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

The Elders of Farahei @Elder Hobbs

This week Papi (who is trying to give up smoking) and I planted a pineapple together

The dogs here smell so bad but sometimes they're too cute not to pet