Happy Monday!

Hello!! Well this week consisted of doors, doors & more doors! Yay! 💗 We sure heard some cool stories this week. We have been working on talking to EVERYONE & blessings have come from it for sure. So we were talking to some kids outside playing & one is running by, stops, looks at me, & says, "You look like my 2nd grade teacher." Haha I ask, "Well is she nice?" He says uhhh so so. Haha alright sweet thanks bud! 

We have family home evening with our recent converts 💕 so last week the daughter was in charge so we had a spontaneous talent show! We have some good talents. I played YMCA on a child's play piano. sounded great... haha. We also rode an investigators hover board! Dang, those things take talent. My poor companion fell & hurt herself, so I was able to kick in my nurse skills 😊 

If you care about the weather here, it has been raining all week long! & it's becoming so so green! Yay!! Something that has been on my mind a lot this week is following spiritual promptings. I LOVE Elder Rasbands talk in this last general conference about being  "first responders" to our FIRST prompting. Because everything that is good comes from God, so why not act on it. The more promptings we follow the more we will receive & who doesn't need more guidance & protection?! 

Last night I had a prompting to grab a Portuguese Book of Mormon out of our trunk, so I did! I carried it with me for the next three hours.... & wait for it..... nothing happened. We were asking people if anyone spoke Portuguese around here & everybody just chuckled. I was seriously determined to hand it out. I felt like someone that spoke Portuguese that lived around there really needed this book. (Well everyone NEEDS the Book of Mormon (:) But I am glad I acted on that first prompting, because it lead us to some cool people. A lot of the times in life we don't understand why we need to do something, but I know it is important to follow those promptings. It may not lead to anything, but God has a plan & wants to see how we will respond. So everyone, act on that FIRST prompting. 💕 [1 Nephi 4:6]  

I love you all. Thanks for the prayers, letters, & love. 

xoxo, sister jensen 

April 24, 2017

Pics:

Oh thee Hover Board! 💗 

RAIN, it doesn't stop! 💦  

Gorgeous view while tracting 🌳

The return of Elder Rasband!!

So this week was another week to put in the books! So as many of you know Elder Rasband & Elder Ballard were here in January! Well Elder Rasband returned on Saturday! He is thee sweetest apostle! (I mean they all are) He was here to officiate one of President Huntsmans daughter's wedding in the Washington D.C. temple earlier that day, so he figured why not meet with us! The Huntsmans & Rasband are homies. Like it's awesome! I was able to shake his hand & look into his Christ filled eyes. This man is a man of God. A dedicated valiant disciple, who makes me want to strive to become a better servant of the Lord. 

So our mission held a fireside (a meeting) for our investigators, recent converts, & less actives! At the fireside we heard from Jon & Karen Huntsman, Presidents parents who were actually the mission presidents over the D.C. area when President was a kid!!!! Best. Mission. Ever. Right?! Then we heard from President & Sister Huntsman (Hope all these Huntsmans aren't getting confusing (:) Then we heard from Sister & Elder Rasband!! It was such a good night. All these faithful devoted members have rock solid testimonies & just radiate the Light of Christ. What an amazing blessing it is to be part of this great work! 

IF YOU READ ANYTHING READ THIS!!!: Sister Rasband shared a story about an Elder in their mission when Elder Rasband was the mission president in New York. This one Elder wanted a shoe shine so bad from a fancy Bronx shoe shine place. He waited forever trying to find a shoe shine place in his area. Almost at the end of his mission they were walking the streets & he hears, "Shoe shine, shoe shine, anybody want a shoe shine?" He was so excited & ran around the corner. He immediately asks, "How much does it cost?" The man said, "As much as your willing to give." The Elder looks around & doesn't see any shoe shine place. Little confused he looks down & there is the man kneeling at his feet shining his shoes with a baby food jar full of black shoe shine & shining it with nothing but his own shirt & skin. This man was covered in black shine from head to toe trying to do anything for a little money. As this elder looked down he realized it was like the Savior. Giving everything he had to make us happy. "Soul shine, soul shine, anybody want a soul shine?" The Elder remembered his selfish remark, "How much does it cost?" & gave every bit of money he & his companion had to this man who was willing to take whatever he would give. Everybody I KNOW this is how our Savior is to ALL of us. Willing to take whatever we can give & will make up for the rest. I know it because I have definitely seen it in my own life. 💗💗💗

We helped members do yard work & I asked one of their kids what his favorite vegetable is.... he said a cookie! Haha 😂 same dude, same. 

So in this area it's VERY common to meet someone who you have never heard of their language or country before. So one of our common questions is where are you from? So we ask a man this & I thought he said, "Owtanawa" I'm like wow I've never heard of that country before & my companion just starts laughing.... turns out he said, "Can you guess?" Haha opps. I'm such an embarrassment😂 He was from Ethiopia...  plus on that Blitz (switch companions for a couple hours) we got 5 new investigators! Heck ya. Miracles. 

Love you all! Thanks for ALL the love & support. 👍 

xoxo, sister jensen

April 17, 2017

Pics:

Pretty trees!! 

Almost walked into an appointment with our tags switched. Thanks elders. 

Yard work!! 

VA is famous for their Dogwood trees. Pretttttty 

Thee Mt. Vernon Sisters!  

Running away, Ghanaian food, & #princeofpeace

Hello family & friends: This week we were in an apartment building & we asked a guy unlocking his door if he had ever met missionaries before, he looked at us & RAN! Hahaha I was laughing & Sister Cannon looked a little frightened. He stopped sprinting down the hall, turned around, & was laughing! Haha I have never had anyone run away from us jokingly or seriously before, so that was a new experience. He said people tell him if he ever sees missionaries to run the other way 😂 we had a super good conversation, like super good. It made my whole week! 

We met another guy sitting outside on his porch & chatted with him for a good while about faith. Then he nicknamed us J.C. (Jensen/Cannon or Jesus Christ)👍 pretty cool nickname! 

A family in our ward had their daughter/niece come home from her mission this week! We helped them get ready for her return. We went over there to party with them for dinner. They are from Ghana & fed us fu-fu. We both really wanted to try fu-fu so she made it for us. Fu-fu is an African dish that is like a huge glob of dumpling with soup & you it with your RIGHT hand, not left. That's a BIG no no! So we were trying it, while hesitant, & the Sister comes and says, "Ahhh Sisters you don't chew it, you swallow it!" It was super different... I had such a hard time trying to swallow it whole & slurp it out of my hands. Haha good times! I LOVE the different cultures & religions here. It is so interesting & a lot of the time I feel like I'm not in America! This place is thee best. 

We had our two recent converts receive the gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday. That was a neat experience. The Spirit was so strong in Sacrament. 💕 

Have you all watched the Prince of Peace video this Easter season?!? If you haven't, you should! It is amazing!! Every time I watch the video, which is a lot, I feel so peaceful. In this crazy world we all need some peace. I know that the best source for peace is in Our Savior, Jesus Christ. So if any of you are looking for peace in your life turn to the Savior & His Gospel to find it. I know you will. I am so grateful for this gospel & the HUGE role it plays in my life. I know that Christ lives today. I know that as we learn more about the Prince of Peace we too will find peace. I love you all & wish you a Happy Easter 🐇🐥

xoxo, sister jensen

Us trying fu-fu = an adventure (you cut it with your fingers, so that's why my hand looks weird) 😁 

 Squirrel x-ing it's a legit thing here. I've never seen so many squirrels in my entire life. 🐿 

 I just want to publicly announce my love for Sister Banfield, our amazing Bishops wife!  💕 

 #princeofpeace 

BEST. WEEK. EVER.

Hello!! This week we had a BAPTISM of two amazing sisters & GENERAL CONFERENCE!! Seriously God is sooooo good.  The baptism we had for went so good! They asked me to talk on the Holy Ghost, which was fun ish! I love this family more then I can even put into words. I am BEST friends with all of them & have learned so much from teaching them. Their faith & dedication shines through. They all have made huge changes to come unto Christ & now they have that "Mormon Glow" (I swear it's a real thing.) 

My testimony on trials has grown a lot this week. Sister Cannon & I have some similarities in our family situations & we found out this week we have a lot in common about our families with some of our investigators.  My biggest trial is now a blessing that I am able to bear a strong testimony on the enabling power of the atonement & the strength that ALL families have, no matter their situation. What an amazing family situation I have. I wouldn't change it for ANYTHING. & Sister Cannon & I were able to talk about these difficult times & how we made it through! 💗 I KNOW that Sis. C & I were sent here together at this time for this family. What an amazing calling this is. 

Want to hear some more miracles? Haha okay so one of our investigators read the Book of Mormon!!! She has been putting it off (she said she is on her own curriculum) & then read 10 chapters & took A LOT of notes. After weeks of testifying of the Book of Mormon & how it can change her life she finally read it! Now her husband has to catch up to her 😊 also she cooked for us & she hasnt cooked in over a year!!! And another one.... our recent convert is preparing himself to go through the temple in the next couple months!! Ahh. 

Funny moments: One of our investigators thought that we have to wear black skirts cause I guess Sister Cannon & I always wear black skirts there. Haha! & VA LOVES their pizza delivery, so a lot of the times when people open up the door they expect pizza, but fortunately for them it's Christ's representatives! They never listen though, I guess pizza on its way is more important. Haha! 

I love you all & pray for you! Thanks for all the love & support. 💕

xoxo, sister jensen 

Pics:

Our favorites. 💗 

Our member ordered all the desserts on the menu 😂 gaining weight? Nah. 

 Practice teaching blindfolded! best trainer ever. 😂 

 Getting serious. 

I got to see my BEST FRIEND!!!!! 

 Cherry blossoms season w/ my cherry blossoms skirt! (Not planned, promise) 

 THE BAPTISM!! (one picture is pre grabbing my tag 😂)