FAMILY,
Kumusta na po kayo??
Hello, how are you?
Although the normal greeting is "Magundang .......umaga (morning) Tanghali (lunch) Hapon (afternoon) gabi (evening).
This week has been an adventure and a half. We tracted a new place that was much like Tay-O I could look down from my seat through the bamboo floor and see fish, actually one nice man we tracted into gave us fish for dinner, it was still alive in the bag for a few more houses...interesting. Lovely people though.
Our baptisms last week were wonderful we had 4 investigators come to watch and they are more excited than ever. Bro. Diaz is still smoke free I am so proud of him, he is one that if he sets his mind to it can just quit. I know that he will make it! Although we just got told we have to move his baptismal date because of District Conference, so it looks like September 25, so far away!
What else, lots of rain this week as usual. It has been really hot in between the rain storms so we have been wet either way. Interesting feeling. I saw the biggest spider of my life inside a house on Saturday night, and it was in my apartment, I just stood there frozen looking at it listening to my heart beat for a good 10 minutes before I got the never to move. We were without power again Thursday night and wow the cockroaches came out in flock. I have never seen more or bigger raoches....yet again be still my anxiety....shudder.
It has been a pretty quiet week. Health wise still feel like someone punched me in the stomach, and there is that popping every time I swallow but at least I can hear. So I am not complaining.
I got a package today!! Thank you so so so so so much. I also got 2 letters from Megan, Elder Jake and Shanna. Shanna, thank you again, hang in there I am praying for you, you are so strong!!
Thank you everyone for the updates and the prayers, I really do live on them. I am still struggling with the language and the culture and the companion but at the moment I just feel really loved and for right now I know that I will be okay. So thank you all so much.
I am jealous of all of you starting school, I love school, I love to study and learn more and be able to sit and just soak in knowledge. But then again I am teaching and I love to teach...I just wish I understood more of the language. They talk so fast that honestly sometimes most of the time I just don't really understand much...lately I have been having trouble speaking...I hope that it means that my brain is finally finding a place for Tagalog and that I will get the language sometime soon.
Oh I was thinking that I will describe for you what the walk to church is like. Imagine yourself camping in the jungle with all the jungle noises, roosters crowing, monkeys (okay one pet monkey outside a house we pass), leaves crunching, many radios playing, the smell of smoke from little fires the light to burn garbage or cook on, then walk through it carrying an umbrella for shade and wearing a skirt, knee highs and nice shoes, and there you have it, or what I can quickly write of it.
We are staying in Cainta (technically part in the Manilla mission) tonight because we have zone conference tomorrow. My first zone conference!!
I love you all.
Have a wonderful week.
Love,
Sister Becky
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Almost Month 4!
Dearest Family,
On the 21st I will officially complete my 4th month...yay! Time is starting to pick up, funny the language is getting better. Morning prayers this week were interesting, I can't remember the day but I rolled onto my knees to say it and it came out Tagalog.
Weather...ya clouds...and more clouds, right now really super heavy rain...followed by more clouds. Remind me that I never want to live anywhere where it rains daily again, I need sun. But then again when we do get those moments of sun I feel like a puddle melting on the floor. I like the rain because it is cold but it comes down so heavy there is no way not to get wet, which wouldn't be bad but you just really never dry. What is the next season?? Rain then what?
As for the work, we are tracting more areas, one called Bamboungan, which is a mountain road. Literally we walk up the mountain. But there are some great people that we have started teaching, the ones at the top are Inglesia Ni Cristo so they won't even listen to us. Inglesia's are hard, they don't even believe in Christ, other than that he was a good man, they can't read from the Bible, and they are banned from listening to us, it is so hard because their churches look like our and are everywhere.
We have 2 baptisms this week. A part member family, well 2 of their children, Jr and Divina ages 12 and 9. They are absolutely adorable and have helped me learn a lot of Tagalog. Their interviews were on Saturday along with 2 other children, the way the families were preparing their kids for these interviews was serious quizzing. They had one listen to our lessons with Jr and Divina. They were making them recite the Word of Wisdom don'ts and the Law of Chastity points specifically. I don't remember my interview but I don't remember being as scared as these kids looked or being quizzed in preparation for it, I just remember being excited. I knew what I was doing was right, not what is that 5th point of the LoC. Culture differences, fun. What else. Jun and Julyn Diaz an amazing family that were a referral my first week. They have progressed along with me, and on Friday the 13th at 3pm Jun shook hands on stopping smoking from then on, that he would enter the waters of baptism with his wife September 18th. The spirit was so strong as he made that promise, and he was smoke free on Sunday at church. I know he can make it! His wife is amazing, she is very patient and when we came back last week she had read the entire introduction because she had already read the assigned reading and wanted to read more. We just started teaching Sister Ruby, she is also wonderful! She has 4 sons who are all black belts and being so into the sport they have no WoW concerns other than coffee. I love sports! She has wonderful questions and always reads. Amazing how they progress when they read the BoM. If they just get into it there is the Spirit, truth, experiences that can help everyone, I wish everyone could understand that and see the importance.
Fun story for you. Saturday after our interviews we went to follow up with some investigators and I was really happy having been able to talk to American Elders that afternoon. I always get excited when I can speak in English without getting glares of death. Anyway I was feeling the spirit and it was my turn to share the spiritual message, I shared Enos' my soul hungered and with the spirit and my desire to share the feeling that was in my heart, honestly the Tagalog just flowed out. I am not sure what I said but afterwards I felt like I could skip home. I wish that feelings like that would last and that happiness like that was daily, but small moments like that are what keep me here, keep me going.
We shared the Restoration for the first time this week. That was a lot of fun. The spirit was really strong, if you have some time I highly suggest watching it in Tagalog with English subtitles, interesting to think that 4 months ago I laughed at the thought that I would understand this, and now I am not only understanding but testifying, and trying to speak this language.
What else. Megan Congratulations on being a real teacher in a real big school, I am so proud and know that you can do this!
So in our meeting with the Branch President on Sunday after church he said that he had a dream that I trained a Samoan girl. Odd. I am sure that when I train (a long time from now I am sure) that all these experiences I am having now will help someone else. At least that is what I am telling myself because if I have to endure just for me it seems a whole lot harder.
Health wise, I am breathing normal, joyous rapture! After over a month of hacking I can breath! Still am having trouble hearing though, I can hear more but there is still a lot of popping. I am sure it will get better.
Thank you all for your prayers, I know that with all of your help I have been able to make it this far and I will be able to continue.
I love you all!
Sis. Rebecca Jensen
On the 21st I will officially complete my 4th month...yay! Time is starting to pick up, funny the language is getting better. Morning prayers this week were interesting, I can't remember the day but I rolled onto my knees to say it and it came out Tagalog.
Weather...ya clouds...and more clouds, right now really super heavy rain...followed by more clouds. Remind me that I never want to live anywhere where it rains daily again, I need sun. But then again when we do get those moments of sun I feel like a puddle melting on the floor. I like the rain because it is cold but it comes down so heavy there is no way not to get wet, which wouldn't be bad but you just really never dry. What is the next season?? Rain then what?
As for the work, we are tracting more areas, one called Bamboungan, which is a mountain road. Literally we walk up the mountain. But there are some great people that we have started teaching, the ones at the top are Inglesia Ni Cristo so they won't even listen to us. Inglesia's are hard, they don't even believe in Christ, other than that he was a good man, they can't read from the Bible, and they are banned from listening to us, it is so hard because their churches look like our and are everywhere.
We have 2 baptisms this week. A part member family, well 2 of their children, Jr and Divina ages 12 and 9. They are absolutely adorable and have helped me learn a lot of Tagalog. Their interviews were on Saturday along with 2 other children, the way the families were preparing their kids for these interviews was serious quizzing. They had one listen to our lessons with Jr and Divina. They were making them recite the Word of Wisdom don'ts and the Law of Chastity points specifically. I don't remember my interview but I don't remember being as scared as these kids looked or being quizzed in preparation for it, I just remember being excited. I knew what I was doing was right, not what is that 5th point of the LoC. Culture differences, fun. What else. Jun and Julyn Diaz an amazing family that were a referral my first week. They have progressed along with me, and on Friday the 13th at 3pm Jun shook hands on stopping smoking from then on, that he would enter the waters of baptism with his wife September 18th. The spirit was so strong as he made that promise, and he was smoke free on Sunday at church. I know he can make it! His wife is amazing, she is very patient and when we came back last week she had read the entire introduction because she had already read the assigned reading and wanted to read more. We just started teaching Sister Ruby, she is also wonderful! She has 4 sons who are all black belts and being so into the sport they have no WoW concerns other than coffee. I love sports! She has wonderful questions and always reads. Amazing how they progress when they read the BoM. If they just get into it there is the Spirit, truth, experiences that can help everyone, I wish everyone could understand that and see the importance.
Fun story for you. Saturday after our interviews we went to follow up with some investigators and I was really happy having been able to talk to American Elders that afternoon. I always get excited when I can speak in English without getting glares of death. Anyway I was feeling the spirit and it was my turn to share the spiritual message, I shared Enos' my soul hungered and with the spirit and my desire to share the feeling that was in my heart, honestly the Tagalog just flowed out. I am not sure what I said but afterwards I felt like I could skip home. I wish that feelings like that would last and that happiness like that was daily, but small moments like that are what keep me here, keep me going.
We shared the Restoration for the first time this week. That was a lot of fun. The spirit was really strong, if you have some time I highly suggest watching it in Tagalog with English subtitles, interesting to think that 4 months ago I laughed at the thought that I would understand this, and now I am not only understanding but testifying, and trying to speak this language.
What else. Megan Congratulations on being a real teacher in a real big school, I am so proud and know that you can do this!
So in our meeting with the Branch President on Sunday after church he said that he had a dream that I trained a Samoan girl. Odd. I am sure that when I train (a long time from now I am sure) that all these experiences I am having now will help someone else. At least that is what I am telling myself because if I have to endure just for me it seems a whole lot harder.
Health wise, I am breathing normal, joyous rapture! After over a month of hacking I can breath! Still am having trouble hearing though, I can hear more but there is still a lot of popping. I am sure it will get better.
Thank you all for your prayers, I know that with all of your help I have been able to make it this far and I will be able to continue.
I love you all!
Sis. Rebecca Jensen
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
A New Transfer Has Begun
Dear Family,
Well another week has come and gone, and it is time to start a new one. Good grief where does the time go?? Well I am learning quickly that prayers are answered...sometimes in ways we do not expect. On Wednesday I slept from 5:30pm until 6:30 on Thursday, desperately needed. Since the transfer announcement I had been praying that something would change, something would help our companionship, as we got out of the jeep-nee on the way to our first lesson that day I just begged the Lord for help, I can't keep following in silence, I can't do this, something has to change. Well I got my answer and mid opening prayer given by me, I started crying and just couldn't stop, didn't stop until a few hours later actually. Odd how that total breakdown was the answer, Sis. M didn't know what to do so she called the Traveling Sisters to come to the rescue. Thank goodness Sis. Haws the new traveling sister is blessedly from Utah and oh so white. We had a lesson when they got there that night, I desperately wanted to stay but told them that if things kept up I just couldn't bear the work for another transfer. Well we were able to talk things out, then Sis Haws and I just talked for hours about any and everything. Then we went on splits on Friday, talk about fun, talking, laughing, teaching lessons with Tagalog I understand and missionary work the way I was taught it, my questions were answered with stories and smiles. Oh it was fun! So I have been trying to find that joy in the work with Sis M as well. I try to ask her one question a day about herself, and try to smile as much as I can, it is not her that is looking at me, it is the people we teach and talk to, I don't want anyone to get a bad impression about the church just because we don't get along yet. I am taking each day one at a time, and yet again have no clue why this mission is making me cry and break down so often, yeash, for not being a cryer I sure am one now.
What else, health wise. I am coughing up more but coughing less. If that makes sense. I am still feeling so tired a lot, yesterday I was just dragging and prayed for help staying awake, well the answer to that was to walk up a mountain road in the pouring rain. Also I finally have one of the sisters in the branch doing my laundry, we dropped it off last night, it just drains me every single time and we don't have enough hangers or buckets when Sis M leaves hers to soak for days I am left without clothes, so I am feeling good about it, although still a little weird I am so not one who would usually have someone do what I can. But the Nanay that we have doing it is really nice.
Our investigators are doing well, a lot of them have new baptismal dates that they are motivated to make, I hope, we are working really hard on helping them with their WOW problems. We have 5 baptisms scheduled for September 11 and 2 for August 21, we will try our hardest to help them keep these dates.
Well I think that is about it. I can't believe that school starts so soon. I am so grateful it is already August though, time is so weird on a mission. You want it to go faster because you miss home and family, you don't want to wish it away because you are on a mission what you have waited your entire life to serve, you feel like the days are weeks, weeks run into days, and months pass before you can blink. Yikes!
Congrats Bruce on the Graduation!!
Grandparents on both sides, thank you so much for your e-mails I appreciate them so much.
Monica I am glad to hear that you were able to enjoy New Orleans, ya I am not sure if there is such thing as really adjusting to the heat and humidity, although after this long I just don't really think about it.
I love you all, thank you so much for your prayers.
Love,
Sis Becky Jensen
Well another week has come and gone, and it is time to start a new one. Good grief where does the time go?? Well I am learning quickly that prayers are answered...sometimes in ways we do not expect. On Wednesday I slept from 5:30pm until 6:30 on Thursday, desperately needed. Since the transfer announcement I had been praying that something would change, something would help our companionship, as we got out of the jeep-nee on the way to our first lesson that day I just begged the Lord for help, I can't keep following in silence, I can't do this, something has to change. Well I got my answer and mid opening prayer given by me, I started crying and just couldn't stop, didn't stop until a few hours later actually. Odd how that total breakdown was the answer, Sis. M didn't know what to do so she called the Traveling Sisters to come to the rescue. Thank goodness Sis. Haws the new traveling sister is blessedly from Utah and oh so white. We had a lesson when they got there that night, I desperately wanted to stay but told them that if things kept up I just couldn't bear the work for another transfer. Well we were able to talk things out, then Sis Haws and I just talked for hours about any and everything. Then we went on splits on Friday, talk about fun, talking, laughing, teaching lessons with Tagalog I understand and missionary work the way I was taught it, my questions were answered with stories and smiles. Oh it was fun! So I have been trying to find that joy in the work with Sis M as well. I try to ask her one question a day about herself, and try to smile as much as I can, it is not her that is looking at me, it is the people we teach and talk to, I don't want anyone to get a bad impression about the church just because we don't get along yet. I am taking each day one at a time, and yet again have no clue why this mission is making me cry and break down so often, yeash, for not being a cryer I sure am one now.
What else, health wise. I am coughing up more but coughing less. If that makes sense. I am still feeling so tired a lot, yesterday I was just dragging and prayed for help staying awake, well the answer to that was to walk up a mountain road in the pouring rain. Also I finally have one of the sisters in the branch doing my laundry, we dropped it off last night, it just drains me every single time and we don't have enough hangers or buckets when Sis M leaves hers to soak for days I am left without clothes, so I am feeling good about it, although still a little weird I am so not one who would usually have someone do what I can. But the Nanay that we have doing it is really nice.
Our investigators are doing well, a lot of them have new baptismal dates that they are motivated to make, I hope, we are working really hard on helping them with their WOW problems. We have 5 baptisms scheduled for September 11 and 2 for August 21, we will try our hardest to help them keep these dates.
Well I think that is about it. I can't believe that school starts so soon. I am so grateful it is already August though, time is so weird on a mission. You want it to go faster because you miss home and family, you don't want to wish it away because you are on a mission what you have waited your entire life to serve, you feel like the days are weeks, weeks run into days, and months pass before you can blink. Yikes!
Congrats Bruce on the Graduation!!
Grandparents on both sides, thank you so much for your e-mails I appreciate them so much.
Monica I am glad to hear that you were able to enjoy New Orleans, ya I am not sure if there is such thing as really adjusting to the heat and humidity, although after this long I just don't really think about it.
I love you all, thank you so much for your prayers.
Love,
Sis Becky Jensen
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Letter, Dated July 21
We actually received a hard copy letter in the mail this last week from Sister Jensen. Here are a few of the best parts:
Oh, wow, I miss American toilets! Yes, laugh, it is the truth. At the temple they actually have instructions how to use the CR because they are American toilets.
We were tour guides last Saturday for temple tours, we got the movie station. I loved it! Air conditioning, welcoming people, thanking then for coming and then being able to watch the short movie and Elder Holland's "And None Were With Him" [Special Witnesses of Christ DVD] message over and over and then testify about the church and Christ. I was happy doing that, sometimes I think going to a visitor's center would have been fun.
Ashley, I might actually be able to deliver a cockrat! [A "cockrat" is made-up species of vermin that is a cross between a cockroach and a rat. This is a family joke since before Emily's mission. Spain failed to deliver on the cockrat front.] I have seen many of both - I just need to get them together...usually I try not to look at them... yup, bugs are still not my thing.
Alma 26:12-16
12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will bnot boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
13 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?
14 Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.
15 Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.
16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.
Oh, wow, I miss American toilets! Yes, laugh, it is the truth. At the temple they actually have instructions how to use the CR because they are American toilets.
We were tour guides last Saturday for temple tours, we got the movie station. I loved it! Air conditioning, welcoming people, thanking then for coming and then being able to watch the short movie and Elder Holland's "And None Were With Him" [Special Witnesses of Christ DVD] message over and over and then testify about the church and Christ. I was happy doing that, sometimes I think going to a visitor's center would have been fun.
Ashley, I might actually be able to deliver a cockrat! [A "cockrat" is made-up species of vermin that is a cross between a cockroach and a rat. This is a family joke since before Emily's mission. Spain failed to deliver on the cockrat front.] I have seen many of both - I just need to get them together...usually I try not to look at them... yup, bugs are still not my thing.
Alma 26:12-16
12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will bnot boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
13 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?
14 Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.
15 Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.
16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.
Another Transfer
Dear Family,
The internet here is really unreliable, sorry I couldn't write until now. I'm not sure if this is going to work, so I will keep it short.
We got transfer notices today and I will be staying with Sis Miras for another Transfer in Morong. The Zone leader played a dirty trick, he called the 2 sets of sisters and 3 sets of elders up and said one from each of these is being transferred. I was a excited that there was going to be a change. Then we sat down. He got up and wrote 3 Elders' names and said this is really who is being transferred. I am going to have to try and work with [Sis M] for another transfer.
I have been thinking of hymn #266 a lot this week.
Trek sounds great, I am glad that you were all safe and only minor medical emergencies occurred. You all sounds so hopeful and happy, I am really jealous.
I opened the package you sent last week, mid laundry while it soaked and just bawled through it. Yes I know I am a big wimp here on the mission, but knowing that someone cares about me so much to know what I would need then take the time to send it. I have read mom's note daily and have the book of Gil [the Moose] sitting by my pillow.
On Sunday I was so tired, and we were fasting and Saturday we had temple tour so a lot of traffic so again even more tired, and after coordination we went to a apt of one of the branch missionaries and I just sat in a chair and used my scriptures as a pillow while they were drawing maps of the area. Sometime during that someone brought me a pillow and I woke up with a fan on me. I just looked up and was so grateful for them, they work with us so much then to allow me to get some rest while they were yet again working to help us with the area, my heart swelled with great gratitude. We do have a good branch, they are really supportive of missionary work and I know that is why we are able to have so many come to church and to progress.
Well that is about all I can think of today. I love you all.
Keep up the good work.
Love ya
Sis Jensen
The internet here is really unreliable, sorry I couldn't write until now. I'm not sure if this is going to work, so I will keep it short.
We got transfer notices today and I will be staying with Sis Miras for another Transfer in Morong. The Zone leader played a dirty trick, he called the 2 sets of sisters and 3 sets of elders up and said one from each of these is being transferred. I was a excited that there was going to be a change. Then we sat down. He got up and wrote 3 Elders' names and said this is really who is being transferred. I am going to have to try and work with [Sis M] for another transfer.
I have been thinking of hymn #266 a lot this week.
Trek sounds great, I am glad that you were all safe and only minor medical emergencies occurred. You all sounds so hopeful and happy, I am really jealous.
I opened the package you sent last week, mid laundry while it soaked and just bawled through it. Yes I know I am a big wimp here on the mission, but knowing that someone cares about me so much to know what I would need then take the time to send it. I have read mom's note daily and have the book of Gil [the Moose] sitting by my pillow.
On Sunday I was so tired, and we were fasting and Saturday we had temple tour so a lot of traffic so again even more tired, and after coordination we went to a apt of one of the branch missionaries and I just sat in a chair and used my scriptures as a pillow while they were drawing maps of the area. Sometime during that someone brought me a pillow and I woke up with a fan on me. I just looked up and was so grateful for them, they work with us so much then to allow me to get some rest while they were yet again working to help us with the area, my heart swelled with great gratitude. We do have a good branch, they are really supportive of missionary work and I know that is why we are able to have so many come to church and to progress.
Well that is about all I can think of today. I love you all.
Keep up the good work.
Love ya
Sis Jensen
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