Happy Holidays...happy holidays

Happy Holidays...happy holidays
November 27,2017

Unfortunately, Thanksgiving has yet to make it to brazil. So no annual day of feasting and Thanking for us (sadly). But Black Friday is definitely here and going strong. It's like a weeklong celebration of capitalism and the financial survival of the fittest. Good fun!

This week was an adventure of onibus. We cover the area of Caucaia. which is really big. But we also teach references in literally any area nearby without missionaries. which is a lot. This week, we were in a nearby area, Icarai. and another city, Pecem. Which was quite a trip, almost an hour by bus. But it is cool. Because we only go if it's someone or a family that is really prepared to receive the gospel. So we spend a lot of time teaching these families that have a desire to learn instead of trying to run into them on the street.

Fun things that happened this week. 

- I played the piano for the primary program which was probably the hardest venue I can imagine because very few children have the ability to keep time. So you spend the entire program trying to decide if you follow the conductor or the kids. It was all good though. I just kinda chilled somewhere in the middle.

-We're baptizing a family of 4, the Familia Almeida (if all goes well) this weekend. They're really awesome full of great questions (and some really interesting ones about the reformed lds church in the USA) which are fun to answer. Also, they’re from Sao Paulo so they’re a lot easier to understand than most of the people in Ceara hahah.

-We had a ton of people in the sacrament meeting this week. 14 investigators! It was really cool to see so many people wanting to hear the gospel.

Love you guys! Happy Holidays (I found the use of the word holiday appropriate because it means "holy days" and that’s what this time of year is all about!)!

Elder Jensen

Mom: I don't have any "needs" per se except water. because it keeps going out in our apartment. So we haven’t really been able to shower this week. so maybe you could send some from maple valley?? Just kidding haha. Really, I don’t need anything right now. One of those instant stain remover pens would be really useful though. Chocolate? Nutella? haha really anything.

Dad: I'm doing alright in everything related to heath. I don’t know if I can use the water filter because the problem with the water here is the salt content. Apparently it gives you kidney stones the first time you drink it. Not that i believe it haha. But I’m still afraid. Our ward/branch/group is helpful; at least a select few members. We have 2 families that we eat at everyday haha which is too bad. occasionally other families help out too.

I would like a picture of our family thougghhhhh  if you could please send that!!

Love you guys good luck with running!!!

It's already been another week??

It's already been another week??

November 20, 2017

Hellooo alll!

This week really flew by haha. We've been going crazy over here, trying to get everywhere we need to at once. We have a contact we’ve been teaching outside of our area, in a place called Icarai, I think that’s how its spelled. It's what it sounds like at any rate. The Almeida family. And they’re honestly so awesome. That have these fantastic Questions and really think about what we say and then ask if they don’t understand. It's so much fun to teach them. They also made it to church on Sunday which was awesome too. Because usually on Sunday, they prepare everything for the next week for their cake making business, but they made the decision to come to church and they really enjoyed it which was cool too. 

Other Fun stories...

I ate a dish called panelada which is basically everything you shouldn’t eat from an animal. Look up images and recipes hahahahahaha. It was.... an adventure to say the least. 

Also! we didn’t get our bi weekly money last P-day. So we lived on about 5$ in American money for half the week. Which made finding drinking water a real trick. Oh the things you learn to do haha. 

I also got to give a talk on missionary work (which is really important, make sure you help the missionaries out in your area they need it hahaha), Played the piano for 2 sacrament meeting and was asked to play for the primary program next week!! All without any sort of preparation!! It's been good fun. I think that everyone is just so overjoyed that we have a pianist in our ala that they don’t care that I really can't play most hymns the first time through. It definitely could be worse haha. I’m honestly okay with it because I get to play the piano at least once a week. It's a nice guarantee. 

They’re also changing a lot of the mission rules. So I may actually get to go running!! Also, Play soccer. Fun stuff like that. Our mission president is really trying to put the responsibility back on us to use our time wisely and stay safe, physically and spiritually. 

That was about it for this week!

Love you all!!!

Elder Jensen

First, I took care of Spotify haha. A I realized that about a week into the mtc and forgot to ask you to cancel. Also, BYU and Tyler day that’s soo cool. But I got permission to cancel it here. So Its all good. Christmas haha. Nutella??? Baking powder it doesn’t exist here and I want pancakes!!! A decent water bottle haha. Pens!! a thumbdrive loaded with church music haha. Really any article of clothing. That’s about it haha. I love you and good luck with your calling!!!!!!!!!. 

Hey mom!! I'm about to get kicked off my computer. But yes its definitely taken care of (referring to his Spotify Account)! And if I get kicked off before i get to respond to everyone in our family, let them know I love getting their notes and that I definitely read them even if I don’t respond!

2 months officially

2 months officially

November 13, 2017

Helllo all!!

It's crazy to think that I’ve been in the southern hemisphere for officially 2 months now haha. 

This week was pretty crazy haha. Lots and lots of contacting. We've been having a tough time finding anyone that wants to actually hear the gospel. There’s a lot of people that stop and talk with you (everyone here is suuuuuppppeeeer open and friendly about eveerrrryyything haha) but a lot less people who will listen to what you have to say, follow up on invitations, show up at church, accept another lesson. So it’s been tough. We found a couple people this last week who seemed really interested but then totally blew us off when we showed up for our next visit. So it’s been tough. 

 Fun things that happened this week. We had a Zone conference which was really cool. It talked a lot about purpose and having a goal, or a purpose for every action in your life. There were two questions that they asked. First, what are the things that you are doing that you need to stop to accomplish your goal? and second, what are you not doing that you need to start doing to accomplish your purpose? Having a purpose is so important in this life, especially in this time because its soooo easy to get sidetracked by whatever little thing. But when we stick to our purpose, life is so much more fulfilling and we accomplish amazing things

Love you all!!

Baptism from the first week. Gilson.

Baptism from the second week. Jorge and Sonnia.

Elder Jensen

And now there are 2 of us....

And now there are 2 of us...
November 6, 2017

Hello Family and Friends!!

So, to start off this week, Elder Sanhueza got emergency transferred this Tuesday which was definitely a surprise. We got a call at 9:50 at night telling us that there would be a taxi at our apartment the next morning at 9 am. SO that was sad and a little shocking. and a little weird cause I’d already gotten pretty used to being in a trio. It was also a blessing though because ElderAlmeida started taking a little more time to explain what in the world was going on hahaha.

I promised I’d try to write more of a coherent email so here goes. Our apartment is a 2-story condo with two bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. It’s a little sad cause one of the bedrooms is completely unused. I never expected to have the most space in my life when I went on my mission haha. Also, hammocks are huge here and I recommend everyone install a couple hooks in every room of their house so you can throw up a hammock in time of need.

We had another baptism this week, Jorge and Sonnia. It was super crazy because 2 days before the baptism, Jorge told us that he had a problem with smoking. So we gave him a blessing and told him he would be able to stop completely before his baptism which he did so that was really cool and powerful.

This weekend we hád stake conference which was fun.  A lot of bus riding and such. Did I mention the busses are terrifying?????

Aaaaaannnnnd, i was going to include pictures but I left my câmera at our house hahaha. Sooooo that’s about it for this week!!

I love you Guys!!

Elder Jensen

PS about my address, all letters just get sent to the mission office of Fortaleza. Just send any letters there with my name on it and they give it to my district leaders and they distribute them.

Heelllllooooo!

My feet and shoes are doing just fine right now haha. The only thing I want or need are more of those G2 pens, the 05 ones hahahaha.

They don’t sell them in Brazil. It’s just me and Elder Almeida in our área which is really tough cause its really big and we go and teach lessons in this place called Iparana too so that’s been fun lots of walking and ônibus haha.

love you Lots!!

ELder Jensen

ALso!! Everyone wants a Picture of our Family hahahaha Can you please send one? Also baking powder haha just kidding about that. They dont have any here though....

First (almost) week in Fortaleza!!

First (almost) week in Fortaleza!!

October 30, 2017

Hello Everybody!!

What a crazy week haha.

I'll start with the last couple days in the CTM. Never mind scratch that. I totally don't remember anything that happened. SO i'll start with us flying out. We flew. On a Plane. Which is a lot less exciting on paper ( or screen) but it was cool to get out of the CTM and be off. 

We got to the mission home and met President Chamberlain and his wife, Sister Chamberlain. They're super Great. The only real bummer is that its against mission rules to leave our houses without missionary clothing. So no running for two years I guess :(  Its all good though. We walk about 10 miles every day. That's just a rough estimate though haha. 

I'm in an area called Caucaia. I think that's the spelling hah. It's the largest area in the mission. We do lots of walking and lots of bus riding. They only thing more terrifying than almost being hit by a Brazilian bus is riding in one hahah. HONESTLY THOUGH ITS TERRIFYING. 

We have quite a few investigators I honestly don't know how many cause I still don't speak Portuguese. Its kinda been a guessing game but its fun and I'm loving it. A little about my companions. First of all we are in a trio. Elder Almeida is my trainer officially. He's been out for a year and 8 months and he's really awesome. Hes Brazilian. my other companion is Elder Sanhueza from Chile. It's funny because sometimes well speak Spanish and elder Almeida wont get it hahaha. Hes super great too though. Loves the Lumineers and was absolutely blown away when i played Ophelia on the piano lol. 

I did get to the play the piano this week in sacrament meeting which was super fun. AND We had a baptism on Sunday too. and I GOT TO DO it HAHAHA IN PORTUGUESE which was cool,and super special. His Name is Gilson and he's super awesome. I'd only met him once but he asked me to do it so that was cool.

I feel bad cause I'm super frazzled and I'm pretty sure this email was totally incoherent. I'll be sure to have something a little more cohesive prepared next weeks haha. I was going to send some pictures but my computer keeps freaking so I'll try again next week haha. Love you guys!!

With much sweat haha

Elder Jensen.