March 14 update

SURPRISE - one more mission update! Elder Kenison will be spending most of today in the mission office for final meetings and interviews before getting on a plane late this evening, headed for Atlanta and then SLC. But he did get online briefly to check email and send this brief message:

Dad, thanks for the letter. I got on just for a second to tell everyone hi and that I'm excited to see ya. But most of all to say, Dad we HAVE to come back to Chile and visit. As much as I want to go home and see "ya'll" (as mom would probably say as of now haha) I wouldn't mind staying a little longer. I'll miss the people here and I'm sad to say that I didn't have enough time to visit near all of the people I wanted to visit. But it's all good. I hope all is well with the fam. Thanks for everything :D I LOVE YOU!!! See you soon :D

-Elder Kenison

We're grateful to hear that he loves his mission, the people, and the experience.  But that he's also eager to see us!  The mention of mom in that message relates to the fact that her mother (Matt's grandmother) is here now, and when Bonnie gets around her mother, the "southern accent" appears in full force!

Meanwhile, we were pleased (and a little concerned) to read an update from Elder Kenison's last companion, Elder Rubert.  He wrote:

The only bad thing was that E' Kenison got really sick. Stomach cramps and worse.  (we got him some good drugs and he got a little better by the end) but regardless of that he still forced himself to get out of the house and go to our citas and teach. Way good elder.

Later in the message he mentions the doctor said he was sick because he was dehydrated, but we're wondering maybe if it was the other way around?  But that forced them to stay indoors a little more, and Elder Rubert worked on cleaning and painting while Elder Kenison rested.

There was also this wonderful tribute:

Well my experience with E' Kenison taught me a few things. 1- i dont have to be a robot to be an obedient missionary so in other words just be yourself within the boundaries 2- Chilean culture (the dichos, the mate, the insence) all are very much chilean and make me feel like a bit of a hippi but hey its all good 3- Enjoy where you are, and what you are doing because you wont be able to do it again. 4- how to make "as close as an elder can safely get to sex cake" (better than sex cake) and 5-if its broken...fix it. and do it right.

Actually this morning and last night he was packing but kept on saying that he really just didnt want to leave chile and that was good to see an elder who loved his mission. THANKS E' KENISON (and good luck with your frosty orchata)

That warmed our hearts!  And so did these two photos — the first appears to be the famous cake, and the second Elder Kenison and Elder Rubert:

This was also a nice view of Santiago:

SEE YOU TOMORROW, ELDER KENISON!!