Sooo this week was pretty great. I don't know how to write this email other then to write it day by day. Well, lets start with Monday.

Monday was good--it was pday of course but we spent most of the day having a nerf gun war with our neighbors who are members (yes members actually live by us). After that we went over to Krystals home and had some fried fish, fries, and hushpuppies. I love hushpuppies for some reason, I think they are soo good! Anyways we had a lot of laughs and it was a really good night I love going over to that household. The children weren't there sooo that was kinda a bummer but it was nice because we were able to just really talk one on one with Krystal and her future husband.

Tuesday was well, New Years Eve. New Years Eve has always been kinda rough for me. I reflected on what I was doing during New Years Eve last year and a couple years before and not being home was honestly hard. New Years Eve has just been rough for our family. I even reflected on Grandpa a lot, and quite frankly I really missed him. But we did work--and worked. We had to come inside at sundown so it wasn't a full day of work but the people we were able to meet and talk with was a blessing. We got some pretty good po-boys from Glenn's. They were supposed to be these awesome sandwiches right? Well, no wrong my was soggy by the time we got home and all I wanted to do was drink the Mormon version of alcohol and that's the sparkling cider. I'm pretty sure I drank a full one by myself, we even have a spare in the fridge at the moment in case of an emergency.

That night I really couldn't go to sleep. I sat up all night just thinking. Granted our bedtime is 10:30 but I couldn't control myself not sleeping when my mind wouldn't let me. It was a neat experience though. There were fireworks and all sorts of celebration going on outside and there was us three inside trying to sleep. I couldn't take it anymore so I crept out of my bed to go into the living room. I was tired of sulking about New Years Eve and how I could've made it better in the past. But I decided it was time to stop the pity party and simply get on my knees until midnight happened. So...the first person I was able to wish a Happy New Year too was my sweet Heavenly Father who heard my pleadings that night. It all in all was a good night. Baker, Mygrant and me played games and then the mile log was all wrong. So, I took over (thinking I could figure it out) said a prayer and well and hour later I was amazed!! I figured it all out!--Math does pay off after all eh? Bleh....I mean I did it and it defiantly gave me the motivation to conquer it when I get home.

New Years Day happened and we saw a lot of people. We went to see the family we've been teaching and it was a great lesson they really listened to what we have to say even though at first I had a weird feeling. I got my answer to that weird feeling two days later sooo just keep reading and you'll find out. We went to visit this lady we tracted into a while back and she was playing some current music when we got to the door haha--she is this little old thing listening to this pop current music. Forgive me and judge me if you will but I don't really care. I was dancing outside that door before she got there to open it, yep glad to see some things never ever change. That night all 3 of us had this depressing ore all around us. But it was def brightened when after a priesthood blessing a knock at the door came. I went to open it and started just bawling when I saw that it was Mamma Barlow and Jenni!! It was like a little sunshine to the entire day. My heart was sooo full all I could do was cry. They came in and visited for a minuet I was soo grateful to see them it was a moment that helped me get through the rest of the week.

Thursday was my 1 year mark baby!!! wahoo! I honestly can't believe I've been on my mission an entire year. That literally just blows my mind. We went and visited Pam which is wear I finally got to burn a skirt:)....we kinda burned it in a plastic bucket, yep you guessed it the bucket melted. Haha but after that she asked us to come back in two hours. I knew we had to go tracting so we kinda told her we couldn't come back because we had a lot to do today. In the midst of tracting apparently I lost my nametag (that was fun), then Pam called saying Sister Baker left her camera home. So we went back after we tracted, Sister Baker gets out of the car and says, "We are actually hear for you so get out of the car." Then Pam opened the door with flowers!! Dear Mom and Dad you are the best I love those flowers soo much!--during this is when I realized that I lost my nametag. So we went back to "Duffy Street" and I walked the entire road looking for my nametag (oh what a missionary will do to have her nametag back). Well, I found it yay no worries there. Overall it was a really good way to celebrate my year mark and I realized that my heart just about stops when I don't have my nametag with me.

Friday we met a LOT of people. I'm not going to go into detail about every person. But I will tell you that our main investigators that I mentioned earlier were in the process of moving! Apparently it was a quick move and we walked in right in the middle of it. So there was my weird feeling answered I knew I wasn't crazy. I was happy that they let us in still but very very sad that they were moving and could no longer get baptized in Bogie town. Soo thank you other missionaries but they are going to be teaching this cute family in the city where they moved to.

Saturday we met once again a LOT of people we are really trying hard to find and teach and we taught a lot this day. Hopefully we have some progressing investigators because of it. We already have one with a baptismal date but we'll see how it goes.

Sunday Cindy came to church and she's getting baptized in February for sure. It's neat to see at how much the gospel has changed her life. Literally the lady I know now is completely different then the lady I first met when I got here. Christian received the priesthood and will be passing the sacrament next week!! I really wanted to cry when I witnessed him receiving that. This whole deal with these three boys has been an amazing experience. I know I am witnessing might miracles in this town. The other two were at home sick:( But they will be here next week and we even got a new Young Mens President!! This will be really good---the branch is changing and several members bore testimony of that yesterday. I mean you can feel the excitement of the gospel throughout the entire branch and it's a really good feeling. Yesterday we also tracted and taught an investigator we ran into on Saturday.

Overall what a good week yeah? Full of the lowest of lows and up-est of ups. But every day there really are miracles to be noticed. The Lords hand is mighty and he has been so good to us. May this next year bring us all happiness and I know we can find hope even in the darkest moments of discouragement and despair. Jesus Christ will never leave us alone. John 14:18, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." We've got this year y'all keep the faith and endure it well. Just as Joseph Smith made it through all of his trials the Lord will get us through ours. If the Lords eye is on the tiniest of creature, you know his eye is on you. I know he loves us all so much and his compassion for us is there every day. "When I'm on my knees, that's when I feel close to home. I can finally feel the peace that the world will never bring, nothing is taller then me, when I'm on my knees." Don't forget to pray. I love y'all so much!

Happy New Year!

Love Sister Jenkins