Another Glimpse of the MTC

Jasmine had the chance to send more pictures of her time in the MTC! These are some of my favorites so we were excited to get them. 

"On the bus to the airport, on our way to the Philippines!"

The First of Many Mission Good-byes (MTC week 5)

Hello Everyone! 

This week flew by! It seems like all the weeks here do. I got my flight plans yesterday!!!! I will be going to the SLC airport, from there I will go to San Fransisco CA, then Tokyo Japan, and lastly Manila Philippines! From there we will probably be shipped on a bus or something to my mission! I am SUPER excited, but at the same time I do not feel completely prepared. I have confidence that the Lord wouldn't send me out if He didn't think I was ready though, so I am sure I will figure it all out and be able to share the Gospel with the people of the Philippines! I hear they are really nice and try to help you out a lot if you are learning Tagalog. One of our teachers said that he only got the door slammed in his face once and that was because it was a drunken drag queen. I can't say I want a similar experience, well, besides not getting doors slammed in my face. Richard G. Hinkley was our Tuesday night Devo. He is an emeritus General Authority. Afterwards we took a big picture and he said we are the best missionaries on this earth. I thought that was pretty cool. He said some other things as well, but I don't have my notes right now. Anyways, one of our teachers said goodbye to us this week. The day before we left Sister Shrack and I had a lesson with him. We started in Tagalog, but he stopped us and we continued in English saying what we really wanted to say and teaching according to his needs. He told us that even an awesome scripture or lesson can be bad if it is in the wrong place and time. I had to agree with him. He then addressed my concern of being able to teach in Tagalog and I learned all that I have to do is try because if I am not trying to teach according to the people's needs then it is irrelevant to them. Afterwards he said a prayer. It was so powerful to me because it came from someone that I have grown to love and respect. He blessed our families and our teaching efforts and much more. He has been like my big brother here and I miss him already. It feels like just yesterday that I walked into the MTC for the first day and he was there speaking gibberish to me. After the prayer we were all kind of holding back tears. I realized this would be the first of many goodbyes on my mission. I hope that all of them are this sweet because then I know that I am doing what I need to do. I think that leaving the MTC might be like leaving home all over again. Well, I love you all! Thank you for your prayers and your thoughts. I am learning Tagalog. It's coming, but I know it will take much more effort and struggling on my part before I really get it all down. I can't wait to be fluent hahaha! I will have one more week to write you all in the USA. I leave the 29th of this month! Alam ko po totoo ang ebanhelyo! 

Love, 

Sister Jensen

Our Guro, Brother W.

first emails.

Sister Jensen:
I am here! I love my companion. She is very sweet and kind and we were friends at the very beginning. I am in provo. Right next to the cafeteria in 3m :). It is great. My teacher is good. He hardly ever speaks english to us. Our learning pace is up to us and what we want to learn. 

Give Asher a squeeze and a kiss for me. I miss that little guy. He is so sweet. I would love to have some pics of our family, but I also need other things too, so don't send anything yet because I have a list of things I want. but I haven't made it yet. What have you guys been up to. Thank you for the card and tell Neen thank you for the letter :). Yesterday I taught my first investigator named Ellen in tagalog... It was super hard and it was frustrating when I could understand what she was saying, but I couldn't reply. I am learning a lot though. It already feels like I have been here for ages. We have sisters.. I forget what they are called, but they are over our zone and they come in every night and ask how we are. It reminds me of girls camp with the tent advisors. They are very sweet. There is only one sister older than me and it is Sister S., My companion. She is 21 and that is just in my district. There is a 28 year old in my zone I think. Our Elders are very young and they are little babikins. Some of them are very homesick and it makes me feel bad for them. Learning the language and teaching it to others is definitely hard, but it is getting easier each day and I am learning a lot. I love learning the language. I think it is super exciting.

Us:
Well, hello gorgeous! We're all here! Mom, Janeen, myself, and Asher. Its good to hear from you, and to hear that you're doing well. According the interwebs there is a provo west mtc and just a regular provo MTC. We're unsure what that means. We thought maybe you translate. RIGHT NEXT TO THE CAFETERIA!? You best eat some ice cream for us. Steer clear of the orange juice unless you want to clear a room. How many people are in each room? What is your companions name? Where is she from? How many people are going to the Olongapo mission. We love you!!!
 
Sister Jensen:

Hello Everyone!!!

There is a Provo West campus and those are the apartment ones. I am a little jealous because they have a little more space, but they get shuttled over here every day, so they have to get up earlier and such. They do have more freedom though, but I am right in the center of the MTC. Near all the important stuff like the store and the mailroom and the cafeteria, and gym. I am eating icecream tomorrow... if they have it. Things are a little different because of the program tomorrow. There is supposed to be some historic announcement and I am soooo excited to be in the room with the first presidency!! I always steer clear of the oj. There are six sisters in my room. Sister S. is from Indiana. There are a TON of people going to the Olongapo mission, my comusa is not one of them. There are 5 girls in a different district that just got here going to Olongapo as well and in my district there are 3 sisters going to Olongapo and all five of the Elders are going to Olongapo. Love you too!!

Us:

Mom is crying. Tears of motherly joyish feelings. She's a 50 year old babikins, she's not home sick but she's Jasmine sick. We tried to give Asher kisses, he's not in the mood of course. But we'll give him some later. What have we been up to? WELL isn't that a wonderful question. Basically the same things as when you left. Mom and Dad spend their days exercising and being olds. Janeen spends her day selling pest control, she's going to a single adult dance tonight to meet her future husband. Emmett invited Middleton, Nampa, and Ontario stakes so she hopes it will be pretty decent. I'm sure she misses you. She need a wing woman. I am doing the usual, just taking care of Asher and trying to make the appropriate life defining decisions. You already understand Tagalog? That's awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So exciting. Love, Jannelle, Mom and Janeen. Also Asher. 

Sister Jensen:
Tell mom everything is alright. I am having a great time here :). I love learning the language and our district is super fun. We all get along very well and have a lot of fun. The Elders crack me up, the poor things. All us sisters have fun. On Thursday we did yoga in the morning, it was supposed to be there today, but it was filled with chairs so no yoga dangit! We have gym time like 4x a week :). They require it now haha. I am starting to understand some Tagalog. The numbers and weekdays are the same so that is nice and some of the words are the same as Spanish, so my Spanish was helpful afterall. Except when I want to reply in Spanish. 

Us:
Dad says that he loves you. Stuart asks if the food is making bubbles in your tummy... then he laughs lol. He also asks if you've had your first devotional. 
 
Sister Jensen:
Tell Dad I love him :)
Kamusta po kayo?  ( sounds like como esta kinda theing po kay- O) That means How are you? The Elders and sisters walk around saying Kamusta as a greating. It is fun. Pacienta (Patientia) is sorry. The food hasn't really bothered me, but I have been eating a lot of fruit and healthy stuff like wrapps. I have only eaten like two brownies and an icecream bar for a dessert haha. They have a lot of selection for food. We haven't had devo. We have devo on Tuesday, I think.
Everyone here says that Sunday is the best day, but this Sunday is not a normal Sunday with the broadcast and all. It is different. We have to wear our best missionary attire and I am thankful for the suitcoat Jacque gave me. When I got here I also discovered that I am not allowed to have any dressed that are super long. Apparently it is a problem, but it only cost 50 cents to have some nice ladies hem them for us, so I am going to do that later today.