Monday after we left the Ronald McDonald House we met up with the Elders and had yet another epic battle of Risk and I won again! I was shocked and amazed. To celebrate we made hats for everyone to take to the District Meeting the next day. Mine was a crown while everyone else's resembled a dunce hat - OK - they were supposed to be party hats but they still looked like dunce hats. Elder Eden labeled me: Supreme Overlord of the World - that was the title on my crown. Sister Short was: Keeper of the Magic Purple Backpack, Elder Mahan: Master Mahan (after Cain in the Bible) Elder Merkley: Rule Book Merkley, he loves that rule book. Elder Krisier was Sunshine, his piece was yellow it just seemed to fit. Elder Davis was The Beast. On Elder Eden's we wrote Dunce because he's the only one with enough confidence to think it was funny and "Kill Siam" was just to obvious. Elder Gwyther we really couldn't come up with anything good so it just said The Gwyth.

Tuesday morning and afternoon we spent ages trying to find an investigator that had given us a hard to find address - we found it eventually and she wasn't even home - lame.

Thursday we were down at TCC as usual and some guy tried to bash with us. It was almost funny - he was so confused - trying to figure out what on earth he was talking about took some effort. Eventually we gave up and started testifying up the wazoo but surprise surprise - this did not satisfy him and he left disappointed.

After Friday Fourum we didn't go to the Ronald McDonald House 'cause we'd gone on Monday - it was so strange to have Friday afternoon to proselyte rather than do service. We along with the FSU and TCC Elders went to FSU and again used sidewalk chalk to draw the Plan of Salvation. Tanya and Krissie came with us and Tanya made excellent flowers and even a cute bee to go with 'em.

Saturday we (the missionaries) set up a game of Ultimate Frisbee for our investigators and the members - a lot of people came which means that someone had to get hurt. Two someones in fact. Madisen rolled her ankle and Tanya had a body collision with Ben Pope. That was pretty ugly. Thankfully Tanya does not have a concussion but her TMJ is acting up. We tried to go visit Kiley she lives way the heck out there but she wasn't home.

Sunday after church we had dinner with a member I - peeled potatoes for Sister Bowcutt and did weekly planning.

Today we played volleyball with the Elders and lots of people from the ward. No one was hurt, well me but that's just 'cause I don't do volleyball well. My hands are none to happy with me right now. Sigh.

Well today is the beginning of Finals week at FSU

Love you all!

Kelli

Snow? Really?

I miss crazy Utah weather. Good old April snows - gotta love it. We heard about the Tea Party. Apparently at the Capitol here there were a few thousand people protesting - I was surprised because Tallahassee is so Liberal.

I'm glad y'all got to go to St. George - Taylor needs a break from school. And it's good to just go have fun. Guess what? I've actually heard of the "17 Again" movie - several girls in the ward were talking about it. Some have already seen it 3 times - oh boy.

And dad of course HP will save more money by flying you out and someone else in. Gosh you're supposed to be the math genius - the more you spend the more you have - or at least that is the attitude that so many people seem to take. If you can spend it you must have it. How's that for an explanation? That does seem lame - don't you have a great relationship with the people you work with in Utah? And they want you to try and transfer the relationship of trust to someone that doesn't even live in the state? That's like having an emergency transfer and having a golden investigator wonder where their missionary went.

As for my week - Monday after I'd finished writing y'all the weather turned nasty and it was pouring heavy rain. It cleared up for about 1/2 an hour and we and the FSU Elders made a dash for home - we played Phase 10. I somehow managed to pull out a win but it wasn't by much. At first I was losing - very badly in fact.

Tuesday - Elder Mahan called us early and asked us to explain to Elder Merkley that going out sick isn't a good idea. Sister Short took the lead and told him that we are called to teach and if we do not take care our selfs in order to be fully functional when we teach we are not fulfilling our calling. After he committed to stay in till he had lessons to go to - Sister Short heeded her own advice and went back to bed. We met with a less active and helped her get a blessing - she is doing much better now. In fact she came to Sacrament Meeting on Sunday - she hasn't been in about 4 months - so that was really good.

That evening we met with Erin. It had been nearly 2 months since we'd met with her last. She told us how some days she is sure it's true and then other days doubts plague her and she isn't even sure that the Bible or her Catholic beliefs are correct - let alone some 14 year old boy seeing God. We talked for a while and I finally asked her what she wants from life? She wants what we all want - Happiness. The Spirit was able to prompt me to change the way we will be teaching her from now on. We will be focusing on happiness. Tuesday night I had no idea how I was going to implement that idea, I just knew that that is what we were supposed to do. Then came Zone Conference and a flood of revelation just for Erin.

Wednesday at Zone Conference, President pulled me in for my interview before the meeting started. He asked what we were going to do with me the rest of my mission. To quote him, "You've been on campus forever!" He's right only 3 months of my mission were not on campus. I don't know if I want to leave. Campus is like home to me. He asked me what I thought of having another set of missionaries on FAMU. I think it would be great. Sister Short and I only make it up there once a week and it makes retaining investigators hard. President feels that many of the young African Americans want to follow in President Obama's foot steps and are disciplined to be able to keep commitments - he has a point. Anyway back to me - we also talked about my future education. I told him that math is the bain of my existence. He smiled and told me that I have learned how to rely on the Lord and He will help me pass my math classes, but that we'll talk more of that soon. I also asked him when I would be going home - either September or October. He said he didn't know - it might be sooner so that I could enroll in school again. And then again he said we will talk more about that in the future. So I'm wondering - is it the future yet?

During Sister Shorts interview President told her that her headaches were a blessing. She is in pain now to stave a greater pain down the road - neither of us really know what that means. After Zone Conference Carly and Krissie came with us and the Crawfordville Elders to Arby's - then we had a lesson with France. She requested a blessing and so the Elders and Marcus came and gave her one.

Thursday we had a great booth day at TCC. We found a new investigator, someone Sisters Scoresby and Stowers never followed up with. I met a gypsy. He was very well read and had read the Book of Mormon before - he wanted another one for his friend. We also meet a very strange girl who gave off bad vibes - she was kind of creepy. Later the Institute had an "Understanding Mormonism" seminar on FSU campus and three non-members came. It was good.

Sister Short was not doing very well Friday - we stayed in for a few hours before she dragged herself to Friday Forum 'cause we have two investigators that go every week and we wanted to have a brief meeting with them. After that we went to the Ronald McDonald House and Jacquline picked us up and we visited with a less active member. She seemed much happier than I've seen her in a while. She still didn't come to church on Sunday. I think that she subconsciously makes herself ill so that she can't come. I wonder if she notices that she is always sick Saturday and Sunday.

We then visited Cameron and Joe - they have a new puppy. We watched the Restoration with them and they seemed to enjoy it. Cameron made an interesting comment, she said something along the lines of being jealous of me for finding peace and knowing that I'm happy. She said she wants that too. Well yes she want's it but she's not willing to give anything up for it - happiness isn't free.

As we were leaving Cameron and Joe's ready to call it a night France called crying needing another blessing - we called the Elders Quorum President and waited for he and France to show up. We didn't leave the institute till 10:15 pm. It was good 'cause France needed us but it was hard - I was so tired.

Saturday we didn't get a break. The First Ward was having a Primary Activity that they wanted us to help with so we went to the church early to help set up and get the kids ready. Krissie and Carly came to help too - after the activity Carly requested a blessing 'cause she was nervous about having to speak in church the next day - she has great faith. She said that when the blessing began she felt peace. We stayed with her for a bit and watched that movie that G & G Wilcox sent me about Gordon B Hinckley. It was good.

Sunday Carly did a fantastic job speaking I was so proud of her. Totally cried through it but what else is new? After church we had a lesson with Amber - it was a good lesson and Sister Short asked her if she would be baptized - Amber cried and said she would - I was surprised - I was going to wait till next week but 'cause Shorts a rock star she knew she could do it then.

Mom I got your Easter package! The shirts fit great! I love the sleeves on the blue one! And the gluten free Pamela's package couldn't have come at a better time. My body is not happy with me. It's tired and wants to know when I will start taking better care of it - that will help immensely! I found some gluten free Honey Chex. It makes me very happy.

Well that's my week. Hope you have a great one this week. I love you all!

Kelli

Post Easter

We did a lot of work this week with former investigators and less actives. One of the members we have been working with became insulted and stopped coming to church - we've been meeting with her weekly for ages. She will have a break through - we leave exhausted and happy - then the next week she's right back where she started. It's been exhausting and frustrating. Anyway she moved out of her apartment into a new one - two guys from the ward, the Elders, Krissie, Carly, Sister Short and I helped her move. It was really good - her heart was considerably softened.

Wednesday Sister Short had a major migraine and wasn't able to open her eyes without wanting to die/cry.

Thursday we were at TCC then we helped with preliminary packing for the move mentioned above - Krissie and Carly were there too. After packing we ordered Pizza and watched Legacy - that was what I did for my one year mark. No fire - the usual event at the one year mark is the burning of a skirt - but I like my skirts - I didn't want to burn any of them.

Friday Sister Shorts migraine came back with a vengeance - after suffering for a long time she asked the Elders for a blessing and the blessing pretty much said - Thank you for asking but no - you have something to learn and it's gonna hurt till you learn it. We have no idea what she needs to learn. We had a companion prayer later that night and I felt the spirit strongly but didn't really get a clear answer. Sister Short got out her Journal and so I got mine out too - I've been playing mad catch up with my journal hoping that as I write her pain will lesson. So far it hasn't - but my hands are now killing me. Maybe we both need to learn about pain - Ugh I hope not - I really don't like pain.

Saturday after helping with the move we made Easter Eggs with Carly and Krissie. I made a Peace egg - Sister Short made a Free the Birdies egg and that has a double meaning - it was jolly good fun.

Sunday was a much needed day. It was Fast Sunday and we had several former less actives that we've been working with go up and bear their testimonies and thank us or you know the Lord for being there really. It was really nice to see and hear. We had dinner with an engaged couple in the ward - it was yummy - I ate way to much. I named my food baby Wilbur - it was a real southern meal.

Today we played soccer with the Elders, Krissie, Madison and Carly. After the soccer game we took the eggs we'd made on Saturday and threw them at the Elders. Things are good with the new Elders.

Love you all!

Kelli

Pizza - Rain - Big Holes

Hello everyone!

What a week this has been. It has been so chock full of stuff I am trying to figure out how to tell you about it. I guess the best place to start is at the beginning. Hum, Monday after I left you with a crummy email 'cause of the major lack of time we went to Chili's with Rass, Davis, Alex, Carly, and Krissie - Whitney was there too. It was a farewell to Rass. Carly and Krissie put together a most excellent going away package that included a My Little Pony Ring, Razzels, and Office Supplies.

Tuesday was our last District Meeting with Rass it was sad - Sister Short and I wore all black to show our mourning. And before you say it I really only wear all black in the winter - it's too hot to do it in the summer. Then Sister Short challenged Rass to a Pizza Eating Contest. We went to Stevie B's, a pizza buffet, and the challenge was on. Most everyone joined in, I kept score 'cause we all know how I get when I'm not at least moderately careful about the food I put in my body. So to save everyone from the wrath of Kelli I refrained. Most people dropped out between 10 and 15 slices - Short and Eden tied at 18 and Rass won with 19. Poor Eden, he was full after 3 slices but his pride was his down fall. He was sweating profusely and often got in the "Think" pose to try and keep his food down. Short chewed her last bite for a good 20 minutes before she was able to swallow it - I'm very glad I didn't join in. Uhh. Well after that Short and I, still none to happy that Rass was leaving, decided that since Rass is our little brother Short needed a "little Brother's Blessing" as opposed to a fathers blessing. It was actually of comfort and council but it all works out.

On the way to the Elders, (it was pouring rain) I fell in a big hole. Really big - like a man hole but not. It was full of water and I couldn't touch the bottom so I don't know how deep it actually was. Don't worry - Short took pictures so we can all laugh. After I got over the shock I started laughing and was soaking wet for the remainder of the evening till we got home and I could take a hot shower. I have a beautiful bruise blossoming on my shin.

So Wednesday we called Rass one last time to say good bye at 6:30 on the dot 'cause we're mean - we then got ready and President dropped a new Sister off to us at around 8 am - we now have two sets of Sisters serving in Tally. They are in the First Ward, but Sister Short and I still are over the whole Stake. I'm not sure how it is all going to work out but I'm sure it will. The new sisters name is Sister Palmer, she is a Timpview graduate from good old Provo and apparently knows me. I kind of lived in a bubble in High School so I didn't know her. Oops. So we toted Sister Palmer around with us all day while she waited for her trainer to come to Tally. It was fun.

Sister Short and I have both been working on opening our mouths more and have had many people talk with us - all the while it keeps raining. We had a service project to do with the wife of one of the Stake Presidency Counselors tying quilts - we spent a good 4 hours doing that. She gave us Wendy's - it was yummy. All those Family Reunions tying quilts paid off - she was so surprised at how quickly we were able to tie. What can I say? Go team. We met the new Elders - they have potential - we just need to break them in.

Thursday we planned to go the the booth at TCC like always but again it was pouring rain - which isn't that bad - but it was lightning and thundering too. We are advised to be indoors in those conditions. If you have a car you can work around it - but we don't - so we called nearly every member we could trying to find a way so we didn't just sit at our apartment all day. Finally someone told us, "We are on a Tornado and Flash Flood warning till 3 - I am not leaving my house and neither should you." We went back to bed - it was beautiful until we got a little bit of cabin fever - thankfully Friday was clear.

Friday we went to the Friday Forum and to the Ronald McDonald House. Later we had a lesson with Farah - she is a power house of faith - an absolute rock star.

Saturday - Conference was great! We went tracking afterwards and found 2 new investigators - we then helped a member clean her house.

Sunday we again went to Conference - Sunday really spoke to me. I really, really, really miss Temples. Rass gave us a talk called "Free the Birdies" - it's about temples - I highly recommend it.

Today we went bowling as a District - it was good to have the whole District together. We all get along famously - this will be a good bunch of chocolates. Well that's it for me. I love you all.

Kelli

Um - so I just lost the email that I was almost finished writing and I only have about 1/2 an hour left before it's time to go. Here we go.

I made witty and fun remarks on all the things you told me about but no longer have time to repeat it all. It is transfers on Wednesday - we are losing Rass and neither Short or I are all that happy about it. As to Rass's tie we printed out all the photo's we took of it and put them in a photo album to tell the story of the Ugly Tie. Rass loved the book but was none to happy with Elder Davis for entering into a Secret Combination with Short and I. Rass has become very much like a little brother and I will miss him a lot. Today Sister Short and I began writing a letter of recommendation for him to give to his future wife - it'll be great. So he's off to become a Zone Leader in some place called Pace - no idea where that is - and Sister Short and I stay here taking care of our investigators.

We had an awesome week but to get more details you'll have to read Sister Short's blog - Sorry! I'll send some photos. Sister Short learned a new trick and Rass learned it too!

Brief Highlights: We drew the plan of salvation on campus it looked great. Thursday it started to rain and didn't really stop till yesterday. It was great fun. Today we played Risk with the Elders and I dominated it was amazing.

Saturday - Alex was baptized! He has been an investigator since July and finally got dunked - it was a great day.

Sorry about the short letter but technology is not all it's cracked up to be sometimes.

Love you all, Kelli

Just Another Manic Monday

Sorry I didn't send pictures on Friday - 1st pic is our Broom Hockey game 2nd-Davis in our ceiling 3rd-Rass in our attic 4th-Davis in our attic.

It's crazy that I've been out this long. Sister Summerhays commented on it last week at Zone Conference, "Oh my, you've been out 11 months!" Yes ma'am I have. I just got a email from Sherrie from PCB it is really nice to hear from her. It reminded me of all the things I've learned and how I've changed in the last 4 months or so. Let alone the last year.

As for my week it has flown by. Tuesday I went to go see Dr. Dunn, the Chiropractor, he has magic fingers. Wait did I tell you about broom hockey last week? I don't remember. Just in case I didn't - Monday we played broom hockey - my team won. We used some old brooms and someone's broom had a cockroach in it! It was dead but still eww. After that we had dinner with some members and a Family Home Evening. We played Apples to Apples and I taught the girls how to do a Utah bump in their hair. It was beautiful. Oh and I did get your package that evening the Elders dropped it by just in time for St. Patty's Day. Thank you! I loved that talk, Sis Short and I read it together for Companion Study.

Ok so back to Tuesday. After seeing Dr. Dunn we tracted for a while then had a lesson with an investigator followed by dinner at Kristen Hills house - she made a "green meal" we had green eggs and ham, green pancakes, waffles and milk. It was a jolly good time.

Wednesday we had Zone Conference. I'm turning in to such a softy. I've cried more in the last week than I have in a year. And it's all because of my interview with President. I've been really working on yielding my will to God's and submitting to His wisdom. And President opens up with talking about those two things and how he see's the change in me and how I'm on the path and all that. Then I broke down and we talked about some of the struggles I'm having with an Elder and all that icky stuff and I shared with him my epiphany that I just need to trust God, but that I didn't know how to show him in my weakness that I did. He then went into how Heavenly Father knows I trust Him and how I'm not trying to prove that to Him but to myself. We talked for a while and I cried and really haven't stopped since. Well that's not true but it feels like it since I haven't done this in a while. I don't sob but tears just sort of roll down my face out of pure joy. It's kind of lame.

Thursday we had the Booth at TCC and it was all sorts of fun, we took more pictures of Elder Rass's ugly tie - followed by dinner and lesson with Farah - that went well.

Friday Sis Short slept the morning and part of the afternoon away then we went to RMH followed by a lesson with Kiley and Cory.

Saturday was pretty boring - we planned and tracted and then we went to Wal-mart and printed out the pictures of Elder Rass's tie and started putting them in a little album. On Sunday we gave the tie to Elder Davis along with Sister Short's camera - he took pictures of the tie all around their apartment and this morning slipped us the camera and we printed the pictures. Elder Rass has been harassing us all day about his tie - little does he know that at this moment it is sitting in his closet waiting for him. Hee Hee Hee. We are so sneaky.

Well that's about it for me. I love you all. Have a great week.

Kelli

P.S. I forgot to tell you last week about the squirrels - we have a family of squirrels living in our attic - we've heard noises coming from up there on and off for quite some time now. One night it was particularly bad we thought we had a small rabid dog in our ceiling. We called the Elders and made them come over and save us. They climbed up in the attic (it smelled like pee) and found the hole they've been using to get in. We just have to talk to our landlord to get it cleared up.

P.P.S. from Mom - Sister Short also has a blog that her mom keeps up-to-date. Last week she said: "We were walking to a lesson when someone yelled out their window that we should be on What Not To Wear! We just about died laughing. We both commented on how we are rather shapeless in our clothing and it isn't even flattering. We felt validated and enjoyed the comment!"

Happy St. Patty's Day

Kelli & Carly at Carly's baptism.

Rass with his tie before we stole it.

Rass's ugly tie and Mr. Bear.

Kelli with Rass's tie at TCC.

Dear Family and Other People who read my Blog,

Hello and how are you? I'm sorry to hear Edna Browne passed away. I loved her so much, she radiated happiness when she was around. Mom, I'm glad that you got to talk to her.

I'm glad Taylor had fun at the dance. What a cutie. She actually went to the dance, I'm so proud. I never spent more than 1/2 an hour at the dance so more power to her for staying and teaching her date how to dance.

This week has been interesting. It was Spring Break here so we had an interesting time finding stuff to do. We had some service around the city. We went to TCC to help with the High School Brain Bowl. Turns out I'm smarter than I thought I was. I knew most of the answers (except the Math but that's a given) we also had a major miracle. Last summer when I was here with Sister Scoresby and Sister Benfield we were teaching a girl named Brandy, she loved what we were teaching but her dad was very against it, she lost her phone and got a new number and we lost contact. She was in one of the Brain Bowl groups I was helping with so I was able to talk to her. She said she was turning 18 in three months and would contact us then. Talk about a miracle.

Saturday we had an hour bike ride do more service, FSU Elders came with us, it was a tough ride. After I decided that I didn't have to keep up with the Elders it became much easier, but I didn't decide that till on the way back. Silly me. Anyway the service we did was for the Red Cross, we were helping set up for a big shindig for the rich and famous. It looked pretty cool by the time we were done if I do say so myself.

Carly was baptized this week. And tonight we are going over to her place to teach her, Krissie, and Tanya how to do the Utah bump. So my hair is currently straight so I can join in on the fun. What makes this a story is the fact that I told Elder Rass I wouldn't do my my hair straight again till after he left. Unfortunately, I like Carly more than my pride so...I will be teased a lot tonight. Oh well - it'll be worth it.

This morning we played broom hockey and got a lot of aggression out, it was very good for those of us that were there. (TCC wouldn't come the shmucks) My team won, I was appointed team captain I choose my team and we won. Go us.

Oh funny story. Elder Rass had a bunch of hideous ties and one particularly bad one is one that has red Peacocks and mauve roses on it. We stole it and are holding it ransom till he thinks of something that we would want to trade for it. In the mean time, we are taking the tie with us and taking pictures of it doing things its just not made to do. Then we torture him by showing him said pictures while he searches our stuff trying to find the thing. He's been so close before we thought we'd lost it a couple times but he still remains oblivious to its whereabouts.

So that was my week. We aren't at computers were the computer has easy access so I can't send pictures but I will do so on Friday. I love you all but I am out of time. Thanks for your letters, prayers and love they mean so much.

Love ya, Kelli