We Are GLORYING In His Name... LETTER FROM JULY 6, 2015
Brothers and Sisters it has truly been a miraculous week! so much good work AND I got to celebrate the birth of our nation in the nation's capital, can life get any better? probably not
the funny
we sang at the metro on the 4th of July as a district and there were these 2 swaggin black guys who kept walking in and out that were not giving any elder or sister the time of day. so by the 5th time of them walking by I decide that it was my turn to take a swing at them. somehow they stopped and listened to me and agreed to read the book of Mormon! it was rad. when I turned back around one of the greenie elder just goes, "sister kennedy, you've gotta teach me how you do that. you just start talking swag with your homies and they listen!" hahahaha
I kept wishing everyone a happy 4th of July this week forgetting that 90% of the people we talk to are not from this country and don't care to be from this country. hahahaha #sorry
we were hanging out with a couple from India and they made us these indian desserts that looked like cinnabon delights from taco bell... amped, I threw one in my mouth and it literally tasted like peanut buttery sand mixed with salt. and that was the last thing I ate before I started my fast... bad choice
MIRACLES!
this week was alllllllll FINDING and it was sweet. we met some incredible people.
on Tuesday night we were street contacting and there was a man who was walking toward us that we stopped who was SUPER not in the mood. he looked at us and said, "do you really want to know what I think of you guys?" of course we said yes, so he just rails on us for a solid 45 minutes... we finally get a few words in and we end up having an hour and a half long discussion about what makes the church so true and in the end, he stopped. looked me. and pointed his finger right in my face as he said, "you just changed my mind. my wife and I have been looking for a church and I know that yours is the one that God wants me to be a part of." it. was. SWEET. his wife only speaks Spanish so we passed them to the hermanas and we are SO AMPED to see what happens with their family!
the rest of the week we were not finding ANYONE so we fasted on Sunday to find people to teach and God, like He always does, blessed us with MIRACLES.
we get out of church on sunday and we see that we have a text! its from an investigator that we haven't been able to contact. he said, "hello sisters, this is anibal. im here at church. hope to see you soon". STUNNED, we call him and apologize for not seeing the text sooner. we are meeting with him and his family tonight most likely to start teaching them :)
THEN we get 8 CHURCH HEADQUARTER REFERRALS that come through on our ipad. we were freaking out. they were all like a year old, so we still don't understand that mystery, but nonetheless we went out looking for them. We start checking and we aren't finding them... a little frustrated, we were walking toward another house when I looked up and heard the spirit say, "go tract that building". there was an apartment building a couple hundred yards away that we went and tracted. we didn't have much time, so we decided to knock 5 doors and then leave. well behind the 5th door we hear the TV super loud and a lot of yelling. We knock, and this sweet young mom comes to the door. she looks at us and she breathed a sigh of relief. she told us she didn't have time but that if we had any literature she would read it. We gave her a restoration pamphlet and she looks at it and says, "come back. Thursday. does 2 work?" uh YES. we are SUPER pumped to go meet with her!
right after that, we check on another one of the referrals who ends up being a member haahah BUT he has a nonmember girlfriend that he wants us to teach! We are so excited! we are going back Friday. SO SO SO cool.
Brothers and Sisters I am so grateful for this wonderful work. I am so grateful for such a loving father in heaven who allows these people to feel of the spirit of the Lord in order for them to change and to become disciples of Christ. I love being able to recognize and feel God's hand in this work every minute of every day. The mission truly is a miracle and I can feel it changing my eternities. I love you all SO SO SO much
keep it real and keep the faith
sister kennedy
Change is a GOOD Thing... LETTER FROM JUNE 29, 2015
Brothers and Sisters miracles are so real. I'm so grateful for change and the miracles that come from being completely out of our comfort zone.
The funny:
We were tracting my first day here and the first man we tract into has nothing on on his bottom half... Hahaha everything was hanging out. I talked to him for a few minutes and he agreed to read the Book of Mormon and to have the elders come back and teach him! Haha Sister Wheeler was absolutely mortified. I died laughing for a solid 10 minute after that.
We have a less active we are working with who refers to himself as the agnostic alien worshipping Mormon. He literally doesn't believe in God and thinks that aliens are our supreme beings. When Joseph Smith saw a pillar of light? Yeah the aliens were using lasers to disguise
themselves into looking like actual beings. We literally had this conversation with him yesterday at church. Hahahahha
MY GIRL MAC DADDY'S GRANDMA IS IN THIS WARD!!! (Many of you may know her as Mckenzie Lance) when I walked into church I was introducing myself to the members and I shook her hand and said, "I'm sister Kennedy"! She stops and smiles and says, "elli?" I nodded yes and she threw her arms around me and starts tearing up as she says in my ear, "oh it's just like hugging my granddaughter again!" She started introducing me to everyone as her granddaughter and kept saying, "don't you worry! I'm grandma now. I will take care of everything you need! You just let me know!" SHE IS SO STINKING CUTE AND IM SO
GRATEFUL FOR HER!
Well team. It's been a WHIRLWIND of a week. So many highs and lows. I left Alexandria this week and I was a wreck. I spent 10 months surrounded by those who I consider to be my family. I love those people will every inch and cranny of my being, and just typing this is
making my cry. I love love LOVE them; and they will forever be dear to my heart. This week I got transferred to the Oak Marr ward in the Oakton stake... And I'm training a new missionary! Here in DC South we call this "pink washing" when two brand new sisters get put into an
area. Now let me just tell you, this adjustment has been crazy. As I'm sure you remember, Alexandria was on FIRE. The week I left we literally had people PLOPPING into our laps and putting themselves on date for baptism. How incredibly grateful I am for that, and yet it is
SO HARD to see an area that I literally put blood sweat and tears into start flourishing right as I leave. I am so grateful though that Heavenly Father is blessing Alexandria's hard working obedient missionaries with the fruit of their labors!
I am now in a ward with not one person in our teaching pool! Which means FINDING ALL DAY LONG! I don't think I have ever been rejected this hard and this frequently! Hahaha! AND I HAVE BEEN LEARNING SO MUCH! IT IS INCREDIBLE!!! ThIs is one of those wards that missionaries start rumors about in the mission because no one wants to serve there, and I have seen how the power of a positive attitude can influence so much good! Sister Wheeler and I have been working SO hard! SO HARD! And I want so badly for my little baby to see miracles!! And it's been so cool to see that our lack of discouragement has caused the spirit to really guide us to where we need to be. Saturday we got a text from a woman in primary who asked us to share an experience with the kids about how the Holy Ghost has guided us and right as she texted us we were getting ready to tract for the whoooooole night so we prayed that we would have an experience that night that we could share with the kids! So we took off talking to every single person we saw, nothing. And as we came up to a group of apartment complexes the spirit prompted me to take a right and we walked over to building 11105 and just started knocking. We knocked the whole building and no one would give us the time of day. I had told Sister Wheeler that we would find at least 1 new investigator that night because God would bless us according to our faith. The sweet thing was SO EXCITED and after we knocked the whole building she has a slight look of discouragement. I said a little prayer in my heart that we would know where to go and right as I said amen I looked out the window of the stairwell we were standing in and saw a woman walking to her apartment from her car. I ran down the stairs, flung the door open, and chased after her. Sister Wheeler nervously jogged behind me as I waved my hands in the air and yelled "ma'am! Ma'am! We have a message about Jesus Christ to share with you!" Somewhat startled she turned around, took the card from my hand and kept walking. I asked, "do you have faith in Christ?" She said "kind of" and kept walking. I said, "how has your faith helped you in your life?" she gave us a quick answer as she started up the stairs. Somewhat at a loss of words I just started testifying of Christ's love, mission, and divinity and suddenly her countenance changed. She wasn't in much of a hurry anymore and she listened intently. We asked if we could pray for her family and she nodded yes and told us what they have been struggling with. Then we led into the Book of Mormon and Sister Wheeler testified of the divinity of that book. She looked at it and then looked at us and said, "I will read
this!" We asked if we could talk to her about it more and she looked at us and eagerly said, "yes!" We are meeting with her today and we are so excited :) God really does put prepared people into the paths of His prepared servants! After this, we still had about 30 minutes so
we started walking to a different apartment building and stopped a few people who didn't want to hear it.
Side note: an incredibly LARGE percent of people here are from the Middle East. And by large I literally mean a solid 75% of the people here. And this month is Ramadan! So everyone is fasting from sun up to sun down for a month, and our prime proselyting time falls riiiiiiight into the time frame when they are getting ready to break their fast. So every single person we stop will nod their head, wave for us to walk away, and say, "I am fasting and I must break my fast now. I don't have time."
We decided to knock another building and Sister Wheeler led the way, we knocked on the first door and the woman very irritated answered and said, "I don't have time for this, my cousin just died and I'm talking with family back home". We testified right then of the Plan of Salvation and what that plan can do for her and her family and she wants us to come back tomorrow :) miracles are so real!
The funny:
We were tracting my first day here and the first man we tract into has nothing on on his bottom half... Hahaha everything was hanging out. I talked to him for a few minutes and he agreed to read the Book of Mormon and to have the elders come back and teach him! Haha Sister Wheeler was absolutely mortified. I died laughing for a solid 10 minute after that.
We have a less active we are working with who refers to himself as the agnostic alien worshipping Mormon. He literally doesn't believe in God and thinks that aliens are our supreme beings. When Joseph Smith saw a pillar of light? Yeah the aliens were using lasers to disguise
themselves into looking like actual beings. We literally had this conversation with him yesterday at church. Hahahahha
MY GIRL MAC DADDY'S GRANDMA IS IN THIS WARD!!! (Many of you may know her as Mckenzie Lance) when I walked into church I was introducing myself to the members and I shook her hand and said, "I'm sister Kennedy"! She stops and smiles and says, "elli?" I nodded yes and she threw her arms around me and starts tearing up as she says in my ear, "oh it's just like hugging my granddaughter again!" She started introducing me to everyone as her granddaughter and kept saying, "don't you worry! I'm grandma now. I will take care of everything you need! You just let me know!" SHE IS SO STINKING CUTE AND IM SO
GRATEFUL FOR HER!
Well team. It's been a WHIRLWIND of a week. So many highs and lows. I left Alexandria this week and I was a wreck. I spent 10 months surrounded by those who I consider to be my family. I love those people will every inch and cranny of my being, and just typing this is
making my cry. I love love LOVE them; and they will forever be dear to my heart. This week I got transferred to the Oak Marr ward in the Oakton stake... And I'm training a new missionary! Here in DC South we call this "pink washing" when two brand new sisters get put into an
area. Now let me just tell you, this adjustment has been crazy. As I'm sure you remember, Alexandria was on FIRE. The week I left we literally had people PLOPPING into our laps and putting themselves on date for baptism. How incredibly grateful I am for that, and yet it is
SO HARD to see an area that I literally put blood sweat and tears into start flourishing right as I leave. I am so grateful though that Heavenly Father is blessing Alexandria's hard working obedient missionaries with the fruit of their labors!
I am now in a ward with not one person in our teaching pool! Which means FINDING ALL DAY LONG! I don't think I have ever been rejected this hard and this frequently! Hahaha! AND I HAVE BEEN LEARNING SO MUCH! IT IS INCREDIBLE!!! ThIs is one of those wards that missionaries start rumors about in the mission because no one wants to serve there, and I have seen how the power of a positive attitude can influence so much good! Sister Wheeler and I have been working SO hard! SO HARD! And I want so badly for my little baby to see miracles!! And it's been so cool to see that our lack of discouragement has caused the spirit to really guide us to where we need to be. Saturday we got a text from a woman in primary who asked us to share an experience with the kids about how the Holy Ghost has guided us and right as she texted us we were getting ready to tract for the whoooooole night so we prayed that we would have an experience that night that we could share with the kids! So we took off talking to every single person we saw, nothing. And as we came up to a group of apartment complexes the spirit prompted me to take a right and we walked over to building 11105 and just started knocking. We knocked the whole building and no one would give us the time of day. I had told Sister Wheeler that we would find at least 1 new investigator that night because God would bless us according to our faith. The sweet thing was SO EXCITED and after we knocked the whole building she has a slight look of discouragement. I said a little prayer in my heart that we would know where to go and right as I said amen I looked out the window of the stairwell we were standing in and saw a woman walking to her apartment from her car. I ran down the stairs, flung the door open, and chased after her. Sister Wheeler nervously jogged behind me as I waved my hands in the air and yelled "ma'am! Ma'am! We have a message about Jesus Christ to share with you!" Somewhat startled she turned around, took the card from my hand and kept walking. I asked, "do you have faith in Christ?" She said "kind of" and kept walking. I said, "how has your faith helped you in your life?" she gave us a quick answer as she started up the stairs. Somewhat at a loss of words I just started testifying of Christ's love, mission, and divinity and suddenly her countenance changed. She wasn't in much of a hurry anymore and she listened intently. We asked if we could pray for her family and she nodded yes and told us what they have been struggling with. Then we led into the Book of Mormon and Sister Wheeler testified of the divinity of that book. She looked at it and then looked at us and said, "I will read
this!" We asked if we could talk to her about it more and she looked at us and eagerly said, "yes!" We are meeting with her today and we are so excited :) God really does put prepared people into the paths of His prepared servants! After this, we still had about 30 minutes so
we started walking to a different apartment building and stopped a few people who didn't want to hear it.
Side note: an incredibly LARGE percent of people here are from the Middle East. And by large I literally mean a solid 75% of the people here. And this month is Ramadan! So everyone is fasting from sun up to sun down for a month, and our prime proselyting time falls riiiiiiight into the time frame when they are getting ready to break their fast. So every single person we stop will nod their head, wave for us to walk away, and say, "I am fasting and I must break my fast now. I don't have time."
We decided to knock another building and Sister Wheeler led the way, we knocked on the first door and the woman very irritated answered and said, "I don't have time for this, my cousin just died and I'm talking with family back home". We testified right then of the Plan of Salvation and what that plan can do for her and her family and she wants us to come back tomorrow :) miracles are so real!
I have learned so much about patience, love, faith, and trust. I know that when we really rely on the Lord every single thing works out as it should every single time. When we give our all and literally do ALL that we can do, God makes up the difference over and over and over again. I can bear testimony of the power of testimony! NO ONE can deny a pure heartfelt testimony bourn of our loving and perfect Savior. He lives. and because He lives we truly can live again. I know that God prepares people to receive our message of the restored gospel. I know that change allows us to grow into the people that the Lord wants us to become. I know that fasting really does bring about great blessings. I know that God loves all of his children no matter where they are or who they are. I am so grateful for the pure joy and peace that comes only from understanding our Savior's infinite and everlasting atonement. I love this sweet work with all of my heart. keep it real and keep the faith
sister kennedy
Remember The Journey... LETTER FROM JUNE 22, 2015
Brothers and Sisters, what a week. So much has happened. I can't even think of where to begin. Miracles are so real.
The funny:
We are about 45 minutes from home on Thursday night and we get a text saying "severe tornado and flash flood warning, get to shelter now".
Oh that's all?
We flipped out and RACED home and right as we got home the power went out for the rest of the night. And it wasn't until this moment that we realized we didn't have flashlights in our apartment. #showersinthedarkbaby
I told Jean that transfers were this week and he just looked at me in the eyes and started yelling, "KASH I DONT CARE WHAT HAPPENS, THERE IS NO WAY IM LETTING YOU GET TRANSFERRED. WHERE'S MATT RIGGS? IM MAKING HIM KEEP YOU HERE. DONT YOU DARE LEAVE!" This exact same conversation happened when I told my Ward Mission Leader the same thing. Maybe a bit less dramatic, but to the same effect. ;)
So we got this random phone call in district meeting this week from a guy names Troy who is a member and dated a girl who just moved out to Alexandria! He have her a Book of Mormon and told her that he wanted her to read it! And she is! SO we stopped by and met her and she is ADORABLE and wants to learn more and get involved in the ward! So she is coming to FHE tonight and we are amped!
Also we were planning one night in he basement of our apartment and said hi to the other guy in the library who looked up and was like, YOURE THE LDS! We kind of laughed and said yes and he told us that he's from Idaho but he's atheist. Long story short, he grew up in the church and then got his records removed a few years ago because he didn't think it was right for him and he agreed to come to some ward activities!! We are so excited! God really does place people in our path when we are ready for them!
AND THE BIGGEST MIRACLE! We get a call from the sisters Ina. Neighboring singles ward last night where they tell us that a girl just called them and told them that she is 21, not married, lives in our boundaries and wants to know what steps she can take to become a member because she loves our values and doesn't want to live her life in any other way than the Mormon way. WHAT!? We were freaking out and just started crying because the lord really does place prepared people in our lives!
I don't have much time, like usual, but I am SO GRATEFUL for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so blessed to be serving at this time in such a miraculous area with so many people that are so ready to accept God and Jesus Christ more fully into their lives. I'm so grateful for the gift and miracle for repentance and the Joy that comes from being converted to our savior. I am so grateful that each of the miracles this week came just in the moment that I needed top hem to remember that the lord KNOW when we are obedient. He knows when he are doing our best. And HE KNOWS what we need to becoming the best people we need to be. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. I love serving the Lord. I love seeing change in the lives of these people who otherwise would have no hope. I am so grateful for my family and for my Dad especially over this Father's Day weekend. I don't know a better man than Kelly Kennedy and I am so proud and eternally grateful to be called his daughter. I KNOW I wouldn't be here if he hadn't set such a beautiful example of a Christlike life.
I love this sweet work with all of my heart
Keep it real and keep the faith
Sister Kennedy
Happy Days Are Here At Last...LETTER FROM JUNE 15, 2015
Brothers and Sisters. I don't have much time to write and I can't
recall much of what happened over the course of this week but man
missions are a miracle and I'm so grateful for them!
The funny
Sister Williams was sick all week (hang on, that's not the funny part)
and so last night she fell asleep early and I was sitting on my bed
eating ice cream (figures) and the window was open and across the way,
there was an apartment with their windows open and the NBA finals were
on. Let's just say I was crying tears of sorrow whispering "I'm a
consecrated missionary... Im a consecrated missionary..." Over and
over while I starting humming hymns and writing in my journal.
Nick came to church and very loudly proclaimed, "sisters what's with
the handshakes all the time? Just hug me!!" Sorry Nick. It doesn't
quite work like that.
This week was CRAZY.
Lucy left for China for the the summer and that was SO SAD seeing her
go, she wrote sister Williams and I cards and gave us a big bag of
Chinese candy before she left and I was trying as hard as I could to
not break into sobs. When she was saying bye she said, "when I move to
America I have no friends until I met the sister missionaries and now
you are still my only friends in America and I am so happy and
grateful for you". It was the sweetest thing. I'm going to miss her so
much
We weren't able to get in touch with Godwin for a while which was
HEARTBREAKING, but then we had a rockstar member call him and set up a
time for US TO GO TEACH HIM. Ok. Fellowshipper CHAMPION. So cool. We
had an awesome lesson on the Word of Wisdon, he agreed to live it and
is still fasting and praying about his baptismal date of June 27th.
In our lesson with Nick this week he finally just stopped us and said,
" sisters I'm not going to become converged unless I gain a testimony
of the Book of Mormon. And I don't have a desire to read it so until I
get that I won't get baptized". So we stopped right there and he said
one of the most beautiful and most sincere prayers I have ever heard
to have a desire to read the Book of Mormon and to know if it's true.
After the prayer he said, "did you feel that? When I asked if the book
was true I feel it. I felt that it was." It was SO COOL. In that same
lesson he brought 2 friends that wanted to learn too. It was awesome.
I don't have much time but I do want to testify of the Lord's timing.
This week I was able to witness time and time again that the Lord
really does watch our every action. He is aware of us and knows when
we are doing our best. He really does make up the difference when we
are doing all that we can to help his work. And no matter the outcome,
when we show the lord that we are willing to sacrifice for him and
that we are consecrated to His work and glory, blessings and miracles
will pour out more than we can imagine. God is so loving and so good
and so merciful. I'm so grateful to know that I have a loving father
in heaven who watches over and loves me. I'm so grateful for the
restored gospel. I'm so grateful for the gifts of the spirit and the
ability that we have to recognize and feel lasting peace. And I'm so
grateful for the TRUST we can place in the Lord knowing that
everything will work out as it should.
I love this incredibly great work and I love all of you
Keep it real and keep the faith
Sister Kennedy
recall much of what happened over the course of this week but man
missions are a miracle and I'm so grateful for them!
The funny
Sister Williams was sick all week (hang on, that's not the funny part)
and so last night she fell asleep early and I was sitting on my bed
eating ice cream (figures) and the window was open and across the way,
there was an apartment with their windows open and the NBA finals were
on. Let's just say I was crying tears of sorrow whispering "I'm a
consecrated missionary... Im a consecrated missionary..." Over and
over while I starting humming hymns and writing in my journal.
Nick came to church and very loudly proclaimed, "sisters what's with
the handshakes all the time? Just hug me!!" Sorry Nick. It doesn't
quite work like that.
This week was CRAZY.
Lucy left for China for the the summer and that was SO SAD seeing her
go, she wrote sister Williams and I cards and gave us a big bag of
Chinese candy before she left and I was trying as hard as I could to
not break into sobs. When she was saying bye she said, "when I move to
America I have no friends until I met the sister missionaries and now
you are still my only friends in America and I am so happy and
grateful for you". It was the sweetest thing. I'm going to miss her so
much
We weren't able to get in touch with Godwin for a while which was
HEARTBREAKING, but then we had a rockstar member call him and set up a
time for US TO GO TEACH HIM. Ok. Fellowshipper CHAMPION. So cool. We
had an awesome lesson on the Word of Wisdon, he agreed to live it and
is still fasting and praying about his baptismal date of June 27th.
In our lesson with Nick this week he finally just stopped us and said,
" sisters I'm not going to become converged unless I gain a testimony
of the Book of Mormon. And I don't have a desire to read it so until I
get that I won't get baptized". So we stopped right there and he said
one of the most beautiful and most sincere prayers I have ever heard
to have a desire to read the Book of Mormon and to know if it's true.
After the prayer he said, "did you feel that? When I asked if the book
was true I feel it. I felt that it was." It was SO COOL. In that same
lesson he brought 2 friends that wanted to learn too. It was awesome.
I don't have much time but I do want to testify of the Lord's timing.
This week I was able to witness time and time again that the Lord
really does watch our every action. He is aware of us and knows when
we are doing our best. He really does make up the difference when we
are doing all that we can to help his work. And no matter the outcome,
when we show the lord that we are willing to sacrifice for him and
that we are consecrated to His work and glory, blessings and miracles
will pour out more than we can imagine. God is so loving and so good
and so merciful. I'm so grateful to know that I have a loving father
in heaven who watches over and loves me. I'm so grateful for the
restored gospel. I'm so grateful for the gifts of the spirit and the
ability that we have to recognize and feel lasting peace. And I'm so
grateful for the TRUST we can place in the Lord knowing that
everything will work out as it should.
I love this incredibly great work and I love all of you
Keep it real and keep the faith
Sister Kennedy
The Truth of God Will Go Forth BOLDLY... LETTER FROM JUNE 8, 2015
Brothers and sisters! Another miraculous week here in Alexandria, so many wonderful miracles with my most favorite people ever.
The funny:
I was temporarily stuck in an elevator with a man while sister Williams jumped out and I was still having a conversation and not paying attention. One of the scariest moments of the week. #sightandsound
Aaaaand that's all I can think of, I promise more for next week
GODWIN FASTED YESTERDAY! Such a miracle. We had an awesome lesson with him and his roommate Emmanuel and we were able to explain the law of the fast and why it's important to live it. They agreed to and they did!!! They fasted! So miraculous.
Nick texted us this week saying "can you send me a scripture that explains why I feel so good when I read the Book of Mormon?" Oh my GOSH YES! It was so cool! We had a incredible lesson with him about Alma the Younger and how he was able to be healed and forgiven because of the prayers and fasting of his father and the high priests at that point. Then we talked about dates for baptism, we told him that we had a date that we prayed about and when we were about to tell him what it was he said, "don't tell me. That's what I'm going to fast for on Sunday. I want to find out for myself what day God has set forth for me to be baptized". SO INCREIDBLE.
Lucy and Danny are getting ready to travel back to China at the end of the summer so we are trying to teach them as much as we can and hopefully get them baptized before they leave so they can attend church in China. They are wonderful.
Terrell is a referral from the elders that we had a lesson with on Saturday at McDonalds. (Side note: For some reason, McDonalds is really cool on the east coast so we have SO many lessons there, that's where everyone wants to meet) As soon as we started the lesson it felt off and so we asked an inspired question. He paused, looked up, and told us that his little brother just died a couple of weeks ago. So we totally switched the course of the lesson and with the short amount of time we had with him, taught and testified about the plan of salvation. He agreed to be baptized and we have another lesson on Tuesday :) so miraculous
We had a lesson with Emmanuel (Godwin's roommate) set up for Saturday that ended up falling through, so we took the member we had with us and went and checked on people, while we were walking we started talking to Randy! We handed him a card and started talking about who we are and told us that he's a member and that he just moved here a few weeks ago from Baltimore! He didn't know if his records got moved into our ward or where the church was, nothing! So we called the Elder Quorum 1st Counselor who picked him up and brought him to church! It was so awesome, and such a testimony to me of being in the right place at the right time.
Romans 5:1-8
Keep it real and keep the faith,
Sister Kennedy
2 Nephi 4:34... LETTER FROM JUNE 1, 2015
Alright let's start with some shoutout this week shall we?
1. SHOUTOUT TO CONNER (my little brother) WHO WON STATE LONG JUMP LAST WEEK, GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, TURNED 18, AND WAS ASKED TO JOIN THE BYU TRACK TEAM AFTER HE GETS BACK FROM MISSION #holler #thekennedyblood
2. SHOUTOUT TO MY COUSIN TAYLOR FOR GETTING CALLED TO THE WASHINGTON SPOKANE MISSION!!!
3. AND SHOUTOUT TO MADELINE AND PETER FOR HAVING BABY THEO THIS WEEK :)
HOLY SMOKES BROTHERS AND SISTERS IT HAS BEEN A CRAZY GREAT COUPLE OF WEEKS! Sorry for the lack of writing last week... We went to the temple and got home super late #thestruggle... BUT We have SOOOOO many new people that we are teaching that I don't even know where to start... Oh wait I know. The funny ;)
Sister Williams LITERALLY sprinted after a man on a run for a solid 5 minutes because we thought he was one of our investigators! Hahaha, wasn't him, scared the POO out of the poor guy, and then it ended with him taking a selfie "with his new ladies of God" for Instagram. #winning.
We were looking for Godwin (another investigator) and I SWORE I saw him at the bus stop... So we make a U-turn, park the car, and run after him... Once again, not the right guy BUT still interested in the gospel #bingo
Nick, another investigator, told us he would only meet with us If we brought him Cheetos... We had a mission meeting that morning and one of the elder walks in with a tub of Cheetos that was as big as he was... Miracles...
Our apartment broke down this week as we have more mold growing from our ceiling, SOPPING wet carpet in our room, broken A/C, and mattresses in the living room where we have been sleeping the last week because of the gnarly stench of skunk/wet dog permeating from our bedroom.
Jean quote of the week, " my goal is to make all my sister missionaries fat except sister Kennedy, she's the only I can't get... And she eats more than all of them!" #thanksjeanyboy
Now for the miracles!!!
NICK IS BACK IN TOWN! So awesome, we have a new member in our Ward who came to a lesson with us on Saturday and Nick agreed to pray about baptism which is a HUGE step for him! It was incredible... THEN he agreed to come to church, and he CAME. AND! The guy who brought him invited him to institute and to church ball BOTH of which he agreed to come to. He is doing SO well and progressing SO MUCH! Ahhhh it's incredible!
Lucy, Duan, and Danny have been reading and praying SUPER consistently! Danny READ ALL OF 1st and 2nd Nephi in 2 WEEKS!!! 2 weeks! He was asking us all sorts of questions about how the bible can help him understand the Isaiah chapters and what prayer can do to help him come closer to Christ. THEY ARE A MIRACLE. When we asked Lucy what she feels when she prays she paused for a second and then said, "I feel like I have a dear Heavenly Father who is looking at me and smiling". They are incredible. It truly is a miracle to see the light of Christ radiating from them as they try to understand their relationship with Christ. I love it!
GODWIN IS PRAYING FOR BAPTISM ON JUNE 20th!!!! AHHHHHHH! We had an incredibly miraculous lesson with him about baptism and why it's so important for him and he finally felt it. He has been reading and praying to know what God wants him to do and it has been absolutely miraculous. He was on his way to church on Sunday when his boss called him in for work and he was devastated... He is doing SO well though and progressing SO MUCH. His fellowshippers have been incredible and I'm just so grateful for him!
Jean is still doing well, we had a lesson with him and a recent convert about real intent and praying to have his will aligned with God's. What a Miracle. He really wants to increase his faith in Christ and I LOVE that that happens every single time he is SEEKING.
We met Davon this week... An AWESOME YSA whole rollerblades for music videos in LA and drives John Wall's car #what. He is SO golden but was getting a new phone a few days after we met him and we can't get ahold of him... So so so sad, but God will provide!!
Awet is a GIRL (yes. A female!!!!) that we met while checking on someone else last week and she is incredible. Probably one of the sweetest humans ever and SO open to learn, we are hoping to meet with her this week if everything pans out...
We also contacted as NOVA (northernVirginia community college) and it was miraculous! 4 new investigators in an hour! So awesome, lots of people seeking for truth and I love knowing that God has the answers and we really are instruments to give those answers to them... So so so cool.
And we met Andre this week... He's a lifeguard at one of the apartment complexes we are at often and he recently moved to the states from Jamaica. Probably top 5 coolest people I know. He didn't have his phone with him that he just got so he didn't know his number but he promised to call us... Let's be real everyone says that and never calls BUT HE DID. The phone woke us up at midnight and both sister Williams and I felt like we should answer it... Lo and behold it was ANDRE. "Sisters! I just made it home! I told you I would call you! I want to go to your church to learn more about Christ!" He actually lives in another mission's boundaries so we have to send him to them but SO exciting that God really does give us prepared people!
Brothers and Sisters... I am so grateful for my mission. Sister Williams and I are reading the Book of Mormon in 30 days right now and I am absolutely OBSESSED with that book, there is not one inch of me that doesn't know that that book is true and that it is God's word. I love seeing the hand of the Lord in my life and in the lives of others every single day. I love seeing the change that Christ can bring about in people. I love knowing that GOD LOVES ALL OF HIS CHILDREN, he doesn't leave us in darkness! His message is literally for every person we see! His gospel really has been restored and I am so indescribably grateful to be counted worthy to wear the name of my savior over my heart every day. I love the power that comes from REAL, heartfelt, charity. I am so grateful for the savior Jesus Christ. I love this work. I love the gospel. I love the joy that comes from knowing God, and I love each of you so so so much. I truly want to cry from every rooftop, "How Great Thou Art!" God really is so so so undeniably GOOD.
- 2 Nephi 4:16-21
Keep it real and keep the faith
Sister Kennedy
Weakness Allows Us To Grow... LETTER FROM MAY 18, 2015
BROTHERS AND SISTERS. as you know, this week was transfers. and MAN was I a wreck, I am about 110% obsessed with sister davis so we were just a couple of basket cases saying goodbye to each other. I am SO GRATEFUL for her and for all that she taught me, she is now serving on the opposite side of the mission so God Be With Her Til We Meet Again :)
the good news of this story is that in our mission we have transfer meetings instead of transfer calls, so everyone who is being affected by transfers meets at a stake center and president riggs announces the changes over the pulpit. SO, I was sitting next to sister davis, trying to fight back my tears, when president riggs says, "in the crystal city district, in colonial 1a, sister williams will travel to sister kennedy...." and I stand up look back and see my sweet little MTC companion almost burst into tears as we run to each other and embrace as if we hadnt seen each other in decades. one of the sweetest moments of my mission. SO YES!!!!!!!! SISTER WILLIAMS AND I ARE COMPANIONS NOW! AHHHH!!!!!! What a miracle.
The Field Is Ready To Harvest... LETTER FROM MAY 11, 2015
My brothers and sisters, what an incredibly miraculously week. This
email will be a short one since we were able to SKYPE YESTERDAY. And
holy smokes how stinking fantastic was that? I love and miss my cute
fam. What a tender mercy to see all their cute faces... And holy
smokes, I'm now the 3rd tallest... Let's pray I'm not the 4th by the
time I come home! Hahaha I just love you so much!
We got 6 new investigators this week which was an absolute miracle...
Obedience brings blessings and man they were pouring down the last few
days. We are loving it!
We had an incredible lesson last night with Godwin and his roommate
Emmanuel (also from Ghana) and we taught them the entire plan of
salvation, the beginning of the gospel of the Jesus Christ, the word
of wisdom, keep the sabbath day holy, and tithing. And it was
INCREDIBLE. They were loving it and asking SO MANY wonderful inspired
questions. We were able to talk to them all about the purpose behind
real intent and godly sorrow, as well as the gift of repentance and
how it brings us closer to God. Godwin told us that we were the first
people who had ever been able to answer his questions about repentance
and life after death clearly. He was just beaming. It was such a
miracle. He even went on to say, "I hope you know you 2 aren't just
friends, you are my gifts from God". It was so so so great. :)
Tony was our other miracle this week, an incredible guy from Texas
that has an incredible desire to know truth, he is just a miracle in
and of itself. We have met twice and as we taught him the plan of
salvation he was starting to get emotional as he realized that he
could see his loved ones who have passed on again, so wonderful.
I want to leave you with my testimony that I KNOW God lives, I know he
sent his sons to die for us and that he completed that task fully and
perfectly in order for us to live again. I know that because he lives
we all have second chances. I know that this work we are all a part of
is everlasting and life changing. I know that God is longing for the
salvation of all of his children and that we each have a critical
responsibility to share His love with everyone around us. I am so
grateful for the scriptures and for the inspiration and revelation
that comes from feasting on their words. I'm grateful for the courage
of prophets and apostles in the past that have prepared the way for
the truth to come forth in these latter days. I'm grateful for an
almighty God who has never ceased to speak to His children nor ever
will cease to speak to His children. I never knew or understood that
being a representative of Him would be so life changing. I never
understood HOW MANY PEOPLE there are out here waiting to learn of and
grow in their understanding of Christ and what He did for each and
every one of us. I am so incredibly grateful for this knowledge and
these blessings that have shaped who I am and continue to shape who I
am. I know that when we put God first all other things fall into their
proper place or drop out of our lives. I love you all. I love this
incredibly inspired work. I love the people of Washington DC, I love
the gospel of Jesus Christ and I love my Savior and Redeemer who I owe
my life to. Of these things I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ,
amen
Keep it real and keep the faith
Sister Kennedy
email will be a short one since we were able to SKYPE YESTERDAY. And
holy smokes how stinking fantastic was that? I love and miss my cute
fam. What a tender mercy to see all their cute faces... And holy
smokes, I'm now the 3rd tallest... Let's pray I'm not the 4th by the
time I come home! Hahaha I just love you so much!
We got 6 new investigators this week which was an absolute miracle...
Obedience brings blessings and man they were pouring down the last few
days. We are loving it!
We had an incredible lesson last night with Godwin and his roommate
Emmanuel (also from Ghana) and we taught them the entire plan of
salvation, the beginning of the gospel of the Jesus Christ, the word
of wisdom, keep the sabbath day holy, and tithing. And it was
INCREDIBLE. They were loving it and asking SO MANY wonderful inspired
questions. We were able to talk to them all about the purpose behind
real intent and godly sorrow, as well as the gift of repentance and
how it brings us closer to God. Godwin told us that we were the first
people who had ever been able to answer his questions about repentance
and life after death clearly. He was just beaming. It was such a
miracle. He even went on to say, "I hope you know you 2 aren't just
friends, you are my gifts from God". It was so so so great. :)
Tony was our other miracle this week, an incredible guy from Texas
that has an incredible desire to know truth, he is just a miracle in
and of itself. We have met twice and as we taught him the plan of
salvation he was starting to get emotional as he realized that he
could see his loved ones who have passed on again, so wonderful.
I want to leave you with my testimony that I KNOW God lives, I know he
sent his sons to die for us and that he completed that task fully and
perfectly in order for us to live again. I know that because he lives
we all have second chances. I know that this work we are all a part of
is everlasting and life changing. I know that God is longing for the
salvation of all of his children and that we each have a critical
responsibility to share His love with everyone around us. I am so
grateful for the scriptures and for the inspiration and revelation
that comes from feasting on their words. I'm grateful for the courage
of prophets and apostles in the past that have prepared the way for
the truth to come forth in these latter days. I'm grateful for an
almighty God who has never ceased to speak to His children nor ever
will cease to speak to His children. I never knew or understood that
being a representative of Him would be so life changing. I never
understood HOW MANY PEOPLE there are out here waiting to learn of and
grow in their understanding of Christ and what He did for each and
every one of us. I am so incredibly grateful for this knowledge and
these blessings that have shaped who I am and continue to shape who I
am. I know that when we put God first all other things fall into their
proper place or drop out of our lives. I love you all. I love this
incredibly inspired work. I love the people of Washington DC, I love
the gospel of Jesus Christ and I love my Savior and Redeemer who I owe
my life to. Of these things I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ,
amen
Keep it real and keep the faith
Sister Kennedy
This Is The Life...LETTER FROM MAY 4, 2015
BROTHERS AND SISTUHSSSS. miracles are so real that it literally baffles me. This week was so incredibly miraculous.
the funny:
No Unhallowed Hand Can Stop The Work From Progressing...LETTER FROM APRIL 27, 2015
Brothers and Sisters. man, it has been quite the week! So many miracles and blessings that are raining down each and every day. may I start this week by praising my incredible companion who has taught me SO much that I literally dont know where to start. Sister Davis has TRULY TRULY TRULY changed my eternitites. I am so incredibly blessed and grateful to not only call her a beloved companion but a dear friend and really a sister. I will never be able to thank her enough for her wonderful example to me of love, service, hard work, patience, and peace. I love love love sister davis.
the funny:
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