Week #11

Brody's trip to the zoo was cancelled so he was able to email us today. He seems to be doing a little better. He is definitely having experiences that are helping him to appreciate home here at Payson.
He told us that there is this thing called "valley fever" and the worst places in the state for it are the two cities that he covers. it is really bad and ruins your lungs as if you have been smoking for your whole life. Some of our friends told us they plugged their nose as they drive through. Now we know why.
Thanks for your support of Brody this past week.

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Hello everyone, how are you all doing? So I've now been in Coalinga for just over a month. This past week was alright, it had its crazy parts. One thing that happened was we convinced a drug addict to break her pipe and we watched her go and get it and throw it at the ground. Haha when she wasn't looking I grabbed a piece of the ground for my journal. So I was on another exchange in Coalinga with Elder Jones, and he wanted to do some door knocking. so there were these kids outside, probably high school aged. and one of them thought i was the kid that he put a gun to my head and i got him expelled or something crazy like that.

Elder Jensen and Elder Jones 

 So that was a pretty fun time telling him i had no idea who he was while he was talking crap haha. and then we knocked on another door and while we were teaching this crazy guy his 3 year old son spit on me and threw dirt on Elder Jones. This world is crazy. we also had a little bit of a "bible bash" with a guy that believed in the trinity. I also gave my first church tour to a lady and her two daughters. Another event that took place is that I had to give my first training at district meeting. I gave it on "helping people resolve their concerns" it seemed to go pretty well. Things here in Coalinga are still really hard and we are still working with our investigators to try to help them commit to be baptized. Me and my companion still have our disagreements, well a lot of disagreements. We had to get the Flu shot this past week as well. It's been a pretty eventful week. I hope that we can see success and a reward for our work soon. The Spanish is still pretty bad, I am trying to not get too down on myself. I hope you are all doing well back at home. I love and miss you all more than anything. Have a good week! Love, Elder Jensen

Coalinga Valley 

Week #10

Brody mentioned that things are a little better this week. He had a few investigators attend church with him. He was able to go on splits with Elder Winterton. 

For those of you that know Brody, can you imagine him being the one that wants to "bend" the rules…me neither. 

Thanks for your support and prayers in Brody's behalf. 

Well it's been another long and tough week in Coalinga. There hasn't been much going on here except drug busts and gun shots every once in a while. It's a really tough area and it can be frustrating. The only good thing is that we had around 3 or 4 investigators at church yesterday. We hope that they keep progressing. The days are pretty long here... we wake up and run and then we have 4 hours of studies before we even get out of the apartment. I absolutely HATE studies. My companion is always so positive and happy and it can drive me crazy haha because like most of you know I am usually not the most positive. haha he gets mad at me when I look at the magazine covers in the store or if I try to peek through peoples windows to see the score to the football games. like the other day we were walking down the street and someone was playing some Brad Paisley music and i started to walk really slow so I could hear the music and my companion noticed and made me walk faster haha. its hard to not be able to watch tv, and listen to music and do other worldly things. I told my companion that he is lucky that he is not rebellious or we would be "bending" the rules a lot. this past week I went on exchanges and led the area with Elder Winterton, we got offered some Bud's on a porch while teaching to drunk guys. The other event this past week is that I had my first zone conference. there's not a lot to report on this week. I miss each and every one of you back at home. I hope you are all doing well and I'll talk to you soon. I love you guys. 

Love, Elder Jensen

Week #9

In messaging with Brody I could sense his frustration. He told me that he has some investigators but they are to lazy to go to church. He said that the language is pretty tough and as you all know, Brody doesn't like to be told what to do. Please keep him in your prayers this week. Thanks. 

How is everyone doing back in Utah? things here are pretty boring. the only good thing about this past week is that I got to go on exchanges and went with an English speaking missionary.

I liked it a lot better because I actually knew what was going on and I could contribute more to the lesson. I wish I didn't have to come back to Coalinga and speak spanish. its really hard and really frustrating. they actually thought about closing down Coalinga a while ago because there is not a lot of success and its a tough town. the one thing I have learned this past week is that companions are hard... I have not really been getting along with my companion. He always has to be right and has to be "smarter". Like he makes me do stupid stuff because it will be good "practice". Like fill the car with gas or call someone on the phone or just dumb stuff like that.

Elder Jones, Elder Jensen and
the mini missionary for the weekend

He acts like I don't know how to do anything... so yeah we fight quite a bit haha. When I went on splits my other companion Elder Jones was really cool and we got along great. That's why I didn't want to come back to Coalinga. Another thing that happened this past week is a thing called "special ops" its when a priest from the stake gets to come on like a mini mission and come with the missionaries for the weekend. So me and Elder Jones were with a 17 year old for the weekend. I will send a picture of us three. While I was on exchanges there were more people in the other wards priesthood than Coalinga's sacrament. It's been a really rough week... I'm always thinking and praying about all of you guys back at home. I love and miss you all. I hope you have a good week! -Elder Jensen

Two Months

Not a lot to add to this one. Brody did tell me that he lives in an apartment across the street from the college. His companion is from farmington and has been out 19 months. They are the only two missionaries in the area and they are both new to the area so Brody tells me they have a lot of catching up to do. I have a couple pictures that I will send in another email. Thanks for your support. 

Hello everyone. So I have two stories this week for you. So the first one is pretty sad... me and my companion were teaching this old lady on her porch that is a recent convert. She was talking how she has no family and cant even remember what her daughter looks like. It was really sad... and then her 3 grandchildren walked by on their way home from school. she asked them to come and give her a hug and the girl and grandma started crying when the girl said, "we cant or we will be grounded and can never come over again." I started tearing up on her porch because she couldn't hug her grandchildren. it was really sad, but we said a prayer with her and tried to comfort her. so... the next story is the opposite of sad. we were teaching two older people on their porch and some guy that must have been drunk walked up and said, "Oh the Mormon children, are you guys talking about me?" and we said no we are talking about jesus Christ. And he said, "no I think you're talking about me and someone is gonna get cut!" He had his hand in his pocket like he had a knife and me and my companion were kinda trapped. and I was right by the crazy guy with my companion behind me. I thought I was gonna get "cut" haha. luckily he eventually left and I bet you can all imagine how fast I got out of that neighborhood. I am so grateful that I was protected. this past week we have also been teaching a couple of investigating families.

It is hard because they all have a strong catholic background, but we are hoping they will come to know the truth. I have also got to play soccer with the little Mexicans a couple of times. Not much else is going on here. I hope you are all doing well and having fun. you are always in my thoughts and prayers. I love and miss you all. ill see you all soon. Love, Elder Jensen 

Happy 21st birthday to kade tomorrow!!

In the apartment 

Week #7 Finally in Fresno

Brody arrived in Fresno this week. I was able to chat back and forth with him on the computer for about an hour. He sounds pretty good. He was finally able to get his burger Saturday after picking grapes. 

He said it is a small town not much bigger than Goshen. Go Figure. He did say the food is so much better than what he was eating at the MTC. 

Thanks for your support. 

Hello family and friends. this past week has been a long one. so i got to California on wednesday, i have a new companion named Elder Wall. He is almost 22 years old. he is my trainer for the next 12 weeks. he is super serious about the work and has been out for a year and a half. We are in the town of Coalinga. It is as far south and as far west as the mission goes. we are like an hour away from other missionaries. It is a tiny town with a tiny ward. there were probably like 30 to 40 people at church on sunday. i had to give the opening prayer and bear my testimony in sacrament meeting,

Elder Jensen and his trainer, Elder Wall

 luckily it was in english. my companion tells me that my spanish is really good for just getting out of the MTC  but i think he is just trying to be nice. so the first door that i knocked in the field an old man answered the door. he was super angry and said get off of his property and he wanted no religious people around him. and he then chased us off his property while yelling at us haha. my companion said that only happens like once a month. I like the hispanics so much more than the white people because they are so much more humble. on saturday we got to go to the vineyard and pick grapes at 4:30 in the morning. it was crazy and a lot of hard work. California is so stinkin hot, luckily we are in a car for the most part. we have to run 3 miles every morning and I'm so out of shape. we haven't got to teach very many investigators because we haven't been in our area for too long. we have ate meals with the members every night and its even crazy to see how some of them live. And what they live in.

Elder Jensen with President and Sister Clark. 

thats why they are so humble and will listen to our message. I hope you are all doing well and having fun. i miss and love you all more than anything. ill see you all soon. 

love, Elder Jensen

p.s. write me letters!!