Howdy!!!!

Fact . . . After nine weeks with seven Sisters, I am much more prepared for marriage than for a Mission . . .

Well!  Not too much to report on . . . Just one thing!  We got to go proselyting on Monday!  Did I spell that right?  It was our first time.  SO FUN!  So, when I approached the first man, I stuck out my hand and said “Hi!  My name is Elder Jensen” and he tried to ignore me, but I was just lovin’ his awkwardness of trying to ignore me, so I just stood there for like 15 seconds until he finally acknowledged me.  Hahahahaha!  Aaaaaand . . . Then he said he didn’t like our Church.  YAY!  I finally felt like a true Missionary!  My first ever shut down  ☺  After that, we talked with a girl who believed in the Bible and was Catholic so we just had to compare the Book of Mormon and the Bible and she was very interested and accepting!  Pretty cool!  We felt legit.  We talked with two girls who wanted to talk about the Plan of Salvation . . . One guy ran across the street TO US to find out where our Church was and to learn more about it!  That was crazy!  The Lord was seriously blessing us out there.  We were understanding the majority of what people had to say all thanks to the Spirit.  I could tell Elder Krauser was nervous ‘cause he was acting all pumped up the whole day . . . Haha . . . It was pretty funny.  But when the time came, we were both ready and we let the Spirit do all the work!

Favorite part . . . We were walkin’ on a street and we met a lady but she kinda blew us off.  She was nice, but said she had to give keys to someone (we were right by a ton of apartments), so we let her go and kept walking.  But, we realized soon enough that we were going to walk straight onto the freeway.  Now, for those of you who don’t know, walking onto the freeway is a bad idea MOST of the time.  So, we decided not to do that.  We turned around and began walking back, and just as we did, we saw that same lady at the bus stop!  Just chillin’!  Hahahaha . . . So, as soon as she saw us she hunched over and covered her face with her hand and phone.  Oh my gosh . . . It was so priceless.  Elder Krause and I couldn’t stop laughing.  

Overall though . . . AWESOME first experience proselyting!  We gave out seven Books of Mormon and really had as much success as we could have hoped for.  The Lord really answered my prayers and I know that he was answering all of yours as well  ☺

Other than that, nothin’ too exciting.  Elders Reese and Jacob left this week which was really hard.  They were Elder Krause and my best friends out here.  REALLY gonna miss them, especially Elder Jacob.  That guy is gonna be a Prophet, I swear.  He said he looked up to me and learned from me . . . pffffff . . . I learned more from that Elder over these past eight weeks than he could ever know.  And none of it was ever intentional on his part.  He is truly an amazing Missionary and person.  He and Elder Reese are gonna kill it out there!

Well, that’s about it for this week  ☺  We get to go proselyting in the middle of downtown next week which should be way different but just as fun!  This week we just kind of stayed around the CTM . . . We are ready to switch it up!

I don’t know if I will be able to e-mail you all next week so if I don’t, please don’t panic.  I’ll just be out there doin’ work and I promise to e-mail you the moment I get the chance!  I’m so excited!  The Lord has truly prepared me for this time in my life for the past nineteen years and I’m glad that I finally get to pay Him back in some small way.

I love you all so much!!!!!!  Be good!  Next time I talk to you all, I will be in Maceio!  Pronte Sempre Pronto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Jensen

I'm not allowed to have a bad day!

Week 8!

This week was good!  Nothin’ too exciting of course once again . . . Haha . . . But it was solid.  I learned a looooooot this week about leadership and really stepping up when you need to.  I’ve never been in a TRUE leadership role, so it’s definitely a work in progress.  Just about gettin’ things done when they have to get done.  I was havin’ a bad day, but I realized . . . I’m not allowed to have a bad day!  Cuz I have to be the example and make everyone else want to be here and help others to achieve their goals.  Leadership is just service and I think I had kinda forgotten that.  But, that night I prayed a lot about it cuz I just wasn’t happy that day and all of a sudden the next day, the Spirit just . . . WHAM.  I was so happy again all of a sudden and remembered what I needed to be doin’.  Pretty cool  J  Prayers really are answered if we pray with everything we’ve got!!!!!

Other than that, nothin’ too exhilarating . . . Two weeks and I’ll be out there doin’ what I came here to do!  I feel as ready as ever!  Depending on the accent, I can carry conversations with people in only Portuguese and I’m able to teach most of the lessons!  Nothin’ is anywhere near perfect, of course, but the Lord really has answered my prayers for the Gift of Tongues (shout out to Derek for always helping me remember to pray for that and say “thank you” for that)!

Elder Reese and Elder Jacob leave this next week . . . I don’t know if I have mentioned them before actually.  But they are really my and Elder Krause’s two best friends here.  I can’t begin to explain how much I look up to Elder Jacob . . . That guy is a spiritual giant.  It’s so cool how much he has taught me and I don’t think any of it was even intentional.  But . . . I sent five pictures home today and one of them was with those two Elders, so you will see them soon, hopefully!  I’m gonna miss them a ton . . . That last week is going to be reeeeeeally hard without them.  We are always spendin’ time with them, but they are going to be GREAT missionaries!

Mom!  I met Elder Anderson!  The one that is goin’ to Maceio that I had added on Facebook . . . Haha . . . Pretty cool!  Here’s really nice and cool.  There are four or five others that came in with him that will be goin’ to Maceio as well.  But I’m so happy I’m gonna beat ‘em there!  MWAHA!!!!!!!!!!

I love you all so much!  Be good, be safe, write me lots and I’ll try my best to write back!  And send me lots of pictures . . . The Gospel is OH SOOOOOO GOOD.  Pronto sempre pronto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Jensen

Oi family!!!

Well, this week went by faster than I had expected it to!  But . . . Sad part . . . A lot of our Spanish speakin’ best friends left on Tuesday morning.  Those were the first good-byes that were really hard.  I know they are goin’ to do great!

 Not too much to report on this week.  It’s cool to see everyone in our District startin’ to get along more and more.  We improve every week and this last week went pretty well socially  =)

Ma . . . I forgot to thank you last week for the gift certificate to Mr. Cheneys!!!!  You have no idea how good those cookies are!  Haha!  I crave them every week, so it was definitely worth the while for you to pay for that!  Haha!  So, thank you!

I finished the Book of Mormon this last week!  Only the second time I have ever done it, but I am learning so much now that I am studying it diligently.  It’s crazy how much there is to learn if you truly pay attention.  Some really cool stuff!  Of course, the end is depressing, but the book teaches more than any other book in the world for sure  =)  I am learning so much about the Bible . . . So much cool stuff to learn.  And all of it helps me understand the Book of Mormon even more.  I know for a fact that these books, used together, are the complete word of God.  When we use these books together, we can know all things we need to know in this life.  They can answer every one of our questions, and bring us so close to our Heavenly Father, which is by far the best blessing that we could possibly be given!  =) 

Another random fact we learned in Priesthood meeting last Sunday.  So . . . John 6:35 talks about the Bread of Life, right?  Did you know that Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, literally means “house of bread”?  And . . . He was born in a manger which is just a place to eat . . . How cool is that?  So much symbolism!  I love it!

Anyway . . . I hope this e-mail isn’t too boring . . . Much to learn from the scriptures and I’ll leave it at that!

I love you all and I hope everything is goin’ great!  Please continue to write me lots!  I love you all!  Pronto Sempre Pronto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Jensen

  

We had so much ice cream for lunch!

Fact – When your brother’s girlfriend writes you a three page long letter, suddenly all the girls in your District become very interested in your letters . . .

Ola, family!!!!!

How is everyone doin’?  Happy 4^th of July!  Not as cool as the 4^th of May . . . But still cool.  Our cafeteria was covered in red, white and blue today and we got to eat hamburgers and fries and toooooooons of ice cream!  Pretty danged legit!

Well . . . Can you believe I’m in week 6?!?  A week from today, I was supposed to be just getting here!  That’s crazy!  I’m so glad I’m here and so far ahead of where I would be!  Even though I’m missing a lot right now, it will be worth it in two years!

This week was another solid week.  Every week we improve as a District which, of course, is awesome.  But there is always room for improvement.  Definitely room for more improvement.  But, as a District, everyone is really startin’ to get along a lot better which is awesome and a huge relief . . . Haha . . .

I’ve been learning so much this last week.  I feel like I really learned as much this last week as I have learned the other five weeks I’ve been here.  I have now read all through Genesis and I just finished Third Nephi.  I’m also in Chapter 13 or 14 of Second Nephi with the Portuguese scriptures (but I started in Second Nephi, so that one isn’t very cool at all) . . . Haha . . . But the point is that I never realized how much I truly have to learn.  There is so much more to this Gospel than I thought there was!  And it’s extremely fun to learn!  But I kinda feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day!  If I could, I would read all the time, but I guess I have to learn Portuguese, too . . . Or somethin’ like that?  I don’t know . . . Someone just mentioned it to me and it sounded like a good idea . . .

My companion and I have had a few days where we aaaaaaalmost go without English.  Of course, we are lot quieter on those days, haha, but it helps so much!  It forces us to think really hard and expand our vocabulary which is definitely needed.  I’m gonna be totally lost in the field because I don’t process or think fast enough and I for sure don’t know all the words.  But, hopefully, I’ll be prepared enough to the point where learning will be easy.  The gift of tongues really is an awesome thing.  The fact that my companion and I can communicate with each other and even with other Brazilians is a miracle in itself!  Prayers really do get answered  =)  I guess when you ask for something enough to the point where you’re basically begging, Heavenly Father is very willing to help you out!

My companion and I taught a lesson last week that was really cool.  It’s interesting how Gospel topics are sooooooo much easier than just normal communication.  Granted, we use Gospel topics more often, but still . . . We work hard at both.  But, when we went into this lesson, it was just like we knew exactly what to say and HOW to say it.  SO LEGIT!  When I get to the field and teach real lessons, I know Heavenly Father will be right there holdin’ me up like He was in this last week and ever since I’ve been here.

Kind of a cool story . . . I’ve been learning a lot about listening to the promptings of the Spirit.  I was just walkin’ back to class the other day and I felt like, “I think my Brazilian roommates are going to need my keys to the room” and, sure enough, I’m walkin’ back to our class and turn around to see them walkin’ down the hall and I just thought to myself, “No way!”  And, yeah . . . Precisamos seus chaves!  We need your keys!  Hahahaha!  It was so cool!  Nothing world changing, but it showed me that Heavenly Father is preparing me every day to know what I will need to do in the field.

On a 4^th of July note . . . About the National Anthem . . . Have you ever read the two verses after the main one we always sing?  They are reeeeeeeeeally cool.  We got to sing them all last night and I had never heard or seen them.  Check ‘em out!  =)

Well . . . I hope everything is goin’ well!  I love you all so much and I hope that these e-mails and stories help strengthen your testimonies.  If there is anything anyone wants to know, please write me.  I’d love to know what I can do to make these letters more interesting!

I love you all!  Be safe!  Be good!  Pronto sempre pronto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Jensen

What's up, family!!!!!!!

Fact . . . President Kimball looks like Yoda.  Look.  It’s super cool / creepy . . .

Well, this week was solid.  Nothin’ too special.  Just the same old classes and what not.  I sent home a letter and a few pictures today, so hopefully y’all will get those soon!  This week was pretty good.  Not too much trouble with anyone.  Of course, nothing goes perfectly, but it was definitely better than Week One!  Haha!

We got new Brazilian roommates this week – Elders Thomazinho and Silva.  Both are super cool and neither speak any English.  Luckily, our first Brazilian roommates spoke a little English so we could learn from them.  But now we HAVE to speak Portuguese and we are learning fast!  Elder Silva has an accent that’s super hard to understand.  I don’t know how to explain it.  It’s lots of “sh” and “ja”noises.  That doesn’t explain much, but people who know Portuguese would get it . . . Haha . . . So, we are learning!  Depending on the person, I can understand most of what is being said, but not all the time.  Depends what context everything is being used in as well.  No matter what, though, I’ve learned more here in a few weeks than I did in two and a half years of Spanish classes!  Haha!  So . . . Gift of tongues indeed!

My camera miraculously started working again . . . And then stopped again . . . And then worked again.  So, I don’t know what the deal is!  Very unpredictable!  But, I just used Elder Krause’s camera today and that worked out pretty well.  I think I sent three pictures home and will for sure have one more next week . . . Haha . . . I don’t really have a variety of things to take pictures of here and we can only use our cameras on P-Day, so you’ll basically have to wait until I get to Maceio for good ones!

Can you believe I’m in my fifth week?  Three days and I’ll have been here for a month already!  What I really think is cool, though, is that I’ll be in week seven by the time I was originally supposed to get here!  AWESOME!  Not regretting the decision to come early at all.  Lovin’ every bit of it!

I got to sing with a kinda small group of people in devotional yesterday, so that was pretty fun.  Not like Chanticleer, but still fun to sing again with people who know what they’re doing . . . Haha . . .

Well . . . I really don’t know what else to say for now.  Oh!  Asi!  Tell him I’m pumped for him  J  I wanted him to come to Brazil, but I know that Canada must be where he needs to be!

I keep forgetting to tell you how much I LOVE your letters, Momma.  They make my weeks.  Every day, Missionaries just wait to open those boxes at dinner time and every time I get one from you I’m sooooooo excited!  The pictures and everything!  I just love having visuals and knowing what’s goin’ on back home.  I can’t respond very often with real letters, but please know how much I love them!

It doesn’t rain every day, but for a few days it was pretty rainy.  Like my second week, we even had a black out . . . Haha!  Today and yesterday have been beautiful though!  I don’t feel much of a difference with humidity any more.  At first it was obvious, but I don’t remember what it’s like to not have it any more . . . Haha!

Please know that I’m doing great and I’m very happy and VERY blessed to be here  J

Oh!  Today I got to spend some time all alone in the Celestial Room at the Temple . . . It was the most relaxed I’ve been in a long time.  Love, love, loved it!

Well . . . I love you all!  I pray for you all every day!  Please keep sendin’ me letters and LOOOOOOOOOOOOOTS of pictures!  I like to show off the ones that Kim and Dallas sent me to other Missionaries.  I carry them in my pocket  J  So, please keep sendin’ pictures and letters!  I wanna hear from everyone!  I love you all sooooooo much!

 Love - Elder Jensen

Herro!

Well!  Week four already!  Crazy, huh?  Next week I’ll have been here for a month already!  Crazy!

Not too much really happened this week.  Everything is very, very routine.  Wake up, get ready, language study, lunch, language study, dinner, language study.  As well as teaching our teacher investigators once a day.

We taught one of our investigators yesterday and I really felt like it was the first time we were in total control of the meeting.  And the Spirit was soooooo strong!  It made me want to be out in the field so bad!  It doesn’t help that I have a lot of friends leavin’ this upcoming week, too.  I’m really gonna miss some of these Missionaries!  Our Brazilian roommates and all the Brazilians that arrived with them left yesterday morning.  I WANTED TO CRY.  It’s much quieter and cleaner with them gone . . . Haha . . . But they were so much fun!  We all traded ties the night before they left (of course my J Crew ones were off the market), and then exchanged notes on the back.  Elder Dos Anjos wrote, “Boa Missao, Elder Jensen!  You are succeed!”  Haha . . . I was laughing so hard but it’s definitely going to be one of the things I laugh about every time I wear that tie from now on.  We might get new roommates today or tomorrow.  I couldn’t really say.  I guess we’ll find out today or tomorrow!!!

The week went much better District-wise and stress-wise.  Everyone seems a little more down to earth and relaxed this week which is really nice.  And the language is still comin’ along!  I can hold small conversations and do a lot of teaching.  But there are a lot of words I don’t know that have to do with basic conversations so I know I’ll just have to wait for that to come . . . And for my mind to process everything a little bit faster!

I wish I could tell you all more, but it would be complete repetition from here on out . . . If I think of something in the next eighteen minutes, I will send another e-mail . .. Haha . . .

Everything is goin’ great.  Time is flying just like everyone said it would.  When I look forward, I feel like I have forever, but when I look back, I can’t believe it’s already been almost a month.

Did you manage to send all those addresses of friends and family, Momma?  I’ve been writing letters but have nowhere to send them at the moment . . . Haha . . .

Bad news . . . Last week the camera broke.  No . . . I didn’t drop it.  Something must have happened with the lens.  I can see pictures that are on the card so the screen works totally fine.  But when I go to take a picture, the screen is just pink and won’t take pictures.  Should I send the camera home?  Or what do you think is the best plan?  At this point, it looks like I might not have any pictures at the CTM . . . Unless I take some with my Companion’s camera and go get them printed which I can definitely do!

I’ve been using my voice recorder a lot!  I absolutely love recording things . . . Haha . . . I would send the first tape, but I feel like it was a lot of my first week which was really hard and I don’t wanna make you all sad, so I will probably wait until I leave the CTM and will send the first along with the second which has more funny stuff on it!  Haha . . . I think you all will enjoy the recordings.

Has Asi received his Mission Call yet???????????????  I wanna know where he’s goin!!!!!!!!!!!!  PLEASE, please, please find out as soon as possible.

I love you all with all my heart and LOVED getting more letters this week.  At dinner, the Missionaries just stare at the mailbox waiting for Sister Steadman to go put in the mail.  It’s like waiting in line to buy an iPhone or something.  Everyone gets super excited and it happens every night!!!!!  Haha . . . I love hearing from you all, so please keep sendin’ letters whenever you can and I will write back when I can!

What is the best way to send those recordings home, Ma?  Would it be safe to wrap ‘em up and put ‘em in an envelope with the plastic cases?  Or should I buy a little box?  Lemme know what you think is best.

Well . . . All of your other questions should be answered in thee-mail I just sent!  I love you so much, Momma!  And everyone in my District knows who you are . . . Everyone even calls you Momma J.  I love you with all my heart and LOVED getting more letters this week at dinner.  Yea . . . I guess I kinda talk about you all too much and get a little too excited when I get letters from you . . . Haha . . .

I sure do love you all!  The Lord is blessing me so much out here and I have grown so much in just three weeks.  I can’t imagine what 23 more months will do to me (in a good way)!  I LOVE YOU!

Elder Jensen

Oi!!! Come vai?

Well . . . This week has been MUCH better than my first.  Things have really started movin’ along.  I feel like I can actually express thoughts and ideas now.  They press so much Gospel stuff on us right away that I have started gettin’ decent at speakin’ with Gospel related topics.  But, just speaking and holding a conversation are different ‘cause we don’t really get to do that allll too much.  But still . . . I’m learning A LOT!

Mom, I wish you had been here when I got your first letter.  The Sisters were makin’ fun of me a lot.  “Dylan, you got a letter!  From who?  Momma Jensen?!?!?!?”  Haha.  I was sooooooo excited!  Of course, first question I got was, “You’re a Momma’s boy, aren’t you?”  And I said, “Heck yeah and proud of it!”  Then I proceeded to tell them how you act and speak like a gangster, haha . . .

I can’t even begin to explain how much the Temple means to me now.  Once again today, it kinda allowed me to slow down and get my feet back under me, which I really needed.  I feel like I feel the Spirit so strongly there and hear the things I need to hear in order to grow.  After a week of being stressed, the Spirit really helps me relax and calm down.  I thought I enjoyed the Temple back home, but here, where I legitimately NEED it, I feel things more strongly than I have felt before.

I really wish you could meet Irmao Costa.  Chances are that I will mention him in every letter until I leave the CTM.  He is just the coolest and most spiritual guy ever.  All he wants is for us to be successful, even if that means being a little rough on us.  He lets us know when he doesn’t like something we do ‘cause he wants us to be the best Missionaries we can be.

Well, we got four new people this week - Three Sisters and one Elder.  Elder Krauser is Elder Garn’s and my new Companion. He knows Spanish pretty well so his Portuguese is coming along very quickly and he is a huge blessing.  He changes everything for me and Elder Garn – makes our lessons much more powerful.

Things are gettin’ better with my District now that everyone is more used to the whole situation.  Not nearly as much stress, so that’s good.  And, I gave my first blessing here!  To Sister Stewart.  I have a feeling I will be giving lots of blessings since we have seven Sisters, haha . . . But, it was really cool.  I could reeeeeeeeally feel the Spirit telling me what to say.  I knew exactly where to go with each sentence and I’m so happy I’m worthy of receiving those things from Him.

One of the new Sisters, Sister Johnson . . . Yeah . . . Beastin’ at basketball.  She played at Utah State and then played professionally in Australia.  Her first day here, she was like, “I don’t care!  I’ll go beast mode on the Elders!”  I was scared outta my mind . . . She’s like 6’2” or 6’3” and is so strong!  She’s super good at shooting . . . Strokes it pretty legit, haha . . .

Well, I bought a ton of chocolate today ‘cause I find myself craving it throughout the week.  Hopefully it lasts longer than two hours.  I try not to spend too much out here.  I’m still the same money-wise.  I hate spending money unless I have to.  And chocolate?  I had to . . . Definitely a necessity.

It’s funny hearing all the other Districts tell me how sorry they are for me ‘cause I have all Sisters, haha.  At first, I thought it was terrible, but I just realized I learn a lot from them and can learn a lot from them.  It just takes patience sometimes, which is one of those things I really do need to learn.  Maybe that’s why I’ve been given all these situations.  It’s all preparing me, though!

Well, really, not too much happened this week . . . Everything is comin’ along.  I’m glad you guys are gettin’ people to write to me.  Just make sure everyone sends me “real” letters (in the mail).  I know y’all got it, though, and that’s why I love you!  You all are the best!  I’m gonna go read some letters and then maybe I’ll send another.  Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Love, Elder Jensen