Monday, February 10, 2014

Missionary Stories from the field........

This week was awesome, but before I start there I'll answer questions.
So where is your companion from? She's from Versailles, Kentucky!!! Her sister just got her mission call to Madrid Spain this week!!! SO COOL HUH??
  How long has she been out? She's been out for 7 months :) And we actually get to attend the baptism of one of her investigators this Saturday, cool right?
  Are you in the same zone with the sisters you came out with from the MTC? No, they are another Zone but we have Zone conference this Wednesday so three different zones will be there. I hope I see them then.  
Is she a widow? Yes, she is. But she is so sweet :)
Is your neighborhood nice, is it in the city or more rural? Yeah its really nice! We are more in the suburbs. I live in Thorton, CO right now.
 
You guys have had so much happy news and crazy weather, I LOVE IT! Cal, keep kickin booty dude! You're a FAB missionary already and have made me cry just through reading about you, talk about power ;)
 
So this week was AWESOME! On the 5th we were knocking s some doors and we found McKayla, shes about 17 and we shared the principle of faith with her and gave her a BOM, she told us about her grandmother passing away and how it made her want to get back into religion. She has been going to church for the past year but wanted us to come back. We have an appointment with her this Wednesday, FIRST NEW INVESTIGATOR! On the 6th I had my first District meeting, all the missionaries in my district are LEGIT!! I love it! We had a really powerful role play with Sister Makasini (acting as McKayla), we taught her the restoration and I was able to recite the first vision. It was a really spiritual experience, I hope when we meet with McKayla this week it will be just as powerful. We also found Olivia while tracting, she doesn't technically count as a new investigator because we didn't have a set return appointment but she was receptive to what we talked about. We've also visited a lot of old less active members. They aren't active mostly for health reasons, but we are trying to do all we can to help them out. We usually go and have a lesson then sing hymns to them, they LOVE IT! We've also been able to have AML (Active Member lessons) to practice teaching and also for them to be able to invite their friends over to hear the lessons. There are so many supportive and loving people in this ward that open their homes for us to come in and teach. Its awesome! People take good care of us here, we have dinners every night and sometimes even lunch appointments. We often share dinner appointments with Elder Bushman and Elder Olson because the members like both sets in their home, its fun! But best experience of the week..... READY?!? So this may not seem like a really big deal, but it was amazing to me. So we were tracting Saturday night, after some members took us to olive garden for dinner, and we tried to see a less active member who wasn't home, as we were walking back to the car I had this impression that we should try the house across the street. So we walked over there, waited for a little while for someone to answer. When the guy answered we explained who we were and said that we share messages about Christ, he said kindly but firmly that he wasn't interested so we left and as we were walking back to the car I was telling Sister G that whether it was me just thinking that or the spirit, it didn't really matter, God doesn't make mistakes and everything happens for a reason. She agreed and we decided just to keep visiting former investigators. We knocked a few of their doors to which they either didn't answer or said they weren't interested. We decided to do one more before quitting time. We drove to the Fishers house, former investigators, who's daughter was very receptive to missionaries who taught them previously. Bailey would read in between lessons and prayed and was able to feel the spirit, the parents were kind of doing it just for their daughters and their dad was kind of distracting, he'd make comments and just be antiproductive. So anyways, we knock on their door and no one answered. As we were walking down their front steps they pull into the driveway! She rolls down her window and automatically knows who we are. Her daughter in the back seat rolls down her window too and just kind of stares at us. They were going to a going away party and the dad came back to change his shirt. We were able to talk to the mom and her two daughters, both of which were asking if we could come back and talk to them. The youngest girl, Hannah, was out of her seat and half way out the window and Bailey was asking every possible open time when we could come back. We set up a time to come back and see them and then they were gone again. Like I said, it may not seem like a big deal, but I know the Lord doesn't make mistakes. We were prompted to visit that man who wasn't interested so we could be at the Fishers right when they came home. There are people being prepared to hear the gospel, and as missionaries its our responsibility to be directed by the spirit and to be exactly where the Lord needs us to be, at the time He needs us to be there. The Lord, we are hoping, has finally prepared the Fishers to receive the message of the gospel. We are teaching them this Thursday and we couldn't be more excited! My first Sunday was pretty awesome too, Sister G. and I were able to introduce ourselves and I have been assigned to speak on faith next Sunday. We were able to meet lots of young women eager to go out with us. Oh, and we had an investigator, Lynne come to church. AWESOME! We taught 17 lessons this week, have about 5 potential investigators, and also have a potential 28 lessons for this coming week! THE WORK HERE IN EAST LAKE JUST KEEPS COMING! #winning And to my awesome family, here is a great quote that we recite every morning, I want you guys to remember it and to truly apply it to you when you are feeling down or think that maybe sharing the gospel with your friends is hard or scary. Ready?
 
Believe in yourself, Believe in your capacity to do GOOD AND GREAT THINGS, Believe that NO mountain is so high that you cannot climb it. Believe that NO storm is so great that you cannot weather it. You are NOT destined to be a scrub. YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD, OF INFINITE CAPACITY. Believe that YOU CAN DO IT whatever it is that you set your heart on. OPPORTUNITIES WILL UNFOLD AND OPEN BEFORE YOU. The skies will clear when they have been dark with portent... He who is our Eternal Father has blessed you with MIRACULOUS powers of mind AND body. HE NEVER INTENDED THAT YOU SHOULD BE ANY LESS THAN THE CROWNING GLORY OF HIS CREATIONS! -Gordon B. Hinkley
 
I know you guys have it in you to work miracles back home in PA, there are people prepared for our family to teach and to have an influence on. Have courage that you can have a great impact on anyone the Lord puts in your place. Continue to pray and have faith in Christ. Also, tonight for family night, read Ether 12:15-19. By faith, miracles happen. I have seen that more in the last three weeks than I have in my entire life. Miracles don't have to be these big powerful things, small miracles happen every day. I love you all so much and know you are doing so much good, keep up the hard work. I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!
 
Kenzie :)

1 comment:

  1. OK...so now I've learned to always have a kleenex box handy when I read your emails, Kenzie! What great good you are doing! You are so filled with faith...I love it! You are in our thoughts and prayers every day....keep up the wonderful work! Gma

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