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