Monday, April 3, 2017

Things is heating up...

...in a number of ways. First of all, the weather itself is a lot warmer! I've gone without a sweater a few days lately, spring really has sprung here in Grenoble! I was looking at some pictures from when we first got here and I'd forgotten that the trees were all still green and leafy back then, but winter came fairly quick after that. Almost 5 1/2 months later and the trees are nice and green again :)

Secondly, the Paris temple! The stake youth are all going to Lyon to practice for the cultural assembly, as are youth in other stakes from all over the country. We've been trying to prepare people to go to the temple since before I got in the mission and the time is nearly here! Aaaahhhh

Thirdly, transfers! Calls are coming this Friday, and given that Elder Alvarenga and I have been together for 4 transfers we're expecting a change. What that change will be I just don't know, but it'll be interesting for sure!

Last week we hiked up to the Bastille, the fort overlooking the city of Grenoble. We hiked it once in the morning 3 transfers ago along a trail and last transfer we took the bubbles (cable cars) up, but this time we took the stairs. Be ye warned, it's not for the faint of heart, faint of lung, or faint of quadriceps. About halfway up I was dying, due to the severe lack of cardio from which I've been suffering for a long time. Exercising at 6h30 in the morning is hard. I stopped to rest for a few minutes and took it easier on the way up and ended up being fine, but all 6 of us were mighty sore the next day!

This past week we went to drop a letter at our recent convert's house in the hills down south of Grenoble. We hadn't been able to find it last time, but we did this time! It would've been a lot easier if he'd told us he lived in a massive château. I couldn't get a real decent picture of it, but I'll send you what I have.

Thursday was district meeting! We had a suivi on Zone Conference and Hope and how we're going to help our amis have this hope for the future. Something that I really liked from the meeting (I don't remember who brought this up) was that we don't just wear a plastic nametag with Christ's name on it. We have been called by God himself and set apart by the power of His priesthood to represent His Son Jesus Christ! It follows that we should have the ability to promise blessings to people with the assurance that they will come true. For example, "If you pray sincerely to know if the Book of Mormon is true and promise God that once you receive that answer you'll do your best to follow His will, I promise that you'll receive and recognize an answer." Or another example: "I promise that after your baptism, as you keep reading the Book of Mormon, praying daily, and attending church regularly, your marriage will become more stable than it's ever been." These are big, important promises! However, God wants to bless His children with the truth and He has called us to help bring it to them.

This brings me to a scripture I really like:

"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." (D&C 6:36)

It was quoted in General Conference too :) I should have more to say about General Conference later, but the initial thought is this: it was really good! I watched most of the Conference in French with Elder Graff, it was good motivation to keep me alert since if I even start to zone out I immediately don't understand. Funny how foreign languages work sometimes. There were a lot of good talks, I don't think I could choose a favorite right now. I'll be watching the Sunday Afternoon Session this week sometime, it's the only one we haven't seen yet.

I hope that spiritual thought is enough for y'all today! Love you lots! If you have questions feel free to email me!

Elder Jensen out
江长老

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