I love my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ

Well, my dear friends, this has been one week my current English vocabulary cannot even begin to find an adjective to describe.  So rather than try to find an adjective, I will, in recounting an ongoing experience from this past week, bear my testimony of the Plan of Salvation.

This past Tuesday, as we were home for lunch, I noticed that Elder Bile was moving a bit slow.  As the time to go back out approached, he sat on his bed holding his head in his hands.  For those of who you don't know him, and I'm pretty sure that means every single one of you reading this, Elder Bile is a VERY loud and outgoing person.  He makes me look VERY calm, that plus all my time here has calmed me.  Anyways, I honestly have never seen Elder Bile like this.  He is always the one to bring the noise and energy level up ten notches.  He had told me earlier that morning that he was feeling really tired, so I was not terribly surprised that he was struggling to get going. 

However, as I passed by his bed, I had the distinct feeling that I need to just sit down with him and put my arm around him.  As I did that, I started to have the feeling that there was something more than fatigue going on.  After a few seconds, he finally pulled his hands away from his face.  I asked him if everything was okay.  He replied, with tears in his eyes, "Yeah, everything will be fine." "What is it?" I asked.  He didn't reply, so I asked again.  After a few moments of silence, he stated, "Yesterday [last Monday, the 7th], one of my friends gave me some family news.  Because I don't have any contact with my family, it was him that had to pass me the message. He told me that my sister died this past week."  After that, both of us just cried together for a few minutes.  Once we calmed a bit down, I explained that he needed to call President Weed and let him know, and that while he talked with President Weed, I would inform Elder Dih and Elder Donadier (the other other missionaries in our apartment).  He agreed, and I dialed President Weed and explained briefly the situation and then passed the phone to Elder Bile.

After barely being able to choke out words to explain to Elder Dih and Elder Donadier, Elder Bile came back out to join us.  We went into the great room and spent some time together as a District.  After a few minutes of counsel and prayer, Elder Bile said that he was ready to go out, so we went and got ready.

We were able to get out the door and in the middle of our first appointment, President Dieudonné, President Weed's first counselor, called to say that he was on his way out to Baguida to meet with us.  Just as we were finishing our first lesson, he called to say that he had arrived, so we went out to the main road to meet him and then head back to the apartment.  We had a quick meeting of counsel and strength with him and one of the counselors of the Stake Presidency and then they took us to our next appointment.  Overall, we finished the day fine and I was very pleased with Elder Bile's efforts to overcome the grief and sorrow and put himself to work.  Yes, it was a bit slow, but he did a fantastic job.

Wednesday, I did a split with Elder Dih.  It had been planned weeks before, but I thought it was best to keep it so that Elder Donadier and Elder Bile could have some time together.  In the MTC, they had been companions and countless times, according to them, Elder Bile was there to put his arm around Elder Donadier's shoulder whenever he got homesick and thought that he couldn't go on.  Then, this past Wednesday, the tables were turned, and Elder Donadier was 100% there for Elder Bile in his time of need. After we finished daily planning at the end of the day, Elder Bile shared a bit from their day, and I was so impressed.  He really had put himself to work that day, and it showed.

The rest of this week has been filled with ups and downs.  There have been some moments where I have been so proud of Elder Bile and his efforts to work through the sorrow.  Other times, I struggled to known what to do or say to help comfort him.

However, one thing I do know, and I know that Elder Bile knows as well, is that death is not the end of his sister's story, nor any person that has ever lived on this earth.  Thanks to the scriptures, we know about something that we call the Plan of Salvation.  This plan is God's plan for each one of us, His children.  Well, my dear friends, this has been one week my current English vocabulary cannot even begin to find an adjective to describe.  So rather than try to find an adjective, I will, in recounting an ongoing experience from this past week, bear my testimony of the Plan of Salvation.

This past Tuesday, as we were home for lunch, I noticed that Elder Bile was moving a bit slow.  As the time to go back out approached, he sat on his bed holding his head in his hands.  For those of who you don't know him, and I'm pretty sure that means every single one of you reading this, Elder Bile is a VERY loud and outgoing person.  He makes me look VERY calm, that plus all my time here has calmed me.  Anyways, I honestly have never seen Elder Bile like this.  He is always the one to bring the noise and energy level up ten notches.  He had told me earlier that morning that he was feeling really tired, so I was not terribly surprised that he was struggling to get going.

However, as I passed by his bed, I had the distinct feeling that I need to just sit down with him and put my arm around him.  As I did that, I started to have the feeling that there was something more than fatigue going on.  After a few seconds, he finally pulled his hands away from his face.  I asked him if everything was okay.  He replied, with tears in his eyes, "Yeah, everything will be fine." "What is it?" I asked.  He didn't reply, so I asked again.  After a few moments of silence, he stated, "Yesterday [last Monday, the 7th], one of my friends gave me some family news.  Because I don't have any contact with my family, it was him that had to pass me the message. He told me that my sister died this past week."  After that, both of us just cried together for a few minutes.  Once we calmed a bit down, I explained that he needed to call President Weed and let him know, and that while he talked with President Weed, I would inform Elder Dih and Elder Donadier (the other other missionaries in our apartment).  He agreed, and I dialed President Weed and explained briefly the situation and then passed the phone to Elder Bile.

After barely being able to choke out words to explain to Elder Dih and Elder Donadier, Elder Bile came back out to join us.  We went into the great room and spent some time together as a District.  After a few minutes of counsel and prayer, Elder Bile said that he was ready to go out, so we went and got ready.

We were able to get out the door and in the middle of our first appointment, President Dieudonné, President Weed's first counselor, called to say that he was on his way out to Baguida to meet with us.  Just as we were finishing our first lesson, he called to say that he had arrived, so we went out to the main road to meet him and then head back to the apartment.  We had a quick meeting of counsel and strength with him and one of the counselors of the Stake Presidency and then they took us to our next appointment.  Overall, we finished the day fine and I was very pleased with Elder Bile's efforts to overcome the grief and sorrow and put himself to work.  Yes, it was a bit slow, but he did a fantastic job.

Wednesday, I did a split with Elder Dih.  It had been planned weeks before, but I thought it was best to keep it so that Elder Donadier and Elder Bile could have some time together.  In the MTC, they had been companions and countless times, according to them, Elder Bile was there to put his arm around Elder Donadier's shoulder whenever he got homesick and thought that he couldn't go on.  Then, this past Wednesday, the tables were turned, and Elder Donadier was 100% there for Elder Bile in his time of need.  After we finished daily planning at the end of the day, Elder Bile shared a bit from their day, and I was so impressed.  He really had put himself to work that day, and it showed.

The rest of this week has been filled with ups and downs.  There have been some moments where I have been so proud of Elder Bile and his efforts to work through the sorrow.  Other times, I struggled to known what to do or say to help comfort him.

However, one thing I do know, and I know that Elder Bile knows as well, is that death is not the end of his sister's story, nor any person that has ever lived on this earth.  Thanks to the scriptures, we know about something that we call the Plan of Salvation.  This plan is God's plan for each one of us, His children.  It responds to three essential questions: Where do we come from? Why are we here? And where are we going?  These questions are posed in very general and VERY eternal terms.  They can be rephrased as: Where were we before birth?  What is our goal in life on this earth? And where will we go after death?

I know that this life is not the end.  As I once heard a servant of the Lord state, think of this like as a piece of string.  Then, think of a rope extending from both ends of the string,in both directions forever; this is Eternity.  Our life, compared to eternity, is like that piece of string tied the middle of the rope.  Once we zoom out far enough, it's like we can't even see it, but we know that it's there and there are many, many things that we learn from it.

I know that the gospel is being preached at this moment among those in the Spirit World who await the Resurrection and who never knew the fullness gospel of Jesus Christ (see 1 Peter 3:18-20 and 1 Peter 4:6, as well as Alma 40:11-14), including Elder Bile's sister.  I know that, as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, for time and all eternity (see 1 Corinthians 15:20-22).

This is the season of Easter, the time where we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is risen.  He has overcome death and, through His merits, we, too, can overcome physical death. His death and resurrection marked the end of blood sacrifice of the lamb.  Now, all the He asks of us is a "broken heart and a contrite spirit" (see 3 Nephi 9:19-22).  If we do what he asks us to do - including having faith, repenting of our sins, being baptized by one holding the authority of God, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end - we will inherit Eternal Life, the greatest of all the gifts of God (see 2 Nephi 31:19-20 as well as D&C 14:10 and Moses 1:39).

I know that my Redeemer lives.  He lived, died, and lived again for all of us.  The sacrifice that He offered for us in Gethsemane and later on Golgotha is beyond our comprehension.  Yes, having nails tearing through His skin must have been excruciating beyond conscious belief, but something that we can never understand in this mortal existence is the pain that He felt as he prayed to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, pleading, "If it be Thy will, take this bitter cup from me"  (see Matthew 26:36-46).  Through this sacrifice, He overcame the fall of Adam, opening to us the heavens and the kingdom of God.

I know that this Church is the one true Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He is at the head of this Church and leads it through a prophet, seer, and revelator named Thomas S. Monson.  This truly is a Living Gospel.  Through this Church, we have the fullness of the gospel, which is once more throughout the entire earth.  I love this Church and I love this gospel, but much more so, I love my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

May we all take this next week to ponder upon the Lord's sacrifice in preparation for the celebration of His Resurrection next week.  May we all be filled with joy and gratitude in His Spirit as we reflect upon all that he has so freely given us.

I love you all.  Have a great week.

Elder Jenkins 

Baby pigeons on Thursday, 10 April, one day after hatching.  Elder Bile's expression after seeing the hatched babies, "The Lord takes and the Lord gives!"

Baby pigeons today, Monday, April 14

Elder Kunz's papaya trees

Bearing fruit!

With Gilchrist and his pet mouse

Nice Shirt!

uhhhh..... Yeah, Africa

Very possibly my favorite little African kid.  He is soooooooo funny!  His name is Escar.

Amazing experiences

Well, the past few days have been quite amazing!  Elder Bile and I have had some very amazing experiences together this week, and my testimony has been strengthened that the Spirit accompanies us even more once we learn to heed His promptings.

So let's start of with earlier this week.  Because we took a trip to the grand marché last Monday, I didn't have time to do my laundry.  I don't know why, but my shirts just don't seem to get clean anymore.  I can scrub and scrub and scrub, but the dirt stays set in.  So, as I was scrubbing my shirts, I let myself get super discouraged.  Finally, the time came when we had to go out, so I just left it.

 

An all-exclusive premier look at laundry in Africa.  Sorry I've
taken so long to take this picture.  And yes, I'm sitting on the toilet seat.

Then, the next morning, as I was drying myself off from the shower and then eating breakfast, I heard scrubbing noises coming from the shower.  I went to go check it out, but the door was locked.  Seeing that Elder Dih and Elder Donadier were not in, I knew it was Elder Bile.  I asked what he was doing, and I only received a vague response.  I then put my clothes on to start studying, and just as I was sitting down to my desk, out comes Elder Bile with all of my laundry!  I was speechless!  I tried explaining to him how much he helped me and how much of a burden he had lifted from me, but the words weren't coming out quite right, and he didn't want to hear it anyways.  Ok, keep this simple act of love in mind.

So, I was trying to think of something that I can do to serve him back, and nothing was really coming.  I then had the thought that I could focus a lot more on his training by putting a lot more study into the scheduled topics instead of flying by the seat of my pants  (As a side note, I've found that our training study sessions everyday have become much more profound and much more edifying.).

So as part of where we are in training, I have been trying to get him more involved in lessons.  Wednesday night, we were teaching a couple of recent converts who had missed Church for two weeks.  I started off a bit, but he was super excited to give them lots of advice and counsel and scriptures.  So, after I talked, Elder Bile then went on with many stories and Bible references about how people were punished in ancient times for not keeping the Sabbath Day holy.  This went on for about an hour.

We got back pretty darn late.  Everyday at the end of daily planning, I ask him three things that we did well and one thing that we can improve on.  He shared his thoughts, and then I shared mine.  I shared that one thing we do well is start well, which he does really well.  I then shared that we can improve on ending well and ending in a timely manner.  He took this a bit hard, and I noticed how this hit him immediately and tried to repair it how I could, but I trusted in the Lord that I did the right thing.

Long story short, the next day, Thursday, he was in a huge funk and didn't say a thing during all of the lessons.  We got back to the apartment a bit early and had a lot to talk about.  He realized that he had reacted badly and almost immediately got back to the happy, cheery, loud Elder Bile that I know.

Then, it was my turn.  Saturday morning he shared a suggestion for me of how we could do something better.  Normally, I take these suggestions just fine, but this morning I did not.  I didn't get angry, but I definitely got defensive and didn't have the Spirit with me.  We progressed with our studies after we had discussed a bit, but I knew that I wasn't in the right place.  As we were making the transition from companionship study to training study, I took a couple of minutes in silence to leave everything else around me and just focus on what I needed to focus on.  I then said a silent prayer to help me leave this.  I suddenly realized that I personally had the choice to let this bother me or not, and I immediately dropped it.  I put my trust in the Lord and just opened my mouth, and words started coming out.  These words were exactly what I needed to hear.  This had then helped me to humble myself before the Lord and my companion to ask forgiveness for what I felt and said.

The training study that followed was spectacular!  We talked a lot about Alma 22:4-18 and the importance of the Spirit in our lessons and the importance of LISTENING and then asking inspired questions, one of my favorite things of being a missionary.  He was really attentive, but what was even better was how we applied it.

So Saturday we taught 6 lessons, 5 of which were all some of the best lessons for me as a missionary.  The Spirit was SO tangible in each of the lessons as we listened to the Spirit and were able to discern their needs.  During most of the lessons, we truly were not speaking our own words, but were having words put in our mouth.  Several times Elder Bile cut what he wanted to say to what he needed to say, and we both shared the time so well!  After the lesson, he remarked, "Sorry. Was I too short?  I had more to say, but I didn't want to take up too much time.  Did I teach what I needed to?"  And then I was like, "OH MY GOSH, companion, that was AMAZING!  Honestly, I was very impressed!" After every lesson we were both able to share our thoughts, and there was so much unity with us for the rest of the day!

Typical homes in Africa

Then, Sunday came.  This Sunday was a Missionary Sunday, which means we do EVERYTHING.  Bless and pass the Sacrament, give the talks for Sacrament Meeting, teach Gospel Principles, and teach Elders' Quorum as well.  So, Elder Bile, Elder Dih, and I all gave talks and then Elder Donadier taught Gospel Principles, which left me to teach Elders' Quorum!  Elders' Quorum out here can be kind of similar to at home, "Ok let's read this paragraph.  Any questions?  Comments?  Yes that's very interesting, thank you, Elder. Ok next paragraph."  It's not every Sunday, but sometimes.  So, I really want to make it different.  As I was studying before hand, I was constantly praying and looking for ways to have inspired questions and avoid reading too much of the manual at once.

Well, the Lord blessed me with a lesson plan.  Honestly, everything flowed super well, and we had a great discussion throughout the whole lesson, and question led to question which led to another question. It was so great!  Another testimony of how questions can answer questions with patience and thinking.

Finally, yesterday after Church we had two phenomenal lessons again. The Spirit guided both of them and we finished off the night with a fantastic visit to a members house.

My apologies for rambling on so much today, but I just wanted to share how great my week was!  It's been full of humbling yet uplifting experiences; experiences that have greatly strengthened my testimony of the Spirit and the Lord's acceptance.

My dear friends, the time is flying by.  It's is so hard to believe that it's already March.  Next thing I know, I'll have been out for a year.  WEIRD.  This week will be 9 months in Togo.  But one thing I do know is that this Church is true.  As I have read a couple testimonies of General Authorities this past week, one common thing that I have found is that they all really gained a knowledge of these things during their missions.  I am a witness of this as well.  I add my testimony that I KNOW that these things are true.

I love you all.  Have a great week.

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

Story: decided to make French Toast with Elder Donadier.  Keep in
mind I'm making FRENCH toast with someone from FRANCE.

As I'm preparing it, he comes in and is like, "that's what we're
eating?" with a slightly disgusted look on his face.  When I replied
affirmatively, he got a little apprehensvie.  Once at the table, he
saw the syrup and was slightly curious.  I gave him his plate and told
him to just try it.  He did.

"OH MY GOSH THIS IS DELICIOUS!  I've never tasted anything like this
before in my life?!"  After I explained that we call this FRENCH toast
in America (French cooked bread in French as there isn't a word for
toast), he just laughed and said that they don't have anything like
that in France.  But he asks everyday now if we're going to eat "the
bread" again.  Hahaha Elder Donadier makes me laugh sometimes.

"Come to the edge"

Bonjour mes amis!  This has been quite a week!  Not too many special experiences to share, but things have been going great with Elder Bile and his training!  

with Elder Bile

This work is progressing well here in Baguida!  We have a couple baptisms lined up this month that I’m very excited for! We have also had some great miracles this past week with being guided by the Lord to find people, many times.  The Lord is truly in control of His own work!

The real big exciting news of the week comes from Thursday with a conference that we had with Elder Vinson.  As always, the Spirit was very present and there was much counsel and guidance shared with us the missionaries.  The main thing that he talked about was not shrinking before the will of the Lord, but rather exerting all of our own efforts and letting the Lord take us from there.  He shared a poem with us that Elder Holland shared once with missionaries in Australia:

“Come to the edge,” He said. “Come to the edge.”

“I can’t,” I said. “I can’t”

“Come to the edge,” He said. “Come to the edge.”

I did.

He pushed me.

I flew.

I loved how this illustrated what we are capable of when we give our all in our efforts to the Lord and then completely put our trust in Him.  I am so excited for how this and all of the other things that we learned that day will help me to grow and become a better missionary.

Since I don’t have too much else to share this week, I'll share my testimony of this Church and this work with you all.

I know that this Church is true.  I know it with all of my heart.  There is no other way.  This is God’s Church on earth today.  Here, we find the authority to act in His name.  Here we find precious truths about this life and the Plan of God that have been lost through time.  The same Church that Jesus Christ himself created in His day has been restored again through a prophet named Joseph Smith.  The entire truth has once again been restored in its proper place among men, as the prophets of old called it, “the restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21).

I’m exhausted.  This is the hottest climate that I have ever been in.  Everyday is by far the farthest that I have walked in my life.  I wake up every morning exhausted, wondering how in the heck I’m going to get out of bed and go walk and teach and share this message.  Honestly, if this message was not true, I could NEVER do the things that I do every day.  I could NEVER overcome the fatigue that I have felt here in order to share this glad message.  But God is capable of doing His own work, and He truly does bless His servants.  The only reason that I am able to heave my weakened body out of bed in the morning is my testimony of this gospel and of this Church.

I know that God lives.  I know that Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son, and that through Him and His eternal sacrifice, we, too, can rejoice in the eternal blessings of our Father.  I know that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration.  I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God, sounding as voices rising up from the dust, testifying to the people of our day (see Isaiah 29:4, 2 Nephi 33:13).  I know that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s prophet on this earth today.  He leads us and guides us with divine counsel and inspiration.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Church on the earth today.  I have seen countless blessings of these simple truths in my life, and I invite all of you to partake of these blessings with me.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

with Elder Donadier

Baptisms and new missionaries

Bonjour tous mes amis !  This has been an interesting week for sure, but the biggest news: my new companion, Elder Bile (pronounced Bee-lay, from Côte d'Ivoire), got here on Saturday, so I'm officially training now!  Equally big news: Luc and Vicky's baptism was this past Saturday!  I'm sure Elder Dih and I's new companions were quite surprised to be welcomed into the mission field by a few baptisms. With the total count on Saturday, there were 21 baptisms in Togo alone!  It was an extraordinary (if only a bit long) service!

The baptism on Saturday!  2/22/14

In all honesty, this past week has been a bit of a struggle for me.  Not having a companion is hard when there are very few (none at times) members who are available to go out with you.  But it's ok.  Heavenly Father just wanted to give me a mountain to overcome.  The hardest part was leaving no work being done in my area for 2 days.  But, I was able to swallow my pride and leave my area in order to help the other area in my district.

But then Saturday came!  It was quite the exciting day!  We spent quite a bit of time waiting on Saturday, but finally at about 12 the Assistants came with Elder Bile and Elder Donadier (from France) and we left again at 1 for the baptism!

As I said, the baptismal service was amazing!  The moment that Luc and Vicky were baptized by Frère Folly was very special for me.  I'm sure that Frère Folly had been waiting for that moment, and I know that Luc and Vicky had been waiting for it since before we even met them!  It was a great service for everyone, and as always, the Spirit was there testifying of this truthfulness.  The Kégué building was a busy place.  One thing that I love about baptisms like those is that, even though there are so many people, it is so personal for them, for the missionaries that taught them, and for God himself.  I am a witness that when a baptism is done by the authority of God, it is written in the Book of Life (see Matt. 16:19 and Rev. 20:12).  This Church is the truth, the only complete truth, which can be found on this earth.  In it, the world can find the authority of God and the blessings both temporal and spiritual that flow from this authority.

Dodji with Président Philippe's baby girl.

Just one week too late for Valentine's day!

Also, I just wanted to note that I am the only English speaker in the apartment now.  Having a Frenchie in the apartment has also showed me how much work I still have to do with French.  What is weird is how weird his accent is to me, but when Africans speak, I don't hear any sort of accent.  Used to be the other way around.  Haha but they are all so pressed to learn English!  We'll see how language study goes tomorrow.

Anyways, I love you all!  The church IS true, and this IS the Lord's work.  As I've said countless times, I'm SO grateful for this time that the Lord has given me to serve Him.  It is a blessing.
 

Avec amour,
Elder Jenkins

Haha this little guy

Got a little tired