November 20th, 2012

Dearest mom,

Thank you for the wonderful update about the family! Sorry to hear about grandma Dickinson; she was such a wonderful and humorous woman. I am just sad that I won't be able to listen to her stories on the earth, but I am happy that she will be just as witty when I see her next. 

Today we were able to go to the temple and enjoy the rejuvenating spirit that is there. Work is going well. I feel an infinitesimally small portion of the burden that the Savior felt as he worked out the salvation of His brothers and sisters. I am grateful for the advice that dad gave me in his email that by doing the Lord's work and being His servant I can please God. By giving all that I have I will become who I need to become. God is easy to please but so very hard to satisfy. I never do enough to justify my sins. I need to rely on Jesus Christ to carry me on His shoulders when the load is too heavy. I now He is there and even more than that I know that God is mindful of me as he is of each of us. 

I didn't mean to get into the heavy stuff so soon! It has just been weighing on my mind. But this week was super fun! Missionary work is a ball. As serious as it is, it is so rewarding and we have a grand time! Yes my birthday IS this week, but it is on a weekend which means the whole day is considered "prime proselyting" hours. So I doubt I will be able to open my birthday box until about 9:30 after planning or maybe 10 because we need to make a progress record for ward council the next morning, but I for sure look forward to it! Thank you for thinking of me and thoughtfully sending me a package! I was planning on being in Mongolia and not receiving anything for 2 years, so this is way nice!

The Thanksgiving Turkey bowl is out of our area, so I won't be there :(

I lined up 5 dinners for Thursday... Elder Barton wasn't too happy about that. He was on exchanges 3 out of the 7 days this week so I set up a lot of appointments with less-actives and investigators and families that wanted us over. He appreciates my effort and enthusiasm, but he is very detail oriented and methodical (which keeps me in line) and doesn't hesitate to remind me that we will be on bikes that day and we need to eat at each house. We had 3 dinners last night, but we had the car, so it worked out. I just tell him that it will all work out and he shakes his head and sighs in resignation. That is how most of our conversations go. We teach really well together though! 

"Kennedy! Happy birthday on Thursday I hope it is wonderful. You can be a missionary in 6 years now! Love you sister."

Rocio heads back to Colombia Thursday at 2AM and so we won't see her until January 14. Then she will be baptized on January 26. She is doing great, but really just needs this vacation. Her son Ioannies is scheduled to be baptized on December 17. We had a baptism on Saturday and so Ioannies really felt the spirit there and is progressing towards a strong testimony. 

"To celebrate your birthday we will be having breakfast at Dean's restaurant on Saturday.  Looking forward to ringing in your 20th year with bacon!" -Mom

Just know that my spiritual mouth and stomach will be there for the left overs! Feel free to send them to my physical mouth and stomach if you want.

I love being a missionary and my testimony is that miracles happen everyday. I feel bad that I don't share miracles that much in these emails, because they are just all over the place! Some are very personal, but little things happen everyday that are changing me and those that the spirit comes into contact with. 

Happy Thanksgiving and I will give you a weigh-in next week.

Gobble Gobble! -Elder Chandler