SINGEN!!

January 19, 2015

Gabe made it to his new area and is already super busy!  This is a little excerpt from his email to his mission president.

"Well I'm here in Singen and ready to go!  I haven't even been here a week but I already love it!  The Zweig (Branch) is awesome and so supportive.  The ride from Wien to Singen was...LONG but really cool.  Elder Meilsøe is an amazing missionary and I'm already learning a lot from him.  I'm excited to see all the success we'll see together, we have some great goals that will make us stretch but are for sure reachable.  I'm excited to serve the zone and get to know them all better.  Another huge plus of this new area is Elder and Sister Lee! When I arrived late Thursday night, there they were willing to give us a ride and buy us food.  I can already tell they are awesome and we will love them!"

New Companions!  Gabe and Elder Meilsøe

Überraschung!!! "Transfer Surprise"

January 12, 2015

"Hallo Familie,

What a busy good week!  So Monday, I went to primemarkt with Elder Geilman to buy him new shirts.  After we went and ate dinner and shared a spiritual thought at the Familie Scheibstocks.  They are a less active family.  They always feed us so-o-o much and live out in Bürgenland (close to Hungary).  They've been coming back to Church so it's cool to work with them!

Tuesday we had Zonetraining in Wien.  We found out some new rules...their is a rule that we speak German from 9 in the morning to 9 at night.  I like it, I like speaking German and it helps A LOT.  

I tausched in Wien with Elder Eldredge - he is an international Elder so I get to see so much of Wien.  We taught some German.  

Wednesday we tausched back..I taught Reja that night.  We read in the Book of Mormon with them, Reja has made a lot of progress and loves the reading assignments we give her.  

Thursday we walked the streets finding people, that night we had Gemeinderat.  I love the ward and have gained their trust I feel.  We talked to them about the people we've been teaching and the progress made.

Friday we did weekly planning, then later on met with Reja again.  It went well and we used the Tree of Life vision von Lehi to introduce the Gospel and how it helps us progress down the path to the "Tree of Life" or the Love of Jesus Christ and all that comes from him.  We mentioned die Taufe (baptism) and will talk more on that next time.  That night we had Spiel und Spaß, played some table tennis and Uno.  It was fun!

THEN Saturday came, Transfer call morning!  I always get nervous for some reason.  Anyways the morning came and the calls weren't coming.  Then finally Elder Jensen and Elder Abbot called, our Zoneleaders, and were thanking us for our time together.  Then they said "we don't know what's happening with you guys, let us know when you know, okay?"  Well thirty minutes pass and we get a call from President - telling ME to pack my bags and that I'm being transferred to Singen, Deutschland.  Überraschung (Surprise), YEAH!!!  Singen is part of the Zürich Stake and close to the Switzerland Border, also close to Lake Constance and other than that I know nothing about it. There's three zones in Germany:  Stuttgart, München and Freiburg.  Now I'll be in the Freiburg zone, so I've served in all three zones in Germany.  This zone has just about all of the Black Forest, part of Switzerland and the Alps.  I'm going to be companions with Elder Meilsøe from Norway.  So now I know I have to pack my bags!  I sent out a message to everyone in the ward, they were all shocked.  I gave my goodbye testimony at Church on Sunday.  We also had 2 eating appointments, one with familie Genga and the other at Br. Pillmans.  Said lots of goodbyes and it was not fun.  I love this ward, they have treated us really well.  I hope progress can continually be made and relationships strengthened in the ward.  I'm still shocked I'm being transferred, I was convinced I would be staying..but now I'm literally being transferred to the other side of the mission!!!!  I love you all and hope you have a great week :)

Elder Jensen"

Overlooking the city of Wien

 Reja and Fam

New Years Fortune Cookie

January 5, 2015

"Hey Familie,

So we had to be home by 10 this New Years Eve, but we spent it with our Bishoff and his family until then and it was a lot of fun!  I got my New Years fortune from a fortune cookie at their house, it said "Ohne sie läuft wenig.  Jeder baut auf Ihren Einsatz" (translation: without running low, each builds on their use).  I thought that was pretty cool!
So this week was really good and busy!!  Oh how I love those weeks!
I had two tausches this week, first one here in WNS with Elder Richman.  It was a way fun tausch!  We worked hard together and we talked a lot, told stories and laughed.  That night we ate at a Texas pizza oven restaurant that we found.  We both love country music and they had it playing at this pizza place, first time hearing it in a long time!
We had Distriktsmeeting, it went okay.  President comes up with the plan now, so I kind of just guide it a long now.  We have a pretty small distrikt.
Then came New Years, which was a normal day.  We tausched in Wien, I went with Elder Nelson.  He's quiet but funny and a hard worker. We spent the first day just 'finding' and that night we gave out 5 Books of Mormon and we found 4 Potentials!!!  It was so much fun and we both had great attitudes!  The next day of the tausch we taught Alex.  He is from Ukraine and really cool.  I got to see a lot of Wien, it's a really pretty city.  Huge old churches everywhere!!  
Back in WNS, this week we met with Gerngyi (Hungarian frau).  We took a Hungarian member with us which was good, and we talked and talked about the comfort of the Gospel.  She needs the gospel, I can see her getting baptized.  She lives in a dorf in the middle of no where.  That night we also taught Reja too.  I love them!  They are so nice.  She said a personal prayer for the first time with us - so so cool!!!  She is Catholic and usually states memorized prayers, but we taught her and committed her to say a personal prayer...and she did it!!  Reja came to church on Sunday as well.
I really love the members here and the ward.  Transfer calls are this week, anything can happen.  The Lord knows what he's doing.
In ending, a short miracle story.  So from beginning of December I've been asking in my prayers for more opportunities to use my Priesthood and give blessings.  Well since then numerous members have come up to me and asked me to give them a priesthood blessing or help them give one.  As well as people we are teaching right now too.  In just the last few weeks I've given about 5 blessings! Shows the trust the members have in me as well, I respect that a lot and it's another testimony booster!!!

Love you all and hope you have a great new week

LG,
Elder Jensen"

A White Christmas comes Late...

December 29, 2014

"Hallo Fam,

I'm going to keep this email short due to lack of time..and we just talked not too long ago!  

We ended up getting snow on the 26th (Christmas #2).  Snow is fun and all but not so fun to live in.  We got to shovel it all at the Church Sunday morning - before Church because the city came way late!  Nineteen years later, and my first time shoveling snow.  It was fun though!  We also had so many eating appointments this week, oh gosh.

First off, on Sunday, I Elder Jensen had Blutwurst.  That's right BLOOD SAUSAGE.  We ate at the Hungarians for dinner.  It was definitely one of the highlights of the week, haha.  It's so weird and salty...and just weird.

So this whole week to keep my mind on my purpose (not getting too wrapped up in the holidays).  I've been having some good conversations with God through prayer.  I have a list of these people that we've made contact with a couple weeks ago but they are away for Holiday.  I've been keeping them in mind and asking that we can make contact with them as soon as they get back.  It's been good because it's been keeping them on my mind even though they are gone...a lot of them are really cool too, we just haven't met with them yet.

The "highlight" though was the story about this Frau we met with on Saturday.  We really just listened to her when we met with her.  Sad and complicated story and us Elders don't get too involved with that - we just listen.  Anyways she ended up coming to Church with the member who came with us to visit her.  She said she wants to come again!  I ended up giving her a picture of the Savior that I had in my scriptures too.  She was very touched and I could tell it meant a lot to her!  So please pray for her that we can be bold and that she will accept the gospel in her life.  At first I don't think she was looking for the gospel, but she NEEDS it in her life.  I know as she accepts it she'll realize that more clearly.

I love you all and hope you all have a great week and New Years!

Love Elder Jensen"

FROHE WEIHNACHTEN!!

December 25, 2014

We had our 3rd skype call with Gabe!!!  Only 1 more to go until he is HOME!  Always so wonderful to see his smiling face and to hear his voice!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

< skyping with Elder Jensen! >

Es ist fast Weihnachten!!!

December 22, 2014

"What up Fam,

I'll keep this one short since we will be seeing each other on skype soon!  

We were able to meet with Reja during the week, I love that family, they are the coolest, nicest, most humble family.  The language gap is not too fun but we do our best to teach through it.  

Since being here in Wiener Neustadt I have literally absolutely no fear of talking with everyone.  Before hand, I didn't have a fear of talking to people on the streets but on the buses and trains it would come and go.  Here there is hardly anyone on the streets sadly, so I have been able to find some really cool people on the train rides.

We had our Christmas ward party last Saturday.  Jose was in charge and us Elders helped the whole time, decorated the Church and had songs ready to sing, it was a lot of fun!  We even listened to a little Michael Buble Christmas music.  The party went well and there were so many less actives and friends that came!

I was asked basically on Friday to give a talk in Church on Sunday.  I was thrilled because missionaries never give talks in this ward.  I felt honored!  It was special Christmas Sunday and I gave a talk about the true meaning of Christmas.  Lots of members came up to me and thanked me afterwards, telling me they really enjoyed it.  Our ward is awesome and got us so many appointments with members!!!  We are busy this week with member appointments, which will be good for this holiday week.

In the mean time I have been sick with a bad cold which is never fun, especially this time of year.  I'm hoping it dies down quick.  Anyways, I love you all and thanks for all your prayers and support.  I have to take the mission as it comes, some times are harder than others.

Love Elder Jensen"

Christmas in Wien

Love of Life

December 15, 2014

This weeks email comes right after hearing about the passing of a dear Aunt...sad news from home.

"Familie,

So I don't have a lot to say now, sorry.  All I can think is how grateful we can be for the knowledge we find in the Gospel.  No matter what knowledge we have or know, it does not take the sorrow away.  Goodbyes no matter for how long or how short are never easy.  "To take sorrow out of death is to take love love out of life" - and that is impossible.  The only thing I can now say is simply hold fast to the knowledge we already have.  The knowledge of our Savior and wonderful things following his death for us, mainly his Resurrection.  But until that day comes, where we will be reunited with those we love we must continue on and live the life we have now, with LOVE and GRATITUDE.  The sorrow will still be there, but continue on giving thanks to the Lord for what we do have.  Take life  one day at a time and embrace it.  LIVE IT.  LOVE IT.  Because you never know when the final goodbye here on Earth to a loved one or friend will come.  So live life with no regrets.  Never forget to give thanks to the simplest things.  Never forget to let those dear to you know how much they mean to you.  Live life so that when the goodbyes do come, and they will come, we can look back and reflect on the great times with out any regrets.  We can all give witness of how fast time flies.  A one liner in the book of Jacob that I like, says how "the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream."  So fam, let us make good memories now together.  So that one day we can all look back together, while we are sitting in Paradise, and reflect on the good memories we made together.  Live a life full of Love and I promise you - Your light and countenance will be known.  Despite the hard trials that come, the sorrow we'll go through, let us NEVER forget the hope that is within us.  Let us never forget the Power of our Savior's Atonement, his love for us.  Let us always be ready to share this hope that's in us with others.  One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible that I actually just shared with a member yesterday is in 1 Peter Chapter 3, I encourage you all to read the chapter.  But the 2 verses that stick out to me now are...

         14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

         15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the                 hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

I love you all and am so grateful for all that you all have done for me.  I'm grateful that I can look back and reflect on the great memories we've already made and excited for those that are yet to be made.  Remember our Heiland at this time.  He will heal all sorrow.  I love you all.

Love Elder Jensen

(Last week we had an awesome Conference with President and his Christmas gift to us was we got to watch "Meet the Mormons")

Advent Zeit

December 8, 2014

"Hallo Familie,

I can't believe that we are a week into December, gosh!  Time goes by fast.  This week was better than last week, but still can get better.

So last Monday was a pretty normal P-Day, that night we went to visit a member in the hospital.  She is doing okay though so no worries.

Tuesday we had Distrikt meeting and ate some really yummy pizza afterwards.  Wien is really big, still have yet to see any of their Christmas markts.

The week overall went by faster, I set up some appointments to meet with people so that was good.  The time is kind of rough, but I'm doing my best to stay positive and upbeat and get things accomplished.  My German has been suffering a little because I haven't been speaking it as much lately.  I want to continue doing all the little things that bring the miracles that make me feel happy and all.  A time ago in Augsburg, after General Konferenz, I prayed to Heavenly Father and made him a promise that I would never forget which way I face (second talk in the Oct. 2014 General Konferenz).  He loves to test you sometimes, haha.
The Christmas fireside is really coming along!  We got the invitations done and I've been giving them to everyone on the street.  Although I think the real success is going to come from Members inviting their friends.  I'm anxious to see how it works out!
The highlight of this week would definitely be Krampus or the Parchten lauf!!!  Some members invited us to it so we traveled out to this dorf to go to one, it was a smaller one by OH MY!!  It was CRAZY, one of the coolest things I've seen on my mission and probably life, haha.  They were really creepy and huge and had fire, AC DC was playing in the background..they have no limits.  They warn the kids before hand that only the brave ones go up to the fences, because they will not stop!  Little kids would be crying and screaming, and they still mess with them and yell at them, whip their legs!  I took a selfie with one of them while they were walking by and then he whipped me really hard on the legs.  They had fire dancers and people blowing fire while all the "creatures" were running and walking around klinging their bells to them.  I tell you it was crazy!  There were only 5 groups so this one wasn't that big (each group has about 10 creatures and a name, they have a certain look to them and they march group by group throughout the city).  The one in Wiener Neustadt has 25 groups!!! We got invited to another one on Sunday, a bigger one, but that is not a Sunday activity.  
I've learned something about myself, some people like it and others are not a fan of it..as far as work goes and 'success,' I'm satisfied of course, but never really content, I'm always wanting to improve or find out what we can do better and then do it!
Anyways, Frohe Weihnachten!!!

LG
Elder Jensen"

Krampus - Parchten lauf