Love ya Tons!

Hello everyone and 'cead mile failte' (that means a 'hundred thousand welcomes' in Gallic, we have a member in the ward who is from Ireland and speaks the pure Irish language!) for all of your support, letters, and prayers! Now, let's get to some amazing pictures!
The first picture is of me at a seagull habitat (can you believe a habitat for seagulls I was almost pooped on 4 times, I just barley dodged a lot of them, but it was a lot of fun),


the next picture is of me and an Elder in my old district by the name of Elder Peterson (he's from Sweden),


next one is a picture of my old district, them again (they were not suppose to look at the camera), and again, the next picture is all of us eating some good food at a member's restaurant by the name of Brother Thapa (really good Nepalese food!),


the next is an investigator by the name of Calem who is going to be baptised, the last picture is of another investigator by the name of Sabin (Calem and Sabin were my two favourites).


Overall I have to say that I really loved serving in Altrincham, the time that I have been able to spend with the Elders in my district was amazing and I have come to learn so much from them, my investigators, the members and so many others. I will never forget them. But onto the future!

First off I would just like to state for the record that I can't believe the ST.
George McKennas did a skit about me being on a mission and didn't win! Madisyn's gymnastics to Disney music better have been pretty amazing if it beat the great Elder McKenna :) ! and second off I'm glad that everyone seemed to have an amazing time at the family reunion, with Hikes in Red Rock, some amazing movie spectaculars (it really dose kill me to see the posters of the new movies coming out), and a great game of rounder's in the Area 51 stadium were dad ended up getting a whole lot of goodies. It seemed that the only draw back was that the weather was a bit peculiar (by the way I take back what I said about Barrow it rains here just as much as in Manchester) but other then that it sounded spot on. From the sound of your letters things really seem to be going great back home, Chynna had an amazing time in California with her school, dad was able to go to the State Democratic convention, and Jack and Charlie are both still alive, overall a good week :). Timette I finally got your package, thank you
for all the wonderful goodies my companion thanks you as well, but I really don't have to cook that much because my companion use to be a chief back home in Italy so he cooks a lot, how amazing is that I have my own personal Italian chief! And thank you for the pictures as well it's always good to see the proof that you still go to Disneyland every other week and that you're bringing the Zurflueh family as well, sometimes other Elders don't believe someone can really go to Disneyland that much so it's good to have a picture to show :). Well, my area is doing very well! The Lord is hearing our cries and is blessing us far more then we deserve. It truly is just a matter of time until this area begins to blossom and Elder Di Iulio and I are beginning to become fast friends. Last Monday on May 26, 2008 I had the greatest opportunity of my life; I was able to shake the hand of an apostle of the Lord and to hear him speak! The comments that President Uchdorft made will never leave my soul, I have learned more in 3 hours then I felt I ever could. This church is run by God and President Uchdorft is nothing but a mouthpiece of the Spirit! As I look back on what was said in the all mission conference my spirit is filled with joy because of the
edification and apostolic promises that had been given but my spirit is also troubled by some of the things that were stated by an apostle of the Lord. Please I beg of you all to heed to the council of the prophets prepare your food storage, make ready your 72 hour packs, and understand what you're going to do in an emergency! I do not say these things as someone who has authority to receive revelation concerning any of these matters or as someone who has been told to write these words to you, but as your brother, uncle, and son who loves you all and wants nothing but for you to be prepared. We have heard it a million times and I don't know if you've already done all these things but if you have not now is the time for you to act! As a missionary we are instructed to make sure that people are keeping commitments so by my next E-mail I would really appreciate it if you all were to E-mail me letting me know that you have either done these things or are in the process. I really am troubled by this
and it would put my mind at ease if I knew you had done these things.
With all the love that I posses,

Elder McKenna

HELLO!

Well, things have been pretty crazy on my end, sorry I wasn't able to E-Mail you all yesterday but I have now been transferred from Altrincham to a place called Barrow-in-Furness and am now serving with an Elder by the name of Di Iluio. I have to admit that I felt pretty bad having to leave my old area... but I know that the Lord has need of me elsewhere and now I will do all I can in this area! I also have some really bad news I DIDN'T GET ANY OF YOUR E-MAILS! This Library is not nearly as posh as the one in Altrincham and one of the computers wrecked havoc with my E-mail account! I've been able to fix everything, the problem is I just don't have your E-mails, so if you still have them I would love for you to re-email them to me so that I can know what you're all up to. Unfortunately I was going to make this my 'fun' Email and show you all some really great pictures but these computers just aren't cooperating and now it would seem that we are running out of time so I will have to be fast. My new area is AMAZING it is what England is really supposed to be like. Barrow is just a small town next to a lot of other small towns and villages so there is a great deal of farm and grazing land around, it is lush, green, wonderful, and apparently it doesn't rain as often here as it does in Manchester (I haven't been rained on once!). We live right next to the coast and fairly close by is a submarine factory were they build nuclear submarines (you know the kind that have a nuclear reactor and shoot nuclear war heads!) How AMAZING is that! The people here are 'unique' (I guess that just comes with living in a small town) but I love them and already me and my companion are beginning to see some great success! As for my
companion if you couldn't already guess from his name he is from Italy and has been out for about 18 months; he is a really nice guy who genuinely cares about the work and I know that we'll get along just fine. Overall this area is amazing and all I can really say is that the Lord really does bless those who have Faith in him. Every chance I have to pray I ask for that Faith, for that charity that comes from truly knowing that Jesus Christ is our Savior and redeemer. Please, if there is one thing that you seek for from our Heavenly Father please beg him for that! Pray unto the Father with all the energy of your heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ. I love you all so much and I am so grateful for the love that has filled my heart as I have served my brothers and sisters.
Love you all,
Elder McKenna

My area is doing great!

As always I would like to begin my letter by thanking you all for the wonderful family updates you give and for the love you so freely share with me!

Wow, the St. George McKenna's clan are the football professionals! Jackson's team (formerly called the squids) finished their season undefeated and are now going to play in the Utah Summer games under the much more fearsome title of the GLADIATORS (very nice); and Meghan's team is getting ready to take the State Cup (I feel sort of bad for those other teams that are going to feel the fury of Meghan McKenna!); and Ellyse is now Junior Class Assembly and Activity Chairman which is very good because every president started somewhere now the next step is State Senator and then on to President :)! Memorial day seems like it is going to be way fun (I don't really know what your all doing but with Timette in charge it has to be fun) and I have to admit that I really am going to miss seeing you all there (remember when me and Chelsey where are own tent for the Olympic games and we had that Handicap flag and everyone froze! You can't buy memories like that :) ) But I'll only be gone for two, so enjoy no Elder McKenna there while you can :)! So Chelsey's new place has the toilet separate from the shower and sink that's pretty weird but in England they have no electrical sockets in the Bathroom so the light switch to turn on the light is on the outside of the Bathroom instead of inside, you can only imagine the shenanigans that Missionaries get into using that... :). And for some reason in England all of the faucets are separate!!! The hot faucet is separate from the cold faucet, which means you can either burn or freeze your hands, there is no happy medium! But my crazy ranting aside I'm very glad that Chelsey was able to move in all safe and sound and I know she is going to do amazing things!
The Altrincham area (the place were I'm serving if you've forgotten) is being blessed far more than my unarticulated words can express the Lord truly has poured out his spirit upon the people and has opened the windows of Heaven! Samuel and Ellse (some people who have been struggling with the word of wisdom) are now down to one tea a day and one coffee and Samuel no longer drinks! It is so amazing to see the spirit work in someone's life they truly have had a change of heart and are singing the song of redeeming love! Their happiness truly feels my soul with such happiness as to praise my God with all the energy of my heart! The members here are really beginning to understand that marvellous spirit that comes from missionary work. A man by the name of Brother Thapa (his first name is to hard to pronounce :)) from Nepal simple just invited his friend to church last Sunday. His friend (who is a born Hindu) knew nothing of the scriptures or of God for that matter, and yet the Spirit wrought such a change in him that he is now preparing himself for baptism! This change truly had
nothing to do with my weak and simple words but had everything to do with the Spirit and with God! This is his work I can not testify it enough and I will never stop! God's work and his glory are to bring to pass all of our immortality and eternal lives. God is our loving Heavenly Father who wants nothing more than to see his sons and his daughters in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom, he wants nothing more than to be with us again and for all eternity. This life is hard, and it is difficult, and a lot of hard things do come from being a member of this church, but I can promise you that all of these things are for our benefit and to make us better! This life is a time for us to prepare to meet God and there is a battle going on not a battle of the flesh but of the spirit for we are fighting for something much more glorious than money, or land, or fame, but for a place in the kingdom of Our Father in Heaven. Never forget your potential you and I are all sons and daughters of a God and as such have in store blessings equal to all the Father has! I love you all and I know one day we will all stand before the pleasing bar of God and will have a perfect
recollection of all that we have done that is good and pure and will know that we have accomplished it! We have kept our second estate and are now entitled to the greatest blessings the Eternities have to offer! This I know!
Elder McKenna

With all my Love!

Hello!
Once again my heart is softened and filled with gratitude as I have read over your E-mails, I'm so thankful for all of your wonderful attitudes!
Meghan's soccer team is going to be interviewed by the local TV station (AAAAAAA THAT'S SO COOL) and her team was the first team to win a state cup game! And Ellyse is in the Future Farmers of America Livestock show with her lamb and apparently if anyone knows any cowboys Ellyse would be interested in meeting them :). Some advice to Jackson on practicing the piano, DO IT! It is such an amazing skill to have not only in your mission but girls really like a man who can 'tickle the ivories'; so don't just put your books out so it looks like you practiced like I did :). I can't believe that the Zurflueh clan talked in Sacrament meeting and that Irelynn wrote her own talk!!! I know that everyone did fantastic because Chynna, Irelynn, and Kai are amazing and I know, with out a shadow of a doubt, that their testimonies of the prophets that have been in this, the fullness of times, is solid! Max, Christiano Renaldo is one of the most talked about names in England; it is amazing how famous the soccer players are here! I'm glad that my spirit and enthusiasm for Volleytensockpongball has continued on in the youth :) especially in Chynna! And Kai now has glasses yes! Now we will look even more alike, I love it!!! As for you, Chelsey, things are going amazing, moving down to Huston (even though it is a little soon, NEXT WEEK) and getting ready to cure cancer, you know the basic things :) we all know it's just a matter of time until your super famous (even more famous than
Christiano Renaldo). Thank you all so much for your letters and your love, I love reading about the crazy shenanigans you all get into. By the way my favourite scripture is Jeremiah 16:16 "Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks." No one escapes Elder McKenna and I will find those who are ready and prepared to hear the Gospel! As for my mission in about 4 weeks a little known leader of the church by PRESIDENT UCHDORFT second councillor in the first presidency! Will be visiting the missionaries in the Manchester England Mission! How amazing is that! And on a more micro mission note my area is doing amazingly well the members of this ward are really
beginning to get into missionary work and things are beginning to progress! Our investigators are all working on separate commandments to overcome but are praying and doing all they can to overcome which I know that they will because there hath no temptation taken them but such as is common to man and God is faithful who will not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that they will be able to bear it! As I have been working with others who have had difficulties in their lives that I have had the blessing of never having to experience I have begun to gain a greater connection with my Father in Heaven. As I have looked back on my prayers before my mission as to what my prayers are on my mission I can see a clear difference. God truly is our Father in Heaven he truly does hear us when we pray and he knows what it is that we are going through. Never allow yourself to get into the idea that prayer is something we must do because it is a commandment but always remember that prayer is our way to communicate with a
loving Heavenly being who wants nothing but our immortality and Eternal Life. Please, keep in remembrance that God wants to help us, that we truly are not perfect, and that we do need the Savior to help us overcome the challenges and difficulties of life! I exhort you all to pray with real intent and with sincerity of heart knowing, not thinking, but knowing that God hears you because I testify that he does and that he loves each and every one of us! With all my love
Elder McKenna

P.S. I'm going to be calling on Mother's day at 3 o'clock England time which I believe is 7 AM in America but I'm not sure it there is any problem let me know

P.P.S. I'm excited to talk to you!!!