Dear Family & Friends,
Monday in the mission office staff meeting it was my turn to provide a thought. I shared some thoughts from Ether chapter 6. A question was asked about the two additional stones that were prepared to translate what the Jaredites would write later. This led to President Christianson sharing some thoughts and information he knew about the Urim and Thummim and some related scriptures. It was a good discussion and we felt the Spirit.
Tuesday two Elders from the Palmyra area came to the office for me to take them to Fred Foti’s Collison Repair shop to see what could be done about repairing the loose front bumper on their car. We got that fixed and stopped at another repair shop to take care of an engine maintenance light problem. When we returned to the mission office Elder Olsen asked me a question about what bed bugs look like. He then also showed me some bites around his ankles and asked if they could be bed bug bites. I knew they were right off, but we looked on the internet and found some reliable information about bed bugs including pictures of them and what the bites look like. After seeing the pictures he said I killed one of them on my bed this morning; and then he said my bites look just like some of the ones in the pictures. I said you definitely have bed bugs in your apartment. We called Elder and Sister Ellis and had them talk with Elder Olsen and give him instructions on what they needed to do to take care of the problem. The Ellis’s went to their apartment the next day to help them get things ready for the exterminator to come and spray the apartment. This is the second missionary apartment we have had with bed bugs. We sure hope they do not spread to other missionary apartments. Sister Jensen went with Sister Servoss to help Sister Christianson with providing a last meal for 5 missionaries who went home a few weeks early so they would be able to get ready for attending a university to continue their education. These missionaries flew home on Wednesday.
Wednesday I and Elder Servoss went over to the church on Kreag Rd. which is about a mile from the office. The last week of this month we will be moving the mission office into this building. As we got to the entrance to where the office will be the FM Manager was holding his phone to his ear and saw us coming and said how did you know I was calling you. We said we did not know but the Spirit did and told us to come. We were able to solve some issues related to our moving in to the building and we also obtained the information for which we went to obtain. This helped us put some finishing touches on how to arrange the existing furniture in the office in the Kreag Rd. building. We have planned with the President and some other missionaries who serve in areas near us, to come and help us get things moved from the current office into the Kreag Rd. building. We will make the move on August 27th. The new office address is given below; be sure you notice the spelling of Kreag (it is pronounced like Craig but spelled as you see it below). You can put our names above the New York Rochester Mission.
New York Rochester Mission
460 Kreag Rd.Pittsford, NY 14534
Also on Wednesday evening we taught the Institute lesson for the GVB YSA. The lesson was on Moroni chapter 1-6. There are a number of great principles and doctrines taught in these few short chapters. One principle came to me by the Spirit as I pondered on Moroni 6:4-5. This verse is obviously related to how to do things in the church; the process is that after we are received unto baptism and are cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost; the people were numbered, their names taken, they were remembered and nourished by the good word of God (scriptures & revelation), to keep them in the right way. This is absolutely true for how to help baptized members. I was prompted by a strong Spiritual witness to also make the application of these principles to our own families. The baptism and cleansing fits in later. As parents we bring children into our families with God’s help. We number them, 1st child, 2nd child etc. (if we only have one child then we only have one number 1child; each child is number one as we teach them one on one). We name them, then we remember their name (especially in our prayers), and then we nourish them physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually; including using the scriptures, including those from living prophets. The object of these efforts is to keep them in the right way so that when the time for baptism comes they will be cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost. We must then continue to remember and nourish them and help them keep in the right way until they are ready and worthy to receive temple ordinances; then we continue to help them some more. In verse 5 we are instructed to meet together oft, fast and pray and speak one with another concerning the welfare of our souls. In addition to church meetings we also meet in family home evening, family prayer, scripture study, meal times, parent and child one on one visits etc. This is one of those experiences where we can liken the scriptures unto ourselves and by making the application we can receive additional blessings. We can also use these principles as grandparents with our children and grandchildren.
Thursday and Friday we had fairly normal days in the mission office. Friday morning I had my monthly MARC meeting with President Christianson and the AP’s. This meeting is to coordinate matters related to the vehicles and missionaries who drive them. We council about the number of miles they drive which exceed their allotted number of miles and we also discuss whether we have the vehicles in the right areas. We have around 46 companionships, but we only have 43 vehicles, so there are 3 companionships without vehicles.
Saturday morning we arose early and drove to the Hill Cumorah Visitor Center for a meeting in the basement room with all the senior missionary site couples and Elder and Sister Searle who are the Site Directors. The Searle’s had arranged to have Elder Gordon Smith, our new Area Seventy, speak to us at 7:15 am. Elder Smith was also there to meet with a group of Scouts and their leaders who were having a regional Scout Jamboree. There were scouts from all over NY and some groups also from Canada. Elder Smith had spent some time training scout leaders Friday evening. President Christianson had spoken to the group earlier in the day on Friday. After speaking to us early Friday morning, Elder Smith then also spoke with the scouts and their leaders at the lowering of the flag ceremony ending the Jamboree. Also Saturday morning President Larry Gibson, First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, came to teach the scouts and their leaders. It was a great experience for those who attended. Some of the scouts also went to the Palmyra Temple and did baptisms for the dead while they were there.
Elder Smith shared with us an experience he had with then, Elder Uchtdorf, in trying to obtain legal recognition of the church in Italy. Elder Smith was at the time a US Senator and arranged for he and Elder Uchtdorf to meet with the Italian Minister who was over religious affairs, she was a very knowledgeable woman; and she had asked the assistant minister to also attend the meeting. Senator Smith introduced Elder Uchtdorf as an apostle in the church. He then introduced the discussion by referring to some quotes from the NATO Treaty which included the USA and Italy. He then had Elder Uchtdorf explain the problems our LDS members were experiencing and asked if the church could be legally recognized. The Minister then asked the Assistant Minister what he thought. He shared an experience he had the previous year in visiting Utah and Salt Lake City, including the Temple Square. He said two young Italian Sister Missionaries had given him a tour of Temple Square. He said he was so positively impressed with the two Italian young ladies and said that he wished there were thousands more of young ladies like them in Italy. He was confident that the church could help make this happen. He also said to Senator Smith and Elder Uchtdorf that we would like you to build a temple like the Salt Lake Temple here in Rome. Legal status was given to the LDS Church and other churches as well. This was also the beginning of the process to get approval to build the now partly built Rome Temple and related facilities. The two young Italian missionaries had a great influence in helping this process come to pass. Never underestimate the power of a good example in the hands of the Lord.
Today we attended our church meetings and had very good instruction from speakers, teachers, and leaders. The Geneseo Ward has some great members and leaders. The Ward Mission Leader is very helpful and is a great help to the missionary work in the ward, including getting the members to participate in a variety of ways.
We are in the process of contacting the YSA age group members in the ward and inviting them to attend Institute this fall beginning on September 20th. We hope to get some of the YSA to attend. We are also coordinating with the Senior Couple in the Warsaw Branch to invite their YSA to also come to the Geneseo Ward Institute. The Warsaw Branch is immediately west of the Geneseo Ward Boundary, only about 20 miles away; so maybe some of them will also come.
If my math is correct, on August 19th, next Sunday, my wonderful faithful parents will have been sealed for 81 years of their eternal temple marriage. Oh how greatly blessed I have been to a member of the Ruel and Ethel Jensen family. Heavenly Father has been so good and kind to me by blessing me with these two obedient, faithful, and loving parents. I love them so much for all they have done for me, and I hope I can live worthy to be with them in the eternities.
We express our great appreciation to all of you for your prayers in our behalf and in behalf of our children and their families. We feel the power of your prayers and thank Heavenly Father and the Savior for all they do to bless us. Please know that we also pray for each of you and your families in your challenges and trials. We know you will be blessed and sustained and guided in all that is required of you. As we pray in faith and then live in obedience to the gospel teachings our prayers will be answered according to the love, wisdom, and timing of Heavenly Father. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost really do live and love us and guide us in our lives; we know this is true.
Love,
Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, Maxine & Richard
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