I'll Try To Make It Out Alive 5/16/2016

My people, 

Well, I don't have a lot of time. We are going to go listen to Elder Bednar today. So if I don't write you next week that means I didn't make it out alive. JK JK lol. I'm really excited, but it's just going to be two hours of open questions. I mean if you were with only 29 other people and an apostle what would you ask? I mean, I have a lot of questions, but I already know that I just need to do the primary answers to find the answers. Pray, read the scriptures, fast and listen the the Holy Ghost.  One question I have been thinking about—and I'll ask you to see what you think, and then I will ask David A Bednar and see what he thinks. 

So we had to read a couple talks from Bednar to prepare, and one was called Ask In Faith. I'll send it to you. 

Ask In FAITH 

Not my will, but thine be done. 

"In desperation and for the first time in many years, the father was found on his knees in prayer, asking that the life of his daughter be spared. Yet her condition worsened. Gradually, this father sensed that his little girl would not live, and slowly his prayers changed; he no longer prayed for healing but rather for understanding. “Let Thy will be done” was now the manner of his pleadings. " (a part from the talk) 

My question: 

We often pray for help and blessings, like shown in the story you shared, about the father and his four year old little girl. First, he was praying for her health and then when he realized she was dying and his prayers weren't being answered he changed his prayer to, "not my will, but thine be done." This is something I have thought a lot about, and still don't quite understand. How do we know when we need to accept Gods will, or when we lack in faith or patience? At times we just need to be patient, or trust in the Lords timing, or accept his will. But also, at times, we don't get the answers because we don't have enough faith, or we are not doing enough on our part. So how do we know if we lack the faith or if it's Gods will, how do we draw that line? 

Well, maybe it's a silly question for you, but I still am trying to figure it out. So tell me what you think. 

This week was really good. I love my comp. 

Life is good here in Telde. 

Love, Hermana Kelemen 

Binter--My Favorite Plane In All The World 5/9/2016

My people, 

This week was crazy. Monday at seven we caught a three hour flight to Madrid. ️We then had a meeting there, for all the leaders and then we flew back to gran Caneras, and got back Wednesday night. Then early Thursday morning we had a meeting. Then Friday morning we caught another flight️ to Tenerife (the little island next to ours) and that morning did another conference. Then we did exchanges with the Hermanas there and came home Saturday afternoon. 

But In-between the islands, you take this cute little plane, like super little and cute. To start up the plane it sound a lot like when you start up a lawn mower. And I felt like my ears were going to pop off. But I loved it. Because the flight is super short, like 20 min and they came out gave us free water and a little chocolate bar and a mint. I'm easy to win over. Then because the flight was so short we didn't go very high, so we where right above the clouds. So when you looked out the window it honestly just looked like you were looking out a car window looking at a field of snow. I think I freaked out my comp, because after she said, "put Hermana Kelemen on a Binter (that's the name of the company of the cutest planes) plane and she will turn into a four year old." 

Anyways if you want to travel the world I would suggest traveling here to just use this little plane company. 

A cool thing happened yesterday. 

Last week we went and stopped by a menos activo, he's been inactive for a long time and people have tried stopping by a million times. But we felt like we need to do it so we did, and said we could come back Sunday. Then Saturday night when we where walking in the street we heard someone yell out, "Hermanas!" Shocked...(that someone wanted to talk to us) we turned around and saw this lady running down the street. Turns out she's from Utah and she came back with her son that served seven years ago. We got to talk to them for a bit and he asked about Patricio the menos activo we set up a lesson with and told us he was the one who taught and baptized him. He then said we was going to go stop by and visit him. 

Then this week at church this ex missionary and Patricio came in together! The branch was so happy to seem them both there. Then we taught Patricio after church and he told us he was so happy to see his missionary again. He said, "all the missionaries that come by say they will come back and they never do, but he did he came back!" We got him recommitted to reading the Book of Mormon again. It was so so cool! So grateful for that ex missionary who came back after these seven years. It was he lords way of showing this kid, God hadn't forgotten him. 

So for all you ex missionaries, if you said you would go back, you better. It means a lot more than you would know. 

I love the mission. And each day it keeps getting better. 

Love, Hermana Kelemen 

Mother's Day 5/2/2016

My people, 

This week was a great week to be alive. 

My new comp is Hermana 

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reestone and is from 

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andy Utah. And guess who trained her? Hermana 

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oone! My trainer! Hoots. She is so cool. I don't know if it's because we had the same mom (trainer), but we teach super well together and think so alike in lessons. It's so much fun working with her. She also reminds me so much of Phines. She is super duper funny like Jo. I told her when she gets home she has to get to know my sister Josephine because their humor is the same (plus the

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y are

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 the same age). I love working with her, and honestly the whole time I've been thinking, "why haven't we been put together sooner?" I'm juiced for the transfer. 

It's funny because my comp keeps saying "did we change missions? 

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his is NOTHING like Madrid." Its weird because we don't teach people from all around the world like in Madrid. In Madrid there are people from all over and even you teach Spaniards, but in the islands... You teach Canerians. The people here even say, "I'm not Spaniard, I'm Canerian." It's a whole new world in 

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lde. Feels like a different mission.  This week we had to do another intercambio which was a little tricky considering the fact my comp only had three full days in our area, but I think in the end it turned out okay... 

We are also teaching (I can't remember if I have told you) the stake presidents friends. He has a friend named Oscar who is the piano teacher of his three girls. We have been trying to get the families in the branch excited about missionary work and helping them know how to invite their friends. Anyway, a couple weeks ago we started teaching this guy named Oscar and his girl friend the lessons. They are golden. We taught them lesson one and two and yesterday we taught them lesson three. Every time we teach them we teach them in the house of this family and every time it's AMAZING. Yesterday when we were teaching the step about receiving the the gift of the Holy Ghost, Oscar said, "I want it. I want that spirit to be with me always, I keep feeling it when I am here, I feel it around this family when I teach them piano and I want it." I almost gave him a double knuckle bump

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ut I thought that might be inappropriate, especially in front of the stake president. My comp told me after that when 

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scar said that she wanted to yell out, "where are the cameras we need to put this on the district!" Glad we both feel the urge to celebrate good times when happy things happen. Ha ha ha. But really it was super cool.

 

I've been thinking about this guy Oscar, for seven years he has been teaching their girls and for seven years the spirit has been working in him. Before this family had tried inviting him many of times, and could have easily said, "we have tried and he doesn't want it." But they didn't and they asked another time, inviting him to a noche de hogar and now he and his soon to be wife said yes yesterday to being baptized. I love this example. I think it takes a lot of courage to invite someone who has already r

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ejected you once. But I want to invite you all to think of someone you once tried to share the gospel with who said no, and I encourage you to do it again! And maybe you might need to go about it differently, think of a new game plan, like 

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ephi did when we was trying to get the plates. And if you don't have anyone in mind, o

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 someone you have tried to share the gospel with, that's okay because thanks to our older brother you can repent and start now, inviting someone. Do it and and as a representative of Jesus Christ I promise you will see blessings, you will see success. 

Sorry for the preaching, it's kinda what I do though. 

I love you all so much and I am so grateful for all of you. 

Love, Hermana Kelemen

P.S. yesterday in Spain was Mother's Day. So after relief society the primary came in and sang and gave flowers and chocolates to all the woman...and the two sister missionaries. They kept telling me I would be a mother in just a year and a half and that made me sick to my stomach.  they don't know us Kelemen girls. 

Fretting 4/25/2016

My people, 

Hermana Stephenson left yesterday.  

I'll be getting my new comp sometime tonight. And I will have to show her the ropes of Telde. I will have to introduce her to Zero, the giant off of the Princess Bride, and Lego man—that's Cosme.  Juan is doing really well, we are starting to teach him all the commandments and he has been keeping all the ones we teach which is great. Hoots. 

We also started teaching this really cool couple, Patricia and Nestor. Patricia is the twin of Aunt Katherine! Every time I talk to her, I think I'm talking to Aunt Katherine. She is super friendly and super nice. They really are looking for the truth, but need to find out for themselves. Pray for them to recognize the answer. They have so much potential. But rad news...Elder Bednar is coming the 16 of May to this little island!!! Yeeekkk!!! And the little group of missionaries (thats me!) get to have a little meeting with him, and then we will do a big meeting with a ton of people. But cool....no!?!?!?!?!  

I don't have a ton of time and I am starting to fret because I have to go get this new compy of mine. So I will write more next week. 

I love you so much! 

Love, Hermana Kelemen 

Kate + Soccer 4/18/2016

My People,

This Saturday the Elders set up soccer with ward members. It was a good activity that the ward members could invite their friends and we could invite our investigators. At first, Hermana Stephenson and I weren't planning on going, but the elders called us the night before and told us we would be playing other games and not just soccer. I mean, I don't mind playing soccer, it's just that I feel like I'm doing a dis-service when I play, and it's more of a service just not showing up at all. But the Elders insisted, and we felt like it would be good to go support their activity.

So of course, when we get there, it's the young men, other men in the ward, and the Elders. And then there was my comp and me. We went and played with them. At some point shirtless 15 year olds who were just skateboarding around joined. My comp is not a fan of sports, and for me, well, if I'm going to play—I'm going to play. So yes, red face, squirrel hair, long limbs Kate and a a bunch of men ran around Saturday morning. It must have been a sight. Me playing soccer is a funny thought, and a scary sight. I hit the ball with my head three times, I mean I'm no good with my feet but I sure can tower over people and get my head to the ball faster than they can their feet. And every now and then I would fling a leg limb and sometimes hit the ball. So, I mean it seemed to turn out fine...well until the next day. Yesterday, I could barley lift my legs, I was SO sore!!! I mean mom you know how I get after one morning of tennis...I get sore way too fast, but it's just I have not moved my body like that in a LONG time. You name the body part, and yes, it's sore.

We are still teaching Juan and I just LOVE the kid. I feel like a little mother. I just want the best for him! The other day we were teaching him about repentance, and he got real serious and told us the other week he found a baby bird with a broken wing. So he took it home
put it in a box, gave it food and water to try to save it, and then told us it had passed alway the other day. He then, with a serious face, told us he had killed it. And asked if he could receive forgiveness.️ I wanted to laugh and tell him, "dude you didn't kill; it it's fine!" But he was so serious and really choked up about it. We told him he could of course. But the thing is, and he really wants to change, and he told us that. I mean you see the kid and you would never believe it. He goes out and will hangout with his punk friends and then tell them he needs to leave for his meeting with the hermanas. He takes his Book of Mormon to school with him, and he even told his step dad he was meeting with us, and he said his step dad just laughed and said, "Really, your studying with the Mormons? Okay." I mean I wouldn't believe it myself if I wasn't teaching him.

Also, anther quick thing, for those of you who are still reading this... mom, Jo and my grandparents. We did an activity this week with the mutual kids. Where we presented
ourselves and talked about what we did to prepare to serve a mission and why. It was really good to try to help the other kids. But some of their questions were hard. Like they asked me what I did to get in shape for my mission? Yes, I played sports, but too, I was born with
mama Kel as a mother. So hiking and long walks are what we do daily. I mean, I don't ever feel like walking a ton on my mission has been hard, but then I again I walked to the bread store with mom when I was 12. Hiked on every holliday and vacation, and every Sunday night Julia or Claire and I would go "lerping" (as Aaron would say) around the neighborhood for two hours. So thanks mama Kel for teaching us to lerp, it's made me strong for the mission.

Ugh there is SO mucho more I could tell you. We starting teaching a couple named Pilar and Oscar, and they are super prepared! Oscar is the piano teacher of the stake presidents daughters so he has known about the church for quite some time now and at last has accepted citas! Hoots all around.

Okay I'm sorry I will end this to spare you...but it was a great week to be alive. I love you all soooo much!!!!!

Love, Hermana Kelemen

Hand of the Lord: member gave us a tub of vanilla ice cream this week....

Smile. Don't You Know God Love You 4/11/2016

My people, 

I'm sorry I've got like zero time. It's been a crazy p-day. We went hiking. I'll send you pictures next time. It was so cooool!!!! Remind me next time you all come with me to Telde to take you there. I just kept thinking, this is such a perfect Kelemen hike!! Because it wasn't really a hike, just a big spot with a ton of caves and rocks and you could just jump around and explore...I loved it!!! 

So many things happened this week, I don't even know where to start! Like I told you last week we were in Madrid for two days for a conference, and then we had zone training, and then intercambios. Crazy week. 

Keep praying for Juan. 

Love you all

Hermana Kelemen 

So sorry this is short, I'm a busy woman 

TELDE

Madrid Again & General Conference 4/4/2016

My people,

 

This week was super good. Right now I'm on another plane heading back to Madrid. Yeah I know, it seems as if every other week I fly back. But tomorrow we have a big meeting with all the zone leaders and sister training leaders. And some how they think I make a good leader...the confusion seems to continue on. Guess they are into Tarzan grunts. 

Saturday morning we taught Juan, the 15 year old kid and when we were in the church he overheard us talking to someone about the General Conference, and asked what it was. We explained and told him that we were going to another city to watch it in 2 hours and told him he could come if he wanted. With no hesitation, he said, 'YES'. My companion then laughed and said, 'let us first explain what it is before you commit.' So we explained a little, and how it would be 2 hours of men talking. And he still said yes...? And he not only came and listened, but then came on Sunday too! That was a shocker. I mean you just have to know the kid, but it surprised me. 

Actually we had a little crew come with us to the conference.  First Juan...little guy who at times reminds me of Zero off the movie Holes. Second, the giant off the Princess Bride. Third, Marcos, a recent convert who is exactly like the elf man on Ella enchanted. (Like perfect match) Forth, another recent convert named lali who is as quite as a mouse. 

Fifth, Cosme a 40 year old guy we are teaching. Sixth, another 14 year old girl we are teaching. To keep a long story short, it was the weirdest bunch of people together. And we realized that the people we are teaching are all VERY different kinds of people—like super different. I think the only thing they have in common is they know us. Ha ha ha, but it was a party and a half. 

Anyways, Juan got to listen to Neil L. Anderson's talk. And the whole time I thought about him. It was perfect for him. 

I too really enjoyed conference. I didn't really enjoy Uchtdorfs talk too much because I was not a big fan of his translator—I mean whoever he was, get that guy fired. JK JK. But I need to reread his talk, because normally his are my favorite. 

I loved, loved, loved Jeffery R Hollands talk. I loved it. There was so many things I learned from conference. So, so much. I know what he said is true about the thing of trying. We are rewarded for trying...even when we don't make it all the way. I feel that way with my journey of Spanish. I try and try and try. Most of my comps make comments about how much I study my Spanish all the time. And my Spanish is not the best, that is known, but I can speak! And I know it wasn't my own efforts, because I just tried. I didn't make it all the way, but that's when the grace of God came in and he recused me and I can understand and I can speak. I didn't learn Spanish. I just tried and God made up the giant gap I couldn't fill-in for myself. 

Sometimes you feel like you are bringing five fishes and two loafs to feed the five hundred and you think, I just don't have enough to give, but God takes what you give him and then he does wonders. I did that. I brought my five words, queso, uno, dos, tres, fiesta, and two sentences, soy hermana kelemen, mucho gracias, and God has done wonders. 

I didn't have enough to give, but my Heavenly Father didn't care, because He loves His Kate. He really does. And I know he feels he same about all his children, all he asks of us is to bring to him what we can, and try. Do your duty, do your best, and the Lord will do the rest. 

Love Hermana Kelemen 

Love 3/28/16

My People,

So this week was pretty dope. We had zone conference with the boss and it was so good and uplifting. And then yesterday we took our recent convert to the women's conference and that too was amazing. I loved it. I don't know but for me the message I got out of it was the
importance of really serving people with love. To really learn to love and accept people, and the way to do that is though service. But serving them because you like to, and because you want to. I totally agree with that. The members of the church could serve a little more with love. I too being included. Love is the gospel. When Christ came to the Americas he talked about the importance of loving and forgiving. It's something I'm really trying to work on, because without charity we are nothing.

It was a really Easter for me as well. Me and my comp bought chocolate eggs and then hid them in the piso for each other to find. (Yes I'm 20, and no I'm not a child) we also made pancakes and homemade syrup for breakfast...correction my comp made pancakes and syrup and I ate them. But they were like little droplets of heaven. Yum.

This week we taught these two 15 year old boys that I contacted with another Hermana when we were on splits. SO when Hermana Stephenson saw
them for the first time she turned to me and said 'Hermana they're punks! They don't wanna listen!' Ha ha ha ha ha. But it actually turned out really good...and they said they would read and they seemed excited to meet again. It was a little sad, because at first when we were talking to them, (getting to know them better, and all) we learned they are two kids who both live with one parent and just really (I feel) like have never been cared for. They said they spend most their time in the streets. So when we explained that God was their father who cared about them and loved them, their faces changed. As if for the first time, they heard that there really was someone out in the world who really cared for their well being. I mean, I'm sure, and hope it's not true, but I don't know it was a strange experience, and got me thinking. I'm really grateful for the knowledge I have of my Father in Heaven.

Thank you so much for everything,
Love Hermana Kelemen

Andre The Giant 3/21/2016

My people, 

This week was a bit crazy. 

On Sunday night I got a call to get on a plane, early Tuesday morning and head back to Madrid.️ So for about two days my companion and I went to Madrid and after 10 months, after being robbed, at last I have my card!!! My residency card! Hoot! (It's about time). 

Also when we were in Madrid, we got permission to go to the temple. That was my very last time going to the temple as a missionary. But I lucked out, and I am so glad I got to go. We got to walk all around see the sealing rooms and baptismal font. I love the temple, and especially the temple in Madrid, I have so many good memories there, and I have grown so much through my time in that temple. Often when I am inside the temple, I think of other people. The people who never, in their lives, been in the temple and I want to cry, because the temple is the best. I am so grateful for it. 

We also had a two day exchange with the Hermana in the other island, right next to ours, because tomorrow we have a big conference with 'the boss' aka, our mission president. So that was wild. We did splits in our area with them. And it was super funny, because me and Hermana Workman (the girl I was doing splits with) stopped these two boys in the street. We were introduced ourselves and everything, and then asked if they had seen missionaries before, and they said yes...so we thought 'cool', and then asked 'how long ago was it, when you saw the missionaries?' and they said "like five min ago walking in the other street..." Ha ha ha ha, it was super funny. But we got their number in the end.

Also funny story, we were trying to work though the old investigators this week. We went and passed by this old investigator named Fifi. She wasn't home so we left a note on the door, like 'hi Fifi it's the missionaries, give us a call when you can.' We then went back a couple of days later, and this time a little boy answered the door and we asked for Fifi, and he said, "Fifi doesn't live here, but Judith does, let me go get her." ???? So then the little boy comes back and tells us we can come in? We were so confused. Then this lady comes out and gives us hugs and tells us to sit down, and tells us her name is Judith. I then told her we were looking for Fifi, and she said no one by that name lives here, so at that point I wanted to ask her, 'then why did you let us in lady?' We then asked if she had met with the missionaries before and then she told us she had never seen missionaries before!!! Like what the, what the, what just happened here??? I then, being so lost, I  pointed to my name tag and started, "We're missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter..." Then she cut me off laughing and said, "Hermanas I'm a member! I'm kidding" *hand to the face* I have never seen them before, and her husband and three kids are all menos activos. We got to know the whole family and they thought it was really funny that we thought her name was Fifi. They then pointed to the fridge, and there in the middle was the note I had written in big letters HOLA FIFI! I then quick jumped up and ripped that note off the fridge and shoved it in my backpack really speedy quick... And then they all laughed at that. 

So awkward, but it broke the ice and we are going to go visit them again this week. 

Still I am so lost why it said in our records, her name was Fifi—and that she was an investigator—so so lost. Anyway, it was a very Kate kind of a moment. 

I also found the giant in the movie, the Princess Bride, he lives here in Telde. Like no kidding, he is 7'2" and his hands and feet are MASSIVE. We are teaching him and his wife, they are both super cool and love the Church, they are just having a hard time recognizing their answer, to know if the Book of Mormon is true or not. They like it, but they don't know if it is really of God. It's a little tricky. Their names are Ignacio and Maria. But like really this man is from the Princess Bride, next time I'll do my best to sneak a photo with the that fun guy to show you. 

Also this week for pday we went on a hike as a zone. The whole time I thought of my mother, she would love this hike. It was really cool. I love hikes. It's called Roque Nublo, it's a big rock that's in the clouds and it's in the middle of the island, and sorry the photos don't give it justice.

Thank you for everything! I'm loving it. 

Love, The Country Barbie in Radiator Springs, 

(Hermana Kelemen)

Radiator Springs 3/14/16

My people, 

My new comp, Hermana Stevenson, has had twelve companions, in 18 months. I'm her 12th and last. You might be thinking, 'yikes, what did she do?' But as I got to know her better this week, I learned that her whole mission she has been put with the 'harder hermanas'; girls who really struggle, or are the trouble makers. 

So, I don't know what that says about me...

Anyways I love my new comp!!! She is so stinkin' funny and super chill. It's been a little tricky leading the area because the bus schedule is nuts and never really comes on time ever. But it's been good. She came from Las Palmas which is only 30 min away by bus, but the change is HUGE. Las Palmas, the area, is half the island. Telde—is a little town. It's like moving from New York City to Radiator Springs (from the movie Cars). I think that kinda shocked her. No one really quite understands when we say, 'Telde is different from the rest of the islands'. Ha ha ha ha. But it's cool cuz you get to know everyone...really fast. 

We had a lesson that also lasted two hours this week... Madre mía. 

We have this new investigator named Cosme who is pretty cool and has a lot of interest in learning more. This week we taught him the plan of salvation with the help of a member...

(For those of you who never served missions let me just tell you, you teach people simply, and the BASICS.) The lesson started off good, the first 2 min and all, when we were explaining the premortal life, he asked "where is it? do you know?". And then the member who was helping us gave an explanation of Kolob.this was the face my comp made at me when she brought it up. We tried our best to keep the lesson going after that, but it got harder. Later on, when we were talking about how death is part of this life and everyone die—the member brought up the three Nephites, and told him they were still living— again we tried our best to keep-a-going. And then somehow, the member shared her favorite conference talk quotes, and explained a lot of other things. Meanwhile, two hours had passed, so I thought at this point maybe to end it all, we could sing all verses to the hymn 'if you could hid to Kolob' to really ponder what we talked about, and to make our lesson another hour long. 

It was a big hand to the face kind of a lesson. 

But somehow, by the grace of God, he still wants to meet with us.  

I found This story I loved his week so I wanna share it, 

"I know a little girl who was afraid of the dark. Really afraid of the dark. Even when she was old enough to attend grade school, nighttime terrified her. Every night, she and her mother went through a ritual designed to make her feel secure in her room. But inevitably, during the night, the girl would sneak into her parents' room and climb in bed with them, at which point her mother would carry her back to her room. Over a period of time, her mother used every argument and tactic she could think of to wean her daughter from he fear of sleeping all night in her own room. Often she would say something to this effect, "honey, this is your room. You're safe here. Your father and I are just down the hall" And then she would usually add, "Heavenly Father is watching over you. You'll be just fine." 

One night when the cycle repeated itself for the umpteenth time, the mother took her daughter back to her own room, reassuring her once again, " honey, you're okay. Heavenly Father is watching over you." To which the little girl- instantly responded, " mom, don't you know? Sometimes you just need someone with skin on."

I love this story—cuz it's true. So I want to challenge you to reach out to one more person. And be the hands of the lord. Heavenly Father gave us a lot of things to help us in this life, like scriptures, prayer, prophets, conference, but one of the biggest things he gave us to help us get back to him, is each other! 

I love you all. Thank you for your support and your help, I am here on my mission thanks to the people God gave me in my life. Thanks for being, 'that someone with skin on' . 

Love, Hermana Kelemen 

The Countryside Barbie 3/7/2016

Dear my people,

I'm trying to be positive today, but it's been hard. Transfers—no me gusta. Hermana

​Campillo left and I'm super bummed. I knew she was leaving, she had a ton of time here, but yet still when it came, I was so sad. Super super sad. I wish I could relive the last past 13 weeks all over again. She honestly was the bomb, well du she was the bomb—she was me in Spaniard form. Ha ha ha. I don't know I'm still a little  about the whole thing. My new comp is named Hermana Stevenson. She is from Utah.

This last week with Hermana Campillo was amazing. We found this guy named Cosmin. At first we were really scared for the lesson, because at first he was trying to tell us all the things he knew about all the religions in the universe when we were talking in the street. But then when we met with him, he listened and asked really good questions. He even told us at the end, "I don't know why, but I feel like I know you guys, like I knew you before I met you." Oh yeah. Then this week we passed by Carmen's to teach her. She is great and we love teaching her, but sometimes it's hard because there always seems to be some kind of visitor or friend in her house. And this week we met one of her crazy friends, Nilly or something like that I don't really remember. And she is loca. The worst part was we got out of the lesson a little late and we had to run because we had a comida with a family in the branch on the other side of town! So her friend Nilly offered to give us a ride..so we took it. (What were we thinking? We weren't.) Her crazy friend, drove like a mad man as she smoked pot out the window and blasted Elvis music. It was such a weird experience. Sometimes in the mission your plans you make in the morning all go wrong and then all of a sudden, quickly you find yourself in the weirdest situations. *hand to the face*, but we made it on time to the lunch appointment.

It was a good lesson we had with Carmen and she told us she would come to church—but with her friend Nilly. We were so happy she was going to come but deep down we wanted her to ditch her crazy Bonkey friend, because we wanted her to have a good experience.
Then Sunday came and as were waiting and waiting in the doorway of the church—

​they didn't come. We then went and sat down and started the program. But during the opening song, lo and behold, Nilly and Carmen came in!! And they LOVED it! Even

Nilly. It was fast and testimony meeting and after we asked them to stay for the other two classes and Carmen said, "but I don't want to cry anymore!" She loved the testimonies of the members. It was really such a huge huge blessing. It was amazing.

Ugh so many good things happened this week. But it was also so so hard to have Hermana

​

Campillo leave, So hard. I don't know if you know this, but being a missionary is very fun. Often in my prayers I ask Heavenly Father, "how did I luck out?" I really feel so blessed to be a missionary. I love Telde. I love the members here. I love the people.

Thanks for all your support.

Love,

​Hermana ​Kelemen

P.S. Oh yes there is a member who calls me, 'the country side Barbie'. I'm a Barbie because I am tall, skinny, and from the USA. ?? But because I'm crazy and have brown hair, not blond,I'm a country side Barbie. She told me all the ​Hermanas from the USA are Barbies. ? But I'm the only 'country side' she has seen??? Anyways she was calling me that in front of the other members and they loved it! And Carmen our investigator heard it and she loved it.
So now they call me the Barbie country side....

Called To Serve Him 2/22/2016

My people, 

This week was really good; a little more rain like last week, but it was a bit warmer.  so no sweat there. 

There is a menos activo who is now starting to come to church again. Hoot. Anyways, anytime he sees us in the street, he belts out, "CALLED TO SERVE HIM HEAVENLY KING OF GLORY..."and will sing out the song as we walk down the street. Luckily he sings in English so all the people who are starring at him and us don't  understand. It's really quite funny, and fun to have some background music to the work every now and then. 

Cindy our investigator said 'sí' to baptism! We have had some really great lessons with her this week so that's a thumbs up. Also Carmen (the knee problem lady) has been reading a ton in the Book of Mormon and loves it! It's really funny because we got her a giant Book of Mormon, the huge print one, because she can't see very well. The book is so BIG. She told us the other day her son saw the book and was asking about it. In my head I was like, 'of course he saw it, it takes up half your table!' Ha ha ha.

Scripture of the week- 

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

What I got out of that was, don't be bone dryer. Be happy. 

Love,

Hermana Kelemen

Close Your Eyes 2/15/16

My people, 

We teach a menos activo lady, who is super nice, but sometimes she confuses me. Whenever we ask her to say the prayer, you have to be ready, because she will just go for it, and it's hard to tell, cuz her eyes stay open. It's really quite creepy. I don't know if we need to teach her the lesson in primary that you need to CLOSE your eyes and not beat them across the room back and forth rapidly as you speedily say the prayer. 

We also had a conference with Elder Moriera from the seventy. I loved him. I think he is now my favorite. He is a goof, and so stinkin' funny, and fuerte, and very spiritual at the same time. Something he said stood out to me, he told us never to go to bed angry. Not now in the mission or when we return from the mission back home. Not sure why, but I'm gunna put it to the test. 

He also talked about the fruits of repentance, which are 

1. Change of habit 

2. Change of thought 

3. Change of belief 

4. Change of attitude 

5. Change of behavior 

He also told us we must not just watch our investigators change, we change with them. I don't know, that was a cool thought. 

I actually got to hear from him twice, because last week I forgot to tell you I went back to Madrid for my residency card. At last I'm getting one, after 8 months or so after I got robbed. And when I went back it happened to be the day of the conference there in Madrid. Hoot, hoot. It was weird cuz I traveled alone. So I was alone for a long time. I felt lonely, and I tried to share the gospel in the plane like you hear in all the fast and testimony meetings, because normally it's impossible because you always travel with other missionaries and sit by them. But because I was alone, I tried my best to preach, but no one wanted to listen to my Tarzan grunts, they wanted to sleep.  hey now. 

This week we met with Carmen and taught her the plan of salvation. We then invited her to be baptized and she said  yes!!!! She than began to cry and told us she was getting 'that good feeling again'. It was honestly amazing. We as missionaries did nothing, but the spirit and the Lord prepared her so much. 

celebrate good times come on...du du du du du... 

That song just fits. 

This week I learned a lot about repentance. I can't really explain it. I have seen the power of the atonement work though so many people, and me as well. All week my thought has been the same as Enos, "Lord how is it done?" I still don't fully understand the atonement, and don't think I quite ever will in this life. But this I do know, that it works. In Matthew 11:30, one of my favorite scriptures says "for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Why is it easy? Why is it light? Because of His atonement. 

Love, Hermana Kelemen 

Two Goals Ruined 2/8/16

My people,

First goal:
So for my diet—
We had a lesson with a recent convert named Marcos. He is the best person here on this island!! And when he came to the lesson, he was carrying a huge bag. In our heads we were like, 'what the?' He then told us he brought us a gift...and lo and behold, inside were 36 cartons of juice. *Hand to the face*, he is so nice. So I ended that goal, of not drinking juice. 

Finally, we met with Carmen again. She honestly is so awesome, but she is always in bed, or at the hospital, because she has problems with her knees. But she loves reading in the Book of Mormon. The other day we had the elders come and give her a blessing. Let me just tell you the two elders in our area are very new. One just finished his training, and the other only has one more than him. But the blessing they gave was one of the best I have ever heard. It was so simple, yet the presence of the spirit was so strong.

I think I said this my first week, Hermana Campillo and I are pretty much in a trio because there is a girl in our branch that is always with us named Alejandra. She is amazing, not only is she with us 24-7, but she is always inviting everyone she knows to church. We began teaching one of her friends named Cassandra, but we call her wawa. (Little random fact: wawa in the islands means bus) it's a very long story why we call her that, but we do. (I promise, I'm not a weirdo, and it's a normal thing.) Anyways she is amazing and had some of the best questions. She is very very interested, and really wants to know for herself if there is a God. Can I get a hoot hoot!?

Second goal...or dream:
So I got the worst news in the whole entire world. I wish I could say I'm happy about it, but I'm not. For some reason, due to some problems, no one in my group can extend.Hermana Smith, a hermana I came in with, too was told she could extend and we were so happy. We got a letter asking if we wanted to extend, and then President wrote us an awkward letter saying psych I thought it was possible, but it's not.  Ugh, so my new date is May 31, that's that, and I don't want to talk about ending my mission anymore.

Love Hermana Kelemen

P.S. for p-day today we went to the dunes. It's on a beach and there are a ton of rolling hills of sand. In Moab, we like to run down the sand hills, and it's the same here. It was so much fun!! But I have sand EVERYWHERE. We got sand in our eyes, clothes, bags, food, water,
ears...everything. But it was worth it!

Star Spangled Banner, Diet, 30 Day Challenge 2/1/2016

My People,

Good news—my comp is staying!!! Hoot hoot hoot!!! I'm so happy! 

Being with Hermana Campillo is very fun...and very different. Everyone still calls me baby face. And when our investigator Alexis found out how old I was, he refused to call me by my name, and now calls me 'mi Nina'. Everyone thinks I'm a baby missionary...because my companion is 34. But little do they understand that the majority of us are babies, and she is actually the odd one out, but whatever. 

I also now am not Bella from Twilight, but everyone tells me I look like the girl from 'Pirates'. I know it's because I have crazy hair all the time. 

With the start of a new transfer, I thought I would set some new goals. Here are my three: 

1. Teach Hermana Campillo the Star Spangled Banner

2. A Scripture challenge:

"Would you be willing to try an experiment for 30 days?

Daily kneel and thank your Heavenly Father for the scriptures. Tell Him the one question you most need to have answered that day. Plead to have the Holy Ghost with you as you read. Then open your scriptures anywhere, and read until you find the answer. Try it for 30 days and see what happens." - Wendy Nelson 

 3. And I am starting my February diet. 

The first one my comp is psyched about...maybe. 

The second, I started today, and I want to invite everyone to try it out with me starting today.

The third one is because I've gotten a little obsessed with the juice and pastries here. 

We are teaching a guy named Alexis who we were about to drop this week. Every time we teach him and invite him to do something, he always says the same 'I can't'. But the last time with met with him, we found out he has stopped drinking alcohol and coffee! He told us he still has problems with the other things like the word of wisdom, but he is trying his best. When he said this, honestly, our jaws dropped. I couldn't hold it in and gave him two hard knuckle pumps. I was so happy! It really made our week. 

Sometimes at night when I say my prayers at night I cry—because I am so blessed. Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky to be out here on this island with my companion. I don't know. This week we were contacting a ton, because we really are looking for people to teach. People say Telde is hard, and it is, but at the same time, I always feel so stinkin' spoiled I don't really know how it explain it. 

God not only loves us, but he spoils us...at least I think so. 

Love Hermana Kelemen 

P.S. I have a new duty to bring cheese to every correlation. 

No More Weird Sounds 1/25/2016

Dear family and friends, 

My companion has a new goal for me this week, not to yell so much—and to be a bit more normal. I don't know if you remember family, but I love to yell and make loud sounds when I'm happy in the house; and I have fallen back into that habit when I'm in the piso. (I know mom just did a hand to the face when she just read that).

My foot is now almost better. My companion made me buy this band to wear on my foot. I told her wearing a 'magic' sock wasn't going to to anything. But weirdly it did. 

This week was a bit long because again none of our investigators could meet because they were sick or out of town. But all is well. We found some cool people this week. 

Something I've learned this week, 

I've been studying a lot about the spirit. Sometimes I pray and seek for council and sometimes I feel like I'm not getting answers. And then I worry that I'm not listening to the spirit. But this week I found a talk that I love and was an answer for me:

"Actually, He will reply in one of three ways. First, you can feel the peace, comfort, and assurance that confirm that your decision is right. Or second, you can sense that unsettled feeling, the stupor of thought, indicating that your choice is wrong. Or third--and this is the difficult one--you can feel no response. What do you do when you have prepared carefully, have prayed fervently, waited a reasonable time for a response, and still do not feel an answer? You may want to express thanks when that occurs, for it is an evidence of His trust. When you are living worthily and your choice is consistent with the Savior’s teachings and you need to act, proceed with trust. As you are sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit, one of two things will certainly occur at the appropriate time: either the stupor of thought will come, indicating an improper choice, or the peace or the burning in the bosom will be felt, confirming that your choice was correct. When you are living righteously and are acting with trust, God will not let you proceed too far without a warning impression if you have made the wrong decision.

I love this, I feel like most of the times, as a missionary, I get the third answer. The Lord wants me to come up with an idea. Sometimes my ideas aren't the best, and I need to think of a new one, and a new one, until I get it right. Like when Nephi was commanded to go back to get the plates with his brothers. Why didn't God deliver Nephi the plates the first time? Why didn't Nephi just get an answer the first time of how to get the plates? 

Because we are here to grow. The point isn't just to give us all the answers when we need them. That's not a good teacher. I had a math teacher in high school and whenever we had a question about a problem he just gave us the answer, yes, no, a, b, c, 25, or -6. We loved it because he freely gave us the answers to our homework. We thought that was the definition of a 'good teacher'. But of course it backfired quick, and when it came to the test, we had no idea what to do. A good teacher doesn't give you the answers, but rather shows you how to find it. I'm trying to work the same way with the investigators we have. And not just give them the answers, but show them the chapter where to find it and let them do it. 

So if you feel like you're not getting an answer and your putting in all your effort, give thanks, God trusts you! And then work it out, and if it's not right he will help you until you figure it out. 

Yikes transfers are this weekend and I think I will die if Hermana Campillo leaves. I'm crossing my fingers hard, cuz she is the funniest person ever! She is me but in Spaniard form and I am her in American form. That's the only way I know how to explain it. 

I love you, Thanks for everything. 

Love, Hermana Kelemen

Learned a New Word & Made a New Friend 1/11/2016

Dear Fam and Fri, 

​

Right now as I'm writing you,this is my view:

I'm sitting on the beach, in the sun. 

This past week I had a weird headache pain in my head. It wasn't really a headache, but my head was crazy itchy. And because of this always there was just an irritating feel in my head. I figured it was the new shampoo I had bought and thought with time it would go away. But it didn't and I wasn't sure what to do. So I took the advice of my mother, whenever there is pain in the body or something strange, this is her advice, "Drink more water and use the power of thoughts to get rid of it". So I tried my best...but then on Tuesday I found a friend named, Luis Jorge--a little bug, when I was in the bathroom. 

I showed my new buddy to my comp and asked her if she had ever seen this type of bug before, because for me it was new. She then asked me where I found it, I was hesitant, but at last told her I found this guy in my hair. She then asked if my head itched. I told her yes and she then told me "quiero que tienes piojos". I had never heard that word...but I knew what she was talking about and convinced her I didn't.  But then two days later, I found the son of Luis Jorge, Pedro in my hair...and I realized that I could no longer deny it, Luis Jorge and many of his descendants had decided to dwell among me. 

Spanish word of the week: piojos , which means lice (something you won't learn from watching Dora the explorer).

But we destroyed the civilization of Luis Jorge and my companion named the last piojo Moroni. Because he too was the last of his people. 

We found an amazing lady named Carmen, yesterday we taught her lesson one and at the end she asked, "when I receive an answer if the book of Mormons true, can I too serve like you?" She's 46, and we told her she could do other service for the church, that there's all types of service. She loved that and then asked if she could share the Book of Mormon with her friends...  then she told us, "This is exactly what I want. I'm sick of the Catholic Church. (Sorry to say, but to me this phrase was music to my ears). I'm done, it's not helping. I have questions and no one has answers. If you can I would want you to come over more and teach me more, and I want to ask more questions". When she said that I just thought....'Little do you know... This is why we are here!!!'  Celebrate good times. Come on that song too popped in my head after she finished talking. She is amazing. 

Also our 70 year old mission leader now likes me. My companion bought me two heaps of blocks of cheese and we brought the cheese to correlation and he too shares my love for cheese. 

Things are good. I'm happy. My companion's happy—now that she doesn't have to comb my friends out of my hair anymore. 

One thing I love so much are the hymns of the church. To me personally, it is the fastest way to feel the spirit. My goal this past week was to have the spirit be more with me. Because only with the spirit can we become like Christ. I don't know I found I'm more happy and can feel the spirit more strong when I do this. 

If on occasion you have found

Your language is in question,

Or ugly thoughts come to your mind,

Then here’s a good suggestion

Just hum your favorite hymn,

Sing out with vigor and vim,

And you will find it clears your mind.

Hum your favorite hymn.

 Before you say an angry word,

Remember you’ll regret it,

For once it’s said the harm is done,

And some folks won’t forget it.

Just hum your favorite hymn,

Sing out with vigor and vim,

And you will find it clears your mind.

Hum your favorite hymn.

I love you and you all have the best week of your life. 

Love, Hermana Kelemen

Pictures of the beach and me washing and cleaning lice out of my hair.