Hi family! Here's my letter to President:
Buenas tardes, President Murphy,
Well, it was interesting week here in Otavalo since we now have to be inside at 8 p.m. Normally, I feel like we have so much time but phew, this week, I felt like the days went by so fast! Thankfully, the work continues, and it isn't too bad, but it is an adjustment!
We had an activity this past week with Diana and José to raise money to get married. Diana had her mom and sister there to help her, and we got there early in the morning to help as well. It was okay, but unfortunately the members didn't plan or organize very well, so we were a little scared for the first two hours that she wouldn't even break even. Thankfully, near the end, the members showed up, and it was a good opportunity for them to meet her and find out a little more about her. We are planning José's interview for the 19th since he needs to be married to have his interview. They are planning on just doing registro civil on Monday, and then it's official! He is well on his way to being ready--he just lacks a testimony of prophets. We are going to work with him this week on explaining prophets, and we are praying that it all works out. If all goes well, he will be baptized on June 23rd.
Milton is also doing great. He loves the lessons and is reading his Book of Mormon all on his own. His whole family seems happier now that they are consistently coming to church, and his mom especially can see the difference in him. He is still set for the 7th of July, and we will continue with the lessons this week. We are especially grateful that his mom and his sisters are so supportive of him.
We changed Adrian Yamberla's date from the 23rd of June to the 14th of July. His understanding is really slow, and we aren't sure why. When we ask questions he more just guesses names or words from scriptures rather than trying to answer, and he doesn't understand the Book of Mormon. His mom gets a little frustrated with him in lessons, and so we decided we need to go slower with him and teach him very didactically. When we use examples related to regular things, he understands, but as soon as we try teaching doctrine or something more complicated, he doesn't get it, and so we are going to start over because he doesn't remember anything about Joseph Smith or the Restoration.
I love working with the hermanas here in Campo. Each one of them is so different and so happy, and it is such a privilege to work with them. I love them a lot, and thank you for letting me work with them.
Thank you for your example and your advice.
Have a wonderful week,
Hermana Kennedy
You know, the weeks are going by way faster now that I'm in single digits. It still doesn't seem real that I'm gonna be home in less than two months. That's super crazy and super weird. We had a sister missionary come home this week from her mission in Argentina, and she was so sad. You know, I'll be sad to leave Ecuador, but I won't be sad to come home. There's a big difference to me. My body is done, my mind is tired, and I understand why women don't serve two years. I don't mean to sound like a feminist wimp--it's just we give so much emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. I'm so excited to see you guys! Anyway, Imma keep working as hard as possible in these next eight weeks, because they are disappearing super fast!
And Mommy, I need a hair appointment, optometrist appointment (yes, I can't see anymore out of my contacts or glasses...and we didn't think my prescription could get any worse), and a dentist appointment (cleaning and whitening because my teeth are SOO YELLOW!!!!). Also, I just want to eat good food, go running, and play games. Also, can we please have things like peanut butter, chocolate chips, cheesecake, burgers, grilled corn, chocolate cake, macaroni and cheese and lots of deli meant when I get home? And go to places like Panera and Olive Garden and Texas Roadhouse? I love the food here, but it is the same everyday, and I miss variety!
Okay, so I had two great exchanges this week. I seriously love the hermanas here. They're so great and so fun, and I just love being around them! I'm sad because a lot of them are just starting their mission, and I'll only get to know them for these twelve weeks. I wish I could be here in the mission for their missions to find out how they progress and everything, but everyone reaches the end of their time and the work continues without us, so it's all good.
Super funny story. So yesterday, an hermana asked us if we would be willing to help her. We were like, "Sure!" Turns out, she needed help taking her dog from one end of Otavalo to the other for free vaccinations....and her dog is a Malamute! For those of you who don't know, that's a BIG DOG! Anyway, we get to her house, and she brings down this monstrous (but gorgeous) dog, and he is in the midst of blowing his winter coat. In other words, he is shedding like crazy. His name is Mushu which means "beginning" in Quichua, but I just think of Mulan ;-). Anyway, we decided to remove all his old fur as well, and no joke, it's one thing to groom our dogs, but we seriously could have made a blanket or two from all of Mushu's fur! And we didn't even get it all. But we had to head out because they were only doing vaccinations until 5 p.m. Well, she's a small lady, and so is my companion, so guess who had the task of holding the leash? Yep, yours truly. I felt a little stressed because if anything happened to him, that's my fault. Anyway, walking across a normal city isn't too bad, but when it's a city full of stray dogs looking to pick a fight, it's a little hard to say the least! Mushu hardly ever gets to go out so it was already exciting enough for him, but then every time he sees another dog, he totally freaks out. At one point, the hermana had to run back to her store to pick up her phone, and I'm standing there, talking to my companion, and Mushu is sniffing at something behind me when suddenly I get whipped around because he saw another dog and TOOK OFF! Thankfully, I am just barely stronger than him so I was like, "No way in heck, dude. We ain't doin' that!" It was really funny too because he's a Malamute so he's black and grey and white, and I was wearing black and white yesterday, and he has bright blue yes like mine, so we were basically twins ;-). The hermana couldn't stop laughing at how cute we looked, and everyone was staring at us. I mean, the Otavalans rarely see a blue-eyed white girl, but seeing one walking that blue-eyed Abominable Snow Monster? Of course, I didn't have my camera, but the hermana took pictures and said that she would send them to us. Anyway, after about an hour, we get to the park, and my nerves are like done because there were so many other dogs. We even had to run at some points because it was the only way to distract him from going after them.
Anyway, the people doing vaccines are gone.
Yep, they already left.
So, we just walked Mushu as service.
I honestly couldn't believe that I have to do that all over again, and the hermana was like, "Oh no, Hermana, it's okay. We will take a taxi."
Say WHAT????? We could have taken a TAXI????
Hailing a taxi home. No problemo, right?
The taxis would all stop and let the hermana and my companion in, but as soon as they saw that I was getting in with the behemoth snow dog, they would quickly tell us that they weren't taking the dog. After this happened several times, it became my task to hold the leash (with said dog attached) and wave down a taxi so that the drivers could see what they were getting themselves into. A bunch of taxis would flash their lights and slow down, but as soon as they saw Mushu, they sped up again! The hermana was laughing her head off because I just looked so pathetic with his huge dog at my side, trying to wave down anyone. Finally, a taxi stopped and I was like, "Will you take the dog?" and to my surprise, he said, "Of course!" Anyway, we squeezed in and that poor dog. It was like when Chief would go running with Daddy, and as soon as he got home, he didn't try to jump or run or basically do anything. He just walked slowly up the stairs and sat down! So cute! But goodness, I understand wholly now the importance of training a dog and making sure that they can have exercise. Poor puppy! But it was really fun.
Okay, that's all the big stuff for this week. It was chill. I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUU GUYS!!!!! Also, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DADDY!!!!! And all other fathers! You guys are awesome, although I really do have the best Daddy. One hermana this week asked me about my dad, and I got really nostalgic talking all about Daddy and the funny things he does. Asking me to plant 78 tomato plants for a dollar, taping the tithing envelope to the steering wheel so I'll take it to church for him, stopping on the highway to scoop dead animals off the road. The list could go on forever. Love you, Papa!
Okay, have a fantabulistic week!
Love,
Hermana Kennedy
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