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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Week 2

Hey everyone! 

I can't believe it is Tuesday again already. This past week went so fast I can't believe it. It was another great week with lots of learning, quite a few funny/embarrassing moments, and a lot of fun. 

Wednesday morning we had to do service and they had us wash a huge brick wall inside a building. It was honestly the weirdest thing I have ever done. As we were scrubbing it (it was just us 4 girls) people kept staring at us like we escaped from jail to clean an already clean wall. Haha but we just laughed while we were doing it. We taught Belinda again and this time we didn't even mention the word God and she didn't chew us out! She was crazy though. She graduated from Stanford when she was 20 and she designs the engines of planes. But she did let us say a prayer at the end of the lesson so we basically felt like we were the champions of the world. 
Thursday we had an "In Field Orientation" and I wish I could have paid attention but I was so sick that I had to leave and go back to the doctor. And then we got lost on the way to the pharmacy... I guess we have been out of the real world too long and we don't know how to find anything haha it was sad. But we found it and I got some medicine.Thursday night was the worst. I couldn't sleep and I was literally dying so I slept... well I didn't actually sleep at all, but I laid in the hallway on the ground next to the bathroom the whole night. It was not fun... and it was SO COLD that I had to put my arms in my shirt so I looked like a struggling dinosaur and I really hope that no one saw me. In the morning I made it back to my bed and was able to actually sleep for a little while. That afternoon I had the elders in my district give me a blessing... and it really was like a miracle. I was feeling 200%  better in like 2 hours. It was the most amazing thing I had my appetite back and my energy back and I was able to go to class and teach lessons! It was incredible. I am so grateful that I was able to get a blessing and I know that helped me get better. And I have been feeling really good since! So that was my little miracle for the week. It was a really neat experience. 

Saturday I learned so much. My classes were amazing and the spirit was incredible. We have been learning a lot about becoming more like Christ. And one thing I really remember was that we show Christ how much we love him, by the way we love and treat others. I have really been trying to stay super patient and love everyone. I know that doing that will help us become happier. Saturday night we taught the Law of Chastity to an investigator and we were so nervous because I mean yeah and it actually went super well. It wasn't even awkward. OH Funny story! SO there is like the white missionary handbook, which is like called the white bible because it is our life basically, and we were in class and I was like just messing with people telling them all of these different rules they weren't following exactly... like "it's not in the white bible to be mean to people" or dumb stuff like that... and then my teacher turned around and was like "Do you know what is in the white bible Sister Jensen? No GUM" hahaha and I was like shoooot.... humble stick to the face. hahah it was so funny I got totally owned. But really not chewing gum has been the hardest part of it all for me. I like gum way too much. 

I wish I could say the food was getting better... but lying is a sin unfortunately. I have had cereal or a peanut butter sandwich for every meal. Also I made like 20 bucks drinking a glass of milk with pepper in it. The people here will do anything for entertainment I guess. Also everyone always bugs me to rap for them.  

Sunday was good because I thought it was fast Sunday and then BAM it wasn't and I was the happiest girl in the world. There were a lot of funny stories and things that happened on Sunday too many to even explain over email but it was one of the funnest days so far. And yeah I guess I will leave that a cliff hanger. I will tell you that it included me and Sister Mohler (my companion) smelling a tree for over 4 minutes. haha. Sunday night we had another devotional and it was really great! I forgot his name but it was someone from the 70. He taught a lot about the strongest missionaries are the ones who don't waste time. He said "you don't have to be perfect, just be clean, and have faith and courage to open your mouth and share the gospel". He shared a lot of really cool missionary stories. I always love the devotionals they make me so happy to be a missionary. I really am so blessed to be apart of such a great thing.  After the devotional we had a testimony meeting just with my district. It was a really special experience. I love my district and I am really glad I had the chance to be with them. They have all helped me become such a better missionary. 

Ah there is so much to write and so little time. Sorry this is all over the place. Yesterday was good and sad! All the elders in my district left for Australia, and it is really weird to have class with just girls. One of my teachers said something that made me laugh.. he was like "you aren't called to only teach the beautiful. You have to teach the bad, stinky, and ugly." hahah truth. It was sad saying goodbye to my teachers because they have taught me so much. 

But yeah! That was basically my week! It was so good. Everyone calls me the Grinch here because I quote the Grinch so much and I am proud of it. I really am having the best time. Tomorrow and Saturday we are going to teach at Temple Square so that will be fun!  Anyway I love you all! Thank you SO much for all of the dear elders and packages and letters! It is so fun to get mail it makes my day. Thanks for you love and support! I miss you all! I am learning so much and becoming such a better missionary and I am grateful every day that I have been given such an amazing opportunity to become closer to Christ and to help others find the happiness and peace that this gospel brings! I know that this is true and that Heavenly Father loves us all and will bless us when we do what he wants us to!

Love you!!

Sister Jensen 

Week 2 at the Missionary Training Center, Provo UT




Sunday, September 22, 2013

Hey everyone! 

It has been such an amazing week! It has been really hard but I am having so much fun and learning so much. I kinda don't even know what to say so I am just going to go through everything that I can remember. 

 The feeling here is just incredible. I thought I was going to be super depressed right after I said goodbye to you, but I was actually doing great! I know that this is where I am supposed to be and even though I miss you I am so glad to be here!

So honestly I love it here. People stressed me out that it would be bad but it is so much fun. I mean waking up at 6:30 every morning is probably the hardest thing EVER but I am doing it and I haven't died yet thankfully. The days are long but I learn so much and I am having fun learning everything. My companion is honestly so cool. She is just like me. She has the same sarcastic sense of humor and so we get all really good. Haha sometimes it causes issues. And sometimes I think our teachers want to slap us. haha. But yeah there is me, her, and two other girls in my room. My companion and one other girl are both going to Ohio with me, and one is going to the LA temple visitor center. And the other two girls are awesome too! We are all like best friends already. Like we have the hardest time going to bed at 10:30 (partially because we are not 100 years old) but mostly because we just stay up laughing about a billion things. So I am loving the people I am with and that has made the whole thing a ton of fun. Me and my companion got called to be Sister Training Leaders so we are like district/zone leaders for all the girls. So we are in charge of all the new girls coming in tomorrow and it should be really fun besides the fact that we have no clue what we are doing haha. 

Classes are good. They sometimes get long, but my district is funny and so it is good. I have some really great teachers. One looks like he is 12 but that doesn't matter because I look like I am 10. We have been teaching one "investigator" and it's been great. It is fun to actually teach someone what we are learning. Yesterday we had one investigator from Singapore and she was literally the scariest person in the world. Her name is Belinda but we call her "she who must not be named." hahah because literally  she told me I was stupid and to never visit her again. I was like bearing my testimony to her and I was crying because it was just really powerful and she looked at me and told me I was wasting my life and that I knew nothing. She also said that she is glad her father died... so I have NO CLUE where this woman even came from. She also said she hates the Bible and I didn't even think that people could do that. It was such a crazy experience haha so me and my companion were like what the heck and then we laughed . So yeah at the time it was just shocking, but now it is really funny. We have to go back and visit her again tomorrow so I may not make it out alive this time. 

There have only been like 3 bad things the whole time. NUMBER 1. They made me go to this place, and they said "you have to get a flu shot" and I was like 'no thank you I am fine" and they said "you have to." and I said "Eh I don't believe in flu shots" and they told me I have to get one or I can't go on my mission so I asked if I could do it the next day and they said NO. So I went into this room and this lady STABBED me and my arm has been swollen for 5 days (and no I am not being dramatic about this at all). So yeah that was a nightmare. AND THEN I GOT SICK. And you know what I am 100% positive it is because of that shot.  So yesterday I had to go to the doctor because I couldn't sleep at night because I cannot breathe but I am doing better today so that is good. The other problem is we have dinner at 4:50. Last time I checked I am not in a nursing home and I do not need to eat that early. Haha so by the time it is 10 I have a pit the size of Africa in my stomach because it has been 2 days since I have eaten. Okay I am being a tad dramatic but really. 

ANYWAYS other than those minor setbacks it has been one of the greatest weeks ever. I am learning so  much about the gospel and I love it more and more everyday. We have a fireside tonight at the Marriot Center and I am praying it is an apostle. I haven't missed my phone at all. The only time I even think about it is when I want to call you guys. Or when I want to google something I had NO idea that I  googled so many things but holy cow I am like sorta lost without it haha. But besides that no technology is a nice break!  But I dunno so many great experiences here I can't even remember them all. We spend most of the mornings working out and doing personal/companion study. Then we have class and teach people till 9:30 every night. But even though I feel like the walking dead half of the time I love it. I just really love being surrounded by hundreds of missionaries all the time. Like at our Sunday night devotional when everyone stood up and sang it was the coolest thing ever. It's just a great feeling here and I can't really describe it.  

I am really so grateful to be here and I appreciate all of your support so much. Don't worry about me for a second because I am having the best time. I miss you all, but I haven't been homesick at all yet. I know that I am doing what my Heavenly Father wants me too and I know that this is the true church. I feel blessed to have such amazing friends and family and I brag about you everyday! I LOVE you and LOVE letters and dear elders so send away please :) haha that is a hint to WRITE ME it is so fun to get mail at the end of the day so even if it is short just send me somethin funny and I will love it! I have so much more I want to tell you but I will just have to write it in a letter because I am out of time! 

Thanks for all you do! I know that God loves you all and I know that this is the most important and best thing I can ever do. I love you!

Sister Jensen  (sometimes I forget my first name because no one ever calls me cassidy here) 

Also this kid in my district said "Can I just eat 2 meals a day because 3 is just too much" and I was like "ARE YOU AN ALIEN' because that is a joke pretty sure I want 13 meals a day. 

PS Belinda the crazy lady told us we were aliens. And we were like "YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD BUT YOU BELIEVE IN ALIENS WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU" Hhahah it is so great.  

  

Missionary Training Center Week 1






Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Headed Out!

Well friends,

I leave tomorrow morning to head to the MTC. My family will be posting my letters and pictures on this blog! So check weekly and see what I am up to in Ohio!

I am so excited to go on my mission and I am so grateful for all of the support everyone has given me. I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to teach and help others, and for the opportunity to learn and grow myself. I already love Ohio and can't wait for the experiences that await me.


Please write me letters and I promise to write you back! Thanks for your love and support!

Love Sister Jensen