Doesn't Anybody Care About Sid the Sloth?

Hey Family!

So I'm sorry that not many of your questions have been getting answered, so I guess I'll start by doing that and then I will proceed to explain to you the marvels that have taken place—bodily and supernal.

Basically I have received one package that has been sent...the one that had the Richard Winkel talk in it with the sweet as Redwood tree. But even that one was almost sent to Mt. Roskill where the other Elder Jenkins is serving. So I'm almost positive that several of the packages are probably on their way to Mt. Roskill. SO! I have an idea. When you write the address, or, I guess in your case, when you stick your fancy labels on the package just write “In Panmure” so they don't attempt to be intelligent and figure out which Jenkins it needs to be sent to. Yay!

This week has been rather interesting, to say the least. We started out on Monday thinking that we would be good to go since I was feeling up to leaving the flat, but that's when Elder Voyles caught some stomach bug and he went down hard. All 230 pounds of him went down like King Kong after having a night out on the town. So basically this week has consisted of a sickly Elder taking care of another sickly Elder. BUT, it was also an amazing opportunity to use the priesthood. Let me just say the priesthood rocks and we have seen miracles even though we were confined to our flats till last Friday.

Even though we were only able to do about a third of the work we could normally do during the week, we still managed to commit someone for baptism (Joe), find three new investigators who are already very keen to be baptized (Stormin' Norman, Iteli, and Isimeli), and overall have a very productive Sabbath in which Isimeli was fellowshipped flawlessly into the ward and is even going to play Touch (rugby) with us today! Basically he will be baptized. Soon.

Isimeli was a miracle. A huge Fijian miracle. His mom is in California right now, but was baptized in the States. She has been talking with him about the church and so he started trying to find the Elders but wasn't able to so he called the mission office and they called us! We went over Saturday, committed him to come to church, he came, we committed him to come to church again, and set up another appointment with him. He is just great.

Iteli is the little brother of a Samoan member of our ward, Brother Iu. He doesn't speak a whole lot of English but he wants to be baptized and has been going to church so it's really just a matter of teaching him and setting up a date. But basically he could be baptized this month and if he is that will just be a huge miracle. Heck, it's just a plain miracle that we found him. By the way...I ate a couple fish heads at their house yesterday, as well as raw fish in coconut cream. Weren't expecting that were ya?

Stormin' Norman has been taught before but he wasn't really ready for it at the time but he sure is now and we have an appointment with him on Thursday (Elder Voyles' birthday) and we are hopefully going to be able to baptize him before Elder Voyles goes home.

So a huge thing I learned this week is that the Lord will definitely give us trials and allow us to be tried. But I have also realized that all we need to do is endure them faithfully and we will be blessed beyond what we can handle. Seriously. There are patterns and cycles that I have picked up on that were just never apparent before I came on my mission. This gospel is the true gospel of Jesus Christ and He helps push this work along. Heavenly Father will not let this work fail, as evidenced by allowing a snot-nosed brat from Bountiful, UT to be an instrument in His hands in bringing His children back to Him. It's just the best. There is nothing that compares to it.

I just love you guys! You are so great and I really appreciate all the emails and support you guys give me. Keep up all the awesomeness! Dad, good luck with Dr. Phil; punch him right in the nose for me. Mom, I know you miss me, but hang in there. Sarah I hope your lesson went well! Stephen, sounds like you need a day out of the lab. Ashton, don't let Samuel (or his bladder) get the best of you! Jesse, get some sleep. Now. Lauren, cute bangs. I agree. Maryn, you just need to stop liking boys. That's how to solve your problem. And my problem with you growing up. Sophie, don't run into too many walls, you're already a little retarded.

Love you guys!

Seth