Flying, Flying, Flying, Home.

Papeete to Los Angeles

Los Angeles to Phoenix

Phoenix to Salt Lake City

bora baby - Bora Bora

Yes yes everyone, the rumors are true.  Elder Jenkins is serving at Bora Bora.  

Haha we got the call friday night and when they told me where I was going I thought it was a joke haha! But now I'm here! we took a plane this morning and we flew over tahaa! My ol fenua.  

And I'm serving with Elder Geoffroy, a real francais! I've now served with a tahitian, american, british, new zealander, and french!

It was hard to say goodbye to all our friends and investigators ahhhhh! But its ok! the work continues.  Memories and friends were made, and if all goes well we'll all see each other in the next life! and before I take the airplane home.

Have a great week before christmas! Give give give, serve serve serve, love love love.

ATL Elder Jenkins

our cute lil christmas tree (thx mom)

coco tree

Mahe, Elder Tekurio (trainer now finished) Elder Christensen,

Elder Robinson now finished, me

my comp really likes pink

Happy Christmas!!!!! - Papeete

You guys it's CHRISTMAS TIME!!!

That means we all get to share and give gifts and serve and love others and be happy!

#LIGHTTHEWORLD I mean... everybody's doing it.

I LOVED the Christmas 1st Presidency devotional.  Watch it if you wanna feel the christmas spirit.

The greatest joys in life are to be found in following the teachings of Christ.  And that doesn't mean just going to church on sunday.  It's about how we treat others.  Above all it's about loving God.  Show your love for all those around you this holliday season and you will be able to more fully understand the amazing love that God has for you.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!

Elder Jenkins

hope! - Papeete

Hello family!

This week was pretty alright haha! I was sick and woke up one morning to my neck cracking and then I couldn't move it so that was fun.  But it's all good now!

We went to TWO marriages this week! I had only been to like one of those in my whole pre mission life!  And then two in a week! Neato batman! One of the guys getting married is getting baptized this week woohoo!

Sometimes I feel super discouraged cause I'm not perfect.  I watched the Thomas S Monson movie and that's what started my guilt cause that man has only done service and good things I highly recommend everyone watch it. BUT!  I was comforted by 2 Nephi 31:20.  One of the only times Heavenly Father himself talks to us in the scriptures and it's so warm and happy feeling.  THERE IS HOPE! Read it and ponder :)

I love you all!!

Elder Jenkins

MIRACLES! - Papeete

This week was so cool!

We continue to have a great time sweatin in up in the tropics, teaching our brothas and sistas of the islands, and the Lord just keeps blessing us!

The miracle I would like to share this week is about one of our our amis.  So we found him because he is the brother of a lady in the ward and somehow has never taken missionary lessons.  He works at a little island hotel, and has to leave for three weeks at a time, then comes back for a week.  So it's pretty brutal to get a hold of him. But when we found him, God let the ocean be a little too rough for the boat to go back to the hotel/island, so we got to have him for about 2 weeks to teach him the restored gospel.  And we invited him to stop smoking.

Then he went back to work and we weren't expecting to hear from him for another 3/4 weeks. 

BUT THEN he came back way sooner than we thought and we kept teaching him and invited him to church.  

We wanted to fix a date for him to be baptized, but we didn't know how that was possible with his crazy work, since the dates for the boat kept changing.  And for about 2 weeks, when he should've gone back, he stayed!  

So last Friday we had the revelation.  We think God is keeping him on Tahiti cause he needs to be baptized NOW!

So saturday morning we go to his house as a surprise visit. We chatted a little about the gospel and how much joy we feel from the forgiveness of sins.  

Then we asked him "Will you be baptized today."

He paused, a little shocked, then smiled and said "oui".  

WOOHOO!!!!  I was so happy I almost cried. 

Sooo we hurried up and filled the baptismal font and he was baptized later that day and now is clean and so happy and has the Holy Ghost with him and has stopped smoking.

I am just so grateful for this mission! to be able to see the changes in the lives of people that I love so much and how much joy the gospel brings them!  

I know this church is true and it is run by Jesus Christ.  He prepares the way, we just have to follow.  Be confident and never be scared to invite or make the right choice.  CAUSE HEAVENLY FATHER WILL BLESS YOU!!!

All the loves

Elder Jenkins

life is great

This week was great!  Every week is great.  I love my mission and I love this gospel!

Not a lot of time this week, but just know that God really is there and He loves you.  He will never give up on you, even if we sometimes give up on Him.  Jesus is our Savior and by following Him we may have joy.  So go follow Jesus and be happy!

ATLELDERJENKINS

transfers! - Papeete

Transfers this week! I said goodbye to Elder Coxhead my new zealand son, and I am now with Elder Opuu from Tahiti! And now I only live with 1 other american so hopefully we'll be speaking a lot more French!

The Gospel makes us happier than anything else in life and that is a fact.  And the gospel revolves around Christ.  And Christ's character is one that is never selfish.  I invite you all to think only of others this week.  Pray for them, do nice things for them.  And you will see great changes in your life.

ATL

Elder Jenkins

from Elder Jenkins - Papeete

Earlier this morning we made ourselves a french brunch.  French bread. French cheese.  French grapejuice and steak. Twas neat.

So this week was transfers and so many missionaries are goin home! Ahhh! It's crazy to think how this whole mission thing can end.  I just wanna stay forever. 

God gives us so many blessings everyday I feel like we don't even notice half of them.  Make a list of 50 things you're grateful for and you'll realize that your problems aren't too bad.  God loves you. We can overcome pain and unhappiness through obedience and humility.  

Learn how to communicate to show your love.

ATL

Elder Jenkins

20ieme anniversaire du Pieu de Faa'a! - Papeete

Cette semaine a été remplie de fun! Parlons-en! @elderkerr

We painted the sister missionaries' house this week!  We chipped off all of the less white paint and it looked like snow and I miss christmas.  Then we painted and it was great.  I could paint after the mish.  THe only problem was that we didn't really cover the ground that well and we used the furniture as a way to reach up high so now the sisters' house has a fantastic paintjob but the rest of it is trashed with white speckles.  Oh well.  

It was the 20th b day of the stake of FAAA where I am rn.  This whole week had tons of activites.  

But the coolest was friday and saturday.  Friday was the Heiva.  Which is the Tahitian cultural dance festival.  So cool haha.  I think the best part are the drums.  They have so many little creative drums and it sounds so intense.

Saturday we had the Tuaro Maohi which is the tahitian games competition.  The games included getting coconut milk out of cocos, running with heavy bannana/ uru sticks, picking up extremely heavy rocks, and pyrog racing.  Then we had Ma'a Tahiti ( tahitian food) and it was a good day.  

Also I send my deepest consolences for all you in Utah who are now suffering cold weather.  And no the seasons don't really change here.  But soon it'll get a little hotter and rain some more. 

Also sorry I had no time to email anyone, today is busy but I love you.

Spiritual thought!

I had a little revelation this week.  Sometimes when I'm working/praying my hardest, we have no success in our sector.  ANd sometimes when I'm not working/praying my hardest, I have lots of success for a week or two.  ANd I was like why tho???  And I realized that it's true, today's work brings tomorrow's blessings.  And we can't ever get casual or take our blessings for granted.  If God decides to reward us for our efforts, we should thank Him by continuing to work hard.  If we stop pushing ourselves to be better God will have to remind us just how much we rely on Him.  And we will be humbled by force haha.  So it's better to just always remember our merciful Father in Heaven who loves us so much and things will go much smoother. 

ATL

Elder Jenkins

Week #=== - Papeete

This week was wonderful! We've had so much fun and success this week.

I don't have a lot of time, and I'm actually gonna try to limit myself on email time, just so I don't think too much about home and whatnot.  So if I'm a little slow to respond I apologize!

Anyways, spiritual thought this week is about repentance.  And how great it is.  It is the best and only way to feel better and clean and light and happy.  Repentance is change.  It's amazing how crazy we are as missionaries sometimes because of how blunt we are haha.  We had a first lesson with a family the other day and we focused the discussion on The Family and committed them to get married straight away.  Which seems nuts for them, and obviously they need to talk between themselves, but I have no problem telling someone straight up what they're doing wrong and how to fix it.  (As a missionary of course)

BECAUSE I know that we follow the teachings of Christ we'll be the happiest we've ever been.  I know I am the happiest I've ever been right now and I know it'll only get better.  

If there is something you need to fix in your life I invite you to do it.  Be the master of yourself and do what you're supposed to to become your best you.  

I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!

atl Elder Jenkins

HAPPY - Papeete

Quelle semaine!

This week we did so much planning and I feel like I've remotivated myself.  Not that I was unmoviated before, but I really wanna make the rest of my mission the most positive experience of ever.  

This week up until sunday

We moved again!! Haha so that's how we're spending this p day... But it's okay!  cause our new house is SHWEET!  I love life I'll try to send pics next week I'm sorry I always forget my camera.  We have a view of Moorea and the ocean and you can bet your left foot that I'm excited for those sunsets. 

I had a revelation yesterday.  I was thinking about life after the mission, and who I want to be and do etc. and I want to be happy all the time and be able to make other people happy because of it.  I wanna be happy cause I should be cause I know about the gospel and because of that life is good always.  That's what we preach!  But I realized I wasn't actually that happy.  Cause this past week was pretty difficult and we had like 0 success and I am still sick (We think it's bronchitis (AINT NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT)) and I was just not feeling good.  But then I realized, I SHOULD BE HAPPY! Good-ness, if I'm not happy all the time I feel like I'd be a hypocrite and spoiled cause I have too many blessings.  Count your blessings folks.  Remember God.  Be happy.  We have no reason not to be.  

So I decided to be happy and work super hard and now everything is at least 8 and a half times better. 

I love you guys.  

ALL THE LOVES

Elder Jenkins

Apostle>Sick - Papeete

This week was so great!  Haha unfortunately, my sickness of the past 3 weeks got worse and i had to stay home a few days and go to the doctor cause I was coughing up my lungs.  I don't think it's anything serious, and it's going away, but I've lost like 10 pounds lol.

My companion is a studly muffin and made me breakfast when I was sick.  Shoutout to Elder Coxhead

On the bright side, while I had nothing to do at home, I deep cleaned our house, and it now resembles the temple.  Mom, I've finally learned appreciation for cleaning. :)

We passed the football around last p day and it was fun to have that again.  I taught a few of the Frenchies how to toss the pigskin, since they've never played in their lives!

I absolutely love the people we teach and I love the Gospel.  I seriously don't know what my life would be like without this church and my faith in Christ.  I often try to think about the blessings I have in my life thanks to the gospel to share with our amis.  But sometimes it's hard to think of specifics cause it's just so general!  Like it changes everything.  How you look, talk, dress, eat, what you do etc.  It literally just improves every aspect of life.  It is such a blessing to be able to teach others about repentance.  How it is possible through Christ, and how it will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. 

We heard from an apostle this week!! WHAT.  That was super awesome.  Elder Stevenson talked to us about commitments and their relation to repentance, and how obedience=joy.  Which is so true.  Cause if we're obedient, God gives us a blessing!  And where does happiness come from? Blessings!  Oh how the gospel makes sense.   I hope I can keep my head focused on the right path for the rest of my life cause I know God knows best.  

I love you all, keep focused on the eternal perspective when faced with trials and temptations, above all.  

ATL

Elder Jenkins

Mission - Papeete

I love missionary work.  Sometimes it's really hard and you get humbled right down to the dust of the earth.  But I am so grateful for it.  I don't know where or what I'd be without this year as a missionary, and I hope to continue to change.  My companion is a stud muffin, haha he just gives random comments out of nowhere like "man I'm so grateful to have English as my native language".  Cause it's a hard one to learn and very useful haha!

I keep forgetting things that happen, so I'm sorry if my letters aren't that exciting haha.  (but yes don't worry mom I write them down in my journal)

I had a brand new missionary with me for his first 2 days of birth, while he waited for his flight to the Marquisian islands.  It was pretty fun.  Haha it was fun to have 2 sons for a while. So much missionary spirit/awkwardness lol.  He broke his no soda streak 3 days short of a year, cause a member offered us some, and he couldn't bear the thought of refusing food on his mission! Hahaha that's what I'm talking about!

I love the gospel.  I love learning/ living faith and repentance everyday.  It's sometimes super hard, but so insanely worth it.  I know that Christ lives, and that He is the way.  I'm grateful for what I've learned in this overly humid country.  Que Dieu vous bénisse. Je vous aime. 

Elder Jenkins

Crazy! - Papeete

This week was nuts.  

Well, we had an awesome p day last week, we drove to the other side of the island and got to see a ton of missionaries who are leaving!  Some really great friends that I'll miss for sure. We also played some football and it was slightly chilly (if that's even possible here) and there were leaves on the ground and oh boy I sure do miss autumn.  

I got sick again this week, which was a bummer, but I think I'm getting better!

So today is transfer day!  A HUGE ONE!  30 missionaries are leaving and 30 are arriving.  So pretty much everyone is changing.  Elder Hobbs is headed to a lil island, and I'm staying here in Tahiti to finish the training of Elder Coxhead!  \i'm also District leader again haha! Just a lil 9 week hiatus.  Elder Coxhead is actually the one who replaced me on Tahaa when I left!  So Elder Murdock and I are officially his step fathers.  I'm excited to work with him! He's already very humble and charitable, so I think we'll learn and have some success together.  

I am almost 1 year out!  Like this thursday the 17th.  Halfway done with my mission.  That's the biggest mixing bowl of emotions since Taylor Swift went pop. 

We've had some elders who are finishing today stay with us cause they had nowhere to lodge after they came back from the islands. It's always fun to have a big group at the house.  

I feel like I'm doin pretty well, although I still have many many faults. I know the Lord can do anything and I'm so excited to see what he has in store for me this next year.  I love you all!! The Gospel is true!

atl

Elder Jenkins

Photo sent by a nice stranger who was visiting Tahiti

- Papeete

This week was dandy, like every other week of my mission.  

Life in the new house is good cause we have AC.  

I think I'm finally getting the hold of French.  Like I don't know all the vocab, but I can hold my own in any circumstance.  HURRAY FOR BLESSINGS

I love people.  It's so fun to learn more about my Tahitian bothers and sisters and invite them to learn more about Christ.  Like everyone is your best friend.  

A smile really goes a long way when trying to make somebody else's day.

It's crazy how the Gospel changes the lives of people.  I see our investigators changing after each visit, but the biggest change I see is in me.  My father's favorite scripture Ether 12:27 could not be more true.  God is good and loves us and can do anything.  We just need to humble ourselves to His will and we can become the best person we can be.

I love you all!

ATL!

Elder Jenkins

Hey - Papeete

Hello ! So i havé zéro Time but im doing great ! We moved houses this week and we havé no électricité. Bummer. And a cat walked in and pooped blood all over the floor and i had to clean it up cause i let it in dangit. Im fixing a brang guitare. Il show when its done. The church is true. God is réal and that changes everything. We can havé the best Life ever if we try to Be like Jesus. I love You all. Atl. EJ

the spirit of god like a fire is burning - Papeete

The spirit is so cool.  We were in a lesson the other day and about halfway through explaining the restoration of the gospel and everything and then our ami brought up the fact that her friend died recently.  And IMMEDIATELY the spirit was like "plan of salvation". Over and over and I was like nah we're halfway through this lesson but I know that only the spirit can touch the hearts of others and he can do miracles through us.  SO I was like, Ok ya we'll talk about that.  

And we proceeded to unvelop the plan of salvation and explained the wonderful truths that DEATH IS NOT THE END!  Only a small step in the eternal perspective.  And we can see and live with our loved ones for all eternity if we follow God's plan.  He is so merciful and loving and is always waiting for us.  

Anyways, the spirit did it's job and our ami was all teary eyed and told us how happy she was and it was awesome.  Missionary work is so rewarding.  

It's not our job nor place to judge other people or to inflict unkind judgements towards them cause we don't understand them, only God does. That's why He has the judgement power- the spirit told Elder Jenkins last week when he was frustrated with another missionary haha

Contention/arguing is one of the best ways to kick the spirit out of the room.

I bought and changed the strings on our bishop's guitar cause I wanted to play it.

Saw all of my friends from Tahaa this week cause they came down to do a temple trip.  The temple is the best. 

Someone bought us nutella crepes the other day and I would like to publicly thank this Christ-like stranger. 

Today we played games with the zone and beach soccer and looked out into the ocean and I still fail to understand why God blesses us so much.  He must really love us.

I LOVE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK