"Showin Off"

Hello Family :) 

So this week has been crazy busy! We went on our two last exchanges for the transfer. The first one was really stressful. EVERY appointment we had fell through and we didn't get to teach anyone. It was so stressful. But the other one went really well. We were able to stay busy all day! 

Wednesday we had a miracle. We needed to do some tracting and Sister Hartley felt like we should tract in an area we had just recently found. We got to our fourth house and the door was open. Two dogs ran out of the house and started barking at us. We almost didn't go up to the door because of it and then this lady came out. Her name is Misty and she invited us in! We started talking to her a little bit about who we were and what we do. We asked if we could share some of our message with them. She really wanted to hear and invited her brother in to listen as well. His name is Joseph. They are both in their later 20's. Both of them have been going through some really hard times and they kept saying how us coming was an answer to their prayers. At one point Joseph looked up and said, "You are just showing off now!" haha it was great. They had a lot of questions. We taught to their needs and it was a great lesson. We taught mostly about the Book of Mormon and they loved it! They were so excited to know about another record of God's word. They asked if they could buy it at a Christian store. We told them we would just give them a copy and then explained why they couldn't get it in the store. Well they wanted more because they wanted more for their sisters!  We went back to their house on Friday and taught the full Restoration. They were so excited to hear about Joseph Smith and about prophets today. We are going back this up coming Wednesday to teach a group of them about the Restoration. We are really excited! 

I love this work and this gospel. It is amazing to teach the gospel and watch it touch their hearts. It really does change lives. Heavenly Father loves all of his children and is mindful of what we are all going through. I love y'all! 

Sister Erika Kelly 

FHE with the Clowers 

(These pictures were sent to us from Sister Clowers.  So thoughtful.  Make a missionary family's day and send them a picture of their child next time you have them over or even see them on the street.  It's the best!)

So Grateful

I am so grateful for Heavenly Father and the blessings he gives to us!

On Monday we were tracting and met this guy named Remington. He is this tall black guy who is covered with tattoos. He was really nice and let us teach him the Restoration. It was a really good lesson and before we could invite him he asked if he could come to church with us! We told him where it was, gave him a chapter to read in the Book of Mormon, and then set up another appointment. We went back on Thursday and he hadn't read the chapter. So we talked about why he needs to read and answered some questions he had. He didn't come to church but said he really wants us to come back. I really hope he is serious about changing!

We also we able to teach Theresa twice this past week. She is the lady we met with sister Naylor. Our first lesson we taught the Restoration and then on Friday we gave her a church tour with her two daughters. It went really well. She said she has been studying and has questions for us when we meet again. We love when people have questions! 

We stopped by and got to visit with Velisha again on Thursday. She was having a really rough day and said she was glad that we stopped to talk with her. We are hoping we will be able to meet with her and April on a regular basis but I am not sure if that will actually work.

Just keep praying for us :) 

Saturday I went to Biloxi, Mississippi on an exchange. It was a lot of fun! This sister i was with had a lot of questions and it was fun and exciting to be able to help her improve her missionary work!

I am so thankful for the scriptures and the blessings they are to me. I have been studying in 2 Nephi 2 this week. It's wonderful to be reminded that God has a plan for us. And in the end that plan was designed to make us happy. What more could we really ask for? 

Love you all and I am so thankful for everything y'all do for me. Remember you Father in Heaven is always there for you! 

love, Sister Erika Kelly 

Chomper

Tiny Frog we found on the Elder's car

Shrimp Boats

Miracles Happen

This week has truly been amazing. We had so many wonderful things happen.

As a mission we have a goal to teach 2 lessons every Monday evening so that we can start the week off right and help us transition from pday. Well when it was time to go out and work our set appointments fell through and we didn't know where to go. We said a prayer and felt impressed to go visit a less active that lives in Pass Christian. It was a great lesson and her son in-law, who we had been trying to get in contact with, was there! He is not a member and had taken the lessons before. Right now he is really busy and doesn't have time to meet with us, but getting in contact with him was an answer to prayer. 

Well, on our way back to Bay St. Louis we felt like we should just stop by the Trammell's (the trucker, sam, and his wife, christy) home really quick. Sam was sleeping but Christy welcomed us right in! She was so excited to see us and we were able to share the Because He Lives video and talk about Easter. We were so excited!

Tuesday we didn't have any set plans but we went to Diamondhead and used the Area Book all day. We went through past potentials who had copies of the Book of Mormon. We would pick one to see and then stop by. We didn't actually get in contact with any of them we stopped by, but we would tract in the area and we were able to talk to a lot of people. It was a great day! That night we stopped by a less actives home, Lizetta Higgins. We had a great discussion with her about the Holy Ghost and scheduled to see her every Tuesday night.

Lunch in Diamondhead

Thursday we were able to contact a referral we received from church headquarters. It is a really young family who live in Pass Christian. They just got married and have a little boy. Lauren is the wife. Her sister and mom are both members so she has been around the church a lot. Her husband, Justin, know a lot from the internet... but the agreed to have us come teach them! They are wonderful. They let us right in and let us eat craw fish with them, it was a lot of fun! We are going back on Thursday.

After getting to know them we decided to tract in some government housing across the street from where they lived. There were three women sitting on their porch so we went and talked with them. April and Velisha are sisters and they were really interested. We taught them the Restoration and they had so many great questions! They loved the Book of Mormon and asked if they could each have a copy. We talked about the importance of baptism and they agreed to be baptized on the 13 of May! It was wonderful:)

Thursday i was on an exchange with Sister Frandsen. This is her second transfer so it was a lot of fun to be with her! 

Exchanges

Friday we had interviews with President is Slidell, Louisiana. Interviews are always great! I love being able to set new goals and talk to him how the mission is going. The Slidell elders had a baptism that night so we were able to attend that as well!  

Saturday we had another appointment with Christy. We brought a member with us and they got along great. Then we had a discussion about the pre-earth life and she loved it! She said she knew that we knew Heavenly Father but didn't realized that Heavenly Father knew us personally. We taught from the scriptures and she just ate it up. Before we left sister Hartley asked what she was thinking about everything we had taught her. She said,"I feel like what you are teaching is true. I think it will take root. I'm going to have a long talk with God these next couple of days!" She had said they were going to try and come to church but they didn't make it :( We have an appointment with them in the next week.

Later that afternoon we went back and tracted the same area that we met April. Across the street we met a Lady named Stephanie. She is actually a member and hadn't been to church since 1998. She invited us in and we were able to teach her and her 9 year old daughter. Sister Hartley pulled out the Restoration pamphlet and showed the picture of the first vision. Stephanie just started crying. She said it had been such a long time and it was good to see the picture again! Stephanie had said she felt like she needed to start coming back to church and us finding her was an answer! She said she is going to start coming back to church and agreed to meet with us so we can teach her daughter Kali!

Sunday afternoon we went with Sister Naylor to drop off food to one of her friends who is going through a lot. She is an amazing lady and before we left we asked if we could come back to teach her. She said she would love to! We have truly been blessed with people to teach this week! 

I know that the Lord loves us. I know that he is mindful of each of us and will bless us with what we need. These past weeks have been hard but i would do it all again for the week we had. The success we find to help people come to know the truth is worth it. 

I love this gospel! I am so grateful for the knowledge i have and the opportunity i have to share it. Thank you all for all the thought and prayers! They really make a difference. 

Love, Sister Erika Kelly 

At your service...

Easter, it's my favorite!

Packages are the best!

My beautiful companion, Sis Hartley

Love the sunsets here!!!

Tuesday I got to go on my first official exchange. It was a lot of fun! I went to Picayune and sister Brog served there. So i got to see some people that she taught and got to see her apartment. Just kind of crazy. I learned a lot on that exchange and am excited for my next one so i know better what to expect. 

Exchanges

Wednesday night was our ward Easter activity. They had a BBQ and it was great to be able to get to know the members more. Our ward is great! They are very willing to help with missionary work, we just still need to find people to teach. 

Sis Kelly, Sis Naylor, Sis Hartley

Thursday and Friday were MLC again. It was fun to be able to see a lot of the missionaries and talk about ways we can better this mission. Sometimes I feel like i talk too much.. but i feel like i should always speak up! haha Still the same me, needing to put in my two cents. I had to say goodbye to some missionaries and that was hard. But everyone's mission has to end eventually. I have been so blessed to meet so many wonderful friends on my mission. 

Driving to MLC

 Mission Leader Conference

 Sister Garner, Sister Kelly

Good bye Elder Huntsman

Saturday and Sunday were General Conference and Easter Sunday. I loved it so much! I am so grateful for this gospel and that i know we have a living prophet and apostles on the earth today. I know that my Savior lives again. He knows me personally. He knows what I am going through. And he knows what everyone is going through. Easter is one of my favorite holiday's. The gospel has blessed my life forever and I love being able to share it with everyone around me. 

 Nevada for Easter!

On our way to the church on Easter

Love yall so much!

Sister Erika Kelly 

Chris was baptized back in Clinton!  Way to go Chris

Crawfish, Tracting, and the General Women's Meeting

 Crawfish Anyone?

Well this week was slow again. We tracted for 7 hours and didn't really find anyone to teach. It had been a long time since someone was rude and this week definitely made up for it. 

One of the Elders gave us a referral and it ended up that she was a member and just hasn't been to church in a really long time. She said she was nervous to come to church and so we gave her a church tour. That was really cool to be able to feel the spirit as we just showed the rooms and talked about the chapel. We are hoping she comes to the Easter activity this week.

The General Women's Meeting was great! It was much needed at the end of this week. This week has really helped me rely on the Lord. I know that this life will not be easy and i know that there is a reason for it. This is definitely the time for us to learn and grow so that we might be prepared to meet our Father in Heaven one day.

I am so grateful for this Easter season and the opportunity we have to more fully ponder on what our Savior has done for us. Please don't ever forget it. He is always there to help us. 

#Heisrisen http://www.mormon.org/easter

Bowling Fun