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On Mon, Nov 10, 2014 at 4:18 AM, CRAIG JENSEN <jensencraig1@msn.com> wrote:

Hi Caden

We had a great week :-) Christmas lights are mostly all up (even the bushes) I'm totally ready for it to snow! Monday we had YSA family night, we did a good, better, best Service activity where we went around our ward serving others (everything from pulling weeds to washing toilets, etc) Tuesday was temple night, first time I've sat in with the deaf session.. Plus I sat on the last row in the big double seat, it was a very enjoyable session, watching others and enjoying the spirit of the temple :-). Thursday was crazy busy, I went to the fairview lakes association meeting, we had a YSA music thing that mom went to, plus she went to a food party Katie was holding at her house. Then we met up at Biesingers because James left Friday!! As you may have heard Grandpa J had to go back to the hospital because the mesh that was holding his guts together was causing problems, we were able to give him a blessing Thursday night at Biesingers. I think grandpa is doing ok he'll be in the hospital for a few days and it will probably be a month or two before he is riding sleds :-(
Saturday was our home 5th ward service day, so I helped with the truck and trailer pick up garbage and yard waste around the ward.. Kinda missed you for that :-( poop dirt was on sale $10 a yard so picked up a bunch of that.. Yum... Later Saturday we ran into Wilcoxes, they'd been fishing at strawberry, made me a little jealous... I sure like that family! After visiting with them we finished putting all the lights up and went out for Sushi, then watched the Utah Oregon game, Utah got beat pretty bad.. We'd been ranked 17th in the country, Oregon was ranked 4th.. who knows where we will end up now..
We went to a huge YSA multi stake conference for our church meetings, elder Ballard and elder Clayton were the speakers cool stuff :) take home message for me was have a PPI with yourself regularly, set realistic goals, and make an effort to always be moving forward...
Sure love you son! Have a great week!
Dad

Dear Elder Jensen,
How was the week, great I hope. So glad the baptism went well and it was wonderful. I am sending your birthday package Monday or Tuesday. Sorry not a lot in it but know we miss and love you very much. We are so proud of you and love your emails, they get me through the week. I can't believe you are going to be 19, where did the time go. So handsome and mature. Thankful for you respect and your dedication. Anyway back to the package, there are decorations in it for your birthday and birthday Oreos. Also decorations for Christmas. There is a cut out tree and some ornaments that people have written on that you can put on the tree when ever you want, you can do it all at once or one or two a day. We will send your Christmas package in about a week or 10 days so you can have it by Christmas. We will put extra money in your account so you can buy something for your birthday there.
Are you able to keep warm, sister Snyder said it does get cold because of the humidity. Keep yourself warm and as dry as you can. Are you getting used to the humidity a little better. Are you getting the lay of the land. Biking pretty fun? How's the face, using the med I hope. Loved the service of painting you got to do, job well done. Sounds like the two of you are kind of alike and you work well together. Our week was busy at times and relaxing at others but Monday, Thursday and Saturday were our really busy days. Finished lights did Roden's and dad helped with ward clean up for our home ward why I went walking/running. Makes time go fast and that's ok, busy is good for me. I went to a inter faith music night where our ward choir sang, it was interesting. Well I have kept you long enough. I love you son more then ever and I am sooooooo proud of you and proud to be your mom. Have a safe and Outstanding week!!! Melt the hearts of the Taiwan people, I know they will love you as much as we do. James said love ya ya, see ya in a few months. Xoxoxoxo mom
Ps looking forward to your email.. a quote for your week "I learned the value of hard work, by working hard." I know the work you are doing is hard but very worth it. Thank you for doing it.
Love Mom

Attached are a couple pics and video.. Let us know if you get them..

On Nov 9, 2014, at 9:37 PM, Caden Jensen <cadenj@myldsmail.net> wrote:

sounds like a freakin great week man! Slower week in Banqiao but still great, because we are doing the Lord's work and he provides miracles everywhere! this week we had quite a bit a finding time and ended up having quite a few lessons! but this week I have especially learned the importance of using the Spirit in planning! as we pray and actually think about where we are going we have more success and are presented with more opportunities to spread the gospel, we just need to tell the Lord where we will be so He can provide! but another very cool moment this week, we have a recent convert, cai DX, he has cancer and he has surgery in February, we were talking to him about the temple and how we want him to get there, but it will be July before he can, he looked at us and said if I live I will get there, but if not you two have to make sure that the next year, you go and do my work for me. It was the so cool to see someone who is so unafraid of death and who trusts in the Lord so much! also the trainer and trainee follow up meeting we had this week was awesome and I especially like the portion about how life is hard, especially missionary work, but it is like feeling just a small portion of what the Savior felt, and we should feel blessed to be in His shoes, no matter to what extent! the other cool thing this week was me and my companion were a little down and a guy from traer had written me a letter (freaking cool) and I decided to read it, and it was exactly what I needed to hear and everything worked out that night just to let me relax, the Lord knows us and helps us in our times of need, even if it is just enough to keep us going for one more day! and we had a lady's husband let her go to church!!!!!!!! yes! busy but great week a deaf session would be weird, man this YSA stuff if getting you busy! but good to hear the association and all of the service went well, I miss that stuff! also love the Wilcoxes haha! but I pray it snows for you so i can at least get sledding pics haha! dang it grandpa! I told him to be healthy! same kinda thing that happened that day ma? I will pray for him hope he can get out soon, he needs to sled, get some excitement haha! I hope to eat sushi here too, I ate pig blood the other day not to bad! but sushi is expensive because they like idolize japan and america here! but cheap dirt, dang!make your own "cup o dirt" haha and glad to hear the meeting went well, you have seen an apostle too, I still have not, but maybe this month when our stake splits I will! good take aways too love that! also I have had tons of tortillas with cinnamon and sugar just thought I would let you know I make one every morning! haha! love you man! thank you for all you do and keep being the best example you are! also one question, what was the hardest part of your mission, just wondering, sorry! love you!