Maybe 2024 Will Be The Year Where My Life Isn't Threatened?

Happy new year! 


     Man this year has been probably one of the most, if not the most impactful year of my life. I started this year as a missionary, and I ended, well, still a missionary. I'm so grateful for literally everything that I experinced. I hope yalls year was good too! I've also probably never used the word year that many times in my life. Im excited to continue here in hobbs, and also see what's in store for me in 2024. I'm loving it here in Hobbs. I think it might take the #2 spot for favorite ares, but I'll wait until after I'm done with it. This week's been incredibly busy, and it's been so good. Busy is best. We got to meet with some incredible people, and also the local New Mexico Crack heads. We had some really cool experinces which I will share with you now. 


      So me and elder Nichols were out for 6 hours, just going from house to house all day long. We took a 5 minute half time bathroom and snack break, and went to like 4 different gas stations cuz none of them had working bathrooms, and I also didn't feel comfortable exposing my back to anything to take a leak off the side of the road anywhere in New Mexico, but that's besides the point. Anyways, finally we found a gas station with a working bathroom. I said hi to this lady walking in, who was looking like she was lost and just in distress. She didn't say anything back and just kinda walked away. We left to go continue finding people who were in our map. Well as we were looking for this one lady, (Lorena) we saw the gas station girl. She somehow just teleported in front of us. We didn't know at the time, but that was the person we were looking for. Well we get to this house looking structure and started knocking and calling out for Lorena. We heard someone from behind say, "that's me! Can I help you?" And it was the gas station lady. We started talking to her and out of the blue, a white sketchy car pulls up, and 2 scary buff looking dudes jump out and start yelling and approaching us. Turns out they were angels. (not exactly how I would've picured angels to look like, but hey) They started sharing how much they appreciated what we were sharing and even said that the book of mormon is such a cool book and Lorena should listen to every word we say because we are sent from God. It was amazing. And I looked over at Lorena, and back over to the guys and poof. Gone. We taught Lorena about the book of mormon and she just started balling her eyes out. She's been homeless and living on the streets for a few weeks now, but she needed direction and kept calling out to God for someone or something to tell her that he's real and what to do. What a huge miracle. 


     The next story is actually from the same day. We knocked the notorious Hobbs apartments, where every missionary and their dog has some story or another of how scary and ghetto it is, and how gangs would tell them to get lost and flash guns and blah blah blah. So when I heard about it, I wanted to of course go knocking there. (White people in horror movies moment) well the first guy we met was Zerrick. He was shirtless, and tatted up head to toe and was shaking and screaming because he needed a light so he could smoke. He came b lining towards us and started asking a million questions all at once, I swear he was speaking in tongues, and then just stared into my soul. He was giving off some weird vibes and kept getting up in our faces. (He also had the weirdest nipples ive ever seen) I could tell man was plastered out of his mind, and was just the average NM npc. After getting him to somewhat calm down, he started asking if he could come to church with us. Well of course we invited him! Sadly he did not come. But all that that was before I even touched a door at these apartments. There was just a bunch of people wandering around these apartments, giving us the "what's these white Boys doin here" look, and the "i don't know but I ain't sticking around to see what goes down" look. The first door I knocked would also be my last at those apartments for the day, due to human error. I knocked on a door and someone inside said: "coming" but I thought they said: "come in" so I just barged in. And the look on the families face when I just walked in was terrifying. They looked like they were ready to blast me into the spirit world. Luckily the spirit protected me, and the families guns stayed "tucked" in their pants. It was almost a Spotify wrapped for elder Jenkins. But next time I go back, imma wait for consent to enter. 


     Anyways, you know me, I like to add little goofy bits of my personality and things in stories and such, but on a more spiritual note, God is so aware of everything. It's amazing to see how perfectly his timing works. The fact that Lorena showed up at the same time we did when we were driving and she was walking from the gas station a few miles away. How those 2 guys pulled up and bore testimony of Christ. And how we saw her and I felt prompted to talk to her even before meeting her and finding out who she is. It doesnt sound like much, but to me it was a testiment that God wanted us there that day and he is very real. It makes me want to pay attention to the spirit more to see what other cool things he can use me for. I like to imagine a world where everyone is super in tune with the spirit, and acting on its promptings. The world would be perfect, so obviously that's what heaven is for, but man that would be so cool. 


     Anyways yall, thanks for reading this long email. I'm grateful to be carring some amazing people into 2024 with me. Yall have a blessed day! 


-Elder chicken butt (a name I was gifted by a primary kid in our ward) 


1502 E. bender Blvd apt 46, Hobbs, NM. 88240


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