Monday October 4, 2010

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Hello all,

I am now in Montana and it is so nice. The first day that I got here the temperature was actually in the 90s! The weather definitely shocked me because I was expecting really cold weather. I don't think that this is normal but it is definitely weird.

My companion's name is Sister Smith and she is from Sacramento. This is her last transfer so in November she is going home and I am getting a new companion again. Usually though a missionary gets to stay with their trainer for two transfers. Hopefully I can get to know the area well enough so that when she leaves I don't get lost. We are serving in part of Billings called the Heights, it is on the eastern end of Billings. The people here are very nice and everything is going well. Being on the field is different then how I imagined it would be though. Overall I would say that I am getting the hang of it and I am become less nervous.

This weekend there was a baptism. Her name is Jaime Kollars and she is eight and half months pregnant. She is so amazing though and her testimony is so strong. I hope that everyone could have a testimony like hers because she is so strong and steadfast. Her husband was already a member but an inactive one and now they are planing to go to the temple in a year to get married. They are both so excited for that. The Spirit at her baptism was so strong and everyone so happy and that is why I decided to serve a mission to help bring people that happiness. The Lord truly blesses us when we turn to Him and He has definitely blessed Jaime and Royce.

We have started to teach this one family where everyone is baptized except the 13 year old daughter, Aubrey. She was supposed to get baptized last year with her sister but backed out because the crowd scared her. The family is really amazing. They didn't know what church to go to and what time so somehow they got the zone leaders phone number and called them. When we went over to visit them there attitude was they just wanted to come back to church so bad. It is great to see when people realize how important attending church is and how much it blesses their lives. We taught them, or Aubrey, the first lesson yesterday and set a baptismal date for November 6. Hopefully she goes through with it this time because everyone need the Holy Ghost especially at that age.

We share our car with an elder companionship in our district. This means that we have the car Friday-Monday and we walk or get rides from Tuesday-Thursday. Also something that is really interesting here is that there is antelope everywhere. I mean everywhere. You just drive down the street and there they are eating the grass in someones lawn. I will have to talk a picture and send it to you guys because it is crazy. Also there are no sidewalks anywhere. Even down one of the main streets they aren't there.

So far I would say that this has been a great experience and the Lord has truly blessed me. Also General Conference was amazing this weekend. I would have to say that Elder Holland's was one of my favorites. He is an amazing speaking. Also President Monson's on having more gratitude was amazing as well. Whenever he speaks the Spirit always testifies to me that he truly is a prophet of the Lord. So by following the prophet I want to thank you all for all your supoort. It really has meant a lot to me and I truly love you all. I hope everything is going well and that God is blessing your lives. I now have more time to email so email away.

I love you all!

Sister Jense

Wednesday September 22, 2010

Dear Family,

It is crazy but my time here at the MTC is almost over. I leave on tuesday to the great Montana. Really I am nervous because I don't really feel that ready. I mean I have learned a lot while I have been here but it doesn't feel like I have learned enough. The classes are all amazing and our teachers are the best.The Spirit here is so amazing and everyday I feel so inspired.

Of course it isn't always easy and somedays I really do question if I can really do this. One day after a TE I just felt horrible. I felt like the teacher was attacking me and that I was a bad missionary. After the TE Sister Mace and I went to a bench outside and I just started to cry. As we sat there another sister missionary walked up and asked if everything was ok. I told her how I was feeling and then she shared the most wonderful message with me. She told me that if I wasn't meant to be here that the Lord wouldn't have called me. He knows I can do this and I need to just put my trust in him. Then she shared with me that her whole family are converts and if it hadn't been for the elders she wouldn't have learned about the gospel and that me being a missionary I would be able to help so many families come unto Christ. She also reminded me not to focus on myself too much and my weaknesses but to think about those I am about to go teach and to trust in the Lord. Finally she shared with my three scriptures. The one that really helped me was Ether 12:27 which says, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness taht they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong." That scripture really has helped me because the Lord will make my weak things strong if I put my trust and faith in Him.

On a happier note I love our TRC's. In them we have an opportunity to actually teach. What it is is a member comes and acts like an investigator but they do it so well that you really wouldn't know that they are members. They are kind of hard because I get nervous but they have really allowed me to feel the love that God has for all His children. Everytime I go in there I just want to help those that we teach so much. I want them to accept the gospel because I know how much it will bless them in their lives. I honestly can say that I really do love them and I want what is best for them.

Today we get to go to the temple and am so excited. The temple has always been a place of peace for me and my soul craves the spirit that is there.

The missionaries here are so wonderful even the elders. The elders just have a certain spirit about them and you can really see the love they have for the gospel. Yes sometimes they are just 19 year old boys but for the most part you can tell that they are servants of the Lord. Their testimonies are so strong and I can truly testify that they are called of God.

The Lord has blessed me so much while I have been here and I am so greatful for this experience. I have learned so much and the most important thing I have learned is to grow closer to the Lord so that I can have a better connection with the Holy Spirit. I know that if we truly ask the Lord anything in faith that He will really give us the answer. It may not be right after you pray but He will answer. Most of my prayers are answered by other people when the are sharing their testimonies to me. We truly have angels all around us and it just reminds me of how much the Lord loves and cares for each one of us.

Keep me and all the other missionaries in your prayers and look for opportunities where you can be a missionary yourself.

Love

Sister Jensen

Empty

My room is empty.

But my soul is full. I love my Savior!

August

Accomplishments

I have earned my Associates degree. This is great but I only have one year left till my bachelors. The only reason I got this is because of silly academic changes. But I still have a degree from college so yipee.

Freshman year

Sophomore year

Junior year

I have climbed Angel's Landing in Zion's finally.

I am surviving another brutal St. George summer. I am so grateful that I don't have to come back here during the summer for another year or two and when I do maybe it will look like this again.

My heartburn issues finally seem like that are under control. Hopefully this will last because health issues aren't fun. Also another reason I am glad they are under control is that this certain problem has made me loss 15 pounds in 4 months. This may not seem like a lot but that is about 12% of my body weight. I just don't think that is healthy. No way jose.

Last but certainly not least I am going on a mission to Montana!

Turdbird

Today my little sister leaves for college. She is going to Southern Utah University in Cedar City. My little sister is going to be a freshman in college. It is really crazy to even think about that.

The thing is that her going to college makes me think of my own college experience. I loved it. I loved everything about it. I have met so many people and have made so many new friends, some I hope to keep for a long time.

College= Amazingness

Touched by an Angel

For the longest time I have wanted to hike Angel's Landing in Zions National Park. So far I have either not gone at the right time or no one wants to go with me and this is one of those hikes you can't go to by yourself. Well tomorrow is one of the few free days at the park. I have convinced my sister that we are going tomorrow! The only downside is is that I am still sort of sick and they, meaning my mom, dad, and sister, probably won't let me go if I am still sick. So here is the thing do I fake that I feel better and still go or do I miss out yet again? I guess I will just have to see how I feel tomorrow.

I mean just look at that hike. It calls to me.

Shirley Temple

These past few weeks we have had two of my nieces and one nephew staying with us while my sister in law heals from a surgery. Well last night we decided to put rag curls in our hair Shirley Temple style. Of course non of our hair turned out very pretty like Shirley but I still think it was a cute activity nonetheless.

Mekenzie

Mom doing LibertyAnn's hair

Rashelle

Mom and Jacob

And me looking just dreadful

The next morning we took them out and we had crazy hair. Miss Mekenzie took hers out in the middle of the night. LibertyAnn's hair was a tad to short and thin to hold the curls well. Shelle has too much hair and she thought we shouldn't have left the rags in so long. Mom's hair looked like it did when she used to do the poodle perm. Overall I think we looked gorgeous though. We truly did have a fun time or at least I did and really that is all the matters.

Oh yeah, earlier in the night us girls painted our finger and toe nails. Well Jacob felt like he was missing out in all the fun and kept begging and begging us to paint his nails so we caved in. We painted his toenails a blue color and his fingernails clear. I figure that since he is so young it isn't going to harm him. Hopefully my brother won't kill us when he sees it.