adventures of the week

Hello hello!! Hope your week was GREAT!! 

Here's some highlights/quotes of the week: (I hope you get a good laugh, because I'm dying laughing😂) 

•Got a some what famous basketball players signature. He plays for San Juan, Puerto Rico. Also, he's been to our church before in New York & we gave him Book of Mormon, so I like him 10x more 🤗 

•I was told by someone from Uruguay that I have good pronunciation on my Spanish! Thank goodness, I've been working on the same phrase for over a year now! 😂 She is a mom of one of our members & she said, "It's time to make Mormons!" Meaning go convert everybody you see. So cute!! 

• We were told by one of our Muslim friends to go kick *** out there. Haha wow okay thanks for the confidence, haha! (Haven't heard that in awhile, I like our bubble) 

•Jules, our recent convert, was talking about spreading the Gospel & he said, "This is our work too!" How sweet is that! He is truly converted. All of us members have something to learn from that statement. 💗 

•ALSO, a members way of doing missionary work is putting solo pictures of me as a profile picture & cover photo on FB.... Haha! (They aren't flattering photos btw) I guess that's uhh one way to do it. 

•One of our neighbors, Jackie, was so excited that we were from Utah! She said, "I want to go to Utah so bad! UTAH LOOKS LIKE HEAVEN!!" We were like "AMEN it is!

•This week on Sister Jensen's ethnicity: MONA LISA!! hahaha a guy from Nigeria said I look just like the Mona Lisa. That's a new one🤗 he also said I look Red Indian. Haha once again I'm at like 10+ Native American. They always seem disappointed when I tell them both my parents are white. 😂 

I LOVE THESE PEOPLE & ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR GOD PLACING THEM IN PATH. 

Lately I have been reflecting on Joseph Smith's First Vision. I am blown away by Joseph Smith's humility. His story of searching for a church because there are so many is so relate able to EVERYBODY we meet. I am so grateful for Joseph's experience & the calling I have to share it. From his experience we learn: God & Jesus Christ live & are real, they know OUR name, God hears & answers our prayers, they know the thoughts & feelings of our heart, that God & Christ are two separate beings, & that the heavens aren't sealed. So cool!! I KNOW Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I am so grateful for him & everything he did for Christ's church. If you don't know Joseph story I invite you to study it. 💗

LOVE YOU ALL!!! Have a good week 😊

xoxo, sister jensen

Pics:

• Our famous basketball player autograph 👍 it's gonna be worth millions one day! 
• 14 months celebration! (Wow time flies) Also please notice my shirt... Jules, a recent convert, who is going into the Army gave it to me! He calls me Sargent Jensen now 😂  
•  The Ridings, our senior couple, is going home 😢 we are so sad!! So we threw them a party!! 
• We met a friend on the street who let us hold her turtle. Squitle 💗 
•  Exchanges with Sister Woolston 💗 LOVE her so much. 
• Writing notes to members! I love this ward. 😊 
• Studies outside, because this weather is AMAZING right now. It feels like fall. #blessed 
• Best background ever! Bet you couldn't guess its a little trailer in our favorite trailer park! 😂 
• Our friend Kendall 💗 she's 4. She loved our picture we gave her of Jesus & asked us to come over. I wish ALL our investigators were 4 years old. 💗
•  Prince William National Park hike with some of our fav sisters. 🌲
• Okay I'm done. Thanks all for bearing with me for so long. You all are loved. 

"I'd do anything for God!"

Hello Hello! It's me again. 🤗 - This week we have been focusing on/working with less actives & boy our hearts are broken like 10x a day... so sad. Just come to church it will bless your life!! - We sorted legos as a service project. That was fun. Changing things up!  - I spoke in sacrament yesterday about how I've come to know the Savior. It was fun..ish. 😂 it's crazy how you learn & grow on your mission so all I needed is some notes & you're good to go. Haha but don't expect an amazing homecoming talk! 

I talked about how my mission has CHANGED me. I treasure my mission experiences more than anything else. I can't imagine my life without it! I am so eternally grateful to be called to this work. It goes by so quick 😢 My testimony has like quadrupled, ha. I have changed so much, because I have come to know My Savior. It's ALL because of Him. Study the life & atonement of Jesus Christ. It will bless you in ways you wouldn't even know. I've been reading the New Testament & Christ's Character blows me away. He turns outward when ALL of us would turn inward. As he was dying on the cross for US, ALL OF US, (even the ones who betrayed him) Christ said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." 《Luke 23:34》 Christ is amazing & has become my EVERYTHING. 

Our friend is getting baptized!! 😊 He is so amazing. We taught the Word of Wisdom (health code) & we was willing to give everything up! He said, "I'd do ANYTHING for God." He is such a GREAT example of submitting to His will. 

Heart you all. Have a good week!!  

xoxo, sister jensen

Pics:

Our favorite friend Christian!! 

Exchanges with Sis. Marlowe 💗 

A FROG PEED ON ME! the terror on my face 😂

We wrote A LOT of thank you cards. So. Much. Love. So grateful for the people here.  

We taught Stake Mission Prep! So fun!! (Summer months are sparse) 😊 

Down pour + national forest + solar eclipse =  an adventure 

Biking while eating ice cream 💗 it equals out 😂 

Blitz with my fav. Sister Bargeron! 

you are worth it

HELLO HELLO!!! How is everybody doing? I hope amazing.

• Update on license plates... we need only 5 more! Ya.

• You know your a missionary when you & your companion dream about less actives & what you can do to help them come back unto Christ. 🤗 

•we have many African friends & one African friend calls me fat like 2x a week, haha. I think it's a complement..? But one day I was looking "skinny" I guess & he told me to go on an ice cream only diet... So if you don't mind, I think I will 😂

 but one day he called us & gave us a pep talk. He told us not to give up, not to quit. Jesus Christ had an even harder mission & we can finish strong!! So motivating right? Love it. Jesus Christ had thee hardest mission ever, so why do we think sometimes our mission here on this earth should be easy? We even have Christ to rely on through our hard times. Wow faith in Christ & this church makes everything so much better!!! 

•there are so many opportunities you can only get as a missionary!!! So yesterday we were invited to attend our stake council meeting @ 7:45 in the morning. Super amazing by the way. The church is so organized!! But then we got to sit in on the reports from the missionaries who just returned home. (When a missionary returns home, one morning they report for about 10-15 minutes in front of a couple stake leaders) & we got to stay! Once in a life time opportunity. The spirit was so strong & Sister Winward & I were crying! 😢 

•lately I have been thinking of OUR divine nature & we had an amazing relief society lesson on it. If you are a daughter of a king what does it immediately give you? Power, inheritance, authority, worth, potential, protection...etc. You are a child of a God. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US HAS VALUE. Every single one of us was created by Heavenly Fathers hands! I know you are worth it. He loves you more then we can even comprehend. We get all of those attributes & MORE!!! So cool. 

I love you all!!! Keep up the great work. 💗

xoxo, sister jensen 

August 14, 2017

Pics:

We watched a members bunnies & ate lunch there. Living the classy life. 

So we explored their amazing house! Here's pictures of our adventures:

When you need chairs for your counter and you find the best ones on the side of the road, of course you have to take them! Haha 

Prettiest porch ever!! 

Lake Ridge Sisters 💗 

Talking about my fav. thing! Also, if you haven't read this pamphlet, do it!! 🤗

Walked past a field of wild flowers, so of course we had to pick them & put them in my braids. I forgot about them, so I went to dinner with dead flowers in my hair. Haha 

Quantico National Cemetery! 💗 

Your motivation to help you keep going on this Monday! Wahoo  

Plans a, b....x, y, z.

Wow. What a week. I NEVER want to go home 🤗 sorry everybody. You should all be used to not having me around, so what's another couple decades? 😂 This week I have learned A LOT of lessons, which is why missions are so good!! Also, Sister Winward & I have been taking pictures of all 50 state license plates! & in the first day we got 25ish!! We are at 38 now, so we will keep you updated. 

God is so good. So one day this week was super hard. I was on exchanges & we just kept running into mean people (don't get me wrong, I love these people). We got yelled at a couple times & one guy got right up in my face telling me to never come back. So I was sad & mad all at the same time, so that night I took a shower & the song came on my tablet, I Am Here by the Bonner family (if you haven't heard it, listen to it now) & I just felt Gods love so strong. I was able to reflect on an email that I got last Monday from my cute trainer & she said to me that remember Jesus is there beside you the whole time, through everything. Christ truly is there & that experience built my faith. 

*The greatest trials preceded the greatest miracles!* Aint that true. So after that hard day, get this, yesterday was AMAZING!! God is blessings us beyond belief. I wish I could take you all with me for the ride!! We had a lesson with an investigator who is on date for August 26th & wow he is so prepared! He told us about this experiment he had in sacrament meeting where he said a silent prayer & the spirit his told him this is true & that this is where he needs to be. That made EVERY hard thing worth it. We street contacted into him & his cousin walks by & I wasn't going to talk to her because we were talking to him. But the spirit told me no, your going to go talk to her! Come to find out she is a less active member & now guess what??! She is coming to church again!! Isn't the spirit awesome. So they come to church together. Super fun!! 

So many times this week God had another plan than we did & we were where we supposed to be when we were supposed to be there. Oh another miracle on our big mission finding week... sister Winward & I found 19 new investigators in one week, so the blessings are raining down upon us. Well I could go on forever about my week... but i love you all!!!! Have an even better week!!! Miss y'all. 💗

xoxo, sister jensen 

Pics:

Exchanges with our Bristow Trio 💗 one of my mission dreams is to be in a trio, so my dream was fulfilled for like 7 hours! 🤗 

Car fast day! 

I love this inspiration quote so much. Hope it makes your heart happy! All is bright when you follow Jesus Christ. 

If you know me you know I HATE feet, but I have spent hours getting these tan lines & i'm proud of them. So I thought I would share my accomplishments 😂 seriously my toes are super white. Doesn't show too well here... haha 

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY

Aloha!! How was everyone's week?! So good?! Sweeeet. 😊 well my pictures basically tell my week, so I'll let them speak for themselves.

 One thing that my pictures don't capture is a random guy at a gas station hugging me... let me tell you, it was awkward. He was acting like he knew us mumbling sisters sister & was super excited so he came & hugged me, as Sister Winward walks away fast. He just followed us around for a good while & when Sister W had to back me out, I gunned it & she jumped in the car. He was a nice man don't get me wrong, but we were a little nervous.  #onlyonamission 

We met some awesome people this week. & our investigators are doing well. Right now we are playing the hide & go seek with all our investigators. We can not get in touch with them! But it makes for some adventures!! We met a sweet man. He was super interested & excited to read the BOM!! So we texted him asking how he liked it & he dropped us.... We were super sad. Also met a cute couple from Florida, who is golden. We talked to them outside for about an hour. Everything we said they loved & were questioning their church for multiple reasons, but when we told them how our church does it they LOVED it! I LOVE BEING MORMON.  

We were able to go to the temple to do baptisms for the dead!!! There were 6 of us sister missionaries who got to also do baptisms!! The Franconia youth came, so it was so fun to see everyone again. What I was thinking about a lot in the temple is the priesthood & how the priesthood makes everything work! It makes everything organized. Our church runs off of the power of God. I am so grateful for the priesthood & the role it has played in my life. I know I wouldn't be here with out the priesthood. I am grateful for the men who sanctify themselves & are always worthy of giving a blessing. I am grateful for Jesus Christ & Heavenly Father for letting us receive so many blessing because of the priesthood. I LOVE THE PRIESTHOOD. 

Love you all!! Have a gooooooood week 💗 

xoxo, sister jensen

P.S. quick super cool story. So we had missionary leadership meeting this week & we all talked about who the pioneers where in our family to join the church. One elder talked about how his grandpa & grandma were the first ones to join. The elder who baptized them, that was his only baptism his whole mission. So the elder was invited to speak at one of his grandparents funeral. They invited all those who are descendants of the grandparents & members of the church to stand. About 90 people stood. This elders mission was worth it. Look at how many lives he touched from just 2 baptisms. It was so powerful as our Elder was sharing his story Thursday. All you hard work doesn't go unnoticed. It remind me of this scripture:

D&C 18:15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

Pics:

Walks around the Marine Museum round 2 💗 

 Little Iwo Jima statue outside of the the Quantico Marine Base gate. 

 Trying to be cool. 😂 

A recent convert who is AMAZING. 

 When appointments fall through... 80% of a missionaries life. 😂  

 Update on our pday adventues: wanted to drive the boarder of Richmond mission & DC South (since we are the bottom of the mission) ... & couldn't turn around when needed.... So we experienced a little tiny bit of Richmond. 😂 

 & Prince William National Forest. So good to be in the woods again!! 

I LOVE THE WASHINGTON D.C. TEMPLE 💗 Good to see Franconia youth & my baby!! 🤗 

"See Others as They May Become" -President Monson

Heyyyyy my family & friends!! 😊 Good news is Sister Winward & I will be staying together another transfer!!!! Yay! We are super excited. This week we also moved apartments, so that we real fun in the heat! Plus we moved into an elders apartment, so you can imagine we had lots of cleaning to do!! 😂

 

I swear I have short term memory loss, so I don't remember half of what happened this week! Haha but church yesterday was AMAZING!! God truly answered our prayers. We had lots of recent converts, less actives, & investigators at Church! Oh & get this... there was a cute family that the Bishop told us to go talk to. The husband tells us he is a less active in the Spanish ward & he wanted to bring his little daughter & his wife (who's not a member) to the English ward so she can understand what's going on. So we are going by this week to teach the wife!! The area is exploding, so many miracles! Side note: Elders are coming back to our ward Tuesday, thank goodness! We need help! 👍 

 

So every 6 weeks our mission does a fireside/devotional where recent converts & returning members share their story & missionaries have to come with less actives & investigators. We went last night & oh my goodness it was the best. The spirit was so strong. We brought one of our investigators who by the way loved church, can't wait to come next week, is being baptized on Aug. 26, & is already planning on speaking at our next fireside!! They are amazingly prepared. 

 

But the stories that were told by the recent converts blew my mind. People do change. There was a couple that shared their amazing story & the husband said... (prepare for the cutest thing ever) the ONLY thing on my bucket list.... is to be sealed to my wife in the temple. He was crying as he said it. It just helped me learn that we should see people as they can become, not as they are. Everybody has potential & is a Child of God. I have truly come to learn this on my mission as we talk to everybody. It has helped me develop greater love for the people & for my Savior. So try it out, see others as they can become, not as they are. & President Monson gives a WONDERFUL general conference talk on it: "See Others As They May Become" October 2012! It such a good read! READ IT!! 

 

Love you all. Thanks is for all you do!! Ahh. I. Love. It. Here. 💗 

 

xoxo, sister Jensen

Pics:

Temple pic from last week! 

I love cute quotes!!

It was our AWESOME used to be neighbors 😭 1 year anniversary!! 

Virginia = home. 💗  

Our last pday activity @ the Huntsman Home:

selfie w/Sister Huntsman

Oakton & Woodbridge Zones

AREN'T THEY THE CUTEST???! I LOVE THE HUNTSMANS!