From Your Missionary Girl in Texas

Wellll Hello My Family Dear. Happy Days to come to you all year...if I had a wish then it would be....That all of you would be full of GLEE!!! :)

Okay, We are on a music fast this week - Day 1 - and I am already thinking of songs to sing in my head! :) but it is worth the sacrifice because....we have the baptism of JUAN SOLANO this week! Woooo hoo :) I am totally soo super excited. He is an amazing man. I am so proud of him.

A really neat experience happened this week that I want to share. :) Meet Cindy, Jeff and Donny.

So the other day we were going to a dinner appointment at Hna. Lopez's home with a recent convert of Hna. Busenbarks Jose Luviano and his nephew Javier Santamaria whom is our investigator and is around 45. We went over to Jose & Javiers apartment so they could follow us to Hna. Lopez's house. So as we are turning in we see this van turn in and they looked familiar to me but I didn't say anything. Then Hna. Rivera says...They look really familiar and Hna. Busenbark says the same thing. We hurry in behind them and we get out. We just went up to them and asked if we could share a quick message and a prayer. One of them was like...umm I don't think I have time but the older brother said...Donny you need a prayer if anyone does. So we start talking to them. Jeff is the older brother and Donny is the younger one. As we are talking this woman is looking out the window and comes out. She was their mom. Her name is Cindy. We asked them if their was something we could include in the prayer. Jeff said a new start, or a better life, change in the world, (he has this huge tat on his arm that says let their be peace on earth or something like that), Donny said a place to live with my budget and cindy said the confidence and strength of my ancestors. So we start to pray and with a lot of people they want to hold your hands so we all get in a little circle and grab hands. They had a really strong good energy when we were talking to them but when we all grabbed hands it was like electricity was flying through my body. We are praying and I can feel the spirit so strong. I really really felt that we had angels surrounding us. We talked to them a little bit about the energy we felt with them. They were like we can feel that too. It was so cool. They were very grateful and invited us to come visit them this week. We are excited to go back. As we were going to Javiers and Joses all three of us were talking about it.

Juan Solano:

We taught Juan last week with this guy we met named Joseph Sanchez. Joseph just barely moved here and I know that he was sent to meet us for a reason. He has been a convert for 9 years and has an energy and passion for the gospel. He loves. it. So 4 hours before we have our appointment with Juan we start taking to him. He was talking to us and we felt like he was a perfect fit for Juan. We asked him to come with us to the lesson. He said of course. Juan had been struggling with some things but He has such a strong testimony that it was hard to see him falling again and letting Satan get him. So Joseph goes with us and we just start teaching. He asked Juan what his doubts were and he just tells us. He was worried about the book of mormon as well as his wife who is catholic and a few things like that. At the end of the lesson, he was committed to baptism and he really wasn't going to back out. He like knew it and he knew that it was the right thing to do. He told us of how he felt like Satan had been binding him and it was hard for him to get free. The next night, he had a blessing from our Bishop (who is great) and when it was done juan stood up and said...Wow. He was so touched by the spirit. It was a really neat sight. The appearance of him is changing. Over this last week you can see the changes and the Light of Christ that is in him. Yesterday he asked Bishop Escobar to baptize him this Saturday. We are very excited. This week we are visiting him everyday and just keeping him encouraged and ready to enter the waters of baptism. :)

I have been keeping Christian in my prayers. Please keep me updated. That is so so sad and hard. Hopefully he will recover. Its fun that dad got to speak at Trevin's court of honor. Tell the Ebmeyers Hello from me! :) I love them. I am glad everyone on the Jensen side is doing well. I got a letter from Grandma Jensen. I am going to write her today.

Response to your questions and emails. I am so glad to hear every one is doing well! I loved all the notes and little character smiley faces and mom the crab was my favorite! :) With out fail every week I am always tearing up as I read your letters from home. I am not home sick. I love it here but I love love love hearing from you. It always makes me so excited! :) I love getting the letters in the mail as well. I got a letter from grandma this week. It was fun to hear from her so thanks Grandma! :) I am glad everything went well with Whitney's Wedding! I want to see some pictures even if they are just from facebook! :) As for my health. I am a lot better than I was but I am still having a lot of sinus nast. Its not fun and I have to use my inhaler cause I can't always breath super well with my cough but I only have a few little coughing attacks a day. My allergies are acting up here as well. But I am doing and feeling a lot better than I was. I am not taking the cough medicine at night anymore and normally i just wake up once and pop a cough drop in and get some water. Speaking of water. The water here is SOOOOO NAST. Ew. We have to just buy it bottled and the tap water tastes like bleach. But i am adjusting. I really have not much to complain about. I feel lots better than I did and with time I will adjust to the weather, and allergies here and then it will be good. So just keep praying for my spanish to come and my health will keep improving. I am taking my vitamins most days. Some days I forget but most I remember.

Did you get my letters and pictures? I am sending the boys letters today. I also send Kinley a picture of Me and Tucker so she can remember us. :) haha. I need to get going but I love you all so much. Keep reading the book of mormon and praying as a family and personally. (OH yeah!!! we found a family with a single mom and 5 children! :) They are so special - we have a fhe with them tonight!) I love this mission so much. Everyday is better and better.

one more fun thing. The other night we went out to eat with recent converts of hna Rivera and it was a mexican resturant. the lady asked me what i wanted to drink in spanish but I didn't know if it was in spanish or english. I just knew that I understood what she asked me. It was like woah!!! I just understood and had to really think if i needed to reply in spanish or english cause i didn't know what language she asked it in. :) haha. Nerd but that is really cool.

I am going to try to send some pictures and a video from a talent show last week. I don't know if it will work but I'll try

Love you lots and lots and pray for you always!

Remember who you are and Whom you belong to.

Off finding the 10s of 1000s.

Love Hermana Kynsie

Here are a few pictures that Kynsie emailed to us...

Kynsie with Elders Cheney & Valdez

Juan Solano and Hermana  Rivera's Converts

The sisters  with Carlitos (Juan's son) in his Halloween costume.  He is so Funny!  :)

Your Hermana in Texas October 15, 2012

Pues...Bueno.

 

Okay soooo second week in Texas. And...everything is bigger...especially the people. ;) haha okay just kidding. Well life is good. This week was full of lots and lots of crazy happenings but fun happenings.

 

Some good news

 

1- our apartment was inspected and we got a PERFECT. Since being a missionary I make my bed daily & am a lot cleaner. Mom you should be proud!  :) Hna Rivera was hurrying cleaning up a few things in the bathroom while we distracted our cleaning people checkers by hna busenbark showing them my organization skills of our cupboards. They were kinda (really really) messy and so i pulled everything out and fixed them. Sister Isom said...I need you to come organize my pantry and I also have the job of organizing the clerks and bishops offices this week because they have been bragging about how it looks...I think I got those skills from my mother! :)

 

2- I bought a bright yellow umbrella that has a duck for the head. Its pretty fun and bright and I feel like a little girl with it! But its fun

 

3- we had tri mission conference on saturday. Elder Callister, Ellis and Echohawk (he spoke in conference about the book of mormon and his army/navy guy not yelling at him because he had the book of mormon) spoke to us. I got to see Jessie Maughn, Hermana Kelly, and this boy from provo high named Darrian Lupton. It was fun to see Jessie. She seems to be doing great. I LOVED getting to see H.K. I miss that lady. She misses me too. She almost started crying when she saw me. We didn't get to talk much but I think she is doing okay. She is struggling a little bit. She is in a Trio too but hopefully things will get better. I hope that we will get the blessing of serving together in our mission. I hope I hope. Fingers Crossed. :) She and I just get each other. I love it.

 

4- Elder Kovacs gets home today! WHAT? crazy. Go to his homecoming and Tell him a Big Hello from TEXAS. I have a letter for him that I am sending home to you to give to him! :) Along with some letters for....my Familia as well! Woo hooo ;

 

5- Its cold there and its warm here. ha ha ha ;)

 

Now for my real email....

 

This week some cool stuff happened.

 We are teaching lots of letters and preparing people to be baptized. This week we were planing to go on splits but it didn't work out and it canceled. At every house they decided they wanted to give us dinner. We ended up eating 3 dinners. Lets just say I may or may not have said a prayer with my companions and asked Heavenly Father to bless us with space in our stomachs. He helped us out and I didn't even gain weight but I am now praying that people will not have the desire to feed us. If we don't eat their food some get super offended unless they are americanized and then they understand.

 

We went knocking doors last wednesday and we knocked on this one. His name was luis and he looked kinda scroungy but we started talking to him and he is awesome. He is super devoted to following Jesus Christ and being a good person. We talked to him about our purpose as missionaries and the gospel. Everything that he said fit right into what we were telling him. It was cool. We wanted to leave with a prayer and he asked if he could pray for us first. It was the most interesting experience of my life. I was laughing pretty hard by the end of it. I couldn't hold it in. He was like "Father, The holy spirt of the Lord is filling these sisters with Joy. Keep it flowing Father oohhhh Keep it flowing" That is what he was saying with our giggles. He has some special gifts though. I can tell that if he was a member of our church he would do some sweet work. We ended up giving him a book of mormon and he committed to read it. He wanted us to come back and talk to him again. We are planning on talking to him again this week. So we will see how it goes. He was very open to us and our message though. I have a feeling he will be baptized sometime during his life. It was a fun experience. There is more to it but it is better acted out...so this is a story that has to wait for 2014. :)

 

We went contacting on Thursday down a main road. We were handing out pictures of Jesus and prayed and taught mini lessons to 11 people. But probably handed out 50 pictures of Christ, the passalong cards. It was really fun. People would be smiling so big. Some side roads in Texas there are huge medians by the roads so we were standing on those and when people were stopped at the light we would hand them the picture. They were so happy. Don't worry grandma. We were being careful. It wasn't dangerous. Promise. We talked to a man named "d" but his real name is clint. He was homeless but probably about 25 yrs old. He didn't look good. We asked him if we could pray with him and he said yes. We talked to him abit and after we prayed with him he said I really really needed that. We inivted him to church and gave him the directions he came to church on sunday. ( to the english ward but its a contact for our elders) and stayed the whole 3 hours. He is coming back next week as well. There were many many people that told us...you weren't placed in my path today by coinsidence. I truely believe that too. Heavenly Father helped us to be guided to certain people that need His message, that need to know they are loved and that need hope in their life. I have a huge testimony that this Gospel is the Good News and brings so much hope for the future and that it doesn't matter where you have been but it only matters what you are doing now and where you are going. It is because of Jesus Christ and His Atoning Sacrifice that makes this possible. It is such a neat thing.

 

We went to the church Wednesday night because I needed another blessing for my sickness....so we wanted to meet there so the elders could come help me out. We got their as our ward was finshing up a clothing exchange activity. There were boxes of clothes that were just going to DI and the hermanas in our ward start telling us to take these clothes. They were like putting them up against us and telling us that this would be perfect for us. It was pretty funny because they were not clothes we would wear....Welll Hermana Buse got trapped....:) She had to end up taking this really really UGLY jacket and its our lucky jacket now. We made her wear it one day and it was our lucky day. We had so much sucess with it. It was hilarious. :) We were laughing all day and we have decided that all of us have to wear it once a week. She looked like a grandma. Its like Mint green. It would look nice for an old person but not for us...haha. :) Good times good times.

 Hermana B was also having a bad day yesterday soooo we were trying to get her fire going again. We were home for lunch and I convinced her and Hna. Rivera to go in our room and we would jump on our beds and sing 5 little monkeys. Both of them were like Heck No. but I ended up convincing Hna. Buse. Hermana rivera says there is NO way I am doing that. I am 29 years old. It is not happening. I was like No no no girl. You Ain't pulling the age card here. She acts like she is our age so i wouldn't let her out of it. She ended up doing it with us and we were all laughing by the end. We re lite hna Buse's fire back and had a good night.

 

I am sorry to hear about Christian Terry. I am keeping Him, His family and Eric in my prayers. Keep me updated. I wrote Eric a Letter so I will send that off

 

I need something from you if possible. I need you mom and dad to write your testimonies of the blessings of a temple marriage / being sealed in the temple and how it has helped our family. We have some recent converts who need a little boost and we felt this might be a good idea. If you could please email it to me by next monday morning at 8:00 that would be great.

 

Uno Mas Cosa...Our mission theme is "Finding the Tens of Thousands" President Pingree talked about how there are tens of thousands in our mission that are ready and waiting to be baptized. Elder Callister told us the same thing but that the only way our mission is going to find them is through the Members. He said that is for all of North America. Sooo you have a job to do. Look for people who aren't members and help them get their info get it to the missionaries. Go on splits or be the member present in missionary lessons. Tyler...Start preparing now! Get going now! :)

 

I love you all so much. Letters this week! :) Take care!

 

Remember who you are and Whom you belong too.

 

Off Finding the Tens of Thousands

 

Love Hermana Kynsie.McKell.Rife.

A New Address for Kynsie

It was fun receiving this in the mail this past Saturday, October 13, 2012

1st Pictures from Houston
 President and Sister Pingree

How...day from Texas Sent on Monday Oct. 8, 2012

Hey Ya'll,

well I have almost survived my first week here. I thought the President should be sending a email with a picture with me and my companions but i guess you didn't receive it. A post card should have come as well. Not sure why you didn't get that. Any ways. It was so wonderful talking to all of you last wednesday. it was definitely hard to say bye again but its okay. Did nick get my voicemail? Lets see. I am still sick but everyday doing better and better. So hopefully soon. Dad was right I hit the pillow and the next thing I know its morning again. It is flying by. 

Wednesday and Thursday morning- we spent at the Pingree's house. It was so nice to stay in a home and use a bathroom that wasn't a stall. That was the first time in 2 months. I also got to take a tub! Which was AMAZING. It was clean and i didn't even have to put a towel down. We also had a home cooked meal which was fantastic as well. I really love the Pingree Family. They are amazing people and I have a feeling that I am going to learn to love them even more. I was able to talk with President Pingree in an interview and it was a good experience. We were talking about how our life is a play that God has written for us and we are the main character. God has the full script but only gives us pieces and parts at a time that we can learn and become better acquainted with the "character" we need to become. We are also cast in other peoples plays and play parts in their play. And people are cast in our plays. It was a neat analogy. He was talking to me and sharing his testimony about the Atonement as well as Jesus Christ. I could feel the spirit so strong and I know that He knows that it is true. He is so humble and funny as well as caring. Before we went to bed me and Hermana Kelly talked about how we knew that he could tell the worth of a soul and he can see people how God and Christ see us. They see our Soul, not the person we are now but the person we can become. 

Thursday we went to the church and had transfers met our companions and all that jazz, along with some meetings. I have 2 companions. I am in a Trio. My companions are Hermana Busenbark (booze en Bark) and Hermana Rivera. They are both amazing girls and missionaries. They have so much love for this work, each other and me. I have enjoyed learning from each of them these last 5 days. They are always focusing on the Spirit and what His plan is instead of ours. It is amazing. I have already seen miracles happen in this companionship. They are very encouraging and supportive to me which is a HUGE blessing. I lucked out big time to say the least. Our apartment has a kitchen with a living room attached, a bathroom and a bedroom with a closet. It is small but plenty of room for study, eating and sleeping. And it is a place I can call my own and has a door on the bathroom and so i am completely happy! :) I live in area called Hafer. 

The first few days have been full of crazy things. 

Thursday - we taught the Turcios (part member family) The Dad Jesus isn't a member. We were able to teach him the first lesson and I was able to recite the 1st vision in spanish and try as hard as I could to share my testimony with him and his family in spanish. We have a return lesson today. The spirit was there and i feel like i was helped as I did my best. 

Thursday, I met a few other people Juan Solano, Nuvea, y Carlitos y Jonathan (Juan is the dad and getting baptized the 20th) We taught him a bit and tried to talk to Nuvea. She doesn't like us being there cause she thinks we are taking Juan aways from her. Jonathan is nuvea's son and he is 17. He and his girlfriend just had a baby.  During a talk on the saturday session, all 3 of us felt like Jonathan's baby is going to die...and that he is going to get baptized. So we will see what happens. 

Friday - we had a service project with starbucks corporation where from all over the world store owners and mangers come to a certain city to make it a better place. A bunch of people dropped out so they called the mormons to come help out. Our whole zone was able to participate. We were leading groups of 100s all around the town, picking up trash, painting houses, building gardens and parks. It was cool that we got to do that because we got to show people that we may not drink coffee but we are normal people. We met a few great people and got some contacts. I was able to share with a Lady named becca the story of joseph smith and a man named jerry about the afterlife. It was fun but a long day. From 7-1 and we were fasting for that night which was ....La Noche Latina! but we got free t -shirts and sunburns and to share our testimony and serve so it was successful! 

Okay La Noche Latina was an activity with our spanish ward where everyone brings food from different cultures and has a talent show. Everyone comes, members, non members, all people. I got to meet a ton of members from our ward. They were very welcoming and understanding of my bad spanish (even though Hna's Rivera y Busenbark say it is great) One hermana kept yelling and jumping around me Ella es Nueva! Ella es Nueva! It was so embarrassing! I was bright red. That means She is new she is new! :) Oh the Hispanic culture! And all of the women hug and kiss your cheek..so i am getting used to being touched by strange women....the Lord is helping me...not going to lie...It is a big adjustment. I got to try some food and it was pretty good. I made sure to try the mild stuff though so it wouldn't make me sick and I didn't eat much. I got to watch them do latin dances and sing songs. It was a fun experience. At the end the missionaries did a little thing on the book of mormon in the chapel. I didn't have a part of the introduction but Hermano Alverado kept calling my name from the stand to sit up there so I had to sit by my district. So at the end of it he got back up and said something in spanish with my name and oracion. I looked at elder cheeny who was sitting next to me and said what did he just say...he said  "you have to give the closing prayer" my heart dropped there was like 100 people there and i had to say it in spanish. I prayed and hurried and sat down. Like all of my district looked over at me. After Elder Johnson came up to me and told me that my spanish was amazing and that he is a grammer nazi but I didn't make one error. Hermana Rivera y Busenbark were flipping out cause I guess they looked up and all of the members were like talking and wide eyed cause it was good for a new comer. I KNOW the spirit definitely helped me but i still thought i said lots of things wrong. A Hermano in our ward said i didn't have an accent and hermana rivera (her parents are from el salvador so she is fluente) said that is the best compliment because Argentine's are like the biggest spanish snobs. But I still am struggling a lot with spanish. So please keep praying that I will get it. Both Talking as well as understanding what others are saying to me. It is stinking hard. But I shall keep trying.

Saturday, we had conference and I met Javier who is the Nephew of Jose who is our recent convert. He and I talked (spaglish) and I really feel a connection with him. He is struggling and we are going to teach him about the plan of Salvation. He is a great man. Very humble and classy. I am excited to see what happens. Hermana B told me something really special...so we will see if it comes true.

Sunday we got our car towed so we spent the morning tracking it down and picking it up. It was a pain but we ended up getting 4 contacts and a lady who told us she had been praying for a miracle and something to happen all week. So the Lord works in Mysterious ways. We did miss they first session of sunday morning conference but we will be able to listen to it later. We ate at the Alvarados home last night. He is the ward mission leader. They are WONDERFUL people. So great. They have had a lot of trials in life but are staying faithful.  They we taught Juan and Jonathan again. Jonathan really accepted the book of mormon and the plan of salvation of what we told him.He is so humble and mature for being only 17. I think he is going to go far in life if he accepts this gospel. 

The Hispanic people  are so humble. Like so humble. They give you everything. I was coughing last night in one of our lessons with Laura (who accepted baptism on Nov.3) and her mom gives me a whole box of Theraflu. They always give us food and water and like everything. It is so so so sweet. If you don't take it they get offended. I am learning a lot from my companions. I know this is the Lords work. I know that Satan is aware of the good works being done so he will do anything to break you down. Sorry this is so long. Probably will be boring but that is what i have been doing and I love it. I can feel the Love of God. I really enjoyed conference. I loved the Family History work Talk. Teenagers can keep satan away by doing it! (Aka Wink Wink Nudge Nudge...learn how. brothers and sister) :) Take these talks and apply them in your life. Do the work and will of God. Be better and don't let satan have power over you.

 I am so glad I am here, but it is hard. Keep praying for me. I need your prayers. I pray for you specifically daily. Keep reading the scriptures and praying as a family and personally. That is our protection. Love you sooooooo much. Take care

***I need Uncle Nathan's Address please. As soon as possible. 

This is my address (Please provide the Hermana Kynsie McKell Rife) It is important that it is specific or you can send it to the Mission Office as Well...the Hafer place (Send packages there)

I'll be at this address for 2 transfers 12 weeks. 

Hermana Kynsie McKell Rife

18203 Westfield Place Dr. Apt # 618

Houston, Texas 77090

I don't think I'll be writing as many letters home. I will do my best to write personal letters when I can but I am just forwarning. I think of you all daily and that isn't an excuse to stop writing me! :) haha

Remember Who you are and to Whom you belong to.

Love Hermana K.M.R.

October 3, 2012 - On her way to Texas!

A week ago today we received our phone call from Kynsie while she was at the airport awaiting her flight to the Houston Texas Spanish Speaking Mission.  It was so good to hear her voice as she said, "Hi"!!!  And that is when the tears began to flow.  :)   From ALL of us!!!  What a blessing it was to see all of us just huddled around the phone enjoying the visit from "Our missionary".  It is a picture I hope never fades from my memory.  Steve kind of summed up everyone's feelings from this experience in his status that he put on his face book page...

Received a phone call this morning from our missionary daughter (Kynsie)! Her training is completed at the training center and she is on her way to Houston Texas!... It was great to hear her voice but the emotions of the heart was tough to bear! Saying good bye was tough enough the first time! Ready or not Houston here she comes! Your getting a great young lady who is desirous, willing and ready to teach the gospel as well as serve! Bless you my dear daughter that you will be safe and successful.

These Letters Made Grandma's Day...they were sent to her!!!! :)

Dear Family-                                                                                                                  Sept. 26, 2012

   You all get a big letter!  :)  One other thing - If possible can you send me my red disc man, some batteries and some cds.  I can listen to hymns, Mormon Tabernacle, EFY & church artists.  I had a cd named Josh Wright that was piano that I'd really like or you can even burn me a few - I don't care and if you don't have time don't fret it.  I'll survive but it would be nice.  I'll just use some speakers of companions when I get to Houston or purchase a cheap pair in Houston.  I also love any Mormon tab.
   So yesterday Brother Rogers & Gerke along with President Hollister told me I needed a blessing.  So I gave in & got one.  The cool thing is that 19 yr old Elders grow up & become men in seconds.  Elder Baldwin anointed & Elder Brown sealed.  It was a neat experience to feel the priesthood power and the peace and safety I felt with all of them around me.  It just reminded me of how glad I am that my dad has always been worthy of exercising his priesthood and for Tyler and Tanny to always be diligent in being worthy when you are able to bless and be worthy to use yours.  Just like that Mormon Message - "Sanctify Yourself" -  Jeffrey R. Holland.
   Tanny - I heard you have a question coming for me!  I'm waiting for you letter!  :)  I'll write a bit more later after I see jness.   :)
   Well, I saw J-Ness.  She is doing great and her comp is darling.  She said it has been a long day but she is happy.  She said she hasn't really cried all day and so hopefully she can get a good night of rest.  She looks great though.  I got her some sour skittles just in case she needs a pick me up!  It was great to see her & have her so close.  Her companion is very friendly and seems to be a hard motivated worker.  :)  You can let Uncle Scott & Aunt Susie know!  Well tell Katie thanks for her dear elder - loved hearing from her & to have her phone on cause I want to call her if shes not at our house.  Deal.  This is important!!!  But Love you all - hope I can talk to you all/all of you.

<3, Me

Dear Grandma,                                                                                                                  Sept. 26, 2012

How are you doing?  Right now I"m sitting in the Doctor's Office.  It's 11:33 am on Wednesday.  This is the 3rd time I've been in the last 2 weeks so I'm done here!  haha  I'll write  whats going on in my email so you will read that before this.  There is so much I need to do before next week and not enough time to do it in.  But somehow I'll get it all finished...I hope.  :)  Umm...let me think.  Yesterday we played kickball with another district in our zone.  It was way fun.  It was our district against theirs.  It was super muddy so we were sliding around.  I did get the most runs out of all our district even going to make them loose cause the other district is 10 & all pretty athletic Elders!  We Hermanas held our own to say the least!  It was so cute/funny  cause Elder Brown dept yelling "Yes!  That's my sister."  :)  He is so great!  All of our Elders are.  I love them all!  But you probably say, "Kynsie - You love everyone."  :)  haha!  I really enjoyed the temple dedication.  We went to the three o'clock session & on Sunday!  I think that I saw 7-8 people with way bad bloody noses.  Probably cause of the weather changing.  Did you enjoy the dedication?  Did you walk through it before it was dedicated.?  Today, we are going to the temple for our last P-day.  I'm going to miss it so much.  I love going.  I think our teachers are going to try to come with us today too.  So that will be fun.  I am excited for Houston but nervous at the same time!  I love this gospel & I am so excited to go teach & start a new journey!  I hope you are doing great!  :)  Miss you lots & Love you more.  Tell me whats new or a fun story of your childhood/parents or something!  :)  Take Care!

<3 your hermana Kynsie

P. S. I saw Mr. Mendenhall & he said, "We miss you in Choral" & said, "We are banking on you coming back when you get home...You know that Right?"  & I said, "...Well I am banking on you letting me in!"  Love that guy!  There I go again!  :)

Pues...Bueno Email from Wed. Sept. 26, 2012

Hello mi familia!

How are you doing? I hope everyone is doing so good! :) Welllll a few things.

1- The shirts were PERFECT! Oh my gosh. Everyone loved them so much! :) I loved them so much too. Thank you a Million and a half times for making them. I know I have been so lucky to have you all so close to ask for little favors! Lucky me! :) We were trying to match the color blue to the Argentine flag cause Hermano henderson served there and then hermano harker served in Canada so they couldn't have been more right! Thanks mom! :)

2- Flight plans flight plans flight plans. I leave next wednesday morning at 9:40. My flight number is 4497 don't know if you needed that but just in case...? We will leave the MTC around six. I am planning on calling but I don't know exactly what time...Probably around 8:00 ish. no se. but anywho. I can't remember our phone number....just kidding but I want dad's cell if he won't be at home...i don't know if he could work from home. I don't know. Sooo just dear elder me and tell me whats up. If you dear elder me later than monday around 11 AM I won't get it and that is the same with packages. Don't post market packages on tuesday cause i normally don't pick them up until wednesday and i'll be gone. Soo I want to call and I am excited to talk to you. whoever is there. :) but no skipping school to talk to your favorite sister just saying

3- Can you figure out what i need to do to get an absentee ballot? I want to vote but I don't know what I need to do.

4- I need some cash if possible....I am supposed to have $ 80 dollars in cash for my bags for the air port. I won't have anymore cash because i had to spend it all on my 3 more prescriptions but more about that later. So i don't know if you could sneak it with bishop jarman on monday. They are in hawaii but he will be back monday and we were planning on stopping by to say bye...sooo if so that would be great. Sorry to do that to you but i don't have any cash from the cash i brought cause of my prerscriptions.

Okay so this week. I have 17 minutes left. These last three weeks have flown. But not going to lie these last two weeks have been not the best cause of how sickly i have been. I finished my prescription on sunday and i was still like coughing like a crazy.  Every night for the last 2 weeks i have just been coughing. At night I would be up until like 1 just with constant coughing. Then through out the night it would be off and on. It was awful. I am exhausted and I have to just go go go all day. so I wasn't getting better. My chest is so tight and hurts and i can't breathe and I fall asleep sitting straight up because i am exhausted. I cough so much that I am gagging and on sunday and monday it was finally coming up. Close your eyes cause this next part is gross. but I was throwing up mucus. like tons of nasty green mucus. Okay open them up. My mouth was raw and I had all these weirdo cankers in it and my tongue was not doing good either. It was not fun. On monday I just ended up crying for like 10 minutes straight cause i couldn't take it anymore. But that is the first time I have cried since week 1 soooo that's good. :) but then it was awkward cause elder mann and elder baldwin saw me crying and then the hermanas did and i didn't want to be crying and so i went into the bathroom and got a grip and made hermana kelly stay in the hall cause i am stubborn and don't like crying. I was saying sorry after and they were like we don't think you are dumb we understand so i felt better. We went back to the doctor and he was not nice. It was a new guy and he said you look like you are improving so here is some genetic cough syrup and  take a benedryl at night to fall asleep. I tried it that night and it didn't work. I was still just as bad and I was like AHHH. so that was monday. Then yesterday president hollister, brother rogers and brother gerke all told me to go back. President hollister told me that I would have to stay at the mtc if i didn't get it cleared up then he told me to do all this stuff like ask for the old doctor and then call him if they wouldn't get me to him and get me some stronger medicine. Brother rogers heard me coughing and said is sounded like i needed an inhaler and was asking me if i have asthma? So today i went back and got a different doctor and he put me back on a different antibiotic, a super strong cough syrup with codine and an inhaler. soooo hopefully this will fix me. He also told me he had no idea why the other doctor didn't give me something cause i am still sick.

Jenessa is in the room next to me. We looked her up in the system! :) I wrote her a little welcome note and she lives with my hermanas so i am super excited for her! I know who her comp is too but i'll let her tell that! I haven't seen her yet but I will tonight and i'll write how she is doing.

I saw Mr. Davis from Grandview yesterday and he said to tell everyone hi. He and his wife are in a branch presidency here. He told hermana kelly "she was a cute little girl and still is" haha. :)

So can i say how much I love having tucker here. Cause I do. I love talking to him everyday. He is doing great. I have a funny story but i don't have time to write it now so i'll try to later.

I am sleep talking again in spanish. I think that is a good sign. I was trying to explain a principle in spanish. Subjunctive. Hermana Kelly said I was going on for a few minutes and i guess it was funny cause i was saying all the tenses but i kept repeating them.

I love this gospel so much. The more I am here the more I am realizing how true this church is. I wouldn't want to ever not have it. I am so excited for Houston. I am scared to speak spanish but I will do my very best. I know joseph smith is a true prophet of God and that through God, joseph translated the book of mormon. I hope that you are all trying to read the book of mormon because it is so important. We have to do all the little things in order to gain testimony and faith. A testimony isn't good enough though. As Elder Bednar says "a testimony is the holy ghost confirming truths of the gospel, but true conversion is being true to what you know" soo this week prepare for general conference. Think about questions. and i know if you listen you will find the answer. I am going to try to write a few letters but I don't have lots of time today. so i am sorry. I love you all so much. Talk to you next week

Ps. Tell holly congrats on her baby! He is darling! :) I am praying for his health and also. Tell whitney jensen I better get an invitation to her wedding! :) excited for her

Remember who you are and whom you belong too

Love Hermana Kynsie Rife