Hermana Kesley 9:4 -email-

Dear family,

This week was pretty good. It flew by so fast! Sister Q. is going home next Tuesday. 🙁 I think I will probably cry. Yesterday, when we were in Relief Society, Sister Q. got up and bore her testimony. While she was up there, I started thinking about it, and realized that once her mission is over, she won’t get to do the things we do everyday anymore. Then I started thinking about when I am going to have to go home, and it will be really hard for me. And I started to have a little tear, but it went away really fast. I’m getting to the point where I want to be a missionary for the rest of my life, and I don’t ever want to stop doing this. 🙂 But I know there will be a point when I will have to go home, and live real life again.

Anyway, these are some things that happened this week.

Monday: We had two great family home evenings. One with some new investigators we have (there names are A. and M.), and the other with some investigators we were teaching for a while (M. and G.), but they weren’t progressing before, but then they randomly came to church (I think I wrote about that before). Anyway, they were super awesome! We are way excited for them. We are hoping that the Family Home Evenings helped them out, and that they learned something new.

Tuesday: We helped A. and M. move out of his sister’s house to an apartment. It was pretty cool, because we had a member with a truck come and help us, and him and the investigator hit it off pretty good, so now he has fellowship! We are so excited for that.

Wednesday: We dropped one of our investigators, J., because he is not progressing. We were sad, because we have taught him for a very long time, and have gotten really close to him. But we received an immediate blessing, because one of our other investigators that we had kind of dropped, but told her to call us when she wanted to learn more, called us literally two minutes later. It was amazing. Sometimes, we have to tough things, but just around the corner is something better. We also taught this kid, A. He is 17, and is super involved with his church, but when we taught him about the Book of Mormon, he was super excited about it. He told us was going to read it, and told us that if he knows that this is true then he will get baptized again (he was baptized when he was a baby in the Catholic church). He also said he will have to share this with everyone. We were way excited about that. 🙂 Hopefully, he will be a missionary in a couple years. 🙂

Thursday: Today, I was sick like Sister Q. was last Thursday (kind of). I never threw up anything, but my stomach was super upset. We aren’t really sure what was going on, but it has been passed around to like all the missionaries in our district. But I think we all over it now. We went to Young Mens in the evening, because we took A. to introduce him to the Young Men leaders and all the other guys. He seemed to like it, but he is super quiet, so it was hard to get him to talk to anyone. But one of the Young Women has a crush on him, so she will definitely fellowship him. Ha ha! 🙂 🙂 P.S. Mom: I’m glad you had a great birthday! 🙂 Sorry I couldn’t do anything really for you. 🙁 But it seems like you got pretty well taken care of. 😉

Friday: We met a really cool girl tracting, but because she is english and single we had to give her to the Singles Ward sisters. 🙁 But it’s okay, they’ll take good care of her. Later on, we drove the bike elders to dinner, and we were discussing how the other elder who drives the other car is kind of a crazy driver. I was like, “Aren’t you glad I don’t drive like Elder E.?” And they were like, “Yeah. In fact, you drive so good, that we are aren’t even wearing our seat belts right now.” And I was like, “What?! Put them on!” Those crazy elders. 🙂 They want me to get my driving privileges taken away.

Saturday: We set up an activity (kind of like a Family Home Evening), with some of our recent converts and investigators, and it turned out to be a bust, because only 1 recent convert came, and she only came out of pity for us. 🙁 It was sad, but we’ll probably try again another time to do it, but let more people know about it.

Sunday: So we had a baptism yesterday! It was the most stressful baptism I have ever had. It was for an overaged child (a kid who is above 8 years old and hasn’t been baptized yet), and he had to get baptized 3x! Two of the other elders that are serving in our ward were supposed to be the witnesses, and the step dad of the kid was baptizing him wrong, and they didn’t catch it. After the actual baptism, they pulled the plug for the font, and we grabbed the elders and were like, “We have to do it again. He didn’t do it right.” The elders stood in the hall talking to us for a while before they finally talked to the dad, and we got the font refilled, and did it again. It was so crazy. We just had to laugh, so we didn’t cry. It was so not fun. But it is over now, and he is baptized for real, so we’re good. 🙂

Mom: I really like the story of the ten virgins. I actually have like an insert that talks about that and how the ten wise virgins weren’t being selfish when they wouldn’t share their oil, they just couldn’t  because spiritual preparedness can only be gained over time through reading the scriptures, praying, and coming to church. I’m not sure if it is the same one you had, but it’s really good. Sometimes, I wish I had it in Spanish though so I could use it as a spiritual thought at dinners and stuff. But yeah, that is a good story.

From Brett: Now for my side of the story, Joy went to dinner with her dad, the day before her B-day and during that time I called family and friends and made a plan for 7:00PM. I dropped off a key at Cederlofs. We both worked on the tenth. We drove to Bella’s (cause it is close and we didn’t have a lot of time) I could tell your Mom was expecting friends to meet us there. She looked a little dejected when she realized it was just going to be us. So we ate but didn’t talk too much. (my shrimp and crab chimichanga was delicious, and filling) Our waitress wasn’t the greatest but got the job done eventually. We finished eating at about 6:35 and needed to kill about a half hour so I ate more, very slowly. Then I said I needed to go potty which I took my time doing, then I slipped outside and called Chad and asked how many people were there, he said about 12 so I told him we would be there in about 10 minutes. As we drove home we were passing our house and Dustin H. was walking and your Mom said, “Is that Dustin? I said I don’t know and rounded the corner then your mom says, “That looks like my mom and dad’s car (parked by the mail box)” I said again, “I don’t know.” I opened the door and we walked into the kitchen and there on the hutch was a large pink cup of water (it turned out to be Wendy’s) and Joy said, “Who’s is that?” “Idk”.  We took a few more steps and Joy saw people and they yelled, “Surprise!!” Even after all the clues, she had no idea. It was really funny. As it turned out there were about 25 people (quite a few showed up while we were driving home) Guess what your Mom wanted for her birthday? give up? To be able to park the van in the garage (I wish she would have said a thousand dollars it would have been easier! just kidding) Riley and I got some stuff moved and got the van in. Not much other news this week. Oh I get to teach Priesthood next week, they must be desperate. Anyway I gotta go Love you both have a great week Love DAD.

Dad: Ha ha! Wow I can’t believe you did that. And that Mom didn’t suspect anything. 🙂 You must have done pretty good. 🙂 But yeah, that is way cool. I’m glad there was a good turn out. Ha ha. I also like that she wanted to be able to park her car in the garage for her birthday present. Oh, by the way, when I get home, the present I want is a massage for my last two birthdays. 🙂 That’s it. 🙂 But yeah that’s awesome.

Riley: Did you get my letter I sent? If you did, I am expecting a reply in the next week or so. Otherwise, I am going to be a little upset.

From Emily: Hey my cute missionaries!! Life is good and all it’s been a crazy week but I’ve had so much fun and I just wanted to say thanks for working really hard and doing such a great job I know the Lord appreciates you guys and all you do. It takes a lot to spend a whole two years or year and a half out of your life to just focus on other people in the Lord but really what else would be more productive?! I think it’s amazing and know you guys are making the most of it. I hope you guys are happy and doing so good cause I wouldn’t want anything else for you two! Anyway today we had a meeting after church about family history and how we as youth need to get more involved I think it’s very cool. But yeah I’m so sorry this was short, but I better stop cause it’s getting real late and I gotta wake up for school tomorrow like good girls do! 🙂 Anyway I love you guys though and hope you have such a great week! 🙂 Keep your head up cause there’s not a better place for it!! Aww… I’m so happy! K well I love you guys so much! Peace! <3 Love Emily, Em

Emmysaurus Rex: It’s true what you said about about spending a year and half on a mission is the most productive use of your time. I don’t think anything will ever seem as worthwhile to do in my time after the mission, since I have done this for a while. But seriously, I would never take back my decision to go on a mission, if I had the chance to do it again. I am so thankful for this opportunity I have. But anyway, how is school? And work? I hope things are great for you. Are you dating anyone right now? Man, I really think you are going to get married before I do. Not that there is anything wrong with that. I just think that is what is going to happen. 🙂 Anyway, I gotta go now. Later!

I love you all! Be good. Love, Kelsey  XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Hermana Kelsey 9:3 -email-

Feliz cumpleanos a ti

Feliz cumpleanos a ti

Feliz cumpleanos a mi mami

Feliz cumpleanos a ti!

Happy birthday MOM!

Dear family,

This week was pretty good. The weather is cooling off a little, but

not like in Utah. We still don’t have snow, but we will at some point.

I’m not really excited, but I am glad I have some of my winter

clothes, at least, thanks to you mom. 🙂

So we still didn’t have our baptism, and it is now not going to

happen. The lady is having a lot of trials in her life right now, and

she is trying to figure them out still, I guess. But we told her the

gospel will only help her. We’re still not really sure what to think

about her, because when she first met with us and was learning, she

loved everything we taught, and was willing to do all of it. But now

something is different and is holding her back from taking the next

step. But we will try to work with her still.

On Thursday, we found out that one of our recent converts, Becky, is

finally making it official with this guy that she has been friends

with for a long time, who was actually the one who introduced her to

the church. If they end up getting married, they will make such a cute

little Mormon family. 🙂 🙂 We are way excited for her. Also, on

Thursday, Sister Q. got sick with like 24 hour stomach flu or

something, because she was throwing up, and we didn’t really get any

work done that day. I felt really bad for her. I didn’t really end up

getting it, but on Friday one of our Elders got it too. So there was a

lot of sickness going on here. But I’m still good so far. 🙂

On Saturday, we were doing service for one of our kind of

investigators, and she was mowing the lawn, while we raked and swept.

The lawn mower picked up a rock or something, and shot it out at me,

and it hit me in the leg. It was going like 80 miles an hour, and when

it first hit, I didn’t know what had happened. Then my leg just

started hurting really really bad. I just rubbed it a little bit, and

continued on. Then later that night I was looking at it, and it gave

me a pretty gnarly bruise. It was crazy. It got me pretty good. But

it’s okay. Also, on Saturday night, I think there was an earthquake.

Sister Q. and I were laying in bed getting ready to go to sleep,

and my bed started shaking a little. I thought it was Sister Q.

messing with me or something. Then all of the sudden she says, “Dude,

where are you?” And I said, “I’m right here.” She’s like, “Oh I

thought you were over here moving my bed. I was like, “I thought you

were shaking my bed. We both thought it was each other shaking the

other one’s bed, but it was actually just everything shaking. We

didn’t really know what happened with it, but the next day we saw all

of these semi sonic crews working around the area, so we don’t really

know what is going on. But whatever.

Yesterday, we had stake conference. It was awesome. President S.

(our mission president) was supposed to speak, but something came up

so one of his counselors spoke instead. But he did a great job. It was

cool too because we had some investigators there. We are pretty

excited about them, because we are thinking that they will go places.:)

That was basically our week. We did find this awesome family last

week. We are supposed to have a family home evening with them tonight

with some members. So we are excited about that too. 🙂

Dad: Oh man. I love that movie “The Other Side of Heaven”. Although,

the missionary work I do here in Texas is not really the same type, it

is still pretty cool. Sister Q told me that she saw that movie before

she was a member, and she didn’t even know it was about a missionary

from our church. She just thought he was a missionary in general. That

is great that you are staying busy too. That is also cool that

Grandmother bought that toy for mom. She really is great. 🙂

Emerny: Hey seester! I’m sorry about you being tired all the time. I

still have that a little. Not like I did before though. It’s a lot

better if you have medicine, especially if you have hypothyroidism.

But that is good that you are getting it checked. It will help a lot

if you need medicine. I’m really glad that you already realize how the

gospel blesses our lives. It took me a little while to realize that

myself, but now I know it more than ever. 🙂 If you aren’t married

before you are 21, you should definitely consider serving a mission.

It is awesome!

Well, I gotta go now. I love you all so much. Have a great week. 🙂

Love, Kelsey

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX