Exchanges and a Wedding Party

Self explanatory email hahaha.

So this week I was up in Victorville and Apple Valley again. It was great. I got to see some people that were just getting baptized in the Zone Leaders area in Victorville when i was a district leader there. They have just gone to the temple and all that good jazz so it was good to see them still active and doing well!

In Apple Valley we had a great day as well. UGH! I love it there!  It was really hard to say good bye for the last time. I am going to miss that place like none other! So many memories there!

Sena and Sekona were married on Saturday! Then on Sunday there was a big ol' eat for them ( not a reception though hahah that was also Saturday! The eat on Sunday was so big, probably the most food i have ever seen in one place. There a was a pick full of  20+ pigs (yes we counted). not to mention all of the other food. Imagine about 25 eight foot tables piled  2 feet high with food. One pig and mountain of telo and kumala ( tongan potatoes and sweet potatoes) and Beef and sausage and Ota (tongan sushi like stuff) and Sapasui and Otai ( tongan punch) so good!!! so much food though!

The whole thing was just a party! it was great! Everyone seems pretty accepting of Sena being baptized and her parent were saying once Sena was baptized they might join as well. So that was very encouraging! Some other random guy was also given in marriage... at least that what I understood to be happening. Excited Tongans talk very fast and I only understand so much. But I do know that a mom asked her son a question and he proceeded to run to a girl he met the night before and get on one knee. hahah Mom spent the next 7 minutes crying in to the microphone about here son. Then the newly made and very surprised couple got a chance to speak. They both seemed accepting of what was happening. They then spent the rest of the evening together hahaha. Not sure how for real it was, but it was hilarious either way.

Those are my adventures for the week!

Ofa Atu!

Elder Jensen

The beginning of the end

This week (and the coming weeks) was full of a lasts. It was sad. I will get to the sad stuff later.

We taught Angel this week. He is doing good. We need to get him to read the book of mormon though. He is looking for truth, but thinks that everyone has truth. Which is true. But not everyone has all of the truth. That is something solely we have. He is comfortable with the church he goes to, but want the truth that we offer... Kinda strange. No word from the Gift of healing lady. We should probably call her and see how she is doing. Sekona and Sena are getting married this weekend, so that means that they are and have been super busy, but hopefully we will be able to get everything figured out in not too long.

On Thursday we had MLC. It was really good. We have some very strong leaders in our mission. It was my last, along with one of the sister training leader and one of the zone leaders. President asked us to bear our testimonies at the end. We all shared very similar thoughts and feelings. It is interesting, if you do a mission right, regardless of how much you teach or baptize you seem to learn the same things. Maybe I am crazy or maybe it is just our mission. Either way, we all testified that there is life after the mission, that the mission is a type and a shadow of our life to come, that this is the greatest privilege, and that through Christ all things are possible.

On Saturday I got to go on exchange with Elder Hirst for that last time. I got to serve with him in the office for 6 months and we are tight. I'll get to see him again, he's my zone leader, but it was weird to think that that was the last time I would get to serve so close to him 

We are into the thick of exchanges now. This week Ii will get o be able to go back to AppleValley and Victorville one last time.

Sorry for all of the sad last business I won't do that ever again.... I hope ..... for your sakes at least

Ofa Atu!

Elder Jensen

Conference Week End

Less lame this week... at least that is the goal.

So we made it through transfers, no natural disasters or freak storms to make life hard. Counting our blessings. Then just the regular nitty gritty after all the transfer business. Found one new investigator. His name is Angel, he seems interested in the church and semi-interested in joining the church. We will work on that. He was supposed to come to conference, but bailed last second to help a friend with some handyman work or something. Some friend keeping him from salvation.

Got to visit and teach couple of less active in the Tongan ward, but not Sena and Sekona sadly. :( 

We are still working on them though! 

On Saturday in between the afternoon and Priesthood sessions of general conference a family took is out to eat and as we are leaving a we talk to a lady handing out mobile pet grooming service cards. We stopped and talked with her for a little bit. She asked what we were doing and the regular questions regarding our youthful looks and strange uniforms. We gave her the low down and started talking about Christ, when she interrupts and tells us about how she has the gift of healing and she is a healer , but hasn't used her gift in a while. We talked with her a little about faith and the power of faith, I don't know if we corrected her view, but she accepted what we were saying. The topic of faith of course lead to a conversation on faith verses works. Surprisingly Denise (thats her name) was on our side that it takes both, not one or the other. I shared the story of the rich young ruler with her and how it takes faith to keep the commandments, but also the action of following Christ. We testified of modern prophets and she said she would come to conference, but again she no showed :(

General Conference was HAMAZING! I love the testimonies and words of wisdom for our Leaders. They are so truly inspired! " We thank Thee oh God for a prophet!" Heed their words. They are just good ideas, catchy phrase the kids say these day or even just good advice for moral living. They are speaking commandments from God!!!

Ofa Atu!

Elder Jensen

OH!! And just because I think it is awesome, the final hymn of the Saturday morning session is actually a Tongan hymn. They like to sing it a little faster and with much more gusto and a little less peace hahah. Ka Kaingata'a Ho Hala Feinga is the name.

This is our whiteboard, what is on it changes, but it is awesome! #WhiteboardAllTheWalls #GoForItKids #OkButNotOnTheCouch!