Jardim Iracema!

This week has been so different, the neighborhood has a lot more asphalt roads, and they're always full of a million people to talk to!

Elder Leite and I are both new in the area, so we have to start from nothing and find all new people to teach. But miracles have been happening everyday, it's absolutely incredible. The first people we talked to let us in to teach them, and they're going to come to church on Sunday! We've seen a huge impact already, we're super excited for this week.

It turns out that Taco Bell sauce packets automatically turn Brazilian food into Mexican food...who knew.

President Nelson talked about 4 gifts that we can accept this Christmas season from the Savior. First, an unlimited capacity to love. Second, a capacity to forgive. Third, the ability to repent. And fourth, the promise of eternal life. We can utilize these gifts to be more like Him. Remember Christ this week, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

-Elder Jensen

I'm getting transferred!

Good morning everybody! I hope you guys had a good week.

I'm getting transferred to a new area! It's called Jardim Iracema, and it's about a 50 minute car ride away. I'm super excited, but sad to leave my first area behind, I love the people here and I'm gonna miss them a lot.

Kildery got baptized this week! We've been teaching him for about two and a half months, and he's really awesome. He's 17, has one more year of school, and then he wants to serve a mission! His desire to follow Christ is rock solid, and I know that the Lord is happy about his decision.

I know my Savior lives, and that He loves each one of us. I know that as we follow Him, and keep His commandments, He blesses and helps us. He is our perfect example, and as we try to be more like Him each day, we can grow closer to Him and be better disciples. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have an awesome week!!

-Elder Jensen

Dia das Gracas 2019

December already, it's almost 2020.

Thanksgiving 2019: Thanksgiving was a success haha. We made a ton of pancakes and smothered them in Nutella for breakfast, ate a big lunch of rice and beans(a Thanksgiving must have haha), and giant bowl of acaí for dinner. So yeah, Thanksgiving was a good day.

Ação Social: Our ward held an event that offered hair cuts, blood pressure testing, blood sugar levels, all for free to help the community. It was a big success, a lot of people were there, and we got to meet and talk with many of them. We met some of them, and there were some pretty amazing people, and they got to get some needed help too.

Message: Mosiah 2:17 says "And behold, I tell you these things that you may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God." I testify of this truth. When we serve others, we are serving Father in Heaven, and following the teachings of His Son. This Christmas season, let's do our best to serve others, and our God. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Have a great week!
-Elder Jensen

1) District meeting 2) Thanksgiving Acaí 3) Thanksgiving Breakfast

Yup, It's Confirmed

Food Section: My fears have been confirmed. Last week a lady told me that I look like I've been eating better, and then yesterday another lady told me I look a lot healthier and wasn't just skin and bones anymore...So it looks like there's not gonna be a food section in here for a while haha.

People Section: We had a service project this week, Brother Alan is building his house and some members of the quorum went over to help. Wemixed a ton of concrete, carried it up some stairs, went back down, carried more up the stairs, went back down, repeated 34,654 times, and we only almost fell off the stairs a couple times, it was a blast.

Message: Endure to the end! Sometimes being patient for just that little bit more is all that we need to do to start receiving blessings. I know that our Heavenly Father blesses us for our patience and good attitude as we are enduring through our trials.

Tchau!

93 Deaths in Fortaleza

Food Portion: Elder Sá and I have officially started Hamburger Fridays. This week was the Smashburger classic, with fry sauce and an egg on top. We've started making plans for opening a restaurant.

93 deaths and counting: About a week ago a lot of deaths started occurring here when an American assassin found an infestation here in Fortaleza. The death count is up to 93 and it doesn't look like Elder Jensen is gonna stop killing all the mosquitoes in his house. It's a serious problem.

Message: Mosiah 16:9 "He is the light and life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death." Christ is the light, and sometimes we all just need to realize that He is there. His light "can never be darkened." So whenever our lives get dark, remember to invite Christ's light back in.

Have a fantastic week everybody!

Sorry no pictures, it didn't let me upload today

November already!

It's been four months now in Brasil...rapidão

-Food Section: Mousse. Not sure how to spell it, but they pronounce it like *moosy.* It's really good, the consistency is almost a mix of ice cream and yogurt. They have chocolate, lime, and strawberry, and they're all really good.

People Section: Elder Sá! He's from Mina Gerais, and has been in the mission for 9 months! We're already homies and we've been finding lots of people to teach, we're super excited about this transfer. -Mini Food Section: We made hamburgers, and not gonna lie, I almost teared up as I realized this is the longest I've gone without In-n-out for two years. Only 20 more months until my next In-n-out trip.... But the Guarana we had almost, almost made up for it.

Message: Faith is so important in our lives, and especially in missionary work. We were trying to find people last week, and Elder Sá asked "Elder Jensen, do you have faith?"

"Yes Elder?"

"Then let's pray and ask God to lead us to somebody, or somebody to us."

We prayed, and literally five minutes later we found a whole group of people willing to talk to us and wanting to learn more. I testify that when we have faith and ask for the Lord's help, He will bless us.

Have an awesome week!

1) Tchau Elder Lima 2) Oi Elder Sá 3) Hamburgers and Guarana

Happy Halloween (almost)

Food Section: There's a snack here called din-din that a lot of houses sell, the consistency is kind of an inbetween of an otterpop and smoothie. Normally, they're made of fruit, like mango, or pineapple, but I found one the other day that was cookie flavored. I have no idea how they made it, but it was so good, like a cookie milkshake.

People Section: We have transfers tomorrow! My trainer Elder Lima is getting transferred, and I'm getting a new companion. His name is Elder Sá, and I'll talk about him and send a picture of us next week!

Message: In 3rd Nephi 15:9, Christ says "Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life." I know that as we look unto Christ in all that we do, and endure to the end, through all of the trials and challenges we have right now, we will receive eternal life. This promise is extended to all of God's children, and when we keep His commandments and follow His Son, we are blessed.

Have a good Halloween! Stay safe!

Sorry no pictures this week, the computer didn't allow it

E ai caras!

Is it really already the 21st? Woah.

Food Section: Okay, so this is one of the most interesting Brazil experiences I've had. A member had invited us over, and the first thing we see is the dad defeathering the biggest rooster I've ever seen. So we got to talk with them while he was defeathering, cleaning, and butchering a giant rooster. So that~s how I know the chicken we ate at their house the next day was clean and sanitary.

People Section: We were teaching Kildery, and he was telling us that he used to have a Youtube channel,and all of a sudden he got up and walked out of the room. When he came back in, he had a silver plaque that Youtube had sent him congratulating him for passing 100,000 subscribers. Wow, Kildery, you didn't need to flex that hard.

Message: I want to testify about prophets. God has always called prophets to lead and guide His children. Prophets receive guidance for us from God, and we're lucky enough to have a prophet in our day, President Russel M. Nelson. He knows Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father, and helps to execute their will for us. I'm so thankful for prophets.

Tchau gente!

1) Weekly acai picture 2)How I feel when I see the 50 cent churro truck

Happy Children's Day!

I've been out of the CTM for two months now, wow, time is weird.

Food Portion: There's a food dish called feijoada, and it's good, but sometimes it's not. It's made up of black beans(good), and some sort of leftover meat that I'm still not sure what it is (not good.)

So depending on who made it is about how much you can trust it haha.

Brazil Experience: So you know Father's Day and Mother's Day? Well they have Children's Day here, and basically what goes on is everybody rents trampolines, hype up their kids up on sugar, and set them all loose with some new toys. All the trampolines, kids, and toys are in the middle of the road all day with music blasting from every house, it was absolutely nuts. Brazil knows how to party, especially the two-year-old I saw chasing a dog with a toy gun that shoots slime.

This week I want to testify of Jesus Christ. He is our Savior. He knows me, He knows you, and He knows how to help us. He is our perfect example, and as we try to be more like him our lives change. He is the Son of God, I know that He lives.

Have a good week!

1)The Best Brazilian Cook Ever

Bom Dia Everybody!

Hope you guys are all doing great!

-Food Section: There's a street food here that are called salgados, and I can't eat enough of them. Basically, it's dough with some sort of filling, chicken, or cheese, that gets deep fried. They're so good and only 25 cents, so it's really easy to eat 2 or 10 of them haha.

-People section: We started teaching a 17-year-old named Kildery, and he could be transported to the U.S. and fit right in, he's really normal. He has a really strong desire to find the truth, and knows so much about gospel principles, it's amazing. He's going to high school, likes to chill at home, and is just a really normal guy.

This last weekend we were able to hear from the prophet and apostles is General Conference, and it was awesome! One of my biggest takeaways is that we are responsible for our own happiness, and that the only way to have lasting, eternal happiness is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Making bad decisions has never made anyone happy in the long run, and never will, so it's important to remember that we are always happier when we try to live as close to the way that Christ lived as possible. He is the way, the light, and our example.

Have a solid week everybody!

1) Pizza with Elder Lima and Felipe, yeah, I'm really white

Bom Dia!!

Happy October!(almost) September went by so fast.

-Food Section: This week isn't about what I ate. We were teaching a kid named Jefferson the other day(he's great, really good kid), and his sister walked by eating a carrot. She walked by again, and I looked closer at what she was eating, and yeah, wasn't a carrot. She was chomping down on a ~chicken foot~. Yeah....kinda sad she didn't offer me one...

-People Section: My favorite person we met this week is Iago. He likes church a lot, has a strong testimony about eternal families, is excited to learn more, and offered to help me get better at soccer after he toasted me in a quick game of one on one. He's 10. He's a blast haha.

Families are super important. Something everybody has in common here is that they love their families so much, and I think it's awesome. Our families are who we're gonna be with forever, so it's super crucial we keep investing in each other. Everybody spend some good time with family this week!

Have a good week, hope you're all doing great!

Pic1) Acai with my district Pic2) $2.00 pizza with Elder Lima

I'm sorry to disappoint all the fans...

Today is the last day of the first transfer! It's gone by so fast.

To start off, I'd like to thank all of you that supported my dislike of fruits and vegetables, but the day has come. I can't eat enough banana, pineapple, goiaba juice, carrots, corn, I don't know what's happened to me. So sorry to disappoint the fans.

Today I just want to talk about the amazing people we taught these past six weeks.

Picture 1) Francievylyn and Jamily. We found Francievylyn as we were walking down the road, she invited us in, and we taught her and her whole family. Two weeks later she followed the example of Jesus Christ and was baptized. She's awesome, she has such a strong desire to do what's right. Jamily is a friend of a member, liked the example that her friend always set, and had been attending church a couple months when she decided she wanted to be baptized. We taught her the lessons, she was so ready, and she was baptized.

Picture 2) Murilo is a stud. He's a kid that loves jesus, wants to be like him, and knows quite a bit about the Gospel, he's incredible.

Picture 3) Eduardo is 14, does parkour, lives on the most dangerous street in our area, and is super outgoing, he's legit. He was so prepared for our message, and can't get his hands on enough material to read, it's crazy. He truly is a miracle, I'm so glad he found what he was looking for.

I love the opportunity that I have to help people find and feel the joy of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Some of the people's situations here are so sad, but when they hear Christ's message, they want it so bad, and it changes their lives. I know that I'm supposed to be here. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's church on Earth, and I know that these four, amazing children of God know it too. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a great week, hope all of you are well!

Elder Jensen

Gooood Morning!!!

This week flew by, I can't believe I only have one more week of my first transfer.

Food Segment: We went to a serve yourself acai place, and I loaded my bowl with acai, banana, granola, leite em po, just a ton. And it was $3 american dollars. Sooo good.

Public Health Announcement:If you visit Brazil, wash your hands a lot so you don't get sick, the germs are different here.

Funny Story: My companion Elder Lima was taking a shower and started yelling words in English like "No!" "Monster!" "Helpy!!" Turns out the poor guy was fighting off a ginormous cockroach that had flown in the window hahah.

Message: This week I want to talk about trusting in the Lord and enduring to the end. In everything that we do, if we're going all out and doing everything possible that we can, the Lord picks up the slack and helps with the rest.

Have a good week!

This week in Compton

It's been a busy week!

First off, the food portion. I tried the pizza here the other day...it's a little different. But actually kinda good at the same time, I think I've forgotten the taste of American pizza. And the best part is that it's only $2.50 American dollars for a large pizza. Yeah, I might get fat here.

There's a small German population here in Brasil, so some people think I'm German before American. The other day we were walking in the street and some kids started yelling "Alemao! Alemao!" Alemao means German, and they wanted me to play soccer with them, so I just went with it. It really is too bad that Americans don't play much soccer, cause I totally got schooled by some 9 year olds.

This week in Compton was fun. I mentioned last week about the gunshots, a lot goes down here at night. Yesterday during church we heard a gunshot, and all everyone said was to close the window. And church just kept rolling. I have stuff to learn I guess.

This week I wanna talk about prayer. God answers our prayers. It's simple. I know it. All we have to do is sincerely ask, "and by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." I encourage you guys this week, just pray. We have a lot more to be grateful about than we realize, and we all have questions. So just pray.

Have a great week!

1)Elder Salviano from Sao Paulo, he knows just enough English to be funny, and he's a great guy

Week 9

Hey everybody! 
It was a short few days, so I'll make this quick.

-Food Tip of the Week: Put peppers and cheese into your rice. Absolutly amazing

-Cool Thing I've Learned: I can now tell the difference between the cars backfiring and the gunshots.

-Favorite Thing: President Nelson was in Brazil this week! One of my favorite things he said is that we should be "Swallowed up in the will of the Father. "I know that if we all try to do this, our lives will be better.

Love you all, have a great week!

I didn't think the food could get better

Hey everybody! I hope everyone has been doing well, good luck to everyone that started or is about to school.

I'll start off with the food. Oh my goodness people here know how to cook. A man made us corn on the cob last week and I don't think I've ever liked a vegetable(besides a potato) that much before. I think he must've boiled it in butter-water, rolled it in butter after, and handed it to us in a butter-coated piece of corn shuck. So delicious.

Here's my inspriational message this week. We were teaching the same man that gave us the corn at his house, and he asked us how to tie a tie so he could wear one to church. So we helped him out, he's a pro, and he was at church on Sunday with a huge smile. What really impacted me in this experience was his "house." It had sloppy brick walls, a dirt floor, and only half of it had a roof. But as we stood there teaching this cheerful man how to tie a tie in the most humble surroundings, I felt so much love for that man and I know Christ loves him even more than I do.

Talk to you guys later!

Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore

These past two weeks have flown by! I had to say bye to all of the friends that I made in the CTM, but I know they're going to be great missionaries and invite people to come unto Christ.

I'm finally out in the streets of Brazil! I love being able to talk to people and hear their stories. Most of the people in my area live in poverty, but it's incredible to see how loving they are, and how they are more willing to share and give of their substance than people that do have. I love these people.

A short story, we were teaching a family and they were all staring at me and I had no idea why, Come to find out, none of them had ever met someone with blue eyes in person before. Crazy.

I know why I'm here. When these people hear and learn more about Jesus Christ, and feel of it's truth, they have a desire to follow Him. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can and will help everybody that accepts it. These people know it too. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a great week!( I email next thursday, but every monday after that)

View from our apartment. My trainer Elder Lima.  My CTM companion Elder Ball. 

One more week in the CTM!

Not much happened this week, we tried a new food called pastel, you choose three fillings, they put it in dough, and then they fry it. I'm starting to think that they fry everything here, and I'm not complaining, It's so good. On the same topic, I keep losing weight and I'm not sure why haha. I eat beans, rice, and fried food all the time, and I lose weight. It's solidifying my guess that vegetables are a hoax. 

I want to talk about the Book of Mormon. It is true. It contains the words of God's ancient prophets. I know that as we live it's teachings, we will be blessed and be able to live with our Heavenly Father and families again.

Have a great two weeks! (I leave for the field next week and won't be able to email.)

One month in Brazil!!

We got some coxinha this week , it's potatoes and deep fried. So basically it's the best food on the planet, especially because the sauce that came with it tasted like In-n-out spread. So good.

We got to do real missionary work this week! On saturday they took us to the financial district of Sao Paulo, and we walked around and talked to people for an hour. It was so cool, they call it the Times Square of Brazil, and everyone we talked to was amazing. We talked to this guy skateboarding, and he was totally happy to see us, we talked to him for about 20 minutes about the gospel, and he was such a good dude.

One Elder from our district was having stomach cramps, and was hurting really bad, so he went to the Doctor, and they told him he might have a parasite. We love Brazil.

I want to talk about why missionary work is necessary. People out there need to know that Heavenly Father and Jesus care for them, and are there for them. The gospel blesses and strengthens families, and I want to share that with people.

Have an awesome week, stay safe, love you guys!

Hey guys!

This week has been awesome! We got legit fresh acai this week, and it was so good. Sau Paulo has such a different vibe than Mesa, it's more relaxed and there's always music playing from somewhere. And the drivers are crazy, they're out here looking for blood haha.

The CTM is great, we're learning so much. Portuguese is a cool language, I can talk pretty okay with the Brazilians here, and I think they asked if they could have my sisters for green cards, so yeah, they're a blast.

I want to talk to you all about God's love for his children. He knows our struggles, strengths, everything about us, and all he wants is for us to come back to him.

I love you all, have a great week!

Hey everybody!

 Hey everybody! Time is going so fast! I'll try to sum it up. 

> We got to go out and walk around Sao Paulo! It's definitely not northeast Mesa, that's for sure. Everybody on the street says hi to each other, the people here are so friendly and kind. We went into a shop that had a ton of cheap Nike stuff, and we got sooo pumped. We looked closer, and it was all fake, we laughed for so long. 

>  We went to register with the Federal Police on Friday, and we met with some Elders that had been out for 10 months, their Portuguese was incredible and they were having kinda a hard time with their English. I still have no idea what I'm doing with Portuguese, I can hold simple conversations, bear my testimony, and pray.

> We went on exchanges yesterday and today, and my new companion was from Sao Paulo and is serving in the Recife Mission. He spoke no English, but it was a great learning experience.
> I want to testify of priesthood power. Our Heavenly Father knows and loves us. He knows our struggles, and our needs. My companion Elder Ball gave a blessing this week, and I know that what he said was what the Lord wanted him to say, the spirit testified on priesthood power to all of us present. We are not forgotten. 

> That's it for this week, I hope all of you have a great week!

Brazil!!

Hey everyone!! 
This country is crazy! We have beans and rice with some sort of meat for every meal(except breakfast, we have meat and cheese sandwiches), my Brazilian roommates are so much fun, and Portuguese goes against everything I ever learned in Spanish. I love it.

I met an Elder from Gilbert on the way to Dallas, Elder Loving, and we met up with about 20 other missionaries and ate Chick-fil-a for the last time for two years, kinda depressing.

The CTM is awesome!! We're constantly busy either language training, learning more about the gospel, sleeping, or eating. I only have one complaint about the CTM, and it's that I'm too big for my bed. I have to sleep diagonal or my feet will hang off the edge haha.

They decorated the cafeteria for the 4th of July,and they served hamburgers and pizza, and not gonna lie, the pizza was really good.

My Portuguese is coming along slowly, but I can talk a little bit with my Brazilian roommates, and my companion Elder Ball and I read scriptures and say prayers with them in Portuguese, and it's been a big help.

Elder Ball! He's my comp, from San Diego, total surfer, he definitely had the flow hairstyle back home, and he's a blast! He was a junior nationals rower, and got recruited by ivy league schools, he's really good.

Brazil won the Copa America, so this place has been nuts. Someone is always yelling "Brazil!!! Champions!!!"

I want to testify of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Atonement makes it possible for us to be forgiven, and return to our Heavenly Father. It's always there for us, and can be a part of our every day lives. I miss my family and friends, but I know for a fact this is where I'm supposed to be. I'll talk to you guys next week!

P.S. Sorry there's no pictures, there's nowhere to upload photos in the CTM. 

(Ha! Mom find pics from the CTM Facebook page)

Called to Serve

Zach has been called to serve in the Brazil Fortaleza mission for the 

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.   

MTC:  Sao Paolo Brazil 

Report Date: July 3 

Language: Portuguese