Buenas tardes, Presidente Murphy,
It was a great week here in Otavalo. José and Diana got married on Friday, and it was so beautiful. They were both so excited, and José, while giving a little speech, began to talk about how he did it for his family, all because he wants to have an eternal family and be sealed in the temple. I'm really grateful to have been able to be there, and to see him follow through with all of the commitments that we have left him. So many people tell us that they want to get married or have thought about it, but they never follow through, and we consequently have to leave them. For me, that's the hardest part, but I'm so grateful that we didn't have to leave them, and that Saturday, José was able to be baptized. He gave a sweet testimony, but at the end, it was the sweetest moment to hear Diana give her prayer. She got choked up just beginning, thanking Heavenly Father for helping José make it here. They've had a long journey of getting to this point, but they both have the goal of being sealed in the temple. Diana was so touched by the Spirit that she could hardly speak. As missionaries, we really don't do a lot. All we do is invite people to come to Christ, but they do the hard part if they are true prepared. I know that every person has their time, and I'm so grateful that this was their time. I know that José was so ready to make these changes in his life, and I am excited to see what happens in their family in the future.Milton Yaselga also passed his baptismal interview on Saturday. He's only nine years old, but he has a really amazing understanding of the scriptures and of gospel principles. Our only worry is his mom. She's excited for him and everything but she couldn't come to his interview, and they couldn't come to church the next day because of her health, so we are praying that she will be okay for the baptism on Saturday. Milton tells us each time that he needs to be baptized, receive the priesthood, go on a mission, come back, get sealed in the temple and have a family. We really hope that this step is the first in that process.
Adrian is getting ready for his baptismal interview this Saturday as well. His mom already knows what time for his baptism and everything. He just needs to pass his interview, and he will be good to go. He is retaining information a lot better now which is great, and we really appreciated that last night, when we taught him the three big commandments, his uncle helped us. He is also a returned missionary, and Adrian didn't really get the Law of Chastity, and his uncle explained it in a good way without it feeling like he dominated the lesson. Adrian is going to have a lot of support from his family in his conversation, and for that we are really grateful.
We talked to Jocelyn this past week. She had a baptismal date set for the 4th of August, and still does, but she asked about attending Centenario instead of Latino ward because the chapel is closer. We told her that of course she could, and even though we are sad to lose her, we know that the elders will do a good job of teaching her. The great thing about missionaries is that we all teach the same lessons and principles, and she really does want to be baptized. So, we hope they update you about her and how she's doing.
Hermana Meza is really great. I think she has very little confidence in herself, but she participates in lessons, and speaks up, and I'm excited for this transfer with her. She is very strong and I know that she will be a very powerful missionary. Thank you for letting me train her.
Otavalo sure is a city of miracles. I'm so grateful to be finishing my mission here. I know that through diligence, obedience, and faith, God will show us mercy and change our lives. I love this Gospel, and I love being a missionary.
See you tomorrow, and have a great week!
Hermana Kennedy
And here's President's response to my last email: Gracias Hermana Kennedy! Lots of great things happening in your sector. Keep running strong and help Hermana Meza get off to a great start. You're awesome.
I've never heard President use the word "awesome" before, so that makes me really happy! ;-)
Okie dokie lokie. Let's start with the wedding.
So we get to Diana's house at 9 a.m. on Friday, and she if freaking out. She's trying to prepare the food for when they return from the civil registry, and nobody is there to help her. Her mom was supposed to show up, but she's coming from Quito, so she's late. We ask what we can do, and go to work. José actually had to still work, and only got a couple of hours off in the middle of the day to get married, so he can't help, so it's just us, Diana, and her 2-year-old daughter, Noa. Anyway, we work on getting everything ready, and at one point, her mom gets there with her little sister, and we have to run back to the house because she needs earrings and doesn't know what to do with her hair, and she doesn't like any of her dresses, and so we come back toting a dress, earrings, and my curling iron. Thankfully, Hermana Meza is small too, so her dress fits, and she loved it. I ironed shirts, and did her sister's hair, and she went off to a friend's house for her hair and makeup. She left us with her mom and sister and Noa, and finally, at 12:45 (their appointment is at 1:30 to get married), he goes to get dressed, and we are looking for shoes! Holy heck, I can't even imagine how I'll feel for my own wedding! We head off in two taxis, and we are of course late, and we get there, and Diana ins't THERE! She finally arrives around 1:45, looking all beautiful, and José is all smiley, and they head in. The person has to tell them some stuff first, and then we are all invited in, and honestly, the best part was when they both bent down to sign the papers, and they both looked so happy! Oh my gosh, I legit feel like they are how Heavenly Father is giving me everything I have missed while being on the mission. My niece grows up and starts talking? I've seen that with Noa. My brother gets married? Well, so did they. I love them so much.
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| What a happy day for Diana and José and Noa (and us too)! |
Afterwards, we head out because they have to wait for their new ID cards to print with their new marital status, and Tatiana, her sister, comes up and says, "Hermana, they're selling churros outside!" I thought, "Dope, churros are good." And I look out, and I'm like where? She says, "Right there! Out of those buckets!" Well, let me tell you, those are no-way-in-heck any kind of churros I've ever seen, but instead are a tiny type of SNAIL that people eat here. I was like, "Tati, how much are those?" She tells me they are 50 cents. I asked her if she likes them to which she says, "Yeah, I LOVE them!" So I give her 50 cents to go buy some. She skips off and comes back with a bag of tiny, dead snails. She then peels the shell off of one, and hands it to me.
And I ate it.
Yep.
It was nasty, texture-wise, but actually pretty good flavor-wise. So after that, everyone else who was waiting with us goes over and buys snails too.
Everyone is eating snails.
Because that's normal.
But it was really lovely.
My trainee's name is Hermana Meza. She's from Wancayo, Peru, and she's really sweet. She's the only member in her family, and she doesn't have a lot of support for being here, and I'm hoping that the mission will help her family. She really wants to be here, and honestly, at first, I was really nervous about working with a Peruvian, but she's really great. I'm just trying to give her a great first experience in her first six weeks and basically teach her everything. Well, except Spanish. She obviously doesn't need to learn that. She was a little closed off at first, but she's started being more open and talking, and we laugh a lot. But not too much. She lets me have some minutes of silence sometimes, which I've come to greatly appreciate on my mission ;-)
And Mommy, don't worry if the house isn't completely remodeled yet, because in all honesty, I will sleep on the floor. On carpet. Because I'll be so thankful to have carpet. I love this country, but man, do I miss real living! Seriously, I just miss feeling at home somewhere. Not to complain (really, I'm NOT complaining--I'm just keeping it real for you guys, or as you say, Mommy, I'm painting a picture for you with words), but our house here is junk. There's no light in the bathroom nor in the room with our clothes, and our kitchen sink drains in a bucket that we have to empty into the toilet. And if there's an earthquake, we are going to die because we live on the fourth floor. I miss America. Please just make sure that Kitty and Range are in my room when I get home. We could always put them in my temple bag again too #templeBuddies
And I'm hoping to get my package at zone conference this week. We had a little 4th of July celebration today, and it was supposed to be just hermanas, but the elders got wind of it and kind of crashed the party. So I told them, if they wanted pancakes, they would have to pay us a dollar each, so it was okay. Honestly though, just getting something from someone is always exciting, no matter when it arrives.
And it was the cutest thing ever this week to see Hermana Bustos and Hermana Caceres. I'm grateful that we are all training so that I get to see them again!
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| Hermana Bustos (and her new trainee), and Hermana Caceres' new trainee (and Hermana Caceres), me and Hermana Meza |
Have a lovely week, my lovely friends! Stay strong. I'll see you in five weeks!
Love,
Hermana Kennedy
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| I swear I get redder the longer I stay in this country.... ;-( |
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