Haven't Even Unpacked

Well hello Family and Friends!

Week one is done and i swear time keeps getting faster. This past week had a lot of travel involved. Wednesday we had out district meeting in Brookehaven, which is about an hour and a half drive. By the time we got home it was almost 3. And then that night we went to the church to meet up with a member. Our ward is in Florence, we live in Richland, and part of our area is in Mendenhall. Mendenhall is about 40 minutes away and so we go there every Wednesday night, spend a night with a member (the Cothern's), and then Thursday sister Cothern comes out with us all day. It is really fun! They live in a huge southern home. I will have to get a picture one day.

We have a progressing investigator, her name is Alexis. She has three kids that are adorable! We got to go see her on Thursday and teach her the beginning of the Plan of Salvation. She really enjoyed it and i really enjoyed getting to know her.  She is amazing! She is a single mom, has MS, her kids are 9,7, and 3 months old. And the 7 year old has down syndrome. I don't know how she does what she does. I am really looking forward to teaching her. She has a baptism date for September 26! 

Friday and Saturday we had MLC in Jackson. It was fun to see everyone again so soon! and i loved not having to travel all morning before and then all evening after! We got to work in our area, instead! It made things way less stressful. But MLC was great. We talked all about cleaning the inner vessel. How we purify ourselves in order to improve and help others. I am making it a bigger priority to really focus on my goals this transfer. Because that is how we improve.

MLC

Elder Beckstrom trying to be skinny.

Elder Guillaume and his Tabasco tie.

Love Sister Garner

Elder Taylor

Sister Garry, love her

Sister Dutton, my new companion from Las Vegas!

Saturday night we were tracting and met this lady named, Jennifer. She was really apprehensive to us teaching a lesson. But we talked to her for about an hour all about different beliefs that we have. She was really interested in prophets! She kept asking questions like she was trying to find something she disagreed with and never did. I hope that she lets missionaries in the next time they come by. It was a great discussion! I love being able to talk to people like that because there is so much false information about us. It is nice to correct those things and allow people to feel the spirit while we do it!

Sunday was great! Alexis came and really enjoyed it. Our lesson in gospel principles was on tithing and at the end of class she told us that she wanted to pay hers. We told her that she could but didn't have too until she was a member. She insisted on paying! Afterwards sister Dutton told me that she was nervous to teach tithing because Alexis is really tight with money right now. We were so glad that everything worked out how it did! 

That afternoon we went tracting and met Donte and Jeffery. They were both younger guys (which is ALWAYS awkward) but they were willing to listen! We had a great lesson on the Book of Mormon and each of them wanted a copy. When we gave them our card it had the picture of Christ in his red robe on it. Jeffery goes, "I have a bigger version of this picture at my house." What!! We told him that that picture is one from our church.. We are interested to see if they really read! 

That night we went over to Bobby Jeans house. She is a recent convert that i had already met on exchanges when i was in Clinton. She is awesome! She is in her 70's and just recently broke both of her arms so she can't get out much. But we love going over and teaching her. Her daughter, Angela, is living with her right now and so we teach her too. She reminds me a lot of Sammy! I love it. 

Well i know that this church is true! I am loving my mission so much and it is going by way too fast. 

I hope all at home is well. Thanks for all the love and support! 

Love. Sister Erika Kelly 

Elder Lords on the far right is from Las Vegas. 

His dad was our dentist when we first moved there.

Small world.