Kenzie in Chile

This week has been one of the most discouraging weeks of my life. Its had its HIGHEST highs and LOWEST lows. Ill start from the beginning.

My PDAY was absolutely fantastic. Two of my favorite teachers at the CCM surprised me by coming all the way to Cordillera. It was such a wonderful surprise!!!! I missed them more than I ever imagined. That night I went to bed happy, and woke up at 3am on my birthday, vomiting. I was sicker than a dog! I didnt sleep more than 3 hours that night, and ended up dragging myself to our Clase de Zona that day. My companion, Hermana Garcia came down with it, too! We were miserable!

All day I had this constant prayer in my head, constantly asking for strength, the strength to get through this trial, that I might have some sort of relief. Because it was my birthday, I was already SUPER homesick! I was missing the love of my family, and especially the comfort of my momma. Well, I can tell you this. The Lord answers prayers. After the meeting, I received two packages from my family that I had been waiting for for weeks. What was in those packages was an answer, a HUGE answer to my prayers. I needed the comfort of those packages! Honestly, if I had received them before, they wouldnt have been as precious to me. All week, Ive been miserably sick, and finally went to the doctor on Saturday...found out that I probably had the FLU thats been going around, but now I have ulcers in my stomach. My diet is very limited, and I have to rest a lot. At first, I was very bitter about this. All I wanted was to be able to work my hardest, to be the best missionary that I can be. I want to be helping others, not be in the position where everyone has to be taking care of me!

My wonderful companion and roommates surprised me with this wonderful surprise the night of my birthday! I couldnt eat the cake and still cant, but it was amazing. I started crying so hard. I needed to feel love, and dang, they made me feel it tremendously!!!

Gifts they got for me....its only been 5 weeks and they know me so well!!!

During this week, I finally realized through all of this that Heavenly Father has a plan for all of us. God doesnt have a generic, one size fits all plan that covers all of His children...but a very detailed, specific, personal plan for each of us. This brings me so much comfort. Many times I feel so inadequate, not good enough. Right now, I feel pretty week, like I possibly cant have the strength to keep on going! BUT I do know that I was called to be a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints here in Santiago, Chile for a reason that only the Lord knows. He didnt call me here because He knew I would fail, but because He trusts me, and knows that Im strong enough to do it. As discouraged and frustrated as I get sometimes, I have peace because I know that if I do my best, whatever happens is the will of my Father in Heaven.

In D&C 122:7, the Lord is speaking to Joseph Smith, as he sat in Liberty jail, away from his family, away from all that he knew and loved. He was living in terrible conditions for months, while his fellow saints were driven out of their homes, leaving all that they have ever known behind. During this time, the Lord tells Joseph, "And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way, and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good...for God shall be with you forever and ever."

Everyone has their own trials, their own tests and challenges in this life. But I know that if we respond to these trials with faith because of our knowledge that God is with us, we will be blessed mightily.

I love you all!

Hermana Randall

PICTURES I TRIED TO SEND LAST WEEK, BUT THEY WOULDN'T DOWNLOAD (so from 2 weeks ago)

I went on divisions in Diego Portales!! I LOVE the city of Florida and I love the Hermanas there!!!!!!! It was the week of the Choclo (Corn) Festival! Everything was made from corn! It was delicious!