Happy New Year!

Hello Everyone! 
Greetings from this-was-my-first-Christmas-that-wasn't-white----what-the-hey-Colorado!   I hope you all had a great Christmas. I sure did! I got to talk to my family on Google + video chat... so all of us were hanging out! It was soo fun!  My nephews are the cutest things ever! Songs and kisses for Aunty Kinz... i love my life.  I'm so grateful to all of you for the love and support... seriously i feel soo blessed!! 

Sister Makasini and i have a lot of fun together... mostly she just tries to understand why I'm so crazy. But we laugh a lot, and have each other’s' backs.  She is an incredible woman!!! 

My spiritual thought has to do with the whole cliche new year's goals and whatnot... but I read a talk that REALLY impacted me and inspired me to change, and to strive to BECOME the person I want to be... a woman more like the Savior.  

I'm going to quote Elder Corbridge's talk "The Fourth Missionary."  

"To believe that weaknesses and deficiencies in your character are unchangeable is to reject the central truth of the plan of salvation.  You are not cast in stone.  You not only can change, but you do change all of the time.  You are a dynamic, changing, evolving being.  You are always changing.  You never stay the same. You cannot stand still.  ... 
"Do you know what kind of person you want to become? Do you see in your mind who you want to be? Do you know? ...
"The purpose and central blessing of life is change.  It is to be changed to become more like Jesus Christ.  It is to incorporate into your character, the qualities of His character. It is to move from one degree of intelligence and capacity to the next, and from there to the next, until you see God face to face and know Him as He knows you."  

I love that... we change. We always are changing... Are we changing to become more like Christ... or more like the natural man in us every day?  But the good thing about it is that each new sunrise brings a new change to try again.  So hopeful.  So happy.  I love the Gospel!  

I love my Savior. I love His church which allows us to have the ordinances necessary to use His Atonement.  I love being a missionary. I love you all. I am so grateful for you!!!  

My invitation to you is to sit down and set goals with the Lord. Discuss who both of you want you to become.  Write it down. And take it a day at a time.  We won't accidentally become like Christ. It doesn't happen that way. It takes planning, effort, and study and prayer. But it can happen.  

Onward Christian Soldiers!

From me to you, Kinzie Lou 

Picture from Christmas day -- ya’ll! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS..... Born in a Stable, Right?

Hello Everyone! 

Greetings from wow-I-am-sooo-in-a-different-world-right-now-but-all-is-well Colorado!  Seriously... I moved into a new house.... and I'm not going to say TLC Hoarders status.... but..... TLC Hoarders status. Na,,,, bless her heart she just REALLY loves the whole food storage thing... 10 year supply. love it!  haha... But it's been a good humbling experience for me... and we just laugh so it will be good... I'm going to help her organize and consolidate and dejunk... my favorite! for real! I'm excited to help! 

This week I went to a Christmas Devotional they had for all of us missionaries.  A man came who was an archeologist who has done extensive research of the Mayan ruins (he said that 90% of it is buried underneath layers of the rainforest, and that soon more will come to the surface... what???? )  It was incredible all of the things he showed us that testify that the Book of Mormon really is true... but we can't convince anyone by fact... we know by the power of the Holy Ghost... how nice that we can just pray about it.!!! and the facts just make sense in my mind what I already know in my heart! I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON!!! 

Well one week down in my new area.  I'm praying for charity to love these people and to be able to make some sort of difference in their lives. Working progress. but change is good, and it's good for me to again learn who is in charge... not me.   Heavenly Father is in charge. To show me this, He let me see miracles this week... He is so good to me. 

Almost EVERY single door we go to (whether it is a former investigator or someone we already know isn't interested) they let us right in no questions asked. WHAAA?  yeah, it has been rad!  We have sung christmas carols and let people feel the Spirit and testified of the Savior and of His Atonement everywhere we go, and I love it!  The Spirit of Christmas is really just the Spirit of Christ.  I love this time of year!!!! 

Sebastian was baptized on Saturday!!! what a sweetie... the Spirit was there soo strongly, and i hope that he can stay on the path! i know it will sooo bless his life!!!!  and when people were up there giving the talks he kept raising his hand to answer the rhetorical questions.... that's straight up Sebastian for ya.... love him..!!! 

Here is a miracle we saw: 

-We went to a "former's" house.  She is from Ghana. Unfortunately her son had passed away in an accident that week, and so they had a ton of family there, mourning Ghana style...  in their culture you sing for and shake the hand of the one in mourning. So I was prompted to sing "I need thee every hour"   We started singing and they ALL STARTED SINGING ALONG! The Spirit was there soo strong, and we got a return appointment to talk to them again.  WOW! 

Heavenly Father is definitely preparing the hearts of people to come to Him. That's all He wants... for us to come home.... but He won't force us.  That's not love... So He wants all of us to reach out and help each other find the way to the path of the Gospel, which leads straight back to His loving, open arms. 

Christmas is a celebration that the Savior came. He taught.  He loved.  He atoned.  He died.  He rose.  He Lives! I love the Savior! My invitation to you is -- to think of what gifts we can give the Savior.  Are we truly grateful for His gift, the greatest of all, the Atonement?  All He wants is for us to use it. That’s my testimony!  

I love love love you all! Thank you so much to those who have sent cards, and letters, and packages... I have the best family and friends ever! I love you and hope you all have a great Christmas!!!!!  

From me to you, Kinzie Lou

picture at Sebastian’s baptism...

my new house.... wee woo... :) 

Trail of Tears...

Hello Everyone!  Greetings from why-is-change-so-hard-for-me-I-wish-I-could've-stayed-in-Tallyn's-Reach-forever Colorado!  

That's right, folks.  I have been transferred to another part of Aurora... straight up aurora... for real this time... In Green Valley.  It is ... let's just say... a more diverse ward and I'm excited!  There are about 15 Polynesian families in the ward, and so everyone has told me "have fun gaining 20 pounds!"  Thanks everyone... I will.   Change is good, and if I would've stayed in Tallyn's Reach forever I wouldn't have ever grown into the missionary and person that Heavenly Father needs me to be, so.... I will go where He wants me to go!  I know this change will be good for me.  As I said goodbye to many families in the ward and got pictures I just was overcome by how much I love them!  I love those people.  I love my investigators!  I love the ward!  But I'm sure I will love the people here too!!!  On a plus, Sebastian is getting baptized on Saturday, and I am close enough that I will be able to go to it!!!  So I will show up to it, and everyone will be like "whaaaa, Sister Hunter we thought we got rid of you already!"  haha..  At church on Sunday, they announced I was getting transferred, and they asked me to say the closing prayer in ALL THREE MEETINGS!  Good thing I love to pray pray pray. 

I'm going to miss serving with Sister Carpenter soo much.  She is one of my best friends! Good thing she is going to switch to Utah State and live with me ;) .... I would always slide that in our conversations hoping that if I said it enough she would start to believe it for herself. haha.. but I'm grateful to have served with one of my best friends. 

My new companion's name is Sister Makasini! She is Tongan, and such a boss.. a good boss for all you whose lingo may not be up to date. ;)  I know I will love her! 

My spiritual thought comes from a talk from Elder Dube of the Seventy from this past conference.  It was just what I needed this morning.  He quoted other apostles when he said that "in the service of the Lord, it is not where you serve but how."... and "The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes.  And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed to the future."   I loved that..  I know that no matter where I'm serving: Green Valley, Tallyn's Reach... or later Relief Society, nursery, ward bulletin whatever it may be.... it is not where we serve but how.  I want to serve well.  I know as we all look forward in faith we will witness miracles and be able to learn the things that our Heavenly Father needs us to learn.  Don't worry... even when things don't make sense, remember that our Heavenly Father's most important work is helping us to have immortality and eternal life... sometimes that means we will have hard days, but all will be well.  All is well!   

I love you all and am soooo grateful for the support and love you have shown me!  Thank you for the letters I have received!  I hope you all have a great week preparing for the holidays, but in the hustle and bustle don't forget whose birthday we are celebrating!  I love the Savior. I love the Gospel. I love you!  

Me and Mama Wells

The Jenkins - Mama and Papa Jenx

Onward Christian Soldiers!  From me to you, Kinzie Lou

 

Miracle on 34th Street.... or something like that!

Hello Everyone!!!

Greetings from I-have-had-nose-sickles-all-week-and-I'm-in-a-skirt Colorado!!!

The weather has been freezing cold, but my heart is warm. Heavenly Father has been soo good to me this week! I'm so grateful!  I just wanted to tell of some miracles that happened.

1)  I have been praying for weeks that we would be able to meet with Hope and also Twyla and Emmi.... met with them both this week.

2)  Coreen was able to come with us to the Christmas Devotional last night and hear the prophet speak.... she still hasn't told her parents... eek.... 

3) Our investigator Jacqueline's husband Randy came to church and after Sunday school he went up the teacher and told him thank you for the lesson. He said that it blew his mind, and he is ready to take baby steps towards learning for himself!!!  WHAAAAAA????  Jacqueline knows it is true, but doesn't want to rock the boat in her marriage... so I feel great things will be happening with them soon!  WOO HOO Love the Spirit! 

4)  I drove on ice roads and survived!

5)  We taught Sebastian again and he bore testimony that he knows this is true.  He said the sweetest prayer to close the lesson... and I quote... "I hope I can get baptized.... I hope I can make it to the Celestial kingdom to live with You and Jesus Christ.... I hope I can be able to go to church on Sunday...."  It was so sweet.... if he isn't saying the most off the wall things, he is saying the sweetest things! I love Sebastian!

Miracles people miracles .... I know Heavenly Father knows me, and I know He knows you, and I know He knows every single one of my investigators... He is our Father, and loves us so much! He is so aware, and will do EVERYTHING in His power to give us opportunities and the choice to be "eternally encircled about in the arms of His love" (2 Ne) 

The ongoing joke this week has been about our former investigator Leon's cat Pumpkin... who pounced on Sister Carpenter and stole something out of her purse and ran to the other room.... hahha... every joke with Pumpkin in it is a funny joke.  Sister Carpenter told me "I wonder who your next companion will be.... PUMPKIN!" haha.

Also, I take Sister Carpenter on a date every night before we go home... it's like 30 seconds so don't worry, I'm not an apostate missionary....gotta make time for date night.  I drive real slow by a house that is all festive and lit up for the holidays...  I know she looks forward to it every day.... ok, she doesn't have much choice I'm the driver..... so what I take my companion on forced dates every night? .... sue me..... 

My Spiritual thought is simple. It is from Mosiah 26:26.  The Savior said that "I am your Redeemer, but ye would not be redeemed."   He already has atoned.  He has already paid the price for our sins.  Will we be redeemed?  He can't make us clean against our will.  He won't.  We use His Atonement as we act.  As we show our faith by living the Gospel, which is:  Faith in the Savior unto Repentance, being baptized for the remission of sins, and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and continuing in faith and repentance all throughout our lives.  He loves us and always stands there with His arms outstretched towards us.  Will we be redeemed?  Nothing would make Him happier, than to see His precious gift of the Atonement used. 

I love you all!!!  I love my Savior.  I love being a missionary!  I love our prophet, Thomas S Monsen... how blessed we are to have a prophet.  We don't have to be confused or worried as the world goes to pot. We can know we are being led and guided in the direction the Lord wants us to be.  The Gospel really does make sense... but first, we have to have faith.

Onward Christian Soliders!!!

From me to you, Kinzie Lou 

picture from "date-night"... people here are so festive!!!  In a neighborhood when all the houses are the same... it is their one claim for individuality! haha.

FORGET-ME-NOT

Hello Everyone!    Greetings from yesterday-it-was-60-and-tomorrow-it-will-be-twelve-degrees Colorado! 

Everyone has their lights on at Tallyn's Reach, and I'm just loving life!  I got to see summer here, and see all the beautiful leaves change, and now I get to see the immaculate Christmas light displays... So blessed to be here!  I love this ward!! 

I had a great Thanksgiving and hope you did too!  We have SO much to be thankful for seriously!  I was a little homesick this week... why act like it wasn't hard?  But I am so blessed to be here serving and before we know it I'll be home again by next thanksgiving... that's crazy!  I ate thanksgiving with the wells, and loved it... but I will disclose a little info for you all to paint you a picture.... it's called anyone who knows me knows how much I can eat... especially when there is no shame on thanksgiving!  .... well.... the wells are all so fit and slender.... they ONLY ATE ONE SERVING!!! I had a small second helping... but I was thinking to myself... what about the thirds and fourths here people??? It's called indulgence!!  haha....  But I was soooo grateful for them having us and letting us be a part of their family! I love them!  their daughter was home from Utah state for the break, so that was really fun to talk about my home away from home, Logan....

The work is going well... we are in some dire need of miracles... Alls I'm going to say, is that for some reason, as soon as people decide they want to get baptized Satan decides to throw EVERY distraction at them.... so yeah.... we need some miracles here.  I realize every day more and more how much I need the Lord!

My Spiritual thought this week is about President Uchtdorf's fabulous talk, "Forget-Me-Not".... I read it this morning and it was exactly what I needed to hear!  I have been a little down, and disappointed in myself for some reason, and on edge... not knowing why I was..... So I am so grateful I got to take the Sacrament yesterday to have a fresh start... I feel so great.  I love the Savior!    In His talk He mentioned 5 things we should never forget, but I want to focus on "Forget not that the Lord loves you"....  Sometimes we can feel like the little forget-me-not flower... insignificant and forgotten of the Lord and our family.... HE HAS NOT FORGOTTEN US. He loves us with an infinite love!   He says "Just think of it:  You are known and remembered b the most majestic, powerful, and glorious Being in the universe!  You are loved by the King of infinite space and everlasting time!  He who created and knows the stars knows you and your name. ... God loves you because you are His child." When we remember this... TRULY remember this, it fills the holes in our hearts and we don't need to turn anywhere else for happiness... we don't need to seek praise or recognition from anyone else.  We don't need to lose 20 pounds to feel self worth... We are loved, because we are God's children.  And He gave us the Gospel to be happy. 

 

I love you, and I'm grateful for the Gospel, and that it's a Gospel of Change.... Phew! I'm never stuck in a rut.  I love the Savior. I love my Heavenly Father.  I love you! 

Onward Christian Soldiers!

From me to you, Kinzie Lou

The Wells put up a Christmas tree for us in the basement... so happy!