baptisms

So transfers are this week and so I am not sure who my comp will be or where I will be by the time that I email again haha! My P day will be on Tuesday this next week instead of Monday too so just a heads up! I will let you all know what happens and where I am next week in emails!

Monday- We had a glorious P day spent hiking around at Bass Point in our area! We found a cool little bay that we walked too and we got to play some ultimate Frisbee on the beach! Then after that we got to go to got to Pat and Lez's house for a good dinner and a lesson!

Tuesday- Spent the first part of the day getting Elder Foa'i some much needed supplies and what not. Then we went and did some tracting and we didn't have much success and everyone wasn't interested but all is well! Then we got to go to the Roach's house for some dinner and it was delicious as usual and we had a good night there!

Wednesday- We had a doctors appointment in Wollongong for my companion because he has a broken wrist that never healed from back at home! He is going to have to get surgery where they re break the bones and set them so they heal properly so we will go back again in a couple weeks and work everything out! Then after that we went straight into some tracting and we had no luck but it was good to be out working! Then we went and had a lesson with Byron and we taught him the rest of the commandments! He is looking great for baptism! We just have to set a new date with him because he wants to have a day where all his family can be there! Then we went and taught Brendon and he is doing good and reading the Book of Mormon and we just need to get him to come to church! Then we went and had FHE but no one really came so we just had it with the missionaries and Sister Tyson! Then we had MCM and splits! We went and saw Sister Pickles with Bro. Hewson who is our home teaching companion!

Thursday-We did our weekly planning in the morning and it was good! Then we went out and did some tracting for a few hours. After tracting we went to go and see Klaus but he wasn't home! So then we went and had some dinner and the guy we bought food from gave us a free litre of coke so that was nice of him, and a blessing haha! Then we went to the chapel to make up Rob's baptismal program and after messing up numerous times we finally got it made right and I was able to calm down haha I was getting heated from messing up so many times haha!

Friday- We had a great DTM meeting and we got trained on our purpose as missionaries and it was awesome! Then we went and did finding and I was with Elder Densley for trade offs and while tracting we got to teach a JW lady at her door but she wouldn't accept our message or even let us say a prayer with her at her door haha! Then we went and had district lunch with everyone and it was a good time! After that we went and tried to see Klaus again but he wasn't home... again! So we got to do some tracting instead :) Then we went to see Paul Souris and his family which was awesome because they had a non member friend over at their house and he was full of questions so we got to teach him the Restoration and it was so awesome! The spirit was so strong and I just felt great after! Then we went saw Robert and Nicola. Rob got interviewed for his baptism and he passed of course!

Saturday- It was a full on day! We got to help out at the primary activity in the morning which was water games and it was so fun! After that was over we had to quickly clean the chapel, rush home and shower/change, then go back to the chapel for the baptism! The baptism went so solid! Rob was smiling from ear to ear the whole time it was incredible! The spirit that was there was truly amazing! After the baptism we had a surprise party for Keiran at the chapel too so we had to set up for that and get things ready and we spent the rest of the night there for that and cleaning up after the party!

Sunday- The confirmation of Robert was so awesome! I got to confirm him and I truly felt something special while doing it! I felt the Spirit working through me and I felt the power of the priesthood! He was teary eyed after and he told me that he felt something during that, that he had never felt before! It was special! Then we went and did finding after all our church meetings and we got to go and see Klaus finally and give him a blessing! It was a solid day!

My spiritual thought is about baptism, it is found in Moroni 6:4, "And after they had been received unto baptism,and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people ofthe church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the goodword of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone uponthe merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith."

Baptism is an essential ordinance to enter into the Kingdom of God, and living up to that covenant is also important for entry. As we rely upon the merits of Christ and nourished by the Good word, we are able to have strength to continue on this path that leads to our Father in Heaven.

Love you all have a good week!

Elder Jenson :)

Bass point

Ariel

and its their winter... rough life

bass point

Winter is coming to an end.. 

Look... You see that.... ?

Pretty bass point

I guess its a cool rock... 

Beazers one year

Slipin and slidin

fun group

Baptism

baptism

aaaaand another

The cutest comps

Short quick week

Monday- We had a good p day at the beach where we hike to a little island called Windang Island! It was a lot of fun and we also tossed a football around on the beach.. guess you could say that we are locals now.. :) Then we went and had dinner with sister Tyson and we got to have a good lesson on prayer with her!

Tuesday- We got to do some finding in the morning which was fun and we had a few people somewhat interested! Then we went and taught Byron about the gospel of Jesus Christ and it went so well, he loved it! He still hasn't smoked and he is looking solid for his bap date on October 1st! Then we got to go and do some service for Jared and have a good chat with him! He was getting married this week on Saturday so he was excited about that! Then we got to go to the Roach's house for dinner and a lesson so that was awesome as usual!

Wednesday- We followed up on some potentials in the morning and one of them let us in but we didn't have like the best lesson with him because he couldn't get over all the bad things that happen in the world. Then we went to visit some Less actives but there was no luck with that so we went and helped set up for FHE at sister Tysons and we got done setting up really fast so we went and did some door knocking until FHE and it went alright haha we met some really weird people so that is always fun :) Then we had a nice party at FHE for all the bdays in September! Then we went to MCM and had splits after that! Our visit fell through so Bro Tiananga took us to KFC so that was pretty sick haha!

Thursday- Today we did so much service! We helped take a trailer load of rubbish to the junkyard for a member and he shouted us lunch after. Then we went up to the Roach's house to help out to collect wood for the ward bonfire later in the week! It was a good day of service there and they fed us dinner afterwards so how blessed were we? very blessed!

Friday- Had a solid DTM about talking with everyone while finding! I went out and did tracting with Elder Hunt's trainee Elder Olsen and it was a lot of fun! He is so good at tracting already haha I was impressed! Then after that we had to help out at a funeral for an old lady in the ward. It was a good service because it was her time to go, so no one was too sad. After the funeral we went and had a lesson with Robert and Nicola. We taught him the final lesson and planned out his baptism for next week! It was solid and he is so stoked to get baptized!

Saturday- We went and saw Keiran in the morning and shared a scripture with him to help him get coming back to church! Then we went up to the Roach's to help make the final preparations for the bonfire that was at their house! They own 86 acres so that just helps give you an idea of how big their property is haha! We got more wood for the fire, dug a massive hole with the excavator for the bush dunny (portable outhouse thing) and set up all the chairs and what not! The ward activity was so solid and everyone showed up! Made me feel bad because back at home I never went to ward activities haha so I am going to do my best to go to all the ward activities when I get home!

Sunday- We had our usual 3 at church and everything went really good! We got Robert his white jumpsuit for his baptism so he is feeling so ready for it! After church we got to go and have lunch with this non member family we met! The wife met Elder Foa'i and Elder Beazer when they were on trade offs and her husband is Samoan, so they wanted to have Elder Foa'i come over since he is from Samoa! So we went over yesterday and they were awesome! They fed us so much food! She made a bunch of traditional Samoan food for my comp and her husband and then she made me Lasagna, and she is Italian so man it was delicious!! It was good for my comp to get to talk to a fellow Samoan from Samoa and it went really well :) Then we went home and finally did our weekly planning for the week and it was solid!

I want to share a scripture from D&C 82:10, "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."

The Lord will always keep His word as long as we do what he commands us to do! I have felt this promise fulfilled so many times in my mission and I know that the Lord truly loves us and blesses us for following Him and for living His Gospel!

Elder Jenson

back in high school i could throw a pig skin over a thousand yards

Elder Foa'i and cam

windang island

oh look a beached whale

they see you ladies... except cam.. he only sees Bekah...

They caught him ridin dirty... shoooooooot

same with elder Foa'i

Wood for the fire that probably lasted a week.

Bro Roach

His favorite dog Deisel

He broke his leg

We didn't start the fire.. its been burnin since the worlds been turnin..

mmm big fire... plastic fork.... and a marshmallow... it probably ended well.

see... all is well... 

doggie kisses and cement.

Monday- We only had 1/2 a p day but it was still good! We got to email and do our shopping. Then I had to update the Recent convert list for the zone to send to the AP's. Then we went out to the Roach's place for FHE and dinner! It was a good night and I love that family!

Tuesday- We were pretty flat out on this day! We started the morning off by doing some service where we mowed a less active member's lawn (jungle) and it was good! Then we went and saw Byron and we read the Book of Mormon with him and gave him a blessing to help him quit smoking! It was a solid visit and he is progressing well! Then after that we went and helped out Lez and Pat with moving some boxes that was good! Then we went and did some more visits to Klaus (guy with no legs) and the Johnstones which was good!

Wednesday- We did another day of concreting at the Roach's house and it went really well! It was fun to get to do some manual labor haha! Then we went and had some lunch up in his back paddock and it was sick! Then we went to MCM and stayed at the chapel after that to help out with combined mutual! We helped out with the minute to win it games and it was a lot of fun haha we even got to participate in some of them and it was legit!

Thursday- We went and helped the Johnstones to move some rubbish to their curb because they are moving to a new house. Then we went and saw Brendon and watched the Restoration video with him which went swell! Then we went to do some service for Jared and Latisha, we chopped some wood and it was a good workout haha! Then we had some dinner with them and also shared a Mormon Message with Jared. Then we did our weekly planning for the next week!

Friday- We had ZTM in Nowra which was really good! Elder Hunt and I trained on how to listen better and use scriptures in lessons to be able to resolve people's concerns! Then we had a lovely zone p day afterwards at Hyams beach! It has the whitest sand ever!! We just chilled and played games with the whole zone which was fun! Then I started trade offs with Elder Davis because he is a district leader and I have to do trade offs with the DL's! We went home and taught Robert and Nicola about the commandments and they are living them, and are starting to live the ones they weren't living already! He is so ready for baptism and things are looking good for the 24th of September for him!

Saturday- Started the day off with some service for Byron! He still hasn't smoked and he is feeling way good he says!! Such a miracle and a blessing from the Lord! Then we went and did some finding for the rest of the day but it just was a tough day for finding haha no luck! We got to go and have dinner and a lesson with Jared and Latisha after that so that was nice haha! After that we drove to Nowra to switch back companions!

Sunday- Byron, Nicola, and Robert were all at church. Byron still hasn't smoked and Robert is stoked for his baptism! Church went really good and I enjoyed the talks given in Sacrament meeting! After church and ward council we went and had some lunch before going out to tract. We had a good time tracting but no luck haha! Then we went and visited the Mackie family and they ended up feeding us dinner haha so that was a blessing!

My spiritual thought this week is about yielding ourselves to the will of God! Mosiah 3:19 tells us exactly what we need to do so that we can yield ourselves to God, "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

I love that scripture and I know that those attributes are essential to our Eternal Progression! Love you all have a good week :)

Elder Jenson

Concrete

lookin' good in those knee highs.

the slab they poured

deisel and cam.. cute little dog

oh wow.. he's on a beach.. again..

the zone

They tried to jump... 

Elder Davis and Cam waiting for the train. Davis is from Layton, UT

ROBBED

Monday- We had a wonderful district P day down in Kiama at the beach! We played some sports on the field right by the beach and it was a beautiful day! Then we went and tried to follow up on potentials but they said come back another day. Then we went and saw a less active member and we shared a message with him about trials!

Tuesday- I had MLC (missionary leadership council) with all the other zone leaders, President Back, and the AP's! I got to drive up with Elder Hunt and it was a good time getting to chat on the long car ride haha. MLC was good we learned a lot about finding and we did a lot of role plays to help us improve our teaching! It was a long meeting haha it went until about 6 so then we went home that night from the meeting and we just got dinner and that was about it haha!

Wednesday- This was a slow day. We had some appointments fall through which was a bummer, but we did get to see Brendon and we taught him the Plan of Salvation and set him on baptismal date! We just need to get him to church now, which is tough because he can't drive haha. Then we went to FHE which was really good and after that we had MCM with our ward mission leader. Then we went on splits and Elder Foa'i and I went to visit sister Tyson with Bro. Tiananga which went really good. We were laughing so much while we were there and just having a good time there, I don't think I have laughed that hard in a long time! Then we got back to the chapel and we got to play some ball with the youth, I only dunked on like 6 of them.. no biggie ;)

Thursday- We had zone conference with Pres and Sis Back! It was an awesome meeting and man it was so inspiring! One big thing I took away from it was that the Gospel is the greatest gift any of us could be given! I never want to lose or walk away from this great gift! I love this Gospel so much!! President Back is so inspiring and I know I was called to this mission because of him! Then after the meeting we went and gave a less active member a blessing!

Friday- We had a day full of finding in the rain! Went out and did a lot of tracting and street contacting but there wasn't much luck haha. That night we did get to go and see Robert and Nicola which was awesome and they are doing really good and are on track for their baptisms! We got to do our weekly planning too which was good but also boring! What can ya do though gotta get it done!

Saturday- We went out and did a lot of finding once again! We had our appointment with Byron fall through so we went and just did some street contacting and we tracted too! We went and saw sister Fisher in the old folks home and man it was so funny because there were 3 ladies who were just off their block man haha they were just arguing with one another and they were rambling off about random stuff! It is sad that they are losing their minds but we couldn't help but laugh at the situation haha luckily Sister Fisher is still fully there! After that we did more finding to end the night and we got some food shouted for all of us by Brother Amone!

Sunday- Man it was a good day at church, but no one was really there haha almost everyone was out of town. Byron and Nicola came to church though so that was good! Robert was really sick so he couldn't make it! After church we went and did finding all day and it was alright but since it was Fathers day here no one wanted to talk to us haha. Crazy part of the week right here, we got home that night and noticed that our money jar with our grocery funds in it was missing so we all joked around like, okay who hid it and what not. Soon we realized that none of us had it, so we began to look around and we saw that the back door where the laundry room is, was open a little! We went outside and found the jar laying on the ground with no money on it! We called President Back and the cops and they came Monday morning to take finger prints and what not. Nothing else was taken or even touched, they just took the money and that was it! Pretty lucky that was all that they took. The cops think it was just a punk teenager who wanted some quick cash. Pretty scary but we got the place all locked up now so we should be good haha!

My thought this week is a quote from an 86 year old man in the ward, "If you want to know if the Gospel is true, live it awhile!" I couldn't have said it better myself! You will know this Gospel is true as you live it and experience the happiness it brings into your life! You will know it is true by its fruits :) Have a good week!

Elder Jenson

Beach day for PEE day

Now we know who's who

some of the zone

yeah BOI

I don't see a knee brace, mom.... Better get after him. 

"K you guys stand there and I'll push off your shoulders so I can jump REALLY high."

Fresh sea food.

The hulk

Elder Yardly and Elder Hunt

The AP's

tall drink of water right thurrr

Thanks Elder Davis, now Cam wants us to send him a year supply of mac and cheese... 

Cabbage. I don't think he even likes cabbage...