Squirrel..oh, wait...

September 21, 2014

Mom and Dad;

     Sorry, I am writing in red pen. My black one broke and my blue one is AWOL at the moment, so I need to get out and buy some. Anyway I am writing to let you know how much I love you. I miss you everyday, but I know that what I am learning here and helping others learn here will and is blessing my family and future family. Honestly, I’m not sure what I would do if this gospel wasn’t true. If I couldn’t pray to my Heavenly Father and have the Book of Mormon and know of my eternal purpose and how I am and can only get there through Christ and his teachings, there really wouldn’t be a purpose to life. I feel like without the gospel and Heavenly Father’s plan, I wouldn’t have you guys, I wouldn’t have opportunities to grow, I wouldn’t have answers, I would just be this small human without any direction wandering in a huge world. Just in two weeks, I have come to know that Heavenly Father truly loves each and every one of his children. He places things on this Earth that allow us to be happy. He knows that because each of us are different people that we grow and learn in different ways. We all have personalities and talents that  we developed before we came to this Earth and Heavenly Father has put things like music and sports and other things that help us to grow in ways that we couldn’t have if we had stayed with him in that pre-Earth life. Although I am still growing in my desire to be a missionary and to reach out for those opportunities and people that are ready, my desire to learn and know more about the gospel grows each day. I know that although not everyone will accept this message, that there are people, souls, out there that are ready. That have been prepared by the Lord and the Spirit, who are ready to make that promise to Heavenly Father that we will always remember his son, our Savior, and that we will strive to live our lives according to the example that Christ set for us so that we can eventually live with Heavenly Father again. I need to remember not to get discouraged. Not to doubt. Have faith and remember that I have so many people and Heavenly help (even other souls) on my side. I love you dearly and am happy to know that we are going to be together forever!! Be safe, read your scriptures and pray daily. I can’t tell you how or why it works, but I know that it does and that you are being blessed for your efforts. I love you and can’t wait to hear from you again! And see you again!

Sister Kelliann Jensen

Daddy!! Thank you so much for your encouraging words!! I am so happy that you are able to listen to the spirit and that you are able to continue to show me how much my Father in Heaven loves me!! A lot of times this week I was filled with doubts and worries!! I was scared, and lost and worries that maybe I had just duped myself into believing all this and that I had no purpose of being here on a mission. However, I was scared when those thoughts came because I knew that if I went home, if I didn't find out for sure that this gospel was true, that I would probably be unhappy and miserable for the rest of my life, which is not something that I have ever wanted. Although I am still working past those doubts, I have the courage and faith to work past them. I know that we couldn't even have faith without Heavenly Father. That as humans, we have no way of knowing prefection without Christ. God's hand is everywhere in life, and although sometimes I think that it would be easier to go back to my old life and forget about the worries that I have, I would have to face them eventually and it is much easier to do those things here, when I am being blessed by the Lord for doing His work, then if I follow those prompting from Satan that don't want me here. I know that Heavenly Father lives. That his evidence is all around us. I know that without Christ, we could know Heavenly Father, and without the Holy Ghost we would not be able to know and decipher the good from God from the evil of Satan!! Thank you so much for your support!! I work everyday so that I can become stronger in this gospel, so that I can be happy in this gospel. I know that if I am scared about something, it is mostly likely because I do not understand it!! So what better place for me to understand it then here, with the tools we have been given, as a minister of Christ and His infinite love for us!! I love you so much!! Have a great week and keep strong in the gospel!! I invite you to pray and ponder about Conference before it happens, go in with a question, and search for the answers as you listen to the wonderful words of our Prophet!!

Here is a picture of the buffalo…oh, and a friendly prairie dog.

A letter and picture from the Mission President

I gave a Book of Mormon to a Buffalo...well I tried

Hi Daddy!!

Managerial Communications huh?? Man I have no clue what that means!! I hope that it goes well. You will have to let me know what that entails. My ward up here is still working on coming back from the recent boundary changes. We now are super little and I am not even sure that we have a choir yet. But once we do I will totally drag my companion to it. I miss music a lot, especially as a stress relever. Great job on that Flute! I don't think I could trust myself with taking it apart and knowing how to put it back together again. How is Danny's show going?? I wish I could be there to see it, you know how much I love Les Mes and marching band :) Life here is pretty great. Some days are better then others, but I just have to remember that this is not my work it is the Lords and it will go about in His time, and will go forward with me or without me. It just all comes down to if I want to recieve the blessing from doing it!! How is missionary work going in the home ward?? I have learned that it is super hard to do it without the members help and that is works a lot better if missionaries and members are working together to bring people to Christ.

Oh and I hope you don't mind. There is a lady named Sister Glory Mansory in my ward. She is about 75 and is a wonderful lady!! She will be traveling to Phoenix sometime soon and is worried about getting to Yuma afterwards because she will have to wait for the shuttle for a long time. I know that she won't have any trouble, but I gave her your phone number so that in case anything goes wrong, she has someone she can call to calm her down and help her out.

This week we have zone conferance and interviews with President Nicholas!! It should be a good week and I hope that you have a great one as well!!

Love you lots

Sister Kelliann Jensen

OH MY GOODNESS!! I am so glad that Josh is finally done with his Paramedic schooling!!! That is so cool and I am super happy for him. Man us Jensen's sure know how to get what we want!! Tell Josh to write me!!! I miss his puns haha!!! Oh and his new girlfriend is beautiful!! (However he is not allowed to get married while I am gone, only engaged).

Hi Mom!!!

I am so sorry that you have to work over night at Target. I remember the first inventory I was there for and the power went out. People still wanted to shop!! I guess it will go to show how motivated a person can be. Speaking of motivated, I have realized just exactly how stubborn I am this week. No matter the doubts, no matter the things that run through my head, I have gotten to the point that no matter what I will always live the gospel. I might not understand everything now, but as I push forward every day I learn more and understand better the gospel and how it benefits our lives. I am not even sure what I would do with my life if the gospel wasn't true, and if I didn't have a Heavenly Father and the gospel of Christ to help guide my choices and life. One thing that I have learned this week is that Heavenly Father is not going to take away someones agency. We ALWAYS have the choice in our lives. We can choose to be happy, we can choose to feel the spirit, we can choose to change, and we can choose to except and follow the things that Heavenly Father has placed in our lives. He truly does love ALL of His children, and has provided everything for us so that we can be happy in life. We are not meant to be miserable. Misery and doubt comes from the adversary. However love, hope, and trials that ultimately make us stronger in the end if we choose to live in harmony with the gospel are from Heavenly Father. Okay spiritual lesson aside! I am super happy to hear that everyone at Target is doing well and that I have planted the seeds in peoples lives. There truly is no hope to life without knowing our eternal purpose, and although sometimes it is scary to live up to, I know that we have all of our lives and the eternity to grow and to learn. Just because we do not understand something now doesn't mean that we won't understand it in the future. Heavenly Father knows just how we grow and when to give us the oppertunities to grow, we just need to except that we will learn and never ever give up. Oops sorry, another spiritual kick... It has been really nice here in Calgary. On wednesday we went downtown tracting as a zone. We took the C-train which is basically the light rail. We then split up into different companionships and met a whole bunch of people. I've gotta say that although I like downtown, I am realizing just how sheltered a life I have had when it comes to people. I will be sending some pictures in the mail so that you can see a bit of the adventures that we have been having here in Canada. (This includes a picture of me handing out a book of mormon to a buffalo)!! I am a little disapointed that you and the girls didn't write me letters this week!! The only letter I have gotten so far was from Cami Little (which I am super grateful for), but to be fair I haven't sent anything out yet either. Just know that I will be looking for letters from you and the girls (and Danny and Josh!!) every friday.

My debit card works just fine here! I am not sure if it would work it I used it in a store, but I had really just planned on pulling money out anyway so that I don't get charged mutliple times for using a U.S card in Canada. Apparently every time you use the card they charge you because it is foreign. So far so good on that front. I will let you know if I need anything about that in the future.

Last week on Monday, we went to the Mall in Chinook for P-Day. I bought a mickey mouse sweater for Pdays and service projects from Forever 21 and we went into Target to look at shoes for Sister Martin. I've gotta say that so far I am unimpressed with the Targets here, but I have only been in a small portion of one, so I will give a few more a try before I judge them. Today we are going to the zoo as a companionship. I've gotta say that I am realizing everyday how much Heavenly Father loves me and wants me to be happy. I think everyone knows how much I love animals and kids and I feel like that is all I deal with all day!! I love you lots and am super happy to hear that you are going great. I feel like I went from one weather crazy place to another. It is 27 degress celcius here today and lovely... I am not sure how to convert that so I will let you do so.

The work is a little slow here in Evergreen, but I know that it will pick up as we futher prepare ourselves and trust in the Lord that He has the power to bring forth his Gospel. Remember the the relief society general womens conferance is on Saturday and General Conferance is on the 5th and 6th!! It is super weird because they don't have it on TV here (unless it is the Muslim channel, don't ask) so we will have to go to the stake center for that!!

I love you all a pray for you every day!! Please give everyone hugs for me and let them know that I am doing well and growing everyday!! Keep enduring to the end!! The world if full of some many things that allow for our happiness and growth!!

Love Sister Kelliann Jensen

Food Drive - Letter from Ward Mission Leader

Hi!  Just a note to let you know that it is great to have your daughter with us in Evergreen Ward.  She is a great missionary and of course is just starting.  We had our annual food bank drive today so we had the missionaries pose for some fun pictures after they were done their work (taking the food brought in cars and putting them into the large cardboard bins.  The Cheeses, potato chips and orange juice I bought for props.  Sister Jensen has a great sense of humor and was quite willing to play along with the gag picture.  On a serious note she has a strong convictions to the gospel, to work hard.  I am trying to get the members working harder on providing the Sisters with teaching opportunities however I am brand new as Ward Mission Leader so I am grateful to have the help of the Sisters.   Thanks for all that Sister Jensen is – she must come from great parents!

Evergreen Ward

PS: The eyes peeking out between the Sisters in photo9111 is another Sister Missionary who jumped in the shot for some fun.  The bins of food you see in the background is waiting for the second semi to come.

Dinner Guests

We received an email tonight from a member in Calgary who had fed the missionaries. They look pretty happy!

A little snow

Mom, Dad, and Everyone else!!!

Hellllooooo!!!! My first week here has been fantastic!! I abosultely love this area, my companion, and the work that I am doing. It is so cool to be able to help people everyday and to also come closer to Christ as I do so. It is so funny because I havent once missed my iphone, pinterest, the tv, or any other electronic that I have. The only things that I have missed are you, O'malley, the sun (it was way overcast for like 3 days while it snowed), and suprisingly Arizona dirt... weird right!! I have settled in quite nicely here and am getting used to the missionary life more and more each day. Suprisingly the cold hasn't bothered me as much as I thought it would. It was below 30 degrees Farehenhiet for like 3 days and all I needed was my boots for the snow and my gray jacket that we bought at JCPenney. I haven't looked for anything else yet, but we are going to the mall today so maybe I will find something else that I may need. I am really hoping that my card works here because I haven't yet gotten to try it... but I will soo so that is good. I will let you know if I need anything but hopefully I won't. As far a small town life. It really just reminds me of Pleasent View in Utah. Not too big but not too small. We went downtown yesterday for a devotional and I am not a fan so hopefully I get to stay in the surrounding neighbourhoods of Calgary or go down south when I get transfer in like 4 months (unless I become a trainer then I will be here for 6). Calgary is one of those huge cities like Phoenix where there are a lot of towns and neighbourhoods that come together and then there is downtown. It is funny because even though I really like Canada, I miss Arizona and am not sure that I want to leave that type of atmosphere when I get back... guess you will be stuck with me a lot longer :) I really like that lamp. The brown was getting a little old, and that was totally my favorite lamp shade. Have you set up Halloween at Target yet? It is so weird becuase thanksgiving is before halloween here... which really confuses me. I haven't been to Target here yet, but when I go I will let you know how it is. WALMARTS here are a lot nicer then the ones back home haha. I am glad to hear that Maz was able to make his wife happy with the tickets. Tell them I say hi and that I miss them, along with everyone else at Target. I will be back, I just have a different type of job to do until then :). I am looking forward to getting letters from the girls!! Remember that my address is the mission office address!! Oh and I got Adelle's picture and necklace that she sent me in the MTC! SOOOO CUTE!! I miss all of you soo much and need pictures!!!!!

Oh and mom, because I have a real kitchen do you think you could email me the recipes tooo...

- Banana Cream Pie

-Graham Cracker crust

-Toffee

- anything else that you want to send??

oh and can you send me the 30 day plank challenge that I was doing??

I love you soo much and can't wait to hear from you again. Be safe and enjoy the weather down there!! I will send pictures as soon as I can... I just can't get it to work on this computer.

 

Love you lots!!

 

Sister Kelliann Jensen

Mosiah 10: 3 to the end!!

Hi Mom and Dad!

Yes snow!!! And I mean a lot more then we ever get in Arizona. Every one has been telling me that this kind of storm in September has not happened for over 50 years. Crazy right!!! Sorry I didn't call you from Minniapolis. We got to the airport and had a two hour delay and the elders ran off to call and get food so 4 of us Sisters ended up staying with the bags. When the elders got back we ended up running to get breakfast (I was starving) and then by the time we got back to the gate we found out that our gate had been changed to all the way across the airport. By that time there was still only 4 of us at the gate (out of 16) so me and another sister had to run around the airport and find all of our missionaires to get them to the right gate. It was crazy but you put me in charge and my drum major insticts kick in so it was kind of fun. When we got to our gate we only had about an hour left and when I tried to call my calling card didn't have enough on it to call across country... boo. Anyway at the gate we met a nice couple that was going to Alaksa to visit the temple there. They only have like 5 more temples to visit in the states before they have been to all that have been open (until the end of september and november). 

I heard that there had been flooding in Arizona but I didn't know they ment that much!!! It is funny because there was group of missionaires headed to Phoenix that same day!! Between snow in Calgary and Floods in Arizona, I would say that "someone" doesn't want us on our missions!!

This week has been pretty great. I really enjoy Canada and the people that I have met so far. We haven't been having a lot of success in the area yet, but we have been praying to find success or to know what we need to do in order to have success and then we found out that our ward (the evergreen ward) is now made up of 50 inactive families and 50 active... crazy!!!! So Sister Martin and I have decided that our focus needs to be on converting the ward to missionary work so that even after we leave, the mission work will still go on. We have two investigators that our ready for baptism, Atoye and Oman. Both came to church on Sunday we just now have to focus on getting them a new place, and then getting them married. They have two kids and live together to that is our biggest hurtle... oh and they are from Ethiopia so we have to deal with some immigration issues that are holding us back. I have also met with a lot of our other investigators that we need to get back into the swing of lessons. Most of them are just kind of interested, so we need to build that desire in them so that they want to do the things that we ask them to do.

Man, I really love the melting pot and I am so glad that both of you where able to have a great night!! It looks like a lot of fun!! We have been having dinners from the members every night here. It looks like Sister Matheson (the sister here before me) was very popular in the ward and they are still getting used to me, but I love the ward (even if it is really small) and am excited to help others in the ward come back. I have a feeling that will be my specialty. So far I have come home every night exausted and ready for a great nights sleep and ready for more in the morning. I can always tell when I have put enough into my studies for the day and when I just half heartedly read, however it is amazing how much I realize every day that the Lord is answer my prayers. He always does you just have to be looking for the answer. It is not knock and then you will magically have everything you want, it is knock, remember, seek, and have faith the the Lord will answer your prayers when He thinks you are ready. Although one week has gone by really really slowly and really really fast all at the same time, I know that I have a lot of work here in Evergreen. Hopefully I get to stay for a little while. I know that I will be here for at least 3 months (December 9th) and it will probably be 4 and a half, so I know that I will have to use all the time I can to do the Lords work. Oh and yesterday we went downtown for a CES devotional... can I just say that I do not like the downtown of any city, including Phoenix. It is pretty and fun but scary at the same time and I feel like I would get lost soo easily there. I am working on getting pictures uploaded so if I figure it out I will send you some in a different email!!!

 

Love Sister Jensen!!!

Welcome to Calgary

Hello Everyone!

Greetings from Calgary Canada. Just sending a little email to let you all know that we arrived safely on the 9th and I have now been in Canada for a total of 2 days. I have been assigned to labor in Evergreen Canada which is just a little area in Calgary that is about 15ish minutes from downtown area. So we got off the airplane on Tuesday and guess what.. it was snowing. It snowed all day and most of yesterday. Cool experience. How many times do you get to say that the first day of your mission you got to be in snow, in September. My companion in Sister Martin. So far I love her so much and cannot wait to get to know her better and better as I train with her for the next 3 months. Her testimony is so strong and I am learning more and more by the hour. On Tuesday we spent about 3 hours stuck in immigration once we got off the plane so the 16 of the 25 missionaries that came in on that plane missed all of orientation and only made it for dinner. We then spent the night in a travel lodge after finding out our areas and companions. Yesterday I went with Sister Martin and now we are together working our cute little area. I have met a few of our investigators and am excited to meet more. We are staying in the basement of Brother and Sister Peters who are super nice. Their daughter is getting married soon and so we get to help prepare them for it! Also last night we had a relief society activity that went pretty well. Small in numbers but still fun to meet a few people. Even in just one day I am coming to realize how much Heavenly Father truly loves us. I am excited to continue to build my faith and my strength in the gospel, but I know how true it is and am excited to help others better their lives through Christ and through the commandments that God gives us. I love all of you so much and am excited to hear from you. Pday is on Monday and I believe that we will get getting to the library at about 10 or 11 Mountain time so about 9 Arizona time. Oh and we are not allowed to give our home address out so the address that you have for the mission office is the one that you will use for my entire mission. Don't worry we get letters every week. I love you all lots and although I can't believe I will be here for 18 months, I know that we will all grow by doing the things that God has commanded us to do. I will talk to you Monday with anything that I learn or forgot to say today!

 

Animal Count:

Goose: 2

Squirrel: 1 (This is for Justin... the squirrels are black here!!!!)

 

Alma 32:27

 Love Sister Kelliann Jensen!!!

Almost time for Canada

Hi Daddy!!

I got a little extra time on the computer. I love you lots and am going to be so happy to talk to both of you tomorrow. I am only ever sad about not being with you when I write letters so if I cry just keep me calm. This has been the hardest time of my life but I know that it will be so rewarding when I get home. I want to have an eternal family and I want to be able to be with you forever. You guys are my best friends and I often feel lonely when I think about not seeing you but I know that I will have to learn to be away from you sooner then later. Plus this gives me a whole 18 months to grow my testimony on super speed when Heavenly Father knew that I would not do it on my own time. I miss you tons and am a little emotional right now due to lack of sleep. Keep mom safe for me and O'Malley company. I realize now how little I did with my life while I was at home and how much I will be capable when I get back. I don't ever want to go inactive. Keep me on to that. I know that it will bring happiness into both my life and yours, even when I don't always see the results. Oh and Danny wrote me. His letter has definitely helped me the most because I know that if he can do this I can too. I love you. 

Hi Mommy!

I love and miss you too!!! Mandy sent me Leah's blog post about breading the cat... haha I miss you all so much. I am super scared that I am going to get to Canada and my testimony is not going to be strong enough. I have realized while I am here how much I truly don't know, but I want it all to be true. I guess when you grow up in the church and then go inactive for a while, you never really develop the habits that allow you to come close to Christ. I realize how lacking my relationship is with him, and how little Faith I have in myself that I will be able to learn all of this while I am out... funny though, I have no desire to give up, I just hope that I am able to grow quickly and learn lots so that I can do well in the field. Please pray for me lots that I will be able to doubt my doubts and not my faith. Other then that I am doing pretty well with teaching. We have to pack tonight and then be at the shuttles by 2:30 AM... uuuuggggghhhhh. Although it has been hard, I feel like I am going to miss this place. Especially being around my district 24/7. Oh and I have learned how much I absolutely loovvveee Elder Bednar. His firey talks are fantastic and their is one here in the MTC that I have watched twice called the Character of Christ. It is not available anywhere but here however I hope that while I am out I can learn to turn away from my natural man and turn outwards towards the Children of God in Calgary. The weather has been nice here. It is raining right now and I had no idea that their was a hurricane. OH and I am so happy to hear the Heavenly Father has blessed those that we put in the temple prayer roll. It is nice to hear all of your spiritual experiances and I am super glad that Adelle is back to normal. Please keep me updated on Karen and Ben. I wish the best for that family and hope that they can become closer to Christ as a result of these hard times for them. Oh and it is supposed to snow tomorrow in Calgary.... yeah not excited. Anyway I will call you and Dad tomorrow morning at about 4:30 AM Utah time. I hope that I can catch you both because I really want to speak to both of you!! I hope that life is treating you well. I love you all so much and think about you daily. You will be in my prayers. 

Kelliann (Sister Jensen)

First Letter from the MTC

Dear Mom & Dad,                                                                                   Aug 30th, 2014

     Thank you so much for the care package of yummy cinnamon/variety rolls! I totally had not noticed that I had forgotten to grab my temple recommend. I would have been in trouble without that...I did notice that I forgot my gray tennis shoes in the hotel room...oops (if you get the chance can you send them express?)
     Wow, I can't even begin to tell you how much I have learned. By the end of the day you just feel like you are so inadequate and like you do not know anything about the gospel. However, I learned last night that you can't let the adversary get you down. You can't compare yourself, but you should rely on Heavenly Father and tell him your weaknesses so that he can help you grow. I know I have so much to learn. But I am willing to put in the effort to try to help myself so that I can help others.
     My companion is fantastic! Her name is Sister Wagstaff. We got along really well when we first met...and she is lactose intolerant like me! We have the same concerns and have decided that we will rely heavily upon the Lord and the Spirit. We have what we call districts here which are small groups of missionaries whom we are with basically 24/7. We have 10 in our district, and we are all going to Calgary! I believe there are a few more not in our district as well. My district is so fantastic, the Elders are like brothers to us and we are all able to get along and have fun, as well as be spiritual.
     Oh, and yesterday we got mini I-pads. First time in the MTC, and so far they are really just a pain because they don't work right. Oh well, guess that's what pilot groups are for. Oh, Sister Wagstaff and I have been called as Sister Training Leaders (STL) for our district which means that we get to welcome the newbies on Wednesday. I love you all and miss you lots? Be safe and trust in the Lord. My P-Day is on Tuesday! Email you then!

All my love, Sister Kelliann Jensen