Travis's Email April 20, 2009

Hey,

It was a good week. We baptized a man that is going to help a lot in the church. His brother recently left for his mission in Rio de Janeiro and he started thinking a lot about church and his salvation. We went there taught him about the book of Mormon and the restoration and he was sold. Everyone said that he would never be baptized but truthfully it was really easy, he was already prepared when we showed up.

We had another kid that we were preparing for baptism who changed his mind the day of his interview because his dad told him that prophets don’t exist. The kid had the guts to tell me i was a sinner for saying there is a living prophet on the earth. Let’s just say my patience was tested and he won’t be baptized. I learned that most people simply don’t like what is good; seems pretty illogical but it’s true.

My companion got sick this week with what appears to be extreme laziness. Just kidding he has some problem with his equilibrium that gets out of whack every once in a while. So I had to go on splits for the 3 days. Luckily the members here are willing to help.

That’s about all the big news for this week. This will be the last week of the transfer.
Repent of your sins. Scott stop being lazy.

Goodnight and good luck,

Elder Jenson

Questions:

Hi Trav,

1. How do you get around in this area? (Walk, taxi, bus)
Walk, it’s a small area.

2. How many priesthood holders are there in the branch?
There are about 6 or 7 Melchizedek priesthood holders.

3. What kind of cake was that for your b-day? (It was huge)
Yeah it was huge. It was half chocolate, half vanilla? Well I’m not quite sure what it was but it was good.

4. What do you do on your p-days? Do you ever go sight seeing?
There aren’t many sights to see here in the area. This city is pretty far away from everything. Last week we visited the giant Catholic Church and the cemetery.

5. Is there much crime in this area?
Nope. It’s a pretty quiet town.

6. About how many miles is your area?
It must be about 10 square miles.

7. Do you send a letter to the mission pres. every week?
I send an email to him every week. he doesnt respond :(

Love ya a Lot!

Mom

Travis Turns 20! Happy Birthday!

Hey Everybody,

This week was great. The members here are helping us a lot with references and references always make the work much easier. We baptized 2 young men this week.

Sunday was Easter and unfortunately the people here don’t have the same Easter spirit as the people back home. They have some weird Easter traditions here. For example, they make dummies of Judas, hang them from light posts and then beat them with sticks or light them on fire. As if it was all Judas’ fault, silly Catholics. Did I mention there are a lot of Catholic people in this town? They say that the first thing they built here in Ceara Mirim was the Catholic Church. But it’s not much of a problem for us; it’s more of a tradition than anything for the people here.

It was also my 20th birthday Sunday. It was really cool; a member in the ward made me a giant cake. The people here have a big capacity to love people they don’t know. So I guess I’m getting pretty old, 20 years. Yeah right, I’m not even close to old; 20 years is really short.

Thanks to those who sent me birthday cards and such, the Chinese birthday card that I received was pretty awesome.

Well, times up. This week was great and this next week looks like it will be even better! Tchau, cuidem de suas almas!!!

-Elder Jenson

Questions:

1. What did you do for your B-day and Easter?
Basically the same thing we do every Sunday. We worked and then a member told us to stop by her house because she made me a cake so we happily stopped by and ate some cake.
2. Describe the house you live in.
It’s pink, it has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, it has white tile floors and a backyard where the plants are getting a little out of control.
3. What do most of the men in the ward do for work?
Most of the men in the branch are unemployed or younger men who are in college.
4. Did you get your package yet? I sent a package to Chris Heninger at the same time and he got his a while ago.
Yeah I got the package last week. Thanks mom! My companion and I loved the candy and the water guns and everything!
5. What's the hardest thing about being senior companion?The best thing about is?
Making sure your companion keeps all of the rules because if he’s disobedient I have pay for it. The best thing is... I get to make decisions about the work and make sure we use our time wisely.
6. Do people in this area have cars?
Only the branch president has a car.

Have a great week

Important Message at Easter

Travis's email April 6, 2009

Hi World,

April 6th, talk about an important date! Today’s the birthday of the Savior and the anniversary of the day the church of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth. I was thinking about presents that we could give to the Savior and I thought about something Pres. Monson said on his birthday a few years ago. He said he would like all the members of the church to find someone in need and help them. That’s not a bad idea. Well everyone, this week was pretty good. Unfortunately, I woke up Friday morning exhausted and with a fever and I ended up having to stay in bed Saturday and Sunday. I’ll have to wait until the conference issue comes out and read all of the talks. Getting sick in the mission is probably the most frustrating thing that can happen but Sunday morning I was drinking coconut milk in bed and reading a conference talk(I know it sounds like a vacation but trust me, it wasn’t) and I learned something interesting. I read a talk by James B. Wirthlin where he taught about the principal of compensation. He said when the Lord takes something away from the faithful, he always compensates with more blessings. I’m hoping I’m faithful enough to be compensated with baptisms.

Funny story: my companion saw my first name and thought that it was the word trevas which in Portuguese means darkness and he thought it was the funniest thing in the world and now he walks around the house calling me darkness. Ok, maybe its not that funny but I’m not quite sure what funny is anymore. Well everyone, life is good, the church is true, don’t be fooled! It’s impossible to break the commandments and be happy.

Missionarily,-Elder Jenson

Questions:

1. Where did you watch conf.? Do you watch it on tape or live?
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to watch conference. I was at home in bed battling some weird Brazilian virus. But don’t worry, I’m better now.
2. Are the monkey's in your backyard mean?( everyone thinks its so cool that your have monkey's)
They’re fairly well-mannered monkeys. Other than the high-pitched chirping noises they make in the morning, they don’t give us too much trouble.
3. Who was the girl in the picture that you baptized?
Juscélia Otaviano da Cruz. She’s 22 and lives with her sister.
4. Have you lost weight?
Are you trying to butter me up? No, my weight is pretty much the same.
5. Is this area poor or middle class?
It's a lot richer than my other area but I’d say its more or less middle class.
6. Tell us about the branch, How many people? Are they mostly families?
The branch has an attendance of about 60 people, mostly adults and young married couples.
7. What's the bishop like?
I’ve only talked to him once. He’s nice but not very involved in missionary work.

PS Did you get your package yet?Not yet.

Travis's Email Mar 29, 2009

Pic#1: Monkeys in backyard......Pic #2: Travis, new convert, comp

Hi, It happened,

I was transferred to the state Rio Grande do Norte to a city called Ceára-Mirim close to Natal. I was called to be the Senior companion and my companion is Elder Dilson. He´s a short, chubby, brazilian guy. I like him, he´s a good missionary. This is a really cool small town that has a beachy feel and the people have a really layed-back attitude. Here it's a small branch that has meetings in an old house where a locally famous guy used to live. Our house here is really nice, it has a back yard and everything where small monkeys live in our coconut trees. A member is going to stop by and pick the coconuts for us so we can drink some coconut milk. mm..

Everything is great here, we´re working hard and its really nice to work in a new area with new people! sorry about the short email I wrote one before but it got lost. perdão

-Elder Travis Jenson

Questions:

1. If you got tranfered tell us three intersting things about your area.
Ceará-Mirim- its a small city close to Natal. Small monkeys live in the trees in my backyard, its a small town, it´s a branch thats going to be a ward soon.
2. What funny thing happened this week?
I dont know, everything that my companion does is funny. A young boy in the area asked me if i smell like a gringo, that was funny.
3. Its going to be winter in abut 6 weeks will there be any change in the weather?
I dont think so. Here its cooler than my other area, its really nice.
4. How do they celebrate Easter in Brazil? Do they have the Easter Bunny?
Yeah they celebrate easter with the easter bunny and everything. All the stores sell big chocolate eggs with candy inside.

Travis's Email March 16

Hello World,

This week was goood. I hope yours was also goood. I’d like to share a quick story with you guys. One day this week we left our house to house to go work when in the distance i saw a short, chubby, middle-aged woman running in our general direction and at first I didnt think anything of it. But when she got close to us and started grabbing at my Book of Mormon saying, ´give me your bible, i want it´ I got a little worried. We explained to her that we give the book to people inside of their homes along with a message so what did she do? She invited us to go to her house and teach her so trying to decide if she had mental problems or not we starting walking to our house. On the way she told me to give a message to Barrack Obama that Joao Pessoa loves him. I told her of course i would relay the message. So we went to her house and tried to teach her a lesson but she wouldn’t stop asking questions. When my companion started reciting the first vision she ran into the kitchen grabbed some cookies and then made us eat them. We ended up leaving a Book of Mormon with her and at the same time we searched for the hidden cameras because there is no way that something like that happens naturally. We talked to her parents as we left and it turns out she doesn’t have mental problems, wait let me rephrase that, she doesn’t have any diagnosed mental problems. It was nuts. Well that's all the time I have, this week was good, we baptized 2 people and this could possibly be the last week that I spend in my first area!

Tchau,

Elder Travis Jenson

Questions:
1. Do you have enough time to read all your e-mails or would it be better to get
some hand written letters?
I have time to read them all but if you guys want to send hand written letters, feel free.

2. Can we send church hymns from other artists or does it have to be the Mormon Tab.
Yes, It can be any church music.

3. Do you know if you'll get transferred next week?
No, we find out Sunday night and then leave Monday morning.

4. Have you had any mice in your apartment?
No

5. The funniest thing that happen this week?
A crazy chubby lady chased us down in the street and tried to steal my Book of Mormon. ill tell you more about it in the main email.

Travis's March 9 Email

Hello Everyone,

This week was good. We ended up baptizing the 20 yr old man, Kleber, who didn’t believe in God. Turns out he used to believe in reincarnation and that Moses talked with his inner self on Mt. Sinai. It’s a long story but everything worked out. He was baptized by his good friend Walber who I baptized a couple months back. Speaking of a couple months back, I think this is my 24th P-day in this area; sheesh.

We were going to baptize that woman who told off the pastor of the evangelical church but after receiving threats from her boyfriend that he would leave her if she was baptized, she backed out. That day was really sad, out of the middle of nowhere a bunch of people in the street wanted to talk bad about the church and it was obvious that the adversary was working hard that day. But, that’s how it goes.

The week ended up really well and the baptism yesterday was awesome.

Everything is going good here, the ward is starting to help us more with the work and the bishop is happy with what we’re doing.

Have a great week everyone, thanks for the prayers.
Nate, Missy, the cake offer is still on the table. I’ll even put sprinkles on it if you want.

-Elder Travis Jenson

Questions:

1. When are transfers?
2 weeks from today

2. What do you want for your B-day?
A few ties-they can be from goodwill if you want. I don’t need nice ties. And if you could burn some copies of the church music that you guys have-tabernacle choir, etc.-and send them to me that would be cool. (If you don’t know how to burn cd´s mom you can ask dad or Scott or somebody). I think that’s it.

3. Do you need a sheet to cover that big mattress in your living room? It looked a little dirty?
No we don’t need a sheet for that thing; we only use that mattress when we kneel to pray.

4. Does the rain make it more humid or does it cool it off a little?
Depending on the time of day, it does both. At night it makes it cooler and during the day it makes it hotter.

5. Tell us about your favorite convert so far, and why are they our favorite?
Walber, he already received the Melchizedek Priesthood, he is helping the ward a ton in fact he performed one of the baptisms yesterday, and he’s preparing to serve a mission.

6. Did the bishop take you out for pizza yet?
No, much my dismay. :( He said its going to happen this Saturday. cross your fingers for me.

Love ya a lot
Mom

Travis's Email Mar 2, 2009

Hello Everyone,

First of all I need to comment on a few matters. First and foremost, it’s hard for me to believe that my father has a Facebook account, I can’t imagine when he has time to do that. I would like to send a big thank you and um abraço(hug) to the Heninger family for the valentines day love that you guys sent me.

Sorry about the loss of my email last week, the email here isn’t very reliable. I’ll review the good parts: My companion is afraid of cars and dogs. Last week was Carnival, there were some crazy parties in the streets but I came out of the madness with only a few hugs from drunken men. We baptized Cleia(the woman that had tuberculosis) and her three kids.

This week was great. It’s raining a lot but I’m ok with it. They say that the more you get rained on, the prettier your future wife will be (they say that with everything in the mission). We had 7 investigators in the church who have a baptismal date. One of them was a man that I had taught months ago and when I taught him he doubted that God exists (something extremely rare here). He came to church with a friend, cried in the fast and testimony meeting and then wanted to be baptized.

My companion is getting pretty trunky, yesterday he completed 18 months so I have to encourage him to stay focused sometimes. There were 2 more missionaries that arrived in the mission with me that had passed the same amount of time as me in their first area and they were transferred today. So I think I’m setting some sort of mission record for most time spent in first area. It’s okay though because we are going to baptize a bunch of people this Sunday.

Things are wonderful here, due to very slow internet I have to stop writing now. Have a great week everyone! Missy and Nate, go to church this week, I’ll make you guys a cake when I get back.

Tchau
-Elder Jenson

Questions:
1. Everyone wants to know what was in the beans? Our guesses are red cabbage, cow intestine, liver, cow tongue are we close?
It was colon or liver, I’m not sure because I didn’t eat it.
2. Why was your companion wearing a T-shirt at lunch and you had on your white shirt and tie? I didn’t feel like taking my shirt off.
3. How did your companion end up on a mission when the rest of his family is inactive? How does his family feel about him serving a mission? How many are in his family?
His leaders helped him. His family supports him. I believe he has one sister and two brothers.
4. What is your all time favorite scripture? (We need it for a plaque at church)
Alma 26:22 (I love that scripture)
5. You told us about a woman you were teaching after you received a prompting to go to her house, are you still teaching her?
She’s going to be baptized this week

Travis Speaking Portuguese with his Companion

Questions to Travis:

1. Tell us more about your companion; has he been a member all his life? (You have a little monk in you too.)
He was baptized when he was 11, all of his family are members but they’re all inactive. He worked in a pizzeria before the mission; he has a fear of dogs and cars.
2. What did you do for p-day last week?
Well by the time I got back to our apartment after writing email to you guys, it was about 2 o clock because the place where we pass internet is far away from our house. We went grocery shopping, made lunch, and then took a little nap.
3. Tell us what you would eat in a day.
Oatmeal, pancakes, French toast, or a smoothie for breakfast, rice beans and boiled chicken for lunch, spaghetti or an egg sandwich or something for dinner.
4. We haven't received your SD card when did you send it?
About 2 and a half weeks ago. You should receive it some time this week.
5. What food do you miss the most?
Sub sandwiches, pizza, and milk....all these food questions are making me hungry.
6. Funniest thing that happened this week?
I don’t know, its been raining a lot and I got really, really dirty yesterday. I also taught a donkey a few gospel principles.

New Pics from the SD card Travis sent home

Travis shares what he received for Christmas

Travis & his Comp have lunch

Travis's email Feb 16, 2009

Oi, Como Vai? (Hello, how are you?)

Hi everyone, this week was a good one with my new companion, Elder Vieira. He is quite an interesting creature, it cracks me up. When he arrived he deep cleaned and rearranged the entire house, I’m not quite sure why, he’s just a little quirky I guess. He only eats crackers and ramen noodles and he won’t let me make food for him. He’s an extremely calm individual that doesn’t talk very much but he does like to sing the Brazilian national hymn and other patriotic songs in his deep lounge-singerish voice. He doesn’t understand my sense of humor but I think he’s catching on. We have a good companionship and the work is going well,
I’m learning a lot from him.

The work this week was good; we taught some really good people who were searching for the truth. One day, we were walking down the street to an appointment when we passed by a house that had a woman watching TV with her three kids. We kept walking for a little bit and then I stopped, looked at my companion and said, ´wait a second, these people are going to listen to our message. So we went back and knocked on the door, clapped our hands actually, and the woman came out. I told her that we were missionaries and our work is to help people and their families to have more peace and happiness through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Before I finished talking she invited us in. We taught the lesson and when we finished she said that she had never heard a message so beautiful and that she couldn’t wait to read the Book of Mormon. Later that week she was talking to a Pastor of an Evangelical church and she asked what he thought about the Book of Mormon. Of course he said that he read the book several times and that it is filled with lies. She then told him that she knew that the Book of Mormon is true and that a man of God should be able to recognize that. It was very cool. We are having lots of experiences like that and the work is going really good.
Life is good here, its raining a lot and I like it.

Have a good week everyone!

Elder Travis Jenson

Special Thank You to the Scouts...

Hi Constellation Ward Scouts! I wanted to take a second and thank you guys for the package and the letters that you sent me. It means a lot to know that people back home in the ward are thinking about me and missionaries always love to receive packages, especially packages with candy!

Life here in Brazil is fantastic. The kids here like to fly home-made kites and play soccer in the streets. The people here are really cool, sometimes the food is weird, and the mission is awesome. It’s never too early to start your preparation to serve a mission Scouts!
Thanks again!

Elder Travis Jenson

Lessons I Learned As A Boy

Travis's Email Feb 9, 2009

Heyyy Youu Guyyyys,

We just had transfers and guess what....I’m staying in the same area for another transfer. My companion is Elder Viera and I’m here in the bus station waiting for him to arrive from Natal. I really thought I was going to be transferred, in fact I packed up all of my stuff last night, but it’s ok and I like this area.

This week was good, we baptized a man that I never thought would be baptized while I was in the area and with his baptism their whole family are members of the church. Last week he went to church with his family out of the middle of nowhere, we went and visited him after the lesson and he accepted baptism. We promised him that he would be blessed in all things because of his decision and he told us later that shortly after we left he received a phone call and after a long time searching, he got a job. It was very cool. And to top it off, the bishop is going to buy us pizza because we completed a family.

We had a woman and her two children who were ready to be baptized also. When we found her and her family they were all sick with Tuberculosis but after a priesthood blessing everyone was better within a matter of days. She told my companion later that when we taught her the first lesson she saw a light around me when I recited the first vision and that’s how she knew that we were teaching her the truth. It was very humbling to hear that and i was very grateful to know that I’m being blessed for my hard work. Her and her 2 kids were going to be baptized Sunday but her daughter had fallen out of bed and got hurt so she was in the hospital with her. Hopefully her daughter will get better and they will be baptized next Sunday.

That’s about all that happened this week. So it looks like I will be spending Carnival here in Joao Pessoa. Some stuff has already started; people basically just wreak havoc in the streets, beating drums and doing who knows what. It’s pretty crazy. One night we were going to our house and a locally famous DJ was putting on a show close to our house and that was pretty crazy.
Hey, I got the pictures from the wedding, very cool. The pictures look like they’re out of a wedding catalog or something.

I hope everything is great back home, love you guys.

-Elder Travis Jenson

Questions:

Hi Trav,

1. Is Stuart Hamblin still in your district?
Yes. In fact, he’s sitting right next to me.

2. Give details of the area you are going to.
It’s a lot like the area I’ve been in, in fact it is the area I’ve been in. I will be staying in the area for at least one more transfer.

3. Who will you miss the most and why?
Um...

4. What are the buses like? AC?
I’ve never been in one of the buses that we use when we go to a different area but I think they have ac. the buses we use to get around the city don’t have ac.

5. Are there lots of people who beg on the streets; or is it like here, only in certain places and on the street corner?
There are definitely more beggars here. Here in the city there are a ton and in my area everyone asks if I have 10 cents that I can give them.

6. About how much money does the average person make in a year? Do they have a minimum wage there?
I really have no idea. I think the average person in my area makes about 100 dollars American per month.

Love Ya a lot !!!!!
Mom

Love Ya too

Scott & Jenny Wedding & Fam Pics Collage

Follow the link below to see a YouTube video
of selected pictures from Scott and Jenny's
wedding:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDyUHfT1CZQ

Scott & Jenny Wedding Pics (individual)

Hey Everyone,

This week was awesome. We started off the week with a visit from the apostle Elder Quentin L. Cook. I got to shake his hand and he spoke to us for about 2 and a half hours. He spoke to us about not underestimating the importance of the mission, establishing the church and about teaching people in a way that will help them fulfill covenants now and for the rest of their lives. It was really cool to hear him speak. When I looked at him he just looked like a normal man but when he spoke it was really powerful. His wife also spoke and told us of the love she has for missionaries and missionary work. Afterwards, they ate lunch with us and sat at the table next to mine. It was good, very good.

So it looks like a visit from an apostle was all the motivation we needed to improve the work in our area. This week we brought 9 investigators to church. A man who I never thought would come to church, Joares, showed up with his family. We stopped by his house afterwards and he accepted the invite to be baptized next week. Everyone in the family, besides him, is baptized so we will be completing a family when we baptize him. Talk about a miracle! Out of nowhere he became receptive to the gospel. Also, a woman came to church with her husband who is a member and if we baptize her that will complete another family. So that’s 2 families that we could baptize this week.

The teacher of the Gospel Principles class didn’t show up so the bishop asked me to teach. I think the investigators liked it and my companion said that he’s never heard me speak Portuguese so well. In the last week of the transfer everything seems to be working out. I’ll be sure to include the baptismal pictures in my next email if I get a chance to send email with the transfers and all. I’ve been in this area quite some time and honestly I think I’m ready to work in some other areas.

I'm really grateful this week that God fulfills his promises. I was a little worried for a while but I never doubted that the Lord would do his part. That’s all the time I have for now, talk to you soon!

-Elder Travis Jenson

Questions:

Hi Trav,

1. What will you miss most about your area if you get transferred?
Oh I don’t know...there are a bunch of small things that ill miss but I’ll mostly miss the members here.

2. Is there a lot of crime in your area?
It depends on the part of my area. There’s a part of my area that is really, really poor that has a lot of crime but most of that happens after 930 at night. From what I know, the neighborhood where we live doesn’t have much crime.

3. How for is the jungle area from where you live?
About 20 minutes on foot.

4. What was the funniest thing that happened this week?
An old man stopped on the street and gave us about 15 minutes of marriage advice. Look here kid, you have to marry a girl that has a job!

5. Its Dad and my anniversary today (Mon.) what should I buy him? 35 years can you believe it!
A cane....grandpa! Just kidding dad. You guys could go on a little trip somewhere, I don’t know.

Love ya a lot!!!!

Hello Everybody,

So towards the beginning of last week my companion and I were studying and I was sharing with him a scripture I read that goes something like this, ´so thus we see that the Lord sees it convenient to try his people, testing their faith and their patience.´ And I said to my companion, its always been that way with God’s covenant people. Just look at the Jews when they wandered in the desert or the early saints. It’s always been this way with God’s covenant people, why would it be any different today and why would it be any different in the mission field? I would be worried that God didn’t love me if he didn’t test me. ...I’m sure you guys can guess how the past couple of weeks have been. The Lord is testing our faith and our patience. But it’s a good thing right? At least I know that God still loves me.

This Sunday was the third Sunday in a row that we didn’t have any investigators in our Sacrament meeting. We taught a lot of lessons this week and had people to bring to church with us, people we thought were really excited to visit the church, but when we passed by their houses Sunday morning it was a different story. But I’m not sad or upset. I’m still working hard and doing all that I can do but I’m still trying to figure what’s going on here. A scripture close after that other one says that the people were freed from captivity and great was there joy so I can guess what’s coming next.

On the brighter side, I found out that I can buy 40 bananas for 50 cents American money at the market close to our apartment. I don’t even know what I would do with that many bananas but its a good feeling to know that if I ever need to battle in the real life simulation of super Mario kart I would be prepared to battle at a reasonable price. It’s also good to know that my imagination still works...

Well guys, sometimes you have to struggle so you can appreciate the joy afterwards. All in all, everything is wonderful here. I’m having missionary experiences that every missionary should have. The other day we gave a priesthood blessing to a boy who hadn’t slept in days because of his chicken pox and he slept like a baby later that day.
So everything is great here, I hope everything is going great with you guys!

-Elder Travis Jenson

Questions:

1. What was the funniest thing that happened this week? ( by the way, I loved the man walking the pig picture)
I found out that we can buy 40 bananas for 50 cents at the market close to our house. I don’t know why, but my companion and I found that news hilarious. You could feed a family of monkeys for a month with 2 dollars worth of bananas!

2. How are all your clothes and shoes holding up? Do you need anything?
Everything is working out good for now, I don’t need anything. Ill probably ask
for some stuff when my birthday rolls around.

3. Are there a lot of stray dogs?
You better believe it. I don’t even know why Michael Vick did all the illegal dog fighting when he could have come here and watched dogs fight in the street for free.

4. How are the bugs?
There really aren’t very many bugs. It’s not a problem at all.

5. Do you use the powder and the insect spray that you took with you?
Not very much, maybe I will need it more in other areas.

6. When are transfers?
2 weeks from today

Love ya a lot