New Mission President

Hey everyone,

 

How are you all doing? I'm doing pretty well. I'm kind of sick again. It's really annoying. So yeah, I'm kind of just dealing with that today.

 

I wish I could have heard Matt's homecoming talk. Sounds like it was amazing. I wish I could talk to him and get some advice or something. It's really incredible how much I have learned since I have been out and yet so often I still feel like I don't know anything, so any help I can get is much appreciated. Yesterday we had a pretty terrible first lesson with this Filipino woman, and our member freely chastised us for it. So I'm working on my "How to Begin Teaching" skills. Man, Preach My Gospel is probably one of the best tools on the planet.

 

Holy guacamole, I think I am falling asleep.... I took some medicine this morning and it seems to be knocking me out, while at the same time not getting rid of the cold. It's okay though, because I am now better understanding that every trial or challenge we face in life is just a means of Heavenly Father blessing us more. Every time something threatens to impede our progress here in Tangaroa, shortly thereafter miracles bombard us. For example, we pretty much had only three investigators for the past two or three weeks, so we just kept talking to everyone and doing our best to find more. Honestly nothing seemed to be happening. Then this week, we hit a nice goldmine of 12 new investigators and two new sets, one for this month and one for August. I'm so tired.... It was a great week. I'm dying here.... Probably one of the highlights of the week was something that happened yesterday.

 

I've been trying to convert the physio that I see for my back, but not having much success.

 

This lady who hates us with a passion told us how wrong we are partly because of this: she proceeded to show us a picture of an egg she once found with another egg inside of it. "See?! It's an egg inside of an egg! Don't you get it?" I still don't get it....

 

Yesterday we called Moe's wife (Moe is set for this coming Saturday) to see if Moe needed a ride to church. He has been suffering from gout, some kind of condition that apparently feels like a screwdriver is being wedged into your bones, and Alisha (his wife) was doubting that he'd be able to come to church. So, starting Saturday night, we fasted that his foot would be healed. When we called in the morning, Alisha said he wasn't coming to church (devastation!), and -- to make matters worse -- she said he wasn't interested in learning anymore. To be frank, this blew our minds. So, tying to ward off discouragement, I prayed for nearly the whole five-minute walk to his house that I would receive understanding and peace. We knock on the door, and guess what -- he's standing there in his church clothes and a half-grin plastered across his Cook Island face! Wait, are you coming to church? Yeah, of course. What about your foot? It feels fine. Barely hurts at all. But Alisha said.... (jovial laughter) Yeah, I was messing with you guys. Miracle! Haha, Alisha wouldn't even turn around from her breakfast to face us.

 

The moral of that story is that Moe is hilarious and that fasting works! The fast was answered light speed! His foot was healed that morning! My testimony of fasting has just exploded from this experience. If you fast in specifics and with faith, you will be able to accomplish so much more than is possible with just prayer. Just like when the twelve apostles asked Christ why they couldn't cast out a certain unclean Spirit and He told his them that some evil spirits can only be cast out with "much fasting and prayer." I can see this to be true.

 

I love being a missionary. No where else can your faith grow like it does in the mission field. To anyone who is considering a mission, please search the words of the prophets, ponder them, and pray about it. Make sure you're doing the right thing. If you should go on a mission, He will tell you.

 

Nothing in this world is more important than living the Gospel of our Lord right now. Please don't put it off. If you don't have the testimony to live it, then read and pray until you do. I promise it will come. If it doesn't, feel free to beat me to a pulp in a year and a half. I'm so grateful for all your support -- your letters and especially your prayers. I love my Savior. He lives. He knows me. He knows you. He's waiting for you. You will have to stand before Him someday sooner than you think. I believe that with all my heart. I hope I come back (in a couple of years) to valiant soldiers in His army, who "can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth [them]" (Philippians 4:13).

 

Love you family and friends. Sorry if this e-mail was lame or didn't make sense -- I think i'm partly under from the meds. See ya soon.

 

Your NZAM Elder,

Jensen

I forgot to mention that there is a new mission president, named President Lekias. Good man.

 

And I have three baptisms and a marriage this weekend: John and Neashia (married and baptized), and Moe (baptized).

 

Okay, I think that's all. Well... bye.

 

Edler Nesnej