The gift of tongues is real

So this week was pretty normal, I have gotten to the point in my Spanish where I can understand about 90% of what is going on most of the time, which is a huge blessing. The other night in our lesson I wasn't thinking about how I wanted to say things, I just said them. The gift of tongues is real, and it is the only reason that I can do anything out here.

Next week is transfers, yeah that's right I've almost completed my first 6 weeks in the field already. I don't know how it is going in Utah, but out here in Colombia I swear they all have the clocks set on extra fast mode because that is how the time goes here. I have already almost completed 3 months of my mission, I honestly cant believe it. I am really good though, my companion is seriously awesome. This transfer is going to be a little hard I think.

I'm not sure why my taste buds didn't work before because pancakes are flippin tasty. I have realized, there's a lot of food I have taken for granted, which is really good and is in America. I have also learned that Tintal is pretty much as nice of an area as it gets living and food wise. The people are rich here. I have learned there is a soup, where they put a chicken foot, and then all the rest of the organs of the chicken, and that is the soup. Also that there is a dish they do where they take vegetables, and blend up the intestines of an animal mixed with mayonnaise and use that for the dressing. And that's it. Pray for me.

But yeah anyways, next week is transfers, and I'm pretty sure that Elder Ichuro is going somewhere else. He has almost seven months in Tintal, so he is getting about ready to leave. Which also means that if he leaves, I will have to lead the area. Which is to say, I will be the one that knows the area more so I will have to lead my new companion around and decide where and what we are going to do, like what!?! It is going to be interesting, but I know that with the guidance of the spirit I can do all things. 

Our investigator Darwin is doing really well, we have taught him the first 3 lessons and the Word of Wisdom, and the only thing he has a problem with is coffee.  I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. Darwin said in our last visit that usually whenever people come to him and tell him about another book other than the bible, he doesnt like it. But with the Book of Mormon he said that it is good, and that it is the word of God. He is so darn good, I can feel he has been prepared by the Lord. When we asked him if he would keep the word of wisdom and stop drinking coffe, he said of course, and he didnt have a problem with stopping. I can feel the Lord pouring his spirit upon this guy, all that he lacks so far is attending church. Which are going to help him by giving him a tour of the chapel and letting him see how to get there from his house.  We have his baptism set for the 12 of December, and I really think he will be ready by then.

Also, Elder Richens(James) is already a Dad!!! That is to say that he is already training!! He told me today that last week he picked up his son. SO COOL!!!!

We had stake conference this week, which was really good, I got to see Hermano Castiblanco from the CCM!! That guy is super legit. 

Also, next week I am giving a talk on "The Sacrifice of All Things." It's for 10 minutes, and that's right, its in Spanish, which is kinda weird, it almost feels like I'm in a country that only speaks Spanish. But there are some great scriptures for me to use and I am excited to give this talk.

Not to much this week, next week is going to be big!! 

Con Mucho Amor 

Elder Kendall

fotos de el ultimo semana

(Photos of the last week)

Pancakes Zach made for his companion's birthday

Con todo el amor en el Mundo

Alrighty, lets get down to business, to defeat, the HUNS (YAAAAH)! (From Mulan, if you weren't sure)

 

Alrighty Peoples, starting with My companion rulez!!! Seriously I love this guy, even though he speaks really fast and I don't know what he is saying or what is going on, I love the guy. He is a great help for me.

 

This week was kinda hard to be honest, it turns out we aren't really close with a baptism for Katerina, even though she has all the lessons and is totally technically ready, she lacks the desire to be baptized, which is kinda important for her to have, and is a little frustrating. However, we got to teach Darwin, who is a new investigator and is really awesome. He is a Coastano, which means that his Spanish is extremely fast and hard for my companion to understand, which means I usually understand nothing of what he says. However, he has been reading the book of Mormon and praying, and we have a strong feeling that he knows it is true. So I hope he can keep progressing. 

 

Man I don't know how to manage this time well enough to talk to everyone I want, and I don't have the time I want to write this week. But anyways, 

 

Today we also had an activity that we planned with our branch missionary work leader.  It was supposed to start at 10, but no one showed up until 12, including our leaders who had the keys to the church, which was a little frustrating. But after that, people from the branch came and it was a lot of fun.  We played fútbol, and I even scored a goal, which was a miracle because I can't play fútbol. None of our investigatores came, which was also hard because we really wanted them to meet the members and be able to make friends with the members. But, alas they did not come. Pero, it was still a great activity.

 

So yes, I suppose I should share with you I am really tired, because I couldn't sleep at all last night. I was a little sick, and I threw up this morning, but I am much better now. 

 

Something awesome that was also this morning, was we got to do service that we contacted while on the street. They are fantastic, and I'm hoping that soon we will be able to visit them. 

 

I'm going to pull a Nephi and say I cant write 1/100 of what has been happening these weeks, but that is what I have my journal for. Also I have only received one letter so far in the district meetings. 

 

Know that I am so happy as a missionary and that I really love the people in Tindal. The people in our branch  are so dang competitive I love them to death. They are all very good people. 

 

Also I have seen some snakes XD XD (Snakes are Colombian young ladies who like to hiss at handsome young Americans)

I hope that life is going good!

 

Con todo el amor en el Mundo,

 

Elder Kendall

This weeks edition of Elder Kendall life

Alrighty you ready for this weeks edition of Elder Kendall life, here we go.

My companion has learned how to say "you are my heaven" and "you got beef bruh!!" so you know that I have been teaching him quality phrases in English. Also I got my letter from the CCM finally, also I learned that you have to send anything that you want to send me to the Mission office, and then they will bring it to me at our district meetings.

 

Some of the points that I like or that I think are funny from the 34 Points on How to be a Happy Missionary (an article Zach got in his letter from the CCM): Point 5) hahaha that one is funny!! (Eventually you will get good at eating all the food on your plate)  Number ten about recipes. You should send me some recipes, some simple ones. We even have a croc-pot that we can use! I would love some real food to make ourselves. Point 12) with the piano, Oh how I wish I could play the piano, or that we even had a piano. In our chapel, we don't have one. But that does not stop the Colombians from singing, and they do it with all their hearts. I love the goodness out of these people, but they need a piano. But I love it because they sing louder than our ward does back home. I like numbers 20-22:Laugh. Cry. Pray. A lot, He understands. Another point, the one about dogs: There are dogs EVERYWHERE in Bogota. They are literally all over the place in the streets, and everybody, and I do mean everybody, has some sort of pet. I actually do have a small freezer believe it or not (for number 27:  You will have bad days, keep ice cream in the freezer for this purpose).

 

So lunches are pretty hard for me, but that's because eating food sometimes is hard for me. Everyday we have lunch with members, and they cook pure Colombian food, and sometimes its a struggle bus for me to get through, but I am making it. We don't ever really cook, unless its eggs, but today I bought pancake mix, because thats something else that I've been converted to, is how GOOD pancakes are. We don't ever grocery shop XD Today was the first day that I bought some groceries, because I really wanted some other stuff to have. Every day we buy bread and that is generally what we eat for breakfast, which I'm okay with because the bread here is amazing. 

 

 

It has been raining a ton lately, so much so the other day that it flooded the streets a little bit. I am really greatful I brought that coat with me, I've used it quite a few times.

 

 

The other day, I had my first lesson where I actually talked a little more than my companion, it was really good because I found confidence in my Spanish, and though it was far from perfect I was able to teach the ideas that I wanted. I love the first lesson, it is my favorite, it was the one we taught. It is the one I can express the most about. 

 

 

We also had primary program, it was really cute, Mom, we are so blessed with are members in Utah. Along with a lot of other stuff. We had about 5 kids for our primary program speak, and they were all awesome. The rest of the time was filled with a couple talks by adults about the primary program. What a blessing it is to have the primary program. 

 

 

So, the other day we were meeting with a lady and talking to her outside her apartment on the ground floor, when all of the sudden... appeared a bunny!!! Yeah, I was thinking "Holy cow a bunny in Colombia, how weird!?"  Then another one popped out of nowhere, and ran over to the other bunny. And all I could think was, uh-oh there's about to be a whole lot more bunnies in Colombia, because ya'know, they're bunnies. 

 

 

On Sunday, I was having a real hard time with Spanish. I was not understanding anything and I also couldn't express what I wanted to say, I was also attacked with thoughts of my friends and home. But, like always, once I got to work, God showed his tender mercies to me. Our first Visit was with a less active family the Jemenz. We shared our thought, which came from Alma 50:1-6. which I also recomend to read because it is awesome. Anyways, once we were done, the Father asked me how long I had been learning Spanish. I told him for 2 months. He was said it was amazing how well I was able to speak spanish and express my thoughts about the scripture. He said it was so cool how in 2 months I was able to speak pretty good Spanish. I know that the gift of tongues is real. I know that my Spanish is far from perfect, but it is amazing how much I have learned in only 2 months. 

 

 

I can't write everything I want to, I will have to more next week.  Know that I am so happy, and that we also have someone we are hoping to baptize for the 14th!! Please pray that Katerine (our investigator) with have the desire to be baptized this Saturday!

Com Mucho Amor

Elder Kendall

Quiero Paz, Quiero Amor, Quiero Dulce, Por Favor!



Me on Halloween

The weather is actually pretty cold here, especially at nights. I end up using my sweaters pretty much every day, they are so useful.  Also it has been raining a lot the last few days, I have loved it.  It has been really nice.

Our area only has a branch, with about 30 active members in it, it hasn't grown into an actual ward. YET.

Here was my week:

This week was pretty good. I'm beginning to get the hang of this missionary life a little bit. I'm going to be honest, Spanish is a big barrier for me, it's real hard sometimes. But time after time after time I have seen the hand of the Lord, Guiding me. Always. Let me give you some examples.

Service. This week we have done a lot of service, which the only service that people let you do around is helping them move, usually up a lot of stairs. I'm not sure what it is about Bogota, but people move to different appartments ALL the time. But it provides amazing service, in which we can contact new people. Me and my companion had a special fast this last Tuesday to Wednesday, which at the end of our fast on Wednesday, we had our first opportunity to help someone move. Then again on Friday. Me and my companion also got to clean the Church this last saturday, it was good. 

Testimony: I have been able to share my testimony a lot this week. During fast sunday at church, I got up and bore my testimony to our little branch. I have no idea what I said, but by the looks on peoples faces it was something good, I was really glad I had the opportunity to share it. Many times during lessons this week, I have been able to express my mind more fully in Spanish, because I have a lot to share about this gospel, and I am finally begining to be able to express it in Spanish. 

HALLOWEEN!!! So Halloween is pretty fun here, it's more or less the same as in the United States, except with 8 million people in the streets. Seriously So many People. We had one lesson with a family, and then around 7:00 we had to return home because none of our other appointments were home, and the streets were getting kinda crazy. The kids here are hilarious, they have a saying to ask for candy that they ask EVERY single time before they get candy. It goes like this "Quiero Paz, Quiero Amor, Quiero Dulce, Por Favor!" It is pretty awesome. In english it means "I want peace, I want love, I want candy, Please!" and they have to say it every time or else they dont get candy. It is awesome. I sent a picture with my "Costume" So that you can see how awesome it is. Also, we got these marshmallow candy things, and decided we wanted to roast them. So we did, over the little flame of our gas stove, it was pretty awesome. I do miss american candy though, a lot. They have a lot of hard candy, little simple things, a lot for what they give out here.

 

How is it in America? Any crazy costumes of the little Ninos?

So yeah this week was really good, filled with fun and the spirit!!

Elder Kendall