Birthdays, parks, and testimonies

Heyyyy heyyyy Everyone :) 

This was a good week! 

Hair enjoying the humidity

Monday was fun. 

• We went shopping with the sisters that we live with, with the intent of buying something matching... But that didn't happen :) 
• haha then we went home to email and get groceries. 
• After that we went to dinner with our bishop and his family! That was way fun! We ended up staying an extra hour discussing the ward, our mission leader, and how we can best hasten the work in our ward. Our Bishopric is SO missionary centered, it's incredible :) 
• That evening Virginia gave us another beautiful summer storm where the entire sky lit up every 3 minutes! You know when the clouds are super dark, the wind is super strong but warm, and you can almost feel the thunder through your feet just before it starts to rain? That is my FAVORITE :)) Beautiful way to top off the day :))) 

Tuesday was yet another good day. 

• We had zone training, which is where we meet with our zone for a couple hours and become spiritually filled/motivated/strengthened by our zone leaders, and anyone else that they ask to teach. The sisters we live with taught a small lesson on the Atonement and the power behind it. Then they invited us to take 3 minutes to write down our thoughts and feelings about how we have seen the Atonement effect our lives. Here is what I wrote down::

The atonement has become a tender mercy in my life; especially since I've been on my mission. I've come to realize the reality that because of the atonement, I truly CAN live with my father in heaven. I really CAN make it to the celestial kingdom and live eternally with my family because Jesus Christ made that possible. 

I am forever grateful for a brother who loved ME individually enough to carry that cross and experience everything I have and ever will feel. The atonement has made it possible for me to reach my full potential, to have the guilt of my transgressions be completely swept away, and to have confidence that I will be at peace when I stand in front of my maker when the day of judgement comes. 

I recognize that the atonement has already been done; its up to us to humble ourselves and trust the unknown that lies ahead. I know that no matter how many times I make the same mistake, or how horrible a mistake I've made, the savior holds His arms out, reaching towards me so that I can be comforted in them. So that I can feel His embrace and forget. Move on. Be better :) The restoration of the gospel brought back the accessing powers of the atonement; both the redeeming as well as the enabling. I'm grateful to know that I can become stronger through Jesus Christ.

I hadn't ever written my testimony of the atonement down before! I needed that, and I was so grateful for the spirit that I felt during that meeting :) Truly it is amazing to be surrounded by such wonderful people who all have the same purpose/drive/love for the children of God :) 

• In the evening we had a lesson with a member, and then we checked on some potentials. It was about time to go home, but we wanted to talk to one more person, so we stopped and talked to S :) S was just hanging out waiting for his friend to come home so he could help him move in. He was so friendly and open! We shared the Book of Mormon with him and we explained where it came from and how it will bless his life. He quickly became intrigued when we mentioned some questions it answers. He said he would read it and come to church when he could; he lives in another area, but wants to come to our ward to try it out :) 

• Finally we got home and went down to the library for wifi so we could do our nightly planning. There was a young man sitting a little off to the side whom I didn't recognize. When we were finished planning, I turned and asked if he was new here. We learned that he had arrived the day before, is in the Navy, our age, loves to dance, is from Idaho, was a member but became inactive and atheist when he was around 16, and was so fun to talk to! His grandma always tells him he will come back to the church one day and he just laughs with love :) I told him we were over a singles ward, and asked if he wanted to know when activities were so he could meet more people who like the same things he does. His response was so cool :) 

"Okay, you just said something that might be the only way to get me to come back to church. Everybody always jumps to inviting me to church service or spiritual things, but you invited me to activities!" We exchanged contact information because our Navy friend is interested in coming to activities :) I don't think he's as far off as he thinks he is :)

That experience opened my eyes to see that we really are sent to a place for specific people. Certain people need me, while other people need sister Jones. I really feel like I am currently where I am so that I can help this young man find God. We have similar interests and we are both from Idaho! What are the odds?! ;) haha whatever comes of it, I know that if anything we can plant seeds and develop a friendship with him that will shepherd him in the right direction :)

On Wednesday we had a big meeting with the senior missionary who is over housing and the maintenance manager to see what we can do to solve the problem in our apartment. Currently the mold isn't the focus because it's painted over and apparently the wall isn't wet, though it bubbles often... So they decided to fix the air conditioning units! We are instructed to wait and see how our health improves, if at all, for a week. If it hasn't gotten any better then we can see about moving buildings. 

• When that was over, we exchanged for the day with our sister training leaders!! I went to Oakton with sister Osmond, whom I love dearly :) and it was great!! We were able to have a couple member lessons and we both needed the little girls room, so it was a great reason for a less active to let us in! :) we ended up talking about family history and it was fun to share stories :)
• Sister Jones and I have been working on figuring out our family trees this week, and a couple members of the ward have helped us figure out the app that we have to work from; I'm really taking interest in it! The spirit of Elijah is real :) 
• There was a light outside my window that night so I woke up like 6 times thinking the sun was up and it was time to get up, so by the 6th time, I was convinced it was like 10am or something. Eventually the alarm went off at 6:15 and we got up to go run :) 
• We made a video for Sister Lewis because she trained me, and sister Osmond trained her, and it was sister Lewis' birthday yesterday!! It was so fun :) I sure do love those sisters :) That's something about a mission that I LOVE. You make best friends that you will always be super close with. These friendships are friendships in Christ, so they are really different from any other normal friendship. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to serve around the sisters that I do, and to form these relationships that bring me pure bliss :) 
• After we switched back we had a couple member/ recent convert lessons and then tacos with a member :) yumm :) then checked on potentials. 

Friday was the coolest! It was my mama's birthday!!! :) 

• Also, it was weekly planning and the weather was gorgeous. It's starting to get hot, and humid, but mostly just hot. So we sat in the shade under a tree in the park with a nice ongoing breeze and planned :) 

• Sister Jones and I set some super good goals that we know will bring blessings as we work hard on them! We are determined and full of fire! It's going to be a good week :) I'm so grateful to have a companion that is new. New missionaries just trust you, and it's fun to train because I know exactly how she feels when we contact people on the streets, and she suddenly doesn't know what to say, or how to say it. I love that I can relate and give her reassurance that she will regain her social skills soon enough ;) I remember wanting to learn and grasp everything within the first couple of weeks, and wondering why I hadn't mastered the lessons by day 7! I'm glad that I have the opportunity to be her support, assure her that every new missionary experiences the same thing, and it will get better with time and practice :) 
• Dinner that night was home cooked Korean food with a member of our ward! Oh my gosh. It was so good!! I would tell you what it was, but the only food item on my plate that I know how to spell was rice :) we shared the new Mormon message, "Lift", and talked about service. The spirit was pleasant :) 

Saturday was busy! 

• We had studies, 
• and had to watch an hour of "The District" videos to evaluate and discuss. New missionary training stuff :) 
• Next we needed to plan a lesson for Sunday because we taught Gospel Principles! 
• We didn't have a dinner that night, so we ate at home and went to work! 
• We checked on some potentials and talked to whoever we saw outside. All day I had thought about a potential whom we will call George. We decided to go check on him, but while pulling into a parking spot I had an uneasy feeling about it. This made me so confused, so we said a prayer to try and discern this feeling. While sister Jones asked for understanding and direction, I felt a lot better about going to see this potential. As soon as we said Amen and opened our eyes, I saw a guy walk in the house that we were going to! When we knocked, we found a prepared potential whom the Lord wanted us to contact, but needed us to wait a couple minutes so we wouldn't miss him. That's why I didn't feel good about it for a minute, and then suddenly did. Because we needed to wait for him to get home :) 
• After talking with George, we went and saw T :) We taught her the restoration and the spirit was so incredible. I haven't felt the spirit that strong in a lesson for a while! She agreed to read from the Book of Mormon and pray to know if the things we taught her are true :) life is good :) 

Aside from Monday, my favorite day of the week is Sunday. 

• Though we do a ton of spiritual things 24/7, Sunday is like my spiritual recharge day. I get to take the sacrament and renew my baptismal covenants, listen to speakers that have prepared messages in which the spirit teaches, and I'm surrounded by people who share the same love/gratitude for the gospel. 
• Also, A came to church again :) I've said it before, and I'm saying it again, I LOVE SERVING IN A SINGLES WARD!! There were a handful of sisters throughout the day at church hunting to find A so that they could introduce themselves and help her feel welcome. They are AWESOME!! Everything was perfect. 

She came to sacrament meeting where the talks were on overcoming adversity, she went to gospel principles where Sister Jones and I taught a lesson on baptism- which answered a few questions she had-, and she went to relief society where she felt so welcomed and participated in a lesson on the importance of the Book of Mormon. When church was over she asked if we were free this week to meet. "Are we free?! The real question is, are YOU free??" :) that woman is so stinking busy! After scheduling a time in to see her, I asked if she'd been praying about baptism. When she hesitantly said yes, I asked what was holding her back. After a good quiet pause, she said in an honest tone, "Nothing". Nothing is holding her back, except for a couple family members. We are putting A on date when we meet with her this Friday; please keep her in your prayers!! 

• Our evening was great! We went to dinner and shared a message that was definitely inspired and spirit led. We then had a member lesson with a sister who actually served in the one place I prayed not to go; Pocatello, Idaho ;) 

She was a little late though, which I think was divine intervention because we were able to have a good conversation with her roommate who majored in dance at BYU, and is less active. We had such a good conversation!! She teaches over here, and is performing with a company, and I'm just insanely jealous. It's fine :) 

When the sister whom we planned to meet with came home, another less active roommate came down the stairs and joined us! This one attended BYUI and hated it! I was sad because my experience was wonderful, but she was there while I was, so we talked a lot about the flood that happened and some different things about the school. It was so fun to be able to connect to these sisters and share an uplifting, heartwarming message of the gospel :)

Today we are going to a park with the zone to play sand volleyball, and other outside sports :) 

Last night when we got home, we were talking with the sisters that we live with (we always end up doing this and then end up not going to bed until 11/11:30... shhhhh :)) and got on the topic of how much a mission has blessed our lives, even in this short amount of time. 

I'm almost at my half way mark, which is 9 months, and I can honestly tell you I'm not the same person I was when I left. Well, let me rephrase that, because I am definitely still Kailey :) I still dance in the kitchen, make up rhymes that I call raps, try to be optimistic at all times, I still take naps, and I still love food ;) But I'm a lot more patient, I'm a lot more humble/submissive, I'm a lot more selfless. I've developed the gift of meekness, I went from being a pro at procrastinating to being pretty on top of things, etc. I'm just a better me! I've grown and progressed in multiple ways SO much faster, and so much more than I would have if I didn't serve a mission. I know I'm supposed to be here, and I'm loving every second of it :) 

I hope you have such a good week!!

Love you!

Sister Kailey 

Trying to show fire flies