A short introduction to Akpakpa

Welcome to Akpakpa !!!  It is certainly a different view from Fidjrossè.  While Fidjrossè was on the outskirts of town and relatively calm (especially when we get out into the village-type areas), Akpakpa is definitely and in-town kinda place.  For over a year I’ve been in the quieter, richer parts of the outskirts of town, but now I’m smack-dab in the middle of it again.  It feels slightly weird to be back in-town, but it has it’s perks.  We’ve got several restaurants in our area and a bakery right next to our apartment.

Well ; I appologize for the lack of time today.  It was quite the adventure to find a proper cyber today.  I promise that I’ll write more next week !!!

I love you all so much!

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

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!

Thanksgiving and the miraculous conversion of Joël

Wow.  Where to start. Well, Happy Thanksgiving!  It was a good last celebration here in Africa.  Elder Silvas made some barbecue meatballs and I made the mashed potatoes, green beans, and garlic bread.  I finished it off with some REAL vanilla ice cream!!!

Our apartment à table!

Thanksgiving dinner!

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving, I got thinking about what I'm truly thankful for.  First, I'm thankful for a Loving Heavenly Father and the knowledge that I have of Him.  The relationship that I have gained with Him during these past 18 months alone has made this time worth it.  He truly lives and truly does love us and watch over us.  I'm grateful for His Son, Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice.  No greater sacrifice has been, nor ever will be, known upon the face of this Earth.

I don't want to sound cliché, but I'm am so grateful for the past 18 months that I have spent serving the Lord.  I am no longer the same person that I was when I started nor that I was 6 months ago.  At times, I felt that I have been put through the refiner's fire.  It's hard, but the outcome is always beautiful when we let the Master work His mighty hands on us.  I am thankful for all of the people that I have met that have touched my life for the better.  I know that I will keep in touch with some of these people for life.  I am so thankful for the Lord's preparation of His children to receive this restored gospel.

On that note, I want to explain a little miracle that Elder Nkanza and I have experienced these past 2 weeks.  

Just over two weeks ago, Elder Nkanza and I had a lesson with a recent convert, Eric.  We had decided to watch the Restoration video together and ask if there was anyone he knew that would be touched by watching that video.  He said that he knew that there was and that he would search and pray.  We ended the lesson with a prayer.  As we were walking out, a friend was just arriving from Togo to visit him.  He said, "This is who I was thinking of during the video."  We invited him, Joël, to come to Church the next day, and he excitedly accepted.

We had our first appointment Monday evening (they live right next to our cyber café), and, long story short, we fixed his baptismal date right then and there.  The past two weeks have been absolutely incredible as we've met with him every day.  He understood just about everything right as we said it, and his questions were so inspired.  Needless-to-say, he was prepared by the Lord.

Even more impressive than his short but strong conversion during the time we were teaching him is the way that he had been prepared by the Lord leading up to meeting us.  He comes from a very voodoo family but decided a little while ago that Jesus Christ was really the path that he should follow.  He said that he's been searching for a while to be baptized, but every time that he went to a church, he just didn't feel satisfied.  It was just like something was missing.  He said that at a certain point his work started to take a big downfall, and there were days where he earned absolutely nothing at work.  He began to question if God really exists.  As he was pondering constantly the question, he had a very special experience that testified to him that God truly does exist and is watching over him.  He began searching for the truth.  A few weeks later, he found us.

He said that ever since the first day at Church, he has believed that this is the truth because he felt comfortable, whereas he was uneasy in other churches.  As we began to talk together, he gained a testimony of the truth after reading, pondering, and praying about the Book of Mormon.  Through the power of the Holy Ghost, he received an answer that it IS true.

There are few things that can compare with introducing the Gospel to someone, becoming close with them, and seeing the gospel take root in their lives and begin to produce fruit so quickly.  Joël experienced a great change of heart and received the strength and aide necessary through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Book of Mormon, and a long but concise preparation process produced by a loving Heavenly Father.

Baptismal Service on Saturday, 11/29/14.  Joël is the one on the far left, next to Elder Nkanza.  Eric is right next to me.

That's about how our week's been.  I love you all so much.  Have a great week!

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

One of the two pigs we killed today for Elder Silvas' birthday.  With Elder Rich.

Sorry it's a bit blurry (this camera does that a lot, especially when I take videos--I guess he just doesn't have that long of an attention-span to focus on one thing that long).  But I'm in the middle with my super dull knife.

One of my all-time favorite little African kids.  I don't know her real name, but we all call her Ma because that's thing only thing she said for a while.

Having undergone an intensive HUMAN anatomy class, I was the designated dissector today.

On the grill.

Do I have any personal traditions or sins that lead me away from God?

This past week has been extremely busy, but very edifying.  We started with Zone Training Meeting on Tuesday where I gave a lesson on planning.  Then, Wednesday, I did a split with Elder Miller, who had gotten here about three weeks before.  Friday we had zone conference, which was fantastic!  Saturday and Sunday we had District Conference, where I had to play piano for EVERY session and the district choir (kinda stressful - especially playing with a speaker system on an electric piano on Sunday; there was no return speaker, so I had no idea what I was actually playing).  So yeah, busy week.

I decided this week for my blog post to share the messages from District conference.  It was a continent-wide conference, which was pretty special already.  The speakers were Elder Robert C. Gay, of the Seventy; Sister Jean A. Stevens; Elder David A. Bednar, of the Quorum of the Twelve; and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency.  Yeah, powerful speakers.  I will share with you some of my notes from this conference and my thoughts.

First, we must respect the commandments of God before the traditions of men.  We must always remember the order of the first and second great commandments.  So many times we can easily get caught in the ways of the world and in material things, which causes us to lose focus on the commandments of God.

Second, sacrifice is a necessary part of enduring to the end.  If we are not willing to sacrifice ourselves, we are not worthy before the eyes of God.  With an eternal view on life, the sacrifices that we offer up unto God are not really sacrifices.  In fact, distancing ourselves from God and His commandments is sacrificing our Eternal Life, contrary to the Will of God.  There is always a sacrifice that we must pay, but we must decide, if we hope to gain Eternal Life, to be agents to act for ourselves and pay that sacrifice now.  If not, we will have to submit ourselves, being acted upon, to an eternal sacrifice of suffering.

Third, more specifically than the traditions of men, we must avoid the traditions of our fathers that distance us from God. Africa is a continent of traditions.  Everywhere we go, we find traditions and customs.  Three of the four talks addressed this, two specifically towards the dowry, or the fact that the parents of a bride require certain "gifts" from the groom before they allow him to marry her.  This practice has led to marriage becoming a commerce, a way of income.  Parents almost lierally sell off their daughter, thus detracting from the sacredness of marriage.  The counsel that Africa as a continent received was to STOP participating in these traditions.

At first, I was a bit uncomfortable.  This would certainly cause some waves across the continent, but then I was reminded of several recent General Conference talks, most specifically, Elder Holland from April 2014, when he explained that people ask for gods that not only don't rock the boat, but don't even row it.  I was strengthed by this, and it became much easier to accept the boldness with which they spoke.

Elder Uchtdorf gave a powerful example.  Many years ago, in an African village, the Church installed a water pump.  In due time, this pump broke down, and the village returned to drinking and using the same dirty, infected water that they always had.  Some time later, repairmen returned with a new pump and some repair supplies, which would enable them to continually have this pure, clean water.  When met by a few villagers, these repairmen were astonished at the unwillingness of the people to have this new filter.  Their reasoning: "Our father drank this water, and his father, and his father, and his father, etc. So why should we not continue to drink it; it worked for them, and it works for us!"  With a bit of coaxing, the village accepted the new pump and training given to a few select men to be able to repair it themselves.  They were then blessed with pure, clean water.

This pure, clean water is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The dirty, infected water are the traditions of our fathers that are not in compliance with the commandments of God.  They invited the entire continent to STOP following the traditions of their fathers that lead them away from God, notably the need to pay the dowry.

This led me to think of how many traditions we have received in our modern, western culture that lead us away from God.  One of the first that came to my head (and I'm not sure why) was football on Sundays, and yes, that means the Super Bowl as well.  What is more important eternally, watch football or follow God's commandments with exactness.  Elder Gay also spoke very strongly about how we should not justify our sins or search for technicalities, saying, "oh, God will understand."  NO!  He has given us comandments for a reason!  It is up to us now to jump out of the current of tradition leading us away from God and follow in our Savior's footsteps.

Another thing that came to my mind was a question.  "Do I have any personal traditions or sins that lead me away from God?"  If so (and we all do), NOW is the time to STOP!

I was able to study the subject a bit, and here are a few scriptures that I like from my study: Helaman 5:50-51, Jacob 5:37, Alma 3:8, Matthew 15:3,13, D&C 93:39.

I know that these leaders that addressed us are inspired men that have paved the way now for us forward in Africa.  I testify that these counsels apply to all of us as well.  If you are reading this, I testify that you can find certain traditions in your life that are leading you awy from God and STOP them immediately.  It starts with a decision, which is followed by a goal and a plan.  I testify that the scriptures are true and contain many important truths and experiences that will strengthen us in our quest to be made perfect in Christ.

In invite all of us to search out the traditions of our fathers and our personal traditions that lead us away from God and to STOP them NOW.  I also invite us to search out the traditions that truly lead us TO God and to continue to implement them in our lives.  I promise that as we do, we will all fell of God's approval and acceptance through the power and influence of the Holy Ghost.

I love you all.  Have a great week.

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

I know you're there Heavenly Father. I know what I need to do; I need to be patient.

Hello again!  I swear, time has changed.  Weeks are now only 3 days long.  Or at least that what it feels like.  I woke up this morning and said myself "holy cow!  We're already to the 17th of November!!!!  The month's already over!"  Seriously.  I haven't even seen the past three months go by.

This past week we received the Doctrine and Covenants seminary DVD from the branch. I'm not exactly sure why, but we did.  So we had a bit of free time and decided to watch it.  I remember most of the videos from when I was a kid, and there was one particularly that stuck out to me this past week: the video about Zion's Camp.

Zion's camp was organized in response to early members of the Church in Missouri who were receiving much persecution.  The Lord instructed Joseph Smith to organize this camp to go to the aid of these saints in Missouri. The camp was organized and joyfully began their march from Kirtland, Ohio to Missouri.

Through the trials of heat, exhaustion, low food rations, and no drinkable water, many testimonies were tested.  With some occasional complaints, they pressed forward, accompanied by many miracles.  The Lord Himself stretched forth His hand to protect His camp.  When confronted by enemies much stronger and more numerous than them, the Lord sent a strong storm their way to prevent the opposition from crossing the river.  The camp rejoiced and worshipped their God that night.  Through the trials of disease, such as Cholera, even death, the camp pressed forward with the firm conviction that "the God of Israel direct[ed] this camp."

Before reaching their destination, Joseph Smith received the revelation that they must return back to Ohio.  Many complained that they had come to fight, not to flee, but the prophet testified with mighty power that God was leading them and watching over the distressed saints.

At the end of this brief video, the narrator explains that many thought that this camp was a simple failure.  They had gone to fight and came back without firing a single shot against an enemy.  14 lives had been lost to disease.  Much sacrifice had been offered for seemingly nothing.  But there was something much more important than war.  These men learned to sacrifice and be patient in the Lord's Will.  They learned to work hard and not

complain, even if they do not seem the immediate benefits or even the outcome.  Many lessons were learned, and boys truly became men in God.

At the end of the video, the narrator explained that 9 of the 12 apostles called at the beginning of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were members of Zion's Camp, and learned many important lessons of sacrifice and patience that would carry them through their years as apostles.

After watching this, I was pondering on this camp, and I was wishing within myself that I could have been there.  I wish I could have see the display of mighty faith and miracles.  I wish I could have gone through the transformation that all of these men underwent through the process of this camp.

As I sat pondering, the thought came to me that I am actually a part of this camp at the present time.  This mission that I am accomplishing is a modern-day Zion's Camp.  The trials and suffering that I am currently enduring are molding me into the person that the

Lord wants me to be.  I have the same trials of my faith everyday.

At one point of the video, Joseph Smith looks up at the sun, as if asking why it was so hot. Would a cloud come to shade it a bit?  Maybe a bit of wind to make it cooler?  There was much that was summed up in that simple look at the sun, and I do that almost daily.  I

understand a bit of what they suffered in that aspect.

This has been a great lesson for me as I have learned to endure cheerfully the trials that are placed along my path.  We need these trials.  They will mold us into the person that our God needs us to be for His work.  Just as the men of Zion's Camp, we can undertake these trials with patience and trust in God.  If we do, the God of Israel truly will be "on [our] right hand and on [our] left."  He will accompany us and stretch forth His Almighty Hand to protect us and help us to stand.

I testify of God's love for us.  He truly does love us perfectly.  No matter what we've done or how far we've strayed, His Hand awaits, outstretched, to take our own weak hands and lift us up.  He has never and will never forsake us.  We are His children.

I invite all of us to undertake our challenges and trials patiently and cheerfully.  May we all, when those trials come, look heavenward and say, "I know you're there Heavenly Father.  I know what I need to do; I need to be patient."  I promise that the Spirit of God will enter into our lives and guide us and help us to be even more patient and long suffering.  We will truly become sons and daughters of God: one with Him.

I love you all so much.  Have an awesome and patient week!

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

The Armor of God

Hello, hello!  Well, another week gone!  The weather is getting HOT and HUMID!  Much like Florida during the summer, but different. There's no air conditioning, we're not riding in a car where we can roll down the windows, and there's no drainage system.  So, if it rains, it all just sits there and humidifies the entire atmosphere.  So yeah, it's kinda hard sometimes.  Makes laundry a pain on Monday because of all the shirts I go through during the week, but whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

I've had some really good experiences this week.  For example, a HUGE storm came through Tuesday night and throughout Wednesday.  The rain calmed down enough Wednesday morning so that we could go out, but it was a poncho and flip-flop kind of day. We had to cross several puddles (some of which had just become a lake hahaha--no drainage), which made it a kinda fun day.  Elder Nkanza and I certainly did not miss out on all of the perfect rock skipping opportunities.

As we were going home in the evening, we noticed a car that was stuck in the middle of the lake.  Thankful for having worn flip-flops that day, we rolled up our pants and went out to push him.  It was pretty easy to get him out, but his car just didn't have any power after being drowned.  Once he got out ok, his car was fine.  He got out and thanked us graciously.  He then asked what we do and so we presented ourselves and our message. He was very interested, so we took his number to give to the other Elders (he's not in our area).  Just another miracle worked by service!

I called Elder Silvas to take some pics of us in our rain/ puddle

gear from our balcony as we were getting back to the apartment for

lunch. 11/05/14

"Are you sure this water's sanitary?  It looks questionable to me."  11/05/14

On our balcony 11/05/14

Another impressive experience that we had this week had to do with the Priesthood power.  I will not go into details, but I can testify that the Priesthood power is real and that God is infinitely more powerful than Satan.  I can testify that miracles are worked by faith and that it is by small and simple things that great things are brought to pass.

I'd also just like to share something that I loved from my studies this past week.  In studying D&C 27, I had another great opportunity to study "the armor of God."  With the background that I have now, I took this study to really apply it to myself and what each article represents for me.  Here's a little bit of what I found:

"Loins girt about with truth" - raising our posterity in the truth, or at least building the foundation necessary to be able to raise my children in the truth.

"The breastplate of righteousness" - protecting our vital organs (the precious testimony given to us by the Holy Spirit) with a foundation of consistent righteous living and repentance.

"Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace" - two scriptures that came to mind are D&C 11:21 and D&C 31:11.  When we prepare ourselves with gospel study, we are promised that our feet will be guided and that our mouths will be filled with words.

"The shield of faith" - faith is and always will be the ultimate antidote to fear and doubt, two of the most commonly used tools of the devil.

"The helmet of Salvation" - keeping our eye single to the glory of God and our mind centered on Eternal Life--D&C 25:10.

"The sword of the Spirit" - the only offensive tool among the whole armor of God, a sincere testimony borne and received by the power of the Holy Spirit will strike down and render speechless the most vile of aggressors.

Voilà!  I've gotta go so I can finally send some pictures, but I invite all of us to build more firmly and more specifically our armor in God so that we might go to battle against Satan and stand triumphant over him.

Have a great week!

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins

The baptism Saturday.  Not our candidates, but I was able to do the

interviews for all three of them, and they are three prepared

people!!! 11/08/14

We have a LIVING PROPHET on this earth today

Wow!  What a week it has been.  Possibly one of the most busy weeks of my mission.  In the past 8 days we have been to the mission office 5 times.  Seriously.  Pretty much an office elder now, but not even close.  We went twice for immigration, once to get blood analyses, once for a trainers' meeting, and then today we made raspberry cobbler!!!  So yeah, very busy.

The best and most important experience from General Conference.  I absolutely love this six-month rejuvenation sent from a loving Heavenly Father to inspire and strengthen His children.  These inspired messages have been such a great support for me in my life, but especially during the hardest times of my mission.  Again, I was able to find direction and comfort through the messages we were able to watch from the Saturday Afternoon session and the Sunday Morning session. Personally, I found the most guidance and comfort from Elder Klebingat's message called "Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence."  I had the opportunity to study this talk again this morning in more depth, and I truly felt the Lord speaking to me as Elder Hales said in the October 2013 conference.

I took out three major themes from this past conference.  First, the need to sustain and trust the living prophet that Heavenly Father has given to us to guide us through this life.  Second, the need for personal revelation in relation to our own personal spiritual strength in order to persevere unto Eternal Life.  Third, the need to stand strong as witnesses of God and disciples of Jesus Christ in keeping the sacred commandments firmly but constantly loving those around us.  I plan to study these topics thoroughly over the next six months and how I can heed the Lord's voice spoken through His General Conference.

I would just like to leave my testimony today of a living prophet.  This truth has been confirmed to me several times this week as I have been preparing to watch Conference and in wtching and pondering afterwards.  How blessed are we to have a LIVING PROPHET on this Earth today.  WE have the Lord's voice to lead and guide us.  With this humble but powerful voice, we can avoid "getting stuck" and keep moving forward with faith in a world that continually grows darker.

I testify that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's ture and LIVING Church on the earth today.  He Himself has placed it there through a living prophet, Joseph Smith.  Today, as a successor of Joseph Smith, the Lord has called Thomas S. Monson to be His chosen and authorized voice to the world.  No other church can proclaim that with the divine witness of the Holy Ghost to seal this testimony.  As I said previously, the Holy Ghost has testified to me several times this past week that Thomas S. Monson is indeed a prophet of God.  I leave my personal witness with you and invite you to heed the counsels given to us through General Conference: to follow in the footsteps of the Savior and to seek our own personal testimony through personal revelation.

I love you all.  Have a great week!

Avec amour,

Elder Jenkins