Hey!!!

DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS THAT ARE COMIN OUTTA MY MOUTH?   Name that movie.  R$5 for the first person to get it right.

What’s up errrrbody!  This week had some pretty dead days . . . Haha.  We struggle a bit with finding new investigators in our area because everything close to the chapel is 1) Rich; 2) An apartment; or 3) Condominiums.  We can go out walking for 45 minutes to find people who are more accepting, but the hard part is getting them to go to church.   No one wants to walk very much here. Especially at 9 o´clock on a Sunday morning.  It’s funny because the Missionary Handbook says that Sundays are the best days for proselyting and THAT, my friends, is just not true in Brasil!  Haha!  Sundays here mean everyone is sleeping or drinking.  Sundays are . . . difficult!  Haha.

       

I am great this lovely day!  My week was tiring but great!  My District is happy and learning!  Elder Coon WAS in my Zone but I don’t know if he still is.  Actually, when I asked to get to the Mission sooner, he was called to leave sooner as well to fill my spot.  Because of me, he had to get ready super fast.  I stressed him and his family out very very much . .. Haha.  Apologize to his mother for me if you get the chance!

         

I heard from Landon!  But it looks like his Visa has not come through yet!  

I had a dream last night that you and the family were here during church.  I got to hug you! I  thought I was gonna be really homesick after that dream but it was kinda weird.  The hug seemed so real that it actually killed a bit of my homesickness. #WeirdBlessingsFromTheLord

         

Oh one more thing! I  put a bunch of old letters in the trash (I’m sorry it was just too much space in my suitcase . . . Haha) but the garbage truck didn’t pass for some reason and someone stole the letters . . . hey probably thought I had important information in there, but just thought I should let you know.  If you start getting letters from "me" in broken English, just know that some Brazilian kid is pulling a prank on you. 

WE FINALLY GOT NADJA TO COMMIT TO BAPTISM.  She is going to be baptized on the 6th of April!  My goodness.  Long time comin’, huh?  We finally helped her understand that she doesn’t have to understand EVERYTHING to be baptized, but that more knowledge and understanding will come after baptism and after receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  She’s gonna pull through!  Or I hope she’s gonna pull through . . . I think she’s gonna pull through . . . Is she gonna pull through?  All great questions and thoughts that only time will tell  =)

         

We met some other investigators during the week that were super firm to go to church.  We even got a member to take us to a couples house to take them to church and . . . Lo and behold . . . They were sleeping.  We even tried calling Everson (the husband) on his cell phone, but it was turned off.  When we passed there later that day, he said that it wasn’t ever turned off and he seemed sincere about it.  Looks like something weird happened.  Who knows.  We will see what happens!

       

Another kid named Lucas also went to church this week which was really cool and he seems really interested.  We will see what happens with time.  He is already reading the Book of Mormon and seems to really enjoy it so . . . #Batismo

       

This week was also a humbling one with the language.  I think I was forgetting where I learned the language and the Lord wanted me to remember that.  I had some difficulty this week in understanding and explaining which hasn’t happened for a long time.  It was hard but also a good lesson.  Just because the Lord already gave us what we asked, doesn’t mean we can just forget about that blessing.  I think we all do that way too much.  We become so excited with our new gift or blessing that we almost convince ourselves that is was US that did all the work.  We like to lie to ourselves don’t we?  We just need to remember who really gives us all of our amazing blessings.  If we could do that all day every day, life would be so much better.  The Lord wants us to remember Him, and whether He needs to teach that softly of harshly, it will be taught.  Just do your best so that He doesn’t have to teach you harshly.  He loves you, but He needs you to learn and wants you to become as He is =)

       

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Write me lots, keep it real, keep it smooth.  Keep it real smooth.  LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

P. Sherman, 42 Wallabee Way, Sidney

E-mail received March 18, 2013

Whuddup ya´ll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, well, well . . . This week was quuuuuuite  the tiring one! We are working like crazy in our area to try to get things going and I had splits with an Elder in my District this week so I am a little worn out but never tired!  Unfortunately, we did not get too terribly much accomplished . . . Haha.  We were teaching tons and meeting tons of new people but . . . Almost everything fell through before we could really get going.  We taught several people that seemed really cool and then it was just impossible to meet up with them again.  I think, actually I know, that getting people to keep commitments here is our biggest challenge.  If you mark with someone to come back another day, it’s not like. "Alright I will be in the house at this hour so that I can talk with you."  It’s more like, "Yeah maybe if you drop by I will be here."  So everything we do is slightly based off of chance which is really hard for me because I like firm commitments.  Even the better investigators do this!!!  Culture I guess . . . We will see what happens!

         

Elder Jensen and his Zone

This next week we are giving an ultimatum to a few investigators.  We have already taught everything we can, now it’s just a matter of them doing their part and REALLY searching to know if it is true or not.  Nadja already has here answer, she just doesn’t recognize it.  I think she wants a rock to fall out of the sky that says "THE CHURCH IS TRUE" or the same angel that appeared to Alma and the sons of Mosiah to appear to her and . . . Well . . . It’s not going to happen.  She wants some HUGE answer when she already has her true, simple and pure answer.  She knows the church is true, she feels it when she goes there and she can see how it has changed her daughters.  We just can’t use much more time there . . . So she is gonna have to decide what she wants this week!  I hope it goes well!

           

Elders Harris and Jensen

While I was thinking about what we are going to do with Nadja, the last verse of D&C 123 kept popping into my head.  It helped me remember that I am not the person that is going to convince someone.  It helped me to remember that we cannot do anything more than we can do.  And that once we have done all that we are capable of doing, we just have to let God do the rest.  We are not perfect angels, we are only human.  I think it is really important that we remember that.  If we try our VERY hardest, we can never feel let down.  If it doesn’t go right, it just means that the timing wasn’t right, it doesn’t mean we did something wrong.  That’s an important lesson.  Here on the mission, and back at home.  The only time we should feel discouraged is when we didn’t do EVERYTHING within our power to make our wish come true =) 

         

The week was great and everything is fantastic here!  I sure hope you all are happy and safe.  Write lots!  Be good, be safe.  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

E-mail to Dylan's Mom - Received March 18, 2013

Mom!!!!

Elder Jensen and his P-Day Kick Boxing Instructor, Drausio

Today at Kick Boxing, I learned the Kick from the Karate Kid!  Hahahaha . . . Way harder than it looks!!!!!!!!!!

Glad to hear you are so busy but so happy!  Keep it up! 

I’m pumped for Marcus!!!!!!!!!!!  I have met some people from Cuiaba (by the way, you have to put the accent on the last 'a' not the first one.  I know that everyone back home is probably saying CuiAba but its CuiabA).  We can speak Portuguese!  Yay!  Tell him to hit me up with a letter some time will ya?  You da you da best  =) 

      

I’m sorry I don’t have too terribly much to fill ya in on this week . . . When things are going well time passes SO fast but there aren’t too many interesting things to say!  I was thinkin’ about my time on the mission . . . Everyone says the second year passes in an instant and . . . Honestly that makes me nervous because the first year is passing waaaaaay too fast already.  I’m gonna have ten months on this mission soon, Ma . . . Where the heck does the time go?  Seriously, time has never passed so dang fast for me in my life.  Every week we get to Tuesday and I think, "Man . . . What are we gonna do this week?  How is it going to be?"  And in the blink of an eye it’s already P-Day again!  It makes me excited, but even more nervous!!!!!!!!!!!  I don’t have enough time to do all the work I need to do here!!!!!!!!! 

          

I love you tons . . . You have no idea how much your love and support helps me each and every week.  I LOVE YOU!!!!  Be good, be safe, give the babies (including Ashley´s belly) a kiss for me.  I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Howdy!

E-mail received March 11, 2013

Howdy, ya´ll!  Yes they say that in Brasil.  Cowboy = Gaucho.  Like Ga - oo - shoe

Well!  This week we taught a looooot and all that good stuff but it seems like the majority of our investigators fell through pretty quickly which . . . Stunk.  But, hey, life goes on!  We are here to work not to have a perfect life  =)  And I am A-OKAY with that!  Nara´s mom, Alessandra, still isn’t progressing very much and if she doesn’t do so this week, we probably have to drop her which is a stinker  =/  She goes to church and even sang in the choir for our Ward Conference but just . . . Isn’t all too interested in baptism.  It’s hard because she always says stuff like "It’s hard for me to believe everything that the scriptures say or what people teach at church."  YEAH CUZ YOURE SUPER STUBBORN AND WON’T PRAY WITH REAL INTENT.  This could be so simple if she would actually WANT an answer!

     

My District is super legit and I love everyone.  Elder Souza is a little Brazilian Justin Bieber . . . I will take a photo with him this week to show you all  (PS I hear Justin Bieber fought someone in England? #Legit #RespectForTheBiebs).  Our District is really really young and energized but we have trouble with marking baptisms and finding new investigators because of a lack of experience.  This week’s District meeting is going to focus  a lot on how to set baptismal dates and finding new investigators.  I know we have the best District on the mission, we just aren’t showing it yet  ;) 

       

This week really didn’t have too terribly much unfortunately!  Sorry  =/  If all of our investigators hadn’t fallen through I would fill ya’ll in a little more on them but, lo and behold, doesn’t make much sense to update someone on something that doesn’t exist anymore!  Haha . . . The week was really good though and always passes waaaaaay too fast.  Elder Bispo is super quiet still butttttt super legit too.  We are making plans to help him speak more in the lessons.  He is super awesome and I <3 him. 

     

Once again sorry I don’t have more to fill ya’ll in on!  But . . . I LOVE YOU!  Be good, be safe, write me lots  =)  LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Yeah, buddy!!!!!!

"There is nothing more terrifying than driving with a live cougar."

Whuddup y’all!  Well, let’s get down to the nitty gritty (Nacho voice).  Elder Augusto was transferred this last week and I . . . Was called to be President of our Mission!  How cool is that? I  really didn’t think it was possible but the Lord really does work in mysterious ways.

No . . . Just kidding.  I stayed in Antares and my new companion is Elder Bispo which means Elder Bishop.  After just five days with him you can imagine which joke I am already tired of hearing from EVERY MEMBER OF THE WARD.  "What!?!? He is already Bishop!?"  HA HA HA HA.  Haven’t heard that one before -_________- Aaaanyways!  Elder Bispo is super legit.  He is from Belém de Pará just like Elder Pereira!  They didn’t know each other before the mission but Elder Bispo says he knows people from his ward.  Mormon World = TIIIIIIIIINY. Or tiiiiiiiiiiiny.  But!  He is really legit.  A little bit quiet during lessons and contacts but really cool.  He has six months on the mission which brings me to my next point!

Elders Jensen, Bispo, Evangelista, & Harris

I am officially the "oldest" in our District . . . Haha.  I have only nine months and I am the oldest here!  Elders Harris and Webber, two Americans who have six months on the mission as well, were both called to train!  Haha . . . Our District is suuuuuuuper young now!  But it’s really cool too.  Everyone is really excited to work.  The challenge now isn’t getting my District to work, it’s just helping them to understand what to do.  Which is pretty funny because I for sure still feel a little lost some times!  Haha . . . But hey!  Progress is always welcome here!  "You’re the best around.  Nothin’s gonna ever keep ya down" - Karate Kid song during the last fights. 

This week we had a pretty cool "prayer experience".  We were walkin’ in the street and a girl from the ward came running up behind us and said, "Elders I am so glad you are here. I had been praying to find you."  As we talked with her we came to learn that an older woman that lived close and takes care of her eight year-old twin grandkids, couldn’t find Eduardo, one of the twins.  He had run away and she had searched all day for him in every place and had not had success in finding him.  She (her name is Zeze) was SUPER distressed and crying when we got there especially since the sun was completely down.  I didn’t really know what we could do other than get her number and stop any kid on the way back to the house that looked like he was eight years old.  So we got her number and said we would call and before we left we said a prayer to find Eduardo.  So we took off really not having any clue what to do or where to go.  I just had this constant prayer in my heart that the Spirit would tell me where to go or what to do.  So we left and about twenty seconds later I saw a kid leaving an apartment.  SO I shouted out to him and asked what his name was and what did he say!?!?!?  "Eduardo".  Sayyyyyyyy whaaaaaa!

       

My gosh!  I could not BELIEVE how prayers had been answered that day.  First, the girl’s prayer to find us.  Second, our prayer to find Eduardo.  Third, my personal prayer to know where to go.  All answered in a matter of minutes!  SUUUUUCH a cool experience.  I think we forget a lot the power of a simple but TRUE and MEANINGFUL prayer.  We could do so many things, if we just always had that faith and desire to receive the answer that we are looking for  =)

       

The week was awesome and our area is looking waaaaay up!  We even had five investigators at church yesterday which was for sure a lot for me!  Haha . . . Week of miracles and I’m excited for the miracles that we will have this next week  =)

       

I love you all!  Be good, be safe, write me lots.  The church is true!  LOVE YOU!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen