You look like you need a hug.

May 11, 2014

This week has been so fulfilling! First of all, Happy Mother's Day:) I had such a special Mother's Day here but you'll have to read the full letter to get the good news! It's great to hear about the Kennedy trip to see Derek Jeter, more good news about the wedding plans, and also that school is almost out! 

Miracle investigator: We met this girl named Suzanna. She was a referral and she seemed mildly interested in learning more. We met with her at the mission office and she spoke about a friend of hers on a mission who kept inviting her to learn more and how she really admired him. She's looking for a church to attend and wants to really follow Christ. Good right? She says that she can see herself in the future getting baptised. Really good now right? We see her two days later and she agrees to be baptised in June. Great! She's probably the coolest 18 year old ginger I know. She's so pretty and we are so excited for her:) Miracle!

Earlier in the week we were walking the streets of downtown Wellington and at a corner this crazy man looked at me and said, " you look like you need a hug", so he hugged me. Ha I didn't know what to do and then just luckily crossed the road. I turned around and there was a business with big windows and one of the workers gave me a thumbs up and laughed.

Paekaraeki lookout point on my exchange,
where I met the Hungarian woman:)

I went to Paraparaumu this week on exchanges and it was the best!! It's a small town about an hour north of Wellington and it reminded me heaps of Blenheim. The church there is adorable. It's really small and the chapel is the same room as the primary room and multipurpose room ha. They have one of the only Wendy's in the mission so that bacon cheeseburger tasted really good:) It helped me remember the fun of missionary work while I was there. There's this beautiful lookout we went to and I met this Hungarian woman! She's from Budapest and said that "of course" she's met missionaries before. I wonder if one of them was Kennedy nover.

On Saturday we were so privileged to attend a baptism in Porirua. We took the Office Sisters with us and we got to see Diana, the mum, and Serenity, the daughter be baptised. On exchanges I got to teach them the Restoration so it was really neat to see them:) Plus, no one played the piano so I played all the prelude, interlude while they were changing and even accompanied for the songs. I'm so grateful for the little time I practiced before my mission and now that Heavenly Father is helping my fingers so I can play a bit more now ha. Last week the entire Bishopric was missing (I can't remember if I told this story), I've never seen that happen! So the Elders Quorum President conducted the meeting and I played the prelude music for sacrament because it sounded so empty. It feels nice to be able to give my little talent to invite the Spirit.

Diana and Serenity who were baptised on Saturday.

I was asked to give a talk on Sunday, and I remember my Mum explicitly telling me I must prepare my talks and never wing it. Ha so I did, and I even typed it which seemed weird at the time. In my talk I spoke about my Mum because of course no one would know her, right? Wrong. Elder and Sister Cannon came with Steve and Cassie to church on Sunday. BEST MOTHER'S DAY PRESENT. I had Mother's Day lunch with Nancy.. Cannon ha. They had called the night before telling us they were coming but it was so exciting to finally see them! For being in the same mission, it's been over a year since I've seen the Cannon's. I thought it was strange I had printed out my talk, but then the YW president asked if she could use it in her lesson so it was neat I could just hand her my talk.

The Samoan ward meets after us; we start at 9am and they're at 11. Anyway, one of the famous All Blacks players was in church in the Samoan ward so I was like.. really close to him ha. I also finished the Book of Mormon on Mother's Day so it was my little tribute to you Mum. One of my favourite scriptures I found was right at the end. Moroni 9:25. Be faithful in Christ, and don't be burdened down but be lifted up in Christ.

I hope you each have a beautiful week in all the adventures you are a part of! Time is flying by, can you believe it's already May? I mean halfway through May now ha. Transfers are next week and who knows how long I'll stay in Wellington, it's already been 4 1/2 months but I am loving my time here serving in windy Wellington.

Love you heaps!
Sister Kennedy

Oh! I forgot. This weekend New Zealand is having a nation wide Stake Conference broadcast from Utah. And you know who is speaking to us? President Monson and Elder Oaks! Bringing in the big guns. Needless to say, we are so excited to hear from the prophet again:)