Moral of the Day

HI

What´s up??

Well... I´m just a missionary here in Guatemala. Still here. Working working working. A little stressed, a little tired, but I sure love the people, and I sure love the message, and that´s all that counts! Right??

I studied a little bit about the Atonement this week. Wowser that stuf is great. If you are reading this letter, go grab your scriptures right now..................................................... open to Mosiah 15:9............................. read it.......................................... wow. There are two things important here - justice, and mercy. My super favorite part, "standing betwixt them and justice." Jesus Chirst suffered so much for each one of us, so He can stand betwixt us and justice. Those words are perfect. I love love love love love this scripture. It is incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Something else I learned this week. To come into this world, we are born with 3 basic things - water, blood, and spirit. To return to the presence of God, and recieve life eternal, we need 3 basic things - water, spirit, blood. ---> Baptism, confirmation, and the Sacrament every week. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is such a powerful thing, that I never really studied or understood, and still don´t understand everything. All I know, is through His blood, we can repent and as He stands betwixt us and justice, we can recieve life eternal. Of course we can´t just sit in the house and do nothing, and we recieve eternal life, we have to have actions. Because faith without actions is dead. Today is the day, act now, so in the judgement we have out Lawyer, our Brother standing betwixt us and justice. We sure are lucky and blessed!

This week was a super super good one. Lots of work, some laughs, and some frustraions. All packed into one week, and I sure am tired.

Tuesday - where did we go????? THE TEMPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We drove to Xela as a zone and boy was it a great day. I felt like I was in Provo, because it is the EXACT same climate. weird huh?? It was just a dream all day. I loved every second of it. We were able to relax, outside of this world! After the temple, we ate pizza. yummy. The coolest part, was President Maravilla and his wife were there too. Man I love them. They are just super gross lovebirds though. They always kiss. After every talk, after everything! EW! But I´m pretty sure I have the best mission president in the world. Moral of the day - go to the temple always

Wednesday - it super super rained. It was super super great. I love the rain, even when it is a lot. I´m crazy. Moral of the day - pack a rain coat.

Thursday - We worked pretty hard. I think the weather is super bipolar, cause Thursday - today is hot hot and no rain. Our best friends in San Luis are the drunks. They ALWAYS talk to us. We invited one to church and he was so happy, he grabbed my arm and kissed me. luckily he missed my arm and got my watch... wow. Also in the night time we were walking, and I felt something weird hit my shoulder. like a tiny rock or something, i dont know. but I was all confused and we kept walking. I felt a super big impression to turn around and walk back, so we did. We contacted a house AND.... nothing happened. Moral of the day - we should always always act on the promptings we get. I think the Spirit is just building trust. We are going to go back to that house though, we´ll see what happens. We never know the impact of our little actions.

Friday - Our investigators are progressing. We aren´t teaching many families, but we are searching. Right now we have three teenagers. We visited one of them Friday and she recieved an answer to her prayers, she loves reading the Book of Mormon, and it gives her the desire to go to church. She already has tons of friends in the church. So we are planning the baptism for the 6th or the 12th. not sure yet. I´m thinking the 6th. So is she. If I change areas, I will leave the 9th and she wants me to be there. So we will see how that goes. Moral of the day - there is power in the simple things - prayer, scripture study, going to church. I love it

Saturday - In the morning we served with our ward, we super cleaned the grounds to the chapel. It was fun. I sure love the ward here. They always make fun of the gringo, but I love it. Also, since Elder Cieza is District Leader, we had to go to the area of the sisters in our district, Muluá. They had a baptism and he had to do the interview. We stayed for the baptism too. Cutting it close, interview right before the baptism, but this week we have been running around like chickens with our heads cut off. Super busy, lots of work. It´s all good. Moral of the day - breathe

Sunday - We were sitting in Sacrament meeting, and our chapel is super small you can hear and see when someone walks in. A drunk guy (different one than the kisser) walked in. Elder Cieza and I went to take him out, like security. All he wanted was money. We told him we didn´t have any, so he said bad words and ran away. Good thing I don´t know the bad words yet. (some of them haha). We saw some miracle in sacrament meeting. We started with about 30 people, and ended with 85. People came to church that haven´t been in a really long time. 20 less actives. THAT IS A MIRACLE. Guess what?? We are starting to see fruits of our labors, even though there aren´t baptisms, people are returning. I love it. Moral of the day - go to church, even if you are late!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I´m super glad to be here as a missionary. I have been blessed so much.

The only bad part about it is no one in the mission has money right now, until tomorrow, because the finance secretary forgot to put money in. So we can´t go shopping. rough times. Also I have spent a ton of money from my account because this month was a long one, we had to pay our cocinera 3 times. (we pay every two weeks). So can you check to make super I have enough.

Thank you all for your prayers, love, letters, support. I love you so so much.

Elder Jensen

PS. I love you

Seasons Greetings!

HELLLLLLOOOOOOOO FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and everyone else!

Well... another week down, and it was a good one. Of course... Here is a summary of the week - it rained, I walked, I spoke Spanish, we did divisions, I studied, I slept. (the life of a missionary.. I think)

Good things happened this week. We are finding people to teach, teaching them, and they progress. It is fabulous!!!!

Tuesday - We had a conference with Elder Gavarret of the Seventy. He isn´t in our area presidency or anything, just passing by. It was super good. I sure do like conferences. Then we ate Dominos. Another great part of conferences.

I actually don´t really remember what he talked to us about, but I know it was awesome. His wife was awesome too. As always President Maravilla and his wife were awesome. Elder Gavarret told us that we are pretty lucky to have one of the best mission presidents he knows. He´s a good one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday - We had the baptism of Javier. My little friend in the ward. At first we couldn´t find clothes for him. The ward has clothes, but there weren´t any for him. So we spent some time looking for that... Then had a super short baptisimal service. It ruled. I felt pretty lucky to be there.

Thursday - We did divisions, I sure love divisions. I went to San Felipe, the Zone Leaders area, with Elder Taufu'i. Fun stuff.

Friday - We did divisions, I sure love divisions. I stayed in San Luis, my area, with Elder Apaza. Fun stuff.

Saturday - We taught a super awesome lesson about the Book of Mormon, and sat back and watched the Spirit do the work. At the first part of the lesson, the lady said she wasn´t going to change churches or anything. By the end of the lesson, she said she just needed some time. So we left her with the Book of Mormon, so she could read it!!!! Cause guess what?? The Book of Mormon is true, it is the evidence of everything, and I love that book.

Sunday - We brought a lot of people to church. We had 15 less actives in church. Two families that haven´t gone for a while and others. 10 minutes before Sacrament meeting, the first councilor asked us if we would speak... and so we did. My first time speaking in church on my mission. It went quite well. I spoke on prayer...... I got up to start my talk, and the first thing I said, "¡Buenas noches!" Such a lame joke, but the people sure loved it... dumb gringo. But my talk went great. I don´t remember having to think about the words or what I was going to say, it just came out. I sure was blessed with the help of the Spirit.

This week when I was on divisions in San Felipe, something just clicked with my spanish. I don´t have to think about the words as much. I can listen better, I can aswer questions. Oh my I have been blessed with the Gift of Tongues a lot this week. It´s the real deal. I feel way way more confident with my Spanish, it makes me excited. It really is a miracle to have 6 months of learning a language, and being fluent. I CAN SPEAK TWO LANGUAGES. I dunno, it still makes me all giddy inside.

We are working hard to get baptisms this month. With one week left we are visiting all our possibilities everyday. Tomorrow we are making brownies with a family. I love being a missionary.

I love you all so much. All I want you to know is that I know this church is true. We don´t have to worry about much if we are on the right track, if we are choosing the right. Stay on the path, the straight and narrow. It is such a better way to live!!!! One example we like to use when we are teaching about the Sabbath Day is, each week we sin (so we put books on someones hand) and need the Sacrament to help us (take the books away). But if we skip a week, two weeks, a month, (more books, more books, more books), we have tons of weight on us. This is a commandment from our Heavenly Father, GO TO CHURCH EVERY WEEK!!!!!!!!!!! I love this church so super much. It is the only true church on the face of the earth. The only church with a living prophet, seer, and revelator. (take 30 seconds to think about those words).........................................................................
.......................................................                                                       ......................................................................................................................................Pretty cool huh? We are so blessed!!!!! I love you all, more than you can imagine.

With love from Guatemala, the motherland,

Elder Jensen

It's Raining, It's Pouring!

Hello family of mine,

Whats happenin?? I'm here, in Guatemala. The greatest land on earth.

It just so happens that the rainy season has started a little bit early here, and it also happens that my zone is one of the worst ones to be in for the rain. Proabably my area is one of the worst areas to be in too..... who knows. But I love the rain! It makes me super happy. Maybe I won't love it in a few months, but I love it now!

Right now we dont have many people to teach. We have 2 jovenes that we are teaching, that the ward has basically done all the work. We are hoping for baptisms of them this month. We just have to get the dang permisson.

Tuesday I don't really remember what happened. It was a good day, I know it. (everyday is a good day right?)

Wednesday was pretty good. We went to the are of the sisters in our district to help them out in one lesson. It was a pretty good lesson. Then when we left it was raining, and it was late... no busses. So we start walking, having faith something good will happen.... it did. A guy picked us up, and he was acting all weird. We started talking to him and he was like, oh you guys are the church that worship Joseph Smith, and you all think that he is going to become God... he just started telling us a whole bunch of stuff. Then We just bore our testimonies, and I started talking about eternal families. Right at the same time we were about to get out of the car, he was like, "Elders, im in the fight too. Im sealed with my wife." and we are thinking... catholics cant do that??????? He was like, "Im Elders Quorum President in such and such Ward." HAHAHA Totally fooled us.

Then we went and taught some people, and it was pouring pouring, and we had to walk home... 2.5 kilometers up a river basically. Good thing we borrowed some umbrellas, cause we didnt have anything.

Thursday was good too.... I dont exactly remember it.... sometimes the days just mush together. If nothing super special or funny happens, I dont remember the day.

Friday, we had to go take a survey on lds.org, to prepare for a conference that we are having with Elder Gavarette... I think that is his name. But we went to the sisters area again, cause aint no internet in San Luis. So we got done and it was raining once again.... POURING. We didnt have umbrellas once again, and the internet place was on a different street than the main street. So we had to run to the main street and find cover to wait for the bus. So we were running and running... in front of a ton of people hiding under tiendas and places like that. four missionaries, soaking wet, just running. HAHAHA super super funny. Everyone was laughing. I will remember that moment for the rest of my life.

Then we did divisions. I stayed in my area with another elder called Elder Apaza. He has 3 weeks in the mission, so it was pretty fun. We taught like a bunch of missionaries. Cool huh??

Saturday........ once again... dont remember. We visited a lot of people that had questions about baptisms for the dead... We are lucky we have the chance to help our family out on the other side huh?? Whenever we talk about temples or baptisms for the dead, I always think of my mommy, and all the people she has helped. Mom... you are cool.

Sunday, our family that we are teaching, who promised would come to church, didn't show up. So we are proabably going to drop them. Super sad cause I have seen a mountain of changes in their lives. Just be listening to us. Our other family, the husband works, so we cant visit him until next week when he has vacations. and the other family just lives far away and arent super interested. We just need to teach them a few more times, and we will see what happens.

I was in the office today, talking to one of the secretaries and he said most gringos stay in their first area for 6 months........... Im ready to go..... My time has come and gone in San Luis, I sorta hope.

This Wednesday Im the chosen one to baptise our cocineras grandson. His dad cant baptize him, so I was picked. This litte guy is super awesome. I will be sure to send pictures. (if I can resize them, Dad judged me. I dont know how to do that).

Anywho, this week was a good one. My english is suffering, and the church is the truest stuff on earth. We are so blessed with this knowledge. I have been thinking this week that we are members of the Church of Jesus Christ. His church. Why dont we share the truth? Dear everyone, SHARE THE TRUTH!

I love you so so so much. Never ever be inactive, or someone that just goes with the flow. If you dont have a testimony, get one. The church is true, and I know it with my whole heart.

I love you I love you I love you!!! Thanks for my package.

Elder Jensen

PS I finally got sick... last night. I was up a few times on the toilet. Now I am super tired. I go nigh nigh until 6. lucky me. I dont know what made me sick, but I drank a cocnut last night, and it was gross, so I'm blaming that. I dont like being sick. Its dumb.

PS again. Never forget how blessed we are to live in a safe, clean place. We don't have very many worries. Some people here worry about their next meal. We are so blessed. Help others. I love you so much!

I love you!!!!

What is up my fams................

How on earth are you????? Cause I am here in Guatemala. Cool huh? Man I love this place so stinkin much. Wanna know something? It is proabably the best place on earth. I love the language, I love the people, I love being a missionary, I love the food, I love the giant cockroaches, I love ants, I love mangos, I love mosh, I love beans.

This week was Semana Santa. Wow it is insane here. Monday and Tuesday were just kinda crazy, nothing much happened. Wednesday was when it started getting crazy.

Everyone here makes themselves a little scarecrow looking guy... and who does it represent?? Judas Iscariot, ever heard of him? yeah... Well the people just paint their faces, put on costumes, and carry around Judas while beating some drums. They go house to house asking for bread or money, and the people give it to them..... Then Thursday night they burn all the Judas guys. Unfortunately I missed a lot of Semana Santa, it is dangerous for us to be out cause everyone is drunk, and we cant really work cause everyone is at the beach or doing who knows what....

So for Thursday and Friday we read the Book of Mormon. We started Thursday at 3 pm and read... and read... and read... and read. Took some breaks, and read some more............................ We finally finished Saturday morning at 4:45. That is 46 hours of no sleep. We started with all 22 missionaries in our zone, and ended with 7. I was one of them.... oh my I was tired. We just stood in a circle cause we couldnt sit down or we get sleepy!! It was pretty fun!!

This week was good too cause we found a few families to teach. With Elder Reed we didnt have much to teach, even though we were working, the people just didnt wanna listen. With Elder Cieza, we are only focusing on families. Right now we have 3 families to teach. It is cool!

Im pretty sure my package is in the mission office, and the Zone Leaders are going to Reu today. I will get it tomorrow during District meeting. Cant wait for that one!

It is starting to rain a little bit more. We havent had rain every day, only once or twice. But the sky always wants to rain. I love the rain. It is kinda scary here though because there is super a lot of lightning and thunder. Like, unreal amount. Super cool/scary. Probably cause in the Book of Mormon times, in 3rd Nephi when Christ was killed it was like that.

Wanna know something that I was thinking yesterday, and that I always think about?? Forever is a really long time. I dont even know if Ive already told you my thoughts about forever... but it is forever!!! THAT IS SO LONG!!! we cannot even comprehend it. We have this life to prepare and to work to figure out where we will be forever. Thanks to Jesus Christ, we will all be resurrected, but not all of us will receive eternal life. The greatest gift of all the gifts of God. I want eternal life, with all yalls. We always say we want to be like Christ, but we dont follow His commandments. Try a little harder to be a little better. I love you lots.

I have some photos.... after we finished the Book of Mormon, Dominos Pizza, enjoying Semana Santa bread, American snacks I bought for conference (plus this yummy oatmeal milk that I cant live without), a pamphlet some guy gave us, and me, learning how to tortillar.

I'm going to buy a tortilla maker thingy and make tortillas every day, cause I love them so much. with eggs and beans, (my dinner last night)

I love you all so much. Thanks for your prayers and letters. If you arent praying for me or writing me, you better get going. Go to church, read your scriptures, pray. The basics. Cant live without them. This life is tough, we need all the help we can get ¿verdad? Honestly I love you so much.

Elmer Nesnej

Isnt it crazy that I almost have 6 months?????? WHERE DID THE TIME GO?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

ps I just read a Dear Elder from Grandma and she said she is going to be a great grandma... what the heck!!!!!!! hahahaha Hi Grandma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More Love From Guatemala

Hello Family!!!

First of all, how great was conference??? I don't know if you all
heard the talk by some man... don't remember his name, but he said in
his talk that you should all write missionaries. Not just a quick
email, but write them. I'll be expecting some letters in the weeks to
come!! haha

This week was a good one. I now have a new companion. His name is
Elder Cieza. From Lima, Peru!!! He is just a little guy, and such a
hard worker. He is what we call a flechon. I'm pretty dang lucky to
have him. Our district changed a lot too... We went from having 5
gringos and 1 latino to 5 latinos and 1 gringo. Yeah... I speak
Spanish. Everyone got changed except me and Elder Navas, mi amigo.
Calidad

We had a pretty intense experience the other day. We went to out Ward
Mission Leaders house and there happened to be some "missionary" from
another church. So we sat down to talk. We sang a hymn and prayed and
then we started teaching about prophets. He was listening and every
thing then he just started talking in circles and got all nervous. He
said not everyone is a child of God, and all kinds of weird stuff.
Elder Cieza and I just bore super powerful testimonies, gave him a
restoration folleto, and walked away. Such a testimony builder. We
have answers to every question. We have the truth. Also we have a
prophet here on earth.

Conference was the best. I noticed that I feel the Spirit so much
stronger when President Monson stands up and walks to the pulpit.
Because he is truly a prophet of God. He speaks face to face with Him,
as did Moses. We are so lucky to have the truth.

For conference we had ourselves a little party. We had a little
English room and we made brownies and just ate food. I sure wish every
day we had conference.

This week is Semana Santa. We don't work on Thursday or Friday cause
everyone is gone! So as a mission, we are going to read the Book of
Mormon, out loud, in 36 hours. Each zone is going to race, if someone
eats, sleeps, or pees, we all have to stop, and I just have a feeling
we are going to smash everyone else. We are starting Thursday at noon
and going all night if we can. I think it will be fun!


Alright we are going to go eat at McDonalds. Sorry this letter is
lame. I didn't have much time. I love you all so much. No time for
pictures. SORRY!!

Elder Jensen

I love you

ps remember how much they talked about families in conference?? cool huh?