We are on fire!

Hey! This week was super legit! I love my companion, he is exactly like Patrick! He talks the same way and has the same mannerisms!!!! It's crazy haha. So anyway, we are getting along just great! Since we are opening this area we have asked for a lot of help from the members of this ward and they are so awesome. Man it just feels right being here. The members are so helpful and loving and seriously have the missionary work spirit. 

Crazy story- One day after lunch my companion and I had to use the restroom so we decided to use the church bathroom because it was closest. When we went inside the church we could smell a bit of smoke, so I looked at the doors to the sacrament hall and I saw an orange glow on the ground and through the window of the door it was really black and dark. My comp and I realized there was a fire in the sacrament hall!!! When we entered there was a tiny fire on the ground. I stomped it out real fast and opened the windows to let out the smoke. All was well. It was an electrical fire from a light and it caught fire and also burned down the clock above it which then melted and fell on the ground and caught fire to the door and the ground. 

Anyway we brought two investigators to church and they loved it! One's name is Caroline (17) and her grandma Gilvanice, they will totally be baptized!!!! Please pray for them!!!! The lord is blessing us a ton!!! Everyday the first door we knock on has been a new awesome investigator!!!!!

lots of love,

Elder kennedy

Pictures (11 months in)

My Zone

Re-opening an area

Hello!

Joe and Renee, that’s sick you had an amazing unforgettable cruise! Jealous, but not too jealous. I’m taking advantage of this wonderful full time mission. It is the best thing ever!!!! Então, novidades? Changes! Lets see… I was transferred!!!! Hahhakkkk. Yeah that’s right, I was separated from my son, but I have visiting privileges because I am in the same zone (casa amarela).

I was in Jenipapo but I was transferred to Macaxeira (the bordering area). I’m stoked because I am opening this area!!! I got my new companion Elder Santana from São Paulo. Wooohooo my first “Paulista” companion! He is so sick. Anyway as I was saying, we are opening this area because the President closed it because of apostasia, just kidding. But the last groups of missionaries really did nothing here and lost the confidence of the ward. So Elder Santana and I are here to gain the confidence and get some people into the waters of baptism! Opening an area is super hard. Neither of us knows where any of the members live, and most importantly where our lunch appointments are and who they are with hahah j/k.

The apartment was a complete mess so we had to clean it up and unpack. Oh yeah, this house is notorious as the house of scorpions! Yeah, so I have only seen 2 scorpions so far during my time here in Pernambuco but now I have the wonderful opportunity of making friends with our venomous roomates hahaha. The Elders that have lived here in the past have found about 3 scorpions a week, yes!!!! I haven’t seen one yet since we cleaned the place, but I’m keeping my eyes peeled. My son Elder Gonzales stayed in Jenipapo. He is all trained and knows the area better than me, because he is such a stud. His Portuguese has improved exponentially and continues to improve everyday. Just his accent is heavy and it rubbed off on me, when I answered the phone and spoke to Elders from the district, they said I have the Peruvian accent. Haha its all good, I’m going to lose it real fast with my Paulista companion. 

Hope everyone is just stoked to be alive and enjoying the blessings from God. 

Com amor, 

Élder Kennedy

Hastening the work

Hey All, 

General Conference was amazing! I was truly blessed with the opportunity to watch all of the sessions on Saturday and Sunday! We also saw the Priesthood session! O senhor esta apressando a obra dele!!!! That’s for sure! The live broadcast of Priesthood was 6:00 in the morning here. I watched all of the sessions in Portuguese! It was legit. Elder Ballard’s talk was perfect for missionary work and members. And missionaries are totally going to be using the Internet in the future to fight against all the lies that exist out there about the church.

Man this was such an inspired Conference. It truly feels like we are in the last days and preparing the way for the Lord. Anyway, stoked Renee and Joe are going on a cruise and crossing the country!!! How are things in CA?

Weather is getting hotter here, but its whatever to me. It’s my last summer in Brasil ya’ll! Time is passing by and I finally feel comfortable talking to anyone about the gospel!!! The church is true! I know it!!! My companion and I are working hard trying to get people ready for baptism! It’s just been a tough couple of weeks. It’s been impossible to follow up with some of our investigators because of their crazy work schedule.

Anyway, gotta run but love you all! Be safe and get some sun (even though it’s fall for you guys.)

Love e. kennedy

If you trip and fall, you may get an investigator

Hey!

This week was bomzinho. No baptisms but we are working on it. Church starts at 8:30  a.m. so it's super hard to pass by our investigators homes and wake them up and bring them to church hahaha but we are trying our hardest. Today we're going to the temple and its also our p-day. Going to Burger King! haha anyway, it's super hard training! My patience is wearing thin but I love my child. He is so young and green. As you know he is over my shoulder with everything. But it's all good, he is just trying to learn. 

This week was frustrating. Most of our appointments fell and we had to kick a couple of our investigators. This week there is going to be a lot of street contacting and knocking doors trying to find novo pesquisadores. 

Its springtime and starting to get hotter. Hey is Bobby Dirkmaat home yet!? Nothing here has really changed too much, just working and teaching the gospel to as many people as possible. Vánia has been super hard to meet up with because she works everyday! We scheduled to teach her and her family tonight so I hope it goes well. Hmmmm funny story, my comp and I were climbing this gnarly stairway and we passed by two women and made a contact and then we continued up but my comp randomly decides to sprint a couple of yards up the staircase and he totally eats it in front of the two contacts. hahahaha I died laughing and they asked Elder Gonzales if he was all right, he was cracking up and was a little embarrassed. We talked a little more with the two ladies and got an address! hahaha I guess falling up the stairs is a good way to make a contact and get an address!

boa semana para vocês!

eu te amo,

Elder Kennedy

P.S. Congrats Sis on getting a legit calling in Relief Society. I bet your major in college will help a lot with that.