Double DIPPED!

Deb's Baptism 

Hey You's Guy's!

Well We had a typical crazy/weird week! haha 

No joke...Every appointment we had this last week fell through or bailed... It was just one of those weeks I guess. And it just happened to be the week I went on exchange with my District leader. hahaha But, No worries! I hunted them ALL down and either had a lesson with them or Rescheduled with them. (it all happened for a reason though) We can't take no for an answer. It's their Eternal salvation!:) 

Besides that we saw a good share of really weird stuff, like we usually do. And it has been raining ALL THE TIME! It is constantly cloudy and somber here. Even when it rains we are  out walking and trying to help people. I think I kind of got Elder Neus sick by walking in all that rain.... He was out for the count all day Wednesday! But eventually he became better and we  went back to poundin the pavement.

Being out here in the same area for almost 6 months is beginning to take its toll. Lately I had been feeling really burned out and tired. Everyone keeps giving me grief about how I am being transferred and leaving Massena... Which doesn't help! haha But I am so grateful to be able to be here for that long! I have met people I never would have met. And created friendships that will last a lifetime. I have helped change this area to help further the work here. I have been able to do things I never thought I would be doing! I have learned so much here!

I really started thinking about that Saturday at the Baptism. And Let me tell ya, it will be a memory I will never forget! 

In the beginning it was so stressful. We get to the chapel and look at the water and it is SUPER dirty and FREEZING COLD! So we finally clean it out, and we get a call and our Pianist canceled at the last minute! So we had to find a piano player.... we didn't.... haha Elder Duckworth had to and he hadn't played in years! 

Then when I was Baptizing Debbie I said her Maiden name and not her Other name.... UGH! haha super Embarrasing. I was so Nervous i Spaced out! I couldn't remember anything I said! it was all just a big BLUR! haha Soooo... She had to be "double dipped". And ooooh did people love teasing me about it. hahaha 

But it all worked out and it was amazing! There were so many people there, I was so happy. The spirit was definitely there.

You watch these people grow as you first meet them, then you teach them and become so close and finally help them enter into the waters of Baptism. It is such an amazing feeling!

The confirmation is the Icing on the cake! Elder Neus confirmed her a member and Did such an amazing job. That sacrament meeting was probably the Best fast and testimony meeting I have been to yet on my mission. 

This next week we have our Transfer calls. I am very very anxious to hear what is going to happen up here.
OH AND MOTHERS DAY!! We get to finally call and skype our families! I am so excited.

I hope you all have an amazing week! And always try to go out of your way to say "hello" or introduce yourself to people in your ward. FELLOWSHIP is soooooo key in the church and helps out the missionaries a TON!!!

Love ya all! Happy cinco de mayo......

"keep NY ....normal...." haha

-Elder Jepsen

P.s The Baptism pic!! That's Deb in the middle. And "mother neus" haha

What the...

Okay, I'm just going to list off some of the weird Crap I have seen this last week! 

1. One eyed man sings to us and shows us his inner thigh scars.

2. Got to pet a Turkeys Stomach.

3. Drug deals left and right.

4. SO MANY BUTT CRACKS!

5. Lawn mower races.

6. Goose fights.

7. St. Lawrence Beavers.

8..Someone put me in their will!

9. Funny Pranks.

10.Prostitutes whatever, You name it we've seen it!

 hahaha SO WEIRD! weirdest week of my mission by far!

So besides all that weird stuff that's been going down in Massena, A lot of good things have been happening up here. We still have a couple of our Investigators progressing to Baptism. One of them, Debbie is getting baptized May 3rd! she is so ready. We are so excited for her! 

We were also able to help out a lot in the Community this week, with helping with the Monthly Food distribution. They love our help there! haha they freak out when we arent there. We also helped out with the community Meal at the Methodist church. Haha right before We went to help with the community dinner I found some Laxatives in a drawer and put it in Elder Neus' Peeps and gave it to him... Yeah he wasn't a very happy camper.. hahaha.

We also Pulled a really funny prank on the Other Elders But i cant Disclose the specifics on that hilarious night... I promised... ;)

On a more serious note, In the Branch we had a monthly fast on Friday for Missionary work. We didnt really see the effects immediately, Probably because we were so focused on how hungry we were, But later in the week we saw MIRACLES! A former investigator we have never seen before showed up to church on Sunday, We found new potentials, and FINALLY were able to schedule appointments with some of our investigators. IT was amazing. It will always be in the Lords time and in the Lords way!

This Easter Sunday was one i will never forget. My first Easter on my mission. We had great speakers in church, Talking about the Importance of the Resurrection. 

Then The Huffs fed us an AMAZING Easter meal. Followed by a warm afternoon in a park with our investigators. Then, We met a Super sick guy outside of a bar! We have come to find that up here, the Easiest people to talk to are the Ones smoking. hahaha 

After that we tracted in an apartment building and saw some really weird stuff.. .. bleh. 

So overall a Great Easter:)

Everyday out here is never the same. Some times you have some really good days, then you have some really terrible days. But the Love for my Savior and the love i have of these people, and the support of my family gets me through it!

I hope you all have an amazing week! and HAVE FUN! and BE HAPPY!:)
Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.  -Psalms 144:15

Love always 

Elder Jepsen

Oh By the way... that one Eyed guy is sitting right next to us as we are writing these emails....  ._.

This First picture is of one of the Cargo ships that go through the St. Lawrence, They are HUGE!  and we tried to get a picture of the Geese fighting in the backround so you get the full effect:)

Cargo ships that go through the St. Lawrence

 ST. Lawrence Beaver! IT was GIANT!  I had to take a picture of it

SPRING!!!...oh, wait.

First off let me just say, I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO EXCITED FOR SPRING IN MY LIFE!! The winter up here has been brutal. Today Massena broke record after record on this "beautiful Spring morning" when it hit a Classic -12 Degrees. We are so ready for this snow to be gone let me tell ya! haha 

But other than that, this last week was a good week! We finally moved into our new apartment. It's super nice not having 4 missionaries in a 1 bedroom apartment, it got pretty crazy haha. 
The work up here is going really well too! We have been teaching this family we met at the Methodist dinner we volunteer at. They are sweet! They have been through so much, and they are beginning to realize how much this gospel will bless their lives. Just last night, the whole family committed to baptism!! We are sooo stoked for them! Elder Neus and I try as  hard as we can to relate to these people to better understand them and discern their needs. We are seeing results! The area is really changing, things are happening up here in the "Narth" (so the natives call it).

This past week has just been a classic one! The harder we work, the more blessings that come from it! Just a regular week up here in Good ole Massena! Nothing to crazy. Besides the terrible weather. It snowed 5 inches on the first day of spring. If that's not Irony i don't know what is! haha

We also have Transfer calls coming up here on Saturday. Elder Neus and I are pretty confident we are not going anywhere, SO keep your fingers crossed! haha We love it up here.

I hope you all have a Ultra mega super Awesome week! 

And soak up all the sun you can for me! :)

Much love,

Elder Jepsen

P.s I finally bought my new camera so i will post more pictures i promise!

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