Hermana Kennedy and the Beard Hive

Hi family! Here's my letter to President this week:

Buenas tardes, President Murphy,

We currently have Alejandro with a baptismal date.  He's ready for his interview this Saturday, and the family finally talked to his dad about permission.  It didn't go very well at first, because they waited so long to talk to him about it, and he felt like they were doing it behind his back.  But Jennifer (Alejandro's mom) said that now he's okay with it, but he just didn't like that they had waited so long.  They're a good family, but his dad is a little hard, so we are hoping that Alejandro's baptism can soften his heart a little bit.

Melany is doing well after her baptism last week, and we are getting ready to teach her the lessons again.  This week, we focused on the importance of the Spirit in her life.  Her family is also doing well.

We were able to set a tentative marriage date with José and Diana for June 18.  José wants to get married on the 18th because it's the date when he first met her.  They're really great, and we are planning on setting a baptismal date with him this week, but first we need to explain the Great Apostasy. He still doesn't understand completely that there is only one true church, and he is holding on a little to some Catholic traditions, so we are going to work on that with him.

The hermanas here in Campo are doing well. We  had an activity with them today so we could get to know one another, and it was great!  We had a lot of fun, and I'm really excited too see how the hermanas can become more united during this transfer.

Thank you for your hard work and your example.  We will see you on Wednesday.
Hermana Kennedy

So, today for the first time, I went to the Cascada de Peguche.  It's a pretty big tourist waterfall, and it was awesome!  Seriously, there was water blowing everywhere, and I got soaking wet, but it was super awesome!  And I always feel so legit hiking through the Ecuadorian jungle to get to these waterfalls.  We went with three companionships of hermanas that are also here in Campo, because I really want the hermanas to be more united since we are kind of spread out.  I think it was a hit!  We had two new trainers there, and for their first P-day, it was pretty dope. And we saw some llamas, so even better.  I love the hermanas here, and I just want them to make the most of their missions, and work hard, and have fun at the same time, and so I was glad that everyone liked it.

So, like I told you last week, I started taking antibiotics for the never-ending cold I've had for forever.  Well, being me, I actually read the warnings and everything which are included in the packet since I've never taken it before.  Three days in, I rubbed behind my left ear to find a very large rash back there.  It didn't itch or anything, but it was there, and I read that it is, in fact, a possible allergic reaction to the antibiotics so I stopped taking them.  The next day, the rash had spread a little to my other ear, and along my right jawline.  The next day, I had a rash on my arm.  Thankfully, it's not colored and doesn't itch, but I felt very funny looking, especially on my jaw.  It felt like a serious hermana beard, and since hermanas aren't allowed to sport beards on missions, I was sure I was breaking a rule ;-). But I'm okay, and there weren't any other side effects.  But I actually do feel much better.  Like, my nose hasn't felt this good for a while so maybe it was worth it.  And I guess I actually have an allergy!  Who knew?

And don't worry about me vomiting again.  Unfortunately, some occasional vomiting and/or diarrhea is very normal in our mission because people aren't very sanitary.  I wonder if it might have been a bit of reflux also because I had a passion fruit and banana smoothie followed by an orange, so I think it was really my own fault.  I just need to be more careful.  It just means I'm losing a little bit of weight ;-)  And I had to laugh through the irony of my companion bemoaning a pimple on the side of her face while I was vomiting through the night....

I know now what the brothers and Daddy have been talking about for years.  How they said missions are basically two-year guilt trips?  And how Daddy said he felt no guilt falling asleep on the airplane on his way home from Argentina because he knew he had worked his butt off on his mission?  Sometimes, mission life just weighs on me a little.  There's so much pressure to be better and find more people and be a better disciple of Christ and love everyone and think about everyone else first.  I just always feel like a loser and that I'm not doing enough, and that I'll never live up to expectations and that I just generally suck.  Honestly, I just wanted to stay in my pajamas today.  We went to the activity today, and it was so much fun, and I got back soaking wet, and I took a hot shower, and I got in my pajamas and read my emails....and it was so hard to put a skirt back on and head back out.  I'm just tired, you know?

I'm happy though that for these next six weeks, I have friends here.  Honestly, last transfer, I felt a little bit alone because all my friends were in Quito, but now I have a lot of friends here, and I'm really grateful.

Please say a prayer for Christian Arias, Alejandro's dad.  We really want this to be okay for him.

I love you guys a lot.  Have a great week.
Hermana Kennedy