  But I know that I could have done better and done more.  Our Zone finished this month with only 7 Baptisms . . . That’s a total downer . . .  But sometimes it’s good to fall just to show that we can get up again.  "Gettin on my knees puts me back on my feet again"  #JonnyLang

         

I sure do love you all!!!!  Stay classy.  Write me lots.  LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

WHUDDUP!!!!!!!!!!

"Works are temporary . . . The benefits are . . . PERMANENT!"

Howdy Hey Howdy Hey!

Family,

We were so close to Baptizing this week!!!  Then the Ward decided to have like a million activities and Bishop couldn’t go.  The girl wanted to be Baptized by our Bishop so we decided to hold out until this next week . . . #CURSES.  Life goes on though, huh  =)

       

Piter went to church again and is super pumped for his Baptism this week as well  =)  Good kid! Got deported from Italy but . . . He’s doin’ a lot better now.  #Gospel  #SpiritChanger

       

We actually met a lot of cool people this week, but not many went to church.  Only a man named Lima and Piter showed up to church which was frustrating but still a blessing so I will definitely take it  =)

     

I learned something interesting this week . . . We have rules as Missionaries not only to protect us BUT ALSO to protect our image as Missionaries.  The moment someone starts to see us as just goofy young kids, it will be impossible to teach them.  We lose that Spirit of teaching.  That "Missionary Spirit" that everyone talks about is much more real than I thought.  I think Missionaries get shocked on their return home simply because that Spirit leaves.  But it’s not the SPIRIT’S fault.  It’s because we start focusing on things, maybe not even BAD things, that don’t TRULY invite the Spirit . . . Makes me kinda nervous to go home actually . . . Haha . . . Life is so tiring, but SO simple and focused here!  Good lesson!

       

Our Zone Baptized ONE person this week  =(  Everyone is kinda just . . . Poopy at the moment.  We are tryin’ hard to excite everyone, but we are in the middle of a very large battle!  I really hope we can pull it together in this last week before Transfers . . . The week before Transfers is generally when people give up the most so we gotta pull out a miracle here!  #PRAYFORUS

         

I love you all so much!!!!  Be good, be safe!!  Write me lots!!!  PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Aracaju!

Baptism of Rafael and Tainah   =)

Our District

Elders Roberto and Jensen

Home Sweet Home

Howdy Hey!

Zona Aracaju Sul  =)

#BATISMOS!!!!!!!!

Family, Friends and Wookies,

We Baptized Rafael and Tainah this week!!!  Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!  That was an awesome Baptism . . . Rafael was cryin’ and when I asked him why he said he felt sorry for not having been Baptized sooner.  He said, "I should have done this with my wife and kids when I had the chance.  All I can do now is try to be an example and help my future wife to have this truth."  Rafael is a fricken stud . . . I love that kid.  He was so ready.  How lucky am I that I got to be the person to meet him?  I got to be the person sent out to teach him?  And Tainah?  She is SO smart. She understands everything!!!  I just feel blessed this week.  It was a tough week but it gave such a great result in the end . . . God must love me very very much  =)

     

E . . .  =(  Unfortunately, she is kinda crazy and doesn’t want to accept the Book of Mormon out of nowhere . . . It was funny because the day before I had the feeling that this was going to happen.  So when it happened it was much easier to just let it go.  I feel bad because she is having difficulties in her life and won’t change.  She thinks that continuing in the same path is going to help her . . . Didn’t someone say that that is the definition of insanity?  Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?  #Awkward...

       

Elder White is great and I sincerely believe that we have success because he is so devoted and focused.  He’s a good freakin’ kid.

This week we had a random blessing.  A kid in the Ward brought his friend to church and we marked his Baptism . . . A girl that has wanted to be Baptized for a loooong time wasn’t able to because her dad is crazy and wouldn’t let her but . . . He got sent to jail . . . #AwkwardBlessings  So we are going to Baptize her!  Woo hoo!  The boy is Piter (Like Peeta from Hunger Games #SWAG) and the girl is Brida.  If all goes as planned, we will Baptize Brida and her little brother Rian this week  =)

         

The Zone finished this week with only two Baptisms which were of me and my companion . . . I think everyone is getting that "oh Im going to be transferred" feeling so they are slowin’ down a tooooon.  It’s frustrating.  I feel it in myself and I fight against it every day so I know that others are feeling it too . . . But how big of hypocrites would we be to teach "Endure to the end" and not be able to do it ourselves?  Just gotta keep on goin  =)

         

Transfers are on the 29^th . . . I imagine that I will be transferred because I will have about three transfers and a half out here . . .

         

That’s about what I got for now.  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!  Be good, be safe, hit me up soon =)  LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

WOWWAWEEWA

DANG IT!!!!!!!!!

Family,

Our Zone finished this month with nineteen Baptisms.  GOSH DANG IT.  Two months in a row that we were ONE away from hitting my goal that whole month.  Stuff like that drives me NUTS!!!  BUT we did break the record of Baptisms in our Zone . . . So I will walk away with that and try to improve this next month  =)

         

This week definitely had a few memorable moments . . .

I will say the crazy one first.  So . . . We were on a Division and I was with Elder Luis.  Good dude.  We had been trying for a loooong time to take Brother L to E’s house to explain Baptisms for the Dead to her because he had the same doubt before his Baptism.  Before I continue with the rest of the story, it is extremely important to know that both E and L are kinda hot headed people who always want their opinions to be heard.  SO, it started off well . . . A prayer and L explaining Baptisms for the Dead.  Every once in a while, E would cut in with some question and after a few times the subject changed.  So, the lesson went in a completely different direction.  Elder Luis and I just stayed quiet cuz I thought L had it all under control.  Anyways, after about twenty minutes of babbling everyone was like, "Hold up!  We are off topic!  Let’s go back to Baptisms for the Dead."  So during all this time, E would say something to do with her opinion or what she already knows (she is kinda [OR REALLY] cocky) and then L would say stuff like, "Oh well. . . If you already know everything then why are we here?"  Just snotty comments like that.  SO they started getting kinda heated and mad at each other . . . I don’t think I even understood what was happening.  AND I FOR SURE DID NOT COMPREHEND WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.  E got up to get her scriptures to explain why she has these doubts but L thought she was gonna try to burn him and teach him or somethin’ so he started yellin’ and getting’ all angry and was like, "In our church, we teach!!!  We aren’t here to learn from you!!!!!!!!!!" and E was like "udvbfjvlbfl\alIF 9çir BLAH!"  And then she started callin’ L arrogant and cocky and annoying and L started yellin’ at her more.  Then L stood up right in her face and started yellin’ at her and then E got up and started yellin’ at him and I was just like, "Oh my gosh my gosh my gosh WHATISHAPPENINGHERE?????"  #ILiterallyStartedCrying  I got so stressed out.  So L was all, "This woman has the devil inside of her and is expulsing us from her house!!!"  And E was like, "I don’t have the devil inside of me!  It’s YOU that has the devil!!!"  And I was like, "Oh my gosh my gosh my gosh WHATISHAPPENINGHERE?????"  Yeah.  Then L left and I was just sittin’ there crying cuz I thought all my hard work went down the drain and that E was never gonna go to church again.  Then she (and I still don’t get this) told me, "Don’t you worry.  Things like this happen because the enemy doesn’t want me to get Baptized.  But this won’t stop me.  I am praying and receiving my answer.  Before you leave here, you are going to Baptize me and my kids . I promise."  #WHATTHECRAP.  Moral of the story?  Always invite members to yell at and almost kill your investigators.  It’s more probable that they will be Baptized afterwards.

         

Good moment!!!!  We were workin’ in a new area this week and just trying to meet new people and this kid named Rafael came up TO US and wanted to talk to us and showed us to his house and told us to come back the next day.  The next day was terrible and I honestly was super tired and wanted to stop early but somethin’ told me to finish hard and somethin’ good would happen.  So we went to Rafael’s house and he was takin’ a shower.  Of course, my first thought was, "Great.  Now I have to wait here just to teach some guy that probably doesn’t want anything to do with us."  He came out of his room all dressed up with his two year old kid, so I thought he was gonna just leave us hangin’, but instead he looked at us and said, "Let’s go!"  "What? Where?"  "To the church.  I want to see the church."  Did you just invite me to go to my own church?  No one does that . . . But okay . . . So we went there and showed him around and taught a lesson.  We learned that about a month ago his girlfriend and mother of his two kids broke up with him cuz he was always drinking and using drugs.  He was really, really broken down and is looking for new friends and a new path.  Even stopped drinking and using drugs all together.  Two years ago, he already met the Elders and ran away from there . . . This time he came to US looking for an answer.  It was just awesome to see that the Elect really will show themselves if we just do our part.  Rafael is going to be Baptized on the 12th of October  =)

         

We also met this super crazy guy called Domingos . . . Hahahaha . . . Nothing too interesting with him yet.  Went to church and is going to be Baptized on the 12th as well!!! 

         

Whew!  I love you all!!!!!  Write me lots!!!  Happy General Conference and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ROCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

OOOOOOPA!

11!!!! And then 0  =(

Family,

Our Zone didn’t Baptize this week  =(  Which was seriously depressing . . . We had a tleast one that was all set to go and then he traveled somewhere and didn’t get home in time  =(  He called the Sisters and was super sad about his Baptism and is going to Baptized this next week, but it was a rough one for the Zone . . . Weird cuz we had like a fall back . . . Our Zone was growing, growing, growing and then it just seems like everyone relaxed a little cuz we were doing so well.  I think last week, when we had 11 baptisms, I was so excited that I didn’t follow up very well with my Zone for the following weeks and, because of that, it didn’t quite go right . . . So I totally take the blame for that fall  =/  Just gotta get up and keep going. right?

     

In other news!  My new companion is Elder White.  For anyone who has watched “The Best Two Years”, he is like the express image of that missionary. Yep.

     

I finished the Book of Mormon in Portuguese for the third time this week and finished the first volume of Doctrines of Salvation as well.  My plan now is to study Doctrine and Covenants.  I started reading with a student Manual and I know that I have lots to learn so I am super pumped to read  =)

This week was pretty interesting actually because President took out the two other Elders in our Ward and didn’t put in another companionship. We were praying to know where we should work.  During the week we kept working in Coroa do Meio and at the end of the week . . . EVERYTHING FELL THROUGH.  It was terrible!  But at the same time, the members in Augusto Franco all started getting super excited to help us out and give us referals and all that good stuff.  So, after a little bit of pain and suffering, we know where we will be working in the following weeks  =)

         

We really didn’t meet anyone cool this week, so I will promise to do better this week to write a better e-mail to you guys.  This week was not the best, but things are going to get better  =)

         

I love you all!  Be good, be safe, write me lots  =)  I LOVE YOUI!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Howdy!!!!!

"It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday"

Family...

RIP, Elder Scofield . . . He headed off to Maceió yesterday afternoon . . . This really was the first time it was hard to say goodbye to a companion . . . I looooove that kid!  But life has to go on, huh?  His time is here!  Hopefully he will stop losing his hair now.

     

In other news!!!!  This week was CRAZY!  We were all over the place tryin’ to get things set up.  BUT Monice and Gabriel were both Baptized!!!!  WOO HOO!!!  And confirmed!!!!  WOO HOO!!!!  Izabel was confirmed as well!!!!  WOO HOO!!!!!!

     

AND our Zone finished this week with not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, not 6, not 7, not 8, not 9, not 10, butttttt . . . 11 Baptisms!!!!!!!!!!!  #SWAG!!!!!!!!!!  YES!!!!  #SatanSucks!  #YouSuckAgain!!!  #AracajuSul!!!!!!!!!! #DELICIOUS - That puts our Zone at 18 Baptisms this month with two weeks more to go!!!!!! 

     

So with that!  We broke three "curses" this week . . .

1.      I have never Baptized someone knocking doors - We met both Monice and Gabriel knocking doors  =)  The Spirit really lead us to that street too when we went there so that was amazazing.

2.      Atalalia A, my area, never Baptizes more than two in the month - We Baptized three so far  =)

3.      Sixteen Baptisms in the month was the very most that I heard of Aracaju Sul Baptizing - We have 18 so far!

       

The Church is so incredibly true . . . This week was super duper nutty, but look at the result!!!  We worked so hard!  Our whole Zone!  I’m so frickin’ proud of my Zone that they are steppin’ up to the challenge and making this Mission the Lord's Mission.  I’m so proud that they want to serve others so very much.  Now they just have to keep going.  Continue!!!!  Never give up!  #WOMBO!!!!!!!!

       

I love you all!!!!  I don’t have too much to fill ya in on this week in my own area, but I am stayin’ here, so I promise to work much harder this next week.  The Lord has many Elect people waiting, but I need to find them with my next companion who I will receive on Tuesday!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

PS - We bought Zone Shirts . . . On the back, the shirts say, "Wombando os Batismos" which would be "Womboing the Baptisms" . . . Hahahaha . . . Any Spongebob fan will appreciate that . . .

PSS – Dad!  I got my whole Zone using those referral papers, so I’m hoping to get that going a lot soon  =)  Thanks for your help!!!

The Week We DIED . . .

Hey!

Just kidding we didn’t die.  The week actually wasn’t too shabby.  Kinda stressful because we met a lot of people who didn’t really want too much to do with us.  Or a ton of people who seem so legit and excited to go to church and then just don’t go . . .

       

I got the maddest I have been in a looooong time on Saturday night!  It was great.  Edla, our investigator, told us, "I would have already made my decision to be Baptized but I still am struggling with Baptisms for the Dead”.  She doesn’t like to listen to me and Elder Scofield with things like this because she thinks we are young and don’t know how to respond -______- So we got everything set up to visit Lima.  He is ta retired Army Captain who majored in History and had the same doubt before his Baptism.  He is always tellin’ us how everything needs to be done and just . . . Well, acting like an Army Captain.  Yeah so.  He didn’t show up.  And I called.  And called.  And called.  And called.  And on the fourth tim,e he picked up and talked super grumpy to me (I was already stressed out of my mind and I don’t like when people talk to me disrespectfully).  He just . . . Didn’t show up.

       

It just drove me crazy.  I understand if you are mad.  But how are you gonna get mad at people for doing something wrong and then turning around and just abandoning the people who need you?

           

Anyway . . . Moral of the story . . . Don’t be a hypocrite.  When someone needs you, keep up your end of the deal.  ESPECIALLY when someone’s Salvation depends on it.

       

BUT!  Izabel was Baptized!!!!!  #SWAG!!!!  That was so legit to see her just decide out of nowhere  =)  Monice was all ready to be Baptized too but her grandpa choked on something and she had to take him to the emergency room (Satan works in straaaaaaaaange ways).  But she is all set to go for this next week along with Gabrield  =)  And . . . Iif we can get Lima to go to Edla's house with us, she is a done deal too!  So, if all goes as planned, we will have three Baptisms this week  =)

         

Sooooo our Zone!  Yeah.  Our goal is just every companionships goals put together.  I would like much more to just have the Zone create a goal together to be honest because when ya add everything up and it comes out to 32 that’s kinda . . . A lot.  But that’s the way it goes.  I personally believe 32 is seriously high for our Zone, but we will work our butts off to make it happen  =)

           

Our Zone only had four Baptisms this week which puts us at seven Baptisms in week two . . . If all goes as planned this next week, our Zone will Baptize almost ten more people which will be #SWAGALICIOUS!  I will keep you all tuned in!

           

That’s about it for me now!  The church is true!!!!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Well!!!!

The Orla!!!

Howdy!!!

Well, well, well!!!  How’s it goin’ y’all???  How’s life?  This week was SUPER fast for me because I only really worked in my area for three days . . .

Tuesday, we had Zone Conference!  It wasn’t anything TOO exciting but always legit.  Elder Scofield gave his "goodbye" testimony which was . . . Utterly heartbreaking . . . I may or may not have cried a little bit but, hey.  He isn’t like my favorite companion so far or anything  =(  I also decided, and I hope that no one gets mad at me for this, to extend my Mission two weeks so that I could get my whole two years in . . . My original date to leave was before I finished my two years and that’s  just . . . Not really acceptable.  #GoHardOrGoHome

P-Day!!!

Wednesday, I had a division with Elder Mechaileh who actually served in Japan for a year and two months, got sick and went home but wanted to finish and they sent him back out here . . .  Freakin’ legit.  The dude is just way more calm and mature than most Missionaries, so the division with him was LEGIT.  He teaches super well and shared some legit stories of his time in Japan.  Basically became one of my best friends out here in a day.  #Bromance  

Me and Elder Mechaileh

Also taught someone for the first time on my Mission who doesn’t believe in God!!!  Man, that was waaaayyyyy different but really fun too.  The challenging lessons are where it’s at!  He was actually gonna go to church with his mom (who really wants to be Baptized), but she had some sort of problem with her leg and it didn’t go as planned.  They are from São Paulo (favorite accent) and have a brother who is comin’ to visit this next week . . . Apparently he is a lawyer and loves question soooo . . . Day of Defense soon to come . . . Haha. 

         

I realized somethi’n this week while I was studying . . . The Gospel is perfect.  The Lord has blessed me with so much knowledge out here it’s amazing.  It’s tastier than cake.  It’s like mint brownie ice cream without an end.  There are no holes in this Gospel.  There are no doubts if we search.  Knowledge is everything.  I can’t believe that I can basically respond to every doubt someone has AND use scriptures to back it up.  It’s absolutely amazing  =)  #TheChurchIsTrue

         

Our Zone started off this month with only three Baptisms . . . Last month we had four weeks and because Sunday fell on the first of September they counted all this last week as September.  All Baptisms are done on Saturday and Sunday with very few exceptions.  So we know exactly what’s up and what our numbers are only at the end of our weeks.  Our Zone is improving, but we still have lots more that we can do to improve.  Our Zones Goal for this month is 32 Baptisms which is honestly really high but . . . SHOOT FOR THE STARS! 

The Best Zone ever!!!

     

Well . . . That's about it for me!  I sure do love you all!  Be good, be safe, hit me uuuuup!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

- Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Scripture Power!!!!

PS - New favorite scripture - D&C 131:6.  That scripture is a LOT deeper than it seems so check into it as much as possible  =)

Fotos!!!!!

Killa Zone!!!!!

Bob Marley and Michael Jackson came to our District Meeting!

Men Working!!!!!

No Reason . . . Just Cuz . . .

Rafson . . . Still goin' strong . . . Stud . . .

View going to Aracaju from Maceio

So close!!!!!

We were short on investigators, okay?

DANG IT!!!!

 
Family and friends and all you beautiful people out there,
 
This week was really crappy!  Hahahaha . . . But it ended really well, so it’s all good  =)
 
First of all . . . Investigators.  Izabel is still difficult but went to church!  Jaiane FINALLY got confirmed!  We actually had about nine people at church who are investigating!!!  It was pretty legit.  Some are new and we even had one that doesn’t live in our area (dang it!!) but it really made our Sacrament Meeting and Gospel Principles class look LEGIT!!!  Maria and Manoel and their son Gabriel all came to church and loved it!  Monice said she wasn’t gonna come because her little sister is a troublemaker, but we told her to call us if anything changed.  She called RIGHT when we got to church and said she wanted to go.  Apparently she was super sad when we left, so her dad just said to take her sister and go  #AttaBoyYouGoDad.  Edla also showed up again!  She brought her two daughters-in-law as well  =)  And a girl named Maria Fatima came as well with Maria and Manoel!  So the week was pretty crappy, but ended REALLY well  =) Unfortunately, we weren’t able to follow up with anyone because we had to go to the Stake Center to set stuff up for our Zone Conference on Tuesday . . . So we will try to follow up with everyone tonight!!!
       
This week, we taught a new sister.   Basically she is super sad and doesn’t want to believe that life continues because she doesn’t really want it to continue.  She told us every problem she has and man . . . I cried my eyes out.  Not gonna lie.  I just . . . WANT her to be happy.  I want people to be as happy as we are and when they won’t accept the Gospel it’s . . . Crappy.  I know she needs the Gospel.  SHE knows she needs it.  It was a very, very, very powerful lesson and very spiritual.  But . . . I just want her to be happy.  I want my investigators to understand the eternal joy that they could and should have.  I guess that in itself is a blessing from the Lord, huh?  Just to have love for others . . . Just to love random people seems like it would be really hard.  But the Lord is helping me a ton.  I know she will be Baptized  =)  Not sure when, but I know she will!
       
Our Zone finished this month with fifteen Baptisms!!!  We are definitely improving, but we still have weak links.  I heard the most this Zone has Baptized is sixteen.  GAH!  DO YOU KNOW HOW CRAZY THAT MADE ME TO BE SO CLOSE AND NOT BEAT THAT!!!!!!!!!!!  GOSH DANG IT!!!!!!!!!!!  I’m still kinda goin crazy.  Competitive?  Of course not.  Don’t be ridiculous.  Our Zone is getting a lot better, but we have lots more little adjustments to do.  Like Dad said, little adjustments make all the difference.  That helped a lot.  Thanks!  #ShoutOutToMyPops
      
Well, things are goin well here!!!!!  Elder Scofield only has three more weeks, but I know he is gonna stay in it with me.  He´s the man.

I love you all!!!!!!!!  Thanks for your prayers, love and support.  Y’all make a huge difference  =)  I get letters tomorrow!  Can’t wait to hear from y’all!!!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!! 

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

 

Howdy Hey!

"Catchy Quote"  

Hey!!!

Well . . . This week, really, not too terribly much happened.  Izabel?  I don’t really know.  That whole family just got kinda hard to read.   Like when we go there, the lessons have no Spirit.  We can’t get them to really understand the messages I think.  I don’t think Izabel really understands the importance of Baptism, so she just keeps saying she wants more time . . . I don’t know exactly what the plan is with her . . . I don’t know exactly what she wants from US. -______- I hope we can figure that all out soon . . .

This week was kinda a weird one.  I never felt really in a rhythm which was really weird.  I don’t know.  Something was like holding us back this week.  I think we were a bit tired and stressed and we kinda let the carnal mind take over which is totally 100% lame of us.  We had much more to give this week that we didn’t give.  Always improving right?

         

We did however meet a woman that is WAY into the message and is actually really smart so teaching her is much easier.  Her name is Edna!  She went to church and all that good stuff and is already reading the Book of Mormon so we will see how it goes!

         

We also met a girl named Milena who is the neighbor of a member!  She went to church as well and is super legit.  Most important thing with her is to get permission from the parents to Baptize her. 

         

And Monice!  Didn’t show up to church, but was progressing throughout the week . . . Dunno why she didn’t go but we will pass by this week  =/

           

Our Zone Baptized six people this last week!  Up until now, we have ten this month which is better but just still not what it could and should be . . . But improvements and small adjustments will make all the difference  =)

         

Really not too terribly much!  Sorry!  But I sure love you all!!!!  Be good, be safe!!!!!  Write lots!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Fast Week!

MERMAN!!!

Howdy!!!

Well this letter is going to be pretty dang short because our week was SUPER short!!!

     

On Tuesday we had transfers!!!  Two of the Sisters who were in the middle of their training got called to trained!  One of them was crying . . . Haha . . . I don’t know if she was nervous or excited or what.  But in any form, they will be great.  Our Sisters are AWESOME  =)  We also got a kid who took the District Leader place in Grageru 2.  He served in Japan for fourteen months and then got sick, stayed home for a year and a half and is now at a year and seven months out here.  His name is Elder Mechaileh and he is SUPER legit.  Just calm and down to earth.  It’s really easy to see that he is more mature and has a better grip on the work than a lot of people.  I would imagine serving in Japan really humbled him.  Anyways, I absolutely love the kid  =)

     

After Tuesday, we had two normal days to work which was good and then on Friday morning we got a call from the Mission Secretary telling us to go to the Stake Center.  Turns out that the church has this Humanitarian Program teaching doctors and nurses how to do Neonatal Resuscitation (I don’t think I spelled that correctly) and they needed help.  Not teaching but just setting stuff up and organizing . . . Haha.  It was fun and they had two Americans there from Utah - Elder and Sister Wilcox who were absolutely awesome.  It was also nice to just speak some solid English for once!!!!  But we basically lost all of our time to work on Friday and Saturday because of that.  But it’s all good cuz Elder and Sister Wilcox took us out to a Churrascaria afterwards!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!

     

Izabel wasn’t Baptized  =(  She says she wants more time but I really don’t know what else she is waiting for!  She is sooooo ready!!!  We will see what happens.

     

We also met a girl this week named Monice.  We had felt like we needed to knock doors on her street for quite some time.  So we finally did and then had to leave.  Then the next day, I felt the same thing so we went back and met her and her mom.  Turns out they have family that are members so they thought that they were referrals! Haha!  But Monice came to church super late and stayed for like five minutes.  The bus took forever and then because of how late she got there she had to leave like right away.  We asked her why she came if it was so difficult (because people normally don’t do that, not because we were sad she did it) and she just said, "Because I promised I would! So here I am!"  She is legit and already reading the Book of Mormon and all that good stuff  =)

       

The church is true!!!!!  I sure do love you all!!!  Be good, be safe, please keep writing!  I LOVE YOU!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Dearingest Darlingest Family and Friends

WELCOME ATLANTA WHERE DA PLAYAS PLAY AND WE RIDE ON THEM THANGS LIKE EVERYDAY. BIG BEATS HIT STREETS SEE GANGSTAS ROAMIN. AND PARTIES DONT STOP TIL 8 IN THE MORNING. 

Whuddup!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well well well.  Where to begin.  This week we met with our Stake President which was kinda cool . . . I don’t know . . . He basically just let us know that we need to Baptize more . . . I was hoping to be able to organize some stuff more but what are ya gonna do?  Bar Mitsvahs.

       

We Baptized Jaiane this week! 

Our Zone finished July with five Baptisms -________- #Crap.  Better than last month but still super frustrating.  People just kinda died at the end of the Transfer too which is SUPER annoying for me.  I think to die at the end of a transfer or your Mission is one of the most hypocritical things you can do.  But life goes on =)

         

The other Elders in our Ward pulled out three Baptisms this week which was for sure just the hand of God . . . Haha.  And we pulled one out so we started off the month with four Baptisms...  Now we have four more weeks to do MUCH better.  COME ON!  WHERE’S THE EXCITEMENT PEOPLE!?!?!??!?!

         

But all in all, a very good solid week.  Izabel and her daughter-in-law and less active son went to church.  Izabel is a freaking angel.  She works at home where she has like her own hamburger place.  But every time we go there she just puts out tons of food for us to eat.  Even if we aren’t hungry . . . She still makes us eat.  Hahaha.  She is super ready for Baptism and probably  this week.  We are going to Maceió for Transfers tomorrow (Elder Scofield and I stayed here BTW =)), so we are gonna get a for sure answer from her on Wednesday =)

         

This transfer FLEW BY!!!!!!  No one lied when they said that the second year passes faster than the first!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!  Be good, be safe, write me lots  =)

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WORST WEEK EVER

Just kidding I just like to give Mom stomach aches =)

This week definitely had some trials but in all was an awesome week!  The Spirit is guiding us so much more in our work as we try to pray more and pay more attention . . . During the week, we didn’t know where to go so we sat on the sidewalk and said a prayer real fast.  I got the feeling that we needed to visit some lady that we passed by almost every day, but it was really far away.  Well . . . When the Spirit tells you to go somewhere you should definitely do it or He won’t respond again!  So off we went.  We finally got there and . . . !!!!  The lady wanted absolutely nothing to do with us . . . Hahahaha.  She is like a die hard Catholic.  She wouldn’t stop saying, "I can never abandon my Mary.  She means everything to me.  My Mary does everything for me."  I was like uhhhhhh yeahhhhhh . . . You need to read the commandments but alright!  So she DID say that some guy had been at her house that talked really well about our church so of course we had to investigate.  She gave us his business card and we went off hunting him down.  It was already really late but the Spirit was tellin’ us what to do so I couldn’t let tired feet make me stop.  Anyways, we finally found his house andddd . . . It was the house of Luis Eduardo!  The Baptism I had right when I got here in Atalaia.  The guy’s name was Jair but we were way confused because he was a major drunk and he and his wife had separated.  Anyways, he came back and the family is complete again.  We invited him to church and explained how the Spirit had less us there.  The whole family said they would go to church again but no one showed up on Sunday -______- I don’t know.  I just know that, once again, the Lord held up his end of the deal to help them.  He sent us there.  It is so cool to be a tool in the hand of God like that.  To know He really does watch over us and take care of us. I  hope the whole family gets their butts back to church . . . The Lord is calling!!

       

This month was nutty for our Zone.  We were set up to have so much success.  Our Zone was set out to do so well and Satan just FOUGHT against us.  It was crazy.  That dude is so scared of us!!!!!!  I love my Zone!!!!  We are totallly gonna crush the serpents head in August!!!!!!  Gonna be LEGIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  #MormonSwag   #SatanSucks

       

 We have a meeting with our Stake President tomorrow morning to see what he would like from us and how we can work better with him.  I don’t think Missionaries here EVER have meetings with leadership other than with our Ward Mission Leader.  That needs to change.  We can’t grow without some sort of larger unity.  The Missionaries are meant to support stakes and wards not just knock doors and walk around all day.  So we are gonna see what we can accomplish at this meeting.

         

Meetings with our Ward Mission Leader are awesome.  He just got back from his Mission a few months back and helps a lot when we bring people to church.  It’s kinda complicated in our area because we don’t have many members but we are going to try better to utilize the members we DO have.  Our Mission Leader is pretty busy with work and school so for him to get to our area to help doesn’t go very well.  Especially because he can’t drive . . . But he helps in every way he CAN which is really nice.

           

We are trying to get Rafson the Priesthood and Bishop said that that could happen in like two weeks.  I would like to have more meetings with Bishop.  He is AWESOME.  But we don’t have much of an idea of what his plans or visions are . . . I think we just need to Baptize . . . Hahaha  =)

         

Well this letter was long!  I sure love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Be good, be safe, write lots!!!!!!!!!  I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Nobody Said It Was Easy

Well,

Before I make Mom extremely nervous, I would like to say that this week did end well and that I am extremely happy, okay!?!?  =)

       

This week I gained my testimony of . . . The Atonement of Jesus Christ.

       

This week something was just off . . . Elder Scofield and I couldn’t really get a rhythm going this week and that was really weird because last week was so incredibly natural to work.  It was like nothing went quite how we expected it to go.  The people that we met all fell through really quickly this week and just didn’t want anything to do with anything.  We worked a ton with Jaiane to try to Baptize her on Sunday but it just didn’t happen  L

         

We went to another area to do two interviews and one lady was just SUPER ready to be Baptized but didn’t want to yet which was really more saddening than anything.  And the other guy didn’t pass because he won’t repent yet . . . President didn’t let him be Baptized.

       

We met a guy when we went to that area for interviews who gave us a ride cuz it was raining like crazy and we were one hundred percent soaked . . . Turns out he served a Mission in Japan and fell away from the church . . . The dude's testimony is incredible . . . He gave up everything he had to serve a Mission but I don’t know . . . Just won’t go back to church right now.  He still believes everything and knows everything but says he has things going on his life right now that he needs more time to fix . . . It was so hard for me to hear his story and know how much the Lord trusts him but he just won’t put his heart back where it needs to be . . .

Two companionships in our Zone are STRUUUUUGGLING and it’s all just a thing of pride . . . Other companionships had Baptisms that fell through because the parents didn’t let them which was . . . Crappy.  Because the parents had been totally cool with everything up until that point.

       

Anyways, this week was the first time I ever reeeeeally truly felt PAIN for the decisions and neglect of others.  It was the first time I think I started to understand what Jesus Christ went through for us.  The first time I ever cried just because people refuse to accept Jesus Christ and do what they know is right.  The first time I felt pain for others because I know how much better they can be . . .

I obviously don’t want to make anyone depressed.  But I want everyone to know just what the Atonement means.  Elder Holland said we could never understand what Jesus went through until we had felt a little bit of that pain.  The Atonement, honestly, is EVERYTHING we got here.  Nothing we do makes any sense or has any purpose without the Atonement.  If we can’t be faithful, if we can’t fulfill our callings, if we don’t do what we know Jesus Christ expects us to do the MOMENT He expects us to do it, we are denying Him as our Savior and showing that we do not care what pain He suffered for us.  But when we truly accept Jesus as the Christ, we can know with a surety that we have taken away at least a little bit of the pain He suffered.  We can know that what He did for us was not in vain.  And we can know that we can be happier and have a better life.  So much better of a life.  Better than we can imagine.  But only we truly do what Christ would do if he were by our side.

           

 I am so grateful for the Atonement.  I am grateful for the difficulties I had this week and the love that my Father in Heaven has for me.  So much love that He felt I was ready to improve and learn such a huge lesson.  I am so glad that He loves me and trusts me and sees me as something that can be much greater. 

         

This week my Spirit feels bigger.  I feel more ready to serve.  I feel stronger.  Like something has changed inside of me.  That I have a new purpose.  To help people REALLY understand the light of Christ and what He did for them.

         

I love you all so so so much.  I would encourage everyone to pray tonight to understand better the Atonement of Christ.  It is not as simple as we always think it is.  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen