August 12th, 2013

Hi Everyyonnee! :D Hope things on the home front are going fantastic! White Rock is as onnery as ever, but I had some really amazing experiences this week!

 

The people in this town seem to really be warming up to us! Sister Smigel and I spend about 8 hours a week just picking up trash around the beaches, main street, and the numerous parks that dot the area. People seem to be much friendlier when we're in jeans ( probably because they don't know we're missionaries lol ;] But we still wear our tags! In particular, we were having a relatively strange day, and couldn't seem to identify where we were supposed to go. But that day, I had one of the most incredible and solidyfying witness of the spirit... that I've EVER had.

As I was saying, we were having a hard time trying to figure out where to go and we decided, as per usual, to just do some finding down by the beach. After five minutes of walking on the path, we passed a couple who was struggling to put up a shade tent, where they were planning to set up an ice cream stand. Their little girl  who was pulling on the strings of the tent, probably wasn't making it very easy either. I suddenly had the urge to help them... I was confused. My usual reaction was to smile, wave at the little girl, and let them be, since one, they were technically working, and two, most reactions we get from people who we offer help to, wave us off, and say " no thanks." And probably leave thinking we're up to something... sad isn't it?

As I walked about a foot past them, I felt a gentle nudge ," No, go and help them." So forcing myself out of my comfort zone ( which has been pretty hard lately), I bounded over and offered assistance. Imagine my surprise when the wife laughed and said," Yes please! Have you put up one of these before?" So we assisted them in pulling all four corners of the tent out straight and positioned it high enough for the cart to go under. We the husband thanked us profusely, told us to come back later for free ice cream later, and quickly left to go check on the store across the street. Meanwhile, the wife and my companion had a conversation while I attempted to entertain little Daniellea ( their daughter). Turns out that Sandra's ( the wife) father had almost converted to the Church when they were living in England. However he didn't feel as if he could pay tithing because he was the only one with income in the household, and they had several children. Josh ( the husband) asked Sandra as he came back up to check on them if she would have converted to the LDS church if her father had.. her response was a pause, then " I don't know"! My companion proceeded to talk to her and discovered that their family was non practicing muslims ( which are very close to our beliefs in many ways). She smiled at me towards the end of the conversation and said ," Thank you. You really surprised us by asking, not many people offer to that around here anymore." I should have told her about my OWN surprise when she accepted!

 

Another amazing miracle happened later that week when we were out tracting a street called Royal Ave on the Terrace of White Rock. ( The terrace resembles Sanfrancisco in the way the houses are stacked on very steep hills, the only difference is that White Rock has multi-million dollar estates on every corner of the terrace.) We were walking past a street, about to head back to the car for dinner when i stopped midway, pointed to the last house on another street and said," I feel like we should just do this one house." Confused but agreeable, my comp and I walked up to the gate. As soon as we did, imagine my surprise ( again) when a hansom young dad and his absolutely adorable baby daughter of 10 months came around the corner at the exact same time, friendly, though understandably confused, he greeted us and we talked a little bit. We asked him a few questions, to which he gave pretty half hearted answers, bu then we testified of how we share a message about how families can be together forever, even after death.. and a light in his face came on.Though still probably a little confused, he said we could come back and try to catch them at home ( his wife and him). What a true miracle the Lord has blessed me with this week.

 

Though it's tough cookie, White rock has so much potential... its going to take some serious hard work, but I can feel the baptisms coming right around the corner! I love you all, and thank you so much for all the support and love you give! Send me letters and such! :D

 

I love you!! Sister Kennedy

August 6, 2013

Hi Everyone!!! :D Sorry the email is a day late this week, BC day was yesterday, and Canadians are ALWAYS looking for an excuse to have a three day weekend lol... Not That I blame them ;] I hope everything is well and good on the Home front, I absolutely love your letters and emails, so please keep writing me! They really bring a lot of encouragement and support that I most certainly Need :]

 

This week was another rough one... the work here in White Rock is Pretty slow, but I believe that the Lord is utilizing my companion and I to lay the foundation work for a fantastic future that's nearby! I've learned that Patience when suffering through afflictions is one hundred percent necessary when face with extreme opposition....Alma 7 has made me feel much better about life! Lol

 

I had the oppritunity to go the Temple today, and the trip was much needed <3. I feel that the Lord has been casting me small, tender mercies all along the way of my mission so far. Whenever I've been feeling down, discouraged, exhausted, or sad, some kind of life line always finds its way to me. This week, it came in two forms. One was in the form of a wonderful trip to the temple, and the peace that the Spirit in the House of the Lord brings. I've been struggling a lot with sleep lately. Ever since I was a teenager, i've struggled with getting to sleep at night, and staying asleep. Waking up more tired that when I go to bed is a pretty common thing for me. Before my mission I always just assumed that it was my love for Dr. Pepper that hindered me, but i can count on one hand the amount of Dr. Pepper Ive had in the past few months... and the sleeplessness continued unhindered. I've come to realize I've been carrying a very heavy tiredness upon my soul most of my life. I've had many wonderful, and significant spiritual experiences that have made the burden lighter, but its never quite fully gone. My mission has truly given me the oppritunity to reflect upon who I really am, and the kind of person I want to be for the rest of the Eternities, and honestly, I can't say I quite know the answer to all of the questions that particular problem holds. But I find that as each passing day comes, I find more and more to build my foundation... for ," it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God that ye must build your foundation, that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea his shafts in the whilwind, yea when when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock on which ye are built. " Helman 5:12

 

Ive come to realize everything that entails building my rock upon his foundation, and the true sacrifice that it takes. Someday I'll be able to completely give my burden to the Lord, and I'll be able to sleep, someday :]

 

The Second Lifeline came in the form of a testimony, from a wonderful, powerful and dedicated missionary who's had far less success that he deserves. His name is Elder Edge, and he's one of the other elders that serve in White Rock with us. After an initial discussion of business in regards to the things that we need to set forth in the ward, he told us of his experiences in his pervious area called Terrace. He was there for the first 7 months of his mission, and he said he didn't bapize a single person there. I can now be a first hand witness to just how hard that feels. He said, as lousey as he felt... he came to understand that the Lord was refining him, and teaching him that True sacrifice brings forth so many blessings. He may not have baptised anyone, but he was trying everything he possibly could. He discovered the greatest thing he was doing was building a relationship with his members, and he realized, he too was building a great foundation. Because of the excitement that he left behind in the ward, for missionary work, Terrace is expecting many baptisms in the coming weeks. He stated that he hadn't planned on sharing that testimony, and I think we've worked in this ward long enough together for me to assume that he's not really the type of missionary who treats his testimony frivilously or shows it off like a cheap accessory. He regards it with a sacred cherishment, and this is how I feel all of the missionaries I've gotten to work with are.

 

Whether it be in the form of a powerful testimony given by an inspired leader, or a peaceful trip to the temple, I know the Lord is watching over me. And I'm all too often quick to forget my many wonderful blessings. I love you guys, and I hope things are going well in AZ! Enjoy the Sun, and soak up some rays for me ;]

 

Love and Joy,

 

Sister Kennedy

"Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear" July 29th 2013

Hiiii Everyone! :D

 

Hope everything is going well for everyone back on the Home front. I'm very much still alive, though hobbling around on a bad ankle is not very much fun, and a nurse in my ward wrapped it up for me ( properly this time Lol ) But she uses a seriously bright yellow banadge... talk about embarrassing haha. My companion and I are kind of an inside joke for our ward now, but everyone seems to regard it as cute rather than just plain dumb ( like it really was), so thankfully my blonde tendencies didn't cost us the little trust that the ward has for us now. I'm really thankful to Heavenly Father to the amazing week I've had... honestly, I couldn't have asked for a more spiritually healing experience!

 

Following the previous week's disasters, we had the opprinutity to hold a zone conference, which was such an amazing experience. We discussed the importance of the scriptures, namely the Book of Mormon, and President Tilleman bore powerful testimony of the things which he knew to be true. I'll never forget the amazing feeling of the Spirit as I sat in that room. I can't even begin to describe to you the incredible comfort and warmth that it brings to my heart, to simply close my eyes for a moment, and be able to reach out and feel the spirits presence. As I shared my experience last week, I've begun to realise more and more how much I am willing to do in order to KEEP the spirit with me. In all honesty, I wish I would have known the importance of the spirit before my mission. Though we all make mistakes, I think this will be the one of the very few regrets that I have. And that would be that I should have taken the Gospel far more seriously than I have in the Past. I'm amazed at the differences I see in myself, and as I'm coming up on the Six month marker on my mission (which will be August 20th), I rejoice and thank the Lord greatly for the teachings of the spirit and the Revelation I have been privelaged with.

 

Missionary Work is a sacred calling. And it's never been more apparent to me than in the past few days. I am now starting to recognize the divine privelage that I have to share this wonderful happiness with EVERYONE. I have many weaknesses, some that prevent me from opening my mouth at certain moments. But as we read in the Book of Mormon," Perfect love caseth out all fear," and I realize that " If I keep the eternal perspective of who I am, nothing will stop me from opening my mouth." These were the words which President Merril said to me in my setting apart, and they seem to really be sinking in these days. But I remember the words of the Savior's apostles to the Ephesians:

 

 Ephesians 5
1 Be ye therefore ^afollowers of God, as dear children;
2 And ^awalk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an ^boffering and a ^csacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling ^dsavour.

And how in the world can I really love the Savior if I don't understand the way he loved me first? I'm going to try and make it a personal goal of mine to try and talk to EVERYONE I can. I'll do my best to serve him with every precious minute that I have left... because lets be honest, this time flies by SO fast for me! I have a count down of days in my journal. At first, it was because I was so excited to be through it.... now it reminds me that every day I am given is precious, and I give a full account to the lord at the end of each day in my prayers.

The work in White Rock is certainly hastening. The Mandrin Sisters in my district last week had 8 Member present lessons, four people at church, and have a baptisimal date! I'm so proud of all of the hard work they are doing, and for the wonderful people in our ward. Its taken a whole lot of cookies, and a lot of time spent with members, but My new companion and I, Sister Smigel, have finally begun to see the fruits of our labors! We're scheduled to have at least three MPL this week, so we're really excited!

Remember Brothers and Sisters, we have a sacred duty to our Savior to share the gospel with all those that we love. That doesn't mean shove them into the baptisimal font with a huge stick, that means LOVE them, friendship them, support them, and share with them the things that make you happy! Have your friends over for dinner, invite the missionaries, let them have a conversation so they realize we're not so scary, and do it all over again :] Not everyone has to become a new "investigator", but they get to feel the spirit! How awesome is that?? I love you allllll!!! And I hope you have a fantastic week!! <3

Love Sister Kennedy