A Christmas Carol

Hello hello!!!

Merry Christmas Eve!! I hope y'all are doing well and have some fun holiday plans!! It's been a while since I've done a more detailed weekly update and a lot happened this week so we're gonna give it a shot again!

On Monday we played a super fun game for pday activity(: Instead of normal spoons, we played "ultimate spoons". Use caution, if you plan to try this at home clear any breakable furniture and have band aids on hand. Ultimate spoons is much like regular spoons where you sit in a circle and pass around cards till you get a set of four. Instead of setting spoons in the middle of the table though, you hide the spoons in another room and you have to race to get to the room and find them. It was pretty intense. I get to claim bragging rights and say I won!! (woot woot!!) One of the Elders got a little beat up, band aids truly are necessary.

Tuesday we had a video meeting and basically replanned the idea for the video. Im not really sure how this one will end up, transfers also threw a wrench in things a bit, our camera elder got transferred out to Montpelier. We'll see how it turns out!! We ended up filming most of Zone Conference to use, which I will get too later.

We had some we had some awesome lessons this week! We met with a guy named Mike, and he seems promising. We met him at a baptism, his friend's sons were baptized. That was a few weeks ago, and we finally got to have a lesson with him. We talked about Heavenly Father and how we are literally his children. I think it touched him to hear how connected we actually are to God. It was a very sweet lesson and we'll be meeting with him again(:

We also met with the Vaughan family, their son Cort is on date for baptism January 4th! It was a good lesson, they are so supportive! We had invited them to read the first lesson as a family to prepare themselves and they actually did it! It was so cool!! I'm excited for them!

Thursday was Transfer day/Zone Conference, which was awesome. Zone Conference was a special Christmas conference for us(: we started out listening to some songs preformed by some women in President Southward's ward in Highland. It was all very well exectuted and their messages went along with what we were talking about first, which was the prophet Joseph Smith. President followed their performaces with a presentation about the prophet, which was also very inspiring. It always touches my heart to think about what Joseph Smith edured for the sake of the gospel. The amount of suffering he endured, along with the pain caused to his family has always confirmed to me the truth of his words. No good man would go through such torment and see not only his family, but his friends put through so much persecution as well, for something false. I know Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and that we have true prophets called of God on the earth today.

Later during the Zone Conference we helped with a service project and assembled bikes. It was pretty sweet, later families came to pick them up for their children for christmas. After the service project we went back to the Palace Playhouse, (a theater in town) to have a nice dinner and watch the show, "A Christmas Carol". It really stood out to me to see how blind Scrooge was to his own actions. I think we are so blind sometimes to our own actions and the feelings they can hurt. It made me pause and think a little more about how our actions really do speak volumes. I also loved seeing Scrooge go back to "Christmas past" and seeing both the good and bad actions of his past. It was a poignant reminder of the history of our actions and how important it is to be proud of our actions and to do what we can to make things right when we make a mistake. Lots of good messages to be reminded of. And it was also pretty sweet to get to watch a musical on my mission(:

We got to see the McCabe boys this week, and they are so excited about the Gospel! We stopped by on Saturday and they were so ready to have a lesson! They had their scriptures out and everything. They are such sweet kids and hopefully we can see them baptized. There may be some legal permission to wait on, but they'll get there someday.

Lastly, on Sunday it was super fun to go to all the Christmas programs. We were at 3 of the 4. And we sang in all of them. I actually sang a solo bit for the last one which was fun. Later that night we caroled as well so it was a day of song haha. Made for a good night(:

Anyway, I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and enjoy some time with your family and friends. This is a special time of year to remember Christ and the love he has for us.

I love you all!
Love, Sister Jensen

Caroling in Chubbuck

Hello Hello! So sorry for the confusion over the last few emails! If you didn't get one from me over the last few weeks and missed it, let me know!

Transfers are coming up this Thursday and I will be staying in Chubbuck with Sister Miller. This will be her last transfer and then she'll be home to Arizona! It's crazy how fast the mission seems to end. I'll be honest, it has been a rough past few transfers, but It will be good to stay in the area. I also apologize for those I haven't emailed back yet, pdays are probably more stressful than relaxing at this point. I will get to you all soon.

This week we were able to go to the temple in Idaho Falls with a member and do a session. It was quite relaxing and peaceful to be back in the temple. When in doubt, go to the temple. I didn't really have any questions, I mostly just needed to feel peace, which I did. The temple is truly the Lord's house, a place of joy and comfort.

This week we had a few exciting activities, we were able to go caroling a few times as a district in the Mall, and I brought my Ukulele as accompaniment! Haha, it was quite fun and I enjoyed it. This sweet little boy even came up and joined us at one point. (he wasn't even a member!) On Saturday we spent the day doing service project after service project. It was a blast! There is joy found in serving others(:

Also, we for sure have a baptismal date for Cort, a 9 year old boy we are teaching... he is set to be baptized on his birthday, January 4th! I'm so excited!!!

I hope you all are enjoying the Christmas season(: I love you all and hope you have a merry Christmas!!

Love you all!
Sister Jensen

Blitzes And Baptisms!

Hello all!

Things are happening in Chubbuck!!! We have found quite a few new people to teach, and even have a youth that wants to be baptized come January!!! I'll actually get to plan a  baptism! And stay here for it!! I don't know if y'all are getting how much of a miracle this is too me, but it is.

This week we did a district blitz in our are, and another later that week in the sisters area. A blitz is when multiple sets of missionaries go out in one area and spend a few hours helping the missionaries covering that area by knocking doors for them and getting to know the area. We came back with lots of good contacts, and saw the same miracle happen for the sisters.

The most exciting part of my week was actually yesterday. To clear up the confusion, we had our pday switched because the leadership of the mission had a council meeting yesterday. Sorry I didn't clarify sooner. Anyway, back up to Sunday though. On Sunday, our bishop from. The 11th ward came up to us and said a family in the ward was recently coming back to activity and wants their son baptized! We talked to the mom that day and set an appointment for Monday evening. We went, had an awesome lesson and really got to know the family. The son, Court, is awesome!! When the family was less active, Court would be the one to bug them about going back to church and about getting him baptized.

When we talked to the family, the parents were very open about recently being back into activity ty and they could recognize the change the gospel brings into their lives.

We discussed baptism dates with the family and we still don't have an exact date, we have to discuss things with their bishop, but they're thinking around the first week of January.

The area is looking up. Things are getting better and we're definitely finding people to teach. Miracles happen if you continue to put your trust in God. This past week has been a testimony of that. I love you all and I hope your weeks are fantastic.

Love,
Sister Jensen