Week 4 of Home - The Gift of the Century

This week was amazing! I have some very exciting news for you guys! Up until December 10th I was told that I would not be returning back to Honduras until after Christmas. The mission department in Salt Lake said that the missionaries do not travel the week of Christmas. And because the doctor did not medically release me until Friday December 18th, it was too late. So, I had come to grips that I was not going to make it back until December 28th. But, President Ferman talked to my stake president and he wanted and needed me back on the 19th. He wanted me to come home...home as in Mission. I am so excited. I cannot ask for a better Christmas present, ever. I am ready to spread his love and message and life to everyone during this most wonderful time of year. I can tell everyone about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and how that knowledge can change their lives. I know that through him and following him, we will receive true happiness. 

My grandparents came for a couple of days to say hi and bye. I was able to go the temple with my Grandma Hibler to do some family names. Both initatories and endowments. We went out to eat to eat to may favorite places and watched some Christmas videos. We did an early Chirstmas Eve tradition too. I got to go to Star Wars 7 on opening night with my friend Garron Hahn. It was amazing. Friday the missionaries came over for the last time for breakfast and studying and to stay good bye. I will miss them. They were a great bunch of elders that helped me through a tough time. I will never forget them. I left at 1:30 am on Saturday December 19th back to Honduras.

I might not ever know why this happened, but I did learn somethings that I will take back with me to Honduras. 

Con mucho Carino,

Elder Alec Jensen

Tickets to the Star Wars 7

Hleping the Livermore Missionaries at the Interfaith Chior Festival

Saying good bye to Taylor...again. He goes back to his mission in Salem Oregon on January 5th

Heading the Temple with Grandma Hibler

My dentist's Ferrari 

My sisters

Dinner with everyone at Sauced

Saying good bye to my family.

At the San Francisco Airport ready to go back to Honduras.

Week 3 of Home - "All I Want For Christmas is My Mission Back"

Wow, I can not believe how fast this week has gone. (I am going to write in English again, because I am lazy today.) But, this week I have done so much to keep myself active and focused on my mission....plus a little fun. This week I studied with the spanish missionaries again and was able to attend their District/Zone Meeting. It was so much fun. I was actually asked to give a little lesson regarding faith and how we can help others come unto him through the power of faith. A quote and talk that you are probably familiar with from this past conference was by Neil L. Andersen. He says: "Faith is not by chance, but by choice." As it describes in this we can only choose to have faith unless we act on it and decide to receive it. We must act on it to receive it and will receive those precious blessings of this gospel. As President Monson said: " The Future is bright as your future." You guys can do it and I know we all can do it! I am really miss my mission at this point in time. I have come to realize just how much I love it, as soon it is was taken from me. So, enjoy this time while you can.  It is a blessing. 

As news this week, I received word from my doctor that I can return to full activity as of the 18th December. So, I talked to my Stake President. I gave him the doctor's release and my letter stating how much I want to return before Christmas.  So, I have done my part and now we wait. All I am waiting for now is what day I am going back. I am trying as much as possible to get myself pumped up to get back out there and finish my mission. I was actually able to go to the temple with my mom last Friday. What a pleasurable experience that was. 

I have been keeping many of the missionary rules and day to day activities so I stay in the missionary mindset. But, I have been watching some Christmas movies and this week I started a Star Wars marathon, because I plan and will see the 7th one on opening night before I go back out. So, I am excited for that. In your faces!

I have enjoyed this week and plan to do as much as I can to  keep myself physically, mentally, and spiritually prepared to return to my mission. Love you all so much and I am glad you guys are encouraging me during this time. Again, more than any other gift this Christmas I want to return to my mission. Once again, love you all and hope to see you all real soon! Cheque Pues!

Con Mucho Carino,

Elder Alec Jensen

P.S. And as my trainer said, whom I love dearly, Sacrificio esta temporal, pero gloria es eterno!

Family photos

district meeting with the Livermore missionaries.

Week 2 of Home - Recovery

This past week was good. I have been taking it easy and it feels like everything is going well. I should be feeling a lot better in a couple more weeks if want to go out. I have a doctors appointment this Wednesday, to find out when I can get a release from the doctor. I am very excited to get back out! I'm really shooting for the week of Christmas.

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving week and I'm glad I spent it with my family. Instead of my mom cooking my dad decided to take us out for dinner. We got to eat at Golden Corral! I ate a ton of food, like 5 pounds of it. As you can see in the pictures above, I had a good time. I'm taking advantage of this time, before I go back out. Hehehe. I continue to studying with the Spanish elders every morning, so that I don't get out of the habit of my studies. This coming week I'm going to go on splits with the elders this week and the asked me to give a lesson at there District Meeting on Thursday. All these things will help me stay missionary minded.

Love you all and thank you so much for your letters during this struggle. Keep it up and I hope to see you in a couple weeks. And always remember :

No se preocupe, sea feliz!

Con mucho cariño,

Elder Alec Jensen

Week 1 of Home - SURGERY-

As much as I didn't want to leave my mission, I had to go to get my hernia surgery in the United States. The mission department in Salt Lake deamed it unsafe to have the surgery done in Honduras. I flew home Tuesday November 17th. My mom and and dad were at the San Francisco Airport to pick me up. Its amazing to see them along with my sisters. My bed was so soft and to be able to take a "normal" shower was amazing. But, I truly missed the people and friends I had gotten so close to in Siguatepeque. I skyped with a few of the families this week and made some contact with old district elders that had gone home by phone and facebook. My parents arranged for the Spanish Missionaries, along with with the elders that they lived with, to come every morning for breakfast to have study time. This will help me keep missionary minded and in the grove. I am hoping to get back out before Christmas.

Of course went to In and Out the very next day. Saw Dr. Lee for pre-surgery appointment. Surgery is Friday at 6am. 

My sis...Rachel. She had HS finals today.

Taught my little sister, Amy, how to play Monopoly Dealer

Skyping with Wilson and family from Sigua

Elder Magana, Elder Johnson, Elder Methvin, and Elder Yanez

Prepped for Double Hernia Surgery

About to wheeled off to surgery

Recovery room. My first words when I woke up were, "The road back to Honduras starts here and now."

Visitors...Mathias and Garron Hahn. My favorite family.

Week 45 Sucky Surgery

Well, this week sucked. I found out that I have 2 hernias and that I have to go home to get the surgery. I should be leaving this week sometime. I hope as soon as I get home...I can have the surgery and recuperate, so I can get back out here on my mission and finish it strong. I do not have much to write about this week because mostly we stayed in the house all day because when I walk or sit my hernias hurt. 

I know that is a trial of faith and that when I get home and keep myself focused on going back out...I will. So, I need to pray, read my scriptures everyday, watch church videos, study my Spanish, and everything so that I can return to my mission with honor. 

Love you guys all so much and I hope that you can all pray for me because I am hurting right now and I need some guidance. Talk to you next week.

P.S. I found TAXI NUMBER 1!!!

Con mucho cariño,

Elder Jensen 

The Mondosa Family from Siqua. I love them so much. The helped me find help when I was hurting form my hernias.

Week 44  "Let's Keep It Going"

This week was amazing. WE GOT ANOTHER BAPTISM! WOOHOO! Daniel, the one that got baptized, has been working so hard these past couple weeks and he wants to progress in the gospel. He said that we are an example to him, but his girlfriend is the biggest. She wants to serve a mission and her example has shown Daniel the way. Now, he wants to serve a mission like us and because of that desire he has already seen so many blessings in his life. We are so proud of him and his choice. What a miracle!

I am loving it here with Elder Corey. He is a great example of how to be the best missionary. I am doing all I can do to be a dedicated missionary. 

Something interesting that happened this week was that they are starting to sell fireworks here in Sigua. Which I am so stoked about! (Mom note: Anyone who knows Alec knows that he is a sucker for fireworks. In fact, for most of his growing up years he wanted to become a Pyro-technician. This does make me a little nervous however. I quickly wrote him a letter after getting this and told him to be careful and to not set Honduras on fire...seriously! That would not look good.). I bought all these fireworks for like $2 here in Sigua. Photo below. I am loving it here in Sigua and excited for more good things to come. 

Doing laundry in a pila may suck, the food sometimes may not be great, the humidity and heat is just horrible, but I can tell you that even with all those things combined and more, there is nothing that compares to serving a mission. Blessings come from being obedient and the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to true happiness. A quote I love by Elder Jeffery R Holland is this: "Some blessing come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ; they come".  I love this quote, because I may not like the living conditions here in Honduras...but I embrace this gospel. I constantly see the blessings and I love it with all my heart. 

Love you all guys so much, a year is quickly approaching and I am very excited to see my family when I talk to them on Christmas. Talk to to you next week. 

Cheque Pues!

Con mucho cariño,

Elder Jensen

Week 43 Crazy Corey

This week was amazing and I cannot describe it in any other way. I received a new companion and his name is Elder Corey. He is from Utah and he has been a ton of fun. Actually, he is the District Leader, but it doesn't make a big difference. He is super fun and hard working.  I have shown him the area and we have already received so many miracles. We actually got over 54 contacts in just a few days. We are having a great time getting to know each other and have already became good friends. I am very excited for this cambio and am really excited to see all that Elder Corey and I can do together. 

This week was normal working week...we are actually preparing a man to get baptized this Saturday. Daniel has been growing a lot in the gospel and he has already expressed wanting to serve a mission like us. We are proud of his decision and we know that if he gets baptized and confirmed, he will become a changed man and I can already see him going out and serving a mission. He would make a great missionary.

We celebrated Halloween this year by eating Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip cookies with milk as a district to celebrate. They were really good!

Love you guys so much and miss you a lot. I am now approaching 1 year in the mission. It is getting closer and closer. Time flies. My feet are getting better and I am working more than I have ever worked with my new companion here in Stupendous Siguatepeque. 

Con mucho Cariño,

Elder Jensen