Sister Jenkins called to serve: August 2013

Hey everyone!!
Okay so it was a crazy week.....it was a really good week but a lot of changes are happening in the mission!
1st off...well here's the news it's transfers again and Sister Williams is leaving to go open an area and she is leaving me here in Hattisburg to train yet again! Wahoo! I really do enjoy training...I'm nervous to see who the girl is going to be though. Granted she's in for a week because the Elders have the car this week and we are on bikes--haha "Hi I'm Sister Jenkins...your trainer. We are on bikes all week welcome to the MJM!" She might hate her life at first but I'm not sure....it's extremely extremely humid and hot this time of year so we will defiantly see what happens. I'm really going to miss Willy--but its all going to be okay:) We've had quiet the transfer a struggle of a transfer it seems but we are managing to pull a baptism from it!! I am so happy to say that this week Alicia is getting baptized. She is such an amazing person and she is a true example to me. She is going to be such a strong member in this church. I am so happy to watch the growth of this area in one transfer! Miracles are happening!
Something really cool happened Monday--after we were emailing Sister Williams and I got up and while we were walking away I made eye contact with this one girl. She honestly looked at me as if she was going to jump out of her seat and talk to us. You could just feel she wanted to say something but was to hesitant to do so. So immediately I pulled out a Book of Mormon. I wrote my testimony in it then Willy and I walked up to her--she was online looking up pictures of Jesus. She had no idea that we were still there. I gently tapped her shoulder and told her I couldn't help but feel as if she wanted to talk with us. She looked extremely relieved and said, "Yes M'am I did." I said, "We don't have a lot of time to talk to you right now but we would love to come over is that okay?" "Yes M'am I would love that." She couldn't help but smile it was amazing! She was so happy that we came back over. So we are planning on meeting her with this week with my new comp.
Another cool story is that Thurl Bailey came to speak at the Hattisburg church! Honestly I was extremely excited we got to hear him speak! Not only was this man a great basketball player but he is a really good singer! During his talk he sang for us three times. I loved the entire fireside. He literally related everything to basketball but, it all was brought back to how basketball relates to our lives. I think my favorite story he shared was about and his dad out playing on his dirt court at home. His dad drew a line in the dirt and said, "Alright son here's your chance to make a couple of freethrows. I want you to imagine that you are a pro basketball player and these shots will either make or break the game. Not to mention you are in the opposing teams court and the entire time you are trying to make these shots everyone is around you, yelling at you, taunting you, hoping that you will not make these shots. Do you have the strength and courage to fight against the odds and make these shots?" I loved that!! seriously....foul shots relate to us as missionaries and members of the church. We literally have Satan and the world begging us not to make any shots, but when we do make them they are hoping we fail. We have to stand against the world with all the courage we have in our hearts to fight for what is right. It was such an inspirational analogy and I loved it. After the fireside we were able to all get a picture taken with him and then that was that.
I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Another thing that has been my motto ever since middle school is, "You are only the person you think you are." If you view yourself as a leader then you will act as such. If you view yourself as a loving person then you will become a loving person! The way we view our own selves is so important. If we don't learn to love our selves and see us as God see's us, how are we ever expected to truly love another person or anyone for that manner? We must love what Heavenly Father has given us and be grateful. We have so much to be thankful for each day and I think that sometimes we forget all that we have. Learn to love yourself people. Not in a self consuming way...or a selfish way. But learn to love yourself enough to be confident enough to share the love that we feel Jesus and Heavenly Father has for us with everyone we come in contact.
Anyways--New transfer...new beginnings. Y'all be safe now ya hear? Be strong and press forward. I sure love you!
Love Sister Jenkins