Cousins- Cash and Natasha! So darling!
Precious!
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Author Archives: Joy
Beautiful Sunset and a Fun Anniversary Date!
Today is our anniversary!
We have been married for 27 years.
We have a great marriage, and we’re best friends.
While we were on our date tonight we talked about all of the things that make our marriage wonderful.
One of the things that came up was that after 27 years together, we still just love to be together. We don’t need to spend a lot of money, for it to be special. We went to “A&W” in Logan for dinner. It was, by the way, super great! Then went to the thrift store, and found a few treasures. We held hands and talked about how beautiful the sunset was on the way home.
It was perfect. I love him so much! I feel so blessed to have a best friend and sweetheart.
Happy Anniversary Darlin!!
Totally “Fort Worth” It!
Hermana Kelsey 18:3 -email-Dearest family…
How are you all?! I hope things are good. I am doing just great. I am adjusting to having to do a lot of the work here. We are really struggling to find new investigators, and Sister P. has only been out for like 4 months here in Texas, so she doesn’t really know what she is doing, and the people we are teaching, because she is new to the area. But she’s a way cool! Sister P. and I have been talking TONS!! We sometimes get distracted, because we just love talking to each other and telling stories and stuff. It’s kind of bad. But anyways, things are good.
Now for events of the week:
{Queue drumroll (drumroll, drumroll, drumroll, drumroll!!)}
Monday: We had our last p-day of the transfer. We went to the church for an activity, and got to hang out with the other people in our zone. We said goodbye to some missionaries that are leaving on Wednesday as well. Also, I got spiked in the eye with a volleyball. It was awesome! I was hoping I would get a black eye, but it didn’t hit me near hard enough. Ha ha. Anyways, it was a crazy day because Sister M. was packing and stuff.
Tuesday: We had an appointment with our investigator, D., and we taught him about tithing. Their little family (his mom, older brother, and two older sisters), who are all members, are living right now off of what the oldest son makes at his part time job. He is also going to school. Anyway, they are super poor. They live in very humble circumstances. So, we taught them the law of the tithe, and E., the mom, told us that she would pay tithing! It was so amazing. She has such great faith, and she has taken huge steps to change her life for the better. I am amazed at the changes that I have seen people make in their lives, and how things have just improved so much for them. The gospel is amazing!
Wednesday: I got to go down to the Hurst building with Sister M. to drop her off, and to pick up Sister P. I was so excited because originally they told me that I couldn’t go. But then they said that I could. I was so stoked. I got to see a lot of missionaries that are going home, for the last time. It was super cool, but also really weird. They kept telling me, “Man, you only have 6 more weeks! You’re almost done too.” And then it hit me for a second, and I kind of panicked and freaked out for a little bit inside. But then I was like, “No! I don’t only have 6 more weeks! I get to have 6 more weeks!” And then I was okay. 🙂
Thursday: We had an entire day planned, and everyone punched (just wasn’t home when we got there), or called us to cancel. So we tried to get some work done, but it was kind of hard. But it was all good.
Friday: I had a really bad stomache ache like all day. I think part of it was stress, and part of it was nervousness. Ever since we had transfers, and I saw all those missionaries going home, I’ve kind of been scared inside. Like I know that everything will be fine, but at the same time, I don’t know how to live in the real world anymore. I love being a missionary, and I don’t want it to end! 🙁 But I’m now doing better so, it’s all good.
Saturday: We finally got to see our recent convert, M. We hadn’t been able to see him, or talk to him in like 2 weeks! So we finally sat down with him, and gave him a little pep talk. He is struggling with a lot of things right now, so we were teaching him to help him get through them.
Sunday: We got to eat pupusas! I want to find out how to make them so that when I come home I can make them for all of you! They are so delicious. 🙂 🙂
So… HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!! (I wish there was a song or something to go along with it that I could write out, but there isn’t 🙁 ) Anyways, that is super cool. Y’all have been married for a while, right?! 🙂
Mom: Ha ha. Aww Coco! She is a stinkin crazy dog! I remember she bugged me, because she would always jump on me and lick me and stuff, and one time she was licking my face and she licked in my mouth! It was so gross.
Wow, I’m super stoked for family temple day! I love to go to the temple! That would be super cool to be able to all go together. Also, I want to go to the Brigham City temple dedication after I get home. That would be sweet! 🙂
Dad: I’m super glad you had a good b-day! That’s cool you got to do iFly! I really want to do that sometime. I remember walking by and seeing those like professional people in there doing it, and I was always like, “That is so cool!” Man, my mom is the coolest, isn’t she? 😉 Ha ha. Anyways, I’m glad you had fun.
Emily: Hey seest! I’m doing good. How are you little chica? Man, you are working a ton. Sister P., my companion right now, used to do emergency transportation, like ambulances, and she said that she used to work 72 hour shifts! Not the whole time, because when they were at the station they could sleep and shower and stuff. But they were basically on call, and at any moment they had to be ready to leave and save someone’s life. Crazy huh? I don’t think I could do that, but she loved it.
Alex: Hey buddy! How are you adjusting? I’m glad you are staying busy at work. You still didn’t tell me any of the people you work with. I want to see if I know any of them. 🙂 Ha ha, anyway, keep trying not to lose your mind, that is something really important to have. 🙂 Just remember, you adjusted to being a missionary, you can definitely readjust to being a normal human being again. 🙂 Just keep on keeping on! Also, remember that you are going to have to help me adjust to being a normal person when I get home, so by the time I get home, you should be a normal person. You still have a little bit of time, so keep working on it. 🙂
Well, I love you all a ton! Be good, and keep doing the best you can!
Love, Kelsey
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Sunday Best!
“I plead with you, my brothers and sisters, that if you have any doubt concerning any doctrine of this Church, that you put it to the test. Try it. Live the principle. Get on your knees and pray about it, and God will bless you with a knowledge of the truth of this work”
-Gordon B. Hinckley
Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy
Happy 50th Darlin!!
My sweetie turned “50” years old today! For his birthday, I surprised him with a party. I invited family and friends to come watch him do the indoor skydiving @
He has always wanted to do this, so I knew he would love it! It was a fantastic day!
I love you, darlin! Happy Birthday!
Family History Friday: Cousins & Family Reunions!
Family really is an important part of life.
We are born into a family, we grow up in a family, and even when we’re grown up, and move away, and start our own family, we can’t seem to stay away from the family we grew up with.
I love the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond! She wrote a fun blog post about cousins, and a family reunion their family had. It sounded like so much fun! You can read about it here!
Start today planning a family reunion for next summer! Enlist help in planning and contacting your relatives from a favorite cousin. And when you get together next summer share Family History information. You’ll be so amazed at your ancestors and the things they accomplished in their lives.
Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy
Friends: Julie
My dear friend Julie recently had a birthday.
It was one of those significant birthdays. Like the ones you aren’t really looking forward to…the first number is a 5 and the second number is a 0. We have been best friends for 32 years, and friends for longer. She is a wonderful gal, and love her.
We had a fun day.
We rode Front Runner, shopped at the City Creek Center mall, we ate lunch at The Garden Restaurant. It was very nice. We sat in a nice spot with a view of the Salt Lake Temple. Then when I told them it was Julie’s birthday, they had her come to the middle of the restaurant and we all sang, and she released a balloon through the glass ceiling. How fun!
My favorite things about Julie are: We have a plethora of memories that are hysterically funny, we have made scary choices that we lived through, she is incredibly true and loyal, she loves me and I can tell she does, she plays a mean game of “Hand and Foot”, she’s my favorite friend to ride with at Lagoon, our children are all best friends, she shares with me, she’s fun to yard sale with, she loves the Lord and His gospel, and lives an honest life full of integrity. She is awesome! I am so blessed to have her in my life.
I love you, friend!
Totally “Fort Worth” It!
Hermana Kelsey 18:2 -email-
Dearest family,
How are y’all doing? Okay so the big news of the week. We got transfer calls this morning…and Sister M. is getting transferred to W.! What, crazy! So she is going to be companions with Sister A., who I was companions with for a minute in A. (well, more than a minute, but it felt like just a minute). And her greenie, Sister P. is coming up here to D. to be my companion! 🙂 And she’s going to “kill” me! Pobrecita! Sister M. thought for sure that she was going to kill me (send me home), but I guess not. It’s okay though, I am ready for some change. Sometimes I get bored in areas with companions, so change is good every once in a while.
So some other things that happened this week…
Monday: I already told you a little about this day.
Tuesday: Also this one.
Wednesday: We taught a less active girl, L., how to study the scriptures. It was so cool, because she and her whole family have been less active for like 7 years (basically since she got baptized), and they are now just starting to come back to church. But during their inactive period, she studied a lot with other religions, and now she is confused. We showed her how to look up topics (in the index and topical guide and stuff), of questions she has to help her find answers to her own questions. She loved it! We studied with her about the Word of Wisdom, and a lot of her questions about that were answered. Super cool! 🙂 We also visited whis really cool couple in our ward. They are white, but they both served missions spanish speaking, so they come to our ward. They just had a baby like a week and a half ago, and he is the cutest little tiny thing! I wanted to hold him so bad, but I resisted. 🙂 We stopped by to visit them, because the bishop wanted us to see if they needed any help with anything, but they told us no, and then we just talked about mission stuff with them. It was a pretty cool visit though.
Thursday: We had a crazy day, that felt really really busy, but when we looked back at it, we didn’t really do all that much. It was just really rushed.
Friday: We taught L., who is like the sweetest, coolest lady ever! She wants to get baptized really bad, but her husband is kind of not really interested in the church. But anyway, we taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ, and she just got everything really well, which is one of the small pleasures you get as missionaries. Some of my favorite small pleasures are:
-When someone prays for the first time ever
-When an investigator keeps their commitment (i.e. they read from the Book of Mormon, they pray as a family, they start living the Word of Wisdom, etc)
-When an inactive family comes to church for the first time in a long time
-When someones just “gets” what we teach them
There are also a lot more, but those are the ones I can think of right now.
Saturday: We had a MOTR (missionaries on the run), which is where us, as sisters, because we can’t go on exchange with the district leader, have companionship study with them, so they can help us in areas we are struggling. So we went to that in the morning, and our district leader is super ADD, and couldn’t focus to save his life, so it was kind of all over the place. Then immediately after we went to a clothing exchange where people donate clothes they don’t need/want and then other people come in and they get to take what they want for free. Anyway, we went because we were looking for some church clothes for some investigators we have, and also we were trying to find new investigators. We did get some potentials so that was cool. I also got a super cute new dress…for FREE! 🙂 Also, we drove all the way to G., which is like 60 miles round trip! That is a ton of miles for us, especially because we are limited on our miles, but we got a media referral from the MTC, so we decided to drive up there. It was a fun little road trip, even though they weren’t home when we went by.
Sunday: Y’all know what happened!
Mom and Dad!
Happy Early Anniversary!!
Mom: Ha ha. Yeah I did have some visitors yesterday. It was so weird. The Hales kids are so big and grown up. I remember when they were just little sprouts. It’s so weird. Everything is going to be so different when I get home. But anyway, that was super cool they came and saw me. I don’t think it was super inappropriate. It didn’t make me trunky either though, and I think that is the main reason that they don’t want people to do that is because it’s hard for the missionary to refocus themselves after someone visits them.
Anyway things are just trucking along here. It’s all good. 🙂
Wow, Bob is 80!? Wow! Man, I love that guy! He is just such a sweet little old man. He reminds me of an apostle. 🙂 I’m super stoked that I will get to see them after I come home. 🙂
Dad:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! You’re old!! 🙂
Ha ha, yeah I almost didn’t recognize the Hales at all. I was super surprised they were there too. It was so unexpected. But I really enjoyed it. It was a nice little visit. 🙂
That’s awesome you played football. We will definetely have to do some of that soon. 🙂
That is cool you are still sharing stuff with Adam too. I really love Henry B. Eyring. He is just such a great speaker.
Flexy: Yeah things are good here. Ha ha. You would be checking out all the cute girls in the singles ward. 🙂 Just make sure you don’t try to get youself hitched with one of them before I come home and approve! 🙂 Jk jk. But really! 🙂 Anyway, cool beans you are working on the can line. That was the first thing I did when I worked there. And also that is where I broke my toe, and sctrached my back open ducking under the conveyor belt. Good times! 🙂 Do you have any battle wounds? Ha ha.
Emerny: Don’t you worry your pretty little face, you will get to see me soon enough. 🙂 Ha ha, but yeah I’ve been trying really hard to get my hair to grow out. I really haven’t cut it for a really long time, so it’s getting a little bit bad on the ends, but usually I just cut off the split ends. Ha ha. So for my prize…I would like a big hug! 🙂 Jk jk. Maybe I’ll think of something closer to then. Ha ha.
Man, that is crazy you were having tummy troubles. Sometimes I have stomach aches and stuff, but when I want to complain about my tummy issues I think of this spanish sister in my mission who is allergic to basically every food except some fruits some vegetables, and fish. If she eats anything else, she gets really sick. And she has to eat what people feed her, so she is sick a lot. So anytime I feel a little bit picked on I think of her. 🙂
Riley: Hey buddy! Man you really do need to write me! Ha ha. But that is good you have a lot of work. There are some people around here that are struggling to find work, and make ends meet. So that is really good you are working. 🙂
Well, I love you all sooooooo much! Be good! 🙂
Love,
Kelsey
Kelsey
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Sunday Best!
“The attributes by which we shall be judged one day are all spiritual. These include love, virtue, integrity, compassion, and service to others. Your spirit, coupled with and housed in your body, is able to develop and manifest these attributes in ways that are vital to your eternal progression. Spiritual progress is attained through the steps of faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end, including the endowment and sealing ordinances of the holy temple.”
—Elder Russell M. Nelson
Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy
Two Cents: Raisins!
I gave the daycare kids, S and D, trail mix for snack. They did pretty good except for the raisins.
I kept telling the kids, “Just try them, you will like them! Do you know what they are? They’re just grapes that are dried!”
D say’s, “I don’t like these. I only like the wet ones!”
Notice the raisins off to the side, in rows! Cute kids!