July 10, 2021-Next stop... CAPE VERDE!!

 Hey everyone! Sorry if my last email was confusing... THIS was my last week of the mtc. I guess I'm just super excited to go! :) This week was a roller coaster of emotions since I can't wait to go and be a missionary in Cape Verde, but I've also come to love my district and teachers way too much to be leaving. haha but you can all look forward to real photos, and no more zoom screenshots, at least after this email ;) 

First of all, HAPPY BELATED FOURTH OF JULY!! We are so blessed to live in this country and get to enjoy so many freedoms. God Bless the USA! 

This week we were presented with the SYL challenge, which stands for Speak Your Language. So, each of us missionaries tried our best to speak portuguese from Monday to Friday for immersion practice. I had some fun teaching my little brother phrases that he would repeat to me. (don't worry, I did talk to my fam in english once in a while) 

This week during one of our lessons, we were asked to make a list of blessings that we see in our life that have come from the gospel. The one I want to share is hope. Through Christ, we can have so much hope in our lives as we come closer to Him and learn of His sacrifice for all of us. I love the Savior so much and know that even through hard times, we are able to learn how to be more like Him, which will make every bump in the road worth it. 

These last six weeks have been amazing and I have learned so much about the gospel, and some portugese on the side. haha but don't worry, I am still prepared to learn that MTC portugese is very different than real world portugese. :) I fly out Wednesday night and will hopefully get to Cape Verde by Friday afternoon. :) Hope you all have a fantastic week full of laughter and again I ABSOLUTELY LOVE getting to hear about your lives, so don't hesitate to give me a little update! <3 Love you all :) 

Sister Jensen 

July 3, 2021- última semana de home MTC!!!

 Olá again!!! 

Believe it or not, another week has passed! haha and this upcoming week will be my last week at home-MTC!!! awhhhh :) This week was also a blast as always. BIG NEWS AGAIN!!! I WILL ACTUALLY BE FLYING STRAIGHT TO CAPE VERDE!!! crazy right?!?!?!? awh I love knowing that God has a plan for each of us and that he is completely aware of us as individuals as well as everyone else around us. <3

Anyways, If you know me, I cry a lot... and I think we made a new record this week. It doesn't help that I am blessed to constantly be able to feel the Spirit and my entire district is FANTASTIC!!! (as i've said before) but on Friday, I think I cried/ teared up about 5 times throughout the day. I'm not sure what I am going to do when I can't hide it behind zoom.. But on the other hand, I also cried multiple times throughout the week because of laughter, so I think it's okay. haha 

I absolutely love the video the church has made called Because of Him. Usually it's popular around Easter, but it's amazing so I think we should start watching it every holiday! haha The combination of music and the message with the pictures is just TOO POWERFUL! don't worry, I'll attach a link, so you can go watch it ;) My companion and I showed it in a lesson and the Spirit was so strong. I am so thankful that I get to talk, rejoice, preach, prophesy, and help others learn about Christ and what He can do, and has done, to help each and every one of us. 

Let me know if I can help you in any way. Or feel free to just update me on your life! I love this gospel and I love all of you!!! 

Sister Jensen :) 

Because of Him <3 

1. since we have the same birthday, my companion and I are pretty much twins, we decided to take it to the next level and match and try out the space bun look 

2. our prank on Irmão Camacho, who then joined in for a sick pic :) 

June 26, 2021-Tu tas brincando!!

 Olá! 

For my subject line this week, I chose my new favorite line in português. AND I got to use it multiple times this week. :) One of the funniest was during one of our classes, we were learning about dates and times and such, so our teacher asked us each to put our birthdays into the chat, and my companion and I sent ours at the same time, and then stared at the chat for a second before both of us started freaking out....(we have the same birthday) WE ARE ACTUALLY TWINS!! haha So then of course we pull out these hilarious phrases in portuguese consisting of Para! which means stop.. and then I got to say tu tas brincando! Great moment for our whole district. And good news, I finally found my long lost twin. :) 

Anyways, time is starting to fly! This week I want to express my gratitude for my district again because they are amazing and I am going to miss them so much when we all leave. Getting to constantly surround yourself with amazing, dedicated, and hilarious missionaries, is literally the BEST thing. I learn so much from them, and laugh so much because of them! :) (very grateful that I learned to laugh some-what silently in 4th grade, cause it's really coming in handy now) 

Anyways, my favorite activity we did in class this week was first watching the video Because of Him in portuguese. I know the Spirit can be felt anywhere because I started tearing up watching it in portuguese over zoom. After watching the video, we went through a slideshow of pictures of Christ and listed adjectives that describe Him. It was so powerful to be reminded of all the amazing things Christ did for everyone around Him, as well as all He does for us today. 

I am so grateful for this time in my life that I get to serve the Lord! Hope you all have a great week! Love you all! 

-Irmã Jensen :) 

June 19, 2021- Sempre uma festa de família!!!

 Hey everybody!! 

This week was amazing! And I love the home-MTC! It is always a party with the family. :) Super cool thing happened Tuesday. Through one of my dad's friends, we got to go see the Provo MTC IN PERSON!! It was incredible and so motivating. Even though I'm not actually there, it was an amazing experience to get to go and see, and so easy to feel the Spirit there. I absolutely love being a missionary, it's just incredible. I also got to go to the temple again with my mom!!! Always a party! :) 

Another big life update was that this week in my classes, we began full immersion to Portuguese. It's super inspiring to get to hear and speak the language all the time now, although it is sometimes a little confusing. haha :) Luckily my companion and district help so much, and keep classes fun and entertaining. 

Then on Wednesday night we had a Relief Society luau where my little sister and I played a little ukulele, which was super fun and threw me back to when I would perform at ward social events with the youth!! But I am super grateful for all my sisters, who are my best friends!! I seriously love my family so much and they have always been such a great example to me. I love being able to be at home for these first few weeks of my mission, and know that God's hand is in our lives, we just have to look for it. 

Today for my p-day, my cousins took my sister and I out jeeping which was a blast. It is so fun to get to be outdoors and see all of God's beautiful creations. I'm so grateful for the earth we get to live on here!!! I am grateful for so much and know that God knows each of us individually. 

Eu sou grato pelo evangelho restaurado e pela Expiação de Jesus Cristo!! 

-Sister Jensen!!! 

June 5, 2021-The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step :)

 Hey everyone!!! 

So I've completed the first four days of the home-MTC and it is amazing!! My little brother has voluntarily agreed to get up with me at the crack of dawn to exercise. My parents also get up and we have family prayer... what can I say, my family is amazing!! My district is amazing and they are all such great examples to me. I'm so excited to learn more from them and their testimonies. And as a cherry on top, my companion is THE BEST!!! We have quite a fun time getting to study and practice Portuguese together. 

BIG NEWS!! Since Cabo Verde is still opening up I've been temporarily reassigned to Riverside California!! I'm so excited to get to know even more missionaries and for the experiences and lessons I will learn while there. 

This week, I am especially grateful for the Savior and his plan for all of us. I know that He knows us individually and has a plan to help us become the best versions of ourselves. One of my favorite scriptures from this week is in the Doctrine and Covenants 31:3, "Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation." I'm so thrilled to finally get to serve! 

-Irmã Jensen <3 

1. My awesome companion Sister Everitt!! (peep our matching flags ;)) 

2. Longboarding down the canyon with my sister in the rain haha! 

3. My mother's cute sign now on our front door 

Welcome letter

 

Feb. 16, 2021-The Call