53rd Letter From California

Well it looks like this week is going to be insanely busy. We have like five appointments scheduled today and we still need to get all of our pday stuff done its crazy. I am glad that they will get the chance to do baptisms in Salt Lake that whole temple is beautiful. Lets just keep the whole French connection under wraps unless of course you find a connection to the royal family or Napoleon aka the last Frenchman with any guts what so ever.

Thus far I am up to 22 post cards if I remember right. It was kind of funny the day after Christmas I told Sis Jergensen that it was you that had called and asked for our phone number. It seemed like she felt a little guilty. She just assumed that you were one of our investigators. Yes the members have taken care of us very well it is very exciting how much potential we have been getting to materialize.

While I was on exchanges we Elder Kim and Elder Huang had a lesson with the neighbor of one of our members her name is ******* and things went pretty well form what it sounded like. She said that she would be baptized if she came to know that the Book f Mormon is true which is pretty exciting.

love you more than 75 degree Southern California,
Elder McKenna

52nd Letter from California

Things are going amazingly well here in Poway. It turnrs out that I didn't need to put my foot down Elder kim came in and we went right to work we are planning on setting a bapisimal date with ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ for January 23rd. We are also making plans to start teaching ******* ****** and her three sons in one week. Just a little background on the family ******* hasn't been to church in about 20 years. We went over with brother Jergensen and he gave his home teaching lesson then she accepted an invitation to have the missionary lessons. The first one is going to happen on Monday at Sis Joneses home. She is a councelor in the Relief Society. That reminds me have you heard anything about the Phase 2 pools that the auxilaries are sposed to come up with? Are you having any sucesse with that?

I have already learned so much from my new companion. He has done things I should have been doing since Vista. He has studied the Area book every day since he has been here to get to to know the area and I am thinking, "duh why didn't I start doing that nine months ago." Hopefully the Lord will forgive my utter lazieness. I haven't been made a senior yet. Probably for that reason but hopefully that will change in the next couple of transfers.


Christmases in the mission have deffinately been diffrent, because in both cases I have just barly been able to get to know my companion I was only with Elder Archibald for three weeks when Christmas rolled around. This year, Elder kim and I will have only known each other for about a week and a half. One small consolation is the family we are having dinner with on Christmas is the Jensens, the family we were living with when I first arrived in Poway. So it will be as close to home as I can get.

I think they are doing the same thing with the mail this year our district meeting has been postponed until Christmas Eve, so we will see. Your wrapped present policy is what I have taken for everything else. I just got a package form Pops and Grandma with wrapped gifts and I am being a good boy and waiting.

love you more than I hate the suspense of wrapped Christmas presents,
Elder McKenna

51st Letter from California

Well today is going to be a turning point in my mission. I am going to do somthing I should have done nine months ago, put my foot down take charge of my area and tell my new companion if you don't like it tough. I am done molding myself to my companions comfort zone. I have been chewed out by way to many people. I have gotten into an organization system that I can actually stick to. Its time to take Poway by storm. If things go the way I am hoping for, we will have four baptisms by the end of January. I am just annoyed with myself that it has taken me this long to realize that I am making this kind of a mistake.

Pretty much the highlight of the week was we finally had the chance to teach ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^. We are dividing the lessons into smaller chuncks so he can concentrate and retain more. Keep @@@ @@@@@@@@@ in your prayers I am going to start doing the same. He really wants to get back on speaking terms with his daughter other than that not much is going on.

Love you more than missionarry shaped stockings,
Elder McKenna
PS No I havent peeked yet :)

50th Letter From California

You did pretty good on the numbers for the nativity game. (We guessed 13 months, 7baptisms, 5 companions, 3 areas and one mission.) Even though I technaically wont be out 13 months until later this week. I thought you were going to wait until Christmas to do it again but I guess it would be a little hard to do on the flight to UT. The only number you missed was the one. I was thinking of, one new outlook on life. But you guys did great!!!

Unfortunately Elder Whiting was sick for most of the week so we didn't go out a whole lot. It really helped me gain an apprication for Elder Hunsaker. I don't remember if I told you but one night the threw up 4 times and still went out the next day. Something about being stuck in your room for days on end makes you apreciate going out.

As far as what has been going on. We had another lesson with &&&, and we think we have made a lot of progress we started to ask him questions about what he wants in life, what his backround is, that kind of thing. We were able to find out that his daughter hasn't spoken to him in 7 years, because his ex wife let his daughter read the content of thier divorce papers and she has not responded to any of his attempts to make amends. Could you put his name on the temple prayer rolls for me?

We have also gotten in contact with the ###### family again. Their house flodded before I came to Poway and we have been going over to help them move back in hopefully we will be able to start teaching them soon. The members we live with(The Jergensens) have been called to be mission presidents!!! They dont know where they are going yet but they do know that it will be an english speaking mission. I was talking to Sis Jergrensen the other day she said that they had always planned on serving a mission but she had never dreamed it would be like this.

You will find this amusing. Last week, I started to drink some Boost nutrition shakes for breakfast and Brother (or should I say President Jergensen) asked me if I liked them and I said yes he also asked me how much I weighed. I told him and he said I need to put on 30 pounds in order for me to be at a healthy weight. He said they best way for me to do that was to eat carbs until I can start working out. My goal is to weigh 165 by the time I come home.

Yesterday was absolutely crazy it did not stop raining form noon until six and Elder Whiting and I were out walkin in it the whole time, except for when this nice guy named jim gave us a ride. Unfortunately none of the people we went to go visit even lived in the houses we were told they lived in anymore. It was rough. But the members we ate with fed us chili and cornbread for dinner, that made it all better.

love you more than chili and corn bread,
Chris

49th Letter From California

Happy December Everyone,
Well it looks like the latest round of stress is coming to a close. We had the lesson with @@@@@@ this week. What we ended up doing was I taught with one of the Elders from the ward that he is supposed to be going to and things went fantastic. The only down side is XXXXXX called me five times yesterday, but the silver lighning is she said she would back off. We start teaching &&& again tomorrow both Elder Whiting and I
are very excited.

Thanksgiving was very interesting. Well I actually had two. The first was with the +++++++ family. Mom will probably die when she reads this but, they already had their Christmas Decorations up, no joke, the only thing missing was the tree, and that was only because it hadnt been delivired yet. We spent the rest of the day handing out Family Proclamaitions to less actives. It sounds like evryone had a lot of fun. Thanks for giving the Elders a service oppertunity we really look forward to those.

For the Nativity game, I pick numbers 13 7 5 3 1. They all have a relaion to my mission see if you can guess how they relate, you have until the Christmas call to figure it out. Which remainds me it sounds like you may be in Utah before we make the call so the whole situation can be avoided. Missy does know she is aloud to email right?

love you more than Egg Nog,
Elder Chris

48th Letter From California

Let me start by paraphrasing a story that I heard in elders qurom this week. It was about this man who was called to be a Bishop. He had not held an office that required the Melcezidek presthood before and was very brash with people. He was the last person anyone expected to be called Bishop. But as he served in the calling he began to change into a caring service centered man. I know that you will have alot of growth oppertunities as you serve the relief society sisters.

I am really excited because zone confrence this week, when I called hthe mission president about a concern I had about an investigator, he let me have a little sneak peak @ the topic which will be: what motivates our investigators to persue the church.

I just realized somthiing this morning I am working with my biggest teaching pool since Fallbrook its really exciting. The problem is they have all been busy or sick since the last email so I don thave anything new to report,

love you more than russel stovers chocolate,
Chris

48th Letter From California

Did you got my Christmas presents? Here is a hint. Relax, I'll be home next Christmas.

I am trying to do better about writing in my journal. We have had so much happening lately that I cant help but write. There is this less active member that we have been working with who want his son to have the lessons so he can get baptized. Have I told you about &&&&&& &&&&&&&? His father was the one who is fight ing cancer with apricot pits. But any way &&&&&&& is a recent convert that hasn't been to church for as long as I have been in Poway. But the liked the idea of us teaching his son #######. We would kill two birds with one stone. we would re-activate &&&&& and get ####### baptized. We also were able to contact a less active by the name of >>>>> >>>>>> that the Bishop told us about. >>>> wants his baby blessed, but he openly told us he likes his booze too much. So his girlfriend told him something along the lines of why would you want your child to live this if you arnt willing to your self. They are considering taking the lessons as a couple which is fantastic.

I also had a very humbling experience this week. We contacted this lady outside of a taco shop and she said "no thanks I need to get some Mexican food." After she had gone in I sniedly remarked "so you put Mexican food before God." Shortly afterward she pokes her head out and offers to buy us burritios. We, of course, accepted and we had a nice discussion about what a mission consisted of while we waited for our food. But it just goes to show you you cant judge anyone.

Speaking of Squrils has diggie been able to catch one in the new house. Unfortunately there is no In and Out in Poway.

love you more than hot cocoa,
Chris

47th Letter From California

Well we unfortunately didn't end up dressing up. It was the end of the month we were both broke and it just diddnt happen. And our district leader decided to be a jerk and lie about our transfer calls, by the way we are both staying in Poway, but we were told that the entire district was transferd out. We diddnt believe it at first but he acted real serious so we even updated our area book and every thing before they fessed up. Elder Whiting and I were irate. I all the sudden hope I never have a kidney stone. I am glad you are sufficantly medicated. You should be getting some Halloween pics from a family in Poway and i hope you enjoy.

I really hope you have fun at the orlando temple. That is really frustrating about Missy's registration. But January will probably be here as quick as blinkng an eye. As far as updates this week @@@ said the closing prayer at our lesson, which was a step in the right direction but it was loaded with sarcasem. We want to show him the Finding Faith in Christ DVD because we feel that that will help him. Hopefully his computer plays DVDs. XXXX had given us a bit of a scare because she had not been in contact with us since she cancled our second appointment because she needed to go to doctors appointment. It turns out she is grounded and is steadly gaining her privilages back. We are waiting for her to call as soon as she can have people over again.

Love you more than gorging on halloween candy,
Chris

46th Letter From California

This week was really interesting. Elder Whiting started listening to some lectures by Truman G Madson on Joseph Smith. There was some really deep stuff in there. For Example he said that Doctrine and Covenets 76 could have been as long as the entire Doctrine and Covenets if the people had been ready for it. The mental effort of trying to comprehend everything that he said was phisically exausting for me. Elder Whiting said to me that he loved listening to that kind of thing but he stil felt like he didn't know enough to teach. I had an impression while we were listening that all we need is the basics of the gospel. Not to say that the deep stuff is not good but we need to make sure we have a good foundation of the basics especially since that is what we are out here teaching.

Then we had another great experience with a lady named XXXXXX. She stopped us outside of Office Depot. She said it was part of her ministery to give Elders money. As she hands us a 20 she gets choked up. Then she tells us her ex husband just died. She vented to us about how he diddnt believe in God and they couldn't agree on how to raise thier children and thats why they split. One of the coolest parts was Elder Whiting gave her a finding faith in Christ pass along card and that picture immediately lifted her spirits. We were able to meet with @@@ again but that did not go as well as we would have hoped. I gave him the wrong chapter. I meant to give him Alma 22 which was the story of king Lamoni's father but I gave him Alma 18 instead and the discussion spirald in a completely diffrent direction. We had to drop ******* because she leaves for Korea in a week and wont be back for a year and a half.

I got the Halloween package it was great however Elder Whiting and I are planning on dressing up. We need to be in the apartment by 6 pm just so they can say they know that missionaries arnt pulling pranks (or people dressed like missionaries aren't pulling pranks) So we will plan for a couple of hours and dress up after we are done. We are planning to dress up like what non lds people think we are. I will be a vampire and Elder Whiting will be a werewolf.

love you more than candied apples,
Chris

45th Letter from California

That is a little wierd that they have taken this long but our timing and the Lords timing are two completely diffrent things. I havent gotten the package yet because right now Elder Whiting and I will not have a permaent home untill later today. We were living with some members in the ward, the Jensen family. I absoulutely loved living with them because it felt like being with family again. Sister Jensen is formerly a RN but she stays at home now. Borther Jensen works in finances for a company that makes medical equitptment. He might even be the CFO I'm not sure. They have a son Zach that is a junior in high school and plays varsity water polo and swims. They have a daughter and her husband that are moving back in with them. This is what is making the living situation unfavorable to having missionaries in the home so we will be moving in with the Jergensen family. They are empty nesters with a son on a mission in Leeds, UK. Brother Jergensen works as a pharmasist.

Elder Whiting is about five foot four with black haire and is really laid back. he goes home in six months. Hhe is still working hard though. We are gettlng along really well thankfully. Poway is kind of half city half country. It has its main town with the Walmart, Office Depot, Stienmart. But it is also common to see someone riding a horse on the sidewalks. We also dodge the droppings on a daily basis. There is a rodeo ring and horse stable not to far form the house. Unfortunatly no In and Out.

We had couple a pretty coool experiences this week. The first came when we picked up a formaer investigator. His name is @@@ @@@@@@@@@. He was first taught by Elder Marler and Elder Pfile almost a year ago. (Both elders were my zone leaders at diffrent times) @@@ stopped my district leader in the street and said that he was intrested in taking the lessons again and wanted to start in mid October. That was an incredible discussion we taught bits and pieces of every lesson really. He said that if he were to join any church it would be ours becuse we practice what we preach, but he struggled with believing in God. We explained that we are God's childeren and that we were given the opportunity to gain experience here on earth. He told us that that opened up a relm of thought that he had never concidered before. Elder Whiting and I are way pumped to continue teaching him.

love you more than Chocolate eclairs,
Chris

44th Letter from California

Dont Worry Mom. You dont need to worry about it life just happens some times. I think we both need to work on being a little easier on ourselves. You will do great especially if you contincure to rely on the Lord through prayer and study. You will be blessed you need to have faith and confidence that you are recieving revelation for the relief society sisters.(I just love it when he councils me!)

Things have deffinately started to turn around here over this past week Elder Whiting and I have picked up two new investigators and they are both really solid The first is a lady named $$$$$$$$. We street contacted her this past Wednesday and we taught her the next day that was the most intense lesson I have had in a long time. We taught the Restoration and she soaked it up like a sponge one of the coolest parts was she told us that she believed that men had full right to break the law of chastity because that is part of their more agressive nature and they are also the bread winners. Elder Whiting and I turned to the exact same scripture with out any communication at all (Mosiah 3:19) She really seem to agree with it and then she asked us about some Plan of Salvation questions which we quickly covered and explaned that we would cover them more in depth in our next lesson which is actually tomorrow. I cannot wait!!!

Then there is !!!!!!!! this is another really cool story. She was a referal givrn to us by our district leader this past saturday. We made our first attempt to contact her in Sunday but she was not home.

Then it was zone conference the next day. It focused a lot on the inportance of using the Book of Mormon in our teaching and illustrating the imprortance of keeping commitments and emphasing kneeling prayers to our investigatiors. We were challenged by either President Brady or the assistants (that is really bad that i cant remember) to find a new investigator and give them a Book of Mormon with our testimonies written in it. The fun part abouti it was they wanted it done that afternoon. So we were let out of zone conference early to place our Books of Mormon. Elder Whiting and I had an appointment with &&&&&&& &&&&&&&, a recent convert. As we were walking to that appointment he drives by, calls us 10 seconds later and says he needs to reschedule. So we decide to go check on !!!!!!!!. She was there this time and we taught her the Restoration on her doorstep and she soaked it up like a sponge. Everything seemed to make sense to her and she said that she would read the introduction and title page of the Book of Mormon and kneel and pray about it by or next appointment this coming wednesday. She even said that she would see if her mother was intrested. So that was pretty much our week.

Love you more than a nice big juicy artery clogging animal style in and out burger,
Chris

43rd Letter from California

Well I thought about not writing this week because it was so hidiously pathetic. We have had one lesson this past week. Then yesterday every single appointment we had fell through. Conference was great though. My favorite talk was by Elder Hales during priesthood session, Dad will know what I am talking about. It really got me thinking about our relationship. I also felt impressed that I need to read the Book of Mormon more often. I am know reading a chapter aday as part of my personal study.

love you more than listening to Christmas Music in October,
Chris

42nd Letter from California

Well, I have been transfered to Poway California and I am serving in the Lake Poway ward. The members are really great every one is really friendly and missionary minded which is great. We have one sister (Sister Long) tell us that she had invited a friend of hers to take the missionary discussions. Unfortunately, the friend did not accept, but her daughter was at church this week. Hopefully she will tell her mother what a great time she had and that will soften her heart a little bit.

To give yoou a genral idea of where Poway is we are about 20 minutes away from the temple which puts us pretty close to the bottom of the mission. My new companions name is Wlder Whiting. He is from Mesa Arizona. He is really laid back, but he is a hardworker at the same time. As far as investigaters go, I have met two thus far and we ahd really good lessons with them. The first is Sister *********. She was a street contact that Elder Whiting has been teaching on her doorstep becuse her husband was not home. This week we rewiewed the restoration and taught bits and pieces of the plan of salvation. She had a lot of really deep questions. For example one of her main hang ups is she thinks that death is not somthing that God had origionally intended for us which is partially true because Adam and Eve could not die until after they partook of the fruit but we had a hard time explaning that we need to die in order for to be resurected.

The other was with @@@@@@@@@, he stared to investigate the church because of his girlfriend. He basically told us that if he gets baptized he wants it to be for him and he didn't think that it fit for him right now. He did say he would be willing to continue taking lessons though.

Yesterday we met with one of the recenct converts in the ward. His name is &&&&&&&& &&&&&&. He is 16 years old but he is mature far beyond his years. He told us about his missionary experiece he had the other day Elder Whiting and I were both amazed. He was out walking the town when he was stopped by this Christian youth group who nvited them out to church. One of the people in the group pulled him aside and started asking question and &&&&&&&&& bore his testimony and briefly explained that we do not believe in the trinity or infant baptism. Thats pretty amazing for someone who has been in the church for three months. We have been busy doing a lot of service as well. We helped a less active sister name %%%%%%%%%% clear some wood out of her yard. And we helped a lady named Sister ^^^^^^^^^^ fix some goat pens.

Love you more than being fed at conference (both spiritually and with those heavenly
cinamon rolls of yours)
Elder Chris

41st Letter from California

Hey life just happens like that some times. Yes I am being transfered but I dont find out where and with who until later this afternoon. Its kind of crazy that I have spent six months here in Vista, three months with Elder Braford and another three months with Elder Packer. I have really come to realize that being transfered is like a relly good bar of dark chocolate. Its mostly bitter but just sweet enough to make is worth it. Its bitter because I still want to stay and work with the ####### and the *********. I was having a converstion with Brother Coleman last night he said that missionaries are a lot like Johnny Appleseed, we plant seeds that we will never see grow. I appricate your effort with the CD. You will find this funny I was just flipping through some of the binders that I have with me and i found the copy of my p-blessing that I have brought with me. That has prompted my goal to at least get semi organized in my new area.

love you more tham gatorade after a long day of tracting,
Elder Chris

40th Letter from California

Well I appricate the supprort. And I backed up my presonal views by promising a sister that I was teaching a lessson with while I was on an exchange with my district leaders companion that I would marry a returned sister missionarry, so I am bound by my opinion and my word.

Well I am glad that things havent changed much, and my presonal opinion is that counts. I dont see why the consistency of the substance that is spewed should matter.

Well it is deffinately a good thing that you found a way for Katie to keep things up. Is mary still doing anything with the Viola or has that died?

Unfortuanetly I have a feeling that i will be transfered. I have been here in Vista for 6 months. It does not seem that long, but I have. Transfer calls are on Saturday so we will see what happens. If that is the case, I would have to be transfered into a stake that borders Vista and get permission form President Brady in order to attend the baptism of ##### and hopefully ^^^^ as well. Yes #### is the nonmember in the @@@@@@@ family. I am sorry for not making that clear. Keep ^^^^^ In your prayers please. She canceled the appointment we had last Thursday and we havnt been able to get in touch with her since.

This week was very interesting. $$$$, one of the less actives we have been working with gave a presentation to the priests about his carrer in the coast guard and that went really well. We invited him to church last saturday and he said that he would come, not last Sunday, but he would come when he didn't have so much going on with the San Diego police acadamy. So hopefully we will see him at church on Sunday.

love you more than haloween oreos
Chris

PS next time you have some oreos stick a fork in the creme and then dunk it in the milk its great

39th Letter from California

Well I will have to ad that to the perfect spouse charicteristic list that no one is supposed to have. (referring to a comment I made about him NOT marrying a red head)On that note I have come to a conclusion that I want to marry a returned sister missionary because I got to thinking, growing up all the girls seem to have this ideal in their heads that they have to marry retuned missionaries. I started to think how can they expect to marry a returned missionary if they are not willing to go on a mission themselves. Is that to sick and twisted?

Missy, I did get your letter I will be responding to that today. They have this rule that we can only communicate with family on preperation day so that should be getting to you if not late this week then early next week. Which reminds me whats this I hear about Dad going to a spa?!? What kind of treatment did he have, did he enjoy it?

Congradulations on finishing your quilt you deffinately will need it. I will think of you as my tanlines get more and more obvious down here in sunny sothern california (ha ha ha) Preperation day activities are so funny because all the Elders myself included have the most rediculous tan lines around where our shirt collars would normally be. Anyway I hope you remember to have a nice mix of fun and business. I was looking through the course catalog before my mission they have everything even down to beginning ping pong for heaven sake. I would really enjoy going back to Buford when i come home just because it still feels like home to me but at the same time i really feel at home here in Vista even with all the drama going on.

Speaking of which **** is back from Burning Man and we have an appointment with her Thursday so if you could pray that Elder Packer and I will have the gift of discernment to know how to best handle the situation when we go i would appriacate it. Things are finally coming to gether with the phase two pool. We also start teaching one of the families the Ward Family on Thrusday we are trying to motivate the son @@@@ to go on a mission. We are doing the same thing with two other families in the ward. The ^^^^^^ and the $$$$$$$. &&&&& has a baptismdate for September 26 which is after transfers. If I am transfered there are ways I can come back but we will worry about that if the situation arrises.

love you more than holloween oreos
Chris

38th Letter from California

Well, I haven't gotten a letter from Missy yet, but I will watch the mail.

That is an interesting situation with Dad one thing that I think was key in the situation was he was humble enough to say to his boss ok I will play by the rules. Not to discount your prayers in any way. Thats a really cool sequence of events. I kind of hope the building manager leaves to because that could possibely lead to dad taking over Valdosta *crosses fingers* I would kind of like to come back to Georgia.

The situation reminds me of the training that Sister Brady gave yesterday. She talked about leadership and how we will all need to be leaders not only now but in our post mission lives. During this she told us a story of a time where she was given a calling that was quite demanding and she thought that there were plenty of women that had more time and were better qualified. She accepted and talked about how she was gratful for the growth she recieved form her service. The point I am trying to make is, there is a reason for you to be the Relief Society Enrichment Counselor, so you can grow in some way (even though you are perfect to me) I have really started to see this in my mission Each area that I have served in so far I have seen my attitude cahnge in some way. In Fallbrook, I gained a greater love for the gospel. Here in Vista, I have learned how important the members are in missionary work and the influence that we have on them. The two really do go hand in hand.

We had some good news this week the @@@@@@@@@@@ family finally came to church !!!! Now for the shocking part, every zone confernce the housing and vehicle coordinators come around and make inspections. Elder Packer and I got a perfect score for both the apartment and the car that we share. I have the certificate to prove it
love you more than biscut hamburger casserole, (recipie to come next week)
Chris

37th Letter from California

The prayers for **** will be much appriacated, we have had to postpone the date yet again. She is going to a festivle called Burining Man the best explination that I have been told is that it is the new version of woodstock(oh great(sarcasm intended))Anyway President Brady informed us that the inteview would be posponed untill after they return so just pray that she is able to reconginze the diffrence in the spirit that is there.

We diddnt get a chance to meet with the @@@@@@@@@@@ this week because ##### is wrapping up several projects at school and is trying to find a job and life is just crazy for them.

We have had several diffrent interesting events this week. I am teaching myself how to make tortillas. I have discovered quite a few tricks for example, the warmer you have the pan that you cook them in the softer the tortilla. I really wish I had payed more attention when you cooked. It took me the first couple of times to discover how to properly knead the dough.

It was our ward mission leaders birthday two Sundays ago since we had him on the dinner callender this week we decided to make him a cake. It was in the shape of a dead cat in honor of one of the stories that he told us in ward correlation (I will explain next week if I havent already) Every one laughed out loud. The funniest part was his son Alex had not heard the story behind it yet you should have seen the looks on his face as brother colemen explaned what was going on.

I also found out that bike tubes can explode. I was on an exchange with Elder Holverson and we were pedeling along all of the sudden we hear this loud crack almost like a bb gun going off. When I stop I discovered that there was a hole in the tire about the size of a dime, and the tube sealiing agent had splattered all over the street (dont worry we were in a residental neigborhood and the street was empty)

It sounds like you have a great group in the temple prep class, and I agree with you. They have Gospel essentials and gospel doctine why cant they have a higher tier temple class. Grammy and Grandpa had mention that they were having fun with their Wii fit a couple of letters back I am sure they wil enjoy the cover and you dont need to worry my lips are sealed about Christmas.

Love you more than home made tortillas,
Chris

36th Letter from California

Yes Eldetr Packer and I are together for another transfer, you are learning to speak missionary very well i am impressed!!

I will tell you the good news about **** first, reading second Nephi 2 solved the whole Satan issue!!! However the bumps continue she needs to have a baptismal interview with President Brady which was supposed to be yesterday, but **** and her husband fell behind on some business they had to take care of in San Diego and they would be late and that would not have worked with priesident's schedule so we are trying to find out a new time.

We taught the &&&&&&&& the plan of Salvation this week and they commited that they would be at church this week, which should be good. The only resason I say that is our Gospel principles teacher threw the milk before meet principle out the window again. The lesson he tought this week was on our heavenly family, and he went way too deep, he started talking about our heavenly mother, how testimonies take years and years to develop (this may be true but the way he went about explaining it was not good) the list goes on. I kind of want to pull him aside and say look you are teaching a room full of recent converts (and in last weeks case a nonmember friend of one of our recent converts) PLEASE keep it simple.

Anyway I am glad life in redneckville is being kind to you and the well watered diggie, but then again if she is attacking sprinklers and isnt well hydrated i would be very alarmed.(ha ha) I used to wonder why buisniesses could file a tip credit and pay people below minimum wage but seeing how much missy is making a week with the tips I can see why, my gosh. I will keep Dad in my prayers. I am glad you like the pictures. I Will be sending more after ****'s baptism, which is going to happpen(prayers for this PLEASE!!!) Some of them may be of me being tracted into by Elder Fagundes, his father wanted pictures of him tracting so we threw some together before coming to Email this morning that was fun.

Love you more than ice cold slurpees,
Chris

35th Letter from California

This week has been rather interesting. We had a discussion with **** about whether or not Satan exists. Giving the content of that lesson we asked her home teacher who also happens to be the the second councilor in the Stake Presidency to come with us. During the lesson President Matinez bore his testimony and went extremely deep with the atonement and the pre existance. We just ended with that. She told us that she did not want to get baptized on the 15th which we were kind of expecting. She wanted to get baptized in April, because that is the anivrsary of her Catholic baptism, but we comitted her to pray about a date that is just a little closer then that.

We met with the &&&&&&&& and we talked about what he read in 3 Nephi 11 and he really got alot out of it. Elder Packer and I were very pleased. His wife, ^^^^^^, expressed intrest in getting her partarchal blessing and in order to do that she needs to start comming to the third ward so now they have some incentive.

We moved into a new apartment this week. We are now in a one bedroom as opposed to a studio. Things have already gotten eventful. What happen was Elder Packer has this bake ware plate filled with candle wax that he likes to warm on the stove so the apartment smells nice. He had done this pleanty of times in the old apartment with out any trouble but... The first night we get back home the apartmrnt is filled with smoke. We get over to the stove the dish is cracked and charred on the inside the wax is all gone and the bottle of vegtable oil that was sitting on the top of the contorol pannel is on the stove partially melted with almost no oil left in it. We are still trying to clean out the soot. Dont worry we are both OK.

Love you more than Home Town Buffet,
Chris

Yeah, pcitures!!!

34th Letter fronm California

You do not need to apologize at all for not writing I know that life can get a little hectic some times. Well I think everything about the schools will pass. I did actually end up feeling like Mill Creek was home to me after I got out of that first semester I really did start to enjoy it. So I am confitednt the girls will be able to do the same with their new schools.

I am glad you are almost done with your temples, and I really hope the new format works for you. Too bad you wont be able to go to the Brisbane temple, that could have been fun(ha ha). I tell you what, I will take you to the first temple you design after I make the new york times best seller list.

That is a really great oppertunity for Katie I hope she makes the most of it. Yeah Missy mentioned the job in her letter and i am glad she is getting this experince if anything it will motivate her even more to finish her degree as if she needs any more drive.

Things are a lot better with my companion we get along great and we are working hard, and we are hoping that we will stay together for one more transfer, but we will find out on Saturday. What ever happens its the Lords will and it will be better for both of us.

We actually played vollyball on pday last week, my serves were on fire!!!

This week was had a couple of cool experiences first we got a call form the second councilor in the stake presidency about seven in the morning and asked me to speak at a funeral in the Vista tenth ward becuse the missionaries that cover that ward had a prior commitment with President Brady. The funeral was at eleven oclock that morning so I spent my studies preparing this talk, and ended up speaking for eight and a half minutes on the Plan of Salvation to a room full of about twenty non members!!! Another one was on my Birthday we went to this Chinese place because we had a cupon for buy one entree get one free (we were really greateful when we saw the bill) Elder packer spoke to the waitress in Mandrin and gave her a pass along card. It was really cool to listen to him all through out the meal. The other one was last night we were walking around getting our contacts and we were going to contact these two guys and we notice this pit bull is mauling the living daylights out of this Chiuauah. One of the guys is trying to ward off the pitbull by beating it with its shoe the pit bull finally let go and Elder packer and I just kept on walking because we figured that now would not be the best time. The really funny part was we told our district leader about it this morning and he said "at least it was a chiuahua" this did not please his companion who happens to own two of the little runts back at home.

Love you more than weeks that boost your confidence.
Chris

[Mom's note: She is fully insupport of Elder McKenna hoping into the middle of a dog fight!]

33rd Letter from California

Yes I got the package, and the $20. Fortunately it got here before zone conference so i got to keep the money. I was a little confused because when i spoke to sister Pusey (the sister missionary that is in charge of the mail.) She said that the packege was not sent parcel post. But anyway I am a horrible person because I opened it early thank you so much for the much needed pick me up and the extra cash. I will probably buy a volleyball for the district activity that we have comming up later this afternoon.I will try to finish all the replies to the letters today but I am not making any promises because district activity will take up most of the day.

Speaking of which I read that Leisha got married that is crazy to think that people that I went to school with are starting to take that step :O I do have a CD with some pictures on it that i will send, and I just had an idea. Mabye you could write the families so they could get to know you and ask if they have copies. [referring to him accidentailly reformatting his camera loosing all pictures he took since Christmas) Especially since the XXXXXXXXXXX have gone inactive again :( I will include the adresses in the hand written letter since i do not have them with me. This week was an intresting week. Brother Adams asked both Elder Packer and I to speak in sacrament meeting I spoke on Charity and Elder Packer gave the first lesson over the pulpit

We started teaching the &&&&&&&&&& this week and both lessons went extremely well. I get the feeling that he will be baptized rather quickly here.

love you more than district activities,
Chris

32nd Letter from California

What ?!? That makes absolutely no sense at all. When did you send the packege? beacuse if it were to get here today I would just be able to pick it up @ zone conference. When you say it arrives postage due, you mean they have to pay on the recieving end I will call the mission office and inform them of the situation.

The things I think that made Bro. Boge's class so special were the depth and the passion that he had for the temple. I would say bear testimony frequently and use Doctrine and Covenants 76 alot really go in depth with that to help them grasp the segnificance of what they are about to do.

Of corse I am picking up as much Chinese, as I can we are using languege CDs and Elder Packer has a Book of Mormon that has one column that is the Chinese characters the next colum is the pronuncation written out phonetically to hep with the tones, then the third colum is written in English. The thing is huge!!!

Yes my letters were done on a type writer. That was relly cool. I have some really great news, **** has a Baptism date!!! I selfishly wanted it to be on my birthday but we ended up setting it for the 15th!!!

love you more than Sunday afternoon naps,
Chris

31st Letter from California

That is a very intense experiance,[referring to me/mom meeting a snake on my front proch on July 4th] I am very glad that you diddnt eat the snake, although if you do ever see an aligator on the porch you could kill that because they are actually good eating. ( remember Later Gators back in Allen) I think that it would be safe to assume that you have your answer.

I actually had a pretty cool answer earlier today. I was reading a talk called The Forth Missionary that my companion had a copy of and one of the qualities of the best missioanary is that he dosent think about his dreams, goals, and ambitions form his former life and i was really struggleing with how to do this, because one of my biggest problems is how much i day dream. As I was pondering this I remembered a part from "The Secret" where we are told that if we catch our thoughts moving on to a negative frequency we should repeat the phrase "Remeber to remember" and that will change our thought frequency. So I came to the conclusion that as soon as i catch my self in la la land i will simply repeat "remember to remember to my self to get myself back on track.

The work is still slow but it is beginning to pick up. We are beginning to teach the ward council the first lesson so they can be familiar with what happens in a lesson so thay will be morre at ease as they go out and make invetations. So far we have taught the Young Womens President, The Relief Society president, and the first councelor in the Bishopric.

We had a major break thourgh with **** this week. Elder Packer asked her Why she is taking the missionarry lessons. She told us that she wants to be sealed to Brother @@@@@@@@. she has also had some interesting whispers of the spirit. In one she distinctively heard her grandmother's voice tell her that she wanted **** to be baptized for her, and she told us that she heard another wisper that told her "You became Catholic so you could become Mormon." She even told Sister %%%%%%% that she was getting ready to be baptized during gospel principles on Sunday!!! Like I said in one fo my other emails I will send pictures this week dont you worry.

love you more than fully funcional computers,
Chris

30th Letter from California

Dear Mom, (written on an "old fashioned typewritter" and mailed)

Yes, this letter has reached me and my new companion. His name is Elder Packer. He is from Fruits Heights, Utah. He has been out for 9 months. He was originally called to speak Mandrin Chinese. He is great to work with. The only day that we did not get our contacts this week was the night that we arrived here in Vista. We met with **** and she really enjoyed the lesson we taught, so it looks like I will be able to work with a companion when we teach her again.

It's really cool to listen to Elder Packer study Chinese in the morning. It made me really grateful that I am speaking my native language on my mission. He told us in district meeting that Chinese is a tonal language which means that the slightest mistake can totally change the meaning of the word or phrase. For example, the phrase "I saw a pillar of light" can turn into "I saw a glowing pig" if the wrong tone is used. So I have become quite grateful to be teaching the gospel in English.

I am glad that you have been able to have this spiritual epiffany when Elder Bednar mention that to us. I kind of had one of those eureka moments too. I really hope that I never forget that visit.

I do have some other good news, we will be moving into a bigger apartment at the beginning of next month. Right now we are living in a studio but we will be moving into a one bedroom on August 4th. The mission is giving me a late birthday present!!!

Anyway I am really looking forward to the coming weeks with Elder Packer. I got the package and on that note I don't think I will be needing the ### ####### #####. When I saw it I actually laughed harder that I have in a long time.

Love you more than Peppermint Brownies,
Chris


Dear Dad, (same typed written snail mail) (duplicate stuff omitted)

Life has definately take a turn for the better for me. Elder Packer is amazing.....The only night that we have not met or exceede the standard for street contacting was the night of transfer meeting. We are still waiting the lesson to come, but the Lord will reward us for our dilligence. The lessons we have had so far have been very solid. .....

We met with **** and she really enhoyed the lesson we taught on Friday and she stayed for all three house of church on Sunday which was fantastic. One thing I forgot to mention in Mom's letter was we taught the first lesson to one of the referals we got from church headquarters. Her name is ###### ######. She requested a Book of Mormon and we taught the first lesson. Her older sister, her twin and her father all sat in on the lesson as well.

More on Elder Packer...he is one of the Chinese speaking missionaries. It is really cool to listen to his language stury in the morning. We are also both coming from previous companionships that we butted heads with. We are both determined to do the thinkgs that we felt were missing from our last companionships to make this one better.....It feels so good to be really working again. It is crazy how much they (Home Depot) are making you work. It sounds like we both are coming home tired!

Do you think there will still be a chance that you will still be in Georgia or will it still be awhile until you know. And from what I understand of the weather, the girls must be raking it in on the slurpee deal. I am glad things are starting to pan out with the move.

Love
Chris

Elder McKenna's birthday is coming up

Just a little reminder, Chris' birthday is coming up in August. If anyone keeping up with this blog wants send him a little birthday card, send it to:

Elder Chris McKenna
785 Grand Ave
Suite #202
Carlsbad, CA 92008

Give it plenty of time. It goes to the mission office then to his apartment.

Thanks!

29th Letter from California

I will probably get the packege & letters today. What happens with the mail is the mission office is they hold the mail the week of transfers and we pick it up at transfer meeting, and since Elder Braford is being transfered I will have the oppertunity to pick it up. Hopefully the replacement shoes I ordered form missionary mall will be there as well. I am really looking forward to a fresh start.

I have absolutely no intention of giving up, sure I went through a slow patch with ************** but that is over and done with. Its time for me to take what i learned from ****************** and run with it. There is about to be an explosion of work here in Vista I am sure of it.

This week was pretty uneventful, both of our investigators canceled on us but we did get in touch with the !!!!!!!! family the wife is a member and the husband is not but they have been going back and forth between the Catholic Church that her husbands family attends and the Vista 10th ward with her Sister !!!!!!!'s aunt. We are working with the Elders that cover that ward to convice them to come to the third ward since they live in our boundries.

Yeah publix was a good job. I liked most of the people I worked with and its paying for me to be out here. I will deffinately pray for Missy to get a job that will allow her to keep her standerds, and speaking of resturants a member took us to this place called Islands for dinner I had a burger with guacamole on it was amazing!! Send Jared my Congradulations, give everyone hugs, and have mary pet diggie for me.


love you more than Chocolate pudding cake,
Chris

28th Letter from California

Elder Bednar was absoulutely amazing!!!! He sarted out by condeming the way people in the LDS church take notes. Notes are not to record what people say. Notes serve us better when we listen attentively and write down OUR OWN SPIRTUAL IMPRESSIONS. Sorry to put that in all caps but there is no under line option, anyway next point.

He also pointed out that people are expecting spiritual impressions to be this huge awe inspiring thing when more often than not it is just a simple thought. Which brought to mind an experince I had a couple of days prior. Before I prepared a lesson for ^^^^, I said a prayer asking for insperation as to what I should teach. The first thing which popped into my head was I needed to reteach the Restoration. Instead of just doing that I proceded to think about which specific principles I should be teaching. My companion pointed out the fact that I was thinking to much and that was the root of my frustration. During the lesson I felt a really strong spirit I am hoping that that turns in to somthing.

Elder Bednar also enouraged us to be more thourogh when we follow up on the reading assignment. It is acually somthing that I have noticed that in my own teaching. the common practice is to ask the investigator if they read our assignment, then immedately begin teaching the next lesson. We were instructed to ask a question after they respond such as "what did you learn from your reading?" When they answer this they will bear testimony without knowing they are bearing testimony, and the spirit will be present and it will direct the lesson in a way that will be the most benificial to our investigator. It's so simple I love it!!!

love you more than Chocolate truffles,
Chris

27th Letter from California

This week was a very interesting week. It seemed like we had a solid week but as it turned out all of the lessons that we had were with recent converts, which isnt nessicarally a bad thing but we need a couple more investigators.

We taught %%%%%%%% the first three new member lessons she is soaking them up like a sponge.(the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ) and we taught @@@@@@@ the forth new member lessons (the commandments). A new member lesson is where we reteach the lessons that we have taught prior to baptism then we have one additional lesson that we teach it deals with the improtance of the priesthood, callings, church auxillary organizations,missionary work etc.

%%%%%%%%(same as above/the lady he baptized) went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead on Saturday. She cant wait to go again. Next time she will have all the paperwork done so she can do the work for her mother and grandmother.

$$$$$$ needed to study for an exam to get some kind of teacher certification so we didnt meet with her this week. We may end up dropping &&&&&. He likes having us over and all but he is just to comfortable at his brothers church. He playes the gitar and keybord there and we think he dosent want to give that up. That and we have not been able to get a hold of him for a while. Although he has come to recognize that his brothers church hs its flaws.

I got your packege today. I have already devowered one of the containers of scnikerdoddles. Yes I did offer some to Elder Braford. I will try to have the letters in the mail tomorrow. I would really appricate it if you could pray that my back will hold up. On Sunday, I couldn't stand up for more than a few minutes at a time and I am having trouble sleeping. but on the bright side the Lord some how made it possible for me to get out and do work yesterday.

Anyway, to end on an exciting note Elder Bednar is coming to speak to all the missionaries on Saturday. I cant wait!!

love you more than creme soda,
Chris

26th Letter from California

It felt absoulutely amazing to baptize @@@@@@@@. I am starting to notice a trend with the people that I baptize. They alraedy have a member fellowshiper involved. !!!!! had her family, The $$$$$$ family had several friends in the ward ^^^^^^ had her husband, and ******** had his wife. @@@@@@@@ is living with a recent convert, a returned missionary and one of the investigators that the sister missionaries are teaching.

So the full scoop on %%%%%% is this, the Sunday before I wrote that email her husband came up to us and said that %%%%%% had requested that I take sole respansiblity for her teaching because ******* brought up somthing negative in her past and she diddnt want ******* to talk so i need prayers that i will recieve insperation for her. And during the last lesson she admitted that the only thing keeping her from baptism was her morning cup of coffee so if you could pray that she will have the strentgh to over come that that would be great.


love you more than chocolate covered macadamian nuts,
Chris

25th Letter from California

Well, we had a very interesting, yet exciting week this week. @@@@@@@ passed her baptisimal interview and she asked me to baptize her!!! The service is on Saturday. Now there are only two more non members living in the house, one is currently working with the sister missionaries. Now it is time for Elder Braford and I to zone in on the final roomate.

We have decided to change the way we approach the lessons with *****. Brother Coleman has been the member that has been coming with us in the past and he told us on Sunday that he thinks ***** is using him as a crutch for some reason. So we will be bringing another member who is one of *****'s other clients with us to the next lesson.

Things have also gotten very interesting with #######, Lets just say that both of us will need all the prayers we can get over the coming weeks.

love you more than brownies a la mode,
Chris

24th Letter from California

Thanks for the info,I will probably call and inform the mission office of the changes as soon as i get done with email. I hope that everything goes smoothly this week. I probably wont get any mail unill zone conference tomorrow and since I know the new adress I will probably reply straight there.

We had a really interesting week this week we flat out told ******* and ###### that their respective churches have no athority, and I recited my line of athority and Elder Braford has his on a card which he showed to both of them. Although it may be the truth I almost feel like we are totally trashing another church whose intent is to help people and i dont like doing it.

On the bright side we set a baptismal date with %%%%%%%% yesterday! I have been put at ease about @@@@@@@@@@@. One of the guys in the singles ward told Elder Braford and I over dinner that there were three types of missionaries in his mission hard workers, slow workers, and people who didnt work at all. Ring a bell?

love you more than opening a fresh can of tennis balls
Chris

23rd Letter from California

Well, first and formost, I am staying here in Vista for at least the next six weeks, and I am still working with Elder Braford. Lets just say he was mildly annoyed because this is his second five transfer (seven and a half month)area in a row.

We picked up a new investigator last thursday that is rock solid. Her name is @@@@@@ we have taught her the first two lessons. Her roommates are a recent convert, a returned missionary and an investigator that the sisters are teaching. How much more ideal can you get!?! She came to church last week, on mother's day and she came to *******'s baptism.

I got the journal paper isnt it ironic that you found it under a bed. I survived my first earthquake on Sunday!! It was a 5.0, the epicentrer was in Larson California if remember right. I believe that is somewhere south of us. It was kind of funny we were at ********'s house having a lesson on the preisthood,which he will recieve next week. Then all of the sudden we feel the apartment shake and ****** just casually mentions an earthquake just happened, and hops on the computer to get the statistics.

The reason I havent replied to any dear elders you may have sent is once it gets to the week before transfers they hold everyones mail at the mission office until transfer meeting where it is picked up by the elders that are affected by the transfer and brought back to those of us who are staying in the area. I have discovered somnthing rather intresting in the apartment we have Book of Mormons in Persian and Russian in our apartment. I think how they got there is some one requested it and then the missionaries were unable to get in touch with them after words. The same thing happend to me in Fallbrook so they have a French Book of Mormon sitting in the closet just in case. Elder Braford also found a Chinese hymnal. The cool thing abouth that is it has the proununcation written out in english on the page next to the hymn.

love you more than pomagranate smoothies,
Chris

22nd Letter from California

Not much has happened since the phone call. We have ****** second baptismal interview tonight and we have lessons scheduled with ******* and ******.

Transfer calls are this saturday so things could get interesting here in Vista.

Love you more than ice cream sundaes,
Chris

21st Letter from California

This week was slightly crazy. @@@@@@ wants to get baptized that is really cool, because when elder braford started working with him about six months ago that he was dead set on the fact that we would not see him in an lds church after his wedding.

Other than that we had a lesson with a referal that was given to us by our ward mission leader, his name is ******* *******, that went really well. So far the only issue that I can tell he has is that our church is the only one with the athority to act in Gods name. His brother is a pastor, so the fact that he is even agreeing to meet with us is huge.

I went on an exchange with Elder Haycock yesterday and met some very interesting people. There was *******, he is a member of their ward who is taking the temple prep classes. The lesson was going to start out as a review of some of the aspects of the paln of salvation but some how he ended up comparing Elder Haycock and I to gang members and my girlfriend was cheating on me with him. It was probably one of the wierdist discussions of my mission. Then we got a phone call form the district leader and apparently there was a member in a senior care facility who was refusing to eat until she saw some missionaries so both companionships headed down to the facility and listened to this lady tell her life story. I think we may have planted seeds with some of the nurses we will see.

It is looking like the mother's day phone call will be around 5-5:30 Californial time whichmakes it arond 8:00to 8:30 back east just to give you a heads up.

love you more than jumping on the trampoline
Chris

20th Letter from California

That is utterly hilarious,(In response to me loosing control of a bottle of chocolate syrup and it hitting a cup of orange soda, making it spill all over Missy's date who was over for dinner for the first time. Opps! I wonder if she will ever bring a guy home again.)

I am in Vista now, which is kind of funny because I am in the same stake as Fallbrook, and it gets even funnier since I am working in the singles ward, in addition to a family ward, the whole stake is technically in my area so I may still have work in Fallbrook. We set a baptismal date this week. Yhe guys name is *******. From what Elder Braford tells me, he has been investigating for the past six months. Just based on the first discussion we had with him I was thinking it would be a little while, but somthing Elder Braford said just struck a cord I guess. That was pretty much the highlight of the week.

love Chris

19th Letter from California

Yes the wards, emphasis on the plural, are feeding us very well. I am now working in both a family ward an the singles ward for the stake. I stayed in the same stake as Fallbrook and since I cover the singles ward the whole stake is technaically in my area.

My new companions name is Elder Braford (pronounced BRAY-ford)I really like him he is really relaxed and we seem to work realy well together when we teach.

The mission president is like a second father to me, both President and Sister Brady have a deep love for the missionaries. I love going to zone conference and hearing his advice. This past zone conference, we discussed how we can use the Book of Mormon more effectively. For example one of the excersises he had us do was we went down the row and read a verse from Alma 32 then we gave what we thought the scripture meant (at least that is what i think the scripture was I know that sounds terrible). It took us a half an hour to go throught eight verses! Another thing he counciled us to do is to come up with questions to leave with investigators to make the reading more meaningful. Then he told us to identify six chapters that we feel are essential to conversion, then come up with three questions per chapter. The zone conference before that, he gave a training on how to explain terms that are unique to the church or "Mormonese" words and phrases like atonement, laying on of hands etc.

When we go to the temple we usually get rides with members. I really do love going when we get the chance! I do not know what is going to happen to my investigators after i leave and it really makes me nervous. One of my investigators did send an email to my gmail account. Could you get on and either save it or print it form me so I can read it when I return home. I am not nervous about my new area I know that God has me here for a reason. It was knd of wierd one of the people that I was woking with in fallbrook is one of the people the singles ward is working with as well.

Love you more than See's Candy,
Elder Chris McKenna

18th Letter from California

That is absolutely histarical!!! (This is in response to us trying to teach the dog to say i love you, which sounds alot like i ruv roo.) We will have to see if you can get her to do that into the phone when I call on mothers day, as for the guard diggie transformation I am sure that will come with time.

I am almost done with Luke in my personal reading. I really cant wait to get to Paul's writings. I will look and let you know the size of the paper i need next week because i didnt look either. Its intresting that you bring up the compilation of the bible, because we had an investigator that we met with who was distraught because she found out how and when the bible was compiled.

Well we knew this day would come eventually. I am being transfered :( but on the bright side I did manage to say goodbye to the ******* and the ######## without crying my eyes out. I dont know where I am going yet, but I will find out today.

Yes I do remember springtime wisteria and i would love a wiff of it right now. Speaking of spring when is graduation. I need to get cards out to a certian siamese twin and a few friends.

Love you more than Fallbrook CA,
Elder Chris McKenna

17th Letter from California

Dear Mom and Dad,

Well the library was closed on Tuesday in memory of Cesar Chavez. So that is the reason why there is no email this week. Things could get very interesting in Fallbrook. We get transfer calls this Saturday. I have a hunch that I will be leaving. Because Elder Hunsaker and I both do not have driving privilages, I have been in the area longer and they would need to call a new diestrict leader if Elder Hunsaker left. It makes me sad because I love the people here. Anyway I just got back from the temple today. I love the peace that is there.

Its great here in Fallbrook again. We just picked up two new investigators. ******** is 17 years old and she was a street contact that actually wanted to have us come back. The other is ###########. She is in her mid to late thirties, I would guess. She is also a street contact that set a return appointment with us. The best part is both said yes to a soft baptismal commitment! A soft baptismal commitment is when we ask someone "If you knew the Book of Mormon was true would you be baptized?" It seems like the work is going back on the upswing again.

It sounds like everyone has taken on to liking Valdosta, I'm glad.

Love,
Elder Chris McKenna

16th Letter from California

Yeah everything is good. Everything looks like it will start to pick up. We have eight lessons scheduled for tomorrow and something like six for Wednesday, so we may actually do some teaching now.

This past week we had a really good lesson with ##########. It was mostly about the kingdoms of glory and she seemed a lot more open minded then the last time we taught her. The only problem is now that we are meeting with her on a semi consistant basis her mom has made it known that she does not want us comming over. So we will probably meet at the donut shop in town or somthing.

This has probably been the wierdest thing that has happened on my mission so far. So we had a baptism date for #########. We got a call at random from her and she said that she wasnt intrested anymore. We stopped by her house and apperantly the father of her son wants him baptized Catholic and in order for that to happen she needs to be Catholic as well so she dropped us.

I went on an exchange with one of the Spanish speaking missionaries Elder Clayton. That was very frustrating because I found out that I had lost a lot more Spanish than i thought. Anyway Garrett's letter was interesting. I mean you would think that I would be the one dealing with investigators with drug problems. But I am glad that he is staying busy, and yes not being the greenest in the district is a cool feeling.

By the way I lost his adress acould you send it again please Tell Chris that I am the second witness that he needs to hit preach my gospel hard. I wish I knew how I could make that bold and all caps because he really does. Tip number two, the scripture masteries are actually useful out side the seminary room.

love you more than rasberry lemonade,
Elder Chris McKenna

PS I need more Journal Pages

15th Letter from California

I think I just might skip to phillipians because I sure need a boost right now because It seems like every single day we plan just falls apart, but I do have some good news. One of our investigators ######### @@@@@@@@@@@ is on the third lesson and we are going to issue a baptismal challenge tonight. She is just absolutely golden. She is the caretaker for one of the members of the ward who is dying of cancer. I dont know all the details but some how he got her intrested in the gospel. I was on a split with one of the other ward missionaries during the first lesson but i am told she was in tears. She really took to the paln of salvation well. So hopefully she can over come some of her issues with working on Sunday.

######## @@@@@@@@@ has a baptisimal date as well.

Then I ran into one of our former investigators ######### @@@@@@@@@@@. What happened with her was when Elder Hunsaker and I came by to follow up on the Plan of Salvation pamphlet that Elder Achibald and I had left her kid shook his head through the window and since this was not the first time she had not answered we dropped her. But when I saw her she said she was still intrested and she wanted to see if we could come back teach her one more time before she moved to Pheonix. I'm glad she's moving there of all places because i know some of the missionaries because they were in my MTC district went to Pheonix and they're good men so hopefully she will end up joining over there.

Love you more than Cadberry Creme Eggs,
Chris

14th Letter From California

Well, if you want me to be totally honest it has been a a distration. I do enjoy the positive stuff,(by the way tell missy she makes me sick about the whole grade thing)

You might like what president Brady said in zone conference. Missions are the closest thing to the law of concecration we have on this earth, and if you be like annanius and hold back you begin to die spiritually. I think I can take a hint.

They have also redefined what an other lesson is. It used to be that a lesson was only counted as a lesson if you have a member but people have been having ahard time getting other lessons so they have done away with that criteria.

I like the idea about the snipits of josh and dario's letters. I think i might start reading Jesus the Christ as well.

That is really cool about Adams mission call. Now the Nicolas brothers will be able to speak spanish to each other.

Dont feel to bad about your eating a few weeks back i went through two boxes of poptarts in less than a week and I think it was last week I had two bags of Milanos in it was either one night or two days i cant remember and those samoas you sent me were gone in about a day, I cant remeber for sure anyway time to go back on a health kick.

As far as the work goes we have been tracting a ton and our investigators are turning out to be imposible to get a hold of. We are working with a less active family the ############. The husband told us whay he is less active and i am totally at a loss as to how to help him get past it. We have three weeks left of the transfer, so just keep me in your prayers.

Love you more than samoa's
Chris

13th Letter from California

Dear Mom

I am trying as hard as I can to be good because believe me i want to stay here as much as you want me to stay here. I am trying to make a concious effort to humble myself. I know you can make it through this. Your strength has helped me more than you can ever know. You are about to study one of my favorite scripture masteries 1 Corintians 10: 13 I think that would help you in this situation Ether 12:27 is a good one too.

Love you more than Choclate Cream Pie,
Chris


Blog Master NOTE: This is response to our dreeded up coming move to Valdosta, Georgia. In-nit great he's now comforting me!!! I always gave him a talkin to about note enough info!!!

12th Letter - two for one

Well, I hope you get well soon. I have some news that may brighten your day. While we were waiting to do interviews with President Brady, Sister Brady asked all a bunch of get to know you questions. One of which was what your parents did for a living. I told them about dads distribution and I told her that you designed quilt patterns and sold them over the internet. As it turns out she is a quilter, so I gave her your web sites so you may be getting a few orders from Carlsbad soon, we'll see.

Its amazing how the spirit can work like that not just in seminary but with life in general. Anyway the reason I am going on so many exchanges is my companion is the district leader and one of the responsibilites of the district leader is to evaluate the level of obedience and the quality of the teaching of the other missionaries in the district. So I go on a lot of exchanges. Ordinarally an exchange would only happen to a companionship twice in a transfer, but I end up going on eight exchanges in one transfer. I am looking at it as a blessing because I get to know all of the elders in my district a little better.

Love you mare than chaocolate frosting,
Chris

Well I am glad that I am able to make you proud. Yes I am glad that I am not working at publix anymore, However after the mission I can can safely say to my self if I start working retail again, "Bring it on customers I am a returned missionary." I mean seriosly, in three months of tracting I have gotten in to one door. The majority of the investigators we are working with are people we have been street contacts. And three baptisms were from a member referal, one was the daughter of some less actives that have returned to activity and the other is the spouse of a less active member who has a date for the 21st. And so far I have had people from three diffrent religions try to convert me, a Buddist, an Eastern Orthodox , and a Seventh Day Adventist. I had to fight the urge to say people do you think I would be out here in a suit, tie, and name tag trying to convert you if I had any intention of changing my religion!! *takes a deep breath to calm down and retun to a positive train of thought* :)

Anyway for the really cool stuff that happend this week both Brother ##########, and Brother ####### blessed the sacrament. That right there is exactily why I am out on the mission. I mean, how cool is that to see a former less active and a recent convert excersie their priesthood. I was so far above cloud 9 that you cant even see it any more! Congradualte Alix for me. And as for Missy's scores that does not suprise me at all. I wrote somthing about that in my response to the Dear Elder letter that will be in the mail tomorrow. And I am happy that you hve been able to make that much progress toward your goal.

Love you more than Better than Alomst Anything Cake,
Chris

11th Letter from California

Well this week was full of awsome experiences. ######## is so amazing. She is giving up so much in a short period of time and it looks like every thing will stay on track for the 21st!

We did several exchanges this week. An exchange is where you work with a missionary other than your companion for the day. On monday I was blessed with the opportunity to work with Elder Marler, our Zone Leader. I can't remember whether I told you about this on Tuesday or not so I will. We started off the morining with a little practice on our door appoaches. The way President Brady has instructed us to do these goes somthing Like this. Hi I'm Elder McKenna this is my companion Elder Hunsaker we are the missionaries that live here in the neigborhood, and we are sharing this free gift about *insert title of pamplet here* Then we would tie that into the Restoration, bear brief testimony then close with somthing along the lines of We would love to share more may we do so? Then we went right out and applied what we had been practicing, we tracted until lunch.

Then we met with a lady named ###### and we talked a little bit about scripture study and missonary work. Then we had several of our scheduled appointments fall through so more tracting. Then we met with Elder Marlers ward mission leader had dinner and wrapped up the exchange.

We had another exchange on Thursday with Elder Stith. We did service at a place called the bottem shelf book store. We had a great time sorting books. Elder Stiths allergies started to act up so we took a break, then we had lesson with ####### and she promised to come to church on Sunday, I will have to ask if she actually did.

Then on Satuday I worked with Elder Orallo. We had a lesson with ####### ######## a recently called ward missionary. We are basically teaching the lessons to him for two reasons. One to familarize him with the new format of the lessons, second I need the practice. Then we did service for a lady named ########, her husband is in Afganistan and the first time we stopped by we told her we were avalable to help with anything she nedded. we helped her move a couch and do some yard work. Then we gave a blessing to Sister ######### an older lady in the ward. She was crying she was so appricative. It was really cool.

Sunday was a fast and testimony meeting that I will never forget. ###### ###### passed the Sacrament for the first time. I was so excited I was beaming the whole time. Then I got up and bore my testimony of the restoration and how much missonary work has strengthend it. Then ########, one of the less actives we have been working with got up and bore her testimony and that was awsome. Then ####### ######## one of our investigators got up and bore her testimony. I was shocked I mean she is not even baptized yet and she gets up in fornt of the entire ward and bears an incredible testimony of the Book of Mormen and the spirit.

Yesterday I worked with Elder Root one of the Spanish speaking Elders. One of the first lessons we had Elder Root asked me to bear my testimony on prayer. He translated of course, but still the spirit was so strong. It is amazing how the spirit works though people. We had a couple of other lessons, and I just stuck to simple testimony, one of the ladies even said she under stood what i said even though she spoke little English herself. She said she knew just enough for her job.


Love you more than Valentine truffles,
Chris

10th Letter from California - 5th baptism

Well I am glad that you were able to get that time alone with Dad. Sounds like you really had a great time and it really does sound like Savannah is a beautiful place. Looks like I have another red dot I need to put on my map!

Well what a contact is, is some one that we talk to just on the street.
People that we talk to when we knock doors do not count as a contact. So between Elder Hunsaker and myself we talked to 44 people that night. About a week later we broke that record and talked to 51 people! The standards that President Brady has asked us to achive as a minimum are 10 contacts per elder per day and two other lessons. Those are lessons where we dont have a member with us. We need at least 6 lessons with a member present per week. We are supposed to maintain two investigators with baptisimal dates per week. We also need to find two new investigators per week. And maintain two investigatos with a baptisimal date per week, and have at least one baptism per month.

I have some really good news, baptimal date number five has been scheduled for Febuary 21st. It is with ####### ######## that I told you about last week. Unfortuantely I was on an exchange at the time, an Exchange is where you swap companions for the day and you either stay in your area or go to the other elders area. And I was in Vista that day Working with Elder Marler one of the Zone Leaders and His companion Elder Moltrie was working with Elder Hunsaker, when the baptismal date was actually issued. You are probably unfamiliar with what districts and zones are so I will attempt to explain but you may want to run this by dad to make sure i havent misinformed you. A discrict is composed of all the missionaries that work in a certain city. A zone is, from what I have gathered, all the missionaries that are in a certain stake but I am not entirely sure if that is exactly correct.

I am glad that you are still enjoying seminary. I have actually started Reading the New Tesemant and I just finished the Sermon on the Mount this morning and I will prabaly read that again some time when i am a little more awake than I am in the morning :O)Tell the class I love them and tell the guys espesiallly THEY NEED TO GET THEMSELVES ON MISSIONS AT ALL COSTS !!! My head is just spinning because it is almost Febuary already. The mission has probably been the most challenging thing that I have ever done but it is also the most beautiful thing I have ever done. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. There are no words to discribe the feeling you get when you watch/participate in the baptism of one of your investigators.

Love you more than Chocolate Raspberry Cheessecake,

Elder McKenna

9th Letter from California

yeah the baptism was an amazing feeling, I almost didn't get thim all the way under, but the winesses said I was good. Elder Hunsaker is a great guy to work with. He is very serious but he is determined to do the work. So far we have three investigators we are working with, ######, her husband is a member who is coming back to activity. She is coming to church with him and wants the discussions, so hopefully i will be reporting on baptism number five within the next couple of weeks.

###### and ###### are some people we street conatacted and we have an appointment tomorrow so we will see how that goes.

The reason this email is coming on a Wednesday is we had zone conference yesterday and we had Elder Hamula and Elder Cordoba of the seventy come and speak. So needless to say President Brady made a few schedule adjustments. I will write more about that when i write snail mail. Yes i have gotten both sanil mail letters. I just sent the reply to the first one and i wrote the date on the back of the envelope so you can tell when i sent it.

The raspberry bliss were amazing deffinately worth including on your next binge day.
Thats hilarious that i am still with you virtually ( ha ha )

Love you more than Toblerones,
Chris

8th Letter From California

Hey mom its your favorite missionary,

Well this week has been absolutely insane. We set a baptisimal date with the ###### family for this Saturday,and ###### asked me to baptize him!!! Elder Arcibald found out that his Mom has made arrangements for him to come back for the baptism, which is going to be amazing.

####### ####### is back from Christmas vacation, unfortunately her uncle passed away. But when we stopped by we gave here a plan of salvation pamphlet and i am planning to follow up on that with my new comapanion.

######### was baptized this past saturday and I even got to participate in the confirmation which was cool.

Today is also the end of the transfer and the mission is about to get very intresting because now I am calling the shots, because I know the area, so that IS going to be fun.I will probably pray the harder than I ever have prayed in my life.

I will probably hand write you to tell you about transfer meeting tomorrow.

love you more than Godiva truffles,
Chris

7th Letter from California

Oh my gosh I am so envious. That is hilarious that the guide told you that the National Archives were nothing like National Treasure. I love how hollywood twists things like that it was cool that you got to do a white house drive by. You could have plaved we are related to Vice President Chaney card ( ha ha ) That sounds cool we will have to go do a session when I get back. (In regards to our trip to Washington DC and the DC Temple.)

I'm really excited that it looks like we are going to have 4 bapsisms !!

########'s baptism is on Saturday Elder Archibald and I are way pumped. We shared the movie, The Testaments with them last night and that was a really cool experience. I am giving a talk so that should be intresting.

I dont remember if I told you about the ######## family, so here goes well ######, the father, was hesitant to have us in his home because he didn't want to force the church on his kids. Any way we finally got a lesson with him this past Wednesday and that went fantastically well. As we were leaving he said he wanted to talk about baptism! Fortunately we had a member with us, so he said he would stay and answer his questions. We are hoping that the family will be baptised by the time Elder Arcibald leaves next Tuesdsay.

Yes, the weather is very nice, its a bit like spring in Georgia.
Love you more than Dove Chocolate,
Chris

6th Letter From California

Oh my gosh I am so envious. That is hilarious that the guide told you that the National Arcives are nothing like National Treasure. I love how hollywood twists things like that. It was cool that you got to do a white house drive by. You could have played we are related to Vice President Chaney .( ha ha ) That sounds cool we will have to go do a session when I get back. ((Blogmaster note: This is regards to our trip to Washignton DC and the DC Temple.))

I'm really excited that it looks like we are going to have 4 bapsisms !!

Sierra's baptism is on Saturday Elder Archibald and I are way pumped. We shared the movie The Testamnets with them last night and that was a really cool experience. I am giving a talk so that should be intresting.

I don't remember if I told you about the ##### family, so here goes well ######, the father, was hesitant to have us in his home because he didn't want to force the church on his kids. Any way we finally got a lesson with him this past Wednesday and that went fantastically well. As we were leaving he said he wanted to talk about baptism! Fortunately we had a member with us, so he said he would stay and answer his questions. We are hoping that the family will be baptised by the time Elder Arcibald leaves next Tuesdsay.

Yes, the weather is very nice, its a bit like spring in Georgia.

Love you more than Dove Chocolate,
Chris