Even Direction Can Be a Gift

HOLA! 

Well this week was the first week where I had the lovely responsibility of taking the reigns in the companionship. It was definitely a fall or fly moment in my missionary birdnest. Hna. Boyd didn't know anything about the area, investigators, less activies, and branch...ya I'll be honest the 1st couple of days were rough. But to my credit I only got  us lost once! And considering how big our area is, that we are now also over a new area in the branch (that I didn't know at all before), and that our maps make no sense, I'm pretty pleased with how we did. Needless to say we were blessed with the gift of direction this week.

Also, this Saturday we were able to go to the Conferencia General de las Mujeres! It was neat to see so many faithful Chilean women all gathered together. I didn't understand a ton because it was all in Spanish, but there was no way anyone couldn't understand the importance of temples in that Conference. There's a scripture about temples in D y C that I love. It's D y C 109: 22-23. It's talking about the Kirtland Temple and it says how those who have entered into the temple will be armed with the power of God, His name will be upon us, His glory round about us, and his angels will have charge over us. I love that scripture so much because I know it is true. I can see the blessings of the temple in my mission, and I know while I'm in Chile I'm being watched over by his angels. Thank you mom and dad so much for helping prepare me to enjoy the blessings of the temple, and I encourage everyone to try and attend the temple more. I love mom's goal of trying to attend the temple every week. I love the example of Bompa, Nana, Mema, Ellyse, and Shane of working in the temple. Jack and Carrson this is a shout out to you: GO TO THE TEMPLE! I promise your life will be SO much better. 

Fun Fact about Valparaíso:

It's so humid that the Chips Ahoy are soft and chewy! YUM! 

It's Hna. Boyd's last P-Day so we're going to go eat at a Chilean restaurant! This should be exciting! 

We started to teach Raul's (the stubborn Catholic) grandson, and I think it'll be really good. He was always passing by when we were teaching Raul, and last time we saw him he said he wanted to start taking the lessons too! Hip Hip Horay for new investigators! 

Love,

Hermana McKenna 

Answers to Questions:

Haven't received the package yet.

It's starting to warm up in Valparaíso.

I can print the letters! wahoo! 

AHHHHH that's so exciting about Jayden! I can't believe she's married! 

Christmas Wish List:

Shoes: The same kind as my black but in brown. The hills have totally stretched out the other brown ones already and the straps don't hold super great. But the black ones are holding up like champs! They're Danskos (Deidra, size 39) and just whatever brown color there is. (Also, more of those sock type things...they wear out super fast)

A New Bag: The one I have is getting pretty torn up already. I'd love an across the body bag that has a flap covering the zipper, and that's supper practical (ex. waterproof), can fit scriptures and a folder or two, and won't kill my back. A good brand my comp had is Bisadora...If you could find one like that I'd be eternally grateful! 

Chile Holidays

 Hola! 

This week was filled with craziness! As you know it was 18 September, which is the biggest holiday here in Chile and they celebrate it by eating...and eating...and eating!!!! Oh my goodness! By the end of the week empanadas were coming out of my ears! Ha and that's the other thing, they don't just celebrate it for 1 day, it's a weeklong thing! There were 2 days where I had 3 giant meals with members! Empanadas, and bread, and meat...Oh my! 

Also I found out Sunday that along with my companion leaving, the other 2 hermanas in our branch are getting transfered to a new area TODAY! What in the world! The President called and basically what this means is that my new companion and I are now in charge of both sectors...and I'm the only missionary that has any experience or background with the branch members, investigators, and area! AH! Needless to say I was a little stressed. But Sunday I read Alma 56:44-48 and it really helped me out a ton. I do not doubt that the Lord will help me, and I am so grateful for the teachings of my parents and for their faith. Thank you so much for raising me the way you did. I also loved comparing vs. 47 to my life right now. Heleman is explaining how the Stripling Warriors had never fought before but they didn't fear death, and they were more worried about the people they were serving then their own lives. Their mothers had taught them that if they don't doubt God would deliver them. WOW they are amazing examples! I have never done anything like this before, but I won't be afraid. I will do everything I can to focus all my attention on the lives of my investigators. And I won't doubt because my parents have taught me that if I trust in God he with deliver me. 

I love this work, and I am so grateful that I get to wake up every morning and go to bed every night knowing that I'm doing all I can to build the kingdom of God. 

Fun Facts:

-The micros (little buses that we use for transportation) remind me of the night bus from Harry Potter. Ha… ya, I have no idea how they get from place to place the way they do! IT'S MAGIC!

-A picture of the little plaque Jack gave me that says "Forget Yourself and Go to Work" is the screen saver for our phone

-Don't worry, I'm staying well informed about college football here in Chile. Although BYU's win against Virginia didn't make the front page of Valparaíso's newspaper, I had about 3 people tell me about it in their emails! Wahooo! Go Cougs! Shout out to Maddie, Murph, and Aimee who are living it up at the Y! 

-My new companion (Hma. Boyd) leaves in two weeks. I'm pretty sure I'm a graveyard for dying missionaries. 

Love,

Hermana McKenna

Service 

Preaching the word of God and getting little gifts for doing it. 

Fiestas 

Food

All The Missionaries in the branch

My Last Night with Hma. Dalton...ha ya we made a fort

My New Companion! 

If we knew why it wouldn't be called FAITH.

September 16, 2014

Dear Fam-Bam

I hope you weren't to worried when you didn't get an email Monday. We had a Zone Conference with the mission president Monday so our P-Day got bumped to Tuesday. The Conference was SOOO good! You should go look on the mission blog because Hma. Kahnlien was taking a ton of photos that I think she's going to put up.  And I was so happy that I knew what was going on, for the most part! Ah,  what a tender mercy it is to half-way understand someone. Ha the mission teaches you to be grateful for every little blessing. 

So this week Hma. Dalton and I had the opportunity to do service! Wahoooo! We helped clean out the house of a recent convert, oh it was humbling. It was Sep. 11 that we did the service activity and I don't think there's been a day in my life where I was more grateful to be an American than I was that day. I forgot my cord so I'll send photos of the house/yard next week. 

CRAZY FACT: This is my last full week with Hma. Dalton! She flies home next Tuesday and I'm not quite sure what's going to become of me...but I know the Lord has a plan for me. He called me to be Hma. Dalton's companion for a reason and there's a reason she's leaving 2 weeks before the next transfer. I haven't quite figured out what the reason exactly is, but I guess if I knew it I wouldn't have to have faith. I'm worried about going into a trio, I'm worried about having to keep our sector alive, and I'm worried about knowing the area well enough to be the guide of the area for my new trainer in 2 weeks! But I know the Savior will help me. I read Alma 37 this week and I love verse 36. It talks about doing EVERYTHING in Christ. I know that if I do everything in Christ I will be successful and he will help me live up to the task I have been called to do. 

Thank you so much for your prayers and support! 

XOXO-Hma. McKenna

P.S

The pool looks fantastic! 

The 9-11 thing turned out so great! 

My family is the cutest! Keep up the good work!

The people's whose homes flooded are in my prayers. 

Answers to Questions:

WHAOOOOO I got the package! Thanks so much, it was perfect! 

It's starting to warm up so I should be good blanket wise.

Nope we don't have a Mamita, but we always eat at a members for lunch so I'm getting my fill of Chilean food!

We live in an apartment and are really lucky to do our laundry in the basement, and then hang it to dry from our balcony.

I can drink the water in some houses...they always boil their water or give you juice if the water is bad.

Needs:

Pinterest Workouts! The time changed so now it's to dark to go running in the morning and we are trying to figure out what we can do for our morning workouts. Please email me some with cardio and arms...my legs are getting a good workout as it is.

Prayers Are Answered!

September 8, 2014

Dear Familia,

My oh my! It sounds like quite the eventful week in the good old USA! I hope everything is ok with my little baby brother, and that my home slice Jack-Attack will eventually get his drivers license...if it makes you feel any better Jack I had to take the test 3 times before I passed. Don't despair!  

That's so exciting that you get to be part of such a patriotic event! Tell Dr. Forman I say hola! Hopefully Carr-man doesn't trip while carrying the flag ;) I have you all in my prayers!  

Shout Out to Bompa & Nana for their lovely missionary badges! And shout out to Mema for her lesson on prayer! I don't know how I got so lucky to be blessed with such great examples for Grandparents! I hope you had a SPLENDID grandparents day!  

This week was really good! Ha the 1st couple of days it rained SOOO much! By the 3rd day my boots were soaked all the way through! I remember just kneeling by my bed praying that there would be sun tomorrow so I could put my boots outside and they could dry. (Our apartment doesn't have air-conditioning or heating, so nothing every gets dry unless it's outside). The next morning I woke up and there wasn't a cloud in the sky! I know it sounds silly, but in that moment I could have cried I was so thankful!  Ha, truth be told I actually did cry. These past couple of days the weather has been beautiful and sunny, I know God hears and answers our prayers, no matter how small!  

Right now Hermana Dalton and I are teaching 2 older men that are REALLY Catholic...not just baptized Catholic. It's a challenge no doubt. One of them likes to fight with us about EVERYTHING! The next day after a really rough lesson with Raul (the fighter) I was reading in the Book of Mormon Dad gave me and I read the chapters about Ammon and Aaron and how the difference of when they were successful and when they were rejected was their attitude towards the people. Ammon went in with the attitude of service. Aaron went in and started to contend about doctrine. Contention/fighting gets us nowhere. We have to let them know how much we care and want to help them. The following day Hermana Dalton and I went back to Raul's house with a totally different attitude. After we taught him I said the closing prayer...he always asks me to say the closing prayer. Ha it's probably because I hardly say anything in the lessons, all I know how to do is pray! But anyway, I said the closing prayer and asked God to bless Raul's heart with a desire to know the truth. I don`t know how much of my Spanish he understood, but after the prayer it looked like he was going to cry. He said that he knew we were sent from God because we move him to do things, and he said that he knew God could hear our prayers. He said that week he would pray, to talk to God. WHAT?!?!?! He`s never been that receptive before! He's never even believed in prayer before! I know God changes hearts.   

I'm so grateful for this chance to teach the people of Chile more about the amazing gospel of Jesus Christ, and to learn so much in the process. This has, by far, been the most humbling experience of my life!  

I love you all and am so grateful for your supportive letters, pictures, and packages! Because of how the system works in the mission field we only get packages once a month at Zone Conference. I should get the package Mom sent this Wednesday, and I'll get the others in October. 

XOXO-Hermana McKenna

View from our balcony! I love this place! 

Meet Carlos. He's one of our Catholics...but he's awesome

My first completo!!!! It got a little messy...

Enjoying the sea on a beautiful P-day

I haven't lost my "selfie" picture taking skills while in the mission, don't worry! 

Getting ready for 18 September! It's a crazy Chile holiday and we already have 3 appointments with families to have meals with them...HELP!

 

I'm Here! Safe & Sound

Monday, September 1, 2014

Hola Familia!

I have arrived and am safe and sound! They wouldn't let us email when we first got there, so hopefully you weren't to panicked when you didn't hear from me. Also, these lovely computers don't have any spell check, so things could get pretty crazy with my spelling. Just sound it out, and if you still can't make sense of it, try sounding it out with a Spanish accent...that might help.

Boy, oh boy, this is an experience! I am currently living in, and knocking the doors of Valparaíso. It's pretty similar to Viña, and it´s right by the sea. Each morning for our exercise, Hermana Dalton and I go running on a little road right next to the beach. Oh, it's sooo pretty! It's the rocky kind of beach, and is always unsettled and crashing up on the rocks. The entire city is made out of hills. I'm not kidding when I say the only time I walk on a flat surface is when I'm in a building, because all the streets are slanted! It's a big blessing though, because it's pretty chilly here with the constant ocean breezes and chilly September air, and walking the hills helps keep me warm. Walking the hills also helps keep the yummy Chilean food off my hips…ha, so really there's nothing bad about the practically vertical hills!

My companion is FANTASTIC! She's actually been on her mission for 18 months and a week, so she's about as seasoned as they come. She asked for an extension so I'll have her for the next 3 weeks before they put me with someone new. Hermana Dalton is from Kaysville, Utah, and has a heart of gold. The only jacket I brought was the black water proof one, which is great, it's just not insulated and with this weather insulation is key! Anywho, she had a black puffy jacket that she just gave to me! It's been my saving grace! I wear it under my other jacket practically every second of every day. Don't worry Mom, she's looking out for me. There haven't been missionaries in our area for about a month now, we're both new to the area. We're trying to get the ball rolling again, and it's going. There's no doubt it's been hard, but then again, I didn't expect this work to be easy.

My Spanish is coming along. I can roughly communicate with people, and bare a simple testimony. Learning a new language has really helped me appreciate the fact that the Lord glories in plainness.

I love you all!

XOXO-Hermana McKenna

My companion and me teaching the First Vision at an open house for the church.

Going on visits with one of the members. Her name is Sofia and she is AMAZING! Dang, she's going to be a great missionary.

Ha! This is me with a futbol club player. I met him and his team in the airport and had about a 10 minute conversation with him in broken Spanish about how much I love the Chilean soccer team and Alexis Sanchez etc...using all the info I know. He kept laughing at me while I was talking and I thought it was because my Spanish was so bad. Ya he plays for a team in Paraguay...my bad.

Pictures from the Mission President...These are posted on the Mission Blog.