Monday, July 18, 2016

I always need to remain faithful and will always be a Disciple of Christ

Hello everyone! It's been another hot week in Cali!

 So after emailing last week, we played flag football. Exciting, right? Elder Martin was so excited to play because he played football in high school so I just sat on the sideline and watched. Well it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt. And this week, it happened to be Elder Martin. As he was pulling the flag from someone, they spun, and his hand went with them, and all I heard was "POP" and he turned to Elder Olivas and said "I broke my wrist". We thought he was fine but it was literally just dangling there. Elder Andersen made a make-shift splint for him out of socks and sticks haha. The Eagle scout really came out of him! So Elder Martin joined me on the sideline.  Pre x-ray, was nerve damage and sprained wrist. Post x-ray, in the doctors words "Snapped wrist and minor nerve damage". So now, here's Elder Martin with a broken wrist in a splint, and me...broken elbow, also in a splint and a sling. I bet that's the first time President Henrie has heard of companions both being broken at once hahaha.

Since we were both in splints this week we couldn't drive and we couldn't bike...so we ended up walking everywhere. It was terrible!!! It was in the 100's all week and we were just dripping with sweat. We'd talk to people on the street and they'd say "stay cool today!" And we'd just chuckle and then definitely not keep cool. But here's an update on my elbow. So last week I got x-rays and the doctors said it was fractured. There was a distinct crack on the first x-ray, and blood filling the joint.  So I got a Priesthood blessing from Elder Olivas and just had faith that everything was gonna work out how it needed to. So this week we went in for a follow up at the Orthopedic Surgery Clinic. They took more x-rays and the doctors couldn't find the fracture anymore! It had just disappeared. The doctors couldn't believe it and the mission nurse, Sister Farrimond, said it was gonna go down as her "mission miracle!" haha. So I'm currently out of the split and sling doing some stretches every day to get my range of motion back. We have the car back and I can drive. The Priesthood is real!!

We met with Manet twice this week and she is still amazing. She finished the Book of Mormon last night and is following the council in Moroni 10:3-5 tonight before she goes to bed. We talked about 3 Nephi chapter 8 where it talks about the last days and she was just amazed at how much is coming to pass. That was definitely a big testimony builder for her. She knows this book has so much validity she just needs that spiritual witness now. We went through the first three baptismal questions with her and she believes that Joseph Smith was a Prophet. She said "Why would anyone lie about this? It's too beautiful!", said in an Armenian accent haha! She's so awesome. She calls us her Grandsons and wants us to tell our mothers that she is our Nanna while we are away from home! So mom...I'm being taken care of by a sweet Armenian woman...no need to worry haha! Keep her in your prayers this week.

We also met with Ashley and Diana this week! Ashley is still so excited to join her mother as a member of the church! We taught about the Plan of Salvation and how they could be together as a family forever! They are seriously best friends and Ashley loves her mom more than anything in the whole world. Her face just lit up when we testified about eternal families and how death doesn't separate us. She's found the missing piece to her life that she never knew was gone and you can just see that she is so happy.

We finally got in contact with a less active member that has been off the radar for so long! He just got back from his mission in Milan in February and has only been to church a hand full of times since. Recently he hasn't been at all. He called us the other night and was so sad on the phone. He asked us to meet him ASAP so we told him we'd be right there.  He said "Elders...I'm less active. I never would have guessed that it would be me. I served a mission and never thought it would be me!" We read together in John 21 and talked about how the Apostles returned to fishing after Christ died and how Christ told them that Disciples never die...they are always Disciples and they are always supposed to share his Gospel. The Spirit was so strong and Elder Martin and I were basically crying haha. He was so thankful for our message and he said "I'm coming back. This Sunday I'm coming back!" Such a special experience and a huge reminder that I always need to remain faithful and that I will forever be a Disciple of Christ!

Well those are the highlights of our week! I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Jensen


Dumb and Dumber!

Another year mark ceremony!

Burbank

Dang it!

I broke my arm.. but we got a car out of it!

July 18, 2016

Hello everyone! This was another sick week here in California!

Last Monday after emailing, a couple of us Elder's, got together and went to Universal, to go to City Walk and to be honest, it was a big let down at City Walk. Besides a couple Universal themed stores, so we didn't stay long, just long enough to take pictures.  Afterwards, we went to play kickball and it was Sand Lot (mission edition) because elder Martin kicked the ball over the fence and it popped so we couldn't "play no more" hahaha.

When Elder Silva and I were companions, a few months ago, we knocked into Daniel and he was immediately receptive to the message we shared. He was so prepared through his experiences and trials he faced during his transition from the Philippines to the United States. Daniel had been searching for a way to get closer to God and feel his support and guidance more fully in his life. Well this week I got to go back to Van Nuys and see Daniel Noora get baptized! I'm so happy for him and I know that the gift of the Holy Ghost and this Gospel will fill that gap that he has been trying to fill his whole life. I'm so happy for him and I can't wait for his family to see his example.  It was an awesome day for both of us seeing someone we found and taught together getting baptized.

We met with Diana Del Mundo this week to teach her a recent convert lesson and she brought her daughter! So we decided to teach the Restoration so her daughter could hear our special message! Well the Spirit was so strong and the daughter was loving everything we taught. At the end of the lesson we committed her to be baptized on August 27th and Diana was almost in tears! She has been praying that her daughter would gain interest in the church and her prayers were answered. It was such a cool experience!

"On Friday's, we have district workout in the mornings, so we play games as a district. The sister missionaries always come up with games for us to play (usually turn out a disappointment). So this week, we played "Sharks and Minos". And in every group, school, mission, fun, whatever, there is always that one person, who thinks it's the Olympics and takes it too serious. Well, this particular Elder, was in the middle, and hadn't tagged anyone yet. Elder Jensen was near the end, and this Elder decides to dive for him, and he took his legs out. Elder Jensen put his hands on the wall to stop himself, and hurt his wrist, and had pretty bad bruises on his knees. So we left right away, and we called the mission nurse. After I hung up, I decided that my elbow had started hurting. So I called the nurse back, and she showed up about an hour later and took me to the doctors. Turns out, Elder Jensen has a Radial-head fracture in his elbow. But we got a car out of it!" - I asked elder Martin to type that all up because I am too slow with one hand haha. So yeah I am now in a sling for a while! I'll keep you all updated on what happens!

Manet couldn't meet this week. More updates coming next week!

We met with Peter Roses this week! A huge miracle happened. He had always told us that he wasn't getting baptized because he needed to figure out some personal things first but it just didn't feel right. So on Friday we figured it all out! Elder Martin was coming in clutch with some inspired questions and we found out that he doesn't have a testimony of the Priesthood. He believes everything else but he can't understand the need for that authority. So now that we know what he needs we are feeling a lot better about helping him progress.

Funny story of the week: Elder Martin is the pickiest eater that has ever walked the planet hahaha! Man I love this kid. So we go to the Mathov's for dinner. She is Philippino, so she cooked a Philippino dish. Well Elder Martin was struggling to get it down hahaha. He leaned over and whispered, "Elder...I'm about to throw up." As he gagged a little hahaha. All I could tell him to do was to drink water hahaha. Poor kid is still adjusting to the mission life!

Well my hand hurts at this point so I think I'm gonna call it quits for the day. Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Jensen


Universal Studios!

Candid with my boy Daniel.

City Walk with Elder Anderson and Elder Olivas.

Burbank

Daniel's Baptism

Daniel's Baptism.

Sand Lot -mission edition.