Saturday, November 21, 2015

I seriously learn something every day....whether it's about myself or about the gospel.

November 9, 2015

This week was a really slow week for us. Not much success with our Less actives or our new investigators. I'll be honest I'm super discouraged and disappointed with how slow things are moving. Peoples hearts are so hard here and the message doesn't get through to them. But I know that there's someone here for us.

This week Aaron was doing a ton better! We taught him the last lesson and he said he would be at church in 2 weeks as long as the recovery continues at the speed it has been. He is really worried about changing his beliefs though. If I had been Jewish for 60 years I would be scared too so I don't blame him! It's a huge leap of faith and a huge life change for him but he has us to help him every step of the way. The progress he has made in these past 3 months has been amazing. He went from being a PTSD stricken veteran to a man that now has so much hope and faith that everything happens for a reason. It's really a privilege to be a part of this change he has made.

Our new investigator Renne couldn't meet this week which stinks! But we have an appointment with her tomorrow at 7! We're stoked to teach her about the plan of salvation and how her family can be together forever! We feel like since they are really family centered in their home this message will spark an even greater interest in the gospel. Pray for us!

We had an awesome Zone Training Meeting this week that really gave me a boost to keep going even when things get rough. They talked a lot about fire and how fires start. Fires start with just a little spark and can then grow into a huge fire that engulfs everything in it's path. In our case the gospel is the fire and us missionaries are the spark. In order for San Fernando to catch on fire with the gospel we need to be that spark. And in order to be that spark we have to read our scriptures daily, follow the mission rules, open our mouths and bear our testimonies, and work hard. I want these Californians to experience all the blessings The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints can bring them, so I'm going to do my part. As we do our part the Lord will use us to bless others. It was an awesome meeting and I learned a ton! I seriously learn something every day....whether it's about myself or about the gospel.

 Funny story of the week: The Granada Hills Sisters (Sister Smith and Sister Bradford) once gave us an expired can of yams that nobody wanted! In order for us to give it back to them would find clever ways to leave it in their car and at their door! Well this week they got us back for all our pranks!! They made us "Pumpkin spice" cookies and brought them to us on Thursday. As we were eating them they said "HA we got you guys!! Those aren't pumpkin spice they're mashed yam cookies with a ton of spices!"  So I guess we both ate expired yams from 2014. We each ate a full cookie...I guess anything can turn into a cookie if you cook it long enough?
Right after they took off in their car we went to our district service project and gave them out to the other sisters in the district as refreshments!! We are terrible hahaha!

Message of the week: Everything happens for a reason. This week Sister Bradford (from our district) went to the chiropractor and he messed up her neck so she has to go home 3 months early from her mission to get everything fixed. It's been super hard on her so we went over and gave her a blessing this weekend. In the blessing it said that the Lord always knows what he is doing. And that he was just transferring her to her next mission in life. I have a strong testimony that everything happens for a reason. I'm here for a reason and I'm experiencing everything I'm experiencing for a reason. Never doubt that.

I love you all and hope you have an awesome week!!

Elder Jensen