Alrighty... so slower week again...

On Tuesday we did service for the Salvation Army. We packaged probably close to 5 thousand toys... so like 1000 total gifts ( there were a lot of separate pieces)... it was a good thing we had the whole zone there. 20 young Mormons make that kind of work go by way too fast and way too fun. hahahah It was crazy. The people there said that what took us like 3 hours would have taken them all day and all night! HAHAH too funny! 

Wednesday was the high desert christmas devo-( PARTY!)-tional. It was super fun. so all of the missionaries in the high desert got together and had fun. we were given toques and scarves... which I don't really know what to do with... I guess save them for 2 years. But it was very nice of the Relief Society sisters who made them for us!

Thursday I got to go on an exchange with one of the zone leaders, as my companion is a district leader, so that was super cool! Got some really good advice and learned a lot about how mission leadership works....

Friday was just the usual.. try and find new investigators and talk to less actives...

Saturday morning was slow...we did some more service for a family that recently got new carpet and needed furniture moved. But the evening was busy. we went out with Bishop delivering packages to less well off families... it was a lot like back home except there was a lot less ice to slip on.

Sunday church as per usual... then our dinner appointment took us out carolling. Again a lot like back home but i couldn't see my breath as we sang, we sang Feliz Navidad just as much as any other song... and at the end i could still feel my fingers.

That is my week! I hope you are all doing well

Love hearing from you!!!

Love 

elder jensen!

PS. OH and on tuesday we were able to set a baptismal date with a new investigator we found! that was momentous and exciting for our area!

oh i also got the package from the young women so that was awesome!

anyway...i am dong fine. we have wonderful ward members that take wonderful care of us. The work is slowly progressing... but i still like it out here.

Polar Express goes all the way to California!

K so this week was way busy but in a good way ... I actually have stuff to talk about. Monday was P-day.  Nothing exciting.  Tuesday was Zone meeting and we talked about working with members and ward leadership. It was really good!! On Wednesday we met with a less active lady who we had contacted earlier...  We shared the He is the Gift video with her and challenged her to share the gift with someone.  She said she would try and share it with her nonmember husband and said that the day before we knocked on her door she had been thinking about families and praying that there would be a way for her family to be sealed in the temple! It was so cool! Then, like, right after we met with her we had to head down the hill for a trainer/trainee meeting. Which was also super sweet!!! I love Pres Hobbs and Sis Hobbs! They are the best!! Thursday we had a lesson with one of our investigators and we taught the restoration. We had the first counselor to the bishop and his wife there with us. His wife is a convert and so she was able to add her testimony of how she came to know of the Book of Mormon's truth. It was a really good lesson! Also I got a flat on Thursday... that sucked. Friday was weekly planning so we didn't leave the house till like lunch and then after that we had our Ward Christmas party. Which was awesome! Saturday we did a lot of service and got my tires fixed.  Sunday was church and an interfaith christmas festival! Also I guarantee y'all ain't doing enough missionary work! So get on it!!!

Love Elder Jensen


PS.

typical day: wake up exercise... just sit ups and push ups...then studies till 11 the proselyte till 5 or 6... then supper( or dinner as they call it here) then proselyte till 9/930

we probably bike like 70 or 80 miles in a week... so I am still in decent shape

the members feed us pretty good here... we eat out for lunch maybe once a week...the only mexican i have had yet is at del taco ... so nope no really good mexican.... actually we had good tacos at our bishops house once ... but he's white so I dont think it counts.

 we tract alot ... i wish we had member referrals... that would mean the member did missionary work on their own... please try to be better than that!!! 

thank you for keeping our house clean... thank you for teaching me how to work (met some lazy missionaries... not my trainer though). Also I always knew that we were good enough off ... but compared to some down here we are wealthy... so wow. be thankful for a basement they don't exist down here.

tell Corinne Bonsteel that I found Sister Ellis.

Are we related to the Steele's down the campbell line? I would ask gpa but i don't have time.

YOU NEED TO DO MORE MISSIONARY WORK!!!

California missionary work

Sorry if this is the first letter you have received from me... but I have been busy. Unfortunately even though I have been busy that does not mean I have a lot to say. I am in a ward of about 280 but the attending population is 85-95 every week... so we are trying to work with the less actives. we have grown our teaching pool from 0 to 4 since I have been here. And 3 of those investigators we found in the last week so the work is progressing slowly. We have had more success with the less actives tho. This week we even got a less active convert to come to church again. we take every win we can! The active people in our ward are great tho! MOM what is this blasphemy I hear about no christmas tree hunting????? Good to know that traditions went with me right out the door!!! Life is good and I am happy!! We have been chased by a few dogs and such but its all in the name of missionary work hahah anyway that is all for this week. Hopefully I have more to say next week.

Love 

Elder Jensen