Week 6 - In Huancayo, Peru

I can't write much but I'm officially at the mission home in Huancayo. I feel a little overwhelmed right now.  It is really scary and everyone is speaking spanish and it is hard to speak, but I can understand a good chunk of it when I just listen. I just had my interview with the mission president and he is super nice.  The whole interview was in spanish.  He told me that I have a good companion, so that is comforting. 

I have a headache because of the altitude change. The bus ride was really pretty but I threw up an hour before we got here.   I think it was because of the altitude change.   Almost everyone threw up as well!   haha. Tomorrow morning I am off to wherever they assign me! I know that the Lord is helping me through it all and that I will eventually get used to it. The next time I write will probably be on Monday, Oct. 31.  

Love,

Hermana Charlotte Jensen

Huancayo, Peru

Week 5 - Lima, Peru CCM (MTC)

Hola,

I just got back from the Lima, Peru temple! (about 5 minutes away from MTC by bus)  It was a wonderful experience and my best time yet.  It was an awesome bonding experience with my companion and it made me feel so good to be in the house of the lord.  Below are some pictures!

It was so wonderful to go!  I only got to go this one time because it has been closed for maintenance.

I'm not exactly sure when I will be emailing next btw because I think i leave next Tuesday for the field.  After that my p-days will be on Monday's.  Just letting you know it may be a little while.  I'm not exactly sure what time i will be emailing out in the field, and I may have less time.  Let everyone know that even though I do not have a lot of time to write, I do have time to read, and I always read your emails and it makes me so happy to know what is going on in everyone's lives.

I just wanted to mostly share my testimony.  It has grown so much here.  I was talking to the MTC president’s wife, and she was asking me how I got the testimony I have now.  I was thinking about it and I think it’s because I’ve lived the gospel my whole life and I’ve made it a part of who I am.  It has become embedded in me and I’ve seen the blessings of it.  You know me, I am a puzzle person.  I feel the gospel is this perfect puzzle, and I’ve seen that especially here and that it all fits together in this way.  It is so incredible.  The only One that can make a puzzle that is this amazing, is God.  He has a plan for us, and He loves us like crazy.  I know that families are meant to be together forever.  Families are an essential part of God’s plan.  He has put us in our families for a purpose.  I know that I have been put into my family for a purpose. And I’m so grateful that I have my family.   I know that prayer is real and that Heavenly Father listens to us.  I’ve had so many answered prayers here.  I’ve struggled and I’ve prayed and prayed.   I know that He has helped me and He has answered my prayers.  I know it is not me on my own doing.  I couldn’t have done this on my own without Him.   

I know that this church is restored through Joseph Smith.  I know that the Holy Ghost is real, I can tell when I don’t have it, I can.  I can tell when and why it’s there because I’m inviting the spirit and doing what I’m supposed to be doing.  That is when I have the companionship of the spirit with me.  I have grown to have a testimony of charity, which is love and service.  When you are serving others, you are serving God.  I’ve never felt more love for people than when I am serving them but I have to pray often to have that true charity.   I know this gospel is true, and I’m glad that I am here.  I know what I am doing here is very real and it’s going to bless people’s lives and I am grateful for that.   It’s crazy that I’m going to be out in the field next week and I am so excited.  I get butterflies in my stomach every time I think about it.  It’s scary but it’s good for me and I can't wait to get out there.  I love you and miss you all!!

WEEK 4 - Lima, Peru MTC

Hola!

This week was a really great one because we got to go proselytizing!!  We got on a bus on Saturday and drove down to a church building in Lima South and then went on exchanges with missionaries serving in that area. I was with a girl named Hermana Winward.  She is from Utah and super nice. She has been out for about a year and 3 months. It was nice because she spoke English so she was able to explain some things to me and I could ask her lots of questions about her mission. We went with 2 other members who did not speak any english but I picked up a little bit on what they were saying. We got on this tiny taxi van bus thing that is so scary to ride in - haha. They just leave the door open and then you hop on when it drives past you and you kind of have to stand up crouched inside. After the ride we walked up tons of stairs because most people live up on the mountain. We visited a lady who wants to be baptized but she has some struggles at home. I offered the prayer in Spanish and we talked to her about her family and she started crying because the boyfriend she is living with comes home a lot drunk and doesn't treat their family like he should. I felt God's love for her so strongly! I testified to her of that love and in spanish! I definitely teared up a little bit as I bore my testimony and it was awesome!  The whole experience was super special and made me so excited to get out into the field! 

The ccm is great and all but it's so special actually being out there in the homes of people and teaching them. It was pretty crazy because when we all got back we already had so many stories even just after a couple hours! One elder blessed someones baby in spanish already!  I can't wait for all the crazy experiences I will have. The CCM (MTC) has been really good, I taught relief society on sunday and it went well. I spoke about the Book of Mormon and how it brings us closer to Christ and the spirit was definitely there. I am also the choir pianist now for the choir here and yesterday we sang "Joseph Smiths First Prayer". 

Last week our district and one other did an english fast (no english) for an entire day and it was soooo frustrating haha. I ended up being very quiet for most of the day because I had a hard time knowing how to say things. I think it was good for me but I ended up getting a headache towards the end of the day. Also there is an Hermana Bromley here now.  She is from Danville, Ca!  That is where my dad grew up and where my grandma lives. She was born in Walnut Creek just like me but just a week before.  So crazy!  Dad let me know if grandma knows any Bromley's, specifically an Isabella Bromley. 

It's starting to get super hot here but not too bad. 

I love you all! I know the church is true with all my corazón!

Love,

Hermana Jensen

Me at the CCM (mission training center)

Hermana Jensen and Dallimore

Little "casitas" where we practice our door approach.

WEEK 3: Lima, Peru Mission Training Center

October 5, 2016

Hey everyone!

Time is flying already holy cow, I've almost been out a month. We just got a new bunch of missionaries here so we are officially the more advanced missionaries and have 3 weeks until were out into the field! Our whole weekend was listening to conference and it was very uplifting time for me. I felt like there were so many important things for me to hear and helped me to realize all the things that I need to work on to be a better and more focused missionary. 

Hermana Dallimore and I taught a really wonderful lesson the other day. Our investigator told us she was scared to get an answer and I told her that God loves her and would provide a way for her. She then prayed to know if the church was true and the spirit was so strong!   She had tears in her eyes, and then we asked if she would be baptized and she said yes!  It just shows how amazing the spirit is when you testify of truth with a sincere heart, the spirit will be there. 

This weekend we get to have a proselyting experience and go on exchanges with some missionaries in the Lima mission! I also am teaching relief society on Sunday! Every time I think about going out into the field, I get butterflies. I am just so excited! !!

I miss and love you all!

Love,

Hermana Charlotte Jensen

MTC football field

Hermana's Wall, Dallimore, Jensen, Holbrook

Hermana Wall leaving for Lima East mission

Hermana Jensen & Dallimore

My first Inca Cola

WEEK 2 - Mission Training Center - Lima, Peru

I don't know if will be able to send out a group email this week because I'm trying to get to everyone individually in the family. I am doing well! The days are kind of starting to blend together a little bit. Last p-day night, Hermana Dallimore and I had a lesson in the casita that was so wonderful. We testified to him about Christ and it was so spiritual and wonderful and we walked out just feeling so good. The next day we slacked off preparing and the lesson that night was a wreck. We analyzed and realized that we really need to study and focus more.  I know that God wants to bless us but we have to show our efforts. 

The members of our district mentioned that being in the scriptures daily, especially the Book of Mormon, has made the scriptures come alive to us and I completely agree. I feel like the stories make so much more sense now and I get so much more out of it. 

I made a sweet catch in ultimate frisbee today and showed up all the elders, it was pretty sweet. This week Hermana Dallimore tried to compliment a latino on his vest, but she said "vestido" which means dress, haha it made me laugh. Vest is "chaleco" by the way. 

I love you all!

Hermana Jensen and Dallimore

 Dallimore & Jensen after a game of ultimate frisbee

Another testament of Jesus Christ

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Peru Mission Training Center

WEEK 1: Lima, Peru Mission Training Center

Hola! 

I can´t believe I've only been out here for a week.   It seems like
I have been here for so much longer, but in a really good way, and I now
think I've gotten into a routine and I already love it here so much.
I have already grown to have such a love for Peru and I love looking out at
the mountains, even though most days it is very foggy. Yesterday we went
to Interpol to get our visas and it was really nice to get out and see
more of the city. Something interesting about Peru is that they have stray animals
everywhere and you are not supposed to pet them because they
carry diseases. There were a couple of stray cats at Interpol
while we were waiting in line and there were all these kittens and I
just wanted to pick them up and pet them and play with them but I
couldn't.   I may have to pet one though...I should be ok though haha. 

The food here is very good.  I have chicken rice and potatoes
every.single.day. I am really enjoying learning spanish and on the
second day we started teaching an "investigator" (our teacher) in the
casitas IN SPANISH.  It has actually been really great, it is just
frustrating sometimes not being able to find the words. I've noticed
though that  when I bear just a simple testimony in the lesson, the
spirit is there every time. I love the gospel and I am learning so much
from being here on how I need to improve.  Sister Dallimore is a great
companion. She is really sarcastic and blunt and she makes me laugh
really hard. She is so honest with me when something I do bothers
her and I really appreciate it. I feel like we communicate well and we
can work hard but also laugh a lot. Last night during district meeting
we could barely keep it together because we just were laughing so
much! Sometimes we need to be better focused. The ccm has such a
wonderful spirit about it and i feel so excited to serve for the next
18 months! 

I love you all!!  Hermana Charlotte Jensen

Court yard for recreation at Mission Training Center, Lima Peru

Hermana Jensen: 1 week in MTC

Hermana's cleaning up a mess

Hermana's Dallimore and Jensen

More sister missionaries.