Merry soon to be Christmas everyone!

What a week that we had here in Bogalusa...or in missionary terms "Bogie Town". This week seemed to start off slow because we had Zone Conference on Monday, pday Tuesday, and Saturday another zone conference which was amazing!

Monday tracting was really quiet amazing---we as a companionship are trying really hard to be exactly obedient and we had a wonderful study in the morning. Right after that study we had planned to go tracting. Wow the words that we said that were not our words at all! They were purly the words of what the Lord wanted us to say. We knocked on three specific doors that all needed to hear our message. The final one let us in. She had really good questions and we were all able to answer those questions through our testimony and scriptures to back up our answers. There is so much power in the Book of Mormon--using scriptures from that to back up the entire lesson has been such a blessing. I finally feel like I'm getting to the point now where I know where scriptures are at without a doubt!! Because I know the Book of Mormon the Holy Ghost is able to pull from my bucket that is getting filled. I have SO much more to learn and I love it. Seriously that hour of personal study is my most favorite time of day. Not only but later that day we went to go see one of our investigators who has had an issue with drugs. The good news is that we walked in and she has been 2 weeks sober! The spirtitual light in her eyes really is growing and she seems so much happier. We will be able to set her up with a baptismal date very soon.

Thrusday was a really good we found out some things that really made our hearts swell. If you can remember one of our investigators we'll call her Emily for the sake of the story, but awhile back we got a promting to go out to this trailer park however it really wasn't in the plans, but both of our backups failed and we were all sitting in the car thinking of what to do. All of a sudden we felt we should go out to one of our members houses to say hi. Consequently she wasn't even home nor were her children. So we looked at the trailer park and decided to tract it. In the back of the trailer park there is a really humble and beautiful home with a bright red door. We decided to go and knock on it. When we knocked Emily (a widow) came and answered. She started talking, was very standoffish at first and didn't want to hear anything we said. She said, "I've heard all about what the Mormons have had to say, I have to many problems I am dealing with right now. I don't have time to talk. Then all of a sudden I couldn't help but put my hand on her door before she went to close it. "M'am...I promise you, whatever your going thorugh, if you will open your heart to us, we will say all the right words you need to hear from Heavenly Father right now." Well she did, she opened up her heart--she started crying and told us everything that's going on. At the end we left a prayer/blessing on her and her home. Then she told us we better come back. Gave us three mini cokes and some satsumas and we were off. Well this week we went to visit her (she lets us in every time now)--she got us little christmas bracelets and told us she's been reading the Book of Mormon. Then she said, "Look sisters, if y'all didn't come to my door that day I wouldn't be here today. That day I was struggling so much that I didn't want to be alive anymore. Y'all said all the right words and saved my life." We looked at her and told her its throught the grace of God that he sent us to her and the words we said we testify where his words. It was amazing!! Following the promptings of the Holy Ghost and being worthy to really recieve them by being obedient truly does work in this "Work of Salvation". I love love love being a missionary.

Next Friday happened and it was good. Just another work day in the field. We had all these plans haha but we again got promted to go and see Nanna. Well, it was pretty great cause we couldn't figure out why we showed up because Nanna wasn't even home. But we had already driven out by her house and well haha she wasn't home so we pulled over and said a prayer. We then got prompted to go to the Freemans house. Well we went and soon the entire family showed up!! It was great so we got to teach a lesson to them.

Saturday was yet another Zone Conference and I loved it!! Elder Zwick from the 70 came and talked to us for 8 hours. I learned so much on having a "Solid Foundation" I know that because I am learning and growing so much I refuse to let the world get to me when I go home. I truly have a testimony on obeidence and letting everything be the Lords will. It's still in process of learning but it continues to grow. We also talked about working very close with the members. President Hinckley even said, "There is a better way." Well, Elder Zwick testified to that. Even in the member leadership meeting he truly told both missionaries and members that we need to work hard together in bringing the Lords sheep to his fold!

Sunday was great--the boys came to church and had a solid lesson on Jesus Christ and all that he did for them. You could feel the spirit and really see their testimony growing. After that Kelleye fed us at her house and she had a fire place with a t.v. just like at my house! haha I was soo happy it felt like home. I love this time of year its amazing and people here all have the spirit of christmas. It's truly amazing. Never lest us take the Christ of CHRISTmas.

I love y'all so much.

Love Sister Jenkins