Priesthood Power

Dear Familia,

Ok, so as you all know we have been teaching our lovely little family, Felipe and Karina, this past week, and you'll all be happy to know that Felipe now has a baptismal date for the 27th of Sep.!!!! WE'RE SO EXCITED FOR HIM!!!! The only bump in the road is that Karina is a little worried about the baptismal date, she feels like it's really soon and that he's not read yet. We explained that we're going to help him prepare for this date and that if they both do their part to prepare with the commitments we leave them (read the BofM as a couple, pray as a couple, attend all three hours of church, etc...) that he will be prepared to be baptized that day. We left them with the invitation to pray about the baptismal date, and pray that the Lord will help Felipe be ready. Personally, I think he's the most ready person I've ever taught, ha and it's only been 2 weeks! However, it wouldn't hurt if you could also remember them in your prayers.

Because of this extra focus Hna. Lopez and I have in strengthening the priesthood, we've been reading a lot of talks and scriptures about the responsibility of priesthood holders and the blessings we receive thanks to the priesthood. Out of all the talks I've read, my favorite has been "Fatherhood-Our Eternal Destiny" by Larry M. Gibson. Here he talks about how the Aaronic Priesthood prepares young men to lead and guide their family. He compares all the roles of an Aaronic Priesthood holder to the family and I'm going to share what he wrote because it's AWESOME and helped so much with Felipe!


D&C 20

-Invite all of your family to come unto Christ

-Watch over them always, and be with and strengthen them

-Preach, teach, expound, exhort, and baptize members of your family

-Exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties

-See that there is no iniquity in your family, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking

-See that your family meets together often

-Assist your father in his duties as patriarch. Support your mother with priesthood strength when a father is not present

-When asked, ordain other priests, teachers, and deacons in your family.


When we taught Felipe the Restoration we talked a lot about the role of the priesthood and how it's one of the biggest differences that sets us apart from other churches. Thanks to the amazing priesthood holders I have in my family I was able to bare my testimony on how much this heavenly help has played a role in my life growing up. I testified of the blessings of comfort, and the blessings of health that I received when I needed this spiritual and physical strength. We talked a lot with them about how the priesthood will bless his family after his baptism and what it means to be a worthy priesthood holder. He shared with us that even though it's a lot of responsibility, he really wants to have the priesthood in his home in order to bless his wife and daughter....bless his heart!!!


I LOVE this restored gospel! I LOVE the blessings we receive from the priesthood! I'm so grateful that I've been able to grow up with these amazing blessings in my home and I LOVE that I get to share this glorious message 24-7! I know the priesthood power is real, I know it blesses families, and I know, thanks to the priesthood, that families can be together forever! Shout out to my family that I love so much! Bompa, Dad, Shane, Jack, Carr-man, and all my crazy uncles and cousins that have the priesthood, thank you so much for everything you do, and please keep being this example for the world!

XOXO- Hna. McKenna


Fun Facts:

-We were in the house of one of our investigators and she asked me if I would like some creamy vegetables, thinking she was talking about some creamy veggie soup, I said yes. What she brought me was some luke-warm, boiled veggies with milk, without any seasoning...I'm pretty sure if someone tried to feed me that a year ago I would have cried. Needless to say I'll be more than willing to eat the green bean casserole that Mom used to make when I get home.


-I learned this week that chickens sleep in trees...mind blown!


-When we went to a FHE with Rebeca (the recent convert) we were riding in the taxi together and the driver asked us if we were Mormons and why they called us by that name. Before I had time to open my mouth, Rebeca started talking to him about the BofM and how Jesus came to Las Americas, and invited him to come to church with us the following Sunday! I was one proud missionary!!!



PS...Thanks SO MUCH Dad! I sure do love you and I'm so happy to hear that you guys had such a fun time at the BYU game!