2016 Newsletter

It’s my (Rick’s) turn, to write the yearly epistle of the Jensen family happenings and to wish you all well for the upcoming Christmas Holiday.  However, writing this reminds me of how my family and I have been blessed by our associations with you.  Your smiles, quick letters, texts, and even Facebook posts have brightened up our year and have brought smiles to our faces.  There is a scripture that reminds me of all of you.  It states:  “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17).  Thank you for sharpening our countenances and our lives with the outpouring of your friendship.  It means so much to us and we love each and every one of you!

Now then……. Mushy stuff is over, so on with the epistle!

The year has been eventful in our home.  During the year we’ve had another called from our family to serve the Lord on a mission.  For 6 months of the year, we’ve had 2 missionaries out and it has been an exceptional honor to be a parent of not just one, but two servants of the Lord!  We’ve also been involved with plays, choir concerts, sports activities, getting jobs, working as interpreters, and teaching seminary.  So, to summarize our year, I’ve included a couple of high points for each family member:

After serving a full time mission for our church in the Nebraska Omaha mission, Janika recently returned home to us. Highlights for Janika this year was to serve as a sister training leader, working with and teaching other missionaries. Returning home may not have been the highlight of her year, but it certainly was for me!  She has been a great influence on our family!  Click HERE to see Janika coming home! We’ve loved every minute of having her here with us.  She will be returning to Snow College in January where she will finish up her AS this spring and then transfer to another University to receive her Bachelors. You can read her missionary blog at sisterjanikajensen.blogspot.com 

This year was a HUGE year for Jase. He graduated from Snow Canyon high school as Sterling Scholar in Math and the next day made some serious covenants with the Lord. He told me that day that after going through the temple, he felt more like an adult than he did at his graduation ceremony.  I’m happy to say he has since acted like one as well.  He received his mission call to the California Arcadia Mission (speaking Armenian) Click HERE to see Jase opening his mission call! The language is tough, but he’s coming along meeting many different people with various backgrounds and stories. Jase served as a Zone Leader in the MTC and has recently been called as the new District Leader where he is serving.  He’s been out 6 months and we feel so lucky to have him serving!  You can read his missionary blog at: elderjasejensen.blogspot.com

This was a big year for Jared as well.  Jared got his braces off AND he also got his driver’s license!!!!  He often reminds me that he is not only incredibly handsome, but he can also drive!!!  He has since taken over Jase’s car and made it his own.  He loves the independence of driving wherever he needs to go. The best part is that he now drives to work at Little Caesar’s Pizza where he can earn money for dates, social activities, eating more pizza, and of course his mission.  He wants to thank Little Caesar’s for providing him with the necessary nutrition requirements to keep his young body strong and athletic. Jared runs track and is currently a junior at Snow Canyon High school.  

  

Janelle’s year has been focused on magnifying her beauty.  She was able to get her braces off and seems to flash her pearly whites often.  Janelle attends Snow Canyon Middle School and is in 8^th grade.  She is involved with Girls’ choir and also the National Junior Honor Society. Janelle loves to read and also enjoys socializing with the other teenagers in the neighborhood. She loves serving in her Young Women’s organization and is excited to be old enough to attend EFY this coming year. 

Jaiden turned 12 this past summer and started Young Women’s just in time for Girls’ Camp! She is in the seventh grade and is serving on student council at Lava Ridge Intermediate School. She is involved in jazz, tumbling, and singing, and put her talents to use by trying out for “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.”  She landed the role of Sally and nailed it! Click HERE to see Jaiden's solo as Sally! Jaiden was also a winner in the science fair this year.  

Josh is in the fifth grade and therefore the big man on campus. He played soccer again and has recently begun to branch out and explore different venues as well. He tried out for the school talent show and performed with a juggling act. He is also enjoying school choir and had the opportunity to sing a small part with a quartet. He is involved in the Chinese immersion program and happened to run into some tourists at a gas station who were from China. I encouraged him to go talk to them, but he didn’t want to. After I had met a few of them, I quickly threw him under the bus and introduced him. They were thrilled to meet and speak with this young boy in their native language. Click HERE to see Josh speaking Chinese.

 

Jenna was baptized this year! She now has more of an interest in reading and marking her scriptures. One time when I was her substitute primary teacher I had her class go out and teach people “the gospel” in the hallway.  She did exceptionally well, but later requested from the primary president (her mom) that she never let her dad teach her class again! Jenna is also involved in the Chinese immersion program, jazz dance, and is in the 2^nd grade.  Jenna is lucky enough to have such extraordinary teeth that her dentist requested that she get several teeth pulled and braces put on early to correct her under-bite.  She has worn a metal expander in the roof of her mouth for much of the year and recently started braces. It makes her feel especially grown up.  The head gear starts next year.  Isn’t she lucky?!!!!

Wendy has been busy serving as the Primary President, Interpreting for DSU, and doing other freelance interpreting work.  She keeps our home running smoothly and intact. Though having 7 children can be stressful, she manages to make every one of them feel important and still give her husband all the loving care he needs. She is currently striving to finish reading the Book of Mormon with the rest of the primary before the year ends. This week she will be pulling out the whip and catching us all up to where we need to be.  That’s what mothers do right?

I have been teaching seminary at Desert Hills High School this year and have thoroughly enjoyed all of my classes.  I love my students and teaching the gospel every day!  I learn so much and am reminded throughout the day of the many ways our Heavenly Father shows his love for us, His children.  I have also been interpreting at DSU and doing some freelance work. This year I have had the opportunity to do lots of interpreting work in Las Vegas and it has been a great experience to meet other interpreters and Deaf people from different areas. I’ve learned so much from them!

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope your family will celebrate this season in a way that brings you closer to our Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ.  Their love is real and the Plan that Heavenly Father established provides true and everlasting happiness for us!

New Year's Eve!!

Shane and Alicia and their  three kids came to stay with us a few days. The kids were so excited to see their cousins again -- even though it had just been one day since they had been together at Grandma and Grandpa's house!  They arrived Friday night around 8:00 p.m. and put together beds in the basement. Of course it took a while to get the kids to go to sleep!

Saturday morning we went to the temple.  Shane brought Adria, Janelle, and Jaiden to do baptisms.  Rick was already there interpreting for a sealing and met them in the baptistry and Janika and I went through a session.

Tonight was our annual New Year's Eve party!  We had shish-kabobs and salads for dinner and then had a spread of cocktail sausages, chips, salsa, and guacamole, crackers and a cheese ball, and cheese cake.  The friends brought  muddy buddies chex mix, hi-chews, and other treats. The kids played games both upstairs and in the basement and then we had our annual dance-off.  Rick decided to pay tribute to his former idol, George Michael, who passed away this week by dancing to "wake me up before you go-go."  He even dressed up for the part and (supposedly) won the dance competition (he declares himself as the judge.)

Rick made one of his "special drinks" and then we toasted in the New Year (a couple of different times).  Josh finally fell asleep on the couch around 11:30 p.m. and so he missed the whole pan banging tradition (he didn't miss much).

Jase 2016 History

2016 History of Jase Jensen

This year quite a bit has happened which is the reason I have to write my history in the middle of the year. I graduated from high school, went on a senior trip, went through the temple, and got a mission call. I actually leave for the MTC tomorrow so that will be interesting but I am super excited to go.

So graduation happened first. Basically that about sums it up. I went to high school and now its summer time. I no longer go to high school. It really isn’t that big of a deal but hey I got to wear those stupid graduation gowns and hats so that happened. Now I have a diploma, I guess that’s cool and I was the Math Sterling Scholar for our school, so I guess that is pretty cool also, but I am just glad it’s over. Afterwards, I went through the temple. That was the cool part and it was a great learning experience for me. I am so glad I was able to go through to help spiritually prepare me for my mission. Right after going through the temple, my friends and I went on a trip to most of the temples in Utah. Because I was endowed, I had the opportunity to baptize and/or confirm them. It was an awesome experience for me because it was the first time I had used my Melchizedek Priesthood. I had a great time on that trip and was glad I went. 

During high school I also got my mission call. I had many hopes for what it would say but when I actually held it in my hands; I knew that it didn’t matter where I was going because I knew it was from the Apostles of the Lord and that it would be the right place for me. As I read those words “Dear Elder Jensen” I felt the spirit wash over me and I could not contain my excitement for my waiting friends. I was called to serve in the California Arcadia mission but that is not all. I was called to speak the Armenian language. How in the world was I going to learn this language? I didn’t know, but I do know that I have God on my side and with him; I would be able to do all things even if it meant learning a very complicated language. I am leaving tomorrow and I couldn’t be more excited. I hope everything goes well and maybe I won’t have the chance to continue this history but if not, I’m sure my mission will be everything I hope for it to be.

(Note from Mom):  I had Jase write the first part of his history in June before he left on his mission. We had a farewell party for him on June 11^th and his farewell was June 12th.  Jase was set apart as a full-time missionary on June 14th and received a beautiful blessing.  He left for the MTC on the 15^th of June.  His dad gave him a beautiful Father’s blessing before he left. We left with the family to head up North and ate lunch and took some pictures by the temple. It was hard to say goodbye, but we were excited for the adventures he had ahead of him!  For the rest of his history I went through his missionary letters and picked out some excerpts from them. For the full account you can visit his missionary blog at: elderjensen.blogspot.com

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June 18: I am having an awesome time here at the MTC! I love it so much and it is just like EFY! The food is excellent and I love how much I am learning. My companion’s name is Elder Gray.  He is from American Fork and is an awesome missionary. I think we work really well together and have a better desire to be the best missionaries we can be.

The language is hard but we are doing great. My whole district (except for me) is going to the Armenia Yerevan mission. I have been praying a lot more than I used to and I learn so much more everyday about the gospel. I am so grateful that I get to serve a mission with such wonderful people. I was called as the district leader and now have to prepare even more lessons and gospel talks. Life is great though!

July 9:  Elder Gray and I were called as zone leaders. Apparently, when you get too comfortable in a church calling, the lord decides to change it up. That's okay, more personal growth I guess.

I am so grateful I was called to serve in this language and it feels like it is a part of me now. I am slow of speech whether I teach in English or in Armenian but I have found that it doesn't matter because I am not the one talking. It is the spirit that testifies the truth to them no matter how badly I am at speaking. We sure have made a lot of progress here so far and I can't wait to keep making more!

August 13:  The last week in the MTC!  I just can’t believe we fly out Tuesday. Others would say that it flew by so fast, but no, that is not true.  I think I have definitely been here for at least 8 years. They probably just extended my mission so that I could stay in the MTC.

August 22: I arrived in the field Tuesday morning and had to go over a bunch of paperwork and stuff. Then I got to meet the mission president and later my companion. His name is Elder Stucki and he is awesome. He was actually born in Santa Clara and we have the same birthday but he is a year older.  We have one investigator named Ysubella. She is nine years old and comes from a part member family and they all speak English. She loves learning the gospel.  She will get baptized soon and we are so excited for her. 

We also have a new investigator named Artur who is Armenian. However, he also speaks Russian so we can't understand his Armenian with the Russian accent. We can barely understand it as it is so that makes it hard but he does speak a little English. And he also came to church this week! It was awesome!

September 10: Ysa was baptized last Saturday and we are super proud of her and her family. They used to be less active but now, they have begun to come back and enjoy church. Ysa has progressed so much and we are so proud of her. She is seriously amazing and so smart in the gospel. She and her family will really benefit the ward.  

September 19: We are now in a trio and our new companion is Elder Meppin. We are super pumped to have him back because he has been in English work for the last six months and he is glad to be back as well. Also now we have a companion who is a little more fluent in the language which will be a huge asset.

October 3: So Conference was super bomb this week! So many good talks and on top of that it's like missionary vacation!  It was a busy week though with zone conferences the day before but I had a really good time listening to all the talks.  I really wish I paid more attention to Conference before coming out here because it is amazing. If you didn't watch Conference you should at least watch some of the talks because they were all super good. Also, members feed you really well over Conference so that is just a plus.

October 13:  We had P-day today (Thursday) so that we could go to the temple on Monday. I am so grateful I am able to go to the temple in my mission.

October 17: We had a hard week this week but yesterday made up for it. We were able to get a lot of our investigators to church and it was a stressful meeting to figure out everything going on but we got it to work. It was the primary program so what a great time to have a bunch of investigators there. 

October 24: Our English investigators are doing great! Lia wasn't able to come to church this week because the access van bailed on her. She was going to try to walk to church but we wouldn't let her because it was definitely too far for her electric chair. We will just have to push her date back again. 

Another great surprise is that Asal wants to be baptized. Her husband is a recent convert and they are from Iran. They speak Farsi but their English is good enough for us to teach them and Moosi (her husband) can help us translate. At first she didn't want to get baptized but I guess last week she went to church at her own church instead of ours like she normally does and she said she just felt like our church is where she is supposed to go. It was super amazing, this family has been through a lot and I have come to love them so much. She has set a date for the 12th of November and we are super excited!

 October 31:  Trios can make it really hard to get along. It is also super hard to learn Armenian here. We aren't able to speak it like at all because we have no one to practice with except each other and on street contacts. On the bright side, I am getting pretty good at street contacting in Armenian. Except for sometimes when I approach people in Armenian and then they just look at me confused. That is always awkward but for the most part it works out.

There  is this crazy guy named Minas who just kind of walks around the building and every time it is open he comes in and prays and eats if there is food. He even came in while we were having zone conference once. I am pretty sure he has no idea what is going on most of the time but I asked him to take a picture with us and so that was fun. I have no idea how old he is but he is just super funny.

November 7: I have met a bunch more crazies this week so that was cool.  I just love Glendale so much. The people here are just amazing. I am definitely coming back to visit my mission and I am definitely taking friends and family to visit these people.

November 21: This week was amazing! Our people on date for baptism ended up switching places so that Asal was on the 19th and Rosalia is on for the 26th. Asal's baptism was just so perfect. I have grown to love this family so much. They have been through a lot but they have finally made it to this stage where they can grow together as a family with the freedom of religion. Mosi baptized her and when she came up out of the water she was just so happy.

I will never forget the spirit that was felt there and the support that she had. Even President Villanueva and his family came. The room was packed and everyone was so excited for her. I can't wait for them to be sealed in the temple together. They still have many trials ahead of them but I know that they will be strong enough to face them.

I know that this gospel is true and that Heavenly Father cares about each and every one of us. He has watched over this family for sure and I know that he watches over each and every one of us as well with his angels round about. Do not doubt that there are angels everywhere to help you. I would also encourage you to do what you can this Christmas season to be an angel in someone else's life. There are many people who need love and comfort and so share that light with as many people as you can.

November 28:  Lia was baptized! It was a super cool experience with 5 elders helping her because of her disability. It was an amazing experience.  It was perfect and we are so happy for her. It was a wonderful experience and she has so much faith.

December 20:  I am so pumped for Christmas! We have been having a lot of fun lately because my district is super awesome. The good news this week is that Lia was confirmed! We are so happy for her and glad that she has made this step!

December 26:  This week was Christmas. Nuff said. I don't know if there is anything else to really say. We had a wonderful Christmas in our pad and we all got some pretty awesome presents so that was legit! I am so glad I am close so that it is affordable to send a package.

We got to caroling so that was fun! I hope you all had a chance this Christmas season to share the light by serving your fellow man. It is amazing how far little acts of service can go. Always be willing to share the light of the world with those around you and do so with an attitude of gratitude! As you serve with thankfulness, it really goes a long way and you can feel the difference in the way you serve!

Janika 2016 History

2016 History of Janika Jensen

Hello world and posterity and whoever else is reading this! Welcome to my history. If you want more details, you’ll have to read all my mission letters.

I, Sister Jensen, began the year of 2016 in Fremont Nebraska with Sister Taggart as my companion. We were the sister training leaders in the area, so that was super fun. Fremont is a lovely little town with a plethora of anti-mormon people and a pig slaughtering house so it often smells like ham. Nebraska is so great. Heavenly Father really blessed us though, and we were able to work with some pretty incredible people. One in particular was named Pam. She was in her late 50’s and single. When we started teaching her, she wanted to make sure it was right so she did a ton of studying. I remember the first time we left the book of Mormon with her. When we returned, she said she only had time to read a little, so we asked where she was at. CHAPTER TEN. I was pretty impressed….that’s a whole lot more than just a little. She did things like that all the time, like reading 18 chapters of her gospel principles book in two days, studying all the general conference talks she could find online, etc. It was so special to be a part of her conversion! I killed off sister Taggart in Fremont (she went home) so I was expecting to be there for a while, but then my mission president told me otherwise. He closed our area, and moved me to be with another sister in Bennington Nebraska so we, as the sister training leaders, could be closer to our sisters. 

My new companion was Sister Johnson. She played soccer for BYU and was an extremely healthy and strong person. I love her so much! She’s an incredible missionary and I learned a ton from her. I stayed in Bennington from the end of March till the end of July. We were also given permission to go to Fremont once a week and teach the single sisters that we had worked with previously! I couldn’t have planned it better myself. J It was almost like we had three areas because we had Bennington, Fremont, and then being a sister training leader is almost like having another area in itself because we’re constantly keeping tabs on all the sisters. We were so busy all the time and it was one of my favorite areas for sure. There I learned how to apply the atonement to things I didn’t even realize it could apply to, like getting out of my personal bubble. I was so awkward sometimes and would get down on myself for being too shy or being unable to talk with every single person that passed by us, but in Bennington, Heavenly Father helped me to overcome that. He helped me to find more joy in the work, and to let my weaknesses be swallowed up in his love and his plan. I completely handed everything over to Him and tried my best to do what Jesus would do if he were a missionary in Omaha Nebraska. Of course, I still made mistakes daily, but that constant reliance on the atonement brought so much hope into my life and it helped me to change my heart. I realized that I didn’t need to define myself by my weaknesses, because the Savior had already taken care of that for me.

After Sister Johnson went home, I had the opportunity to be companions with Sister Yancey! We had so much fun together. Heavenly Father seriously put me with the BEST companions. I had been wanting to be her companion since we very first came out! Sister Yancey is from Shelley, Idaho, where the high school mascot is literally a Russett Potato. We did a TON of street contacting when we were together, and it was awesome. We definitely took advantage of the summer, when people are actually outside! Heavenly Father helped us to see so many miracles. Very few of them actually progressed, but I am positive that those powerful experiences we had with so many people will play a huge role in their future conversion. 

I would have been very happy staying in Bennington with Sister Yancey for the rest of my mission, but Heavenly Father must have known that I was getting a bit too comfortable, because I was transferred! I was super nervous when we received the transfer call and I learned that I would be heading out west to Kearney Nebraska with Sister Tiritilli (she is from California—vegetarian beach babe) I honestly didn’t want to go! When I got there we had a zone conference and Sister Gardner gave a little training on how she knew we all had questions, concerns, or things we needed answers to. She promised that if we had those in mind during the conference, that we would find answers. She was right. My concern was why I was supposed to be in Kearney. I didn’t feel that it was where I belonged. The Spirit kindly testified to me of how prideful I was being and I was gently called to repentance haha. Funny how that happens.

After that, Kearney was seriously the best place! We served in the family ward and the YSA branch as well (still as sister training leaders) and it was so much fun. I think I really needed to be with Sister Tiritilli during that time, because she was going through a lot of the same things that I had already gone through and was able to help her with. We were only companions for a transfer, and then I had the opportunity to train sister Inokuchi as a sister training leader. She is a sweetheart. She was very patient with me as I ended my mission. We worked with a lot of incredible people in Kearney, but one stood out in particular! Her name is Natasha, and she was baptized just a week before I went home. Natasha has been prepared for the gospel since day one it seemed like. She already knew just about everything about it from her friends (way to do your member missionary work, brothers and sisters!!!) so teaching her was more like an educational discussion where we all learned! She is so sweet, and was able to receive such a strong testimony, even when life through some crazy curve balls her way. 

And now….I’m home! It’s still a little crazy that it’s all over. The process of coming home was so stressful. I had very little appetite for the last few days, and on one of the plane rides I cried most of the way. Honestly, it hasn’t been bad though. I absolutely love where I am right now, and I love being able to apply things from my mission and see the blessings! My mission president had promised that my dating life would be kept very busy, and I laughed but kind of shrugged it off. When I came home, three weeks had passed and nothing happened. I prayed and asked Heavenly Father what he wanted me to do about this whole situation, and the next day three guys called to schedule a date haha. The Lord works in mysterious ways. ;) But he was right, I was kept pretty busy over the break! It’s been so fun to be with family again and to see the changes in my life. I’m so excited to keep changing and applying and becoming what Heavenly Father wants me to become!

SNOW!!

The kids were so excited to have a white Christmas!  They couldn't go tubing on Christmas because it was a Sunday, but they were out in the New Haven common area the next day -- even though it was COLD!!  It is perfect having that little area to sled just a block away so that they could come and go as they wanted.

I didn't get any pictures on Monday except this first one. Jaiden and Adria were already there. They lasted longer than anyone else -- a few hours.  I couldn't believe it!  Rick took Jared, Janelle, and Josh home on Wednesday morning, but the rest of us didn't go home until Thursday, so I went with Jaiden and Jenna on Wednesday afternoon and Adria joined us with she got back from lunch with her family. The weather was sunny and therefore a little warmer!