Bringing in the Sheaths . . .

Let’s get down to the nitty gritty, (Nacho Voice)

Loro and Silvania were married and baptized!  Honestly . . . This letter is going to be kind of short because that baptism basically completed my life.  Not only had I been praying exactly for a miracle the week they called and said they wanted to get married, but they pulled through and were baptized!  Saturday I pulled a "Mom".  I cried my eyes out at that baptism.  It was the most perfect night that I have ever had in my life!  We had so many members and the Spirit was SO strong. I t hit me after their baptisms that we had just completed a family . . . Now everyone was baptized and would have the chance to be sealed in the Temple.  FOR ETERNITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So when that hit me, piled on top of just how happy I was that day, I lost it.  Started crying like crazy.  I can’t believe how lucky I was to be the Lord’s tool.  After a year of missionaries trying, the Lord decided that the job was for me and Elder Pereira . . . How lucky can I get!?!?!?  Soooo . . . I was crying crying . . . Finally stopped, and then, I remembered how just a few weeks before the mission I had the chance to enter the Temple with Momma, Dad and ALL of my brothers and sisters.  And it hit me just how important that day is to me now!   That picture I have on my Facebook of us in the Visitors Center at the Temple will always be the most significant photo for me in my life.  It marks the day that all of us had the full opportunity (besides we need to be married) to live together forever in the Celestial Kingdom.  So I lost it again . . . Hahahahaha.  I just kept thinking, "Man . . . I’ve never cried because of sheer happiness before.  Mom would be so proud of me right now".  GREATEST NIGHT EVER.  To the point where I was so happy, the next day I was exhaustedddddddd.  I hope you all can at least grasp a little bit how happy I was!

       

On another note, Elaine's brother and cousin are preparing for baptism on the 22nd and probably Douglas too.  Leticia was beyond busy with other things so have to drop her until January.  Douglas didn’t visit church again so we have to postpone his baptism again -_____- Dang youngin’s.

In OTHER very shocking news . . . I was called as District Leader!  So this last weekend was much more crazy for me because of interviews and all that good stuff!  I was super nervous but now that I’ve done most things one time, I feel alright.  What an honor I have  =)  So excited to be able to serve even more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    

Sorry this letter is kinda short!  Got some photos I wanna send.  The Church is true!  I love you all!  Be good!  Be safe!  #SWAGWSIGGIDYSWIGSWAG

Love, Elder Dylan Jensen

Well, Whoopidy Dee!

Herro errone!

This week was quite the Spiritual uplifter for me.  But before I get into all that good stuff, I’ll give you some basic updates.  Josias completely fell through on Monday night and was not baptized this week.  He has a "friend" who used to be basically his wife and he has been spendin’ more time with her.  So he didn’t visit church which was weird so we went to visit him and he just . . . Didn’t want anything to do with baptism anymore.  I think that woman is the devil speaking in his ear (Notice how I didn’t capitalize "devil" because the devil isn’t that important to me).  And we had a few other investigators that we are still deciding where things will go with them.  One girl read all the way to Jacob 5 in three days . . . That for sure NEVER happens.  Buuuuut she does a lot to help her church and this month with Christmas they have a ton to do so we kinda have to let her go until January. Her name is Leticia.  Super legit!  But we will see how that plays out. And Douglas as well.  He wasn’t able to visit Stake Conference because his mom didn’t want him to travel there.  But she is fine with us teaching and everything so it’s all good. I believe he will play out quite beautifully  =)

          

Well enough of the boring stuff . . . Let’s get down to the knitty gritty.  I was praying everyday this week for a miracle.  When I don’t know what to do next, I just pray for a miracle and get out there and work.  ESPECIALLY this week.  So I did.  I prayed lots! Always hoping and acting and searching for a miracle.  Aaaaand . . . As we were walking one night, we received a call from Silvania who is the mom of Leo (one of the youth in our ward).  This was Friday night and she really wanted us to come over.  We started avoiding that house because the husband, Loronildo is ALWAYS drunk.  ALWAYS.  And because of this Silvania never wanted to marry him.  Makes sense to me.  So anyway . . . We went over there and she wanted to know when the free wedding was (there was a wedding for free in some other part of Maceió that a member was headed to).  When I asked why she wanted to know she said "Loro (Loronildo) said he wants to stop drinking and that he is going to stop so I want to marry him and get Baptized!!"  Ummmmm..... OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  #Ska-Doosh.  My gosh.  And the best part?  YES.  They were married the next day.  And YES.  I will never ever ever ever ever EVER question again if the Lord answers our prayers.  MY GOSH.  So we have their baptisms planned for this Saturday  =)

This week I was caught up a lot in thinking about the Lords plans for our generation and it was kinda blowing my mind.  Well the announcement of age change for the missionaries and that the mission in China opened up, it’s really starting to hit me that . . . We really ARE in the last days.  We have a LOT of work to do.  I was trying to figure out what my role would be in all of this.  There must be a reason I was called right before this announcement.  And the thing that came to mind was that this generation is extreeemely important for the Lords missionary work.  And when all these new and younger missionaries arrive, it will be my duty to help them out and train them.  The Lord has sooooo many plans and it makes me so beyond excited!!!!!  I was praying about all this missionary stuff and what is going on and the Spirit was SO strong to the point that my chest was hurting a little bit and it was hard to breathe. I don’t know exactly what the Lord has got planned.  But you can bet that I’m going to do EVERYTHING I can to be ready to serve where He needs me to serve and do what He needs me to do.  Pretty cool stuff goin down =)

          

Today and yesterday also I had the chance to meet and hear from Elder Costa, our Area General Authority.  He told some super legit stories and said some stuff that blew my mind but I don’t have time to write it all . . .I will write one story though real fast!

       

A man loved soccer.  LOVED IT.  But every Sunday he was faithful and didn’t watch or anything.  He went to his church meetings and went home after to be with his family.  But one day, his favorite team was going to have a HUGE game in the neighboring city aaaaand . . . Well he gave in and went to the game.  After the game he went home . . . Defeated.  His team had lost and he was tired and mad.  But on returning home he found it strange to find his family was not yet home.  And as the hour of church was long past, he was extremely confused.  In search of his family he went to the neighbors houses, thinking that maybe they are there. But . . . To his great astonishment, NONE of the neighbors were home as well!  Feeling extremely lost and abandoned he returned home again but found something different this time:  A note on the fridge that read like this:  "'Sorry! We couldnt wait for you' - Enoch"

    

Hahahahahaha!  I love you all!!!!!!  Be good!!  Be safe!  Write me lots!  Go to the Temple!  Serve a mission!  The Lord has plans!!!!!!!!!  HUGE PLANS AND HE NEEDS ALL OF US TO DO OUR PART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So what is your part?  A mission?  Marriage? A calling in church? Who knows? Only the Lord =) So start searching right now!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Jensen

Swiggidy Swag McSwag Swag

Yes . . . Swag IS still my favorite word.  Sometimes (a lot of times) I use it with Brazilians and they have no idea what it means!  So great!

Well people, this week was pretty darn good.  Elaine was baptized!  So cool!  After last Sunday when she didn’t visit church again, I was done.  I was not planning on going back there.  She just didn’t seem like she wanted to be baptized. Buuuut . . . My little companion. Elder Pereira. said he had a feeling that she needed our help and that we needed to get back there.  So, despite all desires to avoid that house for that rest of my life, we went back!  And she prayed for us for the FIRST time when we went back.  She showed up for the activity and she got the signature of her mom to be baptized.  Her baptism on Saturday morning was great buuuut . . . Story time!  We forgot to tell her to tie her hair up . . . Yeah you know where this is going.  Maybe.  So, when Elder Pereira dipped her down in the water, he realized that her hair was floating above the water, which obviously cannot be so.  But, instead of lifting her up, telling her to tuck in her hair or tie it up, he dipped her down farther!  Hahahaha.  She was under the water for AT LEAST five seconds!  I took a step toward the baptismal font because I thought my companion was going to kill our baptism.  I guess there’s no better time to die than when you are being baptized? #CelestialKingdom . . . Hahahaha!  Buuuuut . . . She lived and everything was great =)  Then, last night, she told Elder Pereira that she broke up with her boyfriend which was great to hear.  He is a little older than she is so we worried about law of chastity stuff.  But when Elder Pereira asked why she broke up with him, ya know what she said?  She said, "Because the prophet said we can only date when we are sixteen years old" . . . WHAT!?!?!?  Yeah.  Major respect points right there.  I am SO happy she was baptized and that the Lord answered all of our prayers.  Elaine was waaaay more ready for Baptism than I thought she was!

        

This week we are going for the baptism of Josias who is the Uncle of Rose.  He just needs to stop smoking.  Luckily, it isn’t a very big problem for him.  Just gotta baptize that guy =)

We also had Zone Conference this last week which was awesome and I learned a ton.  I got a butt load (not literally) of mail which was FANTASTIC!  I love getting more mail than all the other missionaries . . . So good work everyone!  Keep it up!  I LOVE YOU ALL AND HEARING FROM YOU ALL!!!!!!  Also, yes Mother, I got your package.  Great?  Yes.  Terrible?  Yes.  Because I have this huge package of wonders in front of me every day that I cannot open for five days . . .  #CruelMotherJokes

        

Well this last week was pretty average!  We did meet one kid named Douglas and he is super legit and open to learning.  We are going back there either tonight or tomorrow to talk more with him.  Already taught the Book of Mormon and he reads everything we leave with him which is super legit because most people here do not do that.  So add him to the prayer list for sure!  Prayin’ for lots of miracles this week!

Hey,  I don’t know why but I feel like I should say that everyone who can needs to go to the Temple this weekend or next weekend.  And those aren’t ready for the Temple need to prepare.  Don’t take for granted how easy it is for us to get to the Temple . . . We just have to get in our cars and go.  Before the Manaus temple was dedicated a few months back, members had to travel a few days by boat and plane just to get to the Temple.  The Temple is the best thing we have in this world and the closest we can get to our Father in Heaven.  EVERYONE needs to go.  So please, plan it out with your family or with friends.  Go to the Temple this weekend or next.  Promise? I  promise if you go, you will find the answer to something that you are searching.  You Heavenly Father wants to talk with you and be close to you.  The Temple is the best place for that  =)

I love you all so much!  The church is so so true and the Lord truly does exist.  I hope everything is going well back home and that Thanksgiving was fantasmatical.  Do work for me (and for the dead in the Temple) back home.  Write me lots!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Jensen

PS - DAWN WATTS, YOU STUD!  YOU GO DO WORK IN THAT MISSION FIELD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fotos!!!!!

Elder Jensen and Elder Pereira on the bus

First Day of First Transfer!

 Elder Pereira, Rose, Jailton, Estefany,& Elder Jensen

November 16, 2012

 Opa!!!!

#SWAG!

Whuddup Errrrrbody!!!!!   (The missionary manual says not to use slang... I’m a rule breaker)

Well this last week was solid!  We didn’t get the chance to meet a TON of new investigators, but ,you can bet we try our hardest =)  I was talking with Elder Pereira about how everyone has some phrase that they say most.  He says mine is "Vamos Trabalhar".  Haha . . . Which more or less means ”Let’s get to work”.  I hadn’t thought about it but, yeah, I use that phrase a lot!  It motivates me . . . Haha.

Well, what we have all been waiting for . . . Estefany (sorry I change how I spell names . . . I never know how to spell when we start teaching them) and Rose were baptized this week!  My goodness gracious that felt so incredibly great.  Baptism . . . There is honestly nothing like it.  I just feel GOOD after.  I don’t know how to describe the feeling . . . Haha . . . Especially through typing . . . Ask someone who has served a mission =)  I was super nervous for those two and was honestly having this huge inward battle with myself about if I would allow them to be baptized or not because of how lazy and boring they were during lessons.  I don’t want to baptize people who aren’t ready, so I was thinking and praying a lot about postponing the baptism for another week. BUT I got my answer!  On Wednesday, we had our usual church activity and they were there.  Afterward, we taught them but they sent Jailton (the member who gave us them as references) back to the house.  I seriously had no clue why they did that but okay!  Let’s teach!  So normally when we teach them they don’t talk or smile much, my gosh.  My world exploded.  They were SO happy and excited that night.  I was kinda weirded out.  I felt like Marissa Amadkhani a little because I think I gave a few dirty looks when they started . . . Hahaha.  Anyway . . . Estefany said, "Good!  Now I can explain everything because Jailton isn’t here!"  Okay...?

So let ME tell YOU all what happened.  Estefany had two dreams.  The first was a few weeks ago and was why she decided to receive the lessons. S he already had spoken with missionaries in the past but it didn’t go anywhere because she didn’t want it.  The first dream she saw a huge a house or all white and a man dressed in all white.  She couldn’t see his face, but she saw that he extended his hand and said "Take of this water".  To which she responded that she didn’t want it.  "But you need this water" and again she denied it.  And a third time the man said "But you NEED this water".  After that she woke up sweating and breathing super hard  =DDDDD  So for her she took that "water" as the baptismal font.  THAT’S why she decided to take the lessons again!  But of course, I think it is in relation to John 4:14 =)  Pretty cool stuff!

The second dream she had was just last week.  She dreamed she was with her friend and they were getting ready to leave her house.  Estefany was trying to bring The Book of Mormon but her friend kept telling her she didn’t need it.  So after they argued a bit, Estefany convinced her friend to bring the Book of Mormon with her as well.  The dream ended with Estefany looking over at her friend, and her friend had the Book on her lap.  Nothing too amazing, right?  Except when Estefany woke up, she received a call from that friend in the dream, saying that she had left her church and wasn’t sure what to do now because she doesn’t have a religion . . . WHAT!?!?!?  So legit =)  So we will be contacting that friend very soon =)  Cool stuff!

Anyway . . . The Baptism for those two was perfect.  The only abnormal part was . . . #ThatAwkwardMomentWhenYouHaveToGrabALizardOutOfTheBaptismalFontDirectlyBeforeEnteringTheWater . . . Hahahahah!  True story!  I watched Elder Pereira baptize Estefany with a lizard in the water . . . Bahahaha . . . So when I was walking in, I had to grab it and throw it out because Rose almost had a heart attack =)  #OnlyInBrasil!

Elaine wasn’t baptized this week because she is just super nervous.  But she seems much more firm for this Saturday.  Even got her to pray for us for the first time yesterday!  Accomplishments!!!!  Pray for her lots  =)

Oh!  Almost forgot!  Elder Hemingway has a new companion, Elder Santos.  He is from Pará, the same as my companion, but he has a year and two months on the mission I believe.  Elder Barbosa got transferred out to live with the assistants.  Not to be an assistant, just to live with them . . . Haha . . . I think President didn’t know exactly what to do with him.

Well, everything is great and always getting greater!  And hotter . . . Haha!  That sun is STRONG, but goes down around 4:30 so we don’t have to die ALL day.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!! Be good, be safe . . .The Church is true!!!!!!!!!!!   Write me lots =)

Love,  Elder Jensen

Booooooom Dia!!!!!!!!!

Let’s get to it.

This week was definitely much better.  Numbers and everything were just more solid.  The week FLEW by!!!!  

We had the opportunity to paint the Relief Society presidents house . . . Gosh dang I hate paint here.  It’s not real paint.  It’s just this powder that they put in water and mix it and it barely does anything at all!  #IHateMyLife!  No just kidding but really . . . I hate that paint.  BUT I can’t complain because she cooks as her job aaaaand . . . You guessed it!  We got to have lunch there and snack and everything =D   She even knows how much I love these cookies called Trelosos, sooooo . . . It was kind of like a preview of the Celestial Kingdom.  LOTS OF TRELOSOS IN THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM.  And our bodies are perfect there so I can eat as many as I want and never get fat!  =DDDDD

This week we met with a young girl named Elaine a lot.  She is cousins with a member and has already visited church four or five times (one of them was my first week here).  She wants to be baptized and I’m 99% sure we will baptize her this Friday night.  She is EXTREMELY difficult to teach though because she is beyoooooond shy.  Asking questions is basically impossible . . . Haha.  BUT when we have talked about her prayers in the past she says she felt something she can’t describe and . . . Well . . . We all know that that’s my boi - The Holy Ghost doin’ work  =)  #Spirit!

We have also been teaching two references from a member in the other ward.  Jailton is the members name, Estefanie is his fiance and Rose Estefanie’s cousin.   They both want to be baptized this week, but I am having this inner battle with myself at the moment.  I don’t want them to be baptized because Jailton wants it and because they want to get married. ‘I want them to get baptized because they KNOW that baptism is how we change our lives.  It’s how we become as "perfect" as we can be.  It’s how we can live with GOD again.  Baptism isn’t a joke to me.  I love it wayyyy too much and I don’t want them to be baptized without having that same feeling that I have.  Think about this:  For a few moments (it won’t stay for long), when that person is immersed in the water and when I pull them out, they are PERFECT.  They are completely clean with absolutely no sins.  I am essentially holding an Angel in my hands.  This person has no more sins.  They are completely perfect.  And each week after that, they have the opportunity to partake of the Sacrament and start over again!  My gosh!  I love Baptism!  But Baptism in the right manner - for a person who truly understands what a blessing they have to be Baptized  =)

So Rose and Estefanie have the opportunity to be baptized this Friday as well.  I just need to do work (the Spirit needs to do work) to get them to understand and have a true testimony of what they are doing.  If they have that testimony . . . Well my life doesn’t get much better than when I have moments with people like that  =)

Our Bishopric gave some amazing talks yesterday -  ALL about missionary work. I LOVE OUR BISHOPRIC.  I think I have a man-crush on every single one of them.  They help us out so much . . . Hahaha . . . For example, this week we met the second counselor, Elias walking in the street.  He was with one of his buddies who may or may not have been slightly drunk . . . Haha.  So this guy’s name was Jose (his name IS Jose, his name has not changed and he did not die).  So I just asked him straight up "So, Jose you gonna be baptized!?"  And he just said "Vamos!!!" Haha!  Or "Lets go!!!" "And your family too!?"  "Vamos! Tudo mundo!"  and Elias has plans now to go there and teach him and his family and everything!  Haha I love it!  What could easily just be taken as a joke, our Bishopric takes as "No, I’m serious. We are going to baptize them." I love it  =)

Well, family and friends . . . I hope all is well!   I love you all so much.  Members really do make ALL the difference in missionary work.  Give ALL the support you can to the missionaries in your ward and stake.  They really need you all!  If you can’t do much, if you’re super busy, just get ONE reference for them.  Teach ONE lesson with them.  If not for them then for me!  And if not for them or for me, for our Heavenly Father  =)  D&C 18:16.  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!  Be good, be safe  =)  The Church is true!

Love, Elder Jensen

There can be miracles . . .

Família!!!!!!

How’s everyone doing this wonderful semana?  I find myself saying many statements like that when thinking in my head. . .  Always switching back and forth between English and Portuguese . . . Haha . . . It’s actually really funny!

Well this week was a pretty tough one.  All of our commitments fell through basically . . . Frustrating.  Really didn’t have tons of success.  It’s extremely hard to meet people here who want to take action.  Just a very tough area.  But we keep working!  We met some kids that seemed interested, one in particular really named Ygor.  So we are going to focus more on him this week.  The hard thing here isn’t getting people to listen, it’s getting people to ACT. And that is just something that I will have to learn how to teach better =)

Training Elder Pereira is a piece of cake!  Clearly because I am incredible.  Haha!  No . . . He is super smart and his testimony is super strong.  I don’t really know what more you could ask for from a missionary!  Some of the basic teaching things he hasn’t gotten down yet but that’s where I am trying my best to help him out.  He is very willing to listen and helps me out lots as well.  A lot of training and study in the mornings turns into conversations about deep doctrine stuff . . . Haha . . . But somehow always makes the full circle back around to how we will apply it in our teaching.  The Lord is REALLY helping me train him because I know for a fact that as a normal human missionary, I am in no way qualified or ready to train him.  So each time I have to train him I just PRAY that I will say the right thing to help him out.  And most of the time (coolest part), I learn a ton.  I just start talking and saying things I had never thought of.  I think we get called to lead more to help ourselves . . . Haha.  Teaching is FOR SURE when we learn the most!!!!!

We have been working hard this week doing lessons with members and having members introduce us to friends and family.  I’m almost positive that most of our baptisms will be through less actives who have family who haven’t been baptized.  So that’s what we will focus A TON on.  Gotta adapt to survive!  =D  It’s been really cool though (I know that I have already said this lots) to learn to keep on going.  That moment when we feel like we are SO far away from what we want or need is really the moment that we are closest.  God just wants us to take a feeeeew more steps and we are there!  Those last few steps are the hardest, but they are when our faith is tried. Are we tired and quitting?  Or are we thinking about how the Lord is going to deliver us if we keep going?

I’m sorry I don’t have too terribly much to fill you all in on. I would fill you in on investigators that are progressing but we honestly didn’t really have any this week. You can count on it next week though!  =)

I love you all a ton!  I hope everything is going great and everyone is staying strong.  Be good, be safe.  And write me lots!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,  Elder Jensen