Week 2/3-June 10/17, 2015

Week 2-June 10, 2015

sorry guys this week we wont get a chance to email because we leave wednesday morning (pday in the mtc) and then the pday for the feild is monday i think but anyways they said we could take like just 5 minutes to tell you guys thats why we cant email this week! just know that i love you guys and take care this week! im doing wonderfully and im gaining weight!!!! a.k.a. things couldnt be going better cause the food has been delicious

 

love always,

Elder Jensen

Week 3-June 17, 2015

Dear family! 
>My first area.........is.................HYDE PARK 2! If you can
>believe it, I'm starting in the very heart of London ! My ward
>building is the chapel on exhibition road with the visitors centre and
>across from all the museums and on the second most walked street in
>the world. My companion is elder chronister from Tucson Arizona who
>played free safety for Utah state and is a super super good guy and we
>get along really well. I'm so thankful for him cause he's really
>similar to me except that he knows so incredibly much more and I have
>been watching everything he does and learning so much holy cow. Two
>quick stories- yesterday we went to a Christian service with one of
>our investigators and it was ridiculous. Basically a rock concert
>inside a cathedral.... It was dimly lit, with smoke and lights and
>screens and effects and then there was this huge beautiful painting of
>the Savior behind them and beautiful stained glass and statues
>everywhere and to me and my comp it was kind of a desecration of such
>a beautiful chapel. Then we taught a lesson in the basement of their
>chapel which is really against the rules but it sort of just
>happened.. She had so many questions and was arguing and I felt like I
>was getting attacked and I didn't know how to answer her so then I
>finally just stopped her and said that my dad was the smartest man I
>know and also has the most faith in any man I've known and told her
>that even though we couldn't answer all her deep deep huge questions,
>I knew the gospel was true and it brings happiness and that's our
>message. Elder chronister said that's when something changed and ahe
>softened up a ton and her countenance was really different the rest of
>our discussion and she wants to meet again soon and agreed to pray
>vocally every night until then. Second story, we stopped a man on the
>sidewalk who was a young middle aged ish black man smoking and he
>turned out to be really really nice and genuine, if a little bit taken
>aback. We started by askin him what he knew about family history and
>his ancestry hahaha and then by the end of our long conversation on
>the street were talking about how he lost his faith and had stopped
>praying and stuff.. Cool thing is that he said he works from 3-10 in
>the underground tubes everyday and this was at 7 and he said it was
>the first time he was above ground at this time just cause it was so
>stuffy he decided to walk around for a bit and then ran into us. We
>asked him if we could pray together and asked if there was anything we
>could pray for him about. He said for his family to be closer and so
>when I prayed I remembered him saying his dad had recently passed away
>and so I really prayed for his family to support each other and after
>we finished his eyes were watery and he said he thinks he was meant to
>run into us and was visibly different.. Almost shaken up a bit if I
>had to put a name on it. His name is Anthony so maybe keep him in your
>prayers i think that'd be good.
>
>I have an iPad! It's sweet... And I'm learning so much. If I had to
>say what the biggest thing is, it's that opening my mouth is how I
>find joy and success and if I don't open my mouth and have the courage
>to stop people, I won't be successful and ultimately I'll be useless
>to the Lord. Does that make sense? I hope so... Anyways I love you all
>so much and think and pray for you guys all the time! I hope Ben is
>rockin the man cave and loving it and I'm happy to heAr Lydia's finals
>went well and i hope summer comes fast and you all throw a pool party
>to kick it off! Think of me when you jump into the water next time you
>do because it'll be a long time before I can do that.. To Natalie, I'm
>sorry about drill team... Keep your chin up little sis it's not the
>end of the world! It was trying out to be section leader as a
>sophomore and not making it that I learned the most about what it
>takes to be a section leader and why it was what I wanted to work
>towards the next year. I hope that maybe helps you see why it can be
>an even better experience sometimes to try and not make it than make
>it! It happens to everyone, just ask dad about his highschool
>basketball experience
>
>There is so much to say and tell about because Ive been in LONDON
>doing MISSIONARY WORK !! But I can't tell you cause it's hard to type
>and I'm too lazy. Nah just kidding I really have to finish up and I
>wouldn't even know where to start but it's safe to say that I'm in a
>whole nother country and I have talked to folks from every place in
>the world you can imagine! Not kidding. And never gotten so many looks
>and stares in my life... Mom any chance you can send me a shoe box
>with my bball shoes and ankle brace? Also I look so out of place cause
>all the missionaries here pride themselves in their style and wear
>super slim ties and suits and have fancy shoes and it's ridiculous how
>out of place me and my MTC buddies looked with our normal American
>suits and thick ties... I am not going to conform..... Or maybe I will
>but not yet and it will only be out of necessity if I do.. I'm
>serious. I think mom will laugh and either love it or think it's the
>most feminine weirdest thing ever if I come home in dressed like the
>missionaries here. Also I forgot to mention that sister and president
>Jordan are the most amazing mission presidents ever!!!! They are
>absolutely incredible and so nice and so parent like, and president
>Jordan is (I guarantee it) a future apostle and also the most legit
>guy ever. I'm super sad they're leaving in 2 weeks I didn't think I'd
>really care but in just a couple of days with them I have really come
>to actually love and feel like I know them really well. I'm super
>excited to meet the Stevens though.
>
>Love you all! For those of you with smart phones (dad mom Lydia
>?Natalie?) feel free to send me pictures you take or little emails
>throughout the week whenever you want cause I'd love seeing pics as
>well as your emails at the end of the week!
>
>With love,
>Elder Jensen
>
>P.s. I'll send some pics later today cause we're headed to Big Ben and
>all those places probably. Oh and elder Holland spoke to our mission
>and London South on Friday and I shook his hand and then heard him
>deliver the most life changing, terrifying, inspiring hour and a half
>talk I've ever heard. Fists were slammed onto the pulpit, spit flew,
>missionaries trembled, and we were all inspired to be so much better.
>My really good friend from the MTC elder bender is serving in Romford,
>where elder Holland served 50 years ago! I'll send a pic of me and
>elder Holland tonight too

Week 1-June 3, 2015

Week 1-June 3, 2015

family!!!!!!!!!!!! i love you all so much and miss you each individually more than i can describe! thank you so much for taking the time to write me, all except for ben.... tell him im gunna whip his cheif little booty when i get home unless he starts emailing me. i figure if i have time ill respond to what i can from the individual emails but first i think its best for everyone if i tell you about my week and that might be how it usually works cause theres not much time. but dont ever think that i am not reading them and love hearing about each of you.. ok girls?! good.

ok first off, these brits arent quite up to speed with americans so the shift bar is in the wrong place and i dont have time to keep messing up and pressing this \ button instead so i just wont capitalize anything.

this week was crazy. probably one of the longest weeks of my life, it made me think so often about what dad saying, how the time he spent in the mtc felt like so much of his life because by the time i lay down at night to sleep, i get a little worried im older than i think and losing my memory because i cant for the life of me remember what i did that morning, it feels like years ago. i figure i might as well get straight to what i have to say and then answer moms questions.

i love it here. i love moms package and the letters i got from lydia and dad, one thing that has been difficult is not being able to contact anyone. its a feeling of isolation and loneliness but it is never strong because of my fellow missionaries. there are about 14 of us elders here, and we are almost all going to the london mission together in a week. we have come together as a group of young men all on the lords errand, having left everything behind. coming from all over the world it is what has made us so close and easy to love each other so much, im sure of it! i love them so much because if they were not here with me i might not have been able to do this so far. just to quickly breif you, my companion is the friend i had from byu, elder withers, how awesome is that!?? we were both so shocked when we were called as companions because it seemed a little too good to be true. hes from ohio, and we both love basketball and having been at byu together we share so much in common. we are the "americans". all i can say more is that he is a stud and although we have differences we compliment each other really well and in the lessons weve taught, we are able to teach in unity because we both let each other speak but will also share experiences since we are close friends as well as companions. our district is also amazing, and as the district leader i have been able to get very close to the other elders and sisters in my district. mom! the first elder i met at the airport is elder henrie, from lethbridge alberta! hes the hoser of the group and really quite the character.. its been hard to love him all the time but im learning and me and him are really close because he can tell im trying and i know all about canada. hes promised me smarties from home. YES!!!!! ok now this is going too long so real quick there are elders from spain, mexico, australia  (really cool guy who reminds me so much of cole bishop and im really good friends with), brazil, zimbabwe, south africa, ruanda, and the east coast of america. quick fun fact, ive never been so proud of being american and ive sort of embraced everything other countries think of america as. so when we talk about home countries, you better believe im always reppin the red white and blue loud and proud. my friend elder bender from australia and i were having our usual dinner banter and he said "typical american, always claiming everything" (i think we were arguin over food) to which i replied (and everyone went nuts it was such a great comeback) without hesitiating, "yea... like the moon?"

we have a lot of fun here and elder chiwara from zimbabwe is my buddy and always says"focus elders" in the funniest accent. everyone i have met talks differnetly and there is no such thing as a "british accent" because depending on where youre from, everyone sounds different. i have already accidentally begun saying things like an english person. im trying to fight it... i dont want to conform to the brits. im proud of my american accent. southern california surfer dude for life right here

ok i could talk forever so heres what is important. this has been really hard, and i have been very humbled and i have begun to work very hard to gain a testimony about certain things... i want to teach with power and i can only do that about things i know without a doubt are true. its a scary thought to promise someone that they will get an answer to a prayer, and im working hard to know that i can trust that the Lord really will. the MTC president is amazing, and in the very first initial quick interview i felt as if hed already known me all my life. he gave me great advice. i am in good hands and he was inspired to give me a great companion so i feel very blessed. the mtc is gorgeous and i am falling in love with nature.. i have always loved greenery but i dont know if i can ever go back to so cal again after seeing so much lush plant life everywehre you walk. it rains a lot. they didnt lie about that. finally starting to think of people as elders and sisters it was hard to get used to. called my comp his first name while playing sports a couple times on accident. food is amazing...... went to the temple here on the mtc grounds and it was really something else. elder nelson visited and i shook his hand. 

p.s. mom will be pleased to hear that i have played more hymns than i ever have before! me and elder withers are the only ones who can so we basically play a few times a day each.. and never have any time to practice. lets just say it gets ugly

p.p.s. mom- i forgot my ipod but i think you already said you were sending it so thank you. also i got your package in my luggage and read your note and it was one of a few times since being here that i felt very homesick... you know how much i love you please never forget it! i understand the stripling warrior story better now and it is because of my mother that i know many of the things i do :) 

love you all so much! i know this is long but we have more time than i thought.

next wednesday we will be leaving to london so i dont know if or when i will email you next week if at all, so until then, take care

Elder Jensen

ill send some pictures too

Surprise visit from Elder Nelson and wife Wendy!