Querida Familia y Amigos,
Things are going well here.
We had interviews with President Larkin this week. We were able to talk to Sister Larkin outside while we were waiting for our companions to be interviewed. I just love them both.
One thing President Moffat talked about is following the Spirit to know what to study on any given day. I have tried to follow that counsel and have found myself guided to study different topics. Lately I have felt a greater need to study the atonement of Jesus Christ. Have any of you studied this topic lately? What have you learned?
I have some funny dog stories from this week. First on Thursday we went to check up on a referral and this woman let us into her home. The little chiuhuahuas were pretty wild so they put them in the backyard. Then someone came inside from the backyard and didn't know that they shouldn't let the dogs in. They ran in and jumped up on me and licked me in the mouth. Gross! I'm sorry, but I just do not like dogs. Then on Friday we stopped by a potential investigator's house that my companion met on exchanges. When I reached over to give him a handshake his medium-sized dog jumped up and tried to bite me. Luckily she missed and only bit my shirt, but I was definitely startled. Then the best story happened on Saturday when Hermana Melton and I were walking out of this little trailer park and this dog started barking and then following us. As we walked faster it walked faster and when Hermana Melton shook her bag at the dog to get it to go away, it just got more vicious. When we turned forward to walk it started to get closer to us so we started walking backwards. So two sister missionaries who do not like dogs are walking backwards down the street out of this trailer park shaking their tracting bags at a dog that is pursuing them. I'm sure we looked ridiculous. Then Hermana Melton decides to pick up a stick which just makes it more angry and we're laughing because of the terrible situation we were in. We finally get out of the trailer park and the dog stopped following us, but this lady shouts out to us from her house with this big smile that she watched us be pursued by this dog all the way down the street. Great! Mark my words: I will not have a dog.
Con amor,
Hermana Kinghorn
From Audrey (Andrea's mom): It is funny hearing that Andrea does not want a dog because growing up she always wanted a dog but her dad was completely against it. She even did research on the best family dog and presented it, with pictures, to her dad but he still refused. With a great amount of sadness she finally gave up but swore that she would someday have a dog.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Mas Bautismos
Querida Familia y Amigos,
On Saturday I received one of the happiest phone calls of my life. I wasn't able to go to the baptism of D. and C., but they called me on Saturday morning 15 minutes before their baptism. They sounded so happy. When I was talking to C. I felt a happines that I had never felt before. I can't wait to go to their sealing next year!
On Sunday I had (got?) to translate sacrament meeting. Hermana Melton wasn't feeling well so I translated the first hour and she finished up with the last 25 minutes. Those who are listening wear headphones and the person translating sits up at the front near the sacrament table. I knew Hermana Melton wasn't feeling well so that morning before church I spent a lot of time praying that I would have the gift of tongues and would be able to translate well and that those listening would feel the Spirit. The process of translating is pretty difficult because you have to listen in one language and then say it back as closely as possible and as quickly as possible in the other language. I know the Hermana Kinghorn-translated version of sacrament meeting was more basically worded than the English version, but I was so blessed to be able to do it with very little problems. I'm so grateful for the gifts of the Spirit that we enjoy as missionaries to be able to help others.
Amor
Hermana Kinghorn
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
3 Semanas en Federal Way
Querida Familia y Amigos,
Two of the three men we met in the van last week couldn't find work and couldn't find an apartment so decided to go back to Yakima. But Franco, the one who said he was Mormon, stayed! We had two great lessons with him this week. He had difficulty understanding the reality of the apostasy and the need for authority. He also has a very strong belief in the Virgin of Guadalupe. For the second lesson we felt like we should go on to lesson two without reviewing the restoration. The first principle in the plan of salvation talks about how Heavenly Father has a body of flesh and bones, glorified and perfected. He was surprised. He said, "I'm not trying to doubt you, but I've been around for a long time and no one has ever told me that before." We were able to teach more about the apostasy and how this was just one example of a basic truth that was lost and why we needed the restoration. We taught him that he was a son of God and about how when we understand the nature of God we understand better who we are, why we're here, and what we can have in the next life. It was a really powerful lesson. We told him that he needed to gain a testimony of the restoration and the truths that were restored. He called the next day and told us that he had been looking on the internet about The Book of Mormon. He said that there were many websites that said The Book of Mormon is false and others that said that it was true. Then he said, "Now I am finally convinced! Everything they were saying about how The Book of Mormon is false didn't match my experience at all. I know that it's true." We were relieved. I know that whoever follow's Moronoi's promise by reading The Book of Mormon and asking God with faith, real intent, and a sincere heart will receive an answer. They will also come to know that Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it the Lord's church on the earth. I know it's true!
This week was Hermana Melton's birthday. We went to the Los Amigos Taquería here in Federal Way to celebrate. I ordered and actually ate a lengua (cow tongue) taco.
Con amor,
Hermana Kinghorn
Two of the three men we met in the van last week couldn't find work and couldn't find an apartment so decided to go back to Yakima. But Franco, the one who said he was Mormon, stayed! We had two great lessons with him this week. He had difficulty understanding the reality of the apostasy and the need for authority. He also has a very strong belief in the Virgin of Guadalupe. For the second lesson we felt like we should go on to lesson two without reviewing the restoration. The first principle in the plan of salvation talks about how Heavenly Father has a body of flesh and bones, glorified and perfected. He was surprised. He said, "I'm not trying to doubt you, but I've been around for a long time and no one has ever told me that before." We were able to teach more about the apostasy and how this was just one example of a basic truth that was lost and why we needed the restoration. We taught him that he was a son of God and about how when we understand the nature of God we understand better who we are, why we're here, and what we can have in the next life. It was a really powerful lesson. We told him that he needed to gain a testimony of the restoration and the truths that were restored. He called the next day and told us that he had been looking on the internet about The Book of Mormon. He said that there were many websites that said The Book of Mormon is false and others that said that it was true. Then he said, "Now I am finally convinced! Everything they were saying about how The Book of Mormon is false didn't match my experience at all. I know that it's true." We were relieved. I know that whoever follow's Moronoi's promise by reading The Book of Mormon and asking God with faith, real intent, and a sincere heart will receive an answer. They will also come to know that Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it the Lord's church on the earth. I know it's true!
This week was Hermana Melton's birthday. We went to the Los Amigos Taquería here in Federal Way to celebrate. I ordered and actually ate a lengua (cow tongue) taco.
Con amor,
Hermana Kinghorn
Monday, July 5, 2010
Feliz Día de Independencia
Querida Familia y Amigos,
We met our new mission president, President Larkin, and his family this week. We are really going to miss the Moffats, but we were also very happy to meet the Larkins. President Larkin is very different from President Moffat, but we felt a spirit from him as he spoke just as we did with President Moffat. They have two children still at home (a 13 year-old and a 10 year-old) and one son who is in the MTC. Their children are so cute and are excited to be here. They add something fun and different to the meetings.
We have been finding a lot of less-active members here recently. Here is a story about Juan Carlos: Just this last week we were driving through the parking lot of an apartment complex to visit a family in the ward when Hermana Melton made a comment about one of the men standing on his balcony, that he looked sad. We kept driving to the other end of the complex and parked to visit the family. They weren't at home so we were going back to the car to drive somewhere else to tract when I suggested that we walk over to the other building where we saw the sad-looking man. We found the apartment and the person who opened the door wasn't the same man we saw on the balcony, but after we introduced ourselves he said, "I'm Mormon." He told us that he was baptized when he was 8 and was active all growing up but hadn't been to church since he moved to the United States. He would pass the church buildings here but never knew if there were services in Spanish. He said he definitely wanted to start going back to church and he lives with his cousin and his cousin's family who aren't members but that he would bring them too. Hermana Melton and I were filled with gratitude. I know that Heavenly Father loves Juan and I am so grateful that Hermana Melton and I were able to be guided to him.
The elders also tracted into this family of cousins living together. One of them told the elders that he thinks he was baptized when he was 8 but he wasn't sure. So the elders sent us over and we got his information and the ward clerk was able to find his information. Then we came by another time and his cousins were there and they told us that they were baptized too so we got their information. It turns out that a lot of their extended family had been baptized when they were all around 8 years-old and then shortly thereafter had all gone inactive. We taught them the lesson of the restoration and it was interesting because they didn't remember any of it so it was like teaching an investigator, but they were already baptized. We are happy to be here trying to grow our little Spanish group.
I love you all and I hope things are well for you. Hasta luego!
Con amor,
Hermana Kinghorn
We met our new mission president, President Larkin, and his family this week. We are really going to miss the Moffats, but we were also very happy to meet the Larkins. President Larkin is very different from President Moffat, but we felt a spirit from him as he spoke just as we did with President Moffat. They have two children still at home (a 13 year-old and a 10 year-old) and one son who is in the MTC. Their children are so cute and are excited to be here. They add something fun and different to the meetings.
We have been finding a lot of less-active members here recently. Here is a story about Juan Carlos: Just this last week we were driving through the parking lot of an apartment complex to visit a family in the ward when Hermana Melton made a comment about one of the men standing on his balcony, that he looked sad. We kept driving to the other end of the complex and parked to visit the family. They weren't at home so we were going back to the car to drive somewhere else to tract when I suggested that we walk over to the other building where we saw the sad-looking man. We found the apartment and the person who opened the door wasn't the same man we saw on the balcony, but after we introduced ourselves he said, "I'm Mormon." He told us that he was baptized when he was 8 and was active all growing up but hadn't been to church since he moved to the United States. He would pass the church buildings here but never knew if there were services in Spanish. He said he definitely wanted to start going back to church and he lives with his cousin and his cousin's family who aren't members but that he would bring them too. Hermana Melton and I were filled with gratitude. I know that Heavenly Father loves Juan and I am so grateful that Hermana Melton and I were able to be guided to him.
The elders also tracted into this family of cousins living together. One of them told the elders that he thinks he was baptized when he was 8 but he wasn't sure. So the elders sent us over and we got his information and the ward clerk was able to find his information. Then we came by another time and his cousins were there and they told us that they were baptized too so we got their information. It turns out that a lot of their extended family had been baptized when they were all around 8 years-old and then shortly thereafter had all gone inactive. We taught them the lesson of the restoration and it was interesting because they didn't remember any of it so it was like teaching an investigator, but they were already baptized. We are happy to be here trying to grow our little Spanish group.
I love you all and I hope things are well for you. Hasta luego!
Con amor,
Hermana Kinghorn
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