Sunday, June 30, 2013

WHUDDUUUUUUUUP



That awkward moment when . . . You get transferred and are called to be the new Mission President.

Well!

Actually . . . Nno awkward moments this week!  BUT we did have transfers.  A loooot of people in our Zone were transferred which I know is going to be really good for our Zone.  We had a lot of people that were kind of dying, so I think that the changes will be good!  We actually had one Elder that just finished his Mission and just to show how lost this kid is . . . He had his pass and everything to get the bus for Maceió.  Yeah.  His bus came and left and he didn’t even see it.  The bus waits for a good 20 - 30 minutes at least . . . Hahahahahahaha.  So he had to get a different bus about midnight! HOW!?
         
This week, we worked our behinds off  #MissionarySensored and actually managed to meet some really cool people.  It was a huge blessing because our area is a little difficult but we were able to make 14 new investigators which about tripled our numbers from our past few weeks.  Pretty cool  =)  No one Baptized this week  =(  #Sadness
        
Our Mission is actually having a really bad Baptism draught but it’s just because of a lack of focus.  Lots of Missionaries that don’t do what President wants us to do and invite people to be Baptized on the first visit.  We had splits with an Elder who didn’t have that focus on the Baptism and when he finally started to do it, his area started to have a lot more success . . . Whuddya know!  President really WAS called by God!
       
Other than that . . .  Not too terribly much this week.  We go to Maceió for transfers tomorrow so that’s another four hours to get there!  We have to be at the bus at 2:40 in the morning -_______-
       
Well I love you all!!!  Be good, be safe.  Write me lots!  I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Saturday, June 22, 2013

WOOP WOOP!


First of all . . . Gotta give a shot out to my little sister and her boyyyyy.  I’m happy for you two  =)  Bummed I couldn’t be there, but I’m pretty sure that Heavenly Father will have a DVD for me when this life is over so that I can see what happened  =)  I LOVE YOU BOTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So good to know that the wedding so well . . . Our family is big now! 

Annnnnnnd we are off!  Wow!  We worked our butts off this week!!!  This area is going to be a little bit more challenging because it is a looooot richer.  We live close to this beach called the Orlan and its super gorgeous and legit but all the houses close by (or many) are really big and the owner's heads are even bigger.  BUT!  It is really pretty here and muuuuch more calm and organized than Maceió. 
       
This week . . . We baptized Jose Elias!  That guy was a piece of work for suuuuuure.  He is at a really difficult point in his life.  Work is going terribly for him as he tries to sell candy on the beach . . . Terrible idea.  Who wants to buy candy on the beach?  Everyone wants water or something refreshing . . . We tried explaining that to him buuuut . . . He is a little off in the head sooooo work will continue to be rough.
       
He normally rents out part of his house, too, but they are redoing his entire street so no one wants to live there . . . And his ex-wife doesn’t let him see his daughter anymore.  AND he loves coffee AND his motorcycle broke so . . . Basically you can imagine all of the excuses he had to use against being baptized.  BUT . . . We have a member named Irmão Lima that helped us out like craaaaazy.  It’s basically because of him that Jose Elias was baptized. Well . . . The Spirit too.  But Irmão Lima helped a loooot!
       
We thought we had lost Jose Elias during the week.  We weren’t able to talk to him and didn’t know where he was or how we were going to meet him.  We did’nt know what to do next one day so we just stopped to sit and eat something real quick and . . .Out of nowhere he rides by on his bike!!  He gave a toooooon of excuses about why he couldn’t be baptized and then, I don’t really know.  We just started teaching in the street and testifying that he would be ready and that baptism would help in his life . . . He was really nervous in the beginning but he started calming down when the Spirit started talking through us.  I got really light headed talking to him and felt kinda like I was floating.  It was suuuuuper weird.  But something changed big time after we talked to him and yeah!  He was baptized!!  Such a LEGIT experience!  #TheChurchIsTrue!
       
In other news . . . This week a lady asked us to pray for her pitbull . . . That was a first.  We also saw a drunk guy walking and peeing at the same time . . . That was for sure a first.  We didn’t know if we should pass him so we just kinda stopped walking and started busting up laughing and the guy saw us and said, "What!? When ya gotta go ya gotta go!!! Wow. That smells bad huh!?!?"  Yeah . . . He was aaaaaaalmost normal!!!!!
       
Our Zone is kinda stressful . . . We had an entire District say that they were sick this week.  People make excuses to avoid working a loooot.  Our DLs are really new and young so they need a loooot of guidance.  We have one DL who is really good but the other two . . . Just need some prayers.
       
I think that’s about all I’ve got this week!  I love you all like crazy!!!!!!!!!!! THE CHURCH IS TRUE.  I never said that before the mission REALLY believing it . . . Weird how things change because I know 100% now that the church is true.  I really know it.  I love you all!!!!

Love,  Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Transferred!



Hey hey!!!

Well, I got transferred in another Emergency Transfer!  The secretary called on Thursday and said that I was going to be leaving the following morning.  I actually was really nervous.  Emergency Transfers make my stomach feel really bad.  I get really nervous and anxious (no I didn’t do anything wrong) . . . I just feel that way!
       
So Friday I headed off to a place where we have to get a bus.  Generally you only go there if you are going inland or to another state soooooo . . . I kinda had an idea.  ANYWAYS!  I got called to be Zone Leader A in Aracaju Sul!  This is my first time in Sergipe so I’m super pumped.  Everyone always speaks really highly of Aracaju and . . . Up until now it has been pretty great!  We baptized a kid named Luis Eduardo yesterday and this next week we are going to baptize a man named Jose Elias.  I don’t know exactly what happened but he always had problems with tithing because he is having huge financial difficulties.  Well . . . We taught him one more time and . . . I don’t know what happened but he is super ready for this week!  I was kinda nervous because he seems a little "slow”, but . . . Even in his prayer he was like "help me to have strength to be baptized this Saturday so that I can overcome Satan and obey God" and all this cool stuff!  SUPER LEGIT!!!!!!
       
My new companion is Elder Scofield and he is from New York.  He kinda reminds of Jason soooo . . . I love this kid!  In general, Aracaju is a looooot more chill than Maceió.  It’s just more organized and clean and everything.  I like it a lot so far   =)
       
I have been studying the heck out of Jesus the Christ these last few days . . . I already read it once but dang . . . THIS BOOK IS GOOD.  I have been learning so much!  #KnowledgeIsTasty!
       
I don’t have too terribly much to fill you all in on but . . . I LOVE YOU ALL!!!  Be good, be safe.  Stay classy!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Whew!!!!!

The Best Weapon
"Nobody knows what it means but its provacative. 
IT GETS THE PEOPLE GOING!"


Howdy Hey!

Do I always say "howdy" in my letters? I think Grandpa is, in some mysterious way, rubbing off on me half way around the world.  #WEIRD

 This last week was lots of work but it was #BEAUTIFUL.  This week we met a family, but only two of the daughters are actually interested it seems like . . . Fernanda, who is 13, and Sabrina, who is 11, both went to church with us and looooved it.  It was amazing to see how much some of the members helped them to feel at home.  I could tell that they were uncomfortable in the first class, but when they found friends everything was #LEGIT!  It was super funny because Sabrina made friends and her friend tried to get her to bear her testimony . . . Hahahahahaha.  She didn’t end up doing it which is good cuz it wouldn’t make any sense for a nonmember to do . . . Haha.  There was also a girl that bore her testimony that does that weird complaining and super high pitch voice when she cries and talks and all that I wanted to do was yell, "She doesn’t even go here!!!"   But I resisted.  It was a challenge.  But I did it.
           
Ramon watched a baptism on Saturday with us, but apparently went somewhere super early on Sunday morning (rain is falling) and didn’t go to church . . . BUT church was legit because!  Jayne was there!  And the Gospel Principles class was . . . #BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!  It was sooooo perfect!  We always talk about baptism with Jayne so it was awesome to have someone else teach it and help her feel the Spirit.  She felt like she hadn’t received an answer yet, but after church I asked her how it was and what she learned and she just said, "Baptism. Something touched me today and gave me the will to be baptized."  #WIN!!!!!!  So we went to her house a few hours after church and she is totally firm for baptism this Saturday  =)  We only really need to teach tithing but I don’t believe that it will be too difficult.  "Tudo posso naquele que me fortalece."   #YES!
           
Our Zone is still struggling a bit.  I don’t know what it is.  It’s just a rough time for the Mission.  I think a lot of Missionaries are discouraged and tired and have forgotten why they are here.  We even have a kid in our Zone who has "Emotional Migraines" and they are getting worse because of the pressure as a DL.  

The week was really good  =)  I think that lesson I learned last week made ALL the difference which is a huge blessing.  #JustKeepSwimming
         
Well, I love you all!!!!  Be good, be safe!  Hoping to get a bunch of letters at our ZL Counsel tomorrow.  I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!


Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen