Sister Jenkins called to serve

Hey Ya'll!!

So this week seemed to go by really fast. There was a lot that was done and I learned so much. Monday last week was absolutly crazy. Our district planned on going to Vicksburg Historical National Park. It was so much fun! I love history and I was thinking at how much mom would have loved the place. Since we didn't have all the time in the world we basically took as many pictures as we could haha. But the place is unique and there is so much history here in Mississippi. Anyways while we are in the park it starts to down pour! I was drenched from head to toe within a min. We all ran inside the musuem that we were next to and I went and dried myself off in the bathroom. When I came out--it was hailing. The hail was about the size of half of a small ice cube. To me that was huge hail--we don't get hail like that in Utah. Well after the ten min down our and rain storm, we finished up the park and went back to Clinton. We had a dinner appt with the K... family at five and we got ready as fast as we could. Right when we get there they open up their Freezer and asked us if we saw the hail. We were all like of course it was big!! But we weren't in Clinton we were in Vicksburg. Then they pulled out baseball size hail!! Then that's when everything clicked. They showed us all the dents in their cars etc. The hail was huge--I was thankful that we weren't in Clinton when it happened because I know that it would have cracked our windsheild. The rest of the day everywhere we drove there was cars driving around with cracked windows-and these weren't just baby dents or holes in the windshield either. Basically all of Clinton needs new windshields and roof repairs. Walmart closed down for a long time because they had to fix the roof. It was crazy people got hurt and had to go to the hospital etc. I know the lord blessed us monday and kept us safe. Knowing me I probably would've gone out in the rain...stuck out my tongue only to have a baseball size piece of hail knock me out. It was suppose to hail like that yesterday but thankfully it didn't:)

Well on Friday I was able to attend my first Zone Conference. I loved it, I wrote down as much as I could and I was spiritually uplifted the entire weekend. Pres. McDonough is amazing--I listen and grasp to all of his words. He talked about Spiritual Resiliancy or as he likes to call it Spiritual Grit. Meaning even though we have had a rough day we should forget about it and press forward with faith. As a Zone we brought up people that had this Spiritual Grit in the Book of Mormon. My favorite example was Alma chapter 8. Alma was rejected over and over--yet he still was faithful and pressed forward. I also love the example of our dear prophet Joseph Smith in Chapter 122 of D&C. He had the spiritual grit to press forward with the work after being in Liberty Jail . There are soo many examples of prophets and people in both the Bible and Book of Mormon who had the spiritual grit to carry on. I thought to myself that if they can do it--I can surley have the spiritual grit to carry on in my mission after a rough day as can we all with our life missions. People may not accept the word--but Heavenly Father has a plan and someday they will accept this gospel. As bad as I want these people to be apart of the restored gospel now, I know that it's all in God's timing and not mine. I am so serve and invite others, its all I can do. I love it out here, I realize more and more each day that I am supposed to be here.

We had a Sisters conference as well--and Sister McDonough made me cry! She said that she prays we never loose our flame and our passion about this gospel. It was great to be able to meet with all the Sisters--we all are only doing the best we can, and we want to serve our Heavenly father with all of our hearts because he has given us so much.

Elder Milligan was able to give a talk yesterday in church--He started to make me cry!! Gosh I dunno what it is in my eyes this week...but all I do is cry! Not because I'm sad but because I have been so touched by different people this week. Anyways he started bearing his testimoney on how all we can do is serve. I looked at him as he was speaking on service and being so sweet and sincere about it I just thought of what a blessing it is to truly be a full time missionary. Elder Milligan is a great example to me, he's been in the mission awhile and watching a seasoned missionary bear his testimoney on the love of service touched me. It made me think how can I serve better? There is so much to learn and so much to do and I know I can always do better.

Yesterday Sister B. . . .. threw a March Madness Birthday bash. There are a ton of March Birthday's out here in Clinton! So three different families and the 4 of us Clinton Missionaries got together to celebrate. It was fun--I love it here and I am so thankful for everyone in Clinton. People touch my soul everyday and I know that there is power in my calling as a missionary. I love it--I love Mississippi and I can't thank Heavenly Father enough for all he has given me. Stay strong and Close to the Lord everyone. I love you all. The work is pressing forward--the Lord's hand is in everything!

Love Sister Jenkins