Love & Gratitude

Hello hello!!

So lets see, last P-day was soooo super chill and fantastic! Sister Thomas and I decided to be the lame sisters who didn't make time to get to any possible zone activity, and it was GREAT. Don't get me wrong, I love our zone, but trying to make time for a big activity in the middle of the day makes our p-days more hectic so we decided to forgo this one. It was fine though because when we saw everyone at the family history center, everyone said they were too busy for a zone activity anyways. So we weren't really that lame. Such a nice relaxed p-day though. (Brother Reinhart even made us waffles!!)

We got to have interviews with President this week, which meant a little q&a time with Sister Hancock too. She's my favoritexD Sister Thomas went in with president first so I got to chat with Sister Hancock for a bit and after she got through her initial "get to know you questions" we talked for the rest of the time about face paintingx) She was asking me for any tips and what sort of paints to use and what to look for in brushes...it was great! She wants to get into face painting after they're back from the mission. (made me miss my paints a bit...but we're going to go paint with a member later today so i think i'll make it.)

My interview with President was good too, he asked how I was doing out here in Star Valley and how Sister Thomas and I are getting along. At first I thought it was going to be a pretty short interview if those were his only questions, because I'm doing great still and Sister Thomas and I are fantastic together. We talked about some other things though, namely things I've learned so far from being out and we discussed favorite scripture of mine. To me, these verses illustrate God's love and power. Look them up, they're 2 Nephi 8:15-16. I love how those verse illustrate God's power, and yet he has taken the time to cover us in the shadow of his hand, to "plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth" for us. We are God's masterpieces. Compared to everything else he has made on this earth, his purpose and great work is to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). We are his greatest creation and he loves us and wants us to return to him someday so he can bless us even more than he already has.

President and I also discussed how knowledge of God's love has helped as we've encountered trials. For me, I know I can face anything thrown my way because I have a loving Father in Heaven who is watching over me and waiting to help me through the hard times I have. Life would be meaningless if not for God. If there was no God, what would be the point of this life? I feel like this life would be dreary and bleak without the knowledge of our God. Trials would be unbearable and pointless, and I could see many easily sinking into depression. That is why the gospel is such a joyful message- because it tells us what the point of this life is, and who we are striving to return too.

I also had the opportunity this week to speak in one of the wards we cover. I spoke about Gratitude and pulled a lot of my talk from Henry B Eyring's "Remembrance and Gratitude" 1989 General Conference address. I focused on what President Eyring pointed out as the center of gratitude- Remembrance. So often we are quick to forget what we have been blessed with, what we didn't have before, and who has given us these blessings. Read his talk before Thanksgiving. His words really open your eyes to everything we have. It also made me think about how many times in the Book of Mormon a verse will admonish us to "remember". Although I'm not through marking my scriptures with Preach my Gospel, I want to eventually underline each time we're told to "remember" in the Book of Mormon. I think it would be a good exercise and I encourage you all to as well.

Thank you all for your love and support, I hope you each have a fantastic week!!

Love,
Sister Jensen