I guess this dream is for me

Ohhh Family. I love your emails. As we were driving to the internet this morning, Hermana Aquino asked me who I was most excited to hear from today....and without hesitation, I said my family! :) It has been confirmed after your email this week. Thanks for the good laughs :) I'll do my best to answer all of your questions...

FAMILY: So, how many staples are in your head?

-Well, we've been having some problems with the staples because the day after I went to the hospital, I forgot that they were there and when I went to brush out my hair...yeah, i'll let you finish that sentence. OUCH. I said some bad words and pulled a staple out and loosened some up. I go to the hospital on Saturday to get the rest removed.

FAMILY: Do you like Craisins?

- I actually do like craisins. and raisins.

FAMILY: Would you rather drink gross water or have soggy socks?

-I've told you all a thousand times, I'd rather die before having soggy socks. Gross water, please.

FAMILY: How exactly did your last accident happen?

-I was playing soccer with a flat soccer ball...on a hardwood floor.... in socks. Enough said?
I went to kick the flat soccer ball and instead of kicking it, i pretty much stepped on it, rolled over, slipped in my socks and my head fell into the corner of the wall. Cracked mah head open. Passed out a sec. Luckily it was only a few staples and a minor concussion. All is well.

FAMILY: Were the EMTs, a.k.a. ambulance dudes, cute? 

-Hahahah. so funny you should ask. Maybe this story isn't appropriate for the family email. We'll save this story for when I'm home. I'll just say....oh, yeah :)

FAMILY: Did you give them a B of M?

-No. But I gave him my number. Does that count for something? MY MISSIONARY NUMBER, not MY number. Com'on guys.

FAMILY: What’s your favorite Disney movie? (btw, Nacho Libre is not Disney.)

-I think The Sword in the Stone or Peter Pan....or Brink :)

FAMILY: Speaking of Nacho Libre, do you still hate all the orphans in the whole world?

-Always

FAMILY: How is Elder Welch?

-TAYLOR WRITE HIM BACK. He's so depressed because you're ignoring him.

FAMILY: Did you have a concussion?

-Minor

FAMILY: Why is your companion, Hermana Aquino so stinkin’ cute?

-Because she's Dominican. You should see this girl move her hips when she dances. Daaang!

FAMILY: How’s the weather?

-Perfect. always. it's too perfect.

FAMILY: Would you rather be singing opera every time you talk for the rest of your life or walk around picking your nose all the time?

-I already do the first. So. Obviously Opera

FAMILY: How did you like conference?

- THE BEST!
I think my favorite part of conference were Boyd K Packer and D Todd Christofferson's testimonies about their PERSONAL relationship with the Savior.

I'm going to steal a part of my friend Aaron's email from this week because it clearly expresses how I felt about these two talks...

"I know the savior!" When President Packer was a young man and desired to know of the truthfulness of the gospel he was desperate.  When he finally received his witness he thought, "If I could receive this witness, anyone could."  

How much confidence and comfort can we take from these words?!!!

How often in our lifetime will we hear someone say, "Joseph Smith and Sydney Rigden once said, "We know the Lord lives, becasue we have seen him," Their words are my words."

"I bear my special withness with all humility."

(At this point, my jaw drops to the floor.)

D. Todd Christofferson echoed his remarks. "I Know.... Many believe, many disbelieve, few know, but in due course, all will know.  I know."

So Cool. Conference was amazing. My testimony was strengthened and much revelation was received for my investigators and me. As you know, Conference is like Christmas in the mission. I just can't believe this was my third and last conference. Time is a tickin' and it makes me sad and a beet nurvus (New Zealand accent).

On Saturday, we were trying to contact 15 people and doing our best to TALK TO EVERYONE. It was dinner time, we were tired and the sun was going down. As we were walking back to our car, we saw a kid that looked a bit down and depressed. I told Aquino girl that we needed to go and cheer him up before we could return back home. He is 24. And after living in a crack house for two years, he decided a year ago to check himself in. He's been sober for 6 months. Until we bumped into him. He relapsed and was drinking a beer when we found him. He was so sad and disappointed in himself. He asked us, "How do you guys see me?" I instantly started to cry and bore my testimony of our Heavenly Father's love. The spirit was amazing as we taught him about The Atonement and how we can never fail if we put our trust and faith in the savior. We invited him to come to conference and he came the Sunday Afternoon Session! He loved it. As we were leaving the church he said, "Hey, do you by chance know an Hermana Kelemen? She contacted me one day and never came back..." I was so excited! I told him that she was my old companion and I'd get in touch with her to find out what happened. Hma Kelemen was so excited when I called her because she had gotten the wrong addess from him and wasn't ever able to go back and find him! She said she prayed and prayed that she would come in contact with this kid because he was so ready but could never find him! BUT WE FOUND HIM. We are teaching him again tomorrow. His name is Junior and he is the best. So ready. Pray for him.

We invited Enrique and Socorro to get married AND baptized the week of April 25th. They said they would pray about it and let us know. We have a lesson with them tonight to follow up with this commitment. Please, please keep them in your prayers. We've been making lots of progress with this family the last couple of weeks. They both came to conference and I think Enrique took a lot from it. He is progressing. He doesn't express himself but you can see it in the way he carries himself. He knows...He just needs to have it confirmed through prayer.

This mission is so exciting here in California! This last week was a bit hard with having to crack my head and stay in for a couple days but we've picked ourselves back and are back to work. We had a great zone meeting yesterday that really pumped me up and got the missionary spirit raging inside me! I love this week. I love our Prophet and his apostles. This church is true and I invite all of you to continue studying the words that we heard this weekend. I felt a very strong sense of urgency in the fact that we need to be preparing ourselves for the dark future. Trials are on their way and Satan is ready! So we need to be as well!!! He can bruise our heals, but remember, with God, WE CAN CRUSH HIS HEAD.

I love all of you so so much. Have a beautiful week and remember how important you are to me.

Love,

Kathy Kath

April Foolz

Today I am happy. For many reasons, but mostly

1. I GET TO STAY IN CHULA AND FINISH TRAINING MI HIJA :)

2. GENERAL CONFERENCE IS THIS WEEKEND

3. DIET COKE WAS ON SALE AT WAL MART

4. IT STOPPED RAINING

5. I GOT MY HAIR CUT

6. IT'S APRIL FOOLS DAY AND I'VE BEEN PULLING THE BEST PRANKS

7. Because I'm alive :)

 

Yeah, today is just a good day. It also was a good week with Socorro and Enrique...well, they failed to come to church on Sunday because Socorro girl was sick. BUT our lessons with them have been solid and very spiritual. We are trying to get them married on April 11 and baptized the following the week.  (Well, at least Socorro. Enrique is really being stubborn on the whole baptism thang.) I think listening to the prophet this weekend is really going to help Enrique with a lot of his doubts. He is such a scary man when you first meet him--but after you get to know him, he's the biggest sweetheart. He loves us so much and told us that he's never liked the sister missionaries before :/ It's a blessing that we get to stay together for one more change to help him continue progressing. Little Enrique has completely stole my heart. He wouldn't leave his room he was so shy but now, he comes out and gives me the biggest hug and hates when I leave. We are bff's. So, yup. Just keep praying for the beautiful family.

 

I've been studying a lot this week about the life of Pilate and the role he played in the life of Jesus Christ. It's incredible to me how scared he was of the Jews and how much his conscious ate at him when he, a man who came from a very logical government, far from spiritual, felt that this man, Jesus Christ, truly was innocent and maybe was the Son of God. He tried to tell the Jews three times (maybe more? not quite sure) that Jesus was innocent...but they still wouldn't listen. 

People during that time were so ferocious and blood thirsty. I understand that Pilate had done many other terrible things prior to the judgement of Chirst...but I don't know how I really feel. If I feel bad for him and consider him innocent...or feel sorry for the fact that he didn't do anything more to stop the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It's interesting to study and think about these things around Easter time. It makes me feel so grateful, to the point of tears, every time I think about what Jesus Christ did for me. For all that he suffered and went through so that I might be able to become a little bit better every single day. I feel like I used to judge people so harshly--but now, with a better understanding of the atonement, I feel my heart is softened and I'm truly learning to love those around me no matter where they currently stand in their lives. It's impossible to put into words the gratitude I have for him.

 

Being a missionary is so hard. It's difficult to be your best 100% of the time...probably  because that's impossible. I used to beat myself up quite a bit on my bad days or when I felt like I needed to stop and regain my strength. Now I know that God is merciful. He understands that we are weak, but through him, we can be made strong. We get through this whole "life thang" together and all he expects of us is to try, try again. It makes hard things worth it. So, yes, what I'm trying to say is, I love the mission. No matter how difficult it may be :) This time is precious and I'm happy that God trusts me this much with his children. Life is perfect and good.

 

Okay beautiful peps. Thanks for all you do. I hate you!!! april fools Love you :)))))

Love, Elder Pendleton