Semana UNO
Hola Everyone!
Wow! What a week!
For those of you who don't know what I've been doing the past week, I just started my training as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! I'll be learning spanish at home via online classes with the training center in Mexico (el Centro de Capacitación Misional México or CCM) for 5 more weeks, and then, if my visa goes through in enough time, I'll go out to serve and teach the people of Tijuana, Mexico for the remainder of my two years!
There's so much I want to tell everyone in this email, but I don't want to go into detail about EVERY day of this week, so I'll just do highlights from my days jaja.
Monday was quite a start. We had an introductory devotional that was super inspiring. We talked about the gifts and talents that we had been blessed with when we were set apart as missionaries, and I truly feel that all those blessings are coming to fruition this week.
Tuesday night, my district, the 11 other missionaries I am studying and attending classes with, and I watched a devotional by a leader in our church, the Apostle Elder Jefferey R Holland. He spoke about always having the Spirit with us and it was just SO amazing! The discussion with my district afterwards was amazing. They are all so insightful! I know that we truly must strive to always have the spirit of God with us at all times and in all places. When we do, God will pour out blessings upon us. I have certainly felt that this week as I've been striving to learn and speak spanish as well as learning more about Christ's gospel. I could not be learning at the rate I am without the Spirit guiding me and helping me remember.
Wednesday was my first full day of classes! We also had a workshop about the gift of tongues, which is a gift the Spirit gives us to help us learn and speak any language we need. My perspective on learning spanish was completely changed in that workshop. I am not learning spanish for myself. Instead, I am learning spanish for the people of Mexico. It is they who need to hear the message of hope and joy that Christ provides, and they need to hear it in their own language! I am simply just their messenger :)
On Thursday, we were studying 1 Nephi chapters 8 and 11 (if you want to know what happens, read it! :D). Anyhow, in chapter 8 verse 15, we read it, and I felt the Spirit witness to me so strongly AGAIN that I was meant to serve and teach the people of mexico. It was such an amazing feeling! I invite each and every one of you to invite God more fully in your life. His guidance in my life is such a comfort, and I am so blessed to feel his love and direction in my life.
On Friday, my classes were almost solely in spanish! It was a little scary jaja, but it was also amazing how much progress I made in speaking and listening to spanish! Throughout the week, I had been working on memorizing some scriptures and other missionary things in spanish, and I feel that I made the most progress on this day. I think that when we focus and truly put the work in to things, we can be blessed with great rewards, especially when we have His Spirit guiding and helping us.
Lastly, Saturday! I'll be honest, I was pretty tired by Saturday, and I didn't pay attention as much as I could have in classes, and that made my classes a little harder to understand and get things from. It reminded me that in order to receive help in my learning, I need to put the effort in myself.
I just want to close with my testimony. I know that Christ is our savior and redeemer. I am so thankful to Him and for everything he has done for my life. I always want to have the Spirit with me, and I hope you all do as well. It truly is a blessing, and I would encourage each of you to reconnect with God if you feel like you haven't felt His presence in your life recently. If you sincerely pray to Him and humbly invite Him to be a part of your life, He will answer and make Himself known to you. It may not be in the way you think, but He will make Himself known.
I love you all!
Hasta semana!
Elder Jensen
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