Baptism of Wilson 2-27-12

Dear Family,
This week was a pretty good week. We baptized a man named Wilson from São Tomé (He is the black guy) .  He has been investigating the Church for abour 6 months but was never baptized.  He never had a testimony of the Book of Mormon or Joseph Smith.  But he said the prayer in the baptism that we had and then after our bishop calls us over to the stand and tells us that Wilson is going to be baptized.  So, we talked with Wilson that Monday and told him that he needed to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon to be a strong member and to be baptized.  So, we left some parts for him to read.  Then we didn´t have any contact with him until Wednesday and we asked over the phone how he was and if he had read and prayed and he said yes and that he felt good.  So, we marked the appointment for the interview and waited.  Well, the day of the interview he didn´t show up until almost 11 pm at the chapel.  But he passed the interview and on Saturday he was baptized.  He bore his testimony and said that he had wasted a lot of time and blessings because of not getting baptized. So, this week was full of miracles and we saw a lot of cool stuff happen. I love and miss all of you so much. Thanks for all that you guys do for me.
Love,
Elder Spencer Jensen

2-20-12 Baptism of Bárbara, João and Vitor

Dear Family,
This week I was moved to a new area. I am in a city called Coimbra, it is very pretty and has one of the oldest universities in Europe. I am serving with Elder Galbraith from Suger City, ID. It has been a lot of fun and we have lots of work here to do. This week we found tons of new and interesting people to teach. We baptized these three kids this week. They are siblings and their mom was bpatized 30 years ago but went inactive and my comp and his old comp knocked her door and she let them in and they started teaching the kids and baptized them. They are cool and funny. It was fun to help them get baptized this week. But not much else happened. Thanks for everything.
Love,
Elder Spencer Jensen

Elder Spencer Jensen
Travessa Clinica Santa Isabela Nº 3, 1B
Coimbra
3030 Coimbra
Portugal

2-13-12

Dear Everyone,

Well, we got transfer calls today and I will be tranferred outta the area that I am in and I will go to an area called Coimbra. I will be a zone leader there with an elder named Elder Galbraith. it will be way cool. Oh and funny fact about Coimbra, it is the city the JK Rowley got her idea for Hogwarts because she lied in Portugal, and the students in Portugal wear the robes that the kdis in Hogwarts wear. I still don´t know my new address but when I do I will tell you.

Love,

Elder Spencer Jensen

2-6-12

Hello Everyone,
Well, I hope everyone had an awesome week. My week was ok, not the best. We worked really hard to get this girl Stefani to be baptized this week, but she left with her godmother and didn't come back for the weekend, so that put an end to her baptism this week haha. But we will keep working to help her. Also, we had stake conference and it was a satelite transmission from SLC, Elder D. Todd Christopherson and President Uchtdorf spoke. They were both really good talks and I wish we had investigators there to hear Apostles speak. But Pres. Uchtdorf gave three things that will help a person strengthen their testimony.
1. Always have a valid Temple Recommend.
2. Read the scriptures daily.
3. Pray Daily.
He said that these three things will always help to strengthen a persons testimony of the Restored Gospel. A few weeks ago I gave a talk in sacrament meeting about being an example to those not of the Church. I read a scripture in the Book of Mormon that I like a lot it is Alma 4:8-11,19
8 For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure.

9 And thus, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges, there began to be great contentions among the people of the church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and persecutions, and pride, even to exceed the pride of those who did not belong to the church of God.

10 And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges; and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress.

11 And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year, Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and he saw also that theexample of the church began to lead those who were unbelievers on from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the destruction of the people.

19 And this he did that he himself might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach theword of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them.

So, in verse 19 it says something very important, they had forgotten their duties as members of the Church of God, that is why Alma had to remind them. So, if we are forgetting some of our duties as members, like going to Church, helping others, going to the Temple or anything like that, then we have the possibility of falling into transgression and leading others away from the truth also. So, my challenge is for everyone to choose one thing they have been neglecting and improve upon it.

Well, that is my little sermon, I hope all is well with you guys.

Love,

Elder Spencer Jensen