Elder Jepsen - Opening Our Hearts to the Spirit

This will probably be my last email before I leave for the US. Soon I'll be in the Provo Utah Missionary Training Center (MTC). Although I feel like I've learned a lot already I know I have a long way to go. I have a firm belief in God and I enjoy reading the scriptures but I have a lot to learn about being a missionary and I'm so very much looking forward to the next step in my experience. 

The single biggest thing I have learned is that ultimately I need to not get in the way of people experiencing the whisperings of the Spirit for themselves. I can tell them about it, I can share my experiences of learning from or through the Spirit or I can ask people to read about it but they all have to choose and open their hearts to the Spirit. Anyone who decides to humble themselves  before God by accepting Jesus the Christ as their mediator and Savior and seeking the directions of Holy Ghost in their lives are already well on their way to find the peace and balance in their lives that I try to teach through the gospel. It's not us the missionaries, who are teaching these people but rather the Spirit. I suppose our task is more to facilitate. 

It's been an unusual situation to serve as a missionary here in Aalborg where years ago my sister served a mini-mission that turned into so much more than a mini-mission before she was done. I hope she's not drowning in books and studies these days and has enough time to still take a little time out for herself with her birthday coming up. Back then we didn't know many people anywhere in Denmark having all just arrived to the country. I now know many of the other youths in the church here and it's a strange feeling suddenly being a missionary with all my friends around. It actually seems that I have an unusually large concentration of friends here in Aalborg.

It has been very strange to whitewash yet another area (we call it a whitewash when two missionaries are moved into an area at the same time). Like all the other missionaries in this mission, Elder Harms has been to the MTC, I haven't but we've both been in the field for the same time and somehow that raises the expectations to me a little. I now have to carry my share of responsibilities, occasionally take the lead and there is a great deal to be learned from that experience. I am however, enjoying it very much. 

We are not the only Elders in Aalborg and that makes everything a little easier, as we sometimes split off and work with other Elders here. They know their way around town a little more and that's a lot of help as neither Elder Harms or I know much about the area.

Being all new in the area, we don't have anyone to teach yet but that should soon change. We have met with many good people and there is lots of good potential for teaching.

Being on a mission and teaching the gospel is a great experience and I am grateful to be here. If you had not made the choices to open your hearts to Spirit in your lives and given me a direction and an example to follow, my situation might have been quite different at this point and I might have been without this experience. Instead, I have the example of you and my sister and brothers to follow. Thank you. 

Love you,

Elder Jepsen

Elder Jepsen Goes to Sonderborg

Esbjerg is located to the far West. Copenhagen (København) is in the far East, showing the entire width of Denmark, if you don't count The Faroe Islands and Greenland. Sonderborg (Sønderborg) is in the lower left quarter of the map.

Regrettably, we don't have a weekly note from Elder Jepsen to share with you this week. 

A mission is a labor of love, faith and service to God and we are grateful to once again have a son on a mission. We appreciate when we hear from him and continue to remain grateful, even on the days when we don't hear from him. 

According to a reliable source, Elder Jepsen will be been transferred to Sonderborg (see the above map) as of January 17th. But, soon the US visa will be processed and another transfer is coming up.

Please, look for future updates to be posted on the blog. We'll pass them on as soon as we receive them.

Feeling the Holy Ghost: Power of the Holy Spirit

Treasure in Heaven: The John Tanner Story

Elder Neal A. Maxwell once said "Consecration is the only sacrifice which is also a victory." The following two videos on that very subject tells of an example worthy to be shared:

The Atonement Covers All Pain

In the words of Elder Kent F. Richards "None of us are immune to experiencing pain." Our pains don't go unnoticed. God lives and He knows our pain. Like you, I too have experienced pain: Years ago, when sitting in my car with my foot on the brake, stopped for the red light in an intersection, my car was impacted from the back with enough force to total the car and push it out into the intersection. I actually didn't notice any physical consequences until later when my right arm began to tingle and hurt. Soon my life was focused around the daily intake of painkillers. After surgery, the pain continued and still does continue. I often wonder what I could have done different but the situation remains because I like everyone else am subjected to the limitations of mortality. Through the years of hoping, praying and waiting for relief, I have found comfort in my faith in God. I have also at times found an escape and relief in God from the seemingly impossible levels of physical and emotional pain, while at the same time learning a great many things about my mortal state.

Physical and emotional pain takes many forms. Besides physical pain, I have experienced despair, hopelessness, depression, anxiety, surrender, apathy, self-disgust and a heart attack. Through the fog of heavy doses of morphine and other heavy medications it was difficult to feel anything at all. Yet, in the brief moments of clarity I felt the presence of God in my life, guiding and holding me by the hand, helping me survive a time when I had no desire left to live--I wanted to die. Through it all, God was there for me and when I myself felt spiritually numb, others listened to the whisperings of God for me and I felt the compassion of others, reaching out in loving understanding in spite of my then altered perceptions, imposed by so many medications.

After many years in pain and I still can't go through a day without seeking some relief in medicines but my pains have decreased enough that I now occasionally can drive a motorcycle (cars are too dangerous and maybe I'll be a smaller target for those driving cars, when I am on a motorcycle). But, all joking aside. Throughout all of this, my love for our Lord has grown in ways I had never imagined before in my life--and my understanding of God's ways has increased and deepened. God was there for me when I needed Him and He is still there for me, not in the way I might ever have expected but better in the long run.

God understands my situation and although He probably would prefer that I did more with my time, I have felt the love of our Savior in my life and feel closer to Him than ever before. God understands all our situations, He knows our suffering, disappointment and pain.

God is always there for us, waiting for us to draw near to Him. He's patiently waiting, sometimes for a very long time before we finally are ready to come to Him, sufficiently humble, honest and sincere to seek Him and listen for the whisperings of the Spirit in our lives. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered that we may have His atonement available for us when we are ready:

The Book of Mormon, Alma, Chapter 7, verse 13:
13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

Jesus Christ our Savior, knows about pain and suffering. He could have known about and understood our pains simply through revelation but He chose to learn through His own personal experience. Jesus Christ actually chose to suffer pain and afflictions to better understand us:

The Book of Mormon, Alma, Chapter 7, verses 11 and 12:
11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is indeed the best friend any of us will ever have and we can trust that He will understand, as we through Him address our Heavenly Father in our hour of need.

Elder Jepsen: Mission Entry 105 - Remembering Jesus Christ our Savior during the Christmas Season

Elder Jepsen with sister-in-law Brittany and brother Paul, both returned missionaries. 

This last week has been a lot of fun but also frustrating. Christmas is a beautiful time when more people are friendly, happy and open to talk about the Christ in Christmas, while others get so busy with arranging and preparing for Christmas that it leaves no room for Christ. It saddens me to see our Savior forgotten at the very time that we have set aside for remembering Him. 


In the New Testament, Luke, Chapter 10, there is an excellent parallel to what has sadly happened to many people's Christmas as preparations for the event begins to overshadow the Spirit of the event: 


38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 


Here in Denmark, Christmas is celebrated December 24th in the evening, focused around a big family dinner, followed by a reading of the Nativity Story and an exchange of the presents from under the Christmas tree. The event has for many generations been the time when family gathered  at home for the evening, remembering the birth of our Savior. Singing hymns and fun traditional songs about Christmas together. Unfortunately, the reading of the Nativity Story, singing the many beautiful hymns are disappearing and other traditions are taking their place.


This, the first Christmas of my mission people cancelled our few teaching appointments, or people were not home. It's saddening that at a time when so many are celebrating the birth of Christ, that we as bearers of His message are cancelled, forgotten or ignored. But, we'll just keep on trying! 


While we didn't get to talk about our Savior as much as we would have liked during Christmas, our hearts and stomachs were filled to capacity. A lot of good people invited us to their home for dinner during Christmas and we enjoyed all the good food, mandarins, clementines, treats, and sweets. Ay! Christmas was fun. 


Happy New Years!


Love,
Elder Jepsen

Elder Neil L. Anderson - Children

I am grateful to my great-grandparents, grandparents, parents and all the generations before them for having children, or I would not exist and none of my children would exist.

Thanks to my parents I have had the experience of living, surviving the struggles and fathering of four wonderful children. I have had the privilege of seeing the beginning of life in my children, their development of personality and character, their choices, battles and victories. Thanks to my parents I can be a parent, a blessing I would not want to be without.

As we celebrate Christmas, I am grateful that Mary and Joseph took on the challenge of parenthood at a time when they had to flee their country to protect the newborn baby Jesus. They didn't give up, resigning themselves to just having another child when it perhaps would be more convenient.

Mary and Joseph had had to travel through a hostile desert (the parable of "The Good Samaritan" reminds us of the dangers) at a time when a pregnancy only would slow them down and put their lives at an even greater risk. It was a calling for Mary and Joseph and yet they chose to be parents. Life is all about choices.

Elder Neil L. Andersen talks about parents and their children in "Children:"