The Last

It has been a hard, but joy-filled past 2 years. Serving a mission has been a big learning  and growing experience. I remember my first day. I was assigned to go to Bridgeport,  Connecticut. I didn't even know that Connecticut was part of the New York City Mission,  who would have thought. 


On that first day we drove to a parking lot and my companion looked at me and said,  "Ok Elder Kendrick, go out and invite everyone to church". I thought he was joking, but  then he got out of the car and he began inviting everyone he saw. I’m going to be  honest, I was very surprised and frightened to do that.  


I remember every day for those first few beginning weeks not wanted to get up in the  morning because I did not want to talk to random strangers, let alone in Spanish. I had  to learn to trust in God and in his timing. Yet, now I've seen how the Lord has blessed  me and my friends and my family. 


I know that the Restoration of the Gospel is a reality and that Jospeh Smith is a Prophet  of God and President Russell M. Nelson is His Prophet today. After studying it and  testifying of its reality to many friends, I know that Jesus is the Christ, is our Redeemer  and Savior and this is His church on the earth today. 


I have seen many of God's children come unto Him through baptism and their lives be changed forever. 


One experience that I will never forget is when Michael, one of the friends that I participated with in baptism was able to get endowed. It was a feeling that I will never forget and a joy that I will not forget. 


Anyone that is thinking about serving a mission, I would say it will be one of the greatest blessings that you can receive and it will help you grow and be what God wants you be. 


See you all soon 

Elder Noah Kendrick  

Bronx, New York




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sight Seeing

Image
Greeting from the Bronx. It has been a busy couple weeks. I am starting to get use to the area. The hardest thing to get use to is how there are pockets of people. In Flushing it was mostly Chinese people. The Bronx is mostly Dominicans. It is really interesting how people gather in pockets to different boroughs. I have been on a few travels the last few weeks. I spent some time in Manhattan last week and today I went to a Yankees game. The missionaries here are treated well. The Spanish people are glad to hear about the Gospel. I would explain it as, they love God and are glad to hear more about Christ. It’s the commitment that is the struggle. They make a lot of excuses like, it’s ok, I have Jesus in my heart.  The missionary work here is the same as my other areas. We do all street contacts. We work in the areas of the apartment buildings mostly. We do spend some time near stores or parks, where ever we can find the most people. We had a media referral come in from one of the Ch...
Read more

Mindful

Image
Hola from the Bronx. It’s been a few weeks. All is going well. I just wanted to check in where it’s been a while. There is honestly nothing new or too excited going on here. We did have a baptism last Sunday which is awesome. It was Sister Yudelky I talked about in my last email who was sick and postponed her baptism. We were able to get it scheduled and taken care of (picture below). We have been doing more street contacting and have a couple people who I believe will get baptized in the next week or two. I have faith we will keep finding people who are ready. Weather here has cooled a little. The highs are in the 80’s which makes it a lot more pleasant to be on the streets. We have had a few rainy days lately. Having said the weather isn’t to bad, the Bronx is still not the place to visit or plan a vacation. I have been studying how everything testifies of God. I have been more mindful of how even the ability, knowledge and material to build such big buildings came from God. It is am...
Read more

Last Transfer

Image
Hola everyone. All is well in the Bronx. Having said that I’m in the Bronx, means I stayed here for my last transfer. It is crazy to think I am in last area. Remember though, I am staying two extra weeks. I don’t know if I will move my last two weeks for a trio. I guess I could have one two week transfer, but officially this is my last. We had a mission tour last week. This is when a General Authority comes and tours the mission, gives devotionals and meets the missionaries. Elder and Sister Daines from the Seventy came and gave two separate devotionals because of the size of the mission. Elder Daines spoke about covenants and baptism. He focused on teaching how the Savior would. It was good to remember and refocus on why we are missionaries. I have zone conference this week and I get to hear from President and Sister Taylor. This is the second zone conference since they have come into the mission. We are teaching two people who are looking good for baptism this week. Nuris from the Do...
Read more