"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you"

Hello all.  Today has been a very busy day, so I will have to keep it short unfortunately.  First thing's first.  TRANSFERS...  Yep... it's that time of six weeks again.  Already.  So I got a call from Elder Bulunga Saturday evening and ...........................................................  I'M TRAINING AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That's right.  This is by far my all-time favorite calling as a missionary.  Yes, it's hard.  Yes, it takes lots of patience.  And no, missionary work doesn't progress quite as quickly, but it is such an amazing time of growth in not only the trainee but in the trainer as well!  As my companion has not been "officially" assigned at this time, I will present him next week.  But the one that has been assigned to me as of now is Congolese.

Besides that, it's been a wonderful week!  We have had many opportunities to give service out of the ordinary, with more planned for this week!  (see pictures below) We have found many new people to teach!  The work is really starting to pick up here in Akpakpa!  Elder Jeneseri is sad to be leaving after spending his first 7 months in this area, but he's going literally just next door to Avotrou, bordering our area right now!

Like I said, I do not have much time today, but I would like to share my testimony of being converted to the Lord.

Conversion to the Lord is one of the sweetest feelings that I have ever had the opportunity to taste in my life.  Over the past few months, a few things have come up where it would have been very easy to just be fed up and done with it.  Many instances could have led to disappointment and sorrow, but with the conversion to the Lord that He has so graciously given to me, I have been able to keep my head up and carry on with faith.

I am a changed person.  I am nowhere near perfect, but the Lord has produced a profound change in heart in me.  I compare this feeling to Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life, found in 1 Nephi 8.  The story recounts that when Lehi tasted of the fruit, it was sweeter above all else that he had tasted.  So sweet that he look around immediately and wanted to share it with his family and friends.  This is why I have sacrificed the past 20 months of my life and will gladly sacrifice the next 4 to the Lord's work!  I have tasted of this fruit!  I have felt what the prophets ancient and modern have described as a change of heart that produces this fruit!  I know what it feels like to be accepted by God Himself, which is why I want to share this with as many as I can.  So please, if you have not yet tasted of this fruit, I ask of you and invite you to search, ponder, and pray to find it.  I promise you that you will.  With the Lord's help, we can all draw closer to Him.  He has promised us that as we "draw near unto [Him], [He] will draw near unto us." (see D&C 88:63)

I love you all so much, and I hope and pray that you all have a wonderful week and seek to draw closer to the Lord as I seek to draw ever closer to Him.

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

One of our unique opportunities for service:  Our neighbor got locked out of their apartment by her two year-old daughter

So,  Elder Jeneseri had to use the wooden ladder to cross from our balcony to theirs to go into their apartment and unblock the door.

It was kinda intense, but the Lord was protecting us.  We were praying very intesnely as well.  It took like      30 minutes to figure out.

He will make our burdens light

Elder Jeneseri and I

This week has been one of the most inspiring on my mission.  I will proceed, as usual, with the lessons that I've learned from my experiences this week.  But first, a bit of background.

Harmattan this year has been so much worse than last year.  Even the natives are really complaining about how bad it's been this year.  By next week, if it's still on, it will have been here a month.  Last year it lasted just a few days.  The city is covered in a giant dust cloud that hasn't dissipated since it first came.  Some days it's thicker than others, but this is caused by the cold, dry wind from the Sahara.  With the chillyness (I don't really want to say cold because the lowest is like 70, but it's still cold for us!), the dryness, and the dirt in the air, all four of us missionaries in the apartment have fallen sick this week: one with the flu, one with some sort of prolonged migraine, and two (including me) with colds/ upper respiratory infection.  

Harmattan cloud overhanging our neighborhood.

Looking at the sun gets a whole lot easier during Harmattan.  I don't even need sunglasses because it's always cloudy!  Not sure if that makes up for all the coughing though.

It has been a real test of faith, and I was ever so grateful for the strength that the Lord has given over the past 19 months to bear up this burden with ease.  A couple mornings we slept in to rest ourselves.  We spent one full day and most of another day at the apartment because, for the missionary with the flu and the one with the migraine, the best option was simply to rest.  But the days we were able to buckle up our courage to carry out the Lord's will were full of miracles.  The real miracle came as we sat down to do our weekly evaluation on Sunday, and this week (even with two days spent in the apartment sick) was the most productive week I've had here in Akpakpa and one of the most productive of my mission.  It was truly a miracle.

During our evaluation, we were able to talk a little bit about what happened during the week.  We saw how Satan was trying to attack us, going about to do all that he can to impede the Lord's work as he usually does.  However, we were able to overcome that.  The two days where we were in the apartment sick we were able to browse through all of the old files, some dating back to 2008 which is ancient for this mission!  Through that, we were able to find many inactive members and many former investigators that we will be contacting throughout this week!  So even though we weren't out and about walking, the Lord still blessed us with a huge opportunity to find new people to teach and to still work for Him.

This got me pondering a bit on Satan.  It's not exactly something that I like to think about a lot, but nonetheless, in order to win the war, we must know our opponent.

I was reminded of a scripture from Presidnet Monson's talk from General Conference in October last year entitled "Ponder the Path of Thy Feet".  The scripture is Doctrine and Covenants 29:39, which reads:

And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet

I thought about this during this past week.  We were tempted.  Sometimes to just give up.  Sometimes to not go out and teach.  We had the excuse, and sometimes it was necessary to rest.  But then I was reminded of three other scriptures which are very dear to my heart:

Doctrine and Covenants 84:33

For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.

Mosiah 24:13-15

13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

 14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand aswitnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

 15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord didstrengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

2 Nephi 2:27

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

These three scriptures have been very well exemplified this past week.  Our bodies have been renewed as we have sought to go about the Lord's will.  Our burdens have been made light.  At times, I actually didn't feel the burden upon my back (or rather throat and sinuses) throughout the whole day until we got home.  All of this because we chose to be valiant in following the Lord and in sacrificing ourselves for Him.  Because of that, we were free to go out and do rather than be slaves to our beds and sit and stew.  It's was a miracle.

I testify that as we go about our lives seeking to draw closer to God and carry out His will, He will make our burdens light.  Our burdens are very necessary.  They calm us down, humble us, and drive us to go forth with faith as long as we are patient and turn to the Lord in our afflictions.  He is ready and willing to help us--He WANTS to help us--but we just have to be ready and humble enough to accept His mighty hand.

I love you all and invite all of us to seek out the Lord in our trials, to let them mold us into the people that we are meant to become, to let them humble us and soften our hearts so that we see ourselves as the children of God that we truly are.

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

PS: Shout out to my cousin Ty Crosby who's going out with the Oregon Ducks for the National Championship.  I thought that I would never say this in my life, but GO DUCKS!!!

As we are entering into this new year, may we all find these gifts that we are looking for.

The sun rising on 2015 

Happy new year!!!  It feels weird that 2015 is already here!  This is my year!

This past week has been wonderful. We've had some good experiences, and we've seen some really good progression in the work!  Our favorite couple (the ones of whom I sent a picture a couple of weeks ago) decided together that they want to be baptised!  That was very exciting.  We've still got a bit of a ways to go with them, but we'll make it.

So this week, I have seen God's hand working miracles in me.  For those who know me, patience is definitely not my forté.  I struggle with it for others around me, but I'm extremely impatient on myself.  Even the smallest of things can easily set me off.

I have been desiring this gift from God for quite some time.  I have been trying to work on it, but it seems to have been coming very slowly.  I have noticed the difference over the months of my mission, but it still seemed like I wasn't quite grasping it.  For the past few months, I have been noticing that my patience has been getting stronger and stronger, but still not complete.  However, this past week was full of stressful situations.  Through God's grace and gift, reflecting on these experiences, there was only one brief time where I got flustered and a bit upset, and that because members were asking to find, pay for, and direct a taxi to a place that I didn't even know!  But even then I cooled off very quickly and we were able to get the situation sorted out.

Ether 12:27 is true.  The Lord can take our weaknesses, and through His Infinite Atonement, make them strengths.  I have become a changed man.  Ever since I studied President Uchtdorf's talk, "Lord, Is It I?", I have really been searching for the strength to see my own faults and the resolution to those before I even look at others.  There were many situations this past week that could have led to me blaming everyone else first, but thanks to this new-found gift from God, I was able to calmly look at what I did not do correctly and how I could have helped others do better as well.  With faith in Jesus Christ, everything worked out in the end.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ--in its true and living form in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--is truly a gospel of peace and hope and patience.

My apologies for being a bit short this week, but I want you to know that I know that through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we CAN acquire His holy attributes.  They may not all come at once and they may not all come perfectly, but they will come as long as we diligently seek them.

I love you all so much, and I invite you all to diligently seek for the best gifts and attributes of Christ.  As we are entering into this new year, may we all find these gifts that we are looking for, even if it's just 1 or 2.  As long as we seek diligently, other gifts WILL follow (Matt. 25:14-23).

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

The baptism of Yannick!  First one in Akpakpa!

So I decided to clean our window nets to let more air in the room on the 31st.  It was a "dirty job" literally, but the results are fantastic!  This is ours.

Compared with the other companionship's window. 

Our Christmas Miracle

Well, I've been pondering a bit on what to say this week, and I'm slightly at a loss.  I think it partially may be because I've got a headache from being out in the sun for multiple hours today.  My words may be a bit short today, but I'll tell my week through pictures.  After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, right?

I will explain one miracle that we had from this past week--from Christmas day actually.

In preparation for calling home on Christmas day, we searched for and found (through some members) a very good cyber just outside our area.  We went to it last Monday and it was phenomenal.  The connection was outstanding, there was air-conditioning, and the chairs were very comfortable.  As we left, I was confident that I would have a sucessful Skype chat with my family three days later.

So then Tuesday comes where we had the Mission Christmas Party.  It was a blast!  We get to the mission home that morning dressed all nice.  They had told us to wear missionary attire for the service project because we would just be washing bottles.  So here's Elder Jenkins, dressed up all nice.  Hair's done up, whitest shirt I own, my suit pants, and newly shined shoes.  We get to the orphanage that we were working at and the place was pretty much just a giant mud puddle.  We were way up in the village, so it wasn't too much of a surprise.  Looking at the mud, I was fairly confident that I could make it out still quite clean, after all, we were just cleaning glass bottles. ...

With a few kids at the orphanage 12.23.14

Just as this thought crossed my mind, President Morin says, "Elder Jenkins!  We need some strong men to move the bags of bottles to the tables.  Can you round up a few Elders, please?"  Sure.  OK.  So we make our way into the compound and go to the corner, where several huge bags of glass bottles are stacked.  I grab Elder Barnes to put him on the other side of the bag (they were pretty heavy), and we pick it up and head to the closest table.  I looked down, and I was on the verge of tears.  My shoes were covered in mud, the bottom part of my pants were almost unrecognizable, and my white shirt had several dirt marks on it from the bag.  So yeah, after about an hour of that I was dirty as all get out, drenched in sweat, yet my hair was still intact (at least the dirt got it's priorities straight).

Towards the end of the activity, we "strong men" were called on again to take all the buckets of water out and dump them on the street.  I tried to take one on my head, which went fine, until I hit a spot where I had to step down.  Not being able to look down with the load on my head, I was helpless.  Elder Ribera (from France), who had been working previously on the bags, came to my aid. As we were getting the bucket off of my head so that we could both carry it, a whole bunch of water splashed out onto him.  I didn't feel absolutely terrible because he was as dirty as I was, but I still felt really, really bad.  Thankfully, he was a REALLY good sport about it and we finished the job together.

View from the orphanage 12.23.14

After everything was cleaned up, we went up to sing to the children, and then we made our way back to Cotonou.

Once there, we went to Majestic, which is where we hold all of our big conferences.  We ate lunch, watched a few presentations (including a few musical presentations in which I participated).  I was in one with the choir, and then Elder Izekor and I did three songs together with him on the recorder and me on the guitar.  We did "Il est né, le divin enfant", "What Child Is This?", and "Silent Night".  It was a blast!  After all of that, we had three games, and Elder Izekor had asked me to be the game show host.  Guess all those years of watching GSN paid off!  After that, President and Sister Morin shared their testimonies at the end.  Before their testimonies, President had Elder Bulunga (one of the assistants) read a few rules that they really wanted to focus on during the holiday season--one of which being the fact that we should not leave our proselyting areas.

Our table at the Christmas party12.23.14

Our Christmas party lunch!  It was sooo good!!! 12.23.14

With this in mind, we set out home searching for solutions.  We did not know of any cybers in our area with a strong enough connection to do skype nor with the materials necessary.  Elder Wittig had the idea on Wednesday that we fast for it.  So, with much faith and great desire to speak with our families, we knelt in prayer together to start a fast.

The next 24 hours were not exactly easy, but we saw many miracles in our missionary work that came as a result of this fast.  We had decided beforehand to do some door-to-door on Christmas day, and it turned out great!  Everyone was together as a family, and they were already so happy that they were excited to have more visitors over.  We had decided to share the Plan of Salvation with everyone to show why the birth of our Savior was so important, and it worked really, really well.

My christmas gifts! (I got 4 new white shirts, a belt, and 2 photo albums) 12.25.14

My cinnamon rolls! 12.25.14

My cinnamon rolls with my little Christmas tree 12.25.14

At the Kazadi Family's home on Christmas day!  (I brought them my cinnamon rolls) 12.25.14

Finally, the evening came.  We asked around for cybers, and received some direction from members.  We tried three cybers, but none had what was necessary to call home with Skype.  After walking all over our area, which is massive, for two hours, we were a bit winded.  The day was dying, but we didn't lose our faith.  We pressed on, with hope of one last cyber, though reports from past missionaries put the chances in the dim range.

As we were walking there, we met a man who works at this cyber that we were going to.  We asked him about the connection, and he said that they had fixed it last week!  There was a problem with their internet device, but they replaced it and apparently there was a much better connection.  Next problem: no microphones.  Well, it just so happens that this man was going into town to fix a computer problem, and the store he was going to had microphones.  We gave him the money necessary, and 30 minutes later he was back at the cyber with them and we were calling our families.

Skyping with the family on Christmas 12.25.14

What a marvelous manifestation of God's love and attention to even four small missionaries in a remote country.  We showed our faith in Him, and He provided a way.  With all the events that transpired, this Christmas was, just as President Morin had promised that it could be, the most beautiful Christmas of my life.  

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

(Note from mom:  Elder Jenkins shared his testimony with us during our Skype and asked us to share it with family and friends.  You can view it here: Elder Jenkins Christmas testimony

Frère Joël's funeral.  I was invited to speak about the Plan of Salvation.  It was a magnificent occasion to testify of the truth and hope of the Lord's Restored Gospel. 

My favorite couple that we are teaching, 

Fréjus and Rabiath!  This was their first Sunday at Church!  12.28.14

Ouidah today!  12.29.14

Aquaman statue in Ouidah!  12.29.14

Point of No Return 12.29.14  (Note from Mom: This is the memorial commemorating the Atlantic slave trade.  This was one of the main departure points for those sold into slavery between the 15th and 19th centuries.  Notice the two rows of slaves chained together being lead to the boat (at the top of the arch), and the two statues on the sides of three shackled together to load on the boats). 

We (the Akpakpa district) were with the Assistants in their truck and we got a bit ahead of the rest of the zone with the office Elders in the mission van, so we had to stop and throw the frisbee to wait for them!  Poor Elder Wittig had to go sewer diving to get it after one throw!  Good thing the sewer was completely empty and dry! 12.29.14 

Best wave of the day!  12.29.14

The water was SOOOOO calm today.  The air was calm as well.  Just the overall tranquility was almost breath-taking, especially being in a city area now where we have so much traffic noise. 12.29.14

My name is Elder Jenkins, and I like long walks on the beach. 12.29.14

My tourist wins for the day! 12.29.14

My first nativity set!  12.29.14

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!