I know I say stuff like that every week but I really mean it every week!
I would like to correct my last weeks letter - IT IS COLD! One of the
days, we were out visiting people with a member who is a return
missionary from Bolivia, and when we walked out of our appointment we
realized that it was raining...hard...and our next appointment we all
the way across the city. Luckily, our cold wet walk was acompanied by
his stories of wading through the swamps of bolivia to make us feel
less sad about our circumstances. Other than the cold, things are
going great! Everyone is getting ready for the big SEMANA SANTA, where
there will be HUGE parades a groups of 80 people holding up statues of
the different saints and what not. I am hoping to stay here in Malaga,
where the 3rd largest holy week ceremony is held. If I do end up
leaving next week, Ill pray for sevilla where I will witness the
largest!
So when members of the church are in high school, we participate in
utah or other highly mormon-populated area) which is basically where
we wake up an hour earlier and have an hour of scripture study before
we all go to school. As you can imagine, it can be quite a challenge
among the load of high school work and inherant laziness to be
motivated to go, and even harder to go and not fall asleep. Well, as a
freshman in high school, I found it especial difficult to focus in
seminary for these reasons and more, and made it quite difficult for
my seminary teacher, a nice lovely woman named Sister Croshaw. Well,
funny enough, I thought that as I moved away and on with life I had
escaped having to face my teacher and pay for my behavior...until that
fateful day...when our mission president told us that we would have a
new married couple coming to serve with us here in spain...yes you
guessed it...the CROSHAWS! You can all imagine my mixed emotions,
happiness and horror. I have waited anxiously for our meeting, and
this past week we finally met in a conference of missionaries. It was
a lot less painful than I thought and actually so much fun to
reminisce about my past ¨Tonterias¨ (stupidity). I just feel the need
to warn any who are currently participating in seminary, do not cause
problems. For if you do, the Lord will send your seminary teacher to
your mission to haunt you...
Other than the reunion with old family friends, this week has been
filled with miracles, ending with the baptism of a brazilian woman who
is the BOMB! I am sure that my children will know her name as I tell
the amazing story of her conversion. It all started on a night when my
companion and I were walking ¨aimlessly¨ or so we thought. Little did
we know that the spirit of the Lord was guiding every step. Here in
spain, there are giant trash bins on the street and they have lids
that you open with a push down lever at the bottom of the bin. Well we
saw a woman going to throw away her trash and impulsively I pushed
down the lever to open it up for her. She said thank you and we had a
5 second conversation which consisted of, hi where are you from can we
share a message with you about Jesus. yes I live here, 4A bye. 1 month
later, I was able to see that same woman dressed in white, making one
of the most important decisions of her life. The process has been
miraculously from the first moment until the last and I am absolutely
appalled by how much my experience with her has strengthened my own
testimony of the gospel and of God´s love for us. I am changed truly,
and it all started with opening a garbage bin - a garbage bin of
eternal consequence. It is my prayer that we never underestimate the
power of service, big or small, for it is all service to our God.
I hope you all enjoy your day, because it wont come again for another
4 years...ha...and even more importantly that you are all blessed this
week in everything you do!
Love,
Elder Jenkins
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