November 29, 2009

Pictures:  At the Dunns with Avonlea and Denita; at Sherry's me and Sister Hartman; me and Sister Short after day one of service together.

I loved the Thanksgiving day pictures! It's fun to see the whole fam together like that. That hike in Zion's National Park up to Angels landing looked like a killer I am very impressed in all who attended. Being back on campus for just 3 days I quickly found that sitting in a car for 2 transfers did not help me stay in shape. Sister Hartman and I exercised every morning but then we were in the car all day after that. I plan to be back up to par by the end of next week, then start improving.

I love that Sherrie called you. She asked us for all our parents info and when I called her on Tuesday to let her know that I had made it safe to Tally she said that she talked to you. Sherrie is investigating the church. She keeps telling us she felt she has been lead to us.

Transfers were crazy. Monday after I emailed ya'll we went home so I could start packing - I was running around like a crazy person trying to make everything fit and Sister Hartman was sitting back watching me. Then Sister Combs (the member we live next to) came running up the stairs and exclaimed, "You're both leaving?" we're like, no just Sister Wilcox is leaving, Sister Hartman is staying here. Sister Combs said, "I just got a call from the mission office saying that the apartment would be empty for a while but they still wanted it so to keep it open for the missionaries." We (Hartman and I) were very doubtful of this and called the Mission office ourselves. Turns out the Sister that Hartman was supposed to train has diabeties and will be staying at the MTC until they can get it under better control. So there was much shuffling going on. Hartman is now in Destin with Scooresby and Sister Stowers (the one with heart problems) Panama City Beach is closed for now - I am whitewashing (all the missionaries are new to the area) and training in Tally.

Monday was a nuttso day. Hartman and I were up till like 2 am trying to pack up the entire apartment - get it cleaned and ready for whoever will reopen Panama City Beach. Stressed is a relative term to what we actually felt.

Tuesday we drove to Crestview and I got in the car with President and went to all the transfer spots with him. I love that man, we spent a good part of the time making an anology between people and books. We got into Tally about 6 p.m. - met my trainee, Sister Short (no she's not actually short, about 6 ft) we are having a great time and working hard.

I laugh at all of you for not knowing where Christmas stuff goes, I knew you needed me! But I mean really - it's not that difficult - pick a spot and stick it on there - if you don't like it move it - it's easy. Sister Short and I are going to decorate our apartment this afternoon - it's gonna be awesome! By the way yes - I am in the same duplex, and I will hear no naysay about it. I picked that apartment because it had a washer and dryer in it. I save $20 a month by living there, it's quite and there are no visible drugs around. The first place I lived in Tally was its opposite.

For Thanksgiving we had District Meeting in the morning - went to campus for a few hours after that - then had dinner at a member of the Stake Presidency's house. I know his daughter, Alysee, from the singles ward and so I had someone to help catch me up on all the going ons of the ward. After leaving there we took some left overs to an investigators house who was staying here for the holiday but we forgot that he was a vegetarian and remembered just as he was opening the door. Oops, he said it was the thought that counted and he could eat the potatoes and stuffing.

As for my release date, sisters 18th month mark fall in the middle of transfers so you go home 3 weeks early or 3 weeks late. So I will be home September 17 or Oct 29, 2009.

Thank you so much for making me some CDs! Music is a wonderful blessing.

Today is the Florida State vs Florida University game. It's a home game. We had a lesson at 11 this morning - we figured it wouldn't get crazy till 2 in the afternoon (game starts at 3:30) we were wrong. There are people everywhere, our District Leader told us to go in early tonight 'cause it's going to be so insane.

It's so good to be back - the politics haven't changed but I've had several people call me and tell me how glad they are that I'm back. It made me feel good.

Well that's about it for me - I'm sending some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Love ya! Kelli