Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Week 73

Dear Family,


I have something amazing to report.... I am in my greenie area!!!! Long Beach 1st Ward!!!! I am way excited to be here. If you want to send letters you can send it to my new address 1875 Cedar Ave #1 Long Beach Ca 90806 Sorry I have no time I will have great stories next week I love you all have a good one.

Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Post from Mom

On Christmas Day I got to talk with Jimmie.  Oh how I needed that.  He never fails in bringing a smile to my face!  He got to talk to everyone, Dad, Justen, Courtney, Ronny, Katie and even Clark Anderson.  We are so proud of him and his growth.  He has not lost his "JIMMIE" personality (and all those who know him, know what I mean).  However; he has gained a maturity and spirituality  laced with the greatest sense of humor and confidence that in our wildest hopes couldn't have been better.

He only has 6 months left.  We encouraged him to stay hard working and he said he would love to go back to his "greenie" area.  Well I got a call today that he is being transferred back to Long Beach and his "greenie" area.  He is stoked and I am sure gonna go out with a bang of hard work and touching the lives of all those he can.

For those of you who have kept up on his blog and or his work...thank you and don't hesitate to comment.  He will love reading them when he gets home.

Week 72

MERYY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!


FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!!

I hope everyone can share the best gift they can give to someone else this year... thats their testimony of Jesus Christ and bring them church or do something for someone that really needs it.... and thats everyone that isn't a member or someone who needs to return to church. Share with them the witness of Jesus Christ's birth from the Book of Mormon and bear testimony of it. And if they reject you and say something mean... then you know how Mary and Joseph felt. Have a Merry Christmas and I hope all is well. Remember the address to send packages is still 6500 E. Atherton St., Long Beach, CA 90815 and my name is .....

Elder Jimmie G Watkins!

Week 71

!Salud!
My family and friends how art thou? Life is going good now that I am not all sick and inable to do anything constructive with my life. Ya on thursday I woke up with the flu (not the HINEY, H1N1, thats what i call it or the chancho) and it was not fun. Gave Elder Cluff a wonderful wake up call from the bathroom at about 3:30 am that was journal worthy. Saturday was El Dia de La Virgencita! or Day of the Virgin Mary and all the Latinos were playing all sorts of fun music for us to listen to as I sat in my recliner chair for 60 hours sick. Thats about how exciting it was for us. We should be having some baptisms hapefully coming up and just need all the prayers and support for them to happen. Anyways hope all is well and have Very Merry Happy Christma-Hauna-Kwanzi-kaughs!

Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Week 70

Hello from Surf City USA!!!!
Life is going pretty cold here in sunny southern California. Yesterday and today have been WAY cold because it rained all day yesterday and night. It is neat to see today because all the mountains around us have snow on them and it actually feels like a winter now. We still had nothing to do on a normal monday afternoon so we resorted to knocking praying that someone would be nice and have compassion on us and give us hot chocolate or something. But,...... no nothing but normal rude people in the down pour. We did witness the tender mercies of the Lord as we were knocking we recieved a referral on the phone. So the Lord was watching out for us. We are planning to be having a baptism/s for the week of Christmas and we could use all the prayers possible.

It has neat lately for me, I have received letters from people that I have worked with and that have been baptized and how much they have a grateful heart to God that I had been able to teach them. That to me is the greatest thing ever to have received for this Christmas season. I want to thank all of you for the influence that you have had on my life in order to get me to where I am now. Please know that your influence on me has brought more children of God to his fold than you even are able to comprehend. Keep up the good work and love and have a Merry Christmas.

Elder Jimmie G Watkins



17 DAYS til CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Week 69

Dear family,
Sorry this is going to be short but we re in a library and have limited time to write.  As i got on the computer we started to teach a guy sitting next to me that kept on asking all sorts of questions and so we were losing time on the computer.  He turned out to be a white muslim??? that was saying alot of weird things.
Thanksgiving was good, ate ALL day and got sick but was well taken care of. All of our appointments fell through b/c of Thanksgiving and now its all back to normal. Love all you and love to hear from you since CHRISTMAS IS 24 DAYS AWAY!!!!

Love Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Week 68

Hello Hello and Hello there....
Westminster is a lot different from Buena Park area, in that there are now only Vetnamese people and not Korean or Chinese. My new comp's name is Elder Cluff from Lehi, UT. Very big change from my little Guayanese boy Elder Danesh but we are doing great. We should have a bpatism coming up this week and are working our best to have a lot in Christmas. Elder Clayton from the Presidency of the Seventy wrote our President and said that we need to have a " White Christmas" in Long Beach Mission. Referring to baptisms and all dressed in white. We are all very excited for Christmas to be coming and hope people will listen around this time. I love you all and hope you dont miss me too much during the Christmas season. :) have a good week
Love,

Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Week 67

I got transferred to Westminster... right next to Huntington Beach.....lots of Vietnamese people. We are moving this week out of the apartment that we are in so if you send anything just send it to the mission address 6500 E. Atherton St., Long Beach, CA 90815. Sorry have like no time to write.... new comp name Elder Cluff from Lehi UT.



Love Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Monday, November 16, 2009

Week 66



Look at that sticker!!!!  That was horrible for me to see.... I am dying for some Pete's Fish and Chips. Life is going well for us here in Buena Park.  The work is going relatively slow for us but we hope it is starting to swing back into normal routine. We are all really excited because in a couple of weeks we the missionaries will be working with the Reflections of Christ photographer and running booths for a display that he is doing here in the stake.  The only worry is that transfers are this coming Tuesday and with my luck ... I will be transferred b/c something  cool will be happening here. Sorry not much time to be on here gotta ge t going and get things done
Elder Watkins

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Week 65

YAY Thats my pumpkin











































Week 64

We had a rough but great week of work. All of the people that were going to get baptized on this coming weekend...turned up to be weak sauce and ignored us and act like they want nothing to do with us. That is very hard to see but unfortunately not a rare occurence in the mission. Yesterday i almost blew up at a guy i was not happy at all towards him because we were knocking and then out of nowhere this old man tells us to go save souls somewhere else and that we should go to afaganistan being basically a jerk to us. But the Lord did provide us with 5 new people to teach and having a really good referral.
Elder Danesh is doing great, he is learning a lot right now and it really made me happy to hear some news from my mission President about him. He told me that I have been doing a great job with him because when he had first arrived he wasnt sure on staying or not. Now it is the total opposite with him. And the way he is going he will become a great missionary and do great things.
Life is going good love you all.
Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Week 64

Well.. thats all folks.....not much happened this week hope all is well..
Love Elder Jimmie G Watkins





Week 63

ME!   Elder Danesh,   Scott Newman,   and Samantha Sakel

4 Oct 2009





Week 62

Hola de California,


This week was great we had real good sucess in many ways and they were all great blessings that the Lord saw fit to give us. We had a great experience this week to be able to go on splits with the young men in the ward and Elder Danesh took the YM President and a Priest to a lesson and I went knocking with another Priest in the area of town that all the white people do not like to go and we call little meh-hee-co and lots of murders and bad stuff goes on there... so he was having fun and enjoying it.

(Dont worry mother everything is ok) It was quite ironic the first door we knocked was in a huge latino apartment complex and white people answered the door and I did not know what to say b/c it was weird to see them there. Unfortunately they didn't want anything to do with us and told us to go away basically and shot my whole dreams to ever be happy again. Just playing but the lesson that Elder Danesh was at went great. That family (Los Hernandez) is going to get baptized sooner or later they just need to get to church and that is the hard part, something ALWAYS comes up Sunday morning. We also had a great lesson with a girl (Corina) that went with a friend to General Conference in Salt Lake to two sessions. She loved it and stop talking about it and is driving her sisters crazy talking about it, she came to church on Sunday and with her sister and loved it. SO basically the Lord blessed us with being able to teach her and set a baptismal goal for the first of November and hope all runs smoothly as it has til then.

We are diggin the new pad and only one problem or two. Elder Danesh loves sugar stuff and leaves it out all the time(which is one problem) , and then the ants attack in full forces to wherever it is at. We finally got rain last night after 10 months of nothing!! We are all exicted and loving it. Hope all is well with everyone and would love to hear from everyone so love ya bye.

Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Week 60

?Hola mis familiares como estan?


Life is going good... our new apartment is way clean and nice and after all that work I get to stay there for at least six more weeks with the start of the new transfer today. We have lost all our baptismal dates and investigators so we get to do lots of knocking and running by old referrals and potentials. Pretty much missionary stuff that isn't too exciting from the outsiders view. Yesterday was a good for me b/c I went on splits with the Zone Leaders to their area and they are in a Spanish ward and I finally was able to teach in Spanish after all this time not being able to do so. I had a great time working with the Latin people because quite frankly they are generally nicer than juerros (white people) and I got to eat amazing good food and ya the day was awesome.

I was sad to hear a couple of General Authorities were released b/c I had a small connection to them. Elder Mask and Elder Douglas Callister from the Second quorum of the Seventy were released. Elder Douglas Callister had toured our mission last September and I was listening to Elder Mask speak the night that Pres Hinckley died. So it was interesting to hear that both of them are being released.

Elder Baldwin was attacked by a pit bull yesterday and he was with Elder Danesh my companion on splits. So as they were talking with a guy a pit bull come charging at them and Elder Danesh grabs Elder Baldwin and uses him as a shield and hides and wouldn't let Elder Baldwin go. But nothing really happen the dog barely bit him and no wound or anything. So that is a funny story for the week and about my little boy in the mission.
Love

Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Week 59

Hi!!!!


Sorry about last week, I could have swore that I had sent that email. I had written one and had intentions of you all knowing what is all going on in with me. SO here you have this now.

This Sunday, after the Afternoon session of Conference, we are having the baptism of Samantha Sakely and we are all way excited. It was going to happen this last weekend but it all just could not happen. Lots of prayers and fasting efforts have been answered with this baptism and the Lord has been working with this girl for a long time.

We moved apartments these past couple of days. All I have to say about that is a couple of things. ONE, dont be suprised if I come back with the plague or some kind of new species of disease b/c that apartment was probably the worst apartment in the mission. People may love the missionaries but I lose my faith everytime I have switched apartments, ITS GROSE! and TWO ..... HALELUIA WE RE OUTTA THERE! It took almost 18 hours of work to clean that thing out and throw all the crap out of there and semi straighten it up. Now we are in a brand new awesome clean apartment with underground parking garage, tennis courts, and bbq's!!! I am way excited but also not b/c transfers are next tuesday so anything can happen and I hope and pray I dont lose this new place after all the hard work we did to get all the stuff there.

I am doing great Elder Danesh is still his wierd Guayanese strange self but I gotta love him.!

Love y'all


Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Week 57

?hola como estan?
We have had an interesting week. We had a kid show up to church that has autism and he loves coming to chruch but he wanted to have a new shirt and tie before he went. SO we went to Salvation Army and got him a shirt and I gave him a zip up tie and a ride to church. We also have a random homeless kid that is a member that got kicked out of the military and his mom has a restraining order against him and he like follows me around church all day and talks REALLY loud. Yesterday we taught a little compound of homeless people that want to come to church so they can get money to stay in the motel but it was funny to feel like some preacher to those people. Hopefully they come to church so we can baptize them, maybe. We also are moving apartments this week because it is disgusting because wonderful missionaries have taken care of it. We ahve tried so hard to make it nice but it is passed the point of no return, and when i told President about the rat he said that, that was the last straw. We have 6 baptismal dates so far right now and have the next one scheduled for 2 weeks from now and are way excited for it. Love you all and hope all is well.



Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Week 56

Hello.......

Let me begin by saying that this email will not give justice to the blessings and the experiences that we had this past week... so I will do my best.

I will start with of course the baptism of Sister Ellen Gernertt. Yes that is her name and that is why we call her Sister Ellen. Her baptism was great, we wanted to have Elder Danesh do the baptising but she chose me for a reason, and this will be the short version. Last week on some night when we were teaching her, she started talking about her husband when he had died in the hospital. She had said that he had been very happy when he died because the Elders from the LOS ALAMITOS ward had given him a blessing and it had made him not suffer. So as she was saying that it took a couple of seconds to click in my brain but then I ask her when the blessing was and she said April of this year. And then the memory of a man, that I had no idea who he was and most likely would never remember until then, that I had given his last blessing before he died, while I was in Los Alamitos in APRIL. And I realized that it was this same man that she was talking about. And then I told her that it was me that had giving her husband his last blessing in the hospital and now I am sitting here teaching his wife and about top baptize her. So we shed a tear and a half and baptized her. It is like the church is true or something.

Then some fun stuff....

On Sunday the church was infiltrated with a possum and it took all 6 of us Elders in my district to get it out and not get bit. It was awesome and it was funny because the Spanish Bishop asked us just this week to help with cleaning and we all think he knew about but didnt want to tell us. We all think it is some Spanish ward conspiracy because it was on top of a tall shelf in the dark. So we will ask him and see what he says.

This morning we were kept up by a mouse that was dragging things around the kitfchen and everytime we got up to kill it was no where to be seen. So I am way tired today and anxious to kill him.

We have met most likely the happiest guy in the world and almost the nicest I would say.His name is Juan and has commited himself without us asking to do everything that we would have asked him to do. We are very excited and cant wait to baptize this guy.

We should be having a couple more baptisms coming up super soon so please be praying for us and everything has been great.

Love you all

Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Week 55

Elder Salmon (left home to Utah this morning)

ME!!!!! Fatter than ever from all the wonderful member food

Elder Smith

This week we have only one of those Baptismal dates actually happening. Her name is Ellen and it is a miracle story that all the credit goes to Heavenly Father. She is a sweet lil old lady that has been wanting to go to church for 20 some odd years and a WAY LONG story short, we are baptizing her Sunday.

Life is going good, Elder Danesh and I are still together we had transfers today and for some other odd reason, President Sexton put me as a District Leader. So now I get to do Baptismal interviews and trainings yay!!! All the interviews I do also are for the SPanish Ward so they will be way fun. Not much else is going on to report just normal ol' days as a missionary. Get up at 6:30am and go to bed by 10:30pm and get rejected all day.

Love Elder Watkins

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Week 54

To all those that are under the words of this e-mail...

Time is flying by WAY too fast and it is scary to think about it but things here are going amazing. In our companionship we have 8 baptismal dates and as a mission we have 35 of those and more are coming this week. Not all of them are progressing very well but it is crazy to think that we have 23% of them just in our area. That is a big responsibility on our shoulders and are working our hardest to make sure these people will feel the Spirit and make the decision of their life.

We are teaching a young lady who is about 23 and she is awesome. She just started going back to church and then some reason our Zone Leaders knocked on her door and taught her and passed her to us because she speaks english!!!! and thats what we cover so we were excited for that. But she has a baptismal goal of the 6 Sept a Sunday. We have a couple of families that we working hard with so please pray for us and the mission. This is the most we have ever had at one time in the mission and we are all way excited. My greenie is doing good and we are having some funny experiences b/c he is super shy and very soft spoken and that doesnt go very well here in California. Thank you so much for everything you all do.

Love ya!

Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Week 53















































Week 52

Dear Everyone that is under the text of this e-mail!

I have finally had a normal week after three weird weeks of not feeling like a normal missionary. Everything from moving apartments, getting a companion that we did nothing for a wek together, then having a half missionary for a week, and then being made a trainer and that made it awesome. We have had a crazy week on top of that. Our car broke had to be in the dealership shop for 3 days after they said it would take a couple of hours, then we rode bikes, and then my comp's bike had problems, so right when we got the car back we had to take it to a shop and drop it off there for the weekend and the problem is is that we have a larger area to cover and we have to conserve miles and we ride bikles half the time and ride car the other so I pray that this next week will smoothly and normally. But most likely not because that would not make it a missionary week!

In spite of all the things that have gone on we have a few baptisms that will be coming up sooner or later if ALL goes to plan and nothing else happens. I don't know if I told you but we have Knott's Berry Park in our area and it is funny because Elder Danesh is already making plans to go there after his mission but he thinks it is Disney Land and I have to explain a lot that it is not Disney Land. We are doing really good and the people here are great and feed us like crazy amazing food and there are a lot a good restaraunts around the theme park so we always get stuff from there like Outback, which we took Elder Danesh to so that he understands what American food is like. I finally finished the Bible and have started the Book of Mormon. I learned a whole lot about why the world is SO utterlly confused and does not understand the Bible or know God at all. If you have never read it ALL the way through, I would hope you do. Love you all and hope everything is good and ya...

Love Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Week 51

HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL....O!

So I have cool news.... I am training a greenie starting today. He is from Guyana in South America! This is way awesome, his name is Elder Danesh. His full name is Danesh and nothing else so it is pretty easy to remember. I am way excited to do this and it will help us both out. I dont know what President was thinking putting a greenie with me, if I were him I would keep them away from me. Just playing I really am excited and finally I can just have a normal transfer for the next 4 weeks and not have anything else go weird on me for all I know.

The Buena Park area is great we had an awesome experience yesterday. For some reason I felt that we should go ride on the bikes for the day so we rode on the bikes while we worked and we met a lot of good people and I actually like it better for the fact that we talk to lots more people than we would if we were just in the car. But as we were going home I accidentally took the wrong street and I was like DANG It! but something told me keep on going and so I did even though it was the longer way home. As I stopped at the next light to cross some crazy blonde lady rolled down her window in backed up traffic and told me to ride out in the middle of traffic and go talk to her. I was yelled at her and said YA RIGHT IM NOT STUPID! Then she said no meet me in the parking lot next to where we were. So we met her and she told us to talk to her friend in the car and we met her and she was super nice and wanted to say a prayer for her. As we got done she asked us if we wanted lunch so she bought us lunch and and we taught her the first lesson right there in the COFFEE/ sandwhich shop and she was moved by it and it so happened that her friend was a member and that she had just visited a ward in Huntington Beach on Sunday for the first time ever. She is now getting in contact with the missionaries in San Juan Capistrano. It is amazing how the Lord puts us where he needs us and guides us to His children who are ready. pretty much the church is true!

Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

ps: yes my comp is black

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Week 50

hello....

I am sorry these past two emails are horrible...
Short story version....

I am getting a new comp, Elder Moncayo is going home. I live down the street from KNotts Berry Farm and it is in my area. Can't go. Um, I drive a gold mazda 3 that I call Milo. My new comp is going to be a summer missionary that is on a 2 week mini mission and show him the ropes. Then I get another comp next week!

Ask me some questions I have nothing in my brain tell you.

OH I got a total gym 1500 from the Knowltons that got baptized so now I can get ripped like Chuck Norris on the infomercial!

Love Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Week 49

So.....................

I am now in Cypress Stake!!!!! New Address is
8182 W 4th St #27
Buena Park, CA 90621

I do not have a lot time. so not much to talk about more next week. Elder Caldwell new companion!

Love Elder Watkins

Week 48

WOOOOOOOO!

Today is crazy, everyone here in California is all sad that Micheal Jackson died. And I am about to go crazy hearing about it! I have a funny joke about Michael Jackson all the people who dont care keep telling us in like every appointment. E mail me and ask me if you wanna hear it. :)

Ok well it has been a fun struggle this transfer to work with Elder Moncayo because he is leaving and wants to visit people about nothing and ya. But I am learning the greatest lesson of all,... thats PATIENCE!
But I love him b/c he is my companion and I have to.

We are moving out of our apartment this week! YAY not really happy about that because we have to clean it and it has been a mission apartment for a real long time and it was maintained by missionaries for a real long time. So ya that is grose and I will be moved next week!

Not much has gone on... there will be better letters soon. I SWEAR!
Love you all!

Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Week 47

!Mujer al blolante... Peligro constante! (look it up)

So the Knowlton's baptism was awesome! I will have pictures soon. I did the water dunking for Selena and confirmed James on Sunday and it was a very special experience for both of them. It is also very cool because James is already getting his interview today for the Aaronic Priesthood. We are going to be able to see them progress well in the Gospel and that is the best part of the work.

We are also trying to keep more work going on and we are being blessed like crazy. Yesterday we just set another date with a man that is pretty strong and we feel will be baptized and that is for the 18 of july I believe. I dont know why I cant remember but its soon. His name is Saul and has had lessons before but this time he is willing to live to what he learns.

The other day, I left my Edcuadorian comp and left him with a Korean Elder and went to be a Guatamalan Elder on splits. i got to speak spanish and rusty english all day and it was fun because even though I am on a SPANISH called mission, my last areas have been nothing but english and it is hard to keep the language going. Elder Moncayo speaks perfect english so he just talks in english and the Salvadorean elder we live with speaks weird spanish and horrible english so speaking good spanish is fun.

Happy 4th of July!!!! It is hard because there is only one Elder that is American and all the other internationies dont care! So Dios bediga a America!!!!

ciao!

Elder Jimmie G.Watkins

Week 46

James and Selena Knowlton are getting baptized on Saturday 27 June 2009 at 6 pm California time! They are awesome and they are way excited to be baptized. They both have quit smoking, and have come to church a lot and understand so much. This is a great blessing for both of us in that it is Elder Moncayo's last transfer in the mission and this is actually the first baptism that will be officially under my name. The other baptisms I have either moved or they moved out the area. Ya it being officially under my name really doesnt matter and thats not the point, but its kind of nice now. I will send pics to my parents and then they send them to all yalls later because these church computers take FOREVER to send pics on.

There is a man we are working with that is a less active who broke his femer bone so all he does is sit on the couch 24/7, so he has nothing else to do but listen to us and learn about the Gospel and we see him everyday. His name is Johnathan Gish and in a couple of weeks he went from not wanting to really learn to gaining a big testimony and wanting to make full complete changes in his life. Even things that are really really hard to do, he knows he has to give them up or else i tell people " you better not be wearing a sweater when you die cuz its hot where you're going!" thats what I say when they dont want to repent, then they usually laugh and then change their mind. I dont know how that works or what but it does!

Thanks for the prayers and and the support I love you all !

Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Week 45

Holay COWA!

Life is going good like always here on the MISH! We have a baptism scheduled for 2 Saturdays from now and we are super excited for them. It is James and Salina Knowlton and they are super fantastico bien investigatores! We are helping them quit smoking this week, and we have a 15 step program to stop in 10 days. Only the mormon missionaries can make this work, along with the help of the Lord. Because we really do nothing it is all Him.

We then have another less active lady we have been teaching about to renew her temple recommend which is just as amazing as seeing a baptism. Then another family is about to go to the temple soon for the first time after a way long list of worthless stuff they have doubts about.

I AM TIRED!!!! I think that the mission prepares for something that may have to do with not having enough energy to do something, but with the Lord somehow you do stuff and are awake while doing it. I dont know I just have been tired since August of last year and I can never catch up on my sleep. My companion is going home like REAL soon so it is fun to make fun of him and make him TRUNKY!! So life is good, the Savior loves everyone the Church is true and the Book is Blue! I will see you in a YEAR!

Love Elder Jimmie Watkins

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Week 44

Mis Querida familia y amigos,

!loco esta aqui en Claifornia como siempre! Cada dia pedimos que Dios y Jesus nos protegan mientras los chinos manejan.

We have some great news and great blessings to report on. We have a great young couple that we are working with an teaching that are nothing but awesome. They are the Nolton's, and it is cool because he grew up in Mesa and went to Westwood and know about as much as a normal member. He went to seminary and has had friends all throughout his life who are members.They both were in the Army and served in Iraq and smoke A LOT but they want to stop and we gave them the stop smoking in 10 days program and are doing it. They have a baptism date for 27 June and we are all super excited for them. We have dropped a lot of people and are still working with lots of less active families and are getting them to the temple and that is amazing to see. We have a family that has never been sealed and the husband is weird, but actually the whole family is weird which makes teaching them awesome. He thinks that God and Jesus Christ exclude him from the Atonement NO MATTER WHAT the scriptures say and now he has changed completly and now going to temple whether I have to drag him there or not. "He is fully actIve and has calling and everything and in great standing, he is just weird. Anyways, there is so much stuff in this world and so many problems people have but the church and the gospel can answer EVERYTHING! its that easy! I am in the Middle of St John for my reading and love it. Chapter 4 is one that i just read and it is amazing how much joy you receive from the service you do for the Lord. GO read it!

Love Elder Jimmmie Watkins

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Week 43

Hello familia y friends,

Life is going pretty good here, transfers are today and Elder Moncayo are still companions and still tearing it up here in the Colima Ward of the Whittier Stake. We have reset all of our baptismal dates, lost a couple, and gained a couple so we are still doing great on that point of the work. Elder Smith and Clarke who we were living with moved out but two more moved in. Elder Jarmin and Elder Parra, Jarmin is from South Mountain area and he went to North High School in Arizona and is from the Crossroads Ward in Val Vista Stake I think. Elder Parra is from El Salvador and cool, so now we have two Arizona boys and two latino Elders in the arartment. Elder Moncayo is great still, even though he is leaving after this transfer. We are working our butts off to get baptisms but not successful on that end yet. We have seen miracles though with the less active members of the ward. People are coming to church that havent come in forever and its because of the work we have done with them. It is just like a baptism when you see a totally inactive member come to church for the first time. Life is going great all around. I am ezxcited to hit my year mark and cannot believe how time flies!!! Thanks for everything love ya>

Elder jimmie Watkins

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Week 42

So this week has been full of lots of ups and downs for Elder Moncayo and I. None of our baptismal dates are going to happen this transfer, if they do, it will truly come from a miracle which we always are hoping and praying for. This past weekend, every set appointment that we had fell through and no one was home and we taught like 2 lessons which is weird for us right now because we usually teach all day and everyday. But all that happened for a greater reason and purpose that we did not understand until lastnight. As all of our plans fell through and all of our back up plans fell through, we had a thought to go visit a sister that has been sick. So as we drive up, she and husband our walking right to where we parked and we get out and they say " well hallelujah we have been needing you" so we went in to her house and talked and listened to her crazy story about the hospital and how stupid the doctors were and in short she wanted me to give her a blessing or she was going to call her penicostal friend to see how that goes. So I gave her a great blessing and the Lord did something to her because she was blowing kisses and felt amazing after that so she was happy.

Then we had another feeling to go visit a brother that his wife broke her leg, on a banana peel of all things, and she has been in the hospital for about a week. They re not sealed together and we are working on that with them and he has been depressed and scared of her health while she has been in the hospital. So we knock on his door and he says " i can't believe it, come in!" He told us that he had been praying to God to have help to overcome this depression and crazy time of his life. So we gave him a blessing and he was so happy and grateful to the Lord and it made his testimony truly grow.

So we had a horrible day but it lead to the benfit and growth of two wonderful people that need help andstrength from the Lord. Love all you

Elder jimmie G. Watkins

Week 41

So I am sad to say that the Skewes family was not baptized on Saturday but it is going to happen this Saturday if ALL goes well. The dad is being hard to work with but everything looks like it will work out for the good. On Sunday we had an earthquake, not big and crazy but it lasted for about 20 secs or so and there was a huge chandelere (i have no idea how to spell it) but it was above me and would have killed me. But we were with a mexican lady that is from a tiny village in mexico and she was freaking out and it was hilarious. Nothing happened but weird rolling movements.

We just set another baptismal date with a man that is an ex marine and we are way excited for that because it is in 2 weeks! we are way suprised by this blessing and cant wait for him to truly experience the blessings of baptism.

Well everything is still crazy here in Cali. We now have 7 baptismal dates and have taught 47 lessons last WEEK!!!! thats a lot I am dead tired. Love all ya

Elder Watkins

I finally finished the OLD TESTAMENT! It is about time, I have started the NEw Testament and I love how much we are the true church and actually follow the words of the Savior.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Week 40

Elder Jimmie and the family talked for about 2 1/2 hours on Sunday for Mothers Day. It was awesome....he didn't email much this week but this he emailed to me personally....thought I'd share.

So how has it been since sunday? It was awesome to talk to you! so anyways
thanks for all that you do for me and its weird to think about that next
time you talk to me will be Christmas and then the time after that call will
be like how are you? see you in like 2 weeks! I cant believe how fast this
is going and it is going too fast. Thank you so much and pray for the
baptisms on SAturday to happen please

ELder Watkins

Week 39

Dear Family and friends,

So first, I am ok and don't have "el chancho". That is the name that Elder Moncayo and I have given the swine flu crap. I guess it has gotten bad enough that our President has told us to buy two weeks worth of food today. He says that we may have to be confined to our apartments for a week or so. Kill me please if that happens! We think if that happens we are going to go insane and not want to be around eachother. Also that would be horrible because we are booked everyhour of everyday for the next week and we have 6 people with baptismal dates. So we dont know what is going to happen here in California, this place is loco!

Anyways the Lord is blessing our mission abundantly with people to teach and people who have commited to baptism. The Lord is doing his part and we are working our butts off to make sure that we keep up and do ours. Right now we are teaching a man that claims he has seen Jesus and he and I always sing Country Gospel music together. Yesterday we had to ride our bikes and it was funny because our area is all hills, big hills that never stop. so you have me that is not used to riding the bike and out of shape from the car, and my handlebars werent exactly all the way tight and they kept on moving and we thought we were just going to die because of the hills. Also the family that we were going to visit fed us KFC and was not good combination for riding the bike.

We are being blessed with lots of sucess and we are working to do our part. Please pray for us to stay away from el chancho. and for all of our investigators to be baptized.

Elder Jimmie Watkins

Monday, May 4, 2009

Week 38

Hello HELLO from the swine strickened golden state of Mexicalifornia!!!!

So this week in my new area has been amazing! We had zone conference on thurs and President Sexton gave us an amazing teaching that will be the turning point of all of our missions and especially mine.

To sum it up, he taught us the doctrine of baptism and our whole purpose here is to declare repentance and baptism and that we need to commit everyone that we teach to baptism in EVERY lesson no matter what. Because if that is not our goal than why are we there to teach them. So this past week we set 3 baptismal dates and more are coming. MY new companion and I are teaching all day and EVERY day! I am so stinking tired. I feel like Nephi where i am weak at the joints each night from teaching. I don't know how that is but it is weird. My area has a lot of hispanics but we can't teach espanish we have to pass it off. But I am just excited to be able to speak to them and eat their food! My companion speaks great english but we speak a lot of espanish. We are doing great and I am excited for my birthday and cant wait to hear from all of you!!!! I love you all and pray for us and protection

Elder jimmie G. WAtkins

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

We are so very proud of Jimmie right now and am so very grateful to have someone who wrote to me and told me how much she loves and respects Elder Watkins. I have 3 Facebook friends from Jimmie's mission who have kept me informed about his work. But this email I am going to post is indicative of the comments we have received from many in Southern California.... I must preface by asking, "please forgive my pride in my son right now"!

...here in Southern California is just absolutely wonderful. He wanted me to email you and say "HI, MOM!" and though you do not know me, I just wanted you to know what a pleasure it was that he was in our city (Los Alamitos) and what a wonderful missionary he is. I am going to miss him greatly because he truly is such a nice, wholesome young man. He truly is called to serve and is serving with all his might and mind.

He came by our home last night to say good bye. He is being transfered to another city here in Southern Cal. I'm certain all missions have good missionaries, but there are exceptions even amongst missionaries, good ones and great ones. You respect them all because of their calling. There are those few, however, whom touch your heart because they are exceptional in their calling, your son is amongst them. I am not currently active in your church, but your son has always cared about how he carried himself in our home and the Christlike Spirit he exemplified. He truly is an obedient missionary. We just really loved him for being such an exemplary young man. I see a lot of students on a daily basis here at the university, but none of the young people I see have the light of Christ so apparent as your son. His companion, Elder Seitz is also just as wonderful and wholesome as Elder Watkins. Your son is a very special young man and I will miss his visits to our home.

Just wanted to let you know what a wonderful young man I think he is. Hope you have a wonderful day. (boy this helped)

Sincerely, Marie !

Week 37

Hey sorry I do not have a whole lot of time! I got transferred to WHITTIER! It is awesome here and I am very excited. My new companion is Ecuadorian he is called Elder Moncayo. We mesh good and are going to work great together.

Thank you so much for everything!

Elder jimmie G Watkins

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Week 36

Hola!

Well sorry I had a long letter written and then as I was sending it the computer messed up so now I only have limited time.

RE: cap of the week

Easter was amazing, everyone came to church. I witnessed first hand a place that is named GAYTONIA! A castle motif apartment complex.

Our investigators are doing great. Transfers are next tuesday so who knows what is going on now. Everyone sounds great I love all ya and next week I'll have a better letter and maybe in new area! AH

con amor
Elder Jimmie G Watkins

Friday, April 10, 2009

Week 35

Que honda!!!

So I just got back the LA temple, and if you want to go to an awesome temple, go to the LA one. It is huge and very beautiful throughout the whole building. It is literally smack dab right in the middle of la la land and is funny to transfer from the outside environment to the temple. It is as night and day difference and it so much better inside than out. We are currently helping a sister in the ward get re-activated and temple worthy so she is able to get endowed. The light in her eyes and the happiness that is more in her life is just amazing to see from the simple acceptance of our goal to help her. Her name is Carrie Salveson and she is great and loves me and Elder Seitz and we are praying and working with her to receive the crowning jewel of the church.

So, not much else is going on with our investigators. It has been very tough and time consuming to keep the families progressing. Conflicting of schedules is the hardest obstacle right now in effect of the economy and does not make this quote "fun" but we have people to work with just hard to teach.

If you did not watch and hear any of the conference talks, do not wait for the Ensign to come, go on the internet and watch every single talk that you missed and hear it from the mouth of the Prophets. They have answers to every single question that any has from those talks and they will be more beneficial to you as you watch and feel the words that they speak.

I love all of you and hope everyone is good and healthy. I would love to hear and cool stories about anything right now because my brain needs it.

Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Week 34

Hola mis familiares y amigos,

So this last week has been a good one. We did some service for an old lady and I got to move all of her bricks, oh man that was fun. We found a whole mess of stuff, a possum skull and foot, a bunch of lizards and I gotta a free whopper from Burger King out of the whole thing. We also were able to find a few people to teach last week too. That is probably what you want to hear about.

On Saturday we were knocking and we met a guy who thought we were Jay Dub's(Jehovah Witness') and then wanted to talk to us because he has never talked to us. He at first kind of took it lightly and just wasn't wanting to learn but at the end he totally changed and now wants to have help to quit drinking and smoking and so a joke turned into a really good lesson. We are happy because he was a born again christian and thought that was dumb so he wants to really see if this is true.

General Conference is this weekend that is awesome, best time to be a missionary because you listen very intentively while you're here and learn more than ever. We as missionaries like the idea of the economy not doing so good in the sense that people are returning to God and wanting more in their life than money. But it is very sad to see people and families be affected like this. Our area is being effected immensly and is having problems. Please pray for the world and its sucess.

Love and miss all yall have fun.

Elder jimmie Watkins

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Week 33

Life is still good but I am sad to report that the Bustamante Family will not be baptized anytime soon and it is hard to hear that and experience that. Of all things, Jacquie is hung up on the Word of Wisdom and as of right now does not want to change. Or, I should say she wants to change and has felt the Spirit work through her and she is scared of that change in her life and does not want to be baptized. It is sad right now but we have done pretty much everything possible and it is now all up to her agency to choose for herself.

We have another amazing family that we are teaching named the Salazar Family and they will be in the church some day sooner or later. Henry(dad) is a member and has not been active for many years since he was a teenager and is trying to find for himself what is the "right church" for his family and he hopes that it is this one The Church of Jesus Christ! I am pretty sure that sounds goods to him or at least should.

I am sad also because our ONE spanish investigator, Georgina, is hard to find and havent been able to teach her too much lately. I love teaching her because everytime I teach, she has to acknowledge " tu tienes un accento muy CUTE" pretty much she says that my accent is cute and loves to listen to me teach. She is Dominican and loves religion and we have also gotten ahold of her sister to have other missionaries teach her.

This ward is great and I have a whole mess of people that I have to visit whenever I visit and they all want me to stay at their house for free because they would never have me stay in a hotel, they love me too much.

Anyways we had a great lesson about the Great Apostacy and learned something really simple. Either the Great Apostacy happened as the Lord told his disciples or the Catholic church is the true church of Jesus Christ. Pretty much all other christian churchs branched off as protestant churchs of the catholic church..... food for thought.

I have inherited a good ammount of stuff. I have now a crock pot, a rice cooker, a set of slippers that look like blue Bart Simpson shoes, a jacket that was worn by a member in Long Beach that searches for living Dinosaurs and 10 pounds of rice. So I am doing pretty well and working hard. Love all ya and please pray for me.

Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Week 32

Que honda!!!!Mis padres viejos y amigos chistosos

vida aqui en Cali es loco y tamibien dramatica

Not really but, we are having some difficulties with the Bustamante Family. The mom has some doubts about the Word of Wisdom of all things and it is hard and she is kind of distancing herself from us and we are trying to save this family as much as possible. In the mean time we are teaching a part member inactive family that is really wanting to findout what is the true church for them. As the Prophet Joseph said"there is one answer that is right for EVERYONE". We had an amazing lesson on the Restoration and they are taking it serious and are going to read and pray. I am at the point where my clothes are getting gross and starting to look like I have been a missionary for awhile so today I finally get new stuff to use and look good again. Not much to report on today but there will be very soon. Thank you for all your prayers and love.

Elder Jimmie WAtkins

Week 31

HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLO!

I am sad to say that the Bustamante Family did not get baptized themselves but they are very soon and we are doing everything we can to help them make that decision. Their names are Jacquie, Brandy, and Andrew and please pray for them. I am still in Los Alamitos after this transfer so no moving for me. no new comp or anythign but now 2 more missionaries live with us. We all get cell phones NOW I am so exicted it is horrible with this one land line thing we have going on. Sorry this is short gotta run fast today

Bye Love Elder Watkins

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Week 30

Hola mis padres viejos y amigos,

Life has been good. It is starting to be back to normal 85 degrees here in Cali-FOR-nya! It has been a blistering bone chilling blizzard here at 65 degrees for 2 months so people can't wait to take off the sweaters.

The baptism of the Bustamante Family is scheduled for Saturday, we are still working through doubts but there is still light at the end of the tunnel for this Saturday. So, everyone pray that this will still go on and that it happens before I get transferred!(transfers are next tuesday)!

Not too much else is going on, the mission is being reduced to a crazy amount of missionaries. On tuesday we will only have 95 missionaries and after that transfer only 85 or 86 missionaries!!!! I say they're weeding out the weak Elders and purifying the mission, but then I remember that I am here and that isn't happening. Just playing. Well if you want to meet some people in my area go on my mom's facebook and look for them that have been talking to her. I guess she is making friends with people here!!!! Well all is well and boring in the apartment which is always smelling like Canadian bacon. Anyways have fun love y'all


Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Week 29

FAMILY!!!!

We have been answered!!!! The Lord blessed a family with a baptismal date for Saturday, 7 March 2009! They are the Bustamante Family with Jacquie(mom), Brandy(13), and Andrew(11). We were just speaking last night about this and it is amazing to see what just a little bit of the Spirit thrown in the face is able to do to a person. We have been teaching them for about 4 weeks and it is amazing to see the joy and light of Christ appear in their eyes. Sometimes it's harder with Andrew because he has high functioning autism and he is hilarious. But you can see it in him when he listens and responds. Brandy has some worries because she believes that she has not received an answer from the Spirit about the Book of Mormon. No worries, we are going to hit with a bunch of Spirit tonight with some members that are their friends, who are converts and amazing and the Father is in the Stake Presidency so , pretty much it will be awesome.

My lungs are still crappy, I am coughing up a whole mess of fun stuff everyday and sounding like I have smoked a pack a day for my whole life.

I am in Isaiah right now in the Bible and I think I have never understood that book ever like I am now. If you want to understand it, I suggest going on a mission or just becoming an Apostle or Prophet. But it is amazing to read about our day and what is still to come from a book that was written so long ago. Anyways love all of you. I live alone in a big dreary apartment with a Canadian so it has been interesting. (IM going insane) but we re having success.

Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Week 28

Hola de California!!!!!

This past week has been raining like crazy and has not been fun because I have this crappy infection in my lungs. SO I am doing my best to stay healthy. Ok so no baptism dates this week yet but we are sure that we might have some today or later this week. So please pray for us. Elder Seitz and I are living alone in a big apartment. It is not as fun because it's big and quiet and it's just us in it not saying anything.

There is a man that is in this ward that works in Mesa on Val Vista and the freeway every Tuesday to Friday. He stays at the Best Western right next to Superstition mall so that was funny to talk about at their house.

We had an amazing lesson on the Plan of Salvation on Sunday night with a family that will be baptized in the near future, not right away but soon. They always test us with all of these questions about deep stuff that they just wonder about and so far we are the people to have answered their questions. I just saw their faces glow as they heard the universal plan for mankind be explained to them. We have another family that has come to church for 3 weeks in a row and they are the ones that we hope to set a baptismal date very soon. The son, Andrew, has high functioning autism which is very funny sometimes because he just says what is on his mind that very second and doesn't have that ability to differentiate what is rude and what is not. I think it is hilarious. Life is good.

Love you all and miss ya.

What is going on with all of you???

Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Week 27

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This transfer has been amazing! The Lord has blessed us with 12 investigators (a 1200% increase) and 4 more coming on Thursday. We have had people that have been prepared just come out of no where around here. We have also had some great lessons with people. Last night we had the Bustamante Family over at one of the counselors in the Stake Presidency's house to teach the Restoration. It was awesome, we taught clearly and they all left with smiles on their faces. It was funny, the son has autism and in the middle of the lesson he said "I'm tired," so he fell asleep right on the couch in the middle of the lesson in about 2 seconds. It was hilarious but also a blessing so the mom did not have to worry about him behaving. They have been to church twice and love it, they are going to have baptismal dates very soon.

Then this week we have a lesson planned with a man that is super excited to learn and cannot wait for himself to find out if this is true. The Lord is blessing us a whole bunch, this area has had nothing going on in it and it has turned around completely. I am creeping one day closer to completing the Old Testament and i am in Proverbs right now which is pretty good I guess. I just got done with chapter five so the Spirit was definately testifying to me. (its a joke, go read it)

Well Happy Valentine's Day!!!!
Te amo vos!
Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Here are some pictures of neighborhoods Jimmie is in. He sent them with no comments except on the one that says "Rossmoor" he makes a very classic Jimmie statement, "This is the neighborhood that I call "Stepfordville".














Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Week 26

Hello Everyone!!!!

How are all of you doing this week? I am sad to hear but not suprised,.....the Cardinals did lose. But I HEARD that they played well and it was one of the best games people have seen in awhile.

Anyways this week has been a great one. We have all of a sudden found a whole mess of people to teach when I get a good companion at my side. Nothing against my last companion, but nothing happened when he was here. We are soon to be having some dates set for baptisms and get people going to church. I haven't felt to well for about 2 weeks or so now but I am doing ok. I really think the wonderful air quality here is helping me out oh so much.

I am going to shortly finish the WHOLE OLD TESTAMENT!!!! Cannot wait to start the New Testament and feel the Spirit again, Just Kidding.

But love all of you and the email i sent with all of my numbers and stuff is for my president

Love, Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Week 25

HELLO!!!!

So the BIG news this week is that I have a new companion!!! His name is Elder Seitz and he is from Canada. So far that is the only downfall ha ha!, but I am excited to work with him. We are going to be having a baptism I hope and pray this next transfer. More big news, my family got baptized in LB that I taught. I loved them and they loved me so much. I am so excited for them. Life is going pretty good here, I'm still driver and I eat every night at members' house and we having success in a hard area. I miss all ya'll and hope to hear from ya!

Love Elder Jimmie G. Watkins

Monday, January 26, 2009

Mom Forgot

Well I forgot to post the last two weeks e-mails so here they are.

Sorry!

Week 24

Well Family and friends,
I am sorry I am going to make this short. The church is true, I am getting a new companion next Tuesday!!!! He does not even know that. We are going to be having some better stories next week.

Love Elder Watkins

Week 23

Hello !!
So hope you all loved last weeks e-mail, I tried my best to make it sound as positive as possible. So, this last week I was in my first earthquake!!!! We were in our ward mission leader's house and everything was just moving and I was confused on what was going on and everyone was just laughing because I had no idea what happened. We are currently working with an amazing non member family that is going to be baptized in the near future. Not in the next couple weeks or nothing but in the near future. Please pray for us and them that they feel the spirit and soften their hearts and want to change their lives. I am excited also because I jsut finished the Book of Mormon for the second time on my mission and I can truly tell all of you, that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of god and that Jesus Christ truly did appear unto the Nephites as a resurrected being. Ya the Bible is nice and the word of God and I love the stories especially Old Testament. But everyone has the Bible and look where that got them. i encourage everyone to really and truly pray everytime you finish the Book of Mormon and ask if it is true or not. you will receive an answer.
i love all of you and miss you
Love Elder Jimmie G. WAtkins

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Week 22

HELLO!

This week has been great. We had success in finding 6 new investigators. Including an amazing "GOLDEN" family that we hope is going to progress towards baptism. Not much goes on in this area like it did down in the Hood of Long Beach. But this week I started in the book of Job in the Old Testament and I have learned so much from the Old Testament and suprisingly from the few chapters that I have read in Job. If you ever think you have it bad, go read the book of Job and see what faith he had and hope of the Savior. Then you will not be sad anymore.

My companion is great, he has taught me patience and I do not think he knows it! He is kind of a late bloomer in the morning and kind of a quick runner at night towards his bed. He also does not grasp many things about being presentable so I have learned what I need to improve on in that area. Anyways he is teaching me a lot and I am learning a lot from him. He is also from Utah, so of course he knows a whole lot about the church. But we are having fun because I am now the driver of the car so the car and the passengers are safe. My Spanish is still pretty good surprisingly we have used it everyother day here so this has been fun.

Love ya and miss you all!
Elder Jimmie G. Watkins