22

Hola todos!

I'm officially 22 years old today! Thank you all for your love and support. There is nothing else I would rather be doing on my birthday than serving the Lord. 

On Friday, we had Combined District Council with all of the missionaries in our zone. There were lots of transfers made because of the new mission boundaries. There are bunch of missionaries from the old Scottsdale mission who are now in my zone and some that are in my district. It has been super fun getting to know them! They are all amazing!

Yesterday, after church, Carlos received the Aaronic Priesthood and a temple recommend! Now we are trying to figure out a day to go to the temple with him and do baptisms for the dead. It has been so neat to see his progression from when we first started teaching him to now. He is filled with the Spirit, and his countenance literally glows. 

Over the past few weeks, we have been visiting some inactive members in our ward to get to know them and see what we can do to help them. It has seemed like a lot of them have just gotten busy with work or other things and stopped going to church. However, we talked with them about the blessings that come from partaking of the Sacrament weekly and encouraged them to come back to church. Yesterday, three of the people/families that we had visited came to church! It was incredible to be there with them as their partook of the Sacrament and recommitted themselves to follow Christ.

Most of the people here have a hard time saying Kendrick. After I say my name, I can see that they are struggling to repeat it in their heads. A lot of them try to repeat it back to me and I just tell them they said it right when they really didn't haha. A few nights ago, I introduced myself to a man that we met while walking through a neighborhood. He looked at me confused and asked me to repeat my name. I did, and then he said "en español." Hermana Cruz and I looked at each other then I said "Hermana Kendreek." That's how the i would be said in Spanish. But I said it as more of a question because in my head I was like Kendrick isn't Spanish. The man said "ohhhh." I was like no way, that really helped? Haha. I guess I just need to start saying Kendrick in Spanish.

This morning, I read Mosiah chapter 24 in the Book of Mormon. In this chapter, a righteous man named Alma and his people are being persecuted by the Lamanites. Alma and his people cry unto the Lord for help and the Lord promises to deliver them out of bondage. However, before delivering them out of bondage, the Lord says in verses 14 and 15:
 "And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."
In the beginning of these verses, it seems as though the Lord simply eases the burdens that are upon Alma and his people. However, in verse 15, we see that it wasn't necessarily that the burdens were lightened, but that Alma and his people were strengthened to bear up these burdens. As I read these verses, I was reminded that although we may not always see it, God's hand is always in our lives. Although He may not take away our trials when we wish that He would, He will give us the strength to endure them. We are here on earth to make choices and become more like Jesus Christ. We learn by experiencing trials. The good news is that as it says in verse 14, the Lord is with us in our afflictions. He will strengthen us. I know that trials are an essential part of our life on earth. I know that they are the only way for us to learn and grow. I know that God will give us the strength to lift up our burdens with ease as we "submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord." I bear my testimony to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

I love you all! Have an amazing week!

Con Amor,
Hermana Kendrick












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