E-mail - September 2, 2008

I'm getting transferred! I'm so excited. I get to go to Panama City Beach and I'll serve with Sister Hartman again! (Kelli and Sister Hartman were companions at the MTC). (Click on the mission map under the date 5/3/08 - Tallahassee Florida - and you can see where she is being transferred). I am a little disappointed that I can't stay 'cause I'll miss the people and I fully expect three baptisms here in the next four or so months. I'm also a little nervous 'cause everyone I've talked to says how campus missionary work is so different from everywhere else. I may have to re-learn how to be a missionary. My p-days are now on Monday and no more emailing 2 times a week. Oh well - pros and cons to everything. I get on the "Transfer Van" tomorrow at 8 am and off I go. Yippie!

Taylor, your painting is beautiful! I am in awe of your amazingness! Keep it up girl! (See attached picture of Taylor's latest watercolor).

Dad, I have seen the 17 Points of the True Church before but I forgot the story behind it. I'm going to write them all down for future reference. The CD would be really cool. If you come across any other CD's - music or otherwise - send them my way. I only have one CD out here and I'm sick of it.

(Kelli sent home a memory card - it contained a video of a debate between two Elders about "The Catalyst" - we asked what it was - this is her answer). The Catalysts come from the dark abyss known as Elder Call's mind. It started with his idea on how to convert the entire campus in one day - complete with rabid dogs and killer bees. Also, one of the members here would come down on jets dressed up like the Savior. This then led to him cooking up ways to make the Second Coming happen a little faster, such as taking the Book of Revelations and helping the prophesies come to pass. The people that do this are called "The Catalysts". Needless to say the whole idea lasted about as much time as it took to cook it up - it was p-day - we were bored.

Yesterday the ward didn't have FHE so we and a couple of girls got together and did our own FHE. We did the story of Samuel and Lamanite and ended up having a huge marshmallow fight. Good times.

Yes - I have my charm bracelet here - please send the new Storytelling Festival charm my way.

Lots of love, Kelli

E-mail - August 30, 2008

I loved the magic trick! I don't know if I'll use it but who knows I might get desperate enough. Your birthday party looked like all kinds of fun (Michael turned 50 on Thursday!) I heard from Benny, but they still don't know anything. She went to a Gynecologist last week and is still waiting for those results.

The weather is humid - very humid. We probably won't get the storm till Tuesday if we get it. I love this hurricane's name - Gustoff. I've heard a lot about McCains running mate, everyone seems to like her so who knows.

Dad, I loved your speech about books - I totally agree. I miss my books. I've made it a personal goal to read the Missionary Library before coming home. I'm in the middle of Exodus right now and I'm on round two with the Book of Mormon. I've finished Our Heritage and I'm almost done with True to the Faith and Our Search for Happiness. I have a long way to go with Jesus the Christ - it is quite a brain teaser.

We have two progressing investigators now. Colleen and Lindsey. Colleen is a member referral and is doing great. Lindsey walked into the institue and said that she knows a lot of Mormons and she wants to learn about this church. We're real excited for that. There are two recent converts in the ward too that we get to teach. I love teaching - it is so much better than pounding pavement on campus.

I almost forgot - Casey, who is coming for conference, her almost boyfriend's mother was begging to have her stay at their house while in town. I told her ya'll wouldn't mind if she didn't stay over but she had to come meet you.

Elder Dial goes home Wednesday. We went to Chilies earlier this afternoon for his farewell dinner.

I did get the green juice and the shirts, but I have to return the shirts 'cause they're too casual. Thanks for looking for me - I really appreciate it.

Well, I gotta run - we're teaching a new member lesson in about half an hour. Love ya, Kelli

E-mail August 25, 2008

Yesterday was really cool. We had Stake Conference and they changed the Stake Presidency. Elder Johnson from the 70 came to oversee the change and spoke. He was full of enthusiasm and humor. He told us there was only one thing wrong with this stake and that is that there aren't enough people in it. He reminded the members that their duty is to find people and that the missionaries job is to teach them. President Summerhays spoke also and committed the new stake president to focus on missionary work. It was fun.

We had dinner with the Bowcutt family last night. It was lots of fun and a little crazy. We played Scum and had a jolly good time.

The red on our porch steps is not blood (I was just wondering - Mom) it is actually brick underneath the cement. The cement has chipped off and the brick shows through.

We have Zone Conference on Wednesday - Gotta run - Love ya, Kelli

Wet. Very Wet. Email- August 23, 2008

The title says it all. I am very wet. Yes we are in the midst of a tropical storm. Which means that it rains and rains and rains and the wind blows. It started raining Thursday night and has yet to stop. No one seems particularly worried. We got a text from the mission office yesterday telling us to "Drive Safe". That would be fine if we had a car.

I got your card and the night shirt from Disneyland - I was planning to take a picture of me in it but forgot. I'll get around to it soonish. I love the shirt, I've missed my big old shirts that I swiped from dad. I got the wedding invites too. Busy summer looks like.

We went to FAMU for the first time this week. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was a bit of a let down. Just a normal college campus with people. They were much nicer to us than people at FSU. Three of the people I talked to had several Books of Mormon at home, apparently we (missionaries) are so nice that they just like talking to us even though they have no intention of joining. While there we got invited to lunch at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry. We figured why not? We had a good time and met lots of people. One in particular was Jean - he is from Haiti and speaks fluent English, French, and Spanish. He loves soccer and the ward has a soccer game every Friday - we got him a ride - I hope he had fun doing that.

Later that same day at FSU there was a big Christian Fellowship gathering - I saw a lot of people that I talk to on a regular basis there - I'm not going to lie - I was kind of frustrated to see no LDS students there. After pondering that night I went to talk to Br. Bowcutt. A large part of the reason we don't have the opportunity to teach much is that people have friends in their church groups and are not to willing to give that up for something new. I was hoping to integrate more LDS kids there so that they would have LDS friends and help make our teaching pool bigger. LDSSA, the student organization on campus, is not part of the Christian Fellowship. While talking to Br. Bowcutt he sensed my frustration and asked me if we worship the same God they do. I replied that yes we do - he pushed me to think deeper. They believe in one God who is 3 things all at once. We worship a God made of flesh and blood. That is why Mormons aren't considered Christian. I never knew why we weren't considered Christian, and now I do. But we came up with a new plan of action. School starts on Monday, and we have about two weeks after that to get people involved at the Institute, make friends there and then convert them. Yesterday we made fliers and Sister Bowcutt was mad that we couldn't use color on them, since we had to stay in all day because of the weather we sat and colored all the fliers. We're not finished yet, but we should get that done today.

I'm sending pictures of our place but the one I have of the inside I deleted 'cause it was really messy - I'll take another one and get it to you Monday. The other picture I'm sending is just for kicks and giggles. We were going to a dinner appointment and this guy on a bike was riding by us and his shorts were falling off - so I took a picture.

I think that's it. I love y'all. Thanks so much for all the love and support you give me. This is not an easy experience - but totally worth it.

Lots of love, Kelli

E-mail - August 18, 2008

I got your card the other day - it made me smile - thank you. So the sister missionary movie looks good? I'm afraid I've lost faith in most LDS movies - one of the Elders has the sound track to Sons of Provo, I don't know if you remember watching that, but it was really bad. The Best Two Years and The Other Side of Heaven are the only good ones I've seen. Let me know if I can find hope in LDS films again.

When I send those shirts home I will send a memory card with them. Amanda has all Benny's pictures on her computer so I want to get those as well.

Yesterday was a fun filled day. We went to two wards, we will be teaching a soon to be Sorority girl. Rush starts later this week, there is a rumor that the Tri Delts initiation involves the Elders, getting a tie or name tag or something like that. We also had two dinner appointments yesterday. It was my first time - I have been assured that it won't be the last. They were about two hours apart so it wasn't too bad. At the first one we played Go Fish for about an hour then left to our next one. We were teaching Mileena and they fed us. We did the Armour of God with her, and she may be able to stay - we'll see as time goes by.

Anyway - that's me. Thank you so much for all you do. Love you lots - Kelli

E-mail - August 16, 2008

Bible Study Group
Back row - Adrain, Blaire, Benny, Kelli, Janelle
Front row - Scorseby, Kathy, Shaday

Zone Picture
Back row - Russon, Holemo, Carroll, Christensen, Dial, Call, Young
Front row - Scoresby, Benny, Kelli (eye's closed) Costello, Smith

District Picture
Back row - Christensen, Russon, Dial, Call, Bowcutt
Front row - Scoresby, Benny, Kelli, Bowcut

Everyone is talking about Michael Phelps. Amanda was telling us after one of his races, where he broke his own world record, that he was upset because he had done it faster and better before. That kind of drive is amazing to me.

The Bowcutt's told us about the French and how the commentators were amazed that the US had won. Apparently you could hear the shock in their voices.

Dad, I have to say that your play by play was brilliant. I could hear it in my head and visualize it. Maybe you should change careers and commentate for sports. I'm just saying.

As for politics, I found a thing that has Obama's and McCain's platforms side by side so you could compare them. I read them both and was so mad that I had to throw the paper away. I've decided that I hope the worst one gets in so that after he ruins the country we will look and say, "Huh - I think the founding fathers had the way of it" and then go back to our roots. Would it be a Bush - Clinton thing if I voted for a 3rd party? Oh boy. This morning we were studying Hope and I found new meaning in Ether 12:4 "Wherefore, whoso believeith in God might with surety hope for a better world..." So conclusion, I believe and trust God. He has promised hope for a better world - I hope that the world he meant was the one we live in - not the one here to come.

Anyway - moving on ... this has been a very eventful week. Or maybe not really eventful. One big thing happened that changed the whole week. Benny went home on Wednesday. President called at about 12:30 on Tuesday and told her she was on a plane at 5:30 am Wednesday. She cried for a bit, but she ended up being more excited as the day went on. She missed Amanda's patriartical blessing. By the by - Amanda's blessing was all sorts of cool. Tuesday night we had our Bible study group and one of the girls had run into Janelle and the Elders at the park so Janelle was there to say goodbye to Benny. But the best part was when Janelle laid the smack down on the group for purposefully misinterpreting a passage in Hebrews. I was so proud.

I miss Benny lots, but now that she is gone Sister Scoresby is opening up lots more. Yesterday during comp study I couldn't get a word in edgewise - so it's going good.

I haven't received the Liquid Veggies or card, but if you sent the veggies to the mission office I probably won't get them till Zone conference. The card will probably be here today or Monday. It's fine to send stuff through the mail, we live in a cul-de-sac that is kind of cut off from the rest of the street so I'm not worried about that. I will make sure to get you a picture on Monday. I will definately get a measuring tape 'cause I'm dying for some new clothes. It's too hot to wear all the sweaters we bought and two of my shirts are long sleeved so I pretty much wear the same 4 shirts, well 3 now since one is busted, over and over again.

That's cool that Dan is meeting with a former Florida Tallahassee Missionary. Someday I will be one of those too.

Anyway that's about it - Love ya - Kelli

E-mail - August 11, 2008

Not much has happened since Saturday. We went to church - Mileena's parents forgot about our appointment so we got a ride with Melanie and did less active visits and tracting. Today the Bowcutts are feeding our entire district (about 15 missionaries) lunch - I love them very much but they are a little nuts!

I forgot to tell you - Amanda is trying to transfer to BYU. She is going to do Fall Semester here and apply in the Winter. The Institute Director here says he can pull a few strings for her especially since she is a recent convert. Amanda is also getting her Patriartical Blessing on Wednesday.

No - we don't get to watch the Olympics, but the members usually tell us a little about what is happening. Thank you for getting me my green juice - I'm so excited to get my souvenir - mail is the best thing ever.

If I send two of my shirts home can you fix them? One needs the zipper replaced or just to be sewn so there is no more need for the zipper and the other has a hole in the seam. I think that should be easy to fix. I could probably do it by hand but I don't really want to. Let me know if that is OK.

I love Whitney's henna tatto - it's in the same place I got mine - twins!

Have a great week and I look forward to hearing from y'all Saturday. Peace and Love, Kelli