First Week at the MTC. It's AWESOME!

Hello to everyone! 

So let me start off by saying "WOW!!!!!" the MTC is amazing! I can't even describe it. I mean, I knew it would be awesome even before I got here but anticipating and actually experiencing something are two totally different things. 

Also, if you feel like writing me a quick email I was told to tell you to write me through dearelder.com - it's free of charge as far as I know. it's basically just a site to email me through while I'm at the MTC (I leave on Oct 6th) where they print off the emails for me to read at any time. that way I can spend my hour on P-days replying to people rather than just reading through what everyone has sent! 

Okay, so first day here was way crazy! My host was wonderful, but I got turned over to another senior sister who had to take me around to do a bunch of extra stuff because I was a "foreign" missionary from the Philippines.. haha. so that was fun! 

My companion(s) are (drumroll).... Sister LaPoint AND Sister Stoker! Yes, we are a trio and we all get along great! they are both going to Toronto with me along with four other sisters (and a bunch of Elders) here so there's lots of us! I am so grateful for the support and love my companions show me. I love getting to know them better each day and it's been so cool to watch them each grow and change in just the last couple of days. half of our district has already been here a week and they glow! People grow so fast here in the MTC. It's so amazing. you have information of every kind being heaped upon you all day, very day and some how between my companions and I we seem to absorb most of it. But seriously though, I'm sooooo grateful for my companions. I can't say that enough! i just love them so! 

 All of the Toronto sisters as well as the other sisters in our district are amazing. They are all so strong and prepared in special ways even if they can't see it themselves. 

Take Sister Stoker for example. She says public speaking doesn't run in her family, but when she opens her mouth the most inspired, eloquent words flow from it. She doesn't even realize it, but she is seriously in tune with the spirit. 

sister McDermott from England (Toronto bound) is like that as well but I'll tell you more about her in  a minute. 

We met our branch presidency last night which was exciting! President Mangum is very to the point when it comes to counciling and instructing us. to be honest, I was a little bit intimidated at first but the more he spoke, the more empowered I felt. The spirit was so strong in our meeting. It helped me to better understand what I need to focus my efforts on and of course, reinforced just how much I still have to learn.. which is a lot. It's definitely not a negative thing though! I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow so much as I learn to serve the Lord through our brothers and sisters. 

 I had the wonderful opportunity to go to the Salt Lake temple early this morning with all the other new foreign Elders and Sisters! I was blown away by the beauty of it and could've stayed there forever. I was also able to do one of the family names I brought with me which was super special. 

After we finished our session we were given a tour around temple square! It was all so great and it was fun getting to know some of the other foreign missionaries and where they're from. 

This is where Sister McDermott comes in. She came to the temple this morning as well so we paired up as companions and I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to get to know her! She is a convert to the church and was just baptized last April. The only member of her family, far from home, she's so strong in the gospel and like I said about sister stoker, the spirit speaks through her every word. 

Well I wish I could write every single detail of every single day, but that might be too long an email for everyone receiving this. It's already quite long already. 

I will say though that I love being a missionary. I have waited my whole life for this opportunity and it's truly proved to be everything I hoped it would be thus far! 

I am gaining a small taste of just how much God loves each of us and wants us to be happy. My greatest desire is to help any and all who are willing to listen to our message because I know it has the ability to bring greater peace, joy and understanding to those who are searching for more.

Be strong and know that the Lord loves you no matter what. <3

Love you all, 

-Sister Jensen 

P.S. I am still figuring out how to send pictures from these computers. Hopefully I'll be able to send some next week! 

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My Final Week

This week has been packed full of wonderful and I can't even begin to express the depth of my gratitude towards my family and everything they've done for me. They have truly gone an extra 100 miles to make me feel loved and supported.
I gave my farewell talk last Sunday and today was set apart as a full time missionary of the church.
I fly out tomorrow morning and report on Wednesday. :) 
<3

My family in front of the Manila Temple

Alma 29:9

" I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy. "

I'm A Mormon

One of the mission preparation requirements was that I write a Mormon.org profile! I really enjoyed the opportunity to share a little about myself and explore my testimony and reasons for being a member of this amazing church. :D
If you are a Mormon and have not yet composed a profile I would highly recommend it!

My profile - http://www.mormon.org/me/G1XP/Camille

Missionary Photo Shoot!

My dear Auntie Jenn and Uncle Russ took the time the other week to drive a ridiculously bumpy dirt road, all in pursuit of the perfect tree to take my picture in front of! They were kind enough to do a missionary photo shoot with me to capture this exciting time in my life, as well as all the emotions that go with it! 

I'm extremely grateful to be able to call them family. They are such wonderful people and absolutely amazing parents to my two darling cousins Spenser and Norah. 

I love them with all my heart. 

Toronto Canada Mission

Norah and Spenser <3

Future Missionary! 

Jenn and Russ, thank you for making me feel beautiful and for freezing this moment in time for me to cherish. <3 

The Manila Temple

They have a beautiful temple here in the Manila! It's so refreshing to walk onto the clean temple grounds, after walking the grimy streets. I felt so at peace, being there with my mom. I've been stressing a lot lately about being prepared both temporally and spiritually for my mission, but doing a session helped to settle my mind. :) Also, the temple is right across from the MTC so you are constantly seeing flocks of missionaries going to and from. It makes me both nervous and excited to report on the 24th!
OH! Another exciting thing; we saw Sister Sam at the temple! She is still doing well and is getting in as much 'temple time' as she can before she returns home. What an amazing woman.