September 14 update: Transfer!

Has Elder Kenison gone to the dogs??? These photos might make you wonder; he said there are LOTS of stray dogs around, and most of them are quite friendly to the missionaries. He labeled the one on the left "haha-a-local-dog-who-greets-us-every-morning-haha.jpg" and the one on the right "Beethoven!!! haha our friend down the street haha he loves the missionaries.jpg":

Actually, we don't think he has "gone to the dogs," but we're not sure WHERE he has gone. We learned Monday morning that he is being transferred!

As we understand it, the process for "changes" (they don't use the word "transfer") in his mission is this: Matt will pack up and say goodbye today. Early Tuesday morning he'll get on a bus and head in to the mission office:

We take a bus to Santiago then we wait with all the missionaries that are being changed. (while some elders put up the papers of the changes) and then when President Jones finishes talking to us real quick everyone runs over to the paper. then i'll (depending on where my next sector is) take a micro (bus) or collectivo (taxi). they actually have a bus called a Pullman Bus here that's like a five star bus for long distances. it's really the only option to get from here to Santiago. haha pretty cool

Since this occurs on the day AFTER p-day, we won't know where Matt is until we hear from him next Monday. We'll just hope and pray for the best! Matt was apprehensive last week about this coming:

it's going to be hard if i leave Cartagena. i love the people here so much. haha :D

Today he wrote:

i'm a little nervous but excited! haha

The change will be good for him. We'll hope and pray his new companion is a blessing to him, like his first two have been!

One of the challenges of a transfer is leaving behind the people you've been working with — entrusting them to the care of other missionaries. Matt has several people close to baptism right now. He wrote this about the Familia Godoy and others he cares about:

they're doing good though. they're attending church every week (more then the rest of their family who actually are all members.) they're doing great though. apparently there are divorce paper issues. the dad was married before. we have a lot of those. Marcela's boyfriend. Carla and Mauricio. Famila Godoy. so many people! i want to become a lawyer here just so I can help some people who want to fix their lives! haha crazy

Well, we hope this week goes by quickly so we can get an update next week!