I'm basically a superhero now..

Hello To All,

DISCLAIMER: NO MATTER WHAT YOU READ IN THIS EMAIL, I AM DOING JUST FINE! I AM LOVING LIFE AND HAVING A BLAST AS A MISSIONARY!

This week I made a new friend, his name is Jochie! Jochie is the parasite that lives inside of me!

A week ago from Tuesday that made some tacos for lunch, but there was something very wrong with it, because it knocked out a lot of missionaries. There were many missionaries who had stomach pains, intestinal issues, and were throwing up. I thought that I had escaped it but no. I feel fine, no stomach pains, no headaches, and I haven't thrown up yet. There's just something else. If you know the line from Nacho Libre, you know what I am going through. So after a couple days of not getting better, I decided to go the Enfermeria, and I spoke to a Doctor and he told me I had a parasite. He didn't do any tests, so it might be a false diagnosis, but it's more fun saying I have a parasite. After the Doctor, we went back in class any my companion decided to tell everyone in my District about my parasite. And any chance he gets his spills the beans, which has made it kinda fun... But everyone in my district jokes about it! And it is actually pretty funny! 

I'm Elder Jorgensen by Day, and Elder Parasite by night. A crime fighting super hero who won't stop until all parasites are eradicated! 

So that's pretty much been the highlight of my week and the thing I am most struggling with, and it's been a blast!

This week I was reading in 3 Nefi when Jesus came to visit the Nephites in the Americas after his death and resurrection. He called 12 disciples, and at one point in 3 Nefi 19 he commands them to pray unto the Father in his name. He then goes off and prays to the father and when he returns his disciples are still praying. At that moment he smiled upon them and his countenance did shine upon them. And his disciples became white like unto him. When I read this story, I immediately thought to the story of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane with Peter, James, and John. Christ commanded Peter, James, and John tarry with him and watch with him, because he needed as much strength as he could get. He went and prayed to the Father and twice he came back and they were all asleep. I could only imagine how difficult, sad, and discouraging this was for the Savior. He was completing the hardest thing that ever was done and his most trusted friends fell asleep on him. But I could also imagine how much joy the savior felt when he was visiting the Nephites and they didn't fall asleep on him, they were there for him and were doing as he commanded. I then thought to myself, how will I be there for Christ when he needs me most? Will I ¨fall asleep¨ or will I be continuously praying unto the father and doing as he commands? I came to the conclusion that I needed to be in bed by 10:15, so I won't literally fall asleep, but I also decided that I need to do all I can to strengthen my testimony so when Christ calls on me and needs me I will be there for him. And I will help carry out his work!

It is absolutely crazy that I leave the CCM in a week and a half. Time has absolutely flown by, I have already been out one month! Absolutely insane! There are things I am definitely going to miss about Mexico, but there are some things that I am definitely grateful for serving in the states. Number 1 being, not having to worry about parasites! I am definitely going to miss the constant sound of ¨fireworks¨ going on all day and night. The Catholics here love to celebrate and there was one day where there was fireworks going on all day and they sounded exactly like cannon shots. So that wasn't distracting in class at all! But I love Mexico and I love the Latinos and I am so grateful I have the opportunity to serve them for the next 2 years.

Slight flex real quick, I had to give a talk on Sunday all in Spanish, and I was first so it was a little stressful. But I gave it and I thought it went well. And then a Latina got up 2 talks after me and quoted something I said. Yeah so no biggie just a Spanish expert over here! A tender mercy for me!

I love being a missionary, I love wearing the name of Christ and being a personal representative of him! It is the best thing!

And a thought for the week, How will you be there for Christ when he needs you the most?

Love Y'all.

Elder Jorgensen

"Dad tie" day. 

Trust in thee, not me pt.2

What a week it has been. This week has been a blast and has completely flown by. I also love how just when you seem to get comfortable, the Lord decides to shake things up a bit. So, this past week just as I was getting into my groove as a District Leader, and finally really figuring out what to do and growing close to my district, my companion and I were called to be the Zone Leaders of Branch 3. It has been a little stressful this week, but this way I get to meet more missionaries and share the love of Christ with even more people. Being a Zone leader really isn´t that hard, I just have more meetings to attend to.

So this week has had so many experiences jammed packed that I thought I would just give a Highlight reel from the week!

Thursday- So Thursday night, there was a Hermana in our district who suggested that we read a talk by Henry B Eyring from the October 2002 General Conference entitled ¨Rise to Your Call¨. It is so amazing, everyone should go read it right now! Favorite Line from the Talk, ¨If I only think of my own performance, my sadness deepens. But when I remember that the Lord promised that His power would go with me, I begin to look for evidence of what He has done in the lives of the people I am to serve. I pray to see with spiritual eyes the effects of His power.¨ I absolutely loved this talk! Also after we were done reading the talk, a Hermana in my district turned to me and asked if I had any council for them, and she really put me on the spot. But as I sat and thought for a moment words just came flowing into my mind, and they weren´t mine, but the Lord´s. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to be a District Leader and the revelation I was able to receive for my lovely district.

Saturday- So this past week everyone in my district has been sick, except for me (knock on wood)! It has been crazy, and It hasn´t been the little coughs or sneezes, it´s been the hacking things up and bed rest kinda sickness. So it´s been really really bad. But on Saturday I was able to participate in 2 blessings for people in my District. I was able to anoint and Elder in my District and give a blessing to my companion. It was a very very spiritual experience para mí. Right after the blessing was given to the other Elder in our district he felt immediately better and I had a really cool experience while I gave a blessing to my companion. As I was talking, I had an immediate love for him come into my heart and mind, and It was so so so strong that I couldn´t put how I felt into words. I probably told my companion, his Heavenly Father loves him so much like 5 times in a row, because I couldn´t say anything else. I truly felt how the Nephites did when Jesus came and prayed for them. They couldn´t utter or write down the words of the prayer, because the feeling and words were so powerful. Definitely an experience I will always remember.

Sunday- So this was the day I was called to be a zone leader, and It was a lot of fun. I was also given the opportunity to call the next district leader. Didn´t really know I could do this, but my branch president, Presidente Torres told me there are a lot of leaders in my district and I was to pick the next District leader. Immediately felt and overwhelming sense of stress, but  I did receive a clear answer and Elder Waldron, my sweat shop friend, is our next district leader. What is really funny is 5 minutes before he was issued the call, he told another Elder in the District if he gets called to be a District Leader, he might say no, because he didn´t think he could handle it. But he´s doing great and The lord is definitely magnifying his efforts. We also were able to watch President Nelson´s 95 spectacular as our Sunday night devotional. It was so awesome. and let me tell you the Bonner Family made me feel like I was back in Alabama singing hymns in Ensley. So much fun, I just wish Gladys Night would´ve made a cameo. Because that would´ve just sent me over the edge. Love love love soulful gospel music.

Tuesday- We started trying to learn imperfect versus preterit this week and it has been absolutely terrible. Still don´t understand it, but it´ll come along. If you don´t understand how hard it is hopefully this will put it into perspective. We were doing some practices on the computer, and I look over and see an Elder in my District violently smashing his head with a plastic water bottle. I was completely shocked because I thought something really bad had happened, but he just said,   I really really hate this stuff. I about died!

Today- I was able to go to the temple and the Mexico City Temple is absolutely massive, it is the biggest temple outside the United States and it is one of 5 temples in the world were Angel Moroni is holding the Plates. So so cool and a very spiritual experience indeed. It was fun to get outside the walls and see the city a bit, but ohh man is it crazy. They have people doing anything the can to earn money. Someone was even juggling like 5 or 6 balls in the middle to traffic. Crazy crazy crazy

We´ve also been teaching a lot this week, and I can truly say I envy the English speakers, because preaching the gospel in English would be so so so easy! But we had a devotional this past week were we broadcasted a talk by Gary E. Stevenson were he said, My call was divinely inpsired and the Lord has faith in me and trusts me and knows that I will eventually learn Spanish, even the Preterit vs imperfect!

I love all of you and I hope your weeks were just as good as mine, Keep going, you got this

Love,

Elder Jorgensen

 Mexico City Temple

 Hermana Lechuga

Elder Waldron

Trust in Thee, not me.

Hola mis amigos y familia. Greetings from across the border. The CCM is absolutely amazing. My days are so crammed pack, it's absolutely crazy. I've had a really good week though and I love my teachers, my companion, and especially my district. 

My very first day here though was not the best.  I could even say terrible. The flight out here was crazy. The original plan was to fly with my dad to Dallas, wait for about an hour, meet up with other missionaries, and fly to Mexico and be happy.  The lord had another plan though. My flight going out of Birmingham, was delayed due to weather in Dallas.  So I wouldn't be able to make my connecting flight. I was starting to panic,  called the church travel station,  and they told me to get on another flight. I went to the counter and they immediately put me on a flight to Miami, that was boarding right then. So I said a quick quick quick goodbye to my dad and hopped on a plane. Flew to Miami, was the only missionary there, and then boarded the plan for Mexico city. Not knowing what to do when I got there or even if people were going to pick me up. I am going to be completely alone. It was a terrible feeling. I then got to Mexico completely lost not being able to ask anybody a question. Took a couple wrong turns, went down wrong hallways, but finally found my bags. I Came out of the gate, and couldn't find the CCM people.  Walked up and down the airport for about 15 minutes and finally ran into someone. But guess what, no English. So I was following him around like a little puppy. Surrounded by people,  but feeling all alone. Finally ran into some other missionaries, and rode on a bus to the CCM. Got to the CCM and met some people but they spoke little to no English. Did some training videos and sat around for the longest time. I think they forgot about us, because so many missionaries came in. So we literally sat on a couch for about 2 hours, and couldn't ask anybody a question because I don't speak Spanish. I finally was able to talk to someone who spake English and headed my way to my house. Met my companion, his name is Elder Phillips. We then went to the cafeteria and guess what they had. Pizza! A tender mercy for sure. We then had a devotional, but the whole time I was not very happy because I was in a foreign land and I couldn't speak the language. I then had a meeting with our branch presidency and I was called to be a district leader. I felt so inadequate. 

But as I was feeling sorry for myself I had a thought pop into my head that said trust thee, not me. Being a missionary is really tough, but that doesn't mean it's not worth it. I have seen myself grow so much in these past couple days it is amazing. As I have turned it all to the lord I have seen him work in my life. And turning it all over to the Lord has not been easy either. I am still fighting it on somethings, but I'm working on it.

I do love my savior and i do love being a missionary, it is tough, but it is so good. 

Spanish is difficult but it is fun. Can't really understand a lot, but I am learning. 

Favorite word this week, Egipcios.

I love you!

Elder Jorgensen 

Mom, sorry if you can't understand this, the Samsung is inferior to apple.