Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 72 - God will come to our aid, if we allow Him.

I received some great words of counsel this week. Thank you, Dad. You are my hero, constantly giving me something to live up to with your example, reminding me of who you are, who I am and who I want to be. Your words meant a lot to me and I truly enjoyed reading them. I don't have coins with me for the library printer, but I'll print it next week and read it through the week when needed. Thank you again.

This week has been absolutely crazy. Almost all of our appointments have worked out to have maximum travel distance between them and we have spent a lot of effort bicycling across town, back and across town, again and again. I really enjoy all the appointments and I wish I could do more but, maybe I should stop telling the Lord how much I like bicycling, I would probably be all trained, top form and ready for a bicycle race about now. But, I do love being a missionary and I am deeply indebted and grateful to be here.

There is a man here that has been thinking about becoming a member of the church, for a while now. His wife is a member, he's sent all four of his kids on missions and they all found good spouses whom they married in the temple. After thoroughly thinking it over and being at the receiving end of his wife's gentle nudging for the last thirty years, he is now getting baptized this week and it is going to be a wonderful experience.

We meet more and more people who wants the church in their lives and understand the process and need of repentance. It is so wonderful to witness and be a part of: One woman and her mother is returning to the church after finally cutting the last strings to an abusive boyfriend who also kept her away from the church. Another couple are also coming to church where she hasn't been since she was a young teenager and he has previously gotten angry with missionaries in the past, but has now forgiven us and is feeling a great change in his heart as a result of following Alma's challenge of planting a seed of faith and nourishing it.

I have now been in this area for a while and chances are that I soon will receive a transfer call (they are doing a new round of calls next week). I have been so blessed and I am so grateful for the privilege of being allowed to serve in this area. I love it here and I have learned so much. I love the people here and I have so many friends here now that I will miss when leaving this area.

Being a missionary is the greatest blessing God could give me. I expected to go on my mission to pay back some of my debt to my Savior and Lord but, I fear that upon my return I will be more heavily indebted to Him than before I left. My frequent feelings of inadequacy in my daily missionary work and ever increasing debt to our Lord has had me worried for a long time. But in my prayers He's let me know that "It's all right I don't really have to pay Him back (which I am grateful for, because it is far more than I would be able). All He wishes for is that I live my life worthy to be called His friend. Recently I was once again struggling with feelings of inadequacy and as I was praying and studying I had this overwhelming feeling come over me. I then felt the words in my heart and mind "You're doing just fine, my child. Don't worry, you're doing just fine." It is just amazing how well the Lord understands us. He really does know and He knows our innermost feelings. God will come to our aid, if we allow Him.

I love you all! I wish I could give y'all hugs, but that'll have to wait a bit. Thank you for being there for me.

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 71 - Miracles Happen, again and again!

Miracles happen, again and again! In fact, this whole week has been full of them and it's absolutely amazing! The blessing of witnessing such an abundance of miracles around us makes us want to be better missionaries, in an attempt to live up to all the many blessings around us. But, the harder we work at serving God by trying to be better missionaries, the more He blesses us--again. There is no way of describing the feeling, it is just beyond words but, I like it!

We have been blessed with a total of six scheduled baptisms just this last week. Three of them are new people and the other three have been giving it some thought for a while. There is no easy way to put that feeling into words when you see people changing their lives but, I'm so grateful to see it happen and I am so happy for the people experiencing this for themselves.

Saturday evening we were biking home and met the Spanish speaking Elders. They told us of a less active member they had met up with that hadn't been in church for over a decade, but wanted to come back to church.

When Sunday came around she walked with the help of her crutches and her fiancée Tim, the whole two blocks to church, suffering from both knee and hip problems and the stifling heat that all "enjoy" at the moment. She was able to actually meet with the Bishop as well, almost as soon as she arrived. She was so grateful to come back to church, and it was amazing for us to witness. We went over later to administer a blessing for her knee operation on this Tuesday.

May God be with you, always!

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 70 - Help the Lord's children and He helps you!

This first week of working with Elder Happonen has been amazing. He too was drafted by the military before being able to serve on a mission. Dad, I know you have a great deal of respect for the past history of the Finnish military and Elder Happonen fully lives up to their reputation. He is hardworking, has learned and knows discipline; He is a great example to me and I really enjoy working with him.

We have been working very hard and have been busy being the best missionaries we can be and the Lord must have found our effort acceptable, because we have experienced a lot of miracles. This week, we have seen so many RPRT's (Right Place, Right Time) and how can you be in the right place at the right time if you don't consult your taskmaster, the Lord, to be when and where He wants you to be?

One day we were out and about and we came across a church member, carrying home some groceries. They seemed a heavy burden for her and we like to help where we can, so we did. We had a nice visit with her and a little boy accompanying her on the way to her house.

Later that week we went to Taco Bell for a quick bite before we hurried on in our schedule and we met the same little boy from earlier, except this time he was with his family; He's an outgoing, clever little kid, so he immediately introduced us. Soon we were having a wonderful conversation about the gospel and naturally we set up an appointment to come and teach their family this week. I just love missionary work--in so many ways! The Lord keeps teaching me faster than I can teach anybody else.

Love y'all

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 69 - Thank You, Mom & Dad!

Having the opportunity and responsibility of training a new Elder is unlike anything I imagined. Elder Seppo Samuel Happonen is from Finland and he is an awesome missionary! His enthusiasm and dedication to the work is exciting and he has many good ideas. The Lord knew that I needed to work with Elder Happonen after sending home three missionaries that all were done with their mission, his excitement for the work has made me a better missionary. I am looking forward to us having a great deal of success all due to the great faith of Elder Happonen.

Training a new missionary is so much harder than I expected, I can imagine it being a little like parenting. Thank you and RESPECT to you both, Mom and Dad. You are my heroes, constantly giving me something to live up to with your example, reminding me of who you are, who I am and who I want to be just by being there for me.

Being an example is a lot to live up to all of sudden--all the time--whether I am trying to be a good example or not. I'm not used to people looking up to me like he does (not that he's short, he's actually taller than me). Although it's a nice feeling, the responsibility is a little overwhelming.

We've been meeting a whole lot of new people so hopefully I'll have some new people to write about next week. Sorry, but I don't have much time to write this week.

Love you all. You have given me a lot to live up to!

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 68 - Gospel of Jesus Christ a Good Foundation for Happiness

I have enclosed a picture of some of our friends (the great people we are teaching). Could you imagine a happier bunch? They are truly GREAT and I love being a missionary! I am truly grateful to be here and with friends like this it is hard not to be happy. There is no place I'd rather be right now.

Congratulations on Eric graduating and finding work to begin saving for his mission already. Keep it up, brother! The result could be that Eric is ready to go as I return home? I'm impressed and looking forward to hear about his mission. Good going, Eric!

Paul sent me some missionary art work that I just had to post on my wall for me to see every day. Paul, you have a good sense of humor and I like it and you're a GREAT brother! In fact you and Eric are my best brothers EVER (no-one even comes close since you're my only two brothers [insert laugh track here]).

Transfer calls were this morning and guess what? Once again I'm staying in my current area BUT, I'm training! I'll be responsible for helping a brand new golden missionary getting off to a fresh start, I'm so excited!

If that is enough to get you excited, I might get to train a missionary from either Finland or Sweden. There are three missionaries in the new group coming down from "The North Lands." Two of them are Elders from either Finland or Sweden, and the third is a Sister from Norway. We're getting a full Scandinavian representation.

The more seasoned missionaries used to call new missionaries "Greenies" but, not any more--as it can shed a derogatory shadow on the situation. New missionaries are now referred to as "Golden" missionaries suggesting great worth and potential. I think the analogy of "Refining Gold" throughout a mission is more appropriate rather than the earlier idea of "Breaking in a Greenie." Goldens are eager, energetic and have a lot of excitement about the work, and I'm all in favor of that.

This last week I've been to Leadership Training for four days where I've spent most of my time being reminded how to be a better missionary, how to make use of the Holy Ghost in every aspect of our missionary work, making Him literally our third companion.

Love you all and I look forward to hear from you next week!

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 67 - Without a Dream, Goal, or Destination You Won't Get There!

The weather here has been scorching hot and muggy but, I'm getting use to it and it doesn't feel as bad anymore.

I got the camera back from repairs right after my last email to you. We finished up and we left from the library to go home and I found it there. In the parcel I found my camera with a bag of BUFFALO JERKY from Trader Joe's. I read the note from Brittany where she commented on how an official introduction presented with a camera and beef jerky was acceptable... and I TOTALLY AGREE! Congratulations to Paul and Brittany!!! I found Brittany's way with words hilarious and truly enjoyable. I don't think she is going to need it but, she has my immediate stamp of approval. Any pending sister-in-law that wants to buy me jerky is more than welcome in the family.

This week all of the Zoneleaders, District Leaders and future Trainers (that would be me) are attending a four day long leadership training. We just finished the training an hour ago so that's why I haven't written until now. The purpose of the training is to bring us to a different stage of missionary work. After our training I wrote this down in my journal:

• We must attempt to rise above ourselves. The competition we face is our own complacency.

• We must lay behind ourselves our old selves along with our old weaknesses and fears, so that we don't have them to burden us while climbing up our ladder of improvement.

• We must first realize that we have an infinite potential. Second, we must reach it.

• No man has ever accomplished more than he dreamed of!

• There must always be a dream, a goal, a destination in order to reach it. The sky is only our limit if we make it our limit, or we won't reach it otherwise.

• If we fail to dream we end up earthbound, bound to suffer the fate of our dreamless brothers with no drive or passion. We must dream and rise to what God has in mind for us.

I know it's a little bit rough, but the idea is there and I had to write it down while I still remembered some of it.

Well, I'm out of time, gotta go! Love ya!

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 66 - Results Make Missionary Work Worth Every Little Effort

A great big happy independence day, or happy fourth as everybody else says... We spent some of the evening at our main investigators house and it was a blast of barbecue, fireworks (nice, but small ones compared to New Years eve in Denmark...(which while excessive, is overwhelmingly impressive). Do you happen to have any pics from Danish New Years Eve, BTW?)

One of our families is moving tomorrow to a different place in town, although still within the ward. Once again the famous "Elder's Quorum Volunteer Moving Company" will be assisting them in their move (although nothing remotely close to our last move--no worries). It's great to see how fast and how well they've integrated into the Ward here and also how everyone in the Ward loves them. It is like they've always been part of this congregation. It's times like these that makes missionary work worth every little effort.

Based strictly on my little accounts from here you might think that life is just one success after another and this would be completely WRONG. As you are well aware, I have a habit of putting my foot in my mouth (American lingo expressing an urgent need to attempt an immediate blocking of the flow of stupidity before any embarrassment builds to unrecoverable heights). I could write the book on putting my big foot in my mouth and I realize that I have lots to learn about common courtesy but, I mean well and I do keep trying. I could be a LOT more "polished" but that's actually difficult when you're me. Additionally, life as a missionary does have its trials, hurdles and troubles to get trough and the obstacles in our path does not get any smaller, just because of being on a mission. But, I don't like to dwell or focus on negatives and no problem has ever diminished by whining, complaining, writing or reading about it. My time as a missionary is very limited and I find my time best spent looking ahead on what can be done and how I can do it better.

On a completely different subject: When meeting new people every day we see a lot of different family situations and it truly makes me appreciate you two. I really love you both. I meet so many people here where their parents are either divorced or they just don't function. I know you that you don't feel much that way but, you two really are a source of power to me because of the your love for us children and each other. We may not have lived like the Rockefeller's when I was growing up but, I sure felt spoiled anyway. I feel so fortunate to know that you are my parents. If I were to do things over, I would have still put dibs on you to be my parents. I would want it no other way and I want you to know that I feel proud to be your son and I always will. Thank you for raising me, being my parents and doing your very best at it. I love you both!

It seems that every time I write you stuff like this I end with a lump in my throat but, it has to be said!

Love ya!

Elder Jepsen