Calling Elder Jensen

The Lord provides us with Tender Mercies every day. Sometimes they almost seem like miracles where other times they are small and simple. I had a wonderful miracle/tender mercy on this particular Christmas Morning in Germany. My brother Blaine had been called to serve in the Scotland/Ireland mission the same time I was serving. Blaine and I are really close we always have been. We grew up together obviously but for those of you who know us we were pretty insuperable. We would take the same classes so that we could be together. During my senior year everyone thought we were twins we looked so much alike. We had a love hate relationship like all siblings do. We would fight like the normal families would but we would always make up in the end. So naturally going on our mission together just seemed to fit. We halfheartedly wanted to be sent to the same place. I think we both would have liked that, however we may have hurt each other as we both do things very differently. However being on the same continent was perfect. It meant that when I was awake working he was awake working. When we were having companionship study in the morning Blaine would be doing the same thing but in Scotland. It was pretty cool.

So when Christmas came and every missionary was allowed to call home and talk to their families we both started feeling a bit pit pf sorts. Let me explain something here really quickly – missionaries are only allowed to call home twice a year once on Christmas and the other on Mother’s day. An you call home you don’t call your friends or anything else just home. On Christmas you can talk to the entire family where on Mother’s day you usually talk to everyone as well but it’s basically for your mother. As Blaine and I were both out on our mission we realized that this would mean that we would miss each other as we couldn’t both call home at the same time.

Now to the tender mercy. We, both Blaine and I were blessed with the best Mission presidents ever. Once they found out about our situation they quickly made arrangements so that Christmas morning we would be allowed to call each other. Christmas morning came and the phone rang and there was Elder Curtis-Blaine Jensen. It was a wonderful sound and just amazing. We talked about our missions and the people we were teaching. We talked about the things we were most grateful for. It was amazing to see the change our missions thus far had brought for us.

The Lord is very mindful of our needs, our wants, and our desires. The Lord knew that a little thing like talking to Blaine Christmas morning would mean the world to me. It would remind me again of why I went on a mission. It would once again remind me that I wasn’t alone. It reminded me that the Lord knows me.

It was a wonderful Christmas with all its craziness in getting there. BEST CHRISTMAS EVER

mit freundlichen Grüßen

Jenessa Jensen

Andi

We met Andi the second night we were in Freiburg. He was being taught by the Elders and they had invited us to join their lesson. Andi, well he would always make you smile, even now sitting here just thinking about him I can’t help but smile. He had this deep desire to know the gospel, to take it all in and believe it. I didn’t understand a word he said that first night. He actually made fun of me that first night for not knowing a single word of German. And to top everything off when it came time to finish the lesson he asked if I would say the closing prayer. This one thing I could do, so I prayed as hard as I could knowing it was the only thing I was contributing to this lesson. Afterwards Andi patted my shoulder and said ‘du wierst ok sein’. It was a small phrase that of course I didn’t understand but Sister Christopher quickly translated that it meant I’d be ok.

Andi continued to meet with the Elders the entire time I was in Freiburg. Sometimes we would join them and help teach is girlfriend. Towards the end it was great to see the change that happened in him and in myself. I could finally understand most of what he was saying. He started sharing his testimonies with other investigators we had and was a great influence for good.

mit freundlichen Grüßen

Jenessa Jensen