Transfers and Christmas and the Casado Family Baptized!

Wow! Christmas has already passed, and now we are heading pretty soon into 2017! Like I have said before, time moves faster than a very fast thing that moves very fast. And that’s pretty fast. I hope everyone enjoyed all of Christmas. And snow, because that still happens in some places!

This week was so much fun. Lots of joy, and also lots of stress. But, it was a very good week. So, we pretty much were working on getting everything ready for Thursday on Monday and Tuesday.

Wednesday, we had all the interviews of the people that were going to get baptized. The Casado family all had their interviews in the evening, although only 3 of the 4 of the family had their interview. One of the daughters Loreily, decided that she wants to wait to know a little more before she gets baptized. But, Antonio, Amanda, and Yoli passed and were all ready for baptism on Thursday!! Also another person, Bruni Maceda, who we have been working with for a little while, had here interview and passed as well! 

Thursday came the day of the "Noche Blanca", and it was a little stressful getting it all together, we couldn't find baptismal clothes for the people to get baptized in and lots of other stuff, but the time came and the Family Casado, and Bruni got baptized!!! it was such a cool experience, there was so much of the spirit there. We were so happy. The Casado family gave their testimonies, and it was so powerful. They are a great family.       

Unfortunately, with it being Christmas and all, the Casado family had told us that they weren’t going to be able to make it to church Sunday because they were going to pass Christmas with their family in their community up the amazon river. So, they weren’t able to be confirmed this Sunday. But, they get back tomorrow and told us that they would be there for this Sunday in the Church!

Elder Palma left! 😥 I will miss the guy. He is a super good friend of mine. He went to Bogota, he was called as district leader, and he is going to open an area. My new companion is another gringo, his name is Elder Johnson, he is from Minnesota. Elder Johnson has got about 1 year. A little youngling (I already have 16 months almost.... weird sauce....) XD

I don't have much time. But this week was wonderful and I love being here in Leticia!!

Love Elder Kendall

The Casado (Married) Family Are Now Married!

Okay!! So the internet thing is happening again and I have almost no time, BUT this week was super amazing and this week shall be wonderful as well!

So, basically, the Casado Family got married!!!!! WOOOOOOO! They got married Friday morning, it was so very special, they are a wonderful family. Elder Palma has been working with them for the whole time he has been here, which is about 6 months, so its been a long time. So, everything is ready for the Noche Blanca this week, in total there are going to be about 5 people from Leticia 1 and 2 getting baptized this week! It is going to be a great night. I’m so excited for Christmas, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas Indeed!!! 

We are super happy here, we have lots of good stuff to do this week. Also, this Sunday is transfers already!!! I can’t believe how fast it has gone! Elder Palma might very well be leaving, he's been here a while, we'll see what happens!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

Love, 

Elder Kendall

Christmas Dinner In Bogota (Where it really feels cold!)

Hey everybody what’s happening???

The internet today is terrible, so I gotta be quick

This week was super fun, we went to Bogota on Tuesday, and our flight was delayed two hours so we got there at about 6:00 pm. We ate some KFC! It was delicious, and after that we went to where we thought we were staying when the one of the secretaries called us asking if we had gotten to our hotel. We had no idea so we had to run (or go in taxi) to our hotel. We got there pretty late. 

Wednesday we got to go to the temple with President Baquerizo and a bunch of other missionaries, I got to see Elder Marsh!! It was super cool, and the session was wonderful. I had a wonderful time. After that we ate some Subway and bought some things in the distribution center, and by that time we had to go look for where we were going to skype. Got to talk to the family, I LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Thursday we had our dinner with every single missionary in the mission it was amazing!!! So cool!! I saw Elder Ross and Elder Karra and all my old companions! Amazing. 

Friday we almost missed our return flight here to Leticia, that was a crazy story I don’t really have time for. 

We had four investigators attend this week!! It was so good, and we are also going to have the marriage of the Casado Family this week, I’m SO excited, things are going to be great these few weeks, I’m loving it!! 

That was more or less the week, with lots of crazy stuff added in there. 

Love,

Elder Kendall

Anaconda squeeze!!

Get Them to Church!!!

Hey everyone! How's the cold? Is it cold? 

Things were a little hard for us this week, one of those where you have lots of set appointments that fall through when you don’t want them to. But we still had some good things happen as well, and are preparing all people for the "Noche Blanca" that we are planning to have the 22nd of December.

On Saturday we found a guy that is named Hernan. We had contacted him the first week I was here but never found him in his house. But we went by again and got to talk to him and teach him for the first time. He has gone through a ton, and recently his wife left him and took all his kids with her. He had lots of drinking problems, but now that his wife left and everything happened he told us he needed to look for God. We talked about repentance, and invited him to be baptized, and he accepted. He wants to do a lot of good things and I hope he accepts the gospel so that he can make those changes!

Unfortunately, nobody attended church this week, which was a bit of a bummer, there are quite a few people that we are teaching that could progress, they just have to get to church!!! I'm not sure why Hernan didn’t come, he told us that he had a big desire and that surely he would come. But that happens in the life of a missionary, so I hope we can talk to everyone this week and get them to church!! That is what we need. 

This week we are going to be in Bogota from Tuesday to Friday to celebrate Christmas, and the coolest thing is that the Whole mission is going to be there!! For the Christmas dinner here we are all going to be together as a mission. It is going to be fantastic!!!! 

With Christmas coming I want to testify of the Savior. I know that He lives. I think the thing that I have really learned more about in my mission is the importance of the Savior of the world, and how we could not do anything if it were not for Him. I have reflected much about what my Savior has done for me, and now I understand for the first time in my life what things like the Sacrament really means.

I love the Savior. I am amazed that even though I continually make the same mistakes, He has never abandoned me to destruction, but has always, always, offered me the chance to repent and to obtain Eternal life with my family and my Eternal Father.

I invite everyone this Christmas season to pray and give thanks to God for the most wonderful gift in the whole world that we have been given: The Savior, even Jesus Christ the Lord. 

Love,

Elder Kendall

AMAZON RIVER PHOTOS!!!

COPOAZU!! This fruit is the bomb! It tastes like sour type gum type stuff!