Winner!

For those who know Kirsten well, you know that she is very competitive and hates to lose. It is especially evident whenever we play family games together! So, I had to laugh when she sent this picture with the caption, 

"See I'm supposed to win everything!" ;D

Crazy windstorm!

Damage from the windstorm that she referred to in her letter this week.

Also, here is a video of a scary airplane landing in Amsterdam during this same storm!

http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2015/07/27/klm-flight-bumpy-landing-vo-newday.cnn-storyful/video/playlists/planes-near-miss/

Beautiful church in Haarlem!

Beach!

We biked to the beach for morning exercise while on exchanges :)

(The beach is one of Kirsten's favorite places in the whole world!)

Sisters Mashburn & Jensen :) (looking a little windblown!)

Fun at Volendam :)

Never A Dull Moment

My dear friends and family,

What a wonderful week! Let me tell you all about it! :)

First, we had a fun p-day at Volendam with the district! It's this little very Dutch town up by Amsterdam with fun tourist shops and things like that. The highlights included a delicious chocolate shop, a place where you can take a professional picture in traditional Dutch costumes, and a light drizzle of rain the whole day to complete the Dutch experience. :D

Tuesday was one of the best days on my mission so far! First we had an awesome district meeting, which always makes me happy. But then! We met with Grecia in the evening - to refresh your memory, she's the teenager who ordered a Book of Mormon after watching Meet the Mormons. Our lesson was about the Word of Wisdom, and it was good but nothing special. But then! At the end of the lesson Zr Kimmons shared about how two friends of hers have both joined the church and how she's seen their lives change for the better. Then Grecia just opened up and said she's felt since the first time she was in the church a couple weeks ago that this was the correct church! I was so excited and said, "I want to ask - do you feel prepared now to be baptized?" And she said YES!!! So then I asked, "Do you want to set a date tonight?" And she said yes again!! So then I asked, "You've been taught almost everything you need. Do you want to be baptized in a few weeks?" And she said YES AGAIN!! So we set a date for August 15th and she's so excited and we're so excited and pretty much all I could say after that point was "mooi!" Which means beautiful. :) Zr Kimmons and I could barely contain our excitement the whole bike ride home, and then we spent the next 20 minutes dancing around the apartment to "Call of the Champions" (courtesy of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir). :D Did I mention we were excited?

The rest of the week was also wonderful, but I'm running out of time so let me tell about the weekend, because it was crazy [awesome]! On Saturday there was this incredible windstorm! I heard it got up to about 70 mph! We could hear and see the wind during the day, but luckily we were doing weekly planning so we were inside for most of it. Then we went outside around 3:30 pmto go to an appointment, at which point we saw just how insane the storm was... seeing as how there were two giant trees laying across the road! The wind was blowing our umbrellas inside out, and when we got to the bus stop the electronic billboard said that there were no busses running at the time due to the storm. A lot of the trains were down too! Needless to say we went back inside and called our appointment to let them know we couldn't come. The wind finally calmed down around 5 or 6 in the evening. The next morning on our way to church, we saw more of the damage... there were downed trees everywhere!! They had fallen on roads, fences, bus shelters... an important looking statue in the middle of IJmuiden has lost his head. :) It's kind of sad but also funny because of how crazy it was!

Speaking of crazy, let me tell you about further awesomeness with Grecia! We met with her last night, at which point we taught some more and talked about some things concerning her baptism. One of those is that we need her mother's permission, since she is 16. Well, her mother gives her full support, and then she invited us to stay for dinner after our lesson! And what's more amazing, her mother's family back in Venezuela are all members!! Unfortunately they became inactive before Grecia's mother was baptized, but she still has memories of this church and she described to us what it was like to feel the spirit. She also told us it was amazing that Grecia had found the same church! Yes, it really is. :D

Well, that's definitely all I have time for but I want to testify that joy is the purest feeling on earth, and it only comes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ! When we take those steps, and we help others take those steps to come closer to Him, there is nothing sweeter. And there will be unimaginable joy as we join each other in the kingdom of God. As Helaman 3 so beautifully describes it:  

"Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.

Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.

Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—

And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out."

Amen!

-Zuster Jensen :)

So excited for Grecia!
(Also, I love Kirsten's anchor shirt! This theme has been particularly meaningful for me this year! 
It must be something she purchased there, but it made me very happy to see it!--mom) :)

Beautiful IJmuiden!

Yay Holland!

Zusters Jensen & Kimmons

Starting Off the Transfer Right :)

My dear friends and family,

It was a wonderful week! Zr Kimmons and I get along very well and this week has been full of many miracles and well as many laughs. :)

On Tuesday we did service again at the school/daycare for handicapped children. They people there are so great, and they simply cannot believe that a bunch of young people want to help without anything back- and we love doing it! This time we spent pretty much the whole day getting weeds out from between patio stones, which is an adventure. We were scraping between the cracks with butter knives, I got stung by stinging nettle 3 times (it really does sting! I've never had it before but even the slightest touch hurts!) and we were literally attacked by ants! It was so much fun! :D (*Note: there is no sarcasm whatsoever in that last phrase. I love service!)

On Wednesday we had Zone Conference, which is always wonderful! I finally got to meet President and Zuster Bunnell, and they are awesome! Of course we all love and miss President and Zuster Robinson, but the Bunnells will be just as good. They are very loving, fun, and personable. However, they had to deliver some hard news which will test the commitment of us missionaries; direct instructions from Salt Lake City, we will now be a helmet-wearing mission! Mom, don't cheer too loud. ;) This will defnitely not be the easiest thing, as literally the only people who wear helmets here are 3 year old kids, racers, and tourists. However, obedience brings blessings! So, we will go and do the things we are commanded and hope that the attention we're going to attract will turn out to be good. :)

We had some other great adventures and lessons this week, but I'm running out of time so I just want to tell you about a couple of great miracles this weekend! First, on Saturday night we were at the church for an activity and were taking the bus to go home. We caught the bus last minute and the driver was nice enough to stop for us, and then when we got on she contacted us! That always makes a missionary's day. :) She said she'd seen us at this stop before (makes sense, since the church is right across the street) and she was curious about what we do. We had an awesome 5 minute conversation before we had to get off, and then as we left I gave her a card and invited her to look at the website. She was so excited and said she would, and that we would probably see her again! :)

Sunday was really wonderful but especially a lesson we had in the afternoon with Beya, and less active. He is very sick and it prevents him from coming to church, and our last lesson with him didn't go very well since a member we brought with us sort of verbally attacked him for asking a question. :( So today we just really wanted to make sure he knew that we loved him and God loved him. We weren't able to find other members to come with us to keep to the mission rules, so luckily the zone leaders were able to come- and it turned out to be an amazing lesson! We talked about how Christ is the Good Shepherd and just how much He and God love us. The spirit was already definitely present, and then God intervened and just slapped Br Beya with love. :) He lives alone and rarely gets visitors, but during our lesson a neighbor randomly brought him dinner, and then not 20 minutes later a group of kids came asking if they could do any small bit of service for him. Br Beya was so touched! And then we read Psalm 23 (about the Lord is my Shepherd) and we all just bore our testimony about God's love and that we are never alone, and it was so amazing! We could all just feel the Spirit so strongly, and it was exactly the sort of lesson we had been praying for.

Take the time this week to read Psalm 23. Alma 5 is also a wonderful supplement, especially verses 34, 38, and 40-41. We need to make sure we are doing our part and listening for the Shepherd's voice, but He will always be there, calling for us, and waiting with His peace and love.

-Zuster Jensen

Ferry Travel

Bikes can travel free on a ferry to cross the Noordzeekanaal :)

Klompen! (Wooden Shoes) :)

Another transfer gone, not enough time to tell you about it. :P

My dear family and friends,

I'll have to keep it short this week, although there's so much I'd like to say as always!

The first part of the week was pretty crazy, just trying to fit everything in with appointments, updating records, a surprise deep clean of the apartment, and getting Zr Verdegem ready to go home. However, we got most everything done on time and she is now back in her beloved Belgium. :) Who knows, maybe I'll serve down there sometime!

Wednesday was transfer day! After waiting in Leiden Centraal staion for a bit Zr Kimmons made it there! It's so fun to see her again. And our companionship has been exciting from the get-go: about 5 minutes after she came from another station, a group of missionaries left Leiden to go to another main station to meet their new companions. Some other missionaries helped them get their suitcases up to the train, although they accidentally grabbed one of Zr Kimmons! We realized one was missing and figured what had happened, and then ran up to the spoor (tripping up the escalator on the way) so that we could rescue the suitcase just before the other missionaries got on the train. Transfer day is so fun! :D

In other news, it's cold again here. I have word sweaters half of the days this week and it's the middle of July... last week it was almost 100 degrees. Why?

In other other news, we also had good appointments with some investigators this week! They asked great questions and it's wonderful to watch as they slowly build their own testimonies. We also did a lot of planning this week, both for the week and for the transfer, and it was gratifying to see plans come together and the hand of the Lord in what we plan to share or in helping us to find members to come with us to appointments and all of that good stuff. I'm really out of time so I can't go into details but He really is there for us, all we have to do is hand our heart to Him and say, "It's yours! Mold it into what it needs to be! I know it will hurt, but I know in your hands is the safest place it could be. I know it will be hard, but I know you can make it turn out best." Remember, He can't work with what He doesn't have! I know that doing this is the only way we can truly become the people He wants us to be, and the only way we can find true, lasting joy and peace.

Have a wonderful week!

-Zuster Jensen

Full

My dear family and friends,

This week has been very full, of pretty of everything! Schedule-wise, emotions-wise, weather-wise, you name it!

Monday started it off with a great zone p-day, we went to the beach here in IJmuiden! It was beautiful weather, and we had tons of fun playing ultimate frisbee and soccer despite the sharp shells everywhere. I accidentally kicked a soccer ball into someone's face only once, so my sports skills are improving! ;D I also held a jellyfish, which was fun! Haha there were these little white jellyfish all over in the shallow water, and one of the elder's was already holding it first, so don't worry, I knew I would be ok. But kids, don't try that at home. :) Also, despite being farther north the ocean water here is WAY warmer than the Oregon coast. Go figure!

This week we had an awesome lesson with Grecia (our referral from a few weeks back). Her boyfriend was there, and she'd even shared some of the Plan of Salvation with him! We taught them both the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I was reminded just how much I love working with the youth - she is so responsible and adult-like in the decisions she backs, but also so accepting of what we share with her without letting any bias or preconceptions get in the way.

On Wednesday Zr Doxey came here on exchanges, and we went to help an 82 yr old sister from our ward do her groceries- which ended up taking about 5 1/2 hours. But she is wonderful, so it was great! She has difficulty walking even with a walker so often simply has to use a wheelchair, but she has so much energy and love when it comes to helping others. She also calls the missionaries the "pearls of the church," and shares the gospel with everyone in her nursing home. I love her!
Side note: it has been almost 100 degrees (Fahrenheit) this week! It crazy with the heat since no one believes in air conditioning here (which is understandable, since it's been cold for like 9 1/2 months now). But it was just so wonderful to be too hot for a change, that I didn't really mind! Summer finally has come! :)

For the 4th of July we had a barbecue! Haha although it wasn't actually for the 4th of July, it was just coincidentally on that day. It was with our investigator Jennifer, who found out that Elder Childs', and Zr Verdegem's birthdays are both in July, and that Zr Verdegem was going home the next week, so she threw a sort of birthday/farewell party (she met Elder Childs since he is one of the zone leaders and they gave her a blessing a couple of weeks ago). It was super sweet of her, and we had a great time. Two of her friends were also there, and we were able to share with them a little about what we do and what we believe - and Jennifer even asked one of her friends to say the prayer before we left! It was beautiful. :)

Other stuff happened but I unfortunately don't have time to tell you about it! But I cannot leave without sharing some news; transfers are this week! Zr Verdegem is getting transferred to Gent (where her home is, it's just funny since it's still in the mission boundaries), and I will be getting Zr Kimmons! Zr Kimmons was in my MTC group and I'm super excited to work with her! :)

Well, I am really out of time but I just want to leave with you my testimony that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us and know us personally. They know exactly what we need, and if we simply stay close to them they can help us through anything and help us become anything. We can be filled with the Holy Ghost, which brings so much - take a look at Galations 5:22! When we are with them we can be full of peace, joy, love, and every other good thing. Just like this week! ;)

-Zuster Jensen