Baptisms and Old Folks Home

My week has been amazing! We committed someone to baptism, who a week ago she didn't even want to come to church anymore. The change was overnight and it is a night and day difference. She is so happy and her husband, who was baptized a year and a half ago, couldn't be more excited! The Lord's timing is incredible. :) She passed her interview and is being baptized on March 30 at 3:00pm. It will be such a good day. Their family is so funny, I love her husband. They are both really loud, really opinionated, they always fight and give each other a hard time, but they love each other so much.

Another person that we are teaching is so solid, she loves church, is reading the BOM, and keeps asking us to come back. Her husband, who is not a member, told her that she is basically Mormon and she needs to stop kidding herself. :) haha

I gave a talk on Sunday in sacrament. :) It was on Psalms 46:10 and people really enjoyed it.. It is the scripture that says," Be still and know that I am God." It reminded me of Grandma. :) We had a few investigators in the meeting, so it was good to have a chance to teach them in that setting. We have a ton going on and I couldn't be happier. :)

The Atonement is such an incredible thing. Teaching people about it and how they can use it to repent and completely change their lives is wonderful. It's my favorite thing to teach.  The Lord's hand is in all things, it is so incredible. I have made a point to write down 3 miracles and 7 things I am grateful for everyday. :) I think it is important to notice that all the good things in our life are from God, so they are definitely blessings. :)

So we live at what used to be an old folks home. :) So we are surrounded by old people.. It's great. They have movie nights across the hall, so we had walkers parking outside our door. :) Though you'd get a kick out of that..

That is the Boston temple and my companion. I absolutely love her. :) the other day we were laughing so hard she had water come out of her nose.. I am just doing the best I can. :)

 

So we are teaching a Presbyterian Pastor. She gave up hating the Mormons for lint so she decided to meet with us.. It was intimidating, but she was really sweet. :) she wants to watch conference and is supposedly reading the BOM. She thinks God's people should work together not against each other. She said she has no plans to be converted, we have different plans. :)  She was happy to find out we are Christians. :)  So many people think we aren't Christians. I just want to say, our church is named the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints. :) Silly people. We met someone last night who told us he was just looking for that childlike happiness and doesn't want to be old and bitter anymore. My companion and I were like, hello prepared for us much? :) 

We are meeting a new investigator at an Easter egg hunt on the 30th before the baptism and then we are just going to church and a members home for dinner on Sunday. :) I like the idea of having it focused totally on Christ Sunday.

Pics from the MTC:

 

Word from Needham...

I am loving it here so far. Missions are FANTASTIC

My address for at least the next six weeks is 757 Highland Avenue #212S Needham, MA 02494.. That's my first area. :) so if you'll let everyone know, that'd be wonderful!

I am so happy to hear that the year end show went so well and that you were able to be there. I thought about them that day and was bummed that I missed it. I am sure it was wonderful. :)  It feels good to know that I have been such a positive influence on them. I would definitely support the decision to go on a mission. It is the BOMB! :)

I am doing so great. I am happy and in love with the people and the area. We are about 2 minutes away from the mission home, which is nice. We are about 20 minutes outside Boston, but it is covered in our area. :)

I love my companion (from Orange Co. CA) and the weather is sunny but it's windy so it is pretty chilly. I LOVE my coat, go mom. :) I have just been going to work. We really focus on members here and so we have taught a lot of members about their member missionary work and it is so important!

I don't have to drive. :) My companion is the DD so that is so nice! Driving here is intense! It is so scary and we would be lost without a GPS. Speaking of which, I might need one in the distant future.. Driving with the Elders is scary, they are so bold!  I do have to get my own GPS.. Better than having to buy a bike though. :) I can't wait to get some letters. I love my mission president. He is incredible and so is his family. They were overwhelmed because of transfer week, but I think they are more excited than anything. :)  They are wonderful people and so strong in the gospel. They are some of the greatest people I have ever met.  They are so loving and so giving. I am very blessed. :)

I love it here so much. It's true when they say that the people are more than prepared for us. We hope to have 4 baptisms set up for March 30, so cross your fingers and keep us in your prayers. :) It'll happen I'm sure. :) I met and Apostle on Saturday. :) Elder Ballard, I shook his hand!  He came and spoke to the missionaries..I also met the smartest man in the world.. His name is Clayton Christensen and we are basically best friends because I shook his hand and we had a conversation. :) haha He is a mormon, so my question is why is everyone else not a mormon?

On the plane...

and heading to Boston :)

Janica got to call from the airport this morning.  What a blessing to hear from her... I only cried a little.  She said there are about 25-30 Elders and Sisters heading out with her today.  I can only imagine the coordination currently going on at the mission home in Boston!

Janica is so excited to go start the work!  I am so proud of her :)

Last Email from MTC

Now that went by quick... here is Janica's last email from the MTC before she heads to Boston in the morning.  Sounds like she is having some really amazing, spiritual experiences:

I head out to Boston tomorrow! I am so excited. :) I am not too sad to be leaving the MTC, I am ready to get to work. I would like to get the chance to study some more. :) but that's okay, I'll do my best and the Lord will take care of the rest. I am excited to be able to work out everyday and not sit in a desk 24/7. That will be nice. :)  I am SO excited to have my own bedding! It will be the best ever. :) and mom, you are my best friend and my hero. :) an elder and I were talking the other day about if we could give a hug to anyone who would it be.. We both said our moms. :) I can't wait to see you guys again. I get to call tomorrow morning and my card is for 3 hours! And it should be good until Mother's Day so I can use it again. :)

 

So I have been talking in my sleep.. One of the sisters told me that she heard me teaching someone in the middle of the night. :) at least it wasn't embarrassing. When I first got here the elder asked me where I was from and I was so excited and flustered that I forgot.. haha It was awesome. :) I met some of the elders from the District! Crazy I know! They taught some of my classes, one of them was Elder Murray, the blue chair guy. :) and yesterday we watched the movie Legacy and it is about pioneers. There was a part when two of them kissed and everyone went crazy! haha it was so funny. :) Somebody said, "Are we aloud to be watching this?" haha

 

Oh and one of the coolest things happened today. The elders in our district, there are six of them, offered to give us Priesthood blessings. We didn't even have to ask. It was so sweet of them. It is so remarkable to see 18-19 year old men having such power and they are so willing to use it to help others. I can't explain how happy it made me. :) The elder that gave me my blessing is named Elder Smith, he came up to me after and thanked me because I was the first blessing he gave to someone outside his family and that he would never forget it. He was thankful to me, when it was me who was so grateful. :) I will never forget it, he told me what I needed to feel good and prepared. Nothing better than young men honoring their Priesthood. :) I love it!
 

I LOVE YOU GUYS AND MISS YOU SO MUCH! :) you're in my prayers.

 

Love,

    Sister Kendall

First Email!!

I got my first emails from Janica today ... thank heavens!! don't know if I could have gone another day waiting to hear from her.  Might be a long 18 months....

HI FAMILY!! :)

 

 I love and miss you guys so much! I leave the MTC on March 12 early in the morning and I can call that day so watch for me! I also got the end date of my mission, the latest will be September 9 of 2014! :) 

 

    The MTC is going really well, it's hard but I am learning so much. We are up at 6:30 and go until 10:30 so you can imagine what they fill our days with. I really like my companion and my district ther are all so great. My companion is really sweet and we get along well which is nice. We went to the Provo temple today and it was so cool! It looks really simple on the outside, but it isn't. It's actually really confusing. I tried to upload pictures, but it would not let me so I will find out how and send them next week! I love the pictures that you guys sent me. :) Thank you! Oh and thank you for all the letters too! They made me so happy! I understand what the Elder on the disrict said about be so happy and not understanding it because he is so tired. Luckily, I get to take a nap today! :) score!

 

We usually wake up, study, and then eat breakfast, after breakfast we have class for three hours at a time.. wow. It's good though, I usually stay awake and pay attention. They feed us so well! You can eat as much as you want and they serve everything you can think for every meal. It's awesome, but I really will be 400 pounds when I come home. I have seen so many people here that I know. I saw Christian Chipman, Tali Gomez, Tanner Palmer, Gary Banford, and a bunch of people from EFY and college. It's so great to see people I know even if I don't know them very well. Yesterday was fast Sunday and it was the best fast Sunday I have ever experienced! We fasted for so long and barely noticed that I was hungry. We had a mission conference and someone spoke on the importance of sisters in the field. It was so good! We got to listen to a talk from Elder Bednar that he gave on the character of Christ, it literally changed my life. Look it up. :) He gave it on Christmas of 2011 if that helps. Everyone here is so sweet, not mean. :)

 

Oh and there are so many people here going to Boston! So many! :)

 

I love and miss you guys so much!

 

I'm out, keep sending the letters and the love and support. :) THANK YOU!

 

I love you,

       Sister Kendall