Well we had quite the week! A lot of cool things going on! Tuesday
the senior couple Elder and Sister Erickson had someone for us to teach but
upon arrival he wasn't there. It happens a lot to us missionaries and I guess
over the course of 17 months I have been accustom to it but it was so sad to
watch the senior couple be so excited and then be let down my heart hurt for
them. Elder Erickson said God brought you to these apartments and if it's not
for Sam it's for someone else. So, he
invited us to knock the neighborhood. I was a little hesitant because we had
already knocked half of it a week prior with no luck. Nonetheless, we did as he said and we ended
up finding three people that we had really good conversations with.
One being Mimi and her daughter. They were so sweet and let us in to share
a short message. It was so neat because people here are #1 scared of others
because if all the crime and #2 they are really busy or #3 just
straight up cruel. I've actually only been let in about 6 times my whole
mission. People will let us set up a lesson to come back but never in the same
day so that fact that they allowed us in their home was a miracle in and of
itself. . Mimi is on borrowed time. She
has cancer and the doctors diagnosed her a month ago and said she would have a
month or two max to live. What a sweet woman! We testified to her of the love
Christ has for her and her family and then read a few passages with her of how
He is always there. It was a very touching
moment.
This week was a miracle! Fummi and John as of right now are on visitor Visas and have been trying for over a year to start their papers with no luck. It's been terribly discouraging for them! All they want to do is better their lives. A few weeks back we start working with a member who is from Africa and has experience in helping others progress through papers. He had an opportunity to speak with the lawyer which is going to help them. To you and me this might not mean anything, but I didn't realize how much it meant until Fummi was all choked up and expressed her gratitude to God for leading them towards us. She continually states that it was by God’s grace that we met and all things have been and will work out for them. She stated God truly knows us and our needs. So true I love them and I love watching them learn and grow. It's amazing to me. I have been so blessed to be a part of this ride with them! Amazing people!!
One last story, so on Saturday night we were contacting. It's getting pretty late and we didn't feel like knocking would be beneficial so we were walking around the complex back to our car when I thought I heard someone yelling. I asked Sister Pruitt and she had heard it too. As we rounded the corner there was an 80-year-old Indian Grandma yelling up by the train tracks her grandson had was up on the tracks and he wasn't coming down. At her age, she could not go get him so I ran up the hill to find this little one. As I came to him, I quickly realized that he had severe autism. After about 20 minutes trying to coax him down the hill he was so scared, he wasn't about to move, I swooped him up and got him down. Then as we were walking to the apartment he had another episode, if you will. He wouldn't go up the stairs 3 stories because it was “too high, too high”!! Knowing a little bit about how to work with them, we took his mind off the task at hand and started talking about the butterflies and fireflies that he had been catching, knowing that most kids similar to him have a niche. Little did I know, this was his he loved bugs!! I was able to coax him up the stairs by telling him to come look out the window for more bugs and more fireflies. It ended up that we stayed till about 930, with permission, to help this young boy settle down and his grandma. as he was climbing in the bed, I think he even wanted a goodnight kiss. Grandma told us that prior to us showing up, she been praying to God that he would send someone to help her! I'm so grateful that I could be the Lord’s hands that night and that for whatever reason kids like Alex have taken a liking to me throughout my life so that I could help in that moment.
Oh one last thing that is also a miracle! Our whole ward gathered together in a fast for missionary work. Not missionary work in the sense that we can do better as a missionary, but that as members of the Church who've made covenants with God, to have opportunities to share what makes them who they are and how the gospel of Jesus Christ has brought peace and joy and love into their life and their families. There is so much strength that comes as wards gather together to ask for specific blessings. In my case the fast was for missionary work but in my home ward, it was for the Sexton family.
Regardless, I know that my Father listens to our prayers and he is mindful of each of us. There is power that comes from a ward fast! Anything is possible with the faith of members who love one another and love God!! I love you all! Here's to another great week.
This week was a miracle! Fummi and John as of right now are on visitor Visas and have been trying for over a year to start their papers with no luck. It's been terribly discouraging for them! All they want to do is better their lives. A few weeks back we start working with a member who is from Africa and has experience in helping others progress through papers. He had an opportunity to speak with the lawyer which is going to help them. To you and me this might not mean anything, but I didn't realize how much it meant until Fummi was all choked up and expressed her gratitude to God for leading them towards us. She continually states that it was by God’s grace that we met and all things have been and will work out for them. She stated God truly knows us and our needs. So true I love them and I love watching them learn and grow. It's amazing to me. I have been so blessed to be a part of this ride with them! Amazing people!!
One last story, so on Saturday night we were contacting. It's getting pretty late and we didn't feel like knocking would be beneficial so we were walking around the complex back to our car when I thought I heard someone yelling. I asked Sister Pruitt and she had heard it too. As we rounded the corner there was an 80-year-old Indian Grandma yelling up by the train tracks her grandson had was up on the tracks and he wasn't coming down. At her age, she could not go get him so I ran up the hill to find this little one. As I came to him, I quickly realized that he had severe autism. After about 20 minutes trying to coax him down the hill he was so scared, he wasn't about to move, I swooped him up and got him down. Then as we were walking to the apartment he had another episode, if you will. He wouldn't go up the stairs 3 stories because it was “too high, too high”!! Knowing a little bit about how to work with them, we took his mind off the task at hand and started talking about the butterflies and fireflies that he had been catching, knowing that most kids similar to him have a niche. Little did I know, this was his he loved bugs!! I was able to coax him up the stairs by telling him to come look out the window for more bugs and more fireflies. It ended up that we stayed till about 930, with permission, to help this young boy settle down and his grandma. as he was climbing in the bed, I think he even wanted a goodnight kiss. Grandma told us that prior to us showing up, she been praying to God that he would send someone to help her! I'm so grateful that I could be the Lord’s hands that night and that for whatever reason kids like Alex have taken a liking to me throughout my life so that I could help in that moment.
Oh one last thing that is also a miracle! Our whole ward gathered together in a fast for missionary work. Not missionary work in the sense that we can do better as a missionary, but that as members of the Church who've made covenants with God, to have opportunities to share what makes them who they are and how the gospel of Jesus Christ has brought peace and joy and love into their life and their families. There is so much strength that comes as wards gather together to ask for specific blessings. In my case the fast was for missionary work but in my home ward, it was for the Sexton family.
Regardless, I know that my Father listens to our prayers and he is mindful of each of us. There is power that comes from a ward fast! Anything is possible with the faith of members who love one another and love God!! I love you all! Here's to another great week.
Keep Smilin
Sister Kendrick
Oh I forgot!
I taught the Elders how to sew in district meeting and they have all
reported back that they have fixed their clothing!
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