8 months as of today!

Hello, hello! I know I say this pretty much every week, but I really
cannot believe I am sitting here writing another email already.
Goodness, I feel like I have written a hundred of these things already
and that the last one was just two days ago! So you have a nice
visual, I am sitting on my twin sized bed, my mustard yellow journal
open on my lap, my stack of Pringles from home next to me, the
springtime sun coming through my window and while I look around
because of the lack of motivation I have to do this right now I tend
to keep staring at my calendar from Whitney with pictures of Pepper
pulling faces at me. Pure joy. And I promise I am not being sarcastic,
I love this! The weather has been absolutely beautiful this week, I
don't know what all this garbage is about "it never stops
raining"because my mission experience has been absolutely beautiful!
It rains quite a bit, but not enough to complain about especially when
keeping in mind all this sunshine we have experienced this week!
However, i do think that there is a correlation between the weather
and appointments. Last week was like the most beautiful thing ever,
but we had like he slowest week ever. People must not want to get
together when it's so nice. Praying for rain it is then :)

Like I said, this week was kind of slow, the highlights may be a little lame...

MONDAY
Today I ate tomato soup cake. Try and restrain yourself from gagging
as you read that last sentence. I sure had to when I was told that's
what it was! It was so good, but why would you do that? It was the
birthday cake of a boy named Steven. We have been working with
Steven's family for a very long time, he went away to a military
school for the last three months and was finally home to visit. It is
SO touching when people we are working with invite us to their special
events like this. I really have felt so loved in all of my areas on my
mission. I know that they feel the love that Heavenly Father has for
them whenever the missionaries are around! I am so happy to be a part
of that for them.

TUESDAY
We had another lesson with Shauntah! She is such an awesome woman, I
have learned so much from her especially about patience, persistence,
determination and independence. Even if her family isn't completely
interested, she really is seeking truth for herself. I love that!
Now, more than ever before in my life, I think it is so important to
seek answers for yourself and decide things on your own. There is no
way to know truth, except to actually go to the source of all truth,
God, and ask Him. What an incredible opportunity prayer is when you
think about it that way!

WEDNESDAY
We had district meeting today and Sister Porter was asked to give the
spiritual thought. She gave it on companionship unity and it was so
good! I have like pretty much the best companions EVER. This girl
especially is just amazing. She is my best friend right now and today
I got to look back and really see how far she has come. She is an
incredible missionary. Cannot wait for you all to meet this sweet
companion of mine!

THURSDAY
We had a lesson with Shauntah's daughter today! It was great, she and
Shauntah both loved it. We love being in their home, even when it is
beyond hectic. I know they feel the spirit or else they would
definitely not keep inviting us back, because our presence sometimes
causes a lot of chaotic excitement! Haha, they are awesome and making
good progress :)

FRIDAY
We did so much service this week, especially on Friday. I think we
served like five different women this week, it was awesome! We had
been praying for more opportunities to serve the people we are
teaching and bah-boom, here it is! I love doing service, it is so fun
for these people to see us in a different context and they begin to be
themselves a little more, to express their concerns more openly
because they don't feel so intimidated by us anymore. I LOVE it, it
makes such a huge difference in the relationship!

SATURDAY
I received the greenest of green packages in existence today! It was
so fun! My family is the best family, no argument there. There were so
many fun St. Patrick's Day goodies. It is always so nice to know they
are thinking of me! Your letters help me to see the changes that have
happened in myself and I am now recruiting ALL of you to make sure
those changes stay. I don't want to lose the person I have become
here. Got it? Thank you.

SUNDAY
There was a funny part of church. We were asked to go help in primary
in one of the classes, which is always interesting. So, we go into the
classroom and start talking about how fun it is to be a missionary and
how they can prepare to be missionaries too. All of the kids are
beyond excited for us to be there, except for one, Halle. She is
sitting silently in her chair with a scowl, similar to a Whitney
scowl. In my most excited, kid-targeted voice I say, "Isn't church so
fun?" The first person I look at is Halle and with a grim face, she
starts shaking her head back and forth, ever so slowly. I could just
see the wheels turning in her head as she is registering how not fun
this situation was. I love this girl! She is far from a just go with
the crowd girl, she totally and openly expresses what she is thinking.
It was great!

I know it doesn't look like we did a whole lot, but we stayed busy all
week! And it was good busy. I know with all of my heart that this
church is true and I have especially come to gain a strong testimony
of the Book of Mormon. I love that book and the knowledge I gain as I
read it! I extend the challenge to you all again to read that book
with me while I am out here! It will only help you, promise!

I love you all and hope you're having a happy week! Read and pray everyday.

Xoxoxo, Sister Kensey Pence Kerr