What a week it has been. I am sufficiently grateful that it is now once again preparation day and that I get a chance to rest and not go knock on doors. Nothing says "get off my porch" like tracting around a holiday. Seriously we have been yelled at and rejected more this week than ever before. It has not been pleasant, but the Spirit has been there to comfort and keep us going. Sister Wright is getting tired of the phrase, "I am doing this because I love the Lord, and The Church is still true." I say them a lot. On the plus side we met some awesome people and picked up 2 new investigators. One of them we talked to at his daughters house, his other daughter is the pastor of the Potter's House church, (its a nondenominational church that a lot of people go to because there are rock bands and food) well while we were talking we asked what that church was all about since we had heard of it but didn't know much. Before I knew it he had dialed his daughter and was handing the phone to me. So there I stood on the street talking to a minister of a different church. I asked about Sunday services and then she asked about ours, it was a good missionary opportunity to share about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints. We stayed on friendly terms and at the end we both thanked each other for helping us understand our faiths a little more. Then we taught her father and his friend the next evening and gave them both baptismal dates! It was an awesome lesson, we pounded out the great apostasy then the importance of the restoration followed by the first vision, testimony and then the baptismal commitment! It was a miracle and made this week so much better, truly a tender mercy!!! Another tender mercy is that on Wednesday I got a letter from Sister Siufanua and Sister Sargent from the Philippines Quezon City Mission. They still love me. Remember all of those days I felt like I had abandoned them and was just in agony, well that was just the advisary trying to get me down. It sounds like big changes have taken place, my batch from the MTC is split about in half with the North mission now. Elder Calder is the AP for the new mission president, Elder Haws a Zone Leader staying in PQCM, the sisters are senior companions opening new areas. How wonderful it was to hear that they are doing well and that they still talk of me and miss me there. Also with the new mission and one sister extending the new release dates will be November 10, December 1, and December 22. So I will fit right in coming home mid December. While I was reading these letters Sister Wright watched me rush around the apartment in happiness and shed tears of joy at finally hearing from my friends. What a blessing that was. Also yesterday I finally finished Alma in my Aklat ni Mormon, I will finish the entire book before I come home! Even if I give up my lunches in November to read it will be done! I started to teach Sister Wright how to congregate verbs in Tagalog, just the simple Mag, Um, I, and In verbs. Those seem to be coming along well. Before I know it I will be teaching VAOL, crazy!! But at the same time a great refresher course for me while I prepare to teach during meal times. This week out tracting we have come across a surprising number of people with girlfriends...the disturbing part about this is that they are girls themselves. I never knew that so many people were choosing to live in sin. Who knew that that was such a problem in nice quiet Mt Pleasant Michigan. We also found out that one of our investigators is engaged to a girl. That is just sad, we were planning to teach her the law of chastity yesterday and she wasn't there when we came for our appointment. Even after we had called and confirmed. Frustration. We were both prompted to go over to the Griffths home Friday evening, when we pulled up Sister Girffths was outside and we were finally able to meet her. Their had been an argument right before we came over and we asked if we could go inside and talk with them. The Spirit is no longer dwelling in that home and the effects of its absence is seen and felt. Brother Girffths asked for a large print copy of the Book of Mormon so he can start reading it again. By the time we left we Sister Griffths had apologized and we were able to leave with a prayer. They need the Gospel and the peace it brings now more than ever, it is sad to see how they reject what they need most. Fun story for you all. Thursday evening we were scheduled to go see the Griffths family but it didn't feel right to me. We sat in the car for a few minutes pondering what we should do when Bruce street flashed into my mind. I grabbed my brain (my binder of knowledge that I have organized lists of members according to areas-I finally finished it on Thursday it is huge :D) So I looked up who lived on Bruce street and there was Annie Sheldon, a less active that we have been trying to get a hold of for the past transfer. We drove to her house and got there just as she was walking in the door. We were able to share a message with her and schedule a return appointment for next week. What a blessing it is to have the Lord guiding this work!!! I am glad to hear that Girls camp went well and that everyone made it to and from and through it safely. I hope that since it is July now that parade stuff won't be crazy for mom and dad. I cannot believe how quickly June just flew past. I hope that time continues to speed along it makes life much more interesting when months blur into days and days feel like weeks and when people ask what has happened you respond with month old news. Its awesome being a missionary! We get to meet the President this next Friday over in Midland. I am really excited. The missionaries have been praying for them since they found out his name and everyone is really excited to meet them. This is my fourth set of mission parents, I think it is easier this time around because I have already seen three different styles and ways of going about the work. I know that this Church is true. The Book of Mormon brings peace and happiness in a way that nothing else can. Hang in there!! I hope and pray everyone has a safe holiday.
Mahal ko po kayo!
Ingat, Sister Jensen
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