Happy 4th Of July!

Dear Family and Friends,

Happy July tomorrow!

Happy birthday to Kristalyn Jenkins and Abby Angelos on the 6th!!  Kris, thank you for always being so kind to me! Abby, I miss you! Are you going on a mission? What are you up to? Hanna Thatcher!!..You leave for the MTC so soon! Ah! I am praying for you. Thank you for the great friend you have been to me over the years. I love you! Happy Birthday on the 14^th of June I believe?

I have officially been out a month as of last Saturday!! Hooray! Time does fly. I am losing my concept of time. I often don't know what day of the week it is....good thing for planners!

This week has been pretty crazy! We had zone training Tuesday with President and Sister Clements, exchanges on Thursday-Friday with the sister training leaders...I love them, and President and Sister Forbes came on Friday...we met them at Church Sunday! I love what Sister Clements said during training. She likened our lives unto rocks and rock tumblers. The process turns dirty, hard rocks into shiny, beautiful ones. In order to do this, you must put the dirty rocks in a tumbler with water and grit. The water symbolizes challenges and the water symbolizes the Spirit. We are the rocks. After 7 days, the rocks are taken out and washed, just as we are washed as we take the sacrament on Sunday. Then the rocks are put back in the tumbler with finer grit and water. The Lord is molding us, polishing us! We may not see the purpose of our trials but they help us if used with the Spirit. We continue to move on, work together during the week, and each week all the grit is removed and we are washed or sanctified. I am incredibly blessed to have the Sabbath. What an amazing gift. I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who gives me challenges so I can become clean and shiny.

I tried to explain this amazing lesson to the recent convert, Brother Longstreet, who takes us to lunch. He said he was a very literal learner and so when he pictured us tumbling together, he pictured a bunch of people bumping heads and rolling around...it doesn't work for everyone. We had a good laugh.

After the zone training, we had interviews with President Clements. It was a little hard to open up because I knew he would leave in a couple of days. I asked him a bit about studying. I feel a little disconnected from the Lord. I am working on finding a balance between studying for investigators and simply reading the Book of Mormon cover to cover. Everyone was super sad about President and Sister Clements leaving. I wish I had gotten to know them better. I can tell both he and Sister Clements have influenced my companion and her friends greatly. I hope I can form that sort of relationship with President and Sister Forbes. President and Sister Forbes were incredibly nice when we met them. Sister Forbes is spunky and dove right in while President Forbes, while just as sweet, is more soft spoken. He seemed a little shy of the sister missionaries...he has only sons. I am excited to have an interview with him this week at new missionary training.

Exchanges were a great learning experience. We saw many miracles and it increased my faith. Sister Chapman was very nice to me and taught me a lot about the power of asking questions. Listening communicates more than any other thing. We met a man this week who, I believe, has never felt loved in his life except once when he had what I think is some sort of vision about being surrounded by love. Just listening to him and asking questions, allowed him to open up and trust us. We are visiting him this week. I love that quote that says “people won’t care what you have to say until they know how much you care”. I believe that whole-heartedly.

We did a bit of biking this week! When our assigned miles run out for the month, we need to bike. The Elders using the car before us went on a driving spree so we needed to bike in order to even it out:) The other Elders in our district told us we could have a few of their miles so we are driving at the moment. I love biking in this place. It is gorgeous. One night, we biked home as the sun set. Wow! We wait to bike until the evening because it is a little bit hot or rainy during the day but it makes me so happy when we do. I could bike for hours.

There are definite mosquitos!  I put on repellant but some days, especially when it rains, it is very humid and they all come out! The bug spray just isn't enough! Yesterday, my legs itched so badly. So funny!  Gotta love it.

I am beginning to see myself change. I had a break through this week. Previously, I felt I was running into a brick wall. I was doing what I needed to do but I didn't feel an increase of the Spirit. I had a hard time talking and listening to those we met on doorsteps. The thought of getting a priesthood blessing repeatedly came to mind. Last night, I decided to ask Steve for a blessing. I felt a little dumb because I did feel pretty well but it continued to nag at me. It was just what I needed. I need to continue on in doing what is asked and eventually I will see miracles as I rely on the Lord. I need to develop a firm desire to testify. I need to find joy in all counsel. It dawned on me yesterday. I hadn't been trusting in the Lord like I needed to. I was relying on my teaching skills to communicate and then hoping the Spirit would testify that what I had said was true. The minute I realized that this work was His and it was the Spirit’s responsibility to convert and teach and my job to testify, I felt peace. After realizing this, we met a woman who we feel the Lord has prepared. We, as missionaries, learn right along with those we meet and teach. What a wonderful blessing! We simply sit back and watch as the work of the Lord unfolds. We just open the door to the Savior. We must open our mouths. They will be filled. Hurrah for Israel, Hurrah!

I love you all and pray for you constantly! Thank you, thank you for your letters and support. It is harder than I thought it would be to not have the time to write you all back. Know that if I could, I would send you all very long thank you notes!

Have a great week!

Expect miracles!

You must expect them to see them :)

When It Rains, It Pours!

Hello Friends!

Sorry I don't have much time. I am printing out your emails so I can read them later and respond! Thank you so much for sending them!

First off...

I hope Grace and Abby's birthdays went well! 18 and 15... it blows my mind! I was thinking about you during them!

Thank you Mom for the Twinkies as well. There was a definite Elder Rasmussen and Ballard in there! My companion keeps joking about who the twinkles are and then eating them out of anger or laughter... it is pretty funny. She likes putting them in the freezer too and joking about Elders and Sisters being alone in there together... bad idea:) We have fun. Also the other fun thing you sent mom with the fishers of men scripture was adorable. I was showing Keri (the correct way to spell her name:)) and she asked if it was for her. I felt awkward and said... you can have it if you want! Then I went quickly out the door leaving it in her hands. Then I realized, being the healthy people they are, they wouldn't actually eat the things inside. I fessed up later that night and we had a good laugh. She couldn't tell whether I was giving it to her or just showing her... and after she asked neither did I!

It is beautiful here... did I say that already? The weather is crazy though!! It is a great conversation starter. I guess this is one of the rainiest springs/summers they have had. When it rains here, it pours, oh my! And there is usually thunder and lightening which we cannot tract in so we have to get creative. One day, all of our appointments canceled and it was pouring and the place we went to go eat closed down. We finally just started laughing. It was quite the day. The weirdest thing is that the next day, or in just a few hours, it can be humid and hot! Weird! One day we went out tracking after the rain stopped and there were baby frogs on a person's driveway and on the street. I took a few moments to try and catch one... success!! It was a dream come true. I couldn't stop giggling. My companion doesn't like frogs and so she was pretty much laughing at me. You had to watch where you stepped because you would step on a frog if you weren't careful! They were hopping around everywhere. I loved it. 

This week, in one day, we taught two lessons on the doorstep... that was huge!! It was amazing to see the eyes of this one man in his early twenties light up as we spoke. He seemed so interested... that was a first! We also met two people in probably their 50's or 60's studying to be Jehovah Witnesses (they send missionaries just like us out... they usually try to convert you when you talk to one.) These two people were incredibly humble and willing to take in what we had to say. I know that they had been prepared by the Lord. For some reason, neither of them had been baptized into the Jehovah's Witness faith. They had lots of questions and we answered them to the best of our ability with the Holy Ghost. It was amazing. We returned Saturday and taught them The Restoration. All they could say both times was "that makes sense." They seemed to understand more than ever how much their Heavenly Father loves them! They are fantastic. They had both been in a car accident and are taking time off work to recover. What a blessing in disguise! They are almost always home! They are both black and have a Chicago feel. The woman is from Minnesota and the man is from Indiana. They both wore wife beaters... they had never heard that name before when we complemented them :) They said something like "people keep calling them that but we just think of them as shirts." We have high hopes for them! I must have a lulling voice because on Saturday, during the lesson, the man's eyes began to roll back into his head when I spoke. I could not hold back a laugh. I felt so bad because they just stared at me.. it was a really spiritual moment and I busted up. Haha, oh boy. I recovered promptly and said that I thought he was falling asleep. He said, "I am listening, keep going." He is funny. I can tell they are hungry for more. It was an amazing miracle! 

I am realizing that I have a lot more pride than I thought. It is hard taking correction from others and not letting people who reject you get to you... when it happens again and again. However, when I pray for strength I receive it. I know I couldn't do this alone. Sometimes I forget how much He sustains me. I am humbled at how much harder this would have been normally but for some reason isn't so hard now. It all comes down to seeing the best in others and making them feel they are the most important person you have seen all day! It is teaching me a lot. The minute I forget to love the person or remain sincerely interested, it goes downhill. We have had quite a few conversations with others on the doorstep not always about The Restoration but often about their lives. The older people like to tell us their life's story. Sometimes we have to cut them off when we need to go somewhere but it is interesting learning about there others come from. I love the people! Grandma Jenkins, your conversions story has helped me so much out here. The Catholics are the hardest to talk to. It helps knowing where they are coming from and of he truth of our message. Thank you! It means a lot. Also, Grandpa Jenkins, I think of your turning point in your conversion frequently. It is our examples and the lives of the members that help others see the truth of the gospel... "by their fruits yea shall know them." I sincerely believe that.

I am working on making my daily study more effective. I am often so tired in the morning I have a hard time keeping focused. I wish the study time were at night :) I am awake until I sit for a time and then I start dozing off, in and out of sleep. Yesterday I was exhausted. After sacrament meeting, Brother Longstreet (The karate start) came up to us and said that my eyes looked red/bloodshot. He is funny. No worries though, I am loving it! I just become a tad bit more gullible. Sister Smith sometimes jokes around with me about it. She had me convinced the other day that she had to read my letters before I did... I believed her. One minute you're fine and the next it takes all my energy not to close my eyes. I am taking a small nap today... It is great to feel you're working so hard!

I love all of you and appreciate you daily! Have an amazing week! I am praying for you!

Minnesota!

Hello!!!

Wow it feels like forever since I last emailed! I hope you are all doing well and loving life!

First things first...Happy Birthday Grace!!!!! and Abby later this week!!!! I love both of you so much and I feel indebted to your kindness. Thank you for your letters and for just being you! I have the best family in the world. Sorry I am not there to take the back seat with you James... what a good brother they have! Have a great time in San Francisco!

Quick thank you's because I don't have addresses to send letters:

Thank you Foxes for the brownies and small note in the MTC. It meant so much to me. I really think of your advice James and Dave almost every day. I love you and I feel very grateful to have such a wonderful family. I saw your note in my things, Emily, and I couldn't help but smile. All I can say is that I just love ALL of you! How are the ducks?? Anna?....

Ah Rasmussens, that package was adorable! What a good idea and what yummy candy. Thank you for your thoughtful Dear Elders and the notes on each candy bag. I definitely tucked away the notes for a rainy day.... It made me smile wide! Thank you for the support you have shown me these past few weeks. It means a lot to know I have friends at home to love me like you do!

Mom and family, thank you for the package I recieved when I got to Minnesota! I so loved it and it was incredibly clever...I love mini things. You can send mini stuff all you want. You know me too well :) It was the best surpise to open up my first night!  Kari and Steve, the people I stay with, have sheets for us currently but if I get transferred,  I am putting mine on! I love them too much.

Okay where to begin.... A few highlights from the MTC I didn't mention....

One of my sister training leaders, the first week, was in my mission prep at Utah State...tender mercy. We actually taught our first companionship lesson together. We laughed about how bad it was. We learned a lot our first week. The other training leader is best friends with Ben Smith's older sister. I think her name is Rebecca (weird...same name as my new companion). We got along super well! We kept saying, "I think we are a lot the same." I love her! They are in Missouri.

(Sister Training Leaders are in charge of the sisters in the zone including all emotional problems. In the MTC, we held a small devotional with the incoming two districts and frequently checked in with the girls to see how they were doing and answered questions. I felt a little like a camp counselor in the MTC :) )

We found out that both TRC investigators we met with were actually members, one inactive and one a recent convert. Both investigators and my companions and I all cried at one time or another. It was an amazing,  powerful experience. I felt I was able to say exactly what Heavenly Father wanted me to say. The Lord truly doesn't want us to simply be enough but more than enough. He doesn't simply want us to constantly lean on the Lord but someday walk beside Him. The Lord gives us the strength to do what he asks and eventually we develop the means to do it on our own. I love that! We aren't simply saved but exalted! I learned that while speaking through The Spirit to these "investigators." What a neat experience.

Quentin L. Cook also spoke Tuesday night and my companions and I had the opportunity to sing in the choir. We sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer. I loved it!

Wow, Minnesota is beautiful!!!! I absolutely love it. It is very green and there is a lake in almost every corner. They  have wild turtles and almost everyone owns a dog...I think this place was made for me. The dogs help strike up conversations. One day,  I asked a lady who was talking to neighbors outside if I could pet her dog...from half way down the street.  I was sorta yelling :) ) The dog was confined behind an underground electric fence...a common thing here. She said yes and we talked to her and her friends for a while. My love for dogs has been a great blessing,  haha. They also have wild turkeys here....yep, I am dead serious. Turkey crossings!

 I am currently in the Minnetonka area. (about 20 minutes away from Bloomington)  I think there are almost as many churches here as in Utah but they are either Lutheran or Catholic Churches and likewise,  almost everyone is Lutheran or Catholic...the people usually just go because they like the preacher.  It is a funny culture. Every church is different even if it claims the same religion. Some people are Jewish...they don't like us. There are many African families. I have come to the conclusion that I LOVE African people.

There haven't been sisters in the area for a while and so we are down to two investigators(they are from sister missionaries a few weeks ago). We are trying to rebuild the area....We are tracting, knocking on doors constantly. When I arrived, President Clements told all the new missionaries that we needed to invite someone to be baptized within the next day and a half. I lived on faith. It is hard to invite someone to be baptized when you don't have any investigators! But miraculously, we ended up teaching someone the Restoration at the doorstep (a common thing actually) and then inviting her to be baptized  on the porch! We even said a prayer.  She said no to the invitation but still sounded interested. We will go by to visit her again this week. The Lord will provide ways. I am beginning to rely on that.

My companion, Sister Smith, and I hit it off immediately! I love her! She has served 8 months total in this ward! Her last two companions went home early for medical reasons so everyone in the ward is a little wary of me...I am not leaving!! We are staying in the second nicest area in Minnesota...and boy is it nice.There are poor parts of town but some houses look like they came out of Pride and Prejudice or Anne of Green Gables...it makes tracting an andventure. One recent convert in the ward was ESPN's Hit boy for Karate (I didn't know what that was but Sister Smith told me it means he was almost on a Wheaties box...got it!). He takes us for burgers and shakes every week. We help him keep clean thoughts and do what is right. We share a spiritual thought also. He is an analyst also and so I love hearing his insight on scriptures. I have definitely been spoiled this transfer. Sister Smith and I are staying with Kari and Steve,  two members in the ward. We come home every night and talk to them before going to bed. They almost feel like family. They just moved to this new house and let us dedicate it with them yesterday. It was a neat experience. The house is beautiful to say the least. They are fixing up a bedroom for us in the basement this next month. They are too nice. We almost have our own little apartment down there. Wow! They seriously are too nice. We live on a lake. We cannot touch the water but it feels like heaven when looking ouside. Steve is the CEO of United Healthcare and so his company sponsors bike racing. He gave us a jersey and a jacket and a few other things for excercising. Like I said....I am spoiled. Is this even a mission? It can only go down from here. It does help ease the transition into missionary life. Thank you for your email Dad. It was perfect. I am praying I can grow just as much here as in a dirty apartment. It helps me focus on the work though, instead of living conditions. It is always clean! Like I said...Heaven. Kari made an amazing dinner for us also last night. A vegan soup I loved and a salad! She is quite the cook.

I am working on being bold but not overbearing when talking at the door. I usually leave an invitation to know more (that never works) or go right off into the Restoration and it feels forceful. I am working on finding a connection and instantly loving the people so I can speak with The Spirit. The Spirit truly only comes when you love the people and rely on Christ. I am working on my conversion to Christ, consecrating myself over to Him. If there is anything I have learned this week it is this... Your mission is really what you make of it. I could easily not learn anything while serving. It is one thing to be obedient but it is another to be obedient because you love the Lord.  It makes a difference in testifying. I know the Lord is sustaining me. I know that no matter if you're on a mission or not,  you can change, come closer to the Savior regardless! I have to choose to be better. I don't want to just make it throught this transfer. I want to see miracles!

The weirdest thing about this area is that we are having more success among the wealthier families than the poorer ones. I think the wealthier ones feel something missing while the others think they are too busy to hear the message. The trick is to help others realize that we aren't a business; this isn't a sell job but this is salvation and happiness. I am relying on my Savior's example of charity and am excited to see the miracles that come in his time.

Love you all!

I am not allowed to go back and forth but you can email me and I will get it next week!

P.S.  They had Skor Bar cake in the MTC!

View from the back porch!

Sister Jenkins' Arrival In Minneapolis

Sister Jenkins arrived in Minneapolis and met President and Sister Clements and her new companion Sister Rebecca Smith! Her first area is Minnetonka, Minneapolis.

First Week!!

Family and Friends!!

 I am typing as fast as my hands can and as fast as my brain can think:) I am going to the temple at 2:20pm. so I will have to be quick today! I LOVE the MTC!!! I was pleasantly surprised! Everyone here says hi to you and wants to help you! The teachers love what they do. I actually haven’t felt homesick yet...the biggest blessing. I have been blessed with the best district. They told us at the beginning we were called to this district together for a reason and I have come to find how true that is! Our branch president and our teachers tell us constantly how great our district is. They say, "I am not just saying that Elders and Sisters, you truly are one of the most, if not the most, dedicated, greatest districts we have had".  I love everyone so much. No one gets on my nerves. I think it was all your prayers! Thank you, thank you for being such great friends and family. It means more to me than you know! 

I have two companions: One named Sister Christiansen and one named Sister Kitterman. Sister Christiansen has the most beautiful blue eyes and is sorta shy but the sweetest girl! We get along really well. Sister Kitterman has the prettiest green eyes (that sometimes cause me to break character and start laughing when we role play) and speaks bluntly but has the biggest heart. It is the weirdest combination! I love her. She definitely keeps everyone on track and laughing with her sarcasm. She actually paid for her family’s groceries and rent for a few months because they couldn't afford it. She worked as a manager at Target....She loves it! Her ward family is nice enough to help pay for her mission. She feels so blessed, as do I.

The Elders in my district are Elder Boekweg (The comedian...he has a dry humor that makes us laugh until we cannot breathe) Elder Lowe (He is 6'8 and hopes to walk on BYU's basketball team. He is a hard worker and has the best insight on scriptures) Elder Young (We figured out the third day that we went to kindergarten together...pretty funny) and Elder Knapus (He is our schedule...he is very organized and dedicated.) They all have their weaknesses and their strengths. Elder Young is our district leader and Elder Lowe and Elder Boekweg are our zone leaders. We three were called as sister training leaders this last Sunday. 

 Wednesday, I really tried to ask questions and help others feel comfortable. However, just as important as asking questions, listening is more important. I have come to know that I am a worse listener than I thought. I like to listen until I identify something from what they’ve said that I can comment on and tune the rest out. I am really working on it. The first day, I turned to my companion, Sister Kitterman and said, "How many people do you have in your family?" She responded by saying, " I have 4 girls and 1 boy." I responded, “wow, that is almost like my family! (meaning several girls and only one boy) and then I proceeded to ask, "How many are girls and how many are boys?" She stared at me for a second and then I started laughing and said trying to redeem myself, "Oh wait you already told me. Tell me again...I can’t remember. Don’t worry I don’t have Alzheimer’s”. We laugh about it all the time. Nice first impression Mandy! I also talk to myself a lot.....I don’t even realize I do it until my companions will start laughing....bless my heart.

I thought in the MTC I would learn about what to teach, about doctrine, and the pamphlets like I did in mission prep. Because I am English speaking, we really concentrate on loving our investigator and teaching to their needs. I love it! The words come when you love the person and you learn the lessons differently when you focus on the person you are preparing them for. The first week, we taught our teacher. He pretended to be one of his investigators on his mission. This week we are teaching these random people hired by The Church . Some are members, some aren’t. We are pretty positive ours isn’t. She is great and committed to baptism on the 21st. The spirit was so strong in our lessons!

Well I’ve got to go!! I love all of you!!! I will try to send pictures if I have time after the temple...