Big Changes, I'm back in La Libertad!!!!

This week was craziness, we where able to do some good stuff before the changes and find some new investigators. Also we had some great people preparing to be baptized this coming month in June. And then transfers happened.........

So these changes were crazy! We both got sent out of Girardot!!! Yup they closed our area, and Elder Melendez was sent to Ibague. Crazy!!! I got sent back to my first zone, La Libertad!!!! I'm in a different area called Casa Blanca, which I actually have been to a little bit before. I already have been to the church and that kinda stuff here from when I was in La Libertad in Tintal. Also I got called as a District Leader here. My district is going to be of the areas Patio Bonito, Casa Blanca 1, our area Casa Blanca 2, and also Tintal!!!! I already have gotten to know a little bit of Patio Bonito before, and Tintal was my first area here in the mission, so I am really excited!! 

As district leader I have a whole lot of new responsibilities as well. One of the things that District Leaders do is have lots of exchanges with the other Elders in the district. Which means...... I'm going to be able to see my first area again!! I´ll be able to do some exchanges and be able to proselyte in the good old Tintal again, which makes me really happy and really excited!!! 

My new companion is named Elder Karra, and he is from Paraguay! Paraguay is awesome because always really good elders leave from there. I never met Elder Karra before but I think that it is going to be a good time. I've got some sweet photos to share but this computer that I've got here won't recognize my flash drive so I'll have to send them next week. 

I'm really going to miss my area in Girardot, it was a big surprise that they took us both out too, but I know that this is where the Lord has called me and it is where I'm needed. Now I'm just adjusting once again to the climate change because now that I'm in Bogota again it is really really cold compared to Girardot. So now I'm here, and I get to know another area in my old Zone. Lots of good things are to come ahead I think. 

Also I did remember my pillow, but it almost didn't fit in my bag XD I'm going to be learning a lot of things in these coming weeks now that I've been called to be a leader. 

It was hard to leave Girardot, but I'm really excited to be where I'm at at the same time. 

I like the hymn that's called "I'll go where you want me to go," I thought about that a lot, and was singing it as well while we were packing up. 

So that's all the craziness that happened this change! 

Love, 

Elder Kendall

Assistants, President, Meetings, and BAPTISM!!!!!!

Hey hey everybody!!!! How's everyone doing over there?

This week was pretty much crazysauce, and we did a lot of stuff. I am pretty beat! But it's good, lots of amazing work and lots of learning!!!

So, we started Tuesday morning off with exercise at the church playing soccer with our district and the assistants. Which was fun, we actually ended up doing that almost everyday this week XD Getting up at 5:30 every morning was a a lot of fun, but it also takes a toll on you after a while. Tuesday night we started out our exchanges, and I went to our house with Elder Alava and we started out the exchange right with an extra large pepperoni pizza with barbecue sauce on top. Pretty sweet. Elder Alava was my old zone leader here so it was pretty fun to be with him again. 

Wednesday was the day of the exchange, it went pretty well. I learned a whole lot about listening to the investigators and not teaching them a lesson, but teaching with principles of the lessons according to their needs. We also did some contacting. Elder Alava goes crazy for contacting, while I was standing in the street thinking where we were going to go to contact, he was already talking to two people sitting outside their house. We were able to find six new investigators which is more than what we`ve found in like three weeks. It was a really good learning experience. 

Friday two big things happened. One President Baquerizo came to Girardot to have our interviews with him, and....... I got really bad diarrhea..... Of course the day of the interviews my stomach decided to go crazy. So I was in and out of the bathroom a lot that day and also Saturday, we couldn't actually leave Saturday to visit people because I was spending all my time in the bathroom until it was time for the baptism. My interview was short but it was good. 

Saturday we had a baptism!!!!! Jorge got baptized and it was a really cool moment. We were honestly kinda worried that he would have some sort of problem with going under the water but he went under perfectly. He doesn't say all that much but he has a really powerful spirit with him. And you could see how happy and content that he was for his baptism. His parents also came to church that Sunday to see him confirmed, The dad was really happy to be there and they felt good. We are going to invite them to keep coming and see if there is a way that we can start teaching them. 

This next transfer calls are going to be crazy, this Sunday I´ll know if I'm staying in Girardot or if I'm going. This next transfer 30 missionaries are going home and only five are coming into the mission so they are going to be closing a lot of areas. A lot of the leaders of the mission are going home and so they are going to have to call a lot of new leaders. I really don't know whats going to happen this week. 

Here are some answers for your Class. 

People always say when you pass by or say high to someone "Buenos dias," "Buenas tardes" and "Buenas noches." Other stuff is like hola, que mas, and stuff like that. 

When the area 70 Elder Uceda came to our mission to talk to us he shared that how on his mission learning English and speaking it in the house was a rule, and how it would be impossible for him to be an area 70 without learning English. English can be key to helping you fill callings in the church that you might have to complete. 

This week was pretty crazy but also good. 

Love,

Elder Kendall

Jorge's baptism!

Look closely and you will see our new pet lizard :)

Elder Rasband is coming!!!!!!!

So this week went pretty well, we had a lot of work to do and not as much time as we would have liked. This whole week has gone crazy fast, the days just go by like the blink of an eye. 

So first off, we're going to have a baptism this Saturday!!!!!! His name is Jorge and he is super good. He is the boyfriend of another recent convert, Natalia, and they are both young adults who are special. Jorge doesn't talk a whole lot but has a huge desire to be baptized. Because he is a special case we asked our mission president if we could baptize him, and he said we could as long as he had the support of the branch and the permission of the parents. This week we were able to get all of that done and so he is all ready for baptism on Saturday!!!! 

Also, we have a new investigator who is pretty amazing. We started teaching him a week ago, the Friday before Mother's Day. He is 18 years old and has already been to church twice!!! He has a baptism date for the 28th and he is super excited! He really likes English as well and it is pretty fun to try and talk to him. 

Update on Carol, we are still working on getting her to stop smoking, we are a little worried that she might become an eternal investigator. But on Friday we could have an appointment with her and we set really clear goals for her to stop smoking to be baptized on the 28th as well. She has been making some big progress and is stopping little by little, I am sure that by the end of this week she can give it up. 

Transfers come already on the 29th,  and I'm kinda afraid im going to be leaving Girardot. I'm really hoping I can stay 6 more weeks, I'm not quite ready to be leaving here. These next two weeks we should be seeing lots of miracles and lots of baptisms!!!!!

That was this week, we also found some new people and have some good investigators.

This week is going to be super crazy as well, today I'm going to be starting an exchange with one of the assistants to the president! Super nervous!!! It is going to be interesting, We have a pretty good day planned so it should go well. Also this week on Friday we are going to be having interviews with President Baquerizo!! It´ll be nice to talk to him once again. 

ELDER RASBAND is going to come to visit all of us missionaries here in the mission on June 4th, so like yeah, that's going to happen, we are going to have an apostle of the Lord come visit us. Super super exciting!!!!!

Lots of crazy stuff going on here in Colombia, but now I think I´ll answer some of your questions mom. 

Christmas and New years are big holidays, and also there is a kinda independence day like we have the 4th of July but I don't know what day it is. Oh yeah, Semana Santa is HUGE, everybody is catholic so everybody celebrates it XD

There are tons of little shops you can go to, pretty much in any corner you can find a small shop that´ll have the basic stuff you need. And then for the bigger stuff there are also bigger grocery stores. There are pretty much anything you can think of for employment here, from being a lawyer to juggling in the street in front of a intersection and asking for money. 

Every job here pays really little for a lot of work, so a lot of time people are really poor. 

So yeah, that's pretty much it. The mission is the greatest experience, the people are the
best part.

LOVE YOU!!

Elder Kendall 

Here's our team, we did pretty good, ton of fun!

We didn't break it... unless you count the super high scores that it couldn't compute!!!

Mothers day!!!!! New Investigators!!!!!!!!!!

This week we found new investigators!!!!!! It was so nice, and the family is really great that we found. They invited us to eat lunch with them on Friday, and we were able to teach them afterwards. There is a lot of work to be done but I they will be really good. That same day we also got 3 different lunches, it was pretty great. 

One of the jobs I know that you have to speak English is to be a chef. We have an investigator named John, the same one that owns the restaurant (where the Elders ate lunch Friday), that has to take an English learning class in order to get his certificate thingy in cooking. So I've been helping him with that. That is more specific, other than that, knowing English really just helps you in just about every job field here. (This is the answer to a question I asked Zach to help me with my homework..)

Other things that families do is also go to the pool or they get together and cook a bunch of food like a barbecue. 

This week was a blast, we also got a new part of Girardot added to our area so that we can have some new people and new streets to contact. We are going to be visiting there a whole lot this week, and we have lots of other investigators that are making some good steps to baptism. 

Skyping with the family was the best thing ever!!! I was super happy to see you guys and your faces also. 

I forgot to ask, How is Cody Tarpley doing?? Have you heard anything about or from him. I need his email so that I can talk to that guy, he is the best. 

Sorry this week is kinda short, not much else happened. 

All my Love,

Elder Kendall

PS - Okay, so I'm kinda going crazy right now......... Here in the internet cafe where I'm writing I'm pretty sure their playing All American Rejects!!!!! I miss listening to music like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So..... We went to the bathroom and I washed my face, but they didn't have any paper towels... So I found my own way to dry my face.....

Our District P'day

Me and my companion Elder Melendez

Mothers Are The Best

Alrighty so first off I'll give ya the info to skype since that is what ya´ll wanna hear about.

 

We were thinking about doing it Sunday the 8th at 4:00pm Colombia time. We got 40 min like the last time, so were going to have to plan out what we talk about good haha :D But I'm super excited!!! The mission goes by crazy fast!! Any questions just let me know.

 

Can't believe that so many crazy things have happened this past week at home. Ian is a super stud, and Janica is going to be so darny beautiful!!! What a wonderful time.

 

This week was aight, we were able to teach some good lessons. We had a zone meeting on Friday where I learned a ton about listening to what the investigator is saying, like really listening. Because when we listen is when we have miracles and the Holy Ghost can be with us and show us the way.

 

Unfortunately, we couldn't get Carol ready for baptism this week, there was a lot of struggle to get appointments with her because she didn't have time or we couldn't get a guy to accompany us to the appointment so that we could teach her. Tomorrow we have an appointment with her, and we are going to talk really good about her baptism this Saturday and the steps she needs to make to make it all happen. We are going to work really hard, and I have faith that she will definitely reach baptism this Saturday. She is awesome and hasn't been discouraged although she has gone through a lot.

 

What we are still struggling with is finding new people. I'm not sure why we´re having such a hard time but we desperately need to meet new investigators. So that once again is our new focus this week. But time is going really fast and I'm glad to be working here in Girardot!!!!

 

Friday we also had a branch talent show, it was pretty darn awesome. Me and my companion got to participate in the Young Single Adult´s play, we were the people who held up a sign that said "Se Vende la Mula" which means "The Mule is for Sale". It was pretty darn hilarious, got a pretty good video of it that I'll have to show you guys.

 

That was pretty much it this week. We have some good plans to find new people this week and Carol should be baptized. On top of it all I get to see all your cute faces!!! 

Life is good!!!!

Love,

Elder Kendall

 

Talent show!!

The guy in the blue shirt is Luis Bohorques, the guy that always accompanies us