Week 89 New Church, New Church!!

                                                Fotos de la Semana (Photos of the week)

My dope companion. 

Best district...EVER!

A brand new church building! We are so lucky!

In the bus coming home from P-day last week with my district.

A colony that is literally like an hour walk distance from our house.

Friends who came out tracking with us for the dedication of the new church in our area. 

Beauty of La Laguna

I had fun this week. Its a little stressful because my companion had to make so many calls (visits) because of all the missionaries he looks after as a medical missionary help. Also, there is a sister in our mission who has a breast cancer, and she is going home on Wednesday to get it taken care of. Please pray for Sister Lexus Becraft, please! Hopefully all goes well with the treatment and she recovers completely. So...we have been going back and forth and here and there all week with all the medical things. We tried the very best this week to find as many new people to invite to the dedication of the new church that was just finished a couple of weeks ago. We used have to take a bus to the old church that was like 20 mins from our house, but now the new building is a 5 minute bus ride from our house.  Man, we invited people like crazy this week. There are so many inactives famlies and people in our area. Like almost 50 who have not gone to church in months. So, it was our pleasure to hunt them all down and invite them to come out to the dedication this past Sunday at 10 am. It was tiring, but definitely worth it. The spirit there was so powerful and I could not hold back the tears with all the people that got up to give their testimony. Amazing!!!

This week has been crazy with an investigator we have named Celeste. We went to teach her last Friday about the BOM and the importance of going to church. Her mom passed by to drop a couple things by and left. The lesson was great and the spirit was strong. But, the trial came after we left, we were told. Her mom came back screaming because she wanted to watch her tv show and said ¨if you want to be with the Mormons, you can find a another house to live in!¨ Celeste went out crying and found a place to sit and called her friend (the one who gave us the Celeste as a reference several days ago). Later when we talked to Celeste she kind of bore a testimony of the church and how she felt just like Joseph Smith when he was persecuted. It was so dope! She is alright now and we are helping her to pray for help and we teaching and show her how to feel peace from what is happening with her mom. We are doing all we can with all the other investigators that we are teaching too.

Just this past week I started reading the Book of Mormon for the 3rd time in my mission. I learn new things every time I read it and I can testify with all my heart that is true and if anyone reads it...even if it's the first 3 pages, they will feel the spirit immediately. I love this gospel and I am grateful I am for it. We are doing all we can to work and do the best we can teach and baptize people this week. OH! Remember Jeisy? Well, I have permission to go to her baptism this Saturday! I am so excited for her and for her future. I am grateful I am a missionary in Honduras. God has much in store for me and I know he is working miracles for me and my companion. Love you all. Hope you have a good week and the chance to start reading the BOM. It will change your life!!! Adiojummmm!

Les quiero,

Elder Jensen

Week 88 Greener Than Green

My new area is so GREEN! It is like so beautiful, but so freakin huge. We walk like 13 miles every single day....it is so crazy! We have a couple people here that we have been working on. We have Celeste...who was a reference from a member in Loarque (not to far from where I am) and she is really positive. She loves the Book of Mormon and has a desire to learn more about the church. We have another person named Javier who has gone to church already like 2 or 3 times. But, the Elders that were here long ago never passed by him and taught him. So, we are going to teach him and baptize him real soon. We have a bunch of other people too, we are re-opening this area. So, we are getting to the area and the people.

I am so excited to be here. I can hardly believe how time has gone by so fast.  I feel honored to be a missionary in Honduras and the people I come in contact with everyday. I still have lots of time to help my mission grow and to ¨Give Hondruas heaven and baptize the hell out of them¨ (quote by Henry B. Eyring with Honduras added) (mom note: serious quote from Eyring...I looked it up.) Not much to write this week. But I would like all of you to read or listen to this talk from last conference that I just love. It is called ¨Am I Enough? Will I Make It?¨ by J. Devn Cornish. Everyday since I heard this talk I tell myself ¨I AM WORTH IT AND I CAN MAKE IT¨ Love you all and hope everyone has a wonderful week. Cheque pues! 

Les quiero,

Elder Jensen

Week 87  Bigger and Bette

Fotos de los miembros aqui en Laureles que fueron excelente a mi estos ultimos 7 meses.

(Photos here in Laureles of members who were good to me these last 7 months.) 

Well, I just got the info...I am finally leaving my area. It is sad to go and what is even sadder is that they are closing the area. I have no idea why, but I guess it what God wants. I had great hope and expectations for this area, but I hope who ever comes here again, will find all those that are seaking. Hopefully that one day I will be able to return to this area when I finish my mission. The Lord has much in store for them and me, but I just have to move on and keep doing what the Lord asks. As for me, I am moving to and opening a new area called Germania. And the best part is that I am with my old companion Elder Hernandez!!!! Elder Hernanzez is who i served with right when I came back to Honduras after my Hernia surgery. I am so excited and I cannot wait for the miracles and blessings that are in store for us and for the people we are going to find and teach! 

This past conference was so awesome! I mean I had to watch it most in spanish and though I understood it, it is always better to watch and hear it in English. My favorite talk was from General Priesthood, the one Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave on Alma and Amulek. He gave a wonderful talk about what we need to learn from Alma and how we can be like Amulek. What I need to change as a missionary to become better. How the little things in the mission really make all the difference. But, what I loved is the story he told about David and Jacob ( you need to watch to truly understand it), but how praying and fasting truly works. And how we can help our fellow men to come back to the church. I challenge each and everyone of you to go out look for someone who needs help or is facing a trial. You truly will make a difference. 

Love you all, please help our fellow brother and sisters who are lost, be found. We can bring the world His gospel together.  Hasta luego! Voy a contar todos de mis experiencias este próximo semana sobre mi nuevo compañero y mi nuevo área! (Bye! I will tell you all my experiences next week about me and my new campanion and my new area!) 

Les quiero,

Elder Jensen

Week 86  Staying Strong

Well, this week was not anything like I thought it would be. We tried to get a lot of people to church and help ourselves get ready for transfers next week in case one or both of us leaves the area. So, that the next elder that comes here has a lot of people to teach here in Laureles. But, most people either were not home or they did not want anything to do with us. On top of that, I have been experiencing a lot of back pain these past couple of months and so it just makes it a challenging to keep at it sometimes. I try and put it out of my mind most of the time, but some times it just gets to me. But, we are doing the best of our ability to work it all out. We are following the rules and being obedient, so that the lord can bless us when the time is right.

Jeisy was not able to get baptized this past week, because she has been experiencing a lot of personal problems. But we are doing all we can so she can prepare herself when the time is right. Also the new family we found has kept up on their reading and they preparing themselves for their baptism which will be on the 22nd of this month. So, it has been pretty cool to be with them. I am grateful I am to here in Honduras. To help these people to really make a difference in there life. It is pretty amazing to be part of something that changes people lives for the good. It changes you a long the way. It is not easy, but it is definitely worth it. 

Lemme tell you what a blessing it is to be apart of this chuch. To teach it and to preach it. I am grateful I have served these past 20 months and I cannot wait to finish the next 4. I cannot believe how fast time has gone by. I hope for more blessings in my time here as I search for the people who are truly looking. As always, love you all. Hope your week goes well this week. Adiojummm!

Les quero,

Elder Jensen

Week 85 Coming Close

Week by week, day by day....I really cannot believe how time is flying by here in Honduras. I wish it would go slower...but it just doesn't. But, I am still here working hard as i can becuse I know that is what the Lord would want me to do. We have been contacting and finding a lot of new people here in Laureles. Searching and searching pretty much everyday. It is so tiring...really it is. I am probably climbed 2,000 stairs this week because some of the people we are visiting live on a mountain. I swear yesterday we climbed that mountain probably 3 or 4 times....I was dead! But, that is the life of missionary here in Honduras. But, it is great exercise, I need it cause I am fat! We have been really progressing with a new family now. They went to church actually this week! Jeisy could not go, apparently she had some kind of commitment. She is in a tough situation right now, we have not had the opportunity to talk with her since Saturday. I have no idea if she will get baptized this Saturday, but we are going to check. We fasted this weekend for her, but we will find out tomorrow what is going on. The family we are teaching right now is the family of  Navia, Eduardo, and Milisen. Really cool family. They are reading the Book of Mormon a lot and they love it. They just need to be better about praying at night. We are trying our best to help them and strengthen them as their testimony grows. 

Missionary work is so much fun, but let me tell you I have had more challenges than I ever expected. I know my Heavenly Father knows me and he loves me. He is always there for me and when I fall short he will forgive me. He cares that I am his son and I am trying. I know I can change and be more like his son as I learn and grow in the gospel. I am seeing it day by day. *Poco a poco* is how they say it here. That is what helps me and keeps me going. One of the my favorite talk ever that helps me to change everyday is by Dieter F Uchtdorf * He Will Place you on His Shoulders and Carry You Home* I hope you all can read this. I literally cry every time I read this....what a powerful talk it is! The power of the Savior is infinite and as we make those little changes everyday, huge blessings will come rushing in.

Love you all. I truly do. I am grateful for your prayers and your testimonies. I know the Savior loves each and every one of you. Hope he can do wonders among you. Hope you guys have a wonderful week. Les quiero mucho y exitos a todos!

Con cariño,

Elder Jensen

Week 84

Wow, well this week was pretty great. We have been working really hard with this awesome investigator named Jeisy (I've been talking about her), who just loves the church and everything about it. She has had all the lessons and now has gone to church twice know and she says that she is possibly going to get baptized this 24th. We are just waiting for her to receive an answer from Heavenly Father. This past week we have praying a lot for her to receive that answer. It is quite cool to see people change from nothing to a BIG something. What a great opportunity it is to help people change there lives around. As a missionary I enjoy the experience I am having here. It kind of sucks that I only have a few months left, but I am working hard and embracing every moment. So, if you could pray for the investigators we have and for us to find more. We are kind of struggling right now with our teaching pool, but we are doing all we can. 

By the way I had another ingrown toe nail take out today and man did that hurt! But, hopefully I do not get any infections....because the last time I had that it sucked. 

Nothing else happened this week, but we are doing all we can to find new people here in Laureles to teach and help! The mission is great...I have been having new experiences everyday that help not only me, but my companionship as well. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve my God. Love you all and please pray for us. We truly need help in this area. It has been slowing down a little but, we are working our butts off so that it can go back up!

Elder Jensen

Week 83 Long and Sick

Well, I can actually tell you that this week went by longer than it seems. Maybe because I got kind of sick...I started to feel pain everywhere and the chills and a headache....and a bunch of other things. Not much to write about his week. We found a lot of new people to teach and I cannot wait to get back to work this week. I am feeling much better, and ready to show what I can do with the 5 months left I have in my mission. I am very excited for the people we are to teach this week. Lately, we have been teaching someone named Jeisy. She was a reference from the church offices and she is very receptive. She is considering baptism. She just has a couple questions about the Plan of Salvation. So, we are teaching and clarifying with her with the help of the members. She did go to church this past week and she liked it a lot. She could possibly get baptized this month. She just needs time and answer from her Heavenly Father that the gospel is true. So, we have praying and been fasting this week for her to receive that. If you could put her in her prayers that would be awesome! 

I want everyone to know how much I love the mission. The mission truly can change lives. In life and even on a mission you have so many temptations, but the mission right now is changing that. Little by little...the savior is helping me to establish grounds to help me to have a successful life and a way to return to him. I love my savior so much and I cannot wait to see him again. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve. Thanks for all the support. Love you guys so much! No photos this week...forgot to take some because I was sick. Have a good week everyone!

Les quiero mucho,

Elder Jensen