The Field Is White, Already to Harvest

Dearest friends and family,

Hello from beautiful Washington! I have been assigned over the Walla Walla Young Single Adult (YSA) branch, with Sister McNeil as my trainer. Being with the Walla Walla Washington YSA means lots of free food (because that's how you get young people to come to things) and tracting (knocking on doors) in lots of crazy apartment complexes and houses with several separate residences in the same house. Sister McNeil is from California, and has been in this area for a few transfers. We live in a little, old house that's shared with other tenants. 

"The field is white, already to harvest" is a common missionary phrase and I have found it to be very accurate--in more ways than one. Walla Walla has been SO SNOWY! They don't plow the roads here, so the roads have basically just been solid ice since I've been here. It's been so cold and the snow doesn't melt off. Despite what I had assumed about Washington, bringing snow boots has (so far) been the best decision I made. The snow has given us some grief, as we've now had our car stuck more times than I care to say. Luckily the people of Walla Walla are (mostly) soooo kind and happy to help us sisters out, and it's given us the opportunity to talk to and meet some people that we never would have met, as well as given us service opportunities shoveling snow - wahoo! So, quite literally, the field of Walla Walla is WHITE (with snow). (My mission president's name is also President White, and I wish I was able to think of some clever play on words with that...haha sorry).

The field is also white, because sister McNeil and I have had the opportunity to find some wonderful, prepared, people this week! On Saturday we met Naphtali, a new mother who answered the door with her cute little girl. As we shared the message of the restoration with her, her eyes welled up with tears. She told us that just the night before, she had been thinking about finding a church to join, in order to come closer to God. She was touched by our message of God's love for her, and for the joy that comes to families through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sadly we don't get to teach Naphtali and her family since she's not a young single adult, but the Elders said they'd keep us updated, and Sister McNeil and I are determined to be at the baptism. We also found Rose, Johnson, and Andrew this week who (YAY) are young single adults that have agreed to let us teach them more about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are people prepared here in Walla Walla. We just have to find them! 

We also work with a lot of the members here. We had the opportunity to see Julio (a recent convert baptized two weeks ago) be baptized by another recent convert (of a few months) in the temple! It was a very cool experience, and it was inspiring and encouraging to us as missionaries. The YSA of Walla Walla are EXCITED about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and you should be too! The message we share as missionaries is a happy one--one of PEACE and JOY and LOVE--a message that is desperately needed in today's world. It's okay to be excited about the gospel, to talk about it with enthusiasm, and to share it with everyone! Don't ever be afraid to share the happy news of the gospel! :)

Love,
Sister Jensen