Week 33-January 11, 2016

Week 33-January 11, 2016

First week of transfer number 6!

Hey fam! It is so good to hear all the amazing things everyone is
doing. Man it blows me away sometimes. Lydia, thanks for the prayers
for those people! It means a lot to me. Natalie, I sent you a separate
email but happy birthday again :) and Mandy, I am so glad to hear that
toffee is doing well. Don't worry about the tryouts, I'm sure you were
great for your first time! And besides, softball is a girls sport...
Hahahaha I'm just kidding but I'll bet you'll have a lot of fun and
even if it takes some time to get better, that's alright! I still suck
at a lot of things I've been doing for ages, like waking up on time!
Don't let it bother you. Ben, sounds like a boring week but I'm glad
you found that lizard and turned down dads bet. Usually he wins cause
he's smart. Did you guys play any monopoly over the holidays? Ashley,
I'm jealous that you're going Australia! I am praying for you, finish
strong! I'm glad grandma and grandpa are doing ok and that you are
figuring out how to help them out. They must be glad to be seeing
their kids but I hope they get better really soon. Send them my love!
They are in my prayers too. Dad, I can't believe yiwei and Amanda are
doing so well! Are the missionaries in our ward sisters still or do we
have any elders? The guy in my ward who served in the Arcadia ward 20
years ago told me it was dead in terms of missionary work cause it's
all older people and now I can see why that must have been so hard.
I'm sure the missionaries are so thankful to you for giving them
someone to teach.

Quick update is that this week we had MLC and our zone meeting and
that inbetween all of that, Nagaret is doing wonderfully and her
family arrives here from Portugal this Wednesday and her husband has
given her consent to be baptised so she is doing great! We will meet
the family later this week and I really want to teach them so they can
join her and their family can be united in her decision. She gave up
coffee in one day I was so proud of her. Also, Christiana is doing so
so so well. We hardly even teach her... She is so prepared to receive
the true gospel. Everything we teach her she says makes such sense to
her. When me and a member, Ben, taught her about tithing and the word
of wisdom after church yesterday, she said it'd be super hard to give
up coffee but she is willing to do it because she trusts us and knows
that she will have to live it to know if it is truly a commandment
from God. I had her read John 7:17 and I think that helped her see and
decide to do it. I am praying so hard she will be able to keep reading
and praying amongst being a single mother and starting her company and
I am amazed at how incredible she is. Mom, Michael sort of just
drifted away. I saw him in town the other day but he didn't show up to
a couple appointments and we got so frustrated finally that we stopped
contacting him. I text him once in a while though... We'll see. We
were so blessed this week and saw so many miracles that my testimony
that this is the Lord's work and we can't really accomplish it without
His help was strengthened so much. This is His church and His gospel!

Love you all so much!!!

Elder J swazzles

We made a funny pic to send to our zone... Then reenacted it at zone
meeting! It was hilarious cause our missionaries fit their characters
so insanely well! Here they are:

Week 32-January 4, 2016

Week 32-January 5, 2016

Transfers week

You guys had such awesome holidays.... Super awesome stuff yo. Can't
wait for J-semite 2017.

I am super low on motivation to write much this week I'm sorry but I
will do my best to summarise. We just got our transfer news so I am
staying here in Basildon with elder Hesen which means I am sending him
home in 6 weeks, this is his last transfer. We are teaching a couple
of really great people. We will see how they do. If you want to pray
for someone pray for Christiana and Nagaret and John and Leanne.

Hmm.. Ok so in other news we had a good week. This morning we met with
a mother named Cari and her one year old daughter Ivy and she accepted
a baptismal date so we are very excited about her. Christiana is on
date to be baptised on the 31st and Nagaret wants to be baptised soon-
we are still ironing out the details though because her family is
moving from Portugal to here in Basildon next week.

The zone is going to see some change this next transfer because we are
getting some new missionaries. Excited about that but I will really
miss the ones who are leaving. I have really grown to love them
especially the ones who are leaving. The rain is really coming down
lately here in England. It's also getting really cold again... I am
counting my blessings cause being in a car helps a lot.

The more I learn about and come to know the Saviour and his teachings
and his life, the more I believe in Him. Everything ties back to Him
and our message is indeed centred on Jesus Christ. He was the greatest
example we will ever have so follow Him and things will work out.

Miss you all so much. I send my love and prayers. Keep reppin the J-squad.

Elder Jensen

Week 31-December 28, 2015

Week 31-December 28, 2015

I just spoke to you all so not much to report but love you all!
Thought id send a couple of pictures cause I know mom likes them

This is me and my super good friend Elder Murri. We did a white elephant exchange at a bug zone conference for Christmas and I got his gift... It's a drawing and I read what it said to everyone and everyone was dying with laughter cause on the bottom it says that "there's more where this came from if you go to the dance with me" and then president asked who it was from and he raised his hand and we are really good friends so it was hilarious. 

Bishop had us over for a FHE and this is his beloved "chocolate game"

Me and Ekder Hesen and the Sister Training Leaders in our zone. Me and elder Hesen had to deliver some last minute Christmas gifts to the zone so we picked up some cheap Santa suits and did it in style

This is our Bishop. Hands down the most amazing guy! He does so much for us... We are going to frame this and give it to him! Hahahaha he's like a real life Santa

Week 30-December 25, 2015

Week 30-December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas!

No email this week due to our Skype on Christmas.  What a blessing to get to see and talk with both Ashley and Taylor!

Week 29-December 14, 2015

Week 29-December 14, 2015

"Christmas is Coming"

finally have some time to email!!! still.. not that much time. but some time! i NEVER have any time anymore.

This week was crazy... i spent one day in southend upon sea which is on the eastern/southern coast ish of england and then another day in Grays. so i spent two of the days in different areas on exchanges ( we do a lot of exchanges) and then i spent one night in the hospital until 12. then sunday we had a concert for our christmas choir and we spent the night here in london with some of my old buddies (the britannia elders) and then today we have another concert adn we sang in a care home for people with alzheimers as well. one of the ladies told me she was 94... i told her i was 93 and her teeth fell off and she said "maybe 23 young man" hahahahah. by the way dad i sing bass.. that way i dont have to sing high cause if i do then my voice cracks.. its super annoying hahah i thought i was through with puberty a long time ago!!but the choir has been so much fun.our performance was incredible, it was in the hyde park stake so i saw so many old friends! me and elder chronister and augusto were reunited for the first time and it was amazing. there were like 400 people there and they showed the christmas videos and it was great. our mission president sang a solo and it was incredible. no wonder he was in mo tab.

so to explain my week would be impossible- too much has happened. i have about 0.2 seconds to breath a day and the rest of the time is driving to and fro and phone calls and loads of other stuff. but no i was not sick... i know thats what mom is worried about after hearing i was in the hospital HAHA just thought id keep her in suspense for a bit. one of the missionaries in our zone had to go and so we went and stayed with them from about 9 until 12 and then drove them home and didnt get home till way late. 

our investigators have not been doing well. we had so many cancellations this week and it was pretty frustrating. i had to play piano for sacrament meeting this week cause nobody else could and so with a little practicing during the week when i could get a chance, i played four hymns durnig our meeting! i figured mom would be proud. i was thinking to myself how dad would owe me some money while i was playing and almost started laughing. 

christmas has taken on a whole new meaning for me this year- since i am constantly using christmas as a way to talk to people about the Saviour i have realised what christmas is all about. as cheesy as that sounds... i dont think i ever knew before. i mean i would have SAID that i knew but really, i didnt. so yea. i dont think christmas will ever be the same for me now that i have spent one thinking so much about the Saviour and why we even have christmas in the first place.

i love you all so so so incredibly much. i cant describe how much i miss you all and christmas will be so different without you all! Have an amazing week! i cant email next week but ill figure out my skype account before christmas and then lets plan on 5 pm! i would LOVE to skype or talk to ashley on the phone or something as well- i got your email ash. i cant wait to see you all.. if that time wont work for some crazy reason i cant contact you until christmas but ill get your emails and i can read them so let me know but i i wont be able to reply. 

The gospel is the key to being truly happy. that i know- and if people followed Jesus Christ's teachings and example then they would find real joy. forget about cars and money yo

Love

Elda J swizzles

p.s. ill send some pics seperately

p.p.s. WAY TO GO ASH ON ALL YOUR SUCCESS!!!!!!! youre tearin it up out there in santiago! makin your lil bro proud :')

Our whole Zone :) such wonderful missionaries. This is from last week
and so will the other ones in this email. This was our zone training
meeting!

Buckingham at night... 

The pic bishop took after thanksgiving dinner but I thought I'd attach it for Ashley cause she didn't get it. First time ever wearing a scarf and I had a huge internal conflict putting it on... I always thought wearing a scarf was feminine but here I am

The Grays district! Love em.

This was only the beginning of that night... 

Taylor singing with the Mission choir at the Hyde Park Visitors Center for Christmas!  Singing Bass=)

I seriously need to cut my hair but it's ELDER CHRONISTER AND AUGUSTO!!! At our choir concert last night.

Week 28-December 7, 2015

Week 28-December 7, 2015

"Romford Drive"

This is Tay from my comps iPad. Mines not working so my email will wait till next week. I'm fine and still kickin. Sorry it didn't work we are out of time!

Love you
Elder J

Week 27-November 30, 2015

Week 27-November 30, 2015

A Whole New World- by Aladdin featuring Elder Jensen and Elder Hesen

immmmmm innnn ROMFORD!!!!!! It's COMPLETELY different from central
London. I feel like a greenie again- although I never really ever
stopped feeling like a greenie and i doubt I ever will. I still have
no clue what I'm doing but that's what makes it so fun!

So here are some of the differences: I'm in a car (which I will be
driving starting tomorrow) I live in a town outside of London, there
are no underground tubes or frequent buses, people live in houses not
five story flat complexes (still not American sized but bigger than
the flats I have been used to) there are families everywhere and kids
(unlike central London where everyone is an ultra rich businessman or
very poor and sometimes homeless) there are lots of green grassy
places by the roads and around churches and buildings, there are lots
of trees, I have a much nicer flat and it's only me and my companion
instead of 4 missionaries, my companion is in his last 2 transfers
instead of his first 2, and we are always very very busy. I'm in a new
ward, it's freezing outside cause because of the absence of five story
buildings everywhere the wind is insane, and I'm serving with a
different zone and none of the same missionaries. So it's been a
little crazy, but I have had an a amazing week and although I'm
perpetually tired and I am still trying to figure things out, I feel
very blessed to have been sent to such a beautiful new place.

My companion is elder Hesen- a 6'4" volleyball player from MALIBU! We
have been getting along so well. He's super patient with me since I
still have to learn just about everything about the area and our
responsibilities and such. He a great guy I already love him.

We had a baptism for an old Mexican couple named Jose and Rosa this
past Saturday and it was so memorable. Rosa can't use her legs so she
is wheelchair bound and also has cataracts so can't see almost at all
and she is wonderful. Jose is hilarious as well. For rosa, this is
what we did- I hoisted her out of her wheelchair, passed her to elder
Convey and Elder Hesen who were at the stairs of the font, and then
they carried her down, and I followed them into the font and the three
of us held her as elder Hesen said the prayer and we all squatted with
her in our arms. We had to do it a second time and it was a miracle
that we were able to do it smoothly the second time. Her faith was
incredible- she completely trusted us and for an elderly woman with no
use of her legs and no sight to let us carry her in our arms into a
font and dunk her underwater amazes me. She is not supposed to get her
feet wet- so we had prepared bags and rubber bands but when we were
ready to put them on, she said no. She wanted to get everything wet
and refused the bags, so we said ok. I don't know her nearly as well
as elder Hesen because he was the one who taught them, but I have been
able to speak to her in Spanish far better than I have ever hoped to
speak! We also had stake conference this weekend and had a miracle
happen- we went on a blitz (our whole district street contacting)

after a district meeting on Thursday and elder Hesen and I found so
many people. One being a 19 year old guy named Michael, who ended up
catching the train with us to Romford (45 minutes away) Saturday
evening for the adult session and liked it so much he called us Sunday
morning and said that he changed his mind and instead of going to his
usual church he wanted to come with us to the Sunday session as well.
He loved that as well- funny bit is that after the Saturday evening
session the area 70 who was there came up to me and Elder Hesen and
Michael after and told Michael that we'd baptise him and send him over
the hills on a mission in no time hahahahahahaha me and elder Hesen
just stood there with our mouths open as he causally bore an
incredibly powerful testimony to Michael and told him to listen to
everything we told him. Then after the Sunday morning session I
introduced him to Sister Stevens (mission prez wife) who did the same
thing and then president Stevens as well. If three incredibly
successful and spiritual giants telling him to listen to us and be
baptised isn't enough to trigger some interest I don't know what is.
We are seeing him Wednesday and super excited to teach him.

People are different in Basildon (my actual area) and it is exciting
to get to know people here. Bishop Nicholls (who emailed mom with a
picture of us 4 elders) took the four of us Basildon ward elders to
all you can eat Chinese food on thanksgiving. The funniest part of all
is that our buddy elder Andrews from Boston ate a little too much and
threw it all up in the car park. Bishop was just chuckling as we all
laughed our heads off and asked him if he was alright... Our bishop is
an amazing man and he supports our efforts 100%. We have a super funny
video I'll try to send you guys.

Too much happened this past week! I have had zero time all week and
barely unpacked my stuff a couple days ago. We are always busy and
with call in reports we have no time in the evenings. On the bright
side, I love my bed :) it's super comfy.

Turns out this Christmas choir I'm part of is a bigger deal than I was
aware of and  president put me in Romford partly because it's somewhat
close enough to travel into London for the rehearsal son pday. Me and
elder Hesen sing all the time in the car and he's super good and so
he's gunna be in the choir too now since he's my companion and they
need tenors. Super fun. It's crazy that I'm going to see all my old
buddies at the Hyde park chapel today already- I barely left!

This was nice and long cause we are on the train to London at the
moment . If you wanna look up where we live it's a town called
Laindon. Basically the same place as Basildon though

Love you all more than I can put in words- as dad would say, I miss
you all like the sun misses the moon. But there are things bigger than
ourselves and our immediate wants and although I would love to be with
you especially for the Christmas season, this work is most important.
I'm sure you already know what I'm trying to say but since Christmas
is coming up and since I love Christmas so much, I have been thinking 

of my family more and how much I love you each. I am always praying for the Jsquad. I

 will attach some pictures and then send the super funny video later hopefully!

Love you fam!!!

Elder Jensen

Elder Hesen, Jose, Rosa, some really goofy looking guy, and Elder Convey going from left to right.

One of the districts in our zone. This was at district meeting- unfortunately we weren't able to make it to the other district in the zone's district meeting but this is half of our zone! And yea I'm wearing elder Hesen's glasses just for fun I don't really know why