Hello Family and Friends!
Let me just start by saying this week has been all over the place. I've heard this missionary life described as a roller coaster, and that is exactly how this week has felt.
Let me start with the weather. In the beginning of this week, it was super cold. Chilly during the day and then super cold at night. It was up and down during the week, and then all night Friday and most of Saturday it absolutely poured. And it was a cold rain, so a miserable type of rain to work in. And then Saturday night was nice. And then it rained all morning today, but it came in with a heat wave and humidity. So it was like 80 degrees today, humid, and sunshine. Super super crazy.
And that is pretty much how my week went too. High points and low points, but always in a upwards progression. There have been some really tough days this week, but no matter how tough the day is, there is always something good about it. You just have to look for it. And I think that is one of the biggest lessons that I have learned while being out here on a mission. Life is really really tough sometimes, and sometimes we get knocked down and we feel like we're even getting kicked while we are down, but no matter the situation we can still have joy. I love the quote by President Russell M. Nelson, “When the focus of our lives is on … Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him." No matter the situation we find ourselves in we can still CHOOSE to be happy. If we focus our lives on Christ and make him the center of our lives, we can find joy in any circumstance. I have found that four things help me focus my life on Christ.
1. Partaking of the Sacrament every week and taking my commitment to always remeber Christ seriously.
2. Praying earnestly everyday day outloud and being patient and waiting for a response. Because I am talking to my father in Heaven and not leaving a voicemail. I need to wait for him to respond.
3. Reading the Book of Mormon everyday. I have grown the love the Book of Mormom even more while I have been out of a mission, and I truly know what it means to feast on the words of Christ! And I love the council from President Johnson, that if we read the Book of Mormon everyday, everyday, everyday, Satan's tools of deception, discouragement, and distraction will have no power over us!
4. Be grateful for all things. As wise woman in my life once told me, "Be grateful for all things, and gratitude is like a magnet for blessings." And that is so true, when we are grateful for all things we are so much happier. We look at trials as a way for God to help us grow and learn instead of as a punishment. And no matter how hard the day is, if we look for blessings, we will realize God was with us every step of the way that day! Gratitude for blessings=Even more blessings
I know these things to be true, and we can be happy at all times and in all places. We can find joy in every situation.
Let me just share a few highlights from the week:
1. Last night we had a family night/Halloween activity at our church. And it was so much fun. They had us play full court basketball, and we have 5 elders in our branch so we were each team captains. And let me tell you these hispanic ladies are crazy. There were 2 ladies that played with us, one was like 64 and the other was like 42. And they were hustling up and down the court diving all over the place. It was so funny to watch. And the older one actually blocked my companions shot, I about lost it, it was so funny! These Latinos are crazy but so funny!
2. Latinos can't pronounce my name so I've been getting called everything, Elder Jorge or Elder George and Elder Jorgesito are the most common. But if it sounds even close, I respond, it's pretty funny. The best name I've gotten though is Elder Santa Clause, because of my red cheeks! (I have Jeaners to thank for that one!)
3. I was eating in a Wendy's, and then all of a sudden two dudes start going nuts and throwing hands in the parking lot. It was basically street fighter Baltimore version! No one got hurt, but if they did there was an ambulance in the parking lot, so it's all good!
4. Our water got shot off for one day, so it was fun living life without running water. It was a really fun time! Took my first ever wet wipe bath! Ha!
5. Found my new favorite food. It's called Yucca and it is a Peruvian Vegatable, but the best part is it doesn't taste like a vegetable at all. We went to a restuarant and they brought it out and I legit thought they were French fries. So vegetables that taste like French fries, my new fave!
I love all y'all,
Elder Jorgensen
Pics:
1. The three generations, my trainer and my trainer's trainer
2. The zone leaders
3. Tried to be artsy
4. I'm basically a temple square missionary now
