Planning...what's planning?

Happy belated Memorial day United States citizens! :)

Good news! its no longer freezing Btw!.... It's now terribly hot and Humid.. hahaha The irony..

Sorry my email is so late.. all the libraries were closed and i have been waiting for this creeper guy to stop watching "how to" videos on holes in socks...  So i can EMAIL!!! haha

Anyways... We had a crazy crazy week this past week. 

First, Everything we had planned had either fallen through or had to change due to spontaneous service opportunities. We helped a super nice lady with her yard work, Then help a couple move in, Elder Hutchenson said "wow i have never done so much service on my mission. i feel like a crippled old man" hahaha He is Hilarious! I work that guy so hard... I feel bad sometimes. But he is always willing to work its so great! The next step is just getting him to speak up more often! he is very quiet and shy, So we all try to get him out of his shell.

But whenever he goes to the "courts" in Troy he just opens up! he talks to everyone. I guess he is just a thug, who knows. Everyone who plays basketball there is Amazing! We usually play one game with them when we walk by. They call us CHURCH SHOES! haha 

We also had our service hour at the nursing home, We usually ride the bus because its too long of a walk, BUT we missed the bus due to watching a family of Asians fighting outside of a restaurant. So we walked.... and walked.... and WALKED! Then finally realized we weren't even walking in the right direction!! we walked 3 miles in the WRONG DIRECTION! haha so we had to walk another 3 miles to a bus stop to go home and it went the wrong way... hahahaha We quickly learned more about the bus system that day. 

I am slowly but surly learning more names of the AWESOME members in our ward. They are so great they feed us and tell us such great stories! haha I find the best question to ask is What is the craziest thing you ever saw on your mission? Never fails to amuse me! haha

The work here has abruptly ceased for some crazy reason! all our investigators are just no where to be found so we Tract and talk to people almost all day everyday!  But almost always after an appointment falls through. Things have been just crazy lately, One of our Zone leaders Elder Gemienart Became very sick overnight, So Elder Lords the other ZL asked us to go on exchange with them Because they had things that needed to be done that day. So elder hutchenson so Eagerly volunteered himself to be a Zone leader for a day! haha OH was I so happy he did that! haha once i heard what they had to do all day i definitely counted my blessings. They had to move all these things into all the sisters apartments and do all these training's, while I stayed in their super nice apartment and took a nice Jacuzzi bath and played mini golf. Hahaha it was .. uh.. ineffective haha

On memorial day our stake had a HUGE BBQ with an amazing turnout! We had burgers, investigators, slips and falls it was great! we all got super sun-burnt! 

I definitely learned that, even if things don't go according to plans, It happened for a reason. You might not ever know why god put you in the path of a lady who smells like dead cats, but he does it for a reason! and the best thing to do is to put your faith in him and listen to the spirit and just let it guide ya!:)

I hope you all have an amazing week! and start enjoying this summer!

And I promise i will post more pictures next week.. totes forgot my camera...

:)

Love Elder NY Jepsen

St. Patrick's Day, The only time you see green in the North country

Well, Happy St. Patricks day! 

This past week up  here in Massena has been a pretty EVENTFUL one!  Elder Neus and I had a pretty good week teaching wise, and VERY blessed with many many opportunities to serve. 

So on Tuesday we had our Zone meeting, which was alright. I honestly cant say i learned anything i didn't know. BUT we have a new sister in our zone from Italy that Laughs like a zebra... so that's cool..

After Zone meeting we helped a family in our Branch move out of their home. Kind of sad to see the leave. But hey, I'll see them again. ( they actually just moved next to us in Utah .. haha) 

On Wednesday We were able to go to the Reservation to eat at the Buffet in the Awkwesasne Casino! That was super good. But while we were there a storm rolled in and just DUMPED snow nonstop for 2 days! So the rest of the day we were stuck inside... Which is never fun.

Eventually Thursday rolled around, and while we were weekly planning we get a call from the Zone leaders saying "this is the only day we're free  so we are coming up to move your apartments. So pack up you have an hour and a half" 

So there we were running around with our heads cut off trying to pack up our apartment! This later turned into a 2 day task. So we eventually move all our things to the new Apartment where the other Elders live, And it turns out the landlord never turned the heat on so we have to wait until Tuesday to move them out of our apartment. So now, there are 4 missionaries living in a One bedroom apartment... It got old fast.. hahaha

Oh here's a funny story. (if you'd think this is funny) After helping out with the Massena food distribution services downtown in Massena, We got a call from a former Investigator Asking us if we could help her friend move. Ofcoarse we said Yes! we were pumped! So we get to this house she leads us to this back room, and we look in and.... TORNADO! crap everywhere!! literally.. stuff all over and POOP on the ground. She asks us if we could help her organize and move all this stuff upstairs. then eventually paint it so her parents could move in... Reluctantly we said suuuure we can do that. THEN she says "thank you" and goes and takes a nap!! haha Elder Neus was sooo mad.

But we manned up and did it. granted it took us 4 hours but we got it done. And we have to go back and paint...

Luckily to Conclude that stressful day we had the Adult session of District conference in Malone. It was so good! The spirit was definitely there. they talked about Hastening the work in all that we do.

That was the overall topic on Sunday as well in District Conference. 

This past week i was Very humbled to see the blessings that come from service. Even if they are smelly and weird and awkward... haha 

We need always strive to follow Christs example and strive to serve our fellow men!

I hope you all have a great WARM week, wherever you are!

-Elder Jepsen

This Week was a Very Adventurous One!

Well, This last week in Massena was a GREAT one! We have been staying pretty busy up here in the North Country. A lot has happened in just one week sooooo here we go!

First off, The week started out BITTER cold. Like below -25!!  so cold! This first part of the week I was on Exchange with Elder Peterson. He is one of the downtown Elders, And we walked all over town visiting members and investigators IN that cold! haha ...that was fun. It was a great learning experience for me. I learned a lot about teaching, and how long it usually takes to walk across town on mounds of ice. I'm beginning to realize how much easier it is to talk to people now and gain relationships with them. I just love the people here in Massena. I just only wish they could see there potential, many of the people here just kind of settle for what they have and become what others say they are. Most of the houses up here are actually Apartments within the house. There is a lot of poverty here. So not a lot of people work up here...they just all smoke... I JUST WANT THEM TO SEE THEIR POTENTIAL! ah anyways...

After our exchange we had our Branch New years eve party! That went very well. We had many members as well as 10 Non members there. We played games and got to know one another better. It was a great success. 

On New years day they split the area of Massena, and we as drive elders, picked up a new area! So we are so excited! it was an answer to our prayers. With that area we have more members to work with as well as Less-actives. We also picked up 2 NEW INVESTIGATORS after working the area!! They are both Veterans and we couldnt be more ecstatic! Oh that same day, we were making our way down to Potsdam for District meeting. And we looked behind us and we were being pulled over by a state trooper! so we pulled over and he gave us a big ole ticket for our registration! haha That was the first time Elder Mecham had ever been pulled over, as well as his first ticket. HE was so mad! haha it was kind of nice not being the one being pulled over for a change... haha..... So that mishap created a lot of havoc for rest of the week. But we got it all straightened out... kinda.. 

But anyway, The remainder of the week was Awesome, we had a lesson with one of our new investigators he was struggling with gaining faith. So I shared Alma ch:32:21 with him. It reads; "And now as I said concerning faith—^afaith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye ^bhope for things which are ^cnot seen, which are true.";  Then I bore probably the strongest testimony I have ever given in my life.  But I have never felt the spirit so strong in my entire life then I had in that smoke filled room. My faith in the gospel grew 10 fold that night. I will never forget that night.
 

Then after that lesson we went home to our apartment. When we walked into the building, we noticed a really nasty smell. And as we got closer to the apartment it got stronger. When we opened the door, a wave of unbelievable stench burst out! OF SEWAGE AND DEATH! it smelt sooooooo bad. So we called the office and the told us to check all the traps in the pipes and dump water down them and to plunge everything ( as seen in the picture below). They later found out that it was the apartment below us that was being renovated, The sewage pipe had backed up and sat there for weeks and the smell just emanated into our apartment. So we put tons of car fresheners all over the apartment and all over our coats! it was so bad.. haha We ended up having to crash at the other elders apartment!  That was a great experience haha

After that fiasco we went to church and had our Fast and testimony meeting which went super well. I think everyone bore there testimony! I had to share my experience i had with faith the other day and shared a personal experience along with it! I LOVE bearing my testimony! it never gets old. I just wish i could have done it more back home. But that will come in time ;)

This week was a very adventurous one! I love every second and every minute of being a missionary. I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

I hope your lives are full of adventures and spiritual experiences this week! 

Oh and resolutions! Mine is to read the Entire Bible! cover to cover! I'm so pumped!

I hope all is well back home!

Love always,

Elder Jepsen

Merry Christmas!! From New York!!

Elder Jepsen's official Christmas card

I can't Believe its already Christmas time! It's so amazing how fast time flies out here! This past week has been a crazy one! Really busy and full of INSANE WEATHER!!

 We started out with our Zone training meeting on Tuesday. That was great. President Wirthlin interviwed us all and addressed what he wanted us to focus on this time of year. This time of year being Christmas that is, We are trying to focus on centering Christ in Christmas and tieing that into the Restoration. We have been trying really hard throughout the zone and we are seeing great results! Anyways after the meeting we went on an exchange with the Malone Elders.And I got to go to Malone with Elder Bloomfield. And it was amazing! i was only there for 2 days and i grew to love the people of Malone so much! we were super busy and i met a lot of great people! I learned a lot from Elder Bloomfield. It was so much fun!

 After that exchange I was home for about an hour, when the zone leaders called us and told us they were on their way to do a suprise exchange. (since my companion is a district leader, i guess they can do that haha) So i had about 5 minutes to plan the next 2 days so that was a great learning experience! Elder Gielman is the ZL i was on exchange with and he is awesome. He taught me so much about planning and tracting. We tracted an entire day and an entire neighbor hood, which was extremely humbling because, of all the houses we went to we had the door shut in our faces but one. The very last one. A super nice older guy, who only let us in because he recognized me from the volunteer work i had been doing for the Methodist dinner so that was amazing! After all that, We drove down to Potsdam to exchange back, but the weather was so bad we had to spend the night with the Zone leaders.

The Next couple days, the weather worsened. We had to cancel appointment after appointment because we couldn't get anywhere! at First we heard that it was a little snow storm, then the freezing rain came and froze everything! It took me a while to comprehend freezing rain... haha it was so foreign to me. But anyway, we made it to all our Service work appointments and delivered toys and food to many families, which was the neatest experience. We had a Less active give us a bunch of toys and clothes to give away. so we wrapped them up and gave them to a progressing family we have been teaching. They were so grateful. We just love that Family!

Eventually all the freezing rain got out of hand and froze everything so St. Lawrence county was put under a state of emergency And no cars were allowed on the roads at anytime.  All the businesses were closed for 2 days! Even Church was canceled. So We were out walking around to visit members homes on Sunday, And when we finally made the 4.5 mile walk to their homes they told us, it was even Illegal to walk on the roads in a state of emergency! WE COULD'NT EVEN WALK! so they pretty much kept us hostage in their houses until all the cops were gone. So after that we had to sneak all the way back home, dodging the police and wait out the Storm. This has been by far, One of the Most interesting weeks i have had yet!

I'm so grateful to be up here in Massena at this time of year. Christmas time brings the Best out of everyone! All we need to do is focus on the true meaning of Christmas! Yes, being selfless and giving and receiving presents is what we look forward to, But what we really need to remember, is Christmas is a time of remembrance! not just in The Nativity or Christ's birth but also his Ministry and his example! Through Him we can achieve ETERNAL HAPPINESS! You think you're happy at Christmas? Imagine being that happy all the time. Through Christ we can! I just hope we all remember that!

I truly Hope All of you have a wonderful and meaningful Christmas this year!

I love all of you.

P.S. This is a picture elder Mecham took of me after had walked 5 miles in freezing rain. Everything on me was frozen! we had to wait until my coat was unthawed to take it off! Haha MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Elder Jepsen

" So i wear that beard everyday in personal study! i love it! you cant even comprehend! (ill send a pic)"You think he's excited? Best. Sister. Ever. 

Massena, NY: 'I CAN SEE CANADA FROM MY APARTMENT!'

So I'm finally here in New York! and.... IT'S SO COLD!! wow...After we hopped off the plane we drove to Utica and to the Mission home where we stayed the night. Then that morning we were given the rundown and then we were assigned to new companions and new Area's. My new area is... Massena new york. One of the most Northern parts of the mission!! haha I should never have told the president i was from St. George. I think he just really wanted to humble me! ha Massensa NY is an amazing place! cold.... but amazing. It is right next the the St. Lawrence River and the Canadian Border. No joke, i can see Canada from my Apartment! Masseena is a small village/town and everyone in it knows eachother. Its a very poor part of new york. A lot of the houses here have been retro fitted to be apartments because people cant afford houses.The people here are very hard,  Burly and independent. There is a mohawk Reservation up here also, so there is alot of gambling, but not alot of people go up there because a lot of trouble goes on up there. Okay! The NATIVES here... They are like brick walls THEY'RE HUGE! haa so cool
    But anyways There are Many different types of churches here, SO MANY! so there are A lot of Church hoppers around Massenna its very interesting, the seem to go to the church that is the most popular that week...im slowl starting to understand the ways of the Massennans haha. They just barley re-opened the Branch up here in June. We have alot of less actives up here, around 150 members. but an average of 25 come to church. It was a real eye opener for me. These people Have such strong testimonies for having so little! AND THEY STILL LOVE TO FEED THE MISSIONARIES! haha ! They are amazing. So alot of our work here is Re- activation. its very interesting, Some people love to have the missionaries and some want nothing to do with the church anymore. Whether it be past experiences with the church, or just caught in some bad habits. But we'll get'em back Don't Worry!

Oh my New Companion/Trainers Name is Elder Mecham. He's been out for almost a Year now, and he Is really cool! We are slowly getting to know one another better as the days go by. But we get along really well. He's from South Jordan so he likes me to fill him in on whats he's missed! ha
I'm so Grateful to have someone so encouraging and inspired to train me! He's Taught me so much just in the first week. like i said, we try to focus alot on reactivation, so we do alot of service! On my first "real day" we helped at a baptist church on Thanksgiving day to feed the homeless or less fortunate dinner, it was amazing! We shovel walkways, we build things, we actually just moved This Homeless guy across town, (for a homeless guy he had alot of stuff) He also had 2 HUGE dogs that I had to Hold and sit with the whole car ride, Who had never been brushed they're whole lives! ha they smelt so bad! But it turns out that where he moved to is a less active members home! so that was amazing. we had a chance to talk to them. The lord works in Mysterious ways. im starting to learn that now! I'm so grateful to be here and to serve the Lord here in Massenna! i already love the people and im almost learning to love the Cold... but i will soon. Dont worry!

I love you all I hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving!

Hope everything is going well back home!

Love always 

Elder Jepsen

Elder Mecham and Elder Jepsen, ready to serve!

First day in New York!

President Worthlin, Elder Mecham, Elder Jepsen, Sister Worthlin