A Stormy Week

Mis Queridos!

This week has been wild! Everything started out normal Monday morning... Until our car died at 9:15PM when we were SUPPOSED to be returning home for the night! We got a jump and made it home before 10, but we also realized that we had left our phone at the church, so we had no one to contact about it. Luckily I had our District Leader's phone number and we called him from the phone of the same member that gave us a jump! That was a good thing because we found out that our District a meeting would be in another building the next day! 

Flash forward to Tuesday and we are feeling out of luck! Our car was dead again in the morning, so we said a prayer and started knocking on doors. It was quite a change because this time we were asking for help instead of offering it. The first door we knocked on led to a nice neighbor of ours who gave us a jump and we made it to District meeting on time. (Still no phone). We contacted the vehicle coordinator through email and he had us go to a shop and get the battery replaced. By the time we made it back to the church for our phone, the Elders had already retrieved it! We got it back safe and sound, and had only missed calls from the Zone Leaders and Sister Training leader, wondering about what on earth had happened to their comrade. 

Wednesday the storm hit, and we were stuck inside or out in the rain all day. Thursday, we were again inside most of the day, but received a call from Elder Casperson asking me and Sister Gessel to book it to Tampa in order to beat the storm and make it to the Missionary Leadership Training the next day. We met up and drove out to Tampa and stayed the night with 12 other Sisters! Look at all of us! 

There were Air Mattresses EVERYWHERE! 

Yep, it was a crazy night.

Then we had the crowning event of this week. Our Missionary Leadership Council. It was so spiritually invigorating, I can't even tell you all! We had all come prepared to discuss certain things, but nothing could have prepared us for the Spiritual Fire and Zeal of President Cooper. He has such a love for this work... It was amazing to see the Spirit work through all of us and confirm to all of us that the things we discussed were right. I still can't shake the feeling.

When I got back to Lakeland, we shared the Book of Mormon with a family that is probably the most prepared I've seen to accept our message of hope, and I found out that my companions had set a date with the first person I really met in Lakeland! He will be preparing to get baptized this month! 

We also worked on our Companionship Unity this week, and it brought this wonderful man to tears just an hour ago. He is preparing to be baptized and as my companions and I testified of the truth, he felt the Spirit witness to him that it is true. He is working so hard to prepare to follow the Savior and I am so excited for him! 

Also on Sunday, Jacklyn was confirmed! It was such a miracle!

I also witnessed a change in the Bishopric of the Highlands ward. Bishop Adams, who has been serving in that capacity for the last 6 years was released and Bishop Hendricks was called. They are both wonderful men. The Stake President described them using words from the Bible:

"2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."

He talked of how these men had been called of God to perform a great work and it made me think of my own calling as a Missionary to preach the Word of God.

I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be here in Florida, bearing my witness of Christ to all those I see.

Have a wonderful week! 

Amor,

Hermanita Jensen