The Errand of Angels: Week 12 We are on FIRE!

Hello Everyone!!

Guess what?! I love being a missionary!! (Surprised, right?) Guess what else?! I hit my three month mark in a couple days!! Crazyness! Serving the Lord makes time fly by. You should try it sometime ;)

Let's see... the weather here is still a balmy 80 degrees (I think... we never really see the forecast).

The bugs here are still EVERYWHERE... yay... wahoo... I dislike bugs. But lizards are everywhere too and very fun to chase, so I guess it evens out.

Members are still pounding food down us (yay for girl scout cookie season! Yum!).

We had three otters in the pond by our house and a giant turtle (looked like a sea turtle)... like 1 square foot or more and had flippers... epic!! Poor guy must have been lost though.

These  birds also wander around our complex

And the work is still awesome!!!!

Here are some highlights:

We had a less active at church for the first time since they moved into our ward (congregation) boundaries. The members reached out to them in love and friendship. It was awesome! We met with them for the first time earlier this week.

Our recent convert passed the sacrament to us on Sunday!! Sister Foster cried. I had a HUGE smile.

In Relief Society they asked me a question about converts. I started crying. I was sitting next to two recent converts (one was baptized in July and one was Sharon, our baptism my first week in the mission). Sharon put her arm around me and said that she will never forget me... even into her 80s that she would never forget me and that she loves me. More tears. She answered tons of question in gospel principles class on Sunday. She rocks. So do all the recent converts!! I love them all. And all the members. Man, being a missionary is awesome!

We met with the investigator that attended the baptism last week. We were doing a mixture of How To Begin Teaching and the Holy Ghost Dialogue (essentially all we had said is that we aren't perfect teachers) when she stops us dead in our tracks and kind of chastises us for saying we aren't perfect teachers, but then she essentially said it didn't matter what we said because she knew that she would receive her answer from the Holy Ghost and that she would receive it as she reads and prays about The Book of Mormon. Wow. I am glad that we know she fully understands all of that :) She also calls me "the preacher" jokingly because I gave a talk at the baptism that she really liked, and feels like I talk like a preacher. Yay for the Spirit at the baptism!

This week we have been focusing on a couple things, and one of those has been flooding the mission with copies of The Book of Mormon. I think almost every dinner appointment this week contained either doing a Family Mission Plan, committing to do a Family Mission Plan, and/or writing testimonies in copies of The Book of Mormon and giving them away to others. We have heard some awesome missionary experiences from members the last couple weeks :) It is awesome to hear how the gospel of Jesus Christ has blessed people's families.

Before going on... The gospel is truly meant to bless families, which I love!! I know that as families turn their lives unto Christ and His teachings, that they will find greater joy and peace. I also know that families can be together beyond the grave. Marriages and families can last for the eternities, and that death will not eternally part them. I am so excited to be with my family for time and all eternity. These blessings are available through the gospel of Jesus Christ :)

Back to highlights... We did exchanges this week (for 24 hours you switch companions and so either you stay in your area and another missionary comes to work with you or you go to their area. I went to an area that has just opened up again and with a sister who has been out four weeks... Sister Kenagy from Washington. The exchange was awesome and Sister Kenagy is absolutely on fire as a missionary! It is difficult to not have her positive attitude rub off on you :) She had the goal to stop and talk to everyone. This is also one of my goals, which I haven't been the best at the past couple weeks. With both of us working on this we saw amazing things!! Yay for double-greenie fire!! (FYI, new missionaries are sometimes called "greenies"

No, it isn't a chipmunk at her complex.
It is Deba with a mouthfull of Skittles.
It is part of a game. (Maybe she won't trust
me with posting on her blog anymore.)

Before I go on to tell a couple stories, I just have to say that biking as a missionary is awesome. A. Exercise releases endorphins, which equals a happier Sister Jenkins, B. I LOVE working out, and C. there are so many people to always talk to! Wow! It's probably similar for the car missionaries in the sense that there are plenty of people to talk to, I guess I just noticed it more while on a bike.

We started the day with teaching a lady at a bus stop. Strange, yes. The woman would not let us go to her house for legitimate safety reasons. But she went from being nice but not really interested in our message, to praying with us and receiving a copy of The Book of Mormon. It was awesome. I know that the gospel will help her overcome her drug addiction she is fighting.The bus came at the perfect time too. What are the chances? 100%!

We contacted a referral we received earlier in the day and prayed with her. Her dog barked the entire time which was very strange for me (normally all animals immediately have their voices silenced by the Holy Ghost). The dog began barking when the prayer started and stopped when it ended. Regardless of this distraction the woman was crying during the prayer. The Spirit really touched her. She loves missionaries and know that there is something different about members of the Church. She wants to have the missionaries over for dinner and was ecstatic to give a referral!

But, another shout out to Sister Foster, my current companion, she rocks!!! I love her so much!!! She loves the work, I love the work. We have been talking to everyone the past couple days and it has been so much fun!! She will be missed as my companion if she gets transferred next week. I love this work! When the focus is right, Heavenly Father blesses you with an increase measure of joy.

Invitation: I can't forget one of these :) Think about five people who you would like to see come unto Christ more. Pray for them and opportunities to help them with this. Either reach out to them yourself or send the missionaries to them (www.mormon.org).

Have a great week!!!!

Sister Jenkins