Hey y'all!
This was such a great week! One of the families that we're working with (a part Member family) had only one obstacle between the wife and Baptism- they weren't married, and in order to get a wedding license, they had to have her birth certificate...which was stuck in Mexico. They were having lots of difficulty in the past getting it back, but it came this week, and they're planning on being married within the month! You'll likely be hearing more about the Mejia family as time
goes on.
There were a few amazing meetings we had this week, so I'll try to do my best to describe how inspirational they were. The first was our Zone Conference, which was on Thursday. Because we're so spread out in this Zone, it was just us gathering together; the smaller group of
only fourteen missionaries allowed for more personal teaching opportunities from our Mission President. At this meeting, we got to see an early viewing of the church's Easter Initiative video for this year, and all I can say about it is that it's a great one. However, as great as this meeting was, it paled in comparison to the next few.
On Saturday, the entire mission got together in the Arlington Stake Center. In the Chapel, we were quietly sitting, but we could barely contain our excitement. At the beginning of the meeting, in walked Elder C. Dale Willis Jr, the area seventy for this area. This man is
the general authority for our church for this part of the world. Following him was Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy, one of the head honchos for the aforementioned group of general authorities. After him walked in Bishop Gerald Caussé, the presiding Bishop of the Church. He holds all the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood on the Earth, and he also oversees all of the church's spending of tithing, humanitarian efforts, and other such things. Finally, in walked Elder Ronald A. Rasband, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a man whom we sustain as a prophet, seer, and revelator. We all had the opportunity of shaking their hands, which was a very special experience. For almost three hours, we were taught
by these inspired men, and we left that meeting on an incredible spiritual high.
The following day, we had a special Stake Conference. Why? Because Elder Rasband was coming to speak here too- and it was the first time an Apostle had ever visited this Stake. We tried to get there as early as we could, but the best seats we were able to secure were in the
This was such a great week! One of the families that we're working with (a part Member family) had only one obstacle between the wife and Baptism- they weren't married, and in order to get a wedding license, they had to have her birth certificate...which was stuck in Mexico. They were having lots of difficulty in the past getting it back, but it came this week, and they're planning on being married within the month! You'll likely be hearing more about the Mejia family as time
goes on.
There were a few amazing meetings we had this week, so I'll try to do my best to describe how inspirational they were. The first was our Zone Conference, which was on Thursday. Because we're so spread out in this Zone, it was just us gathering together; the smaller group of
only fourteen missionaries allowed for more personal teaching opportunities from our Mission President. At this meeting, we got to see an early viewing of the church's Easter Initiative video for this year, and all I can say about it is that it's a great one. However, as great as this meeting was, it paled in comparison to the next few.
On Saturday, the entire mission got together in the Arlington Stake Center. In the Chapel, we were quietly sitting, but we could barely contain our excitement. At the beginning of the meeting, in walked Elder C. Dale Willis Jr, the area seventy for this area. This man is
the general authority for our church for this part of the world. Following him was Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy, one of the head honchos for the aforementioned group of general authorities. After him walked in Bishop Gerald Caussé, the presiding Bishop of the Church. He holds all the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood on the Earth, and he also oversees all of the church's spending of tithing, humanitarian efforts, and other such things. Finally, in walked Elder Ronald A. Rasband, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a man whom we sustain as a prophet, seer, and revelator. We all had the opportunity of shaking their hands, which was a very special experience. For almost three hours, we were taught
by these inspired men, and we left that meeting on an incredible spiritual high.
The following day, we had a special Stake Conference. Why? Because Elder Rasband was coming to speak here too- and it was the first time an Apostle had ever visited this Stake. We tried to get there as early as we could, but the best seats we were able to secure were in the
back right corner of the chapel overflow, and we had arrived about two and a half hours early! When there was about a half-hour or so left until the meeting started, I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw somebody extend their hand into my field of vision, offering to shake
it. I grasped the hand and turned to see who it was, only to find myself one again shaking hands with Elder Rasband. He didn't enter near the stand and go to sit down. Instead, he entered at the front of the Cultural hall and proceeded to shake hands with people who thought
they wouldn't have a chance to do so because they didn't show up three and a half hours early. I knew he must have been a loving person to be an Apostle, but to see that love first hand (no pun intended) was an incredible testimony builder. One of the highlights of his talk was
when he pronounced an apostolic blessing upon the Stake, that it would flourish and grow, both growing larger and growing stronger. He paused after saying this, and said, "Is this the Bible belt? It is? Well then, you have your work cut out for you." However, we know that this blessing can and will come to pass, because as he told us missionaries on Saturday, "This is one of the great missions of the Church!" I don't even know what to say to follow up to that.
Hope y'all have a great week!
Elder Jensen
it. I grasped the hand and turned to see who it was, only to find myself one again shaking hands with Elder Rasband. He didn't enter near the stand and go to sit down. Instead, he entered at the front of the Cultural hall and proceeded to shake hands with people who thought
they wouldn't have a chance to do so because they didn't show up three and a half hours early. I knew he must have been a loving person to be an Apostle, but to see that love first hand (no pun intended) was an incredible testimony builder. One of the highlights of his talk was
when he pronounced an apostolic blessing upon the Stake, that it would flourish and grow, both growing larger and growing stronger. He paused after saying this, and said, "Is this the Bible belt? It is? Well then, you have your work cut out for you." However, we know that this blessing can and will come to pass, because as he told us missionaries on Saturday, "This is one of the great missions of the Church!" I don't even know what to say to follow up to that.
Hope y'all have a great week!
Elder Jensen
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