May 23, 2022-A Whole New World!!!

 Oi tudo mundo! Nhs sta fixe? 

Can't believe it's already the middle of May and boy is it getting warm over here :) 

These past 2 weeks were crazy, like always! Our daily schedule has almost completely changed with the temple so everyday is a surprise and adventure!! 

We now have 6 sisters serving in the same area here in Achada. Yeah, quite a party. And today we'll receive 2 more that'll be helping with the temple this week. What a time to be a Sister serving in not only Cabo Verde but in the main island Praia!! Here are some highlights!! 

- We got to help at the temple for a special open house for the people who helped build the temple before it was opened to the public 

- Got our own personal tour through the temple for the sisters here!! It was AMAZING, definitely shed a couple tears inside 

- 2 more sisters joined us in Achada!!! Sister Alves and Sister Gibson have joined our family and will be staying with us for the rest of the transfer too!! Everyday is literally an adventure

- we did a good deep clean of our house which I don't think has happened for a couple years in that house And got another Celestial house!!! Fun fact, I'm the missionary that has the most house checks in the mission hahaha 

- the open house of the temple has officially started and for the first day, 800+ people came and received a tour through the temple (yes we helped at the temple all day that day, 9 in the morning until 9 at night) 

- real quick run down about what we do at the temple... we receive the guests in the chapel next to the temple, and a couple sisteres form groups of 10 or so and send them with a tour guide to a video room. Here there are 2 more sisters who welcome everyone show a 10 minute video from the church about temples and then explain what will happen and what is allowed or not inside the temple, and express our excitement and what a blessing it is to have a temple here in Cabo Verde now!!!! 

MIRACLES!!!! Just wanna take a quick second to testify of the power temples have!! One of the first days it was open, we had only journalists come through. One of these journalists came back and was crying to the tour guide who then called us over. We did some introductions and my companion mentioned how she's seen her on TV her whole life.... anyways, so shes pretty famous... so then we were talking and she mentioned how strong she felt the spirit in the temple, and wanted to learn more because of that. Another man came up to us and was crying as well and told us he knew it was all true after walking through for the first time. And I even shed a tear as I got to walk through for the first time in about 10 months with my bestie from the MTC!! What evolution... arrived here in Cabo Verde, the temple wasn't completed. Arrived back in Praia, did lots of contacts on the street in front of the temple. Then got to help prep the clothing inside a couple times, and now helping with the open house and getting to enter myself!!! 

And believe it or not, this week will just be crazier since the real open house will start and we'll start hosting sisters from all the other islands as we help in the temple! Yeah, pumped for it all!! :) have a fantastic week!!! Love you all :) 

Sister Jensen ♡ 

May 16, 2022-The 3 musketeers

Oiii tudo mundo!!!!! 

So I'm sorry, I forgot to send this last week... but Happy mothers day!!!! Shoutout to all the mom's! And mine who is downright amazing!!! Love her sooo muchhh :) ♡♡♡ 

This week was exciting since we had yet another sister stay with us until her new companion arrived. She completed our dual and we were the three musketeers this week. My companion being the Cabo verdiana, me the American, and her as the Brasilian. Yep, covered all the bases with everyone. Hahaha but it was literally a blast and she is the cutest!!!

Okay, a couple updates about our area and friends. I don't usually include much on this topic but I decided I'd give a sneak-peak this week. So we cover the half of our area that is called Brasil, because all the houses and streets look like brasilian favelas kkkkk but it's definitely a party there. Lots of men on the street. Sister Pereira and I realized we are only teach a couple women and the rest are men. Don't know why but it just happens to be. But this week we surprised a family that we absolutely love here. They are the cutest and smartest!!! The dad has faith like no other and knows the Bible better than I do. Literally prays everytime he gets home. Then his daughter literally recited the plan of salvation back to us, immediately after we taught it. She's incredible and afterwards told us she wanted to be baptized!! So we're trying to help them all together :) especially with the temple coming we're focusing more on families!!! 

Anyways, we brought a cake over at night and sang happy birthday for them and it was touching since no one knew it was his birthday. Love being able to just serve and visit and love people all day everyday!! It's a different kind of joy. 

We also had our second lesson with the gang! Went better than the first but still crazy with lots of them distracted but we're finding the ones that really have interest which is paying off. 

The temple is opening here in a couple weeks and its amazing to see the influence it has on everyone here. We literally do contacts on the street and pretty much everyone knows the building just not what it is. So doing contacts on the street are usually quite easy once they connect us to the giant, white, gorgeous building here. So the whole mission is about to explode with references here soon. Hahaha but I'm excited out of my mind to get to help with it all!!! 

Anyways, life is good!! My English connect students practiced everything we've learning in a whole conversation and it was amazing!! I was so proud of them!! 

We also had stake conference here and I think this was the first time I have seen so many members together here in Cabo Verde!! Our chapel was filled literally wall to wall even with added chairs in the hallways. The general authority of the Europe area came, from Denmark, and talked which they had to have a translator for his talk but it was amazing and a spiritual feast for us all. One thing I really liked and have been thinking more about is our purpose here on earth. He presented these questions for us and I've been thinking about them for a while, what are we doing to fulfill our purpose? Are we becoming the person we want to be? Are we on the path we want to be on? 

I am so grateful for the Spirit and the presence of God we can feel and even see in our lives. He loves us!! He loves you. 

...and I do too!! Have a fantastic week!!

Sister Jensen ♡ 

Our trip to cidade velha!! 

Buying groceries to feed our guests in the hotel Achada 

The 3 musketeers 

Our cowboy hats we won!!! 

I GOT TO HOLD A BABY MONKEY!!!!! 

May 2, 2022--Being friends with everyone!! :)

 Boaaa tarde tudo mundo!!! Modi k nhos sta??

 

So I don't have a ton of time so I'm gonna mention the highlights (like usual) and add the pics as the cherry on top! :) 

 

- Went on a run to the beach with the quad

- Had one of the biggest Zone Conferences this mission has ever seen!! 

- Best reunion with my mtc comp and twin Sister Everitt!! 

- Went and toured an old city in Praia today (and got a free lunch) because we won the social media responding to messages contest :) 

- Won chocolate chip cookies for getting a perfect score for our house check with Sister Schoen :) 

- Met some members of a gang and started teaching them!! 

- Had one of the fanciest lessons I've ever taught here in Cabo Verde with our best friend 

- Ate at a fancy restaurant with the choir we joined!! Definitely showed up underdressed but its was delicious :) 

- ATE SHARK!!! yes, we actually ate shark :) 

 

Anyways, twas a fun week!! I know God is with us and helping us through the hard times. Life isn't always easy, and missions are no exceptions but I know that it's just God helping us reach our potential. He knows what we can be and wants to help us get there even if it's hard for us. I love the talk about the gardener and the bush that doesn't understand everything but in the end it's for our benefit!! We just need to trust in the Lord. I'm so grateful for this church and my Savior!! And I love you all so much!!! 

 

Sister Jensen ♡ 

 

April 25, 2022--Blessings upon blessings!!!

 Hey everyone!!!! And heres another email again!!! Yeah wow, I'll try to remember what happened this week cause it feels like a blur again :) like always... Well this week we got to attend two baptisms! One from my favorite little old lady from Terra Branca and the other from our new area here, who is amazing!!! So Saturday was a blast, and we had a noite familiar (family night) afterwards with everyone! And we met up with our less active friend but didn't tell him about it, just walked with him and showed up there hahaha, still playing these games on the mission kkkk but in the end he admitted he loved the surprise!!! So it was a win... a little risky but went super well! God is helping us for sure, every step of the way!!! 

We also started English connect classes where I'm basically teaching it which is a blast!! If anyone has any fun ideas or games we can play while learning English, send them my way! :) but its a serious challenge for me to be in Cabo Verde with Cabo verdianos but speak English. Playing tricks with my brain for realsssss! Hahaha my comp calls me out like 5 times every class... "Sister speak English" hahha she even requested me to speak portu-english which was hilarious so maybe I'll try to switch into that language too kkkk but it is so fun we got to start teaching english, and this girl asked me about out church after one of our classes!!! And said she might come to church, so it's been a success :) 

Fun fact, today I went paintballing for the third time here. I think that means I've been on this island a while, but it's always a blast and I think im getting a little better each time kkkkk :) at least I hope so! 

Anyways, our area is doing much better! And we're hitting the point where we know quite a few of the people we'll pass on the street daily. So that always makes life fun! And our friends are doing great!! Well, ill send some pics and love you all!!! :) 

Talk I read and loved this week!!! Go give it a read... 

A Mighty Change of Heart: “I Have Nothing More to Give You”

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/04/16gavarret?lang=eng

Have a fantastic week!! 

Sister Jensen ♡ 

Paintball, lunch with our Bishop and his wife!!! And Marlons baptism!! 

April 18, 2022-Happy Easter!!!!

 Oiiii tudo mundo!!! Modi k bu sta??? 

If you can nome the movie my titles from, you win a high five when I get back hahah!!! 

Well, some updates from over here.... we moved over 10 minutes to Achada Santo Antônio and now live in the same house that I stay at when I arrived like 9 months ago hahaha its kinda trippy ngl haha all the memories of the first couple days and first Sunday here came back to me haha but this time I am the missionary staying here :) which comes with the benefits of introducing ourselves in sacrament meeting and bearing our testemonies with a 2 min notice haha glad I can speak more Portuguese now! 

But I left the ward in Bela Vista.. one of the best wards here in Praia! And finished off my last week setting 2 more batismal dates!!! Good news is I'll get to still be there!! So super excited for them!! They are the cutest and full of faith! 

Anyways, here we are sharing a ward with another companionship of sisters so its been a little wack not gonna lie. First time for me serving with more than my own companionship. But its a blast cause we live in the hotel house with a bazillion beds in the middle of Praia haha so definitely gonna be a party. 

Also with sharing a ward, we're trying to figure out how to split the ward, members, area, etc cause the transfer before they only had one comp of elderes and they covered a couple areas, but our mission is growing incredibly fast... anyways all the logistics but our ward is awesome and super nice and willing to help so we'll be fine, just doing the starting over again :) 

And I am in fact training again and my comps from Cabo Verde but the island of Sal so her kriole is Sambadjud (from the northern islands) which is so fun to hear since its still new to me. So hopefully I'll get to learn even more kriole this transfer! 

Highlight from this week was one of the funnest reunions with sister Everitt and Carvalho and Cardoso since they all came back to Praia and I got to see them all again. Awhh love them to death!!! Only sad thing is now that I moved 10 min away I'm in the other zone and won't get to see them too often but all good... Zone conference will come and we'll get to do the run and hug thing all over again :) 

Sad news is I've had a pretty horrible cough for some time now which means at all our mission meetings, church, lessons, I just drink tons of sips of water to keep myself from hacking in the middle of it. Hopefully it starts to get better haha I just keep saying Satan's messing with my throat kkkkkk 

Anyways, this week during my personal study I read Alma 26 and did a challenge from Sister Wunderli to write a list of the blessings we've been given and also challenges but how God has helped us get through them. It was super fun to think and try to list as many both blessings and challenges cause I realised God is always there helping us. A quote I really like (but can't remember word for word) says that you need to remember that you have gotten through 100% of your bad days. Every trial, every hard day or situation, you've been able to make it through. And as I thought about it some more, I realised all of this is because and through Christ. During the hard times in my life, I know I can always turn to Him and He understands, and loves me, and wants to help. So never forget to reach out to Him and let Him hear you, because He can!! (Matthew 11:28-30) 

Super grateful for my Savior and all He has done for each one of us! Thanks for reading and would love to hear about your lives too!! Have a fantastic week!!! Love you all!!!! 

Sister Jensen ♡

One of the best zones!!! :) (us as the only sisters of course)

Our first guests at Hotel Achada 

April 11, 2022-I can't die yet, I still got lots more blessings to receive!!

 Oiiii gente!!!! Tudo suave na nave? Kkkk 

Believe it or not you get another email from Sister Jensen! So this week consisted of some good hard days that come from white washing but a tons of blessings and straigh up miracles at the end of the week. And my title is a quote from my comp Sister Pereira, and I thought it was hilarious. So we decided we can't die yet cause God's still got a plan for us here and we've got more blessings to receive!! Also this week had a couple of firsts for me in the mission which is always fun!! 

So this week I did the most contacts on the street of my entire mission. We did a serious couple hours almost everyday which might be normal for other missions but not here hahaha lots of lessons fell through and we'd just pick another street and strike up conversations with everyone hahaha but it was awesome and our teaching pool is about to blow up I can already feel it. People are starting to just stop us on the streets to chat with us and try to set up times we can meet with them. Miraclesssss!!! God is real and knows our efforts. Its always a little hard starting new in a new area but I have no doubt that God is working with us and helps us find and run into the people who need to hear our message. Miracle time... We were calling all the numbers of old friends of the elders that were saved on our sim card and one of them responded on WhatsApp and asked in the first message when we could start our studies. We call him our miracle from WhatsApp cause we didn't have his number saved or anything. Had an amazing lesson with him and he came to church today!!! And participated during the second hour class!!! Super pumped for him! And grateful for the help and straight up miracle from God. 

Another update!! The two cutest sisters I was teaching in Terra Branca got baptized this Saturday and it was amazing!!! Soooo fun to see everyone again from my old ward and get to celebrate this special day with them. They are the sweetest and literally so happy for them! One of the most spiritual baptisms! 

And living in a quad is quite the party! This week my companion wanted to have our own Family night so we hosted one at 9 pm on Friday night with a spiritual thought, hymns, and some of the best homemade ice cream I have eaten. My comp is a wizard of making ice cream kkkk but yeah that nights dinner wasn't the healthiest but it was delicious :) 

Anyways, life is amazing!!! My cough is getting a little better so that's good. Slow and steady! But thanks for all the love and support!! Love you all tonssss and hope you have an amazing week!!! :) 

Sister Jensen ♡

March 28. 2022--Its like deja voo, like like I've been here before :)

 Oiiii tudo mundo!!! Modi k bu sta??? 

If you can nome the movie my titles from, you win a high five when I get back hahah!!! 

Well, some updates from over here.... we moved over 10 minutes to Achada Santo Antônio and now live in the same house that I stay at when I arrived like 9 months ago hahaha its kinda trippy ngl haha all the memories of the first couple days and first Sunday here came back to me haha but this time I am the missionary staying here :) which comes with the benefits of introducing ourselves in sacrament meeting and bearing our testemonies with a 2 min notice haha glad I can speak more Portuguese now! 

But I left the ward in Bela Vista.. one of the best wards here in Praia! And finished off my last week setting 2 more batismal dates!!! Good news is I'll get to still be there!! So super excited for them!! They are the cutest and full of faith! 

Anyways, here we are sharing a ward with another companionship of sisters so its been a little wack not gonna lie. First time for me serving with more than my own companionship. But its a blast cause we live in the hotel house with a bazillion beds in the middle of Praia haha so definitely gonna be a party. 

Also with sharing a ward, we're trying to figure out how to split the ward, members, area, etc cause the transfer before they only had one comp of elderes and they covered a couple areas, but our mission is growing incredibly fast... anyways all the logistics but our ward is awesome and super nice and willing to help so we'll be fine, just doing the starting over again :) 

And I am in fact training again and my comps from Cabo Verde but the island of Sal so her kriole is Sambadjud (from the northern islands) which is so fun to hear since its still new to me. So hopefully I'll get to learn even more kriole this transfer! 

Highlight from this week was one of the funnest reunions with sister Everitt and Carvalho and Cardoso since they all came back to Praia and I got to see them all again. Awhh love them to death!!! Only sad thing is now that I moved 10 min away I'm in the other zone and won't get to see them too often but all good... Zone conference will come and we'll get to do the run and hug thing all over again :) 

Sad news is I've had a pretty horrible cough for some time now which means at all our mission meetings, church, lessons, I just drink tons of sips of water to keep myself from hacking in the middle of it. Hopefully it starts to get better haha I just keep saying Satan's messing with my throat kkkkkk 

Anyways, this week during my personal study I read Alma 26 and did a challenge from Sister Wunderli to write a list of the blessings we've been given and also challenges but how God has helped us get through them. It was super fun to think and try to list as many both blessings and challenges cause I realised God is always there helping us. A quote I really like (but can't remember word for word) says that you need to remember that you have gotten through 100% of your bad days. Every trial, every hard day or situation, you've been able to make it through. And as I thought about it some more, I realised all of this is because and through Christ. During the hard times in my life, I know I can always turn to Him and He understands, and loves me, and wants to help. So never forget to reach out to Him and let Him hear you, because He can!! (Matthew 11:28-30) 

Super grateful for my Savior and all He has done for each one of us! Thanks for reading and would love to hear about your lives too!! Have a fantastic week!!! Love you all!!!! 

Sister Jensen ♡

One of the best zones!!! :) (us as the only sisters of course)

Our first guests at Hotel Achada 

March 21, 2022--The mission life is so cute!!

  

Hello everyone again!!! Just to start off, the title here is a quote from my cute companion as we were deep cleaning our house at 10 at night in our dresses. Hahaha but it paid off since I actually had my first house inspection in the mission this last week and believe it or not, we got a PERFECT score!!! So that was awesome! Also took my first hot shower in like 9 months the other night which was amazing!!! Now I'm worried my showers are gonna get extremely long again haha kkkkkkk 

 

hahah anyways, this week was transfers so I'll update you all on the exciting news!!! So sadly, I will be leaving terra branca which was super unexpected, and I feel like the worst mother leaving my daughter behind halfway through training to lead the area hahaha but she'll be amazing I already know, we just had to have a good cry about having to leave each other when we found out. Buttttt luckily I'm just going next-door to Achada Santo Antonio and I'll be living in a 4 man and training again! Haha Super excited and it's gonna be awesome! My new child us from Cabo Verde so I'm gonna grind on my kriole with her which is gonna be so fun :) 

Also believe it or not, we are actually white washing haha since there were elders there last transfer haha so still to this day, I've never been transfered to an area with someone already serving there hahahahah apparently President has confidence in my ability to make friends or something, jk but I actually love it so don't worry! Just a fun fact of my mission 

 

This week was amazing once again and full of miracles left and right!! We set our cutest friends on date to be baptized so super excited for that! Even though its sad that I'm leaving, the good news is that even though all our friends are progressing so fast and our ward will have quite a few baptisms in the near future, the chapel in Achada has the font so I'll still get to go and support them all!!! So super grateful for that and proof that God is aware of us and I'm so happy I don't have to miss all of it. 

 

A couple miracles from this week was the proof and influence we realised the Spirit has on us and our work. One cool example was our lesson plan for a new less active we were going to meet up with included a video about us during to stand up for our beliefs even if the world doesn't. It uses the talk from President Monson and story of his experience in the army. And then as we meet up with him, he shows up in his military atire and we learn he works in the army and has now for like 8 years. Just the little things that prove God is leading us here as we try our best. 

Another miracle of this week was our lesson with our cute grandmother here. She is so sweet, but speaks kriole from São Vicente which is way different and I haven't heard a lot of it yet so sometimes we can't understand her very well. So we had invited a member to come with us but last minute she had to cancel so we decide to just go and try our best. And in our lesson plan we were going to try to figure out what she was hesitant about getting baptized. After about 5 minutes of successful small talk, she brings up this place she goes to which has pools and then continues to tell us how she doesn't really like pools. Then admits she has never entered the ocean. So first of all, God immediately answered our question through our small talk at the beginning and then the second miracle was that wanted to say the opening prayer which was also a giant step for her. Praying out loud in front of us had always been hard for her, but before we even asked her to, she just held up a finger and asked if she could try praying today and Sister Schoen and I were just speechless. And lastly the last miracle was that we understood all of it. Have a firm testimony that ALL is possible with God and He is here helping us in every step of the way. We just need to look for these blessings. 

 

Anyways I love you all and God loves you too!! Don't forget it and hope you all have a fantastic week :) 

 

Sister Jensen ♡

March 7, 2022 --Milagres doing the best thing ever!!! :)

 Hello everyone!!!! 

Yes it's me again! Thanks for tuning in once again! We are doing great here in Cabo Verde and the work is thriving!!! Yep, pretty much drowning in work and parties here! Really the best problem so we're not complaining!! 

This last week we hit our 9 months so now we are officially old in the mission. And it's now the end of my third transfer in Terra Branca so everyone here also thinks I'm old haha but I don't mind cause this area is doing amazing and our ward is literally the best! 

This week was amazing as we had a bunch of miracles and amazing lessons with people. Lots of little proofs that God is working in the details and is helping make up the rest after we try our best. Some of the highlights were getting to visit and teach one of the funnest families I have ever know. 

Fun fact the son asked me if I could live at his house forever, until I die :) twas the cutest thing ever not gonna lie! Were buds but still soo sweet! Asked me to ask my mom and everything, and mentioned it in his prayer. Said he really likes the sisters and he would love it if they could live at his house forever! Yeah he's the best :) 

When we were waking towards their house he came up to us in the street and jumped up and down and asked if today was his day! Cutest thing ever how excited he was, literally slipped and fell because of it. Then right as we entered their house he wants to make us eggs and chocolate milk, and then cereal with honey. Anyways, felt like a princess again as we were just getting served by this little 6 year old. Let me tell you its like the best thing ever. 

Anyways, tons of awesome lessons and all our friends are doing great with tons of of coming to church which us the best feelings. We went to walk with one of the familys were teaching and when we got to the chapel, all the people there besides a few leaders we our friends that showed up by themselves!!!! Sister Schoen and I were some happy missionaries that Sunday haha 

I also LOVE getting to feel the spirit so often. One of the many blessings of a mission!! 

Well love you all and let me know if I can do anything to help!!!! 

Sister Jensen ♡