In His Strength, I Can Do All Things

I can't believe that this is the last week that I´ll be emailing you all as a set apart missionary in the Dominican Republic. I´m not really sure what to say that will do justice to everything that has happened or all that I have learned.

This year and a half has been full of experiences, joy that I can't even put into words and times that I was sure I wouldn't be able to move forward. But I came to recognize that the moments I thought would break me never did, my Heavenly Father pushed me to the very very edge to show me my own strength, to help me to grow and if he hadn't taken me to that breaking point I would never have recognized the things I was capable of, it's a funny thing to think about, but looking back from my new perspective I´m really grateful that He loved me enough to do so.

But I also came to the realization that the mission really isn't the end. That it's just a starting point to a lot of things to come. I´ve got a lot of desire and excitement to be able to apply all that I have learned in each an every ward that I join, I´ve gained a new perspective that I know I didn't have before the mission and when I recognize things like that everything is okay.

My mission isn't meant to last forever, but the things that I have learned are meant for just exactly that.

I´ve learned to love a whole new group of people, I´ve found family that speaks a whole different language but that I love just the same, I´ve sweated, I´ve studied and I´ve prayed, and now my Heavenly Father has a new journey to take me on, and just like the mission, I´m going to have to take it on faith, and leave the rest to him.

Love you all and see you soon,

Hermana Coe

For our brethren, the Lamanites were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.

Behold, thousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought into the fold of God.

Behold, the field was ripe and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickly, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

But Ammon said unto him: 

I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; 

but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, 

and I will rejoice in my God.

Yeah, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak;

therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, 

for in his strength I can do all things; 

yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land,

for which we will praise his name forever. 

Alma 26:3-5, 11-12

We walk, we sweat, and we enjoy it! :-)

Note from Sue:  I kinda fell off the blog-wagon a few months ago when I got overwhelmed keeping up two blogs :-)  Sorry...but Kenzie requested that I put up a few pics from the last little while, cuz whenever she emails anyone a pic, they can't open it!  Well...everyone except for MEEEEEE!! Where's there's a will, there's a WAY!!  And I wasn't about to not be able to see my sweet girl.  So, here you go! Good thing a picture's worth a thousand...you know :-)

Cooking!  Making Johnny caycays, (haha I´m sure that that's not how it's spelled, but that's how it sounds) with one of my FAVORITE member families. They have the cutest 4 little girls and do sooooo much in our ward. Someday when we come and visit we are stopping by their house. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE

I cooked yucca with salami frito!

today I went to a dominican salong and did rollers!

haha! 100 percent dominicana 

Ya tu sabes

ahahaha final product!

 Our surprise pineapple themed FHE for Hermana Walker's birthday -- pulled it off without a hitch.  It was AWESOME, and everyone was such good sports :-)

 but I turned my dang pineapple around and forgot to put it back for the pic...  

 sweet sweet members from cancino that I ran into today!

 I looove this little girl's smile! 

never got to say goodbye to them, but it was the coolest

 having them run up to me and give me a hug,

 always nice to know someone remembers you!

 my district -- they always make the us sit in chairs in the front, and I hatteee it!  

I refused to sit there this time, so they decided to take our place ahahaha

thought this was cool, there's 

a pic of my group on the website under Carribean missionaries!

plus, as a bonus - here's her email to us this week!!

hellooo family!

just a quick note for the weekk

This week has been great, we got the transfer call and everything is staying the same! Which means that I will be finishing here in Mendoza with Hermana Flores! So in mission terms, she´ll be killing mee (I always knew that she was secretly an assasin)

This week's brought a superrrr hardcore change in the weather! It has been sooooooooo hot. There are no clouds ANYWHERE in the sky. Luckily I have somewhat adjusted but my companion who comes from the country of year round spring (guatemala) is dying haha. And she hates it when I remind her that this has NOTHING on the weather we´ll be having in august! 

But we walk and we sweat and we enjoy it!

We´ve been dropping a lot of investigators and havent had to much luck finding new ones, buttt the ones that we do have are the best. And I guess its quality not quantity right?

And our sweet sweet investigator Amarily is all set for her fecha the 28th of june! It has been the COOLEST thing to see how prepared she has been to accept this gospel. She grasps everythign that we teach the first time that we say it and by personal decision chose to live the word of wisdom eight years ago and hasnt had a sip of beer or coffee since.

The part that really amazes me though is that just because she has been so prepared doesnt mean that having these values has come easily, she has just as many temptations and trials as anyone else, but she chose to do what she felt was right and has been strong enough to stick to it.

She is a sweet heart, every singlt member that we have brought with us in the lessons just falls in love with her and wants to do whatever they can to support her. It is awesome. A sweet older lady in our ward gave us a bible that she had bought in the temple store(it was for a less active member, but turns out she already has one), so we asked her if she would like to come with us in a lesson and gift it herself. Amarily was overjoyed. She jumped up and gave her a hug thanking her for completing her scriptures and bringing her the word of God. She's excited to search all of the other scriptures that are in ehr pamphlets. It was awesome, she is awesome. Plus the last couple visits shes been waiting for us with icy coca colas. win win win

I dont know if its bad to have favorites butttt.... haha

life is good!

love youuuu all

kenz

No Such Thing as a Coincidence

Hello all! Its been an awesome week, definitely crazy,but I think crazy is more normal than normal out here, if that makes any sense at all.

If there is anything that the mission has taught me it's that there is no such thing as a coincidence. It never ceases to amaze me the poeple that are placed in our path or the trials that we have to face. They always serve a purpose when we are looking back.

So we have this investigator. One day we were knocking doors (which here is more like yelling through gates ¨SALUUUDDOOOOSS, BUENNAAAAS¨) and at the very last house at the verrrry end of our area, we met a man and set an appointment to return. When we came back he wasn´t home, but his nephew who lives above him was. We called him down and honestly from first appearance we didn't really think he would want to talk to us, he had lots of tattoos and earrings, etc., but he ended up being super nice and rad. We ended up talking to him and found out that he had been visited by missionaries before when he was 7 and that his family had visited the church back then. He had awesome memories of the elders who taught him and said that they had lost contact when he moved out to Curacao (island by aruba). So we set a return appointment with thim and invited him to come to the church. 

When we came back for the cita (appt) he wasn't there and we were super bummed, we assumed that we wouldn´t ever see him again. But that very next Sunday he showed up at the church and said he felt really bad for not being there. We set another cita for the next day and it went really well, butttt after that he kinda just fell off the map, wasn't home and didn't answer his phone. So we decided to go back one last time, and lo and behold, he was there, and let us know that some stuff had been going on in his family and so he hadn't been able to go to the church. Andd we found out that he was going to be moving the next day, AND not only that, but he was going to be moving to the same street that we live on, wayyyy closer. But once again after a cita or two he started dissapearing so we decided to stop trying to visit him. This past week (about a week or two later) we were in a cita teaching a brand new awesomeee family we had just found...and guess who comes walking up the stairs to there house and happens to be a close family friend! This samee guy! We were nowhere near where he lives and had no idea they even knew each other.  What are the chances? and we hadn't been even planning on being there that day because we had had to move the cita last minute. So we´re hoping to be able to keep moving forward, anddd just learned from a member, that hadn't seen him since he was little, but was so excited when he showed up that first week, that his mom is a menosactiva. 

Coincidence? yaa no I don´t believe in those things anymore.

So that was basically a big confusing paragraph, but the moral of the story is, when there is something that is meant to be put in our path, Heavenly Father finds a way to put it or him there over and over again even when we are cluelessly walking away.  We´re hoping to start sharing with him again soon, obviously there's a reason for all of the run-ins.

Honestly this transfer has been a really big learning experience for me, its had some major ups and some major downs, but it's pushed me to keep moving forward. We´re never done learning anddd we really can never do it on our own. I know for a fact that I would have never survived the last year without the help of a loving PATIENT and ever present Heavenly Father and the people that he has placed in my path. We really can never be standing still-- time just keeps chugging along! Which is sometimes a super bummer, maybe it could just pause for a little while, like 6 months or so? I mean its only fair, 2 years sounds great--I got lots to do:)

But lots of love to all of you back home.

I know I´m always saying this,

but life really is gooodd

the book is blue

the church is true

and the buckets of rain getting dumped on us

just keep making the trees that much greener:)

have a great week folks

Happy Birthday to Meee!!

So I have to say that this was seriously one of the best birthdays ever! Who would have thought? I woke up in the morning to our wall decorated with balloons and notes from hna thomas and hna Fox and thenn we went and played soccer! (unfortunately we lost, but it was a blast). 

After we went out and taught, had some really awesome citas and hna Kofe informed every single person that we passed that it was my birthday (embarrassing haha). 

Came home for lunch and opened my packages! (they were suuuuper rad by the way!) and were completely surprised by the girls in Lotes y servicios. They got permission to come to our house at lunch and surprised us at our back window with cake and a super awesome rendition of ¨happy birthday¨. luckily we had made soooooo much food and were able to all share and hang out . It really was the best. 

And afterwards we were able to leave with our ward mission leader for some citas (I told him he couldnt bail and that it was his birthday present to me!) He followed through and we ended the night with my new favorite (and not to mention calorie-filled) food Yaroa! (fries cheese chicken mayo and ketchup) complete with candles that were relighting and impossible to blow out. And ended with a sweet call from my babycakes hna petersen (shes doing awesome by the wayy super proud of my 1st daughter) Nothing like starting out twenty-two and 10 pounds heavierrrrr haha, But I couldn't have asked for anything better, it did not disappoint. So thank you.

So here is my story from this week. The other sisters had a baptism last saturday and we were running around like crazy trying to find our investigators and invite them to come. Everything was falling through. So we quicked and stopped by E´s house. Shes an older woman that we´ve been teaching. She was taught by the elders a long time ago, but found us again and really just seems golden. Every time that we teach her, she is so excited and willing to apply everything immediately without any hesitation. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of faith that she has and the incredible blessings that she has seen because of her willingness to change and grow. So we showed up at her house 15 minutes before the baptism and without having too much hope that she would be able to go on such late notice, we told her about it and asked if she would be interested in going. Without a second thought, or even saying anything to us, she called to her daughter and said ´me voy´, to let her know that she was leaving, and threw on a skirt. It ended up being a really spiritual experience for her and neat to be able to see a baptism. She is always talking about how she feels such a ¨positive energy¨ in our church. She reads, she studies, she sacrafices, and for that very reason, she's received her answer. She's working on a few things, but we´re hoping by the end of the month she´ll be able to be baptized!! It never ceases to amazes me how prepared some people really are for this gospel.

and on a funny note. We were teaching the flia Acosta, and one of the little boys started talking to me and said ¨if you eat a lot one day, you're going to be a princesa gorda¨ and then informed that, in english, that is a ¨fat princess¨. He thought it was hilariouss. Where kids come up with this stuff, I will never know, but they crack me up!

Love you all

Hope you have an awesome week!

Dear Blog . . .

Dear blog 

I´m sorry I never write.

Its not you, it's me.

Every time I sit down, everything that happened during the week peaces out, and all I can remember are the things I have pictures of.

Although you are being a little needy, if we´re going to be completely honest.

I promise to take notes during the week from here on out because you would not believe the funny and tender little mercies we enjoy every week' 

and I need to be better about sharing.

Remember I´m a work in progress.

But dont worry toooo much because

Life is good.

   the year is new

      the sun is shining

         the stray dogs are barking

            the empanadas are deliciously greasy

               what more could I ask for?

love Hermana Coe

Happy & Healthy (the way mom likes it!)

Transfers came and I´m staying with Hermana Kofe in the same area, but one of the other girls in our house is leaving, and Hermana Thomas, from my CCM district (on the left with the 'thumbs up') is coming to be her comp. It will be so fun to live with her and celebrate our 'one year' together in Feb!

 That makes Hna Kofe my longest comp so far, and I will have only been in two areas for 6 months each by the time next transfers come around!

This week has been a roller coaster; but I'm happy and healthy and up for the challenge to make this a good transfer, and I know that it's in these moments, that we superrrr accelerate and learn tons more!

After 4 hours of playing soccer --

(which, turns out I still really suck at, but it's great exercise & we have a lot of fun playing as a district. They are patient when I kick in the wrong direction & are good enough to make up for me. Also, can I just say, I don't think I've ever used those muscles?  Charley horses like crazy the last couple days - ahaha!), 

we came home and celebrated my

11-month mark -- Time is Flying!!

My companion knows me too well - she got me a Diet Coke

and Midnight Milky Way!

(and you can tell from the angle of this pic, 

kenzie's companion is a tad taller than her!!)

These pics are from a Family Home Evening that we did with Sandy´s family (and some neighbor kids too). We played "Don't Eat Pete" with these nasty mouse gummies, I got as a gag gift!  It was awesome!

Set a baptismal date AND Painted a house :-)

Dear mom and dad -

What the crazy email day --

Katherine is having a boy

Shannon is married

I´m freaking out, I had no idea that Shannon was engaged!  But that is way awesome and she looks super super super cute haha!!  Wish I could have said congrats!  These are the moments when I feel so out of the loop out here!

I´m so glad to hear that everything is going well, and that abbie is doing ok! I sent off a note to her new email last week, but I´m not sure if she's seen it or even written yet today. Dang time difference.

It seriously really weirds me out that she is already gone and started in the ccm. I just can hardly get over how fast time passes -- I'll be 22 soon! Freaking old!

This week has been good, the best part was actually being allowed to do some service, in addition to our normal missionary-sharing-the-gospel service! And the best part is it was PAINTING!  3 times in one week. Crazy right? I just kept thinking about how annoyed I was when we painted our WHOLE house back when we built the addition, and now I basically just feel like a pro from all of that practice. Although, I will say, that the whole time, I was thinking how dad would absolutely die from how un-organized it was. No taping stuff off, and we cut in all the corners SECOND. Haha ... but it was awesome, and they all really appreciated the help.

But we really did have a good week. Set a baptismal date with one of our investigators who is absolutely awesome. She has a lot of challenges coming up (including children who are superrrr unsupportive of her decision) but I think that she really is ready. She came to the church Sunday and said at the end that it was absolutely ¨the best day¨.  I'm so excited. She always has the coolest questions when we teach her and she always teaches back to us what she has learned.

Anddd transfers are coming up at the end of this week! I have 4 and a half months in this area, and for the first time ever, I really really don't want to leave it. It hasn't been easy here, but things are finally starting to settle in, and move forward. It would be a bummer getting transferred right before we get to see the fruits of our labors... but it happens, so I guess I just need to be patient and wait out the calll.

And on a side note, I know you were super stressed about talking at the baptism mom, but I have to say that I understand what you´re feeling because my ward just asked me to speak next sunday on how to give missionaries referrals. I´m super super stressed about doing it all in spanish (I´ve been pretty stressed with mine the last couple of weeks) so we´ll see how it goes. Wish me luck.

Sandy and his family are doing well. They weren't able to come to church this past week, but they listen in every lesson, and they are reading their scriptures, we´re hoping that they can 

KEEP MOVING FORWARD.

Much love,

kenz

Merry Christmas

So I'm running out of time, but I finally found an internet center that can send pics soooo I"m hoping it actually works!  a picture's worth a thousand words, right?  So, actually I wrote A LOT!

This last Saturday we got to go to a super legit activity at the park by the temple with the family we are teaching. It was super awesome and the kids were all soo dang cute. Although I will say that it took all 4 of us adults to keep them all corraled together and in one peace. There were people dancing, different choirs and orchestras and just absolutely incredible lights everywhere!

But the coolest part of the night was when we crossed the street and got to take a walk around the temple. The feelings were just sooo sooo soo different. All of the sudden it was quiet and peaceful (even though the kids were still sprinting everywhere). We got the chance to talk with them about what takes place in the temple and that the sealings (marriages)  performed there last even longer then ¨until death do we part¨.  It was a really awesome ending to the night. I´m super grateful for them.

 My zone out here in Villa Mella!  They're awesome, and we love hanging out together, which is a huge blessing.

Our district - they are the best!

Apparently we've taken the super-hero thing to heart :-)

I've got a lovely bunch of coconutssss!

super cute gift from the tanguays & awesome photo album update!

Our Charlie Brown Christmas tree!

Christmas morning

Christmas Dinner

Hna Kofe in our favorite rocking chairs!

p.s. isnt this picture awesome?

also his name is Elvis -

double awesome!

all fancy for our Christmas and our Skype dates with the fam bam

Hna Mejia & Romero - we were over them last transfer; Hna Mejia is now in another area.

BBQ with our district, plus the other two girls we're over as STLs (Sister Training Leaders)

I finally learned how to play dominos (all dominicans are obsessed)

and another dominican game that is alot like Trouble or Sorry

love you and miss you

I´ll see you in no time!!!

your old fart, almost 22-years-old, daughter

P.S. Got a whole bunch of packages for christmas, halls, gma coe, doug & laurie and katherine. Am sending out thank you notes, but you can send them my thanks and gratitude if you talk to them. Also, I think I´m going to have to start running to start working off all the chocolate.... oops haha

P.P.S. Tell G'ma Irene I love her and loved her package!  We absolutely adore her potholders & dish rags! They make our home beautiful and we use them every dayyyy!  The old ones were getting pretty toreeee up - haha!

P.P.P.S. Got an entire box (24) of nut goodie bars from doug and laurie. I´m OBSESSED. Now I know why you are always raving about them, Dad!!! Don't be tooooo jealous ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Haven't gotten any mail in FOREVER. And not because it's not getting sent, but they neverrrr come to drop it off!  haha   I cant wait until my leadership meeting on Wednesday so that i can go pick it up!  Also hna Christensen is moving to Gazcue, my very first area! So she'll be way closer and I'll actually get to see her!

Thanksgiving was weird, really didnt feel like thanksgiving since its not a holiday they celebrate here. Basically investigators just brought it up and asked how homesick we were since our family was all together eating..... heyy - thanks guys haha!!

But we ended up celebrating sunday with a yummy "thanksgiving" lunch after church. we had mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce (from a can), turkey gravy (from a jar), steamed vegetables (from a bag), and bbq beef. It was yummy, but now that i'm writing it all out, it really doesn't sound that yummy haha... but it really was. We made do!

And the highlight of our meal came courtesy of our fave menos activo, Alberto. He told us he had a surprise for us and to stop by Sat night. When we got there. he had had to run out but his family told us he had left something for us ... and guess what it was? A DELISH cake-pie-thing called "tres leche" -- it is seriously the best.  He is seriously the sweetest. ANND he came to church again Sunday so we're pretty dang stoked about him.

We've been getting a loooot more lessons in recently, like we went from an average of 16/17 a week (not including with menos activos) to 24/25 every day. Its been crazy seeing the area explode, we visit our investigators a lot more times each week and we're seeing a lot of progress. I've literally never seen anything like it on my mission. Plus we gave BofM.s to the cute family we are teaching and the two oldest boys were super stoked.
All in all, we're excited to keep working and moving forward.

love you guys tons!

Great Week (and some bike riding ;-)

This week has been way good! Parts stunk (like waiting for 3 hours (not consecutive) for the Relief Society president who never showed, or Bishop bailing on our noche de hogar without calling or anything (and we'd traveled wayyy into the other sisters' area to get there...), but other parts were so awesomee!  

Like --

Our menosactivo, ALBERTO, coming to church and saying that he'll come back next week too!!  Successsss! - 

And, we finally got a ride for another old (former?) investigator and her husband -

2 youngish (20-year-old?) investigators came -

Andddd, a man and his WHOLE family (4 kids and him and his wife) -

We were running around like crazy, but it was awesome. We have worked soooooo hard for this so hopefully we can keep moving forward.

And today was way fun -- we ended up going to a zone activity that was at a gorgeous park. We weren't planning on staying very long so we didn't end up bringing clothes to change into, and we were the only sisters there, but Hermana Kofe talked me into volleyball and pretty soon everyone joined into our game. It was a blast, even though we were sweating like crazy in our church clothes (nast... haha!) -- and we all know that my volleyball skills are well... they're getting better.  

We're really trying to help our zone be more united, and to talk to us. (Note from sue: sounds like she an her companion are the only female missionaries in her zone) There's this awkward segregation because no one wants to cross the line of flirting, but it's dumb when we're always off to the side alone because no one will acknowledge us. Plus the elders are all like 12, soooo no worries there - haha. But it was good, and afterwards we rented bikes and rode them around the park/lake.  It was so fun, and weird to me that that's how so many missionaries get around.  weirdd

So, I was going for super hero, but ended up looking more like a cheerleader...

But it was gorgeousss day, and my bike even had a funny little basket up front!

So, we feel good!  I'm glad we got out of the house and ran around a little bit, sometimes we're just so cooped up. We're either working or sitting studying in the house. But things are good, we're gearing up to put in a second effort to work with the ward... and on the brightside, after last Sunday, they finally started to notice us and our efforts. Can't believe how fast time is passing, We're starting our last week of this transfer! And I'm quickly coming up to my first christmas away from home, and my 22nd (gross) birthday!

Love you all! Thanks for everything!

kenz

Love yer dang missionaries, folks!!

Heyy thanks for all of your emails, I was so excited to get them since we haven't had mail deliviered in like 3 weeks! Also meaning I haven't been able to send anything out sooo, I´ll basically have a buttload when the time comes (next Thursday)!

This week has been looooooooooooong ... oh, so long. We´ve been in this waiting game with moving houses and it's been killing me. The elders kept telling us - oh, for sure last weekend; oh, for sure Wed or Thurs; oh, for sure Fri... And then we finally got the call Saturday that we were good to get the keys. It was so hard trying to think about when in the world we would have time to pack, how we would get everything there, taking down bunkbeds, rescheduling appointments. A compelete mess. But after four loads in a tiny truck that absolutely robbed us price-wise, in the RAIN, and hauling it all upstairs, with the help of our angel district and zone leaders, we got it all up there to our beautiful, brand-new, squeaky clean, never-been-lived-in-by-dirty-elders-or-anyone-else-for-that-matter apartment. But after dealing with having to buy waaay more things than we had planned for (like parts to hook up the gas) and not having electricity at first, we finally got everything figured out.

And even after a nap on Sunday, we´re all still good and exhausted, and still have citas and an old apartment to clean, not to mention that tomorrow Hna Kofe and I are supposed to do intercambios with the other two girls we are over (that have been pushed back way too many times to cancel again), then interviews with the mission president on Thursday,  which moves district meeting to Fridayyy ... holy bjoly. Literally this week is a big fat mess. But we're dealing and I'm proud of us for it -- holding the other girls together through all of it and just trying to make progress a bit at a time (like getting groceries we desperately needed and copies of the keys made today!)  Little victoriessss!!!!!!!!!

But here are my thoughts for the day...

(please excuse the venting; 

I feel like this speech has been preparing itself all week - haha!)

So, you know how in conference and every broadcast ever, and basically anything else that comes out these days from the church, they are always talking about how members and missionaries need to work together?

I´m here to testify that it's true, 

and that when members don't step up and help, missionary work is like

 swimming in cement.

We´ve really been struggling with working with the members in this area and gaining their trust, but it has been soooo hard. This ward has a lot of desires, but just can't seem to make the time or put in the effort to make it happen. This ward just needs so much help. It is TINY on Sundays, but has enough members to make TWO STAKES. 

And last night we went to ward counsel and I seriously almost ripped my hair out, it was so frustrating listening to them talk about the menos activos, saying terrible things about how it's their own problem if they were offended, and that they want to focus on the people who 'had potential to come back'. (this coming from mouths of people who've done the offending) 

I finally couldn't keep quiet, I was so frustrated. My WHOLE mission has been working with menos activos. Literally the whole thing, and it looks like things are going to keep up that way. And I LOVE them sooo much, and it made me so frustrated because ALL of them have the potential to come back!  I´ve seen so many miracles working with them, and who are we to judge who is and is not ready to come back without giving it the time and effort that THEY deserve.

I finally told the members of ward council that, honestly, it didn't matter why they stopped coming to church; what matters is that WE are doing what we can to help them come back. They have all made covenants with their Heavenly Father, and if we can't do our part to take care of the sheep that we´ve been given, how can we expect to be trusted with new baptisms?

I´m not sure if i stepped on anyone's toes, but I tried to say it as respectfully as I could.  It just stunk.

Afterwards we went and met with one of our menos activos who we absolutely love. He´s 22 & one of the most genuine and funny, but incredibly shy person we've met. He is so weighed down with the mistakes he's made in the past, and it's hard to see because of his huge potential. He wants to come back, but it is just so scary for him, and honestly, I´m scared for him too. I´m worried about what some ward members will do and say, and I hate that -- I hate thinking like that, like if I was in his shoes I don't know that I could do it.

We just have to remember that judging others in a negative way and gossiping is soooo harmful. It doesn't have a place in this church. Seriously watching him cry last night as we talked about his potential, and how we were willing to do everything in our power to help him just broke my heart. Seriously it hurts, and I want the joy he felt after his baptism to come back to him. He told us not to take his issues on us, but we told him that we are a TEAM. He doesn't have to do it all alone, and we know it won't be easy but we also know that as far as it is possible, we will be with him every step of the way, so long as he keeps up with his side of the deal as well.

So thats my rant -- I love this area sooo much, I really, REALLY do. It has so much potential, and I just don't feel ready to move yet. Something's gotta give. And I super don't want you to think badly of this ward, because honestly it's a hole that we all can so easily fall into. Just remember that missionaries move on, and if we, as ward members, don't do our part, new converts and those with testimonies not as strong as ours will fall away.

So love your dang missionaries!!

(And when they move, give them some dang help, so that they don't have to take it out of the Lord's time, kayy?  haha  You ARE their families, you're all they've got for this year-and-a-half, and they need you.)

Love them and they´ll love you, and the work will explode!

...in the end that's what it's all about right?

A Day in the Life

"The heavens will not be filled with those who never made mistakes, 

but with those who recognized that they were off course, 

and who corrected their way to get back into the light of gospel truth."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Missionary work is crazy.  We knock doors; we set appointments; we teach; we teach; we teach; we invite people to pray; we set return appointments; we decide who is, and is not, progressing and leave the ones who aren't; appointments fall through; we set back-up plans; we set baptism dates with people;  and then we start the whole process again the next day.  It's a crazy, never ending cycle.  People come and go. Some make it into your heart, and it hurts to leave them, and others leave you.  Some feel they already know enough, others don't even recognize the faith they have. It can feel overwhelming sometimes, but the times we make a connection make it all worth it.

Sterlyn is a menos activo we're working with.  

She is the best, no matter what kind of day I'm having

 she makes me crack up :-)

And local members are a HUGE help, when they're willing to teach with us, or share experiences, or call our investigators, or pick them up on Sunday mornings. That is HUGE.  I feel like I'm going to need a year-and-a-half-long nap after this!

District Picturee!

A few random things...

I was actually COLD this morning when it was cloudy and raining; I think I'm adjusting to the weather.

A little study in Karma:  We were teaching a woman and she made a comment about my skin, so we asked her if she had any suggestions (because people here seem to always have crazy suggestions/cures; last week a lady told us that egg yolks make your hair curly!), and to our surprise she said, 'yes, go to the dermatologist."  Rude, but also weirdly normal - haha!  But karma stepped in and at the end of our lesson, the wooden chair she was sitting on broke (the 2 front legs just slid out forward), and she slid right onto her bum on the ground!  It was SO FUNNY, and luckily she wasn't hurt, and she & her sisters were cracking up with us -- so awesome :-)

Love you guys tons!  I can feel changes coming in this new area; and so excited for the energy Hna Kofe brings to our companionship.  She is so fun and my lifesaver sometimes!  We've started taking a picture a day, and let me tell you, they are ridiculous!

"Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people,

 a heart that forgives the worst,

 a mind that forgets the bad

 and a soul that never loses faith in God."

love, Hna Coe

P.S. This is why I love my crocs! 

(I NEVER thought those words would come out of my mouth!)

Update

No time to blog this week -- but I have exciting news!

My companion, Hna Prestwich is leaving tomorrow for ARUBA! She's opening that area to sisters (so far only elders have served there).  She is so excited cuz she's hoped to be able to serve there for a long time.

I have been called to take her place as the Sister Training Leader in this area!  Kinda freaking out.  Hna Kofe will be my new companion - she's tongan and she is rad :-)



NOTE: from sue - I am having technical difficulties (imagine that?) dealing with the way kenzie has sent pictures the past couple weeks - can't make them post on the blog - sorry, will try to work it out soon :-)

I love General Conference!

Just a note to say that life is good, 

and when General Conference comes around, life is GREAT.

 haha But really, it has been so fun listening to the words of apostles and prophets meant especially for us today. And it's even more fun when you get to invite people who have never attended to come with you and feel of that spirit too.

We took a super awesome investigator with us on saturday to a broadcast of Conference,  who came with her son and niece on saturday. They were soo dang cute. The little neice was drawing in my notebook and looking at the family pictures on it and asking who they were (very quietly, of course) and after naming them all she pointed up at the speaker on the screen (I so wish I could remember who it was) and asked  "Is that your grandpa?" haha It was the best.

And the talks were awesome! IF you haven't ever attended or listened I'm definiely going to have my mom post the link here to them when they are up on lds.org

(here's the link; currently you can watch or listen, 

soon you will be able to print :-)

conference talks 

and I'm challenging you all to read at least one -- Trust me, they are the best. Talks that were prayed about, prepared with the direction of our loving Heavenly Father, and given by some of the most precious men and women that i've ever seen. And the best part is they are speaking to you. Give it a try, see how you feel. What could it hurt?

We also had some super fun Noche de Hogares (Family Home Evening nights) this past week. (thanks for making the visual aids, mom!) We grew our very own faith flower and talked about the things that we do to grow in our faith, and the blessings we recieve from them. We invited the little girl to come with us to church, and in the same breath as she accepted, she asked if she could come out and "preach" with us too. haha  Can I just say that kids are my favorite, and Oli is one of the smartest sharpest 11-year-olds I have ever met.  Who knows, maybe someday she will be out here doing this!!

lots and lots of love

hermana coe

At home in Villa Mella!

Ohhh heyy, so sorry for that whole falling off the face of the planet thing... But I'm back!  And even in a new area!  Will explain everything, but going to start with my last week in Gazcue ... which just happened to be super epic.

 Had our last district meeting. 

This is my whole district minus our district leader and his companion.

Seriously all girls, and keeps growing every transfer.

And, Elder Jn Baptiste is finishing his mission!

He has literally been my zone leader since getting here...sooo I just had to document it

with a good old, awkward missionary picture!

Said goodbye to Wendy, and the next day I was off for my new area.

Gazcue has seriously become like home, I´ll miss it tons, but it was also such a relief to have a change after 4 transfers (7 months) in the same half of one area. I was pretty sure I had missed the part of my call that said I would be serving in the "Santo Domingo East Gazcue mission" ...Haha

I´m now serving in Villa Mella, 

and back with my 1st trainer, Hermana Prestwich! 

It´s been way exciting and fun to be back with her!  

We celebrated my 7 month anniversary

(with my newest food love -- a huge colmado fanta)

and got right to work.

This area is the weirdest mix of city and jungle. We live right next to the metro and basically use it to get to the office for meetings.  It is such an adventure all the time.

I have a hugee list of things I want to write about, but it will have to wait until next week! Especially now that I´ve found an internet center that has space bars that work!!!  Scoree!

love you all, hope life is greatt

love, hermana coe

Finally!!

Soooo, transfer day came and I'm actually in a new area!  I'm now serving in Villa Mella with  Hermana Prestwich again!  Crazy right? At first it looked like I would be staying (AGAIN!) in Gazcue, but Tuesday night I received a call fromoneof (ughh hate internet centers - this keyboard sucksssss) the A.Ps sayingI would be leaving, and to pack to go the next day. 

Talk about crazy.  I was excited and upset all at the same time.  But the change came and wentand I adjusted alot more smoothly than I thought I would. Nothing like my first transition into the field :-)  And being able to be in an equal companionship is awesome (not training this time). I feel like I'll finally actually be able to focus on fine tuning my teaching and I also willget tohelp Hna Prestwich out with her sister training leader responsibilities.

The house in Villa Mella is completelydifferent. Hugeeeee compared to gazcue. The power goes out A LOT, and we have a mega ant problem. But its also a very serious house soo I've beentrying myhardest  to lighten it up. Trying to have faith thatthis is where I need to be.

My bruise from the gua gua mishap is healing - and I had my first ride on the metro here (today) and it is so rad. The bright side is I will hardly ever be using gua guas or carritos here!

Also I'm superbummed at myself because I forgot my camera cord at the house, and this is a way ghetto computer with no memorycard slot. sooooooo you'll have to wait until next week for pictures!

love youguys tonsssssss<3

hna kenz