I feel a greater purpose being here

You have been wondering what a typical week is like. We try to avoid contacting, and visit investigators mas, and members, but sometimes we have no choice. We run dry. And all our investigators are from contacting. We have some really awesome investigators, and I feel a greater purpose being here. I love that feeling. And about 4 times a week we will have a member go with us.
To let you know are schedule. We wake up at 7:00am and go to bed at 11:00 pm
It's funny you ask me about the language.  You are right when you said that Lord helps us when we use his power, and overall He helps me learn and maintain, and now I understand a lot and say a good bit of what I want, and it´s actually quite thrilling and exciting to realize that. The funny part is now that I´m at this point where I can say and understand most people. Well we went to member´s house to visit them, and the father of the family started talking about space and the universe, and at this point i understood. He continues to talk about space, then careers, then church history and something about native Americans in Utah, and Argentina, then something about sacred books of China, and I´m sure talking about false doctrine, and the more he talked to me, the more I got lost, and by the end I was completely and utterly lost and had no idea what he was talking about.

I wish had more time to write about investigators.

Mom, Thanks for your letters I enjoy them mucho. I hope Teresa will be OK. We need to be positve and patient. That some traits I've learned this week.
Tenga exito in school. wow I did not think you would go to the U. I guess Nate is going there tambien.

Thanks for all you do. your love and your example

Thanks for the thought you gave me. and your letters. Gracias.

Con amor
Elder Bransen Gene Jensen

Your quote is form ¨"dumb and dumber" Your quote is:" Oh you guys have a buggie in your house".

When the Spirit leaves so will I.

Well it seem as if things are back to normal.

Sounds like Emalie has been a good mom substitute, while mom has been gone. GOOD JOB EM BIEN HECHO. Tell Collin and Ashley contention is of the devil. I know this even more as a missionary. Because I´ve experienced contention with others throughout my mission and this week. The story this week is when we were on entercambios de compaños (exchanges) I was in the area of the other Elder. We clapped at a house, a man came out, asked us "what gospel we preach?" then he would interrupt before we could answer and would ask again, and argue. My companion ( the other Elder) said, we don't want to fight, just want to share. anyway the man continued to be rude, and do the same thing, and we strait up and left, with the spirit, about 30 sec or less into talking with him. It is a good goal of mine now: when the spirit leaves so will I. Contention can shoo the spirit away like that. So don't do it.

We actually have an investigator who's a pastor for an Evangelical church, who we have taught 2 times. He listens and is very nice. Last night we taught an investigator that I have not taught but my companion has. It went really well and the spirit was overpowering but calm, and makes me grateful for the opportunity to teach.

On Saturday, we taught a new investigator, who I'm glad that we found. He needs the gospel. We found him Tuesday and taught him Saturday. Anyway we were trying to look for him and he came out of his house. Then invited him in. At first we chatted, then he stared to cry, and he was drunk at the time. Anyway he told us how one of his sons was murdered. He was crying for a while and we prayed and told him some gospel principle that would help him. And we gave a blessing and I said the words, my first time saying one in Spanish. (Wow I´m amazed on how far my Spanish has come and far far away it needs to go). Anyway at the end of the lesson or visit, he was in a lot better shape emotionally, and said he felt better after the blessing. Wow What an intents experience we had. I grateful for the chance the help people. WOW.

Anyway That´s what has happen. Thank for your letters and all you do for me, and your spiritual thoughts

I love you, and God loves you

ama,

Elder Bransen Gene Jensen

PS. your quote "Satan's trials are a work out" es de Ashely or Em. My quote for you is; "You two are still living"

Photos from Christmas party last month

I'm growing with great people

Answer to mom's questions: Is it as hot in Neuquen as Roca? yes.  Do you like it? yes.  Have you made any contacts? yes.  How far is church from your pension?  the church is not that far from our pension.

Thank you mom, I've learned to have more fun and enjoy the hard times. Still learning. Always will. Thanks for having trust in me and loving me. It is a honor to be here in the mission, I love it, and I'm growing with great people.

Ok then, I`ll tell you more about my companion. He is form American Fork. He's quiet, meaning his not loud, but he still talks to everyone. We talk a lot so he's not quiet in that sense. He is a real good Elder and wants to follow all the rules and do his best. He and I get along really well, and I told him that he could be an actor for Veggietales because of his voice. He came to Argentina the same time I did, but waited for his visa in Georgia for 6 1/2 months.

Yes we are in the the southwest of Neuquen. The the work is picking up more, but Argentina is generally a little difficult. But I have very high hopes for the area and I know we will baptize some in are area.  I'll tell you more about investigators later.

So, some funny things that happen this week. In one day we saw many things. So we saw a drunk man fall off this elevated platform about 7-9 feet tall down a tree, into green shrubbery. We went to see if he was ok. He got up just fine, but could not speak, which appears to be caused be smoking. But after we asked him, he wanted my conpanion´s watch.
Then at the end of the day walking back, this old lady told us that Jesus and Mary came to her house while she was cooking and she feed them food. Then they left.
Today when we went shopping, after checking out our stuff. I asked for a bag. They did not have any. Then I thought how in the world are we going to carry our stuff walking. Thankfully my companion had two bags, and I had my shoulder bag. We put our stuff in our bags, then the handles on my bag broke. So I carried it like it was a baby, and had to stuff some cereal bags in between my arm and shoulder bag, and while walking, stuff fell and one a my milk bags had a leak. So that was fun. Glad our pension was close. There´s another story for you.

Wow, sounds like the ward has a new member. Que tal. Wish I had more time to write. but It´s time.

Thanks for all you do, and for your letters, and you love and support.

God loves us so much YO Sé

Love Elder Bransen Gene Jensen

Your quote "I have a headache the size of St. George" is from mom. Your quote is: "Can you keep it down my chickens are trying to sleep´´ easy one. 

Transferred to Neuquen Oeste Area

Well I did get transferred. I´m in the Neuquen oeste (west) area. My Companion is Elder Stoker. We get along well, but he is really quiet, but that´s OK his a real good Elder and we are working. The area is city, and part of it is on a slope up to a plateau, and it has been hot. I hope that describes it. Overall I don´t know the area that well yet, because I am new. So give me un poco para contestar sus pegentas.

(Tambein, quisaz espribir alguno esañol.)

I like the allegory Emalie had, about the door. And that´s a funny story. Thanks for your spiritual story, and your funny story.

I have story. I and my new companion were waiting outside for some other elders that were going to stay with us for while. Anyway they arrived and a neighbor came across the street and said she had a question for us, but she said "I what to talk to him (pointing to me) because his looks like he studies more". Anyway she asked me what is the difference between us, the Jehovah witnesses, Catholics, and someone else. I asked her to repeat her question. Then she started to speak to me in a different language(attempted English but not even a bit close or understandable language). Then I said Spanish please. I did not understand. Anyway I shared some of are beliefs and told her I don't know much about the other religions that much, but somewhere in the mix a re asking her to repeat. She repeated the same phrase 3 or 4 times. I thought of Collin and Conrad and how they would of probably laughed, and wish I could imitate the sounds she was making over email. Anyway I hope this story is understandable.

Anyway sounds like you had fun, at the condo, and found new trails to hike. Emalie, think every time you go hiking, think that one of my investigators is going to go to chruch. jaja.

Love Elder Bransen Gene Jensen

PS - Your quote "I think Bransen will marry a girl" is from Ash.

We'll even pick up rocks in the vine Del Senor

Wow, that will be fun that you get to go to Mar´s new house. It may sound weird but when you have fun, it is like I get a taste of what ever you're doing. And the Gift of the Holy Ghost is a foretaste of living with God. PMG Chap 4.

 

Skyping was fun. That was cool to see your faces and hear your voices. And see Nate. The last time I saw him was when we skyped with him. Glad that the whole family could be there. The next day we had lunch with a family whose daughter is going on mission soon and will return before I do. Anyway she ask me if I cried after or during skype. I say No kind of abruptly, and she said why(por qué). I said because it was fun. That kind of a funny story.

 

So on Sunday, Juan, came to church again, and Ana Rosa came with her granddaughter. They are making progress. It's amazing.

 

OK, so in reality we don't no know where we are getting transferred until wed, and it sounds like there will not be sisters coming to our area. Entonses no sabemos. The reason the transfer are delayed is because of the new year.

 

We´ll continue to sow, reap, weed, plow, even pickup rocks in the viñe Del Señor. Whatever cualquier cosa Él quiere (whatever thing He asks).  I love the work the more I do it. This is the time to really use my efforts. I love the this work.

We also had actividad con the president.

 

Thanks for all that you are doing, and the letters you send. God loves you and I love you.

 

Love Elder Bransen Gene Jensen

PS. your quote "You wore that shirt the last several Christmases" is from mom to Grandpa. Your quote is ´´oh, this is such bad new for me´´....´´Did you have a bad dream´´ ´´yay but everything alright now´´

 

PSS: mom, thanks for saying I look good.

Feliz Navidad

Wow Navidad ya otra vez. First and foremost Skype will be 5:00 pm the 25th here so about 1:00. See you then.

To answer mom´s questions:

Is P day on Monday? Yes
Do you have a grocery store nearby? Yes many and different types and an ice cream place se llama Grido. Good place but has flavors with alcohol and accidentally had one of those type. We ask the lady after. They just don´t have the same rules here. But now we know to be more careful. Anyway.
Do you have a washer? No the mission cant afford anymore
Do you have a maid? no, nobody does.

You do your own cleaning? yes

Are you happy? yes, but we have to work at being happy sometimes. And I'm growing so much. I love this work and would not want to be anywhere else even if there are moments when I feel different.

Glad you're having fun, and there is a lot going on. Thanks for telling me about Teresa I will keep her in my prayers.

Some really neat things that happen here. On Tuesday we had a FHE at the Bishops with Juan our investigator (who came to church again and is planning to come again woohoo!!) Any way it was on the plan of salvation, It was similar to the one we do as a family, where talk about each state and different food for the different glories. It went very well and I was in charge for the most part, and it was fun. And Juan stayed almost to 11:00 with the bishop´s family after we left. That man understands so much and we again invited him to be baptize.  He said he needs more time because he knows how important it is.

Oh, we both found out we are getting transferred to where we don´t know yet. They told us early so we could prepare the pench (apartment) for the incoming sisters.

There was a baptism on Saturday and I was the piano player. We sang normal hymns and had a choir number by the missionaries.

Don't forget the reason for the season. Marry CHRISTmas. And thanks for your spiritual thoughts. I hope my stories give you a spiritual boost.

God Love you

Te amo

Ama Elder Bransen Gene Jensen.

Your quote "If I was Santa, I wouldn't use reindeer, I would use a cooler animal like jaguars. And then I would need to move to South America, since there are no jaguars in the North Pole." is without a doubt from Collin. Your quote is: ´´hey want to play with my darbies.´´