I never thought I would miss swimming so much🌊

大家好! 

Welcome to another email, brought to you by Sister Jensen! We're not going to talk about how today is my 9-month mark. We're not thinking about that right now. 

Anyway, last week we spent p-day with most of our zone which was fun! Tuesday, we had district council and dinner and a lesson with our friend Jim which was fun! I accidentally pulled some very illegal stuff while biking and afterward my comp and I pulled over and went over some of the traffic laws and map of the area which was extremely beneficial haha. 

Wednesday, we had a miracle, we were at the church planning our English group and a lady came up to the door! We answered it and she said that she passes by our building and the gate is always closed, but today it was open, so she thought she'd check it out! Her name is Vivian, and her family is looking for a church! So we were able to show her around a little bit. Blessings! We also had a "Wild West" themed English Group and we got to play around with cowboy hats and nerf guns which was fun! 

Thursday, we had some lessons and Friday we had an ultimate frisbee activity! Since we didn't have lights on the field we used, we planned to have it be glow in the dark. Unfortunately, it started raining a little and it turns out our glowsticks didn't work, but it was still fun and we got some nonmembers there! 

Saturday, we had our friend Willy's baptism! The way they found him was that he walked into the church asking if he could use the bathroom! The Elders taught most of his lessons, but it was fun to be there for it. On Sunday we had a little missionary work fireside which was good! My poor comp is going home this week and was asked to speak at Willy's baptism, in church yest4cuerday, and at the fireside. She was not the happiest about it to say the least haha but she did a good job! 

Today we were able to go hiking and go to a beach! It was great and super pretty! Seriously I needed it, I felt so much joy even though I wanted to swim so bad haha. Everything says that on a mission you will have more joy than you have yet experienced. I realized today that even though most of it will be from teaching others, it doesn't have to be! It can even just be as simple as putting your feet in the water and feeling inexplicable joy at the beautiful scene and smelling the seaweed. It felt so good. I even got a sunburn line from holding Walter (my water bottle) which I found hilarious. Also, I had I think the best cheesecake I have ever had in my life. Not even kidding. It was quite dangerous.

Other updates, this week is transfers and I will be with my new companion, Sister Yao! I have met her a few times and she's nice, she also does not really speak much English. So it'll definitely be a learning experience for me. Jin Jiemei usually uses English when she speaks with me, but again it had to happen eventually! I'm excited for this transfer though it'll be good! 

Other weird things I ate: This wasn't this week, but I have had pig and duck blood, not my favorite thing. Also pig ears. Again, not my favorite.

Spiritual thought for the week: I have really been thinking a lot about the significance of giving your will to the Father and reserving nothing. It is in this way that we have the most joy and satisfaction and the most change. I would highly recommend you all to read "The Fourth Missionary" and "The Riccardi Letter." Very well done. Giving our will really is the easiest way, because we aren't fighting. The Lord will not change us against our will, so it only makes sense that the way to change the most as missionaries and as disciples is to stop fighting Him and dedicate all we have, however small, to Him. This does not necessarily equate to doing more "things," but instead means to put His will as our predominant desire above everything else. We can all do it! It is a change of mind, a decision made, and the heart will follow! 

 Anyway, I love you all and hope you have a great week! Please write me I love to read them and my deepest apologies if I don't respond!