Guided by the Lord



Elder Dagrou and I walking after we met Elder Mundu and Elder Kabedeh in the street



Well, I officially finished my Missionary Planner as of yesterday!  (There are six weeks in each planner.)  Only 16 more to go! 

This week was great!  Elder Dagrou and I definitely had some times where we were guided by the Lord to the people that we should talk to.  For example, Friday evening we had an appointment set up with two 16 year-old boys that were just recently baptized and two of their friends of the same age.  They are on a soccer team together and live close together as well, so they're all best friends.  We got to Landry's house and they weren't home.  We waited for a bit, but still they didn't come.  We decided to just head off to our next appointment.  As missionaries, we try to always look for people to teach while walking.  As we were walking down the street, I saw a man sitting on a bench and I had the strong impression to talk to him.  I asked my companion and he said if I felt like we should then we should.  We walked over to talk to him, talked for a bit, but not much came of it.  He said he was interested, but doesn't really have time.  I knew that we had stopped to talk to him for a reason, so we decided to just keep walking to our next appointment.  As we crossed the street, a moto pulled up next to us and the man riding it began talking to us.  He said that he has a lot of respect for us and what we do, how we sacrifice so much to go to a foreign country and serve the Lord.  We then asked if he was a member of our Church (normally it's just members that stop to talk to us like that), and he said no but that he had met with the missionaries a couple times before about a year ago.  We chatted a bit more and he said that he's a journalist here in Lomé and was going to Kara (a big city up ine the north part of the country) to do a piece this week.  But he would love to meet with us again when he gets back. 

After we had talked with him a bit we decided to keep going to our next appointment.  About 6 steps later, we heard the familiar call of "Elder!"  We looked back and couldn't see anyone, but then I spotted Yannick, one of the 16 year-old boys that was just baptized, a little ways back and across the street.  Not too far behind him were Landry, Stefan, and Stan, his friends.  We knew that now was the time to go and talk to them, and we ended up having an incredible lesson, especially for having four 16 year olds, a 19 year old, and a 22 year old all talking about God and prayer.  It was truly remarkable. 

We went about the rest of the evening with our normal planned schedule.  However, as I was thinking back on the day a bit back at the apartment, I realized how special our evening had been.  Of all the things that transpired, none of it would have happened if we were not in those exact spots at those exact times, which only happened because the Lord guided us where to go.  I was very, very grateful for that divine help.

It's weird now how normal Africa has become for me.  Everyday we leave the apartment, it's pretty weird how normal I feel being here.  Oh by the way, another tender mercy just happened.  As I was sitting here typing this, World Champs came on the TV right next to me.  The Cyber is on the French sports channel, and all of the sudden I saw some guy that was drenched and shirtless being interviewed in a press situation.  I then realized it was Yannick Agnel!  Naturally, my eyes are focused on the TV now, and they showed a few highlights of races and the results of all of the high-profile French swimmers.  Pretty weird seeing swimming, not being able to do it at all, haha.

Well, that's been my week.  I love you and miss you all and I wish the best for everyone who reads this.

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

playing marbles with some kids outside Frère Atiougbé's house

Our street during the big storm that hit Wednesday morning, 07.24.13

Tender Mercies

at Landry's baptism 07/20/13 with Elder Dagrou

Wow!  It's hard to believe I've been in Africa for a whole transfer (6 weeks) now!  It's amazing how quickly the time is going by!  This week has been a bit interesting.  At the end of last week/ beginning of this week, I got a bit lazy with my cooking and was missing a lot of protein.  Needless to say, I was getting very tired very easily.  However, I want to write a little bit this week about what the scriptures call "Tender mercies of the Lord."  Tender mercies are really just the small and simple things in life, but I've spent a lot of this past week looking for them and recognizing God's hand in my life.

 

The first one that I really recognized was Wednesday.  I was still feeling really tired at this point, and every lesson that we were teaching was kind of just dragging along and I wasn't really following them too well.  My french was also lacking in my tiredness, so I was having a lot of trouble communicating as well.  Finally, after one lesson that I had slightly dozed off in, I prayed that I would be able to wake up and get some more energy.  As we were walking down the street, I heard a very, very familiar song that I hadn't heard in a little while.  Two steps later, I recognized it was "On Top of the World" by Imagine Dragons!  Two steps later, I was almost running to the source.  One thing about Africa (or at least the small part I've seen of it) is that there's these small huts every so often on the sides of the streets attached to a wall of a house or parcel or something.  Inside these huts are 2 or 3 old TVs with a few gaming systems.  The source of the music was the newest edition of FIFA (what is it, FIFA14 now?).  Many of you know that Imagine Dragons is one of my favorite bands, and "On Top of the World" is probably my first or second song by them (If you haven't heard it before, look it up and listen to it, you'll like it).  It's just such a happy song that has changed my mood many, many times.  I ran up to this little game hut and started freaking out to all the kids inside who were playing.  They kind of just stared at me as I'm sure my french wasn't making much sense because I was freaking out so much.  Anyways, I listened for a little bit but then had to leave to go to our next appointment.  As I left, I was singing along, and kept singing for quite sometime, every little detail of the song renewed in my head.  For most of the rest of the evening, I just smiled and smiled because of that song.  Definitely an answer to my prayers, and definitely a tender mercy of the Lord.  Also confirms to me that the Lord works in mysterious ways.

 

The second came at the baptismal service Saturday afternoon.  Oh, by the way, I had my first baptism as a missionary this week!  His name is Landry, and he's 16 and a blast to be around.  Quite a good footballer from what I've seen and heard as well.  Anyways, the baptismal service was held in Kégué, about 3 kilometers north of my area.  The church building in Kégué is the only building that was actually built by the church in both Togo and Benin.  They finished building it just a few months ago, and it is nice!  Cleanest and most proper building I've been in the whole country.  As it is the only building that the church actually owns, this is where they keep all the nice stuff.  For example, pianos.  We don't have any real pianos here in the church buildings.  They're all electric pianos without pedals.  However, one of the pianos in Kégué is probably the nicest semi-portable electric piano you can buy, with weighted keys and a pedal.  After the baptismal service, I sat down at the piano and let loose.  Oh my goodness!!!!  Many of you know that music has a special place in my heart with piano being at the center.  While I've been able to keep that space partially filled with my iPod and singing, there's is nothing like the piano for me.  Oh how glorious is was to make music like that again.  It's amazing how much of a difference weighted keys and a pedal can make on the piano.  Every key I touched felt like a real piano.  I can't really explain the feeling in words, but there's just something about creating beautiful music that fills my soul with joy.  Again, definitely a tender mercy of the Lord.

 

I have really seen a difference in the world around me looking for all of the tender mercies of the Lord, both big and small.  These are just two examples many, many tender mercies that I've seen around me.  I promise all of you that you too can find more happiness by looking for the tender mercies of the Lord around you.  When we look for things to brighten our day, there are always more than we expect, even if they're just small and seemingly non-important.  I've seen that in my life this past week, and what a wonderful blessing it's been.  I love and miss all of you so much!  May God be with you all this next week to brighten your day even if in the simplest way!

 

Avec amour,
Elder Jenkins

 

(note from mom:  Elder Jenkins said he is doing quite well!  Today had been a more relaxing day, which he has needed.  He said President Weed had called this morning to say that the missionaries are to stay inside all day on Thursday due to the elections.  It sounds like Thursday will bring a lot of excitement in Lome.)

 

a new friend I made at Soeur Dope's home

An African sunset taken from the top of the building where I go to church

I love the African children!

the river (or lake as the Africans call it) that runs through Lome, not far from my area

with Elder Owusu (taken for CJ Lewis who's last area was Elder Owusu's home ward in Ghana - CJ is married to Preston's BYU teammate, Taryn)

with Elder Peterson

getting a haircut from Pres. Ruben on 07/22/13 (Pres. Ruben is the 1st Counselor in the Branch Presidency - he's a renaissance man - a barber, an artist, an electrician and is pretty dang smart)

defending Ambriose on 07/15/13

 

 

Parfaite = Perfect!

Elder Dagron and Elder Jenkins

Bonsoir mes amis!

Well, another week past, and they're really starting to fly now.  It really feels like just yesterday that I was writing last Monday.  This week has been a bit of a down week because we had a lot of emergency transfers happen with visa problems.  Transfers in this mission take quite a long time because we have 2 countries, 2 timezones, and 4 hours of driving between the two proselyting areas.  For this reason, it takes 2 days to do all of the transfers, which leaves a lot of down time for those waiting for their new companion, like me.  My new companion's name is Elder Dagrou, and he's from Cote D'Ivoire.  I absolutely love working with him!  He and I both have such a great love for the gospel, and so our daily study time together always passes by quickly because we both have so much to share together.

I realize that the past few weeks I've been focusing quite a bit on myself, so this week I want to share a little about those around me.  We have three investigators right now that have dates set for baptism.  However, Landry, the first, wasn't at church this week, so we're going to have to push his back again.  Charlotte, the second, is traveling to Europe, so we haven't seen her for a week.  And José, the third, hasn't accepted the invitation to come to church yet, even though she's accepted to be baptized.

We have two really progressing investigators right now, Marie and Parfaite.  Marie is best friends with a member in the other branch in our area, Soeur Tchothco.  However, we found her by tracting.  She was a little skeptical at first, but the more we've taught her, the more she has come to love the gospel.  She came to church for the first time last week, and decided that she wanted to get up and bear her testimony, as an ami!  In her testimony, she said that there were a lot of things that could have stopped her from coming to church that week, but she was determined to go because she had promised us that she would be there.  She then said as soon as she walked in the building, she heard a whisper in her head that told her, "Marie, this is your church.  You belong here."  What an amazing testimony of the truth that she has already received!  I was very happy for her, and just about the whole congregation turned around and smiled at my companion and I when she shared that.  She has accepted to be baptized, but doesn't want to set a date because she wants to know when she is ready with God to make that decision.

Our second ami en progrès is Parfaite.  The word parfait translates to perfect in English, and that about describes her right.  We've only met with her twice, but both lessons have been absolutely amazing.  She shared with us this past lesson that she normally doesn't like the people that pass by her small restaurant-shop that preach of God, but when we passed by, she felt something inside her that told her to call us over, and how grateful she was that she had!  Both of these amis have shown me how the Holy Spirit works in many people aroudn us to prepare them to receive the message of the restored gospel of Christ before we even bring it to them.

Well, that's all I have time to share this week, but I love and miss you all so very much, and I hope that everything is going well over there across the pond.

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

Love the smiles!

One of the things he was looking forward to the most were the kids.

A glimpse of the area he is living





Eating grilled fish and hot pima sauce (apparently very hot) - did he really eat the fish, head and all, or does he just want us to believe he did?





Oh, how I would love to have been a fly on the wall when the plate of pima and fish was set in front of him and the fish was staring back at him (photo borrowed from Elder Hawkins blog)

Elder Hawkins give a little more detail on this meal in his post last week.  You can read about it here:  http://eldertrevorhawkins.blogspot.com/2013/07/unforeseen-circumstances-and-looking-on.html

If we keep our testimony in our heart and in our mouth, nothing canstand in the way of our happiness . . .

Where I've been spending a lot of my time

Bonjour mes amis!  What a wonderful week it has been!  I don't have too much time to write, so I'll try my best to get down what's important.  This week, I've had some very hard trials.  However, I have been the happiest I have ever felt.  While some of those around me may not have the same spirit of the work as I do, I've come up with a sort of motto that has kept me happy and smiling most of the time.  If we keep our testimony in our heart and in our mouth, nothing can stand in the way of our happiness.

One story that illustrates this occurred on Thursday.  We were teaching a lesson to a man who really likes to bash and refute everything we say.  Finally, I bore him the most powerful testimony of the truthfulness of our message and purpose, and he laughed at me.  I was not angry or upset, but still happy.  While I was taken aback by his response, I was still very happy inside in my heart because I know that I have the truth.  After we left, we were walking down the street, and almost everyone said hello to us.  I realized then how happy I am to be here surrounded by such a happy people.

Like I said, I don't have terribly much time to write today, but I love and miss you all so much!

Also, my story and journey are being recorded in a blog at elderprestonrileyjenkins.blogspot.com, if anyone of you are interested.  You may also write me at preston.jenkins@myldsmail.net.  Until next week!

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

Borrowed from Elder Hawkins blog - the entire zone - Elder Jenkins is in the middle very back

Happiness comes from focusing on what really matters

Elders Jenkins, Owusu-Fenyi, Kalala, Seidl, Gnahore, Mukenga outside their apartment on 6.14.13                          (before the move)

Wow!  What a week it's been!  So far, I'm loving it out here!  I'm getting used to being hungry all the time, and this french keyboard is a little challenging, and I'm getting used to sweating a lot, but other than that it's amazing!  I have quite a bit of trouble communicating with the people here, but mainly because I don't understand them.  As my companion, Elder Gnahore, says to people, I speak French well, but I just struggle understanding Africans.

I am currently serving in Lomé, Togo in the Nukafu and Wuiti Quartiers.  They are just north of the downtown area, so lots of dirt roads and not the best housing situations for most.  It's really amazing how the people here have so little yet are so happy.

So Elder Lynch, who was one of the three coming out to Africa at the same time, missed his flight in Washington, DC.  Elder Haggard and I became worried when he didn't meet up with us in Brussels.  In addition to that, because he wasn't there to pick up his baggage in Cotonou, they put it back on the plane, which was off to Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire the same night.  I'm sure he's suffering from that right now, but the Lord takes care of His missionaries, so I'm sure he'll be ok.

Elder Haggard and I arrived Thursday night at about 9 o'clock in the evening.  President and Sister Weed were there to pick us up and took us to the mission home for a quick dinner and to bed.  The mission home was very, very nice, especially for out here.  The road to get there was the bumpiest road I've ever been on.  The next morning I had an interview with President Weed, filled out some papers, and we were on our way to Togo.  Lomé is only 90 kilometers from Cotonou, but it took us 3 hours to get there because of the road conditions.  What an amazing ride in my life.  The country is absolutely beautiful, but you have to be careful where you walk.  The missionaries drove us to the border for us to go across and then exchanged with Elder and Sister Leavitt, who are pretty much the ma and pa of the Togo missionaries.  Once we got to Lomé, they took us to Festival de la glace, where I got a hamburger. Nothing like a hamburger at home, but it worked.  As we were ordering ice cream, Elders Gunderson and Lemaire came in to get some ice cream after a run.  They are one of the only companionships in the whole mission that has two white missionaries.

After lunch we dropped off Elder Haggard at his apartment, which was quite literally a block from, the beach.  Then 20 minutes north we finally got to my apartment.  Elder and Sister Leavitt dropped me off there and told me not to unpack because we would be moving on Monday (today).  Apparently, the landlord is a drunk and beats his family.  Unfortunately, we had to listen to it Saturday night, and it wasn't pleasant.  It took everything I had in me not to go downstairs and do something.  I'm very glad we moved for several reasons.  1) the new place is much nicer, 2) the old place was right next to a mosque, so we were woken up every morning at 4 for the prayer call, 3) we now live in Elder Gnahore and mine area, so we no longer have to walk half a kilometer to get to our area, and 5) there was a sort of evangelist church last night that was performing rituals until quite late.  One thing about Africans is that they loved God very much, so when they worship, they go ALL OUT.

One of the things I've found here is that almost everyone is very religious.  There's really 3 religions that I've run into: Islam, Catholicism, and other Christians.  The Muslims have no interest in talking to us, and a lot of the Christians just talk to us because they just want to Bible bash.  However, there have been many that are genuinely interested in what we have to say.  However, our main problem is showing people the God does actually have a body of flesh and bone, but some won't accept that fact, even on a basis of Genesis 1:26-27 and Acts 7:55-56.  We have quite a few teaching appointments set up this week so I'm very excited to see how it goes.  

It's been a change living with 4 Africans and only one other American.  The Africans are Elder Kalala and Mukenga (both Congolais), Elder Owusu (Ghanien), and Elder Gnahore (Ivorien).  The other Americain is Elder Seidl, from Idaho.  We all get along well, but the Africans are definitely a lot more light hearted than most missionaries.  However, most of them do know how to work when the time comes.  I'm very glad to have Elder Gnahore (pronouced ynaw-or-ay) as my trainer because he's very good with working hard out in the field.  I'm excited for when I can understand the Africans more so that I can participate more in the discussion.

One thing that I've found is that while there are so many things that are different out here, there are so many that are so similar as well.  I don't really know how to describe it.  That doesn't mean that there isn't anything weird.  Probably the weirdest is that in the three days I've been here, I've been proposed marriage three times.  One to a 6-year-old.  I learn to just politely decline.  They also consider 3:00 to be evening here, because the sun goes down at 6:30.  Another thing that is vastly different is the people.  While there are a few that may not have the best intentions, the general population, especially outside of the downtown area where I am, are all very nice and very friendly.  They almost never look like it, but if you say hello they smile and are very friendly back.

I absolutely LOVE the kids.  Even more than I thought I would.  I've noticed there's a specific pattern of events with kids.  If it's one alone, they generally don't look at you, unless they're brave.  If there's 2 or 3, they smile sheepishly while biting the tips of their fingers.  This is where it gets fun.  If there's 4 or more: 100 meters out: "YOVO! YOVO! YOVO!" which is their word for gringo, then 80 meters out starts the song "Yovo! Yovo! Yovo là bas! Il vient ici! Bonjour! ça va? Bien! Merci!" which means "Yovo! Yovo! Yovo over there! He is coming here! Hello! How are you! Good! Thank you!"  Finally 10 meters away the song stops and they revert back to 2-3 children.  Until I wave and say hello, how are you.  Then, they all smile with the biggest smiles and run along with me, yelling their responses.  It warms the heart each time, no matter how many times it happens.

Well that's all I have time for today.  I love you all, and I know that If we can all follow the example of the people here, not worrying so much about worldly things but focusing on what really matters, then we would all be so much more happier.  Our worries would immensely dissipate, and happiness would not be hard to find.  That's what I've seen in myself.  These are the harshest conditions I've ever lived in by far, yet I am the happiest I've ever been in my life,and just like the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I want to share it with the whole world!

Je vous aime tous!

Elder Jenkins 

P.S.  Oh! I forgot to add that I tried pate yesterday.  Depending on the suace it can be good, but the sauce I had tasted like the zoo.  Yes, the ZOO.  Imagine the smell of the zoo and then put it in taste form.  Yeah, disgusting.  But I'll get used to it.  Yes pate was interesting, but it can be good with the right sauce.

Love to see his sense of humor still coming through

Guessing this is his bed - I recognize the tie on the bed post and the towel and luggage tag are his

Need to remind him to let us know what his pictures are - recognize his luggage and bag tags over there with his shoes.