Freemont 25

This past week was amazing. :) lots of fun crazy things happened. xD lol

Monday we were going to play Jurassic park but the elders were late so
we just played sports and watched one of our zone leaders try to not
fall down while rollerskating around the church gym. Traffic made us
late to dinner.

Tuesday we went to Shinn park - it had been raining so they didn't
expect us. :) we went to teach a darling little 11 year old Skylare.
Her younger sister was baptized about a year ago (mom and grandma were
less active) and she started coming to church with that sister about
six months ago. Miscommunications were made on Sunday about when she
was to be baptized but they decided. We went to the temple with the
institute group and some investigators. Natalie turned the insane age
of 18 (how dare she grow).

Wednesday we tried going to another service but it was closed. We
taught Skylare the rest of the lessons - all of them in two days wow.
And no one showed at bible study.

Thursday was awesome. Mission get together! We started with breakfast
then a devotional. Then there was the talent show! I sang a mash up of
Angels We Have Heard on High/O Come O Come Emmanuel/God Rest Ye Merry
We then had a gift exchange by zone - mine was wrapped the way my friends do it, all in different
layers of duct tape. E Brown picked it - and no cutting of the tape
allowed. xD we were then allowed by President Mella to watch a movie.
The choices were The Other Side of Heaven or The Prince of Egypt.
Those who know me well can guess that I voted for the one I could sing
to, PofE. Problem was we were divided 50/50, and with President as the
deciding vote we watched OSofH. Well, at least I hadn't seen it in a
while and understood a bit more things because I have had a Tongan
companion - who happened to sit behind us. xD We left before the movie
ended (boy is it long) and were still late to Skylares baptismal
interview. The poor darling was sooo nervous - but we told the elders
who were interviewing her that, so everything was fine. We went to
Sister Hoskins and met her daughter Heather, who is home for
Christmas. I got a box with presents from my family - with the pajamas
I had been anticipating! Owls. :) and yes that was my idea - or fault
if you ask Natalie. xD she made some for my companion as well. My
darling Abigail turned 8! Ahhh! I remember when she was born! It was
six in the morning and dad told me to babysit, and then
later I was the first kid to hold her.

Friday was CHRISTMAS! :) most important thing is that I was able to
skype my family. <3 and="" brother="" everyone="" grew="" my="" now="" p="" somehow="" what="">sings bass. Hurray! We then went to prepare something we were doing for
the zone. :) then dinner. Then the thing - which of course everyone
was late to, I've come to expect them to be late. We put on a
treasure hunt for the elders. xD they all thought it was fun, so we
did good.

Saturday was Skylares baptism! :) yay! We went to ACS service. Waited for
transfer calls - and thankfully neither of us are leaving, I get to
keep my companion until she goes home, which is at the end of this
transfer.

Sunday was church. We did singing time in the primary and nursery for
one of the wards. It was awesome - there are very few kids (maybe 5 in
Jr. and Sr together, with about 3 in nursery) so it was fun. Sis Smith
also gave a short talk in primary. And we went to the outgoing
fireside - Heather drove us in her mustang. It was awesome.

Also, we froze twice this week. And there was frost on the Windows of the car.

I almost can't believe that 2015 is just about over! But I know that
as long as we look forward we can do great things. Everyone want to go
and watch the Mormon message New Years: Look Not Behind Thee? Good. :)

Have a wonderful new year! Love you all,

Love,

Sister Kelly

Sister Smith at Shinn park

The Oakland temple!

Sister Smith and I at the temple.

Sister Smith and I right after skyping with family.

Skylare!

The Bishop baptized Skylare!

All of us at the temple

Freemont 24

Monday was a sisters pday with Sister Mella at our stake presidents
house. It was all about etiquette and manners. Then we emailed while
playing board games with the zone. We visited a recent convert.

Tuesday we went to Shinn park service. It was fun. We went to institute.

Wednesday we had zone studies then district meeting. District meeting
question "what is your favorite Christmas tradition?" Went to viola
Blythe. Visited some referrals. Went to a relief society dinner thing
than to bible study.

Thursday we went to Sis Hoskins. Went to ACS service. It was my amazing parents
anniversary. :)

Friday we had a lesson but it got cancelled. So we planned with some
elders we are co teaching with. Dinner was at one of the bishops
houses. Had a small youth sports night. Lydia turned 14 and is now
able to go to church dances.

Saturday we had zone sports with a random homeless guy who wanted to
get warm. Measured how tall a table was with sis smith. xD There was a
zone breakfast at the stake presidents house which was fun. Although
we were surprisingly the first ones there - usually the zone leaders
are there first but nope. All the elders were late. We helped a member
move and destroyed a couch. :) we had dinner with the bible study
group. Then we had a zone prayer about Sunday.

Sunday was the day where. . . Let me start from the beginning. Before
I arrived in this area, the zone leaders and Pres Mella and the stake
president were in a meeting discussing the numbers for the upcoming
months. There was a typo. Instead of 80 at sacrament for the month, it
was 80 for the week. President Mella said the number was inspired, so
the zone prayed about it and dec 20th was decided as the day. We ended
up with 42, which was very good. The members stepped up and it was the
day of the Christmas programs. One of the wards primary gave us and
the elders we co cover with bags of food and necessities like
toothpaste for Christmas. Also found out that the son of one of the
bishops was in the same mission as my cousin Amanda and he said he
knew her!

I am super excited for this upcoming Christmas week! There is a
mission Christmas Eve party and talent show  and white elephant gift
exchange (which is lining up to be hilarious) and on Christmas we get
to talk to our families. :) my district is planning on going caroling
to our investigators. The church's Christmas initiative is amazing and
I could watch it over and over - if you haven't seen it, you should!

Merry Christmas!

Sister Kelly

Freemont 23

Monday was awesome. After emailing we went bowling as a zone, which
was lots of fun. We went to dinner at a young family's home and they
did FHE with us. We got home to find that the Spanish elders were
having dinner with a member in our apartment complex, so we decorated
their car. . . .and helped clean it up after watching their reaction
from behind some bushes. :)

Tuesday was my five month mark. I can't believe it. Somehow I've been
out that long. We had our zone training this morning from 11-3:30. It
was long, but split in parts and awesome. For the first half, E. Handy
and Wilson taught a short lesson about contacting and then we went
contacting for an hour - because the zone leaders were setting up the
second half, which was focused on Christ. They set up the seminary
tables and took some decorations from a Ward bulletin board and
decorated the tables. They borrowed a nativity set from a member. They
wrote each member of the zone a short letter thanking them for
contributing to the mission and zone. Sis Smith and I taught the
lesson. It was beautiful. After that we went to visit the Wood family
- the dad is less active because of work and the rest are non members
totally willing to be members, they just need to come to church. Went
to Institute. We had enchiladas for dinner and watched the John tanner
story and talked about the kirtland temple.

Wednesday was awesome. We had zone studies. There were few zone people
there, just us and the Spanish elders and the Irvington elders. We
talked about emergency preparedness and did role plays. We did service
at Viola Blythe. We had dinner a little early, then went to the temple
with Sis Hoskins because an investigator was going up. The lights were
up on temple grounds and the skyline was clear enough that we could
see San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. Also sorry, no pictures
of that till next week because we are unable to go on a computer.

Thursday we cleaned our car and did service at ACS. I got a Christmas
letter from a cousin - and sorry Seth, I would send one back but I
don't have enough stamps. Next year though. . . . xD

Friday was Zone Conference - the reason we cleaned our car. We were
there from 11-4:30. It was fun and President Mella was an investigator
in a role play. :)

Saturday was my darling little sister Rachel's third birthday. :) I
spent most of the day gushing about her and showing pictures to any
members we saw. We went to a Christmas party for a Ward we are not in. We were asked to
sing, but sis smith tried to get us out of it and so that is how I
ended up singing a solo for a Ward we aren't in. xD "Love Knows No
Borders" by Sally DeFord.

Sunday we went to sacrament and Ward councils then went home so sis
smith could rest - because she was sick. Then we went to help with a
sacrament meeting at a rest home. Then off to see the beautiful temple
hill choir concert.

I don't think this upcoming week will be as busy. :) although, there
are two important events in my family. . . . xD

Also I've been in my second area for about three weeks. Ahh!

Can't wait till Christmas!

Love and miss you all!

Sister Kelly

Somehow we are lined up by height. . . 

I hope we all spend some time contemplating the gift in the manger.

We all blocked Spanish in. 

Sis. Smiths actually indestructible fort. :) We were playing dodge ball. 

The Elders' fort

Zone p-day-bowling

Freemont-22

Monday we played sports as a zone. we cleaned for apartment inspections.

Tuesday we finished cleaning. sister Mella visited at the exact time the apartment inspectors got there. Helped the same member finish moving. we went to dinner/institute.

Wednesday started with zone study. Then we split for district meetings - our question was "in five words, what was a missionary to you personally before your mission?". Then I insisted on taking a zone picture - so we did. went to chick-fil-a for lunch. Went to a food bank service. visited with sister Hoskins while she made us dinner.Taught a small bible study class.

Thursday we tried to see Dani. went to practice a song I was asked to sing for a christmas party (i'll try and get it recorded). we did service at ACS.

Friday we got the caulking in our bathroom fixed. saw Mahi. did a sports night with the youth. I got my box and a thing of letters from my family. :)

Saturday we did weekly planning. went to the g ward christmas party - and at the same time Midge was baptized in santa cruz! we couldn't find a ride so we didn't go, but I was promised pictures. :)

Sunday we went to church and Dani wanted to stay all six hours with us. Started making a planner for Sis. Hoskins. We had dinner then went to watch the christmas devotional. tried to find some referrals.


Sister Smith was so cute with this cat!

Our little apartment Christmas tree-thanks sister smith's mom!

Santa Cruz zone
Freemont zone

Freemont 21

Hello all! I have made it through my first transfer to a different area.

Monday we did the normal p-day stuff: shopping, emailing, etc. Sister
Unga wanted to go clothes shopping so we did that - I got a black
skirt. I insisted that we have a zone picture - because I somehow had
not taken one. The Watsonville Elders couldn't come, so it was our
district and the Watsonville sisters. We went to the Martins and I got
some oils samples.  :) we went to FHE and played volleyball and
basketball. I finished packing - easy as I packed most of it when I
got the call!

Tuesday I was so nervous that we got there an hour and fifteen minutes
early . . . . So. We went and did language study at a park. And I am
now in Fremont! Which is near the top of the mission. We have two
wards, C and G but we serve in the other wards by
invitation. My companion is Sister Smith (she was "born" {trained} in
SC as well) and literally her old companion and I just switched
places. Also we are basically the only sister missionaries in the
Zone. The other missionaries are Elder Champagne, Elder Pettingill,
Elder DeGroff and Sister DeGroff, Elder Handy (he plays the piano
well), Elder Feller-zl, Elder Wei and Elder Chen (Chinese?), Elder
Brown-Spanish-zl, Elder Wilson-district leader-Spanish, Elder
Twitchell-training, Elder Schiss-trainee (or baby if you use mission
lingo. Your "trainer" is your "mom" or "dad" and the trainee is a
"baby" - and yes we are super weird). The DeGroffs teach institute.

Wednesday we did a Zone Study - it was awesome. So basically we all go
to the church at 8 and do our personal study then at 9 do comp study
as a zone. It was really fun. We had district meeting. The question
was "What Disney character would you want as your companion?" The
questions are all focused on Disney - for some odd reason ;). Tried to
go to a service but it was closed. Went to see Sister Hoskins. She is
the mom here and she is awesome. Had a "meet the Mormons" movie night
with the institute.

Thursday was THANKSGIVING! We went to see a wedding - because she
called and said "you're going to be there, right?" So we went. Ate a
good turkey dinner at a members home. Played some zone sports later in
the day - because not everyone could do the turkeybowl, so.

Friday we did service at ACS - a cute thrift store.

Saturday we played morning sports with the zone. It's what we do for
exercise every Saturday. Had a coordination meeting with Elders Feller
and Handy because they serve in the same wards as us. We tried to
visit people.

Sunday we went to church. Hooray. Five hours instead of eight. xD sat
by a darling little eight month old in Sunday school. :)

And there are 26 days till Christmas!! Ahh! :) hope all the holidays
and birthdays go well! Four of my siblings have birthdays in December,
of course. xD

Love Sister Kelly

Elders Champagne, Schiss, Twitchell, and Pettingill. Sister Smith and I. 

And we can get on the computers - some of the elders got a key. 

Sister Kelly

This is Caramel, sister Hoskins dog with Sister Smith and I. 

So today we were helping someone move and we got to talking about how I am the oldest of eleven and so talked about how many siblings everyone else had and one said he only had two so another said "are you lds?"

Santa Cruz week 20

Hello everyone!! This is the time - to be THANKFUL. Thanksgiving is on thursday - isn't that super weird??

Monday was the beach and Sister Unga got sick because she didn't take a sweater. Also Sushi. Bleh.

Tuesday we rested so that Sister Unga could recover. She received a blessing. Our dinner appointment brought us food, which was really nice of them and they didn't have to - but they did.

Wednesday was much of the same - "resting" (because cleaning is resting, right? at least for Sister Unga) and me reading most of the day. I started the Book of Mormon over again and am in 1 Nephi, and am reading the bible and am in Deuteronomy.

Thursday we saw Glenna. Saw Midge and taught her half of lesson 4. Ate dinner with the Stake President and his wife - who is the institute teacher. Saw Krystal. Ran into the C Elders while driving home - not literally.

Friday we went to get the car checked. Saw Midge and taught the last bit of lesson 4. Did weekly planning. Ate dinner with Midge - the ward she's in was doing their thanksgiving dinner and and we wanted her to meet people.

Saturday I did not feel good. We did service for Elva. Saw Raven. Sister Unga put in the address of a less active - and almost took us to LA!!!! xD Ate dinner at the Hickens - and the C Elders were there as well. They shared the message - about charity. I'M TRANSFERRING!!!!!!!!! And packed in 45 minutes.

Sunday my little darling Lisa turned six months old! :) went to all eight hours of our meetings. Met with a new investigator named Rachael. We were late to dinner.

So I'm transferring. And I don't find out where until tomorrow, so you don't find out till next week.

I will miss all the people, but if I'm needed somewhere else who am I to say no to God? I'm both excited and nervous - there is my nervoucited - and sad about leaving but I know that wherever I go it will be awesome. :)

So I decided to do something fun - here are my holiday memories, Thanksgiving and Christmas. :)

I remember that we used to go to the Kelly Grandparents house a lot.

Not just on holidays. Ice cream was always had after dinner. Rummy was

played.

Thanksgiving

I don't know when I became the pie maker - but for as long as I can

remember that's what I've been. Usually I make pumpkin pie and we bake

a razzleberry pie (because its daddy's favorite) sometimes we have

apple pie, maybe. I remember one time when I made a pumpkin pie out of

a real pumpkin - with lots of help from mom - and then refused to eat

any of it. We always have turkey and mashed potatoes and turkey gravy

and mom's crescent rolls. And pie and ice cream for desert.

Christmas

I love our Christmas traditions.

Number one is that we have a Christmas story book that helps with the

count down, you read a story and scripture and sing a certain

Christmas song for each night. Can I still be involved in that?

Number two is that we open one present on Christmas Eve - pajamas! And

for the past couple years the shirts of those pajamas have been

painted by Natalie. We've had wolves and dragons and I know I'm

forgetting. . . . Why have we not had owls yet? Then we would have had

all of her favorites. xD and the last story in the book is of course

the best - the story of Christ's birth, from Luke, read on Christmas

Eve.

Christmas morning is sloooow. The kids are all usually up by or before

six - usually I can't sleep at all so I am up way before six. Mom had

to make a rule - stockings have to be opened after six. We started

getting books outside of the stockings though - so usually I would be

found already reading mine. :) Then we wait till dad wakes up -

usually eight or later, as he was up late the night before - and

starts breakfast, which sometimes changes but is usually eggs,

sausage, bacon, and toast. Then we start the process of opening

presents. A kid is designated as the present picker and is told to

choose

Sushi. She said that if I didn't eat her Sushi I didn't love her. I DO but I CAN'T EAT IT. 

When we almost went to LA

by age - starting with the youngest and going on up. That of

course takes awhile, seeing as there are a lot of us. ;) then everyone

plays with their new things, and we try to do family things.

I remember one Christmas - I cannot remember which year it was. We

were living in Spanish Fork, UT. We had been having problems with mice

and so had been begging and begging for a cat. Unbeknownst to the

kids, mom and dad got one from some neighbor friends. So . . . .  I

woke up at four and found a cat wandering around the living room. Of

course this cat wasn't ours, so how did it get inside?? Being me, I

let it out. In the cold and snow. I went back downstairs and had

immediate doubts - so I went back up to find her scratching at the

door and let her in. Once everyone else had woken up I asked to make

sure she was ours - she was - and then told my story. I think we woke

other people up from the laughter. The cat was named Fuzzy and became

Natalie's cat - because Fuzzy would not leave her lap. All of the cats

we have now are descendants of Fuzzy. And counting them all - dead or

alive or have run away - we've had close to 60 I think. Maybe more.

All from that one cat.

Winter memories - we would go sledding down the small hill in our

backyard. Or we would go past the fence and sled down the large hill

and get in trouble because it was private property. Or there was the

hill we went down with Uncle David's family - that was a huge hill and

lots of people were usually there. I remember that when it got cold we

would use the heating vents - grab a blanket and put our feet under it

with the blanket over the vent so that we got all the heat. I also

remember fighting over who got the best spots. xD I seem to remember

that one time the Hele cousins came down for a little one winter - to

experience snow? - and that was lots of fun, although we had trouble

trying to find enough mittens and snow pants for everyone.

Love to all!! :) 

Love, 

Sister Kelly

santa cruz 19

This week was semi awesome semi not.

Monday we did our normal p-day stuff: laundry, emailing, groceries. Then we went to San Jose and went shopping with Sister Mella! :) I GOT MY CAMERA BACK!!!! :D we played live clue in FHE. Found out some sad news.

Tuesday was district meeting - and right before we started I got an email saying that Sister Shorter (back home in mission bend) died monday night. So I cried while talking about the white handbook training I was in charge of. We played a guessing game - one companion guesses things they think they know about their companion - and it was especially funny because two of the elders were sick so the two who were there on exchange were not companions. We visited some people. Went to institute.

Wednesday we saw Renee. We met with our investigator Midge - her date was changed to the 5th of december. Tried to meet with people, and then finally met a less active and her family. Had dinner at the Kings. Read with Sister McArthur.

Thursday we tried to see Glenna - but the kids had strep. Visited the Lopes - the selfie of me and a little girl, shes one of theirs. Saw Nanci Jo. Saw Tanya. Had dinner with Sister Pearson.

Friday we tried to fix the area book app on our ipads - and found out we would have to delete the app and then reinstal or go somewhere other than LDSAcess wifi. Saw Midge. After lunch sister Unga didn't feel well, so she took a nap. We helped sister Massey - our only service of the week. She is such a nice old lady! Ate dinner with the Weavers. Saw Brenda.

Saturday we did weekly planning. Got ready for then went to Sophia's wedding reception - they were so late they got there when we were leaving. I was lucky to get some pictures of them - which I really wanted. :) We went to the baptism in Sister Unga's old area - because she had a hand in teaching him all the lessons. He was late to his baptism. lol.

Sunday was Stake Conference. Elder Rafael Pino of the Seventy was the closing speaker. It was awesome - Elder Barbosa translated because elder Pino wanted to speak in spanish. He talked about the importance of FHE, family prayer, family scripture study, and telling the people in our family that we love them - DAILY. :) Visited someone in the OB. Our dinner was sick - but still wanted to feed us!! They left us food on the porch! Stew, bread, and brownies. YUM.

TODAY we went to the beach. From 11-3:30. TOO LONG. Also it was cold. For FHE they are making Sushi. bleh.

I hope everyones week went okay! Love and miss you all. <3 :="" nbsp="" p="">
Love,

Sister Kelly

Sister Unga and Sister Puckrus