Not enough Time!

Dear Family & Friends! Ah! I feel like I have so much to say and not enough time! So I will just get started and hit on some of the highlights of the week! Monday: P-day! Of course it's always super hectic as we try to get everything done! We had a dinner appointment with the Taylor-Basil's and then we taught Connor and Charlie the restoration at the chapel. The lesson went sooo well! They are amazing, really. We invited them to be baptised and they both said yes! They are elect! In the lesson, Charlie told us that neither of them are very religious but they thought it would be rude to turn us down after we invited them to church. He said they weren't too excited about it but they thought they'd go anyways and they were just so touched with how the ward welcomed them in and helped them feel supported and loved. They both commented on how nice it felt to actually feel like people cared what they had to say. Charlie said, "That is why we will continue meeting with you guys and why we'll be at church again next week!" It was SUCH a testimony to me how the true force of missionary work is LOVE. Love and support from the members will draw people into the church better and faster than anything else! Then, Charlie and Connor both said their first prayer! I think this is one of my favourite things about missionary work-hearing someone's first prayer. They are SO incredibly sincere. Tuesday- Normal day with finding, and visiting people. We had a DA at 5:30 and then we hurried to the church because we were in charge of the youth activity! We spent a good amount of time planning for it so it could be legit. We planned lots of fun activities and it was like a boys against girls thing. They absolutely loved it! Charlie and Connor both came and it was so good for them to see how Mormons have fun. Charlie texted us later that night and thanked us saying he really enjoyed it all and was so thankful we invited him. Wednesday: We taught Charlie the plan of Salvation! Connor couldn't come because his mom wouldn't let him out. Charlie told us that she isn't really nice and is kinda controlling. :/ So that was a major bummer. But we went on with teaching Charlie. He loved the whole thing about the kingdoms of glory. He said, "I'm going to kill Connor if he doesn't get into the Celestial kingdom with me, but i guess i can't do that cuz then i'll be in the telestial." HAHA! It was hilarious. Thursday: District meeting! This week we talked about miracles we've had in the week, and why each of us decided to serve missions and our purpose as missionaries. It was SO good. I was reminded of why I decided to come on a mission. I think i've always wanted to serve a mission. It's just been something I knew I would do. Perhaps it was a duty that I feel I owed to my Heavenly Father. But the longer I've been here, I'm finding more and more reasons why I STAY on the mission, because the coming really isn't the hard part. Every missionary that ever serves will need to figure out their individual purpose and why they are here. For me, there are more than just one reason why I am on a mission and why I am still here. First, I am here because I want as many of my brothers and sisters to be with me in the celestial kingdom as possible! Secondly, I am here because I have talents and abilities and personality that nobody else in the world has! How cool is it that Heavenly Father blesses us with gifts that we can use to lift and help one another? I am so thankful to him for the talents he has blessed me with and I have seen how I can use them in my missionary work. Lastly, I am here because I love my Saviour! Just as he said to Peter, If you love me, feed my sheep. Friday: Friday was a big planning day! We had correlation, and then we did a good 2 hours of service for our ward mission leader. They are tearing off all the wall paper in their house because they are repainting and he is going back to university next week so he needed a few helpers. Haha, Dad, I was thinking back about when we did that in our old house and what a pain it was! Remind me NEVER to get wallpaper? :) Saturday: Such a good day! Saturday night we put together a movie night for some of the youth. We watched the Joseph Smith movie and invited Charlie and Connor. Only Charlie could come though. We made it a proper movie night, complete with popcorn and blankets! At the end, we had a little testimony meeting and we all shared our thoughts on the prophet, Joseph Smith. It was AMAZING. The spirit was so strong! As I was closing up the meeting, I asked if anyone else had anything to say? Then Charlie spoke up and said, " In school we were taught a bit about Mormons. But I never really knew or understood the whole picture about Joseph Smith. I never knew how much he really went through and now I do believe that he was a prophet because he wouldn't have gone through all of that if he was a fake." Oh my goodness, I just sat there like dumbfounded and I think I had to wait for the shock to wear off before I said anything! I don't even think he realized it but with that one sentence, he was asserting his testimony of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints! WOW. He really is a chosen spirit! Sunday: We had a GREAT day at church! Charlie came and just loved it! He is making friends with the youth and even some of the adults! I sang, "Saviour Redeemer of my Soul" in sacrament meeting so that was fun! During Sacrament meeting, Charlie leaned over and asked how old you have to be to serve a mission and how old until you can't go. He said, "Oh okay good because I want to finish my apprenticeship first and then go when I'm 19." (Can you imagine how I was feeling after hearing him ask that question?! I had to hide my tears from him because I was just so overwhelmed with gratitude and humility. I can't believe Heavenly Father has trusted me and Sister Bertha to teach this kid.) After church we went to find Charlie so we could teach him the third lesson, Gospel of Jesus Christ. We found him eventually in the bishop's office talking to Brother Mace, the first counselor in the bishopric. Haha. He's sooo comfortable already and getting involved! We didn't know what they were talking about but we asked Brother Mace later and he told us that Charlie came to him wondering how he could get involved with passing the sacrament. !!!! Isn't he amazing?!! He seriously can't wait to get the priesthood and he's not even baptised yet. Haha. Well, we taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ and invited him to be baptised on September 28th. Of course he said yes!! :) AH. It was so cool. In his prayer at the end of the lesson he thanked Heavenly Father for helping us all meet and he said, "I hope that I will be able to be with all my new friends in the Celestial kingdom some day." :) Oh my goodness. Words cannot describe my joy!!! So I think I'll just finish with that! I love you all! Thanks for all you do! Love, Sister Jensen