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Monthly Archives: August 2012
Two Cents: Dandelions!
S. says, “These are called, Wishing Fryers!”
(Wishing flowers)
Totally “Fort Worth” It!
Hermana Kelsey 19:1 -email-
Dear family,
How are all of you? I’m doing pretty well. This last week we were supposed to have a baptism, but it didn’t happen. It’s kind of a long story, but the kid who was going to get baptized has an estranged father that is not involved in his life like at all. He comes randomly every few months, and brings D., the little boy, candy and money and stuff. So D. was planning in getting baptized, but his dad came into town, and told D. that he didn’t need to get baptized, because he is just a kid and kids don’t need to get baptized. So he decided not to go through with it. 🙁
Monday: Sister P. went to a beauty salon to get her hair dyed, because she had highlights before, and she could keep them up, because she had a lady in her last area who would do it everytime she needed it done for super cheap. But she came here and we don’t have anyone that does hair here. So we went to get that done. And I got so trunky! I kept smelling all the supplies, and seeing them do the hair and stuff, and it reminded me of you, Mom. It was ridiculous! I just kept thinking about the shop in the basement. Anyway, Sister P. didn’t understand that one at all. Ha ha. She was like, “Of all the things to get trunky from!”
Tuesday: We spent most of the day tracting, and trying to find new invetigators. It wasn’t as hot though, which was good. 🙂
Wednesday: We took a recent convert that goes to the singles ward on exchange with us. Her name is N., and she was so awesome! She bore a powerful testimony about the Book of Mormon, and the lady we were teaching for sure felt the spirit. It was amazing!
Thursday: We had another MOTR with our district leader and the zone leaders. It was alright. After that Sister P. had to go to the doctor again for her finger that she broke. So we went there. They said it is healing very nicely, so she should be good. Also, I turned 18 months in the mission!! What?! Crazy!!! Yeah, I really can’t believe I’ve been a missionary for 18 months. It’s nuts!
Friday: We had all that crazy drama with D. and his dad. I was so sad that day, because I felt so inadequate. D.’s dad was asking questions, but he was too stubborn to listen to any of the answers we gave him, and I felt like I didn’t know how to answer him. It was so frustrating. But I know that D. will come around one day, and when he’s 18, he’ll get baptized, because we won’t need his dad’s permission anymore. Later in the evening we called our zone leaders to tell them that the baptism wouldn’t be happening. They were super sad with us, but then Elder Bone told us something, and it helped us a lot. He said, “Whenever one door closes, the Lord opens up another one!” I never thought about it like that. I always just thought like something good would happen, but it reminded me that the Lord is in charge.
Saturday: Nada paso
Sunday: We ate with a really cool family, the H.’s, and they have 4 daughters. While we were eating with them, the girls were yelling and talking over each other, and all this crazy stuff, but there were several moments specifically when I thought about Emily and I and the way we were before the mission. It was so funny. Good times! 🙂
Mom: Mommy! I miss you so much! But it’s okay. I’ll be seeing you soon. 🙂 That is so cool that we are having some great new missionaries leaving. That is so crazy that Bryce left! How is Krissy doing? I know it’s hard for moms of missionaries. It’s hard for the missionaries too, but they get over it usually pretty quick, because they get busy and work hard. I don’t know how it is for the moms really. But I’m guessing it’s tough.
Wow are you still doing daycare and working at Dr. C.’s? That’s crazy!
I”ve been like crazy stressed lately. I don’t feel that stressed most of the time, but I know that when I sleeping, I stress, because I wake up in the morning and my shoulders are super sore and tight and my back hurts. I guess when I’m awake I don’t let myself worry about it, but while I’m sleeping I subconsiously worry. But I know everything will be great. 🙂
Dad: Ha ha, yeah I am jealous! I bet you’ll win doing beach volleyball. 🙂 Ha ha. I love that you still do scouts stuff. I remember that was just normal growing up for me. There was always some kid of scout project or trip or something happening. Anyway, that is sad about Neil Armstong. Also, I heard once that he wasn’t really the first guy on the moon. There was another guy that was on the moon first, but Neil Armstrong took the thunder. But I don’t know the actual story behind that or anything.
Alex: Hey good luck on your tests and all that. It’ll be awesome! You’ll love college. It’s way better than high school. 🙂 I miss it a lot. But I’m still gonna finish strong. Don’t you worry none. 🙂
Emily: Sorry, but I’m just going to have to write you a letter later today, because I’m almost out of time on my computer.
Janet: Hola Janet, Si estoy muy bien. Como estas tu? Wow, ya vas a terminar con la escuela casi? Que raro! Come te sientes? No puedo imaginar esto porque todavia me falta MUCHO tiempo en la escuela. Pero nimodo. Esta bien. Un dia voy a regresar y hacer mis clases y todo. Que suerte que puedes tomar esta clase aun que ya sabes espanol. Quiero hacer algo asi tambien. Pero todavia mi espanol no es tan bueno. Pero tengo tiempo para aprender mas entonces esta bien. Pues creo que esto es todo. Suerte con tus clases. 🙂
Riley: You better be sending a letter soon! Or else! Jk jk. But really. 🙂
Well, family, I love all of you a lot! Be good, and I’ll see you soon. 🙂
Love, Kelsey
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Sunday Best!
“To the duty designated by His Father, [the Savior] turned His face, pledged His heart, and gave His life. And what a sinless, selfless, noble, and divine life it was. Jesus labored. Jesus loved. Jesus served. Jesus testified. What finer example could we strive to emulate?
Let us begin now, this very night, to do so. Cast off forever will be the old self and with it defeat, despair, doubt, and disbelief. To a newness of life we come—a life of faith, hope, courage, and joy. No task looms too large; no responsibility weighs too heavily; no duty is a burden. All things become possible.” -Thomas S. Monson
Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy
Worn Out in Service…? I’d say!
I couldn’t resist sharing these with you! Here is Elder Flexy’s shirt collar, pants, and shoes, the day we picked him up at the airport. Two years in South Africa wearing himself and his shirt, pants, and shoes, out in service to the Lord. What a sweet son! I am so glad he’s home, and I can hug him anytime I want (sorta).
Flexy’s pants wore out here, because of his backpack rubbing.
The Truth “Helps”!
I recently read about a particular family that I know.
This is a really great family.
I really mean it, in fact I love them.
What I read, and all I’ve ever heard about this family is about the great and amazing things they are doing. They travel, they volunteer (not just in the community, but in the world), they have perfect kids, and a perfect marriage, they live in a perfect house, etc. At least that’s how it seems when I read and hear about them, and really isn’t it neat that there are families like that in the world. But I thought if I feel this way, that they’re perfect, maybe others do too.
Sometimes I feel like I am not very amazing or great or that I don’t do very amazing things. Especially when I hear about families like them. I thought about my blog, and my life, the way I come across. Do I seem like I have it all together? I don’t see how I could, because I so don’t. Anyone who really knows me, knows what a non perfect person I am.
The truth is no one is perfect!
Not even that great family that I hear and read about, the ones I sometimes feel like are perfect, they’re not.
One thing I know for sure, is that when we share ourselves with others, we want to tell the best things about our lives. I for one, feel that others have struggles and such, I don’t want to burden them with a long list of things that are bugging me, or challenges that I’m dealing with in my life. Besides, I’m a firm believer in the adage “fake it till you make it”. I choose joy. I choose to share joy. On the inside, I struggle daily with feeling my best. I deal with many things that aren’t very pretty. I feel inadequate a lot. Sincerely.
Maybe on occasion I can share the fact that I am having a rough day. Maybe. If I knew that others who I think have it all together really don’t I would feel better about myself and not feel bad when I think to myself after reading or hearing about them, that their life is perfect and mine isn’t and something is wrong with me.
In this case the truth would help. I’m not saying that they are being untruthful about their lives. Just that they might be sharing the best and most attractive things just like we all do. They aren’t perfect, they’re just like us. We all have trials and challenges in life. Sometimes we don’t know what others are dealing with and that’s probably a good thing.
But sometimes the truth “helps” us feel like we’re all in this together, this whole earth experience!
I love the quote: “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” -Teilhard de Chardin
When ever we feel bad, or sad, or that we don’t cut it, -that thought is not coming from God. When hearing about other people we think are perfect, let’s think for a moment about how much God loves us. We are His children. All of us. The real truth is, that He knows we are having a human experience and He is there to help us, always.
And that is the truth, and I believe it helps!
A Volunteer!
Sometime in the spring we noticed this cute little
pine tree
living in the yard. The only problem is the spot this little tree decided to grow was right in the middle of a walk way.
What a cute little tree.
We moved it, and it is doing very well! What a great little volunteer.
Totally “Fort Worth” It!
Hermana Kelsey 18:5 -email-Querido familia!
Oh my goodness! How are all of you? I’m doing pretty great. This week was super legit! We had 3 investigators at church yesterday, which was like a miracle, because we haven’t had investigators at church in a pretty long while. We also talked to TONS of people. It was pretty awesome! I LOVE being a missionary!!!!
Anyways, a couple things that happened this week:
Monday: I got a call from my district leader, Elder R., who gave me a talking to and basically told me that I can’t get trunky my last few weeks and just give up, because that is what his last companion that went home did. So he talked to me for a little bit, and reminded me that my companion will still be here, and that I need to leave the area in good shape for her, etc. It was super funny, because I really was a little trunky last week, so I feel like I didn’t give it my all, and I felt really bad. But I had already gotten a talking to in the scriptures and from the Spirit, so I already had recognized that I needed to do better. It was just really sweet that he cared enough to call. 🙂
Tuesday: We taught L. about tithing. It was amazing! She was totally willing to pay it! We talked about how sometimes it is a sacrifice and a challenge to pay tithing, but we really receive blessings for it, and then we are okay. We also taught P. That lesson did not go as well. She is kind of stuck right now, so it’s been kind of hard to teach her, because her mind is thinking in circles, and she can’t find the end of it to figure out where she needs to go. But we’ll still continue working with her. Also, we had little D.’s baptismal interview and he passed! Woo! He is getting baptized next Saturday, the 25th! 🙂
Wednesday: We had zone conference with President S. It was super good. It was my last zone conference, so I’m glad I enjoyed it. Anyway, while we were there it was crazy because President totally sucker punched me. I’ve been trying not to tell people when I am going home, because I just don’t really want everyone to know, so while we were sitting in zone conference he was talking about giving talks in the mission. Like if the bishopric asks us to give a talk, what we should and should not do. So he says, “Sister, if you had to give a talk…oh wait you aren’t going to be here!” My mouth just dropped open, because I was so shocked. I’ve never heard him call out somebody like that before, and it was just so unexpected. He totally ratted me out! So then everyone looks at me with all these different faces (some of them looked surprised, some looked like they felt bad for me, some just kind of smiled sadly, because they are going home too, etc). It was crazy! Then he just continued on like nothing had happened. And then later, on President did something he hasn’t ever done before. He had me, Sister W., and Elder B. (we’re all going home at the same time), stand up and bear our testimonies. So I started to bear my testimony, and then it started to hit me. I’m really going to be going home. And I just cried. I DON’T WANT IT TO END!!!!! I’m not ready yet! But also at the same time I’m excited. It’s so weird because I remember watching people when they were at where I am, but I couldn’t understand how they felt. But now I do and it’s freakin’ crazy!!!
Thursday: We had a no car day, so we walked a lot. It was super fun. 🙂
Friday: We talked to a recent convert, J., and she was telling us about all this crazy drama and stuff that was happening in her life, and I was so not jealous. Then I was thinking about it and I realized that she is only like a year younger than me, and she has 4 kids (ages 5, 4, 2, and 1), and she had to grow up super fast because of it. Aren’t y’all glad I don’t have 4 kids right now? That would be nuts! Also, we saw this really funny sign that said, “I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned.” Ha ha ha! Super funny! Like the joke, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” Man, I’m not sure if y’all thought that was funny, but I sure did. 🙂
Saturday: We had some thunderstorms which are really fun. Also, we were going to take our car to Pep Boys, becuase we need to get the tires rotated., but they told us that it was a 45 minute wait, and we told them nevermind. We have souls to save and that would be a waste of 45 minutes! But we didn’t tell them that last part. 🙂
Sunday: Sister P. almost got attacked by a little dog. It was so funny, because we walked up to the door, and it just sat there looking at us. Then while we were standing there waiting for the door to open, we pet the dog and played with him a little. And then we talked to the people for a minute, and then we were walking away. I walked away first, and Sister P. was behind me. Then all of the sudden I hear her screaming, and the little dog is growling and nipping at her feet. So she is running away, and trying to protect herself from getting bit. I couldn’t help it, I just started laughing. It was so funny! I mean, it’s not like this tiny little dog could really do any damage. Ha ha. She told me after that she thought she was going to die. She’s a little bit dramatic. 🙂 🙂
Mom: Wow! I can’t believe Colin is in the MTC! Woo! That’s so crazy. Well, I am planning on writing a letter to him today. I started one last week, but because I didn’t know where to send it, I didn’t finish writing it. But I’ll send it off for sure today. 🙂
Man, Bryce is leaving too!?! When I saw him, he was so big. I couldn’t believe those kids are the ones I grew up with down the street, and now they are like grown ups and going on missions and stuff!
Emily: I am doing great thank you! 🙂 How are you my seester? Things are good. Wow you went on a date with someone besides Keaton!?!?! Woo! That’s great! How was it? Man, I am not excited for that. I am probably going to take dad with me to all of my dates! If he’s okay with that. 🙂 Ha ha. I’m just going to be so awkward! Ha ha. 🙂
Riley: I wrote you a letter on last p-day, but I forgot to sent it until Saturday morning, so it will be arriving soon. 🙂 Sorry!
Dad: Ha ha, that is crazy about not getting breaks at your work. I remember there were days when I was working at Pepsi at night all by myself (like when I was working a shift for someone else), and I would be so busy I wouldn’t get to take any break for like 6 hours, or more. Good times! Ha ha. That was the life. 🙂 Well, good luck with you volleyball thing. I’m sure you’ll be great!
Janet: Hey! Como estas? Estoy muy bien. Como esta todo? Mi companera y yo estamos trajando bien duro. Tratamos de ser ocupadas siempre. 🙂 Y si por seguro vamos a hablar en espanol juntas!! 🙂 Woo! Que raro que voy a tener alguien con quien puedo hablar en mi casa cuando regreso! Estoy bien emocionada for eso! 🙂 Pues, hablamos luego entonces! Cuidete! 🙂
Alex: Hey little buddy! How are you? Your emails are still just at lame as before! 😉 I guess some things never change right? 🙂 Jk jk. That’s cool that you are going to be going to school. I miss that a little. Sometimes I see the college students here and I get a little trunky, because I am excited to be in school again. Also, what video games are you playing? Anything good? 🙂
Well, I love all of you SOO much. Be good! I’ll see you later! 🙂
Love, Kelsey
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Fishing with a Friend?
We were just reminiscing tonight about funny things the kids have said.
Emily reminded me of the time she was talking to her dad, my darlin, about fishing. He said he was going fishing with his friend Dana (pronounced Day-na), and Emily said,
“Is mom OK with you fishing with a girl?”
To which my darlin replied, “Dana is a boy.” Emily said, “Oh, well that’s OK then.”
Totally “Fort Worth” It!
Hermana Kelsey 18:4 -email-Querido familia,
This week has been tough. 🙁 I feel like a lot of things are not working out for us. We are struggling finding new investigators, we are struggling with getting members to come out with us, we are struggling helping our investigators progress. I just feel like it’s been one of those weeks where I just wasn’t on my A game, and we suffered for it. But I got a pretty good thrashing in Doctrine and Covenants section 33 this morning during my personal study, so I have repented, and I’m gonna go to work and get it done. 🙂 It’s just one of those things that happens every once in a while. When you aren’t progressing enough, the Lord lets a little tough spell come by to humble you and help you to do better. So this coming week is going to be awesome! I can just feel it! 🙂
Anyways, I don’t really have much to report from this week. Most of our days were spent trying to find people to talk to because almost all of our appointments punched (just weren’t home when we came by) or cancelled like an hour before we were supposed to come. But other than that nothing really cool happened. Well, actually a couple things did.
Tuesday: Sister P. and I had to go to the doctor, because when she was in W. just before she came here, she broke her pinky playing chair soccer, but then she got transferred up here, and so she had to get it checked out up here. It turns out she does not need to have surgery as far as we know. She is wearing this weird little brace thing on her finger for the next 6 weeks, and she has to go in to see the doctor again in like 2 weeks to make sure everything is okay.
Wednesday: We had a zone training thing. Elder B., who was the assistant to the president for a couple transfers, asked me to do a training. It was super crazy, because I have gotten so used to teaching gospel related things in spanish, that I struggled teaching in english. It was the weirdest thing. Anyway, he asked me to do the training because he and I are going home at the same time, so he wanted me to be able to do one more before I go. In fact, we are flying home on the same plane (I don’t know if you knew that). Anyways, so on the day of transfers we saw him, and he came up to me and was like, “Sister, are you ready for the best transfer ever?” Anyway, we are just super excited that we get to go home with someone else, and not all by ourselves. 🙂
Sister P. is seriously so cool! We get along so well. I’m trying to help her with her spanish, so that’s coming along. Sometimes we just get carried away talking to each other. It’s kind of bad, but we both just talk a lot, so then we talk…and talk…and talk…and talk. But we are trying to work on it and focus more. 🙂
Mommy: Man, I almost got a tear when I saw that first line of your email. I miss all of you a lot! I’m trying really hard to concentrate and focus myself in the work, but it has been really hard this week. I don’t know why, but I’ve really been missing all of you. It’s really hard when you are close to the end, and you want to work really hard, and be a missionary, but you know that at some point in a few weeks, you aren’t going to be a missionary anymore. It’s just really weird, and really hard. Pero asi es la vida! (that’s life) You just have to build a bridge and get over it.
Oh my GOODNESS!! I can’t believe Colin is going to the MTC on Wednesday! Please send me his address so I can write him there! 🙂 Also, I don’t have very many letters to write this week, because I haven’t gotten very many, so I’ll try to write one to Vickie and Megan too. 🙂 That is just so exciting and cool.
That’s so cool Uncle Keith did that organ donor race thing. Sister P. and I were talking about that the other day. I don’t really remember why (we talk about the most random things), but we talked about how amazing it is that we have technology and the capabilities to do that.
I love that quote you sent me. Here’s a great quote: “Live in such a way that people who know you, but don’t know Christ will want to know Christ because they know you.” -unknown, quoted by Bishop H. David Burton. I love it. It’s going up on the fridge. That is actually one of my favorites as well, especially as a missionary. Every single day you put your name tag on, and you are literally putting on the name of the Savior of the World. It reminds you to live in such a way that people will see Him through you. LOVE IT!
Dad: Ha ha. Man I was thinking the same thing actually! I was joking with a gal I work with and telling her I would get you a job with me so you could tell me what all the spanish girls were talking about., if I decided to go back to work at Pepsi (which I WON’T!) I was thinking about all the people that I would be able to understand in spanish. Ha ha, super crazy, and really cool. I just can’t wait to come home and be able to go to spanish restaurants, and the little tacos stands by the Library and order food in spanish! LEGIT! 🙂 It’s gonna be so cool. Also, I’m going to make all of you try all kinds of hispanic food. Like the real stuff, not Taco Bell. 🙂
Ha ha, Alex would want to see “The Avengers”. 🙂 I think it’ll be a little while before I’ll be able to watch any kind of movie and feel okay about it. Being out of the world for so long messes with you big time.
Alex: Good job staying busy! I am excited to go back to school. A little while ago Sister M. and I had to go to university that is here where we live, and I got a little trunky looking at all the little students with their book and backpacks. I can’t wait to go back and learn a ton of new stuff!! 🙂
Emmysaurus Rex: How arre youuu?!?! Get that corn out of my face! (Quotes from Nacho Libre) Ha ha. That is going to be one fo the first movies I watch when I get home for sure. Well, you know after a couple months or something. It’ll be even funnier for me, because now I have been exposed to the culture more, so it will probably have even funnier little inside jokes that hispanics will get more. And since I am now a Mexicana, I will totally get it.
Wow, I can’t believe you work that much! I remember working a lot, like when I took other people’s shifts, and I felt like all I did was work and sleep. I bet that is how you are feeling right about now. 🙂 So…with all these huge amounts of money you are raking in, how much are you willing to spend on my “growing my hair longer than yours” prize? 😉 Just kidding!
Ha ha, I’m not sure I want to come home to a big sob story. Just be happy! 🙂 I’ll see you when I see you! 🙂
Well, I think that is all for now. I love all you so much! Remember who you are and what you stand for. “Go with God and don’t fall down!” 🙂
Love, Kelsey
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX