She's Back!

Beautiful flowers from Scott and Aselin and kids!
Smiley faces from Debbie Crosby!
Taylor
Whitney, Kelli, Mom
This is the Wilcox version of sign making without a computer!
Kelli with Maloney grandparents G.K. and Ann

She's Back!

Sisters together again - Taylor, Kelli, Whitney
Grandma Maloney, Sister Kelli Wilcox, Grandma Wilcox
Sisters! Not much has changed - Whitney and Taylor called the sides of the car and Kelli got the hump.
Below - Kelli with Grandma and Grandpa Wilcox

She's Back!

Mom and Dad reunited with Sister Wilcox!
Sister Wilcox and Dad
Sister Wilcox with Grandma and Grandpa Maloney
Sister Whitney and Sister Wilcox - Grandpa Maloney watching the reunion

Below - Kelli with Grandma and Grandpa Wilcox

She's Back!

More Wilcox Grandparent hugging
Grandpa Wilcox and Kelli

Taylor and Kelli
Mom finished crying and gazing at Kelli

Below - Big hug for Mom and Keli

She's Back!

Is it really you?
Zoom in on Julie's face - it is anticipation at its best!

Here she comes!
There she is!

Dad was at the top of the stairs and got the first hug

She's Back!

Mom and Dad - waiting
Watching and waiting with Sign

Here come Grandma and Grandpa Maloney

Below - Wilcox Grandparents were already at the airport when we arrived

Florida is Crying With Me

I am very very very wet. There needs to be some sort of punctuation in the middle of that sentence but I'm not sure where or what. Sister Hall and I took 4 boxes to the Post Office today for me to mail home so that my suit cases are not too heavy and it was down pouring. I look and feel like a drowned rat. Earlier today I burned some stuff and then threw the rest away as it began to rain, I still smell like camp fire.

I'm glad ya'll had fun with all those kids from your BYU Ward. It sounds like quite the party! Guess what? You never will, a member here gave me her son's phone number he lives up by 7 Peaks and is actually pretty cute. So I've almost got a date lined up. Yay me.

I emailed my friends and I'm hoping to meet up with them Friday or Saturday night but that is all I have planned so far.

So while I'm still a missionary on Thursday what do you want to do? I want to go to the Temple. We can watch the Joseph Smith movie and do the Visitors Center thing and I can do a bunch of Initiatories and an Endowment. Or if that is too much for those who are working really hard to not die we'll mozy on down to Provo and I can go to the Temple there. Just so long as I go I don't care all that much which Temple it winds up being. Oh I could go to the Draper one too! So many choices - I love Utah for that fact alone. One temple in the state of Florida is not enough.

So Sheila was able to work through the outside forces which I'll tell you about in person and is getting baptized Saturday. I made a bid for it being today but Elder Levacy-Sabin didn't think I was serious and completely ignored me. So I'll miss her baptism but I'll get odells of pictures so it will be OK.

We've been running around like chickens with our heads cut off all week. I have massive dark circles under my eyes and I can't hide them very well with make-up anymore. I've been waking up around 3 or 4 am everyday ready to get going and staying awake till 6:30 finally rolls around. I keep telling people I'm gonna sleep when I get home but now I'm not so sure I'll be able too. Lame much.

Friday we went up to Bristol to hear from Elder Gonzales of the 70. On the way there, Sister Hall and I got lost. Our directions were not so good - they told us to go right when we were actually supposed to go left. 14 miles later... we found it in the end, and pulled in just after President and Elder Gonzales so we got to shake his hand which was cool 'cause only three other people got to as well.

Tori's husband was in the hospital this week, they still don't know what is wrong with him but he seems to be doing OK - we spent about two hours with him yesterday.

We had a funeral for Elder Levacy-Sabin and myself, I laid on a table with a sheet over me and people said their "last words" to me. It was fun, Sister Hall got it all on tape so I'll be making a CD of it. Um, yeah that's the important stuff. I've still got lots of packing to do. See you soon!

Love,

Kelli

Since yesterday was Labor Day we had to go work - I think I forgot to tell ya'll that. Oopps. Sorry. So happy late P-day!

Carmen Deedy came to the Story Telling Festival this year! She hasn't been in ages. I can't believe I missed her appearance. What was this years charm? My bracelet is getting full I might need to transfer it to a necklace. Hmmm we'll see. I knew that Nathan Fillion had a new show but I didn't know anything about it. I'm really excited. I was at a members house, gosh like 2 weeks ago, and saw a preview for Bones. I nearly died. I didn't even try to pretend I wasn't watching the commercial. Then it was over and I was normal again.

As for the 27th I have no idea. (That is the date for Kelli's Sacrament Meeting talk). I haven't managed to think past the BYU/FSU game on the 19th. Do I have to decide now? I don't even know how normal I'll be, I might be a crazy person! People may not want to come see the crazy lady that spent way too long in the south. I was listening to myself talk the other day, I have developed an odd accent that really only comes through on words with long "i" in them. Not to mention the "Yes, Sir." and "No Sirs." I'm about to get teased. Daggum.

Oh well - on with the my going ons of the week. We found out late Monday night that a Sister in the ward, Tori Piercy had an emergency appendectamy (totally guessed on the spelling) on Sunday. The RS of the ward really stepped up they had people there in the morning helping with the kids and then they brought in meals too. Sister Hall and I went to help clean and chat. It was good to see the ward be so united in a cause. It made my heart glad. We have another Sister, Mini Stewart who had two stints put in that we visited. She is so fiesty. It's fun.

We made Brother Gibbons a Auborn State Football cake to thank him for speaking at Laura's baptism - he had been really nervous about it. I baked the cake and made Sister Hall decorate it - we all know how artistic I am free hand :)

Saturday the PCB Elders had a baptism I went to go support them and surprise surprise it was Anita Shook! Sister Hartman and I had started teaching her a year ago and I got to be here to see her baptism. It was a wonderful experience.

We finally got Karen to go to church! We sat with Nick (her son) in Nursery for the two hours so his mom could be there. We'll probably have to do it again.

Sheila's Baptism has been postponed. She is ready but other outside forces are coming in to play and she doesn't want it to be tainted by these things. I'm sad that I'll miss it but I'm very proud of her for recognizing the importance of letting some things go before she makes a covenant with God.

That's all I've got to say about that. I love hearing from you - thank you for all the love that I feel coming from all directions. Have a blessed day.

Kelli

Congrats Teil! Thanks for sending the photo you look fantastic. I look forward to seeing you in the next couple of months. Let me know what I can do to help (Kelli's cousin Teil got engaged)

Mom, you have and ewwy baggy! That's what we called them in the nursing home. (I have a tube draining my kidney - a little complication) Having a plan of action is good I'm glad you and the Dr know what your gonna do and how it's all gonna work out. Finally I get to help ya'll. It's been very frustrating being on the other side of the country knowing that I can't do a blessed thing for ya'll besides carry on and pray lots. While prayer does initiate miracles sometimes it's nice just to be there. Like dad was talking about when he was still in pain, lots of pain but when his wife was holding his hand he knew it was ok.

Sorry about all the confusion about my release date. President and I had talked about it when Short was still here but turns out the system didn't know when I entered the MTC making a mess of everything. Their dates were wrong so I knew it would all work out but I didn't know ya'll were sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear too. Sorry I would have told you more about it if I'd known the office got involved with you. (We received a letter saying Kelli would be home October 29th but it is September 17th!)

Aidea! Yeah! Yeah!! Yeah!!! I know I will always enjoy musicals. President Monson is "Show-aholic" I think it's perfectly acceptable for me to be as well. What I'll like as far as fashion is concerned that's a whole different ball game. I may need a fashion consultant, someone that can tell me whether or not I should be on "What-Not-To-Wear".

Moving on - my week was good.

In other news Laura's baptism was most excellent. We had a minor freak out when we couldn't get a hold of her the day before her scheduled date but all was well. She is very similar to Farah in that she completely turned her life around in just under two months. She is a different woman. It is such a blessing to be involved in that change.

Miss Sheila set a baptism date for Sept 12 the Saturday before I leave. She is good. She worked hard to gain a testimony and is now eager to build on the foundation she has. She is full of good questions and is going to be a power house for good. She's having a hard time with tithing she's a single mom and works as a teachers aid which doesn't pay well. What finally got her is when we told her that only full tithe payers are considered worthy to enter the Temple. She then committed to live the law. But dang it took a lot of prayer and the Holy Ghost testifying and the two of us testifying before we finally got there. That was a long lesson. 3 1/2 hrs - My brain hurt at the conclusion of it.

Yesterday we went over to my favorite part member family's house. Brother Jack isn't a member he's the one we went to the non-denominational church with a few weeks ago. We talked about what we had felt and learned there and how we can add to it. He knows that the church is true but he needs to take the baby steps there. He is happy learning about the Savior this way and he knows that he will be baptized and sealed to Andrea but he is going to do it on his time table. Little does he know that he's actually working on the Lords time table. I can't wait for him to get smacked up-side the head. It's gonna be fun.

Well that's me in a nut shell. I love you all very much and I'll see you soon!

Kelli

Just know that I pray for ya'll every night and expect to see semi healthy people in 24 days. No exceptions.

Speaking of healthy. I was sick this week. I'm on the mend now I had a mild case of the flu but we were so busy I didn't have time to sleep it off. I just had to take lots of vitamins - drink lots of water and try not to touch anyone. I spent most of yesterday morning pulling dead skin off my nose cause I'd rubbed it raw. That was fun.


Tuesday we did service for a recently widowed woman whom we'll begin teaching this week. We've met everyday with Sheila and she is so much fun to teach she has a deep thirst for truth and doesn't just take our word for it. She is anxious to find out for herself. Which is impressive and frustrating. She knows that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that the Book of Mormon is God's word to us today but she wants to make sure that Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Wodruff, Lorenzo Snow and so on were all prophets too. I gave her a bunch of talks by President Monson and she is reading those and praying about him. What a kick in the pants she is.

Wednesday we had Zone Conference it was good. Then we had another lesson with Shelia then a lesson with Laura who by the way is getting baptized on Saturday. Yippie!

Thursday we planned to take our car in to get it fixed. I learned that no matter how confident an Elder sounds when talking about cars don't freak out when he thinks you have no brake fluid. Turns out it was so full that you couldn't see it jiggling around in there. Way to scare me to death Elder. Anyway we met with Sheila again then with Miss Laura and had dinner at a members

Friday we did service - I'm getting pretty good at covering books. We had a lesson cancel for which I was exceedingly grateful as I felt like death warmed over. I went to bed only to arise 2 hrs later and go to Sheilas and then Karen's. Turns out that Karen had never been told about modern day prophets - only Joseph Smith. And she's been investing for a year now - Sigh. Well now we know where we need to go from here.

Saturday we had 6 lessons back to back we came home at 8 and went to bed.

Sunday we had meetings, church, choir, a lesson with Alissa, then dinner with the Stewart's - Good times. It's been a busy week. All the days just blur together I'm finally feeling human again and could proabably use another 5 hours of sleep to let my body recover fully.

Love you!

Kelli

Tropical Storm

Elder Levacy-Sabin trying to convince me to touch the fish. It didn't work.




You had a football in your tummy mom? No wonder you couldn't loose that last bit of "fat" you just had a football tucked away in there. Will wonders never cease? (Mom here - I had a fibroid growing and had a total hysterectomy).

Well ya all didn't give me much to comment on so I guess I'll just tell you about my week.

Monday we went fishing out by a pier. The Elders told us to get cigar minnows - they bought hooks that were too big and we caught nothing. This fish just devoured the sides of the bait and left the hook alone. I was very bored and was repulsed by the ever present smell of fishy badness. I brought my cross stitch with me and mostly did that.

Tuesday we had District Meeting. A couple in the ward took us out to lunch it was a buffet and we ate way too much. Ugh! But we had no time to sleep it off we had lessons to teach. The rest of the day was spent running to appointments and making sure that members were going to be there too.

Wed we visited with less actives and had several lessons with investigators, we taught Laura the Word of Wisdom, then at 8 had a lesson with a less active. We went in planning to teach tithing but it felt very wrong so we did peace and hope instead. It was the first time I think he actually listened to what we had to say.

Thursday we planned then Sister Hall was sick so we stayed in. I don't remember what I did so I'm betting I slept too.

Friday we had service at the Library and spent the day going way out to the edge of our area to visit less active members. Our miles for the month are shot. But we got several good visits in.

Saturday we had 3 lessons back to back. We met with Miss Betty - her husband was there and was very hostile at first but calmed down and really started talking to us after a bit. We're meeting with him on Wed. We had Ashley (a male) come with us to Miss Laura's to give her a blessing to help her over come her addictions. Then we invited her to be baptized. She agreed! Her date is set for the 29th. The day after dad's b-day. We tracted after that.

Sunday we went to Northstar Church. It's a non-denominational church out here. We went with a part member family Jack and Andrea Beaudette. We have a great rapport with them and going with them really helped soften Jacks heart. It was a good experience. And the teachings were so close to Mormon doctrine it was almost frustrating. I was sitting there going, "Yes that's true! Let me add to that truth!" They have the basics but they could have so much more. We'll keep trucking on.

Sister Hall has been planning a fireside since we got here and it was supposed to be last night but we had a tropical storm pass through and it got canceled. It wasn't nearly as bad as people expected it to be. The one that I saw in Tallahassee last year was considerably worse. Ah well. Well you now are officially caught up on my week. I hope all is well with you and that recovery to all parties is on the horizon. I love you and pray for you often!

Kelli

Another Week Flies By

Hey family!

This is going to be a very short letter. The Libray we usually go to is closed and we only get half an hour at the place we are at today. We had a good week - we worked hard, met all but one of our goals, and had good stuff happen.

I got to go to Priesthood on Sunday. We have fun size bags of M & M's for Missonary Moments and I hucked 'em at the men who shared the gospel with someone this week. It was weird sitting in there waiting for my turn to speak and being the only female in there knowing that I really don't belong - it was odd.

Um...I'm flustered the clock is blinking 11 min at me Ugh. OK I give up - I'm good, happy, and safe. I love you and keep wondering why you insist on doing huge medical procedures without me there to help. Ya bums! Ok love you! Bye.

Kelli

Hey All

You are right - it is an absolute bummer that I can't renew my CNA because I did private care not with an agency or Nursing Home. Oh well it will work out as it's supposed to in the end. The front door looks amazing. My question is, what color is the garage door? I think I know the answer but who knows - miracles happen everyday.

Good luck getting ready for school TM and enjoy getting back to the grind stone dad. You still have 2 weeks of boredom ahead of you.

We had a fantastic week. We managed to meet all of our goals which is no small miracle. We have four progressing investigators - three of which are Golden - one I think is turning into an eternal investigator - we'll see what happens. Not much of this week stands out - we tracted lots, did service, rode our bikes and I discovered that having a car has made me lazy. We will be riding more often now 'cause I didn't like how hard that ride was.

Oh! One of the service things we did was help a member who's dad had come to visit and had felled a bunch of trees leaving the mess behind for them to clean up. Sound familiar to anyone? I just laughed the whole time - I felt like I was home again.

The investigator I told you about last week, Shiela, we had a three hour lesson with her on Wednesday - it was intense. We covered most of the hard stuff - unfortunately she will be out of town for two weeks. She is one of the most prepared people I've ever met. We are going to begin teaching a girl named Alissa - she is dating a member and is hilarious - I'm looking forward to it.

We did a 24 hour fast as a mission I got dehydrated and plummeted into a hypoglycemic low. We started at 12 on Saturday and were supposed to end at 12 on Sunday - but we didn't get out of church till 2:30. We tracked almost all day Saturday - after 5 hours I decided that water was going to be allowed in my fast so I didn't kill myself. Sunday - after all we had to do was done - it was about 6 p.m. before we were able to eat. I had enough but to keep Sis Hall from going mad with boredom we went to the church and she practiced casting with a fishing rod a member gave her I laid on the stage - it was enjoyable.

Oh and Rass was just made AP. I'm so proud of my little brother! Go him. Ok - that's it for me.

Peace and love.

Kelli

Great Week!

We had a great week - we are finally into a groove that works for us. We're working well together and seeing many miracles. None of which are particularly amazing unless you are living our day to day life with us. I don't have much to report - Saturday the Stake had a big Activity in Bristol and we went with an investigator and ended up doing Karaoke. Both songs we tried were way too low for me and I was the bad voice in the group - it was embarassingly fun.

We "Heart Attacked" the Elders and Karen - one of our investigators. As a "Thank You" the Elders then bought glow sticks and we went to the church parking lot, cut them open and danced to Prince of Egypt - good times were had by all. An investigators boyfriend left her and took all her money with him, but she is still reading her Book of Mormon and came to an activity and to church. Now we don't have to get her married before we can baptize her so our job just got a little easier.

Sunday we had a wonderful surprise, a woman walked in, she's been studying the church on her own for quite some time (there is a boy involved) and she showed up at church on Sunday ready and willing to learn. Unfortunately she is not in our area so we'll meet with her this week and then we have to pass her to the Elders. But she is a single woman and she is only a mile out of our area so maybe we can keep her - we'll see what happens.

Dad, I will definitely pray for your vision to return to normal, yours and TM's are the only one in the family with naturally good eyes. But I'm not gonna lie, I really like the way you look in glasses.

Things with Sister Hall are going really well. Anyway that's my week. I'll talk to you later.

Love you!

Kelli

Onward and Upward

Our re-model of the bathroom
After Paint Ball
Before Paint Ball


Happy Birthday Grandma and Neil! I love you both!

All is well - I might change my motto from "It's All Good" to "All Is Well." I just had a very relaxing day on the bay - one of the members from the Panama City Ward is a caterer for a living - she had a bunch of left overs from a shin-dig that she did this weekend and gave us the extras. We had a picnic and threw water balloons. I am coming to find that the sound of the waves hitting the sand in a constant motion is soothing to one's soul - plus walking barefoot in the sand is better than getting a pedicure.

Reading your description of the house and all the extension cords brightened my day considerably. We are currently having a roach problem - a huge colony of them just hatched and we always keep the Raid handy. We had a brilliant companion inventory on Thursday. We noticed that there was a not small amount of roaches hanging out near the microwave. We noticed this as Sister Hall was cooking rice in the microwave for about 10 min. It was too hot in there for the Roaches to stay and several scurried out. We found two itty bitty ones in the clock on the microwave and couldn't get to them. I concluded that there must be more in there and we stuck a huge bowl full of water in the microwave and let it go for about 20 minutes. We each stood on the ready with a bottle of Raid in our hands screaming every time we saw one and then killing it with great flare and accuracy. We got around 15 roaches in that 20 minutes. The next day we found that some had hatched and there were little creepy crawlies all over the place. We killed around 40 then and put a Raid perimeter around the kitchen before going to bed. In the morning I swept up the dead ones that had thought they survived the day of mass killing but got caught in our traps that evening. There was one that was about 3 inches long EWWW! Anyway we are working really hard to keep the apartment really clean and making sure there is always Raid ready at hand. We found out from a member that Roaches love cardboard and we had a lot of it in our apartment - we threw it all away and are on our way to a Roach free zone. We may have to bomb the place one day - we'll see what happens. I totally blame the Elders for this - I'm just saying.

We were able to work really hard this week. We are starting to get into the groove of things and we are starting to feel confident-ish in how to do things here. Our numbers were OK - not great - but OK. But honestly I think this is the best week we've had here - the only place to go now is up.

The Winterton family (members here) are adopting a 2 year old boy who has no verbal communication as of yet and is missing an ear. They asked me to teach them some signs to help communicate with him. They will be getting him in about 2 weeks. He knows some signs but they are looking to teach him more. He's not really deaf just under developed making sign language a good launch board for him till he can master his verbal skills. I'm really excited - if you can't tell. Which reminds me - Thank you, thank you, thank you for renewing my CNA Certificate. I thought I'd have to take the test over and wait 3 weeks before I could get a job. Oh that takes a huge weight off my mind - you're wonderful - and so is Greg Wynn. Huzzah!

On Saturday the PCB Elders had a baptism with a girl I had worked with while I was on "The Beach". Sister Hall and I went - I saw a lot of people from the Branch out there - it was fun to walk down memory lane with them. Most of them asked me how much longer I had 'cause "You've been out forever!" Thank you - I know. Fifty-nine days to go - not that I'm counting or anything. One of the Elder told me how many weeks that was and freaked me out - it's coming way too soon. I don't know if I'm ready or if I've done all I need to - but I have 59 days to get it all done. Ready, set, go!

Congratulations on your increased mobility dad! Independence is just around the corner. I like your glasses you look very Clark Kent in them:)

Love ya'll!

Kelli

Paint Ball = Big Welt

Hey all. I'm glad to hear that your week was better. Thank you both for your letters of love and encouragement. I did get Nancy's classes letter. It was a delightful surprise.

I don't really know how to tell you about my week. I've done a huge emotional turn around in the last few days. I know when I was writing to you on Monday I sounded real down, that would be because I was. Well let me change that not down just not up? Let's go with I wasn't myself. I didn't really pull out of it till Friday. We had Zone Conference on Thursday - President gave me a blessing - a really sweet blessing but I don't remember a word of it. That's what happens when I don't write things down. After Zone Conference we really didn't have a moment to breath - we had three lessons back to back. We were very blessed in that all the lessons had a strong spirit present and it was good.

But I was still in my funk. Friday after lot's of prayer I was inspired with what to do. You should be getting it in the mail towards the end of the week. And I'm all better now. (Kelli sent me a recordable card with her voice saying "It's All Good". I told her I was in her room talking to Taylor and looking at the sign on her wall that says "It's All Good" and I wished she could call me and just say that on the answering machine. She also sent me an angel - It's a Willow Tree "Angel of Healing" - she really was inspired - it was just what I needed!)

Amber was baptized in Tally on Saturday. We had one of our investigators here in Lynn Haven at Church on Sunday. It's been a pleasant weekend.

Today we went paint balling out in the woods with a group of people. Most of whom I've never met but had a jolly good time. I'm also covered in welts presently - they are pretty impressive.

I realize this is a short letter. Sounds like things are on an upward trend for you all as well. Keep it up and I promise that next week I'll be more interesting.

Love you.

Kelli

Chat with Mom

I just read dad's email it sounds like you have been crazy busy. Are you near a computer and have a few minutes to chat?

Hey Kelli - I just sent you an email - are you still there?

Yep I just finished the big email. Fourty people over at our house? Dang. Is the kitchen construction done?

Pretty much - one door had to be remade and it isn't here yet and two hinges aren't working right yet - then it will be done! We even cleaned the whole downstairs - their is still more dusting to do on windows and blinds

Look at you super woman! How are you really?

Don't worry about me - I'm tough! I'm a Maloney!!! To quote you - "It's all good". Tell me about you!!! That's what I want to hear about!

Oy me. Um, yeah it's all good :) I am a better woman because of this experience. And while without the Lord's patient insistence I would have never dreamed of serving a mission, I'm glad I'm here. So that's how I am. I have high highs, and low lows. But my faith is always just strong enough to get me through.

My Jewish daughter! Oy to you too! You get to experience all that we do here so I guess it doesn't matter where you are we just do our best! Taylor's faith is unwavering and she reminds me constantly that the Lord gives us only what we can handle - so I guess I just keep handling it!

Dad said to tell you he loves you!!! How is your new companion? What is going on?

My new comp is fine. We barley know each other but we get along really well. She was trained by Sister Hartman so we have that to fall back on in order to relate to each other. It's kind of comforting knowing that the Lord wants me here and as long as I do His will to the best of my ability He will help me do whatever it is He sent me here to do. Tell Dad I love him too - and I love you three.

I eat my gluten free oatmeal you sent me for breakfast everyday and feel great. I didn't read the warning till too late though. Apparently you are suppose to slowly integrate it into your diet 'cause there is so much fiber in it. It took me by surprise at first but it's all good now.

I've got to get going we have a lot left to do today. Love you! Talk to you next week.

Me and Amber.











Tanya and Krissie with their Birthday gift to me. Swan Princess anyone?













Dying Siser Malcom's hair.








Me and Krissie.