Blenheim is blossoming.

November 13, 2013

We had a miracle Sunday this week. Pra is a lady from Thai that we are teaching English and the gospel. Yesterday she came to church with her partner and his mother. We saw 2 less actives members who haven’t been to church in years. Jeff is an investigator and he brought 12 Vanuatu workmates to church with him. The non-member is doing amazing missionary work!! He attended the District Priesthood meeting in Graymouth with other men from Blenheim and he is so active in the branch. Ha it's exciting to see how missionary work can effect even those not members. It was a full chapel on Sunday and very exciting.

I saw a cricket game!! For about 2 minutes as we biked by. Such a different sport.

We had such a powerful day last week on Friday. As missionaries we are encouraged the extend the baptismal commitment on the first lesson with have. We met with Ashlee and Angel who the Elders met and gave us and we had a great first lesson. We taught the Gospel of Christ and bore testimony of the importance of following Christ. They both committed to be baptized when they find this is true and it was so exciting! But what was more exciting was when we had another lesson during the day and was able to commit two more people to be baptized. The Spirit bore such strong testimony while we were teaching and it was exciting to see in eyes of our investigators this decision that they would follow Christ. Things are really happening in Blenheim!

This week I had some really great studies in the Book of Mormon about the Sons of Mosiah. They had quite an extreme conversion process and then they immediately went about preaching the word as missionaries. They left for 14 years which is way longer than any missionary is asked to serve these days. Ammon was very powerful in converting King Lamoni and his people. As he was traveling to visit his brother Aaron he met King Lamoni's father and there left with him his powerful testimony. It softened the Kings heart but Ammon saw nothing come from it. When Aaron later came to King Lamoni's father his heart had been softened and he was ready to hear about the gospel. Aaron was able to teach him and he became truly converted to the Lord. In missionary work there are preparers and there are teachers. Ammon's role was to prepare Lamoni and it was Aaron's role to teach and convert him. When there's not physical success of baptisms I like to hope that I've been sent to Blenheim as a preparer. I hope that the people I meet with now will one day accept the gospel because of a testimony I bore. I also want to be a teacher, but it's what the Lord wants and in His time. Pretty neat!

A family moving to Invicargile, with the hopes I'll serve around them again!

There's 2 families who are moving out of our branch for work and schooling which is sad, but what's exciting is the possibility of seeing them again. I have no idea where the Lord will send me next or when He will send me, but I'm hopeful that I'll get to see these cute families again!

I'm quite jealous of the Americans that will celebrate Thanksgiving in the coming weeks! Eat lots of food, watch good football, and laugh at the commercials I can't. It's warming up quickly here, although it likes to flip back and forth between seasons.

JUST found out the most amazing news, probably the best news I've heard my whole time in Blenheim. My favorite family, the Prescott's just set their wedding date for December 21st. Whoot, whoot!! That means a family being united then a baptism to follow and the temple in a year. With this exciting news that probably means I will be transferred two weeks before the date.. but I pray Heavenly Father will still need me in Blenheim so I can be apart of this miracle.

I got a beautiful wedding announcement in the mail yesterday and am so excited for Aunt Lisa's wedding this weekend! I hope that everything goes well and that the marriage is filled with love and happiness!

I think the Lord is so great to show us our weaknesses but gives us the ability to overcome those weaknesses and make them strengths. There's ups and downs of missionary work but we know that with the Lord He is always constant and consistent. We can always improve and become better with His help. I ask that everyone prays with real intent this week to help develop an Attribute of Christ that they need: Faith, Hope, Patience, Obedience, Diligence, Charity & Love, Knowledge, Virtue, or Humility. Tell me how your week improved as you prayed for help to be more Christlike!

I love all, and truly miss you but am grateful for this time I have to serve:)

Love Sister Kennedy