Welcome to the new district! The elders wrapped up gifts and hid them all over our apt before we got there.

Happy 4th--as crazy as it gets;)

Happy 4th!  LOVE the District!

Dinner at Taco Bell!

we're...a little weird 4th of july!

Elder Bradshaw and Me!

Williams and me:)

Hey y'all!!
Wow!! What a week!--I literally say that every single week.  But it really is always a wow week.  It sounds like the 4th of July week was great for y'all.  Well...here in the mission it was great too.  We are offically moved into our apartment.  We just got our beds this morning:)  It was great the Elders help and the Lefgrens really pitched in.  Anyways...opening an area is way different then just going into an area.  We (the sisters) have decided to car share with the Elders.  So we are going two weeks and then one week off.  So get the bikes ready because here we come.  Not going to lie this week I felt a little helpless as I didn't know exactly what to do.  But Sister Williams and I hung in there!  We met with the Bishop and wow we have a ton of work to do. 
Well we entered Hattisburg on Tuesday and we spent a lot of time tracting and just trying to figure out what exactly our area was.  When Thursday came we decided to make the most of our curefue.  So before 9:30 our district decided to play games up at the church.  While we were playing games Elder Palmer went into a seperate room to play the piano.  While he was playing he started hearing a Meow....meow in the rafters of the church.  So he comes rushing into the gym, "Guys there is a kitten in the attic of the church!"  Honestly we all thought he was a little crazy, but we all climbed up there to hear the sound of nothing.  When we all gave up and came back down five min later we all started hearing something meow.  Yep, Palmer was right there was a kitten up there!  How it got in the attic of the church we will never know.  Anyways, the kitten was clear on the other side and it was under the floor and there was no way one of us was going to climb to the other side to grab it.  That's way to dangerous.  So...being raised where I was, I had this secret talent of mine.  I knew I could get the cat to come our way but I felt so dumb doing it!  But there was no way I was going to let a baby kitten die in the attic of our church.  So...I let go of pride and started to do what I did as daddy's little farm girl--I started to Meow like a cat.  Seriously it still works the cat thought I was it's mother and a half hour and after a huge prayer, we were able to grab the cat and go.  Anyways yep haha there was the fourth of July for ya.  No fire works but a cat in the attic and a couple of games.  It was really fun.  I honestly loved it. 
Thursday we tracted and gave a couple of lessons.  The the peak of the week was going to church and finally meeting the ward!  It was great.  OH yeah on Friday we did Bishops store house.  That's a different experience--something that Clinton never had and it was great to be able to serve.  Anyways back to Sunday--It was great to meet the ward!  They are all so excited to have sisters back in the ward.  It's been a little over three years and the ward is so happy.  An hour before sunday school the Elders pulled us aside (Anderson and Kent) and told us that we were in charge of the lesson.  Um...okay yeah lets just whip out a lesson so we did--and the class was packed!!  I was honestly really nervous.  At the end of Sunday school I looked at the Elders and said, "wow...in my previous area that class was never that big."  Then they said, "Well, our class has never been that big either, normally we only have 3 people."  Yep, it was great the ward is super excited to have sisters and teaching the huge class was very intimidating but we did it.  The relief society is working to get our apartment furniture...we have nothing but it's okay!! Sister Williams and I had fun, but we truly appreciate all the work that's being put into our apt.  I honestly love the ward already and I know that the work here is going to excel as we work hard having faith, charity, and hope.  I find it crazy that the lord really does have such a perfect plan for each and everyone of us.  This mission has meant the world to me and I have learned things I could have never learned any other way.  I am started to see things in a different light and I am nobody else but myself.  If anything this mission has helped me to learn to love the way I am.  I don't have to be anybody else but myself--as long as I work hard having an eye single to the glory of god, I know that things at home will be different.  I am not the first to say it but even the missionaries out here see it when they see previous pictures of who I was.  They look at me and say, "yeah I looked at those pictures and that's not even who you are anymore.  You still got the personality but its not you....you are yourself."  One of the Elders said, "Sister Jenkins I've never seen you so happy."  Well, that's because I have never ever in my life been so happy.  Granted....my hair is no longer the blond haha but I have never been happier with who I am and I love it.  The lord is molding me into the person I need to be--I am merely clay in his hands.  I couldn't feel more blessed.  I must say I love my district!!  The elders in it are so funny!  Sister Williams and I already claim them as our brothers and we are a family.  This new mission age change is doing wonderful things.  I've been studying a lot about faith.  In Ether chapt 12 it talks about how Miracles don't produce faith, our faith produces miracles.  I encourage all to read it.  Anyways--I am lost in the work! I love it--y'all be good now this week! Until next week,
--Love always Sister Jenkins