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

Yeah, Buddy . . .

But here´s my number, so call me maybe!!! 

That’s how I feel as a missionary, too.  Not just as a teenage girl pop star.

Well . . . This week for sure had a few miracle inserts!  Kinda like shoe inserts really.  They just make life better.  Our Ward Mission Leader started us off pretty well with a reference of this young family.  Their names are Cintia and Junior.  They have one son who is four years old and when we went there we taught all the first lesson, even the Book of Mormon and they sooooaked it in!  It was a really cool lesson.  I also got to teach that lesson with Elder Harris who is the other American in our house.  Not only was that lesson super legit but listening to Elder Harris speak Portuguese made me realize that I got SPOILED with this language.  Up until now I can’t believe that I can actually converse with anyone and understand them.  Whoever says the Gift of Tongues isn’t real is full of craaaaaaap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

         

Unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance to meet that family again during the week - Just Cintia one time and super duper fast because Junior is part of the police and travels a lot.  They wanted to go to church and even Carlinhos, the Ward Mission Leader, stayed in touch with them during the week and said that they were both super excited and wanted to hear more, but it just wasn’t possible for this weekend because he had to travel.  But we will be teaching them again tomorrow so we will see how it goes!!!!

           

We also met an American and his wife this week!  Haha . . . She, Edith, is from here but was living in the United States illegally for about twenty-five years!  They got married two years ago, but when they put all the papers in, she ended up getting deported.  The whole situation is whack and she is SUPER depressed.  They both left kids behind from previous marriages but she just isn’t willing to accept that she can’t go back and just enjoy what she has here.  Unfortunately, her husband, Edward, is super insane . . . Hahaha.  I think he just misses speaking with people because he can’t speak ANY Portuguese.  Sooooo when we were there he would just talk . . . and talk . . . and talk and THEN!  He would talk some more.  Then a little more.  Then talk a little bit.  And after that he would talk.  And aaaaall this time what does he talk about?  The weirdest ftuff!  Conspiracy theories of 9/11 and how the Bible isn’t literal.  The stories just have meanings.  And somethin’ to do with the name of Jesus Christ and numbers and it relates to the Sun and WOW.  It was so weird!  It sufficeth me to say this:  All you people who served in the United States, I feel your pain and I have SOOOOO much respect for ya’ll now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

         

This week we have transfers but for some reason they are on Wednesday.  So our Zone Leaders are going to call tonight and fill us in.  It’s very, very probable, like 99% chance that either Elder Augusto or I will be transferred.  So next P-Day it will be the first thing I fill ya’ll in on!!!!!!!!!!

           

I love you all!  Be good, be safe.  The church is true.  Work hard!  I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Hey Hey You You I don't like your boyfriend!

Howdy ya´ll!!!!

Well, well, well . . . Where should I start?  This week, we honestly didn’t get too much done.  Carnaval basically killed everything until like Thursday and then we got way held up by some less actives that just wanted to talk FOR DAYS about any possible thing!  Haha . . . It is a woman and her husband and their son is the leader of the young men.  They just kinda have difficulties forgiving people and letting things go . . . I actually was kinda amazed at how frustrated they were . . . I will have to talk to my Bishopric and get some people over there to help them out . . . All of you . . . Promise not to hold grudges, alright?  They are freakin’ ridiculous . . .

Unfortunately, I did not win the most letters award at Zone Conference this week   :(  Haha . . I don’t think anyone did. A ll the mail got super help up because of Carnaval.  Brasil is funny.  When there are holidays, EVERYONE and EVERYTHING takes the day off!  Haha . . . So next time my pile of letters should be HUGE!!!! I  didn’t get one letter from you, Momma!  It was crazy!  But it’s okay, it will be perfect when it all gets to me  =)

      

I had splits this week with an Elder in our District named Elder Soares.  That day was kinda a rough one for me actually.  Elder Soares could tell and he just looked at me and said, "I know what you need.  Do you want a blessing of comfort?"  I was just . . . How did I not think of that sooner?  I realized . . . How foolish are we all!?  We have this amazingggggg authority and yet sometimes we get so caught up in the moment that we forget how easy it could be to feel better!!!  We have the Priesthood!  Needless to say, I gladly accepted his offer of a blessing and I could not BELIEVE what I felt.  Never before in my life had I felt my mind be so incredibly clear and relaxed so fast.  The moment he started talking, everything was just . . . Good.  There was light at the end of the tunnel.  Not just at the end, the whole dang tunnel was full of light really . . . Haha.  It was SO cool.  I will be forever thankful for what Elder Soares did that day for me.  I think it’s a good lesson for us all to learn NOW - The Priesthood can and will change your life if we use it and accept it with faith.  I think it worked so well for me that day because I really had all my hope and faith in what Elder Soares was doing.  How spoiled are we? :)

     

And of course!!!  Nara was Baptized!!!  She was really nervous during the week because her mom wasn’t totally supportive, but she wasn’t stopping her either.  Soooo . . . I stole my Zone Leader´s idea and asked her if we could say a prayer right then and there to know if she should be baptized this week.  And after the prayer, no one talk, just listen to the Spirit.  And . . . We did!  And after the prayer while we were listening, the Spirit was SOOOOO strong.  When I asked Nara what she wanted to do she said, "I really want to be baptized, THIS Saturday"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  HECK YES YOU DO!!!!!!!!!!!!  Nara was baptized.  So awesome.  How often do we forget the simple things!?  Like listenin’ to the Spirit.  Pray, Listen, Act, Listen :)

    

I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Be good, be safe, A Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Últimos Dias is true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  LOVE YOU!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Carnaval!!!

Hey!!!!!

Well . . . Carnaval is in full swing aaaand, luckily, that doesn’t mean too terribly much in my current area . . . Haha.  Actually, the majority of people here seem to have traveled out of our area.  I think most people go to the beach or more inland.  But, to be honest, what I have seen of Carnaval hasn’t been all too strange.  Well, yeah, it’s pretty strange . . . Haha . . . But still. Carnaval could be described pretty simply actually: Guys dressed as girls and drunk people. That’s basically Carnaval! Haha!  We have only really had one day so far where people were crowding the streets like crazy with music super loud.  Everyone says to avoid walking in the afternoon too much because people like to throw eggs at you and try to ummmm . . . "Love you". I don’t know if that makes sense but . . . Let’s leave it open to interpretation!

      

This week things got switched up quite a bit with how Districts and Zones work.  Not too terribly much just that the District Leader's role is a lot more important now.  Now it’s our job to do everything for our district and accompany everything and decide everything that needs to be done while in the past the Zone Leaders basically just got numbers and said what we should do.  Makes sense though considering the Zone Leaders don’t really get a true solid chance to meet every District individually. It’s good though, and the Lord asked it  =)  Our District definitely has its problems.  We have two Elders that will end their missions in April and they are dying a little bit. O ur numbers are always SUPER low and I just think we really lack motivation and Spirit as a District.  It’s definitely something I am trying to improve and trying to help others improve as well!

       

Nara wasn’t baptized this week . . . She had her interview and everything but a ttoooooooon of members went off for Carnaval and she wants her friends to be there so she postponed until next week.  I know she is ready and she knows she is, too.  She also really wants to talk with her mom more about it first.  Her mom is kinda weird and basically just doesn’t like the Law of Chastity . . . Hahahahah!  But I believe her mom will let her make her own decision.  I know she wants to, the Lord knows she wants to, SHE knows she wants to, she just wants the support of her mom.  Which makes sense really!  And it’s good.  But really keep her in your prayers!  She will most likely be baptized this Wednesday when everyone gets back if all goes as planned!!!!

       

We didn’t have much of an opportunity to speak with Dilma and Enôque this week but we will try again this upcoming week and see how it goes.  They just need to get married, man!  We also had a more of an opportunity to speak with a kid named Alvoro this week who is super quiet but super legit.  He wants to be baptized too, we just gotta get him to church first!  I’m not sure why he didn’t go yesterday but we will go to his house this week and check it all out!

       

We have a Zone Conference this week which means . . . "CARTAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" "LETTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  I am extremely excited and will be oh so overjoyed when I have the chance to hear from everyone.  I hope to have the biggest stack of letters like I always have in the past so all of you keep up the good work!

         

Every challenge we have is something to learn from.  I think sometimes we forget the eternal perspective of our challenges.  That each day and each situation should be turned into a Spiritual moment to help our faith to grow.  If we do not nurture that seed every day, knowing that with time it will be the strongest base we have, we will fall.  We will fall into temptation.  Every difficult moment only increases our faith.  When our faith grows we become closer to our Heavenly Father.  When we are closer to our Heavenly Father, we remember why we are here and what we are doing.  We remember why difficult moments are necessary.  We remember that without growth, we will never live with our God again.

The Church is oh so true.  God exists. T his week a man told me that the human race came from aliens.  When we explained about God he said "Prove it to me".  I alllllllmost hit him in the face.  But instead I just decided to let him think what he wants . . . “Oh ye generation of vipers and sign-seekers"!!!!!!  GOD EXISTS.  This IS his church.  I know.  I promise.  Be good, be safe. Write me lots.  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Heyyyyyy!!!!!!

Well, well . . .

This week has been pretty . . . Normal to be honest!  Haha!  I’m sorry I don’t really have too terribly much to fill you all in on!

          

We thought we were going to have a baptism this last Saturday, but she was a little nervous.  Her name is Nara and she is super legit!  She has her answer already and reads the Book of Mormon daily . . . She just got nervous.  She appears MUCH more firm for this week  =)   Other than that, to be honest, our teaching pool is super small here.  But we are trying!

          

We have been trying to work hard with members and luckily the members really want to help us out here with meeting their friends and all that good stuff which is awesome!  Our ward is super legit and everyone really wants to help out.  I really couldn’t ask for much more  =)

           

There is a couple in our Ward that has been going to church for about ten years and are SOOOOO faithful. But . . . They won’t get married.  They both have been married previously and are receiving money from the death of their loved ones which they are using to take care of their kids and parents.  They both want to be baptized SO badly, but especially the woman is afraid to not be able to take care of everyone.  They are my ultimate goal here in Antares.  They are SO ready.  We taught about the temple and she was crying (Dilma is her name and the husband is Enôque) and the lesson was super spiritual.  Pray and fast lots for them . . . Salvation is kind of a big deal!!!!!!

            

I’m really sorry I don’t have more to say today.  The week wasn’t full of exciting things this time . . . Haha . . . But . . .  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!  We have some meetings this week which means what?  LETTERS!!!!!!!!!!  #Swag  Be good, Be safe, write me lots  =)  Love you!!!

Love, Elder Jensen