Well, I had my first ¨sick on the mission¨ experience this past week and I have to say it is not one that I would like to repeat. It all started once we got back from the Malaga drive with a small headache and escalated until Thursday morning when I practically couldn´t move from my bed, fever, headache, and throwing up. There is a big difference between being sick at home and being sick on the mission. I was half expecting to recieve breakfast-in-bed complete with all the medicine I needed and a comforting ¨hey I hope you get better¨ like i did when I was at home. Instead, Elder Whetten swung open the door and gave me a comforting ¨Omg it smells like someone died in here!¨ The worst part was knowing that if I didn´t get better, and get better fast, it would ultimately be the difference between someone being baptized this week, so I asked earnestly for strength, recieved a blessing from my companions, and toughed it out. Despite fighting off my body´s disabilities we had one of the best weeks of missionary work I have had yet.
I truly learned this week how little we as missionaries do. Our investigator who was going to be baptized this week was having a lot of doubts and fears about doing it, mainly from things other people were saying to her and from what she thought would be the negative social effects. We tried to do everything we could to help her and calm her anxieties, but really in the end we just had to turn it over to the Lord. In one day, we saw a miraculous change in her countenance. Just from someone full of doubt and fear to someone who was willing and ready to exercise faith in God and make this step, and we had ultimately done nothing! Really, It´s hard to find the role that we play in the work as missionaries, because when it´s all said and done, He does all the work.
I was able to feel the joy of having someone enter into the waters of baptism this week, and even more so the joy of performing that ordinance myself; however, better than all of that was seeing the smile on her face the next day when we visited her, and the change that had already occured in her life. It was a confirmation for my that what we are doing here really does make a difference in peoples´ lives. What a blessing it was to have been given the opportunity to experience all of this!
Life is good here in Spain. Its starting to get hot, REALLY HOT. There are only 7 more days before I wave goodbye to Elder Whetten and welcome a new missionary to Cartagena 3 Area. Its been an amazing experience to work with someone who is just getting ready to go home and to see the love he has for the mission. Its a testimony builder for me knowing what can happen when we give our all to the Lord. I hope all is going well back in the USA and that Im not missing too many great movies or sports center top 10 plays. As always, thank you all for your love, support, and prayers. They are felt and recognized every day. Have a great week!
Elder Jenkins
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