T and G were playing on Emily’s bed.
G: Wow, you almost squished my head with the mattress.
T: Yeah, you could have been “puppicated”!
Two Cents!
Reply
A Story
This is a story about four people. Their names were: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Actually, Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody, Nobody did what Anybody could have done!
-Author Unknown
Totally “Fort Worth” It!
Hermana Kelsey 12:1 -email-HAPPY 11 MONTHS
IN THE MISSION!!!!
(exactly 11 months ago today, I was leaving to go to the MTC. Do you remember that day?…cause I sure do! Time has really flown by though)
Dearest family,
This week was pretty good. I feel like we have been working harder than I have in a really long time. I feel like our numbers don’t show the work we do. I feel like that’s hard for me, because I don’t like numbers, but I see how well I am doing by them and if they are bad, then I feel bad. But things are good. I have been really stressed lately, and I’m not sure why, but I am kind of starting to get that gum thing again, that I had in the MTC. But other than that I am doing great.
Mom: That is way cool you are staying busy with the kids. I’ve been kind of sad lately thinking about how big my Tashers is going to be when I get home. 🙁 She won’t be my little squisher anymore. She’ll be a big girl in school. Could you please send my some pictures of her? Also, while you are at it, I wanted to see if you could send me a couple of pictures of me when I was a baby, and also a picture of our house, so I have one. 🙂 That would be great.
Okay on to the questions:
1-Are the people you are teaching, progressing? What are their issues, if not? 1. Most of our people aren’t progressing. We are trying really hard with some people, but there are always obstacles in the way. Most of the problems with have with the hispanic people is the Law of Chastity. People are either not married to each other, of they are married to two people. It’s really a hard thing, because most of the time, their circumstances make it very difficult to overcome things, especially when people are poor and struggling with money, so they can’t afford to get a divorce or to get married. But we have seen a lot of people who have made great sacrifices to progress closer to baptism. There is one lady, I., and she has quit drinking coffee to live the Word of Wisdom, she moved out of her boyfriend’s house so she could live the Law of Chastity, and now she lost her job (which isn’t a good thing, but…), so she can go to church on Sundays. So she is doing really great, and her sons want to get baptized too. 🙂
2-What is your favorite thing to teach? 2. My favorite thing to teach is the Plan of Salvation. I have these pictures that we use when we teach it, and people just seem to get it more than any other part. Plus, a lot of the time people have worries or fears about what happens after death, but when we let them know, they feel comfort and peace. Especially if they have had a loved one die recently.
3-What is your favorite thing about your current area? 3. My favorite thing about H-town is the ward. The members are so cool! They actually get mad at you if you don’t call them to come out on exchange with you, or if you don’t ask them to do favors for you. And the bishop, and ex-bishop are way cool, and basically willing to do whatever you need, so that is super helpful.
4-What is your least favorite thing about your current area? 4. I can’t really say I have a least favorite thing about this area, but one thing I have trouble with is the drama. There is a lot of drama in the ward, but I guess that is what happens when there are a lot of people all together. I think I was just oblivious to drama mostly before the mission, and now I’ve been thrown right into the middle of it.
Special Question:
6-How can someone gain a personal testimony of the Savior? 6. The only way to gain a personal testimony is to go to the source of all truth, God, and receive an answer from Him. We always tell people as missionaries, that we aren’t here to convince them. We are just here to bring the truth, and to invite them to act and gain a testimony for themselves. And they can only do that through reading the scriptures, praying to Heavenly Father, and coming to church.
Dad:
That is so cool you had a fun camp out. We will definitely need to go camping after I get home. I miss it a lot. 🙁 But we’ll have some good times when I get back. Also that is too bad the 49ers lost, but that is way cool the Saints are going to the Superbowl. I really love the Saints. I really want to watch it this year, but I guess you’ll just have to record it or something for me. 🙂 But anyway, that’s way cool. Well, be good.
Wow, Emmysaurus, you are doing CNA?! What are you going to do with that? Do you want to be a nurse? Cool cool! That’s way awesome. That will help you a lot, as long as you can stand seeing gross bloody stuff, and nasty wounds, and stuff. But I think you’ll be good. Anyway, you should write me a letter soon.
Love you all! Be good! Sorry this is short.
Love, Kelsey XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Howzit-Elder Flexy!
Elder Flexy 19:3 -email-Mama,
this week was good it was transfers and i’m staying one more tranfer. and we confirmed T. and he spoke in the same sacrament meeting that he was confirmed in and he did a great job!! but life is good here. anyway its great to hear that tending is good. and that ariane is doing good.
1-Are the people you are teaching, progressing? What are their issues, if not?1.yes some of them but the biggest one is getting them to come to church.
2-What is your favorite thing to teach? 2.restoration is best because it is the message that is most unique to us.
3-What is your favorite thing about your current area? 3.its simple and we have good members abd investigators.
4-What is your least favorite thing about your current area? 4.hot hot hot!…
5-Favorite scripture of the week? 5.well i guess mathew 5-7 the sermon on the mount is so so good.
Special Question:
6-How can someone gain a personal testimony of the Savior? 6.you must read the scriptures and pray to know the truth.
well thats all for now love you
Love Elder Flexy
Baba
wow you have had some fun i miss going ice fishing remeberwhen those eagles came and stole our fish that was pretty cool. anyway life is good i’m loving life love you
Love Elder Flexy
M, G and H!!!! (“H and G” is from “Sleepless in Seattle”, it stands for “Hi and goodbye”. Emily said that to Flexy first.) jk its all right this is the kind of email i give you anyway love you
Love Elder Flexy
Sunday Best!
“I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.
More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened.” -Henry B. Eyring
Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy
Beautiful Snow!
We had a beautiful snow storm today! I love it when it snows and snows. Only if I don’t have to go anywhere. Hope everyone was safe out there. Aren’t these huge snowflakes awesome?!
We forgot to have the kids bring the toys in under the breezeway. They don’t look like they mind the snow. What a beautiful sight.
That reminds me of the time I was sledding with my friend Ronda. I was about six years old. We found a great hill in the back of her house. Actually it was a pasture that from time to time had animals in it. It must have been my first run, because I only remember going down once. It was a great run. I ran behind the sled for a second and hopped on it. As I was gaining speed, I notice that down the hill a little bit, was a barbed wire fence running across where I was headed. I don’t know for sure why I was thinking this, but I thought (in my little six year old brain) if I lay as flat as I can I’ll go right under the bottom wire. Well, I did go right under the bottom wire, but I came out the other side with a nice scratch all the way up my forehead. I look back and think, why didn’t I just roll off the sled? It could have been so much worse. But I did learn a good lesson that day? Don’t sled in a pasture with barbed wire around it, and just cause your going fast down a hill on a sled, does not mean you have to keep going fast down a hill. Good times!
I love snow!
Family History Friday: It’s on the Radio!
Do you ever have one of those days, where you are trying to do more that one thing at the same time, all day long?
I just found a great way to do it.
I just discovered a website called blogtalkradio.
The program is called “The Forget Me Not Hour.”
It is hosted by an amazing genealogist named, Jane E. Wilcox. She is very knowledgeable, and shares her love of genealogy by interviewing different interesting people on her radio show.
What a neat thing!
You could be organizing your office, doing the dishes, sewing, or folding a load of laundry, and at the same time listen to one of the many programs that are available.
Two things at once!
Go check it out, you’ll love it! I do. You can find it here.
Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy
T.V. Anyone?
No, Thank you!
I don’t know how long ago, but our Stake President (an area leader in the LDS church) started to give us challenges that always took place in April. One challenge was to take a break from watching T.V. for a week. Literally turn it off for a week. This challenge of not watching T.V. for a week, happened every April for years. The first time we did this, it was so hard. We all had withdrawals within the first day or so. We thought a week was going to kill us. Then one time he even challenged us to go a month without T. V. That was even harder.
We learned so much doing it though. We spent time reading, playing board games as a family, doing projects around the house. We spent time outside and doing activities with our family, like going for walks and playing at the park.
Well, all of this turned out to be good practice for our family. Last May, I was unexpectedly let go from my job. It was very bad timing. I was so worried about how we would pay for our bills. We also have our two darling missionaries serving, and that costs money, too. My first instinct was to cut whatever bills we really didn’t need to have. One of the first things we cut was our cable. We had enjoyed having a limited service from our cable company. We only had a few channels. Our T.V.’s are old and not compatible with digital service, so in order to have any T.V., we needed cable. We decided even though this meant we wouldn’t even have local weather and news, to cancel the service. That was eight months ago. We still don’t have T.V.
We do watch movies. But we only have the T.V. on for a few hours a day, if even that. Most of the time, the T.V. is off. I never watched it that much in the first place, but I did have a few favorite shows, like Masterpiece Theater on PBS and nature shows. I occationally miss those, if I think about it. But if we want to hear news or weather we can check the internet. What I am most pleased with, is that we don’t have a never ending stream of “who know’s what” coming into our home. We read more. We play more.
Our home is quiet and peaceful. (Unless I have a half a dozen daycare kids here.) Even the daycare kids only watch one movie when they are here. Instead they play.
I don’t really ever want to have T.V. again. I am so glad our Stake President had us practice for all those years.
*Family Words*
Psychico [ˈsīkeeko]
One day Flexy came home from school, he was in 1st grade at the time, and was telling me all about his day. He said they had fun at recess, but that the 1st grade girls kept chasing them and kissing them. That’s when he said, “Those girls are psychico! They’re crazy, and they know where your going!” That explanation floored me. “They are crazy (psycho), and they know where you’re going (psychic).” This is coming from a six year old. Wow!
We still use the word psychico in our home all the time. Funny!
What a cute Flexy!
Totally “Fort Worth” It!
Hermana Kelsey 11:4 -email-
Dearest familia!
Mimi Momo (that is what Sister W. calls her mom) This week has been pretty great. Sister W. and I have been struggling a little bit in this area, because we have very few investigators. But we are working on it, and this week we found some really cool people that we are going to be working with. We are way excited too, because this bishop in this ward totally gets missionary work, and he is willing to do anything to help us. Missionary work is his #1 priority. That should be good. Also, the ward is very helpful in fellowshipping, and welcoming new people into the ward, which is really good. So we are excited to see the great things that are going to be happening here. 🙂
Sister W. is awesome. She goes home in May (I think I may have told you that), but she makes me laugh so much. We have kind of struggled the last couple weeks. But I feel like if we didn’t laugh all the time, like we do, we would just cry. But she definitely makes life easier and more enjoyable. 🙂
So here’s a couple things that happened this week.
Thursday: We had appt. with an investigator named L. She is really young (like 19 or 20ish), and she is way cool. So we called her before our appt. to see if she was going to be home, and she told us no. We were all sad, because we really wanted to see her, but we asked if we could reschedule for another day. She told us yeah, and that the reason she couldn’t meet with us because she was getting married! She was getting ready to live the law of chastity without us even telling her to! :):):) So she got married on Friday, and then yesterday, we were in the apartment complex she lives in with her new husband, and we were stopping by to see another investigator we have there. And all the a sudden she comes walking up with her baby and her husband. We started talking to her, and did like a contact thing where we talk a little about the “message” we share with everyone. She asked us what the message was, and we told her we wouldn’t be able to teach it all in one sitting, so we would continue to come see her. Then she’s like “Well I have time right now”. So we went in and taught her the Plan of Salvation. She is way legit! She asked really good questions, and she is very open to what we teach. She even talked about how it sounded familiar. We are way excited for her. I feel like things are definitely going to happen with her (and her husband).
Friday: We had interviews with President S. He started talking to me about my time I have had here on the mission. He said, “Sister, you’ve had about a year out in the mission right?” And when he said it I had a little heart flutter of panic and I was like, “No, President, not quite.” But it is getting close. I’m getting a little nervous. I’m not sure I want to come home. Like I kind of do, but it’s scary. Anyway, we also ate at this restaurant in H. It is seriously one of the most sketch, ghetto places I have ever been to. They have a giant clown outside of the building, and inside there are like a million little clowns parachuting from the ceiling. It was so weird, but the food was really delicious. (I also attached a picture of Sister W. and I standing by the clown. 🙂
1-How are your investigators? 1. We don’t have very many, as I have said before, but we have a few that are getting really close to baptism. There are two ladies in particular, that are cousins, and they have made a lot of big changes in their lives, and made huge steps to bring them closer to baptism. They are awesome
3-Do you feel that you have a particular spiritual gift that helps with missionary work? If so, what is it? 3. I used to joke with Sister A. about something I called “spirit guided driving”. I knew my way around my last area pretty well, but sometimes we would be going somewhere, and I wasn’t quite sure how to get there. So I would drive the way I thought we needed to go, and then when I felt like I should turn, I would turn. And we always got there. It was pretty funny. I think that the Lord just watches out for us more as his missionaries than otherwise. Also, the gift of tongues is definitely real. I have seen the help of the Lord in my situation trying to learn spanish. There is no way that anyone can learn the language as fast as we do as missionaries. It requires a lot of faith, and a lot of trust in the Lord (that he will put the words in your mouth, and cover for your shortcomings).
4-Favorite scripture of the week? 4. Doctrine and Covenants 100:4 It talks about how we were sent to this place because it was expedient for the salvation of souls. I really like it because it was hard for me to come here to H., because I didn’t want to leave my last area, but I am here to do the Lord’s work, just like I was doing in A. And I know I will grow to love this place just like I grew to love A. 🙂
Special Question: 5-How can we deal with negativity, and not let it bog us down? 5. Negativity is something I still really struggle to handle. It’s hard as a missionary to have people constantly letting you down, and still be positive and happy. But I always just remember that negativity, along with discouragement, are some of the biggest tools Satan uses against us. So in order for us to not get dragged down by him, we have to focus on the good things that are happening, and not let the things that are hard, have dominance of our lives.
Dad:
That is cool you are having good experiences with your job. You guys aren’t having any snow either? Wow, crazy. The last few days here have been in the high 60’s and 70’s. It’s so weird. It sure does not feel like winter here. But things are good. I hope your week is great. Recuerda quien eres! (Remember who you are! 🙂
Emerny:
I am really going to write you a letter today. I ran out of stamps last week, but I bought some today, so I will write you a real letter. So this is all. And also…”Stay on your side!!!”
Anyway, that is all for now. I love you all! Be good!! 🙂
Love, Kelsey XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX