LET'S JUST GET DOWN TO THE NITTY-GRITTY NOW SHALL WE.

HerMama Thomas' note: We learned that McKenna will serve the rest of her mission as a Spanish Speaking Missionary in the United States. She needs medical treatment that is not available to her in Chile. It is a little exciting waiting to hear where she will be reassigned! It feels like waiting for her mission call all over again! We will keep you posted.  In the meantime, feel free to drop her a line at mckenna.thomas@myldsmail.net. She would probably love to hear from you--more now than ever:-).

Here is the letter we got today:

Well. I know I always say this, but this week really was interesting. Kind of...an emotional roller coaster. I still don't know exactly how to react to everything.

First of all, I'll just say that we contacted a LOT this week. A ton. Since we divided the sector, we've done a lot of that, trying to find new people to teach, filling up our investigator pool...it was a bit of a downer, because we met these two siblings in the house of their Uncle, and they really liked our message, and asked us to visit them in their house a different day to share it with the rest of their family. Apparently they've had some difficulties in their family life, and they were excited about the promises we made that the message we share blesses families. We were really excited to go to their house...but when we walked in, their mother was waiting for us there...and she said, before we even took a step in the house, "we're catholic, we're not going to change our religion, but you can come in anyway." She was nice enough, though, told us what's been going on in her family, and gave us the big, I've-heard-this-a-thousand-times lecture about how all religions lead to God. Okay...if you really believe that...two questions. One: why do you think your parents baptized you when you were a kid? and two: then why won't you change your religion. (Answers: one: it's because THEY even believed that there's one way to be saved and return to God and it's through baptism in the right church, and two: if you really think that all roads lead to Rome, why are you freaked out to listen to us?) BUT IT'S OKAY because it's just something that happens!

We weren't too bummed about it, it gave us that much more motivation to keep searching for that golden family that's been waiting for us! We also found two other siblings. They belong to some smaller christian denomination, but they invited us in and sincerely heard our message. We shared with them the message of the Restoration, and when we shared about the first vision, Aldo (22 years old) had tears in his eyes. We asked him how he felt, and he said that he couldn't explain why, but Joseph Smith's experience made him cry. His sister, although tearless, said she felt something different, too. We excitedly told them that this was the Holy Ghost testifying of something true. Aldo said, "there's a reason you two found us. I'm sure." ...it was awesome! The spirit was so strong. They didn't go to church, but we're going to keep working with them. We have an appointment tomorrow.

Sister Kenney and Sister Thomas

Then on Friday...I got a call from President Warne. As soon as I saw his name on the phone, I already knew what he was going to say. Turns out, my blood-test results came back for Tuberculosis, and I was positive. Which means my mission is being reassigned to the states this week. It felt like a part of me kind of...died. I couldn't believe it. My companion and I had a good cry as soon as we hung up. Then we kept working.

That night was really hard, I felt like I was living in a dream. I've cried quite a few times since then. I love Chile with all my heart. I've adapted so much to the culture, really tried to embrace it. I think I've said more than a few times in my letters before that I love the Chileans. These are my people. Oh man...part of me died.

But then I read a scripture that I've shared quite a few times with people we've visited the last few weeks...and I want to share it with you guys. In this chapter, Nephi has been commanded to build a boat so that him and his family can cross the sea. His brothers began to murmur, asking how God could ask such a great thing of them. Nephi, being one of the most faithful people who has probably ever lived, gives this reply to his brothers;

49 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto them that they should murmur no more against their father; neither should they withhold their labor from me, for God had commanded me that I should ^abuild a ship.  

50 And I said unto them: ^aIf God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done.

51 And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot ^ainstruct me, that I should build a ship?

Now, I want you to go back and think about which part of his reply contains the most faith in God....the first time I read these verses, I obviously thought that verse 50 did. Nephi knows that God is all-powerful. If He wanted to change the sea into land and have them cross by foot, He could do it. After all, Nephi had never built a boat before. This would be a huge challenge for him. BUT. Then a different part caught my attention: "how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship?"

THIS PART, FOR ME, CONTAINS THE MOST FAITH OF NEPHI'S RESPONSE.

Many people trust that God can do anything. But few are those who know that THEY THEMSELVES can do ANYTHING as well, with the help of the Lord. If it wasn't God's will that Nephi built a ship, He would have intervened, Himself. But Nephi knows that the Lord would "INSTRUCT" him. This experience was for NEPHI'S LEARNING AND INSTRUCTION. The Lord was going to teach him. Teach him how to build a boat.

For me...this didn't have to happen. I didn't need to change missions. Thousands and thousands of people serve their entire missions in their originally-assigned missions. If God intended that I had it my way, He could have made the blood test come out negative one last time. But...He didn't. Por algo, saliò positivo. There's a reason. It's because, through all these experiences I've had and am going to have, HE IS TEACHING ME. He's instructing me. This is part of the journey. This is part of my transformation and conversion.

I know that the Lord is preparing people for me in...where ever it is I'll be assigned. Maybe I've been here this long in Chile because He was preparing ME to help THEM.

Sister Pineda, Kenna's first companion when she arrived last September. They've weathered the TB situation together:-)

This is probably the hardest thing I've had to do in the last eight months. (EIGHT MONTHS. TODAY. Crazy.) But, if I've learned anything in the last eight months, it's that there is a reason for everything. His hand is in the work. I know He must be guiding me exactly where I need to be. Where He needs me to be.

Well, this was a heavy letter. Sorry about that...I promise I'm okay! But that doesn't mean that it isn't hard. Like I said, I don't know where I'll be assigned...I might know tomorrow. President told me that I'll get to email you guys when I find out...so...stay tuned! And now to lighten things up, here's some fantastic one-liners from my lovely companion WHO I LOVE. I LOVE HERMANA KENNEY.

"...well, I think you'd poke Superman's stomache, too, if he was standing right next to your bed!" (After I freaked out when she poked me while I was wearing my sweet superman shirt and cape.)

"I need to orden all mi crap." (Some fantastic spanglish for you.)

"I'M GONNA DIE. RIGHT HERE." (rolling around in agony.) (ten seconds later:) "Okay I think I just needed to rest a little."

"I'm hungry are you hungry look ducks no wait that's a dog." (Sometimes our brains melt.)

(Trying to describe an animal in a movie I've never seen) "It's not a dog...but it's not a gopher, either..." (Yes, because the first animal I thought of when you said "dog" was "gopher"...??)

I LOVE BEING HERE IN CHILE. I'M GONNA SOAK IT UP. I'll update you guys later on the status of my llamamiento.

I LOVE YOU GUYS. KEEP READING AND PRAYING AND ALL THAT.

Love, Hermana Thomas

PS: looks like we'll have to change the title of my blog a bit...