The Crazy Magnet 8/10/2015

Dear Family and Friends,

We did a lot more character building this week. Our investigator 'contacting' is very needy. Ja ja ja I kill my self.

We did another two exchanges this week.  exchanges are called intercambios. It's where you switch companions for 24 hours. You go to their area or they come to yours. And I guess it's a great time to learn things from each other. If I had to explain it in two words, it
would be 'small talk' --- just kidding. I really did learn a lot from the other Hermanas. It's cool to see how each person works. We have another two coming up this next week...Hip hip hooray...if your about that kinda life.

I have decided that the craziness follows me. Every time I'm on exchanges we seem to come in contact with some very strange people. Every time my companion says, "Wow, how strange, that normally doesn't happen." And I want to say, "No? They are everywhere. I always find them." But I hold that in, hoping maybe it's not me that is the one causing the crazies to pop out.

I wish a had a lot of stories to tell you about the ward members and our investigators, but I've been out of my area so much...I really don't know how they're doing. Our African friends keep sharing their food with us. So, more fire rice and weird meat that comes from...I don't even know what animal or what part of the body. Yum.

I honestly love my companion. This is the last week of this transfer, and I really don't want her to leave me. I really would be totally fine finishing the mission with her as my companion for the next 10 months. I'm going to try to do some hint hinting in my letter to president this week about how great we work together. So next week I'll tell you how well my hinting goes.

What I learned this week: 'To be.....you!' Often times we look down on ourselves when we see all that we are lacking. Maybe you're not as funny as Robert, or maybe you're not as
talented as Jane, or maybe so and so is awesome at being a mom or coach, or what ever it might be. And yes, maybe to be honest, you aren't like them. But that's okay. Because...a wise close friend of mine once said, "Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one on earth that is you er than you."  --Dr Seuss

You are the best you out there, so don't try to be someone else, because if you do, who's gonna be you? So really just try to be the best you. Yikes, I'm sounding like Dr Seuss, which means you just had to read that part ten times, and you still are trying to figure out what I'm saying. So this week be the best you; and no one else.

Love, Hermana Kelemen

P.S. Top reason why President should keep me and Hermana Baxter together:  We walk 35 miles per hour with our long legs. We get places. The ward like to joke about that when they see us 'sprinting' in the street. For them it's sprinting, but for us, it's a slow stroll.

The Prince 8/3/2015

Dear Family and Friends,

So good new, I didn't have to eat fu fu---but----we had another eating appointment with a lady in the ward. When we came in she asked, "I hope you like spaghetti." What she should have said: "I hope you like to eat fire."

She told us she didn't put as much spice in her spaghetti this time because she knew African and American taste buds are a little different. I really never want to try her normal recipe for spaghetti with all the spice. Because man it felt like I was eating fire. The whole time my nose was running and my eyes were crying. I don't know if you have ever seen the Scooby Doo episode where Scooby and Shaggy eat hot peppers and then their tears are like fountains...Yeah I'm positive Hermana Baxter and I looked like that. Let's just say we went through a lot of water and napkins. After, I think the spices were burning my insides...I still feel a little funky.

We actually have had a ton of eating appointments this week. I love eating appointments. Peruvian food... it's bomb. But when people feed you...They feed you everything. Honestly every eating appointment they bring out the missionaries plates...And on them is enough food to solve world hunger. And then their plates of food are normal portions. I really eat my self sick every time. I am forgetting what it feels like to eat and not be sick afterwards. But the food is super good...So it all evens out I guess.

We had a lesson with one of our investigators this week. We wanted to repass the restoration. So we thought it would be a good idea to share the Joseph Smith video. In the middle of it Hermana Baxter started kicking me. As I looked at her, she motioned to Prince (that is the name of the investigator) and he was out cold, snoozing away. We didn't really know what to do...shake him awake?, or wait for him to wake up? Luckily as we were trying to hold our laughs in, his phone rang and woke him up. We ended up just explaining everything and focused on The Book of Mormon. He was really excited to read The Book of Mormon. After the lesson he said, "I love it when you guys come. I love the spirit you bring. I love learning the word of God."  ?  I wanted to say, "If you love it so much why are you sleeping?" Sometimes it surprises me when people tell us they love when we come. (Prince is Luis...the one we accidentally found and he first thought we were Jehovah Witnesses, and then came to our church. Turns out his real name is Prince).

Yesterday in Sacrament Meeting, we had some really good talks. The first speaker was a lady and she talked about reverence. She talked about how important it is to be reverent in church. She then said that the way to really teach reverence in the church is to teach reverence in the home. I liked that. She talked about how children need to be reverent in times such as family home evening. If they are texting, answering calls during FHE, then they will at church. I liked that. So my goal for you is to turn your phone off in FHE or don't bring it at all. True reverence starts in the home.

The second talk (I know mom would love). It was given by a guy named Salvation, and in his talk he said "the privilege to work is a blessing." He talked about how us, as a people, need to work. And working is a blessing from God. He said too, "when we learn to love to
work that is when we get success." So learn to love to work. And remember to work is a great blessing.

Love, Hermana Kelemen