Week 9: Don´t Forget The Miracles!

Apparently the Easter week is really huge here. There are tons of parades and processions and festivities. I haven´t really gotten to see anything yet, but I´m sure I will get to this next coming week!

So I decided with my new experience of driving, I would give you guys a little taste of what driving here in Spain is like with this weeks ¨Rotonda De La Semana¨. Basically the most outlandish roundabout that I had to drive through this week. Literally, I was driving on what would be the equivalent of an interstate, so around 120 kmh, and I start seeing signs to slow down. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY there was a GIANT roundabout, probably half a kilometer in diameter. I was absolutely flabbergasted - that's the only word to accurately describe it.

Spanish is hard. I have gotten to the point now in my speaking that I speak in Spanglish without even knowing it, which I guess is kind of a good thing because it means that I´m not having to concentrate so hard in order to speak the language. Other times I forget I´m in Spain and I ask a question in English, only for it to be returned by a blank stare of a native. Whoops!

I cooked my first very own Spanish cuisine this week...Fried Plantains. I´m not quite the Bobby Flay of Spain yet, but one step at a time. The coolest thing about being here is that you get the European culture and the South American Culture all in one. I've eaten food from Spain, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru here because the population is so diverse. There is one really district group of Ecuadorians here called Otovalans, and you can usually tell them apart because the men have pony tails. They are such an amazing people and their culture is so unique. They have their own language that I've been trying (to no such avail) to learn and the women wear these super brightly colored dresses to church. Whenever we see one, Elder Whetten practically takes the wheel and pulls the car over so we can talk to them!

This week, not unlike every other week, has been amazing; full of miracles at the hand of the Lord. I realized I probably shouldn't include names in my letter, but I would like to tell you all about a miracle man that we found this week. We got a call from other missionaries and apparently they had been contacted by a man on the street who once he started talking, couldn't help but cry. He was a past member of the church and actually an ex-missionary and he wanted missionaries to meet with him. Once we heard that, we tried to call him every day. Finally, he picked up and told us we could meet with him tomorrow, but he was really hard to understand and the little pueblo he lives in is about an hour away. We decided the journey was worth it and so we set off to find this man. After another hour and searching through fields and fields of crops, knocking doors and asking for directions, and finally this man picking up the 12th time we called him, we arrived at his humble abode. What we expected is what Elder Whetten calls a Sleeper Cell. The name is derived from those movies where there is an unsuspecting family in a nice suburban neighborhood living a fairly normal life, and then they one day receive a call and are activated as like spies on a secret mission. Likewise, sleeper cells in the missionary work are ex-members who have started a family and have a wife and kids who are all potential investigators, and this is what we expected at this house. What we found was a more or less 70 year old otovalan man, living alone, with years of trials and pain burning in his eyes. At first, it was hard not to be a little disappointing, especially as a new missionary thirsty for investigators and a baptism, but I was not prepared for one of the most powerful lessons of my mission up to this point. It had been 20 years since this man had been to the church. He served part of a mission but never finished. Since then, he had separated from his wife, his daughter had died, and at some point he somehow lost a finger and an ear (i must have missed that part in translation). There were so many points in that lesson where I had nothing to say, and not just because of the language. I was just at a loss for words. The Lord had entrusted me, a missionary of merely four weeks, with the task of bringing back one of his prized lost sheep. After the short lesson, we asked him to say the prayer and even though he insisted that he didn't remember how, he still agreed. The spirit during that prayer was so undeniable. Underneath those years of trials and pain, this man still had a testimony and love of His Savior Jesus Christ and although that flame was suppressed, exhausted, and barely flickering, it was there and guided him to us.

I realized then that my purpose isn't to baptize. We are here to invited others to Christ, whether or not they have been to Him before or not. This is a search mission and a rescue mission, and the rescue is just as satisfying as the find.

I hope you all have an amazing General Conference weekend. And if you don´t know what I mean by that, go to mormon.org and look up general conference, and then watch it. I promise that if you go into General conference with a question, something that you truly want to know, you will find your answer. But just like a test, if you go in without preparing, you are bound to miss something! Seek the answer to your questions in the scriptures, not look, but seek, and you will be better prepared to hear what the spirit has to say during conference.

Love you all and hope you have a great Semana Santa!

Elder Jenkins

I only really have one big lesson for the week, partly because I don´t have my journal with all of my stuff written down in it, but mostly because I think it had the most affect on me. I was sitting in church this Sunday, waiting the arrival of our investigator and her family who she ASSURED me were coming, and then all of the sudden, we were singing the opening him, and then the sacrament hymn, and then people were speaking, and still no sign. I´ll be honest, it was kind of hard to be happy in that moment, as I was looking back to the door so often I´m pretty sure my neck is sore now, but it was then that I realized my lesson.

1. This work is REALLY hard, only when you forget all the miracles. 

Week 8: Paz, Calmense

I feel like just yesterday I was sitting on the plane flying across the Ocean to Spain, and I just happened to blink and now I'm starting my 4th week here in Spain. People who say Disney World is the most magical place on Earth I'm sure haven´t been to Spain. Not only is it a huge blessing to be serving a mission, but to be serving in such an amazing place is just a cherry on top. Elder Whetten and I had an amazing week!

Just thought I would give you all just a little bit of the nitty gritty on my trainer. Elder Whetten is from Arizona and has about 2 months left on his mission, which will mean I'm his last companion...I know, what a stressful position for me!...He is one of the most motivated and determined people I have ever met. Just to give you all a little taste

of what I mean, Elder Whetten arrived in the mission at 5,11 280 pounds, and is now an unrecognizable 190. His picture of when he came out literally looks like a different person, but the weight didn't just fall off by himself. He works out HARD every morning and puts more thought into what he eats that I put into trying to match my socks with my ties...which is a lot just so you all know. He has had such an amazing mission so far and I´m constantly edified by his stories and daily examples; I´m glad that I still have 2 months to learn from him.

Some new things I found out about Spain this week. Just when I thought the roundabouts couldn't get any worse, I drove to a Zone Conference in Murcia where I was confronted with a 6 LANE ROUNDABOUT with 4 stoplights in it. It took me probably 10 minutes just to get through it. Also, The toilet bowls here don´t spiral when they flush. And no matter what the weather, if its not spring yet people will wear pants and a jacket even if its really hot out. One of the biggest styles here is wearing both the top and the bottoms of like a track running suit. It always reminds me of my Dad wearing all of his free Reebok track suits ha ha.  

The miracles of this week were definitely not lacking. One in particular was pretty amazing. So last week, we found Isabel and her family. At first, they were pretty intimidating because they quickly told us that if we were going to meet with them, we needed to support everything with the Bible. We took the challenge happily and started to meet with them. In fact, we had a lesson with them everyday of the week. They are so receptive and have such a strong spirit. 

When we first contacted her at her door, she was kind of skeptical as to what our purpose there was, but I quickly told her that we weren't there to change any of her beliefs, just to help her faith in Christ grow. I didn't realize at the time what I had even said, but I know the spirit `put those words into my mind to say. A couple lessons later, she told us that she had stopped going to church when she had her baby and she was looking for a way to help her faith grow in God. When we came to the door and said those words to her, she knew that we had been sent to her directly from God. Hearing someone acknowledge that was very powerful. Another cool moment was seeing her face when we told her her family could be together forever. I think i heard her jaw hit the floor. 

The weather at the end of this week had been HORRIBLE. It was super cold and the wind was the strongest I had ever seen in my life. I never fully imagined what the apostles felt like in the boat with the Savior as they feared for their lives. Well, they had reason to fear!! The wind about knocked you over when you tried to walk. Luckily we have a car, but we had many moments of silence for the faithful missionaries out walking. We invited Isabel to church, but she said that the weather forecasters said the weather was going to stay like this all weekend and she couldn't afford to have her baby get sick and have to buy medicine. I told her confidently that I would pray for better weather and we did. Saturday, the next day, was the most beautiful day of the year so far. Clear blue in a million, 33 degrees (Celsius of course), and zero wind. I was awe struck. While we were at a members house eating that day, the TV was on and we got a chance to see the weather for Spain. Literally, the entire southern half of Spain was COVERED with a huge weather system, except for a teeny tiny spot on the eastern coast....our pueblo! It was a miracle. The next day was exactly the same, perfect weather. Unfortunately, she still wasn't able to come to church, but that experience taught me some great lessons. It reminded me of what my Dad would always say. If your obedience to the commandments is conditional, you will always find a condition. 

Well, I hope life back in the States is treating you all well. Everyday, I thank the Lord for the blessing of being able to serve Him, and for the ability to do so the best that I can. If you do the same, I can promise you will find opportunities to see miracles in your own lives. 

Elder Jenkins

Things I learned

1. Never judge and investigator by his or her cover

2. If your obedience is conditional, you will always find a condition

3. If you want to see miracles, be someone else's miracle first

4. If you want to say something is cool in Spanish, you literally call it the stick. For instance, ¨Oh dude! those shoes are the stick¨....

5. Before you dunk on a basketball hoop, check to make sure the backboard isn't made of cardboard

6. If you try to buy candy to give to kids you visit, but leave it open in the car, it will be gone by the time you get to the kids.

Week 7: Miracles of Missionary Service

What a Week! Every single day I have just collapsed into my bed out of
exhaustion (which you would think wouldn´t be a big issue since we
have our luxurious car) but with the biggest smile on my face. I have
felt the Lord literally walking beside us, or navigating in the
passengers seat, almost every day this week and because of that, we
have seen miracles.

Honestly, I can´t tell if the time is flying by or not. I mean, on one
hand, I can´t believe that I am already starting week three here in
Cartagena; however, on the other hand, I feel like I came out of the
womb wearing a chapa (missionary name tag). I thought I would share
some of the few things different about living here in Spain and then
close with some of the miracles that happened this week.

Right now, I´m writing my email from what we call a ¨Loc¨ which is
short for locutorio. Its a super sketchy internet cafe place where we
have a little cubicle to write letter in, not exactly the luxurious
laptops we had in the MTC but it gets the job done. I started driving
this past week and it has been pretty scary. There are never any
intersections policed by traffic lights, just roundabouts of every
size. There are small round abouts, big round abouts, roundabouts with
traffic lights in them, and roundabouts that have other roundabouts
connected to them. Its pretty different, especially driving on super
small cobblestone streets where I feel like I could stick my tongue
out the window and lick the cars passing me, but I´m already getting
used to the European style of driving. The other weird thing is seeing
speed limit signs that say ¨120¨, even though its only in Kilometers
per hour. Other things that are different. All the super markets REEK
of fish, because they just have fresh fish and sea food of every size
sitting on ice, and the toilet paper is slightly longer here too! The
other thing that is weird to get used to is not having a drier. We
have these little racks that we hang all of our stuff on and then a
space heater that we put under them to make them dry faster, but it
makes all your socks super scratchy and shirts super wrinkly, but I
guess that's the price you pay for being able to live in the most
beautiful city on the planet.

This last week we had a cita in a place called The Manga, which is a
little strip of land that bordered on one side by the Mar Menor and on
the other side by the Mediterranean sea. The lady we were visiting
lives on the top floor of an apartment building right on the coast and
we were there right during sun set. It was such a breathtaking moment,
and i was sad i didn´t have my phone to snapchat it, but the image is
ingrained in my mind forever.

This week has been FULL of miracles. Everyday, we set goals that we
never thought we would be able to accomplish, but we worked hard and
kept walking and the Lord guided our steps. The first day of the week,
my trainer, Elder Whetten, who is also the zone leader, had to go to
Malaga for a meeting so I was on an intercambio with another elder in
our apartment, and I didn´t have the car so we were walking. It was a
pretty hot day and I was in an area that I had never been to before,
and on top of that my companion was kinda lost. Everyone was out
working so we couldn´t get anyone to teach, so we decided to just try
to visit one more Antiguo, which is someone who hasn´t been taught in
a long time. We knocked on the door and a man answered, but said he
was an inactive member and had absolutely no interest in listening to
us. As he was shutting the door, my companion just shared a tiny
testimony with him about God´s love for him. We walked away, and i was
feeling like this day was pretty wasted, but then we heard someone
calling our names (well...Elder...haha). We turned around to see that
this girl was literally running after us. I figured it was probably
because we are american and she wanted a picture with my blonde
companion or something. When she caught up to us, she told us that she
was the daughter of the guy who just rejected us. She was sitting on
the computer when we came to the door, and heard my companions
testimony and wanted to know more. She ran after us and told us that
she wants to be taught. I literally was at a loss for words, and not
just because of the Spanish. I just kinda stared at her and almost
asked if she was serious. Unfortunately, she goes to school in Murcia
so we aren´t able to teach her and see her growth, but we got the
reference and passed it on to the missionaries up there to teach her.
I was in awe and I immediately prayed for forgiveness for all the bad
thoughts I had up until that point. Someone literally thought our
message was important enough that she ran after us! I realized an
important lesson. The Lord won´t let a single day of His work go to
waste, unless you waste it.

I know this is long, but I just want to tell one more story. So within
the first couple days of being here, I had the opportunity to ¨find¨ a
family of four. Finding means that you got a reference and then you
contact and teach them a lesson and they become a new investigator.
Well, we found Nanci and her 3 kids a day or two after I got there and
got to just get to know them. Well this past week, we got to have
another lesson with them, so we decided to teach the restoration. She
is so golden, I could spend ten more minutes of time talking about how
great she and her family are, but I just want to focus on one part.
Just the night before, Elder Whetten and I were talking about how
something ALWAYS happens when you share the first vision. Well we
shared the restoration with them and it was time for the First vision.
I shared it and all was going well, the spirit was so strong, and
nothing had happened. We let a couple seconds of silence pass and then
Elder Whetten started to bear his testimony. As he was talking, I
watched as a huge tri-fold mural behind Nanci started to wobble, and
in slow motion fell right onto her head. The room erupted into
laughter and me and Elder Whetten could not believe our eyes. I
jokingly told her she must not have been listening when I said
´´escuchalo´´ and so this was God telling her to listen. We were able
to get the lesson back on track and as of right now the whole family
has baptism fechas, but it has been an amazing experience to be a part
of the entire conversion process with them. I will keep you all
updated on how it goes.

Well, everything is going absolutely great here. I couldn´t be more
happy to be here in Spain, but more importantly here in the service of
the Lord. I know that this gospel that I am here spreading is true and
if you are seeking true joy and happiness in your life, the Gospel of
Jesus Christ will bring exactly that. I hope all is going well with
all of you and I send you my love. Until Next Week!

Elder Jenkins

Things I learned
1. The Lord won´t let a day of his work go to waste, unless you waste it.
2. If during the day, you ever say, ¨what are we going to do next¨ ,
your planning the night before was a failure
3. Pedestrians here will expect you to slam on the breaks without even
looking to see if a car is coming
4. When people ask a gospel question, give them a camera case of info,
not a suitcase of knowledge
5.The choco-pillows cereal doesn´t turn the milk into chocolate milk,
BUT if you mix it with coco pebbles you can enjoy the goodness of
choco-pillows without the grossness of shelf milk

Week 6, The Legend Begins (My First Area)

Wow. That's really the only word that comes to mind when I try to describe this past week. I don't think I have ever been more filled with gratitude for all the things I have been blessed with as I have as I explored my first area and met those who I know were prepared for me to meet. It is amazing to be on the front lines of this gospel and see how it affects the lives of people all around the world. I love this work and I am so grateful to be a part of it.

Alright, I'll cut to the stuff you guys really all care about. Leaving the MTC was a lot more emotional than I imagined. Although I loved being there, I was always excited and looking forward to the field. However, I really reflected on all of the amazing spiritual experiences I had there and the things I learned and realized that I would really miss the MTC.

The train ride to Malaga was astounding. The more I have been able to explore and see Spain, the more I fall in love with it. It was pretty surreal to think of what was going to lie ahead of me at that moment. We got off of the train and the mission president was waiting for us with open arms and a box of doughnuts. It was there that he called off the names of those who would have to spend the night in the mission home because their first area was too far away. My name was on the list...

We put our bigger bags in lockers at the train station and while we were walking to the church where we would all rendezvous, one of the elders who was actually leaving the next day and escorting us asked who wanted to teach a lesson today. Of course, my Jenkins muscle reflex took over and my hand shot up, so 15 minutes after arriving in the field I was in a lesson, with a real person, speaking real Spanish...I couldn't believe what was happening. The rest of the day was just super suspenseful, especially when everyone else got their trainers and found out their areas, because all those who were staying the night had to wait to get their trainers later. But alas the time came once we got to the mission home.

AND NOW THE TIME YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.......

I, Elder Jenkins, have been assigned to labor in the... Cartagena barrio 3 mission, with Elder Whetten as my trainer! A little about Cartagena. Cartagena is a town on the eastern coast of Spain in the area of Murcia. Its a super touristy town and so during the summer apparently you just see really nice sports cars driving around. The population grows like 86,000 people during the summer months. Not only is it one of the most beautiful cities on the planet, but it is one of the oldest as well. My area isn't really in Cartagena however. Elder Whetten and I actually have a car, which I will be driving in a couple of weeks, so we have a pretty big area to cover. Most of our work is done in a town called San Pedro, which is the second most beautiful place on the planet besides Cartagena. We can see both the Mediterranean sea, and a little tiny sea called the Mar Menor. Side note, not only do we have a car, but I actually have my own phone...for some odd reason...

thespainmalagamission.blogspot.com

Elder Whetten is such an awesome companion and trainer. I will actually be his last companion in the field before he goes home, which in the mission is called dying. He is a great example to me of what a missionary should be- hard working, willing to serve, and he loves the people so much. I know I am going to learn so much from him and I already have.

The ward we are in is outstanding. This week, we actually had an area 70 come and speak. We have an eating cita probably 5 times a week and the members are like chomping at the bit to come out with us. There is even a bus that goes around and picks up investigators before church every Sunday, which by the way is at 5 o'clock at night. Above all else, the people are so loving and caring and when I stood up in front of them to bear my testimony in my broken Spanish, I could feel the spirit testifying to me of their love for this gospel, for the missionary work, and for me individually.

My first week as a missionary has been amazing. I know I'm getting really spoiled right now, but i figured I might as well just enjoy it while it lasts. I love everything about being here and I knew right when I stepped off the bus, after an 8 hour bus ride across Spain, that this is exactly where the Lord wants me. I don't have any time to tell any super amazing awesome mission stories yet, but I promise Ill have one for you all next week. I do see miracles every single day however, but that doesn't surprise me. This is the Lord's work, and when we put in the work, miracles will happen.

I hope all of you are doing well, wherever you are. I can't believe week 7 of the mission is already gone. The time truly does fly by. I wish you all the best and hope to hear from you all about how things are going. In closing, I am so thankful to be serving among these people here. I get to see the building of the Lord's kingdom everyday, and I testify that it's happening faster than ever.

Love, Elder Jenkins

Things I learned This Week

1. Don't work to write your own legacy. Be an instrument in His hands and he will write it for you

2. God loves you. If you understand that, you will understand everything, even when you don't understand

3. If a south American woman is cooking and you come to the door, she will hold out her hand and expect you to shake her wrist

4. Always get debriefed before you teach a lesson, or you might invite a recent convert to be baptized

5. SPAIN HAS CHICKEN NUGGETS AT THE SUPERMARKET, so my parents won't have to worry about me surviving.

Me and my companions in Malaga

People I taught my first lesson to in the mission field.

Overlooking Malaga

Top of a mountain that overlooks Malaga

My companion who I taught my first lesson with in Malaga

Week 5 1/2 - Adios MTC!

(Excerpt from Matt's letter to his Mom)

Sorry I don´t have a chance to answer all of your questions or respond this week. I don´t even know if I am going to get my first P-day until next Monday in the field because today is the field p-day but the mtc p-days are on Thursday. The price we have to pay I guess, but we do get dominos pizza tonight so Im sure excited about that! Ill make sure when I do get to email I answer all of your questions and let you know all the amazing things about my first area and what not. Basically tomorrow morning I will wake up and head out on a train to the mission home in Malaga. They will probably let me email you guys again to let you know that I got there safely, and then from there I assume we meet our trainers and find out where we are going! Based on where we are going we will spend the night at the mission home or just get out into the field!

Its crazy to think the MTC is already over, but I am really super ready and excited to get out of here and into the real world of the mission. I love and miss you guys, but my time is up!

Hope you guys are doing well!

Elder Jenkins

"There will be times when you will feel overwhelmed. One of the ways you will be attacked is with the feeling that you are inadequate. Well, you are inadequate to answer a call to represent God with only your own powers. But you have access to more than your natural capacities, and you do not work alone.  The Lord will magnify what you say and what you do in the eyes of the people you serve. He will send the Holy Ghost to manifest to them that what you spoke was true. What you say and do will carry hope and give direction to people far beyond your natural abilities and your own understanding...Your call has eternal consequences for others and for you. In the world to come, thousands may call your name blessed, even more than the people you serve here."

Rise to your call - Pres. Eyring