Hello there! It is good to have the oppurtunity to write to you all this week. Just a heads up before I start writting about my week, I am trying very hard to get in contact with everyone and write them letters, but seeing as I am a missionary and very busy with the Lord's work it will take time. Nevertheless you will all be receiving letters before Christmas and hopefully sooner. Ok, well what a week. So on Tuesday we went up to Lincoln where we had a big conference with a bunch of the Edlers and Sisters. Elder and Sister Golden of the First Quorum of the Seventy were there to talk to us and guess where they are from... Johannesburg, South Africa. Well I was very excited to meet them and they were wonderful. We were very enlightened and learned so much I don't think I have time to tell all that we learned, let alone the things I learned from the promptings of the Spirit. One important thing I learned though is that our faith increases as our personal rightousness increases. The more obidient we are the more faith we have. Anyways, it was great. Oh, and remember Tanner Jones, you know who played football and coach would always be like "JOOOOONNNNNEEEEESSSS!" Haha, well he's in this mission and I saw him there, so we talked and caught up on life. Well so then on Wednesday we taught these two 16 year old kids named Dillon and Tyler. We were talking about families and Tyler, who talks with a sort of redneck accent, said, "Hey Dillon, did you know that families are forever?" And I was like, "How did you know that?" And he said, "You know, you have kids and they have kids and they have kids, forever." It was hilarious. So then we tried to set them for baptism and Tyler, again in his redneck accent, said, "Well I've already been baptized... (silence)... but... I guess I can get it renewed." Haha it was so funny and hilarious. So then we went and taught this refferal from South Carolina we got in the mail. It was an older lady who lives about 30 miles from Beatrice. See our area is huge, one of the biggest branches area wise in the mid-west. So sometimes we have to drive an hour one way just to see a person. Anyways, so we drive to see this lady, Helen, and basically what she wanted was a blessing because she is having health problems. Well we talked to her about the priesthood and kind of where it comes from. Then we talked about trials and she admitted that she sometimes blames God for a lot and gets mad at Him, but that he's still our Father so we need to trust Him. Then we gave her a blessing and it was really quiet after. Then all of a sudden she just started saying a prayer and talking to Heavenly Father right there. She asked for forgiveness and said that she was willing to accept whatever came her way if it was His will. It was truely a sacred moment. Yesterday we went back and taught her again and she was very accepting of the Book of Mormon and the need for prophets. Hopefully she'll receive her own testimony of it and want to be baptized. So yesterday was also my first day in the brach, and it was the primary program! Ha, it was awesome. I love kids. The people in the brach are so great. Many of them are converts and have just amazing testimonies. And, as always, there are also a couple of characters that make every branch or ward it's own and fun to be at. Well Elder Bell is great. We get along so well and just have the best time working hard and preaching the gospel here in Beatrice.
So spiritual thought of the week. Well I guess it should be something about Thanksgiving. So I guess the most important thing I've learned over the past couple months and with the many people I've met is this: If you want to truely be happy you cannot focus on what you don't have. Instead you have to be truely grateful for the things the Lord has given you. Don't become a victim. Many people blame life, or God, or someone else for the problems they have in life. But the truth is we all are going to have hard times and we're all going to have problems. So instead of blaming others and trying to figure out why things are so hard, we instead need to look at the many blessings we do have and focus on even the little blessings we have in life. I know as we do this we will be much happier, regardless of where we are, what circumstances we are in, or what problems we may be facing. And best of all, when we show our gratitude to the Lord he will pour out His spirit upon us, one of the greatest blessings we can have in this life. I love you all and am so grateful to have you as a part of my life. You are all such great examples to me and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Godspeed,
Edler Chandler Kendall
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