"Don't Think About It. Just Do It" 11/2/2015

Dear Family and Friends,

Today is Hermana Graffs birthday, so we went to Segovia. It was a ton of fun. The birthday week has begun. Next week I will have to let you know how it goes.

This past week I did another intercambio, you know how much I love them. But this time, really was so much fun, and I loved it!! I got to do an intercambio with Hermana Toone!!! It was so much fun being with her again, and it felt just like old times, but this time I could actually help her teach the lessons. It was so much fun, and it brought back so many good memories. It really actually made me really miss my old area. It's crazy too because it feels like yesterday we were companions. Anyways, it was really good and in the morning we made French toast just to celebrate. And guess what, we had with our French toast? Mrs. Buttersworths syrup. It's almost been a year since the last time I had syrup. Oh man, do I miss that Mrs. Buttersworth. Don't ever take that sweet lady for granted.

Something I've realized this week-----
In the mission, as many of you know, we contact. We go up to people in the street and try to share the gospel with as many people as we can. For most people, this is a very uncomfortable and wired thing to do. I know I've told you a little bit about this before, and maybe I have already shared this with you, but I was thinking about it a lot this week---so I'll share it again. When I was younger, as you know, we always went to Lake Tahoe---every
summer. With the water being super cold, it is often hard to get in. When I was younger, I would first have to get 'used' to the water before I got in. First, I would put just my feet, then my ankles, then calves, then knees, then...you get it. Slowly, little by little I would get in. This

was a long processes and would take me forever to actually get in the water.

Mark and Tom seemed to have no problem getting in, and for a long time, I didn't understand why. Then I remember one summer as I was doing my 30 minute 'getting in the water' process, I remember Mark saying, "Don't think about; just do it." He went on to explain that the more I thought about it----how cold it would be, the harder it would be to get in. He said the best best way is to just run and jump. Yes it is cold, but it's faster and less 'painful' that way. I have always remembered that phrase. "Don't think about it; just do it."
Contacting has never been too hard for me because I think of that phrase. The more I think about how awkward or weird it could be the harder it is. You just have to run and jump. You just have to give it your all and go.

I think this can apply to a lot of things in life. I think sometimes there are good things we want to do but fear of 'the cold', or fear of  'thinking it will be hard' causes us to want to slowly ease our way into things. But sometimes that's not really an option, and we have to be ready to run and jump. Ready to adapt and change. Ready to be willing to work and give our best----not just half an effort for the first '30 minutes' and then 'jump' all the way in.

This is something I've been thinking about a lot. I know I can do better. Not to over think things, or wait to give my best. So my advice for you is the advice Mark gave me: "Don't think about it, just do it"

Love Hermana Kelemen

Other thing:
The other day in church, I had to lead the music because the lady that normally leads the music wasn't there. Afterwards, a recent convert, we are teaching, told me, "Nice try leading the music Hermana Kelemen." I was confused at his comment, because I know how to lead music, and I nailed it. So I questioned him, asking what he meant, and he said "she has
just had more time than you in the calling." Guess I'll work on that...

P.S. For Halloween we decorated people's doors---menos activos. I felt like I was asking to a dance. Also just if you don't know Halloween really isn't that big of a Holliday here. So when I was saying Happy Halloween to everyone in the streets, and on the phone, people laughed real hard. Guess saying that is really gringo.