A BIG TURN!!!

Baptism of Ednaldo and Cleide  =)

That awkward moment when . . . You get called to be the new Assistant.

Hey!!!!

No, but for real . . . It was super awkward . . . Hahaha.  Well, for those of you who did not hear already, I got called to be the new Assistant to the President!!!  It's pretty dang different, but good at the same time.  Lots of stuff to get used to.  Lots of graphs and numbers and meetings.  BUT I guess it will be a good way for me to get used to technology again before I get home . . . Hahaha.

     

Summary of last week:  I got the call that I was transferred so I packed up all my stuff on Monday and we had transfers on Tuesday.  I actually really didn’t know if it would be me because when I got there, there were a ton of Zone Leaders that had been transferred.  I actually was extremely nervous and said many prayers to try to keep calm . . . Haha.  Transfers always stress me out way too much.  Well, President announced that I would be the Assistant with my trainer, Elder Rodrigues, and that we would be working in Aeroclube with is LITERALLY on the side of Tabuleiro.  I was actually kinda mad . . . Hahahaha . . . Cuz the Assistants were my neighbors already . . . Basically, I had to pack up EVERYTHING and clean EVERYTHING and take EVERYTHING to the meeting in Farol just to get sent to my neighbor’s house . . . Hahaha.  Oh well.  Life goes on.

     

Then we got to go to the airport to get the newbies which was super weird because I felt like I was the person arriving like yesterday.  The new Elders look at us like we are the best people in the world . . . It’s really weird . . . Haha . . . Cuz I don’t feel like I’m very good at all this!!!  We stayed at the Mission Home a lot of the day eating and then took all the Missionaries to their areas.  The next day, we had a meeting with them and their trainers which was cool.  I love Air Conditioning.  I LOVE IT.  IT’S SO HOT HERE.

       

Ednaldo, Elder Jensen, Cleide and Odlande  =)

After that, we had to set up all the graphs for the Zone Leaders and plan out our Leadership Meeting with President.  Just being able to chill and talk to President and Sister Gonzaga is awesome.  I even asked Sister for a tour of the house cuz I always wanted to see the second floor.  Basically, I felt like I was watching Cribs - Mormon Edition.  But our Meeting with President was the best.  We just sat there for three hours and planned out meetings and he explained all the situations in the Stakes and what his plans are and all that good stuff.  It’s weird being Assistant cuz your view of the Mission is waaaayyyyyy bigger.  You have to see everything and understand everything.  You have to know every problem.

         

It’s actually slightly stressful.  Lots of weight put on your shoulders.  This month we are going to lose about two weeks with meetings.  We lose every Monday night and the whole day on Tuesday.  We have to call all the Zone Leaders a few times during the week to follow up with them and see how they are doing which is fun but stressful too.  I find myself asking more for the wisdom of Solomon these days cuz there are some situations that I just don’t know what to do.  Following up on one Zone is a lot but following up on maany Zones is just a buttload of information . . . Haha.

       

BUT we do have time to work in our area still.  I will answer some of Moms questions here cuz it will help a little bit. 

1 - Daily responsibilities: BAPTIZE and help other Missionaries to BAPTIZE by following up on their numbers and being sure that every number has a name.  Also thinking out our Trainings.

2 - Daily schedule:  Kinda depends on the day!  Some days in the office.  Other days in the field.

3 - When President travels we will usually go with him.  But when he has to got to Lagarto (Which is a District so he has to preside), we stay here and leave that to him. He also doesn’t go there too much because there is a Missionary couple there that takes care of things.  They are getting ready to become a Stake in Lagarto and divide with Aracaju South and Aracaju North.

4 - I live in the exact same place, just a house over . . . Haha.  The secretaries live in Farol, so it’s just me and my companion in our house.

5 - Luckily, we still proselyte quite a bit  =)  Just more pressure cuz we have to be an example for our Mission.

6 - We NEVER eat at the Mission Home . . . Haha . . . Only when the new Missionaries get here.  President is really strict on making sure that the Staff doesn’t get any special treatment and that everyone is equal which I think is freakin’ legit.

     

Alright that’s about all I got for now.  Giant e-mail . . . Haha . . .  Life is good!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!  We have a Baptism this week for a kid named Aristotles so wish us luck and pray for us!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Jane, Elder Jensen and Levi

HEEEEYYYYYYY!!!!

Hi, Family!

Just lettin you know really quickly that I got called to be the new Assistant to the President with my trainer, Elder Rodrigues  =)  Pretty crazy stuff!!!!

It's very probable that I will start signing on later in the day because we use the Mission Office Computers at like 5 o'clock . . . Just don't stress out when I don't write as early as usual.  I'm still alive  =)

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

TRANSFERS!!!!!

Well, hello!!!!!!!!!

Dang!  This week was a good one.  I’m gonna get right down to the nitty gritty . . . Ednaldo and Cleide were Baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!  Holy joy of my life.  We really weren’t sure exactly what was going to happen with them because Ednaldo was being really difficult with smoking and they were both still drinkin’ coffee  . . . But we taught them a lesson and they got a lot firmer out of nowhere.  Then, the next day, our District Leaders went there to do the Baptismal Interview and they both passed!!!  The Baptism was such an amazing feeling . . . There is seriously nothing better than to see a family taking the first step towards becoming an eternal family.  I’m so grateful for eternal families . . . For real.  I’ve been thinking a lot about that these days . . . There are so many amazing people that are married "until death".  I hate that phrase with a passion.  Eternity sounds much better.  Ednaldo and Cleide = Eternity.  Year from now . . . TEMPLE!!!  WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

     

I read some legit stories this last week in the Old Testament . . . First off, the story of Job.  If you start in chapter one, it talks about all the blessings he received from the Lord.  The Lord promises that if he is faithful in his tribulations that he will receive all of these things doubled.  At the end of his story, you will see how he has all things given in double.  In the beginning, he has 7 sons and 3 daughters (If I remember correctly) and in the end when all things are doubled he receives . . . 7 sons and 3 daughters!!!  When I heard that I was really confused and thought my math was way off cuz he received the same number of kids . . . Then I learned that Job never lost his kids when they died . . . Because families are eternal!  When we are sealed in the temple our families become eternal!  Job received double because he never lost his first 10 children =)

       

Other story:  1 Chronicles 29:5-9.  Just read it and think about one word: Sacrifice.  Do we serve happily or complaining about our difficulties?

       

In other news!!!  I was transferred!  I don’t know where to just yet but I will be sure to fill you all in next week  =)

       

The Zone had seven Baptisms this week which is for sure much better than the other weeks but we still have a ton that we need to improve.  But we ARE improving which is the good thing =)

         

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!  Be good, be safe, write lots!  LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

That Awkward Moment

Hey!!!!

Whudddduuuuup errbody!?!??!  How’s life?  Shout out to my girl, Niu, for leavin’ or almost leavin’ on her Mission.  Stay ballin’!  Stay Baptizin’!!!

   

This week was a lot better than the last.  We were able to teach a ton of people this week but we didn’t really find anyone new or super interesting.  It was more following up on people that we already had.  Cleide and Ednaldo both went to church again and are ooooohhhhh so close to bein’ Baptized!!!  They know they need to and they WANT to.  They are just a little nervous to really DECIDE.  They need to do a little better with coffee and smoking as well but are SO close.  They are almost obeying the Word of Wisdom 100%!!!!  They are super legit and I’m pumped for them.  I believe they will be Baptized this week.  Just pray lots for them, okay???  You da bomb!!!

     

Cicero didn’t go to church this week and we aren’t sure what happened.  He was progressing quite nicely but we will see what happened this week.  Marcos is SUPER pumped and firm for his Baptism this week.  He stopped drinking alcohol and coffee and all that the moment we taught him that he needed to stop.  He even started obeying the Law of Chastity right after we taught it with temptation right in his face.  He is SUUUUPER quiet but very excited to start a new life so let’s hope that everything goes correctly for him  =) 

     

Our Zone finished this week with . . . 1 Baptism =(((((  GAH. T ough week.  BUT since we had our Zone Meeting it seems like things got a lot better.  Our Zone had a ton of people at church and lots of people who are preparing for Baptism on the 18^th . . . We are improving for sure which is the good thing.  We just need a little more fire and excitement.  Those are faulting quite a bit but definitely much better now.  Our Zone has lots potential . . . We just gotta let it out!!!!!  People get so nervous or tired that they don’t realize what they can become.  It’s really frustrating to see that.  But just gotta do our best to help them to their best  =)

     

I think that that is about all I got for this week unfortunately.  We didn’t have any super new spiritual experiences this week which I am sad about.  Spiritual experiences only come if we search for them so that was my bad.  I will do better next week  =)  Last week of the Transfer!!!  Pray lots for my Zone please!!!  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

NOW ALL MY PLAYAS TAKE A WALK WITH ME

"Just Cuz"

"I’m God's chosen, he puts me in the rows and keeps my wrists frozen. Like an explosion I cause a commotion spit the truth like a prophet I talk to the ocean. People fear what they can’t understand I thank God that I can. Never losin’ my faith. Haters gonna try to degrade. Gotta be in my state of mind to relate." #FightingTemptations

What Up!!!!

Hey hey heyyyyyyyyyy errrrbody.  Sooooo this week was utterly legit.  Things in our area are getting a lot better and we seein a lot more success.  The New Year was pretty chill but nothin toooooo terribly exciting.  We had dinner at one of the Sister's house from the Ward which was awesome and fattening =)

Elders Rock & Jensen on New Years Eve

Ednaldo and Cleide did not go to church unfortunately this week because they had visits from family in São Paulo.  Buuuut when we passed by there the first thing Ednaldo yelled was "next week we are there!!!!"  Hahah . . . It's so incredibly nice to have investigators who are actually excited and really wanting to do better!!!

       

We also had two men visit the church this Sunday, Marcos and Cicero.  They are both single and their wives abandoned them so they are both pretty low at the moment.  They really want to have better lives and be happier so it was pretty cool that the Lord took us to them.  #ILoveMiracles  They both loved church and naturally the Ward was excited to see men visiting the church.  Real growth is freakin’ difficult.  Haha . . . We always laugh cuz the Ward Leadership ALWAYS says in whatever Ward it may be: "Elders, we need more Baptisms of men."  And we always respond,  "Yeah we do!  So help us out."  Haha people think we don’t try to Baptize men.  But that’s the general idea!  Men and families!!!

         

The Zone is still struggling . . . Actually we have two sisters that apparently one of them was verbally abusing the other . . . NO good . . . We have a lot of really tired and stressed and unfocused people.  Luckily we have a Zone Meeting tomorrow morning so let's hope that that will help!  Just need to refocus.  The Zone made a goal of 30 Baptisms in January but we started this month with only two sooooooooo the mathematics aren’t lookin too hot up until now.  I feel like people aren’t really COMMITTED to reach their goals.  It’s more of "put a goal because it’s a rule to put a goal."  Gotta change that!!!!

         

Well I think that that is about all I got for y’all this week.  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!  Be good, be safe, write lots!!!  LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen

Howdy!!!!

"Its terrible!! She has beautiful eyes and her hair smells like cinnamon!" "It is Anchor MAN! Not Anchor LADY and that is a scientific fact!!"

Bom Dia!!!

Whuddddddddup errrrbody!!???  Well first things first . . . I finally got another Brazilian companion!!!  YES!  I was so happy to get another Brazilian.  I speak well but still have a ton of words and stuff to learn so I’m pumped to have someone who can really help me out again.  My new companion is Elder Vasconcelos and he is from São Paulo.  He was the last Secretary so I already knew him well.  Not SUPER well but we were already pretty good buddies.  Needless to say, I’m PUMPED to have him as my new companion  =)

       

JANE IS GOING TO BE BAPTIZED THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!  Woo hoo!!!!  We had been planning for the last two or three weeks for the fourteenth but she kept saying she wasn’t ready and then the night before she called to say she wanted to be Baptized . . . Haha.  But the thing was that we didn’t have any idea how to organize everything in a few hours.  People here are so slow with communication so there would be no way to let the members know.  Plus we had Stake Conference and President Ponder (Our Stake President) asked my companion and me to give a talk/training.  So we decided that it would be better just to wait a few days so that we can get everything organized.  Anyways, Thursday is the day!  Woo hoo!  #BATISMOS!!!

         

A & C . . . We had to let them go.  They just want us to give everything to do them but won’t keep the commandments and go to church and all that.  Yeah Celia goes to church all the time.  That’s great.  But drinking and smoking isn’t exactly gonna fly.  

       

We met a SUUUUPER cool family this week!  Cleide and Edinilson.  Cleide was like drop dead scared of us in the beginning.  Wouldn’t even let us pray . . . Haha.  People have these really twisted ideas about the true church so they think we are gonna pray to Satan or something.  BUT her husband was like, "Why won’t you let them say a prayer?"  So she finally realized she was being ridiculous and let us pray and teach the Restoration.  They loved it and it was so cool to see how their attitudes changed during the message as the Spirit touched their hearts.  I hope that they continue to progress  =)

       

I love you all a ton!!!!!!!!  Be good, be safe, write lots.  LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Dylan Miles Jensen