Hiya my lovely family!
Here's my letter to President Murphy:
Buenas tardes, Presidente Murphy,
Well, we had a pretty good week, and the time just flew by. We really are trying to find the balance between our studies, finding, teaching, and verifying. We aren't quite there yet, but we are trying to do each one every day. Heavenly Father has really been helping us find great people to teach and is letting us know whether we should keep teaching them or not. Last week, we had an interesting experience. We had an appointment set up with a contact, but she wasn't there, but her daughter was, and so we taught her a really good lesson. However, afterwards we were going down the hill from this tiny neighborhood, and this older woman contacted us! She just said "hello" and asked where we were going, and we got to talking, and we asked if we could come and visit her at that moment. Her daughter just had an operation for thyroid cancer, and she wanted us to talk to her, so we headed up to her house, but her daughter wasn't there, so we asked if we could come back another day, and she heartily agreed. A few days later, we were again heading down that same hill when we again ran into Mariana with her daughter, Dora. They're super funny and sometimes we can hardly get a word in, but this week they let us help move a ton of concrete blocks for them, and they couldn't believe when afterwards, we still wanted to help wash their clothes. But it led to us being able to teach a really sweet lesson with both of them, and Dora's daughter, Allison, on the Restoration. We invited them to be baptized on the second of December, and they accepted. They have such good hearts, and we really hope that all three of them can make it to the 2nd. Our dates for Lilliana and Christian fell through because they weren't able to attend church, so we are going to see if they can really attend church this week, and if they do, we will set another date with them.
Hermana Caceres is just so ready to be a missionary. She has no confidence in herself, and yet she teaches. She doesn't have any fear, and when asked to do something, she does it whole-heartedly. With Mariana, Dora, and Allison, she took the lead on how to begin teaching and on the lesson, and she did just beautifully. She is going to be a force to be reckoned with once she's out of her training.
I'm really very lucky to be training again. When I left after week 8 with Hermana Bustos, I just felt like a failure because I wasn't able to spend the whole 12 weeks with her, and I'm really grateful for a second chance. I promise I'll stay away from any and all slides over the next 12 weeks :-)
Thanks for all that you and Hermana Murphy do for us. I'm so grateful for your examples, and I sure do love being a missionary.
Have a great week,
Hermana Kennedy
Seriously, we must have moved a literal ton of concrete blocks for Mariana. It was awesome.
Okay, so I know that many of you right now are preparing to celebrate Halloween tomorrow. You're preparing costumes, maybe something scary, maybe not so much. Personally, every day I'm scared of going upstairs in the dark because of Diana. Thanks for that, family :-). But let me tell you, nothing anyone will do or see tomorrow on the night of horrors will compare with what I had to endure this past week.
I had to eat guatita.
Guatita, quite simply put, is cow stomach. As in, the innards of a cow. And as some of you may know, I'm not really into weird food textures. It's why I don't eat raisins or shrimp. The other week, we were given octopus which had a weird texture, but it tasted super good, so I just chewed fast and tried not to let it touch my tongue. But when our mamita put a plate in front of us full of rice, avocado, boiled egg, potatoes, and guatita, panic struck my mind. I don't like egg or avacado for texture OR taste. And I thought that maybe it would be okay because maybe guatita wouldn't taste too bad.
WRONGO!
It tastes like NASTY mixed with GROSS. And it is chewy as heck. As in, I almost couldn't chew it, and the taste was so bad that my gag reflex actually kicked in a couple of times. And our mamita was sitting right there, going on and on about how guatita is a delicacy here in Ecuador, and it wouldn't have been so bad eating that big plate except that everything was covered in a sauce made from the guatita juice, so everything tasted like cow stomach.
No joke, the only reason I almost made it through the ordeal was because of the pineapple juice. I was taking a sip after every single bite of the nastiness. Man, after we finally left, I had to head to the nearest bakery to get the taste out of my mouth. And our mamita wouldn't leave, or Hermana Caceres would have eaten mine, because she loved it. She finished it fifteen minutes before I did. Yes, it took me 45 minutes to eat that food...if you can call it food!
Also, super funny story from a bus this week. So, we take busses everywhere, and we see some weird things on busses. People with chickens in bags, dogs, drunks. The usual. But this week, we were on a bus, and every bus has a money collector. And every once in a while, the money collector has to jump off the bus to stamp a time card. So, this bus collector, probably mid-twenties, jumps out, and I think he's going to stamp a card. But he comes back with a big bag, and he starts pulling out clothes--a jacket, socks, and a shirt. I'm just think that's kind of weird, but okay. Then, he does that kind of backward glance and starts unbuttoning his shirt, and I'm just like, "No, he has a shirt on underneath" or something, but NOPE! He just strips off his shirt, and I turn to Hermana Careers, and we just start laughing, and she says, "Look down, Hermana. Look down." We get off the bus and just keep laughing. Good times here in Ecuador. Nothing ghetto at all :-)
Also, this week was the week of colada morada and guaguas de pan. So, there's a holiday here on November 2 where they make something called colada morada, and they shape bread like children with filling inside. So, everyone this past week was making it, so we had it at the house of an investigator, at the house of a random person, and we had a ward and stake activity with colada morada, and a bunch of people eating children. It's sooooo good, and I'm going to be super sad when it disappears after the 2nd!
You know, I think I'm having a hard time being a Latina. I know that sounds silly because I've been here for almost eight months, but I've had three North American companions, and one other Latina companion who was very chill and introverted, but man, Hermana Caceres is just a full blown EXTROVERT! Daddy used to tell us about "Spanish people" and how friendly and outgoing they are, but he hasn't met Hermana Caceres! She puts everyone, especially my introverted self, to shame. She's been explaining to me that with other Latina people, especially other missionaries, I need to smile more and be a little friendlier. So, this week has been a bit of a learning curve. It's not a problem with people in general or investigators, but with other missionaries. I just don't feel this burning need to make them like me, because they aren't why I'm here. But I am trying, if for no other reason than I think Hermana Caceres needs me to try and seem happier when it's just the two of us.
It was interesting picking her up from the airport. I was picked up from my district meeting a little early by a member and his wife in one of those short yellow busses, and they drove me to the airport where we waited for Hermana Caceres to arrive. We didn't know where she was coming from or her flight number or anything, so we were just waiting, and then she came out! I was like..."Hermana! Hermana! A picture!" And then we met, and I told her that I was her trainer, and she was like, "Oh, okay." She then looked at the member's wife and asked if she was the mission mom or something. We then drove an hour and a half back to our apartment to drop off her stuff, and then headed back to Quito to have the new missionary dinner and testimony meeting, so I got to do all of that again. That was kind of fun. We then went back to our apartment, only to return the next morning to go to the training meeting where I was once again the only hermana present. It was just me with 13 other elders who were also training. I'm starting to see a pattern here :-). After the meeting, we then went BACK to our sector to work a little, then headed home at the end of the day. We went to bed super fast because the next day (Thursday), we AGAIN had to head back to Quito for the meeting with Elder Fallabella and Sister McConkie, and we had to get there an hour early so I could practice my musical number with an elder. Of course, this is Ecuador so there wasn't a music stand in sight, so I had to use the podium...which doesn't move....so in order to see my music all the way down there on the Ecuadorian heighted podium, I had to be super ghetto and use hymn books to bring it a little closer to my level :-). Needless to say, it was a little exciting! My number was pretty good, but I was SUPER nervous, and I couldn't get my legs or hands to stop shaking. But Elder Fallabella and Sister McConkie did actually change their talks a little to talk about the restoration, because my musical number was a medley of Joseph Smith's First Prayer, a Poor Wayfaring Man, and Praise to the Man. It was super cool to see them do that.
Anyway, lots of fun stuff. I love you all lots, and I love hearing from you guys each week! I pray for you every day, and I hope you have a fabulous week!
Love,
Hermana Kennedy
And HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!! I keep thinking that the Brooklyn Nine Nine Halloween episode must have come out! ARGH!!!!!!
And dang Mommy, you sure are a good photographer! Those engagement pictures of Mark and Allison are so beautiful. Also, their eyes look SUPER BLUE!! None of their babies will be sleeping in the basement ;-)
Monday, October 30, 2017
Monday, October 16, 2017
Hermana Kennedy and Wir Machen Training
Hi family!
Here's my letter to President Murphy:
Dear President Murphy,
We currently have two investigators with a fecha bautismal--Liliana and Christian Rosado--for the 18th of November. Liliana really is progressing well, but she's having a little bit of a hard time reading the Book of Mormon. Apparently, she's never liked reading the Bible very much, because it can be a little hard to read, so when she told us that she had read a whole eight verses of the Book of Mormon, we were very happy. And her son, Christian, apparently reminds her that they need to read, so I think they'll be fine. Right now, their biggest challenge is attending church, but this week, we are going to their house in the morning to bring them ourselves. I feel like for everyone, attending church is the hardest part, but once they get there and see how it is, they're much more inclined to come. Although sometimes we worry about the ward. They have been described in the past by many less-active members as cold and unwelcoming, but recently, a lot of people have been coming up and welcoming our investigators at church, so there is hope! Alicia couldn't attend church this past week, because she was away visiting her mom, but this past week, we stopped by her restaurant to make an appointment, and she comes up with a cup of coffee, and says, "Hermanas, I heard that your church prohibits drinking coffee. I always drink one cup a day at 6 p.m. to help me get through the rest of work." So, we briefly explained about the Word of Wisdom, and afterwards, she told us that she would start to stop drinking coffee, and that when she is at her mom's house, she would tell her "no" when she offers her a cup. She's such a sweetie, and we are so excited to keep teaching her and help her to baptism. We haven't officially set the date yet, but this week, we are hoping to make it for the 11th of November.
I have to admit, President, I was really rather surprised to be called to train again. I'm so excited to try again, and I hope I can do a better job this time around, but boy was I not expecting that at all! Thanks for trusting me with this responsibility.
I'm so grateful for you and Hermana Murphy and all of your hard work in helping us find, teach and baptize more. I'll see you tomorrow!
Have a wonderful week,
Hermana Kennedy
So, I'M TRAINING AGAIN!!!!! Not only am I training again, but I am also, once again, the only hermana training. Yep, only one hermana is coming to the mission, and I'll be her trainer. I'm not really sure why, but it was definitely unexpected news. I thought President Murphy would give someone else a chance, but maybe because I didn't get to finish last time, he's giving me another chance. I just hope I don't go and break my ankle again, and abandon another hermana! :-) But it's actually really interesting, because she's coming from another mission. She was only there for a day, and then was changed to our mission, but it's cool because tomorrow I'm going to the airport to pick her up. We will then head back to our sector, she can unpack, and then we head back to Quito to eat dinner with President and Hermana Murphy and with all of the other new missionaries. So, I get a second first dinner with President and Hermana Murphy. Isn't that fun?!?!? :-). Then, on Wednesday, we will head up to Quito AGAIN for the training meeting. I am just so hoping that I don't get lost. Metros and buses here stress me out a little, especially in Quito, because I just don't know Quito at all. And then, Thursday, a member of the Area Seventy and two leaders in the General Women's auxiliaries are coming for a conference with all of the Sierra and Cam missionaries with some of the Ecuador Quito missionaries. So last Thursday, knowing all of this was going to happen, I received a text from Hermana Murphy, asking if I would play a special musical number at the conference, so I get to play my viola!!!!!! How fun is that?!?!?!? I'm a little nervous though. It's been so long since I played in front of so many people, and I'm worried about my viola not sounding out over the whole conference (poor little $400 student viola), but I have faith in Javi. He will do his best! :-)
We also had a fun ward activity this past week. It was supposed to be a mission work activity, but no one brought anybody. However, it was a Masterchef competition, and so we, the five missionaries, were the judges, so we got to try all of this delicious food. In the end, a guy from the coast won. His food was so good, and it's cool because last week, his wife gave us a rice mixture of clams, shrimp and octopus. And it was really good. The texture was a little hard for me, but man, aren't missions just the coolest thing ever?!
This morning I said goodbye to Hermana Franco and Hermana Hartzog. I was sad to see them go. I love them, but this past six weeks has been really hard on me, trying to adjust back to the mission life. I felt emotionally and mentally drained every day. I never imagined it would be so hard to return to my mission. When I said goodbye to them, I just felt super tired all of a sudden, and while I was in the bathroom at the hermana lideres' house, I just started praying, and I started crying because I just felt so tired, and I didn't realize it until now. It's just been so hard. I'm glad that now, with my ankle all healed and a new trainee, I can have a fresh start and just have fun in Mitad del Mundo. And yep, that's right, I'm staying in Mitad del Mundo! WOOHOO!! My trainee's name is Hermana Caceres, and she's from Bolivia. Gosh, I'm excited for tomorrow.
So, there are these bread things called guaguas de pan. They're children made of bread, and they're how Ecuadorians basically celebrate Halloween. Children go from house to house, collecting bread on the 2nd of November, but every bakery has them now.
Muchismo amor,
Hermana Kennedy
Here's my letter to President Murphy:
Dear President Murphy,
We currently have two investigators with a fecha bautismal--Liliana and Christian Rosado--for the 18th of November. Liliana really is progressing well, but she's having a little bit of a hard time reading the Book of Mormon. Apparently, she's never liked reading the Bible very much, because it can be a little hard to read, so when she told us that she had read a whole eight verses of the Book of Mormon, we were very happy. And her son, Christian, apparently reminds her that they need to read, so I think they'll be fine. Right now, their biggest challenge is attending church, but this week, we are going to their house in the morning to bring them ourselves. I feel like for everyone, attending church is the hardest part, but once they get there and see how it is, they're much more inclined to come. Although sometimes we worry about the ward. They have been described in the past by many less-active members as cold and unwelcoming, but recently, a lot of people have been coming up and welcoming our investigators at church, so there is hope! Alicia couldn't attend church this past week, because she was away visiting her mom, but this past week, we stopped by her restaurant to make an appointment, and she comes up with a cup of coffee, and says, "Hermanas, I heard that your church prohibits drinking coffee. I always drink one cup a day at 6 p.m. to help me get through the rest of work." So, we briefly explained about the Word of Wisdom, and afterwards, she told us that she would start to stop drinking coffee, and that when she is at her mom's house, she would tell her "no" when she offers her a cup. She's such a sweetie, and we are so excited to keep teaching her and help her to baptism. We haven't officially set the date yet, but this week, we are hoping to make it for the 11th of November.
I have to admit, President, I was really rather surprised to be called to train again. I'm so excited to try again, and I hope I can do a better job this time around, but boy was I not expecting that at all! Thanks for trusting me with this responsibility.
I'm so grateful for you and Hermana Murphy and all of your hard work in helping us find, teach and baptize more. I'll see you tomorrow!
Have a wonderful week,
Hermana Kennedy
So, I'M TRAINING AGAIN!!!!! Not only am I training again, but I am also, once again, the only hermana training. Yep, only one hermana is coming to the mission, and I'll be her trainer. I'm not really sure why, but it was definitely unexpected news. I thought President Murphy would give someone else a chance, but maybe because I didn't get to finish last time, he's giving me another chance. I just hope I don't go and break my ankle again, and abandon another hermana! :-) But it's actually really interesting, because she's coming from another mission. She was only there for a day, and then was changed to our mission, but it's cool because tomorrow I'm going to the airport to pick her up. We will then head back to our sector, she can unpack, and then we head back to Quito to eat dinner with President and Hermana Murphy and with all of the other new missionaries. So, I get a second first dinner with President and Hermana Murphy. Isn't that fun?!?!? :-). Then, on Wednesday, we will head up to Quito AGAIN for the training meeting. I am just so hoping that I don't get lost. Metros and buses here stress me out a little, especially in Quito, because I just don't know Quito at all. And then, Thursday, a member of the Area Seventy and two leaders in the General Women's auxiliaries are coming for a conference with all of the Sierra and Cam missionaries with some of the Ecuador Quito missionaries. So last Thursday, knowing all of this was going to happen, I received a text from Hermana Murphy, asking if I would play a special musical number at the conference, so I get to play my viola!!!!!! How fun is that?!?!?!? I'm a little nervous though. It's been so long since I played in front of so many people, and I'm worried about my viola not sounding out over the whole conference (poor little $400 student viola), but I have faith in Javi. He will do his best! :-)
We also had a fun ward activity this past week. It was supposed to be a mission work activity, but no one brought anybody. However, it was a Masterchef competition, and so we, the five missionaries, were the judges, so we got to try all of this delicious food. In the end, a guy from the coast won. His food was so good, and it's cool because last week, his wife gave us a rice mixture of clams, shrimp and octopus. And it was really good. The texture was a little hard for me, but man, aren't missions just the coolest thing ever?!This morning I said goodbye to Hermana Franco and Hermana Hartzog. I was sad to see them go. I love them, but this past six weeks has been really hard on me, trying to adjust back to the mission life. I felt emotionally and mentally drained every day. I never imagined it would be so hard to return to my mission. When I said goodbye to them, I just felt super tired all of a sudden, and while I was in the bathroom at the hermana lideres' house, I just started praying, and I started crying because I just felt so tired, and I didn't realize it until now. It's just been so hard. I'm glad that now, with my ankle all healed and a new trainee, I can have a fresh start and just have fun in Mitad del Mundo. And yep, that's right, I'm staying in Mitad del Mundo! WOOHOO!! My trainee's name is Hermana Caceres, and she's from Bolivia. Gosh, I'm excited for tomorrow.
So, there are these bread things called guaguas de pan. They're children made of bread, and they're how Ecuadorians basically celebrate Halloween. Children go from house to house, collecting bread on the 2nd of November, but every bakery has them now.
Anyway, I love you all lots. Thanks for your emails and love. Be kind, loving and supportive of one another. Don't lose faith in your trials--just know that God always has a plan.
Muchismo amor,
Hermana Kennedy
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Hermana Kennedy and Winter Isn't Just Coming--Winter is Here
Hiya fam! Here's my email to President Murphy:
Buenas tardes, Presidente!
Well, Paco was baptized and confirmed this past week! Yay! More than anything, I'm just so happy for his family. His wife has been a member since she was young, and she said that it was hard marrying a nonmember, but she always had faith that he would be baptized. At the service, his friend of many years (who is now serving as stake president) spoke about how happy he was to finally see Paco baptized. He didn't know himself when he was baptized how his life would change for the better, and he's glad that Paco can now experience that too. Paco's wife spoke at the baptism, as did Hermana Franco. You know, Hermana Franco is really interesting. She so often puts on this face of not caring and not having feelings, but really, deep down, she loves people for who they really are. She doesn't like showing it, but she does love people, and I'm grateful that in this transfer, I've had the opportunity not only to be her companion, but her friend as well. I hope that maybe she trusts me a little bit too.
Alicia Mosquera finally came to church. She hasn't been able to do so since we started asking her, but this past week, we stopped by her house, and she came out, all ready, and she really enjoyed it. She especially loved the hymns. I'm so grateful to see people accepting invitations to change their lives for the better.
We have two investigators with a baptismal date. We are planning on making one with Alicia this week, but currently we have Lilliana Rosado and her son, Christian. We contacted them, and they love having us come over. Lilliana has been church-hopping for a while, and she's really interested in the church, especially in the Plan of Salvation. After we taught that lesson, we went back, and it turns out that her eight-month-old niece passed away the day before. It was beautiful to be able to testify of the plan of salvation, and tell her that yes, we do miss the people we love when they die, and it's okay to be sad, but we can always have hope. We were able to share how little children live in Christ, and that her niece was going to be okay.
I love seeing the beauty of each sector. Though I've only had two sectors to this point, I love seeing how though each place is different, the yearning that people have for the truth is the same. This is the true church of Jesus Christ, restored on the earth today for our benefit. The Book of Mormon truly can bring us closer to God if we abide by its precepts, and I know that Joseph Smith was called by God to help restore the church as a prophet in this last dispensation. I love being a missionary, and though sometimes it's still hard being back, I know that it was the right decision. I love these people, and I love this Gospel, and what a wonderful privilege it is to preach about it every day. Thank you for all of your hard work. I love you and Hermana Murphy, and I'm so grateful for your examples.
Have a fantastic week!
Hermana Kennedy
Yep, Paco was baptized! Woohoo!!
So for all of you peeps up there in North America (Pennsylvania, Michigan, Utah), fall has begun, and you're preparing for Halloween and enjoying the changing leaves, apple cider, and cool brisk breeze. Well, here in Ecuador, there really are only two seasons. Dry and wet. And winter is wet. It has rained every day this past week, but it's so deceptive, because when we leave in the morning, it looks super hot and sunny, but by three or four in the afternoon, it is pouring rain. Like, streets are flooded everyday raining. Now, I love the rain, so I don't mind. In fact, last Tuesday, it started pouring for the first time at the end of district meeting, so everyone else starts complaining about how they didn't bring their jacket, while I just run out in mine and stand in the gorgeous rain. I mean, it was really so beautiful. They all thought it was crazy, but hey, why live life if you don't enjoy it? Rain makes me so happy. And Hermana Smith decided to join me, so we went out and stood there without our jackets.
Also, I discovered the secret to tea this week. I've never liked tea very much, because it's just water with a good smell, but tastes like watered-down water when I drink it. But man, if I add a ton of sugar, it enhances the flavor a TON, and it's so good! Now, this is all herbal tea, of course :-)
So, our investigator, Lilliana, has a son and a daughter. The son is 10, and the daughter is 6. They also happen to have chickens--like ten of them--and one giant rooster named Marc Antony. Yes, I know. Ecuadorians are strange sometimes. When it rains, they bring the chickens inside. So, over time we have gone over, it has started raining, so they bring the chickens in. Well Christian has discovered that I like his rooster. Marc Antony is seriously like a dog. He'll just sit there in your arms and let you pet him. So they love bringing their chickens to us and letting us hold them, and they love to put them on Hermana Franco's head :-)
It's the last week as a trio, so today we made the most of our free day in the tourist central. We went up the mountain to the read middle of the earth, called Catequilla. It was super cool, and I'll send pics. Too, we went to one of three inhabited craters on earth called Pululahua. It's actually pretty famous, and it started raining while we were there. We also ate good food and stopped by the offices in Quito to drop off Paco's baptismal record.
Changes are happening this Monday, so next week you all get to find out what happens to me next. President told us that there won't be a trio in this sector anymore, and we know that 30 new elders are coming in, so Hermana Franco thinks that they'll give our sector to the elders. She also thinks she's going to the Orient which is the jungle part of our sector. I actually wouldn't mind staying here, but I think I might be leaving. But we will find out on Saturday night, so oh boy!
I love you all and thanks for your emails!
Have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Kennedy
Buenas tardes, Presidente!
Well, Paco was baptized and confirmed this past week! Yay! More than anything, I'm just so happy for his family. His wife has been a member since she was young, and she said that it was hard marrying a nonmember, but she always had faith that he would be baptized. At the service, his friend of many years (who is now serving as stake president) spoke about how happy he was to finally see Paco baptized. He didn't know himself when he was baptized how his life would change for the better, and he's glad that Paco can now experience that too. Paco's wife spoke at the baptism, as did Hermana Franco. You know, Hermana Franco is really interesting. She so often puts on this face of not caring and not having feelings, but really, deep down, she loves people for who they really are. She doesn't like showing it, but she does love people, and I'm grateful that in this transfer, I've had the opportunity not only to be her companion, but her friend as well. I hope that maybe she trusts me a little bit too.Alicia Mosquera finally came to church. She hasn't been able to do so since we started asking her, but this past week, we stopped by her house, and she came out, all ready, and she really enjoyed it. She especially loved the hymns. I'm so grateful to see people accepting invitations to change their lives for the better.
We have two investigators with a baptismal date. We are planning on making one with Alicia this week, but currently we have Lilliana Rosado and her son, Christian. We contacted them, and they love having us come over. Lilliana has been church-hopping for a while, and she's really interested in the church, especially in the Plan of Salvation. After we taught that lesson, we went back, and it turns out that her eight-month-old niece passed away the day before. It was beautiful to be able to testify of the plan of salvation, and tell her that yes, we do miss the people we love when they die, and it's okay to be sad, but we can always have hope. We were able to share how little children live in Christ, and that her niece was going to be okay.
I love seeing the beauty of each sector. Though I've only had two sectors to this point, I love seeing how though each place is different, the yearning that people have for the truth is the same. This is the true church of Jesus Christ, restored on the earth today for our benefit. The Book of Mormon truly can bring us closer to God if we abide by its precepts, and I know that Joseph Smith was called by God to help restore the church as a prophet in this last dispensation. I love being a missionary, and though sometimes it's still hard being back, I know that it was the right decision. I love these people, and I love this Gospel, and what a wonderful privilege it is to preach about it every day. Thank you for all of your hard work. I love you and Hermana Murphy, and I'm so grateful for your examples.
Have a fantastic week!
Hermana Kennedy
Yep, Paco was baptized! Woohoo!!
So for all of you peeps up there in North America (Pennsylvania, Michigan, Utah), fall has begun, and you're preparing for Halloween and enjoying the changing leaves, apple cider, and cool brisk breeze. Well, here in Ecuador, there really are only two seasons. Dry and wet. And winter is wet. It has rained every day this past week, but it's so deceptive, because when we leave in the morning, it looks super hot and sunny, but by three or four in the afternoon, it is pouring rain. Like, streets are flooded everyday raining. Now, I love the rain, so I don't mind. In fact, last Tuesday, it started pouring for the first time at the end of district meeting, so everyone else starts complaining about how they didn't bring their jacket, while I just run out in mine and stand in the gorgeous rain. I mean, it was really so beautiful. They all thought it was crazy, but hey, why live life if you don't enjoy it? Rain makes me so happy. And Hermana Smith decided to join me, so we went out and stood there without our jackets.
Also, I discovered the secret to tea this week. I've never liked tea very much, because it's just water with a good smell, but tastes like watered-down water when I drink it. But man, if I add a ton of sugar, it enhances the flavor a TON, and it's so good! Now, this is all herbal tea, of course :-)
So, our investigator, Lilliana, has a son and a daughter. The son is 10, and the daughter is 6. They also happen to have chickens--like ten of them--and one giant rooster named Marc Antony. Yes, I know. Ecuadorians are strange sometimes. When it rains, they bring the chickens inside. So, over time we have gone over, it has started raining, so they bring the chickens in. Well Christian has discovered that I like his rooster. Marc Antony is seriously like a dog. He'll just sit there in your arms and let you pet him. So they love bringing their chickens to us and letting us hold them, and they love to put them on Hermana Franco's head :-)
It's the last week as a trio, so today we made the most of our free day in the tourist central. We went up the mountain to the read middle of the earth, called Catequilla. It was super cool, and I'll send pics. Too, we went to one of three inhabited craters on earth called Pululahua. It's actually pretty famous, and it started raining while we were there. We also ate good food and stopped by the offices in Quito to drop off Paco's baptismal record.
I love you all and thanks for your emails!
Have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Kennedy
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| I saved these snails from being stepped on. They reminded me of the ones in Germany! |
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Hermana Kennedy and the Mandarin Monster
Hi family. So we got to the internet place a little late today which is why this may be shorter.
President,
We currently have one investigator with a baptismal date. Paco has his interview tonight, and if he passes, he will be baptized on Saturday! We are so excited for him. His wife and sons have been waiting a very long time for this, and they will be an amazing source of love and support for him. Too, he is already participating in Gospel Principles, and he has found some friends in Priesthood meeting, so we aren't worried about his long term conversion. He was really touched by his younger son's recent baptism which is why he finally decided to start listening to the missionaries. I'm happy to be here to help him continue.
We had a great experience this past week with Power Hour. It isn't something I've ever done before, but Hermana Smith suggested it last week during exchanges, so we decided to implement it into our week. From it, we found not only six nuevos, but also a lot of potential investigators. It was amazing the difference between just regular contacting, and actually contacting with a goal and purpose in mind. I loved seeing the Lord's hand in that time, and I'm excited to continue it this week.
Thanks for all that you do. Have a great week.
Hermana Kennedy
We are so excited for Paco, and I'm especially excited for Hermana Franco, because if he passes his interview, this will be her first baptism in her whole five months on the mission. I know that that doesn't sound like anything for Ethan and Mark, but here that's pretty rough. She's always been transferred before baptisms of people she's taught, so this will be really exciting for her.
So right now, it's mandarin season in Ecuador. No, I don't mean that there are a lot of Chinese people here in Ecuador. I mean the oranges. On almost every bus, men and women come on holding huge bags of mandarin oranges, yelling "Mandarinas! Mandarinas! Un dollar! Un dollar!" Well, it's like twelve mandarins for a dollar, and who can pass up that deal? I love the mandarins here, so I've bought two of those twelve orange bags in two weeks. And, we have investigators and members giving us each at least one each day. My companions sometimes don't want theirs, so I eat them. Needless to say, I don't think I'm lacking in Vitamin C right now. I have eaten, and will continue to eat, many mandarin oranges.
Also, today was my first day without my boot! Yay! My ankle is actually doing great. I don't have
any pain or anything. I can tell though that my body is a little stressed without the support of the boot. I guess I'll have to adjust once more to a new situation :-) But it's so nice not to have it. Because it's so dang hot here, I was sweating all the time, and my boot had a very interesting smell to it. I am very glad to be rid of it.
And our zone headed into Quito today to go bowling! It was super fun, and my trio got to be in a lane with three hilarious elders. One is having a very hard time with his companion, another had a companion who didn't want to bowl, and the other's companion was more interested in hanging with the other native Spanish speakers. So, those of us who were bowling REALLY WANTED to bowl! I'm afraid I did not win, although I came in a close second, which I would say isn't bad for a recently unbooted hermana.
And how great was this General Conference? We got to have an English room with the other English speaking missionaries, so I listened in my native tongue. Two of my favorite talks were from Elder Donald L. Hallstrom and Elder Neil L. Andersen. I loved Elder Hallstrom's talk because it made me think about my own situation. The ankle thing has been horribly hard on me, and I think when I received a priesthood blessing the day after my first doctor's appointment, I didn't have the faith to NOT be healed. I sort of hoped that my ankle would miraculously heal, and I wouldn't even need the boot for six weeks. But then came the news that I would be going home, and I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that God would send me away from the work I loved so much. But God has His mysteries, and who are we to expect anything from Him? He has given us this beautiful life, and what more should we ask from Him? As it was, my ankle (though I was walking on it for two weeks in a less than great boot on the rocky roads of San Pablo) was, as Dr. Moore put it, healing perfectly. And God has helped me in these last four weeks to not tire out as fast, and to be able to keep walking.
Too, I loved Elder Andersen's talk. I'm not one of those people who can take notes during General Conference, because I know that I'll get the Ensign later, and I like to just focus on how I feel. I know that he talked about President Nelson which was beautiful, especially since it was like an introduction to our next prophet. That's just what I believe; it's not doctrine. But I just remember that I had this beautiful feeling all through his talk, and something he said at the end brought me to tears. It's so silly that I can't remember it, but I know it made me feel the Spirit. If you didn't have the chance to watch conference, or if you would like to do so, you can do it at lds.org. It's a chance to listen to living apostles of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and it will touch your heart.
I love you all,
Hermana Kennedy
President,
We currently have one investigator with a baptismal date. Paco has his interview tonight, and if he passes, he will be baptized on Saturday! We are so excited for him. His wife and sons have been waiting a very long time for this, and they will be an amazing source of love and support for him. Too, he is already participating in Gospel Principles, and he has found some friends in Priesthood meeting, so we aren't worried about his long term conversion. He was really touched by his younger son's recent baptism which is why he finally decided to start listening to the missionaries. I'm happy to be here to help him continue.
We had a great experience this past week with Power Hour. It isn't something I've ever done before, but Hermana Smith suggested it last week during exchanges, so we decided to implement it into our week. From it, we found not only six nuevos, but also a lot of potential investigators. It was amazing the difference between just regular contacting, and actually contacting with a goal and purpose in mind. I loved seeing the Lord's hand in that time, and I'm excited to continue it this week.
Thanks for all that you do. Have a great week.
Hermana Kennedy
We are so excited for Paco, and I'm especially excited for Hermana Franco, because if he passes his interview, this will be her first baptism in her whole five months on the mission. I know that that doesn't sound like anything for Ethan and Mark, but here that's pretty rough. She's always been transferred before baptisms of people she's taught, so this will be really exciting for her.
 |
| A zone activity |
Also, today was my first day without my boot! Yay! My ankle is actually doing great. I don't have
any pain or anything. I can tell though that my body is a little stressed without the support of the boot. I guess I'll have to adjust once more to a new situation :-) But it's so nice not to have it. Because it's so dang hot here, I was sweating all the time, and my boot had a very interesting smell to it. I am very glad to be rid of it.
 |
| My first day without my official boot. But I still wore my mission boots to bowl :-) |
And how great was this General Conference? We got to have an English room with the other English speaking missionaries, so I listened in my native tongue. Two of my favorite talks were from Elder Donald L. Hallstrom and Elder Neil L. Andersen. I loved Elder Hallstrom's talk because it made me think about my own situation. The ankle thing has been horribly hard on me, and I think when I received a priesthood blessing the day after my first doctor's appointment, I didn't have the faith to NOT be healed. I sort of hoped that my ankle would miraculously heal, and I wouldn't even need the boot for six weeks. But then came the news that I would be going home, and I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that God would send me away from the work I loved so much. But God has His mysteries, and who are we to expect anything from Him? He has given us this beautiful life, and what more should we ask from Him? As it was, my ankle (though I was walking on it for two weeks in a less than great boot on the rocky roads of San Pablo) was, as Dr. Moore put it, healing perfectly. And God has helped me in these last four weeks to not tire out as fast, and to be able to keep walking.
Too, I loved Elder Andersen's talk. I'm not one of those people who can take notes during General Conference, because I know that I'll get the Ensign later, and I like to just focus on how I feel. I know that he talked about President Nelson which was beautiful, especially since it was like an introduction to our next prophet. That's just what I believe; it's not doctrine. But I just remember that I had this beautiful feeling all through his talk, and something he said at the end brought me to tears. It's so silly that I can't remember it, but I know it made me feel the Spirit. If you didn't have the chance to watch conference, or if you would like to do so, you can do it at lds.org. It's a chance to listen to living apostles of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and it will touch your heart.
I love you all,
Hermana Kennedy
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Hermana Kennedy and the Cat Who Didn't Catch the Rat
Hi family! Here's my letter to President Murphy:
Buenas tardes, President Murphy,
Well, we currently have one investigator with a baptismal date. However, we talked with Paco this week, and we all agreed that he is progressing fast enough to be baptized sooner than November 18. Our goal is October 7. Our biggest obstacle right now is time. If we change his date, it will still be for October, but it will be for the 21st, because he will be out of town on the 14th. We have really good lessons with Paco, but it still doesn't feel like he really, really understands the importance of baptism. Each time, he comes a little closer, but he's a little older, and I think he just takes a little more time to understand, but we'll see.
We also have a LOT of potential with an investigator named Alicia Mosquera. She first allowed the missionaries into her house because her nephew is on a mission right now, and she wanted to know what he does. I think she is one of those people who will progress very slowly, but she will progress. This past week, we were planning on teaching her the Plan of Salvation, but the Spirit initially took us another direction. Somehow (I can't remember how exactly), we ended up talking about why difficult things happen in our lives, and I told her the story of my ankle and having to go home. From that, she told us that she had a daughter die a few years ago from being hit by a car which was a perfect lead-in to teaching the Plan of Salavation! The Spirit really is amazing, and God sometimes works in mysterious ways, but He sure knows what He's doing. When I was set apart for the second time, I was blessed to be able to use my whole experience to mourn with those who mourn and to comfort those who stand in need of comfort, and I can see that happening already. Today, I was speaking with Hermana Evert at a zone activity, and it was amazing to share the smilier feelings about being sent home. It is an awful thing, but I'm glad that now I can better understand how people feel in similar, or even worse situations.
As for our companionship, we are working on it. Being in a trio is a different experience, and we are all very imperfect beings. We are trying to learn more and grow, but unfortunately there has been some disunity in our companionship. But each companionship inventory, we are getting a little better at being honest, and also not getting offended. It's a big growth experience, and I'm grateful for that, but I'm hoping that we can be better not only in our companionship, but also as individuals.
I love being a missionary. I love feeling the Spirit take over in lessons. Heavenly Father really does have a plan for every person on this earth, and sometimes it's hard to trust Him, but He does know best.
Thank you for your hard work in this mission. We sure are lucky to have you.
Have a great week!
Hermana Kennedy
Well, our companionship is getting better, but any advice would be great, because while I don't mind being the buffer, it is exhausting sometimes. However, I am starting to reach Hermana Franco. She's pretty tough, and she feels like she has to keep everything in, and she isn't really sentimental. Last night, in comp inventory, I just started to tell her honestly how wonderful of a missionary she is, and she started crying. I think she didn't have a very good experience training, and this is only her fourth transfer. I think Hermana Franco just hasn't received much love or praise in her life, so having someone tell her how amazing she is really touched her. I'm just grateful to have broken through one of the walls around her heart. Maybe over the next three weeks, I can go from using a sledgehammer to a stick of dynamite, and she will come away from this cambio having a renewed confidence.
We went on exchanges this past Friday, and I stayed here with Hermana Franco and Hermana Smith, mostly because with my boot, the hills of the hermanas' sector would have been difficult for me, and they wanted Hna Hartzog to have some one-on-one time. I feel horrible saying this, but we just felt so free. We just felt light in our hearts, ad honestly, it's because of Hna Smith. She is just a doll, and she is from Alaska (#canibeher?). She seriously radiates joy and happiness, and it is so contagious. We taught wonderful lessons, and we laughed a lot. But the funniest part came the next morning. So in our house, we have a little back patio with our piedra and clothesline and stuff. We had the door open in the morning to let the morning air in, and while sitting there making breakfast, Hna Smith freaks out and yells, "I SAW SOMETHING MOVE OUTSIDE!" So, I go out and see this little mouse nose sticking out from underneath our piedra. I didn't know where the heck it came from, so I lifted up the stuff it was under, and this rather medium-sized RAT comes scurrying out and dives into this hole in the middle of the floor. Now, I'm not scared of rats, but anyone shrieks a little under those circumstances. So, I grab a bucket and put it over the hole. I think everything is fine. However, after a moment, the rat starts SHRIEKING, and I realize that I might be suffocating the rat. So, I run out and take the bucket off the hole and figure that maybe we can trap the rat and take it outside. So we wait until the rat runs out again, and I cover its hole with the bucket so it can't escape back into the hole again. Then I go over and lift up the stuff again, and it darts out--not into the bucket as planned, but runs back to its hole but obviously can't get back in. That's when I hear some more shrieking from the hole. My guess is that the rat has baby rats in that hole too, and I was suffocating them at that moment. So with my plan to capture the rat failing BIG TIME, I uncover the hole, and the rat goes back in. Hermana Smith and Franco just tell me to cover the hole and let them die, but how can I stand before God at the judgment day and hear Him say, "So Hermana, about that rat you killed while you were on your mission...." Anyway, the two of them, of course, were no help whatsoever, but we laughed a lot about it. I did try again this morning to catch it, but it didn't work. My last-ditch effort? I just need the rat to come out of its hole. Then I'll run out, put a bag in its hole, then scare it so it'll run to its hole and into the bag, and I can scoop it up. The babies might die which makes me feel awful, but we can't have a rat living in our apartment. It's trap the mom and take her outside, or suffocate them all which I couldn't have on my conscience. I'll let you know how it goes next week. (As a side note, Johannah's dad told her to pour gasoline down the hole and just light the whole thing on fire.)
Also, we were headed to Paco's house last night when we turned a corner and saw a bichon frisbee type dog sitting on a porch (which is rather normal) except it's blue. Yes, it is in fact a very blue dog. We laughed our heads off.
And that's crazy how hot it is at home right now. It's pretty hot here too. I guess that's what happens when you serve on the equator. I'm really grateful that I can stop wearing my boot in a week, because I'm starting to get heat rash from it. We just sweat so much. I worry about drinking two whole bottles of water in the morning, because I don't want to have to pee a lot (because who knows where we will ever find a bathroom...or if we will at all), but we end up sweating all the water out anyways. But it's okay. But I do take my boot off every change I get even though it stinks to high heaven now because of the sweat. I even washed it recently, and it still smells. #thatecuadorlife
Also, I think I'm just destined to be a spy because everyone trusts me with the secrets. I can wheedle the truth or guilty secrets out of anyone, even other missionaries.
And you think I'm going to tell you what they are now....
...but I'm not. Because what kind of spy spills the secrets?
Finally, something came to me today. I've met a ton of broken missionaries on my mission. People who have pasts they regret, or who aren't exactly obedient, or who just feel sad and lost in their lives. And you know, we are all still on the same mission here in Ecuador. God doesn't send all the perfect people out into the world to preach the gospel. He sends anyone who is willing, broken as they may be, to teach His other children and to help bring them to salvation. And really, aren't we all broken in some way? But the beauty of serving a mission is how it helps us all heal and regrow, sometimes literally in the case of a broken ankle :-) Everyone has a past (all saints have a past, and all sinners have a future, right Mark? :-)), and we can't judge people for what we don't know, because everyone has regrets and sorrows in their lives, but if we see them as children of God, it doesn't matter. They are trying, and that's what really counts. God didn't send me here because I'm perfect. I'm broken too, and I'm grateful for the opportunity He is giving me to grow and become more like Him. I still have a long, long, LONG way to go, but I hope someday I can be a little bit closer.
I love you all. Thanks for your emails. They really do mean so much to me. I pray for you every day, and I hope that you can continue to see the blessings in your lives.
Have an absolutely fantastic week!
Love,
Hermana Kennedy
Buenas tardes, President Murphy,
Well, we currently have one investigator with a baptismal date. However, we talked with Paco this week, and we all agreed that he is progressing fast enough to be baptized sooner than November 18. Our goal is October 7. Our biggest obstacle right now is time. If we change his date, it will still be for October, but it will be for the 21st, because he will be out of town on the 14th. We have really good lessons with Paco, but it still doesn't feel like he really, really understands the importance of baptism. Each time, he comes a little closer, but he's a little older, and I think he just takes a little more time to understand, but we'll see.
We also have a LOT of potential with an investigator named Alicia Mosquera. She first allowed the missionaries into her house because her nephew is on a mission right now, and she wanted to know what he does. I think she is one of those people who will progress very slowly, but she will progress. This past week, we were planning on teaching her the Plan of Salvation, but the Spirit initially took us another direction. Somehow (I can't remember how exactly), we ended up talking about why difficult things happen in our lives, and I told her the story of my ankle and having to go home. From that, she told us that she had a daughter die a few years ago from being hit by a car which was a perfect lead-in to teaching the Plan of Salavation! The Spirit really is amazing, and God sometimes works in mysterious ways, but He sure knows what He's doing. When I was set apart for the second time, I was blessed to be able to use my whole experience to mourn with those who mourn and to comfort those who stand in need of comfort, and I can see that happening already. Today, I was speaking with Hermana Evert at a zone activity, and it was amazing to share the smilier feelings about being sent home. It is an awful thing, but I'm glad that now I can better understand how people feel in similar, or even worse situations.
As for our companionship, we are working on it. Being in a trio is a different experience, and we are all very imperfect beings. We are trying to learn more and grow, but unfortunately there has been some disunity in our companionship. But each companionship inventory, we are getting a little better at being honest, and also not getting offended. It's a big growth experience, and I'm grateful for that, but I'm hoping that we can be better not only in our companionship, but also as individuals.
I love being a missionary. I love feeling the Spirit take over in lessons. Heavenly Father really does have a plan for every person on this earth, and sometimes it's hard to trust Him, but He does know best.
Thank you for your hard work in this mission. We sure are lucky to have you.
Have a great week!
Hermana Kennedy
Well, our companionship is getting better, but any advice would be great, because while I don't mind being the buffer, it is exhausting sometimes. However, I am starting to reach Hermana Franco. She's pretty tough, and she feels like she has to keep everything in, and she isn't really sentimental. Last night, in comp inventory, I just started to tell her honestly how wonderful of a missionary she is, and she started crying. I think she didn't have a very good experience training, and this is only her fourth transfer. I think Hermana Franco just hasn't received much love or praise in her life, so having someone tell her how amazing she is really touched her. I'm just grateful to have broken through one of the walls around her heart. Maybe over the next three weeks, I can go from using a sledgehammer to a stick of dynamite, and she will come away from this cambio having a renewed confidence.
 |
| Hna. Franco, me, Hna. Smith |
Also, we were headed to Paco's house last night when we turned a corner and saw a bichon frisbee type dog sitting on a porch (which is rather normal) except it's blue. Yes, it is in fact a very blue dog. We laughed our heads off.
And that's crazy how hot it is at home right now. It's pretty hot here too. I guess that's what happens when you serve on the equator. I'm really grateful that I can stop wearing my boot in a week, because I'm starting to get heat rash from it. We just sweat so much. I worry about drinking two whole bottles of water in the morning, because I don't want to have to pee a lot (because who knows where we will ever find a bathroom...or if we will at all), but we end up sweating all the water out anyways. But it's okay. But I do take my boot off every change I get even though it stinks to high heaven now because of the sweat. I even washed it recently, and it still smells. #thatecuadorlife
Also, I think I'm just destined to be a spy because everyone trusts me with the secrets. I can wheedle the truth or guilty secrets out of anyone, even other missionaries.
And you think I'm going to tell you what they are now....
...but I'm not. Because what kind of spy spills the secrets?
Finally, something came to me today. I've met a ton of broken missionaries on my mission. People who have pasts they regret, or who aren't exactly obedient, or who just feel sad and lost in their lives. And you know, we are all still on the same mission here in Ecuador. God doesn't send all the perfect people out into the world to preach the gospel. He sends anyone who is willing, broken as they may be, to teach His other children and to help bring them to salvation. And really, aren't we all broken in some way? But the beauty of serving a mission is how it helps us all heal and regrow, sometimes literally in the case of a broken ankle :-) Everyone has a past (all saints have a past, and all sinners have a future, right Mark? :-)), and we can't judge people for what we don't know, because everyone has regrets and sorrows in their lives, but if we see them as children of God, it doesn't matter. They are trying, and that's what really counts. God didn't send me here because I'm perfect. I'm broken too, and I'm grateful for the opportunity He is giving me to grow and become more like Him. I still have a long, long, LONG way to go, but I hope someday I can be a little bit closer.
I love you all. Thanks for your emails. They really do mean so much to me. I pray for you every day, and I hope that you can continue to see the blessings in your lives.
Have an absolutely fantastic week!
Love,
Hermana Kennedy
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Hermana Kennedy and Buffer, the Cake Slayer
Hiya family o' mine! Here's my l-o-n-g letter to President Murphy:
Buenas tardes, President Murphy,
I have to admit, this sector is growing on me. It is still very, very hot here, but there are good people here, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to get to know them and help continue the work here in Mitad del Mundo!
First, I wanted to share a great experience we had with the Book of Mormon. After Zone Conference on Tuesday, we decided to try using the Restoration and specifically the Book of Mormon more in our contacting. Normally we say something about families or the Atonement, which almost always works, but it isn't usually what we teach first and foremost, so we decided to use the Restoration more. This week, we were contacting for a long time on this one street, and no one was really letting us in. One woman told us that it was a very Catholic street, so no one would want to listen to us. We knock on this big green door, and this mid-20s man answered. His name was Paoul, and at first, he didn't seem very interested. But then, Hermana Franco handed him one of the pass along cards with the Book of Mormon on the back, and she explained a little, and he very surprisingly asked, "Wait, there's another book?" to which we happily replied YES! and he told us we could come back the next day. We went back, but he wasn't there. However, his mother was, and at first, she seemed a little weirded out by three missionaries asking for her son, but then we again contacted her using the Book of Mormon, and she too was surprised that there was another book. We then asked if we could teach her, and she agreed! We taught the entire Restoration to her right then and there, and we have another appointment set up for this Friday! Her name is Lourdes, and she's the mother of eight kids. We have a really good feeling about her. I always felt a little funny contacting with the Book of Mormon, because sometimes people just really don't understand that it isn't a replacement for the Bible, and they turn us away, but this experience really showed me that people are looking for more of the truth, and if we explain the Book of Mormon the right way, it will be the most powerful tool in missionary work. Too, we shouldn't ever be ashamed to share anything about this Gospel. Sometimes, I feel worried about talking about keeping the Sabbath day holy, or sharing the Book of Mormon right off the bat, but this message and this church are true, and if people really are prepared, they won't care what they need to do in order to be a part of it.
We currently have one investigator with a fecha, Paco Michilena. His wife and sons are all baptized, and after seeing his youngest son baptized this past month, he decided that he wanted to find out about the church and be baptized, and though his date is for the 18th of November, we are working to try and help him gain a testimony so he can be baptized a little sooner. We had a really great lesson with him this past Wednesday. We were teaching the Plan of Salvation, and at the end, I explained to him that really, there's only one choice, and it's the celestial kingdom, and after, I asked him what he really wanted, and he said that he didn't want to be alone for eternity. He wants to be with his family, and so he wants to achieve the celestial kingdom. He is progressing so well, attending church every week, and participating in the classes. This week, we are going to review some things about the Word of Wisdom, but whenever he feels like smoking, we told him to recite a scripture, which a week ago, he couldn't say, but two days later, he knew almost the entire thing :-) We are so excited for him, and we know that his wife wants this so badly. She loves him, and she has been so patient for years, waiting for him to make this choice, and I'm so honored that we get to be a part of it.
I say it every week, but I really mean it, President Murphy. I love being a missionary. It's a hard life, but the people are worth every tear, step and broken bone :-) I love being here, and I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for calling me to this mission. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. I am incredibly grateful for your example.
Have a fabulous week!
Hermana Kennedy
Okie doke, so let's get started. I seriously have so many things to write today. It's crazy.
So, you know how Mark said there's usually a buffer in a trio? Yep, that's me. Hermana Hartog drives Hermana Franco up the wall, and in turn, she isn't very nice to her. So this week, I've had several one-on-one conversations with each of them to try and work everything out. I agree with a lot of what they both say, so I can see both sides, and it's hard to see them both unhappy. Hermana Hartzog feels like Hermana Franco doesn't like here, and she wants to try to do what she needs to in order to be better friends with her, but unfortunately, they just have very different personalities, and so just her way of being is kind of what upsets Hna Franco. And Hna Franco isn't very patient with Hermana Hartzog, so I talked to her this week, and I told her that we both need to be a little more patient and loving, and it's actually working okay. It's still very far from perfect, and who knows if they talk about me when I'm not in the room, but we are improving. Unfortunately, with time, we didn't get to have companionship inventory this past Friday, so we are doing it today, but they have both told me this past week that it's going to be interesting. The hardest part for me will be not siding with one or the other. I just need to say my one thing for each of them, and just let them work it out. There just isn't very good communication in the trio, so it makes it hard to teach, especially when our teaching styles are different too. Anyway, I am the Buffer, with a capital "B", and though it's a little stressful sometimes, I'm just grateful to not be the problem child ;-)
Okay, so about my super fun birthday. Mommy, you needn't have worried. We started my birthday with a darling investigator. Her name is Alicia, and she has the most gorgeous house I think I've seen in Ecuador. Also, when she opened her gate, this HUGE Akita puppy came bouncing towards us, shedding like crazy! After the lesson, Alicia let us help brush Nicole which was super fun, and because I was wearing one of my new polyester dresses, none of her fur stuck to me which was awesome! Seriously, such a pretty dog, but definitely the wrong country for her. Then, we went to lunch, and afterwards, we headed back home to do weekly planning, but not before we bought my cake from the drug dealer. Yes, we did in fact buy a cake from her, compete with her Colombian-bought chocolate, and it was delicious. Also, we picked up this delicious, out-of-this-world tasty stuff called Polaca. It's like condensed milk but with other stuff in it, and it sells like hot cakes here. So, we went back to the house, weekly planned, ate cake and drank Polaca. Ugh, so good. Then, we had an appointment with Paco at 6:30, but his wife, Karina, knew it was my birthday, and so when we showed up, there was no lesson taught. She had a whole little party set up for me, complete with food trays and a cake! Also, a candle made of chocolate. So cute. Seriously, Karina is just darling, and I so want Paco to be baptized just for her. I'll attach a video. And the next morning, we had Momoitas (where the Hermanas Lideres come over and interview us and talk about how we can improve and everything),
but they also brought a cake. So, not only did I have a cake, but I had THREE CAKES! It was awesome! Also, at zone conference on Tuesday, Hermana Giles gave me a birthday present, and I got chocolate from Hna Murphy, and so it's just been a great birthday season.
Also, I SAW HERMANA GILES!!! Goodness me, I love that girl. Seriously, we couldn't stop talking, and seeing her made me so happy to be back. Thinking about not having come back and not seeing her just makes me sad, and it just helped me know for sure that it was the right choice to come back. I left my family behind, but I really do have an Ecuadorian family too, and they need me right now :-)
So, today we went to Quito, because I had to pick up my new debit card, and while at the offices, we went to the distribution center, and I found a Liahona (a church magazine). Not so exciting, right? But it was in GERMAN! Holy cow, so fun reading German again. I totes bought it, and reading it was so awesome, and I definitely need it, because I'm having a hard time reading certain things how Germans do, and not like Spanish speakers :-)
ANNNNNNNND.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! Best birthday buddy ever! I love you a lot, and I sure am grateful to have you as my namesake. Congrats on your marathon, and I hope you got some cake too! I love you!
I love everyone else too, and man, thanks for the outpouring of love that I felt throughout all of your birthday wishes! Seriously, I have the best family and friends anyone could possibly ask for.
This church is true. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't, and I know that sometimes Heavenly Father asks us to make hard, hard sacrifices, and sometimes it seems like too much, but He loves us so much, and has promised blessings beyond what we can comprehend. Just be patient and faithful and kind and courageous, and everything will be okay.
I love you!
MUCHISIMO AMOR,
Hermana Kennedy
Buenas tardes, President Murphy,
I have to admit, this sector is growing on me. It is still very, very hot here, but there are good people here, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to get to know them and help continue the work here in Mitad del Mundo!
First, I wanted to share a great experience we had with the Book of Mormon. After Zone Conference on Tuesday, we decided to try using the Restoration and specifically the Book of Mormon more in our contacting. Normally we say something about families or the Atonement, which almost always works, but it isn't usually what we teach first and foremost, so we decided to use the Restoration more. This week, we were contacting for a long time on this one street, and no one was really letting us in. One woman told us that it was a very Catholic street, so no one would want to listen to us. We knock on this big green door, and this mid-20s man answered. His name was Paoul, and at first, he didn't seem very interested. But then, Hermana Franco handed him one of the pass along cards with the Book of Mormon on the back, and she explained a little, and he very surprisingly asked, "Wait, there's another book?" to which we happily replied YES! and he told us we could come back the next day. We went back, but he wasn't there. However, his mother was, and at first, she seemed a little weirded out by three missionaries asking for her son, but then we again contacted her using the Book of Mormon, and she too was surprised that there was another book. We then asked if we could teach her, and she agreed! We taught the entire Restoration to her right then and there, and we have another appointment set up for this Friday! Her name is Lourdes, and she's the mother of eight kids. We have a really good feeling about her. I always felt a little funny contacting with the Book of Mormon, because sometimes people just really don't understand that it isn't a replacement for the Bible, and they turn us away, but this experience really showed me that people are looking for more of the truth, and if we explain the Book of Mormon the right way, it will be the most powerful tool in missionary work. Too, we shouldn't ever be ashamed to share anything about this Gospel. Sometimes, I feel worried about talking about keeping the Sabbath day holy, or sharing the Book of Mormon right off the bat, but this message and this church are true, and if people really are prepared, they won't care what they need to do in order to be a part of it.
We currently have one investigator with a fecha, Paco Michilena. His wife and sons are all baptized, and after seeing his youngest son baptized this past month, he decided that he wanted to find out about the church and be baptized, and though his date is for the 18th of November, we are working to try and help him gain a testimony so he can be baptized a little sooner. We had a really great lesson with him this past Wednesday. We were teaching the Plan of Salvation, and at the end, I explained to him that really, there's only one choice, and it's the celestial kingdom, and after, I asked him what he really wanted, and he said that he didn't want to be alone for eternity. He wants to be with his family, and so he wants to achieve the celestial kingdom. He is progressing so well, attending church every week, and participating in the classes. This week, we are going to review some things about the Word of Wisdom, but whenever he feels like smoking, we told him to recite a scripture, which a week ago, he couldn't say, but two days later, he knew almost the entire thing :-) We are so excited for him, and we know that his wife wants this so badly. She loves him, and she has been so patient for years, waiting for him to make this choice, and I'm so honored that we get to be a part of it.
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| *cough cough* GO BLUE!! |
I say it every week, but I really mean it, President Murphy. I love being a missionary. It's a hard life, but the people are worth every tear, step and broken bone :-) I love being here, and I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for calling me to this mission. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. I am incredibly grateful for your example.
Have a fabulous week!
Hermana Kennedy
Okie doke, so let's get started. I seriously have so many things to write today. It's crazy.
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| Yep, the Buffer ;-) |
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| Karina's cake <3 |
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| The "candle" was a firecracker! I tried to blow it out twice, but I couldn't do it! |
Also, I SAW HERMANA GILES!!! Goodness me, I love that girl. Seriously, we couldn't stop talking, and seeing her made me so happy to be back. Thinking about not having come back and not seeing her just makes me sad, and it just helped me know for sure that it was the right choice to come back. I left my family behind, but I really do have an Ecuadorian family too, and they need me right now :-)So, today we went to Quito, because I had to pick up my new debit card, and while at the offices, we went to the distribution center, and I found a Liahona (a church magazine). Not so exciting, right? But it was in GERMAN! Holy cow, so fun reading German again. I totes bought it, and reading it was so awesome, and I definitely need it, because I'm having a hard time reading certain things how Germans do, and not like Spanish speakers :-)
ANNNNNNNND.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! Best birthday buddy ever! I love you a lot, and I sure am grateful to have you as my namesake. Congrats on your marathon, and I hope you got some cake too! I love you!
I love everyone else too, and man, thanks for the outpouring of love that I felt throughout all of your birthday wishes! Seriously, I have the best family and friends anyone could possibly ask for.
This church is true. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't, and I know that sometimes Heavenly Father asks us to make hard, hard sacrifices, and sometimes it seems like too much, but He loves us so much, and has promised blessings beyond what we can comprehend. Just be patient and faithful and kind and courageous, and everything will be okay.
I love you!
MUCHISIMO AMOR,
Hermana Kennedy
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Hermana Kennedy and Baskin' and Bootin' in the Middle of the World
Hi family! In the words of Luigi, "Imma back!"
Here's my letter to President Murphy:
Hi President Murphy,
Well, I'm back! I have to admit, I was worried about readjusting to missionary life when I came back, and the first night was hard because we came back and just got ready for bed, and I just didn't feel like myself. It was hard saying goodbye to my family again, and I was so worried about coming back and not being a good missionary. When we headed out the next day, I was so grateful to feel that sense of peace and calm that comes from being a missionary. It's such a beautiful calling because you are called to focus on other people and their needs, and it helped me forget my anxiety and worry, and it helped me feel at peace about coming back. I thought it was going to be so easy to come back, President, but leaving my family again was hard, and I think Satan was really trying to make me doubt myself, but throughout the week, it's gotten so much better, and I'm starting to feel like my old missionary self again. The transition into a trio has been a little tricky, just because we are trying to blend three different styles of teaching, and three different personalities, but we are trying to help each other, and we are praying a lot to have more unity as a companionship.
We currently have one investigator with a fecha bautismal. His name is Paco Michilena. His wife and sons are members of the church, but Paco has always been a little hesitant to listen to the lessons, but he's been coming to church, so other hermanas have been teaching him, and I am actually super grateful for Paco. Coming back in the missionary life, I felt like my teaching had suffered while I was gone. I was out of practice, and it felt choppy, and it didn't feel like the Spirit was really there helping me in the lessons, and I was getting a little discouraged. But yesterday, we were teaching Paco, and I can tell that his wife wants him to accept this Gospel so much, and so I knew that this lesson was extra important. We decided to reteach him the Restoration, because he still doesn't have a testimony of the Book of Mormon or Joseph Smith, and he heard Lesson One a while ago, so we taught him again yesterday. Hermana Franco and Hermana Hartzog started the lesson, teaching about prophets and Jesus' ministry on the earth, and the grand apostasy, but they turned it over to me for the Restoration. I started out explaining Joseph Smith and his prayer, and I told him the First Vision, and after I just kept going. I felt the Spirit guiding me to what to say, and I felt the missionary mojo come back :-) My teaching was more fluid and I explained and made connections that I never had before. I've been praying hard this past week for Heavenly Father to please help me feel that coming back was the right choice, and I hadn't really felt it until that lesson with Paco. He is why I am here. He and every other person that is searching for the light of Christ in their lives. Honestly, there were times while I was home that I debated not coming back because this way of living is so difficult. But I could never bear to think of all the people that might go without the Gospel in their lives if I chose to stay home. How could I face them someday, knowing that I could have helped them, but instead I chose to stay home in a comfortable and easy life? The way of a missionary isn't easy, President, and unfortunately Satan uses that to deter some people from coming back, but I'm so incredibly grateful to my loving Heavenly Father for giving me the strength to come back here, because I love being a missionary. I love teaching, and I love seeing how the Gospel blesses the lives of the people I teach. It has blessed my life so much, and I am grateful to use this time as a missionary to thank Heavenly Father for those blessings by helping more of His children find the truth. I know that this church is true. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and how wonderful it is that we get to teach about him and his faith, and especially, the Book of Mormon. That book is full of so much light and evidence of God's love for us, and I am so blessed to have its guidance in my life. Thank you for supporting me throughout this whole time with my ankle. You and Hermana Murphy both are an inspiration and a motivation for me, and I am so grateful for your examples of love and hard work. I hope you have a wonderful week, and I'll see you tomorrow at zone conference.
Hermana Kennedy
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| The fog in our sector can get super crazy cuz, ya know, we are up in the mountains and all :-) |
I have to admit that first night when I arrived, I started asking myself why in the world I was crazy enough to come back here. I had a hard time feeling happy to be back, especially since I'm not in San Pablo anymore. I didn't realize how much I truly loved that area and those people until I was sent here. I'm in a sector called Pusuqui, but it's better knows as the Middle of the World, because the actual middle of the world is in my sector. Yep, I'm serving on the equator. We have the Mitad del Mundo monument and museum in our sector, but turns out, it's actually a lie, because the monument isn't the middle of the world (IT'S A TRAP!)! From the monument, you can see this mountain with a big pole on it, and it turns out that that is actually the middle of the world. But only a few select people know that, and couple of the members told us, so we are planning as a companionship to go there on a future P-day to stand in the middle of the world. Pretty cool, eh? I'm not actually in Quito. I'm about an hour outside of it which is close enough to enjoy the fruits of city life without actually having to live there. And one of those fruits is Baskin Robbins. Yes, it exists here! Oh my goodness gracious, how happy I was when Hermana Franco told me that it was here. Like, how can anyone be sad when they have Baskin Robbins?
So, I'm in a trio. My companions are Hermana Hartzog and Hermana Franco. Hermana Hartzog is from Colorado and comes from a family of six kids, and she's studying computer science at BYU-Idaho. Hermana Franco is from Chicago, but she grew up with Mexican parents so she speaks fluent Spanish and English and what I wouldn't give to have her accent. Ugh, #goals.
My ankle is actually doing really well though. It starts to tire out around 7:30 or 8:00 each night, but we come home an hour early each day to do companionship study (since everyone around here goes to bed at 8:00). We leave an hour earlier in the morning to compensate (which I love) so I can go home at night, put some ice on my ankle, and elevate it. I know Heavenly Father is helping me though, because we've walked about 6-8 miles every day, but each day, with my exercises, my ankle is getting more flexible. I can almost go down stairs normally now without my boot which is super exciting!
Also, oh my gosh, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR ALL OF THE BIRTHDAY WISHES!! Seriously, what an outpouring of love from you. It made my day to open up my Inbox and see forty emails, all with the subject line of HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I will be celebrating my birthday with the four large Reese's peanut butter cups that I brought from the States and have been saving :-) Also, Hermana Franco says there's an investigator from Colombia who sells delicious cakes, so we think we are going to buy one from her. She's also a drug dealer, so maybe that's why her cakes are so good :-)
Anyway, I'm sorry I can't thank you all personally, but unfortunately, there just isn't time. But I love you also much, and thank you for your support and love as I've come back to the mission. Also, I do NOT have a washer. Still washing my clothes on a rock. Our rock in San Pablo was actually nicer than the one we have here, but oh well :-)
Family, I love you so much, and I loved being home so I could see all of you. Be kind and loving to each other. I pray for you guys every day. I miss you like crazy. Love you lots.
Love,
Hermana Kennedy (the second :-))
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