Pilot Mission

Hello Familia, 

Well, we had a lot of meetings this week which means we did not have a lot of time to work. It turns out our mission, along with 3 others, has been chosen to be a "Pilot mission" to try a new idea. The other missions are Santiago South, Buenos Aires South, and Córdoba Argentina.  The idea of the plan is to 1) Baptize A LOT MORE. 2) Retain A LOT MORE. 3) Reactivate A LOT MORE. 

We are currently being instructed in the way to do so. The Area Presidency here believes that we will be able to do all three things if we focus on reactivating members. That will augment the attendence of the church, and present more investigators to teach and baptize. Thus with more active members of the church doing visits, we will be more able to retain our members. So, our focus is on the less active members. We are starting with members who have received their endowments, and have the priesthood. Those are our number one priority. 

As a result of this Pilot idea we will not be measuring the same key indicators as other missions. The Area South America South (my area) only requires 2 key indicators. 1) Baptisms 2) Less active members who are returning to church and have an assignment. From those two, the mission has the liberty to chose which we want to keep. President has decided to keep a few of the old ones, but we are no longer required to count other lessons, lessons with a member present, progressing investigators, references, nor lessons taught with less actives or recent converts. But we will be required to count total lessons.

We will measure our results in two months, in which we expect to see a 20% increase in church attendance. And we will keep this plan in affect until December. 

I am excited to be a part of this mission and to try this plan. I have faith that this plan will work. I think it is exactly what Chile needs in order to grow. It is so exciting to be a missionary in a time where the Lord really is hastening His work. I know that His coming is soon. I testify that this gospel is true and it is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I testify that there is "no other name nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, The Lord Omnipotent." And that means we must live his gospel. 

Con mucho amor,

Élder Kennedy

Because of him! What a great week!

Work Work Work. This week went well for us. We found a lot of news, and we are working hard to see them progress. We are happy to finally have people to plan for! One man we found this week was a direct revalation we received through prayer. While planning we knelt down and asked where we should go to find new investigators to teach. We got up and agreed to go to the street Ecuatorial. After contacting for a short while we found ourselves talking with Alfredo. He let us is in and is very interested in our message. I know that the Lord hears and answers prayers. 

As far as things in the District, we are doing well and we are working on ways to help our ward become more involved with the work. We are working on ways to serve them and help them so they will help us find people to teach. That's a huge struggle here; the members don't help a whole lot in the mission work. But we are fixing that.

Easter went well. President put together a choir of missionaries and organized a chain of concerts for the public throughout the mission. It was very successful because the Capilla here in Maipú was way overfilled. Not to mention that this morning as we were leaving our apartment, the doorkeeper stopped us to tell us how lovely the concert was. Then he started talking about it to the guy next him, so we invited them both to learn more about our church and they accepted. Truly an inspired idea by President to have these concerts. 

Well, I'm working hard and know that this is where I need to be.

Love always,

Elder Kennedy

P.S. This video is awesome! Even if you have seen it, watch it again!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S3TI4bYerU

 Tolbert? Not quite, this is a 700. Close though :-)

 Elder Larson and me drinking Maté in our old house. We had to change with the Sisters.

 The Zone minus Elder Larson (my companion). This was last transfer.

 The District minus Elder Larson again. This was last transfer.

 Ahaha Wedding dress store. Mall Plaza Oeste

Larson, me, Lythgoe and Peel at an Easter Concert from the mission.