A Friend in the Church Changes Everything

Dear Familia,

These past two weeks sooo much has happened! I want to start things off with the lovely baptism of Jesuan! He's the son of a less active that we are working with and his wife has also been taking the lessons. Jesuan is a rock solid teenager that was good and lost when we started teaching him. We started inviting him to all the activities we've been doing with the youth in our ward and the change that took place in him was like night and day! I'm here to tell you folks, that having a friend in the church makes ALL the difference. We started having lessons with him with the youth and he started progressing like a rock star!  It's been a good couple of months with him investigating the church, but to hear his testimony on Sunday after his baptism, I know that he knows this church is true. 

One of Jesuan's good friends in the church is our lovely Millaray. She's been a member for about 3 weeks now and is already a better missionary than me! She is always asking us when she can accompany us and every time she's with us she asks to see or to use our missionary tags. She was a huge part of the conversion of Jesuan and I would not mind if Jesuan went on a mission, came home, and married Millaray! However, he's going to have to wait for her to serve too, because she is going to be a dynamite missionary! 

Also, this week we had a baby shower with Monica! Yes, this is the Monica from February, the mama of Paulita.  The baby shower went great!  Graciela, the member that's going to get sealed this July, had the baby shower at her house, and it was a roaring success. If Monica and Franklin don't get married and baptized while I'm here I hope they do it soon, they're a great family! 

I love you all sooo much and can't wait to Skype on Mother's day! I love how all our investigators ask us about our families and what we're going to do for Mother's Day, they all think it's so crazy how we are so far away from our families, but that just makes testifying of the eternal family that much more powerful. I know this church is true. I know as members we have the strongest influence on the investigators, more than ANY missionary. I know that to be a member of this church and live our promises of baptism we can live with our families forever! Have a great week and I'll see you all soon! 

Fun Facts:

I stepped in dog poop for about the 4th time this week while trying to catch a cab in the middle of the city.  When I told my companion she just looked at me and about died laughing while she said, "What did you expect, we're in Chile now." Any time something like that happens, that has become our new catch phrase.

I now know how to make manjar! Wahooo for serving in Chile! 

See you soon! 

XOXO- Hna. McKenna

PS…The package I sent with Jack's and Bompa's b-day stuff got sent back to me! I'm so glad to hear that the family reunion was a success but feel terrible that everyone thinks I'm not acknowledging everything they've sent me. I've sent thank you notes in the mail...hopefully they get there soon and aren't lost in some Chilean mail room! Please tell everyone thank you for me and that I appreciate SO much everything everyone is doing to support me on the mission. I love you all so much and can't wait to Skype! We're planning on Skyping at 7:30 pm here in Coquimbo...I don't know what time that is in sunny St. George.  And of course Megs is invited!  Anyone who wants to can come. However, I only have 40 minutes, so come with questions ready!

No Letter

No time, but I love you all!!

Photo comments:

Graciela and the dress she´s going to wear after the sealing! WAHOOOOOOOOO for familias eternas! 

An activity with all the youth of the ward! Hahahaha they were all pretty amazed that the gringa could play soccer !!

Millary...our future missionary!!! 

Strongest in the End

Dear Familia,

Well, as we all know, this week I started the second half of the mish! WOWZA! I read a talk this week by Elder Uchtdorf and one by Elder Holland that got me good and fired up! The one by Elder Holland talks about how his experience in his state championship basketball game, when they were down at half time, and how it relates to the mish. It reminded me a ton of the State soccer game...and all the soccer games where we were down at half. Every single pep talk that my coaches gave me talked about how this half is the time to give everything! I gave SO much for that sport, and at the end of the day, it was just a game. Here I am at half time, and my coach is asking for EVERYTHING I've got! Not just my time, not just my talents, but my heart and mind too. Right now it's time to come out in the second half and leave it ALL in the mission field. I just have 9 months left! Strongest in the end! 

The talk by Elder Uchtdorf talks about the dash between the dates, and how our lives are marked by the dates on our tombstones. He talks about how the part that matters isn’t the dates, but the dash. The dash is where everything happens, the dash is where the story is. This week I've been thinking a lot about the dash between the date I left on the mission and the date I'll return. I've been thinking a lot about what I want that dash to mean, and I want to always be able to look at that dash and know that it meant 18 months of fully dedicated service to building the Kingdom of God. 

I love the words and guidance we receive from living prophets and I love being able to share this guidance with the people of Chile! This week Jesuan accepted a baptismal date!!!! He is the son of a less active and cousin of a recent convert! But our miracle of the week was Graciela and Victor!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are going to be sealed for time and all eternity in the temple this July!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We had lunch with Graciela this Wednesday and during lunch she told us she had a surprise for us. She led us blindfolded into her bedroom to show us the wedding dress she had bought displayed on her bed! She said that after our lesson with Victor and her last Saturday, they felt so strongly that they needed to trust in the Lord and take the step of faith! (We shared the story of Peter walking on the water and how it was a miracle according to his faith). We were the first people they told and I feel so honored to be part of this amazing process with them! Thank you so much for all your love and prayers for them! The mission might be nothing like I thought it would be, but it's everything I hoped it would be! 

Fun Facts:

I got the package from Timette and LOVE it! I give all the Smarties to the kids in my English class before we start so they can remember the words, and they think it's the coolest thing! 

Hna. Mariscal and I are focusing on married families and we have become MASTER ring-checkers! It's like the opposite of BYU, every time we see someone with a wedding ring we pounce! 

Millaray made herself a missionary name tag for when she comes with us to visit investigators! I LOVE that girl! She´s going to be the BEST missionary! 

I love you all and will send photos next week! 

XOXO-Hna. McKenna

Half Way There

OH I´M HALF WAY THERE,

OH OH LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER! 

Ya, just pretend that was me singing the lyrics to Bon Jovi! I can't believe that I am halfway done with the mish!!!! What a crazy roller coaster ride this crazy mission life is! This week has been filled to the brim with funny moments, miracles, ups, downs, embarrassing errors with the language, spiritual lessons, train wrecks, and everything in between...but I guess that's how these past 9 months have been, so you think I should be used to it by now! 

This week was amazing and Millaray was baptized on Sunday! Her parents came and all of her friends!!! This girl is so stinking popular we had to start putting up extra seats because there were over 50 people in her baptismal service!!!! She has started on her Personal Progress and has planned a Noche de Hogar with a couple of her friends for this Wednesday! So we're going to pass by Wednesday to preach the good word! She's also telling us that she wants to be a missionary is already starting to plan it out, and is planning to go to the temple this June! I'm not kidding when I say that this girl is on fire! I really feel like I did nothing but show up and teach the lessons! Ha, it's like the Betty Crocker cookie mix we buy in the store to make for the Noches de Hogares. I'll we have to do is add butter and an egg. Ya, that was pretty much Millaray! We just showed up, invited her to be baptized, and taught her the lessons....she's an escojido for sure! 

Monica's health is really bad right now. She's 43 and 8 months pregnant and the doctors just diagnosed her with diabetes...she's been really depressed these past couple of days. Please keep her in your prayers! Also, pray that Marcos can accept a baptismal date this week and keep his commitments. 

I love the mission! I love my life! I love my companion! I love my family! I love the Lord! 

Love, 

Hna. McKenna

Fun Facts. 

I was in interchanges with Hna. Delgado (a newbie from Cali that's 6ft. 2. With her height and my hair, I think we turned every head in the street! I'm not kidding you when I say that they looked at us like we were from another planet and that we could have set up a tent and people would have paid to come look at us!!!

Some really weird drunk guy kept trying to talk to me and my companion in English and Spanish and we pretended to be speaking German and just made up a bunch of crazy words...he was so confused and stormed away after about 5 minutes of frustration. We were dying laughing!

There's a store here called Lider, and it's basically Wal-mart...here it's like the cream of the crop! Hna. Mariscal and I started crying when we bought great value BBQ sauce for lunch! 

Photos: 

Millaray's baptism!

P-Day at a Muslim temple! 

Page from the Mission blog when Meghan was made a Sister Training Leader.

Be As A Sunflower and Follow The Son

The Fam-Bam,

I'm pretty sure this has been the most spiritual week I have had in my mission! I was able to feel the spirit SO strong and receive so many answers to the questions I've had recently. 

Monday: We started off the week with a power lesson with Millaray (13 year old investigator that's going to change the world). She's so amazing and a 3 week miracle. We found her mom when we were knocking doors and taught her mom a little, then her mom introduced us to her and her older sister, Marta. They are both amazing and Millaray read 1 Nefi in 2 weeks!  She was supposed to be baptized yesterday but she wants to wait for her grandma to be at her baptisim so this Sunday she will be baptized. (Fun fact: the mom of Millaray is married so that makes everything a lot easier)

We also found John and Edith, a married couple that we are now teaching...keep your arms crossed in prayer that they can progress! 

Tuesday: We taught Caroline (recent convert) about the temple, she's 19 and planning on going on a mission when she finishes a year of being a member. We also taught Paula and her mom, Monica, but they were both a little under the weather so the lesson was really short and simple, but Paula is progressing in her Faith in God, and came to Conference even when she was sick! She was the only one of her family who came so she sat with the Bishop. This week we are going to have a really serious talk with Marcos because he hasn´t been keeping his commitments and won't be able to be baptized this Sunday. One of his friends has been a bit of a negative influence on him with respect to the church and baptism, so we are going to have another activity with him and the youth in our ward so that he can see you can be Mormon and still be a cool kid! 

Wednesday: We had intercambios and I got to be with Hna. Delgado, she's a newbie! As green as can be and so excited to work! She reminded me a lot of how I was when I first got to the mission field. We had a lot of good talks...cried a little...laughed a lot...and at the end I learned sooo much from her! 

Thursday: A sweet member who got baptized 3 years ago contacted us. Well actually her son did. They had the number of the missionaries 3 years ago (Elder Reyes) and they were trying to contact him because the sweet member, Margarita Cortez is super sick and they are really worried that she´s not going to make it that much longer. We went by to talk with her and have been passing by almost every day to teach her and her son...well, mostly we just sing with her and yesterday she got a blessing.  It's so sweet to see the faith of this sweet sister and a tender reminder of how short this life is. She's only 75 but can't even leave her bed. We talked about the choices we make in this life and how she was so grateful to have found the church and be baptized. All she wants to do is get in contact with Elder Reyes again to thank him for everything he did for her. 

Friday: 6 hour bus ride to Viña! We left at 2 in the morning and arrived at 8 for the meeting of leaders. Had about 9 hours of Spiritual Enlightenment! I learned SOOOO much and was humbled SO fast to hear and listen to the testimonies and talks that the other mission leaders shared during the meeting. 

Saturday and Sunday!!!!!

CONFERENCÍA GENERAL!!!!

Oh my goodness! When you think the week can't get any better, think again!!!! It was like a spiritual feast! I absolutely love Conference in the mission and am so grateful that we are able to receive so much guidance in our lives. There is no doubt that God loves us SO much and his only goal is for us to be happy and return to live with him again as families! There were so many talks that I loved...Elder Holland, Hno. Zeballos, but the one that hit a soft spot was Elder Cook! I loved what he said about the sunflowers. As missionaries we are always inviting the people to follow Christ, to follow His light. I know from personal experience that by following His example, by following His teachings, we can receive the guidance that we need in this life and the energy to continue growing and progressing in the journey! Thanks to His life, His love, and His sacrifice we can be an eternal family! I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!!!! 

XOXO-Hna. McKenna

Fun Facts:

Millaray had D y C 24:8 as her screensaver on her laptop before she even knew about our church (si ella es un escojido!) 

Hna. Mariscal hates taking photos so there might be a lack of photos this transfer...

Millaray is the proud owner of one of my skirts because she didn't have any skirts to go to church in and the dresses she had made her feel a little uncomfortable after we taught the lovely lesson of the Law of Chastity. 

Scripture of the week:

2 Corinthians 12:10 

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Quick Update

Dear Familia,

I literally have NO time...but I just wanted to tell you I'm alive and well. We're working with Marcos (brother of Paula) and he has a baptismal date for the 12th of April. His parents are also ring shopping so that Monica can get baptized. Victor and Graciela didn't make it to the temple, but the fights not over. I have contact with the missionary that baptized them (she's in her house right now) and we're making a plan for them so that they can go in June. Our friend Millaray is going to get baptized on Easter....I'll tell you more about her crazy story next week. Hna. Moreno left to serve in the south. I'm with Hna. Mariscal from New J. but she was born in Ecuador and speaks English and Spanish perfectly...she's a gift from the Gods! Another day I'll tell you her crazy story. I'm now an STL (Sister Training Leader) and President changed Tierras Blancas to the new STL sector. I head to Viña this week for a meeting and there I'll get you packages. 

I love you! There's a package heading your way! 

Please pray for our investigators so they can progress to bautismo. 

XOXO-Hna. McKenna

P.S. Tell Maggie her hair looks so dang cute! I love it!

Photos: 

P-Day-La Cruz

A week without water and a heater....don't worry, I survived.

The Windows Of Heaven

March 23, 2015

Dear Familia,

During my time here in Chile I've written my weekly letters in some pretty sketchy internet places, but I think this one tops them all. It's SO SLOW and there is no way to send photos, lo siento. However, patience is a beautiful attribute of Christ that I can never have enough of...ha, so in the end this shady little computer shack is a blessing in my life! 

The activity with Marcos and the YM was a slam dunk! At the end of the activity, one the of YM walked home with Marcos and when Marcos got home he told his mom, Monica, that he wants to be baptized! WAHOOOOO! The problem is that he's a teenage boy and he's NEVER in the house...ha, I guess this is where patience comes into play....patience and diligence. Also, this past Saturday we had a lesson with Monica, Franklin, and Paula about the temple with one of the Hermanas from the Relief Society (Hna. Veronica). We talked about the familia eterna and at the end of the lesson we asked Franklin and Monica about their feelings of getting married and being an eternal family! Monica said that she has always wanted to be married and that she knows she has to be married to obey God's commandments and be baptized (all of this was said while she was crying), and Franklin said that he doesn't see how a paper makes any difference, but if Monica wants to be baptized that bad he's not opposed to marriage! Oh how amazing is the Spirit and this amazing message! It literally changes lives! Please, oh please keep them in your prayers, and with the faith sufficiente we should be hearing wedding bells soon! Tonight we're going to the Bishop's house to have a FHE with Paula and her family and the Bishop's family. Our ward literally is SOOOO great! 

Victor and Graciela are still working towards the temple. The ward leaves this Friday and they still don't know if they're going to be able to go. We're passing by their house every day, but please keep them in your prayers. Satan is working SO hard! 

Spiritual Thought:

3 Nephi 24:10 

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

As a mission we've been challenged to talk about tithing in every lunch with the members because this is the biggest obstacle for the members to have a temple recommend. Before, I always thought of tithing as just another commandment, but now it's my absolute favorite!!! This week as I shared this scripture with Hna. Veronica (the sister that was in the lesson with Monica and Franklin) we were talking about temples and all the amazing experiences she's had in the temple (her husband passed away 20 years ago and wasn't a member). While I shared this scripture with her I realized that when the Lord says he will open the windows of Heaven he's talking about the temples. That through tithing we can build these wonderful houses of the Lord, but most importantly if we are full tithe payers we can enter the house of the Lord and receive AMAZING blessings! 

I know that the blessing of tithing are real and that by obeying this commandment we can be with our families forever! Our Heavenly Father is SO amazing!  

Fun Facts:

I lift water bottles for my weights in the morning...yes, I know how ghetto that is.

When it rains here there isn't really a fresh clean smell...more of a wet dog scent.

We have transfers this week and I'm terrified they're going to kick me out of the Promised Land!

I got the package this week!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!  Hna. Moreno loves all her goodies and is convinced that the life savers have some sort of drug because she says that when she has one she feels like she has to have another, and another! 

We used some life savers to teach a recent convert (15 years old) about how the atonement saves our eternal lives...pretty creative if you ask me :) 

Love, Hermana McKenna