Monday, December 15, 2008

Our chat was all kinds of fun. (Mom here - Kelli and I were on line at the same time and chatted back and forth for about an hour on Saturday - it was very fun!) I love being able to bounce ideas off you and hear what you have to say about them. I did that lots when I was driving around with Jared. I'd think of something strange and call you or dad to see what you thought and to see if you could add something to it. I love that.

My neck is better it's still big but no longer noticeably so - unless you are me and are overly critical about my appearance.

I'm so jealous of the snow. We are on our bikes today and were sweating up a storm I wouldn't be opposed to some white fluffy goodness. It's still gets cold here but it's a wet cold that gets into your bones and doesn't go away no matter how many layers you have on.

There really isn't anything that I need - lots of stuff I want but it is useless to me on the mission. I am very excited for ya'll to get the Christmas presents I got you. I'm especially proud of the wrapping paper.

I'm glad to hear you made it in the Moab 1/2 Marathon dad - good luck - I'm all for you walking if you need to.

(Mom again - in our chat Kelli mentioned the trials she has experienced - I asked her about them - she said:) Mom, my mission is a trial in and of itself. It has tested my patience, diligence, charity, knowledge, hope, faith... the list goes on - if there is a way to stretch me or ask me to change it has been presented in one form or another. My mission has and will change me and the way that I live my life. Like President said - the Master is slowly breaking me in and he's doing it in ways that ensure I listen to Him. I cringe a little at the thought of how much farther I have to go. I'm still not the woman He needs me to be - someday I'll get there.

Anyway that's about it. We went caroling yesterday - we ran into a very drunk/high guy who wanted to sing with us - that was interesting.

Gotta go. Love ya'll. Kelli

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Amanda cut my hair and then straightened it!

We've had a crazy/great week. It's finals week here on FSU so we were afraid to go tracting and have some crazed student beat us. But we had many lessons and lots of service - all mixed in with drama. I kind of forgot how dramatic the Singles Ward is - but here I am in the midst of it.

Tuesday was lots of fun, we had 4 lessons back to back. Seth was one of those appointments and he is going strong. He's home for the break but we found the church for him at home so he can stay uplifted. One of our potentials seems to be ready to become a progressing. We helped her pack up her apartment yesterday and load it in her car. She is very sweet and seems to like us and the message we have to share so when she gets back I expect to see great things.

I've been having a sore throat for about 2 weeks now. One day this week I woke up and my neck was swollen to about 3 times its regular size. I looked like a chipmonk. I ignored it for about 3 hours before I broke and called Sis Summerhays to see if I could go to the doctor - I got quick permission - Sis Bowcutt took us. Turns out that I have Enlarged Lymph Nodes. Which means that there is nothing wrong with me. Lymph Nodes are the good guys and the doctor said that they were working extra hard to get rid of the bad guys and had gotten really big in the process.

And can I say that I'm not that sorry that you didn't get Wicked tickets? 'Cause if you had I would have had to use the enabling power of the Atonement to beat back the green eyed monster. And that's never fun.

I finished Christmas shopping this week I hope to get everything sent of to ya'll today.

I've been getting better at texting - we do it a lot on campus - I'm still slow but better than I have been in the past.

As for dad's sweater that Whitney wore to the ugly sweater party - which one did she take? She might well be justified - they were great in the 80's but now...well anyway. I'm sure it won't scar you for life dad - just a little bruise. You'll be better in no time.

That's it for me, I've got some fun pics to send your way.

Peace and Love to you all!

Kelli

The weekend was a little nuts on my end. Saturday after I wrote y'all we had a lesson - unfortunately she ditched us - but that's OK - we know where she lives and can find her again.

Amanda cut my hair - it looks very cute. She also straightened it for me - I have pictures but it will have to wait till Saturday for me to get them to you.

We had a baptism on Sunday that I was in charge of. It was kind of a mess - but the only one that knew it was a mess was me because it came off beautifully - in the end anyway.

Congrats to Drake for running that marathon - go you!!!

Well, that's about it. I'll write again soon.

Kelli

I loved the letters I got from the family gathering! It was fun to read and imagine the goings on of the fam. Benjaman's were my favorite, he drew 3 pictures just for me! I miss that kid, all of you really but I'm grateful for the time that I have to be here and get life experiences I couldn't get any other way.

Congratulations dad on surviving your trip to California.

Sounds like THF and home are the same - things break and need fixing, was it the fridge that wigged out on us last year? I don't remember.

I bought tangerines earlier in the week but they have seeds in them - the last one I ate had 23 seeds in it. It's kind of annoying but Costco is far, far away.

Caroling is all kinds of good. We've done it twice this week with varying success. The first night we got 3 new investigators the 2nd we didn't get any so who knows, we'll keep trying.

We've done lots of tracting and had several really good lessons - I look forward to meeting up with these people again. We spent lots of time praying about Seth (he was supposed to get baptized yesterday) by Thursday we still hadn't met him but got a hold of him at the last minute thanks to prayer. He is not ready to be dunked yet but has a new date in January. He is a good kid and has lots of potential. Melissa is getting baptized Sunday. She isn't one of our investigators but we get to plan the baptism.

Sister Short's mom sent her a little Christmas tree so now we have two trees at our place - we are oh so festive and the Christmas music just makes it that much better.

I'm going to send you pictures of our trees. Lucky you.

That's about it. I love you all and I love your emails and letters. It's great to hear from ya'll.

Kelli

Congrats on being King of the card game Scum mom! I'm glad ya'll had a great week full of fun.

Sister Short is 21 she is from Gilbert Arizona and she is wonderful. We work hard - have lots of fun while we work - and have similar ideas on how to go about things. She is very fond of making cookies and giving them to investigators. It's not a route I've ever tried - but I'm willing to give it a go.

As a district we are going to start going caroling on a regular basis especially when school gets out. Then after we sing we will share a message with whoever listened and then teach and baptize them. That's the grand plan anyway.

We decorated for Christmas after I wrote ya'll on Saturday. We have a small tree and a little nativity. I took a picture but forgot to bring the cord - I'll pass it on next week. Saturday we also went bowling, I got 4th out of 5th with a grand score of 74. Fifth place had a score of 24 so I didn't feel too bad about my score in comparison.

We have a baptism on Friday then another on Sunday. I have yet to meet either one of them but I will and it's gonna be fun planning those.

Peace and Love, Kelli

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

November 24, 2008

Guess what! You never will so I'll tell you...I'm going back to Tally! I'm going to be training and I'll be back on good ol' Florida State University. I am so excited I can hardly stand it. It was a huge shock. President called me Tuesday but we were in a lesson so we didn't answer - then we played phone tag for a day and 1/2 till finally he said - "I'll see you tomorrow at Zone Conference, we'll talk then". OK fine - but the curiosity was eating at me a little.

He pulled me in for our interview right before lunch and asked me how I was and if I wished to share anything with him. Putting off my curiosity - I talked with him about things I wanted to get his advice on. Anyway President then - with no lead in - bluntly asked how I would feel about going back to Tally and training. I think my jaw must have hit the floor! He told me a little about what is going on there and apparently it's going to be a slightly strange situation, Sister Scooresby and the other sister there are going to stay for a week while we "transition" then they are moving on to Destin to open it for Sisters.

The other sister in Tally (I don't know her name) has heart problems that are aggravated by stress so President is going to move slowly to try and help her. But I'm going walking into 5 baptism confirmation dates - two of which I know and three I don't - so it's good that they are sticking around for a bit as I find my footing there again.

Because of Turkey Day - transfers are a day early so that those that are going home will be there for Thanksgiving. So tomorrow I get on the transfer van and head back to the worlds greatest place. I can't wait! Sadly I will be spending the day packing not a fun p-day but whatever.

So in light of this news I know exactly what Sister Hartman will be doing Turkey Day however I don't really know what I will be doing. Since I write again on Saturday I'll let you know then what I did. I was talking with Sister Hartman and I jokingly said that I think that Mom had prayed me back to Tally so she could get two letters a week.

Oh - something else President and I talked about that I found amusing - he compared me to a spirited filly (horse) and he said that the Lord was a master trainer and that he was slowly breaking me in the proper way so that soon I could win races for him. If anyone besides President had used this analogy I might have been a little insulted but he's so loving that it was actually very sweet.

It's been kind of weird knowing so far ahead that I'm going to leave - I've had time to say good bye when usually you don't and it makes it all a little harder. But some good things have come from it. Last night we went to Sherries for dinner it was the first time we have been in her home and she really opened up to us, the reason we were invited was because I am going. My leaving kind of pushed her a little more than it would if I were staying - so that's a good thing. I get to be with Amanda - so that is another good thing - and apparently the Lord thinks I can help the people in Tally - so ... off I go.

I have another request, will you please burn a bunch of Christmas CD's for me? It's almost that time and I'm ready for some Christmas magic. I really want the Forgotten Carols and all the traditional stuff we have at home. Manheim Steam Roller, Barbara, Mariah, Celine, Josh, Clay... you know the good ones.

Oh and if you feel so inclined I really want the Prince of Egypt sound track.

I love you all! Have a great week, I'll write again soon. Saturday! Don't forget to write me please!

Love ya, Kelli