Monday, January 18, 2016

My Last Post




Dear Family and Friends - 

I have always wanted to serve a mission.

I remember growing up, looking at the full-time missionaries at church and getting so excited because that was going to be me someday. When the time came for me to put in my mission papers, I clearly remember filling out the application with no hesitation. I had wanted this since I was a little girl and my turn was finally here. Even the night before entering the MTC, I remember getting a great sleep. No nerves, no worries, no problem! I was born to do this!

Then I entered the MTC...

For some reason, the MTC was really hard for me. A lot of things were thrown at me and I felt so overwhelmed and so underprepared. Did I really even believe in everything I was supposed to be teaching the people of the Washington DC South Mission? Was I ever going to be able to effectively learn "Preach My Gospel?" Was I ever going to get used to getting up at 6:30am? EVER?!?!?!?!?!

I learned quickly that sometimes when you're overwhelmed, it can become a great blessing because that is when you truly learn to get down on your knees and pray. I felt so alone sometimes. I rapidly understood that it's okay if it's just YOU and the LORD in times of trial.

I am so glad that Heavenly Father gave me that opportunity to humble myself and to grow. I am pleased to announce that: (1) I know that what I teach people is true, (2) I have studied "Preach My Gospel" from cover-t0-cover, and (3) 6:30am hasn't been so bad;)

My mission has been a whirlwind. I have been through the greatest sorrows and joys of my life thus far. I have never: cried, laughed, texted, emailed, driven, studied, prayed, eaten, and felt more awkward in my entire life, than while being on a mission!

I am incredibly grateful for all the people I have met. It is so good to be in the company of others. I have made eternal friends out here. Oakton, Franconia, Potomac MSA, and Braddock YSA will forever be in my heart. 


I cried for 2 hours when I had to leave my first area in Oakton, VA. I never thought I could love working in another area like I did in Oakton. My companions and I were so close to the Ward members that it felt like home. We were loved and we loved right back. I thought I had peaked in my first area and that the next place would be a disappointment. 

I'm so grateful that Franconia proved me wrong. The success we had in Franconia will always be a highlight in my life. We worked hard and taught so much. We baptized and we re-activated members. We found a couple who later got sealed in the temple. We felt like successful missionaries and when I had to leave Franconia, I thought I couldn't possibly love another area as much as Oakton and Franconia...I had met so many great, influential people. I already enjoyed and endured enough joy and tribulation for me to go to a third area! 

But alas, God sent me to the Potomac Mid-Singles Ward. This is a Ward that no one really knows about, yet it covers 4 missions (Baltimore, DC North, DC South, and a sliver of Richmond). I was kind of intimidated and bummed that I wasn't in a family ward. But I would still be living in the Arlington/Alexandria area, so I couldn't complain. Wow! Potomac stole my heart. The work we did there was amazing. I made so many memories with the members! The people there are remarkable....I'm still numb that I had to leave the mid-singles of the Potomac Ward but the Braddock Singles Ward healed that wound. 

I love the Braddock Singles Ward. I have seen so many miracles. We have 3 new investigators and 2 of them came to church yesterday. Sister Moore and I spoke in church yesterday and a less-active that we have been teaching came to church to hear our talks. It was the first time in 8 years! Seeing myself in so many of the members, I was able to discover a lot about myself. I just wish I could say goodbye to everyone I love here, but I can't. Leaving Braddock this week will probably be the hardest because that means I won't have a next area--my next "area" is Milwaukee, my home. I am excited to see my family and friends, but being finished is going to be hard to accept.

They say your mission is a gift to God but I feel like your mission is a gift from God. My mission was hard. Despite that giant ode to all my areas and how much I loved them, I still struggled to some degree in all of them. But through those struggles, I was able to see the joy that life and especially my mission gave me. It's a powerful thing--feeling God influencing your life. It's humbling to feel the Lord fix you AND the people you teach.

I have such a testimony of this gospel. Some of my favorite moments that I wish I could capture are:  hearing people read the Book of Mormon for the first time, seeing the look on someone's face when I told them that they will see their deceased loved ones again, and most importantly, teaching people how to pray. I'll miss those moments. I hope to have those moments again.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints IS the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that if we follow the example Christ gave us, we WILL be happy...no matter what happens.

I love you all so much! Thank you for all your touching emails, letters, cookies, and prayers. They helped more than you know.

For the last time...

xoxo

Sister Elizabeth Kelly




Monday, January 4, 2016

Happy New Year



Dear Family and Friends,

So many words and thoughts about these past weeks that I decided to express them to the tune of my least favorite Christmas song - The Twelve Days of Christmas.

On the First Day of Christmas, DC South brought me - 
A ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

On the Second Day of Christmas, DC South brought me - 
2  Wende Moore stockings (seriously Wende, you rock) 
And a ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

On the Third Day of Christmas, DC South brought me - 
3 meals of Oreos (#dontjudgeme) 
2 Wende Moore stockings 
And a  ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

On the Fourth Day of Christmas, DC South brought me -
4 days of 75 degrees (not Christmas in July...but more July in Christmas)
3 meals of Oreos 
2 Wende Moore stockings 
And a ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

On the Fifth Day of Christmas, DC South brought me - 
5 TRIPS TO THE TVC (Temple Visitor's Center) 
4 days of 75 degrees 
3 meals of Oreos 
2 Wende Moore stockings 
And a ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

On the Sixth Day of Christmas, DC South brought me - 
6 Kellys skyping (may or may not have gone over the time limit) 
5 TRIPS TO THE TVC 
4 days of 75 degrees 
3 meals of Oreos 
2 Wende Moore stockings 
And a ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, DC South brought me - 
7 songs of Pentatonix (on repeat) 
6 Kellys skyping 
5 TRIPS TO THE TVC 
4 days of 75 degrees 
3 meals of Oreos 
2 Wende Moore stockings
And a ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, DC South brought me -
8 awkward carolers to the APs (#neverforget)
7 songs of Pentatonix
6 Kellys skyping
5 TRIPS TO THE TVC
4 days of 75 degrees
3 meals of Oreos
2 Wende Moore stockings
And a ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, DC South brought me -
Nine zones a singing (our mission got to sing at the Temple Visitor's Center on Christmas Eve)
8 awkward carolers to the APs
7 songs of Pentatonix
6 Kellys skyping
5 TRIPS TO THE TVC
4 days of 75 degrees
3 meals of Oreos
2 Wende Moore stockings
And a ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

On the Tenth Day of Christmas, DC South brought me -
10 sisters for breakfast (we had our sister missionaries over for a fun Christmas Eve breakfast)
9 zones a-singing
8 awkward carolers to the APs
7 songs of Pentatonix
6 Kellys skyping
5 TRIPS TO THE TVC
4 days of 75 degrees
3 meals of Oreos
2 Wende Moore stockings
And a ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, DC South brought me
11 cracks on my iPad (some may say shattered, but I prefer "beautiful disaster")
10 sisters for breakfast
9 zones a singing
8 awkward carolers to the APs
7 songs of Pentatonix
6 Kellys skyping
5 TRIPS TO THE TVC
4 days of 75 degrees
3 meals of Oreos
2 Wende Moore stockings
And a ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, DC South brought me -
12 trips to Taco Bell
11 cracks on my iPad
10 sisters for breakfast
9 zones a singing
8 awkward carolers to the APs
7 songs of Pentatonix
6 Kellys skyping
5 TRIPS TO THE TVC
4 days of 75 degrees
3 meals of Oreos
2 Wende Moore stockings
And a ghetto Christmas van named "Candy"

It was a great Holiday Season!

For New Year's Eve, we had a zone activity where we first, helped blow up thousands of ballots for a New Year's Eve street parade in Falls Church and then we headed back to a Stake Center to watch "The Best Two Years". That movie is pretty funny not being a missionary but BEING a missionary, it was hilarious to watch. All of us missionaries cracked up at things we didn't laugh at before our missions. But, now that I am a missionary and I know how things go, it was pretty funny. We then played some card games and played Mafia. If there's one thing to know about Mafia...it's a game where friendships are made....and ruined!

We had a good week this week! We found some new investigators which was awesome. But they all need to be passed to family wards. Typical single ward missionary life!

I am so grateful for my mission. All the people, areas, companions, meetings, friends, cats...you name it! They say a mission is an opportunity to give a gift to the Lord but I feel like it's been Him that's given me the gift. Virginia is home. There's a part of my heart that will always be here.

xoxo

Sister Kelly


Cafe Río with the Fullers


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