:)

Sunday was such a great day! We have been working with a few less active people and they are starting to make progress!!

The Atagi family is the first. Elder Wright has been meeting with them since he got here. They have two daughters under the age of 6. They haven't been to church in 6 years! Brother and Sister Atagi are starting to realize the damage that they will do to their daughters if they continue down the path they are on. Two weeks ago they told us they were going to block off Sundays for the last three weeks in Aug so they could come. And they did!!! The members of the ward were so excited to see them there again. Their HT and VT have been faithful the whole time and we are hoping that this can be the beginning of a turn around for them. We meet with them once a week and teach their daughters the lessons. This next week we are teaching the restoration and we are excited!

Dusty Dunaway is the next. He is a single guy who aged out of the singles ward about 2 years ago. He was baptized in his 20s and hasn't been to church in years either. No one had been able to get him to come and the last week before I got here he came for the first time.  He was able to make it to church once since I have been here. We were able to set up weekly appointments with him as well and this last week he accepted the calling to be a home teacher. We had brother Allee come as a team up which was perfect because they used to be in the singles ward together. He didn't make it to church this week so we are praying he will be able to come next week.

Brother and Sister Phillips are last. They haven't made it to church in about 6 months. We also have weekly appointments with them. We talked to them about their baptismal covenants last meeting and the Spirit was very strong. Brother Phillips made it to church on Sunday and it was so good to see him there. He snuck in and out of the back and we barley caught him. We didn't even know he was coming! Next time we will have to make sure the members know he is here.

We had Zone Conference last week and it was such a spiritual pump up!

I love meetings!

Found a super cool scripture this week that I love!!

38 And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life. -D&C 101:38

Love

- 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

Elder Kelly, Elder Butterfield, Elder Wright

Elder Butterfield trained Elder Wright and picked up 

Elder Kelly from the airport.  He was visiting the area with 

his family and took them for ice cream.

Elder Wright and Elder Kelly

Walk the Talk

Walk and Talk

Last week was walk week with no car and Elder Wright and I actually really enjoyed it. :) You just get to talk to so many more people throughout the day and we are hoping that this week we will be able to help a lot of those new potentials from this last week start meeting with us.

While we walked we...

- Were told by an older lady we were cute but there was no point in walking around looking stupid like that. Later in the conversation we found out she was atheist.

- Got chigger bites

- Sweated a lot (But definitely blessed none the less. Weather was about 10 degrees cooler than the past and future weeks surrounding it)

- Heard lots of yelling through car windows

- Got honked at by members

- Met JD and David (separate stories I'll tell later)

- Memorized scriptures

- Talked about best memories

- Experienced lots of other cool stuff you wish you experienced on your mission.   Haha

Thankfully here in Olathe it's a lot flatter than it is in Parkville.

Makes walking ten times more enjoyable.

We met with Paul and Kasey four times last week to help Paul stay busy and not thinking about smoking. Each time we went over he told us he was still feeling good about the 13th of Aug. Well he didn't smoke for about two days and at the end of the 2nd day (yesterday) he told us that he doesn't want to be baptized the 13th and isn't sure he is ready to quit smoking. But Kasey is still shooting for the 13th hopefully and we are praying that his dad will follow suit one day. We will still be meeting with both of them to help them further their relationship with Heavenly Father.

Wednesday we met David on the street and met with him on Friday. We taught the whole first lesson and he didn't seem to understand and looked at us like we had three heads. We were trying to ask questions to check understanding and he was just acting weird and saying, "I don't know". We will see if he ever wants to meet with us again

On Friday we were walking and saw two guys and a woman on their porch.

"Hey are you Jehovah's?!"

"No we are from the Chur-"

"Are you Mormon?!"

"Yes we are."

"Well then get up here!!!"

This is why I love the mid west. People never do that in Vegas. Well no one has a wrap around porch to sit on in Vegas either. We walked over and introduced ourselves. JD, Connie, and Matthew. (Kind of crazy: Matthew's name is Matthew Paul, and 20 minutes before we met him we were eating at a members home who's name was Samantha Marie) Just three friends hanging out on the porch drinking a beer and smoking cigarettes. We told them about ourselves a little bit and about the church and our beliefs. JD (He owns the home) invited us back to have a "cookout" next Friday. We told him we would come if there was no drugs, alcohol, or smoking going on. They said it was a deal. None of that until after the lesson is over and we leave. So we will drive by next Friday night and see if they actually kept it away and if not we will just go home and eat. We are praying it actually works out because they were all really nice people.

Saturday night bishop texted us asking if we had a dinner to which we joyfully responded "no". He said he would take us out that night.  We got in the car and he asked where we wanted to go. He listed a few and we chose one. As we were driving he said, "You know what. Do you guys like sushi?"

"UUh... YEAH!"

"Really? YES!! My sushi buddy moved away and no one eats sushi with me anymore."

Elder Wright and I had been talking two days before about how good sushi sounded and how sad it was that we probably wouldn't eat it for two years. Needless to say we were excited.  The way this placed worked was pretty cool. It was a large oval shaped bar and on the inside of the bar they made all the sushi. There was a train that went around the bar that they put the plates of sushi on and you just grabbed a plate off the train as it came by. They charged you based on how many plates you had and what color of plate it was.  Fun experience to have with Bishop Drake.

We are having a fun time out here in Olathe 2nd!

Love and miss you all (I really mean that) -Elder Kelly

The Twin Towers of Olathe

It has been a super sweet week!

About this Ward:

1. The Ward is awesome. The members feed us regularly and are doing their best to stay involved with the missionary effort and many actually do what the stake president has challenged us all to do as a stake. 

2. This stake is leading the world right now in indexing. At stake conference President Boyack issued a challenge to index 1 million names by next conference and so far we have over 300,000 names indexed and stake conference was only 4-5 weeks ago. Pretty awesome. So far a lot of members have been able to have some cool missionary experiences from it too.

3. The Ward Mission leader is a young guy who knows what he is doing. He is striving to fulfill his calling and has been doing a good job so far. Such a difference when people actually strive to fulfill their callings.

Paul and Kasey Nudson are a father and son who we are teaching. Paul is married to Sister Nudson who is a member that returned to activity about a year ago. He has been taught for a really long time and has been on baptismal date several times. He has a word of wisdom concern he is striving to over come and on Thursday we were able to sit down with him and help him make a plan to overcome and he is on date for Aug 13th. He said that we could have daily contact with him and just see how he is doing each day. Pray for him! Kasey is his 9 year old son. He is a typical 9 year old who struggles with listening but he understands everything pretty well already. We're hoping when his dad gets baptized that he will commit too! The Nudson family is pretty awesome over all. They also have a little daughter, Iris who is 3. She is hilarious.

Last Monday we didn't have a full day because Elder Neil Anderson came our mission and spoke to us!! It was SO POWERFUL. Highlights

- "In this mission there are thousands who await you. In each of your areas there are Dozens who await you. Asking God what it is that is missing from their life."

- "We know that this Mission is Very hard working and Very obedient.

But you need to learn how to have greater faith and pull down the powers of heaven"

- "You are serving in a sacred place. I and the rest of the brethren don't talk about Independence Mo because we know that if we helped saints see how truly important this place was they would flock here."

- we don't always see the fruit of our work and efforts in those that we teach and serve but you still taste of the fruit in your own life because the atonement changes you as you serve the lord. Alma 32:

40-42

He said a lot of other things but those were the best.

Wednesday was District Meeting! It went really well and there was a lot of good discussion. Looking forward to this week's meeting. This District is full of hard workers who love the Lord and you can feel it. On Sunday nights I'm supposed to call each companionship and just talk about their week and it is so interesting and cool how you can just feel the love that Heavenly Father and the Savior has for each companionship and missionary. You can literally feel it. Not sure if that actually makes sense but it's such a blessing to have that experience.

On Saturday there was a stake BBQ and it was the best turn out I have ever seen at a stake activity. Seriously crazy. We were in this park and we covered the entire park. Muggy air. Lots of Mormons. Mounds of food. Doesn't get better than that.

Me and Elder Wright get along really well. He is a hard worker and it so nice to have an extra hour of study each morning again. Really helps you improve faster. He is from Holiday, Utah and I think he went to Olympus High. Not sure where that is. He is definitely the most talkative companion I have had and it's a ton of fun. 

Elder Kelly and Elder Wright

This week we are on foot. We went up to the mission home to see if they have any bikes we can swoop from the bat cave and they are all broken. It'll be a good week of hoofin' it around. Pray for rain. 

Last thought. During the sacrament yesterday's I was reading from 2 Nephi 27

Verses 3 particularly hit me hard. 

"1 But, behold, in the last days, or in the days of the Gentiles--yea, behold all the nations of the Gentiles and also the Jews, both those who shall come upon this land and those who shall be upon other lands, yea, even upon all the lands of the earth, behold, they will be drunken with iniquity and all manner of abominations--

2 And when that day shall come they shall be visited of the Lord of Hosts, with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great noise, and with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire.

3 And all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it shall be unto them, even as unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thirsty man which dreameth, and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; yea, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion"

I was thinking about how only through Christ can we actually be filled. That is the only way we can find true fulfillment in this life. 3 Nephi 18:1-11, Alma 36: 12-21, Moroni 10: 32-33, and 1 Nephi 1:15 are examples.

God does live. His son is Jesus Christ. :)

- Elder Kelly

This house has 3 huge dogs that slobber and shed. 

The owner was nice and gave us these apron things to keep our clothes safe. 

Elder Wright's got ripped by the dogs in like two seconds.

Weirdos

Olathe, Kansas

What is up everybody!! This past week has been kind of nuts!! So transfers were on Thursday and I am now serving in the Olathe 2nd Ward which is in Olathe, Kansas. It is a pretty nice area that is a lot more flat than Parkville, MO. It feels a lot like I'm back in Vegas or Utah. It is weird. I am follow up training Elder Wright! He is a stud.  He was being trained by Elder Butterfield who was an assistant to the president when I came out. Elder Butterfield is like a legend in the mission for his missionary skills. Big shoes to fill for sure. Elder Wright is from SLC and graduated in 2015. He is taller than me so we definitely turn heads as if the shirt, tie, and tag didn't already do that. We share the Ward with sister missionaries. Sister Jackson and Sister Garay. Sister Jackson was in my MTC district and we are excited to serve with the sisters in this Ward. Thankfully these sisters are super hard workers. Hopefully we can get double the work done and change the culture of this Ward.

   

On Monday before transfers I was called as a district leader as well so I have a lot of new things to learn that I honestly have no idea about. It is almost funny at how much I don't know. I feel like I am back at the beginning of my mission again. This district has 7 companionships in it, 4 of which are sister companionships. More sister than elders doesn't happen very often. 2 of the companionships are The Zone Leaders and Sister Trainer Leaders. Elder Heinrichsen from Shadow Ridge is my zone leader again :)

   

On Thursday me and Elder Wright went to the stake center to weekly plan and coordinate with the sisters about splitting up the Ward roster and such. There were other companionships there; one of which was the Sister Trainer Leaders. They came up to me.

"Hey you're the new district leader right?"

"Yup."

"Sweet! Do you think you could do a baptismal interview tomorrow for us?"

I seriously just started laughing because I had no idea how to conduct one. Nonetheless we planned for the interview the following day. I interviewed Juliano. Super strong testimony builder for me that the things we do as missionaries really do help people come closer to Christ. Sometimes it is hard to really remember that. He told me a lot about his conversion. The sisters only started teaching him about 3-4 weeks ago. The spirit was present and truly led the conversation.  Very grateful for all these extra opportunities to serve!

Also grateful for Elder Wright because he could tell I was feeling pretty overwhelmed and he was just being encouraging and positive.  Always nice to be trained by the trainee :)

Hope you all are seeking to change everyday and find out what the Lord needs you to do. Show your love for the Lord by seeking not your own.

Love Elder Kelly.

Btw my email is messed up so I won't be replying to anything else. I was only able to read dads email.  

Members are EVERYTHING

What is UP!!!!!

So this past week has been really fun! 

On Tuesday we went and saw a guy named Lyndon who is an inactive member of the Community of Christ church. We sat down with him and he started talking about how much he loves the Book of Mormon and D&C. WEIRD.  How are we supposed teach this guy if he already thinks the first vision took place and that the Book of Mormon is true? We just went from the direction of, Is Thomas s. Monson a prophet of God? He said he would pray about it and we could come back later in the week. Well we came back and watched the talk choices with him and he seemed to enjoy it pretty well. He said he felt like he is part of God's church already but is willing to pray and fast again this week to know. Fingers crossed he is able to recognize his answer and have the softened heart to receive one.

Our other really awesome success this week was with Sarah Petty we were able to see her 3 times this past week. Two of the meetings were lessons and they were both with brother and sister Bastow. BEST MEMBERS EVER. Sarah's friend, Ashley Pasley is out of town so we had to do it somewhere else. The Bastows let us come on over and were immediately so friendly to her. They are new move ins for medical school and are in their twenties. Sarah felt comfortable and was pretty open with us and it really helped us be able to address her struggles and concerns. The Bastows were bearing strong testimony of the power of the atonement as we taught and there were a lot of tears all around. We invited her to be baptized on the 6th of August and she said she would think about it. Our second meeting was just as awesome and Sarah said that she is considering baptism seriously now! On Saturday she came to a baptism for another ward and seemed to really enjoy it. The stake president talked to her as did president Vest! So AWESOME! On the way home she said she would come to church the next day and she did! She said she was praying to know if she should be baptized. No answer yet. 

Transfers are this week so it's probably my last week in Parkville :( But this place is so awesome and who knows, I still might stay another transfer. That would be crazy! 

Love you guys

Elder Kelly

Elder Kelly, Brother MacNeil, Elder Childress

God Bless America

Kind of awesome the 4th of July landed on a P-day. It actually feels like it's a holiday today. So grateful that we have this country to worship as we please.

It has been a really good week! We were able to meet with Sarah Petty and she read alma 32! She really enjoyed alma 32:21 and she seemed to understand it pretty well! She was going to come to church but she woke up feeling sick unfortunately. But she texted us later that day and asked for more chapters to read from the Book of Mormon! She is really enjoying what we are leaving with her to read. Hopefully she will be able to make it to church next week!

We Got a new Ward mission leader! His name is brother Smith and he just moved in from the neighboring stake. He has a family of 7 kids and they are pretty awesome. He has never served as a ward mission leader but he is excited and said that he was going to go study up!

Haha we are excited to start working with him.

On Saturday night we got a call from Bishop and he said that there was a family headed to the west coast from northern Alabama. The father in this family was feeling really sick and so he located the nearest bishop and asked for a priesthood blessing. He called our bishop and he asked us to head over and give a priesthood blessing! We were excited to exercise our priesthood. We got to the hotel they stopped in and we gave the blessing and left. The man was not looking good and was talking quietly. He told us he had a fever of 104 and had aches and cold sweats the whole day. The next day was fast and testimony meeting. The man stood up and bore a sincere testimony of the power of the priesthood. He felt completely better and there were no remnants of his sickness from the day before. Small and simple miracles are the most precious. They help us build our faith in the Savior Jesus Christ and his atonement. The Savior's authority is on the earth today. Thomas S. Monson holds the same keys that Peter was given anciently by Christ. I invite each of you to gain a further testimony of the prophet Thomas S. Monson who leads and guides this church under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is important to know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God but is equally important to gain a testimony of the current prophet Thomas S. Monson

I love you guys!

- Elder Kelly