Easter E-mail

Man it has been a fast week! Here is the run down for ya!

Monday- We had a normal P day! We emailed, shopped, and had food! Then we went to the Shoobridge's house as usual for family home evening! We went on a nice little bush walk (hike) to a place called Boulder Bay! It was pretty sick I will send some photos of it! Then we went and had some din din at their house and had a nice spiritual chat.

Tuesday- Today was a day full of service! We started off at Norma and Maurice Wright's house to help move everything out of their garage to clean it out and then we moved it all back in into a nice orderly fashion. The blessing of helping them is Norma's cooking! She is a master chef! She made some bomb biscuits along with a nice grilled corn beef and cheese sandwich and we had some pancakes for dessert! I was stuffed! After we helped them we went out to Bega to the Walker's house to teach Atika and to dig up some of their grass! After we did that we went to the Parker's house for dinner! We got to play cricket with all the kids for ages and they loved it! Then we had dinner and shared a message about all the good things we do that we may not notice we are doing and it was great! 

Wednesday- We taught Kylea in the morning about the commandments and wouldn't ya know it, she accepted all of them and is already living like all of them! We always tell her that she is our golden investigator and she loves it haha. Then we stayed and helped out at the FHC and we had quite a bit of people come in and check it out since there are a lot of people here on vacation at the moment! Then we went and taught Atika again about the commandments as well! After that we went to a place called Infuse for Cymon and Nahomi's birthday dinner! It was us and the whole Parker Family haha it was a lot of fun and the food was bomb! 

Thursday- We got to go to Ulludulla to do trade offs with Elder Smith and his comp! It was so much fun being with him again! It was just like old times haha we work really well together and we make the work so much fun and that is key with missionary work! Him and I are so good at bouncing jokes back and forth off of each other haha it reminds me of how Dalton Dallimore and I were at home when we would just crack jokes hahaha. So I got to go to a teaching appointment that night with Smith and Cherrington and it was an awesome lesson! We got to have dinner at the Branch President's house and we taught the investigator at their home about the Restoration and it was great!

Friday-we got to go to a special DTM in Narooma with President and Sister Back, which is why we got to go to Ulludulla to do trade offs with Smith and his comp! The four companionships that were there were all from small, tough areas in the south coast. So we got to sit down with all of us and have a nice open discussion about the best ways to do missionary work in these small and tough areas and we got to vent a little about how tough they are haha! He said to look for opportunities to get involved with the communities and to do service for people! I love doing service it is a lot of fun! He also gave us permission to go fishing on the dock for a finding idea! All he said is to think outside of the box for finding and to stay in missionary mode which is easy to do! The awesome part is that President and Sister Back know that our areas are tough and so they don't get mad if we struggle there with the work because they know it is a tough and slow area! It was nice to get to vent a little and to hear some new finding ideas! They know Australia is a tough place to serve and especially our areas and they are open about it haha they don't expect us to be teaching 40 lessons a week but they just expect us to keep trying hard and make the most of what we have. We also talked a lot about planting seeds with them. Sister Back said that we need to measure our success in our mission with how many seeds we plant and not how many baptisms we have. She gave the idea to get a jar and to put seeds in it that night for however many seeds you planted that day, which I love and I might start doing because it makes ya feel better at the end of the day haha especially the long days! It is tough here with the work but not as bad as some places so I still feel very fortunate haha! Then we got to do some sight seeing with Pres and Sister Back in Narooma just because we are in tough areas and they wanted to treat us to something nice haha so that was a lot of fun! Then we drove home and had dinner and called it a night!

Saturday- We went to Sam and Mandy Parker's house for breakfast and then we went to this family fun park and did service on the bike track because Sam rides his bike there and he knows the owner! He was really grateful for the help! Then we did some more service at Debbie Parker's parents house in Pambulla! It is a beautiful place! We just did a lot of yard work and we missionaries finished it before anyone else got there because they were all late haha then we had a BBQ with everyone and then we went home! 

Sunday- We had church and we taught Kylea and Atika their final lessons, not at the same time obviously haha. So now they both just need to be interviewed! They are also getting baptized on the same day now which is the 2nd of April! We are stoked for it! Then we went to branch council after church which was good. Then we went home and had lunch and went and took the sacrament to Bega! While we were there we got a call inviting us to Easter dinner at the Parker's home with everyone! We got to do a fun Easter egg hunt with the kids and we had a delicious meal! It is so fun being around all of them they are like family! Then we shared a good Easter message with them and went home!

Monday- It was a public holiday so we didn't have P day! We went to Dylan's (Ben and Cymon Parker's kid) Birthday party at Mandeni, which is the family fun park where we did service on Saturday! We got to interact with some non members at the park and it was good! We also got to hit a bucket of balls at the driving range and the driving range is a big lake so that was so sick! My game is still weak though haha! Then we went to Josh and Nahomi's house for family home evening and we did another bush walk to a place called Games Bay! It was a beautiful hike! Then we shared the new mormon message with them called A Shower of Blessings.

My spiritual message this week is from 2 Nephi 2:8 

"Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy,and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise."

Because Christ died for our sins and rose again on the third day, we too will be resurrected and live again after we die! How awesome is that! I am grateful for my Savior not only during this Easter season but every day! I love him and without him I would be nothing and I would have no hope! I know the Atonement is real and I know we can live again and we can live with our families and our Father in Heaven and His son Jesus Christ! 

Love you all have a good week! :)

-Elder Jenson 

cute little Alex and the Elders

oooo model status... probably self timer

nice dreads

Selfie with da man (Prez. Back.)

Cam has a weird fear of birds... I'm impressed with how close he actually got

the boys... Left to right Elders Laga'aia, smith, (no idea who the guy is with the sunglasses.. assuming Smith's comp) Elder Cherrington, and Cam.

6 Hours away from the mission office means packages build up.. You're welcome, Cam... 

The district

Australia Rock

Senior mission couple, Brother and Sister Jensen

Nice glasses, bro. Sister Back and Cam.

The blue pools.. I want to go.

AHHHH CAAAAAANDY

Yard workin

Elder Laga'aia

Golfers The driving range at Mandeni!

Elder Cherrington, Cam, and Elder Smith

Little Alex was a little tired this day

This isn't real life....Boulder Bay

Games Bay

Steve Irwins worst nightmare.

Johnny boy and Cammy boy

the blue lagoon

Here is the recap for the week! :)

Monday- We emailed and got a massive feast from Maccas while we did that haha. Then we went to Bournda Lagoon with the Shoobridges! We got to take some sweet pics of us jumping off a sand dune and we ran 1.5 k's with the kids to help them train for their triathlon this week! Then we ate some dinner and walked around the beach a little bit! Then we went back to their house and shared the new Easter video with them!

Tuesday- It was rainy and so it made it hard for us to do any service for anyone and so we had a really slow day. We went to the Parkers house that night and we had a nice dinner with them and shared the Easter video with them as well! Go look it up!

Wednesday- We went to the FHC and visited everyone there and did a little family history ourselves! Then we went and taught Atika about the Plan of Salvation! Things went well and she is still excited to be baptized! She will be getting baptized in the Wright's swimming pool so that will be cool haha! Then we went to teach Kylea at the Wright's house and have dinner! We taught her about the Plan of Salvation as well! She understood it all because she has been reading a lot of stuff from LDS.org and Mormon.org! She is so awesome! Her husband sat in on the lesson too and he is so supportive of everything and he really like everything that we taught! They both find such peace in the messages we share! Kylea says that she feels so much peace when she reads the Book of Mormon and stuff on the church's websites! We are really hoping to set her husband on a baptismal date soon too because he is coming to church with her too! He is really supportive of her and she has good fellowship from the Wrights so things are going really well with her and we are super grateful and feeling blessed!

Thursday- We went and tore up a mattress for a member who owns a motel and we did it in record timing he said haha. Then we went and worked on the Shoobridge's shed for the rest of the day. The sucky part was all the progress we made on it has to be undone next time we come over haha because the roof is slowly going crooked so we need to unscrew that and fix it. Any of you who know me probably know how excited I was after that hahaha I tend to get frustrated with little projects easily when they don't work like I want it to haha just ask my mom :) Then we had dinner with them and talked to Josh about the branch and all the progress that is going on!

Friday- We called in for DTM in the afternoon, then it was down pouring outside again so we were limited for what we could do. Then later on we went to Ben and Cymon Parker's house for a delicious dinner and a message! We got to play some fun games with their 3 kids while we were there too so it was a solid night there! 

Saturday- We got to go and do a devotional at the stake young men's camp out that was at Bournda National park which is in our area! We had a good devotional about preparing to serve a mission and we answered any questions that they had so that was way cool! Then we went to the lake with them and helped out with the activities there and just got to get to know everyone! Then we got to be the judges for their master chef competition! They made us some delicious mexican food and I was so impressed to be honest haha! Then we went and did some service/visits with the leaders and young men! I got to go with the Stake President and some other guys to visit a less active member in Cadello! It was good to finally make contact with this member! Then we went and had some mallos around a campfire and then we had to go home because it was almost curfew haha!

Sunday- We had Branch Conference and there were a lot of members that came down from Canberra for it plus all of the young men! For the opening hymn we sang The Spirit of God and holy cow the Spirit was so strong when we sang that! It gave me the chills. It was pretty legit not gonna lie! Then we got to teach Kylea after sacrament about the Gospel of Jesus Christ! The lesson was solid as usual and the Spirit was so strong! She calls the Gospel and the Book of Mormon her medicine haha because it helps her to feel calm and happy and at peace :) Then we had a munch and mingle down at the park where we got to eat some fetching awesome food and mingle with members! I love being in a branch and getting to know everyone personally! It is just like a big family! Kylea and her husband came to the munch and mingle as well and they get along great with everyone and the fellowship is so awesome!! They had american hot dogs at the park too so I made sure to eat my fair share of those haha I miss american hot dogs! Then we went and took the sacrament to the ladies in Bega, did some studies, and made some bomb BBQ chicken and mashed potatoes! 

My spiritual thought for the week is from Proverbs 29:18, Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. 

We must keep to the vision or goals that we have for ourselves and constantly set new goals. As we do that and prayerfully ask for help and guidance we will be blessed and happy! We are happier as we keep the commandments of God and submit ourselves to his will! 

Love you all have a good week!

-Elder Jenson

isn't he the cutest? Yes.

HIIIII-YAAA

Jumping off the sand dunes..

pew pew pew... 

woah ninjas.

Cameron and Alex

Cameron and Hailey

Cam and Elder Cherrington

Squad

Cute little belly boy

Family time

HE CAN COOOOOOK

Our special boy.

such a G catching fish out of the ocean

Monday- We just did emailing, shopping, and got some haircuts. Then we went to the Shoobridge's home for dinner! We played spike ball with them and it was a lot of fun! Elder Cherrington and I beat Josh and Naomi pretty soundly! It was a fun night with them!

Tuesday- We had a pretty slow day this day up until we did some service for the Parkers! We got there and we did some concreting for their new aviary that we built! I learned how to mix concrete and stuff so that was pretty cool! Then we went inside and talked with Mark who is the dad of the family and he is just the man. He is so down to earth and he loves to talk and tell stories hahaha and Debbie (his wife) always asks him to do stuff but he is partially deaf so he doesn't hear her plus he just ignores her a lot too, it can be pretty funny! Then we ate some prawn that they caught the night before and I learned how to shell a prawn and take its head off so that was cool! The prawn was really fresh and delicious! Then we shared a message with them about having faith in Christ and having your burdens be made light through Him!

Wednesday- We came to Family History at the Chapel and we did some more family history! I got to watch some of the Face to Face with Elder Holland and it was really cool to hear some advice from an apostle of God! Then after that we went and did some service at the Walker's house. Then we taught Atika the Restoration of the Gospel and we moved her Baptism to one week earlier on April 2nd! We are so excited for her to be baptized! Then after that we went and had dinner and went over to Tom's to visit him! 

Thursday- We went and worked on the shed for the Shoobridges and got some of the roof done. Then we went to a funeral service for a lady from the branch. I never met her but it was cool to get to know her through her funeral service. Going to funeral's are a really spiritual experience for me, it is so comforting to know that they are resting from their cares and sorrows in a paradise. I know life continues to on after this life and I am so grateful for that! Then after that we went to the luncheon at a golf club and we sat with Atika and her sister Hailey. While we were eating Atikia brought up her baptism without us saying anything! She is so excited to be baptized and its cool to get to work with her to get her to the big day! Then after that we had splits with some of the branch presidency and I got to go with Josh Shoobridge! He is the man! We had no luck with our visits, but we found out that some people have moved haha but we had some good talks and he shouted me a shake and a mcmuffin from maccas! Pretty solid day!

Friday- We had our ZTM over the phone! It sucks not being able to be there for the trainings in person haha but what can ya do! Then we went to the Branch activity later that night at the park. We played touch footy with all the kids and the Branch President and we ate some good food together! Then we went over to Tom's house to visit him and have a good chat! Pretty slow and boring day to be honest haha.

Saturday- We woke up and went to Sam and Mandy Parker's house for some delicious breakfast! Then we helped to set up a tent for their son's birthday party later in the day. Then we left there and went to hurry and go help out our neighbor to move his old fridge out and put the new one in! Then after that we went back to the Parker's house to help them out some more with setting up with the party. Mandy bought these water balloons that fill up 30 of them all at once and we filled them up for her and after that she gave us some extras to fill up for ourselves so my comps and I had an awesome water balloon fight! Then we helped decorate some more and whatever else needed to be done. Then we got invited to stay for the party and we helped out with everything and helped eat all the food :) haha we got to mingle with non members and show our fun side so that was nice! Then after that we went fishing with our neighbor that we helped move his fridge earlier in the day! We went right to the beach behind our flat (2 minute walk) and we fished with him for a couple hours and got to know him better! He is an old guy and you can hardly understand what he says haha but he likes us and we like him! I caught the only fish that night and I think that it was one of the biggest fish I have ever caught! I felt pretty G catching a fish out of the ocean in Australia haha pretty cool accomplishment! Then we went and got some late night maccas for dinner after that!

Sunday- We went to church and one of our investigators Kylea came because she is finally back in town! We taught her the Restoration during Sunday School and had her friend in the Branch Sister Wright sit in on the lesson with us. The Spirit was so strong in that lesson! It was the coolest first lessons I have taught on my mission by far! We invited her to be baptized onApril 9th and she said yes! She said that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has filled a hole in her life that she didn't know was there! She said that she feels like she has finally found what she has been looking for her whole life! I was on the verge of tears when she told us that and I was just so blown away and so ecstatic for her and the decision she has made! Man it was just so legit! I love being a missionary!! We don't get to teach that many lessons here so that's why this was so cool and such a big deal haha! We now have two baptisms one week apart! We are truly feeling blessed down here in Merimbula! Then we went to Branch Council and after that we went home for some lunch! Then we went to Bega to take the Sacrament to two sisters but one was not feeling well that day so we only got to see one, which was still good and we were happy about it! Then we did some studies and watched Mormon Messages at the flat and ate dinner! 

My spiritual message of the week is on our choices we make. 

"This life is the time to prepare to meet God. We are a happy, joyous people. We appreciate a good sense of humor and treasure unstructured time with friends and family. But we need to recognize that there is a seriousness of purpose that must under gird our approach to life and all our choices. Distractions and rationalizations that limit progress are harmful enough, but when they diminish faith in Jesus Christ and His Church, they are tragic." - Elder Quentin L. Cook from his talk "Choose Wisely"

We must never take our eye off of our Savior Jesus Christ and we must always make choices that are in line with his teachings. As we do, we will be blessed beyond our imagination and we will be lead to greater things and our happiness will increase! I testify that to be true! 

I love you guys have a good week!! :) 

-Elder Jenson 

At this rate... they wont finish the shed for another year or so.

With Emmit at the funeral

Da boyz

Gangstaaaas

cuties

cuz one picture of the three of them wasn't enough haha

Elder Laga'aia burning one of his 3 shirts left for his year mark

Strike a pose.. realizing that will be his shirt one day

Strike a pose

after the water balloon fight... I wonder if he ever works? haha

massive balloon

He lives the dream life

Only one to catch a fish boiiii