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  =)