WEEK 21 -- MESA, AZ

Lately, Elder Jensen's emails are in response to my letters.  I've included what he is referring to, which is in the red print.    dj

Hahaha you have a count down going? Nice! (82 weeks left or 577 days, and you have completed 1/5 of your mission!!! ) Yeah no it's for sure so much better down her!  (How it rains, then snows, is cold, then it warms up and is beautiful, only to have it rain and snow a couple days later.)  We heard about that.. That's super sad. It wasn't aimed at them right?  (I read the accounts given from the missionaries in Brussels, Belgium.  How blessed they are!  Oh my gosh--I've tried to put myself in the parents' place and it just grieves me think of what they are feeling.) When did we get a sandbox??     Hahaha when  did that happen?   Hahah I'm actually really liking Mexican food!  (We went to Red Iguana and told him the chile verde is outstanding.) I'm gonna ask some Hermana's to show me how to make these "Sopes" they're

so good! They're potatoes on these tortillas with cheese and lettuce... SO GOOD! We should go there on the ride home from the Airport!    I'll have to drive it when I get back! (My new car.)  Just send it to the mission office cause we don't go to Walmart every week.  (Care packages). Yeah! Right
before he left we saw him at the mission office.   (Elder Gray.)  It's actually cloudy today! How crazy is that?? It hasn't rained since like my first three weeks! Hopefully it rains! Except I'm on bike.. Oh well. Love ya mom!! Thanks for everything! Thanks for transferring money! I've bought a
bike pump, a Book of Mormon Stories for kids thing! And a cheap long sleeve shirt thing! You're such a good mommy! I loved the pics! Have a great week! Loves :)

Elder Jensen

The cheap long shirt thing. :)

Looks like a healthy snack there....

They love habernaros!!

That couch looks very familiar.....

Miracles happen in Mesa!!!

Week 20 - MESA, AZ

 Hey family!

Wow this week has been crazy!! So White washing is hard, hahha but I
have grown SO MUCH! no comfort in the growth zone, no growth in the
comfort zone right!? But anyways, it's still hard for me, but I've
gotten significantly better at talking to people on the street. Like
way Better! It doesn't really scare me that much anymore! Hahaha after
you get cussed out, getting rejected doesn't really seem too bad. Some
guy just swore a lot at us and told us to get out of Mesa and just
some good ole stuff like that. Also, one of the Hermanas that I served
with in my first Ward said that now my Spanish is way better! So
needless to say I'm grateful I've had these hard times to grow more!:)

The bikes are doing good! I haven't had any more troubles with those!
It's SO HOT hahah on bike I'm always smelly and sweaty but that's ok.
I can't believe this isn't even hot to them.. I'm gonna die if I'm on
bike in the Summer.

On Monday we were looking for this one house when a lady came up to us
and said hello! We started talking and we found out she was a member
but innactive but we just started talking and it ended up being super
powerful and spiritual for both of us! She said she had been wanting
to make it back to church but she just hasn't and then she had been
praying and we ran into each other! It was amazing! It ended up that
we shared the same birthday too! Hahaha it was crazy! We're gonna have
a lesson with her and the Sisters in the Ward she's in.

Then we street contacted into this one family in a trailer park. We
were like hey have you talked with missionaries before?? And they were
like yeah we're members.... Hahaha what??? So we ended up talking with
the dad and they moved into the Branch about a month ago and him and
his wife are both members but the kids aren't. So we were talking with
him and he said he knows the Book of Mormon and church are true but he
just works every Sunday. So we're gonna take baby steps and have a
family home evening with them and stress the importance of daily
scripture and prayer!

Then on Saturday, (the night of the pagent, which was amazing by the
way!) we went to the same trailer park and as we were leaving a guy
came up to us and was like "Hi aren't you guys from the church of
Jesus Christ of Latter day Angels?" And we started talking more and he
was like I've been feeling empty and I feel sad and like I'm missing
something, can you help me? Hahha and I said "Hermano, I know EXACTLY
what you need." Hahha so we gave him a Book of Mormon and were gonna
go by and teach him! Literally some came up asking to be taught! Such
blessing!

Elder Hoffman from the MTC

We were working very hard and the Lord blessed us! That's kinda why I
was a little down last week but it just strengthened my testimony that
the Lord always blesses us! Every day when I wanted to quit I had
little spiritual moments that picked me up. There's a talk that is
called "The Atonement and Missionary work" by Jeffrey R holland and in
it there's so many good parts and one of them says " As missionaries
we are proud to say we are disciples of Jesus Christ, but be prepared,
that means we must walk a bit of the path that he walked, to feel a
bit of the sorrow he felt and to shed a bit of the tears that he shed"
and it goes on saying "When missionaries are struggling or rejected or
spit upon etc... They are standing shoulder to shoulder with the best
missionary this world has ever Known." I read that this week and it
hit me! I know I'm gonna struggle and that's okay! I'm gonna work my
hardest and if I don't have anyone listen to me, that's ok! Because I
know Jesus Christ lives! I know that he helps us in times of trouble!
I know he's always there for us even when we don't think he is. It may
get tougher to be a disciple of Jesus Christ as the World moves on but
it will also be more worth it. I love you all!! Thanks for all the
birthday wishes and everything!! I love you guys! I wish I was there
to spend it with you! But hey, only one more!:) take care!

Elder Jordy James

Munch a bunch of Fritos, even if the bag broke!

Happy Birthday to me!!

Nailed it--making my birthday cake!

Week 19 Mesa AZ

Hey family!!

Hahaha wow. This week has been hard! So me and Elder F_____ are
companions now! We are white-washing, which means like both of us are
new in the area, we don't really know anyone, and we had like 10-15
names in our Area Book to work with haha. And both of ours Spanish
isn't amazing. His is better than mine but I think we're both learning
more and more! Like usually I would kinda let Elder F______ do all the
talking but just this last week I feel like I've talked so much more!
We've found some people though to teach in some good ole trailer
parks:) it's great!



Yeah so we've been on bikes! Also, both of my tires were super old and
the inner tubes were too so I had to end up spending 50 ish dollars on
a bike that I might not even use after this transfer. But it's okay!
Do it for the Lord!

My nice set of wheels!

On Saturday night there was a baptism for one of the  investigators of
the Sisters that was in our Ward. Me and Elder F______ contacted him
and we saw him at church a ton and we grew really close! Haha his name
is Elias and he calls me his little brother! Hahaha but he asked me to
give a talk at his baptism and the Spirit was definitely there and
helped me tons! But it's crazy how the Lord helps me know what to say
when I need to! It's honestly amazing and I love it! Let's see... I
think that's about it! I'm getting better at talking to random people.
It's still so hard for me. But I'm getting better! Hahha yeah this
week was really hard for me. Probably as hard as like the first week
In my mission! But I know I'm growing from it! Salvation isn't easy!:)

Oh also! The church building we're in is SO PRETTY! It was built in
like 1912 and it's super old and cool! It has a courtyard! It's sooo
cool!

 Oh! Today we had like fried potatoes in hard shells with lettuce
and cheese. SO GOOD! yeah we usually get fed by members for dinner.

Well Family, I miss you all so much! I love you guys!! Seriously
sometimes I miss you all!  I wish I could be there for all the fun
that's going on. But I know I need to be here! Am I seriously like
that far into my mission?? It's crazy how in May 4 I will have 6
months! Hahah but it still sounds far away. I love you guys! You
should watch because of him! Everytime we watch it I get Chills and it
just makes me so happy for what he did for us! Truly amazing!:)

Right??? That's why I chose it! Hahaha because it looks the same! It's
so hard.. Hahah some days I just want to be home to be honest. Hahha
it's very hard right now but I can do hard things right!? I think
so... But since I have my iPad I haven't used it once.. Hahha. So it's
okay. Also, I tried to go get the things from Walmart but they weren't
there. Do you have an order number? And which Walmart? Can you send me
the address?:) hahha wow you must speak French!;) te amo!  

Elder Jensen

Me and my new comp

We meet so many wonderful families!

She is our mission mom.

Rock solid investigator!

This post was on Elder Jensen's FB recently.   I'm so proud of Jordan and how he is touching lives for good!   dj

S.  M. feeling blessed.

March 15 at 10:04pm · 

I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK!! ❤ i noticed a couple missionaries on their bikes this evening and felt compelled to say hello. Our conversation ended up being one of the most motivating and strengthening encounters ive ever experienced. It was definitely what i needed to hear ☺❤ ‪#‎LDS‬‪#‎ILoveTheGospel‬ ‪#‎missionarywork‬ Elder Jordan Jensen Elder Jacob Fairholm

Week 18 - Mesa, AZ

Sorry I don't have tons of time!

I got transferred!! Hahaha I'm with Elder F_______! He's been out for

8 months! We don't have a car and we had to move into more  central
Mesa! Hahaha there's gonna be some growing done! Also the Walmart at
Greenfield and Mckellips is closest to us! Also Elder Fenton cut my
hair and now I have a buzz hahaha

 Yeah that's crazy huh?? 12 weeks is a lot but it's also gone by
really fast! Like I can't really remember how it felt before to not be
a missionary. Hahha it's crazy how fast everything goes! What?! We get
to skype in 62 days!? Then after that it's only 2 more times!! How
crazy is it!? So I believe it's like the 25th of October 2017! Hahha
we just met them and asked if we wanted to send pictures to our moms!
Oh the Shelley's!! Hahaha they're so great! I love them! They're such
nice people! They're from the English Ward we served In!

 Hahahaha he said that?? That's hilarious!!  😂 Conner brings up
marriage faster than you 😉

How many stamps does it take to get Mexico?? I'm gonna send one down
there for when she gets to Mexico! I wish I had more time.

What!? You got a new Car!? hahaha that ones sweet!!! You like it more
than the juke?? I think I like the juke more. 😁 I found this like good smelling sun screen that I use.
I hate smelling like the normal stuff!

Yeah the conjugations are super hard! I feel like I still can't speak
very well.. Hahaha but I can speak a lot better now than 4 months ago!
But I still have a lot of work to do!  I didn't realize how soon my birthday was!
Will you send me a list of when everyone's birthday is?? Hahha I never can remember. Except for
Tori's for some weird reason!;)

Hahahaha it's definitely not easy doing this day in and day out for 2
years but the Lord definitely helps us!  How's Adam and Aaron?? Love
you Mom!!! Thanks for helping me through it all!! 18 weeks down! Hahha
that's crazy! Only like 85 more to go! Hahaha ;)

Love, Potts

Elders enjoying dinner at members house...and dreaming of this sweet ride!

He's being well taken care of.

Showing off his comp's hair cutting skills

Week 17 - Mesa AZ

Weeklyyyy

Dan!!! Thank you so much for the letter! Hahaha I liked how you made
the envelope and everything out of that cool paper! Love ya man:) Hey
hey hey! So Aunt Jenean gets married today!? Woohoo!!! Tell her
Felicidades for me! This week has been really good! On Tuesday and
Wednesday I went on splits with other Missionaries from Spanish work!
So that was fun. We had a really good lesson with Ramon! We took him
to a baptism and taught him a little about it and he said that's
something that he would like! He said he wants to feel the weight
taken off his shoulders and feel better! SO COOL! So we're gonna set a
date for him and help him reach his goal! It's really hard for him
though because he works Sunday and that's the whole reason he's here
is to make money for his family! So this is where he proves his faith
to the Lord!:)

We had a real talk with Luis. All he does is get high and works
occasionally for his dad. Elder F_________ got in his face a little and
it's just sad to see him waste his life away. But we're gonna stop
seeing him for now.

Oh we also had a couple lessons with Chris in the English Ward! He's
so cool! He really likes to talk with us and he has a lot of questions
about  the Book of Mormon! Hahahha he saw a picture of Jesus after he
was resurrected and there was only 11 and he was like why is there
only 11, and we explained that Juddas Escarait hung himself and he was
like oh, I thought the 12th was taking the picture. Hahaha I think it
was funnier in person...

So with the L_____s, we had a really good lesson again and Ruben got an
answer that he needs to get baptized as soon as he can, so we have a
date for him, the 12th of March! And he's gonna get baptized first
then as we teach the rest of the family he'll get to baptize them!! SO
COOL! (Us and Stephen the 14 year old) totally bro'd out and he asked
us to help him get back and school! He doesn't say that he wants to
get baptized but he wants us to help him get his life back together!!
I'm so happy and I love that kid!

I love you guys! Thanks for all the support and everything! And the
body scan turned out okay! No skin problems for Jordy:)

Hey mom I really don't have a ton of time!!! I love you! Thanks for
always being so great to me! The pictures from Wisconsin looked
awesome! Just a bit chilly right?? Hahaha. How are you?? Doing good??
Living the DC Sheriff department dream!? Haha I'm doing fine, skin is
doing good nothing really to report! :) how was the wedding today?
Also I bet you're so thrilled that Aaron and Mysti are getting married
right?! Hahaha that's awesome!

Elder Jensen!