Hi family! Here's my letter to President Murphy:
Buenas tardes, Presidente Murphy,
We had a great week here in Otavalo. I just love the people here. They're so friendly, and it feels like there is a member on every corner! We were able to head to the Imbaya district meeting, and we had moronitas with the Central hermanas. I was also able to get my visa renewed, and I'm glad to be legal again!
We met some really great new investigators this week, and we have some investigators that came to church this Sunday, so we are going to set dates with them. All the new investigators we found this week were referrals, and the members have been great in helping us. We have an appointment planned tonight with Jonathan and Christian Remache, and two members said they would come with us. The boys didn't come to church yesterday. We think it might be because their mom goes to Ibarra on Sundays to the feria, so tonight we are focusing on Dia de reposo. She's a member, so we know that she knows the importance of going to church, but we are going to remind her and stress the fact that her kids need to go to church.
Barrio Latino is really improving as well. Yesterday, we met with Bishop Piedra to offer our help, and he asked us to visit a few families. We were also able to follow the advice of Elder Falabella and ask for priesthood blessings. I just love the priesthood. I love that God's power is on the earth, and that there are worthy priesthood holders who can exercise that power. Bishop also called an Elder's Quorum president and a Relief Society president, and he wants to help us with Jonathan and Christian. We are really excited to see how the ward can keep growing.
Thank you for all that you do for us missionaries. We can't thank you enough for your hard work and example. Have a great week!
Hermana Kennedy
Okay, the space bar on the keyboard is junk, so forgive me. Ecuador is just really "special" sometimes...but really it is. I love this little country. The people are so friendly, and I love that I can buy six mangos for only 60 cents. It's a little behind sometimes in terms of progression, but that's okay. I love that there is so much culture here in Otavalo especially. They have such a funny accent here. I'm really grateful that I'm almost definitely finishing my mission here. It's good be back especially since being at church yesterday:
We headed to Otavalo ward which meets in the same chapel as San Pablo but last week, I didn't really get to see any of my friends. But this week, we had to make some calls after sacrament meeting to people who didn't show up, and San Pablo members started coming in. They actually remembered me and were happy to see me! They were telling the elders in the ward now that I started there, and asking me where I was now! But after leaving Relief Society to head to a different room for Spanish Relief Society (versus Quichua), I saw Francisco! He's Mariana's son (remember she got baptized a week after I came home for my ankle), and I was like "FRANCISCO!!" It was so good to see him, and he was happy to see me! I asked if his mom was there, and he said that yeah, she was in the meeting, and he told me that I had to come to their house really soon. Then he had to go in, but after Relief Society, we had to leave a little early to head to Latino ward council, and as we were leaving, I heard, "HERMANA!" I turn around, and there's Mariana! Oh my gosh, I was so happy. I sprinted across the grass to hug her! I forgot how short she is! She's so beautiful, and I'm so grateful that she's still active in the church! And her daughter was baptized last month! I think they all keep being baptized one by one so that the missionaries have to keep visiting them ;-). Anyway, I was just so happy to see her. Like, all the work and frustration and sadness on my mission was worth it in that moment, because I've gotten to meet people like her and see how the Gospel changes their lives! They told me I need to come over one Monday for lunch.
Also, it was funny this week seeing people open-mouth staring at me. Several members actually jumped when they first met me because they said I surprised them with how tall I am. Why I wasn't sent to Norway or Sweden or somewhere where giants live for my mission, I don't know...
We are running every morning that we can. Because of meetings with hermanas, we sometimes can't, but I sure do love running. I have some knee pain from all the hills in Santa Anita, but with a knee brace, it's getting better so I'll be okay. But this week, while running, there was this really weird smell. I didn't think much of it because honestly, it always smells here, but as I was running, I saw a dog laying in the grass and I thought it was sleeping. Next lap, I looked a little harder, and I saw that it wasn't breathing and then I knew what the smell was. Two days later, we went back, and the smell was still there, but there was nothing left of the dog except its shape in the grass, covered in fur. Isn't nature neat? #neature
And one thing that always comes with Otavalo is the mosquitos. Yep, I cover myself with repellent every day, and yet they still get me. I actually don't have any bites on my lower legs, because I spray them so religiously, but then I found bites on my upper legs! Darn bugs! So then I started spraying my whole leg, and the next day I come home at night to discover one bite on my back (despite my dress, sweater and coat), and two on my BUM! Oh my gosh, Hermana Carré almost died laughing. I've been taking two Benadryl each night so they don't itch, and one in the morning even, and not only am I not falling asleep during the day, I don't have a single scab! I'm very proud of myself ;-). I'm also limiting the amount of sugar I eat so as to de-sweeten my blood ;-). Of course, the day that I sprayed my ENTIRE body was the day that Hermana Carré finally got bit. (hee hee!)
And oh my gosh, I am SO excited to be an RA! And in Glo's building?! I won't be making much money, but for free housing and food? Boom bada BING! I have so many ideas already, almost all of which are Harry Potter themed! Thank goodness I have an artistic sister whom I'm SURE will be more than happy to help me!
Well, that's about it. I love you all, and I love hearing about your lives! They may not seem exciting to you, but every little detail is written GOLD to me! I love you guys. And guess what? I get to talk to you in a month! Woohoo! Okie doke folks....
Love,
Hermana Kennedy
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