Totally "Fort Worth" It!

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Hermana Kelsey 5:2 -email-
Mama,
Hola! Como esta? Como fue su semana? (How was your week?) Yo espero que todo esta bien. (I hope that everything is okay.)
We had kind of hard week this week. But I know that that means that this coming week will be that much better. 🙂
Monday: It was p-day. We didn’t really do anything fun, because we still don’t have miles to use. But we did get in a couple of good lessons. One of our investigators, Trisha, has a really cute little girl named Sammy, who is like 6. She was sitting in the room while we were reading from the BoM with her, and she was brushing the dog’s hair. She walked out of the room and then came over to me. She told me that she wanted to brush my hair too, so she ended up brushing my hair for like 20 minutes. It was really cute. And it felt really good.
Tuesday: We rode the bus for most of the day. Sister S got a really bad sunburn from standing out in the sun waiting for the bus. I got a little bit burned, but not bad at all. I’m starting to get a really good tan (well farmer’s tan). I’m hoping that when I can speak Spanish, I can tell people I’m from Mexico and they will actually believe me. 🙂 We had a really fun dinner with one of our member families. The mom and the dad are both deployed right now so the grandparents are watching the two little boys while they are gone. They one boy is 7 and the other is 5. The one that is 5, always tells us the most random things. While we were eating dinner, everyone was talking, but then it got quiet. All of the sudden we hear him from the other room say, “When I am 6, they better say surprise!” It was so cute and funny. And also really random, but that is just how he is. Also, I was kind of sad this day, because our branch president’s brother and sister came out on exchange with us for the last time. They are leaving for Mexico Wednesday, for a couple months. 🙁
Wednesday: We were supposed to have district meeting today, but Sister S and I decided to be rebels and not go. 🙂 I’m just kidding. She had a doctor’s appointment up in W. at the same time district meeting was going on. On the way up to district meeting the elders were all quoting random movies in a Sean Connery voice. It was seriously one of the funniest things ever. They quoted like kid’s movies, and they sounded so weird. I think you had to have been there. Also, another random thing. We went to go visit our baptismal date, and he was wearing a really funny shirt. It said “Bromance”, and it had two football players doing a chest bump. The thing that made it the funniest though, was that he didn’t even know what it said. He asked us what it meant but we didn’t know how to explain it without it being awkward. It was pretty funny though.
Thursday: It was planning day. We spend most of the day in our apartment, as usual, but we had made an appointment to go see an investigator so we had to ride the bus to go see her. After we got off the bus, we were walking along talking about if we wanted to go talk to some people standing outside of their house. All of the sudden this crazy dog came out of nowhere at us. It was a mama dog that thought we were a threat, and she almost attacked us. She was barking really loud, and showing us her teeth. But she just ran away when she got like 5 feet away. Then, as we started walking again, I broke my shoe. the strap just ripped right off. It was sad. Then, the bus driver yelled at us. He is not a very nice man, and he is racist and sexist. But oh well.
Friday: I was feeling really sick today. We spent a lot of time driving around to see people who weren’t even home. It was kind of a bust day. But then we had a Noche de Hogar (Family Home Evening) with a family from the ward, and it was really good. We all got the giggles really bad during the closing hymn, but other than that it was a really good FHE.
Saturday: We had another BAPTISM!!! One of our investigators, Jesse, got baptized in the evening. It was a very strange baptism. He is an older guy (like 64), and he didn’t understand how the baptism actually happened. When our ward mission leader went to put him back in the water, he kept fighting him because he didn’t want to go backwards. It was so awkward. And then he had to get baptized again, because his given name really isn’t Jesse. It J. C. So we had to refill the font, and baptize him again. It was crazy. But now he is baptized. 🙂
Sunday: We only had 2 investigators at church. 🙁 Usually we have like between 7 and 12 investigators. It was sad. But we got a few good lessons in, and our recent convert Tony (my other baptism), came out on exchange with us and taught part of the lesson. He is so cool. He really is a different person than the one I met my first day in T.
Monday: We had p-day activity in W. Also, I am on companion exchange with Sister C, who doesn’t speak any spanish. It’s crazy because I have to say everything, and some of the time I don’t know how to say it. But I can definitely speak more than I could a couple months ago, so that’s good to know. Also, yesterday we got locked out of our van. We ended up having to call a locksmith to get us in. It was okay though. Heavenly Father was watching out for us. Also we got to watch some fireworks out the window of the Killeen sister’s apartment. It was cool.
Anyway, I better go now. I love you lots. Te amo mucho! 🙂
Love, Hermana KelseyPapi,

Wow congratulations on the roof! I’m glad it is finally getting fixed, and that you are getting lots of help. 🙂 That is really awesome. Sorry this is so short. I accidetnally took to long to write the rest of this email. 🙁 But, i love you. I’ll talk to you next Monday. 🙂 Bye.
Love, Hermana
Emmyaurus Rex,
I am not writing you anything because I have still not received a letter from you. JK. But seriously, I have to go because I still need to write to President Sagers, and I’m almost out of time. Bye!

Howzit-Elder Flexy!

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Elder Flexy 12:4 -email-
Make,
well i’m glad church is going good the branch i’m in now is tiny. there were sixty people there on sunday but its a really good to be here. we are working so hard and we have some awsome recent converts they are helping us so much. we have Senzo, Ayanda, Vuyani, Scelo.  the work is booming here in nhlangano.  mission is going very well we had one of the toughest fasts i’ve ever done on sunday after we finished we ate eight peices of toast and a dozon eggs just between me and Elder Smith. but mission is great the work goes well when you have member present lessons but ya i hope job hunting works out good, God will provide a way. ya its crazy i’ve been gone a year. but ya life is good. love you
Love Elder Flexy  
Baba,
well it sounds like your keeping yourself busy, ya that roof needed help even when i left it did. thats good to hear the young men are growing up i’m glad the ward is doing well. And that Bishop Fowers is still the same as when i left. life here is pretty sweet this is probably one of the more backwards places in the world but it makes it interesting. the other night we were driving in the area past a bar and this guy was getting beat up by like seven other guys it was pretty crazy but ya thats why we don’t drink RIGHT!!! ha the pasters that live near our area are so dumb they spread rumors like crazy which makes our job a little easier. but ya mission is great. Love you
Love Elder Flexy
M,
hey my sister hows life?? well life is good here we are working in the boonies its pretty cool most of the roads are dirt and most of the time we walk, even though we have a car.  we are doing good and don’t worry about letters i know your busy so whenever you have time.  life is going good we are having fun here. love you.
Love Elder Flexy

Sunday Best!

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Ether 12:27

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
———————————-


“So if you have problems in your life, don’t assume there is something wrong with you. Struggling with those problems is at the very core of life’s purpose. As we draw close to God, He will show us our weaknesses and through them make us wiser, stronger. If you’re seeing more of your weaknesses, that just might mean you’re moving nearer to God, not farther away.”

-Bruce C. Hafen 

Hope your Sunday was the Best!!
Love, Joy

Psychic Kelsey!

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So the other day…
the mail came, and
I was seriously bummed 
because there was a letter for Emily
 from Hermana Kelsey, and a card for my darlin
 from Hermana Kelsey. I was thinking, “What am I, chopped liver?” I said to Emily, “That’s not very fair!” 
She said, “Why?” And I went on to tell her that I’m the one who writes to her, and send’s her packages, and stuff. I said, “All I need is a little note from her that says, she loves me, and that she’s glad that I am her mom!” 
So my darlin opens his card and on the back was this note to me!!!!!
In case you can’t read it, it says, “I love you and I’m glad you are my mom!” Is she psychic or what? Wow!!!

Go with the Flow!

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I recently visited a family cabin of one of my dear friends. It was in a beautiful mountain setting. Everything was blooming and lush. In the background we could hear the sound of water. Not a little or small amount of water, but a large stream, swollen with the water from spring runoff. Pictured is the beautiful stream. I could sit there for hours watching and listening. The stream went under the road, through a big pipe. Once in a while we would hear a rock being forced through the pipe by the current. It was powerful. 
My whole life, it seems, I’ve heard the phrase, 
“Go with the flow.”
What does it mean? To me it means whatever life gives you, be your best. Life will be rough and tumble sometimes, and other times things will be going so good, that you fear for the bubble to pop. But no matter what happens in life. We are in charge of how we feel. In the middle of hardship, we can have gratitude. In the middle of calm, we can feel peace. In whatever circumstances that life gives us, we can “Go with the flow!”
 I thought about this stream and how at certain times it might be hard, even dangerous to 
“Go with the flow.”
 In the stream of life, we are not always in charge of how fast the flow is, or how slow the flow is. Just like this stream, there are outside forces determining the flow. When the stream is swollen with the spring runoff, it can be a messy place. There is debris all along the way. But when the runoff is over, the stream is a very peaceful and calm place. 
“Go with the flow!”
 If things are moving fast, and they get kinda messy…
“Go with the flow!”
 If life has slowed down and you long for more excitement…
“Go with the flow!”
 Sometimes life has a way of telling us what we need. If we get going so fast and crazy, we get sick and then we are forced to slow down. The shrubs around the stream sure got a pounding from the water flowing by. But when the water calms down. They will get a brake from the turbulence. 
I wonder if Father in heaven is up there saying to us, 
“Go with the flow! You can do it!”?
Don’t you just love nature. It really gets me thinking. When I am there…with God’s creations, I know He loves us. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to learn and grow, and sometimes the “flow” is like a spring runoff, and sometimes it’s like a peaceful trickling brook. 
“Go with the flow!” Love, Joy

Cute baby owl’s!

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Can you see this baby owl 
in the bottom of the milk can?
He must have flown in and got stuck. When I went out on the patio to look at the stars, I heard some funny noises. The noises were kind of like purring. I called my darlin out to listen. He got his flashlight and went out toward the trees. We saw about 4 or 5 baby owl’s in the trees. 
Then my darlin started hearing lots of noise coming from the milk can. We looked in, and this is what we saw. He was stuck. We took a few pictures, then my sweetie, carefully leaned the milk can on it’s side. The little guy walked out and flew away. Yeah!!!
He looks kind of grumpy! 
But beautiful!
Here is one of them 
on the power line.
You can barely see him, 
but he’s there with red eyes!! 
Cool!

Totally "Fort Worth" It!

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Hermana Kelsey 5:1 -email-
Mi Familia!!
Hola! Como estan? I did have a great week! Lots of really great things are happening in T.! I will continue with that in a few lines. But first off, that would be so cool if you got a job with the church. I’ve heard they take really good care of  their employees. I will definitely be praying that you get the job. It has been really hot down here in Texas. 90’s and 100’s plus humidity, and we’ve been walking and tracting A LOT, because we are low on miles again. They cut our miles for this month, so we have even less than before. But we just try to drink lots and lots of water, so we don’t get dehydrated.
Anyway, I miss having family parties. 🙁 I also miss real home cooked food. We get it a few times when we eat with members, but i miss having a real Sunday dinner. It’s okay though.
Okay so this week…
Monday: We had our p-day as usual. Although it was kind of a weird p-day. We went down to R’s to visit come less actives and an investigator down there. But, none of them were home. We also ate at this restaurant that one of our members works at so it’s free to eat there. It was kind of a bust day.
Tuesday: I accidentally broke my glasses. 🙁 I was in the bathroom and I leaned forward to pick something up off the ground, and they just fell of my face and broke in half. It was sad. We also tracted a lot. We spent about 4 hours doing white cards, which are people that have talked with missionaries at some point before and said they were interested, so we go to their house and set up appointments for other days.
Wednesday: We also spent a lot of time tracting today. We tracted in this kind of scary area, which it wasn’t bad because it was the middle of the day, but still. Anyway, this random lady came up to us, and asked if she could use our phone. Sister S let her, and then Sister S asked if we could share a pass along card with her. She said sure. As Sister S was explaining what it was, the lady blurted out, “I’m a prostitute.” Sister S just stopped talking for a second. We were both a little shocked. But Sister S just continued talking about how the gospel can help everyone, no matter what their situation. All we have to do is rely on the Lord. She agreed, and then we left. But it was a strange experience to say the least.
Thursday: We went to this anniversary party for this old couple that comes to the Assisted Living place by our apartment that we go and visit. It was their 68th wedding anniversary. They are so old, but still really healthy and full of life. And also a little bit crazy. But we love them all the same. They come and do an activity thing every Thursday morning, to get the old people there out of their rooms, and doing something active (ish). They are so cute. Also, we met this other really old lady from a referral we received from one of the members of our branch. She talked so much she made us late for our FHE with one of our less active families. But she was really cute.
Friday: Nothing really happened today. It was just a normal day in paradise. 🙂
Saturday: We had interviews with President Sagers. He told me I need to not be afraid to speak spanish, but also that I probably won’t have it down very well until about 9 months in. Hopefully I get it sooner than that though. I am definitely improving, but I still struggle with knowing what to say to people. I usually can understand most of what they are saying, but I just don’t know what to say back to them. Also, Mexico played against, the U.S. and won. I didn’t watch the game, because we aren’t allowed, but I have inside sources that tell me who won,a nd who is playing who. Secretly, I wanted Mexico to win, but I told everyone I was rooting for the U.S. I have to support my own country, right? 🙂 But especially recently, I have learned to really love the people from Mexico. I used to be a little afraid of Hispanic people, but they are seriously some of the coolest people I have ever met.
Sunday: We had a great Sunday. We had 8 investigators in sacrament meeting, which is really great. Last week we had 11, but 8 is still really good. We are getting so busy here. I feel like really stretched thin sometimes, like there’s too many people for just the two of us to be in charge of, but somehow, with the help of the Lord, we always figure it out. We had our baptismal interview with our investigator that is going to be baptized on July 2nd. His name is Jesse. He’s a pretty cool guy, but I’m not sure if he is getting baptized for the right reasons. He wants to marry one of our members, so I think that probably has something to do with his sudden decision to get baptized, when he didn’t really have a desire to do it before. But we’re going to baptize him. 🙂 Already my 2nd baptism. It’s so exciting! But it was also a sad day because our branch president’s brother and sister, who help us all the time with the missionary work, are leaving for Mexico on Wednesday, so it was their last Sunday. 🙁
But anyway, that was my week. I’ll answer a few of the questions you sent, but not all of them apply to me.
1 Have you heard about transfers?
1. I don’t know about transfers, because our transfers aren’t until the 20th of July, but I have a feeling President is going to transfer me. I really hope he doesn’t, but I just have this feeling that it is going to happen. 🙁
3 What is your favorite thing about working in T?
3 My favorite thing about working in T. are the people. We have some of the greatest members in our branch, and the people just generally are nice. We have met a lot of people who are very open to the gospel as well. Heavenly Father is definitely preparing people to receive the gospel.
4 What is your least favorite thing about working in T? 
4. I don’t really have a least favorite thing, but I’m not really a fan of the heat, or the bugs. We get mosquito bites all the time, because we have to teach outside a lot at night.
7 Do you have a member family that helps you a lot?
7 A member family that helps us a lot is the S’s. That is our branch president and his siblings. Our president is so involved with everyone, and knows everyone’s story. It’s amazing.
Anyway, I have to go now. But I love all of you lots! Sorry, I don’t have time to write to you all! 🙁 Bye!
con amor,
Hermana Kelsey

Howzit-Elder Flexy!

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Elder Flexy 12:3 -email-

Make
this week has been good on saturday i had one of the toughest days on mission we walked so far and got bunked so many times it was rediciulous!!!
but ya life is good.
1 Have you heard about transfers?
1.yep i have
2 If so where are you going?
2.i’m staying in swaziland but i’m going to the boonies a place called Nhlangano!!!

3 What is your favorite thing about working in Swaziland?
3.well it safer than SA
4 What is your least favorite thing about working in Swaziland?
4.well it gets kinda repetitive you do the same exact thing every day.
5 Were you able to get a few souvenirs? 
5.ya, you know in “the gods must be crazy” how that one little black guy sits and plays that little musical instrument? i bought one of those.
6 Name all the Elder’s you serve with, there?6.Elder Diseko ,Elder Reeder, Elder Cooly, Elder Henson, Elder Herrity, Elder Muteriswa, Elder Tualufo, Elder Peirce, Elder Sesunga, Elder Jonga, Elder Sakpaku, Elder Munger, Elder Smith(my new comp) Elder Klakotse, and Elder Lyon. and Elder and Sister Blackburn.
7 Do you have a member family that helps you a lot?
7.ya its the Dlamini Family with babe George, Make Fhuti, oldest son Scelo and the middle son cant remember his name but then the young boy Levi. 

8 Did you ever make it to the game reserve?
8.not a huge one, but we will at some point.
9 Do you study your Preach My Gospel everyday?
9.yep
10 Most Spiritual experience this week?
10.well we have been teaching this babe (Dad, I think?) he is a very nice guy we taught him at a public library and that lesson was really powerful.
Special question of the week:
11 How does desire help us to be all we should be in life?
11.well controlling our desire makes us want to do good not just do it. 
anyway love you mom. 
Love Elder Flexy

Dad,
well the other day our recent converts bore the sweetest tesimony because he was a false prophet before he was baptised and he shared about how he new it was wrong, but now has had made the right choice. but ya he is now teaching the Preach my gospel class to the perspective missionaries. but ya life is good mission is going great.
love Elder Flexy

M,
well i’m glad you gave a talk in church you will be a great missionary if you keep teaching even now. but ya mission is good. love you my sister.
Love Elder Flexy