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.