TRIO!!!

By far one of the most interesting weeks of my mission! But a great one! 

The day of transfers i worked with elder black in Downtown massena. We discussed the area...and our companions.. haha. This month we are most likely moving downtown and the Other Massena elder are moving across the river on the other side of massena. Then we will most likely be doing a car share, so we split the area and made many MANY pros and cons lists haha. Later that night Elder Neus and Elder Davis came up to massena!

Elder Neus is just the best! We get along really well, he is not afraid to work and already LOVES the area! he is just what massena needs! So after showing elder Neus the ropes we were out tracting on Friday when we get a call from elder black saying he needs to go to the hospital. Then after we take him to the urgent care, then the Hospital we find out the he has walking Pneumonia.... That was a surprise. So president wirthlin came up and took E. Black to the mission home so he can Sack out and hopefully get better so they can send him up her again!

SO now Elder Neus and Elder Davis and I are now in a TRIO! ...Which is super different... haha everything takes just a little longer now but its still really fun! hah Teaching is now a little different but we do well. We keep getting stuck in door ways but we'll get over that soon as well haha. Elder Davis is a very Obedient and Diligent Missionary. He used to be a zone leader In Rome before he came here. He keeps us both in line. 

It is really different leading the Area here since no one else has knowledge of massena. It's kind of like training! haha it was a little hard at first because they kept forgetting where we were and who we just saw but i was patient with them and they are now getting the hang of it!

I have a really good feeling things are going to turn around out here! We have new missionaries that are much more obedient than the last, they have an outside view of things which is just what we need! I know that if we just put our faith in the lord and strive to be perfectly obedient we will see ourselves and this area Progress!!

Thank you all for your love a support! I hope all of you have a great week! 

Much Love from Massena

-Elder Jepsen

TRANSFERS.......

This past week has just been a blur! So much has happened. 

We had a really crazy week full of random service opportunities, and A LOT of traveling. We tried many potentials this week but to no avail... But there's always next week. A lot of our appointments fell through...but not many of our Dinner appointments which is good! haha 

We also had the opportunity to travel down to Potsdam many times this week. Potsdam is where the zone leaders live, it is a fairly big town. Mostly because Clarkson University and State university of New York is there. We play basketball there, We also had our Zone meeting there on Friday. It was a great meeting! But since transfer calls were the next day President wirthlin kind of spilled the beans and told most of the missionaries where they were going. Turns out Elder Mecham is going to Elmira to be a zone leader (Never would have guessed that one) and Elder Nouse is coming up here to Massena with me. I am actually really excited to take over the area up here. Things seem like they have been in a stand still since Elder Mecham has been here. But president is taking a so called "leap of faith" with elder nouse and I since we are such new missionaries. He feels we can jump start this area AND I AM SO DOWN! haha I'm ready!

But anyway, after our meeting we had our Valentines day party. Which we ended up having to cancel because of the terrible weather... It was tough  because all of us had put so much into this party and tried to reach out to so many many people, AND EVERYONE WAS SO EXCITED... but everything happens for a reason. Oh well!

Then on Saturday, The downtown Massena elders had a Baptism in Potsdam for one of their investigators. It went really well. It was such a good baptism. (they showed the Brandon Flowers I'm a Mormon video i was super happy) Then after the baptism  we went to her fathers Funeral. He had died earlier that week and it put us all in a weird mood BUT SHE STILL WENT THROUGH WITH THE BAPTISM! i was so proud of her. It must have been so hard. That was a very interesting day. Really made me think... You cant help but to think  about the plan of salvation when art a funeral. The Deacon from the Catholic church really bothered me... He didnt really make it special he just did the prayers and whatnot... AND HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIM! ah! we all just wanted to get up and teach the plan of salvation haha

 I digress...

But that Sunday we had a great turnout! Mostly because we had a potluck afterwards...but they were there! haha But most of our Sunday and Monday consisted of Elder Mecham saying goodbye to people and packing. Wednesday is our Transfers, its going to be weird not being with Elder Mecham now but that's just the mission life i guess. I've learned a lot from him. Honestly, mostly how to not do things but i learned from it, But i learned from it that all that matters.

I have a really good feeling about this next transfer and i am super excited! 

I hope you all have a great week!

Love always

Elder Jepsen

p.s I've received word that i never post pictures anymore sooooo GET READY! haha

The First picture is me holding a newborn KID named Solo. (like han solo) he was so cute

The second picture is of our district.
 I am banished to the back and Elder Mecham is the one in the middle pulling the face haha

Good ole Massena

Family and friends,
We had an over all good week up here in the Arctic! haha Yes... it's still cold ha. The week started out slow, No one wanted to leave their houses, let alone answer their doors. Everyone up here is "nesting" as they say, till it starts to warm up again! But as the week went on we had some really great lessons with our investigators! as well as some potentials. We have contacted many less active members WHICH IS AWESOME! we are inviting everyone out to our Valentines party this Friday. We are super excited to see who turns up. Or who we have to pick up (no one has a car...)

We also have Transfer call this week! Every area in the mission is pretty much expecting changes! Elder Mecham has been here for 5 transfers so he's getting pretty confident he's leaving. he keeps saying "when i leave...." haha it's going to bite him in the butt i know it! The zone leaders asked me if i was ready to take over Massena... So we'll see what happens.

Things are beginning to pick up here in Massena! I was on exchange with Elder Black (a past zone leader in Syracuse) He taught me a lot about companionships and always striving to work just a little harder. Lately I've been having to push elder Mecham just a little harder. He's in a point in his mission where being lazy is becoming a little more prevalent.... But i'll get him over it! haha

Other than that everything is going great! although It seems everyone is going through their seasonal depression up here in the north country, WHY CAN"T THEY JUST MAN UP? AH! i digress...

I just love it out here! NY stubbornness and all! haha

I hope you all have a great week! and remember the lords hand in your lives.

Love always

-Elder Jepsen

P.s this picture is me standing on the FROZEN St. Lawrence river.... it was pretty much legit.

F E B R U A R Y . . .

Dear Family and friends,

This past week started out great, We had a great many things planned for the week. But oh how the tables turned... haha But more on that later! 

So we began our week on exchange with the Zone Leaders in Potsdam. I went down to Potsdam with Elder Lamb (a great missionary) we contacted a lot of former investigators in the outlining areas. We came across a former in an awesome Colonial house by the river and she let us right in! buuuuut... she did not hesitate in letting us know her beliefs... This... sadly led into a Bible Bash! MY FIRST! She was definitely very knowledgeable. She had scriptures memorized left and right! BUT she based almost her whole beliefs out of Leviticus and Ephesians. So you could say she was pretty stubborn with her beliefs... We were trying not to bash with her at all, I kept my peace and bore my testimony of the Truthfulness of the Book of Mormon as much as i could. And so was elder Lamb, Until she told us our faith was foolish... then  Elder lamb lost it, and the bashing commenced. To make a long story short we ended with a testimony and she said she loved us and wanted us to come back better prepared... SO that was an experience haha

After our awesome exchange in Potsdam I woke up with a weird sore throught... But i payed no attention to it. As the day drug on it slowly became worse... But instead of resting and kicking it in the butt, I stayed out and continued to work. That was a mistake. So you might be able to guess how we spent the remainder of the week... I was told by the mission presidents wife i wasn't to leave our apartment, until i turned around. After a couple days of rest and weird dreams I STILL DIDN'T FEEL ANY BETTER! it was getting worse...
 So this Sunday, (Still very sick)  they banished me to the corner so i wouldn't shake anyone's hand, or pass the sacrament and infect the entire branch with my sickness. 

We later found out that our chorister would never show up, so i was volunteered to lead the music. This tall, lurpy deathly ill missionary, who could barely lift his arm, let alone carry a note lead the music! hahaha it was a ...Interesting experience.. I almost past out a couple times from getting up to fast and i kept forgetting where i was! Elder Mecham had to keep fighting himself to not record me conducting the music! haha 

But i woke up this morning feeling like a hundred bucks! I'm so grateful and excited! ...so that's good 

So this past week as definitely been a learning/ humbling experience for me. I'm so grateful for elder Mecham and his patience with me, as well as his constant loyalty. He is the best.

Thanks to all of you for all of your love and support!

I hope you all STAY HEALTHY and have a great week!

Love always

 -Elder Jepsen

Natives and Snow Storms

This past week in Massena has been a great one!! One i think i will always remember.

I will just go through my whole week for ya.

So to start out the week we went on Exchange with the Malone Elders (which is always awesome). Elder Bloomfield came to Massena here with me, and we went and saw this crazy Native guy who LOVES elder Bloomfeild because he's from Arizona and they have this weird "bond". So we stayed at his home for a while and he thought it was such a good night he lit up his Smudge pot (a little native American pot with a hole in the top that burns cedar cones) and he held our hands and Prayed to the creator. Saying how much he loved us and wanted us to come over in the morning for lunch. Well the next day we received a text from him saying he was in the Hospital... He had apparently left the smudge pot on as well as a pan on the stove over night. And it smoked up his entire apartment and he couldn't breath. So we saw him and ran some errands for him. Ooh man, never a dull moment with that guy that's for sure haha

We exchanged back on Wednesday, At Zone Conference. Which was amazing! the over theme was faith. Both the assistants taught us, as well as the president. One of the assistants Elder Tanner, He is hilarious and a fun guy to be around! it might be because he's from Alaska... but anyways he told us everything That happened to his father this past october. His father was with his son and his brother flying in Alaska. And something happened and the plane went down so at the last minute his father turned his side into the ground and he was killed. But his son and his brother lived. This all happened on Elder Tanners mission. And he never went home. HE knew that this is where he was needed. HE is such a great example to us all. I'm grateful for his example.

The rest of the week we saw many less- actives and taught a couple lessons. Its been going really well. we still volunteer at the Methodist church and wash dishes there! They love us! they always give us a TON of food. They are all so nice. But after that Elder mecham caught a bug and got really sick so we had to wrestle with that for a couple days, on top of his ankle! But he is pulling through. I really look up to him and his example. He hit his year mark on Thursday and Elder Peterson hit his ^ month mark on the same day! So we celebrated by going to McDonalds and Burning a shirt and a tie! (as is the missionary Tradition).

 So this last week has definitely been a better week for all of us! 

OH! besides all the terrible weather! It is So COLD! the day we went to Zone conference it was -30 Degrees!. elder Peterson got Frostbite on his ear it was that cold!... he didn't want to wear a hat... Now he does ( i think he learned his lesson) haha 

It has been snowing on and off all week! dipping below zero everyday! AH! ....its gettin old....

So it's still cold,

The people are still crazy,

I'm still learning, 

And i STILL LOVE IT HERE!

I hope you all have an amazing week! And are always striving to strengthen your faith!

 

Love always, Elder Jepsen

Split Seconds...

So.... I would be lying if i said this last week wasn't a tough one... 

No joke 1 hour after we e-mailed last week we were playing basketball and we were all getting pretty into it aaannd... elder Mecham came down on his ankle weird and sprained it really bad. So in a matter of seconds our whole week was affected. That was really tough on him, and us as a companionship. We really werent allowed to go anywhere because of his ankle, so the beginning part of the week was very slow... But i got alot done in the apartment! so that was good. But after our first day of his injury, we were pretty Freaking bored!!

So we prayed and prayed that he would be healed and we would be able to go out and do his work. Then not even a day later, he was able to walk without hardly feeling the pain! The lord has such a powerful hand in our lives, and in our work out here as missionaries! sometimes its hard to comprehend! haha

We had many opportunities to help with service this last week! its been so great to work with such amazing people in the area, and get our names and our church out there. People really begining to look up to us here in the north country, its so great!

But other than that, most, if not all our appointments we had this past week fell through. And that was really rough... especially on me and my patience. By sunday my patience went out the window. whether it was from my companion or everything that was going wrong. I just wanted to go home and sleep... But my missionary scripture kept coming into my head CONSTANTLY. Isiah 61:1 It was then i realized, i needed to push my selfish feelings and needs aside and say to myself, "what does the LORD need me to do right now for the people?" 

The answer was simple, Forget yourself.
Forget your wants, your thoughts, Just do what he would do!  

In a split second, the spirit made that known to me! And i couldn't be more grateful for the spirit in my life!

The gospel of Jesus Christ is sooo KEY in every aspect of our lives! we all just need to take a step back and look at the big picture and realize it for ourselves. 

That is my challenge for everyone this week:)

I hope all is well with all of you!

Have a great week

Love always,

Elder Jepsen

P.s. Sorry my E-mail is late. The library was closed yesterday for Matrin Luther king day sooooo yeah...

 Also feel free to write me anytime... I promise i'll write back... eventually..... i always do:)

A New Transfer

Well this week begins a new transfer! I am so ready! Elder Mecham and I are still companions, and get along better than ever! we work super well together. We love it up here in the North Country! Elder Mecham hits his year mark this transfer so he's super stoked. I hit my 2 month mark tomorrow and my 3 month this transfer also. It's so weird... But we suspect Elder mecham to leave Massena here soon because he's been here for over 6 months! And everyone teases me and says I'll be training after 2 transfers haha... I hope not... 
BUT anyways, This past week was a great one! we stayed pretty busy visiting less actives and helping with alot of service activities as well as moving GIANT washing machines into tiny cellars! (everyone's cellars up here are really creepy, and dirty and smelly haha) That was a good workout! We also had some really good lessons this week that went really well! We have been teaching this Awesome Farm family, but we have mostly been teaching the father. He is very open minded and a deep thinker. He is super Analytical.. like me so we get along really well! His oldest daughter has been secretly listening to our lessons for a while, she's great! she told me she loves to read so I gave her a bunch of Pamphlets and I told her if she reads those i could give her The "BEST book in the world!" She was very excited. (she's gonna read! i know it:)

We also received a Head Quarter Re feral, For this guy who requested a bible off line. so we contacted him, and gave him a bible. He seemed surprised that we delivered it personally. HE told us that his family has really been pushing religion lately and they were very intrigued by the missionaries. So we picked them up as investigators! That was such an answer to our prayers! We have been praying everyday to find someone who we can teach. And the lord answered!   AH I LOVE THIS WORK! haha and i love these people, I get along so well with everyone! They better not take me away!;)

This last sunday was Awesome! we had Branch Conference so we had all the District Presidency there. They are all amazing men. They are all pretty much Professors at Potsdam so that got me super excited! The over all theme for our conference was Member missionary work. And it was perfect, that was exactly what the branch needed to hear! We also had over 30 members there so afterwards we had a pot-luck and filled the church! It was so good to see.

Things are looking really well up here! I love it. (especially since its been over 30 degrees here lately!!!...and raining..) 

I hope you all have an amazing week! 

Always remember the potential we all have as Heavenly father children, And what we may achieve.

I love you all 

Elder Jepsen