Mobile, AL and elder MARTIN

SO mobile... hmm, its really big! It is way different than Ft. Walton Beach, in just about every way. Our area is giant... it will be a miracle if i can learn it by the time Martins goes home in November. Probably the only bad thing about mobile is that the hispanic people are hid very well. There is no specific place where they meet or live, well other than the soccer fields, and so it is REALLY hard to track. The earlier part of this week has been spent with us searching for new investigators, but to no avail. FINALLY, yesterday, during our mission wide fast, we found 3 new investigators.
Elder MArtins is awesome! He is from a little town in the state of Salvador, Brasil. Originally he was called to serve english speaking, but while he was in the MTC most of the people in his english class were from mexico, so he learned the basics of spanish in the 10 weeks he spent at the mtc. Over his mission he has had a hispanic investigator here and there, and a few transfers ago (the transfer that elder clements and i were together) he was switched to a spanish elder. He speaks spanish beautifully, well it definately helps that spanish and portuguese are so close... like every once in a while i will ask him to talk in portguese, and for the most part i understand him because it is so close to spanish. And he is HILARIOUS! We have a blast while working, so i am really excited for this transfer.
I am glad your testimony is growing. That is one of the greatest personal blessings i desire for us from this service; stronger testimonies. My testimony has grown so much, my beliefs are being changed and transformed into knowledge... but i still have a long way to go.
That stinks about the whole insulin deal. I guess Elder Jambon would be considered my "insulin" because over the last two transfers i have gained roughly 10 pounds. So this morning i sat down and set some goals for the week (my regular monday study routine) and i planned out my new diet and exercise program. My goal is to lose the 10 pounds by the time elder Martins goes home, which will be in mid-november. I am going on a veggies and rice diet, eating chicken or fish once a day. It will be nice because Elder Martins will be on a diet as well (he has gained like 60 lbs on his mission, American food is a little different from the usual rice and beans of brazil) and so we will be able to help each other out.
I am doing wonderfully though. I am really looking forward to what will happen here in these upcoming transfers. I know there is a lot that i have to do, and it is all just about the little things, but i am willing to do it. I love the work, and i know we will be seeing miracles here.
Love everyone a little extra for me please.

I love you mommy, have a wonderful week!

ELder Kenck

Crazy Photos

Transfer to Mobile AL...

hey mommy



SO this week was very surreal. I still dont feel like i am leaving Ft. WAlton, in fact i doubt it will click until i actually do leave. I said lots of goodbyes this last week, i still havent said goodbye to Giovani, which will be horrible, but it was a weird week.

So yesterday destin hung out with us for the day. Well actually on sunday night we planned an evacuation route thing and destin just stayed with us overnight. So i got to hang out with elder jones and wright. it was fun. Then on monday morning, we were hit with a tropical storm. It wasnt too bad just lots of wind and rain and tornado warnings, which kept us inside for a majority of the day. It was the most boring day of my life! yeah i am glad Hermana Franco asked us if we wanted her to email you... they are really awesome, a little crazy, but awesome. It is really funny, because like you and dad, they are night and day opposites. But they have dont SO MUCH for the branch, they will be immensly blessed. Already have been, they have been trying for 5 years of their marriage to get pregnant and eventually the doctors decided they could get pregnant, and lo and behold the week after he was made branch president, they got pregnant! Coicidence... i think not.

On sunday i gave a talk in the branch. It was a really weird experience, because while preparing i recieved NO spiritual confirmation on what i should talk about. I had little ideas or mini revelations come into my mind about things i could mentiion, but no specific topics came to mind and heart. So i was more nervous than ever, because my "Talk" that i had prepared was just half a page of notes. Then, during Elder Andrews talk, who talk right before me, in his last closing remarks, i recieved a spiritual confirmtaion that i needed to take on being patience through our trials. It was a wonderful testimony building experience, because i was completely guided.

I am so excited for next transfer. Finally i can jump back in and just work. Elder Clements and MArtins have been on fire in theodore, and now elder allison and i are headed there and i am sure miracles will occur. Elder MArtins also speaks spanish better than any other missionary, so i am way pumped to get to learn again. And i here the apartment is clean and a palace!

SO what in the happened to Tara's girls... they are grown up! Those pictures were great, thanks for sending them!

WEll i gotta go, thanks for everything, have a wonderful week, be happy, love a little extra for me, and know i will be working my butt of in Mobile!

Love you mom, thanks for everything

Elder Kenck