Week #15

As you read Brody's email, try to imagine the facial expressions I bet he had while moving the ashes. Brody looks forward to exchanges and getting out of Coalinga. He has been in Coalinga for 9 weeks. He has three weeks left. We were able to send and receive some text pictures and messages on Friday night while he was visiting a member in Lemoore. He looked really good and wanted to wish everyone a happy halloween. He even sent a video text showing off his witches broom. 

Thanks for all of your support in Brody's behalf. 

Elder Jensen and Elder Jones

So how is everyone doing? This past week was stake conference, exchanges, and we helped an old lady move some furniture around. At stake conference we heard from the temple president, mission president, and stake president. They all talked about temples. I liked stake conference because I got to see other missionaries. But it was kind of weird to drive an hour to get to stake conference. This past week I also had to give another training in district meeting, that is my 3rd one already. My favorite part of this past week was the weekend because I got to go to Lemoore with Elder Jones on exchanges. Elder Jones and I get along very well. We taught some crazy guy that was trying to show us his high school diploma to prove that he had already been baptized. I laughed during that lesson a lot because the guy was so crazy. Doing missionary work with Elder Jones was a lot more fun than with my companion. Lemoore is a busier town and I liked that it wasn't dead the whole time like Coalinga. Oh so i have a story... this past week we were helping an old lady move her furniture around and we took Gurvinder (our investigator). We started to move her tv stand and on top of it were two boxes... I read them and they were her daughters and mothers ashes. As we were moving they almost fell! We nearly spilled the ashes all over the floor hahaha. Gurvinder was freaking out when i told him what they were and refused to move it. I can't even imagine what we would have done if we spilled her ashes all over the place. So yeah that was pretty much my week. I love and miss you all. Have a great week.

Elder Jensen

Week #14

Brody visited the mexican flea market this past week. Needless to say we all have new California Hoodies. He talked about how slow the work is right now in Coalinga but he is hanging in there. As you will read, he had some interesting experiences this week. Brody really likes to receive letters in the mail. His address can be found at elderjenseninfresno.blogspot.com

Thanks for you support in Brody's behalf. 

Hello family and friends, 

it's been another crazy week in Coalinga. So last monday right after I got done emailing me and my companion went to teach a lady. As we were pulling out this guy stopped us and made us get out. He said he was Isacc the son of Abraham. He started telling us that we had been to his house and that we knew him. I'm sure he was wasted as can be. Luckily we just said a prayer and then left. Then on Wednesday night at about 9:25 we were walking back to our apartment and we ran into him again. He demanded a ride in our car and started commanding us in the name of Jesus Christ. He had a back pack and who knows what was in it...I thought we were gonna fight with the way he was talking haha. we werent sure what to do and he started to get really mad. So I called a member from the church to come help us out... of course he thought I was calling the cops on him and freaked out. So then our friend from the ward came to help us out...and Isacc jumped in his back seat. So I jumped in the front because I wasn't gonna leave our member alone with this crazy guy haha. We went and dropped him off at the bar and before he left he said the innercessory prayer and prayed for like 10 minutes. While we were doing this I felt a really bad spirit, this Isaac guy is sketchy and must think he is one of the 3 nephites or something. We have seen him a couple of times since but luckily we have avoided him. Oh and also this past week there were like these 20 people that dress up as clowns and try to scare/ kill people. We were warned to look out for them multiple times haha. People these days are crazy. There were these 2 mexicans that wanted me and my companion to drink a few beers with them. Elder Wall said he had to drive for his excuse so I said sure why not? haha just kidding I told them no and they started telling me that Jesus drank wine, and they asked me if I was too good for Jesus. I wanted to ask them if I could sacrafice their dog that they had because people also use to do animal sacrifices. So the work is pretty slow in Coalinga. I hope you are all doing well. I love and miss you all. 

Elder Jensen

3 Months

Brody had a good week. He even said that this was probably the best week he has had in the field. He had a zone conference and Elder Nielsen from the seventy was there. Brody said that was the highlight of his week. He has picked up on some of his mothers talents. He is cutting his own hair. Maybe he can get a side job while on his mission cutting hair. This email marks Brody's three month mark. Thanks for all of your support. 

Hello everyone, so this past week was pretty stressful. So the bishop asked us to talk in sacrament on a general conference talk. So I spent three days writing my talk then he assigned us different topics. I then had to start over and write it  the night before. I didn't even get to read through it first! But everything seemed to go fine, oh and the last speaker was an 82 year old man and he commented on how much brown there was in the congregation haha. So last monday I got my haircut, and I looked

 like macklemoore with the sides super short and the top really long. So once again I had to go and cut my hair myself.... I will send pictures of it haha. A story from this past week is that Gurvinder (our investigator) asked us if we could loan him some money for his rent and he would pay us back the next day. We didn't know what to do because we are not suppose to give people money but I wasn't going to let him sleep on the streets. So we prayed that Heavenly Father would provide a way... we didn't know how but that is what we prayed for. We then went to go and find him... and the first thing he said is that he figured out a way to pay his rent! I dont know how it worked out but it did. A couple of nights ago we  had two dinners and you have to eat like three plates when you are with the hispanics or they dont think you like it! I was so full and almost puked!! haha I weighed myself for the first time and I have got to go on a diet! On monday I bought a lot of healthy food! This last week I told my companion I was sick of the work so we came back from a service project and had to shower. When he got in the shower I put a note on his bed that said I was at the movie theater haha. So I then crawled under my bed and waited for him to come in and read the note... he read it and started running through the house and opened the door and was searching for me! I came out and was

laughing so hard! He thought I left! I hope you are all doing well back at  home! Happy anniversary this past week to Kade and Courtney as well! You all have a good week! I love and miss you all!

Elder Jensen

Week #12

Sounds like Brody had a little more going on this week. It is good he is busy. I was hoping for an "I went to conference" but instead he said, "he liked it a lot", which is even better. 

He didn't enjoy it so much when he was here. Interesting how he sees the apostles as "familiar faces".

He is having multicultural experiences. He was teaching an African lady, a mexican, and a dude from India tonight. He mentioned that he likes to read hand written letters. 

Thanks for all of your support this past week. 

Hello everyone,

Well this past week was another normal week other than conference. So we met this 19 year old that is from India and his parents are like sheek or something weird like that. But he contacted us and we went and talked to him. He is having some really hard family problems and is going to college out here. He plays football for the college but he doesn't have a room so he stays on a friends couch and is looking for a job. We invited him to come to General Conference with us yesterday and he did. When we went over to get him we gave him like 4 bags of plastic bottles that he could recycle for some money. He was so surprised and couldn't believe that we were giving him the bags. He was so grateful. We then started to walk to the church which was about a mile away. On our way as we were talking he found a $10 bill on the ground. He asked us if he could pick it up and we said yes. So we then got to the church and watched general conference. After it was over this 19 year old man tried to give the money to the bishop. We taught him about tithing and he then filled out a tithing slip and payed tithing. Later when we were walking back home he said that he was going to buy medicine with that money because he was sick but he got a feeling to donate it. So here is a guy that has nothing, knows nothing about our church, and receives a prompting to pay tithing. It was crazy to see how humble he was. Anyways, I liked general conference a lot and it was good to see some familiar faces. all of the apostles had such great talks. I hope you are all doing well. Stay safe and have a good week. I love you all!

Elder Jensen

The District 

The Zone 

Little girl's birthday party from the ward.

Haircut