Monday, October 13, 2014

New Area, New Responsibilities, and A Random Cow :)


New Mission Goal:  1001 Baby!
The 1001 Stripling Warriors :) 


Yun Soo's Baptism


Awesome family that Kenz has been able to meet
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Kenz gearing up for Halloween by trying on the cow suit from the consignment shop they volunteer at. :)  Said she was going to a "Mask-Cow-Rade"  lol, silly girl.

Dad,
 
Okay this week has been INSANE! On Wednesday we had our zone meeting and they made an announcement that has been the most amazing thing. Little preface: In Broadlands I started to feel pretty stagnant and had been really praying for ways to get out of the "funk" I was in. It'd been weeks and I kind of just gave up. So at zone meeting they announced that the baptism goal for next year would be 1001... WOOOOOOAH! On average over the last two years we have baptized 350... I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO STOKED ABOUT SOMETHING IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! The spirit in the room completely changed, some missionaries were horrified, some uneasy and others were just as excited as I was. Elder Blackwell, Zone Leader, explained that this goal is not meant to be a number, its meant to signify a change in the mission. The goal has been set to change the missionaries and the attitude of the mission. The number 1000 represents being whole or complete. The 1 represents that no one will be left behind and that we will search for the one lost sheep. After they announced this we all knelt in prayer to have the spirit tell us this was right. IT WAS A VERY POWERFUL EXPERIENCE. My heart was so happy and I could feel light just coming into every part of me! I am so excited for this goal and I know we can do it. 

Thursday night we taught Yun his last lesson. Sister Harvey had to be recorded teaching so they could send the tape to Salt Lake and they can evaluate and make sure she can teach like a normal missionary would. She was nervous but she did GREAT. I was so impressed. We taught about Eternal Marriage and Family History work. We prepared to teach them in our companion study earlier that morning and we talked about how we wanted to teach eternal marriage. We both got out pictures of our families and we decided we would talk about the blessings that come to us individually because of temple marriage. I had the picture of all seven of us lined up along the lake last fall. As I thought about how we would teach it, Sister Harvey and I role played. She was Yun and I was the missionary. I explained that because of eternal marriage we can have our families forever in heaven and here on earth. I explained how much I loved my family and wanted to be with them forever. Then I talked about how we are each on the covenant path back to our Heavenly Father. I told her that because we are on that path our family picture would look like that forever and even bigger because of all the other people we will have there with us. Then I told her that I would hate to have my family picture look like this... and I covered up half of the picture. I explained how when we don't enter into the path, the blessings of the temple cannot be ours. It really hit Sister Harvey and I both after that. It was a really powerful experience and I really have a testimony that families are forever when they are sealed in the temple.

 A few days later, October 11, Yun was baptized a member of the church. WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY! He has been SO prepared by the Lord! After he was baptized he gave his testimony. He talked about his conversion story and how he was so thankful Christian, his best friend, never gave up on him even after he declined his first few invitations to come to church. He said, "Christian, thank you for never giving up on me." IT WAS SOOOO TOUCHING. The next day Yun was confirmed in church. Brother Moon, Christian's dad, confirmed him. In his blessing he alluded to Yun serving the Lord very often. Many of us felt that Yun is going to do a great work in his home country of South Korea. He is only 14, and like Joseph Smith, Yun has a great work to do for the Lord. I cannot wait to see how much Yun's testimony and opportunities to serve in the church will grow. He is such a great example. Sister Harvey and I were able to sing in that sacrament meeting, I am a Child of God and we sang the last verse in Korean. There wasn't a dry eye... The spirit was really strong and it was just a really neat experience. I am sad to leave Yun and his family behind but I know the elders taking our place will do great things with that family. 

Sister Harvey and I have both been transferred out of Broadlands. WE WERE SHOCKED. I got a call Friday night from Sister Mendenhall asking me to serve as a Sister Training Leader, an equivalent to a zone leader. I will be serving in the Denver South and Denver Stakes. Sister Packer is my new companion, she has been out for a year. I got to rub shoulders with her some when I was in East Lake. I am stoked to be her companion. Sister Harvey is a sister in my zone so I will have the opportunity to go on exchanges with her and I will be able to take her to the mission office when she leaves the mission. I am excited for this new change and responsibility. I am excited to be more intimately involved with this new goal of 1001. I will be able to be in the meetings where we will plan for it and brainstorm. HOW EXCITING. I am also really excited to serve and love the sisters here. Great things are in store. IT'S A WONDERFUL TIME TO BE A MISSIONARY IN THE COLORADO DENVER NORTH MISSION! :) 

2 comments:

  1. Wow! So happy for you, McKenzie! and so so PROUD! (in a good way) You will be an awesome leader...you're a Natural!!!
    Love, Grandma xoxoxoxo

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