Monday, March 30, 2015

On the Metro...

Passing through the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on the metro.
The last time I was there, I
 was A MISSIONARY BABY

Hey Everyone - 

I'm currently writing this on the metro to DC, so in other words....I feel really urban chic right now. But, I'm reminded by my Walmart leggings, that I use as tights, that I'm really not that "kool."

I'm also wearing tights (leggings) AGAIN, which is not okay. It is still cold here in our Nation's Capital. 

This week was full of ups and downs. Sister Wright and I were so exhausted this week for some unknown reason. There were some days this week when looking back, we both can't even remember what happened...so I hope that means we worked hard?

Fun fact: While driving, I looked out my window and saw....deep in a forest...a HOBO JUNGLE! Well it was only a mattress, clothes lines, and some amateur stove that they probably made out of sticks. But, I was so intrigued. Only in Virginia would there be a hobo fort right next to a bunch of $1,000,000 homes. So classic.

We keep meeting these awesome people at Target. This past week, we found an investigator. But GUESS WHAT?? We have to PASS HIM OFF! This is the 3rd investigator we found this month that we have to pass off. We're not too sad about it because we tracted into a couple who used to take the lessons from the missionaries and want to be taught again. We are meeting with them tomorrow. I'm really excited! 

Women's Conference was great. We had a lot of people we teach show up. I really loved Bonnie L. Oscarson's talk as well Henry B. Eyring's. 
#joyalwayscomesaftersorrow

Also, everyone should watch "Because He Lives." It's such a good video. We took a photo with the Franconia Ward's Primary children and their teachers and posted the video. 


#BecauseHeLives


This week was a little tough but I have such a strong testimony in hope and faith through our Savior. Life is rough sometimes but we have to continue on. Because life moves on. It always has. I think that's what I love most about life...that it goes on. We will always get new days, new chances, new beginnings, new arrivals on Netflix, and new opportunities to start over again. That's what our purpose in life is...to grow, learn, stretch, and strengthen....and then repeat. We sometimes mess up (in my case I mess up ALL THE TIME....just ask Sister Wright) but that's why we have the Atonement. That's why we have Christ. That's why we're celebrating Easter. 

I love Alexandria. I love my companion. I love this gospel. And, I love Sister Hale's Easter cookies. 

xoxo
Sister Kelly






Monday, March 23, 2015

A Costco Connection


#theworkandtheglory

Hey Everyone!

The weather here in the Washington DC South Mission is so much warmer. Thank Heavens. 

I didn't have to wear tights this week and I'm still smiling about it. 

We had great lessons with Lucinda and Nick. They are doing so well. Unfortunately, we had to pass them off to other wards, but they are in good hands. We told our Mission President about the miracles we had with Lucinda and Nick and he posted them on a "miracle" page sent out to the whole mission.  :) 

Oh and President Riggs told Sister Wright that I'm a stalker for looking at Nick's screen and titled our miracle, "Snooping at the Library!" HA!

Don't think we're crazy, but Sister Wright and I have organized a "Squirrel Squad" for Franconia. We pretty much stalk local squirrels. There is one in particular who lives by our apartment. We keep tabs on his love life. We have gotten some ward members involved with our "Squirrel Squad" and it's hilarious. We're too scared to tell the other guy missionaries (Elders). They would seriously judge us.

Highlight of the Week - 

We went to Costco with a member. She is 80+ years old. We had a blast. She's lonely and we love being her friend. Her one-liners are something Tina Fey needs to look into. At Costco, we met a sample lady (aka my dream job) named LaKisha who is Baptist. She loves our church because it teaches about Virtue. She was a crack up! My favorite quote of her's was, "Ladies everytime I get an impure thought, I start eatin' M&Ms until the thought subsides...I'm all about the celibacy!"

I was DYING. 

We gave her a Mormon.org card and she wants to go the Temple's Visitor Center with us. 

Why do we always meet the best people at Costco?

xoxo

Sister Kelly

Monday, March 16, 2015

Crazy In A Good Way

Hey Everyone! 

So far, last week was the craziest week of my mission. But, crazy in a good way. I'm going to separate the three main things that happened last week.  

1. KEILANI'S BAPTISM - 

Not gonna lie, planning for her baptism was one of the more stressful things I have done on my mission. However, it was one of the greatest baptisms I have been to. There was a HUGE turnout. Almost 60 people came and the Relief Society Room was overcrowded. My heart was so full. Keilani looked so beautiful in her baptism dress. Unfortunately, Sister Wright and I totally forgot to take a picture of Keilani in her dress. But, we managed to take a picture of her after the baptism. The ward was really involved in the baptism which was such a blessing. 

2. FINDING LUCINDA

Last week Virginia had ANOTHER crazy blizzard. GUESS WHAT? We still had to work. Sister Wright and I ended up walking three miles to an appointment because we were not allowed to drive due to the weather. So, there we were, trekking up Telegraph Road and suddenly, a car pulled up next to us. We kinda freaked out until we realized it was an older woman. She seemed harmless, so we went to talk to her. She asked us if we wanted a ride. She felt so badly because we were walking in the snow. Even though we were shocked by her kindness, Sister Wright and I  politely declined her offer. But, being a missionary, I had this prompting to give her a Mormon.org card. I figured she could watch a nice Mormon Message with a cup of hot cocoa while she waits for the storm to pass. Well, two days ago, she called us from the number we gave her. She wanted to know if we reached our destination safely. I answered in the affirmative and told her we would LOVE to come by and share a message with her. 

She said, "Can you come by tonight?"

Uhhhhh, yes we can!!!!!

Long story short, the lesson with Lucinda was one of the most spiritual lessons I have taught on my mission. The spirit was so strong as we read the Book of Mormon with her. She already had a Book of Mormon from years ago when a friend in the Kingstowne Ward gave one to her. WHATTTTT????

She is now a new investigator. Unfortunately, we have to pass her off to the Spanish Ward Missionaries because she is from Columbia and her first language is Spanish. 

3. NICK

As you know, we recently had to turn in our iPads. Last week while we were in the library downloading things off of our old iPads that we do not want to lose, there was this guy sitting next to me who was reading the Bible online. I thought, "Hmm that's cool".............until he started googling, "How do I  find faith in Christ?" 

I started freaking out inside. Do I talk to him? Because,  I CAN ANSWER HIS GOOGLE SEARCH QUESTION!

The librarians hate us at our local library. They are always in fear that we are going to start talking religion to the other library goers. I didn't want to get kicked out of the library. 

BUT DO I TALK TO HIM?

I decided that I was just going to give him a Mormon.org card when Sister Wright and I left the library. But then he googled, "What is faith in Christ?" and lds.org popped up on his screen. 

BINGO.

I was free to open the door. I immediately told him, "Hey you should check out that lds.org website. It's a good one." He turned around and said, "Huh?"

I said, "We're the missionaries from that church!"

He totally lightened up and for the next 45 min, we chatted OUTSIDE of the library. We answered a bunch of his questions. He told us that he had a Book of Mormon at his house and that he would read it! 

We met with him again on Saturday and he read 3 chapters of 1 Nephi and told us that he had this really weird feeling of peace as he read the Book of Mormon and that he wants to read the whole thing. 

AHHHHHHH!

We had a great lesson with him and pretty much taught him everything. He is so prepared and really wants to know the truth. He said he has been searching since he was a teenage boy. Sister Wright and I were able to answer all of his hard questions and he understood what we were saying.

Yesterday, Nick came to church! We forgot to mention to him that church is three hours (long) but he stayed the WHOLE TIME and LOVED IT. 

Since Nick is 23 yrs. old, we have to "pass him off" to the Singles' Ward in our area. We are going to have him meet the missionaries in his area this Friday. And the best part is, one of the missionaries is my good friend, Sister Kennedy, who is serving in the Singles' Ward. 

What a great week. Love you!

Sister Kelly

Monday, March 9, 2015

My Friend Brendah, Who LIVES in Uganda

 Hey Everyone - 

We are shutting the door on Facebook for a while. On Thursday we will be getting new iPads with no Facebook. As a mission (as well as every other mission that has iPads) we will undergo new training with technology which is really exciting.

In honor of closing a chapter on Facebook, I am going to share a huge miracle I had with FB over the past few months.    

If you are serving in a mission that uses iPads and Facebook you "on-line proselytize." Back in December I came to the conclusion that whenever I went on Facebook, I was honestly just wasting time. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and went on some "I Love Jesus" pages to find some potential investigators. Pretty much the worst idea of my life since most of the people I talked to were downright CRAZY. 

Eventually, I lost track of the people I had talked to or "friended" so I was a little surprised when a woman named Brendah from Uganda kept tagging me in pictures with African children.

I am not even kidding. EVERY DAY I would get tagged in these pictures of African children. It became this huge joke in our district (group of missionaries in my area). I was so confused and decided to stay clear of this Brendah lady. But for some reason, I always forgot to unfriend her so we always remained friends on Facebook. 

One day in January, I had this feeling I needed to FB message her. I was planning on politely telling her to stop tagging me in photos. I decided to ask her about religion since HELLOOOOO, I am an on-line missionary. 

Brendah and I ended up getting into this great discussion about Christ. We discussed that despite the trials in life, the Lord always comforts us. I learned that she is the director of an orphanage in Uganda. She figured out that I was some sort of missionary and thought I would like to see pictures of her orphans...hence the tagging. 

We immediately became really good friends and we always had these great discussions. One day, I shared with her my favorite scripture, Ether 12:27. I copied and pasted the link to the scripture on lds.org

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men their 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. Ether 12:27

The next day, I asked Brendah her thoughts on my favorite scripture. She told me that she really loved that verse as well as the WHOLE CHAPTER.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN SHE NOT ONLY READ THE VERSE BUT THE WHOLE CHAPTER!

I started giving her chapters from Book of Mormon to read. She not only read the chapters alone, BUT WITH HER ORPHANS! She reads the Book of Mormon every morning with them.  If you would like to know, their two favorite stories in the Book of Mormon are about the Jaredites in The Book of Ether and King Benjamin in The Book of Mosiah.

Crazy, right? 

I called our mission president, President Riggs to have him email the mission president in Uganda. When the Uganda Mission President emailed back...he told us that where Brendah lives is 3.5 hours away from the nearest Mormon Church and missionaries never go in that area. And, since Brendah runs an orphanage, she probably wants sponsorship or money. 

I was devastated. Here is a lady who reads the Book of Mormon everyday with the children and teaches about our gospel.  Through email, I told Brendah that as missionaries we do not sponsor anyone nor donate money; so I knew that wasn't a concern. How were missionaries supposed to get there? I decided to fast and pray that somehow, some way, missionaries would get to Brendah.

I would like to bear my testimony that prayer and fasting really work. A few Saturdays ago, two full-time missionaries/elders travelled over 100 miles to see her. Brendah told me that the children at the orphanage prepared a song and dance for the two elders. HOW AMAZING IS THAT?!

THEN last Sunday, Brendah travelled 3.5 hours by bus with 12 of her children/orphans and ATTENDED CHURCH! WHAT?! Could this get any better? 

I am so grateful for Brendah. She is truly amazing. The Uganda Mission is sending sister missionaries to her so she can be taught all of the lessons before she can be baptized. 

Two days ago, Brendah told me that a Mormon family sponsored one of her older orphans to come to the US to get an education. Brendah told me that she knows it's because of daily scripture reading that her prayers are answered.  

I am so grateful that I never unfriended Brendah on Facebook and that I felt strongly to speak to her through Facebook messaging. I know this church is true and that Mission Miracles can happen. Fingers crossed for Brendah as I sign off Facebook for the next six weeks! 

Love You All 

Sister Kelly

A Facebook Missionary Miracle.
Brendah is the gal with the white t-shirt, standing to her right of the sign. 

Brendah, with the two Elders and the Ugandan children.




The wonders of modern technology.
In a blizzard in Alexandria, VA and preaching the gospel in Uganda.
All at the same time. 

I am from Milwaukee. The snow feels great. 





Monday, March 2, 2015

The Many Perks of Journal Writing

Hello Everyone!

I finally finished a journal. Hmm Sister Kelly, that took you quite a while. My journal has got to be one of the spottiest, random, sloppy journals ever. But anything for posterity, right? 

In honor of getting a new journal, a new month, a refreshed missionary checking account, and celebrating Justin Bieber's 21st birthday today (live it up Big Guy), I decided to really take a good look at my missionary self...how much I have changed...and the areas where I still need a lot of self-improvement. 

In reflection, I am amazed with all the things that I have achieved on my mission and the person that I am continuing to become. 

I am so grateful for the Savior's Atonement. I am so grateful that when I fall short, there IS someone who knows what I am going through and forgives AND still loves me! I have realized on my mission that repentance shouldn't be a thing to fear, but a habit of wanting to improve. Repentance = Change of Heart. Repentance is NOT a grueling hour-long lecture of how we are all failures. The Lord is perfectly aware of us and loves us so much. I am grateful I can share that with people everyday! 

4 big miracles happened this week:

1. Sweet little Keilani is hopefully getting baptized on March 14th. 
2. I ate an orange. (Did you see that mom???? I ATE AN ORANGE!!!!!) 
3. Sister Wright and I survived an ice storm and we never slipped on the ice. 
4. I have discovered the magic of Taco Bell.

Love You All, 

Sister Kelly
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