Our need for personal revelation

Elder Nkanza and I with Bona and Judith, who are planning the marriage and baptism very soon!  Too bad I have to leave them behind!

Well, well, well...  The transfer virus has found its way to Elder Jenkins again.  Maybe for the last time for these two years. And I'm going to... drum roll please... *drum rolllllllllllllllllllllll* AKPAKPA.  Yeah, that's right.  Akpakpa.  Try saying that ten times fast.  Rather, try saying that one time slowly!!!  Just for a note: "kp" is considered a consonant in the Fon and éwé languages.  It's like a guttoral "p".  I will be working with Elder Jeneseri, my first time working with an American since the MTC 18 months ago!  He's Tanzanian by birth, but has been living in the States for quite some time.  I'm very excited for this new start again and the chance to make a difference.  This is truly where I am supposed to be.

For my short message today, I would like to simply bear a testimony of mine that has been so strengthened with this transfer call: our need for personal revelation.  In relating this experience, I do not wish to brag or boast or show that I am some sort of prophet; to do so would be a sin and against the will of God.  Nor do I wish to diminish the sacredness and importance of this personal experience that I had.  I am not seeking attention nor the glory of men.  I merely wish to bear my testimony and invite you all to partake of God's love and acceptance as I have, and I pray that the Holy Ghost assist me and you to confirm this simple, yet profound truth.

Two weeks ago, I was sitting in a missionary training meeting (Zone Conference) when a very strong feeling of peace overcame me.  This feeling burned brightly in my heart and was accompanied by the thought, "I really want to work in Akpakpa.  Yeah, I'm going to Akpakpa."  This revelation was preceded by pondering and asking what the Lord wants from me with my last 6 months.  We were talking about working with the local Church leaders and improving our relations with them when this overwhelming feeling and thought came over me.

Good-bye hug with Elder Rybin on Friday, the day before he called me for the transfer.

This past Saturday night, I received a call from Elder Rybin, one of the Assistants to President Morin.  "Elder Jenkins!" he said.

"Elder Rybin!" I replied, "Can I tell you where I'm going?"

"Sure, go ahead!"

"I'm going to Akpakpa."

"And who are you working with?"

"Elder Jeneseri!"

"Wow, right on!"

He then proceeded to give a few directives that President has felt of why I am needed in Akpakpa.  This experience had confirmed what I had known for two weeks, and I was ever grateful for the Lord's goodness towards a small and simple servant in His vineyard.  I know, if not from all my other experiences here then from this experience alone, that the Lord is in control of this work.  He inspires the mission president as to where He needs His servants, and the mission president is simply a tool in the Lord's hands.  

As I pondered upon this experience, I decided to study President Eyring's Sunday morning talk from the October 2014 General Conference about our need for personal revelation.  According to what I understood from his talk, one of the main reasons why we need personal revelation is to confirm in ourselves the commandments and rules given to us by our leaders and parents.  In this case, I sought the Lord's will for me, and just as he promised Oliver Cowdery, who served alongside Joseph Smith for many years, He told me in my heart and in my mind (see D&C 8:2-3).  What I understand now i

s that this revelation had confirmed the Lord's call for me to serve in Akpakpa before I even got it!  When I received the call to serve from my leaders, I was ready to accept this call with a willing heart and a willing mind.  What a miracle.

I testify that we all need personal revelation to progress in this life and eventually attain Eternal Life, exalted in the kingdom of our Father.  This small example that I have shared with you today is but a mere glimpse of what our Heavenly Father will reveal unto us through the power of the Holy Ghost.  We all have a RIGHT to receive revelation from God as we are literally His spirit children.  No one is too little to receive revelation.  We ALL can and will receive revelation from God if we study and ask and if we are worthy to be accepted of Him.

I love you all, and I invite you all to live your life in a way where you can be worthy of and receive revelation from on high to stregthen your own testimonies that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, and that your are a child of God

Have a great week!

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

Edouard and Clarisse (the ones who were married in August)!!!  Two of my favorite people ever! 

With the whole fam!

Dinner at their house last night!  Delicious, and perfectly spicy!!!

Aristotle, 3 years old, yet worthy of his name...

Lunch with the Bidodoussi family (minus Patrick the dad who was at work) today!

Lunch!  Was not too shabby as well!

"Living in gratitude is to touch the heavens"

Hello, my family, friends, and strangers.  This past week has been full of the Lord's outpouring of blessings upon us.  Each companionship in our district (we have 4 companionships) had a marriage and baptisms this past weekend.  It was fabulous.

My apologies this week for the length of this letter.  It's been a while since I've been able to chat with my family through email like this week, so I've given a bit more time to that.

The marriage and baptism on Saturday were a wonderful experience, but I'll let the pictures explain those a bit better.

Edouard and Clarisse!  Two of my favorite people ever!

Lauriane (9) and Exaucer (4) their kids!  Asso (President Kazotti's daughter) is in the background in the blue dress.

The view of the lake from the top of the Calavi building where the marriage was.

Thought this was cool. 

The venue (on the top floor of the Calavi building). 

Part of the 10 couples (or more) that were married on Saturday!

"Hi. My name is Asso, and I'm a jedi." 

Hangin' in there. 

Exaucer, my favorite little African kid.  He calls me "his white". He's adorable and 4 years old.

Sister Missionaries

Best dressed award

Omar, our Branch Mission Leader.  He got his mission call this week to the Ghana Accra Central Mission!!!  He's an awesome guy.  I love him.

Ring presentation 

Ring presentation #2

Clarisse signing

Elder Sahue signing as a witness.

The baptisms in the Fidjrossè branch this past Saturday.  Our whole zone did the service together, and I believe we had about 15 total.  It was a wonderful day in the service of the Lord!

Elder Sahue, Clarisse, Lauriane, Brother Donatien (who has become good friends with them), Edouard, Elder Jenkins, Exaucer.

After watching President Monson's "Attitude of Gratitude" talk from October 2010 (we have the DVDs at our apartment), I would like to testify today of the strenghtening power of living with gratitude.  As President Monson said, being thankful is good and "honorable." Showing our thanks is "noble." But living with gratitude is "to touch the heavens."  I testify of this statement.  After an exhausting week, I was wondering how I could apply this to my life more completely.  I decided to try something that has been counseled to me for a long time but thet I've never trie: praying to give thanks to Heavenly Father and asking for nothing in return.

I was a little apprehensive before kneeling to pray, but this has been one of the most sacred experiences that I have had on my mission.  As President Monson, said, I felt as if I were "touch[ing] the heavens."  Many small and simple things came to mind as I continued.  I even realized that I had been a bit too impatient with my companion that day.  Every problem that I had seemed to melt away.  As I laid in bed that night, my mind was at peace, being filled with the Spirit.

I woke up Sunday morning with almost a complete absence of the fatigue that had weighed me down the day before.  There were times on Sunday where that fatigue came back, but I tried each time to remember that I need to live with gratitude.

This has been a very edifying experience, and I invite all of us to take more time to be grateful for our lives no matter where we are and strive to LIVE with gratitude in our hearts.  We will all be so much happier, and imagine the changes that would take place in this world if we all took time to be more grateful.

I love you all so much.  I hope you all have a great week.  I, too, am hoping to have a great week with two meetngs with Elder Curtis of the Quorum of the 70 and also the president of the Africa West area.

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins