Week 101 Una Mes Mas

I cannot believe that 23 months have passed by so fast...it is like just yesterday I was coming back from my mission from surgery at home. But, I am very happy that I am serving here in La Esperanza. It is sooooo cold here. It is the only department here in Honduras that is cold. Like seriously, sometimes I am freezing at night, a real change. And there is like no restaurants that are good, we are like 5 hours from Tegucigalpa. But, I am coping with it...lol. Familia Corales is doing good...they are going to be doing more paper tomorrow and see what else we need to help them with so that they can get baptized this month. I am praying for a miracle that they can be baptized, please pray for them too. It might be the only family I baptize in my mission. My goal to finish my mission is 25/1. If my dad baptized over 100, the least I can do is baptize 25. But, we contintue to find people that the Lord has prepared and we are teaching more people here in Intibuca. It is a little stressing sometimes because my companion has a lot of responsibilities within the branch, so sometimes we work more with less actives than we do with investigators. I am doing all I can to do my best. I know the Lord knows why I was put here to finish my mission. That is what I will have faith in and do all I can. 

Pday hike.

This week was really fun. To increase more references we hold English classes twice during the week. Even this far into mission I still am learning more and more Spanish, and the lessons acrtually help me speak some English before I go home. 

Loving my time in La Esperanza. I am grateful for the time I have spent here as missionary. It is a privilege to be a missionary. I have my weaknesses, but the Lord helps me as well as the Holy Ghost make up for when I fall short. The Gospel is true. I would not be here if it wasn't. Love you all and I am grateful for the all the support you have given to me these past couple years. Cannot wait to see you all in just 1 more month! 

Les quiero,

Elder Jensen

So much of the food I will miss. You know me...I love food.

Week 100 Enormous Intibuca

Freak! I only have a couple weeks left in my mission. I cannot believe that 2 years have passed by so fast. It feels like just yesterday I was entering the MTC. And now I am here in my new area. I felt kind of sad to leave Germania with 2 new recently baptized converts. But, I know the members will help them fit into the ward and show them everything. Here is just crazy. My new area is called La Esperanza, Intibuca. Our area is huge! Like seriously, I could hop on a bus for like 1 hour and a half and I would still be my area. Not walking, on a BUS! Our area is so pretty...its like when you go camping in the woods. A lot of pine trees, rivers, creeks, and everything. Also my companion is named Elder Mena and is from Guatemala and he's great

. He is also the Branch President. So I am his First and Second Counselor, District Leader, Secretary, and President the Elders Quorum. It's crazy busy, but I'm not complaining. I am always occupied doing something. It is fun, and great to be busy.  But, man it's stressful. I always have to have a lesson or a talk ready at any moment on Sunday. Not many people go to church, like 50 or 60. Compared to like 300 in my ward back home. Super weird, but it is great.

I have fungus on the bottom of my feet again. Remember I had this when I was Siguatepeque. My feet really hurt, but I'm not letting it get me down. The doctor said to put my feet in timid water with salt for like 30 mins, use this cream, and work until I can go no more. And that is what I have been doing.

  About the work, we have about 3-5 people preparing to be baptized this change before I get home. We have this family that is just gold. They have had all lessons, they have been going to church for years, know that this church is true, and want to get baptized real bad. It is so amazing to see them and feel of their spirit. The only thing that stands in their way is that the man needs to get divorced from his first wife and then marry the lady his with with right now. He is almost done with the papers...just waiting for the lawyer to finish his first case and then he will start on his. Please pray for the Familia Corales that they can be married and baptized soon. Hopefully before I get home! I am doing all I can to help them so I can be a part of it. I would love to finish my mission with 25 people and 1 family baptized. I want to baptize Familia Corales. 

Loving my mission and the blessings I have received from it. I know that this is the true church. That as we power through are trials with God on our side, He will lift us up and help us so that we can live with him again. I am sad that I will finish soon, but I know it has been worth. Love you all...thanks for all the support you show to me and love you have shown to me in my time here in Honduras. Have a good week! 

Les quiero mucho,

Elder Jensen

My mom sent a cubs tie for Elder Hernandez for Christmas. Been a fan his whole life and was on mission when they won the World Series.

Yep...even in Honduras

Looks disgusting...but it is sooooo good.

Tamale. I will miss these when I go home.

Week 99 Feliz Navidad y un Prospero Ano Nuevo!

Merry Christmas! This Christmas was so rad! I had so much fun this past week. I have the true Christmas Spirit this year....it is much better to give then to get! I know that as we share and LIGHT the WORLD we can truly feel our Heavenly Fathers presence. Well, as you heard last week...we were going to baptize two people this Christmas. IT CAME TRUE! On Friday, we went to go do the baptism interview and man was it so hard. Javier....said he wanted to get baptized on the 7th instead of the 25th. And then the mom said she wanted to as well, because she wanted to do it with her son. We literally had a talk for 45 mins because they changed there mind back and forth from the 7th and the 25th. And we asked them if they had faith to do this, if they believe in Jesus Christ, if they believe that they have repented and of all their sins, if they have the desire to change, and if they desire to get baptized. And they said Yes to all those questions. And with that...we told them it really does not matter what happens tomorrow, just TODAY! And when my companion said that, they agreed to get baptized on Christmas day. The best gift you can give Our Savior. So, literally an hour before sacrament meeting...they got baptized. A miracle happened that day. They will always remember that day to be the best day of their life. I am so grateful I was able to be a part of that day. The spirit once again confirmed to me the purpose of me being in Honduras on my mission. I am finishing my mission this next change, but that does not stop me from being the best missionary I can be for the next 6 weeks.

On Christmas Night, we ate so much. I had like 4 dinners that night of just pork, potatoes, tamales, and torrejas ( sugar bread)....delicious. At 12...we lit fireworks and enjoyed the company of the Christmas Spirit with the people of our ward. I talked to my family as well, for the last time, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to talk with them. 

Love this gospel...and I love my Savior. I know this gospel can change lives. I have felt it this year and I have felt it on my mission. I am grateful for all I have done here and experienced and I know I it will help me be the person I need to be in the future. Love you all.....enjoy the spirit this year. FELIZ AÑO NUEVO!

Les quiero,

Elder Jensen

Week 98 Feliz Navidad

What a week it has been a wonderful week this week! But, really stressful! Like seriously. So, one of the companions from another area....came to live with us because his companion left to go to Brazil...so he is staying with us until changes. It is has been kind of rough because he is a little different and we don't always see eye to eye. But, i am trying to have patience with him (and I am sure he is with me). But, besides that this week we have been working hard to get those 3 baptisms that we want for Christmas. They are progressing faster than I could ever had imagined. It is amazing to see people have the desire to change and to really want the best for their life. Arling and Javier are truly the escogidos (chosen) that everyone wants. I have the desire as a missionary to be the missionary who will hopefully help them to make the best decision they will make in their life. I am glad to be a missionary still. I still have my weaknesses and I still have my faults...but they do not make me the new person I am today, I am changed. Christmas is the best time of the year to spend with family and be close together...and what a privilege it is to be a missionary in Honduras helping others to join with their family and remember the only person who can change their lives for the better, Jesus Christ.

On Saturday we had the Stake Christmas party and it was a blast to see everyone there...we also had a blast. We were able to bring 5 investigators to the party. It was a fiesta and we were able to help people truly enjoy the joy of Christmas. I am glad I was able to enjoy it here in Honduras...got to see all my friends from Roble Oeste again too. I am glad I am here to enjoy my last one too. Love you all and I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary. The Church is True. And this gospel is real...I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can become clean of all sin and receive that True Conversion to the gospel. 

Btw on Sunday was the Presentación de la Primaria....I was able to sing as a missionary I Hope They Call Me On A Mission in Spanish with all the little kids...so Cute! 

Week 97 Gonna be a very Merry Christmas

Well, I am going to have one awesome Christmas. Christmas Eve lands on Saturday this year and its going to be very memorable. We had a real cool experience this week. We have been working hard on these 2 new people that came to church on Sunday. They are a family who are friends with the stake president. They came to church as a family and then we meet with them after and taught them about baptism. We talked from Acts 8 about Eunuch and Philip that if they had the faith to get baptized, they could too. It does not matter how many sins or temptations we have. All that matters if we have the desire to change. At that moment all of them decided to get baptized, and the are on December 24th, Christmas Eve. I know for us as missionaries, and of course the Lord, and most definitely for them this will be the best Christmas gift they will ever receive in their life. I am so happy for they made this life changing decision. For Marisol and for Genesis well they are a little bit different. They want to get baptized, but they are lacking the faith. The have postponed their baptism that was suppose to be this weekend.  So, we are going to help them and with the help of the members more we are going to read General Conference talks with them. 

My letters are getting a little shorter by the week because I so busy.  I am still working hard and I want you all to know that my testimony of this gospel is stronger than it ever has been. This week we were teaching the law of chastity to some investigators and I felt the impression to share my testimony. My heart burned with the spirit and I know now with all my heart that this law and others are true.  I love you all...loving this Christmas season. We are so blessed. We had 8 investigators in the church on Sunday....and we hadn't even found or asked these people. It's all from the members invitations! This ward is so awesome! Elder Estrada and I are working hard here and we are doing our best to invite all to come unto Christ! See you next week! 

Elder Jensen

Week 96 Fastings For Miracle

Marisol and Genesis

Well, this past week was one heck of a ride. We have been working real hard with Marisol and Genesis. They were sick a little this week. so they could not make it to church on Sunday. But, we were able to continue to prepare them for baptism on the 17th. It is really cool to see the change and the happiness when someone really wants to change. I have seen this in my life these past 2 years. I know that the Lord truly prepares those who are seeking for a new life. I know that I have felt that with them. You can just feel this love when you are with them, you cannot deny it. This week I found a scripture that comforted and changed me. I remember reading it a month into my mission, but could never find it again. It reads: 

¨For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.¨ Romans 8:38-39

What a beautiful scripture that is right? I know that the pure love of christ that each one of us feels and is in us, no one can ever take that away. It is love unbreakable. A really cool miracle happened this week from fasting. It was Saturday and we were having a bad day and we were waiting for the bus to go to into some residentail areas to do some contacting. And this car came by and honked at us. It was the Stake President and we got in and we went with him instead to do some teaching with him. We met 2 new families and now we have 4 new baptisms for this month and next month. All of them went to church and we are planning their baptisms. What miracles happen when we fast for the most smallest things. I testify that fasting truly works. I love this work and I love my mission. 

I hope everyone is starting thinking of Christmas this year. It does not matter the presents or the gifts, what matter is our Savior Jesus Christ who was born. H who can save all of us if we just simply follow Him. Love you all. I know this to be true. Feliz Navidad a todos! Hasta la proximo semana. Cheque Pues!

Les quiero,

Elder Jensen

P-Day!

Week 95 Finding the Escogidos (Choosen)

What a week it has been! I cannot believe how fast time is going by. It feels like yesterday I was entering the CCM and now I am here 21 months later finishing my mission. But, seriously it has been a blessing to be here in Honduras. I have seen the blessings of being a missionary and helping families and catrachos (Honduran male) come unto Christ. I know that I will be immensely blessed for serving the Lord with my might in these last couple weeks here. I know that if I truly work hard, have faith and continue to be obedient my Heavenly Father will lead me to the people that are truly looking for the gospel in these last 10 weeks. So excited!

Marisol and Genesis are progressing so fast. Genesis loves the young women program and loves the activities that they do every Wednesday. She told all the young women that she wants them to go to her baptism on the 10th.....Yipeee! And Marisol has been reading the BOM a lot know and she finds it be very interesting. She has felt the spirit so much and knows it be true. It is going to be a very Merry Christmas for me and Elder Estrada this year. To have a chance to baptized someone during this time of year. I can't think of anything better. The fireworks are coming out and we are both excited to help everyone remember that the Savior was born in Bethlehem on Christmas Morning. I love this area. We have been finding new families all over and it is an amazing thing to tell them all about Christ and his life right now. 

Love you all so much. The weeks are catching up to me and before I know it I will be going home. It makes me sad and excited all in one.  All I know is that Our Savior and Redeemer lives and that this Gospel is truly amazing. It can change each and everyone of us. Does not matter how old you are, where you are, or what you've done. All that matters is that we are children of a loving Heavenly Father and he wants nothing more than for us to turn to Him and His son. The Book of Mormon is true and I can see new miracles just by reading a little bit everyday. Love you all....please pray for me and my companion and for our investigators that they can truly accept this gospel and receive the blessing that come from it. 

Les quiero,

Elder Jensen

Cute Honduran kids.

How I take a hot shower everyday.

Made Pizza Spaghetti for Elder Estrada's birthday and some investigators

Happy Birthday Elder Estrada!