Bikes and Skirts

Bikes and skirts are totally the worst combination ever!!!  This is the second time I've grease stained my favorite skirt, but oh well.  My second day in this area was super rough.  We are sharing a car with another set of sisters and they had the car that day so we had to bike to the appointment.  We biked up and down hills in the pouring rain and after an hour we finally arrived.  We taught the lesson and then made the hour journey back.  We walked our bikes up and down more hills,  and after a while Sister Strong stopped on the side of the road and just started crying.  I pulled over to go hug her, then I started crying!  This is a little embarrassing to admit, but this is missionary work sometimes.  Ya just gotta cry!

Later that night we met with a young woman whose brother had passed away.  She brought her sister downstairs to meet us and you can tell her sister was absolutely devastated.  It broke my heart as she continued to tell us how she lost her first brother many years ago, then her husband, and now this brother.  Three of her family members.   

I cried with her.  Not just because she was enduring hard things, but because she was enduring hard things without the knowledge of th Atonement.  I don't know how people can endure such things without it.  Sister Strong and I taught her about the Plan of Salvation and I bore my testimony on the significance of the Atonement.  We are going back later this week to teach her more.  We left her with a pamphlet to read and she said she would read and pray about it.  We just want to help her regain her faith.  I'll be honest, sometimes I feel like a little person doing a big person job.  Somehow Heavenly Father has trusted me with these people and I feel so inadequate.  My mom would do a way better job than me, but with Heavenly Father's help I know this work cannot fail.  I love the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  His love and support is the motivating drive I've needed to be a missionary.  I'm so grateful I don't have to do this work alone.

So what did ya think about the broadcast?  Wasn't it awesome!!?  I was more excited for that Broadcast than I have been for any finale of the Bachelorette.  I'm a changed person!  haha.  but really though, that broadcast was an answer to my prayers!!!  As members, we have a tremendous responsibility to assist in this work.  Elder Holland said something like, we are not asking you to do anything different, but we are asking you to do far more.  When an apostle of the Lord says that, you know it's a big deal.  In the next for 4 months, we are projected to have 100,000 missionaries serving throughout the world!  Heavenly Father is hastening His work and we better help it.  Missionaries and members should be working together.  Some of you may think, "Well, all my friends are members."  Well I encourage you to branch out a little more.  Get to know your neighbors, mail man, garbage man, people at school, etc.  Elder Nelson said every member knows at least one person who is being prepared to hear the message of the Restoration of the Gospel.  So pray that you will find them and invite with love.  If they don't accept, then continue loving them.  That was what I got out of that Broadcast and I thought it was so exciting!

The "Pink" Zone



We also had an area Seventy visit our mission this week and I learned a lot.  I sat by him at lunch and we asked him how President Monson was doing after the death of his wife.  He said that he was having a hard time. (Even a prophet has a hard time).  He said that when she was in the hospital, he was with her everyday.  He said President Monson misses being in the hospital because the patients would  leave their doors open because they knew President Monson would walk by.  President Monson would say, "How could I not stop at those open doors and give them a blessing?"  What an amazing man.  In the midst of this own family crisis, he was blessing the sick.  I love our good Prophet.  He is truly a prophet of God.

My darn e-mail time goes by so fast!  I want you all to know that I love you so much.  The church is true and I know it.  It is changing lives.  It is my privilege to assist in the work and I hope you feel the same.  God doesn't need us to do His work, but He chose to do it this way so all could be edified.  He loves us so much!

Also, one more thing...I checked the visa website and it's ready for pick up!!!  I think I will be in Manaus next transfer.  Yay!  Thanks for your prayers and e-mails and letters.  Love you all!  Have a great week!

Sister Jensen