Hermana Kennedy and the Identity Crisis of Tock the Watchdog

Hiya Mama! Wow!  What an incredible week!  Here's my rather short letter to President Murphy:

Dear President Murphy,

It was an incredible first week in Ecuador.  I love my area, and Hermana Giles is the best trainer I could have asked for.  She is such an example to me of hard work and loving the people, and I have already learned so much from her.  I just love her and this companionship.

We currently have two investigators with a baptismal date--Daisy and Kathy.  They're sisters, and we committed them this past week.  Their baptism date is April 29th, and we are working to get them to church.  We actually planned on them attending this past week which is an interesting story.  On Sunday morning, we left our apartment at 7 a.m. to go and pick them up for church.  They live in Pijal, at the top of a very big hill.  It's about a 30 minute walk there, but since we had to get to church on time, we were walking super fast.  I'm hoping that I'll have the leg strength of Hermana Giles soon, because she can walk crazy fast.  Anyway, we made it to their house around 7:25, and knocked and knocked, but no one answered.  Finally, a brother of theirs came out and told us that Daisy and Kathy were in Quito with their mom.  At this point, it was probably 7:35 and church starts at 8 a.m.  The fastest way to catch a bus was to walk up the remainder of the mountain to the road.  There were points while climbing the dirt path up to the road that I wasn't sure I was going to make it.  The combination of the altitude and the speed at which we were climbing resulted in a very difficult climb, but by some miracle, and a lot of help from Heavenly Father, I made it!  And somehow, we made it to church five minutes early.  It's amazing how I can see God's hand in my life, even in such simple ways.

I really just love being a missionary.  I love these people, and this area, and I can't wait to meet more people and share the Gospel with them.  This is such an incredible opportunity from God to be here, and thank you for calling me to this area.

Have a wonderful week!
Hermana Kennedy

So, I had my first baptism this past week (sorry, Ethan and Mark).  Her name is Joselyn Calle, and she's super sweet.  All the people here are super sweet.  I am so tall compared to everyone here, including the other Norte missionaries.

Props to anyone (probably Ethan) who understands the reference in my subject line.  It's from the Phantom Tollbooth, and it's referencing a half dog/half clock named Tock, the Watchdog.  Get it?  Anyway, if Ecuador had a symbol, it would be him.  Except the clock would be broken and the dog scraggly and very underfed.  Bless the people here, but they have absolutely no concept of time.  Joselyn's baptism was supposed to start at 3:00, and instead it started at 3:30.  It's kind of funny, but also slightly frustrating, because people are constantly forgetting about our appointments, so we knock on the doors of a lot of empty houses.  I'm definitely going to learn patience on this mission :-) And there are so many darn dogs here, and some of them are so dang cute that I want to take them home, give them a bath and feed them some ground beef.  Most of them are very friendly, and those that aren't never chase us or anything--they're just protecting their peeps.

Also, my sector is San Pablo!  It's outside the city of Octaval, and it's in the mountains!  It's pretty cold here (which is awesome, thank goodness), and it rains a lot, but my REI boots were honestly the best thing we bought for my mission.  I can traipse through mud, rain and dirt, and I'm good to go.  Also, they protect my lower legs from the mosquitos!  Mosquitos here in San Pablo actually aren't too bad. I've gotten three bites total so far, and I seriously think that my years of being bitten by Michigan mosquitos have helped me build an immunity to the bites here, because they're more annoying than itchy.  I haven't even scratched them once--you'd be so proud of me, Mama! :-)

My trainer is Hermana Giles, and she is just the coolest person I've ever met.  I'm going to get completely spoiled with the companionship because it feels just perfect.  She's so relaxed and patient and loving.  She comes from a family just like ours.  I was actually the only Gringo assigned to a gringo companion which could mean a couple of things:  my Spanish is good, and Presidente didn't think I needed too much help; my Spanish is bad, and I need a LOT of help, or Heavenly Father thought it would be interesting to see how a just-finished training Gringo (Hermana Giles) would do training a completely new Gringo (me).  Yep, Hermana Giles just finished her own training, so you know she's awesome.  I just love her and everything that we do together.

I love it here.  It's so cool to see all the Ecuadorian women wearing the traditional clothing which, by the way, is beautiful.  And we wash our clothes on this thing called a piedra.  It's super legit.  Our apartment is actually really nice, and yes, we have electricity.

The story I told Presidente is seriously crazy.  Like, I can't accurately describe how dang hard it was to climb that mountain.  I was sweating buckets by the time that we made it to the top, and I didn't even stop to take a picture with the two llamas that we saw on the way, because if I had stopped moving, I never could have started moving again.  I said like ten prayers to Heavenly Father to help me make it to the top of that mountain, and at one point, I wanted to stop and cry, but I heard Daddy's voice in my head saying, "Don't cry!  It wastes energy!"  So I reprimanded myself in my head and told myself to stop being a baby and just climb the dang mountain.  And when I got to the top, all I could think was how dang awesome it was to have just done that.

Also, DON'T FEED THE MISSIONARIES ANYMORE!  We have mamits assigned to feed us every day for lunch, and they give us so much dang food, and I'm expected to finish it ALL!  I sometimes feel like I'm gonna vomit afterwards, but Hermana Gies says that you get used to it really quickly.  Anyway, I don't need the blessings of being fed anymore, so please don't feed the missionaries in our home ward!

Here (unlike at the MTC/CCM) I can actually print out the emails you send to me, and it is the best thing ever.  For the past six weeks, I've seriously felt like Tantalus standing in the lake, unable to get what I need.  But I've finally gotten the water in the form of your emails to me, printed on paper that I can keep and read for the rest of the week!  I love hearing from all of you, and thank you for your support and love.

Also, Presidente y Hermana Murphy are just the coolest.  I love them so much, and I can't wait to work with them for the next 16.5 months!

I love you all so much,
Hermana Kennedy

Johannah has arrived in Quito!

Hermana Kennedy and the Diary of a Disney Princess

Okay, so not much time to write today because...I'M IN ECUADOR!!  My last week at the CCM was so fun, and I cried nonstop yesterday, saying goodbye to everyone.  Like seriously nonstop.

I have now been compared to a Disney Princess four separate times because of my voice.  Super cute.

We had a really nice devotional yesterday to say goodbye, and again, I cried.  Like so dang much.  It was bad.

So, I actually have a lot more to write, but my time is up.  I loved talking to you this morning.

Love,
Hermana Kennedy

Hermana Kennedy and the Week of Weeks

Hola mi familia!

Como están?  Guess what?  It's ONE WEEK UNTIL ECUADOR!!!!!  I'm so dang excited!  I'm finally going out into the field, and I get to see Ecuador and start preaching the Gospel!  It's so exciting, but we're also all freaking out here at the CCM!  I'm really going to miss Presidente y Hermana Hansen, and I'm going to miss the folks in my district who are going to different missions, but thankfully, five sisters are going with me to Quito North, so I'll aways have friends in my mission.

We got to go to the Bogota temple for the last time today. Mommy, I hope you don't mind, but I had two names that I couldn't do when the temple was closed for those two weeks, but I still had two sisters and the mom today when I went in, so I asked two of my friends to do them with me.  I know they aren't family, but I couldn't bear for the Hanraty family to be separated.

The temple sure is wonderful though.  I'm really going to miss it over the next seventeen months.

And being able to be here in Bogota has been amazing.  When the temple was first announced, it took forever for it to be built because there were so many problems because Colombia was such a dangerous place, and it was announced around the time that the missionaries had to be pulled out of the country for safety reasons.  But when it was finally built, fifteen years later, President Hinckley dedicated it and promised that the presence of the temple would bring peace to the country of Bogota, and true to those words, Colombia is now more peaceful.  The country still has problems, but since the dedication of the temple, the country has settled and become a better and safer place.  How beautiful is that?

Anyway, all of the Hanratys' work is done, and it's nice to be able to carry some family around with me for the next seventeen months :-)

I'll be flying out of Bogota next Tuesday morning (the 21st) at 8 a.m., but we're leaving for the airport at 4 a.m., so if you get a call in the middle of the night, it's possibly from me if I can find a phone.  I seriously can't believe I'm headed to Ecuador!  And don't worry about my luggage--I'm sure the suitcases will only weight 60 pounds now that I've used my shampoo and conditioner :-)

So I thought about titling my email this week "Hermana Kennedy and the Soccer Ball Series" and let me tell you why.  I got slammed in the face with a soccer ball this week, and it was pretty epic.  I'm fine (don't worry).  All the elders thought I was pretty hard core, especially when afterwards, I went for the ball while this huge Latino was kicking it...and I ran right into him.  It was like a game of chicken, but one person didn't know they were playing, and nobody stopped, but he did knock the wind out of me and slightly bruised my knee...but I knocked him over.  Oops :-)  I'm obviously too stubborn to stop, and I'm too competitive, and maybe a bit stupid.  Maybe that's why I never played sports.

Also, HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY on Friday!  I can't believe I'm missing all the Kennedy festivities, but thankfully I have a green dress I can wear.  I'm also praying that Shamrock shakes are a thing here, and that they'll still be at McDonald's when I get to Ecuador.  There's nothing like a McDonald's Shamrock Shake on St. Patrick's Day!  Man, I do miss American food, but last I checked, I have lost six pounds here, and that was two weeks ago :-)

Sundays really are the best days at the CCM.  This past Sunday, we heard a taped devotional from Elder Bednar, and it was incredible.  First off, he said that we shouldn't be trying to write down everything he says, because that's not how taking notes works.  He compared it to the large plates of Nephi versus the small plates.  And besides, who ever looks at or can find their big plates afterwards?  It's hilarious though when people give talks, and everyone around me is taking notes (except me).  When something cool is said, it's like Jimmy Fallon during "thank you notes".  As one, every head around me suddenly bends down, and I can hear twenty or so pencils scraping across paper.  I'm just sitting there, because as you know, we Kennedys never take notes.  But it makes me laugh.  After the talk though by Elder Bednar, hardly anyone took notes, but it was, to quote Mr. Drafall, a "profound" devotional.  It was almost like a call to repentance for our thoughts as missionaries, and while I don't remember exactly what he said, I did write down my feelings:

I am not entitled to success on my mission.  Nowhere in the mission papers process did it say that if I were to serve a mission, I would baptize people, or teach anyone.

I wrote this down too (it's a little bit of scripture mingled with the doctrine of me):  Remember, remember, Hermana Kennedy, that you are not entitled to success on your mission.  You are not serving your mission--you are serving God's mission.  You are merely an instrument in his hands; without a musician to play an instrument, it is simply a piece of wood or brass.  But remember that you are doing His work, and bringing His children to salvation, and GOD DOES NOT FAIL.

It can be so easy to feel discouraged when I don't learn the language fast enough, or when I don't feel like I'm a good teacher, but I have to trust in God, because He does not fail.  In the end, Satan will be defeated, and God and Jesus Christ will prevail, and I have them with me every step of the way.  This work is ordained of God, and He told me to be here, and through faith in Jesus Christ and what I know to be the truthfulness of the Gospel, I will not fail because God is guiding me.  How blessed am I to be in this position?  How blessed am I to be doing the work of God, and bringing His children to salvation?  I am so incredibly grateful for this beautiful Gospel, and the joy that it has brought to my life.  I am so incredibly grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and I know, without a doubt, that through His atonement, I can be redeemed from my sins, and I know that my Savior lives.  I seriously can't wait for the day when I can tell Him, in person, how much I love Him.  I can't wait to tell God "thank you" for sacrificing His Only Begotten Son, so that His other sons and daughters might return to Him.

I am so blessed in my life to have a wonderful family who supports me, loves me, and encourages me to do my best, and I can't wait to live with you all forever.  Giving up a year and a half of my life away from my family might seem like a lot to some people, but when I remember that I have eternity with you guys, it doesn't seem so long.  This Gospel IS true, and I bear witness of its truthfulness.  I love you guys, and thank you for your emails.  I seriously love hearing from you all, and thanks for supporting and encouraging me.

I've attached a picture of "Grupo 4".  I was originally on the left, standing with my district, but the
photographers kept looking at me and going "muy alto, muy alto" (very tall, very tall), so they moved me to an end.  They still thought I was too tall, so they they put me in a chair.  #TALLPEOPLEPROBLEMS  Funny thing is that I tried to sit in the first place, but all the short girls took the chairs!  #theyjustdontunderstand

Mucho amor,
Hermana Kennedy

P.S.  Give Hootie and Chiefy some love for me.  I love you.

Hermana Kennedy and the Hidden Talents

Hola mi maravillosa familia!

This week has been pretty darn good!  First off, our surprise from last week was a trip to Monserrate in Bogota!  It's this huge Catholic church at the top of one of the nearby mountains, and it was so beautiful up there.  The air was a little thin but still, it was beautiful.  I could see everything, and it was so cool to see how suddenly the city ended and the mountains began!



This country is amazing, and I imagine Ecuador is even better!  Then, we got to go into town and eat at this place called Crepes and Waffles, and they had the most delicious crepes I've ever had!  Ugh!  Too, it was so cool to walk around Bogota with our tags on!  I felt like a real missionary, and I'm so excited to go to Ecuador in JUST TWO STINKING WEEKS!!!!  On one hand, I'm so dang excited, but on the other, I still feel completely unprepared.

I found this friend on the streets of Bogota.  He is very much fake, but since I couldn't get a picture with the REAL LIFE LLAMA I SAW EARLIER THAT DAY, I figured he was an acceptable replacement.

Also, today is my one month mark!  SHHHHHH!!!  Only 17 months to go! :-)  I actually already know that I'll be coming home on August 6, 2018.  Crazy huh?

We got a whole new crew of Latinos and North Americans last Tuesday.  Turns out, no sisters from North America came, so we Nortes are the only white girls here.  But with those Latinos came the Venezuelans, and I seriously think that the country of Venezuela is breeding artists, because boy, can they play the piano!  I'm not talking being able to sight-read a few hymns here or there.  I'm talking, Presidente came up to me on Thursday and said, "Hey, we have a devotional this afternoon, and we need a musical number.  Can you get something together with your district?" and thank goodness we have a pianist who can literally play anything.  So, I chose I am a Child of God (Soy Unhijo de Dios), and practiced with my district, and then the pianist, Elder Hernandez came in, I told him the hymn, and he made up his own perfect, beautiful, out-of-this-world, fall-in-love-with arrangement with nothing but the hymnal in front of him.  Seriously, I almost died.  And as it turns out, there's another Venezuelan who can do the exact same thing.  I think this must be what heaven feels like.

I have become known as "the musician" (surprise, surprise), and it's really fun.  I've become the human playlist in the showers at night.  Everyone will be showering, and suddenly I'll hear, "Hermana Kennedy, sing something!"  I've had to be very creative, because no one wants to hear hymns, or anything from the Children's Songbook, or anything religious, so non-church songs that are still missionary appropriate have become my best friends.  Thank goodness for all those hours of listening to The Kings Singers! :-)

Bless these Latinos hearts though.  Whenever they ask where I'm from, I respond with "Pennsylvania".  Try saying it with a Spanish accent.  Sound like something else?  Every single one of them then tells me all the movies they've seen there of vampires :-)  #Transylvania :-)  Not exactly right, but at least Pennsylvania is known for something exciting!

So, the hidden talents.  As it turns out, I'm not horrible at sports.  We've taken to playing soccer and basketball during gym times, and I'm known as The Wall, because I can stop a soccer ball, even against Latinos!  The only problems is, I don't know what to do then.  So, maybe it's really just a hidden talent that I need to work on, but it still makes me feel pretty good about myself.  And I have a pretty good free throw in basketball for never having played.  Today, I made it in the basket four times in a row.  Guess that whole tall thing comes in handy :-)

I did have a little bit of a breakdown this week though.  I guess the stress kind of got to me, because we eleven Nortes became one district this week, and it was a horrible transition.  We were used to totally different ways of learning, and I was losing it.  We all were.  We were snapping at each other, and it didn't help that I've been feeling kind of abandoned by God lately.  Stupid, I know, but I just don't feel like I'm improving in Spanish the way I want to.  Presidente has actually called my Spanish a miracle, considering how well I speak having never learned any Spanish before, but I was still feeling lost, and overwhelmed, and when my companion stayed behind at the end of the day for her own blessing, Elder Lopez came up to me and asked me how I was.  Darn that elder, because it was just the wrong time.  I broke down.  I told him how left alone I felt, and honestly, no one has really asked me how I am since coming here, and I think the stress of the week had just gotten to me.  I've been feeling inadequate, and I feel like I have so little to offer to the Lord, and I felt like I wasn't doing what I wanted to be doing, and I went on like this for about ten minutes.  I really hate crying.  It stinks.  My eyes get puffy, my nose runs, and I get a headache.  So he asked me, "Hermana Kennedy, would you like a blessing?"  It was beautiful.  He blessed me with feelings of comfort and peace to know that God was listening to my prayers, and that He hadn't forgotten me.  I was to remember how much I had improved, and that I would feel and see my own progression the way that God did.  It was seriously amazing.  The next morning, I woke up and sort of silent cried through personal study, because I was reading in the scriptures about the Savior.  He endured so much, and like Alma 7: 11-13 states, He endured every kind of rejection and pain, so as to better understand mine, and He knows my afflictions.  He knows my struggles, and He loves me, which is why He atoned in the Garden of Gethsemane for me.  He was the perfect missionary, and He too was rejected, and went through trials, so why shouldn't I, as an imperfect missionary, endure a fraction of what He did?  But since that blessing, I've been feeling more at peace.  I've put my shoulder to the wheel, and I've been working harder.  I've been striving to be completely obedient, waking up exactly and getting out of bed at 6:30, and not singing any songs that don't bring the Spirit, and I've been noticing a change.  It's as though a weight has been lifted, and I haven't been as stressed.  I'm so grateful for the blessing of the priesthood.

Also, I'm so grateful to be like Nephi.  I'm grateful to have been born of goodly parents who have taught me and raised me in the ways of righteousness.  This week, I've encountered a lot of people here who are so lost in their lives, and a trend I'm noticing is that they say that their parents never believed in forcing them to do anything in the Gospel.  They would skip seminary, they would go to parties, and a lot of people decided earlier that they wouldn't serve a mission, because they never felt any need to.  It makes me so grateful to you, Mommy and Daddy, for forcing us when we were younger to obey the commandments so that we could better obey them on our own when we are older.  There was never any thought to not serving a mission for Ethan and Mark, because you taught them that it was right, and they were going to do it.  You taught us the importance of keeping the commandments, and so there was never any thought to breaking the law of chastity.  And I'm so grateful for that.  And I'm so grateful for Allison, because even though she didn't grow up in the church, she has made righteous and good decisions in her life.  The Gospel blesses lives, and it especially blesses families.  I thank God every day and night for my family, because you are such a huge blessing in my life.  You have been my rock through everything, and I love you guys.  Thank you for being my friends and my family, but really being my parents and my siblings when I needed you to be those too.  I love you all so much.

Also, I am SO JEALOUS that you got to hold OWLS!  That is like the stinking coolest thing ever, and please convert Liam, the falconer, because from what I saw of him in one picture, hmmmmm--that is a good looking Irish man!  Thank you for your emails.  They make me so happy, and I love hearing from you all!

Mucho amor,
Hermana Kennedy

Give Hootie and Chief some loves for me, and Kitten, Jake, and the other pups too.  I love you all!