tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66673533117379014022024-03-13T14:48:45.101-07:00Elder Daniel M. McKennaEl Salvador Santa Ana/Belize Mission July 2012-July 2014Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-41973754286372506782013-12-11T15:54:00.004-08:002013-12-11T15:54:54.594-08:00Missing the Cold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Hey Fam Fam </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Yessssssssss! I got Christmas Packages! Tell Bernice & Patti, thanks. I love those guys! Mom, the Christmas card which I loved!!! I love you all!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">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. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">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??</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> 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!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">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!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">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!! </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">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 </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">ever ask for and we all have the same standards!! Love the mission!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: #e7e6e2; line-height: 16px;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: #e7e6e2; line-height: 16px;">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.</span><br style="background-color: #e7e6e2; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 16px; outline: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: #e7e6e2; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 16px; outline: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: #e7e6e2; line-height: 16px;">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!</span><br style="background-color: #e7e6e2; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 16px; outline: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: #e7e6e2; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 16px; outline: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: #e7e6e2; line-height: 16px;">Elders en Cuzcachapa están Enfermo ore para ellos por la salud para que pueden empezar a trabajar en la obra del salvación porfavor.</span><br style="background-color: #e7e6e2; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 16px; outline: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: #e7e6e2; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 16px; outline: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: #e7e6e2; line-height: 16px;">Gracias por todo</span><br style="background-color: #e7e6e2; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 16px; outline: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: #e7e6e2; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 16px; outline: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: #e7e6e2; line-height: 16px;">Elder McKenna</span> </span></span></span></span></span><div>
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Jennifer Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07498531182613130492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-39452322184229084742013-11-07T17:23:00.000-08:002013-11-07T17:24:30.578-08:00Goals and Miracles<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hey fam fam,</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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!!!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">loves!!! miss you all. happy birthday to Yesenia, Steven, Daddy-O, Kakelyn and mi, and if I forgot any one else well bummer.</span></div>
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Here are some views from Daniel's apartment.<br />
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<br />Jennifer Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07498531182613130492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-52961180544956659382013-10-22T13:54:00.003-07:002013-10-22T13:54:38.750-07:00New Place, New Companion<div dir="ltr">
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. <div>
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So my district has 7 baptism dates right now and we have 4 for <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1513723444" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">this Sunday</span></span>. 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.</div>
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So this week these our the things I am going to work on so I can teach more with the spirit.</div>
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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.</div>
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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???</div>
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Yup so I am working hard and having fun!! and just doing all that i can. miss you guys keep up the fun!!!</div>
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Jennifer Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07498531182613130492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-58666045578442547552013-10-02T09:34:00.001-07:002013-10-02T09:34:41.640-07:00Missing Raspberries & Snow<div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I miss raspberries and snow. Everything is going great. Just a funny for you guys.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Me: sometimes I get scared I will wake up a marshmallow</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Elder Peru: you would eat yourself</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Me: I wouldn't even question it.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Keep up the fun and work hard!!!! keep praying for the family Ramirz.<br><br></span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">love you guys!!!!</span></div></div>Jennifer Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07498531182613130492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-28023244819841278102013-09-16T15:18:00.001-07:002013-09-16T15:18:18.369-07:00Short, But Sweet!<div><br></div><div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> 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?</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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!!!</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">yeah mom pray for the family Ramirez y Gutierrez.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yeah my comp is super cool we are working really hard still doing good work!!!</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Well love you guys bye</span><br></div></div>Jennifer Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07498531182613130492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-15251758452516179202013-05-28T09:16:00.002-07:002013-05-28T09:16:19.229-07:00Daniel Cut Out<div>
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.<br /><br />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!!!<br /><br />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.</div>
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Hey i just want to give my thanks for all my family and all they do for me i love you all!!! Elder McKenna<br /><br /></div>
Jennifer Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07498531182613130492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-48909106323596405442013-05-17T10:37:00.000-07:002013-05-17T10:37:03.274-07:00Mother's Day Phone CallYup we got to see Daniel's big smile through Skype over Mother's Day weekend. <br />
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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. <br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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. <br />
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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.<br />
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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!! </div>
Jennifer Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07498531182613130492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-68124466470024891392013-04-30T19:55:00.003-07:002013-04-30T19:55:52.344-07:00New Baptism<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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 </span><div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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??</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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!!!</span></div>
Jennifer Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07498531182613130492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-80102983422825446902013-04-25T21:55:00.002-07:002013-04-25T21:55:51.256-07:00New Companion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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!!<br /><br />We're working super hard and having lots of fun!! Elder McKennaJennifer Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07498531182613130492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-91912068777063269242013-03-28T21:57:00.002-07:002013-03-28T21:57:17.040-07:00Eventful Week<br />
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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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</div>
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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.</div>
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Thanks guys love you!!!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-1774572085039328952013-03-18T22:35:00.001-07:002013-03-18T22:35:51.180-07:00Rocky Mountains<br />
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Hey guys,</div>
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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.<br /><br />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.<br /></div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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So I get a smoothie when ever I can, just so I can feel some Martin time out here. miss the bloke.</div>
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Elder Daniel McKenna</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-36409248806773673092013-03-05T09:46:00.000-08:002013-03-05T09:46:00.018-08:00New Area<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;">Hey guys!!</span><br />
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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Elder Daniel McKenna</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-5497090107748600402013-02-18T22:46:00.003-08:002013-02-18T22:46:24.014-08:00Working Hard!<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;">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.</span><br />
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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!!</div>
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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.</div>
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Speaking of being busy I need the help of all of you guys!!! This is to complete a dream when I get back!!</div>
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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!!</div>
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Elder Daniel McKenna</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-66745207187359858972013-02-14T17:39:00.001-08:002013-02-14T17:39:03.122-08:00Smoothies<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;">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.</span><br />
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Mom I can't answer silly questions about shoes and stuff. Just don't stress and have fun!!!</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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So some funny things this week:</div>
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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.</div>
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2. Second thing is I realized people here think we missionaries look like my favorite animal; penguins!!</div>
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3. I make smore's every night, I don't know why that is funny but I am laughing right now.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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So my Pdays are becoming successful and in the week we're working really hard!! and having fun!!!</div>
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<b>IMPORTANT</b></div>
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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!!!</div>
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love you all!! have a great week</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-47947499328964619082013-01-30T14:47:00.002-08:002013-01-30T14:47:17.866-08:00Spanish!<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;">Hey!!</span><br />
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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Love all you guys! Elder McKenna</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-3018715389930747102013-01-23T08:20:00.001-08:002013-01-23T08:20:29.709-08:00New Companion<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;">Hey</span><br />
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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!!</div>
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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.</div>
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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".</div>
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Yup! Having lots of fun!!! love you all!! love the snow pics you sent. Elder McKenna</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-80191301090172018102013-01-15T08:22:00.003-08:002013-01-15T08:22:48.316-08:00Trainer<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;">Hey guys</span><br />
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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.</div>
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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.<div>
<br />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.<br /><br />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.</div>
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have a great week!!!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-57511048194616677342012-12-18T11:00:00.002-08:002012-12-18T11:00:20.637-08:00Working Hard<br />
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Hey everyone!!<div>
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So this week we didn't get very much news but we have 4 new dates for baptism this month!! My companion and I are working so hard!! So we had one date falloff for this 22nd only because the mom didn't know how old there kid was and she said he was 8 years old but he was born in 2005 so its not possible that he is 8 years old. But yesterday my companion and I set a date for the 26th for a family to be baptized, so I am excited for that date!!!</div>
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I'm so grateful for my dad teaching me to work hard even though I never tried it out in my entire life, but because he taught me I knew what hard work was. But you all knew I couldn't try working, because my favorite hobby is being lazy. Unfortunately I have had to sacrifice that hobby for these 2 years, but don't worry guys when I get home I'll pick up my hobbies again and be lazy!! hahaha but thanks dad for teaching me the knowledge of hard work and now I am actually applying it in my life and yup I have started to be actually able to tolerate work. Only tolerate it though. I am not going to say I like to work, just can tolerate it now. So don't worry mom when I get home in a year and half I'll be sleeping on that couch tell 4 in the afternoon just like good old times!! </div>
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Hey Ry guy and Jacob thanks so much for your example to me to come and serve a mission. I can't even image how hard that had too of been for Ryan to be the first in the family to serve a mission. I don't think I could of done that, actually probably wouldn't of done that to be honest. But because of your example and faith to put the tag on I learned a lot from you. and Jacob thanks for your example to do the same thing and learn a language and live in a place that doesn't have all the same blessings we have. I never realized how blessed and lucky I was to be born in the states!! Man like carpet!! Who would of thought I would dream about carpet!! and putting my bare feet in it every night and day!! well some times in the day.</div>
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So the other day proselyting (knocking doors) this guy thought we were CIA and was like take out your bible so I took it out and oh boy was he scared he was sweating and everything. I know this is kinda mean but I couldn't stop laughing because people think I am CIA, little old me!! hahaha so funny!!!</div>
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So the other day a baby was crying, she was like 2 years old and the mom told me to get her and oh my gosh she was 120 lbs the same as me, oh man I could not even pick her up I was like trying so hard man I almost just fainted!!!</div>
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Elder McKenna</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-33655291823289148872012-12-11T08:47:00.002-08:002012-12-11T08:47:49.420-08:00Happy!<br />
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<br />Hey Everyone!!!</div>
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So I am pretty much having the time of my life!!! I talked to my companion about everything. I shared with him my goals and talked about how I can't complete them without his help and talked to him about how I know that if we are really obedient we will have more success. I just decided to be myself again. When I wake up, I just tell myself today is going to be a great day!! And now I am my happy self all the time again!! I have never been happier, this last week has been amazing just everything makes me happy!! My companion came to me the other night and said I don't want to be a regular missionary anymore, I want to be the missionary that I used to think missionaries were angels, can you help me!! Man I love my companion, we are having so much fun, but working so hard!! This last week we had 30 lessons with members and this week we're shooting for 60!! We really have got our ward working hard and my companion is super chill, and now we are talking non-stop, joking around, goofing off, but of course we play hard and work hard!! Yesterday my companion helped me be obedient!! Because as you all know, I love sugar!!! Apperently the coke here is made with real sugar cane so when the member offered me some I said yes, but then my companion said no not today!! Saved me from that crave I have for sugar all the time!!!<br /><br />So on a cooler side my converts of last week bought me 3 live ducks!! I am going to kill them and cook them this christmas with there help!! super cool!! Except I kinda don't want to kill them, there cute and it's not true what people say about ducks not being friendly!! Its a lie they are so friendly and fun to play with!!<br /><br />Okay I need you guys to pray for family Hernandez still, we are going to baptize 3 of them on the 30th but the parents can't be baptized until Carlos wants to get married and its super sad because the kids and the mom pray every night for him to want to get baptized. I'm also baptizing a family Dec. 30th too!</div>
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Supposedly I am going to be made district leader and training this next change but as of right now its just rumors and the zone leaders suggested that for me. But honestly I don't want any of that!!! I just want to be minor comp my whole mission, I mean jr. its nice! I get to work hard and don't have to worry about others! perfect!! I especially don't want to train, especially if it's a gringo not knowing spanish because I myself don't know spanish well enough.<br /><br />I hope I get to go to Belize and learn creole though that would be legit!! But I have a feeling I will have the opportunity eventually, because even before I got my call I always felt I was going to serve in 2 countries!! But it turns out part of Guatemala is in my mission also, so we have 3 countries and 2 islands in my mission. I want to get sent to San Pedro, the island super cool<br />.<br />Well see ya guys, I am going to go play volley ball.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-25033911241054557222012-12-02T21:06:00.003-08:002012-12-02T21:06:45.004-08:00Loving the Mission<br />
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So I have a question how come lots happened in the world after I left it? All the good movies are coming out, Soccer: Messi has more goals then Pale now, Christiano Ronaldo had 2 hat tricks, American womens tean won the gold medal and The Giants won the world Series. I'm darn good at soccer and speak the romantic language but no girls to impress!! Even my mission got ten times better except peanut butter that is not better that is super expensive here!! Oh one more bad thing I had to take more money out because I had to work with eveyrone in the district and while I was gone my companion was I guess on the phone for long times in the night and the bill was $155 so I had to pay it, because he has no money, so I payed all my mission money for the month that I had left and had to pay some of my personal money. I'm sorry mom and dad about that, I should be reimbursed in December!</div>
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So the hardest thing still for the whole mission is not having candy, especially mike and ikes and red vines. Can you guys believe I have not had candy for like 4 months!!! Man it sucks, I used to not be able to go a minute with out some delicious mike and ike's in my mouth!!! But honestly you all know me how I always was the goof ball, so every one liked me and I was just super friendly with people. Well, candy is now not the hardest thing for me in the mission, it's knowing I am living with people for 2 years that absoluletly hate me!! Only because I won't do the disobenient things they want to do. They are not really bad things, but we commited to the lord not to watch any movies or do any of that for 2 years so I am trying to do my best and yes I am hated for it. But just like the scriptures say, " love casteth out all fear" so that gets me through it. But I can see how some disobidience affects the whole mission. Even when other missionaries are disobident in other areas, my members and stuff talk to me about it!! So it's more than a little frustarting. So we had a couple baptisms drop, I'm super sad about that. But we have some baptisms tomorrow, so that will be good!! This december were having a christmas recording of baptisms for the 22nd or something like that. Changes is the 5th of december I am going to get a new companion. I have been really praying for an obident companion wanting to work hard, because I have a lot of goals I want to accomplish, but its hard to accomplish if I have a lazy companion.</div>
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But I am working hard and loving my mission. Oh and Elder Van Camp (Chris) my soccer buddy from American Fork is now in my zone. Remember him Jacob and dad!<br /><br />So while I have been out here I have remembred that god works though people and revelation works though people!! I remember when I was in seventh grade and i just remember sitting down stairs thinking and remembering mom and dad always telling us to pray if this gospel is true! So one night I decided to pray and I got a feeling to go look in my scriptures and as I went to my scriptures on the front cover there was my mom´s testimony taped to it. I don't know when my mom taped that there or when she got the feeling to put her testimony there. But because god knows all of us and we are his children he gave my mom the feeling to do that!! Now I don't know if my mom thought at the time that was the spirit telling her to do that or not but i know that was revelation from god for my mom to put that there because god knew I was going to pray and ask. So for this email I am here to tell you guys to stop worrying and just focus on being our selves and doing what's right. God is going to use us and put us in the path of his children because god knows each and everyone of us more then we do! So like Nephi if you just go and do and be your self and be a good person your going to be guided by our father in heaven to do what's right! That right there is revelation! We might not see it as revelation because we might think I just did that to be nice but god knew you were going to do that and that's why he put that person in your path. So just remember be like Nephi and go and do and focus on whats right and the lord will bless and magnify you!!!</div>
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On another note!!! So you all know I like change and P-days are supposed to be fun. I feel like I do the same thing every p-day. I have to write home and do stuff and now its starting not to be fun. So is it okay if I don't have to write every week? I mean I'll call on christmas and when not writing home is not fun no more I'll start writing again maybe we can compromise one month I write next I don't, what do you guys think?</div>
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Love all you guys! Elder McKenna</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-77482435811087802772012-11-14T13:42:00.001-08:002012-11-14T13:42:04.393-08:00Earthquake!<br />
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So this week was crap, a lot of fun, but crap!!! We had only one investigator in church this week and that's with us getting up at five in morning and trying to get everyone to church. We had 60 in attendance and that is so bad, because usually we have 90 in attendance. The mission is getting super hard again, in the way of the work!! I feel like I have been slowing down a bit on the work. I'll be honest my mission is very disobedient and I am quite honestly surprised how many elders are still in the mission. The president should send them home. But any ways! Because my district is kinda of lazy, I kind of, have let some things slide. Not big things, just like sleeping in and stuff, but I wish I didn't, because it obviously affected our work this week. By letting my companion sleep in and be a little lazy. When I was doing splits, the missionaries were idiots and watched a movie, a Disney movie, but still so frustrating!! Because I won't lie, you all know me, I am super lazy, and man I am so tempted every day to just be like, hey lets just relax one day or something. But I know I can't do that because then I'll want to do that every day! The other missionaries call me "fletchon" sometimes but I am not here to watch movies!! I can start to feel my self returning to the lazy me little by little!! So I am just trying to hang on right now and get focused!! But it's so hard for me because that's just who I am or was before the mission, just chill let everything go! But I am trying to work hard and do my best!!</div>
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About the earthquake, it was super funny!!! We were in a zone meeting and our zone leader felt it and just bolted out side and all 21 of us just sat in there and just road the quake. It was fun and I wasn't scared at all surprisingly!! I don't know what it is, while I have been in the mission and when the gang members say stuff and do stuff I have not been scared at all, I just feel The Lords love and just am happy. But yeah the quake, everyone here is great, it was mostly in Guatemala. I am worried about my buddy, Elder Ashcroft.</div>
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But yeah, I would love your prayers on being obedient, because I need so much help so I don't break!! Especially in this last change, I got some gringos in my district that are super fun, but they take it over the line and do stuff I want to do so badly but I can't because I know it's against missionary rules.<br /><br /><div class="ecxgmail_quote" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">
Love you all, Elder McKenna</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-10269191774106680242012-11-05T10:23:00.002-08:002012-11-05T10:23:47.743-08:00Busy!<br />
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Dear Family & Friends,</div>
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I could really feel your prayers for me this past week. Thank you so much for all your prayers. </div>
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So this week was super fun!!! yeah!! Monday was my birthday and that was way fun!!! Except it's a tradition here to get your face slammed with a cake and we had four families plan a surprise party for me, so I had to get my face slammed 4 times which was awesome!! But here you don't waste food so you have to eat everything even the face mark in the cake Yeah in 2 hours I had to eat 8 popusas, 1 pizza, chocolate bananas, 4 big cakes, chicken sandwiches and 2 2litter sodas. Yeah it was super fun, but it sucked so bad at the same time because it's very rude not to eat what is given to you (since they don't have much) so i had to eat all of that!! no wonder i am getting fat!!<br /><br />So this week was super fun with my companion he is teaching me a lot. We work hard and we have 7 dates for baptism this 11 of November and a matrimonial on the 10th we are having so so much fun together and working so hard. I just made compromises with him, if we work and study all the hours we are supposed to, we can have fun at night in the house!! and believe me we are having so much fun!! especially since the holidays are so big here and everyone here knows how to make fireworks and they have taught us the ways. I have some cool videos and pics I'll be sending next week because I don't have a lot of time right now.</div>
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We have 30 investigators and so don't have a lot of time this week but next week ill send them!! i feel really bad but good about the leaders of our ward the bishop, young men's presidents, and all those leaders because last week we gave them a list of investigators they needed to visit. Because we cant visit all of ours because we have so many and they all promised they would invite them to church and visit them. But they didn't, so yesterday I held a meeting with them and we asked them to raise there hands if visited the in active members and investigators we had assigned them and not one raised there hand. Even the bishop didn't even visit a member that is inactive. So we shared a scripture in Jacob that if you don't help the children of god, then the sins is on there heads, so yeah we totally machetted them!! At first I felt bad but we were guided by the spirit to do that and guess what yesterday all of them visited at least one person so it turns out it worked out!! So we hope to see more people at church this up coming Sunday!! This past Sunday we had 7 investigators and 4 in active at church.</div>
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<br />So yeah I am having a lot of fun!! Teaching people about Jesus is so much fun. Have a great week bye,</div>
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Elder Daniel McKenna</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-90021767258794505632012-10-17T12:15:00.003-07:002012-10-17T12:15:36.050-07:00Improved!<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;">hey!!</span><br />
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yes mom got all the packages loved them thank you!!! and got the letters love you all!!!=) thanks for the packages loved them made my day!!<br /><div>
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so my lessons in spanish have really improved super fast!! i remember my first day in the MTC and my companion Elder Hanson was like "so what think we should teach our investigator" and i just looked at him and said "lets just kill her with optimism" hahahaha so the funny thing is every missionary says they can understand what people say before they can speak the language!! hahaha i think i am the opposite but then again i always was a better talker then a listener!! i just have problems with conjugating to past and future because the past conjugations have 2 different ones!! and the people here speak in vos!! so that is super frustrating some times!!! i always thought vos was the form vosotros no its a totally different meaning!! so its hard because i have to use Usted but when the latinos here use vos its hard to practice hearing the correct form i need to use and because i was taught usted in mtc and ccm its hard to understand the people a lot of the time!! but some people here will change to usted for missionaries!!</div>
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so your never going to believe this but i had to buy some new pairs of pants because i have gotten fat!!! didnt fit in them no more!! and it turns out i had a worm but dont worry the doctor killed it so just think if i didnt have the little friend in my belly how fat i would really be! i would be a sumo trotting around!! dont worry mom about the worm i had; deciding if i should hang it on my wall for a prize! or if i should just send it to you so you can feel part of the culture!! hahaha just joking!! maybe not, you will find out in a couple weeks!!</div>
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hey i know this is going to be kinda trunky of me but i heard Christianaldo Ronaldo had a hat trick? is this true?</div>
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so i found out That the best way to be lazy is to prepare!!! because proselyting here sucks, i worked with the zone leader for 2 days! which is weird because splits is usually only one day but he wanted to work with me 2 days and the president told him too! so worked with him for 2 days! and he has 24 months on his mission, he leaves this week! and he said he has never once baptized someone proselyting and man it is sucks proselyting especially when it has rained for 2 days strait and your walking in water up to our knees all day! so i was laying down one night and i was thinking there has to be a lazy way to do this and bring in more results!! and then it hit me!! a movie night invitation so for the members i made a invitation flyer for a movie night this friday and they all have to write down 5 people they will invite not members or inactive members! then we will go contact those 5 people with that member!! ill let you know if this helps us get more investigators or not!! but so far we have received so many referrals doing this! we are going to contact them all this week! hope it works!! my soccer idea kinda didnt work i made a soccer tournament but to proceed to the next game they have to take lessons with us!! after about 4 times they all dropped out, kinda sucked!!</div>
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so spiritual thought for this week is</div>
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I am so grateful for the simplicity of the gospel to help us understand and come closer to christ. but because we are (men) we tend to make simple things difficult!! it saddens my heart when a person here wont take 1 min out of there day to just pray or read a scripture to see if this message is true!! and wont humble themselves just once for 2 min to ask god!! this simple 2 min can bring them to the knowledge of our savior and bring us to who we are meant to be!! if you think about god of course made these simple things for us! because 1. we are in our Carnel state and make simple things hard. so what if he had made it hard how much of us would have the knowledge of the gospel not as much!! 2. because god loves us he made it simple so he can have as many children as possible come unto our savior jesus Christ!! it brings me to tears every time when the investigators wont take this simple step and come to the knowledge of our father!! because i know that doing these simple things will change our lives for the better!! i my self did not do these simple things as well as i should of and now that i am here i can see how great the blessings we receive and know when we do these simple things!! i have so much love for our father and savior!! and it breaks my heart to see his children deny just one simple step to know the truth just because they cant humble themselves for 2 min!!</div>
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well i love you all have a great week!!!!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-77465170823151829992012-10-10T10:53:00.002-07:002012-10-14T22:14:15.579-07:00Loving the Mission!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px;">Hey whats up? hey so the picture idea through email not good idea it takes 10 min to load so i dont have time to send them in email and its 1 dollar for one picture here! so instead I had this guy burn all my pictures onto a cd for only 1 dollar and like 5 dollar to send so i sent you guys a cd of pictures!! sorry i wish there was an easier way!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">so everyone talks about tropical birds in jungles right? well not here you look up in the trees and literally floating above your head about 2 feet above is spiders the size of my hand!!! so crazy so crazy the biggest webs i have ever seen!! Jacob i am mistaken they do eat frogs here but not in my area i think its more of a san salvador thing!! its crazy i got to go to san salvador for a bit last week, man it is a whole different country it looks like salt lake city!!! those missionaries have it easy!! its incredible how big a difference santa ana and san salvador are when there just 1 hour away in a car!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">so the people here have 3 major problems!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1.Law of chastity yes i swear everyone is related its kinda nasty, even 12 year old girls have babies yes plural and with different people! its so crazy!! and weird</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Sabbath day is also a big problem here its so sad actually because i feel bad telling them they cant work on sunday when they work 24 hour shifts for about 5 dollars a day!! and its not easy work what they do here its manual labor!!! and they all have like 20 people living in there house and 5 dollars is not even enough for 1person so hard here!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3.coffee is big problem here and we as missionaries cant drink coke, pepsi or anything with caffeine in it! which is super fine with me because i dont even like soda!! so i dont have problem with it!! i love it because man they have the best fruit drinks here! and the horrchatas are the best thing in in the world!! mom i am a professional chef of the massa too! if you wanted to know.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am so in love with the mission, dont get me wrong its not easy there is not 1 easy day here in the field!! but i am starting to really love the mission and my companion is so funny, we decided not take no for an answer for anything!! when they say they cant receive us we are just like oh thats fine we just wanted to share and then start teaching about families or something haha then they accept us in the house so funny!!! or when they say they dont need service i just ask if i can go wash my hands then start doing there dishes!! yeah fooled them!! hahahah my favorite is when i lie!! yup i know i am a naughty missionary but its my favorite when they are like sorry im catholic cant receive you and then i say oh my mom is catholic then they let us in then i say oh sorry i am just learning spanish what i ment to say is my mom was catholic hehehehe tricked them again!!! but dont worry mom ill repent!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">so yeah the mission is incredible!! but i wont lie it is super hard!! and i think my sicknesses are a trail of faith!!! because at first i was just like i can just go home get surgery and be fine! but then i realized those are just excuses to go home!! and from what i know now i never want to go home!! and actually i am scared that my 2 years is coming up fast because i feel like if i go home i will become the person i was before my mission!!! and i dread that person!! and i am scared that if i have to go home for some medical thing i wont be able come back out because ill go back to who i was!! and when my 2 years is up i am scared ill become the person i was before also!! my mission presedent lets missionaries extend and i was going to ask to extend my mission but i received my answer that after my 2 years the lord has other plans for me!! but i honestly dont want my 2 years to end!! and i fear for the end of my mission every day!!! i dont really have much time to explain right now about all this because today we only had little time for p day because tomorrow were going to san salvador temple</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">so love you all bye!! </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16380829523864205231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667353311737901402.post-37770075209045218472012-10-07T09:06:00.000-07:002012-10-07T09:06:38.597-07:003 Months<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
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cool things for this week is 1 i had my first baptism!! ill send pictures through email of the ccm and part of my first weeks in the field ill send real pictures explaining them next week!! 2nd cool thing is a guy here who doesnt speak english got called to leads england!! cool huh. 3rd cool thing is my pink eye is gone but i got tin worms this week hahaha but dont worry there dead now and i am healthy now!! i am actually glad i am getting all these cool things because i would be so bored if i didnt have these because i dont understand my companion at all. 4th cool thing i worked in a different area this week i worked with the zone leaders and the assistant to the president in there areas so i didnt get to use my machete this week because they were in a more civilized area so didnt see bulls much in the streets but i did see a lot of drunks!! they are so funny they just randomly open there door and try running and they just fall (face plant) passed out in the middle of the street!!! hahaha so for service we picked up passed out drunk people out of the street hahahah!!! they are so funny!!!</div>
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so i love that i am changing so much and fast here but surprisingly i am changing a little too fast!! because yes i am trying to be obedient with exactness and because my companion and i dont communicate that well because my spanish is bad and his english is bad. and some times he doesnt like to be obedient i have kinda turned into an obedient Nazi so this week when with him i have started changing and i know surprisingly i have forgot to have fun some times!! but dont worry i am going to make up for the fun loss!! because in our house there is a random fishing rod so tonight i decided im going to try to make pancakes with that fishing rod and try flipping the pancakes over with it!! i know so cool huh!! best idea ever!!! and tomorrow since half our house is out side im making smores!!! its hard sometimes at nights because i want to talk to someone and do this stuff with someone! so i have realized i do a lot of praying and when i think of something funny i find my self praying and telling my jokes and funny things to our lord!! hahaha which is funny because he knows the punch line every time but i think he still laughs!! and enjoys making smores with me!!</div>
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so candy down here is so different candy is bread!! but believe me most of the bread is the best bread i have ever had!! they do some pretty crazy delicious stuff with breads!! and papusus is the best food ever!! messy but good!! the second thing is that candy down here is a special tree you can just chop a branch off then carve it to the middle and you suck the sugar out its actually really good and addicting!!!</div>
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so i realized my decisions to come out for the mission werent the very best but i have come to realize the best reason to serve a mission is for the savior no one else!!! i mean dont get me wrong the family friends and myself is good reason and every time i put that name tag on i do represent the McKenna family but i wish my first reason was for the lord and because of this i have tried my best to consecrate all my time to the lord!! because to be honest the mission is very short!! i have already been out for 3 months it feels like only a week!! i really need to focus hard and consecrate my time for his work!!</div>
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mom and dad i can see why you felt so sad when i didnt go to church ! its so hard for me when the people here dont want to change!! people say central america is an easy mission but its really not as easy as everyone says it is because every one here has a believe in jesus christ but dont want to change there ways and be more like him!! so its hard to help them see the truth when they have a firm believe in other things!!</div>
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oh ps before i go i just found out my friend Chris Van Camp is in the same mission as me!! he has been here for a year!! he is in belize right now!! i hope i get to see him!!! okay well i got to go</div>
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love you guys bye!!</div>
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