HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Hello Friends and Family!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Well, this week we had interviews with president, and yes, I cried through half the interview.  I expressed all my concerns and worries. I asked what one hour meals meant, 10:30 bedtime meant, what if we walk out the door at 12:02 instead of 12:00 because our prayer went too long, can the Lord still bless me if my long prayers in the morning cut into exercise time?  First he stared at me like I was this poor deranged crazy person and then in the most loving way he said, "You're going to go crazy if you keep thinking like that."  He then prescribed me some minor sedatives to take every morning to keep my cortisol levels down during the day...  Okay, just kidding, he didn't prescribe sedatives, but he did tell me to take a giant horse pill of "CHILL THE HECK DOWN!"  I felt soooooo much better after the interview.  I felt this weight lift off my shoulders.  I could have flown away if I started flapping my arms (I wish I would have tried).  I bet Peter Pan's thoughts weren't as free and happy as mine were after that interview!  So yeah, it was awesome.  :D

Cultural Experience:  New Years is the Holiday!  Woo!  New Year's Eve isn't as big; no one really stays up that I noticed.  Sunrise on New Year's Day is where the party's at!  Japan is one of the first countries in the world to see the new year, so watching the sunrise on new years day is a tradition.  So we woke up at 5:00 (:P) on New Year's Day and rode the train down to the island at the bottom of my area.  (Dad, the trains were packed just as much as they were when we were in DC, however the stations weren't as packed).  There were so many people on that tiny little island.  So we stood on the pier at the southeast tip of the island and watched the sunrise.  IT WAS SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL!!  Yes, I will send pictures.  ;)  That was definitely a mission memory.

Funny Moment:  Last night we had a member dinner, and there was this hilarious old Japanese (duh) lady there.  She spoke broken English with a hard Japanese accent.  She was hilarious!  She kept saying, "I'm... funny." And then she would bust out laughing.  Anyway, she made Jello (o dear) and as she was dishing it up she said, "Do you want Zellie?"  We laughed for four minutes straight, because in the broken English with the Japanese accent, it was perfect. She was so funny!

Ah-ha Moment:  I had one and then I forgot it, so next week's ah-ha moment will be remembering this week's.  :)

Spiritual Moment:  I am debating which one to tell you.  There were several this week.  I would say the best one was my interview with president.  I wanted to be sure nothing would stand in the way of me being a worthy and ready servant.  I expressed all my concerns.  He had me read a couple scriptures, and that was that.  Poof, worries gone.  It was such a spiritual revival!  I need to calm down!  It was so nice to be told by my priesthood leader to calm down and keep working.  I was sooo spiritually fired up by the time I walked out the door.  I have seen things click this week that wouldn't click before because I was too stressed.  I know the Atonement has rejuvinating power.  I am so going to servive this mission thing (que laughter from all the return missionaries).  Thank you for the prayers; I feel them.

Well, I had better go.  So much to do so little time!  I love you all!!!!  Thank you thank you thank you for the support and prayers!

よい年を！　Yoi toshi o!  Have a good year!!

Jenkins 長老　(choro)

Kameta family - "I am holding the walnut bread that sister Kameta gave specifically to me because I freaked out when I tried it at dinner.  It was sooooo good (and walnuts are highly beneficial! :)  Asao (the one right next to me) is awesome.  He just got the Melchizedek Priesthood and he's prepping for a mission.  He's going to BYU in April.  We'd totally be friends if I could speak Japanese.  This family is awesome."

Wada family - "This awesome couple is a missionary's dream joint-member-lesson couple.  They are awesome!  We joke that Wada shimai (sister) is spiritual beast because she is one!  Those are their grandkids in the back.  They didn't really say much; they were playing Pokemon cards.  Anyway, Wada family, awesome couple."