October 31, 2011

Dear Family,

Wow, mom, that was a really awesome letter!!***  Patty and Luis definitely did get married and I was able to perform the baptism for Luis after church.  It is really, really amazing how the Lord works isn't it?  Last night when we were having the little wedding reception with Luis, Patty and their family (pictures attatched), I was looking around and thinking of all the miracles I had seen and been apart of with this family.  I remember the first time that Elder Faldmo and I talked to Ester when she was getting the mail with little Antonio in his batman shirt.  I can already see the results and blessings that have stemmed from that first contact and they are monumental.  Luis and Ester were literally about to split up because there hadn't been a day for years that they hadn't fought and that Luis hadn't had a 12-pack of beer.   But now they are so happy, and they always thank me for the role I played in their reactivation and in their marriage.  Ester even calls me an angel!!!  This is one of those families that I KNOW I was sent to Phoenix for -- I am going to miss them a lot.

The reason that I say I'll miss them is because I am being transferred!!  The best part is that I am staying in Phoenix!!  YES!!!  I am going to be in the same Stake I'm in right now but in the Branch just south of here which is legit, downtown Phoenix and is loaded with projects, so I am sure to have some good stories (I'll still be on my bike too!!!).  My new companion's name is Elder Camarillo from LA California.  He just trained the last two transfers so I am going to be his "greeniebraker" as they call it in the mission.  He is a Chicano (Hispanic born in America) so we will be able to talk in Spanish all of the time!!

The other picture I sent is of my favorite little kid EVER!!!  His name is Antonio, and he's Luis and Patty's youngest son.  He is so crazy and is never, ever sitting down.  During Sacrament Meeting he always runs around and crawls under the pews.  I always tell Patty and Luis that I want one of my kids to be just like Antonio, and they always ask if I'm sure about that when he's going crazy (hahaha).

I hope that you are enjoying your early winter in CT.  It just barely started to get a bit cooler down here.  I am starting to see the snowbirds again . . . they are really bad drivers.  I hope everything is going well in CT.

Love,

Elder Kinney

***(This is part of the email I sent to Mike today telling him about the little miracle that happened last week.)

Okay, so I've saved the best story for last.  As we've read your letters over the months, you've told us about some situations where we've wondered if we should help out in some way.  When dad and I were out to dinner for our 23rd anniversary, he expressed to me that we should be able to help out your investigators from time to time, and I said I agreed, but wondered if there were mission guidelines that needed to be followed (maybe the Mission President doesn't want the investigators to become dependent upon the missionaries for financial support or something).  Anyway, I finally said, "If Mike asks, then I think it would be okay to help out," and dad agreed.  So two days later I get last week's email from you and, low and behold, you asked for $72 for Patty and Luis to buy a marriage license.  What you don't know, is that I apparently over-paid one of the doctors you saw from your bike accident last year, and they mailed a reimbursement check that had just come in the mail, made out to Michael Forrest Kinney for . . . guess how much . . . $72.69!  Maybe it's a little miracle (it's not like we wouldn't have sent you $72 anyway), but it's a miracle nonetheless.  The hairs raised up on my neck and as soon as I finished reading your email, I raced the check to the bank to deposit it into your account. 

October 24, 2011

Dear Family,
 
This week has been kind of good and bad at the same time.  Unfortunately, the Teran family hasn't been as awesome since Leon's burn has healed. It seems to be the case a lot of times when people don't have an immediate imposing need, they don't realize the importance of the gospel.  We are still going to try and set something up with them and see what happens.

Hada, the woman who had a potential baptismal date for the 29th of this month has also seemed to loose interest since she got a job about a week ago.  We haven't really been able to even contact her.  Luckily, we got a sweet member referal from the Torres family who we set a baptismal date with for the 19th of November.  That's a relief considering all the other fallbacks that we've had.

We were also able to find five new investigators, some of which look slightly promising.  One new family that we found is the Cabral family.  The first time we taught them, they were really interested in all of the points about the restoration and the need for prophets and authority, which is always really great to see.

I'm sorry but we are in kind of a rush to go to a Zone activity where we're going to watch The Prince of Egypt in the home of our Stake President.  I'll write a bigger letter next week.
 
Love,
 
Elder Kinney

October 17, 2011

Dear Family,

This week has been pretty good but it's also had some disappointments.  Unfortunately (for me and Elder Mills), Elder Palmer got his visa to go to Brazil so he will leave this Wednesday.  He has been a huge blessing in the sense that we've been able to enter houses with just women in them.  I don't know exactly what we are going to do without him.  Hada, the investigator who has a baptismal date for October 29th, would not have progressed like she has if we weren't able to go over as much as we did because we had Elder Palmer with us.

We have been trying really hard to involve members in the teaching process but we have only had minor success.  Every time members come with us it's awesome, but it requires a ton of coordination, including what feels like certain planetary alignments.  We were trying to work out a weekly split with one of the Branch Presidency Counselors but it's been difficult.  But now that Elder Palmer is leaving, he's just going to have to come now.

Back to Hada.  She is scheduled for baptism on the 29th, but she's wondering whether or not to wait to be baptized with her husband when he gets out of jail in December.  We told her that she should pray about it and discuss it with him.  Patty and Luis are continually gaining more and more momentum in their progression as well, which is a relief for me.  I feel kind of stressed since I do almost everything that needs to be done from the contacts, lessons, member coordination, planning, etc.  Since we have been practicing in our companionship, Elder Mills has taught a bit more which is good.  I hope we can continue to improve.  We did receive what seems like an awesome member referral for baptism from the Torres family last night so I am really excited about that.

I hope everything is going well in NC.  Sorry if this letter is short, we are kind of in a rush today.

Love,

Elder Kinney  

October 10, 2011

Dear Family,
 
That looked like a pretty cool outing you guys had with the Bray family, although I must say, I bet some of the Mexican food I eat here is ten times better than the Mexican food you ate in the city!!!!  Sister Torres, the less active that was recently activated (she actually bore her testimony in church on Sunday!!!!) is a beastly cook.   Like, seriously beastly.  Every single time we get to eat at her house, which is now almost every time we go, I eat so much that I just want to keel over and render myself unconscious.  I have acquired a new favorite Mexican dish which can be gross if you don't make it right: Tacos de Cabeza which translated is, head tacos or face tacos.  It is basically all of the meat on the face and head of the cow (I'm pretty sure the brain isn't included) and it is delicious.  Whenever I tell members or any Hispanics that I like it, they are always shocked because no gringos (white people) like food like that.  As a matter of fact, a lot of Mexicans don't like it either.  I love em' though.  With a fat scoop of cilantro, onions and homemade salsa on a hot corn tortilla.... delishhhhh.  Maybe Dad can look up a recipe and see if he wants to try and make it (hahaha).

This week has been pretty awesome.  We were able to go to the temple with two of our investigators -- Addah, Ruth (sisters) and their 5 kids.  The Relief Society President took them in her van.  We watched "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration," showed them the artwork, and talked about the purpose and importance of temples.  They really, really enjoyed it.  We were able to set a baptismal date with Addah on Saturday night when we read through 2 Nephi 31*, which expounds on the doctrine of Christ.  She accepted the date for the 29th of October without hesitating.  She is really solid and really humble.  She has started to trust us a lot as representatives of Christ.  Last night she texted us about her economical worries.  Last week we had to help her get some diapers for the youngest of her 4 kids, Mike.  She is currently living with Ruth, her sister, and Ruth's husband Enoc who is interested but isn't really willing to give up some things to keep the commandments.  Ruth is interested too, but her husband, Enoc, is kind of controlling and potentially abusive so he doesn't let Ruth come to church sometimes.  It is a really unfortunate situation.

Last night we almost got jumped by some black dudes in an ally behind the canal at 8pm.  We helped a guy carry his groceries from the street, but when we got to the canal he told us to wait with the groceries while he goes and gets some people to help him carry them to his house.  I immediately thought that was sketchy and remembered the time when a homeless guy asked Dad for some money for a hot dog on the train and dad told him to go wait by the doors so he didn't have to get his wallet out right in front of him.  I looked at  my companions (one from Utah and the other from Idaho, who aren't even thinking there was a problem) each holding 4 bags of groceries while straddling their bikes, and I thought we were in a pretty vulnerable position.  I told them to set the groceries on this elevated concrete slab so we didn't have to have any up close contact with that guy and whoever he was going to bring back.  They were confused and didn't know why I told them to do it, but they obeyed.  We waited about 5 more minutes when we finally saw him come out of the complex with a 6'5" 300-pound black dude.  They started to walk toward us (and not the groceries we had placed on the concrete, which I knew they saw because the bags were right under a light post).  When they got about 30 feet away, I just told them to have a good night and started to ride off on my bike.  My companions realized how sketchy the situation was at that point and followed me, later sharing with me their gratefulness that I was from Connecticut and didn't have such a naive perspective of people in the ghetto.

Hope everything is good at home.  The pictures I sent are of me and Luis (one of Patty and Luis' kids), and a man with a long white beard and blue helmet that we often see, and me in my frustration during some bike repairs.
 
Love,
 
Elder Kinney

*2 Nephi, Chapter 31

(Nephi tells why Christ was baptized—Men must follow Christ, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end to be saved—Repentance and baptism are the gate to the strait and narrow path—Eternal life comes to those who keep the commandments after baptism. About 559–545 B.C.)

 1 And now I, Nephi, make an end of my prophesying unto you, my beloved brethren. And I cannot write but a few things, which I know must surely come to pass; neither can I write but a few of the words of my brother Jacob.

 2 Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying.

 3 For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.

 4 Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world.

 5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!

 6 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water?

 7 Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.

 8 Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.

 9 And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.

 10 And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?

 11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

 12 And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.

 13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

 14 But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.

 15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

 16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.

 17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and ^abaptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

 18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

 19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

 20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

 21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.

October 3, 2011

Hello Family,
 
I got the package.  Thanks for the jerky!!  I also enjoyed the picture you enclosed from my Eagle Scout project.  I think, just recently, I've started to look older than I did in that picture with Ms. Sturgess at the Nature Center (Mike was 13 years old in the photo). 

This past week has been a lot of work.  We're having success, but I feel like I am doing almost everything.  It's been a huge change to switch from having an outgoing companion like Elder Hernandez to Elder Mills, who doesn't talk much.  He's been out for a year and is still struggling with his Spanish too.  We get along fine, but I teach more of the lessons than I did even with Elder Faldmo (who was an awesome companion and tried really hard even though he didn't have the language down).  I think this helps me try even harder to find members to come with us to lessons, but that is a struggle too.  I will be going on splits with one of the members in the Branch Presidency this Thursday for the night.

Leon Teran got burned pretty badly at work two days after we started teaching him.  We gave him a blessing and taught him a little lesson about faith and how it relates to miracles.  It made me wonder if I could just stand up and command that his arm be healed in the name of Christ, or does Leon need to have faith for that miracle to happen?  I remember reading in the Doctrine and Covenants awhile ago about how there are people who are righteous that will be saved regardless of their lack of faith to be healed.  I guess I just need to focus on the faith I have and listen to the Spirit to know what to do in those situations.

We also found another man by the name of Benito Alvarez who used to go to the church in Mexico, but ever since he came to the United States he'd lost contact.  He and his family seem to have a lot of potential.  Our branch is really in need of some strong families so hopefully we can get them excited and ready for baptism.

Elder Palmer is doing well.  I kind of have a hard time figuring out how to involve him in the lessons given his language is supposed to be Portuguese.  I'm sure it's hard for him to pay attention with all of us speaking Spanish.  One thing we're trying to do more in our companionship study is to practice.  That's not something I've focused on too much so far, but I think it will help us coordinate our lessons better, and I won't be the only one teaching.  This week we plan to focus on the baptismal commitment so all of our investigators know that that should be their goal.  I would really like to set some more dates.

My favorite talk from General Conference yesterday was probably Elder Holland's from the Priesthood Session.  I also like the missionary-minded talks from Elder Ballard and Elder Calsiter from the Seventy.  

Anyway, that's what's up with me.  I hope everything is going well with you guys at home and that you're enjoying fall in CT.  It's still over 100 degrees in Phoenix some days.
 
Love,
 
Elder Kinney