What a Week

Saying goodbye to the people in Sevilla was BRUTAL! Some of the close
members threw a little surprise goodbye party for some of us who were
leaving and it really threw some salt in the wound! But I keep
thinking, if I would have never left my first area I would have never
arrived to Sevilla where such great things happened, so I guess we
keep looking forward with an eye of faith!

The next couple of days were travel travel travel. We got to Malaga
and I about had a heart attack sitting in the chapel there with all
the new missionaries. I remember so vividly being there a year and 8
months ago when I arrived, and a year ago when elder Miller arrived. I
just couldn't believe I was there again! It seems like my mission has
made a full circle! One of the coolest things about the training was
that both of my trainees were there so we got to take a really cool
picture with them and their trainees. I didn't get my trainee at first
because there were some coming from Provo who missed a flight and one
other one coming from chile. So I was just waiting and then the
chileno arrived. I tried talking to him and understood about 2% of
what he said and at that point I said to myself "wow, I feel sorry for
the young missionary who trains him!".....and that when I heard my
name called to go up and receive my new trainee!!....

But in all seriousness he is incredible! He got here from chile 5 days
ago and so even though he speaks Spanish, I have had to teach him
Spanish from Spain which is surprisingly VERY different from Spanish
from chile. He is really sharp and ready to work and we get all great!
It's weird to be training again after so long, but it has been helping
me find those things that I have maybe relaxed on to improve!

We then had a nice long 9 hour bus ride just the two of us to get to
know one another before we got to BENIDOOORMMM! Our first days here
have been pretty interesting, just trying to find our way around and
not end up in a gentlemans club or on the beach.... There are an
insane amount of tourists like 1 in every 20 people and we are the
only ones in the city who wear shirts. But I love it here. I truly
feel like this is where the Lord wants me! The members are so great!
My favorite words to hear these last couple of days have been "elders,
have you eaten yet?" The branch has such a powerful spirit here it
reminds me of my branch back home! It's great!

One of the talks in church this past week was so powerful! It was a
man who just recently was baptized and he found the church after he
prayed to God to find reason and direction in his life, walked out of
his store, and found two copies of the Book of Mormon on the ground.
He began to read, found the church, and was baptized along with his
family of 5. He bore such a powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon
and of the word of God in general! It was incredible.

Well I know that the journey is just beginning and that there are many
miracles yet to come. The best phrase I have heard is "what happens in
Vegas stays in Vegas, and what happens in benidorm shouldn't have
happened at all"....finally, I get to preach repentance to wicked
world.

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Jenkins