November 17, 2008

I hope I can make this week sound interesting. President Summerhays has been putting emphasis on goals, how to set realistic goals and then working to achieve them. This week we met most of our goals. I was very excited about that but man we worked our butts off to do it. I'm not so sure it was worth it.

Oh something I forgot to tell you last week, when we went over to teach Avonlea I heard some familiar tunes coming from the family room - I jumped up and ran over in time to see Firefly come on to the screen. I freaked out a little, who would have thought I'd find fellow Brown Coats way out here. The fact that I knew the show made her Dad like me a little more so - Joss Whedon will help me bring people into the church. There is good in most things.

Tuesday we had a lesson with Deborah, she is a referral from President, Sister Hartman has been trying to get hold of her for the past six months...we did it! Deborah lives in our area but will be going to a different Branch (we got the Stake Presidents approval) so we had the Relief Society President from the Branch that she will be attending come to the lesson. The two of them hit it off beautifully and I see good things happening. Unfortunately Deborah is yet another slow mover. She doesn’t like commitment and getting her to agree to a follow-up appointment was a diplomatic whirlpool. She is open and interested but it's gonna take a while.

We have been volunteering at a Ballet Studio to help them get ready for the Nutcracker. It was a lot of fun - I was having nostalgia while I hauled scenery and backdrops around. We also helped sew costumes what a trip down memory lane. One of the members here works at the Studio and her daughter is performing in the Nutcracker.

We have been preparing for a baptism this Saturday, it's for an eight-year-old so it doesn’t count toward our goals, but no one in the Branch knew how to get ready for a baptism so we got the job.

One of the miracles I witnessed this week was a huge answer to prayer. The member that we live with, Sister Combs is organizing a big group trip to see Twilight Friday night (notice the knife being twisted around in my heart) and she asked us who we knew that might want to come. We gave her a list of names and like 20 minutes later she came up to our apartment and started witnessing of the importance of sisterhood, Relief Society, Visiting Teaching and monthly activities. She said she had no idea how hungry some of these women were for interaction with other adults. We were like... Yes! Someone understands that all our work with less actives means nothing if they don't have a friend to rally around them. It made me so happy to see that she saw a need and now is ready and willing to fill it. I love it when good things like this happen.

Friday was hard. We won't talk about it.

Saturday we were so busy we didn't have time to take even a 10 minute lunch which is good, but I should have packed something to take on the go. So Saturday completely made up for Friday. We started working with Sydney, he is Lawrence (the Cajuns) brother - I love Sydney. He has a beautiful spirit and is excited and hungry for "the Lord's sweet word" I love it. The sucky days are always made up for ten fold by amazing days that make me want to be a missionary forever.

Sunday Kim was asked to give a 5-10 min talk about her conversion and testimony. She had us preview it the night before so we knew it would be fabulous - it was even better in church. While prepping her for it last week we told her about, Thankimonies, and Storymonies and defined a Testimony for her. She called us and told us she had had to re-write her whole talk 'cause it was a Prayerimony. So she did give a beautiful Testimony and we are so proud and happy for her.

Yes we have been hearing about the protests around the Temple and the white powder but we didn't get the memo till just now that it was a hoax.

I forgot the Sister Benfield stuff in my re-write didn't I? Oh boy - OK - so Tasha, (that's her first name) is now living in Utah and working. They don't really know what is wrong with her stomach - it still hurts sometimes so she's just having to deal with it. But the thing I wanted to tell you was that last week she and Heather (Smithers) went by the house to come visit ya'll but you weren’t there, they took pictures on the Utah shaped grass, I thought it was funny.

Thanks so much for sending the Ward Newsletter - it was lots of fun to read.

I've been trying to think about what I want or need for Christmas but I'm having a hard time coming up with anything. We were at Dillard's a little while ago and I saw that there are some animals that go with my Nativity now. That would be cool. You wouldn't need to send that to me just take a picture. Shirts would be nice too. I'm really bored with my wardrobe which is ironic 'cause in the past I haven't had as many clothes as I do now - go figure.

Well that's about it. I love you all very much and I love your letters. Keep it up!

Church is true. Book is blue. Write Kelli letters and have a nice day. Kelli