The power of "I Love You!"

Dear Family and Friends,

Let me just start out by saying, "Dios es Grande!!!"

How has everyone been doing! This week has been great and starting to warm up which has been really nice! And glad to announce, we have finally made it to short sleeve weather! Whoot whoot!

But this week has definitely been a week of miracles. Our focus person Allan has a baptismal date for the 21st of March which is super awesome! He has been praying about receiving a baptismal date for over a month now, so we had a lesson, sat down, looked at calendar and he chose the 21st! The only thing is we are still trying to build a strong relationship with his Mom, because we haven't really been able to have a lesson with her because she always seems to be busy. But we stopped by last night and she invited us over to eat with their family! Making progress!!!!

The other miracle we had this week was with our man Frank! (The one who had cool shoes on that lives in our apartment complex). So like I said last week we met him and then he told us to stop by that night. But then we stopped by and he wasn't there. So we left a restoration pamphlet in his door and didn't think much more about it. Until this past Tuesday we had to leave pretty early to get to district council, so as my companion was backing me up, Frank comes driving by and shouts, "Y'all are the people that left me that pamphlet right! Yall people straight, imma read it and stop by Saturday!" (The Lord's timing is perfect!)

So fastfoward to Saturday, after a whole bunch of problems that went down, getting rejected all afternoon, the other Elders locking the keys in the car, and some other stuff, we were able to make it to Frank's house right after dinner. We were just going to show up teach a quick lesson, see of he's legit, and then send him as a referral to the English elders. BUT the Lord had different plans. We knock on his door and he immediately let's us in. He introduces us to his girl, and we sit down and have a lesson and it was so so so amazing. We started off with the basic question of "Who is God to you?" The explained and then they asked us the same question, and I was able to tell her that I know God is my Heavenly Father and because he is we are all children of God we are brothers and sisters. And since we are all brothers and sisters, I told them that I loved them. 

And then after those words came out of my mouth, the whole lesson changed. She started crying and just saying how much she respects who we are and what we do, and how she wants us to come over and eat ice cream and share a message with them, because we are basically family now. 

But I was thinking the whole time, this is good, but we aren't going to be able to teach you because you're english speaking. And then right before we were going to leave, Frank made a comment how God loves all his children no matter their skin color, like he said, yall are white, I'm black, and my WIFE is from Puerto Rico! Right then our eyes got so big and we asked if she speaks Spanish, and she was like yeah, I'm fluent. So then we started speaking in spanish and we bonded even more. So we can still keep teaching them, and she wants to go to a spanish church, so she's gonna start coming to church with us and we're gonna offer translation for Frank! Talk about legit blessings. 

They appreciated us stopping by so much that they hooked us up with two bottles of water and a pack of doubled stuffed oreos (because to Frank it's a sin to do anything less than double stuffed!) Lol

But I definitely know the Lord has his own timing and we can't always see it. Sometimes we get mad when we are struggling or going through a hard time, but know the Lord is preparing you to receive a big miracle. Becasue you truly do appreciate them more! 

Funnies:

1. We were walking around the center of the town and heard a man screaming. So we looked and he had a bible in his hands read and praying out of it. So we had to walk by him to get where we were going, and we gave him and kind smile and a charitable wave. And then he said not directly at us but to the crowd, "Lord bless my Mormon brothers that they won't go to hell. That they'll be able to be saved from going to outer darkness! And please help them to know you by reading your word the BIBLE in it's entirety!" 

Wow, what a nice guy!!!

2. So like I said earlier, the elders we share the car with happened to lock the keys out of thw car. But I learned that with two wooden spoons, pliers, and a wire hanger, and 30 minutes, miracles can happen. 

I hope everyone has a great week and I love you all! And may everyone enjoy the more sun!!!

Elder Jorgensen

Pics:

1. Mid process 

2. A big cow

3. Farm Boys

4. Lancaster 

5. #SUSQ

Don't Cross a Dominican Grandma

Hello family and friends,

What a crazy week it has been, but a fun one too! We had a massive zone conference with half the mission this past week because Elder Bennett of the Seventy came and talked to our mission! It was a super cool experience and a lot of things learned, the only downside was having to wake up at 4am! But the Lord sustained us so we're all good!

This past week I have been really focusing my studies on how I can become a better disciple of Jesus Christ, and better missionary, and just a better person in general. I have been studying a lot on how I can overcome pride through learning to be humble and patient! There is this one talk that I absolutely love by Ezra Taft Benson entitled "Beware of Pride." It's a little bit of a fiery talk, but there is one part that really stuck out to me, 

"The proud wish God would agree with them. They aren’t interested in changing their opinions to agree with God’s."

And that is so true, and it caused me to reflect  this week in my daily activities. "Am I agreeing with God and His timing or trying to get God to agree with me?" And I've seen that as I have truly humbled myself before the Lord and am getting better at accepting whatever is thrown my way, that I am able to have Joy amidst my trials. And I am so grateful for that!

Our two miracles are still really progressing. One of the people we are teaching actually got up and bore his testimony yesterday which was super awesome! He's such a stud and a truly prepared person of the Lord! 

But I know that God truly has a plan for every single one of us, and as we truly humble ourselves before the Lord and accept His will, we will see miracles in our lives!

Funnies: 

1. So our dinner hour is from 5-6 and they are super strict about it too! So we were caught in a sticky situation this past week, and long story short we had to eat chicken, rice, and beans with our hands outside in 20 degree weather while it was snowing! It wasn't snowing too bad, but it just added to the whole experience. Couldn't really feel my hands afterwards, but it was good food! 

2. We were standing with our vests, just checking our schedule. And apparently we were standing too close to a car or something, because someone came right out of their house and yelled at us, "Is there something wrong with my car?" (Thinking we were going to give her a ticket) We calmed her down, and said we were just missionaries, but she didn't want to hear a message

3. We were walking out of the apartment one day, and this huge black dude walked into our apartment, and I liked his shoes, so I said, "Hey man those are fresh kicks. What are they high top Air Force 1's?" This man turned around and said, "Yeah G, you a real one! What's up with you?" So we explained that we were missionaries and he wants us to come teach him and his "shotty" that was chillin in the whip! So I learned that sometimes all you got to do, is just complement people's shoes and they'll open up!

4. I got yelled at by a Domincan Grandma! Always a fun time, and I took it as she loved me enough to yell at me! So it was a little scary, but my companion and I just busted up laughing after it was done!

Have a great week and I love all of you!

Elder Jorgensen

1. A cool mural 

2. A cool view of Lancaster