A trip to Champerico

Overlooking Calahuache

Dear Family,

I think it is so interesting how many ups and downs you can have as a missionary. It really is one of the best and craziest experiences you will ever have!

This week we were trying really hard to find some really great people to teach. We are doing an activity in the whole mission where we´ve taken a picture of the members of the church and put their picture in a Book of Mormon. Their job is to write their testimony with the picture and give the Book of Mormon to another non member family or friend. I think it is such a great activity because I know the miracles that the Book of Mormon can work in people’s lives (because it did for me). We are working hard to help the members have the courage to hand out these Books of Mormon to their friends and I really hope that we can help them do this. I am really trying to think of some new and creative ways to find people and I am finding more and more that I really just need to get rid of all of my fear and not be lazy and talk with just about every human being I see. I am really far from that point but I am trying to improve each day.

This week we had a couple really amazing lessons with the V. family. M., her husband O., and her kids. M. and one of her 15 year old daughters, B., went to church yesterday and they said that they really liked it. Earlier in the week we had taught the Restoration to M. and some of her kids and it was one of the most powerful lessons of my mission. I just knew in my heart that the message of the Restoration was true and that Christ´s church has been restored to the earth. When I bore my testimony of the Restoration I felt the Spirit testifying so strong and I think I almost shed a tear. We also taught an amazingly powerful lesson yesterday after church. We taught to the whole family and we read 2Nephi 31 with them. We could feel the Spirit telling each one of them that this baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost is the path that they have to take to have eternal life. I have read that chapter with various investigators but yesterday I felt the Spirit so so strong. The Spirit guided us to make the invitation to be baptized and after we invited all of them to be baptized several times we got a yes from everyone except the O. (the dad) who said that he will give permission to the family if they really want to take this step. We are going to visit them tonight and probably every day this week and I really hope that the Spirit helps us to do our best so that we don´t lose them and we help them the best we can to take the most important step in their lives.

Today we got to go to the beach in Champerico and it was so cool! I haven´t seen the ocean for over 3 years so that was a lot of fun for me! I loved smelling the Pacific Ocean and remembering all the great times we had in Japan at all the beautiful beaches. It doesn´t really compare to Japan but I still loved it!

 I have still stayed steadfast in my two goals to memorize a scripture each day and also read the Book of Mormon in Spanish. I have gotten to Alma 8 and I hope to finish the Book of Mormon in the coming weeks. Each time I read I can´t tell you how much I feel the Spirit but also how much my desire grows to share this Book with everyone! I love the Book of Mormon so so much and I can´t wait to help as many people as I can learn of its truthfulness. It really makes me want to make better choices each day and invites the Spirit into the work so strongly. I also have noticed the power of memorizing scriptures each day. I always feel ready for the day when I know that I am armed with the words of eternal life. It really helps me have more love and excitement for the work and I grow to love the scriptures even more with each scripture that I add to my collection. 

I grow each day in my thankfulness to the Lord for allowing me to be one of his special messengers of light and salvation. I know that I have a lot of weaknesses but I can see the Lord helping me overcome those and turning them into strengths each time that I cry out to him for help. I know that the Lord wants each one of us to succeed. That is why he is willing to help us! I am so grateful for this gospel and I just know that it is true! 

Love,
Elder Jensen

Lunch in Champerico!

I am surprised but I actually really like the fish here like this!