Temple Trip

Not a lot of time today, we had a temple trip today so that is why my email is a little late. Like I

Redlands California Temple

said we got to go to the temple today. It was so nice. I love that place. If you haven't ever gone you should truly consider it. If you have gone - go again! soon!... you need to!!!!!!

We have been able to teach Sena and Sekona a couple more times. They are super solid. Haven't missed a week of church in the last month and a half since their wedding. Sena has accepted everything we have taught so far. Our plan is to set a baptismal date tomorrow! 

 Exchanges all last week and more this week. We are busy as ever, but is all good.

Ofa Atu!

Elder Jensen

Elder Badoni and Elder Jensen at the Redlands California Temple

Elder Hirst, Elder ?, Elder Badoni, Elder Jensen

FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! But don't be afraid

well this week was more than un-orthodox...

So on Monday I put Elder Millano and Elder Smith on a plane.... and that was hard. Then we got the new missionaries and everything seemed to be going well and not breaking with out Elder Millano to fix it... until Tuesday.

 On Tuesday the mission burnt to the ground. OK not all of it but a pretty big and major part of it did, but we didn't know this until like 1 or 2 pm because we were in meetings with the new missionaries all morning. The fire burnt.  So we have lunch with the new missionaries and their trainers and tried to plan where they will stay and then we have a meeting with them all. At the end of the meeting President Taylor breaks the news to them that not all of them will be able to return to their areas because of a major fire that broke out near the only 2 highways going up to the desert... well like any road going up to the desert . The fire burned for like 4 or 5 days and shut down all traffic going up and down the I-15. So we got to have 8 extra bodies (and that wasn't even half of the elders that had to stay, not to mention the sisters who stayed at the STL's here in Rancho) stay in our little 2 bed 3 bath apartment  hahah........... YAY!..... It was actually really fun and good, but it meant that life was unusual. We were mostly a taxi service for the week. We set each of the affected companionships up with a companionship here in Rancho to work for a couple days, but we still had to take them everywhere they needed to go. Thankfully a couple of the members here in Rancho provided breakfast and dinner for us and them for a couple days. We finally got everyone back to their areas on Friday and the few evacuated missionaries made it home on Saturday.

Total I think 28 missionaries were out of their areas for a couple days because of the fire, but all are safe and home now.

Ofa Atu!

Elder Jensen

Transfer Week

This week has been real dry... :( hahahah we have spent the majority of our time working on transfers with the Office Elders. Its kinda boring... but we manage to make it fun with a few games here and there, an occasional rage fest and Thai food.  There is this hole in the wall Thai place across from the mission office that is pretty good and not too expensive so it makes fr a great lunch break.

I got to see the video recordings that y'all sent to my District leader a couple days back. The whole video was pretty cool! It really got our district thinking about the importance of our purpose and our calling.

Not much else to report. Just getting things settled with Elder Badoni (my new comp). He is super solid and he has only been out 11 months right now. He has big things coming for him in life! For those of you who know my cousins, Elder Badoni is like Kai Yee's doppelganger (even though Kai is Asian and E. Badoni is Navajo). I think the picture that I sent should be proof enough hahaha.

I won't be able to email on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday next week... so I am emailing now. Life is busy, but tomorrow it will become insane busy!

Ofa Atu!

Elder Jensen

Learned from Elder Millano

From Elder Millano I have learned what we affectionately call the Russian stacking doll principle. Basically everything we do has a larger and smaller equivalent either having more or less detail. So like... idk,  lets start with church organization, that's an easy one to see. starts with a family. then we have home teachers over a couple of families, then we have bishop's over a couple of home teachers, then stake presidents and so on. Pretty simple, it get less simple when you deal with abstract idea's like sacrifice or  agency. It works for topics like the atonement or the plan of salvation.  For example  a seed is a Russian stacking doll of the resurrection. Death burial and new life. The Restoration also is a stacking doll of the resurrection. 

Ofa Atu

Elder Jensen

Video created by Mission families for Missionaries

Mission Video from families to Missionaries

MLC Week

This week was oddly regular... I guess. I mean Tuesday we had our regular district meeting, Elder Whilhelm ( my District Leader) is the best ever so that was awesome! Wednesday was MLC Prep and Thursday was MLC. We have mission tour coming up so lots was in preparation for that. Elder Dube of the 70 is coming to our mission!!!

Friday we helped President Taylor with transfers. Saturday we had a regular day. Sunday was regular until the evening. Then we had to make a run up to the desert to hep some missionaries who could see a wild fire from their back window. Nothing adverse happened, just some safety precautions was all. They are back in their area's safe today.

I have received requests for boring tracting stories. I will send two this week. So here it goes!

This one time we tracted like 3 or 4 streets in a row (and these are valley streets not desert streets, so we are talking like 15-20 houses per street, not like 4) and only 3 doors answered and one was a member who we didn't know lived there.  hahahah

This one is slightly better.

One time I was one exchanges and we were tracting and this guy answers the door and his Opening line is "Oh. Do you believe in the Trinity?" We get this alot actually and so we are kinda like oh not again. this is how the rest of the conversation went.

" We believe in God the Eternal Father and in his Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost.

"Ok good, a like young men who a raised with a proper Christian background. (we start thinking yay he's not crazy) But let me ask you this: Do you believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers?"( yup nope this guy is crazy)

" well you see sir we believe that we are spiritually brothers and sisters. So like Me and you and brothers and you and I and Jesus are brothers. so under that understanding Satan is our spiritual brother."

"(Insert any amount of random nonsense regarding fallen angels and separate specious of people and angels and blah blah blah) And that is why  Mormons and wrong!!!)

So i proceed to break out the new pass along card the church made with the most Catholic looking Jesus i have ever seen the Church endorse and convince the man to watch a " non-denominational video about the Resurrection." hahaha

Well that is about it. Tomorrow I will pick up my new companion so her can help us with transfers.

I will also most probably email on Saturday, because of transfers, but i really don't know when I will email next.

Ofa Atu!

Elder Jensen

The sweet sound of Elder Jensen singing Tongan hymn!

the Last of the Exchanges

This week we finished our zone leader Exchanges! YAY! No more worrying about them!! So we get to spent the entirety of the next 2 weeks as companions... something we normally don't get to do hahaha.

While I was on exchange with Elder Memmott we met this super cool guy named George who was more than happy to talk with us after his long and hot day of roofing (like it was 105 on the ground. I can't imagine what it was on top of a black roof). He told us he had moved in not long ago and was living with his in-laws for work ( he could have found a job closer to home, but he needed specific hours in a specific skill set) so he was living at his in-laws. He also told us he was looking for a church out here (perfect) and when we told him where and when he said " anywhere is better than here with them" hahah I guess he doesn't like his in-laws too much. He sadly did not come to church though. We will have to tract him down again.

We also got to see a guy name Junior in the Tongan ward. Bishop asked us to go by a while ago and we have been trying, but with little success until now. We finally got in with him and just shared a simple video a message about God as our Father. We asked him if has had seen God's power. He said he had from his father giving priesthood blessings. We asked him if he wanted to be able to do that as well, he naturally answered yes. So now we just need him to come ti church enough to exercise the Aaronic Priesthood he has so that he can be advanced. Baby steps, but Junior will take them!

On Saturday we got asked to speak in church ... on Sunday.... so we did... and it actually wnt pretty alright. But then the Gospel Principles teacher no showed so we taught gospel Principles as well... And by taught I mean we did what we could with the time we had to prepare hahah

Well that is about it, unless you want to hear boring tracting stories hahah. Anyway love yall!

Enjoy the summer while you have it! The kids here are already getting ready to go back to school.

Ofa Atu!

Elder Jensen

Exchange Week!

So we were again on exchanges this week!

I was here for 2 days and the got to go back to Apple Valley! I love it there it is like my second home!

Had a few small miracles this week. 

We talked with a Lady who know quite a few members, but it very active at her baptist church. How ever she was very excited to read the Book of Mormon to be able to know and understand more about us. She even said we could come back, not something we usually get.

We were also able to see Terrell this week! FINALLY! And he was able to be ordained a priest on Sunday so that was awesome to see as well!

Met a man yesterday who served with a Ralph from Raymond who played alot of basketball. Didn't narrow it down to much, but still a small connection hahah).

Hope all is well!

Ofa Atu!

Elder Jensen