A quiet week

Monday 22nd April, 2013 

 From: adj1991@myldsmail.net

 

This past week was interesting....

actually I lied...nothing happened except for a baptism. Isis, the young lady that was baptized was baptized on Saturday the 20th of this month. She was baptized after institute at another chapel in the city. The funny part’s that happened because of this baptism, so the baptism was supposed to happen at 7:30 p.m. but that was the time we showed up there, so we were already late as it is and then we didn’t have time to bring any jump suits, so we were running around trying to find someone who knew where the white jumpsuits were and we had to make the baptismal room all nice and clean and ready for the baptism. I also had to create a meeting plan since I am district leader I can conduct the meeting, but the problem was, is that it was my first time doing it. I was kind of nervous and kind of stuttering a little bit. It kind of sucked, but in the end she was baptized and on Sunday she was confirmed. She seems to be very happy because of this choice she has made. They are a great family and I am eternally grateful for her choice. After the confirmation a woman who was sitting next to us said she was never confirmed and she has been in the church for a long time. So if she really wasn’t confirmed than we will end up baptizing her again. It’s kind of bad to say, but I hope that she wasn’t confirmed lol. I like to baptize people, but it would still be sad if she hasn’t been confirmed because she goes to church every Sunday!

Anyway, but the bad things about this week it that I basically cut all of our investigators, well not cut them, but I am choosing to not teach them. They already know everything but they don’t want to come to church and because of the heat here and the traditions of Brazil, they think that the standard of the church is a joke. I am very discouraged when someone doesn’t want to follow the church even when they know it is true just because they like to wear clothing that would be inappropriate to wear in the United States. We were teaching someone else this past week and she said in her opinion that every church is true because they believe in God, so we said to her that that was her opinion, but we asked in God’s opinion, which church is the only true church on this earth, and she said the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but in the end she still doesn’t want to follow because she thinks her opinion is better than God’s. Ugh stupidness!!!! Also, none of those 14 people I told you about last week will go to church. They only like us as friends, but as missionaries they don’t like us that much!! So it’s kind of one of those things that need to stop. 

I have no idea if Ricardo and Simony got married or baptized but I will call them today to find out. I sure hope that it all happened last Saturday.

I haven’t got any new mail yet or the debit card. I hope that it comes this week. it sure is taking its sweet time. but that was this past week.

Hey but I have to go now. I love you and I will talk to you next week. thank you for everything and don’t forget that mother’s day is coming up: D

love,

elder adam jensen

When you've gotta go....

Monday April 14^th, 2013

Hello Everyone,

 

So this past week...
 
First off...I’m sorry I wasn’t on earlier. I had to go to João Pessoa to renew my visa. I got there Sunday night and woke up very early today. But everything was in order and I am now legal again. My visa expired in March, and didn’t really renew it until today and today happens to be a month later then when it expired. The police are a little slow here so No, I probably wouldn’t of been deported!!

Oh and Sunday we had some very good news and results. The good results were that 5 investigators went to church and we will be working a lot with them this week. 5 people that I think will most likely be baptized eventually. I am excited to work with them. And the really good news is that a woman who happens to be married to a less active member came up to us and asked us to baptize her this Saturday. It’s awesome! We weren’t really expected much from this less active family but blessings and miracles from the lord truly are real and are always happening.

Oh and I came in contact with another drunk, except this time he was very passive aggressive. He wouldn’t let us leave. But his breathe...I literally almost threw up!!! It was horrible! Because here in Brazil they have a drink that is basically moonshine and it is totally legal. He kept talking to us about how a master lock is a magical device and nonsense like that. We were able to get away because I told him to walk with us, and you know how drunks are, and how fast missionaries walk, so he wasn’t able to keep up and he wound up bothering someone else. Really annoying drunks can end up being a fun story!!

Talking about funny stories....actually I don’t know if I should put this on the blog, but to be honest I don’t really care. This past week...actually it was last Monday after lunch. Elder Franco and I were walking back from a pretty long distance and it happened to be that I really needed to use the bathroom...number 2! And to make a story short...I was able to hold it in to about 500 yards to our house. But at this moment it was bad! So I looked around really fast and found some greenery and pulled the pants down! yepp...for the first time on my mission I had to poop on the street/green area. Luckily this once upon a time busy street had nobody on it and nobody passed when I was going!!  I am a lucky and slightly stupid boy, but I felt much better afterwards; and no I didn’t have tp. and there were leaves right behind me, but not just any leaves, really small leaves to where you have to grab like 6 of them to make it big enough to wipe. It was horrible. When I got home I went to the bathroom to clean it up a little more and a leaf was stuck to my butt.  It was hilarious. My companion was so embarrassed!  :D

Wow that’s all that happened to Gavin in the photo?  Why was his face near the blades of the weed-whacker? Idiot!!  But I hope he is feeling better.

I got some letters when I went to the mission office yesterday and the debit card still hasn’t arrived at the Bishop’s house. I am a little worried now. Also, I cannot go to João Pessoa for the mission, wedding.  I got the mission scholarship loan paper thing from BYU as well, but I got to go now. Sorry!  I love you a lot and talk to you next week on Monday at about 6 am there.

love

elder adam Jensen

 

Getting used to my New Area

Monday 8th April, 2013

From: adj1991@myldsmail.net
To: jensens6@msn.com


So this past week...

Well this past week was honestly just Wednesday night until now so not much has really happened. I got to know my district; they didn’t really do much this past week. Lazy bums but that’s ok. I will talk to them on Tuesday.

I sat down with Elder Franco and told him to explain everything about this area, for example, like the problems, and what works here and who has he been teaching. I also told him to make a list of people who are closest until furthest away from being baptized. He gave me a list of 20 names. So that is our work for now, and some of them live right next door to the next. Actually 14 of the names live next door to each other. It’s crazy, but makes it a little easier. Through all this, my companion Elder Franco is a huge help, and no he never started bossing me around - he knows better than to boss me around, lol. It’s been good that so far it seems no one has really not liked me. I guess I am just too easy going and fit into crowds easily, but out of my companions...I have liked Elder Claudio the most I think as he taught me so much. He just went home on the 3rd and lives in Las Vegas.

Being in Campina Grande now means that I can also pass in only two more areas or zones. Rangel and Mamanguape. The mission João Pessoa will be very small after the division in July, I am excited though.

These have been my areas and companions so far that you asked for:

Souza. Elder Rinaldi. 3 transfers.

Mossoró...Elder Collins 2 transfers. Elder Claudio 1 transfer.

João Pessoa...Elder Martins 2 transfers. Elder Simpson 1 transfer.

Campina Grande. Elder Franco.

 
Conference was really good as well. I enjoyed so many talks and I received the revelations I was hoping to receive. It’s a relief to know that through prayer and obedience, that all can be answered and testified by the spirit. I still don’t know the ward, except for the Bishopric. We haven’t had a normal meeting yet because of conference, but next week I should be able to get to know just about everything. Except the only issue here is that there really is no one to send letters or packages to. I guess the best option for now is the mission office. Oh but the really nice thing about here in Campina Grande is that at night it gets pretty cold, it’s exactly like the night during summer back at home. I was walking at night on the first day and it really reminded of me of home, the weather is amazing at night, but yeah we still sleep with the fan, but here we just have one fan for the both of us, it’s good enough.

 I am still sad though that I left João Pessoa because I wanted to see Ricardo and Simony get married on the 20th of April. It should be very nice with the party and everything. Oh and not to forget that Ricardo is going to be baptized on the 21st. I am excited for Elder Simpson who stayed because at least he will be able to see them get married and baptized. I don’t know if I can go back to João Pessoa for the wedding or baptism, but I will ask Pres. Hall if I am able to, and it doesn’t really matter who was able to do more on the mission. It just matters if I believe I had success on my mission or not.

So for now I have passed in Souza, Mossoró and João Pessoa. but now that I am in Campina Grande I will most likely stay in the mission João Pessoa. but seeing that I have already been in João Pessoa

Mom you shouldn’t buy anything from the shops here to send to me. I think it could be a very bad idea, I don’t really need much. We have a calendar and it seems like the food is better, for breakfast it is usually toast and dinner it is either top ramen or toast again. Nutella. I don’t really like it but they have it here in Campina Grande, along with pb now. Except, it’s Peter Pan PB and it’s about $7.50 in dollars. 15 reais here. The jar of PB is like a normal size from Safeway not like the giant jar from Costco and yeah you won’t need to send PB anymore since it is here and I am excited for pop-tarts. I know I am spoiled and I am loving it!! But I only ever want is food from United states because they just don’t know what amazing food is, like the stuff we have in the States. Oh and I found brownie mix here as well. its 10 reais. so $5 each small box. A whole chicken is expensive. I would rather just stick to something small. But wow pop-tarts sound amazing!!!! Cinnamon pop-tarts!!!!!!!!!!!

I would love mixes to go with meat and chicken is actually the cheapest. I don’t need insoles right now; the ones I have are still working completely fine. No mail from the mission home and my money situation is fine. I will be fine until the next allowance comes on the 15th.

I haven’t wrote back yet....I am putting more pictures on the 8 gb SD card before I send it, so I will send a letter with the SD card.

But I got to go now. I love you a lot and I will talk to you next week.

But that’s all for this week...

love,

elder adam jensen

 …and I enjoyed the pictures!

 

Transfers

Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2013 19:28:56 +0430




Subject: Re: Good Morning
From: adj1991@myldsmail.net
To: jensens6@msn.com



So this past week...



I was sick for the most part. Tuesday until about Friday, it sucked by the way. Headache, fever, and stomach pains, but it’s all good now. My sickness is gone and I am feeling perfect and it was just a little virus I don’t really know how I got it but oh well. All is good. Because of the sickness, Elder Simpson and I didn’t really get a lot done, we tried Friday and Saturday but it didn’t really pay off, especially because literally no one went to church and we were not able to baptize Daniel, a young man who lives two streets down from the church. On Easter I ate lunch and some chocolate, that was about it. Oh and there was a birthday party for a sister in the ward. It was her surprise birthday party on Sunday.



No I have never been robbed or assaulted. I think it’s because I am not afraid to hit someone. Oh and I started to lose weight again – woo hoo! I gained some weight while I was in João Pessoa so I need to lose more weight. I got back up to 88 kilos!! (193lb’s). I can wait to get new clothes when I get back. to be honest....I don’t really like surprise clothes because at times I don’t like them and I will feel bad for whoever bought them. So please can we wait till I get home to buy new clothes so we don’t have the awkward..."yeah I like the clothes but I won’t wear them in public situations"



Oh and transfers were today. I was transferred. I left Ipes at 8:30 this morning and arrived here at like 10 a.m. It’s a very close city that has a lot, a huge supermarket close to the house. I know...spoilt now! Nope no service projects! The apartment is nice just needs a little cleaning and I have a bed. All houses have beds for each missionary; we don’t all sleep in hammocks. I am now in Campina Grande. I am actually kind of upset about it. I worked so hard to have a wedding and before it could happen I get transferred! Also, Elder Simpson and I had some plans to do an activity in the ward - a ward cook-off. We would have totally won! But now it won’t happen, along with some other things they won’t happen as well.



Good news:



Campina Grande is the coldest city in the mission, being here in Campina Grande means that I will stay in the João Pessoa mission as well. The bishop from Ipês always comes to Campina Grande, so it means that the next package and my card that is still arriving at his house will eventually get to me. probably next week. I hope!! Most likely will or he will just give it to the Zone Leaders to give to me. one or the other. The new area is more city like with actual roads, but I haven’t been in my working area yet. We will see how it is afterwards…



My new companion is Elder Franco; he is from Paraguay and has about 4 months on his mission. He is a very skinny person that seems like he wants to be the boss but I am at the point where I don’t care and I think I will let him be the boss. I became District Leader as well. I don’t know if I want this calling, just a little more responsibility, but then again responsibility will probably keep me out of trouble and try to be an example.



I received the smoked salmon and one sandal, worth it by the way! I did like the one shoe!! Other members loved the fish and it was delicious and eaten all within 4 days ~ perfect! It just needed a nice Dr.Pepper to go with it ~ lol. Thank you for everything.



That is my week for ya...



love



elder adam jensen