Not up or down, but Forward.

March 9, 2014

Wow, what an exciting day to hear Caroline is engaged! I guess it wasn't how I imaged hearing the news when I was younger, but it's where the Lord needs us to be now. Congratulations to the whole family! I also got a Valentine's package from Andrew and Chels which was the cutest. Thanks heaps:)

Something that was exciting in my week was a Leaders Conference on Wednesday. I got to travel up the North Island to Palmerston North for a meeting with the AP's, Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, and District Leaders serving on the north island in my mission. It was really fun, but also the weirdest being the only sister with 3 elders for 5 hours of driving. BUT, we got Wendy's on the way back which was fantastic. The first time in New Zealand. We got to listen for 5 hours to our Mission President and his wife. I love them! They are just heaven sent. Strangely I love meetings like that. Maybe it's because I miss Uni lectures.. but I did really enjoy it!

Yay for the Noye's being in Wellington!!

At church I have the terrible habit of always looking back when I hear the doors open, just hoping it's an investigator or less-active walking in. I always try to recognize the people walking in because I still feel new. But this Sunday, I looked back and realized I didn't recognize this couple walking in, but I knew them!! John and Nan Noyes from Corinne walked in and I was absolutely ahh struck. I got up and hugged them and had them sit right next to us. Seriously, what are the chances?? They are going down to Christchurch to see the Cannon's which is the coolest. John served his mission in Auckland many years ago and he told me that I will continue to think of New Zealand every day of my life because he has. They kept calling me by my first name and it was so weird. Ha I forget I have a past life with a first name. But little miracle to be sitting in Wellington with a couple from home:)

Miracle of the week: My companion and I were trying a potential investigator.. who wasn't home.. again. As we were leaving the apartment complex we met this guy, and we could tell he knew we were missionaries. He said, "Hey Sisters. I'm inactive, but my family is here. Want to meet them?" Uhh, yeah!! We walked into this little flat and met a big Maori family. They had all flown in from Aus and from New Zealand for their dad's funeral. They had seen us walk past the window and sent the son out to get us. The Mum is active up north but all of her children are inactive. We got to sing for them Nearer My God to Thee, then they got our their guitar and sang for us a song called Faith and then we all sang Families Can Be Together Forever. WHOA!! The Spirit was present more than I can ever remember on my mission. 17 family members all smashed in one little room, singing about forever families, with the ashes of their grandpa in the middle. It was seriously amazing. Then, almost all of them came to church on Sunday and it was the first time back in years for most of them. We just kept saying how this wasn't a coincidence that we tried this potential investigator and met this family. God knows each of us and will send us the answers we need.

This week we put all our time and effort into a Stop Smoking program developed by the church. It is a program to help smokers completely quit in 7 days. We spent study time to create her program, we bought all the needed resources for her, we cleaned her disgusting flat, and we moved heaven and earth to get a member present at her lesson so she could use the 15 steps to stop smoking. We did everything in our power to help this poor women quit smoking. We were saddened to find out she had lied to us by going and buying a packet of cigarettes right before we cleaned her flat and that she had already given up the first day. It was so hard for me to be patient with her knowing we had given her everything we could. Then I remembered the Saviour. He gave us everything He could, even His life. Yet we continue to make the same mistakes and not live up to our full potential. I just pray that I can live up to more of my potential and use the Atonement that He has provided. As a missionary, I know that no effort is wasted, but I am saddened to see the adversary have so much control.

I just wanted to remind everyone that I'm serving in 

Wellington City and sometimes we see crazy things..

I know this church is true. I love bearing Jesus Christ's name, talking to complete strangers, and teaching about the Plan of Salvation. A recent survey found that 40% of New Zealanders don't believe in God. Crazy. We continue to work hard every day so that people can know they are sons and daughters of God and that there is a plan and way provided to return home. Our mission president spoke about people feeling like they aren't a good missionary until they become a Zone Leader or something of a "title". The Lord doesn't care about up and down movement. He cares about forward movement. I pray we may all move forward this week!!

Love you all heaps!
Sister Kennedy