It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!!

My my! How this week has FLOWN! Here's the breakdown:

Monday: I said goodbye to everyone in Yakima. 
Tuesday: I said goodbye to everyone else in Yakima.  And took a new missionary on some new missionary exchanges with Hermana Pons. We had an awesome lesson with a now-investigator! Miracles!

Wednesday: I actually got around to packing, left Yakima, drove to Wenatchee in a snowstorm, and unpacked. So eventful. Note: I am serving in East Wenatchee with Hermana Johnson. She's from Alabama. She is the 2nd oldest sister missionary in the mission. She's gluten free and a biology major. And I'm sending her home at the end of this transfer. :(

Thursday: Service making hygiene kits. Got to drive in 2 feet of snow with a car that does not have snow tires or anything like them.   Did some STL planning and weekly planning. Saw our investigator who's being baptized on Saturday and then we saw our other investigator who is also being baptized this month. And they're both super solid and amazing! Even though I barely know them. Then, we had ward coordination. Which we were late to. Snow. Yup.

Friday: Mission Leadership Council. All day.

Saturday: 2 Zone Leadership Councils. 1 hour of tracting. 4 lessons. 1 new investigator. And a new person on date to be baptized in January! And a snowstorm. But that's not important.

Sunday: Fast Sunday. Man. I love fast Sundays, but I don't really enjoy them as a missionary with 9 o'clock church. Especially when your dinner is pushed back an hour because of the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Oh well. We had an awesome day. Spiritual experiences all day at church. (A non-member got up and bore his testimony, quoting the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. It was the best testimony ever. And he still wont get baptized. ) Spiritual experiences at the devotional. Just a whole Spirit-filled day! It was awesome.

Anyway. This past week has been a week of spiritual experiences. I have learned so much from the Spirit and from our Heavenly Father about His plan for me in my mission. IT IS EXHAUSTING. Literally. I almost feel asleep in Relief Society and Hermana Johnson almost fell asleep during the Devotional. But, something that has stuck out to me in my studies and all the councils I have had to attend in the past 3 days is that consecrated missionaries never give up. Consecrated people never give up. We don't have white flags. We don't make compromises. We work and we keep working because we've covenanted with God to give our very best. (I am a very good example of failing miserably, so don't use me as an example.) To see the miracles God has in store for us, we have to keep working and acting in faith. It's only after we use our faith that God can give us miracles.

Something else that has been on my mind is the idea of light--especially during this Christmas season. I wonder if we are ever lights for people, the way Christ was our light? I encourage each of you to look up Elder Bednar's talk from the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. You can find it on lds.org. As you read that, I also invite you to read and study Doctrine and Covenants 50:24, included for your enjoyment.

"That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day."

How can you be a light for others? Especially apply it to this Christmas season. How can you receive light? I promise that as you study this, you'll be able to feel God's love for you and understand the true meaning of Christmas. If you wanted one more thing to think about, go to christmas.mormon.org. Explore the website. Share the gift of light and help others discover that same light in their lives.

Have a miraculous week, and may God bless us, every one!

Hermana Kennedy