Monday, October 27, 2014

Showshoe Rabbits

Hi Daddy!
This week has been a bit better as I have been learning to recognize the spirit and the things that it is trying to tell me. I feel bad because as I was passing a members house on Saturday the thought accorded to me that maybe she needed help with putting up her Christmas village. However we didn't stop, just kept going to our next area. Then yesterday we went to church and I talked to her and she said she sure wished that she had someone to help her put her Christmas stuff up yesterday. I am not even sure why I asked about her Christmas stuff, but I do know that I had a spiritual prompting that I should have followed. Oh well, at least I recognized it and today we will be going to help her and have lunch with her. We had some pretty cool miracles this week. I was struggling on Thursday and I asked Sister Martin if she could pray for me and she prayed and asked that someone would call or help us to know what to do in the next few minutes. Of course when no one called I kind of got scared but then Sister Peters came through the door and immediately knew something was wrong and that we should call President. I called him and I will be meeting with the Family services to talk to them and see if they can help me decipher what is going on and how I can fix it. We think it might be anxiety, which wouldn't surprise me because of how worried I get about everything!! I will be glad to know what is going on and how I can fix it so that I can move forward.
We also had our primary program on Sunday!! I haven't seen a primary program in ages, and it was so cute to see all of the little children up on the stand that I have grown attached to.
We also bought pumpkins so that we can either paint them or carve them. I will have to send you pictures when we get them done, but your party looks like it was so much fun!! Did mom get a haircut??
I have been focusing on trying to be a little better this week and I feel like I might be getting somewhere. We have had some new investigators and lots of success in teach one of our investigators Janet!! She is on a soft date for baptism, as she needs to know that they Book of Mormon is true before she can really commit. We think that their might be more to it then that, but we will continue to work with her and pray to know what we can do.
The weather is starting to pick up and become more and more chilly this week. It was 2 degrees Celsius this morning which is about 35 degrees in the states. It honestly isn't too bad, as long as it is not windy I don't really have a problem with layering. On Halloween we will be going to the Babcock's to have dinner and hang out for the night. We are not allowed to be outside on Halloween because of the crazies, so we figured we would just hang out with awesome members instead. Overall a pretty good week. I will have to let you know if the Family Services people have anything to say and help me out. But I love you and miss you a ton and I am super sad that I was unable to see the girls for the pumpkin painting and the primary program. I hope all is well at home and that you have a super great week.
Love Sister Kelliann Jensen

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Giving out Book of Mormon's downtown


Week of 10/6 – 10/12/2014

10-6…..Happy P-Day everyone! Today we had to cut Pday a little bit short because we went to the temple last Wednesday, and whenever we do that we have to take time out of our Pday. WORTH IT! Anyway I figured I would explain a little bit about P-days and how they go for future reference. Like usual, we wake up at 6:30 am for our morning routine. Depending on the PDay, we clean (workout between 6:30 and 7, get ready between 7 and 7:#0, and eat by 8 am. This carries us into personal study (best time of the day), and companion study from 9-10. We then head off to do emails from 10-12 at the library, and eat lunch usually after that. We then have until 6 pm to do whatever, including shopping, cleaning the car, or other fun activities like going to the zoo or the mall. Today we went to a second-hand store and I am proud to say I still cannot buy things there. So then we went to Dollarama where I bought some awesome stationary and a few cards. We then went shopping at Target (I converted the sister whose home we stay in) and Super Store which is like a much nicer FRY’s of Canada. We stopped PDay at 3 today and went and met with a wonderful lady. She has had some health issues lately and has been kind of struggling. She is amazing and I can’t wait to work with her more. Overall a really nice day!

10-7…Today was a pretty okay day. We had a zone conference/training and we talked about how we can teach people, not lessons. It is so cool to see the patterns in what I am learning and what we have been taught in conference. I guess that is how the spirit works. Whatever I needed as I watched conference, is what I got out of it. Something that has really come up lately is the Charity and Love of the Saviour and how by showing peo`ple our love and his love for us, we will have the spirit with us, and will be able to discern the needs of our investigators and less active members. This Saturday is Thanksgiving in Canada. I don’t really have a lot to write though I am sure I will have lots tomorrow.

10-8…Happy Birthday Daddy” (I hope I am on the right day) I hope your day has bee wonderful and uplifting and all sorts of fun. So I was right, today was a whole lot better than yesterday. I had some really cool experiences but the main one would have to be my experience downtown. So every Wednesday we go downtown contacting as a zone. I have only been able to go one other time due to the temple visit and zone conference, so I was a little nervous when it came to going. During downtown contacting, we meet at the train station and take the train to the downtown stops. We switch companions during this time, so I went with Sister Barton, and Sister Martin went with Sister Howard (another new sister from Mesa, the one I met at mission prep). We are allowed to get off at any of the stops in the downtown area, and Sister Barton and I had planned to try the last one, which we missed and had to get off the train and onto another one back into town…oops…Anyway, I had 7 Book of Mormon copies in my bag and she had 3 so we decided that we would plant all 10 that we had in the hour and a half we had left downtown. I suggested we pray about it and ask for help because I knew I had never planted a BOM on my own, and that she was just about as good at street contacting as I am. Anyway by about a half hour in, I think we had only planted 1 and by an hour we had planted 3. I still was determined to plant 7 more in that last 30 minutes and you what, in that next 30 minutes, every single person we talked to was open and friendly and we handed out 6 of the 7. With 1 last BOM left we felt really good and we still had faith that we could plant it in that last minute. And you know what? That last guy we talked to…was Mormon and we challenged him to hand it out and he did! Out of the 22 people we talked to in our hour and a half, 10 people took BOM’s! and just about everyone elst took our cards. The Lord literally placed 22 people in one place to help us fulfil his goal! So cool, oh and the other missionaries only placed 1 or 2 BOM’s each. GOD IS SO GOOD!!! PRAY ALWAYS!

10-10…Hope you are having fun in Disneyland! I can’t wait until the day I get to go again with you guys! Today was kind of a cool day. We had the chance to go visit a potential investigator and she has been in the hospital for a month with E. Coli (not Ebola) and we got to do her dishes for her that were probably a week or two old. We also got mail today (still no package), I got got mail from the firls (cutest ever), Mandy ( a bracelet too!), and Grandma. Getting mail from Grandma was super cool  because I have been meaning to get her address for weeks now and I won’t be able to get it from you so Heavenly Father had her write me! I love it!

 

PS – Can you tell Grandma she doesn’t need to send money in her cards…Her love is enough!

 

 

Hi Mommy,

Sorry I didn't get the chance to write you yesterday. The computers at the Library where down so we had to wait until today. This week has been a bit better. I feel like I am slowly working towards getting better and I am sorry if I worried you :). I feel like I have gotten myself into a depressive state that I am trying my hardest to work out of, but I am just going to take it one day at a time and continue to pray as much as I can. I know that the Lord answers even my most silliest prayers. For example, this morning Sister Martin and I decided that we were going to go for a run... I hate running as you know and have never really ran more then 3/4 a mile without stopping. However (because I know that Sister Martin is in much better shape then I am) I prayed before hand that I would be able to run and have the stamina to continue and I was able to run until we got home about 20 minutes later. Pretty cool. Do you have any other tips for getting out of depression? I have been really trying to work and work hard and it has been a bit better, but sometimes it is still a little bit hard. But other then that this week has been really cool. We had transfers on Thursday, so we got some new missionaries in our area now. I really love our new Zone leaders and Sister Training Leaders. Elder Martin (not related to Sister Martin) and Elder Baker are our Zone Leaders. Elder Baker is super cool and really likes musicals and swing dancing... we also got new Sister Training Leaders Sister Hassan and Sister Harris. Sister Harris was actually born (as a missionary) in Evergreen and is now back in the YSA ward in this area!! Sister Hassan used to be a drama major and it absolutely adorable. We also got a new District leader Elder Anderson. He calls himself Captain and so far has proven to be really good.

Yesterday for P-day Sister Martin, Sister Hassan, and I made the granola bars!! They where quite the hit for Pday since all of the zone minus the elders from the Okatoks area where at the Stake Center. That is usually where we spend our time playing games, baking, and enjoying the day. Next week I think we are going to make Banana Cream Pie for the zone, which should be pretty nice.

I am sleeping a lot better now. I have actually gotten a good couple of nights of sleep which is really nice. Also this morning I was able to finish off the Book of Mormon and will be able to start it again tomorrow. It is pretty cool the insight you can receive when you are looking for it, and I have really learned a lot about the gospel as I have dived into the work.

You will be happy to know that I got a priesthood blessing last Wednesday. It was really nice and actually kind of funny because I had texted the zone leaders if they where busy and then when they texted they where free I wasn't going to text back. However as I was about to put the phone down they called us and I had no choice but to answer and ask for a blessing... Apparently Heavenly Father knew exactly what I was going to do and knows what I need :).

In the blessing where some pretty cool promises that Heavenly Father will help me through this, but that He wants me to go through these things.

OH and I got your package on Friday and your Halloween card. If that is any indication on how Canada mail works hahah. I loved the card and I can't believe you sent me a personal alarm system. You will be happy to know that I put it on my bag but I will probably never tell you if I have to use it or not ;) It is so cool that you sent me the caramel corn. I had actually just seen a girl with on the other day and I said in my heart that I really wanted one because they remind me of my mom and grandma. So really you where answering a silent prayer for caramel corn.

Today was a good day. We actually met all of our goals for the day with 3 member present lessons, 1 other lesson, 2 contacted referrals, and 1 new investigator!! I will have to keep you up on how it all goes with the new investigator. I hope you are having a good week. Your prayers are so appreciated :) I love you so much and hope that I don't cause you to worry too much.... but I know now that I worry just as much as you do haha. I really am just like my mom :). I love you.

Sister Jensen

 

 

Hi Daddy!!

I am working hard to try to have a really great week :) It has been good so far. Still working through some rough things but that is to be expected as a missionary. Lots of good lessons and I am also doing better on the sleep front :) I can't believe that the Pinnacle drum major got so hurt!! That is awful and I feel so blessed that that never happened to me. Rachel emailed me and said that last week was NAU band week and that PV was there and did really well. I am sorry about your boss and her mom. I just got your letter from the October package (thank you by the way) and it sounds like things are a little hectic at work with the supervisor leaving and your boss taking care of her mom. I know that you can do it though because you are amazing and I have never seen you not finish everything you started.  

Lets see. Today we were able to make it to our goals really for the first time since I have been out which is fantastic because we have already surpassed the amount of member present lessons we have had this week compared to last. We got a lot of new people in our zone since the transfers where last week. I can't believe that I have already been out one transfer. Only 11 more to go :) I got a priesthood blessing this week like you said to. It was really nice and I learned in it that Heavenly Father is proud of me and that He wants me to go through these things so that I can learn and grow. I might not know why, but like President Uchtdorf said in the Relief Society Conference "Don't you think that God knows something that we don't". We have been talking a lot this week about trusting in the Lord and I think I am really starting to understand the Atonement and how it applies to our lives. I really do just need to focus on strengthening my testimony and asking God every time I have a question instead of just worrying about it. Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith hey?

Oh so cool tidbit about Calgary. The people here say hey more then eh. Funny hey. I am trying to pick it up so that I can assimilate more into the culture (that is basically just like the states). We have this cool park thing right between our two areas called fish creek. It is basically a giant forest of awesome trees and wildlife with a creek flowing through the middle that week walk through some days to get to the other side of our area. I am trying to work hard and work hard on how I am feeling. I promise to keep you updated but I don't think there is any reason to worry. I love you lots and if you have any good advice for me I would love more. Also can you tell me how much I have in my account?? I would like to buy a coat before it gets to cold, but I love the gloves that mom sent me in the package. They shall be really nice for those cold days. Oh and for Halloween we are not allowed to be outside past 6 so we will be going to the Babcocks house who is a family in our ward from the States. We will also be going over there for Thanksgiving. I love you so much.

Sister Kelliann Jensen

 

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

General Conference and It's umm Thanksgiving?


Week of 9/28 – 10/5/2014

Mom and Dad;

10-5-2014  Today was actually quite an amazing day. I am learning to really love General Conference. It really testifies to me that God really does call these wonderful men to lead us in the Church. I have taken to watching Conference with a specific question in mind, and found that as I watched, I was able to find my answers through the witness of the Holy Ghost. In between sessions today, we met with a less active member named Amber and her husband Jerry who is a non-member. She taught me a wonderful lesson about truly being founded on Christ and not to think we are better because we are members of the church. And then when we went back for Conference, each talk was about having a foundation in Christ and trusting in the Prophets. I am really starting to love missionary work and this gospel. I love you all! Be safe in soul and body!

10-4-2014  Today was the Saturday session of general conference. If you didn’t watch it, you really need to because I gained so much insight today as I listened to the voice of our wonderful prophets and apostles. I love finding patterns in the way my life is going and in the conference. Something that has come up just about every day this week is fear no man. We should not be turned towards men, but through us man should see Christ and Heavenly Father. Mom, you said your next step would be reading the scriptures. This is awesome as I have really grown to because the words and insight I gain by reading them. You should go back and listen to President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s talk from the Saturday 2nd session. I learned a lot from that talk, and it might give you some excitement to read your scriptures daily. Love you all so much. “Doubt your Doubt before you Doubt your faith!”

PS – We have this “Less Active” named Sister (redacted) who is inactive because of health. She hasn’t been able to watch conference for years because she doesn’t have TV, internet, etc… When we visited her last, I made it my personal goal to let her watch conference and we succeeded. Brother (redacted), a man in our ward, lent us an iphone and speaker so that she could watch it. When we went over to help her find the 2nd session, she said she felt like she was finally a part of the church again, and that she had never seen President Uchtdorf in motion before. It is so wonderful to be a missionary!

10-3-2014  So today was the big day of the family we are living with daughter’s wedding reception! After study time this morning, we went to the stake center to help set up. The theme was kind of a rustic meets elegancy theme and at first I wasn’t sure if I would be a fan of the twine and burlap but it turned out super nice! The way they did it actually causes me to rethink having my wedding reception in a stake center…but we have a while to think about that. I also got your first letter today along with one from several friends, and the girls. I love you all so much.

10-2-2014  I can’t believe it is already October! Today, the daughter of the member we live with got sealed in the Calgary Temple, which we had the wonderful opportunity to go to yesterday. Although small like the Brigham City, Utah temple, the feelings and thoughts you have while there are still marvelous. It is so weird as a missionary because you feel the spiritual responsibility from your calling that is hard to describe, but such a wonderful thing to have. You feel like you are constantly learning, constantly being helped and it is a wonderful thing? We had a Retrainers meeting today so every new missionary from all over came up to the Willowpark chapel, which means I go to see my companion from the MTC and all my other MTC missionaries. Super exciting day!

October 14th, 2014

Mom and Dad;

So remember how I said that Thanksgiving was on Saturday this week... well it was actually on Monday but that didn't stop us from getting three turkey dinners. Also on Sunday, we had a baptism. Technically Sister Rowan is not someone we can count, because she was an excommunicated member that was being rebaptized, but it was still cool to see. We taught the first lesson while she was getting dressed which is the Restoration. It was really cool to be able to say the Joseph Smith first vision my mermory and to feel the spirit that was in the room as I did so. Brother Rowan (who is not a member) was sitting in the first row just beaming with the spirit as if it was trying to work on him so hard... however he came up to us afterwards and was like thanks for the lesson "really informative"... we are still working on figuring him out. We are also working with Janet, and investigator from the Woodlands part of our territory. She has been kind of shut off to us for the past couple of weeks, but she is now coming and doing everything we ask her to do/come to, and she even came to church and the baptism on Sunday. Because yesterday was Thanksgiving, we wanted to do something special so we had a picnic with Janet and then we made some cookies and hand turkeys and "Gobbled" like 12 members houses. (We put the hand turkeys on their houses). Funny story about that... we where going to put a hand turkey on a members house and I had written on it "Happy Harvest... of souls D+C 4:4" which would have been cool if it had actually been the right house. Needless to say that member can now have a pretty interesting discussion with her neighbor. Oh well right!! Oh I also got a letter from Grandma this week which was really cool because I needed to get her address and low and behold there is was!! Also I got a letter and braclet, thank you Mandy, and a letter from the girls! Fridays are wonderful because I get to see all the great things that everyone has sent me!! I love you all and hope that this week has treated you well. I love getting emails from everyone and hope that you will sall stay safe, keep praying, and keep relying on the Lord. It is so weird to think that I have basically been out of Arizona for 2 months now! The weather has stayed nice here and I am really hoping that will continue because people have said that it is going to be a rough winter.

Have a great week!!

Love

Sister Jensen

 

Monday, October 6, 2014

Calgary Temple

Daddy!! HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY/BIRTHDAY/LATE BIRTHDAY DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU READ THIS!!!!
You are soo lucky that you are getting to go to Disneyland. I sent a list of things to Mom that I would like you to do for me while you are there. That list for you includes getting a Silhouette of you and Mom done, kicking moms butt on the shooting range, and going on Indiana Jones for me. I am not going to lie, going to Disneyland might have to be one of the first things we do when I get back. I really wish I had the time to read the Work and the Glory series, and I am kind of wishing I had started to listen to it before I left. It is on my list that will continually get longer of things to do when I get back...

Conference was AMAZING!!! I have never gotten so much out of it, and I am glad to know that you got so much from the talks!! Which one was your favorite?? I would answer that question but I honestly don't know, give me a couple of months with the Ensign and I will get back to you on that question. I really wish I could have seen Priesthood session... as weird as that sounds. It is funny that those are the two pictures that you sent me. The top one I actually have taped to my wall. The second I have heard before but I really needed to hear it!! I am doing so much better now than I was a couple of weeks ago. I can't believe how fast this week has gone, and I also can't believe that it is already October!! This week is Canadian Thanksgiving so I will have to give a full report on how that goes :). It is funny because just like back at home, the people here have already skipped over Thanksgiving right to the next Holiday. Halloween. I can't tell you how much being on a mission has meant to me already, and I grow more and more appreciative for you and Mom and the family every day. I know that we have been placed together to one another to grow and learn. I know that this Gospel is true and that Christ our Lord has made is possible for us to be sealed to our families and to Him so that one day we can live with Him and Heavenly Father again as an Eternal family, enjoying all of the blessings that Heavenly Father and Christ enjoy every day. I know that Heavenly Father is so aware of each of His Children and that we each have a crucial role in helping one another out in this life. I encouraged mom to read a few of the conference talks that she might have missed. I encourage you to go and listen to them again as well!!! (I wish I could). Also listen to any and all Bednar talks you can. He is my favorite!! I love you soo much. Happy Birthday again and have a safe trip to Cali!! Enjoy the sunshine!!

OH AND I GOT TO GO TO THE CALGARY TEMPLE ON WEDNESDAY. PICTURES TO COME TO A MAIL BOX NEAR YOU!!

Love you Forever!
Sister Kelliann Jensen

Hello Mamma!!
I got your letter this week!! Your little spelling mistakes and misuses of words really made me cherish the letter even if it didn't say much. Although I am sure you didn't do it on "porpous"... you spell purpose like the whale... although I haven't seen and whales of late, I did see a picture of a Narwhal (a whale with a horn) the other day spray painted on a post. I took a picture and will have to send it with my next batch. Oh my goodness conference was amazing!!! I have never ever enjoyed watching conference, but now that I understand this gospel so much better than I did, I have learned to love it and really pay attention to what I am getting out of it. I am not sure which ones you saw, but I really would like for you to go back and listen/reread a few of them that really spoke to me and I think would really help you. You should listen to Lynn G. Robbins from the Frist session, Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk from the 2nd session (this might really help with your desire to read the scriptures), Jeffery R. Holland's talk from the 2nd session, Thomas S. Monson's, and especially David A. Bednar... and then if you have time go back and watch all of the ones you missed and plus all other Bednar talks you can get your hands on. This week has actually been super good. I am starting to notice the Lords hand in my life every day. I am realizing the potential we all have through Christ, and the people we can become if we do all we can and then let Christ make up the rest. He truly is our Lord, Savior, Redeemer, Brother. I found that a lot of the talks in conference where about building are foundation upon Christ. Making sure that we know Him, understand his counsel, and follow the commandments that he gives us so that we can be free. And that is really all it is. Act or be acted upon. Satan does all he can to Act upon us. Christ invites us to act, and allows us to work and become like Him if is our choice. However, the only way we can truly come to know our Lord is through fervent prayer, scripture study, and Church/Temple Attendance. (All of the simple primary answers). I guess this might not be new for everyone back at home, but it is something that I have learned out here and continue to learn every day!!
Okay away from the gospely stuff. I had the opportunity to go to the Calgary Temple on Wednesday!! It is so pretty and North Calgary (I am in the Southern part of the City) is so pretty and windy. The temple is probably about as big as the Brigham City Temple but is a bit more grand. It really doesn't feel as small as the Brigham City one did, and I will send you a picture as soon as I can :). Also, Jannae, the daughter of the Family we live with got sealed in the temple on Thursday and we got to help set up for the reception on Thursday and help scoop ice cream at the reception on Friday!! I couldn't believe how pretty the Peter's got a stake center to look... and it honestly makes me rethink having my reception at a Stake Center... (we will see I am still not sure).
It is kind of funny every time I think about the Second Coming I think of you because I know how much you like that sort of stuff... Oh and this morning we went to a second hand store to look for clothing.... and even though I was super excited I still did not buy a single thing. It seems that even though I have been out for a little while now, I still cannot bring myself to change my thoughts on peoples used clothing.
I love you soo much and will be thinking about you lots this week as you head out to Disneyland!!!! Go on the Cars ride and Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain Railroad for me. Kick dads butt in Toy Story Mania and Buzz Lightyear. Eat a corn dog on my behalf, go to the animation studio, and watch World of Color!! OH AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT GO ON TOWER OF TERROR!!!!!!! Have a wonderful week I can't wait to hear from you again soon! I am doing well here and have grown to really love missionary work, not matter how frustrating people can be sometimes!!

Love
Sister Kelliann Jensen