Jesus Just Sit Still

Dear Familia,

Wow, it has been one crazy week, but how fun it was to talk with you all again :) Nothing much has changed since Christmas, but while we were talking we never really mentioned the people here in beautiful Ovalle. Matilde's (Catalina's mom) didn't get baptized this week because she doesn't have enough attendances in the church....oh Matilde!!!!! But she's great and is like my second mom here in Ovalle. She keeps telling us that the devil is dancing in her head and other "Mema type sayings" :) (LOVE YOU MEMA) But the sad part is that because she didn't come to church yesterday she won't have enough attendances to be baptized before I leave.....ya it's a pretty sad blow, but what can you do. The good news is that she keeps reading the Book of Mormon and I know that she's going to get baptized soon, she just has to get her cute little self to church and build up her confidence that she's ready to get baptized!



Also, this week in church we sat with Javiera and Jesus. I don't know if I've told you about them, but they're like the Herdmans from "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" …they're NUTS! Javiera (10 years old) is a recent convert from last December and Jesus is here little brother (7 years old), and its una lucura! They always sit with the missionaries because none of the members are willing to sit with them, they scream and punch each other during the sacrament, and the only time Jesus is seated in his seat is when they pass the sacrament so that he can get the bread and water. Javiera behaves really well when she's by herself, but with Jesus, there's no end to the fighting. Anywho, I was about ready to banish Jesus from the church after spending my entire sacrament meeting pulling him out from under the benches in front of us, without any members helping, when one of the other missionaries in the ward said "What would Jesus Christ do? Wasn't he the one who said let the little children come unto me." I wanted to give that missionary the stink eye and say, "Where were you when Jesus (the little kid) was running around like a crazed monkey and I had to be the one to try to calm him down!" But I didn't...I bit my tongue and nodded in agreement. And even though it wasn't what I wanted to hear in the moment, I know it's what I needed to hear. Jesus Christ would love him, he would try to help him, and so should I. Please pray for me that I can have enough patience and love to help Javiera and Jesus, because they really and truly need more love and I really need more patience.



XOXO-Hna. McKenna



Fun Facts:

My companion really wants to learn English, so to help her practice, I say everything in Spanish first and then I repeat everything in English. Ha, and when I forget to translate she says, "Dora por favor." Ha, ya I feel a ton like Dora, but it's fun and we get a kick out of it :)



Every time Hna. Cordova says something in English or makes brownies she always says, "Gringa in the house!"