I get a calling and give a talk in church.

I got called as the Nursery Leader!! :D
Before I post my talk, let me explain something about my church. Every Sunday -except the first Sunday of each month - we have at most/least three people giving talks. People from the ward (congregation) are asked to give these talks by the bishop (kind-of like a pastor), so the bishop is never the only person to speak in church.

My talk:

Smile! Mom loves you. :) (I put this on every talk – and have ever since mom wrote it on one of my talks when I was younger).

Hello! My name is Kalani Kelly, and my family moved into the ward a few weeks ago. I am the oldest of ten and was home schooled until last summer, when I started duel-credit at college. I love to read, sing, and I love kids – which is good, because I was called as the nursery leader last week.

I’m the designated “youth speaker” today – because neither of my parents can be youth speakers – and my talk is on Standing in Holy Places - probably because I was wearing a shirt with Stand in Holy Places on it when he asked me to give this talk. The youth theme last year, D&C 87:8, says: “Wherefore, Stand ye in Holy Places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord.”

For girl’s camp every year in the Richmond Stake, there is usually a song that is connected to the theme in some way that we would sing throughout the week. Last year we didn’t really have a set song, but the song I think of as our song for the week was “Stand In Holy Places” by Jenny Jordan Frogley. I’ve written down the lyrics and am going to read them.

“In a sea of shifting values, tossed on every wave; while the winds wail around me, I will not be afraid; to call out for my Captain to calm the waves in me, when I stand a little taller, it’s only then I finally see:

I stand in holy places, protected from the storm. Anchored safe in harbor, though my sails are ripped and worn; I stand in holy places, and I will not move until the Captain comes, and says well done, he is the hope I hold on to in holy places.

There is a harbor in his holy house, an anchor in his grace; that steadies in the waves of doubt, and in every holy place. No matter where I travel, his spirit’s guiding me; with the Lord as my Captain, there is a peaceful port in me.

I stand in holy places, protected from the storm. Anchored safe in harbor, though my sails are ripped and worn; I stand in holy places, and I will not move until the Lord has come, and says well done, he is the hope I hold on to . . .

I stand in holy places, protected from the storm. Anchored safe in harbor, though my sails are ripped and worn; I stand in holy places, and I will not move until the Lord has come, and says well done, he is the hope I hold on to in holy places. Holy places.”

I want to do that – stand strong in holy places with Heavenly Father as my Captain. In 2002, Sharon G. Larsen gave a talk about standing in holy places, and said, quote:

“Standing in holy places is all about being in good company, whether you are alone or with others. It’s being where the Holy Ghost is our companion – alone or in a crowd. When we determine within ourselves that we will control our thoughts and our actions and be the best we can possibly be, the best of life will come to us. A holy place is where we feel safe, secure, loved, and comforted. That’s how it was in our heavenly home. Standing in holy places and being in good company bring feelings of how it must have been in that home we left behind, the home that seems so far away at times.”

Unquote. The Lord wants us to stand in holy places – he says so in D&C Section 101, verse 22 “Behold, it is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places.” He loves us and I’m pretty sure he knows that standing in holy places – standing for what you believe in – can be hard, especially when you think you are alone – but the thing is we aren’t alone.
We have a Heavenly Father who loves us, a Savior who gave his life for us, and the Holy Ghost – whom Heavenly Father sent to be with anyone who needs it. And if you need the Holy Ghost, we’ve been told he will come. It’s hard to be the only member at school – or to feel like you are, when your Mormon friends aren’t living the standards you are – but like I said, even if we feel alone, our Heavenly Father is there for us. At school I Stand in Holy Places by sharing my beliefs when asked about them, dressing modestly, and standing for what I believe in. Just the other day, one of my choir friends, Nancy, who usually waits for choir with me after lunch, asked me about our church and our beliefs. She was curious, but after I shared the Articles of Faith with her she started comparing them to the beliefs of her faith and other faiths. I decided to change the subject to something else – but I hope I’ll be able to talk to her about it again another time.
President Thomas S. Monson has a favorite rhyme that he learned in primary which he said in a General Conference talk in 2011:

“Dare to be a Mormon;

Dare to stand alone.

Dare to have a purpose firm;

Dare to make it known.”

So we are to Stand in Holy Places, at school, at home, and anywhere else we may be. If we do this, dare to be Mormons, or, really, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we will be blessed. If we stand alone but together for truth and righteousness, for what we believe in, and Stand in Holy Places anytime, anywhere, we will be blessed. We can make our purpose known. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

- Cali

Moved In Plus Cats

We finally moved in to our house on tuesday - and early friday morning (and by early I mean really early as in we finally stopped around three in the morning). The person who used to own the house took care of dogs or something and there are little stairs leading up to my window - and stairs with a platform inside my room. It's really annoying, but what is more annoying is that my bed doesn't fit where I wanted it too and so it's shoved between the platform thing and Becca's bed. I cannot wait until we get that thing fixed and GONE. In the meantime, neither me nor Becca can unpack anything.

On the bright side I have no more PREM to be tortured by, and no school next friday (it's the professors birthday weekend and she, quote,"doesn't want to have to see us". . well then).

Trying to get all of our cats over here is hard - we don't know where a favorite cat is (my theory: the old neighbors used to "get rid of" our cats by sending them to the pound or something - those neighbors really didn't like our cats) and she's been missing for more than a month, so. . . :( Another cat might have kittens might not - we really don't know!

-Cali

This School . . . Problems . . . And Missing Mission Bend

For Work Study, I'm supposed to go to this orientation, right? First of all, I went to the wrong one (the actual school orientation - it doesn't say anywhere what orientation I needed to go to. A new WS orientation is scheduled for next Friday, thankfully). Then I find out that I've got the job - but I need the paperwork from the WS orientation before I can work or I'll be seen as volunteering (which I really don't want), and the application paperwork. So of course I fill out the wrong application paperwork (it was the form I was told to fill out).

On top of the Work Study stress, this week I had to (because I didn't have the foresight to plan this, stupid me) do seven hours of math on Tuesday and Thursday, on top of the hour and a half of Math 0306 on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the four hour PREM-Math on Fridays. Because in the four hour class I have to do 32 hours of online study which I of course forgot until last Friday. Ugh. Also my 0306 Professor was surprised that people were still taking the PREM class and didn't know that it is apparently required. Also, where we are in my normal math class is definitely not where I'm apparently supposed to be in PREM. I'm taking the math class because I need to learn math. Some people apparently don't get that people take a math class because they need to learn math, NOT BECAUSE THEY ALREADY KNOW MATH. On the bright side, at least I finished those stupid hours today!

I also have a math test tomorrow (PREM), and a Biology exam tomorrow. Next Monday I have a Math exam, and next Wednesday I have a Psycology exam. Why.

On top of all that, we went to our new branch on Sunday and I stayed in the nursery with Rachel because I didn't want to face Sunday school and RS, because - believe it or not - I am actually sometimes shy with new people - especially new people who aren't acting very friendly. In my last ward, one of my now best friends, Kat, on our first day there came up and introduced herself. In the branch, the only people who really came up to me were the children I helped take care of in nursery and the nursery people.
My poor YW sister's have to fix another clique ward (almost every ward since Pampa has had cliques in the YW's that, - it feels like - because we moved in, went away or were fixed). At least in our last few wards I could help (I wish I was still in YW's - sometimes). I mean, I love all my peoples even with the cliques, but it really is much better when the cliques are gone. I hope Natalie and Lydia can do in this ward what we did in my last ward - though I don't know that we did much of anything other than move in and be ourselves. In my last ward our YW's group became such a wonderfully tight-knit family after the Johnson's accident, it's just another reason moving is so hard. I already miss them so much and we haven't even technically moved out of the ward and stake yet - house wise, at least.

And on top of everything else, the house was supposed to close last Wednesday, but things kept popping up and the closing was moved to Friday and things kept popping up - we are hopefully closing this Saturday (please, please, please, house people; let us close) - so THINGS BETTER NOT POP UP!!!!

- Cali

Chior and Math Books

So in my chior class (my obviously favorite class - singing!!!) I met two mormons! Morgan and Samantha. Morgan is in the Katy stake and Samantha (a convert! Yay!!) goes to the bering building. :) It was so cool!
Also, in chior we actually talk to people - most of us get there at least twenty minutes early - so we get to know each other much better than we would in a different class. There are only about sixteen people in my chior class, so we'll know each others names pretty soon. xD

I've decided not to carry my superduper heavy math book to school. I'm going to leave most of it at home (it has loose-leaf pages) and only take what I might need of it from that day. It's way too heavy, especially if I bring my laptop as well - which I usually do.

On tuesday I got to go see How To Train Your Dragon 2 with my sister Natalie and Lydia, and our friend Katherine (Kat!), and our mom. IT WAS EPIC. The movie and being able to hang out with Kat before my family moves. Our new house will be only twenty minutes from her school though, so we will be able to go see Kat in her school plays/musicals much easier. :)

- Cali

School Starts . . . Tomorrow

So school starts tomorrow, unfortunately. My math book ways at least 50 pounds (in my opinion) and I do not want to have to get the other two books I'll have to carry around with it. Ugh.

My tumblr is on hiatus as of today, as are a few other things. The only page I'll really update there is my countdowns.

Good luck to all you people starting school tomorrow! At least you don't have to wake up at five in the morning because of time restraints and your siblings having a class at six. Oh well, I guess I'll live.

- Cali

New Branch - No, Not a Tree Branch, a Church Branch

So we are moving to a new area which means same church new people. A ward is basically a small area of people (a congregation), and a stake is made up of a few wards. A branch is smaller than a ward. We are going to visit the branch tomorrow - we want to check it out just in case - and that means waking up earlier than usual on sundays. Grr. Oh well, we'll figure it out. Somehow.

- Cali

Classes

I hate registering for classes. First of all, every single time I've ever registered or tried to I was late in the year, so I either couldn't find classes or was left with extremely weird times. So stressful. Ugh. And this time it isn't my fault that I'm registering now - we didn't know where we were moving so I couldn't register at a normal time.

To add to that I was tested on Math today and, of course, failed. So I have to take a PREM (basically prep testing for math) and a Math class. Great. I was told to take Psycology, Biology, PREM, and Math. I've found all of the others, basically, but the Biology class times are weird. And super annoying. Ugh. All of the times are in the afternoon, and I've never had an afternoon class - cause I really don't want to and I have to be able to work. We figured it out though. I am a little happy because I found out that I can take a CHOIR class. xD Yay! Singing! <3

And back to not so happy because I apparently can't enroll in either of the Math classes until I get "approved" by a counselor, which is so annoying because I've seen the counselors already - maybe twice today - to give them the results from my Math test and I have no clue why they didn't approve it then! Seriously, it takes at least an hour of waiting before we finally see a counselor. Ugh.

But we got everything worked out and I am now enrolled at HCC. Finally.

- Cali