The Missouri and Independence of Elder Kelly: This Week Was Kind of a Blur

We met with Paul and Kasey twice this week and just read the scriptures with them. We told them that they need to tell us when they want to be baptized and until then we will just help Paul stop smoking by reading scriptures and stuff like that. Even then we will just be passing this off to the elders quorum eventually so we aren't spending so much time over there. Also gives a good opportunity to have Paul make friends in the ward other than the missionaries.

Thursday we were walking down the street and saw this older Asian looking lady who was shoveling some wood chips out of her yard. We offered help and she told us we could do it for her and she would give us free haircuts. She told us to come back tomorrow in normal clothes while she was at work and then she would see us Monday. Elder Wright and I agreed and she did a really good job on our hair.

Friday we had zone training down in Paola, Kansas and up until this point I did not realize how huge our zone was. We have three districts in this zone and I think total there are 14 or 15 companionships.

Throughout the meeting it kept reminding me of how student council was. It was weird. Anyways, ever since Elder Anderson came to our mission the focus throughout the mission has been about pulling down the powers of heaven since that was a majority of what he talked about. Elder Wright and I fasted to know how to pull down the powers of heaven in our ward and with the people we are teaching and we put a plan in action. We are hoping and praying that we will be able to help this ward grow with these goals and plans.

Zone Training

The Assistants that came to Zone Training.

Always good to talk with them. They are studs.

At the end of zone training we all had lunch together. There is a sister who lives in Paola who always makes lunch for the missionaries after. So awesome. There was baked potatoes, chili, salad, dessert, SO MUCH FOOD. (there was actually a ton of leftovers at the end of the lunch) It was great. We were all pretty hungry and I put down 2 very large plates of food and a bowl of pasta. I was eating as much as I could because we didn't have a dinner that night. Well what I didn't realize was that it was 2:30 pm when we started eating and we in fact did have a dinner. It was our dinner with JD. Well it was about 30 minutes back home and I had already eaten so much that I was actually hurting. I don't know why I didn't stop. I don't usually go fully glutenous. Well we went and proselyted for about 40 min and had to head over to JD's for dinner. Hamburgers, potatoes, strawberry shortcake, green beans. He had made a ton of food. I won't lie I was ready to cry at the thought of eating more food. None the less I ate everything. At one point JD was talking about this really spicy salsa he had made and Elder Wright took the courtesy upon himself to tell JD how much I loved spicy food.

"Well try some! I made it fresh from my garden!"

"No thanks I'm ok"

"C'mon Elder Kelly don't tell the man no!"

Elder Wright could see the fear in my eyes because he knew I had over eaten that day but he continued to persist with a stupid smirk on his face. I'm not kidding when I say fear. I was seriously afraid to eat the salsa. I already felt like I was going to throw-up from the amount of food I had eaten and I was positive that if I ate something super spicy it would put me over. Vomit sweats had already hit me. I said a prayer in my head that I would be able to keep it down and promised I would never eat so much food again (no joke), ate the chip with salsa, and walked out of that house like a champion. A really, really fat champion. I felt disgusting the remainder of the evening. I have never eaten so much food in so short of a time. Heavenly Father seriously helped me out there because I was sure that I was going to up chuck right there in front of JD.

On a more spiritual side of things, fast Sunday was so good and we had a lesson in gospel principals about the gifts of the Spirit. Such a good lesson. Also this week I was reading through the King Benjamin sermon in the book of Mosiah and I love how it is similar to general conference. GO READ THE CONFERENCE TALKS. Over and over and over. Be acquainted with the modern day prophet's words. Build your testimony of the authority and keys he holds.

Me and Elder Wright are having a lot of fun and really enjoy the work here in the Olathe 2nd Ward. I'll send lots of pictures this week I promise.

I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God who has been called through revelation and continues to guide the Lord's church in righteousness. He is the literal mouth piece of God. I know the Book of Mormon is a book of scripture that invites a spirit into your life that cannot be duplicated by anything else. I know that God is real and is aware of each of us specifically. I know that the fullness of the gospel is here on the earth. I know that through the ordinances of the temple we can be with our families throughout eternity.

I love you all.

- Elder Kelly