ELDERJENSENX2

This week was the last week of the transfer and we got the transfer calls last night! I'll be staying in Hebron but my good man Elder Buckway has finished up his time here. He'll be going to the city! So during the transfer call they told me I'll be the new district leader here, so that MTC mailman power is coming back haha. And my new companion---- remember how I mentioned there were like 5 Elder Jensen's in this mission, and one of them is named Jared Jensen? Yeah he's definitely my new companion. I met him back when we were both in the city so now the two Jared Jensen's will be the new Hebron masters. It's going to be so funny, "Hi, I'm Elder Jensen, and this is elder Jensen and we're missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ." "Elder what's your first name??" "Oh my first name is Jared, and his is Jared." People are probably going to think we are a cult that names everyone Jared Jensen haha. 

So this last week of the transfer we had a lot of finding time and a lot of time to go tracting, and Elder Buckway has been here so long that he's tracted like everywhere haha. So we went to one of the farthest outskirts of our area to a little town called Schneider Indiana. They only had one tiny grocery store called Dollar General and one little restaurant owned by someone who lived in the town. It was so fun and like literally in the middle of nowhere. The people there were actually really nice and we did get one potential person down there but it would be tough to teach him cause he lives so far away so we'll see what happens there. One of the funniest things though, we were like "Oh were probably the first missionaries to ever set foot in this area!" Then we go up to the first door. And yup, it's a Jehovah’s Witness flyer haha. They are hitting up every place even little Schneider. There's actually three kingdom hall's in our area so Jehovah’s Witness must be really strong in this area haha. We've definitely ran into their flyers so many times. 

So one of our dinner appointments this week was a family of 7 kids which means it's my environment that I'm used to and they were all so fun and awesome! One of them was like "have you ever held a snake before?" I told them that I hadn't and he looks at his little sister and says in the most serious voice: "get the snake." Not going to lie I was a little afraid for my life haha so the little girl comes down stairs, and she's probably like 10 years old and she has this fat snake chillin around her neck. I honestly thought it was going to choke her and was scared for HER life. But it just chilled there. So anyways all 7 kids were like passing around this snake and like playing with it and I thought that this environment for a snake was probably more intense than the great jungles of Africa and it was so funny even the 2 year old runs up and grabs the snake and put it on his head as it slithered around his neck and he was just laughing. So they made me put it on my neck and it felt really weird but it was pretty funny haha they said his name is Pablo so same name as my favorite little Caesars manager in the world! It was so fun and now I can say that I HAVE held a snake and that it's been like my scarf for a little while. 

Also Elder Buckway cut my hair this week cause it was so long and he said he knew how to do it and so I let him give it a Go and let's just say this man absolutely knows what he's doing haha. I kinda look like I'm in the military but also you can't even notice. 

So this week was like in the 40s and 50s all week, and Elder Buckway told me that last year at this time it was like - 15 and - 10 so winter has come late this year apparently cause it currently feels like St. George winter. Or maybe we skipped it! Fingers crossed for that one. 

When I told people I was going to Chicago on my mission they said "oh you're going to become a cubs/bears/bulls fan. I think the opposite haha. This week the bears were playing in the playoffs or something like that and we were going tracting, literally every single house had the tv on with the game playing. Apparently this is the best the bears have done since a long time haha and the Chicago area including Indiana is super hyped. It was like worse that knocking on Christmas Eve haha. Everybody was like so paranoid when they answered and one guy said to us. "I really respect what you guys are doing, but you do realize this is the worst time ever right?! I mean the bears are playing right now!" So apparently Joseph Smith may have forgot something in his prophecy: "the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent,,,,, unless there’s a bears game on" haha honestly that’s what it felt like but we kept going anyway!

Oh I most definitely forgot it was New Years this week! Happy New Years! New Years on a mission just means that you have to remember to put 19 instead of 18 on everything. And my New Years resolution is to serve the Lord every day for the next year! Hopefully I can do it :) 

So this area is hard but it's the one so far that has really strengthened my testimony the most. The Book of Mormon is true! Every day I read it and then I go out and I'm like, "yup, the Book of Mormon is true." We talked to one guy who was talking about his church and the way he talked about it made it sound like a business. Jesus Christ's gospel should be open to all who are willing to live the commandments! Not just some membership or business! And that's what a lot of the churches around here seem like. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that the church is true. It is Jesus Christ's true church! We are led by a living prophet! What a great privilege it is to be a part of this great work! Love all of you and keep up being legendary! Next week I'll let you know how Elder Jared Jensen X2 is going! 

Love Elder Jared D. Jensen 

Pics 

1.the snake

2.the snake

3.good ol Schneider Indiana