"He might stretch us, but He won't ever tell us to do something we cannot do"....

Magandang Umaga!
This week was ayos!  I can't believe this is my last update from the states!  Time seriously flies here.  Sunday's temple walk was super nice, I took pictures with Elder Singleton from home since he is leaving this week! 

Tuesday night devotional was AMAZING...Valarie Causse spoke to us.  Her husband is the 1st Counselor in the presiding Bishopric...they are from France and moved here two or so years ago.  She talked about the fears and feelings of inadequacy she had coming to a new country and speaking a new language.  It was a really good talk! 

I spent some time talking to my Filipino friend down the hall, Sister D.  She is going to Korea.  I love her so much.  I love spending time talking to her sa tagalog...she helped me with my pronunciation with my testimony and she is so sweet. 

Thursday morning while our kasamas were auditioning for a special musical number (so, for like an hour), Sister May and I listened to people audition.  And for those of you that don't know, I LOVE classical music and a girl from our zone played some "Claire De Lune"...It was BEAUTIFUL! 

It started snowing which was so awesome because I seriously LOVE the snow.  It's so magical and peaceful!  So, I am glad I got to see it one last time before I leave for the Philippines!  My family sent my roommates and I a package and it was so sweet.  We enjoyed our "picnic"...so, THANKS guys, we all loved it! 

That night we had Skype TRC and we got to teach a wonderful Sister Blossom in Quezon City.  She is such a great member missionary and we found out she actually served a mission in the Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission.  We invited her to pick a Christ-like attribute to work on over the week, then email us and report back.  She chose patience...she shared with us that she learned from her mission to have patience with 1) herself; 2) her companion; and, 3) those around her.  She testified that even though it is hard with a new culture and language barrier TRUST in Him who sent us.  Her four year old son, Ron, recited the first "Article of Faith" to us, it was so adorable! 

Thursday was a GREAT day!  Friday our teacher, Sister Hayden, got engaged.  Us girls were super excited for her!  She brought us each a conference talk by Jeffrey R. Holland "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence"...it was so good!  I liked when he said, "If God has told you something is right, if something is indeed True for you, He will provide the way for you to accomplish it."  How true is that?  He might stretch us BUT He won't ever tell us to do something we cannot do.

Have a great week!  Next week's update from the Philippines...

Love to ALL,
Sister Jenkins

Our walk to the temple Sunday...Elder Singleton from HOME!

Sister D and the gang

Again...love them so much!

It's snowing and I got a package...yaaaay!

LOVE from home

We had a picnic!!!

Pranking our teachers ;)

Our guro Sister Hayden got engaged!!!

"Salvation is not a cheap experience. Why should it be easy for us when it was never easy for Him.....?"

This week was ayos!
Valentines was great!  The Elders in our district wrote us super funny Valentines, it was awesome!

Sunday Sister Smith and I got called as the new Sister Training Leaders.  It has been a truly humbling and amazing week getting to know the Sisters in our district.  Sunday we watched a talk by Elder Holland, "Missions are Forever."  I love when he says that these 18/24 months are the closest to "real life" that I will ever get.  How true is that?  I want these 18 months to change me for FOREVER and shape me into the type of person I want to be.  My favorite scripture quote is when he says, "Salvation is not a cheap experience.  Why should it be easy for us when it was never easy for Him..."  I love Jeffrey R. Holland!  He puts everything into perspective!

Monday our friend that gives us our awesome service assignments told us that he got engaged!  He showed us the video and it was way cute!  While we were putting up the flags we saw "Betty & Melvin" again!  Tuesday Sister Smith and I spent the afternoon with a sweet Sister that flew in from Kuribiti (by Fiji) it was great showing her around and getting to know her!  Wednesday we got to HOST the new missionaries coming into the MTC.  I got two Sisters, one was from Nampa, Idaho...her name is Sister Stucki.  Our zone got four new Sisters and two new Elders so we are at about 50 missionaries with only eight Elders!  hahaha  The girls are definitely dominating!!!  One of my friends from USU is here.  Sister Baird is now in our zone.  Thursday we skyped a member named Blossom.  She is in Quezon City, Philippines, and it was great teaching and getting to know her.  Friday was fun!  Sister Ethington and Elder Gates got package of doughnuts so we had a doughnut party in class!  We were "kind of" messing around after class and started making up new lyrics to "Party in the USA"...missionary style, so ENJOY!

I leave you with my favorite scripture...D&C18:10-18:  "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.  For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered that pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.  And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.  And how great is his joy in the souls that repenteth!  Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.  And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!  And, now if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!  Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation.  Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men." 

Love to all,
Sister Jenkins

Sister Delgado & me...before she leaves

Sister Synder & me....before she leaves

Sisters

DOUGHNUT party!!!

Our JAM!!!

Prepare yourself for the blessings God has in store for you....

Magandang Umaga!
This week has been mabuti!  Sunday we went on a walk to the temple!  The weather is nice here, I love it.  Sister Smith and I taught "Gospel Doctrines", our topic was enduring to the end, which I love.  And, it was so fun.  We met a couple that are going to be serving in the Philippines as well.  I thing that is so cool!  They were way nice and it was fun talking to them.  We finished off our wonderful Sunday with a movie about Thomas S. Monson...he is such a great example of serving selflessly.  One thing I've learned that I think is really important is to stop thinking about my happiness and start thing about someone elses.

We had a super good devotional and Kelly Mills, director of all 14 International MTCs, spoke and he said, "The best way to prepare yourself for the blessings God has in store for you is to forget about yourself and serve others."  How true is that?  I love devotionals...they seem to really put things into perspective.  Tuesday I decided to start a gratitude journal!  I would highly recommend it.  Some of the stuff is inspirational and some is just really funny, but either way it puts a smile on my face!

I also ran into Sister Madi Miller.  It was fun seeing a familiar face from Caldwell!

Wednesday, Sister Smith, Sister Parke and Sister May and I made a goal to stay really positive because usually Wednesdays are the hardest day of the week for us.  I don't know why!  But, it worked and we went to bed not feeling discouraged but excited the next day! 

Thursday was a DAY!  The flu has been going around our district.  And, Sister Smith had pink eye!  But after going to BYU and picking up her prescription, her eye is doing much better and it was still a good day!  And, we learned a lot!

Friday was fun!  We had our classes in the morning and I saw another familiar face from Caldwell in the cafeteria....Jordan Singleton!  It was so great to catch up.  He is going to do amazing things on his mission.

Personal and language studies were really good.  I think the hardest part is thinking, speaking and reading semi-backwards!  I know the words sa taglog but making them come out grammatically correct is challenging...We would say, "Prophets of God teach the people" to them "Magtuturo ang mga tao sa propeta ng diyos" "Teach the people prophets of God."  But I love tagalog and the people of Urdaneta.  I know if I work hard and have patience, it will come!  I can't believe I'm already on my 4th week!  Crazy how times flies here!

Mahal Kita,
Sister Jenkins

(Mom note:  Kylee found out her niece will be born while she's in the Philippines.  Auntie Kylee shared a cute, fun fact with us.  "Niece" sa tagalog is "pamangking" pronounced pumumpkin!!!  "Like munchkin and pumpkins mixed SOOOOO cute!" 

Beautiful flags!

After successfully finishing our Wednesday in good spirits!

Sees hearts from Sister Mays' mom

Me and My kasama in pink...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Temple walk.

It was great to see Sister Miller!!!

Thanks for the PJs.

We love to match!!!

We must move forward in faith...

Magandang Umaga!
This week has been amazing!  Sunday we had a devotional and the 1st missionary from Siberia spoke to us and talked about how he fled to Romania.  He had to leave his pamilya behind...his sacrifices were so great, yet here he was serving his God and sharing his story with us.  Later, we watched "Meet the Mormons" and he sat right next to me.  We talked a lot.  He is going to do amazing things on his mission and truly change lives.

Monday I was apart of this observation where I was the "investigator" and my teachers were the missionaries.  They were to teach me while the class observed and took notes.  I was a little nervous I wouldn't be able to get into it and the activity would be a waster of time for everyone.  So, I prayed that I would be able to learn and fulfill my role as an investigator.  An hour and 30 minutes later, I am staring right into the eyes of Brother Kovach as he asked me to be baptized and this overwhelming Spirit hit me.  All I could do was say "yes".  Then I started crying and so did the rest of the class!  My first cry at the MTC....haha.  Seriously though, I truly felt the conversion process which I think for us as missionaries it is so important. 

Tuesday while putting up flags we came across two ducks and we decided to name them Melvin and Betty!  They were so cute. 

Wednesday is our longest day and usually the hardest too, but in a good way ;)  We got new missionaries on Wednesday so we aren't the "newbies" which is nice!  That night we did the same thing as Monday only this time I observed and Sisters May & Park were the investigators (I love them so much)!  Sure enough, the Spirit was so strong and there were crying.  It was interesting being the observer...you wanted to run up and hug them and talk to them through it.  Then it hit me that that's what Heavenly Father feels when we are struggling...he isn't far away, he is close and waiting for us to reach out to Him.  Just like Peter and Jesus when he was walking on water (Matthew 14:25-33...."And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.  And he said, Come.  And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord save me.  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst though doubt?  And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.  Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying; Of a truth thou art the Son of God".  We must forward in faith!

I'll close for the week with a funny tagalog story.  So, Sister May and Sister Park (my hilarious roomies) are sitting in class with us and all of a sudden Sister Park is like "Uhhhhhh, Sister May, I think we have a problem".  And, I was like, "what's up?".  And she shows Sister May something in the dictionary and they starting busting up in laughter.  So, basically, the word "puso" means heart and "pusa" means cat....so, with both of their "investigators" they have been sayings things like "pray with all of your cats"..."offer up your cat to God", etc.  We were dying with laughter.  Good thing that's why our "investigators" for the first few weeks are teachers!

I know we are all having life experiences wherever we are at right now...enjoy yours!  Have a great week and know that I am happy & loving my life experiences.

Love,
Sister Jenkins

ps-Sorry some of the photos are sideways!


Happy early VALENTINE's DAY!

Roomies for life!!!

Our Filippino friends

My District

Melvin & Betty...so cute!

Changed our lives...massive rice krispie ;)

It's a girl!!!  Proud Aunt Kylee...



Sister Delgado

Goofing around on P-day with Sister May

We take our rice krispies very seriously

PEACE out until next week