Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Knocking

This past week we did the most consecutive knocking I've ever done on my mission! We pretty much knocked everyday.. If we had time we went to a neighborhood and knocked! It was cool! We met several people/families that were willing to set up! 

On Monday night we also ran into a giant Buddhist parade! All of these trucks with glowing lights drove by and then people carrying a box on sticks (kind of looks like a casket but vertical) walked by and people lined up in the road and knelt down and then they carried the box over their heads! It was really really interesting! 

Hmm.. It rained a bit this last week too! But we have several people that are looking quite interested in being baptized! There is a man we are teaching who has met with missionaries off and on since 1963 and a couple of years ago he dreamed of the Book of Mormon and missionaries giving him one and then he ran into them and he is very confident that the Book of Mormon and our church is true. But the last two times he's tried to be baptized he had someone in his family pass away so he is somewhat hesitant. But since we have been meeting with him he's been having more dreams and he for the first time has gotten really really into the Book of Mormon. Before we met him he'd already read all of the standard works and written reports on them and stuff. But he said this time since we called him its been different and he is hungering for the words in the Book of Mormon. He said that the Book of Mormon and Bible are the only books he will read because they are the only things that are real spiritual food.. He is a genius and has a ton of really strong opinions that we aren't able to change but as he has been reading the Book of Mormon he is resolving all of his own concerns! It has been such a blessing and such an interesting experience to get to know him! He is incredible! And he says he feels he will most likely be baptized in May, but it can't be forced he still needs to dream the right dreams to go through with it! I don't know what to do other than pray for his dreams..:) 

That was our more interesting story for the week! 

I learn so much from all of the people around me and I'm so grateful for each of their examples! 

Today I want to share my testimony of the Savior and His love for us! In preparation for mothers day we watched the talk by Elder Holland in 2015 "Behold thy Mother". As I watched that talk I reflected on my own life growing up and how much my mom did for me! I am always amazed by her and how much she sacrificed and gave for us every single day! And she never said she was tired or complained! After looking back on that and reflecting I was better able to understand the Saviors love for us. He gave everything he had for us too. Don't forget how much He loves you! And don't forget how much your mom loves you either:) 

Have a great week! I love you all!

Love, Elder Jensen!

Pictures:
1. The parade.
2. Bishops house last night! His family is awesome!

-- 
~簡長老 





Monday, April 17, 2017

Happy Easter

Well this past week was great! Monday Sunny came up from Xinzhu and we got to meet her teacher that lives here and have lunch and go out with them! 

This week was my companions birthday and everybody went all out to help him celebrate! It was the most exciting birthday I've seen on my mission! People wrapped his bike while we were teaching English and made a backpack out of tape and crackers and chips bags and gave him lots of cakes! It was awesome:)

Then we spent the week preparing for our baptism on Saturday. Brother Liu has gotten close to baptism before and then backed out because he didn't feel ready so we were really careful to build his faith through scriptures and help him stick with his decision everyday throughout the week! It came down to Saturday an hour before the baptism and we hadn't been able to get a hold of him that day.. I got a little bit worried! But as we were biking over to the church to set up he called us and told us he was coming!! It was such a relief! His baptism was awesome. He spoke after about how it felt super good to have a fresh start! I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ and that start that he gives to each of us! We are so lucky to have a knowledge of His Atonement and Resurrection! Let us share it with those who may not have had a chance to hear yet!

I feel like the Lord has really blessed me here in Taoyuan. I am having a lot of experiences to help me to achieve my goals and also to teach me a lot of things that I still need to learn! 

We have a mom and her daughter that have come to church 4 times already and they love church! They are really busy though and we haven't had a chance to share with them the lessons! It is looking like we will be able to start this week though and they are looking really great! I love them! 

We have been trying to work on developing good relationships with the youth and helping them to share the gospel with their friends through Facebook or Line. So far we have just been inviting people to share videos and then we will be following up with them to see what friends may have expressed interest in them! 

That is about all I've got for this week:) Sorry it is a little shorter! 

Oh I just thought of one more story I can share! We were doing our language study in a park and I asked a guy as he walked by if he would like to read the scriptures with me. He sat down and so I read a few verses to him but he didn't really understand and he wanted leave.. Then I started talking to him and he asked if I could sing! So I ended up singing two hymns to him! I thought it was a pretty neat experience! I love that we have so many opportunities to interact with so many different kinds of people here! It is a huge blessing to be able to see people smile because of a little wave or a hello! 

Have a great day and week! I love you all!

Love, Elder Jensen!











Monday, April 10, 2017

Conference

Well last Monday I went to Xindian to celebrate Elder Muellers birthday with him and some members! It was pretty fun to go back and go to our favorite place to contact on the river! 

Then Tuesday we had zone conference. During the conference we learned about following the spirit and President Jergensen shared something I'd never noticed before in 1 Nephi. In chapter 2 Nephi says he is young and then in chapter 4 he says that he is a man. So we talked a lot about what happened in between there that made him a man. It was really interesting! 

I think my favorite part of the conference though was that someone walked in to the chapel during it and my companion and I had a chance to go out and talk to him. He said he's seen our church before and just decided to come in today. He didn't live in our area but he wanted to learn about the church and because it was zone conference we just grabbed the missionaries over his area and they got to meet him! It was the perfect time for that man to come! Pretty cool!

3 other things really quickly that happened this week! 

1. Went on an exchange and got to teach the most amazing couple ever! They are super awesome!! Named Ken and Hellen. I hope that they were able to get there answers at conference. They came to 3 sessions! 

2. We set up with a former and went and met him Saturday morning. He told us he has read all of the standard works and thinks our church is the best church there is but he still has a few questions that haven't allowed him to be baptized. We invited him to conference. Sunday morning before conference he said that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are one and he doesn't think us saying they are separate is correct. Then in conference there were 2 talks that hit on the Godhead and it was so perfect. I just looked at my companion in awe.. Then he told us it was really good and he received a lot of revelation. So we will meet him later this week and see how he feels about making the last steps and going for it! 

3. We got to meet a man in our wards father! The man is getting ready to go on a mission and so we told the dad that we hoped we could give his son a chance to experience missionary life by teaching his dad all of the lessons and so he could see what it is his son will be doing for the next 2 years! He happily accepted! Hopefully the son can help his dad be baptized before his mission!! That will be a great experience to help carry him through his mission! 

I know that the prophets are called of God! My goal from conference is to follow my feelings and act on first impressions! If it is good I will do it right away! 

I hope you all have a great week! I love you!! 

Love, Elder Jensen

Pictures:
1. Elder Mueller and Elder Nielsen the Elder he is training.. 3 generations!



Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Super Week

This week was just swell! Monday we went bowling with a lot of our district and it was a blast!

Last week we didn't really have anyone to teach and didn't have anyone progressing towards baptism and  this week our area just completely flipped around! We were able to set 4 baptismal dates and we had 5 people come to church and they all have awesome potential to progress too! 

I'll share a couple miracles and a funny story:)

First Tuesday we talked about setting baptismal dates in District meeting. We talked about maybe trying to tell someone you were going to invite them to baptism at the beginning of the lesson so they were ready for it. Well we tried it twice on Tuesday and it was awesome. Both people at the end of the lesson when we invited them to baptism were really ready for it and both said yes! 

We spent last week cleaning out our phone.. It had messages from before I started my mission and it was so full it was really slow! Well through out that we found a couple of people really willing to keep meeting with missionaries! So we decided maybe we should take a look at some former investigators! And there are several that were almost ready for baptism and then stopped meeting for some reason. We met with one of them on Friday! He hadn't met with missionaries in about 2 months but he never stopped coming to church! Well we sat down and got  to know him and then we asked him if he had any questions for us and he said "If I want to be baptized next week can you guys help me set that up?" We were shocked! What a great surprise! So we went over the interview questions with him and then last night he passed his baptismal interview and will be baptized in the coming two weeks! We have been really blessed here! 

Also Sunday we talked with a couple of members who have people they hope we can start teaching! 

And I asked our Bishops wife how her week was and she said it wasn't very good.. So we decided to go and heart attack their house! They are one of the coolest families ever! Any way we got off our bikes in front of their house and out walks bishops wife! Then from behind us bishop drives up in his car! Great timing;) We just pretended that we just went there to knock on the doors on their street and waited until they left, but it was pretty funny! 

I'm looking forward to Conference next week! I can't wait!! 

There are a few places in the scriptures where people have a big change of heart! This week I've been thinking about what we can do to have that change of heart in ourselves and also to help those around us experience a similar change of heart! In the stories it is very simple. The people are obedient, they study the scriptures, listen to the prophet and exercise faith and then they change! So simple yet sometimes it can be hard. But I just invite everyone to take something you felt you should change or improve from conference and apply it! I'll do the same! 

I love you all! 

Have a great week! 

Love, Elder Jensen

Pictures: 
1. Oh one more story.. We got locked on our roof Monday during lunch! Thank goodness there are lots of missionaries here and some happened to be at the chapel and came and saved us! And thank goodness we had our phones!

2. Fun lunch with one of the people we found as we were cleaning out the phone.

3. Awesome Ye family in our ward we visited last night!