It is crazy to think Thanksgiving was just last week! It seems like so long ago alreadyx) My week has been good! It's seemed to go by really quick, it felt like we had half the week scheduled by Monday night. To start, on Monday evening we taught the Titenser family again, and I'm just really excited about them. They're such a sweet family, and Brandon, the dad, seems to have a very sincere desire to come back to church. The boys have warmed up to us, and I really look forward to their lessons. They all seem to be excited about the gospel again, and it's so sweet to see.
On Sunday, we got a new ward mission leader! This was a little bittersweet, as Brother Porter is a great ward mission leader and such a sweet man. We had our first meeting with Brother Call on Tuesday, and he seems excited and ready to delve back into missionary work! On Wednesday, Sister Thomas and I made wreaths!! Oh my word, I had so much fun!! The lady we met last week, Andy, invited us to come to her annual wreath making party. Every year she makes 20+ wreaths and invites people to come and make their own. This all started back when she was young. She and her dad would go out into the woods around November and make wreath after wreath from the branches they found or could cut. Then when she was going through college, she would make 300 wreaths each Christmas to pay for her tuition. Now she does it for fun, because Christmas wouldn't be the same without wreath making. It was such a fun activity! I'll include pictures, but Sister Thomas and I both did a pretty good job for the first time!
That night, we had our first successful Book of Mormon class for the Grover ward! At first it was just Sister Thomas and I and two wonderful ward members, but then a truck speeds into the church parking lot and in comes TINA!! She is a less active member who we have been trying and trying with. She knows the gospel is true, but can't seem to bring herself to do much of the commitments we leave. But she came to our Book of Mormon class!!! We had stopped by her house earlier that day, and she basically told us a very wishy washy maybe when we reminded her about it. So we were shocked when she showed up, and SO HAPPY!!! It was such a great little class.
The highlight of my week was Friday though. Sister Thomas and I, although we loved our wreaths, decided to give them away. We gave one to Tina, who really appreciated it, and one to a lady named Shelly, who works at the Grover Post office. Earlier in the week, Shelly had opened up to us, and told us about some struggles her family has faced that makes Christmas time really hard for her. We decided to give our other wreath to her and wow. Heavenly Father knows each of us so well and loves us so much. We gave her the wreath and she cried. She told us that she had an absolutely awful day. She was really touched and it was such a sweet moment to have with her.
Also this weekend, we had stake conference. Adam and Emily (my aunt and uncle) spoke at the adult evening session, and they talked about raising your kids in righteousness. They did a really good job, and I loved what they had to say. They outlined some of the ways they have tried to teach and protect their kids with the guidance of the prophet and apostles. I think it's wonderful to have a temple so close, and they definitely help their kids understand the importance of the temple. While they were speaking, I was thinking most about those that we've met that don't have the gospel in their homes. The gospel can bring much needed guidance to parents. I feel like the most important and fundamental truth the gospel can instill in a child though, is their divine worth. I feel like so many children would have had much better lives if they had just been taught that they are a divine son or daughter of God. That knowledge alone could protect them from damaging insecurities and help them keep higher standards for themselves, that could keep them out of trouble later on.
Sister Thomas and I were also in awe as the stake president spoke, because he included the two stories from the Bible and Book of Mormon that we had just gone over in companion study. He talked about the parable of the good Samaritan, and then they story of Moroni and Pahoran in the Book of Mormon. The good Samaritan teaches us to love everyone, regardless of class or race. The story of Moroni and Pahoran teaches us not to take offense and focus on the bigger picture. President Daniels admonished us all to more actively love EVERYONE and be careful not to take offense, but continue to love as the Savior would. It was an amazing talk and a great message.
On a side note, Sister Thomas and I ate at a members house last night, and they both seem to take pleasure in making missionaries squirm. They fed us a Japanese dish, which altogether wasn't that bad at all. If you took away the tofu, and raw egg, i might actually say I liked it. Would eat it again even. But yes, to begin we cracked a raw egg into a bowl (each of us) and proceeded to dip everything in this raw egg. I'm not sure what flavor it was meant to add other than slime...not a fan. I apologize to those who enjoy this sort of dish, but it was not my fav.
It was a good week though and I hope everyone has begun the light the world challenge that the church has put out! If you haven't go onto mormon.org and you'll find a calendar of service ideas, and videos for each day. It's a simple way to focus on whats really important this time of year, and spread love to those around us. Have a great week!!
Love,
Sister Jensen
That night, we had our first successful Book of Mormon class for the Grover ward! At first it was just Sister Thomas and I and two wonderful ward members, but then a truck speeds into the church parking lot and in comes TINA!! She is a less active member who we have been trying and trying with. She knows the gospel is true, but can't seem to bring herself to do much of the commitments we leave. But she came to our Book of Mormon class!!! We had stopped by her house earlier that day, and she basically told us a very wishy washy maybe when we reminded her about it. So we were shocked when she showed up, and SO HAPPY!!! It was such a great little class.
The highlight of my week was Friday though. Sister Thomas and I, although we loved our wreaths, decided to give them away. We gave one to Tina, who really appreciated it, and one to a lady named Shelly, who works at the Grover Post office. Earlier in the week, Shelly had opened up to us, and told us about some struggles her family has faced that makes Christmas time really hard for her. We decided to give our other wreath to her and wow. Heavenly Father knows each of us so well and loves us so much. We gave her the wreath and she cried. She told us that she had an absolutely awful day. She was really touched and it was such a sweet moment to have with her.
Also this weekend, we had stake conference. Adam and Emily (my aunt and uncle) spoke at the adult evening session, and they talked about raising your kids in righteousness. They did a really good job, and I loved what they had to say. They outlined some of the ways they have tried to teach and protect their kids with the guidance of the prophet and apostles. I think it's wonderful to have a temple so close, and they definitely help their kids understand the importance of the temple. While they were speaking, I was thinking most about those that we've met that don't have the gospel in their homes. The gospel can bring much needed guidance to parents. I feel like the most important and fundamental truth the gospel can instill in a child though, is their divine worth. I feel like so many children would have had much better lives if they had just been taught that they are a divine son or daughter of God. That knowledge alone could protect them from damaging insecurities and help them keep higher standards for themselves, that could keep them out of trouble later on.
Sister Thomas and I were also in awe as the stake president spoke, because he included the two stories from the Bible and Book of Mormon that we had just gone over in companion study. He talked about the parable of the good Samaritan, and then they story of Moroni and Pahoran in the Book of Mormon. The good Samaritan teaches us to love everyone, regardless of class or race. The story of Moroni and Pahoran teaches us not to take offense and focus on the bigger picture. President Daniels admonished us all to more actively love EVERYONE and be careful not to take offense, but continue to love as the Savior would. It was an amazing talk and a great message.
On a side note, Sister Thomas and I ate at a members house last night, and they both seem to take pleasure in making missionaries squirm. They fed us a Japanese dish, which altogether wasn't that bad at all. If you took away the tofu, and raw egg, i might actually say I liked it. Would eat it again even. But yes, to begin we cracked a raw egg into a bowl (each of us) and proceeded to dip everything in this raw egg. I'm not sure what flavor it was meant to add other than slime...not a fan. I apologize to those who enjoy this sort of dish, but it was not my fav.
It was a good week though and I hope everyone has begun the light the world challenge that the church has put out! If you haven't go onto mormon.org and you'll find a calendar of service ideas, and videos for each day. It's a simple way to focus on whats really important this time of year, and spread love to those around us. Have a great week!!
Love,
Sister Jensen
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