Week 20

Summer is officially here! It's really hot, there are ferraris and
luxury European cars everywhere, trick planes flying around everywhere
in formations and the beaches are filled. At first I thought having an
area right by the beach was a curse, being able to see it and not go.
Then I realized that the average age of the people here is 83...I
think not being allowed to go to the beach is a blessing. Also, it
rained here for the 2nd time in all my time here, for 20 minutes. Did
I mention it's really hot...

Interesting experience: One of our investigators offered to go to
church every week for a month if I took his younger sister to the
United States and married her...I told him he would have to get
baptized after the month for me to even consider it....we are still in
discussion.

Elder striebeck and I had an amazing week. We worked really hard,
persevered through personal trials and were able to end the week
blessed with a baptism. This 14 year old boy is such a strong example
to me. He comes from one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in our
area, and I've heard friends and even adults making fun of him for
meeting with us, but still he decided to make this decision from his
own desires. Even though he is a little rowdy, and turns the chapel
into a Lucha libre sometimes, he is a light to those around him and
I'm so grateful to have played a part in his decision to make this
change.

This week, I really saw how much of a blessing the iPads can be in the
work. I've been spending almost every moment of free time watching
Mormon messages and other videos to try and give myself a wide
understanding of what I have in my artillery. This week it really paid
off as we were able to listen to people's problems, doubts, and needs
and choose videos that could speak to their hearts better than we
could. We really saw how effectively a great Mormon message can bring
the spirit and help people gain an understanding of the principles of
the gospel. What a blessing to have the iPads in the missionary work.

Last Monday, I relieved a slightly discouraging letter from my mom
regarding the condition of my grandfather, who recently suffered from
a stroke that left him in a short coma and then in a child like state
of recovery. After a couple of months, his recovery stopped and last
week it was evident that he was going to pass away. There are two very
similar phrases in Spanish. One is ¿por qué? And The other is ¿para
qué? Por que asks why did this happen? why me? why now? while para que
asks the question, for what purpose? In this case, I decided to use
the latter and look for ways in which I could learn and help other
with this experience. In 3 different lessons this week, I encountered
investigators who had just lost loved ones or were passing through a
really hard health trial and I was able to draw upon my feelings about
my grandpa to understand how they felt and to help them find comfort
in this hard time. Now I'm not suggesting that my grandpa died in this
moment so that I could help these people, but by asking para que
instead of por que I was able to find a way to help others passing
through the same things as me. I am so thankful for a knowledge of the
plan that God has for all of His children, a plan that has helped give
me a wider outlook on this life and a plan that allows us to feel
peace and comfort in a time when the natural thought process is
despair and sorrow. More than that, I'm grateful for the opportunity
that I have to share that message of hope with others and help them
persevere through the problems they encounter.

The work is going great and we are working hard. I wake up and go to
bed sweating, and not just because we don't have air conditioning. The
Spanish is going great and I'm glad that the more I'm talking, the
more I'm adding to my arsenal of funny Spanish mistake stories. I wish
the best for all of you in the coming week and thank you for your
support and prayers always!

love,
Elder Jenkins

Things I learned:
1. People who look up instead of down run into walls less often (thats
symbolic and literal)
2. You can park ANYWHERE in ANY WAY here in Spain as long as a car can
still get past
3.  If you try to flip an omelette in the air without a nonstick pan
your omelette will fly everywhere
4. Anything worth doing is worth doing hasta que duela - until it hurts
5. No one in Spain has yards
6. The coolest candy here is a candy shaped like a hot pepper, it's
super sweet and covered in sugar but then it gets really really spicy!
7. The lord is willing to help you through any trial if you're willing
to extend your hand