What makes Virginia, Virginia:

Things that make Virginia, Virginia: (or different from Utah) 

1. Pineapples EVERYWHERE. Door knockers, light fixtures, door frames, picture frames, car stickers, plates!  

2. Sidewalks, or rather, lack thereof. Virginia doesn't believe in sidewalks, so usually only one side of the street has one, and then it will just stop halfway. 

3. The greenest trees ever! It is almost November and the majority of the trees are still green. 

4. So many churches. I think I counted at least 15 churches on one street before. In our white handbook  it says not to proselyte near or on church property... but that is pretty much everywhere
5. Summertime bugs. So many different kinds. Lots are juicy. Glad that is over now!

6. Hardly anyone has a sprinkler system! Perks to humidity and getting so much rain 

7. SQUIRRELS They are the equivalent to deer in Utah. The moment you step outside, there is always a squirrel within 10 feet of you.

8. Colonial style town homes. At first I thought they were cute and fun. But usually people just tell us we aren't allowed to solicit there. 

9.  Diversity. Virginia is full of people from all around the world. I've marked the places where I've met people from, and I've covered almost the whole globe.

10. Impatient drivers. See point 17: 

11. "Towing enforced" signs

12. Leaves are on the ground year-round 

13.Custom license plates. Its the cool thing. We feel put of place having a regular license plate. 

14. DOGS. People love their dogs more than their children. 

15. Your career is everything.  

16. TRAFFIC EVERYWHERE!! 

17. Fast pace. To illustrate my point, consider the infamous quote of Ricky Bobby: "If ya ain't first, you're last". But also, the cost of living is so high that many people unfortunately have to work multiple jobs. 

18. The way the roads were designed is.... The worst. Our mission president' s wife likes to explain it like someone just took spaghetti and threw it on a map and said "there we go!" 

I LOVE VIRGINIA. It will always have a huge part of my heart. 💗

This week I finished the Book of Mormon once again. Now, I HATE reading, but I LOVE reading the BOM. I honestly get excited to read it every morning which makes me laugh. This last time I went through & marked all the times it references or speaks of Jesus Christ, every time he speaks, & his attributes & actions. That truly helped my testimony grow of how the BOM is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. My love for the Savior continues to grow everyday & it's awesome. This time as I read it, I am going through & marking the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, & Enduring to the End. (Its also supposed to keep me motivated & in my study habits when i return, haha) I KNOW THE BOOK OF MORMON IS THE WORD OF GOD & THAT ITS TRUE. I probably have talked about it in every email hehe! 

LOVE YOU ALL!!! HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!! 

xoxo, sister jensen 

Pics:

• What makes Sisters different from Elders: glittering in the car. 👍 
• Exchanges w/ Hermana Mendoza! She's the coolest. 
• It's always a good time @ the storage meet. 
• SISTER CALVERTS ONE YEAR!!! WAHOO 
• Our ward Fall Festival! Which was so much fun. We were the unbiased costume judges & we had 2 investigators there!! 
• FALL. Its really cold here now... 
• My cute companion. Don't know how I have been so blessed in the companion category. 
• Happy Monday💗

Happy Halloween!

Hey hey Hey! First off Halloween is such a big deal here. Everyones yard is over the top which makes it fun & scary at night... haha! This week was super good. Lots of good thing happening here in Clifton.

 We have had a lot of "awkwardtunities" this week. Its so funny how awkward we are to everyone else. Like no one discusses religion, so have the first word come out of our mouth being Jesus Christ, makes for some funny responeses. The more awkward the better the contact right?! Haha. 

So we had an Endure to the End meeting this week. So when you have 6 months or less you attend this meeting. It was so good & wayyyy needed. President Huntsman talked about what is one of the most important parts of the Book of Mormon? Could be lots of answers like when Jesus Christ comes to the America, Nephi & Lehi, or maybe Moroni's promise. Moroni's promise is found in the very last chapter of the Book of Mormon telling us that if we read the BOM & ask with a sincere heart the Holy Ghost will confirm to us that it is true.

 What if Joseph Smith didn't endure, didn't continue working hard & being close to the spirit while he translated? We wouldn't have the best promise in the Book of Mormon! Enduring is hard, but it will always be worth it! We all have to endure something even if it's just life in general, haha. So keep up the good work everybody & ENDURE JOYFULLY!!  

xoxo, sister jensen

October 23, 2017

Pics:

• My friend that joined us on our walk 👍 
• We helped with a Missionary Training Center for a Day! That was so fun. Here's our sisters. 💗 
• We were the gold team. 
•  #blessed 
•  ENDURE to the End!! All President & Sister Huntsman's missioanries sign the flag that they will frame in their house later. So cute!!!  
• Motivation quote for you all (: 
• We had 2 dinners back to back... I was so dang full! But this is our yummy Indian food 💗 
•  Battle of Bull Run in Manassas, VA (where the American Civil War took place) so cool!! 
• & biggest pumpkin we've seen out here. 🎃
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"You're the hardest working Christians in the business."

Hey hey hey!! This week was a week of miracles!! God is so good. We were in the right time at the right place multiple times this week which increased my faith & trust in the Lord so much. 💗

 

Couple things that happened this week: 

I will be staying here in Clifton! Last area, last transfer, & last companion. 😂 it's okay I'm not just bawling my eyes out all the time... 

 

We had our ward primary program which was adorable as always! I LOVE hearing their pure faithful testimonies. 

 

We also had our transferly fireside last night where recent converts share their stories! Like always it is amazing. We had someone from China, Ghana, Samoa, & of course Virgina!! I LOVE the diversity here! We had a Less Active show up & it was thee best surprise ever! 

 

We have lots of promising investigators who just have my heart. They are truly amazing. & we ended up finding 2 new promising investigators who the sisters have tried multiple times. Persistence pays off, because she let us right into her mansion, (seriously, dream house) & they LOVED the BOM. They were like, "Jesus came here??!" "If you convert me, your going to have to have to talk to my minister!" They are so intrigued. It was seriously the best. Love them so much. 

 

Quotes from our random stranger friends: 😂 

"You're the hardest working Christians in the business."

"Mormons are better than the FBI & the CIA at finding people." 

 

So this week I have been binge reading Our Heritage, a history book about the early saints. My love just continues to grow for them for EVERYTHING they went through & still their faith was so strong. Makes me realize I have NOTHING to complain about. I am so grateful for the pioneers for everything they did & or all they went through. They knew this church was true & they did all they could to defend their faith. Are you defending your faith? It makes me think of one of my favorite scriptures, D&C 121:7-8. This is the Lord talking to Joseph Smith when he was in Liberty jail for months, because he was persecuted for religion.

 

"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes" 

 

What were going through is us just paying a little price for the big reward we will have in the end. Look at the hard exhausting sometimes discouraging effort the early saints had to go through & what has come from their efforts. Millions of happy devoted saints knowing Jesus Christ & holding onto the truth. I am grateful for their efforts & happy I come from a long line of pioneers!! 💗

 

xoxo, sister jensen

Pics:

Bowling for pday! 

District pic! 

Weekly planning... 👍 

One of our fav. walks! Love. This. Place. 

Coolest pumpkin I've ever seen. 

My baby!! She's training, so I'm going to be a grandma! 😊 

Our fav guy, Leo. Just jamming after our fireside, meeting President Huntsman! Favorite part of the day! 

Coolest picture ever. Grateful for the temple. 

This Weeks Adventures

Hello hello! This weeks adventures: 

•We still think it's July... that's how fast time is flying.
•I was someone's first Utah person they met, WAHOO. That's not normal at all! Usually when I say I'm from Utah the interest level goes down drastically. 

•We got all 50 license plates + D.C. (Best. Day. Ever.) 

•We said hi to a man & he was like super duper nice & I seriously froze I didn't know how to react, haha. 

•We went to a less actives house for the second time & her daughter looked at me with her cute brown eyes & said, "You live with God & Jesus right?" Haha too cute. Glad she remembered we represent them! 

•We had our missionary leadership meeting this week at an amphitheater in a grove of trees & all of us shared stories & our testimonies about Joseph Smith. It was AMAZING & SO spiritual. 

•One of my favorite conference talks that has me thinking is from President Nelson.  "My brothers and sisters, how precious is the Book of Mormon to you? If you were offered diamonds or rubies or the Book of Mormon, which would you choose? Honestly, which is of greater worth to you? First, what would your life be like without the Book of Mormon? Second, what would you not know? And third, what would you not have?" 

I know my answer would definitely be The Book of Mormon. Oh how i love the peace, hope, & love that comes reading & studying from it everyday. We learn about many truths & principles from it such as healer, eternal life, strengthen, never ending happiness, power, fullness of the gospel, purpose, life, born again, atonement, abolished false teachings, prophets.... etc. I am SO grateful for these living, modern day apostles & prophets we have to learn from. Pick a conference talk from this week & study it. They all are so good! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! 

Love you all!! Keep killing it ((: 

xoxo, sister jensen 

October 9, 2017

Pics:

One of our friends, Bianca's bday!! BTW coolest balloon eber. 

Got a call to see if we wanted free Chinese food. Of course we said yes, walked put with a HUGE tub of it... #goodexchange 

Pulled up to the church to have a lesson with Leo & he was reading his BOM waiting. He's the best!! 

"Oh How Lovely Was The Morning" 

 Me & my besties. 💗

"Ohhh Y'all are HOLY GIRLS!"

Heyyyy! First I am a failure for always forgetting to write about conference, but I finally remembered to write about it today!! & then I forgot my notes... so next week you have something to look forward to. Stay tuned for Sister Jensen's favorite general conference talk! Haha

One night I really needed to go to the restroom (usual) & when we came out there was a lady in a wheelchair & young daughter. They have lots of heavy groceries & we asked if we could help. & they said yes!! Usually everyone turns us away. & she was like, "Y'all gonna go party hard tonight?" We awkwardly were like ummm actually.... & she said, "ohh y'all holy girls!!" Like way loud & it was hilarious.  She said we can come talk to her anytime at home. & her young daughter gave us a concert right there in there in the parking lot! Something good always comes out of all my bathroom stops. Haha 

This week I was talking with my President Huntsman about ask, seek, & knock found in 3 Nephi 14:7-8 & Matt. 7:7-8 or Luke 11:9-10! So cool how the bible & the Book of Mormon support each other!! 

Jesus Christ says:

 7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened

Doctrine & Covenants, revelation given to Joseph Smith, all came because he asked a question. So it is good to have questions, its good to take them to the best source ever, God! 

I have seen so many time in my life as I have asked, seeked, & knocked my prayers are answered!! I am SO grateful for Joseph seeking for the truth. I KNOW you can find the truth here in Christ's church. I am grateful for President Monson who is our prophet on the earth today. I know this church is true with ALL the fiber of my being. 

Love you all. Have a blessed day. 

xoxo, sister jensen

Pics:

Yummy crepes! Celebrating Sis. C month Mark! 

Sister Bowen who we love helping out dearly! 

I GOT TO GO ON EXCHANGES WITH SISTER ROBERTS!!!! (former companion) so much fun. Love. Her. So. Much. 

We passed our apartment inspection with flying colors! & got candy for it. Heck ya. 

Love this quote. 💗

Some Sunday adventure pictures for you! 👍 I LOVE VIRGINIA & SISTER CALVERT.