Letters from Kelsey - 37

Just a reminder, Kelsey loves getting mail from people! Her address doesn't change with transfers, but I'll post it again anyways.

Sister Kelsey Berg
Texas Houston South Mission
602 Eldridge Road
Sugar Land, TX 77478

So write Kelsey a letter... you know you want to :)

Hey everyone!

Well... we got transfer calls... and yup... I'm gone. I was surprised because Hna. Wallet has been here for 4 transfers and it's her first area but she is training this transfer! President felt really strongly that she is the one that needs to train the new sister... so off I go to area #4! ha ha I'm super sad to be leaving Galveston... especially because the weather is perfect now- I love fall, but I'm also sad because I love the people here, I love the Branch, I love the island and it really is a fantastic place. I feel like this area is where I really started to love being a missionary- I have always loved talking to people and teaching them about the Gospel, but now I love all of the day to day stuff too. That's not to say that I still don't get a little frustrated, but its more of a sadness now when they don't accept the message. The Lord knows more than I do though so I'm excited to see where I go next- I don't think I'm quite ready to go back to Houston yet but we will see what the Lord has in mind.

This week was kinda slow because Hna. Wallet was sick for most of the weekend, and I was bored out of my mind. There isn't a whole lot you can do as a missionary when you stay in the apartment so I was going crazy- but its all good now :). It was super windy this last week also... like really windy... like we could hardly bike windy because of the storm that passed by- it didn't rain a lot but the wind brought some cooler weather so that was good. We had a Spanish Training on Wednesday for all the Spanish missionaries and President Saylin challenged us all to a 7 day English fast!!! So since Wednesday at 3:30 I have pretty much only spoken Spanish. We speak English during planning and companion study and to those that don't know Spanish, but other than that its all Spanish... It has been a little difficult but not as hard as I thought it would be. I have a lot to improve on though. Well I don't think I will do an Investigator Weekly this week because not much has changed from last week! Nidia, Erick and Daniela are still awesome and I just love them! I can't wait until her husband and daughter are baptized in October so that in October 2012 we can go to the temple with them as they get sealed!! It will be awesome.

Well Mom asked me to share a little bit more about Elder Holland so here is a little bit more: It was amazing to sit 10 feet away from him and just see him praying the whole time to know what to say to us. He talked about how his mission meant everything to him and that everything good that ever happened after was a direct result from his decision to serve. He talked about how God loves us for who we are. He also talked about how missionaries are neck and neck with President Monson with being the most prayed for people in the whole world. He told us that we have the name of every missionary, past, present, and future, on our backs and that we hold their reputation in our hands. He talked about how obedience is the first law of everything we do in life. He talked about why missions are so hard. "Why is it so hard? Because salvation is not a cheap experience." "Real salvation, real conversion, real repentance, real faith, real commitment is not cheap." "It has always been hard. How was it for the Savior? How can you expect it to be easy for you when it was never easy for Him?" "You've got to walk where he walked. The road to salvation always goes through Gethsemane. You can't 'get it' if you don't go there.' "You can't do it without Him, and the ironic thing is He can't do it without you." The last line he told us is my absolute favorite- "Embrace this forever and never ever, ever, ever, walk away."

It truly was a live changing experience. He plead with us to never leave the Church- he always wonders how people can go out for 18 months- 2 years studying this, testifying and telling people they know this is true and yet leave the Church when they get home. To see an Apostle of God tell us of his pain and anguish over this was truly a humbling experience. I can say with out a shadow of a doubt that he is an Apostle of God and the he has all of authority of Jesus Christ.
I know that the true church of Christ has again been restored to the earth and that we truly have prophets and apostles again on the earth that receive revelation for us, and if we follow it we will one day return to our Father in Heaven and we will be able to live as families forever! I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it is the foundation of the Church and of everything that I know to be true.

Well I hope all is going well with y'all and that you had a fantastic and safe Labor Day weekend! GO COUGARS!!!

Love Always,
Sister Kelsey Berg