A Blurry Week With Some Memorable Highlights

Hey Guys!

Today I went to the temple and whenever that happens I get NO time to email! Sorry for anyone who's getting upset right now. I promise I will make up for it next week?

This week was literally a blur. I think I remember going to Cafe Rio. Oh and I got really sick. So THAT was fun. We have really awesome investigators that are REALLY sincere and it makes me excited to see them search for truth. Truth can be hard to search for; so it's incredible to see these people seek with real intent. I know they will get their answers! 

We street contact a lot over here. I thought it would be the same as tracting (knocking on doors) but OH NO. It's way different. Yet, I still can't decide if people are nicer or meaner...

Something amazing happened to Sister Tescher and me. We talked to a FISHERMAN (my new dream job) and it was quite touching. He said he had been searching for something such as our gospel. When we read the Book of Mormon with him, he said he felt a strong feeling of peace and comfort. Then he said, "Thanks for talking to a guy like me." UM OF COURSE, nice fisherman guy who looks like Chris Rock! 

That's literally all I remember from this week...ahh sorry. But to spice things up, here are some random photo gems I forgot I took. You can create your own captions. 

xoxo 

Sister Kelly

Farewell Franconia - Greetings Potomac

Sister Kelly and Sister Rossi reunited at Gowtam's baptism.

Hey Everyone!

I GOT TRANSFERRED. I had to say farewell to Franconia which was sad. I will always cherish those Franconia: miracles, memories, and marijuana scandals in our apartment complex. Good times man, good times. 

I am now serving in the Potomac Ward which covers the ENTIRE mission. It's a mid-singles' ward which means the ward consists of singles ages 30 - 45. So in other words, a HUGE adjustment. My companion is Sister Tescher and she is so, so, so, so great. Since I arrived here last Thursday, we have stayed up kinda late, laughing and talking (which has been sublime). We are incredibly busy. And by busy I mean not enough time to eat; we are that busy. We have six progressing investigators which is awesome! We street contact in Old Town Alexandria, Pentagon City, and Del Ray (my new favorite) all the time so I finally feel like I'm in the D.C. area.

The Potomac Ward is a riot and I totally adore the ward members here. Everyone is really posh and professional. Yesterday, my first Sunday in the Potomac Ward, I LOVED staring at all the outfits the members wore :) 

We met four new potential investigators on Saturday which included a big black guy from Chicago who said he's "done with the black church and is lookin' for a white church"....uhhh... ok there buddy! He was really cool and he works for a non-profit organization that feeds the homeless. This is great because we might be able to volunteer for him. We also met this guy at the Taco Bell drive-thru...haha. That was an event. 

GUESS WHAT? Gowtam (aka the guy from India that Sister Savage and I Skyped 10 months ago while I was serving in Oakton, VA) got BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!! Seriously, such an incredible thing! All of the Oakton sisters that taught him came to the baptism. I was able to go back to the Oakton Ward which was a treat and a half. AND, I GOT TO SEE THE ONE AND ONLY BROTHER NOEL AND ONE OF MY FAVORITES EVER...SISTER ROSSI.  Such a treat.

Love you all!

xoxo Sister Kelly

Note from Sister Kelly's family:  Brother Roan Noel sent our family a text on Saturday night with pictures. Such a gift. 

In one of the texts he said, and I quote, "She (Sister Kelly) sang in a small group of former Oakton Ward sister missionaries (all of whom had taught Gowtam) as a special musical number. They sang, "Abide With Me." It was stunningly beautiful. They did it in harmony. There was not a dry eye in the room. I knew Sister Kelly was a talented violinist...I didn't realize she could sing like that! Wow!"

Surprising for us Kellys as well. Brother Noel, thank you for your kind words.

Sister Kelly and Gowtam at his baptism. 

My Ten Month Mark

Happy Mother's Day! Me and Mrs. Baxter. 

Hey Everyone!

Reached my 10 month mark this week and I can't decide if that's weird or not. 

But hey, here are 10 neat things that happened this week.

1. We got a new vacuum! I told the Office Elders, after they drove an hour to give us the vacuum, that we were planning on getting them Taco Bell in honor of their good efforts. But,  Sister Maw and I didn't have enough time to get "the Taco Bell." When they arrived, the Elders became really awkward and walked away. Probably because we didn't keep our promise about getting them Taco Bell. 

2. Sister Maw crocheted me a little pineapple. I find it really cute and it's sitting on my desk. #flashback to when my Archaeology partner at BYU crocheted me an octopus finger puppet....I guess I'm just really easy to crochet for ;)   

3. Speaking of crochet, we joined the Sunrise Living Knitting Club and we now go every Friday morning. 

4. We've been having wonderful experiences getting random promptings to knock on someone's door and every time it turns out to be a really cool miracle.

5. WHITNEY WAS CONFIRMED ON SUNDAY!!!

6. We've been playing a lot of Mexican Train and Uno with the people we teach...and then obviously tying it back to something spiritual....;)

7. The other day, I saw a lady struggling to carry her groceries on the sidewalk, but we were driving in the opposite direction. I FELT TERRIBLE.  So, I made some slightly illegal turns and we hunted her down to help her. She actually didn't want our help but accepted a Book of Mormon. Yay! 

8. We made really cute cards for the single moms in the ward and gave them out. It totally made their day and we felt so great.

9. The Elders bought Mrs. Baxter a balloon, flowers and we all signed a card for her for Mother's Day. Her reaction was so cute and the pics are even cuter! 

10. I GOT TO SKYPE MY FAMILY YESTERDAY FOR MOTHER'S DAY. It was such a tender mercy hearing from them and laughing with them. I love my family so much. So glad I can be with them forever!

xoxo

Sister Kelly

My family's view from Skype.

My view from Skype.

Mrs. Baxter...

Sister Kelly Goes To The Pentagon

The Pentagon where Sister Kelly had a tour today on May the 4th, 2015.
I can't resist..."May the Fourth Be With You" as you tour such a powerful building.

Dear Family and Friends: 

No blog from Sister Kelly this week. What we do know is that she is busy and we will be Skyping her on Mother's Day. Her dad thinks a phone call would be better "because we already know what she looks like." And, "Skyping is such a pain." I tend to agree. But, Skype we will, this Sunday. 

What we do know is that Sister Kelly took a tour of the Pentagon today. See the above photo and the quote I know I will get into a lot of trouble adding. 

Also, today, my mom (Grandma Kay), met someone from Elizabeth's mission. Grandma Kay went to the Payson Temple's Open House. Payson is a city about 60 miles south of Salt Lake. At an Open House for a temple, our church usually sets up a temporary visitor's center where local missionaries can explain our church and the significance of a temple. My mother works around a lot of sister missionaries and she always makes a point to give a hug to them as if it was their grandma. One of the sister missionaries Grandma Kay hugged was Sister Henninger serving her mission in Utah. She is from the Oakton Ward (Virginia). That was Elizabeth's first area on her mission and Sister Henninger and Sister Kelly know each other. After Grandma Kay whipped out a photo of Elizabeth on her phone, Sister Henninger confirmed that yes indeed, she knows Sister Kelly. A fun moment for a grandma with a missionary. 

We wait for the 40 minute Sunday Skype Session.

Love, 

Marya (Sister Kelly's Mom)