There are no coincidences.

January 30, 2014

Loved ones,

This week has shown me how the Lord prepares us for the future in ways we don't know until the future comes. During my first transfer in Blenheim, Sister Taleni ran to the street and started yelling after someone she knew. Her name was Steph and she had been baptized while Sister Taleni was in Wellington. This week I went on exchanges in Porirua and it's always fun to see new parts of New Zealand. On our exchange we went to a house for a lesson and when we walked in I immediately recognized Steph! It proved to me that there are no coincidences with the Lord and that for some reason I had to cross paths with her twice. Her nephew wants to be baptized and it was really cool to be in his first lesson with him.

Also in Blenheim with Sister Taleni, we met a lady named Pule. I had to pull the car over because Sister Taleni recognized her walking down the street, and again it was someone she had met in Wellington. I had been searching the teaching records to try to find her in Wellington, and I texted her number. She had told me to come teach her if I ever came to Wellington, but only Heavenly Father knew I'd be here so soon!! She was really excited as we texted her because she hasn't been taught in over a year. We'll be teaching her this week, and she said her kids had just been saying they miss the missionaries. It just reminds me that God has a plan for each of us, and being companions with Sister Taleni made it possible for me to make these connections with people in Wellington now. I am really excited about it!!

We've seen heaps of blessings from obedience. We had a referral from the office named Elizabeth. During our first meeting with her she pulled out a triple combination that she had ordered online after researching LDS.org and the church. She has been reading heaps and is already committing herself to the church without having had met with missionaries or members before. She is an absolute miracle to us and yesterday she committed to being baptized March 1st stating, "that's just the natural progression of the church so of course". Ha she's literally the best investigator EVER.

Fun things about my new area: I get a new hair do every day due to the wind, and often I have Marilyn Monroe moments, but that is why leggings are so great. I live right next to the airport, no exaggeration, and so we see huge planes flying in over head all the time.

We had another really big earthquake. Yay!! It was my first week here so I think they follow me.. I'm much calmer now, just laughing about it.

My new companion, Sister Gilmour, from Scotland. she's adorable. I love you all heaps, the work is hastening here in Wellington. It's amazing being at the center of the mission and seeing a bigger glimpse of all that goes on to ensure the safety and success of the Lord's missionaries. Senior couples are possibly the best thing, so I pray that more couples can go :) Big shout out to the Davis's on their mission call. Whoot! That is crazy, but I love our office missionaries. The cutest couple are leaving this week and I've already grown so close to them. Missions are such miracles.

Love, Sister Kennedy

I ate horse.

Sister Kennedy has been transferred to Wellington on the North Island. We are excited to hear about the good work that she will be doing there! Here is her first email from her new area:

Natasha is the cutest!!

Loading up all the luggage.
So grateful for the Elders to haul all my things:)

January 13, 2014

I totally ate horse yesterday!! I'll be honest, whenever I eat at Tongans they pretend they've fed me horse and it scares me. I just love horses too much. But yesterday for dinner the cutest family here in Wellington fed us and she had horse. I was kind of screaming inside, but it turns out it was really good! 

I live in Wellington now, land of the wind and hills. I live in Miramar which is right by the airport. I'm in a district with the Assistants, mission office sisters, and 4 other elders. We are at the mission office almost every day for meetings, lessons, or other reasons. It's the best because I absolutely adore the senior missionaries there.

Taking care of business.

We have a car but bike as well. We tend to have Marilyn Monroe moments walking with our skirts. When I drive downtown, I scream a lot ha. There's so many buses, cars, people, and buildings!! No crashes yet.. My companion has only been in the area for 6 weeks so we're the blind leading the slightly less blind.

I love you all heaps. I've been on my mission 6 months. TOO FAST!! Seriously, I love my mission. I have to conquer my fear of talking to heaps of people, but it will be exciting:) I just really love meeting new people, especially members. I always ask them to feed us because I want my islander food haha. They love my boldness, but no one really feeds the sisters here so I will change that.

My situation is a bit funny here. I'm finishing training Sister Gilmour which is awesome. She's Scottish and just the cutest. I'm already picking up her accent ha. We spent half a day just cleaning our flat and car via President's counsel, we don't have a whole lot of investigators, but we've been blessed finding new ones. A lot of people ask questions and the situation is weird, but I'm happy to be where I am:)

Not gonna lie.. It was harder to say a goodbye to people on Blenheim than it was to say goodbye to my family at the airport. I do miss them. The cutest mum came to the airport to see me off and I just kept crying thinking about leaving. Her little daughter Hope was waving to me the entire time my flight was taking off. But luckily the Lord is blessing me with the faith and hope to look forward and not look back. What an amazing gift to be given!!

Love, Sister Kennedy

Mum would be so proud of my keyboard skills in Sacrament.

P.S. Also, I'm very sorry I didn't write last week. I will now only be emailing on Mondays so that will be good. My mum would be so proud of me last week. We were so blessed to have a sacrament meeting in Picton. It was the first one and it was held in the little theater of town. There were 4 missionaries, 1 less active, 3 investigators, and 2 members to preside and help. My mum would be proud because I played all the hymns on the keyboard, I gave a talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I sang a duet with my companion "I know that my Redeemer Lives." All the ways in which my mum has helped me train and grow came in handy just in that short hour. I love you so much mum and dad for helping me be an effective instrument in missionary work.

Auntie in Blenheim

January 8, 2014

So.. this week was really good!!

Most exciting thing for the week, I'm an Auntie! A member of our branch had a baby this week, which was unexpected because he was due after the transfer. I told his mum I wanted him to come early so I could meet him.. and he did! He was born on New Year's Eve, at 11:50pm. He really wanted to be a 2013 baby after his mum was in labor for a full day. But he's soo cute and they've given him the middle name of Whitennedy, Sister White and Sister Kennedy put together. Precious!! They want him to be a missionary one day so it will be a good reminder. I just love babies mainly.

I got all my Christmas mail in January which is thrilling. Mum, Grandma, Caroline, Alyssa Huff and Uncle John sent wonderful Christmas letters. Thanks heaps!!

As Sisters we cover all the little towns around Blenheim so we went out to work in Renwick. We had some referrals to see and also did some door knocking. I'm pretty sure it's the promised land. They have an Alma Street, and Temple road. It was good ole fun with not much success ha. Today I just found out that I will definitely be leaving Blenheim:( Sad, happy, excited, and now realizing I have already collected too many things to pack ha. I've been reading a bit in the New Testament especially around Christmas time, and something that I love about Christ is that he doesn't stay in the same place. If Christ only taught people in one city, He wouldn't have been able to teach more people, perform more miracles, and bless more lives. As missionaries we are representatives of Jesus Christ and as such we must follow His example. Christ moved around to new areas, so missionaries must as well. It helps us and it helps those that we will meet.

We held our first Daily Dose English class yesterday evening and it was so fun!! We were expecting more people to come.. but the 4 members who came had a great night:) Spreading the gospel doesn't come in just door knocking, we all can have a part and use our talents to help build the Kingdom.

Whelp, that's pretty much it!! We are excited because this Sunday they are holding Sacrament Meeting in Picton so our cute investigators up there can attend. I hope we can go, it will be held in the local little theater and it will just be Sacrament. They hope to have it once a month out their with the help of the Branch President and the missionaries. Our most progressing investigators live in Picton so it will really help them, I'm stoked!

Have a beautiful week. I hear it's freezing in the States, but it is quite lovely in New Zealand:) It still feels weird to be in summer, but I think I'll manage!

Love you all heaps!!
Sister Kennedy

A Funeral, a Wedding and a Baptism.

December 23, 2013

If only there was a birth in the ward I would have had a full "Plan of Salvation Week". But seriously, it was a full on week!

On Wednesday we had the funeral, or Tagi, for Francie. It was at the Seventh Day Adventist church and you could definitely say we got some funny looks from their pastor and other people. Her husband of the past 5 years had us sit on the very front row with him. We felt a tad awkward sitting in front of her family, but he wanted us there. Then the man right next to us turns out to be Mormon! Possibly the only Mormon in the room. Of course he hasn't been active in over 40 years but he said he felt more comfortable knowing we were Mormon ha. It was a wonderful service but their belief in seeing her again was more of a hope, while our belief is a knowledge which I was so comforted by.

The super flash after wedding and baptism feed and party.

Saturday was a beautiful summer day!! But even better looking was the beautiful Prescott family who were married. Sister White and I were so lucky because we got Tongan dresses, or pule tahas, brought down from Auckland for us for the event. We looked like Christmas in red and green. But even better than our islander outfits were the girls dressed in white and the boys in nice suits. The wedding was outside at a Japanese garden. Our Branch President performed the wedding and although it was exciting to see them be married for time, I was thrilled to think about their family in a year being able to go to the temple to be sealed for all eternity. I just love weddings!! Right after, everyone hurried to the chapel for Jeff's long awaited baptism.

I'm now Tongan.

 Miracle time: We were singing "When I am Baptized" with some of the kids from the branch. We had practiced the night before and when we went that morning we couldn't find the Primary Hymn book anywhere! I was slightly freaking out.. the branch only has one book and I'd lost it!! Four missionaries searched the cupboard where it usually is and no one could find it. We looked all day, then right before the baptism I hurried off into a classroom and just said a prayer, possibly out of desperation, pleading with faith. I came out and one of the YW was standing at the cupboard, I told her we couldn't find it, then she reached her hand in and pulled out the hymn book. Whoa!! I've never had a prayer answered so quickly. A true miracle so our pianist could play for the baptism. Prayer is the answer to all things.

The program was really sweet before the baptism and he had invited many non-member friends and family who all came. We all shuffled into the tiny room with the fount and watched him be baptized. I was so overcome with emotion thinking about the day in August that we met him and how far he and his family have come. I teared up being filled with the Spirit. Baptisms are truly the best! He was also confirmed the same day. He had an Indian, Samoan, Tongan, and American a part of his confirmation. We have the best diversity in Blenheim. He stood up to give his testimony and you could just feel his happiness and testimony! The Book of Mormon sealed his testimony and desire to be baptized. He's the most converted man I've met and I know he's already started getting to work here in the branch.

Exciting news: The next day on Sunday, the District President was here from Nelson and Jeff received the Priesthood! He had a Birthday Friday, wedding, baptism, and confirmation on Saturday, then received the Priesthood on Sunday. I don't know how you could stuff more exciting things into a weekend. I'm still on a spiritual high!! Whee!! I love being a missionary and seeing the change that the gospel brings into people. I've been in Blenheim 5 months now and this family is truly my blessing. I just love them:)

Merry Merry Christmas!! Isn't Jesus Christ just the best?? There's a true meaning to the season and I pray that all of you back home will be able to focus on Christ, being with family, and find meaningful ways you can reach out to others who are less fortunate than yourselves.

Love, Sister Kennedy

P.S. are you impressed I've already filled my 16GB camera card?? Yeah, I am.

Blessings in Blenheim

December 16, 2013

Wow, this week has been busy busy and full of ups and downs. I'll start from the bad and go to the good.

Beautiful Francie, her husband Chaz,
Sister White and I visiting her in Hospice.

This week I lost a dear friend of mine in Blenheim. I don't know how to explain it. Although I've only known Francie for 5 months the pain of her death is really hard. Sister Taleni and I met her the very first day we went door knocking. She's a staunch member of the Seventh Day Adventist, but she loved us coming over to share messages of Christ and sing her hymns. She's been battling lung cancer for a year after smoking 50 years of her life. She's been so good to us, feeding us lunches, we've crafted with her, and in the past couple weeks we've been visiting her in her Hospice room. We went to see her on Friday and she was really bad. We sang her "How Great Thou Art" and while we sang she woke up from her sleep. Her family said that was the last time she woke up. She passed away Saturday afternoon. I'm not exactly sure why I loved her so much and why we met her, but I hope that it was part of Heavenly Father's plan for her to know the missionaries. I pray it will make it easier for her to accept the truth one day.

I was in my first car accident!! Crazy. We were driving home from Picton when we were stopped for a train. We had a member with us from a lesson and we felt a big push from behind. The lady behind us got distracted by the train and hit our car. At first I was just surprised what had happened. Then we dealt with everything calling our mission office, swapping information, and taking pictures of our dented bumper. We came home and a couple hours later when we looked at our car, the dent was gone! Ha funny blessing. But dealing with accident forms and insurance companies can be the worst.

I think I ate the Little Mermaid's friends. Flounder right?? This investigator fed us lunch and she gave us each a huge flounder fish to eat. It was good, but I ate more parts of a fish than I am used to. I ate fin and all of the poor little guy. I just follow suit of the hostess and so I guess I'm islander now.

We had a rocking Branch Christmas Party on Friday! The Branch President had rented out a bouncy castle for the kids, they had music playing, volleyball on the grass, and heaps of food. It was a big success and investigators even came.

We're meeting with this great lady, she's a single mum of 2 young boys. It was only the second time meeting with her and we were sitting out on her lawn watching her naked boys run around in the water. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and she LOVED it. I think she especially loved the principle of repentance and knowing that all her guilt and past could be cleaned through baptism. I extended the baptism commitment and she told us "absolutely". She then asked, "When can I be baptized?" Ha that's the response I've always dreamed of as a missionary!! She wants to be baptized before the end of the year so she can get her life on track for 2014. What a promised blessing she is!! She's a miracle and she'll be a beacon for her little family.

The wonderful view in Picton at the Foreshore.

All things considered that have happened this week, I'm still happy knowing that through the Plan of Salvation we will see loved ones again and have a fullness of joy with Christ. All things will be made right with Christ. This life is a test, that is why it's hard. And guess what, we all signed up for it!! Using our agency we chose to follow this plan. I just love it and know it is true. We have our first baptism in Blenheim this year on Saturday and we are stoked. Jeff is the best and I think he'll become branch president in the future. I've never met someone with a greater love and desire to follow Jesus Christ. Blessings truly are coming in Blenheim!! Love you all HEAPS!

Sister Rachel Kennedy

P.S. For anyone who watches the Hobbit, this is the down low. I've heard there's a scene where they are going down a river in wooden barrels. That's filmed where I am!! At least.. pretty close by haha. Cool bananas.

P.P.S. big shout out to the Willows Ward YW and YM!! I got the cutest Christmas card in the mail, and I'm sad to say I didn't know many of the names, but it was still so lovely to feel their love:)