Brothers and Sisters

Hello everyone! Hope you are all having a fun day off from work and
school. Sounds like Utah is finally getting some snow. We finally
had some cold days last week starting Wednesday. It was super windy
and the temperature finally dropped. Still no snow here, and the
weather has been improving again. Normally I'd be complaining that
there is no snow, but considering I have to go out and walk in it all
day, no complaints here. Well, nothing major that is new this week.
The area has been improving though. It has been hard to train Elder
Gonzales with the lack of lessons we have been having, so it has been
nice to get a couple of lessons in this week. We had eight, so things
are improving. We continue to tract whenever we have the chance and
are always trying to improve our door approaches so that we can find
the elect. The funny thing is people are usually very nice to us for
the most part as we knock on their door, but most don't want to let us
in. Almost everyone here is very Lutherian, and if they're not
Lutherian, they're Catholic, and if not Catholic, then Methodist.
We're striving really hard to find families, and we found the one last
week, the Notleys, who are a part member family. The only problem is
they live is Sterling which is pretty far away, and we haven't been
able to see them again because the father works so much. We were able
to put another lady on date, her name is Kathy Young. She was
actually kind of a tract, but also referred to us by a excommunicated
member. Haha, so that is kind of interesting. We try to make things
as fun as we can though. Elder Gonzales always ends up laughing when
we are tracting. We usually try to do it at night, because that is
when people are home, and I think he gets a little punch drunk. The
biggest thing we are trying to overcome right now is trying to see our
investigators more than once a week, or once every other week. They
need to be keeping commitments to progress towards baptism, and we
need to see them to follow up on those so they will be progressing and
keeping them. That's our biggest struggle right now, is finding solid
investigators. Our most solid investigator Tina Cribbs, the one who
got married, was supposed to be baptized this next weekend. But she
has been so sick we haven't been able to see her, plus she is having a
hard time with the Word of Wisdom. We gave her a blessing, and she
got better, but the day we were supposed to see her she got sick
again. So that's also a bit frustrating. So she actually won't be
getting baptized until the middle of Feburary, hopefully. So that's a
bit frustrating, but the most important thing is she is ready.
Despite all the challenges we are having here the area continues to
improve week by week and hopefully we will start to see more
ivestigators progress towards baptism.
So... spiritual thought of the week. So one thing I have a problem
with sometimes is I don't have a lot of love towards people. Sure,
I'm very patient with our investigators, and love them tons. And I
love the members in the branch, they are just amazing. But as I tract
and people turn us down, or others who try to cause contention, I have
a really hard time loving them. But as we have been studying the
teachings of George A. Smith, I have really started to ponder about
how I can better love everyone, regardless of who they are or what
they say to us. Sometimes it is really hard, because once you do
start to love people as the Savior did, you are devestated when they
turn you down, because you love them. But I have seen as I have tried
to improve my love towards others, I can see their potential, and know
that just becuase they turn us down or try to avoid us, doesn't mean I
love them less. I just continue to treat everyone as an individual
and know that they will still have oppurtunities in their lives to
accept the gospel. It helps a lot, and I am much more motivated to
talk to people when I remember they are my brothers and sisters who I
knew before we came here and who also are going through the same test
and life that we all decided we would follow before we were even born.
That is why missionary work is so important, and that is why it is
work. We have to work to help people remember what they came here to
do, and to again make the decision to follow the Savior. So I will
continue to try my very best to love everyone and do everything in my
power to help them come closer to our Savior. As Elder Holland said,
"Missionary work is not easy because salvation is not easy. It never
was. It wasn't for Him, so why should it be for us." I find joy in
knowing that in some small way I am helping the Savior in His work as
I strive my hardest to be the best missionary I can be. Love you all
and hope you have a great week.

Godspeed,
Elder Chandler Kendall