Hey Everyone! We were busy as usual this week which is so nice! There is so much happening in the Encino area. Transfer calls came this Saturday and Elder Horito and I are both staying another transfer. We're super happy about that because we have grown really close with the ward members and our investigators. Plus we work really well together and know how to get things done. It's going to be an awesome transfer!
We taught Eddy again this week and man...he's golden. We taught him about the commandments and how many people view them as restrictions but in reality they are protection from the real restrictions in life. You could see the Holy Ghost just hit him and his whole perspective changed from questioning what we said to completely understanding why a loving heavenly father would give us these rules to protect us and guide us throughout our lives. It was such a cool experience. We also brought him to church this week. He hasn't gone to our ward every time but he has been to an LDS church every week since we started teaching him. It's really helped him progress and grow spiritually and it's shown me the importance of church. We learn so much every Sunday. Anyway, this week was fast and testimony meeting and Eddy walked right up to the stand and bore his testimony! He talked about the power of prayer and how he was praying for guidance and missionaries stopped by his house and how he is a witness that miracles do happen and prayers are answered...all we have to do is ask. He's not even a member yet and he is already a huge benefit to the ward! We also took him to a baptism in the Spanish stake next to us to get him excited for his baptism. Elder Horito and I didn't understand a single word but Eddy did and that's all that mattered. He said he felt the spirit so strong and even though I couldn't understand anything I did too.
Elder Horito got sick this week. He got a nasty cold and couldn't stop coughing so we had to stay in the apartment Tuesday and Wednesday. I made him soup and cleaned. It was sooo boring! I just wanted to go out and work! Luckily he got better quick and we were able to still teach all our investigators.
We're working on a new less active member in the ward right now, Bryan Scklarsky. He was baptized 4 years ago and then went inactive 2 months later. We started teaching him 3 weeks ago and he's been to church twice since then! Hopefully we can get him completely reactivated soon. We are basically teaching him like a brand new investigator because he doesn't remember a whole bunch. But he does remember all his spiritual experiences with the missionaries who baptized him so I think deep down he knows it's true. We started the lessons from the beginning and he's really regaining his testimony.
Message of the week: Keep the stinkin Commandments! They may seem like restrictions or barriers that get in the way of your happiness but I promise you that's not how it is. I've seen too many people go through some of the hardest trials in their lives because they thought certain things would make them happy. And it all could have been avoided by just keeping the commandments. I know that our Father in Heaven gave us these rules to protect us from ourselves and the dangers in the world that could harm us.
“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32)
I love you guys and hope you have a great week! I have a strong testimony that keeping the Commandments will "make us free" and help us live a happy life.
Elder Jensen
