Dear Family,
I received Sister Bray's cookies, and finished them off in about 2 days -- they were delicious.
Training is an interesting experience. I really like my new companion. His name is Elder Nielson and he's from Syracuse, Utah. He is a really good learner and has grown a lot already, even though he's only been here less than a week. Unfortunately, the MTC didn't do a very good job teaching him Spanish. I was running through a lot of the activities they did with me when I was there that really helped prepare me for the mission field, and they seem to have done away with those things. His Spanish is already getting a lot better. On the first day he wasn't even conjugating words because, supposedly, they never corrected him in the MTC!!! We have had some really effective studies and practices which have helped us both a lot. He has a great desire to participate in the lessons despite the Spanish barrier.
It is a lot of work at times being a trainer, especially in Spanish work because you are kind of on your own when it comes to understanding. I remember when I first came here, I couldn't understand a word people would say to me. My ear started to really become accustomed to hearing Spanish by about 6 months in. I'm sure that's where the "interpretation of tongues" comes into play. We are going to start praying for that more, and we will see a difference.
We had a wierd situation with Gabriel last night regarding the baptism of three members of his family on the 4th. Gabriel called and said he wasn't sure about baptizing his wife, but he's definitely going to baptize his two daughters. I know he and his wife had had problems awhile back, but since they started coming to church, things had been getting a lot better. I still really don't understand the entire situation but apparently his wife is always changing her mind back and forth, and Gabriel wants her to be set on the decision. He told us to set up an appointment and just talk to her, so we're going to try and do that tonight.
We've been finding people to teach but we don't have any real "golden" ones at this point. We invited a bunch to church and had 6 people there, but two other families didn't come. We are talking to a lot of people and the Lord is blessing our efforts. And we actually have this really awesome potential investigator that came to church with a member -- she supposedly wants to get baptized! We've scheduled a lesson with her this week and are planning to set a date.
Something funny happened at the bike shop today. While Elder Nielson was getting a new bike, our Zone Leader, Elder Hiatt, was putting a bike back under a rack when his head hit the tire of a bike on the top rack, sending $15,000 worth of roadbikes tumbling over like dominoes. Luckily nothing broke and the store owner made it seem like it happens often.
I still haven't had the chance to make the carmelized onion pizza but I will let you know when I do. Hope all is well in NC.
Love,
Elder Kinney
PS - Did Romney take Florida??? (Elder Kinney worked on the Romney campaign four years ago!)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
January 23, 2012
Dear Family,
I have an extremely busy P-day today because my companion is getting transferred, and I am going to be TRAINING!!!!!! That's right, I'm getting a greenie (i.e., new missionary) this Wednesday. Being a District Leader as well as a trainer means I will have a lot on my plate. By giving me this calling, the President has a lot of faith in me. I believe these next couple months are going to be intense and filled with learning experiences.
The church has a special program called "the 12-week program", formulated specifically for trainers and their trainees, which guides our studies and activities for the first 12 weeks of the trainee's mission. Part of this program requires us to have an extra hour of companion study every morning before going out to work. I'm definitely excited and a little nervous for this opportunity but I know the Lord will help us out.
I really don't have any more time because we have a lot of stuff to do but I'll send you a longer email and some pictures of my greenie next week. Hope you enjoyed the snow!!!
Love,
Elder Kinney
I have an extremely busy P-day today because my companion is getting transferred, and I am going to be TRAINING!!!!!! That's right, I'm getting a greenie (i.e., new missionary) this Wednesday. Being a District Leader as well as a trainer means I will have a lot on my plate. By giving me this calling, the President has a lot of faith in me. I believe these next couple months are going to be intense and filled with learning experiences.
The church has a special program called "the 12-week program", formulated specifically for trainers and their trainees, which guides our studies and activities for the first 12 weeks of the trainee's mission. Part of this program requires us to have an extra hour of companion study every morning before going out to work. I'm definitely excited and a little nervous for this opportunity but I know the Lord will help us out.
I really don't have any more time because we have a lot of stuff to do but I'll send you a longer email and some pictures of my greenie next week. Hope you enjoyed the snow!!!
Love,
Elder Kinney
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
January 16, 2012
Dear Family,
That is a really cool scripture (Isaiah 30:20-21*). I remember highlighting it the first time I read through Isaiah.
Unfortunately, our Zone, as a whole, is kind of low on numbers and it seems to be getting harder and harder to find people, but our area is doing really well. A woman named Nancy is going to be baptized next weekend, and then the Cervantes family on the 28th. They were supposed to get baptized at the beginning of the month but our branch president has been insistant on not giving the Priesthood to recent converts without due preparation (which is very understandable). If he doesn't get the Preisthood this next Sunday, we'll just tell them we will baptize them. Hopefully it will work out.
I'm pretty sure AZ accepts Martin Luther King Jr. day as a holiday. It's a bummer there's still no snow in Connecticut. It has been really warm here in AZ. I feel like some days are even a little hot. I got the package with the stuffed ponies and the t-shirt -- which I did like (thanks a lot), but I still haven't received the sweatshirt, which I was really looking forward to receiving it.
I hope everything is well with work and your calling. Thanks for your prayers.
Love,
Elder Kinney
*Isaiah 30:20-21 "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner anymore, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, when ye turn to the left."
That is a really cool scripture (Isaiah 30:20-21*). I remember highlighting it the first time I read through Isaiah.
Unfortunately, our Zone, as a whole, is kind of low on numbers and it seems to be getting harder and harder to find people, but our area is doing really well. A woman named Nancy is going to be baptized next weekend, and then the Cervantes family on the 28th. They were supposed to get baptized at the beginning of the month but our branch president has been insistant on not giving the Priesthood to recent converts without due preparation (which is very understandable). If he doesn't get the Preisthood this next Sunday, we'll just tell them we will baptize them. Hopefully it will work out.
I'm pretty sure AZ accepts Martin Luther King Jr. day as a holiday. It's a bummer there's still no snow in Connecticut. It has been really warm here in AZ. I feel like some days are even a little hot. I got the package with the stuffed ponies and the t-shirt -- which I did like (thanks a lot), but I still haven't received the sweatshirt, which I was really looking forward to receiving it.
I hope everything is well with work and your calling. Thanks for your prayers.
Love,
Elder Kinney
*Isaiah 30:20-21 "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner anymore, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, when ye turn to the left."
Monday, January 9, 2012
January 9, 2012
Dear Family,
I received the package with Matt's gift, but I haven't received the other package -- maybe within the next couple of days. I got Grammie's card too and am planning to write her back today. I really enjoyed that by the way. I also received a letter from Brianna in Spanish and am planning to reply back to her during a language study this week.
Our week went pretty well. We found two new investigators and taught a bunch of member-presents, but had poor church attendance. More people actually came to church but some had to leave before Sacrament Meeting, which is the meeting where attendance is reported to our leaders.
We're definitely having a baptism on the 21st with a woman named Nancy, and hopefully her 11-year-old son. The Cervantes' baptism is getting more complicated because the Branch President doesn't want to give him the Priesthood yet since he hasn't been able to attend church for the past three weeks. One of those weeks they were ready to come, but nobody picked them up (he's been really good to arrange his rides for awhile now). Last Sunday his wife had to work really late so they didn't come then either. We're going to stop by and talk with our President to coordinate that with him this week.
I conducted my first exchange with Elder Rogers this week, and it was a very positive experience. We both learned a lot. One thing we did, which helped him a lot, was to take every opportunity to teach a lesson even if it appeared we couldn't. We were able to set a baptismal date with one investigator too. I think that that will help Elder Rogers' companionship be more effective with their proselyting time. Anyway, our District could definitely do better, and I believe we will as we strive to apply the things we have learned from the Spirit and our leaders. Hope everything is well at home.
Love,
Elder Kinney
I received the package with Matt's gift, but I haven't received the other package -- maybe within the next couple of days. I got Grammie's card too and am planning to write her back today. I really enjoyed that by the way. I also received a letter from Brianna in Spanish and am planning to reply back to her during a language study this week.
Our week went pretty well. We found two new investigators and taught a bunch of member-presents, but had poor church attendance. More people actually came to church but some had to leave before Sacrament Meeting, which is the meeting where attendance is reported to our leaders.
We're definitely having a baptism on the 21st with a woman named Nancy, and hopefully her 11-year-old son. The Cervantes' baptism is getting more complicated because the Branch President doesn't want to give him the Priesthood yet since he hasn't been able to attend church for the past three weeks. One of those weeks they were ready to come, but nobody picked them up (he's been really good to arrange his rides for awhile now). Last Sunday his wife had to work really late so they didn't come then either. We're going to stop by and talk with our President to coordinate that with him this week.
I conducted my first exchange with Elder Rogers this week, and it was a very positive experience. We both learned a lot. One thing we did, which helped him a lot, was to take every opportunity to teach a lesson even if it appeared we couldn't. We were able to set a baptismal date with one investigator too. I think that that will help Elder Rogers' companionship be more effective with their proselyting time. Anyway, our District could definitely do better, and I believe we will as we strive to apply the things we have learned from the Spirit and our leaders. Hope everything is well at home.
Love,
Elder Kinney
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
January 2, 2012
Hey Family,
I enjoyed reading mom's talk she gave on me in sacrament meeting. As far as your questions go, I did receive the second package about 4 days a go I believe. The Wal-Mart hoodie's zipper broke the very first time I tried to zip it up hahaha. By the way, I think it's better you send packages directly to my apartment because the Mission Office was the reason it was delayed in getting to me.
Last night we took the Cervantes family to the temple to see the Christmas lights which went really well. All of the little girls in the family love me so much because I am always playing with them (actually when we go to teach them, I split off and teach the girls in English while Elder Camarillo teaches Gabriel and Evangelina in Spanish). While we were in the Visitor's Center they were climbing all over me. A Sister Missionary, Sister Avila, who has only been out for like 3 weeks asked, "what is this?!?! little kids climbing on Elders???!?!" It was kind of funny. I attached some pictures I took last night of the Cervantes family at the Christmas lights.
I also attached a picture of the brand and flavor of Japanese-style noodles that are my favorite. So the next time that you want to send me some, you can just send me all of that kind -- they are so delicious! I remember that I used to just clear out that Japanese store of every single one they had when we went.
This week was kind of frustrating in terms of finding new investigators -- something we are trying to focus on. We didn't find any but we have a bunch of potentials and referrals from the Christmas lights that we contacted and set up appointments with. Also due to people staying out late on New Years Eve, there were not many people at church. We had one investigator, Nancy Zuniga, whose husband is less active and is going to get baptized with her son on the 21st of January. The subject of one of the talks was reverence during Sacrament Meeting. It was a really good talk but the Branch President was completely knocked out for the whole thing. Some of the families in the Branch were laughing because one of the things the speaker focused on was concentrating on the speaker and not falling asleep. A lot of people were super tired and barely made the decision to come to church.
One really cool experience we had this week was in a lesson with Nancy Zuniga. We were teaching her about the Plan of Salvation* and I shared with her a scripture in Acts 14:22** which talks about how it requires us to pass through tribulation to be able to enter into the kingdom of God. After that she shared an experience about revelation that she received while reading in the Book of Mormon about the story of Nephi retrieving the plates from Laban. It was so awesome. She told us how she knows that God always provides away for us to succeed but allows us to pass through trials to test our faith. I told her right after that that she had received a revelation from God -- she told me she knew she had. We are seeing a lot of miracles with the families we are teaching. We just need to find more!!!!
I hope that everything is well in CT and that you had a great New Year's Day.
Love,
Elder Kinney
I enjoyed reading mom's talk she gave on me in sacrament meeting. As far as your questions go, I did receive the second package about 4 days a go I believe. The Wal-Mart hoodie's zipper broke the very first time I tried to zip it up hahaha. By the way, I think it's better you send packages directly to my apartment because the Mission Office was the reason it was delayed in getting to me.
Last night we took the Cervantes family to the temple to see the Christmas lights which went really well. All of the little girls in the family love me so much because I am always playing with them (actually when we go to teach them, I split off and teach the girls in English while Elder Camarillo teaches Gabriel and Evangelina in Spanish). While we were in the Visitor's Center they were climbing all over me. A Sister Missionary, Sister Avila, who has only been out for like 3 weeks asked, "what is this?!?! little kids climbing on Elders???!?!" It was kind of funny. I attached some pictures I took last night of the Cervantes family at the Christmas lights.
I also attached a picture of the brand and flavor of Japanese-style noodles that are my favorite. So the next time that you want to send me some, you can just send me all of that kind -- they are so delicious! I remember that I used to just clear out that Japanese store of every single one they had when we went.
This week was kind of frustrating in terms of finding new investigators -- something we are trying to focus on. We didn't find any but we have a bunch of potentials and referrals from the Christmas lights that we contacted and set up appointments with. Also due to people staying out late on New Years Eve, there were not many people at church. We had one investigator, Nancy Zuniga, whose husband is less active and is going to get baptized with her son on the 21st of January. The subject of one of the talks was reverence during Sacrament Meeting. It was a really good talk but the Branch President was completely knocked out for the whole thing. Some of the families in the Branch were laughing because one of the things the speaker focused on was concentrating on the speaker and not falling asleep. A lot of people were super tired and barely made the decision to come to church.
One really cool experience we had this week was in a lesson with Nancy Zuniga. We were teaching her about the Plan of Salvation* and I shared with her a scripture in Acts 14:22** which talks about how it requires us to pass through tribulation to be able to enter into the kingdom of God. After that she shared an experience about revelation that she received while reading in the Book of Mormon about the story of Nephi retrieving the plates from Laban. It was so awesome. She told us how she knows that God always provides away for us to succeed but allows us to pass through trials to test our faith. I told her right after that that she had received a revelation from God -- she told me she knew she had. We are seeing a lot of miracles with the families we are teaching. We just need to find more!!!!
I hope that everything is well in CT and that you had a great New Year's Day.
Love,
Elder Kinney
*Click on the link (on the rights side of the blog) to view a short video describing the Plan of Salvation.
**Acts 14:22 - Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much atribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
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