She is amazing...

Words from Kylee's mom....we received a letter from Sister Monahan (Kylee's Mission President's wife) today to keep us updated on some health challenges Kylee is working through.  The missionary doctor has been very thorough in their testing and we are delighted with the care Kylee is receiving.  Sister Monahan shared that "Sister Jenkins is a high achiever.  She is trying hard to learn a new language and adapt to a new culture and foods.  Many foreign missionaries arrive in the Philippines and don't do as well as she has done."  We trust Sister Jenkins is in great care and as her body adjusts to the new culture, new foods and life as a missionary she will be well.  Sister Monahan's parting words, "Above all, don't worry.  We are taking good care of her!"  What comfort those words bring to a Mom....

No weekly update from Sister Jenkins, but in her email home she shared the following: 
My week was GRAND!  Nani Wang made me a dress out of a sheet (see final product)...I love it.  Sister Fuimaono is leaving tomorrow which is sad paro ok lang.  We are having a big going away party for her tonight so I am pretty stoked for some good Filipino food!  Please thank Stephanie Collett and Uncle Tom for their letters.  Your package hasn't arrived yet, but I trust I will see it when I need it most!

Health

"I know I will be OK.  The medicine has helped a ton.  I don't feel so sleep deprived and exhausted which is good.  Sister Monahan and my wonderful companion have been helping me through it!  I love my companion so much.  She has been so loving with my health challenges, she is amazing!" 

 

Laundry

I asked Sister Jenkins how she does her laundry each week....
"I could pay to have someone do my laundry by hand, but that is just being lazy.  So I do it by hand myself!

 

Kitchen

I asked her if they have a kitchen in their apartment and how they fix meals....
"We have a camp stove and microwave but I am learning lots of ways to cook and getting creative.  The pickiness is so gone!!!  I love lumpia shanghi...it's these deep friend tempura styled taquitos looking things that have meat and veggies in it.  It's so yummy!

 

Bugs

"Lots of bugs...I can get over the cockroaches, lizards and geckos but NOT the spiders and ants. 

 

When do you feel closest to the Lord?

"I feel closest to Him when I am working hard and being diligent. 
When I truly feel like I have made a difference in someone else's life other than my own."

 

Tagalog

"Tagalog is coming. 
I am trying to work really hard at it and my companion is great. 
I am helping her with her "American boldness"...haha

Nani Wang and the beautiful dress she made for me from a sheet.  Love her!

Me at the Capital Building in our new zone, Lingayen.

Me and my kabahis roommates

Me and my kasama exchanges with Sister Lapura.

This is the closest to living I will ever be....

This week I have been amazed at the love our Heavenly Father has for all of his children and how mindful He is of their trials, their pains and afflictions.  His hand is in ALL things!

I had my first set of exchanges here in Manat and I absolutely LOVED it!  I was with Sister Combate from Hundred Islands my first day.  She is so kind and loving!  I learned A LOT from her!  It was good to realize that I really do KNOW our investigators and I don't need to rely on my Kasama to translate.  I understand just fine! :)  Sister Navarro has taught me well.  haha  I can find my way around our area which is something she has helped me a lot with ;) 

Friday, I was with Sister Tan!  I learned a ton from her as well!  We went to an investigator's house and he taught us how to make halo halo (it's like Hawaiian ice).  We helped him shave the ice, it was great.  He is great and is always asking good questions when we teach and I love it!  We LOVE answering questions!

Saturday was General Conference and it was amazing!  The spirit was felt so strongly.  We went into General Conference with questions that we had prayerfully pondered and asked and I can honestly  say all of my questions were answered between all four sessions.  It was amazing!  I am so grateful for the inspired talks and for a living prophet!

Couple additional thoughts Sister Jenkins shared with us...

• Food is amazing...I love Spanish bread, bangus fish and coco rice!  Food from home...ahhh...so good, I miss it!  I don't even like ham sauce, but the things I'd do for ham sauce are unreal right now ;) hahaha
• My companion is amazing!  She is the perfect example to me of selfless service.  I can feel not only my behavior changing, but my nature as well.
• Today, before we went to email on this p-day I received three letters and IT WAS SO SWEET!  Thank you and thank Aunt Jamie and Aunt Kim.  Sooooo sweet!
• The great thing about our missions, is that it's NEVER about us.  In my favorite scripture, Matthew 10:39 "He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it"....It is always about Him as it should be!  I guess that is why this is the closest to living I will ever be!
• My kabahi is tongan and we were sitting there writing letters and she was like "Sister Jenkins, I think my sister just had her baby!"  And, sure enough, five days later on p-day she found out her sister had her baby that day! 
• I am in the Lingayen Zone and I love it!

Soooo sweet!  Received three letters from home...thank you, thanks Aunt Jamie and thanks Aunt Kim!

Shaving ice for halo halo...like Hawaiian ice!

During exchanges...I am a giant. hahaha

A borrowed photo from Brother & Sister Roberts' blog...so beautiful!

This week has been crazy!

From Kylee's Mom...
No weekly update was received, but in a short email Sister Jenkins sent the following photos and shared just an "ever-so-slight" glimpse into her week...BTW Kylee hated any kind of seafood before she left for the Philippines!

This week has been crazy! 

I love it here and it has been a great week.

A little scary with the Typhoon Maysak, but all is well!

We have super delicious, amazing Filipino food!

I tried jumbo shrimp and I LOVE IT!  Ahhhh so good.

Also, if you can ever import Bangus...it's a fish from the Philippines and super good.

We have a lot of new investigators. 

We met a man on the side of the road and invited him to church....and, he came last Sunday.

 

"It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,

which the Father hath put in his own power.

But ye shall receive power,

after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:

and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem,

and in all Judaea,

and in Samaria,

and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Acts 1:7-8

 

 

 

From outside our apartment...it is so beautiful & peaceful!

Lobster boats

A massive oyster one of our members was eating!!!

 

 

I am so lucky I get to call the Philippines home!

They arrived safe & sound...
Urdaneta Missionary Group of March 11, 2015

 

Masantos ya Kabwasan!

This week was SO great!  I am starting to get used to a new culture and I love it here, I am so lucky I get to call the Philippines home!  This week I have been amazed at how diligent and willing the ward members are to give of their time and to go out and serve with us. 

Monday we watched "The Restoration" in tagalog with one of our recent converts and investigators at a members house for Family Home Evening.  The spirit was so strong!  One brother in our ward is the only member and headed out on his mission to Quezon City on Friday so his family had a going away party.  They were so kind and sweet.  It was good to get to know his family! 

So, Sister Navarro and I really wanted to teach a family because the gospel blesses everyone, but I have experienced the love, peace and joy it brings to families and how it unifies them.  So, we had been praying and we decided to contact a referral with one of our ward members one night.  It turns out its a huge family!!!  They were all so kind and willing to listen, the spirit was SO strong in their house.  I can't wait to go back! 

Sunday we had two investigators come to church (husband and wife).  They absolutely loved it and just kept saying "beautiful."  They want their whole family to experience church next Sunday and for us to teach them!

I love it here!  Read Jacob 5...it is so good!

Have a great week!
Love, Sister Jenkins

Some fun things Kylee shared about her new home...

• Schedule:  We wake up at 6:30 to exercise, then shower and have breakfast, followed by personal study time at 8:00, kasama study time at 9:00, language study at 10:00 then lunch at noon...we start at 1:00 pm and work until 9:00 pm at the latest.
• Funny Story:  A church member was talking to me and I was like "hindi maintindihan po ako" (I don't understand) and they were just staring at me.  Sister Navarro was laughing and is like "Sis Jenkins they are speaking English"....talk about embarrassing! 
• I loved this quote from Sister Jenkins...."ahhh, the spirit speaks all languages!"

Here are some photos from when Sister Jenkins' missionary group arrived in the Urdaneta Mission on March 11th.  They stayed for two days in the mission home before departing with their trainers to their new areas.  They enjoyed Kentucky Fried Chicken and Shakey's Pizza!  Sister Jenkins is assigned to the Manat B Area, Dagupan Zone, Urdaneta Mission. 

 

I continue to learn how important it is to be guided by the spirit at all times....

March 22nd update from Sister Jenkins'...only 1/2 her message arrived this week

This week has been SO amazing!  I have loved getting familiar with the area and getting to know such wonderful people!  Sister Navarro is SO great.  I am learning so much from her everyday.  It has become so evident to me this week how aware God truly is of ALL of His children and what they need.  We made a goal to work with the ward members on getting referrals and finding those that are ready to hear His message.  With hard work and the help of great ward members, we were able to exceed our referral goal and meet some new and wonderful people! 

I continue to learn how important it is to be guided by the spirit at all times.  We are to be instruments in His hands which means we have to follow the spirit even if it takes us places we least expected or if it doesn't follow exactly what is....

From Kylee's Mom...
I am grateful for technology and the ability to receive weekly updates. Sometimes we experience technology challenges and Kylee's photos don't download and/or her updates are cut off mid-stream, but that is OK. 

So, you fill in from where we lost Sister Jenkins' update...."or if it doesn't follow exactly what is...."

Our first baptism

Couple other fun things Sister Jenkins shared:

• We had our first baptism and she is soooooo sweet!  I love her so much!
• One ward member made us brownies and I almost cried they were soooo good!
• No letters yet, but please tell the "fam" and friends to send them as I am sure they will come when I need them most...
• Thank you for the "Project LOVE Kylee" letters...that meant so much to me!  I have only opened one and it was from Dorsey's...tell them "THANK YOU".  It came at a much needed time!

"Missionaries serve with an eye single to the Glory of God"....

BONUS WEEK and Special "Writing" Request....

From Kylee's Mom....
We received a sweet email from Sister Jenkins' Mission President today with a photo of her with President and Sister Monahan - President, Philippines Urdaneta Mission.  Also, Sister Smith's mom sent me a couple photos of our girls...so sweet that Heavenly Father brought them together at the Provo MTC to travel this journey together and become eternal friends. 

Words from President Monahan's message that I wanted to share with you....
"We were delighted with the arrival of your missionary, Sister Jenkins, here in the Urdaneta Mission on 11 Mar 2015.  She is excited about her mission and enthusiastic about entering the Lord’s service in this area.  She has had an orientation session and is now serving in her first assignment with a trainer...

We urge you to write your missionary regularly each week.  Include encouraging news of family events and achievements, spiritual experiences and other matters which will bring joy and deeper commitment.  Omit mention of family problems or other matters which can only bring worry or concern.

May I point out that Missionaries serve with an eye single to the Glory of God.  This means that their focus is entirely on the work of the ministry and they do this with great intensity.  Please do not mention how much time they have remaining to serve nor special things you may have planned to do with them when they return home as it will only distract their attention from their service to the Lord

This is a wonderful country and your missionary is in for one of the greatest experiences of her life.  With your support and encouragement she will mature and progress beyond your expectations.  She will develop a great love for the Filipino people.  The people here have great love and respect for the missionaries as they strive to teach a better way of life...."

It warms our hearts to hear from Sister Jenkins' mission president and to see Kylee with her beautiful smile.  Although she is on the other side of the world, she continues to touch our hearts with her sweet spirit, deep love the Lord and willingness to "teach a better way of life...." 

Special Writing Request:  We have learned through Kylee's missionary mom that she is allowed only one hour at the internet shop each Monday.  The Area Presidency over the Philippines mission presidents has reminded missionaries that "they should never use email to "chat" or email back and forth to family and friends."  They are allowed one email each week to their family.  "This has been a rule ever since missionaries were allowed to use email."  Going forward, please follow these email rules and be obedient so Sister Jenkins can receive all the blessings she stands in need of as she serves the Lord.  Instead of email, please take time to write Sister Jenkins a hand-written note.  We will still receive her one email update each week that we'll post on her blog.  As you know, there is nothing better than receiving a letter someone has taken time to hand-write.  I know they will be a treasure to our missionary.  Again, the USPS has a Global Forever stamp for $1.15 (for up to 1 oz...which is about 3 sheets of paper)...I'm not sure of the turnaround, but plan 2-3 weeks.  Thanks so much for your patience and understanding.  I know this will help Kylee serve the Filipino people with her whole heart.  Following is Kylee's mailing address:

Philippines Urdaneta Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Sister Kylee Olivia Jenkins

P. O. Box 7

Brgy:  San Vicente East

Urdaneta City, Pangasinan 2428

Philippines

 

 



President and Sister Monahan and our missionary!!!

 

Eternal Friends...Sisters Smith & Jenkins

Waiting for tranporation

Ready to go....

I feel so blessed to be here....

Message from Kylee's Mom...
Here are a collection of photos with some small messages that we have received from Sister Jenkins since she left the Provo MTC on March 6, 2015...

"Sometimes it is hard and I question why I am here,

but then I open my eyes and heart

to the miracles around me and

I feel so blessed to be here!"

 

I love you guys so much!

March 6th

After a long day & night of traveling from Salt Lake City

to Portland to Toyko to Manila....

Kumusta po kayo! 

I am alive...haha...

it's morning here in Manila. 

 It is so beautiful! 

A VIEW from my room at the Philippines MTC in Manila

 

March 11th

After spending five days in Manila at the Philippines MTC,

we traveled by bus to Urdaneta.

We spent two days at the mission home.

My trainer & companion is Sister Navarro. 

She is from Manila, speaks English and I love her!

We went to our area and went to work...

I am in an area called Manut, Dagupan, Philippines...look it up! 

 It is beautiful and right by the ocean.

We have two other sister missionaries in our apartment.

They are so cool...my companion is from Manila 

and the other two sisters are from

Samoa and New Zealand.

Our apartment is nice...

running water and a faucet shower.

The temperature here is HOT.

My Provo MTC companion, Sister Smith, is in Dagupan too, but more in the city.

 

 

After a five day layover in Manila,
meet the new Philippines Urdaneta missionaries
 for
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 
Kylee's companion, Sister Smith, is in the same mission and sitting next to her in the blue flowered shirt.

 

My beautiful companion, Sister Navarro!

 

Our apartment...blue Gatorade too.