This last week has been crazy!
We got our changes.
Aaaaaaaaaand
aaaand
aaaand
aaaaand
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand
I stayed.
And Elder Costello went to Metepec (the area right next door :) Haha).
And I am training again. .... Again. :) Haha. Super Excited.
My companion is named Elder Lara, from Oaxaca. He was in the mission about a year ago but for health reasons he had to go home right after he got here. But he is back now. THere were only two Elders that got here this change... Very few.
I didn't write on Monday because I was waiting for him in the Toluca Terminal. Haha I got there at 8:00 am to drop off Elder Costello and then my companion didn't get there till 6:00 pm. Eesh. Haha. I was there for about ten hours with another Elder just waiting. On the bright side I now have all of the brands and routes of the buses here in this area memorized. :) Haha.
We have been dashing out to Toluca every day of this week to take care of some marriage paper stuff for Elder Fjerstad because he is way out in the middle of nowhere. That's fun too. We will be finishing up all the paper stuff today.
And our baptism from last week fell because she went to D.F. Sigh. She just disappeared off the face of the planet last week. We hope to finally track her down today...
They took the Elders out of my district, just leaving the sisters. We have a new sister who is finishing up the training of the other. The new sister is kicking butt out there. We are struggling to keep up with them. :) Haha
That about wraps up this last week and a half. :)
Love you guys!
Elder Kennington
Preguntas Bien Rapidito
Q: How long does it take you to pack up your belongings to move on a transfer?
A: I can get all of my stuff packed in about 45 minutes to an hour. I got a little bit of practice now. :)
Q: What is the most common transportation mode for going to a new area? With whom do you travel?
A: Well, we take a taxi to the terminal, a bus to:
1. Observatorio, if we are going to be working in a D.F. area
2. Zitácuaro, if we are going to a Zitácuaro area
3. Toluca terminal, if we are going ot be working in Lerma, Metepec, or Toluca
Then from there we take a taxi with our new companion to the next area. It is sweet.
Q: Have you found any small shops that you enjoy patronizing?
A: There is this one street that I love that is filled with all this cultural hand-made stuff. It's really cool. Yup.
Q: What do most people do for employment in this area?
A: Construction, brickmaking, all sorts of stuff like that. :)
Q: What odd encounters with wild life or people have you have this week?
A: Well, we are teaching this guy that has years of alcohol abuse, which has caused him a lot of damage to his brain. So while he is still a good, normal guy he has some odd quirks. Like the other day when he showed us this little fishtank that had a couple snails, telling us about his "Snail Ranch." He calls each one of them Gary. :) Haha.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Kindling Builders
Hallo mein familia tan bonita! :) Como c'est va?
This last week was full of ups and downs. We had a lot of investigators committed to church, but only about half came. The nice thing is that the reasons that they didn't come were real and valid life-just-happens sorts of reasons. They are all committed for this week, and we are very excited. We are just working on hard-core leña building (when you have a progressing investigator that isn't baptized we nickname them leña (kindling). Burning all the leña=Baptizing all the investigators and not leaving anyone behind for the next elders to teach) for the next change now. Next change will be a very good one here in Las Torres.
Thinking about changes, I am very excited to see what these ones have in store. Elder Costello and I are finally knuckling down our ability to work together in better unity, and I would love to stay one more change with him to enjoy that work. We have a lot going on here, and we want to keep it going.
The district is doing well. The sisters have struggled this whole change. They are always very on-the-ball trying to get stuff done; they are always very excited and happy to be engaged in the work of salvation. They're awesome! The elders are doing ok. One of the elders is more than ready to be a district leader. He has been doing great. :)
Whatever winds up happening with the changes, I am excited for the next opportunity to keep working!
Our investigators that are coming to church are progressing really well. There is one in particular that is awesome that is going to be getting baptized this next Sunday. Her son and daughter-in-law are also progressing extremely well, and are getting ready to get baptized in a couple weeks. The son needs a lot of help with a smoking problem.
That about wraps up this last week. . ... Bye! :D
Love,
Elder Kennington
Oh. And we had a drunk lady in the street ask us a couple days ago if we were strippers. .... No comment..... Haha. We both about fell over laughing.
Preguntas Bien Rapidito
Q: What spices do I need to stock up on before you come home with all those yummy Mexican recipes?
A: Hmm... The normal spices like oregano, dill... I will have to get back to you on that one. Where I am at the main centerpieces of the recipes are the garlic, the onions, and the frying and stuff. And I have a secret incredient that I am bringing home so we can find it and make realy tacos. :)
Q: What do you know about the mission offices moving? Why did they move?
A: They moved just a few weeks ago, about three or four blocks away from where they were at. Basically someone else decided that they liked our offices better than theirs and so they kicked us out. :P I am glad that I escaped the offices before that happened. :)
Q: How much longer do you have in this change?
A: This Monday is the last Monday of this change. Next Monday there will have been cambios. :)
Q: How are you doing with the money situation?
A: I think I am doing ok. Today I had to buy a new backpack 'cause my current backpack is destroyed.
Q: What are you eating for breakfast and dinner these days?
A: Macaroni and cheese. Eggs. OH! And I started making some really tasty shakes for the both of us every morning that have:
-Milk
-Two Bananas
-A mountain of oatmeal
-A couple coconut cookies-
-Chocolate powder
-A little cinnamon
-Two raw eggs I love it. :)
Q: Have you learned to make flan yet? I’m dying to learn how to make this myself.
A: NOOOOO BUT I GOTTAAAAAA LEARN!!!!
Q: Do you understand the Hispanic method for last names? Please elaborate!
A: Yep! I always got confused at first. But it is actually really simple. Everyone here has their first two names like normal (Owen Harvey, for example) and then they have their two last names. Their first last name is the first last name of their father. And their second last name is the first last name of their mother. For example, here I would be Owen Harvey Kennington Harbrecht. We would be the Kennington Harbrecht family. :)
This last week was full of ups and downs. We had a lot of investigators committed to church, but only about half came. The nice thing is that the reasons that they didn't come were real and valid life-just-happens sorts of reasons. They are all committed for this week, and we are very excited. We are just working on hard-core leña building (when you have a progressing investigator that isn't baptized we nickname them leña (kindling). Burning all the leña=Baptizing all the investigators and not leaving anyone behind for the next elders to teach) for the next change now. Next change will be a very good one here in Las Torres.
Thinking about changes, I am very excited to see what these ones have in store. Elder Costello and I are finally knuckling down our ability to work together in better unity, and I would love to stay one more change with him to enjoy that work. We have a lot going on here, and we want to keep it going.
The district is doing well. The sisters have struggled this whole change. They are always very on-the-ball trying to get stuff done; they are always very excited and happy to be engaged in the work of salvation. They're awesome! The elders are doing ok. One of the elders is more than ready to be a district leader. He has been doing great. :)
Whatever winds up happening with the changes, I am excited for the next opportunity to keep working!
Our investigators that are coming to church are progressing really well. There is one in particular that is awesome that is going to be getting baptized this next Sunday. Her son and daughter-in-law are also progressing extremely well, and are getting ready to get baptized in a couple weeks. The son needs a lot of help with a smoking problem.
That about wraps up this last week. . ... Bye! :D
Love,
Elder Kennington
Oh. And we had a drunk lady in the street ask us a couple days ago if we were strippers. .... No comment..... Haha. We both about fell over laughing.
Preguntas Bien Rapidito
Q: What spices do I need to stock up on before you come home with all those yummy Mexican recipes?
A: Hmm... The normal spices like oregano, dill... I will have to get back to you on that one. Where I am at the main centerpieces of the recipes are the garlic, the onions, and the frying and stuff. And I have a secret incredient that I am bringing home so we can find it and make realy tacos. :)
Q: What do you know about the mission offices moving? Why did they move?
A: They moved just a few weeks ago, about three or four blocks away from where they were at. Basically someone else decided that they liked our offices better than theirs and so they kicked us out. :P I am glad that I escaped the offices before that happened. :)
Q: How much longer do you have in this change?
A: This Monday is the last Monday of this change. Next Monday there will have been cambios. :)
Q: How are you doing with the money situation?
A: I think I am doing ok. Today I had to buy a new backpack 'cause my current backpack is destroyed.
Q: What are you eating for breakfast and dinner these days?
A: Macaroni and cheese. Eggs. OH! And I started making some really tasty shakes for the both of us every morning that have:
-Milk
-Two Bananas
-A mountain of oatmeal
-A couple coconut cookies-
-Chocolate powder
-A little cinnamon
-Two raw eggs I love it. :)
Q: Have you learned to make flan yet? I’m dying to learn how to make this myself.
A: NOOOOO BUT I GOTTAAAAAA LEARN!!!!
Q: Do you understand the Hispanic method for last names? Please elaborate!
A: Yep! I always got confused at first. But it is actually really simple. Everyone here has their first two names like normal (Owen Harvey, for example) and then they have their two last names. Their first last name is the first last name of their father. And their second last name is the first last name of their mother. For example, here I would be Owen Harvey Kennington Harbrecht. We would be the Kennington Harbrecht family. :)
I forgot to take a photo of the pizza until the last moment. :) Last piece!! It was super good! I now know how to make pizza with a filled crust. :)
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Mamas Rely on Loving Members
There was never any question in my mind about sending Owen on his mission. I was thrilled by his desire and worthiness to serve. He has grown in so many ways being in Mexico, serving and sacrificing. Still, as his mother I miss him terribly. That has never eased, although I thought it would. When members reach out to our missionary children, feed them, love them, and look after them in their mothers' absence, it makes this missionary mom's heart full. It is extra thrilling when those members make the effort to share photos and experiences with the missionary mom. The Garcia family in Elder Kennington's current district have reached out to me and shared extra tidbits I wouldn't otherwise get about how my amazing son is doing. I love them. Here is what they shared this week:
Brother Garcia said: "Hello. Today we got to do sushi. Here is the evidence he is learning to make sushi:"
Brother Garcia said: "Hello. Today we got to do sushi. Here is the evidence he is learning to make sushi:"
 |
| Come on Elder Kennington! It's going to be tasty! |
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| Elder Costello looks just a little *too* happy about that knife! |
Monday, March 7, 2016
Pizza -- It's What's For Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
February 29, 2016
HIYA!
This last week was awesome! We focused on finding new investigators and more people to start teaching, and found a lot of success. We found a couple new families to teach and a new investigator that is extremely ready for the Gospel. The new investigator is a woman that has passed through a lot in her life. She has lost children, lost jobs, gotten divorced, and a whole load of other things. But she has finally found where she can find the solace that she is looking for. She is going to be getting baptized on the 13th of March. We are really excited for her.
What really helped us out last week was looking for and asking for and begging for references from everyone in sight. We talked with everyone we could, and asked for people to teach from each one. We finished the week with a personal record for references recieved in a week (58!) the next week we will be getting at least 70. ... That is the goal anyway. We want to find even more new investigators that are ready to progress.
Elder Costello and I are doing well. We are both missionaries that have time in the mission and that have a decent amount of experience, which is nice. It makes doing divisions with the members particularly effective. Love it!
The ward is doing well. Chugging along. Nothing much to report.
Love,
Elder Kennington
Sunset in Metepec
And we ordered a huge pizza. Pizza and the BoM. Can't get much better than that. :)
This is a joven that always comes with us. He is twelve years old and a few inches taller than I am. I'm short.
The Elders baptized an investigator on Sunday. His name is Rey David. We totally baptized King David. :):) He is awesome!
The font water was green. It looked like gatorade. Bleh.
Were you caught licking the bowl again?
Nice hairnet Elder Costello!!
Glad to see our missionary is displaying the gracious table manners with which his mother sent him into the field.
If you will compare this pizza with the anemic one they purchased above, I think that will explain their glazed, awed expressions.
HIYA!
This last week was awesome! We focused on finding new investigators and more people to start teaching, and found a lot of success. We found a couple new families to teach and a new investigator that is extremely ready for the Gospel. The new investigator is a woman that has passed through a lot in her life. She has lost children, lost jobs, gotten divorced, and a whole load of other things. But she has finally found where she can find the solace that she is looking for. She is going to be getting baptized on the 13th of March. We are really excited for her.
What really helped us out last week was looking for and asking for and begging for references from everyone in sight. We talked with everyone we could, and asked for people to teach from each one. We finished the week with a personal record for references recieved in a week (58!) the next week we will be getting at least 70. ... That is the goal anyway. We want to find even more new investigators that are ready to progress.
Elder Costello and I are doing well. We are both missionaries that have time in the mission and that have a decent amount of experience, which is nice. It makes doing divisions with the members particularly effective. Love it!
The ward is doing well. Chugging along. Nothing much to report.
Love,
Elder Kennington
Sunset in Metepec
And we ordered a huge pizza. Pizza and the BoM. Can't get much better than that. :)
This is a joven that always comes with us. He is twelve years old and a few inches taller than I am. I'm short.
The Elders baptized an investigator on Sunday. His name is Rey David. We totally baptized King David. :):) He is awesome!
The font water was green. It looked like gatorade. Bleh.
And finally, a family that Elder Kennington and his companion spend time with during the week (and who apparently feeds them well!) sent me some pictures they took of Elder Kennington and Elder Costello making pizza at their home. This is the same family that Owen Skyped from at Christmas. They are the Garcia family.
Were you caught licking the bowl again?
Nice hairnet Elder Costello!!
Where was Elder Kennington's hairnet?
Glad to see our missionary is displaying the gracious table manners with which his mother sent him into the field.
If you will compare this pizza with the anemic one they purchased above, I think that will explain their glazed, awed expressions.
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