Monday: Pretty normal p-day. We met up with the Sisters in Ames and got some lunch at Chipotle... so good. Haha and then we met with the Lauritsens and I came home to the sweetest Christmas package from my Nana and Pops. THANK YOU!!!! :) Then we got permission to sleep over at the STL's house and that was just hilarious. Sister Romero and I started speaking in a British accent at about 7 pm tonight (and literally haven't stopped since!), but the Sisters decided to join in so we sang hymns and laughed... in a British accent! It was great!
Tuesday: Such a good day!! I got to go home today... Well, to West Des Moines that it. :) We had our Christmas Zone Conference today and it went so good! I got to see so many missionaries that I love and we received some really amazing trainings. We did that for the first half, and then we all had lunch and then did some skits. HILARIOUS. Seriously... all of us where wipin away tears by the end of it. Then of course they set up the projector and we all watched "Ephraims Rescue" together. Super fun! (*SHOUT OUT TO YOU MAMA BARKER!!!!) After the movie President and Sister Jensen bore the sweetest testimony that just solidified the spirit already present. I love them so much. After the conference, we had gotten permission to go to the mall so Sister Romero could get some boots. So weird to be back in a mall that I went to so many times while serving in Winterset... still got butterflies walking in. Haha by the time we got back to Boone, we only had time to do training and have dinner. It was a long, but very good day!
Wednesday: Pam had some crazy things happen this week, so right after studies we got to go over to her house with the Higgs and the Elders so she could get a blessing. I LOVE THE PRIESTHOOD! It was a very humbling experience for all on the room. The rest of the day is honestly a blur... haha it went so fast and we did so many different things. Training, finding, meetings, teaching. The usual.
Thursday: We literally spent to WHOLE day doing service for members. That happens some times... We got to organize fabric for a couple hours and cut up magazines. It was great. :) Well kind of. Haha this is when the forgiveness side of the Atonement kicked in... we realized as we looked back on our day that we definitely didn't use Heavenly Father's time very well. We were doing good and better things, but not best. Oh the lessons you learn on a mission.
Friday: WE PUT UP CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TODAY. People... I am so happy. We study by Christmas lights, we plan by Christmas lights, we even eat by Christmas lights. ITS GREAT!!! Makes our ghetto appt. not so ghetto. ;) Kidding... kind of. We had some really cool experiences today with teaching by the spirit. Let's just say that D&C 100:4-5 is a real promise.
Saturday: Pretty normal Saturday.. Sister Romero wasn't feeling too well, but I totally had a proud mama moment when she still got up and got ready and exercised her faith in the enabling power of the Atonement. I got a good one people. :)
Sunday: So.... I am officially 16 months old today. So weird. Wanna know how we celebrated?!? We went to church and partook of the sacrament. My favorite. :) The sacrament was actually a really tender experience for me this week... as I sat there pondering before it got to me, I just knew that I had not been the best missionary this week. I wasn't as diligent as I should have been or as faithful. I just prayed that my Father in Heaven would forgive me and I took the sacrament and very strongly felt that he had. Again people... THE ATONEMENT IS SO REAL. Kind of a hard experience to explain... but I just wanted to remind you that the Sacrament is THE most important part of EVERY week. No matter what, make sure you are at church on time so that you can renew ALL of your covenants with your Father. NOTHING else is more important. We had another very tender experience with the Spirit today... We had about 20 minutes before dinner so we decided to do some finding. We got in the car and of course prayed that our Father would direct us as we drove. We started driving and ended up on Prairie st. We sat there for a minute and the spirit very strongly said, "This isn't it." We felt that we needed to go finding over by a members house. Remember when the scriptures talk about a burning in the bosom? Well, the minute we pulled over on the street and started to pray, I got that feeling. At first I was like, "Nah. It's heartburn girl." But, then as we got out and started knocking, it got stronger. The first 2 doors we knocked, they weren't interested. Third time is a charm people. We knocked on Jay's door and he opened it and immediately the Spirit confirmed what I had been feeling... "This is the one Sister Jensen." We started talking and he immediately felt comfortable with us and shared his kidney transplant experience and at one point started to weep. We related to him our experience of going to another street and not feeling like it was right and just bore testimony that God brought us to him. He did not hesitate one second when we invited him to learn about the message of the Restoration.( We have an appt. with him tonight, please pray that it goes well!) It was just a very humbling experience for all of us.
Well, there is my week. It was a week full of much growth. I am just so grateful to be a missionary. These last 16 months have been full of much sorrow and grief, but at the same time more joy than I have ever felt before. This is truly the greatest thing that I have done up to this point in my life. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I love His gospel. How blessed we are to have a knowledge of his redeeming grace.
I love you all and pray that you have a wonderful week!
-Sister Jensen
"Is this Heaven? No, it's Iowa."
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| All the Sisters in the Ames Stake. :) |
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| She's still gettin used to weekly planning... :) |
