Paulita was Baptized

March 16, 2015

Hola Familia, Amigos, y Conocidos! 

This week was fantastic, and to top it all off Paulita was baptized on Sunday!!!!! Thank you so much for your sweet prayers for her and her family. Her baptism was so sweet and special. At the beginning Paula and her family gave us a bit of a fright (quote from Parent Trap) because Monica told us they were going to arrive at 9:30 at the church so that I could do a French braid in Paula's hair (they really like the French braids here in Chile) before her baptism. Well, 9:30 came and went and still no Paula. 10:00 came and we started the sacrament service...and still no Paula! All during the sacrament I was praying that she would arrive with her family. Because God is a loving Heavenly Father that hears and answers our prayers, our sweet Paula arrived with her family! They stayed for all 3 hours and loved the baptismal service. The Primary performed a lovely musical number of Cuando me Bautice (When I am Baptized), and the speakers were great! The entire Primary Presidency was there to welcome her to the Primary, which NEVER happens here in Chile, and our sweet Monica was crying the entire time during her baptismal service. 

We've talked with Monica and Paula about the temple, but this Saturday we're going to have a lesson with the entire family on temples! Also, this Tuesday we're going to have an actividad with all the young men and Marcos so that he can get to know the young men! They all promised to come because Hna. Moreno and I promised to bring brownies. Yes, the key to having a successful turnout at the activities is to make brownies! 

I love you all and am sooooo greatful for these 18 months to serve the Lord and help his precious children return home to him! Thank you for your love and prayers! 

XOXO-Hna. McKenna

Fun Facts: 

Hna. Moreno LOVES the singer M&M (I don't know how to spell his weird name), but she even had a backpack of him before the mission.

Monica wanted to check Paula out of class one day so that she could have a lesson with us...Ha, a little drastic, but hey, at least we know our lessons are important to her!

In one of our lessons with a contact, the daughter was trying to take a sneaky picture of me but accidently took it with the flash. La pobresita was all red in the face and ran to her room. We got her to come out with a few stickers that you sent me, and once she was out of her room we had a good photo shoot and took a couple selfies. 

One of the members called me during the day to talk with one of her clients. The member cuts hair and there was a sweet older lady from the United States that didn't speak a lick of Spanish and was quite frustrated. The member had me talk to the lady to try and figure out if she wanted a perm or if she just wanted the member to curl her hair. Ha, what a blessing it is to speak 2 languages and help solve world crises like this! Just so you know the lady wanted a perm :) 

Pictures: 

The fam-bam of Paula! 

In the end we ended up having time to do a fabulous hairdo! With lovely French braids :) 

"¿Crees en los milagros?"

Dear Familia,

Well, my dear friends, this week has been a week of miracles. First, we have our lovely Monica, Paula, Marcos (Paula's 14 year old brother) and Franklin. Hna. Moreno and I had a good long conversation with Monica and Franklin on what it means to be baptized and how important the convanent is that their daughter is making. We talked a lot, and at the end of the conversation they were both willing to support Paula with her decision to be baptized this upcoming Sunday and want us to start teaching their son Marcos about the church. They also had an interview with the bishop and when we taught the Word of Wisdom they told us that they are going to start living this mandamiento in their house to help Paulita.  And to top it off, this past Sunday Monica and Franklin attended church with Paula for the 1st time!!! Wahoooo! Please keep praying for this family that they can become an eternal family and that God can keep showering down these miracles! 

And speaking of eternal families, we've been teaching the Familia Fuentes (recent converts) how they can best prepare to be sealed for time and all eternity. The husband, Victor, was baptized a year ago and his wife, Graciela, was baptized 2 years ago and yesterday was their 1 year anniversary! Yes, my friends, they got married so that Victor could be baptized (THERE'S HOPE FOR MONICA Y FRANKLIN). A year ago they made the plan to be sealed in March of 2015 and the ward is going on a temple trip the last week in March. However, they have had a lot of financial problems and problems in their marriage (Victor works shifts in the mine and has to spend a lot of time away from the house) and told the Bishop that they couldn't do it and that they wanted to postpone the date. We passed by to visit them and we had a super powerful lesson on temples. We talked about how in the history of the church the saints have always had to sacrifice to receive the blessings of the temple. By the end of the lesson Victor was crying. We challenged them to pray and pick a date that they could work towards as a couple to be sealed for time and all eternity. Victor looked up at me and said, "¿Crees en los milagros?", "¡Sí!" le dije (Do you believe in miracles?  Yes, I told him), He then said, "So do I, we're going to be sealed the end of this month." His wife started crying, and he told us that he doesn't know how their going to do it, but that he knows that God is a God of Miracles and that he needs to just close his eyes and trust God. I honestly can't express how powerful the Spirit was and how much I learned from them in just that short lesson. 

I want to share my testimony that I know God is a God of Miracles. I have been so blessed to see miracles everyday in the mission. Big or small, simple and silly or great and powerful we witness miracles everyday!  Please keep these sweet families in your prayers! 

XOXO-Hna. McKenna 

Fun Facts:

About 40% of the houses we contact still have their Christmas lights up...yes this is a very lazy country.

I'm going to get my haircut today...stay posted for the pictures next week! 

The people like to put signs in their windows and sell whatever they're cooking that day...churrasco, empanadas, etc...Well yesterday Hna. Moreno and I looked like a couple of dogs sniffing around trying to find the source a wonderfully haunting aroma coming from one of the houses. 

Graciela is in love with the St. George temple because it's so white and I told her that she and her family are always welcome to visit our house and visit the temples of Utah. 

The famous Paula with her brother Marcos!!!! We haven't really taught Maros but he's a faithful student in the engish class I teach in the church every Friday. I seriously LOVE the kids of Chile! 

 Some signs in Chile that I thought you guys might enjoy, and a sweet less active member that reminds me a ton of Aunt Marlene, her name is Rosa but everyone calls her La Rosita. This is a tiny corner of the garden that she's in love with! 

More photos in the country! My area really looks nothing like this...

Chile Country Style! 

this is the house of a member that lives about 30 minutes from the city. We had lunch with them after church and enjoyed fresh watermelon, and watermelon, and more watermelon...needless to say Hna. Moreno and I spent most of the afternoon having to use the restroom, but the watermelon was SOOOOOOOO good! 

Victor and Graciela

So Are You REALLY Married?

March 2, 2015

Dear Familia,

As you know we've been working with Monica and Paula. This past week we took them on a tour of the church to help Monica feel more comfortable on Sunday, and show her the baptismal font (Paula has attended church the past 4 Sundays, but this Sunday was going to be Monica's first time.) Well, my dear friends and family, while we were showing them the baptismal font our sweet friend Paula told us of how she had been praying and every time she prayed she felt really "warm and peaceful." She said she felt like that was God telling her that this is what He wants her to do and that she should be baptized on the 15th with her mom! Hna. Moreno and I were so happy for them! It really is so hard to explain the feeling of when someone tells you they want to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized. I think Alma describes it best in Alma 29:10. However, because there is opposition in all things Monica dropped the bomb on us this week and told us that she isn't married to Franklin (the man she currently lives with and calls her "husband" and "spouse" ...you can see how there could be a bit of confusion there) NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! She started crying when we told her that she can't be baptized while living with a man that she is not married to, and by the end of the lesson on the Law of Chastity, Hna. Moreno and I were crying too. This seriously is the curse of Chile! We are currently fighting the marriage fight and hoping and praying that Franklin's heart will be softened and he can understand the blessings and importance of marriage. I seriously don't understand Chileans...NADIE quiere casarse! Please pray for Franklin and Monica. 

Our other family, la familia de Fernandez Castillo (we know for SURE that they are married, we've seen the photos and everything) is doing great! We had another NDH with them and there son Jesjuan reminds me a ton of Andrew Brindley! He's 15 and loves to cook! I about eat myself sick with all the food they give us! There is a bright future for Jesjuan and his mom Joseline! We are planning to invite them this week to be baptized. Keep them in your prayers! 

I love you all! I love the mission! I love my ward! I love that families can be eternal! 

Fun Facts:

Argentinas like to drink warm milk and put hot milk over there cereal...yuck! 

All the members think that Utah is 100 percent Mormon...I mean there's a lot of us, but I do know people that aren't members.

I'm currently listening to "Material Girl" while writing this letter in the shady computer place.

Pictures:

Ward party with SO MUCH CHICKEN!

The NDH with SO MUCH FOOD! 

Baptism Isn't Something to Play Around With

Dear Familia,

Last week I told you all that my new area is called Tierras Blancas, well this week I discovered that La Tierra Prometida is more fitting! I'm not kidding!!! Yes, there are nice established houses, and members with cars, but more than that there are literally families EVERYWHERE! Dad told me in a couple of his emails that he's been praying that I could find a family  to teach (in Valparaíso it was just a lot of crazy college students because we lived literally on their campus) here there is nothing but families! Hna. Moreno and I have been teaching Monica (age 43) and her daughter Paula (age 10 and adorable) and this past week Monica accepted to be baptized.  We invited Paula and her answer was so sweet, she said, "Baptism isn't something to play around with, I'll need to pray a lot about this." AH she is so cute! So Paula is currently praying to be baptized with her mom the 15 of March! The catch is that Monica is 43 and has a high risk pregnancy due to her age. She can't do a whole lot and the doctors have told her that for the health of her baby she shouldn't leave the house a lot. Hna. Moreno and I are currently on the search to find a member that can pass by for her this Sunday in their car to help her attend church. 

We are also teaching Camilia (age 18) and her mom, however, her mom isn't progressing a whole lot because she lives with her boyfriend and hasn't been divorced with her previous spouse, this is REALLY normal in Chile and is a huge speed bump in the work of the Lord. But Heavenly Father is so loving he also sent us the familia Fernandez Castillo to work worth. The dad is a less active of about 11 years but attended church last week because his nephew gave a talk. His wife and son (13 years old) aren't members and we had a rocking NDH (noche de hogar) with their family and they invited us over again to talk with them about the church this Thursday!!!! Pray that everything will go well and that we can help this family be an eternal family!!! Heavenly Father is great! The mission is good! And Chileans are crazy! 

Photos:

Tierras Blancas is a lot like St. George...a good dry desert, and the sunrises and sunsets are fantastic! This is how I start my day in the morning.

I thought this hat was fitting seeing as I'm doing the work of salvation ;)

Hna. Moreno and our apartment building! 

"A Whole New World"

February 16, 2015

Dear Familia,

Ok, I have about 10 minutes so this is going to be bien cortito! I got transferred to the north, my area is called "Tierras Blancas" and I have no idea why because there isn't as single white piece of dirt, and I am the only gringa in 100 kilometers. but hey, it's a catchy name. 

My companion is Hna. Moreno and she's from Argentina! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I have been praying for a Latina compeñera because after all the gringas I've had and Hna. Prates, my Spanish was really suffering! 

I'm in a ward that's way strong and the members have cars and everything! I feel like Jasmin with Aladin "A whole new world, a shinning place I've never seen..." haha something like that, it's been a while since I've listened to anything but hymns. 

Hna. Prates is one of my best friends! We have a secret handshake and everything, and we were blubbering babies when we found out I was going to be transferred. It's amazing how the mission changes us, and how much we grow through all the trials. 

Life is good! I´m loving my new area and comp! The members are fantastic! 

XOXO

Hna. McKenna

P.S.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!!

Photos:

This is what the members feed us every day!!!! It's sooooo goood! (P.S she's not my companion, I was in an intercambio)

Hna. Prates is in love with Carrson....haha no joke! She asked if she could keep his b-day invite when I was packing up all my stuff! 

Paint a Badge on Your Heart

February 9, 2015

Dear Familia,

This week has flown by! This intercambio has flown by! These past 7 months have flown by! This past week Hna. Prates and I preached, taught, testified, and performed in our branch’s talent show. Ha… these past couple of weeks the missionaries in the branch have been planning a talent show with the members and investigators, and this past Friday was the big debut! It was a roaring success and Hna. Prates and I sang "La Oración del Profeta"  (Joseph Smith’s First Prayer) and between the 2 and 3 verses we recited the 1st visión. Not very original, I know, but it helped bring a spiritual feel to the activity for the investigators and less actives that attended. One of our investigators, Luis (old man that has a Word of Wisdom problema, not the 19 year old), attended and has been progressing fabulously. He has stopped drinking, but the cigarettes still have a hold of him! Tonight we're going to have a Noche de Hogar with him and his wife, who is a member.

This week I have been reading in Alma about Ammón and sus hermanos. It reminded me a ton of my sweet hermanas y elders that are out in the misión field. Those who are fresh in the MTC, and my beloved Hna. Brindley who just finished the misión!!!! Chapter 26:1-3 hits the topic right on the nose!

 “1 And now, these are the words of Ammon to his brethren, which say thus: My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started‍ from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?

 2 And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?

 3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many‍ of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments‍ in the hands of God to bring about this great work.”

What a blessing it is to be instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work!!!!! There are miracles and blessings every single day in the misión, every hour. To Hna. Murphy, and Sis. Jackson…I encourage you to look for the simple daily miracles and blessings that God showers down on us, and to my sweet amiga Megan, who is fresh in the casa, thank you so much for being such an amazing example to me and remember that the misión never ends. If you don't have a missionary badge on your shirt, paint one on your heart.

I love the misión and I love the chance to be a servant of the Lord.

I hope all is well in the casa!

XOXO-Hna. McKenna

Fun Facts:

I ate a green bean casserole this week. Thank you, Mother, for the preparation for this. I was able to eat it with a smile on my face and all :)

We have intercambios this week....I'll keep you posted if I'm still in Valparaíso next week!

We have a zone meeting tomorrow and the zone leaders called me to tell me that I received a giant package and to come prepared...ha… I'm guessing this is the Valentines Day package, Mom :) Thanks so much for your love and support!

Photos:

My sister of another faith! Wahooo for serving a misión of the Lord! She's been on her misión for 15 years...WOWZA!

Talent Show Selfi

Mi amiga Barbra. Her talent was drawing and she did an amazing Japanese versión of my side profile for her talent. It took her about 30 minutes to do the shading of my upper lip :)

Donkey?

Sofia left on the misión!!!! They grow up so fast! I'm going to miss her accompaning us.

Franko y Byron enjoying the peaches we brought them! Franko is also saying his prayers...it's so cute, he likes to say prayers when we whisper in his ear what to say! Oh I love these boys so much! Jack and Carrson, do you guys want another little brother?

Her Name is Irma

February 2, 2015

Dear Familia,

This week I want to share a miracle story about a sweet lady named Irma. We found her contacting while she was working in her garden. We started talking with her about how beautiful her flowers are, which led to God is the most incredible artist. When we started talking about religión she told us she didn't want anything to do with us because she believes that when Christ died, the church he established stopped being his church and man started to interpret the scriptures and his teachings in their own way. When she finally ended her beautiful rant about the apostasy (Chilenos talk SOOOOO much!) We told her that the message we share answers all her questions about how the church of Jesús Christ was in a period of darkness and we bore testimony of the restoration. She invited us to her house the following day and we were able to share more of the amazing story of Joseph Smith and the góspel of Jesucristo. During the lesson the spirit was so strong and I had the amazing opportunity to witness the Holy Ghost and the gift of tongues working through me to testify of the truth to my Chilean sister, Irma. After the lesson, Irma just looked at us and said, "I want it to be true...I want all of this to be true." We told her of our experiences with prayer and how through our personal study of the Book of Mormon and sincere prayer we can know these things are true.

The experience with Irma really made me reflect on how amazing this góspel is. God loves us so much and has provided us with the opportunity to know these amazing truths. The promise of the Book of Mormon is real. The invitation to ask God if the the Book of Mormon is true isn't a one time invitation. It is an invitation that we should constantly be acting upon. We don't have to wait until we finish Reading the Book of Mormon to kneel down and ask God if it truly is his holy scripture. I invite all of you this week to really read and ponder the Book of Mormon and find a time to kneel down and ask God if the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith really was the prophet of the restoration.

Also, our investigator Luis moved to another city...still part of the misión, but no longer in our área. We sent his address to the missionaries that are over that area, hopefully they can help him better understand the beautiful power of personal revelation.

I love this work, I love being able to testify of these truths, I love the misión!

Scripture: Luke 13:21 The kingdom of god is "like leaven," whose function is to raise the whole mass by its influence.

I love this scripture because this week I learned how to make the delicious bread of Chile!!!!!! And it's true, to make bread you just use a tiny bit of leaven, but it is so important, because it's what makes the bread raise and not be a stale cracker. As members we have to be the leaven of the world. Yes our numbers are rising, but in comparison with the world there's not a whole lot of us. Through our testimonies and the way we live our lives we can help lift all those around us.

Fun Facts:

Chileans don't have vacations throughout the year, they have them in verano (summer), solo en verano! The entire world is on vacation here in Valparíso!!!!!

In Chile everyone eats dessert with tiny little dessert forks and spoons, I'm in heaven.

One of our investigators is in love with Downton Abby!

A Little girl that we met this week was so excited when she found out I was from the United States because in her sweet little mind, that naturally means I know Justin Beiber on a personal level. Ha! I did the best I could to explain to her I have never talked with him a day in my life, but she is still convinced I won’t give her his number because I want to keep him all to myself....kids these days!

Love,

Hermana McKenna