Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Missing the Cold

Hey Fam Fam 
 
Yessssssssss!  I got Christmas Packages!  Tell Bernice & Patti, thanks.  I love those guys!  Mom, the Christmas card which I loved!!! I love you all!!

NO the family did not get baptized!!  They are having problems with an in active member.  It's really sad.  The mom, Patti, her best friend is a member but in active and is telling her and her family to not go to church, so they are disanimating them!!   I am really sad that people do this!!!  I just wanted to contar que there is a family here that is blind, but they can cook, speak English, read brail and play piano and they just have the most faith I have ever seen.  They are members and they are just awesome.
 
Oh man I miss 1 degree weather!!  I miss the snow so much!!!  I miss you all!!!  Hey what's grant doing??  Is he going to go on a missh mish or what??

  I  love you all.  I am doing really great.  I really have found myself again!!   I am just so happy all the time!!  I just remember walking into the mtc and giving my comp a hug, Elder Hansan and I just felt his love and we have been the best of buds since!!  I really have gotten to being myself again.  The mission is the best! You think you leave everything you are behind; but in reality you find who you really are and get to feel the love and true happiness!!  You really get to realize the blessings that one has!!  We really have the best family!!!  I really hope some day  I can be 1 tenth of a parent that you guys are!!! mom DAD your the best!!

If it makes you feel any better I am listening to Enya right now, lazy days because its p day! Enya is like the music of the heavens I am pretty sure Enya is like the Justin Bieber to God, it really is just beautiful music and just gets you all happy and spiritually awesome!!

I really love you guys, I really love the Lord, I am really hoping for my gift to him these last 6 months that I have I can give all I got and then after the mission I can give more!! 

I have nothing to complain about here, I love the work, I have amazing friends!! Elder Hanson & Martin!!  & Elder Peru they're the best buddies anyone could
ever ask for and we all have the same standards!!  Love the mission!
 
Esta semana pasado fue un gran semana gracias por el viaje al Templo yo aprendí mas de el plan de salvación y la amor que Dios tiene para nosotros. También machismo gracias por el dia de gracias yo aprendí que gratitud es un mandamiento.

Yo quiero dar mi gracias por el tiempo que yo tuve en Sabana Grande.   yo creo que yo nunca he dado mi gracias por la oportunidad que yo tenia a trabajar allá.  estoy muy agradecido por cada uno de mis compañeros y los áreas que yo he tenido.   yo aprendí mucho de la esperanza y amor y fe de Dios en Sabana Grande y creo que fue a donde yo realmente aumento mi relaciona con mi Padre Celestial. Gracias por todo!

Elders en Cuzcachapa están Enfermo ore para ellos por la salud para que pueden empezar a trabajar en la obra del salvación porfavor.

Gracias por todo

Elder McKenna

 
 
 

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Goals and Miracles

Hey fam fam,


 
I am really grateful that I am in the mission.  I learn more and more every day about the atonement and I am learning about how to change and become better every day!!!  I am learning how to be more disciplined and plan and be organized.  This week we really had a miracle.  We have an investigator named Carlos who I thought would never progress.  He just didn't want to give up anything to go to church.  So this week my comp and I started to do what the lideres are asking us to do. To plan 8 weeks ahead, get a map, divide our area, mark where all-the members, in-actives, and old investigadores are and just write everything down on the map.  So we did that.  Then we started to make lesson plans on three things the Doctrine, Principles, and application.  Because a lot of times when someone doesn't do something, we talk about what they're not doing and this is not going to help someone change.  They need to understand why!   So he was not going to church because he didn't understand the atonement. So we made three lessons plans, and when  he understood the atonement he made the decision to go to church him self.  He read lots of chapters in both the Book of Mormon and the Bible and set his own baptismal date.  This just shows if we do all that we can and listen to our lideres the lord will bless us because this is his work!!!

Well I love you guys, were doing good. Mom or ryan or jenn send me some crepe recipes were going to make some crepes this week please send as fast as possible.

loves!!! miss you all. happy birthday to Yesenia, Steven, Daddy-O, Kakelyn and mi, and if I forgot any one else well bummer.


Here are some views from Daniel's apartment.

 



Tuesday, October 22, 2013

New Place, New Companion

This week was legit President Cordons brother came to our stake ward council meeting.  He is in the first quorum of the seventy, he is really cool.  I feel bad though because I killed a giant toad the same day.  Because listen, the toads here are just so big and fun looking and one of our lessons fell through, so I saw the bloke and I was like okay and I chucked two rocks at it and it died.  In the time I thought it was fun but later I thought I probably shouldn't kill little critters anymore. 

So my district has 7 baptism dates right now and we have 4 for this Sunday.  I am really excited for them. Please keep praying for the family Albiaza and Rodriguez.  I am really glad to have Elder Gonzalez for a comp he is really good and I am learning a lot from him.   But I kinda of feel bad because yesterday he was mad because our other comp doesn't want to work.  So I did a reunion of testimonies in our house last night so everyone could just say how they feel. It turns out he has not learned anything from me and he doesn't think I am a good example for a leader because he has been showing me the area and stuff.  (He has been here longer and knows the area better but Pres. made me the district leader.) so I felt bad because okay I do have a bad memory and I still don't know our area completely.  So this week please pray for me that I can learn our area and so I can do more and actually show Elder Gonzalez that I do know what I am doing so we can work better.

So this week these our the things I am going to work on so I can teach more with the spirit.

It's in preach my gospel page four.  I am going to do those six things so please pray that I will be able to do them.  I only have like 9 more months so I really got to do all I can and do my best I know I am where I am supposed to be, but to be honest I don't really like the area.  I love teaching the people and working here but I don't know, I just feel left out, don't fit in, I don't know, it's weird.  But I am just going to work hard here and do my best.

Hey mom I think it would be a great idea for the family to put a goal to have everyone invite a non member to their Christmas party in their ward this Christmas and I'll try to bring that many people to church here, how many you guys bring so I can be part of the family goal.  Who wants to be part of the family goal???

 
Yup so I am working hard and having fun!! and just doing all that i can. miss you guys keep up the fun!!!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Missing Raspberries & Snow

Hey, I don't have much info, we had 12 baptisms in our district. It was awesome. We have changes this Wednesday.   I will be going to another area.
 
I miss raspberries and snow.  Everything is going great. Just a funny for you guys.
 
Me: sometimes I get scared I will wake up a marshmallow
Elder Peru: you would eat yourself
Me: I wouldn't even question it.
 
Keep up the fun and work hard!!!! keep praying for the family Ramirz.

love you guys!!!!

Monday, September 16, 2013

Short, But Sweet!


 Waddups!! how is everything going ?? What's everyone up to??  How is Jacob doing with his b day!!  What's he been up too?  Is he going to start boarding? rock climbing anything?  How is ry guy doing? and Jenn?
 
Hey man that dang garage is always broken!!! So I am glad to here that your weather is getting colder there and you guys are having lots of fun.  Here it's still hot every day I don't think I have ever felt cold here.  I miss snow so much!!!
 
yeah mom pray for the family Ramirez y Gutierrez.
 
Yeah my comp is super cool we are working really hard still doing good work!!!
 
Well love you guys bye

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Daniel Cut Out

Hey so this week was super cool!!  No I did not have changes, still chilling here in Sabana Grande.  This week our district did an activity to celebrate mothers day.  As a district we had 51 investigators, all moms.  So I guess in a sense we are just snaking, but hey behind every mom is a fam fam.

If Jacob is getting married he needs to put aside like 80 bucks to get a life size card board cut out of me.  Because lets just be honest that would be so cool and awesome!!! It's actually cooler to have a life size card board cut out then the real person usually hahaha.   I think so, I think that would be ligit.!!! I think its about 80 bucks. but its worth it trust me!!!

Speaking of marriage. I have  great idea.  Mom you need to find a family with two sisters that are not twins but are like a year apart so that Martin and I can be brothers when we get back!! hehe that would be cool too because we got to be bros.
 
Hey i just want to give my thanks for all my family and all they do for me  i love you all!!!  Elder McKenna

Friday, May 17, 2013

Mother's Day Phone Call

Yup we got to see Daniel's big smile through Skype over Mother's Day weekend.
 
He said the area he is in is super small, I think he said around 5,000. Plus he has to be home by 6 PM because it's not safe for the missionaries to be out any later. We walks 30 minutes to his every day up a little mountain.

He spoke to our brother Jacob for a little bit. I think Daniel was in shock about Jacob getting engaged to Melissa. He doesn't want anyone's life to move on while he is gone.




Kadan, Daniel's nephew was so excited to talk to him. We even brought a pineapple just to have there with us for the call. Pineapple makes everything that much better, is what Daniel and I use to say.
 He roasts lots of marshmallow's and makes smore's a lot too. He loves his companion currently but is still hoping for a gringo companion.

He didn't have much to write the following P-day because we was going to the temple that day. Here is what he said though.



Hey fam fam wadd ups!!!?? Loved talking to you guys on sat sat!! super chill!! Jenn loved the Pine pine!! I promise i'll start taking more fotos and sending more fotos. Thanks mom because your a mom!!

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

New Baptism



Hey thanks mom yeah I can't live in my area (that I work in)  because its super poor and they just use plastic and metal sheets for houses.  So I live in the pueblo and hike up the mountain every morning and down every night like 30 min each way about 1 hour in total.  Yeah my comp is super cool we are working good and having a fun time   
 
I got a letter from my good friend Elder Ashcroft (my comp from the MTC) which was great.  I miss the guy!  What's funny is I only knew him for like 3 weeks but I feel like we have known each other for life.  What's even weirder is it's almost been a year since I met him. crazy huh??
 
I really don't want to come back the same person that I was before I left home. I know I have changed a lot for the better but I was thinking this week, and figured out one way I could become better.  I felt like I needed to tell the president about when I watched the new Batman movie when I first got in the mission.  So I wrote him a letter today telling him.  I guess we will just see what happens.  I'll probably have to change areas :( and be moved down to jr comp. for some time.  But that's fine with me; serving the lord is serving the lord no matter what position your in and I really want to be someone the president can trust and the Lord can trust.  I want to come back honorable, knowing I did my best and tried to change for the best and become the person that my father in heaven wants me to be.
 
So we confirmed one family last sunday and baptized Amilcar, yesterday which was super spiritual.  He already wants to go on a mission and I feel bad telling him he still has to wait.  So Tomas went to the church Sunday and he has a strong testimony of the church and everything.  It's just his wife Guatalupe, she goes to church because it's tradition and won't marry the guy.   Super funny though; she was like I want to get married in my church and before I could say anything Tomas is like I don't want to get married in a church I dont think is true.   hahaha bam machete!!!! hehehe   But I am trying to help them get married; a civil marriage, no churches attached.   But yup that's all that's going on this week.  I'll keep you guys posted, love you all!!  Having the best time of my life!!!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

New Companion



So this week was super cool my new comp is from Guatemala. I love that I have only had Latin comps but at the same time I really want to train a gringo or get a cool gringo comp eventually. But with pure latin comps I can feel like my spanish is getting super better. I think my new comp is my favorite comp so far, his name is Elder Juracan (yup hurricane) he is super cool and a little crazy. He is my first comp that actually helps me with my spanish and helps me work. We found like 6 families to teach this last week he has really good ideas and loves to help serve people. He is by far my favorite comp we get a long really well! ! love working and everything is going good. I think we have the possibility to baptize 9 this change together!!

We're working super hard and having lots of fun!! Elder McKenna

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Eventful Week


So this week was super eventful.   While walking on the  way to our area a tree had fallen; so to get to our area we had to climb a tree.  A giant one dude. I felt like a ninja, it was awesome!!!   So this week was super adventures with the comp.  So I tried to have a comp inventory and I just started off with everything that I have been learning from him.   How he help me learn to compromise and helps me invite people to listen to the gospel better and stuff like that, like be more direct.  Oh boy, that just made things worst.  He just was like yup, that's why I am here so I can teach you to have success and said just a bunch of prideful things.   That he is here because it's all about him and every one here who is progressing it's because of him. 

So this bloke really wants to go to Belize.  So I decided a different tactic to have unity; just suck up.  I just told him that he was the best darn elder in the world and that he is definitely going to Belize and everything. (Cause only the best elders go to Belize)   This worked for about today but I can only suck up for so long. The truth is I really hope this guy goes to Belize, because he does like to work hard and all.  It's been his desire his whole time in the mission.  So I have been praying for him to go to Belize and really just praying for the things that the Lord wants for him this is making me love the guy a lot. (love doesn't mean we get along it just means i love the guy) but I really have been doing all I can and I really feel great about our companionship and everything. Because I am doing all I can to make it work I listen to him and everything.

I won't lie I do from time to time laugh at his compulsive pride-fullness and desire for power.  About 15 times a day he tells me is going to call the zone leaders on me and the president.  I just say va pue. (go for it)   I'm not doing anything wrong, he just has anger issues.  I kinda want him to!  I think it would be so funny!!!  The next time he says that he is going to call the zone leaders I think I'll just call them and say hey my comp wants to talk to you.  That will just tease him good. hehehe

But yup all is good!!!  Having a lot of fun working hard. I really like my new area and the people here they have a lot of faith and love!!  I really believe this April we're going to baptize this family of 5 and 2 other people.  I am super excited!!!  Please pray for these families:  Soariano, Romirrez, and Gutirerez.

Thanks guys love you!!!

Monday, March 18, 2013

Rocky Mountains


Hey guys,
 
So it turns out I'm not training this change I've got a regular comp!  But I am senior comp. and still opening a new area in Wilsalcul called Sabana Grande.  It's a pretty cool area the people are pretty chill and loving a ton of mango and everything.   This area is just a bunch of hills, I walk up and down all day long!!  I feel like it's the rocky mountains just hiking and doing the 50 miler merit badge over and over again, every day all day.

I live in a house of 4 elders which is really nice because my companion is making me miserable because  he doesn't like jokes or anything and doesn't like my ideas.  My comp is super boring and super super prideful. Since I want unity I just let him make all the decisions  and everything.
So this week has been super good in the way of the work for the lord.  We're going to be baptizing a family this 31st.   I really feel like if your doing what you should be doing you should baptize every month.  So I really put all my faith in the lord for this month because this is a new area where there was no elders before and no attendance, no nothing.   My comp and I have to work super hard.

 
So I read a talk from an apostle from like the 90s and it talked about the power of god and the atonement.   It talks about his power comes from honoring is Father and now I understand the importance of honoring my mother and father so I can have blessings and power too.

So I get a smoothie when ever I can, just so I can feel some Martin time out here. miss the bloke.
 
Elder Daniel McKenna

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

New Area

Hey guys!!

I don't really have much to talk about this week!!  Mom I am sorry about the money, I had to get a new suitcase and it is a long story but I don't have one anymore, so I had to buy a new one and it was super expensive for the cheapest one.
 
Hey so I don't know if you guys heard they are opening a new mission here.  So they are cutting this mission in half and the other east San Salvador mission in half and making a new mission.  This mission is not going to have Belize any more.  The new mission is going to have Belize in it.  No one knows really what mission were going to be in anymore,  we will all know by the first of July.  I really need all of your prayers for the Lord to put me in the correct area where I can relate to the people and help them to the best of my abilities.  So please pray for me a lot to be put in the mission that I can do the most good for the children of god.  I have been praying a lot about this. and I have been studying a lot and preparing.  I really just want to be the very best missionary I can be.  If I can't help all the people here in the mission how am I going to help the world when I get back.

So this week was super hard, a lot of our dates fell through and we had only one kid at church.  I was super bummed this sunday!!  I feel like I have been working super hard.  I have not had good results this week.  I believe it all comes down to sacrifice.  The other day I was thinking about our mission calls and everything. and all the sacrifices we made to come out here.  It  comes down to what I promised the Lord when I received my call and signed it and sent it to the prophet.  I signed my soul to the Lord for 2 years to work hard and obey every one of the rules.  I really  think the little rules actually are the most important and I feel like that's why my hard work is not paying off fully.  Like the rule, clean your shoes every day, I don't do that, I don't make my bed everyday, and I am not organized.  These are all rules here in the mission, so I decided I was going to try to keep all the little rules of the mission because some times I listen to music from disney but in this mission your only suppose to listen to hymns. So I believe if I start keeping the little rules, I'll start to have a lot of success again.
 
So I have some exciting news for you guys that I am both nervous and excited for the adventure.  I am going to be training a new missionary again and opening a new area. I am really nervous because it's going to be really hard to have to find all the members and everything and just start from scratch   and with another new missionary, so I am going to have to do pretty much everything. The new missionaries that already know Spanish, only go to the MTC for 2 weeks now.  My new companion will only be in the mission 2 weeks, how crazy is that.  So I am super excited for the adventure and the opportunity to strengthen my faith in the Lord. I know if I put my faith in him I can open this new area. But very nervous too!  I want to be the best I can. So please pray for the new area that I am going to, that the people will be ready to receive me, that I will be ready to receive them. and same with my new comp I am going to have and that I can learn a lot from him and that I will teach him the right way to be in the mission and be a good missionary.

One bummer about the mission is a lot of people here think fun is of the devil.  If your having fun, the leaders just assume your not being obedient. It's like "come on man lighten up" your in the mission.  Have some fun!!!   Today is my last pday with Elder's Hansen and Gottschalk, we're going to make the mango rice recipe (thanks for send it mom) together we will be the baker bros.
 
Just please pray for me to go to area that I am needed most and have the desire to always be progressing and preparing so I can be more of a servant to the Lord.
 
Elder Daniel McKenna

Monday, February 18, 2013

Working Hard!

Okay so the pool idea is successful!!  Today I want to make a music video in spanish with us in the pool and on our ping pong table.

So yesterday was the hardest thing I have had to do in the mission.  So I had a date for baptism yesterday, but because the owner of the house doesn't want her taking lessons and her getting baptized they kicked her out of the house.  This was in the morning 2 hours before  church started and she had her bed and all her stuff in the street and everything she owned.  She is like 70 years old too so she had nothing.  But this is the moment that I realized I have changed and I am so grateful for DAD!!   So grateful for teaching me how to work hard  and if I want to get something done I have to work.  Because the old me would of just quit right there and just would of hopped in her bed and slept and wouldn't have wanted to figure this out.  But because of my dad always teaching me if I want to get something done I've got to work for it.  So my companion started complaining because it was his birthday yesterday and he wasn't going to have a baptism for his birthday now.  So I did what was best and made changes really quick.  I dropped off Mr. Complainy Pants off at the church and returned with a church leader.  I had to do the craziest thing in 2 hours.  Build her a house!!  Yup and guess what! We built her a house, got her to sacrament meeting and then baptized her!! Yeah that was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.  I know that it was not me doing the work, it was all The Lord. I could really feel his presence there telling me what to do and working with me.  So thanks dad!!! for teaching me to get busy and get work done and listen to the spirit!!!  Believe me, the temptations of who I used to be, just quit when things get hard.  Those lazy temptations are going away, I can really feel a change in my life!!  This lady lives like 45 min away from the church (walking) so this really took The Lord's help to complete this!!

Hey guys I am sorry that I keep saying I'll send pics its just I have been so busy!!  My zone (22 elders) are going to baptize 9 people this month and I am just really trying to do my part.  I feel so bad for the mission president and the lord, there is so much work to be done!!  So I am just forgetting about pictures and all that stuff right now and I am trying to do all I can right now for the lord!!  When I do have a break it's pool and s'more time!!  So I promise I'll send pics to you guys in the next couple weeks, sorry just super busy.

Speaking of being busy I need the help of all of you guys!!!  This is to complete a dream when I get back!!

So just if each of you buys a bag of marshmallows every month just one bag a month when I return I'll have about like 500 bags of marshmallows  Then I want to clean out a pool and fill a pool of marshmallows and swim in it!!!  Now if everyone does there part in the family and buys one bag a month that's like 20 a month not including my friends that I have talked to to start this.  So please I beg of you all to buy one bag of marshmallows a month for this plan!! please!!!!!!!  If you have doubts just think the whole family in a pool of marshmallows!!!  Yeah I know you all want to do this, I know jacob and jenn and ry guy want too!!  I know for sure kadan will do his part!! Mom, Dad, I really am relying on you guys to do your part!!  You too uncle lee!!

Elder Daniel McKenna

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Smoothies

OK first of all que chafa that the 49s lost!  Now I first want to say no I did not watch the game but I did see the first touch down at an investigators house because he was watching the game.   You know it's because of that first foul is why they lost.

Mom I can't answer silly questions about shoes and stuff.  Just don't stress and have fun!!!

Hey so this week was super good and super bad at the same time. We reactivated an inactive family and we are going to baptize there two kids at the end of this month.  I believe  we have another baptism this 17th.  So in this way its super good, but super sad about the family Escobar.   I am super confused with them because they're reading the book of mormon, they are keeping all their commitments and going to the church.  I am super burdened with this, because I don't know if my lessons were bad, or they don't understand what they need to do, besides reading the book of mormon and praying as a family and everything. But Sunday I was super sad and mad because we woke them up at 7 to get ready for church and they said they would be ready at 9 so at nine we came by and they said they would be there, then when church started at 10 no family Escobar. So confused and bumbed out about this family.

I love my companion but at the same time he is a bit pride full and he told me I shouldn't talk because the people don't always understand me and I am just wasting our time to teach them. He still doesn't understand all the 42 principles we need to teach and when he teaches he just confuses them.  He uses words like atonement and stuff and the people here have never heard that word before. They don't understand and he brings like 80 different doctrines in at once that even I get confused.  So yeah my spanish sucks but at least I just focus on one thing at a time and secondly its not spanish that converts it's the spirit.   Like the family Solis that I baptized in my  second month, they said they never understood a word I said but they felt the spirit so strong tell them it was true.   He is still cool and he is a good missionary, just needs to lighten up a bit and have fun.  Today he is mad that I am ending p day 1 hour early because there is an investigator who has no food or anything so I am going to go there and cook for her and teach a bit.  He is mad about that but oh well, don't care I am having fun and feel good.

So Hansen (from the MTC) is in my zone so it's pretty chill, he is so funny.   It doesn't matter what he says I just have to laugh he is so funny!!!  But he doesn't really say anything funny, he is just a funny guy, he is like 6 5 but just a funny guy!!  But it really shows having latino companions helps spanish a lot because before in the MTC he knew way more then me and now I know way more then him.  I feel bad he has only had gringo companions and he has had a new comp every change.  How crazy is that? I have only had 2 he has had 5.

 Learning a language can be difficult and living with a companion from a different culture, also difficult.  But life is an adventure so I just have fun!!!  Speaking a different language is so fun, especially when they don't understand a word your saying and even myself have no idea what I'm trying to say. Life is like a puzzle you only can see the next piece,  but God can see the whole picture of who he wants you to be.  So if you just go to him and ask him for his help he will help you find your puzzle and not just your piece.
 
OH and how is the snow there?? I miss snow so much!!!  I heard 4 people died from being cold?  Here people die from to much dust. How strange the world is.
 
So this week was a little slow I felt good though I had a family home evening activity on Friday.   I had about 30 people attending I would of like to have more, but got to work with what I got. Two people we reactivated are starting there papers for the mission so I felt super happy this week about that!! For once I feel like I actually did something that made a difference.

So some funny things this week:
1. In spanish in mexico pisto is alcohol and here it's money.  So my companion always thought when I say pisto (money) I was saying alcohol so I thought that is funny.  What a mexicano!!  That's actually what the people here call drunks; mexicano or bolo. hehehe poor guy.
2. Second thing is I realized people here think we missionaries look like my favorite animal; penguins!!
3. I make smore's every night, I don't know why that is funny but I am laughing right now.
4. So I decided I have been so deprived of smoothies.  So we went on a hunt to find a place and we found one in my area. I didn't don't know if it was safe because it's in some persons house, but smoothies are smoothies, right. So I go there like once a day, some times twice.  But the other day she didn't have milk so because I am a missionary when someone needs help you help.  So I went on a hunt for milk so I could have a milkshake.   Yeah, so I milked a cow!!!   But apparently milk directly from a cow is not clean, so the person who sells milkshakes went and bought milk for us.  So today were going to blow up the cow milk that is not good.
5. Today we found two kiddy pools like you fill up with water, so we made a pool room in a elder's house and today were going to chill in the kid pools.

So my Pdays are becoming successful and in the week we're working really hard!! and having fun!!!

IMPORTANT
Mom  I need the recipe for the Mango Rice because right now they are in season 1 buck for 5 mangos and the milk of the coconut is super cheap too so I am ready to make the goodness!!  So please send for me the week next!!!

love you all!! have a great week

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Spanish!


Hey!!

So this week was super chill!! Except one of my investigators I don't understand because he refuses to speak spanish to me because he wants to practice his english because supposedly he lived in the states for like 5 years. But his english is spanglish and I don't understand a word he says, but he comes to church with us and today were going to teach his whole family.  I don't know if he is married or not because in spanish he said yes but when I asked in english he said no and gave me a whole long story that I ddn't understand one word.

I am getting to the point where I am forgetting a lot of words in english. and I decided I am not mexican anymore I am Salvadorian.  Because when my companion asks for something or ask what a word means here it's because spanish in mexico is completely different, I was asking for a straw and the word for straw is completely different here. and he always says no monches and here they say va querer and they pronounce there Y and LL with the sound Y in english but here the Y and LL is a J in english a soft J.  So some times I feel bad because he asks me what something is,  in mexican spanish, but I can't give him the word in spanish here cause I only know salvador spanish. I have gotten to the point where I can speak vos pretty well.

Something funny is we have 3 new families we're teaching and these 3 new families all know each other and they know the leader mission.  So I invited them all over for a family night and we made s'mores and everything and bonbons in mexico is marshmallows and here its marshmallos but i just say marsh and they understand because they know I like to cut my words in half sometimes. Anyways back to my story, so he was like hey were going to cook bon bons in the fire and bon bons are lollipops here so they were all looking at him funny and of course I didn't correct him because its just to funny.

So we're doing really well right now!!  We're having a lot of fun!!  Mom I had to use a lot of money this week because my backpack got stolen and shoes too. and Elder Gotschalk's too. So we both bought buslighter new backpacks today, I used the debit card for that but he payed me back just this minute while writing you.  Yeah, I really have hit my 6 months because I had to fix a lot of my pants and shoes and everything, sorry mom.
 
Love all you guys!  Elder McKenna

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

New Companion

Hey

So this week was a lot of fun!! My sons name is Elder Martinez and he is from Mexico and I have learned that Spanish in Mexico is completely different then spanish here.  He is always asking me what some spanish words mean here and I feel bad because I don't know the spanish mexican word. So I am sad for when I talk to Jacob after the mission because he didn't get the chance to learn the cool spanish. I like the El Salvador spanish words more then a lot of the spanish words in mexico, sorry fam!!

So my companion is super cool because he wants to work but he is a little over bearing with the rules and stuff. During study time and everything we study all we are supposed too and we are obedient with exactness.  I even teach him English for one hour every morning but when I talk to the other elders in 'tu" form or in "vos" he corrects me and is always like, rules are rules, we only can talk in "usted".  It's getting really annoying because when I talk to the zone leaders they even speak to me in tu and vos.  I want to be able to speak really well in tu, usted and vos and transition really well but he always corrects me to speak in usted.  Then when we are working and have lessons and teaching he is super lazy, he won't walk worth a darn!  The other day we were in an area 45 min away from where the bishop needed us to go to teach.  My companion walked as slow as a turtle and I was like running because we had 3 lessons in the next two hours and these are 3 families really important.  Here if your late they don't want to receive you.  (but it's okay for them to be late)  So I was running and he refused to even speed walk and this really bugged me because its not okay for me to speak in tu with missionaries but its okay for him to be lazy.  The other thing is he is racist, a little bit, because the zone leaders need to work in my area to know my investigators and to have an interview with them, so he had to work with the other zone leader and he is a gringo and he was so mad saying all these bad things about gringos.

Other then that I really am learning from him and I am glad he has the desire to be obedient. He was mad the other day because I had an idea to door contact with cake in my hands because everyone here likes cake.  So I thought it would be a good fun hard way to work and it was super fun knocking doors with a giant cake in my hands and it actually really worked, the people here loved us and invited us in.  It was super fun.  My companion thought it was disobedient and called the zone leaders and all they said is "hey that's a good idea I want to contact with cake".

Yup!  Having lots of fun!!! love you all!! love the snow pics you sent.  Elder McKenna

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Trainer

Hey guys

I had an interview with the president this week and I am now a trainer.  I am both nervous and happy.  I think I will learn a lot and it will be fun but I am also nervous because I saw the pictures of all the new missionaries coming in and they all look mad.   All the Latinos; not one of them smiled in the pictures and the gringos didn't smile either.  Only one person was smiling in the pictures and he is Chinese.  I want him as my comp because he was the only one that looked happy.

So how crazy is that, my first companion was my trainer and my second companion I'm going to train.  How crazy is that? I am still in the same area though and now that I am going to be training I  am going to be here for 2 more changes (12 weeks).  That's going to be 5 changes in one area. I am excited about that but also sad, that's a lot of time.  So tomorrow I am going to receive my new comp, crazy, I am going to train, please pray for me I can't do this on my own.

Other great news, out of everyone I have baptized all are still active.  But the family Escobar and the family Mandandez need your prayers they are all having family problems.   This week was super crazy.  So this week was super hard for one of our recent convert families because  there grandma died and second she accidentally locked her nephew inside the house.  Here the locks are on the outside of the house so they couldn't get out, so he was super mad and broke all her stuff, took a video and sent a video to her aunt that she is a slob and all this stuff and sent the video to her.  Super crazy and then he threaten to kill her and then the cops came and now he can't live there any more but super crazy week.

Well I'm loving the mission.   Spanish is coming along really great.  I can pretty much have a conversation about anything, I can understand pretty much all gospel doctrine in spanish, but other stuff no.  Hey so I think I know what I am going to do when I get back home.   I am going to study languages and go in to linguistics.  I think it is a good  idea to learn the languages of the world so I can talk to the world. and plus I think it will be super cool to be able to talk to my 2 best friends, Savannah and Martin in different languages.  That will be so chill to just be making fun of people with them in spanish and dutch. Yes of course I am going to learn dutch so I can talk to my bro.  Oh mom whenever you can, please send me book of mormon in french.
have a great week!!!