Heya! This week was really good!
Elder Goodrich and I worked like madmen to try and help Elder Lowe, the new secretary, get all the info that he needs to dive right in to being secretary.
And not one second too soon.
This last Sunday Presidente Whitehead found out that his son-in-law had died of a heart attack at the age of 40, on Hermana Whitehead's birthday. He left behind his wife and four children under the age of 15.
Presidente is really struggling right now, and could use a lot of prayers.
Honestly, my respect and love for Presidente have exploded over the past little while as I have seen all this happen. Despite all that is going on he is unflinching and unfailing in his dedication to his calling as Mission President. He has been a great example to me, and I have learned a lot about what it really means to serve with all your heart, might, mind, and strength over the course of the last few days.
Hermana Whitehead went back to the ranch for a couple weeks to make sure that everything goes ok and to be of comfort to her daughter and grandkids.
The humor in all of this is that Elder Goodrich got a new assignment... He took the place of Hermana Whitehead in her absence. So now he answers all of the health related phone calls for the Elders and Hermanas. He is President's new companion. We were thinking of trying to make a new assignment option as "Wife of Mission President" to add to his mission assignment history online, but thought better of it the last minute. :) Haha.
Things are going well with my new companion, Elder Lowe. He is a good hard worker inside the offices, and very smart and organized, making both our jobs a lot easier. I am struggling a little with helping him to make time so we can escape the offices and go work in our area with our investigators. I would compare the offices with a cold swimming pool. Everyone is loathe to get in, but when they do and they get accustomed to it they are loathe to get out. Haha.
Gotta dash for now. I have a little less time today than I would like. Hope that you are all doing well, and that life is treating you well, and that you are treating life well in turn. I love you all so much!
Hasta luego
Elder Kennington
Preguntas Bien Rapidito
Q: Are the mission home and mission offices close together?
A: Yep! Walking they are probably five minutes apart. Haha.
Q: Is it intimidating to be in President Whitehead’s ward? ...
A: Yeah... Haha. We also have a couple ex-area seventies in our ward. And the mission President for the South mission as well. This ward is loaded. And that is just another great reason to work as hard as I can. :) When Elder Nash came and visited us at church, it was in our ward as well. We were very happy to have a new family with us there... Haha.
Q: Any interesting scuttlebutt on the Mexico City temple open house and dedication?
A: Aside from that it will be in September, we haven't managed to glean any information. Any good chismes are still pretty well locked away
Q: What is the weather like where you are now?
A: It is uber hot in the morning, and then we have a crazy rainstorm at about 2:00 that lasts for the rest of the day. It is crazy!
Q: What footwear needs shoe glue? (I’m double-checking I am allowed to mail it)
A: Just one of my pairs of normal work shoes.
Q: Does Mexico celebrate a Father’s Day?
A: Yep. It is basically the exact same as how they do it in the United States. :)
Quick Questions from last week:
Q: Were the beetles tasty?
A: More or less. They had an interesting aftertaste, but the initial flavor and the texture were pretty fun. :) Haha.
Q: Where are your favorite places to go street contacting?
A: We have this tiny little pueblito in my area that I love, that looks a little like the poorer side of Toluca. The people out there are very susceptible to the influence of the Spirit, which is very refreshing for a missionary.
Q: In the baptism pictures who were the other people besides missionaries and the family you baptized? Was that the bishop and his family?
A: There was the Ward Mission Leader, who baptized Gabriel, and the bishop's family. :) Love them all to bits! I am going to get to see them this coming Sunday. More details on that a little later.
Q: Are all of the new incoming missionaries coming out of the Mexico City MTC?
A: With few exceptions, yes. For example, we are getting a Brazilian elder this next change who is coming in from the Argentina MTC. :D
Q: Do you have much direct contact with the Mexico City MTC?
A: Yep! We work closely with them getting our missionaries to ground zero, and we see them all the time at Immigration when I go to save missionaries from getting deported. :)
Q: Once the temple is rededicated will you get to go do a session there even though it is out of your mission?
A: I honestly don't know. It depends a lot on if permission is given to the missionaries to take a day off of work, which would take quite a trick. :) The day before a missionary finishes his mission he gets a full-day P Day, which would likely be their opportunity to go.
Q: What is something about leadership you have learned this week?
A: Just how powerful effect that love and respect on changing behavior and results. Those two aspects of leadership can singlehandedly turn a dry district/missionary into an extremely fruitful one. Those two qualities are what inspire a missionary to want to change themselves, as opposed to being pressured to by their leaders. The difference between pressure coming from inside is extremely different from pressure coming from the outside.
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