BIG NEWS DRUM ROLL PLEASE

MY DEAR FAMILIA!!!

So, big news! Drum roll please......My departure date has been moved up! I will be leaving a week early! So, instead of leaving on the 13th, I will be headed out on the 6th. YAY! I guess they have 30 other missionaries leaving on the 6th to Independence and so they don't want me to travel by myself the next week and they changed transfers to the 6th so it only makes sense to go in on a transfer day. It is just around the corner! Well, I mean, I guess it's still about three weeks away, but to me it seems so soon. At first when I found this out yesterday, I was kind of freaking out because I hadn't planned on leaving early, but all I am missing is one of the weeks of review for spanish so I think it will be okay. This means I only have about two weeks left of spanish and then my last week I'm doing visitor center training. I don't really know too much about that, but I do know that I get to go to Temple Square twice. YIPEE! I think it will be weird, but refreshing to get to go to Salt Lake.

 I have LOVED the MTC though! My testimony has truly been stregthened and there is such a spirit and power here that is crucial for every missionary to experience before they head out into the field. I have come to adore everyone in my district and zone. There are so many incredible people here! I have loved to get to know so many missionaries and hear their stories about why they have chosen to serve. It will definitely be a day full of tears when I have to say goodbye to my district. It's hard because in a lot of districts, everyone is going to the same place. In ours, most of us are headed out to different parts of the world. If for any other reason, I know that I was suppose to come into the MTC on January 2nd to meet these wonderful missionaries and teachers. Our teachers are seriously so inspired and top notch! I love them! I have had so many spiritual experiences that have reaffirmed to me that this is His church and that I am where I'm suppose to be right now. They have truly been tender mercies from the Lord and much needed. This work is far from easy, I don't know if I could say that enough! Everyone told me it would be hard, but you just can't ever understand exactly what they mean until you go. I know I still don't or won't understand it because they say that the MTC is nothing compared to the field, but I am grateful for these experiences that are pushing me past my comfort zone and forcing me to learn and grow. 

This week, as a class we have been talking about how the gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of change. It is expected of us to grow and change as we live the gospel. I have been thinking a lot about this and have asked myself, "has the gospel changed me/ do I allow it to continually change me?". I think this is a great question for all of us to ask ourselves because it helps us to see where we are at and helps us to recognize that there is ALWAYS room for improvement. As missionaries, we always tell our investigators of the power of the atonement and the change that the gospel can truly bring into their lives, but then I think that sometimes we don't really use the atonement and the changing power that it has in the way that we should (or at least I know that I haven't). The atonement is infinite in it's capacity to help us in EVERYTHING that we are going through. Another thought I have had this week, came from our Tuesday Night Devotional. Elder Schwitzer (of the seventy), talked about how when we invite others to Christ and to keep commitments, we are inviting them to repent. He used the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15) and talked about how we need to help/carry/guide others to repentance as the Savior "layeth [the sheep] on his shoulders". The Savior did not force the sheep, but lovingly guided him. This helped me realize that every step of the way as I am teaching my investigators, I should ask how would the Savior help this person, or how would he teach them this principle. I think this can go for anything we do in our lives. We must constantly be asking "how would the Savior do this if He were here". As missionaries, we are His representitives, so it is so important that we do His work as if He were there beside us. Sorry, for going off on a long spiritual rant! Although they are kind of common sense realizations, I'm so grateful that as we seek for inspiration through the spirit, Heavenly Father allows us to learn very simple lessons over and over again. 

Our investigator, Jose is suppose to be getting baptized in two weeks!!!! :) We are so excited for him! I want to become more like Jose. He is so humble and willing to do whatever he must so that he can become baptized. Teaching Jose has been such a neat experience! I cannot wait to get to Inpendence! Although, I am terrified, I am excited to teach the people that I have promised to teach!

I love you all so so so much! Thanks for the cute packages! I especially loved the outside of the box! Thanks for all your love and support! I seriously don't know how I got so lucky! Ashy, thanks for your package also and the pictures you emailed! Oh, it kills me to miss all of these changes in your life, but my eyes our full of tears right now as I write this and think about this wonderful journey you are about to begin. I cannot wait for the day when we all get to be in the celestial room when we get back! Me encanta el plan de Salvacion porque podemos una familia para siempre. Yo se que esta iglesia es verdadera y la iglesia de Jesucristo. Yo se que Jesucristo vive y su Expiacion es real. I love you all dearly! Oh, and have a wonderful Valentines Day:)

Con MUCHO Amor,

                                Hermana Lexi Annmarie Jorgensen  

PS.

Tell GABBY GABBY thanks for the wonderful package and that I love her so much! Also tell Deb thanks for the letter and the Jeppsens thanks for the valentines package!

I'm going to send pics in about two hours 

1.  So lucky and blessed to get to help Chloe into the MTC this week.  I can't believe I got to help both of my friends.

2.  All the amazing packages for Valentine's.  I feel so blessed and loved.  I loved your picture Aubrey.

Seeing one of your best friends in the MTC wow!

HELLO MY FAM BAM!!!!

Where or where do I begin?! Let's just start with yesterday...... So since I've been here for a while, our district was asked to host the new missionaries yesterday. (remember how there was an elder that helped me with my bags at the curb) So, the sisters don't get to be at the curb but we get to help the sisters once they check in and we get to take them to their rooms, help them get their books, and then drop them off at their classroom. I had been praying and praying that I would get to host Meliss (not sure if that is a completely appropriate, but I did). So I hosted two other sisters and then I saw that they were getting to the S's and I told the lady that my best friend was coming in so she let me stay and wait for her! Oh, I can't even describe to you how sweet of a reunion it was! I know it has only been about six weeks since I've seen her, but I never really got to say goodbye to her (only on the phone) and I never thought I'd be seeing her in her. She was in shock that I was hosting her. We both just hugged eachother with tears streaming down our faces. Gosh, I love that girl! So, I got to take her to her room and her class and we just talked and hugged and it was so fun. Of course, then it was hard to focus for the rest of the day, but it made my entire week. I didn't have my camera so I didn't get a picture, but Meliss did so she should be sending a picture home in the next few days so ask the Stewarts. Anyway, such a neat and special experience for both of us!

I honestly can't remember what all happened this week. The weeks are beginning to just blend together. We are in our sixth week here and so we start reviewing next week. I am so glad we have these next three weeks to review because I think it will really help to solidfy the spanish that we have learned as long as we work hard. The hard thing about the three weeks of review is that our schedule isn't as planned out and structured, so a lot of the districts haven't really pushed themselves because they are just done with the MTC and are ready to get out to their mission. This week I have really felt like I haven't progressed as much as I should so I'm going to try a lot harder this next week to really stay focused and be diligent in my spanish and the gospel. We can never get comfortable with where we are at here, but it is so easy to do this! I just know that the Lord gives us this time here as missionaries to prepare in the ways that He needs us to so that we will be ready for those that He has prepared for us in our mission. This time is so precious and I'm going to push myself and work harder this week to really try and prepare myself in the way that the Lord wants. 

My companion and I had such a neat experience this week with our new investigator Jose (remember that our investigators here are really our teachers portraying someone that they taught on their mission). Jose is in such a sad and hard place right now in his life. It's heartbreaking. We went into our first lesson planning to talk about Christ but we could sense that he needed to hear about prayer and his relationship with his Heavenly Father. It is in these moments when we are led to talk about another topic than we have discussed, that we realize that this is not our work but His and as we follow the things that the Holy Ghost tells us to say, we see that Heavenly Father truly loves and knows what each of His children need. As we taught Jose about the why's and how's of prayer, I began to see that his heart was softening. In the beginning we asked if we could kneel and prayer and he said that we could but that he would not, but by the end, we invited him to pray with us and asked if he would say the prayer and he said he would give it a try. As we all knelt together and listened to Jose offer his very humble prayer, tears filled my eyes as I heard him bear his soul to God. It this moment, I felt like I saw a glimpse of what this work is all about, bringing souls to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The spirit in that prayer was indescribable. It just got me thinking about how much this gospel can truly help and heal souls. It also made me think, how often do we (as members) completely bear our soul in prayer to our Father in Heaven who knows all. I know that I don't do this enough and I from this experience I learned that I need to trust more deeply in the Lord and bear my soul more often to Him if I really want to completely submit to his will. I sure hope this all makes sense. It makes sense in my head, but who knows!

 One last spiritual thought that I had this week came from our Tuesday night fireside. Elder Clarke (from the seventy) came and spoke to us. He said that God doesn't count baptisms, but converts. I loved this! I think to often missionaries get so wrapped up in numbers that we forget what this work is really all about. He held up the Book Of Mormon and said, " Nobody will ever become a true convert or stay, until they come to love this book." It was so powerful! He said that if the Book of Mormon isn't our favorite book, let it become it. There is so much power in the Book of Mormon. As missionaries, it is our greatest tool. I know that in my life I have taken this book for granted and haven't read as often or as sincerely as I should. As I have been here and have been able to study/ read it each day, I can truly say that I know that we can come closer to Christ through it. Yo se el Libro de Mormon es verdadero y es las palabras de Dios. READ IT EVERYDAY! He said there shouldn't be a day that goes by that we don't read from this book. I know that it is written for our day and that as we read it each day, we will be able to feel of the spirit more and recieve answers to our questions.

I love you guys so much! Ashy, know that I'm thinking about you all day tomorrow on your special day. Don't be too worried, just enjoy the spirit that is there. I love the temple and the peace and spirit that you can feel there. How is Jana doing? And, for the third week in a row...... make AUBREY write me already! hahahaha Les Amo!!!!!!! ME ENCANTA ESTE EVANGELIO!

p.s. 

 also, everyone needs to go watch the Mormon message "earthly father, heavenly father" it's on lds.org. We watched it this past sunday and bawled! It is so good! (it definitely made me think of you dad. thanks for being such wonderful daddy to all of us! I love you so much!)

okay, my time is way up..... but I love all of you so much! I am sersioulsy beyond blessed to have your support! You guys are the BEST! LOVE YOU MUCHO MUCHO!

1. I finally found an hermana that's going to my mission! She speaks spanish fluently because her parents are from Chile, which is fabulous! I sure hope we are companeras at some point. She was so sweet!

 These are some of the amazing elders that are leaving this week. The one to the left of me is from Wisconsin:) They are all headed to Argentina! 

Here's our whole zone! I love them all! Some of them are leaving this next week:(

Here we are on our weekly sunday temple walk.... these are the hermanas in my zone!

One Month Mark Amazing

Padre, Mama, and the rest of the fam bam!

Thank you so so so much for the wonderful package! It was so fun to get handwritten letters and the bueno bars were a huge hit in my zone! Everyone loved them! So, let me just start off by saying this week has been such a better one. Last week was a little bit of a struggle, but this week I decided that, yes there are going to be hard days and struggles on the mission, but I made it a priority to really make this week better. I did this by trying to be more optimistic, focused, and diligent, and it has been working! This week has actually flown right on by. 

Time here at the MTC is the most bizarre thing! At some moments, I feel like I've been here forever but then there are others that I feel like I just got here. We are about halfway right now! The week I came in was the last week they were doing spanish for 9 weeks. Everyone else that has come after us is now only doing it for 6. So, we are on a little bit of a weird schedule. They call it 6 + 3. So we are actually learning everything in an accelerated rate like the new missionaries, but we will have 3 weeks at the end to review everything. At first, we were all a little bummed, but now I can't imagine leaving in about 2 weeks! The extra 3 weeks will be really good because we will get to solidfy a lot of spanish things we are confused about and we will just be practicing teaching 24/7. So, mom wants to know what a typical day here is like.... I'm sorry I've never really explained any of it. The days vary a little bit but I'll just tell you kind of how it works. We wake up at 6:30 and then typicallly have gym from 6:30 - 7:30. Then we have breakfast at 8:10 and then class starts at 8:45. Class goes for three hours and then we get an hour of personal study before we head off to lunch. After lunch we come back and have companionship study for an hour (this is when we prepare our lessons and share things that we learned in personal study) and then we have class again for three hours. Then, we head back to the cafeteria for dinner and then after dinner we have language study for an hour (we memorize vocab words, read the Libro de Mormon out loud, and practice tenses and conjugating verbs) and then we have TALL (this is on the computer and it teaches us more spanish). After all this, we have planning time so that we can prepare and outline for the next day. At 9:25 we head back to our residence and have to be in bed by 10:30. And then we do it all over again the next day! There is always something we should be doing. This actually makes the days go by so much faster and it makes you feel good because you are being productive. Pdays, we get to go to the temple, do our laundry, and write letters. On Sunday and Tuesday nights we get to go to devotionals. I love the devotionals! They are so uplifting! Sundays here are the best! We have Relief Society with all the sisters here and usually someone comes to talk to us (this week it was the general relief society president and last week it was the general primary president). We have Sacrament Meeting with our branch. My branch presidency and their wives are the best! They are like our parents and grandparents here! Dad, the picture that you got this week was from one of the branch presidencies wives. She took it on her phone and asked if I wanted to send it to you guys. Sorry mom, I could only send it to one number, and I never know about you and that phone of yours! hahaha jk The only scary thing about sundays is that you may get called up to give a talk in SPANISH! Luckily, it is only for 3-5 minutes, but still I am dreading the day that I will have to do that! Not everyone gets picked, though. You never know if you have to speak until after they pass the Sacrament and then they just call your name out. I said the prayer last week all in spanish! My companion had to talk and she did great! I think Jules had to give a talk when she was here. Speaking of her, she sent me a package this week! She is the sweetest! 

I'm so glad you guys got to go to lunch this week with Meliss. I am so so so excited for her to be here, I can barely handle it! She is going to be such a wonderful missionary! It is going to be so neat to be in here with her and Chloe. I've seen Trev quite a bit this week, which I love! I also got to see Jeff for a few minutes last Thursday! I just ran into him on my way to dinner!

 So, some spiritual things about this week...... We got a new investigator named Jose, so now we have three. Our lessons so far this week have been such neat experiences. We have really tried harder to prepare, but then to let the spirit guide us. We are not here to teach lessons but people. It is incredible how much better a lesson goes as you try to cater it to your investigators needs and involve them throughout the entire lesson. This week in class we have been talking a lot about how the Lord is hastening His work. As we were talking about this our teacher said, but are we hastening ours? Of course, our work is His work, but it got me thinking. Are we (not just missionaries) trying harder to move along this work, because obviously the Lord is telling us that it is time. It made me think about things that I needed to change and things I needed to work harder at to help hasten His work. At a devotional this past tuesday, Sister Clayton (a wife of one of the 70), spoke to us about choosing to be happy. This was just what I needed to hear! Something she said that I loved was..... " Growth occurs in the place past our comfort zone". This is so true! I have felt and seen this as I have been here. She also said that optimism is a choice and that we can CULTIVATE a happy heart. I love when you hear talks that you feel like were just meant for you. I think we can each try a little harder to cultivate a happy heart, or at least I know I can. I love you guys all so much! Thanks for writing me throughout the week and updating me! It means so much to me. I just want you guys to know that I love this gospel. Yo se que la iglesia es verdadera. Yo se que Dios ama sus hijos. Yo se que Jesucristo vive. LES AMO!

P.S. Oh and tell grandma and grandpa thank you so much for the yummy cinnamon rolls! They were a hit! Oh, and also I met 6 girls that are going to Independence this past week. They left yesterday, and apparently there are like 24 that went with them! They are all English speaking, but it was so great to meet missionaries that are going to my mission!

1. Here are some of the amazing girls in my zone! I love them! (dad you may have gotten a similar picture like this from one of the wives in our branch presidency)

2. I love this girl! She is in my district and we just get along so well. We have a similar sense of humor so it's great! We have had many moments where we laugh until we cry! Love her! She's headed to Argentina as well. I'm going to miss all these girls when we all head out.

3. Here my companion and I are on our temple walk. It was a BEAUTIFUL sunday! Seriously, the warmest and sunniest it has been since we've been here. I know, the whole foot pop is a little awkward! hahah but we were just a little bit happy and excited that we didn't have to wear our coats!