The Blessings...

Dear family,

 

I'm great. How are you?

 

We had a zone leader council this last week. I always learn humbling lessons in those. The Lord seeth fit to humble His servants. We talked about how the mission will go to the next level in finding new investigators to create real growth in each unit. In the church, there are many--in the Pacific, tens of thousands--of less actives who have nonmember family and friends. These are members who have just one or two relatively small concerns, a commandment that is difficult for them to live or even just a feeling of loneliness. This last week was one of miracles as we witnessed how the Lord prepares His people. A few weeks ago a member in Takapuna ward asked us to contact a less active woman in the area. We made contact last week and got to know her on the doorstep. Her name is Sister Gedge. We also met her kids, Dion (14), DJ (11), Carlos (10), Jeffrey (7), and Marcus (6) and had a miniature lesson there with them. We invited them to church, to which Sister Gedge was more than happy to come--she was missing it and wanted to come back--and invited the oldest three kids to be baptized. They said yes and a few days later they were all set for the 18th of August!  They came to church. They met heaps of members and sat down with the ward clerk to move the Sister Gedge's records over to this ward. They stayed all three hours, also met the Bishop, and are more than excited more the baptism in two weeks! I can't tell you the joy I felt when we found this fmaily that first night. I know Heavenly Father loves them. He has known them forever and has always been mindful of them.

 

The same day that we set the kids, we went to teach the sick and aging sister of a different less active in the ward. As we taught Dinah, the Spirit of the Lord touched her heart and testified of the Savior of the World and of His doctrine. She began to cry as she read Helaman 5:12, her mood completely changing from quiet and nearly-asleep to a vibrant and attentive focus on the scriptures. As we read the Savior's words at the end of 3 Nephi 11, she knew she must be baptized. When we invited her, she was so happy and said, "there's no other way." Her sister then bore testimony that she knew it was the right thing to do and expressed that she never really understood baptism until reading through those scriptures. As Dinah offered the prayer at the end of the lesson, she cried and cried. I don't know if she'll stay in this world much longer, but I know this much: our Father in Heaven has been preparing her to accept the gospel for many years and it is finally time. She came to church in a branch about 40 minutes away from here and met the Nelsons (the office couple--they are assigned to that unit). During Relief Society, she bore her testimony and expressed her excitement for baptism. Her whole family can't wait either. They're practically all members!

 

I'm not sure what else to talk about. This is my life. I love it! Obedience brings forth the blessings of Heaven. That is true. If you want to increase your faith, increase your obedience. Love all of you!

 

Love,

Elder Jensen

 

P.S. Bree is getting married! Congratulations Breeborg. Love you heaps. Is anyone else getting married that I don't know about? Spill the beans.