Hey Y'all,

we begin another whirlwind week!  every time I write it seems so much has happened and it is getting harder to separate the days.  I told someone this morning 'good night!' in parting, I am not actually sure what time of day it is anymore.

we had interviews with president leavitt this week, and he told us that we're supposed to be gaining twenty seven new sisters in the next six months, which is more sisters than there are in the mission as yet.  so, we'll be opening new areas, and everyone who's out now will train at least once in the next six months, perhaps more than that.  he also hinted that I may be transferred soon, so perhaps in the next three weeks I'll get a change of scenery!  Also he suggested that the likelyhood of me whitewashing and training are pretty high, that's the mission colloquialism for two missionaries being sent to an area they haven't been working in, which is fun when one of you has no experience yet at all.  should be a good time.  although that was pretty much what happened when I came out, so the tables have turned! 

last week we went to signal hill for our p-day, it was pretty fun but that meant that I didn't have any time to write letters.  D: so too bad.  we went with all the elders, because our car was in the shop (again) and we were riding in the elder's soccer mom van.  it's really interesting to spend time with them because for the most part they're still pretty immature.  especially the older ones.  daring each other to find the greasiest shack or laughing at a restaurant that sells hot dogs called long dicks, or betting who will or won't throw up when they eat a succor with a scorpion in it.  and then the conversation will randomly become gospel centered and we'll all talk about what we believe.  weirdest heel face turns ever. 

also elder deem won't stop teasing me to draw his face.  I'm really glad he's getting transferred. 

signal hill was really fun, it's a historical site that boarders the edge of the harbor, where there was a working light house at one time.  it functioned as the higher light, there is another lighthouse on the other side of the harbor that serves as a lower correcting light, so that ships don't crash into the sides of the rock's impenetrable shale face.  it was super windy up there though, you got a sweet view of saint john's and of my underwear.  it turns out wearing a dress in gale force wind isn't a good idea.  go figure.  after a couple of pictures we ran inside the house and stayed there.

this week we're supposed to go to cape spear, and this time I brought my pants.  I will not repeat last week, I refuse.  when elder amaya asked about it I told him I was bringing pants and he can just fight me about it.  he laughed and said that he was thinking p-day clothes would be best anyway.

I don't have any cool spiritual insights this week, read your scriptures, they're great.

hmm.  I've been spending some time reading and re reading the emails I've gotten this week.  It's fun that when I send out a letter after nobody writes suddenly I get a full inbox.  now I don't know what to do with myself.

also I was laughing at a few things this morning and one of the guys in the library got mad at me because I was being too loud apparently. then he stormed out. I'm pretty sure all of you know me and know that I don't make that much noise, even when giggling at funny stuff over email.  also it seemed like he was looking at my companion, but I can't actually tell if that was because he was talking to her or that his eyes were just crooked.  in Newfoundland you can never tell.

this week was pretty interesting.  there was a town event on Wednesday called regatta, which is basically like the boat races, but they do it with rowing boats and just as much booze.  we were given mixed directions about going to it, so we didn't actually end up going.  For some reason I don't think that we missed much, although it messed up our entire day.  nobody was home. all our appointments fell through.  the buses weren't running.  it was just all around an unproductive day.

oh, update on the random guy.  apparently it is rude to type next to people.  he just cursed at me and my companion over wait for it...  keyboards.  holy moly.

so then we had some regular days and some planning days and some working days, and one day we had a lot of cool experiences.  we were just out on the streets waving at cars and knocking doors, story of my life, when we passed a couple of nicer homes with long driveways and forests for yards so I was like 'yep' and we wandered to their doors.  the first wasn't interested but the second was a really nice woman that we began having a nice talk about genealogy.  we then asked if we could go in and she said sure!  so we walk in, and it's this mansion that was built in 1909, tons of antiques everywhere, cool fireplaces, crown molding, china sets, grand staircases, the works, and we sit down and have a conversation with this wonderful lady about her multi million dollar business and her children that have corporate careers and all this stuff, and I'm just like 'when do I get to talk about the book of Mormon?' and my companion didn't ever really start a lesson, so we didn't talk about it. really really anti-climatic. and also the first door we've gotten into in the last transfer.  oh well, you win some you loose some.

well, I'm running down on time, so I love you all and will be sending mail soon.

meowmeow.

this week has been a lesson in charity.

sometimes we get to a point where being nice and freely giving of our selves becomes no longer easy or doable but like hard work and even a struggle.  the thoughts of what I want to get done and where I want to go and what I want to teach sometimes take over and I loose sight of what is really important. 

yes there are many lessons that I can learn out here but approaching them from that perspective of looking into a mirror as to how everything reflects on me is not a productive way to look at things.  it leads to selfishness, self pity, and self centered ness.  I need to stop looking for that reward of doing a good deed, shouldn't the deed be reward in and of itself?  shouldn't I feel happy when other people feel happy? and rather than trying to do things that I think will make me happier I should just do things that make other people happier.

the days where I get upset that my companion is helpless without a gps or guide (me) to help her anywhere or the times I get frustrated when I don't get to finish a letter or the days when that stupid 5 BX workout program just won't go away are the days I struggle, those are the days when I cannot for some reason, by choice or by attitude look farther than the tip of my own nose to stop being so concerned by things that just shouldn't matter and yet do to some people! (including me) why do we struggle so much to let stupid little things go? why is it so much work to just choose to be happy? 

I know for myself that I struggle the most when I make this work my work.  because It isn't.  If I were to leave, the work of salvation would continue on, would hasten regardless, because "no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing."  including mine. the only way that anyone is to change their lives and themselves is by listening to the counsel of God himself.  in Mosiah chapter three verse 19 we learn it again " for the natural man is an enemy to god and has been since the fall of adam and will be forever and ever, unless he yields himself to the holy spirit and putteth off the natural man, and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the father seeth fit to inflict upon  him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

haha funny thought, once in my mission preparation class we were talking about humility and the professor said to the tune of a primary song I think most of us will naturally remember, "if you're humble and you know it then you're not." 

as in the book of mormon it is easy for us to fall into a cycle of pride. but, the way we brake it is through choosing to humble ourselves, alma taught 'blessed are they who humble themselves, without being compelled to be humble, or rather, blessed is he that believeth... without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know before they will believe.'  and as the people in helaman's day demonstrated in the face of severe persecution, even within the proverbial walls of the church,  'Nevertheless the did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility and firmer and firmer in their faith of christ, unto the filling of their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.'

so I just need to do that.

sorry for using this email as an extension of my personal study, I think I needed to do a little self examination.  and I feel better now!  the scriptures are great. I love them. so i'ma get off my soap box now and go be happy.

I'm going to seriously try to write some letters today, I know I've said it like a million times, but really I need to write you people!  D:

I love you all,

Kelsey

ps: some pictures from before the sisters in our district peaced out.