Hello everyone!
Things are going incredibly well out here on the mission! The weather in England is beginning to change for the better. It's starting to look a lot like summer and it hasn't rained for 3 days in a row! AMAZING! But first things first, things seem to always be going really well for everyone back home and it fills me with thanksgiving as I ponder on the blessings that the Lord is pouring out upon us! It seems like the Saint Gorge McKenna's are doing really well and getting ready for some good summer weather. It's funny to look back, now that I'm on a mission, and think how tiring I felt school was. For all future Elders out there (Elder Zurflueh, Wankier, McKenna, and McKenna) enjoy summer vacation while you got it, the closest thing to summer vacation in England is in May I get to take my suit jacket off for a couple of months. But I don't think I have ever felt so happy and excited about getting up in the morning as I have out here serving the Lord! P.S. it seems that Meghan forgot me in one of her prayers... tisk tisk, I'm glad Carrson was there to point it out (just kidding, I love you Meghan you really good football player you). In all honesty, thank you all so much for keeping me in your prayers it truly has given me so much
strength to know that my family cares about me and prays for me. This really is
the time foretold of in Jacob 5 (as Jeff pointed out in his E-mail) and this is the literal gathering of the house of Israel and I am eternally grateful to be a part of it! I can't believe how many times the Wankier family goes to Disneyland its craziness and the Long Beach Aquarium! I have to admit though, when things get really hard thoughts of the fun times I've had at Disneyland with my family is one of the things that gets me through it (yeah for Disneyland). Plus if future Elder Wankier ends up serving in England, with a name like that he'll need all the fun memories he can muster ?. Well, it seems that I bring on emergency transfers. My great grandfather (the missionary who trained my X trainer's trainer) by the name of Elder De Abreu who is also our District leader has had to be emergency transferred so now the new district leader is my companion Elder Davies. As for our area I have to say that I feel like Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:10 "by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly
than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." I truly have
put all my heart, might, mind, and strength into the work and the Lord has opened up the windows of Heaven! I feel as if I float around, I wake up in the morning tired but by the time I have had personal and companionship study I feel as if I can take on anything because I can feel the grace of God! I have come to the realization that there is nothing to fear, truly. If I obey the commandments, pray, read, prepare, and open my mouth the Lord will take care of the rest it is such an amazing feeling! I have found a point in my life that I never thought I would reach and yet there is so much more to gain. I can feel my faith bursting out of me and it's as if nothing can stop this work and the spirit. As I have been studying and focusing on humility I have become so much closer with my self, the Savior, and what true happiness is. At first these feelings of genuine happiness were intimidating and scary I had always felt that this sense of innocence and joy were signs of weakness but as I speak with
meekness and lowliness of heart I speak by the power of the spirit and the things I say are bold but unto the convincing of men. There is no weakness about it, only love and happiness! I now know what is meant by becoming like a little child! I still have a long way to go but I feel like I have actually found that road of happiness and I will not push it out of my soul thinking that I am to 'educated in the world' and to 'cool' to allow that kind of innocence and love... I am eternally grateful for your testimony mom and dad, I am so grateful for the example of Jeff and Trent as missionaries and big brothers, I am so grateful for the excitement for the world that Timette and Jenni have and for their love of the Gospel, and I will never be able to forget the genuine kindness that I have seen from Chelsey as well as some of the funniest memories of my life are with her. Thank you all for the people that you are and for the influence that you have had on me becoming who I am today! I know that there was and is a reason that we were all chosen to be a family here on this earth
and I am so grateful that I have been able to grow up in such an amazing environment. As I've said before I do not doubt because my mother knew it and now I add something that was said in conference, salvation is a personal experience but exaltation is a family matter. I know that if I wasn't with you all forever then there would be a big hole missing in my eternal existence! I love you so much!
Elder McKenna
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
LOVE YOU ALL!
Wow!
First off, I am so thankful for how amazingly blessed this family is, and the wonderful comfort and joy it brings me to here from you all. Second off, TIMETTE is the luckiest person to walk the earth! I can't believe that she has the opportunity to do a test show for Deal or no Deal! First Price is Right and now it's just a matter of time until she wins a million dollars on national television! And not only is Timette doing some amazing things; Carson is going to be the next Babe Ruth, Ellyse is on her way to being the Senator for Utah, Jackson is a spiritual giant after watching so much conference (in the tabernacle on Temple Square!) and then smashed the goalie with two unbelievable goals at a football match (I can see it now Jackson goes left fakes right and SCORE!), and Meghan is the next queen of the pitch for football! Then we have baby Cate taking first steps and the Zurflueh clan heading for Disneyland, not to mention Max being the production stage manager for 'Savior of the World - His Birth and Resurrection' that had to be an amazing production! We truly have been blessed by the Lord! Something that is temporally exciting is that even
though I may be riding around in buses at the moment, my companion (Elder Davies) is beginning to take driving lessons so that he can get his UK license and it's just a matter of time until I have to do the same (scary to think of me driving a manual, on the wrong side of the road, with round abouts). The weather here in England is so peculiar, you'll wake up one morning the sun will be out not a cloud in the sky and two hours latter it will be snowing/raining/hailing or a combination of the three and then an hour latter not a cloud in the sky! You never know what it's going to be like. The Altrincham area is doing amazing! The people who we are teaching each have an amazing talent and even though they all have weaknesses they understand that God
gives unto men weakness that they may be humble; for if they humble themselves
before him, and have faith in him, then will he make weak things become strong unto them. It's amazing how humbling it is to feel the presence of your Lord is you do his work and to know that the person you are teaching is a beloved son or daughter, of God, who has lost their way and to know that their Father in Heaven cares for them beyond anything that the human heart can understand. Every time I have the opportunity to teach and feel the presence of the spirit my heart is softened and opened as I embrace the pure love that can come only from that great comforter given the beloved title of Holy Ghost. As I begin to focus on those around me and the problems that they face and as I face these problems with them, my desire for the work has grown more than ever before. As I have seen the lack of understanding and doubt leaving the faces of those who the Lord has allowed me to teach and watch as their expression becomes one of love and understanding, my own understanding has increased. I have come to truly understand that we are here on this earth to be tried, we are here to prove not to God but to ourselves that we are worthy of the blessings that he has in store for us in the eternities. We were not sent to this Earth only to receive a body but are sent to learn for ourselves the choices that will bring us the most joy
and to realize that wrong choices will not bring us happiness for I know and bear witness that wickedness never was happiness. Please, with all the energy of my soul I beg of you to not allow yourselves to be drawn down the easy path, the path of least resistance, but to hold to the path of the refiners fire to become what God our Father intends for us to become, to fulfil every soul's deepest and strongest desire, that is to be with our Father again... I know that the way is hard I have seen so many who have failed to endure to the end but I know that if you will press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ Ye shall have eternal life. The way is hard, but a relief has been provided. The Savior didn't go through the pains of Gethsemane and Calvary to save a few, but to save us all if we will but humble ourselves and become meek and lowly in heart. I have gained
a witness that this Gospel is of God, Jesus is the Christ and it is only through him that we can be saved, Joseph Smith was the man chosen in his youth to lead the dispensations of the fullness of times and that through him the priesthood keys were restored that we may be able to perform sacred and eternal ordinances. I pray that my words may bring you joy and a stronger conviction in following the Savior for my purpose as a missionary is exactly that to 'invite others to come onto Christ' and I love every second of it.
With all the Love a mortal man can possess
Elder McKenna
First off, I am so thankful for how amazingly blessed this family is, and the wonderful comfort and joy it brings me to here from you all. Second off, TIMETTE is the luckiest person to walk the earth! I can't believe that she has the opportunity to do a test show for Deal or no Deal! First Price is Right and now it's just a matter of time until she wins a million dollars on national television! And not only is Timette doing some amazing things; Carson is going to be the next Babe Ruth, Ellyse is on her way to being the Senator for Utah, Jackson is a spiritual giant after watching so much conference (in the tabernacle on Temple Square!) and then smashed the goalie with two unbelievable goals at a football match (I can see it now Jackson goes left fakes right and SCORE!), and Meghan is the next queen of the pitch for football! Then we have baby Cate taking first steps and the Zurflueh clan heading for Disneyland, not to mention Max being the production stage manager for 'Savior of the World - His Birth and Resurrection' that had to be an amazing production! We truly have been blessed by the Lord! Something that is temporally exciting is that even
though I may be riding around in buses at the moment, my companion (Elder Davies) is beginning to take driving lessons so that he can get his UK license and it's just a matter of time until I have to do the same (scary to think of me driving a manual, on the wrong side of the road, with round abouts). The weather here in England is so peculiar, you'll wake up one morning the sun will be out not a cloud in the sky and two hours latter it will be snowing/raining/hailing or a combination of the three and then an hour latter not a cloud in the sky! You never know what it's going to be like. The Altrincham area is doing amazing! The people who we are teaching each have an amazing talent and even though they all have weaknesses they understand that God
gives unto men weakness that they may be humble; for if they humble themselves
before him, and have faith in him, then will he make weak things become strong unto them. It's amazing how humbling it is to feel the presence of your Lord is you do his work and to know that the person you are teaching is a beloved son or daughter, of God, who has lost their way and to know that their Father in Heaven cares for them beyond anything that the human heart can understand. Every time I have the opportunity to teach and feel the presence of the spirit my heart is softened and opened as I embrace the pure love that can come only from that great comforter given the beloved title of Holy Ghost. As I begin to focus on those around me and the problems that they face and as I face these problems with them, my desire for the work has grown more than ever before. As I have seen the lack of understanding and doubt leaving the faces of those who the Lord has allowed me to teach and watch as their expression becomes one of love and understanding, my own understanding has increased. I have come to truly understand that we are here on this earth to be tried, we are here to prove not to God but to ourselves that we are worthy of the blessings that he has in store for us in the eternities. We were not sent to this Earth only to receive a body but are sent to learn for ourselves the choices that will bring us the most joy
and to realize that wrong choices will not bring us happiness for I know and bear witness that wickedness never was happiness. Please, with all the energy of my soul I beg of you to not allow yourselves to be drawn down the easy path, the path of least resistance, but to hold to the path of the refiners fire to become what God our Father intends for us to become, to fulfil every soul's deepest and strongest desire, that is to be with our Father again... I know that the way is hard I have seen so many who have failed to endure to the end but I know that if you will press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ Ye shall have eternal life. The way is hard, but a relief has been provided. The Savior didn't go through the pains of Gethsemane and Calvary to save a few, but to save us all if we will but humble ourselves and become meek and lowly in heart. I have gained
a witness that this Gospel is of God, Jesus is the Christ and it is only through him that we can be saved, Joseph Smith was the man chosen in his youth to lead the dispensations of the fullness of times and that through him the priesthood keys were restored that we may be able to perform sacred and eternal ordinances. I pray that my words may bring you joy and a stronger conviction in following the Savior for my purpose as a missionary is exactly that to 'invite others to come onto Christ' and I love every second of it.
With all the Love a mortal man can possess
Elder McKenna
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
This Gospel is Amazing
Hello everyone! England is still amazing, still very wet, and still freezing (we had some snow as well-I attached a picture of it). First please be careful what you send me and make sure not to use FedEx. Apparently the last package that was sent via FedEx got searched at customs (which I guess they do with all FedEx packages no matter what) and because a lot of the things that were in the package could have been purchased in England they charged the amount that it would have cost to buy those things in England so I had to pay a fine (which is no big deal for me because it's pretty much Dad's money) but please be careful with what you send and avoid using FedEx at all costs also it seems that things sent by US Post are hardly ever checked so you might want to consider using them, but do what you feel is best. First off, Aidan got a race car track, golf club set, and a soccer set complete with goal for his Birthday how amazing is that! Plus now that he has a soccer set he can be pro English soccer player as well as the brightest candle on the Birthday Cake ?. Trent and Tatum are going to take surfing lessons that is amazing and incredibly scary for Trent because we all know he's not the pinnacle of health ? but we know if any McKenna can
pull it of it would be him. So, Irylnn is the calendar girl she must be loving
life! Especially since her bedroom is being redone and filmed like a reality TV
show... That's so cool. Timette, I love the meals! (You crazy person) There amazing, and my companion wants to adopt you into his family he loves those meals! But Timette you might want to think about going online and checking Tesco.com which is like our Albertson's here, you can order those things online and send them that way but what ever you feel is best. Chelsey I knew you were the smarter than Trent ? getting outstanding student in Biology that's wonderful and I know you deserved it! Also, if you think you have to get a lot of immunizations to go to Rice try going on a mission, it was the worst ever! Mom, I finally got my Easter package at General Conference, thank you so much for all of those wonderful candies (epically the Ethel'M caramels). Thank you all for always writing me and keeping me in your thoughts, it truly means a lot to me and fills my soul with joy! This past week has been amazing, the Lord truly is pouring down his blessings upon us. Callam has had all of the discussions he is
going to obey all the commandments and is going to get Sunday's off of work so he can come to church and be eligible for Baptism (the spirit truly has wrought a change upon his willing and softened heart)! A former investigator who we honestly did nothing but stop by her home a few weeks ago came up to us on the bus (we didn't even recognize here) says hi and tells us that she is coming to church with her son this Sunday! We had met a woman by the name of Lisa a few days ago got her phone number and have been trying to schedule something with no success and one day while tracking we knock on her house and have a great discussion with her! This is just a taste of the blessings that Heavenly Father has in store for the Altrincham area! I'll try my hardest to keep you up to date with the blessings the Lord is giving this area, but there really are so many ?. This work is the work of the Lord, and this truly is his church. It was amazing to have the opportunity to stand and sustain Thomas S. Monson as a prophet of God and to feel the spirit bearing witness, in a way that can only be
felt, that he truly is the Prophet holding and using all the keys of the priesthood on the earth at this time and there is never but one on the Earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred! Conference was amazing, the talks were filled with the Spirit and presented us as members of the church and inhabitants of the Earth ways to improve ourselves and help others. The topic that sticks out in my mind most was the idea of filling ourselves with humility. When President Monson spoke he spoke with power and humility. It's strange to think that those two would go together but they truly do! I can testify that the strongest moments on my mission (the moments were I have literally felt God's power) have been when I have fallen at the feet of him who created me and pleaded for his assistance and his love; I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for hearing my pleas and filling my soul with warmth and joy. The closest I ever feel to God is when I throw away my pride and come unto him in meekness and lowliness of heart because of meekness and
lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost which comforter fillith with hope and perfect love and perfect love casteth out all fear! This Gospel is true, Jesus Christ is the Holy Messiah who laid down his life according to the flesh and took it up by the power of the spirit bringing to pass the resurrection of the dead, the prophet of the Restoration is Joseph Smith, and Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today, the Book of Mormon was written by men of God hundreds of years ago and preserved by his matchless power to come out, in its fullness, in this generation. How blessed are we in this last dispensation to be a part of temple and missionary work to be bringing so many souls out of darkness. My soul sings and my heart rejoices as I thank my Father in Heaven for giving me the Gospel and I promise to you and to the world that I will never my God forsake! I love you all so much and I pray for your temporal and spiritual well being every day.
May God be with you til we meet again,
Elder McKenna
pull it of it would be him. So, Irylnn is the calendar girl she must be loving
life! Especially since her bedroom is being redone and filmed like a reality TV
show... That's so cool. Timette, I love the meals! (You crazy person) There amazing, and my companion wants to adopt you into his family he loves those meals! But Timette you might want to think about going online and checking Tesco.com which is like our Albertson's here, you can order those things online and send them that way but what ever you feel is best. Chelsey I knew you were the smarter than Trent ? getting outstanding student in Biology that's wonderful and I know you deserved it! Also, if you think you have to get a lot of immunizations to go to Rice try going on a mission, it was the worst ever! Mom, I finally got my Easter package at General Conference, thank you so much for all of those wonderful candies (epically the Ethel'M caramels). Thank you all for always writing me and keeping me in your thoughts, it truly means a lot to me and fills my soul with joy! This past week has been amazing, the Lord truly is pouring down his blessings upon us. Callam has had all of the discussions he is
going to obey all the commandments and is going to get Sunday's off of work so he can come to church and be eligible for Baptism (the spirit truly has wrought a change upon his willing and softened heart)! A former investigator who we honestly did nothing but stop by her home a few weeks ago came up to us on the bus (we didn't even recognize here) says hi and tells us that she is coming to church with her son this Sunday! We had met a woman by the name of Lisa a few days ago got her phone number and have been trying to schedule something with no success and one day while tracking we knock on her house and have a great discussion with her! This is just a taste of the blessings that Heavenly Father has in store for the Altrincham area! I'll try my hardest to keep you up to date with the blessings the Lord is giving this area, but there really are so many ?. This work is the work of the Lord, and this truly is his church. It was amazing to have the opportunity to stand and sustain Thomas S. Monson as a prophet of God and to feel the spirit bearing witness, in a way that can only be
felt, that he truly is the Prophet holding and using all the keys of the priesthood on the earth at this time and there is never but one on the Earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred! Conference was amazing, the talks were filled with the Spirit and presented us as members of the church and inhabitants of the Earth ways to improve ourselves and help others. The topic that sticks out in my mind most was the idea of filling ourselves with humility. When President Monson spoke he spoke with power and humility. It's strange to think that those two would go together but they truly do! I can testify that the strongest moments on my mission (the moments were I have literally felt God's power) have been when I have fallen at the feet of him who created me and pleaded for his assistance and his love; I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for hearing my pleas and filling my soul with warmth and joy. The closest I ever feel to God is when I throw away my pride and come unto him in meekness and lowliness of heart because of meekness and
lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost which comforter fillith with hope and perfect love and perfect love casteth out all fear! This Gospel is true, Jesus Christ is the Holy Messiah who laid down his life according to the flesh and took it up by the power of the spirit bringing to pass the resurrection of the dead, the prophet of the Restoration is Joseph Smith, and Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today, the Book of Mormon was written by men of God hundreds of years ago and preserved by his matchless power to come out, in its fullness, in this generation. How blessed are we in this last dispensation to be a part of temple and missionary work to be bringing so many souls out of darkness. My soul sings and my heart rejoices as I thank my Father in Heaven for giving me the Gospel and I promise to you and to the world that I will never my God forsake! I love you all so much and I pray for your temporal and spiritual well being every day.
May God be with you til we meet again,
Elder McKenna
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
I Love You All So Much
Hello Everyone!
Thank you all for your letters, I never thought I would love receiving letters from home as much as I do, it really does warm my heart to hear from you all! First off, Timette thank you for all that food (I think my companion squealed with joy when he saw the chips and salsa) it was far to kind of you to give me all of those things and they certainly gave me some variety in my diet of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with some Doritos. Mom I'm looking forward to getting that Easter package but I haven't got it yet I'll let you know when it comes. I can't believe all the craziness that is happening back in Vegas! A birthday spectacular at the Secret Gardens, Sea World adventure coming up, and Chelsey slept in my bed... Madness! It really sounds like you are all doing very well and enjoying yourselves and that brings me great joy! England is still amazing, freezing, wet, and I love it! My new companion Elder Davies is an amazing missionary, I couldn't have gotten a better trainer, and he really knows what it means to be EXACTLY obedient which is so important in keeping the spirit. The work is progressing more and more each day it's amazing to see how much influence the Lord truly has in this work for I know that it is the spirit that does everything I am just the faulty tool the Lord is stuck working with. Just yesterday (March 25) me and Elder Davies taught a lesson to a less active
member with her husband, who isn't a member, the lesson was based on Jesus Christ and we showed her the Finding Faith in Christ DVD (which allows us to truly understand the miracles of Christ's ministry found in the four gospels as well as his loving character, it is so amazing) we also used an article found in the March Ensign. I don't know if any of you have had the chance to read the March Ensign but I have to say it is the best Ensign that I have ever read. The cover has a picture of Jesus Christ with a thin white sheet of see through paper over it. When I look at the picture of my Savior through that thin sheet I feel as if it is the veil... and that my loving Savior is on the other side, the veil is so thin out here on a mission; I have seen and been a part of countless miracles in the short space of time that I have been in his service and I can't imagine a better way to get to know our Savior then through finding his lost sheep with him. One of the most touching articles in that Ensign was the talk given by Elder Holland when he gave the account of the dream that Elder Witney had of being able to be a witness of the Savior's pain in Gethsemane and his triumphant victory over death. Just as Elder Witney ran to the Savior and
begged to go with him I to wish nothing more than to be with my Savior for ETERNITY to be with my family for ever! My heart is filled with bursting at the very thought and yet the words that the Savior said to Elder Witney, 'that is entirely up to you' echo through my soul and leave me with a sob in my throat. This is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I have prayed and I have felt love, joy, peace I have felt gentleness and goodness; I have felt the fruits of the Spirit. I know that it is true and I believe that you have all felt these feelings too. Gordon B. Hinckley stated that we can double our number of convert baptisms; this will not happen by members and missionaries becoming more articulate and charismatic, it will not happen by preying on those who are uneducated and vulnerable tricking them into baptism, it will not happen by members and missionaries working separate. Our convert baptisms will increase because the strength and the faith of the members as well as the missionaries
will combine to form a perfect union! Every member a missionary! We are the
light of this world and we will not put it under a bushel but on a candlestick,
my family please let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify our Father which is in Heaven! As members of this church we all need to realize that we are all responsible for finding those who are prepared to hear the Gospel! There are so many amazing tools in our arsenal and yet so many go un-used! I encourage you to read the March Ensign to ponder on its amazing message of the Savior and to soak in the wonderful teaching tools for member missionary work it contains. I know that this is the view of the church for I have been told to write to you concerning this from my Mission President. It will be a wonderful day when members of the church not only pray for missionary work but pray to do missionary work! I love you all, I pray for you every day, and you are all in my heart where I will always keep you.
In great humility I leave you these things in the name of our Savior, Redeemer, and loving Brother Jesus Christ, Amen
Elder McKenna
Thank you all for your letters, I never thought I would love receiving letters from home as much as I do, it really does warm my heart to hear from you all! First off, Timette thank you for all that food (I think my companion squealed with joy when he saw the chips and salsa) it was far to kind of you to give me all of those things and they certainly gave me some variety in my diet of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with some Doritos. Mom I'm looking forward to getting that Easter package but I haven't got it yet I'll let you know when it comes. I can't believe all the craziness that is happening back in Vegas! A birthday spectacular at the Secret Gardens, Sea World adventure coming up, and Chelsey slept in my bed... Madness! It really sounds like you are all doing very well and enjoying yourselves and that brings me great joy! England is still amazing, freezing, wet, and I love it! My new companion Elder Davies is an amazing missionary, I couldn't have gotten a better trainer, and he really knows what it means to be EXACTLY obedient which is so important in keeping the spirit. The work is progressing more and more each day it's amazing to see how much influence the Lord truly has in this work for I know that it is the spirit that does everything I am just the faulty tool the Lord is stuck working with. Just yesterday (March 25) me and Elder Davies taught a lesson to a less active
member with her husband, who isn't a member, the lesson was based on Jesus Christ and we showed her the Finding Faith in Christ DVD (which allows us to truly understand the miracles of Christ's ministry found in the four gospels as well as his loving character, it is so amazing) we also used an article found in the March Ensign. I don't know if any of you have had the chance to read the March Ensign but I have to say it is the best Ensign that I have ever read. The cover has a picture of Jesus Christ with a thin white sheet of see through paper over it. When I look at the picture of my Savior through that thin sheet I feel as if it is the veil... and that my loving Savior is on the other side, the veil is so thin out here on a mission; I have seen and been a part of countless miracles in the short space of time that I have been in his service and I can't imagine a better way to get to know our Savior then through finding his lost sheep with him. One of the most touching articles in that Ensign was the talk given by Elder Holland when he gave the account of the dream that Elder Witney had of being able to be a witness of the Savior's pain in Gethsemane and his triumphant victory over death. Just as Elder Witney ran to the Savior and
begged to go with him I to wish nothing more than to be with my Savior for ETERNITY to be with my family for ever! My heart is filled with bursting at the very thought and yet the words that the Savior said to Elder Witney, 'that is entirely up to you' echo through my soul and leave me with a sob in my throat. This is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I have prayed and I have felt love, joy, peace I have felt gentleness and goodness; I have felt the fruits of the Spirit. I know that it is true and I believe that you have all felt these feelings too. Gordon B. Hinckley stated that we can double our number of convert baptisms; this will not happen by members and missionaries becoming more articulate and charismatic, it will not happen by preying on those who are uneducated and vulnerable tricking them into baptism, it will not happen by members and missionaries working separate. Our convert baptisms will increase because the strength and the faith of the members as well as the missionaries
will combine to form a perfect union! Every member a missionary! We are the
light of this world and we will not put it under a bushel but on a candlestick,
my family please let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify our Father which is in Heaven! As members of this church we all need to realize that we are all responsible for finding those who are prepared to hear the Gospel! There are so many amazing tools in our arsenal and yet so many go un-used! I encourage you to read the March Ensign to ponder on its amazing message of the Savior and to soak in the wonderful teaching tools for member missionary work it contains. I know that this is the view of the church for I have been told to write to you concerning this from my Mission President. It will be a wonderful day when members of the church not only pray for missionary work but pray to do missionary work! I love you all, I pray for you every day, and you are all in my heart where I will always keep you.
In great humility I leave you these things in the name of our Savior, Redeemer, and loving Brother Jesus Christ, Amen
Elder McKenna
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
I Love You All So Much
Thank you all so much for writing; it really does warm my heart to know that you all care about me. Now, to answer some of the questions I received in the E-mails ... I must admit that I am very grateful for the opportunity that it has been to both live and be born in Las Vegas because I think that it is one of the strongest tools in my arsenal of conversation starters ever, and the idea that were 'sin city' makes almost a flawless transfer from the conversation to families, or religion, or what sin really is which then allows another smooth transfer into the restored gospel ... I love it! Unfortunately I have not found any lost relatives of the family but I have met a less active member whose wife (recently deceased) was born in Las Vegas and went to school at Vegas High, she would be about 59 years old if she were alive today. So I was wondering if you would know anything about it, her name is Mary Susan Gray; please let me know if you do. I knew that Chelsey would get into Rice just like she got into Baylor but I have to give my short little opinion, Chelsey I think you should go to
Baylor and do your research with medicine, because we all know if anyone is going to cure Cancer it's you! (I know that you could do it) but I think you know a little bit more about what you should do than I, so keep me posted on what you decide, and maybe think about saying a prayer, I know the Lord answers them. I have to admit that the idea of actually driving around England is very intimidating but according to the laws here I can't get my actual licence until I have lived in the area for around 120 days so I got a while until I can actually get behind the wheel of a car (pretty scary to think about). I am meeting more and more of the members of the ward here through church and through member lessons and I just love them all so much! It's funny but apparently a lot of the wards over here basically have a nucleus family that is tied into all the others so there is pretty much one family who practically owns a ward in
each area, my area is under the control of the Robinson family (they are so kind). I have to admit that I am brought down into the depths of humility as I learn more and more about those who previously served here and what they have gone on to do (I didn't know that Elder Ballard served here as well, just add it to the list of other apostles, prophets, and seers who have served here as well) and I am so grateful to follow in their HUGE footsteps. It's interesting that Timette mentioned that missionaries play with Lego blocks because I really don't know any who do and the kids here in Manchester don't care about American toys from McDonalds because a lot of them have basically everything American kids have back home but it is probably different in different areas, Manchester is very developed. I can't believe that all of you are going to Disneyland I have to admit that I am a little jealous but that jealousy is swallowed up in my love for the Lord and his work. It's funny that you mentioned the idea of keeping lineage because I have been adopted into another lineage, my trainer/companion Elder Key was involved in a dodgy situation with an Elder Kunzler that went home (after serving two years) right when I came in. I don't feel right divulging what was involved but needless to say Elder Key had to be emergency transferred (ET) and I now have an AMAZING trainer/companion by the name of Elder Davies. My testimony and faith in the concept of obeying the mission rules and putting in the work has grown so much! In just the past 2 weeks by putting the time and effort in actually do missionary work we already have 2 investigators about 3
more potential and about 10-15 contacts, needless to say the work in this area is progressing very steadily with the blessing of the Lord. I don't know if I have found any of President Hinckley's 'seeds' but I do know that the Lord has poured his blessings upon us and I am SO grateful! An investigator very close to my heart at the moment is a man by the name of Callem who we have already taught twice and have another appointment with on Thursday! He truly has been prepared to hear the gospel and I know that my Heavenly Father has heard my prayers and has allowed me to meet this man and has suffered me to teach him. I pray with all my heart, might, mind, and strength to have the spirit with me for I know that the "Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Sprit ye shall not teach." It is so important to have the spirit with us at all times and in all places (especially as missionaries) but also as members of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! And I plead every day, every chance I have, that my Heavenly Father will hear my cry and bless me with a portion of his spirit so that I can teach and find those who are ready to hear this message! I believe that we may be asking Callem to be baptized in the
coming week so I will keep you posted, IT IS VERY EXCITING! I also had the opportunity to be part of an all mission conference; all the missionaries in the
England Mission (all 144 of us) met at the Manchester South chapel (were I have church every Sunday) and were going to hear from Elder Richard G. Scott! But unfortunately he has taken ill and has been advised to not travel so we heard from President Johnson of the Quorum of the Seventy who is an amazing scriptorian and speaker. I don't think I have ever before had such a strong desire to learn as much as I humanly could about missionary work and scriptures until I heard him speak, what and amazing missionary and leader! The all mission conference is where I made the switch from Elder Key to Elder Davies and he seems so excited to get to work; which is great because this work is so important! I know that this is not my work but the Lord's and that he has
suffered me to come to England to be a part of this and I truly know how much happiness comes from serving the Lord! The days are long and hard and I don't
think I have ever been so emotionally drained and physically exhausted in my entire life but I love it! I wake up every morning feeling like I didn't get enough sleep but I then study and exercise and by the time I get out the door I want to start shooting pass along cards out of my hands at passer byres! I love thrusting in my sickle with all my might and I am so grateful that I can be a servant of the Lord! I love the people SO MUCH with their sweet English accents and their witty sense of humour I just want everyone I meet to understand the joy and happiness that the RESTORED gospel of Jesus Christ can bring! How beautiful it is that the gospel Christ established so many years ago has been brought back in its purity by a living prophet! But most of all I love my family and I have come to realize how wonderful and loving you have been to me all my life! Press forward and onward with your eyes single to the glory of God and know that his work and his glory is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life! Never lose the faith!
Elder McKenna
Baylor and do your research with medicine, because we all know if anyone is going to cure Cancer it's you! (I know that you could do it) but I think you know a little bit more about what you should do than I, so keep me posted on what you decide, and maybe think about saying a prayer, I know the Lord answers them. I have to admit that the idea of actually driving around England is very intimidating but according to the laws here I can't get my actual licence until I have lived in the area for around 120 days so I got a while until I can actually get behind the wheel of a car (pretty scary to think about). I am meeting more and more of the members of the ward here through church and through member lessons and I just love them all so much! It's funny but apparently a lot of the wards over here basically have a nucleus family that is tied into all the others so there is pretty much one family who practically owns a ward in
each area, my area is under the control of the Robinson family (they are so kind). I have to admit that I am brought down into the depths of humility as I learn more and more about those who previously served here and what they have gone on to do (I didn't know that Elder Ballard served here as well, just add it to the list of other apostles, prophets, and seers who have served here as well) and I am so grateful to follow in their HUGE footsteps. It's interesting that Timette mentioned that missionaries play with Lego blocks because I really don't know any who do and the kids here in Manchester don't care about American toys from McDonalds because a lot of them have basically everything American kids have back home but it is probably different in different areas, Manchester is very developed. I can't believe that all of you are going to Disneyland I have to admit that I am a little jealous but that jealousy is swallowed up in my love for the Lord and his work. It's funny that you mentioned the idea of keeping lineage because I have been adopted into another lineage, my trainer/companion Elder Key was involved in a dodgy situation with an Elder Kunzler that went home (after serving two years) right when I came in. I don't feel right divulging what was involved but needless to say Elder Key had to be emergency transferred (ET) and I now have an AMAZING trainer/companion by the name of Elder Davies. My testimony and faith in the concept of obeying the mission rules and putting in the work has grown so much! In just the past 2 weeks by putting the time and effort in actually do missionary work we already have 2 investigators about 3
more potential and about 10-15 contacts, needless to say the work in this area is progressing very steadily with the blessing of the Lord. I don't know if I have found any of President Hinckley's 'seeds' but I do know that the Lord has poured his blessings upon us and I am SO grateful! An investigator very close to my heart at the moment is a man by the name of Callem who we have already taught twice and have another appointment with on Thursday! He truly has been prepared to hear the gospel and I know that my Heavenly Father has heard my prayers and has allowed me to meet this man and has suffered me to teach him. I pray with all my heart, might, mind, and strength to have the spirit with me for I know that the "Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Sprit ye shall not teach." It is so important to have the spirit with us at all times and in all places (especially as missionaries) but also as members of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! And I plead every day, every chance I have, that my Heavenly Father will hear my cry and bless me with a portion of his spirit so that I can teach and find those who are ready to hear this message! I believe that we may be asking Callem to be baptized in the
coming week so I will keep you posted, IT IS VERY EXCITING! I also had the opportunity to be part of an all mission conference; all the missionaries in the
England Mission (all 144 of us) met at the Manchester South chapel (were I have church every Sunday) and were going to hear from Elder Richard G. Scott! But unfortunately he has taken ill and has been advised to not travel so we heard from President Johnson of the Quorum of the Seventy who is an amazing scriptorian and speaker. I don't think I have ever before had such a strong desire to learn as much as I humanly could about missionary work and scriptures until I heard him speak, what and amazing missionary and leader! The all mission conference is where I made the switch from Elder Key to Elder Davies and he seems so excited to get to work; which is great because this work is so important! I know that this is not my work but the Lord's and that he has
suffered me to come to England to be a part of this and I truly know how much happiness comes from serving the Lord! The days are long and hard and I don't
think I have ever been so emotionally drained and physically exhausted in my entire life but I love it! I wake up every morning feeling like I didn't get enough sleep but I then study and exercise and by the time I get out the door I want to start shooting pass along cards out of my hands at passer byres! I love thrusting in my sickle with all my might and I am so grateful that I can be a servant of the Lord! I love the people SO MUCH with their sweet English accents and their witty sense of humour I just want everyone I meet to understand the joy and happiness that the RESTORED gospel of Jesus Christ can bring! How beautiful it is that the gospel Christ established so many years ago has been brought back in its purity by a living prophet! But most of all I love my family and I have come to realize how wonderful and loving you have been to me all my life! Press forward and onward with your eyes single to the glory of God and know that his work and his glory is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life! Never lose the faith!
Elder McKenna
Saturday, February 23, 2008
WOW!
Well, | have to say that I am very grateful for all the letters you have written to me! I can't say that I wasn't a little disapointed when I went to Email and only had one from Timette, but this time it was much better! In ansewer to some of your Emails... Chelsey your a geniuse and I am completley confident in your abilites you will do fantastic... Trent the accients here are pretty thick, need i say more, and Bugger is just as bad a word as you think it is (also the peace sign with the palm of your hand facing you, thats like the bird)... Timette I'm so glad that you are doing so well in you calling and I know that you will continue to do great... Jeff I trully am grateful that I was able to go on those amazing Bike rides with you and Trent before I left, they are great memories and I hope that my bike will be of some use to you while I'm gone... Dad, The MTC President is an amazing man trully a man of the Lord and My mission President seems just as amazing as well (I had the oppertunity to eat dinner with him here)... Mom, I love you and I know that you will be fine on the computer, I say it all the time but I do not doubt because my mother knew it... Thank you everyone for keeping me in your prayers, I can not express to you the comfort
that it gives me to know that you are praying for me! So, back to England, the weather is still very nice not quite as nice as it has been (very cloudy and a little rain) but still nothing as bad as what seems to be going on back in the States. The experience here at the MTC seems to get better and better as the days go by, there is a great saying we say here, "The days go by like weeks and the weeks go by like days" and it is very very true. But even though the days are long and hard I can't believe how much the Lord has blessed me with my learning and ablity to teach! The MTC all though incredibly spiritual and wounderful is starting to become a little 'confining' and I can't wait to get out into the mission field on Wensday! It is an amazing and incredibly humbling thought to think that it is already time for me to get to work, but I know the Lord will bless me! When I look back on all the things I've learned here at the MTC I think the greatest thing that I have come to realize and what has given me the greatest comfort of all is that the Lord is very much apart of this work and that even though I may be a small and simple thing I know that if I relly on him
that through me he will make sure that not one of my brothers and sisters that are prepared and ready to hear the word will be lost! It is an amazing feeling to know that even though I may not be the best teacher in the world or the best scriptorian to ever walk the face of the Earth that the Holy Ghost is real and that he can express truths that no amount of doctrine can accomplish! I beg my father every day to bless me with the ability to teach with the Holy Ghost to express my testimony with power and conviction in a way that I will acomplish every bit my Father has planned for me! well I have to go I'll give you my adress on my next email! LOVE YOU ALL!
that it gives me to know that you are praying for me! So, back to England, the weather is still very nice not quite as nice as it has been (very cloudy and a little rain) but still nothing as bad as what seems to be going on back in the States. The experience here at the MTC seems to get better and better as the days go by, there is a great saying we say here, "The days go by like weeks and the weeks go by like days" and it is very very true. But even though the days are long and hard I can't believe how much the Lord has blessed me with my learning and ablity to teach! The MTC all though incredibly spiritual and wounderful is starting to become a little 'confining' and I can't wait to get out into the mission field on Wensday! It is an amazing and incredibly humbling thought to think that it is already time for me to get to work, but I know the Lord will bless me! When I look back on all the things I've learned here at the MTC I think the greatest thing that I have come to realize and what has given me the greatest comfort of all is that the Lord is very much apart of this work and that even though I may be a small and simple thing I know that if I relly on him
that through me he will make sure that not one of my brothers and sisters that are prepared and ready to hear the word will be lost! It is an amazing feeling to know that even though I may not be the best teacher in the world or the best scriptorian to ever walk the face of the Earth that the Holy Ghost is real and that he can express truths that no amount of doctrine can accomplish! I beg my father every day to bless me with the ability to teach with the Holy Ghost to express my testimony with power and conviction in a way that I will acomplish every bit my Father has planned for me! well I have to go I'll give you my adress on my next email! LOVE YOU ALL!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
HELLO AGAIN!
We'll it would seem that my Email time while at the MTC is on Saturday, so the next Email will be on well, Saturday but after that I'm pretty sure it will be changed. The MTC is intense! almost every second of every day we are studying and learning to Preach the Gospel from "Preach my Gospel". "Preach my Gospel" is an amazing book that trully does come from God, the lessons are beyond spiritual and the way that it teaches is in a way that is not offensive while at the same time very straightforward in what we believe, and I feel incredibly blessed that I am able to teach and learn from it. I went on my first tracking yesterday (Friday) and it was quite an amazing experience. We were given a little piece of a neighborhood that was in pretty bad shape and told to "get to work". Me and my companion were pretty apprehensive so we prayed together and I'm sure that my companion was praying in his heart just as much as I was when we came to the first door to knock. No one was home at the first house so we went to the second, same thing, and then we went to the third and we met one of the kindest woman that I think I will ever meet tracking. She was cooking a meal at the time for her neighbor's kids so she wasn't able to let us come in to teach her the first lesson and we were only allowed to be out tracking for 2 hours before the bus came and picked us up so we weren't able to go back, so I testified about how much the Book of Mormon has done in my life, that it trully is a record of prophets that were on the American Continent and how blessed I was as a child to have its teachings in my life and how much it trully strenghtened my relationship with my parents when we read it together and asked her if it would be alright if we gave her a copy. She said YES! so I gave her my missionary book of mormon and asked her if she would read a section of the book tonight before she went to bed and she said YES! I then marked 3 Nephi chapter 11 and bore testimony of the Savior and how wonderful it is that he came to the people on the American Continent as well as those in Jerusolem. After we we asked for her information and asked if it would be alright if other missionaries could come back when it was appropriate and she said that it was just fine and that she was interested in hearing what we had to say. Once we took her information we said goodbye and for ever more in my life I will remember and pray for Sara the first person that I may have actually had an influence on in bringing the light of the Gospel into her life! Well, the rest of the houses said no, some polite, some not so polite. And guess what England is very Catholic, wow, who would have known :P. The funniest bad experience had to have been when a man told us to bugger off and that he would sick his cat on us :). Timette thank you for the email that is amazing that Mike has that chance your Deal or no Deal chance is just getting better and better! I don't think you can send me the finished video but I know that it is wounderful, amazing, and stupendous. Relief Society 2nd counciler is a rough gig, but I know that with your attitude Timette you can make any calling the envy of the ward. England has not rained once since I got here, it is a little cold but beautiful blue skys as far as the eye can see (I think they just tell american's that it rains so that we wont come and bother them), so Utah is worse by far! I'm glad that your helping mom and I hope and pray that she will be able to accomplish the things that she needs and wants to be accomplished. Well, I love you all a ton and Timette thank you for the Email. Hopefully after I get out of the MTC I will have enough time to Email you all single Emails but until then I was hopeing the Dad will just Forward this one. The pictures are of me and my companion and the Preston Temple (by the way I had a session and it is beautiful).
Saturday, February 9, 2008
I Made It!
Well, here I am at the MTC. I figured that I wouldn't be able to E-mail while staying here but I guess I can. England is amazing! I feel trully blessed that I am able to learn here at the Preston MTC which is actually in a small logging town of Chorley, go figure. The flight getting to England was pretty nice, I believe there were about 28 Elders and Sisters coming over so I was in good company. Yesterday (Friday) was just a registration day were we had to see the doctor, get interviews, and things like that; so it wasn't all that great but I did get my companion who will be with me for the duration of my MTC stay. My companion's name while I'm at the MTC is Elder Manning from Colorado. He has a great personality along with a strong testimony of the Gospel and we are getting along great, he is serving in the England, Leeds mission. The Missions here are England Manchester, England Leeds, Scottland (the whole country), Iryland (the whole country), Germany, and Switzerland. I feel incredibly grateful that I was sent here to learn how to preach instead of the Provo MTC; there are only about 50 of us and all of us arrived together and will be leaving together and were the only ones here, so we are on a very personal basis with our fellow missionaries as well as our teachers. Winston Churchill wasn't lieing when he said that were two countries seperated by a common language (the accient is fascinating but sometimes you just can't believe that there speaking English). Today (Saturday) we had some great introductions to the teachers as well as learning a wee bit on how a missionary should serve his mission and I have to admit that it is very intimidating to think about all the resposibilities that are upon my shoulders and how important it is that I learn everything I can in the few 17 days that I have to learn it so that I can be the type of missionary my Savior would want me to be. It truly does seem like a lot of work but I whole heartedly believe that so long as I humbly pray for assistance and continue to give it my all that the I will be blessed, that I will be able to retain the knowledge that I am being given, and that I will be prepaired to go out and get to work. I believe with everything that I have that this Gospel is true, that Presiden Monson is a called prophet of God, that what I am doing here is to help bring my brothers and sisters back to be with our Father in Heaven who loves them. I feel a love for the people of England that I never thought I would feel, I worry about them and want nothing but eternal salvation for them all. I love this gospel, I love the power for good that it can have on peoples lives. I love you mom and dad, and I hope mom learning the computer is going alright (I worry about her). Well for the moment I can only email my parents until I actually leave so if you want to forward this message it is totally alright. I don't know the next time I will be able to E-mail but I'm sure it will be sometime before next Monday.
Forever your careing and loving son
Elder McKenna
Forever your careing and loving son
Elder McKenna
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