final photos

Final good byes with Caroline and Dez 

I look terrible since I had been at Mardi Gras all day so just ignore the red face and messy hair :)

 Final goodbyes at Transfers-

 The New IB 3

 Hermana McClendon and I 

 Sister Scollan and I 

 Elder Herbert and I

 Elder Andrews and I 

  The "go homes" with President and Sister Wall before our temple session

 At the New Orleans Stake Conference in January President Wall said, "A true friend is someone who invites you to dinner again and again. If you are skinny in the south it means you have no friends." 

My sister made a plaque of the quote and I gave it to them. 

 Saying goodbye to President and Sister Wall was heartbreaking! They are two of the most amazing people ever.

 Elder Scarlet and I flying home! 

literally seconds before we saw our families

And those are my final photos as a missionary.

Mardi Gras 2014

Well... it's a bit late but I figured it's better late than never :) 

So my last P-day in the mission field was spent at the Mardi Gras Parades! 

I remember last year while I was at a parade and I caught a cup that gave the dates for Mardi Gras the next 10 years. At that moment I made the realization that Mardi Gras would be my last full day in the mission field and I was ecstatic. It was the perfect way to go out with a bang!! 

 We started the day at the Zulu parade! This parade is extra special because it is the only parade that throws out special, hand painted coconuts. My only goal for the day was to catch just one coconut and I didn't care about anything else. Everyone had been going on and on about how hard it was to get one of the prized coconuts but I was determined! And I got one from the second float! That kind of made my day :) 

After the Zulu Parade we had planned to go to Rex but it had started to rain during the Zulu parade so Rex was delayed. And our mission President had put us on lockdown so we couldn't use our cars due to the poor weather conditions. It sure was not the type of day where you should be outside all day long.

Luckily there was an LDS church right on St. Charles so we stepped in there to dry off and rest up while we waited for Rex to start! 

We ended up going to part of Rex then went back inside because it was soooo cold. Then after warming up again we headed back out for the trucks parade. 

By the end of all the parades the streets were covered with trash and broken beads.

By the end of the day we were soaked and exhausted but it was such a fun day! One I shall never forget! 

The End

Well, I've decided to extend. I'll see yall in 6 more weeks. 

Just kidding. Mom would kill me :) 

But I'm down to the final days. I can't believe how fast it's come. It's been a crazy few days and President threw another curve ball. We got a call from our Zone Leaders and my "baby" Hermana McClendon is going to be in quad here in Kenner this next transfer. There will be her, her MTC companion and 2 brand new missionaries. So they are in for a stressful few weeks but they will figure it out. And they are on the Lord's errand! He knows what he is doing. But she was already freaking out (rightfully so) about taking over the area and training after only 6 weeks in the field and then this big bomb shell of stress came! It's going to be crazy stressful but it's through the trials that we grow. I learned sooo much when I was in quad companionships! 

We had a Zone Training Meeting on Saturday and it was amazing! It was exactly what I needed to hear. Our Zone Leaders had gotten their hands on a copy of a devotional that Elder Holland gave in the MTC then he based his General conference talk from October of 2012 on it. (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/the-first-great-commandment?lang=eng&query=elder)  He talked about Preach My Gospel and how it is designed to convert the missionaries then it is their responsibility to take that conversion and apply the principles to those they teach. He talked about the apostles after Christ died. They had served by his side for about 36 months then he died and they didn't know what to do with themselves. They felt lost and directionless. So they went back to what they knew before their mission with Christ. They went back to fishing. But we can't! We can't go back to fishing. Christ comes to them and asks Peter, "Do you love me?" 3 different times. Each time Peter responds with a yes. "To which Jesus responded (and here again I acknowledge my non scriptural elaboration), perhaps saying something like: “Then Peter, why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets, having this same conversation? Wasn't it obvious then and isn't it obvious now that if I want fish, I can get fish? What I need, Peter, are disciples—and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do. Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world. So, Peter, for the second and presumably the last time, I am asking you to leave all this and to go teach and testify, labor and serve loyally until the day in which they will do to you exactly what they did to me.”" -Elder Holland

Pretty powerful!! So this week I'm returning home, but not to "fishing". He has asked us to Feed His Sheep and do it forever! I guess this week I'll find out what it really all means to not return back to fishing! 

Well, my 18 months as a full time missionary are ending and the next chapter of my life is about to begin. I am so grateful for these last 18 months. It's been a crazy roller coaster of a year and half! It sure hasn't been easy but it was never meant to be easy. There were days went I wanted to throw in the towel and quit but the Lord was there for me every step of the journey. He will never give us anything that we can't overcome! He is always there to strengthen and uplift us. There were many times, okay, everyday, when I knew I couldn't do it on my own and I didn't. But He is there for every step of the way.

It blows my mind to think of all the experiences that I have had jam packed in the last 18 months. I like to think that I've learned a lot. To be honest, I really didn't know anything about the gospel before I came on my mission. I knew the basics since I had grown up in the church but I never really dug deep into the Gospel and specifically into the Book of Mormon! Each day has strengthened my testimony and deepened my conversion!  I've learned so much but know that my journey has only just begun. I've got a whole life time to continue learning and growing and progressing. 

Thank you so much to everyone that has supported me these last 18 months. Thank you for the letters, emails, packages and prayers on my behalf! and for reading my sometimes boring emails :) 

Well, see you all this week!!!! 

con amor,

Kim

more goodbyes

1. me, Nikki and J Biebs :) 
2. Jhony, Estefania and me
3. craziness with Hna McClendon, me and Leah
4. me and Estefania after church yesterday. I cried like crazy after church and saying bye to everyone
5. Ana, Leah and I. And Christ! 
6. Blanca Colomer. She painted the painting behind us.

goodbyes

1. Me and Daisy Martinez
2. Leah
3. Hna McClendon, Leah and me

The beginning of the end.... :/

Well it has been quite the week... filled with lots of highs and lows. 

I'll start with the low..... I've been sick. real sick. followed by a sinus infection. gross. painful. miserable. A cold and sinus infection is awful normally but mixed with my chronic migraine.... it's been brutal. Thankfully yesterday I was able to receive a blessing and some antibiotics. It was a little weird to walk into Walmart on a Sunday with a missionary name tag on. But I'm grateful for the medicine. 

I was also on exchanges this week. I went up to Covington, other side of the lake. It went well besides being sick.  Had some fun lessons! They actually have a Spanish investigator so we made sure to go visit her. Ama knows enough English to understand the sisters if they talk slowly but she can't respond well. And the sisters have given her the Book of Mormon in Spanish and the pamphlets in Spanish. It was nice to be able and talk to her so she could express herself fully. Oh, she also has an adorable 15 day old baby girl!!!! So stinking cute. 

From the pictures you can all see that we had a baptism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Caroline :) It was beautiful and amazing!!!!! She had asked me to talk on Baptism... and it was rough because my voice was nearly gone from being sick. Then Elder Miles spoke on the gift of the Holy Ghost but he left his talk at the library. Even through the difficulties, it all went well and the spirit was so strong! Our Ward mission leader also said a few words. He talked a lot about how if she remained faithful and diligent that her husband would soon follow her example and enter into the waters of baptism. Her confirmation said almost the same thing :) Miguel is starting to warm up to the idea. But he'll get there!!!! 

One of my favorite members, Estefania, received her Patriarchal Blessings yesterday! So exciting. She has been a member for her whole life but went less active when I first got to Kenner but she is so active and preparing to go to the temple! Patriarchal Blessings are the best :) 

Last night we had a crazy lesson! We went over to a less active members house. Saturday night we had an awesome lesson with her and her girls about putting God first and the blessings come, using 3 Nephi 13:33. Yesterday she had some questions come to mind and prayed about it but received the answer that she needed to ask us about it, so she did just that. She was wondering why God never forgave or if he could forgive the Devil and if we should pray for the Devil. We got into a really deep discussion that just kept coming back to the Plan of Salvation. It was interesting because those that were involved were our recent convert, Ana, her sister who has been inactive since the age of 14 and Ana's daughter who is really into Buddhism and spiritual enlightenment and reincarnation and not a fan of organized religion...... It was a great discussion/lesson and was awesome to hear everyone's perspective but use the scriptures to teach pure, true doctrine. The church is so true!!! And I'm so grateful for the knowledge that I have. 

Tonight is a little "surprise" goodbye party for me! Laura invited us over for our "last supper" together before I leave. But yesterday one of the elders asked me if I knew more details about the FHE at Laura's house. I told them I didn't know they were coming.... then one of the other elders just said, "Well there goes the surprise" haha. Looks like all the elders are coming over too :) 

Well I'm down to my final days. crazy. 

Next week we have P-day on Tuesday but it's MARDI GRAS!!!! I will be at the ZULU and REX parades and all libraries will be closed. So we'll probably be emailing on Monday still. So feel free so send my your final emails. Also, for those that have never written me..... it's your last chance :)

con amor,

Kim 

p.s. I attached another photo. didn't want to have to send another email. Alina is way to flexible. When we went to visit Desiree, Alina and Azalea were showing us all their gymnastics moves :)

P-day

Last week we went to the French Market... again :) 

I'd been a little selfish and had only gotten souvenirs for myself and not my family. So I had to go get stuff for my VERY large family! We had fun.

My nieces and nephews will have to start picking which mask they want! But the one with the big white feathers is mine.... I couldn't be totally unselfish :)