Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 89 - Blessed Beyond My Imagination

Once again it was time to call home for Christmas and it was so nice talking to you all! Something that I especially warmed my heart to hear was Dad's happy tone. He sounded more like his old self than I have heard for a long time.

Christmas was awesome and I learned so much from the wonderful people here. Thousands of miles from home I find brothers and sisters showing me by example what is meant by brotherhood. I felt more than welcome and I was well taken care of. I can't imagine people here treating their own sons better than they treated me and I have been blessed beyond all hopes and expectations this Christmas. I have met a lot of great missionaries here that I would find it impossible to measure up to. I'm not as good a missionary as I would like to be but I do my best. Yet, I'm being blessed in abundance beyond my imagination. I feel so very small next to so much greatness.

I'm glad that you had an amazing Christmas. Thanks for the rundown of how it was, I enjoyed sharing in your Christmas even from this far away! I have so much to be grateful for.

Tadaaa! Here I come 2011. My guess, it'll be another year full of firsts!

Love you all!

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 88 - Everyone Can Know for Themselves that God Lives

Merry Christmas everybody and thank you all for being there for me in the past year! Thank you for your greetings, prayers and support. It is really a rather impossible experience to share in just a few words but I hope that sharing even a little from my mission experience has allowed you some of the feeling that I get from doing this. I wish there was some way that you all could share the beautiful feeling it is, when someone you have taught is beginning to know for themselves that God lives. But, there is no words for it, sorry.


It is amazing to me that everyone can know for themselves that God lives and I find it very motivating. This week we were once again blessed with a baptism. Every baptism is amazing and I find it commendable when someone has made the necessary effort to draw closer to God and discover some of the potential given us in faith and prayer.


This was a great baptism. The whole program went well and there was a good turnout. There is a great group of people ready to welcome her into the congregation and she was unusually well prepared for her baptism. It was awesome!


It was a busy week. We attended Christmas conference in Duluth (I've had both of my Christmas Conferences in the Duluth Zone). President Howell was once again playing Santa Claus and we all got to sit on his lap and ask for a Christmas wish...


Yesterday I went way past my comfort zone as we went Christmas caroling. We caroled for more than a hundred people, all people we have never met before and you apparently meet a lot of friendly people when you carol. Singing has never been my forte but my heart is in it and the friendly people here warm right up with a Christmas tune or two. 


This week is Christmas week and everybody here are taking good care of us and we certainly feel welcome and appreciated in the congregation. Wonderful people!

Thank you for the Christmas package, Grandma! You know I love you!

Love y'all


Elder Jepsen 

Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 87 - Know That the Book of Mormon is God's Words to Us

Once again God has chosen to bless our efforts and we had another absolutely amazing week: 


At the beginning of this week we had no prospective baptisms in our calendar. 


Well, I have before told you about a member attending the law enforcement program at the local college. Having recently returned from a mission he has proven a valuable teaching ally. You'll remember that he introduced his girlfriend and some of her friends to us at church. We began teaching her and her friends while he carefully helped them in many of their questions along the way.  They have all listened with an open heart and allowed for the Spirit to find room in their lives, as they have followed the challenge given us by Moroni in the Book of Mormon. After familiarizing themselves with God's teachings, weighing the principles carefully, they approached God in prayer and they now know what to do next!


The week has passed and we were blessed with six prospective baptisms!


I know that you know this, as you have taught it to me. But, knowing that you publish my mails on the blog giving others a chance to share in this, my heart demands that I open my mouth: When you read the Book of Mormon (the whole thing from the title page, introduction and 1. Nephi to Moroni, it really doesn't take long), consider the teachings and principles found there and then with an open heart (well, chances are that you'll feel the Spirit telling you in your heart--long before you pray about it) approach God in sincere prayer, if these things are the truth. I find it difficult to understand how anyone can read it, pray about it with an open heart and not with an overwhelmingly strong feeling know that the Book of Mormon is God's words to us.


Last night we also were able to assist in administering a blessing to a member that went to the Hospital Emergency. I am grateful to Spirit of God leading and guiding us to where we need to be... Because, if I have to be brutally honest, without the Spirit to help me out in my missionary work there'd be no purpose to me being here. It is futile to work or do anything without the Spirit. And I am so grateful that God finds me worthy to serve Him and His Children.


Merry Christmas, I love you all!

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 86 - Time is Flying, Much too Fast!

The temperatures are still dropping and most of the time the weather is best described as cold or colder. When it heats up (an increase from 4° Fahrenheit to 26° Fahrenheit) it almost feels like a heatwave--below freezing. We have no shortage on snow which is mostly good for visual appeal, playing or winter sports. We do our best to enjoy the visual appeal. 


Being from Norway, Elder Horgmo is dealing well with the cold and snow and the members here are great at taking care of us. I am so grateful to be here on a mission. Giving something of myself has given me more in return than I ever imagined.

We have begun our Christmas preperations and it looks like it is going to be a fun Christmas. We found a box of Christmas lights in our apartment and decided to decorate the whole apartment. There was a lot of lights and the whole place is now packed full of Christmas cheer!

I am certainly no expert in English. But, being fellow Scandinavians makes it easier to get help Elder Horgmo through some of the initial obstacles and questions arising, when confronted with the English language in a teaching situation. Elder Horgmo is doing well, we have lots of people to see and time is flying, much too fast. 

It turns out that Elder Horgmo and I know some of the same people back home. I have enjoyed getting a few updates and news from home.

I love you all!

Elder Jepsen

Church History Library Receives International Media Award

Please take the time to see this video:

Church History Library Receives International Media Award