Letters from Kelsey - 57

Hey everyone,

Well I don't really have a whole lot to report this week... It was a good week and yet we didn't have anyone at church again. I have decided that sometimes all you have to do is just keep swimming. We get members involved and yet the dice haven't really rolled in our favor these last couple of weeks. All we can do is do our best and know that it is all in the hands of the Lord and have faith that we will know what do to next. I guess these are character building weeks right? ha ha, I'm sure that all of that bike riding and talking to English people who we can't teach anyway is just building my character... like digging holes right? Ya just do what ya gotta do and try not to get frustrated with people's agency... here is our Investigator Weekly...

RJ: We are really working with his mom right now because if she gets a stronger testimony then he will come with her. She has some struggles with the Word of Wisdom that we are working through right now but she wants to change and she has seen the difference that the church makes in her life. She talked this week about how even though her problems aren't any less or any easier, she has a different view of them and for some reason they don't get her down as much. Its all about faith baby! oh... and a little eternal perspective. She has been working really hard to read the Book of Mormon every night with her 4 boys but they get bored and don't have that long of an attention span so we are trying to help her have a long term perspective and not to focus on the frustration she feels now when its not perfect. I shared with her about my childhood and how I would sleep through scripture study in the mornings with my family and how I would complain in the mornings and during Family Night (I know you are shocked right now- me complain? Never), but I knew that every morning we would read the scriptures- it was just what we did in my home. We told her that one day RJ and the other boys will be on missions somewhere in the world and they will be talking about their mom and how she did it all by herself even when they complained and didn't pay attention. - Thanks Mom and Dad for sticking with it all even though I complained about how I wanted to watch football or basketball instead or how I would text during family night, I won't do it when I get home I promise. :)

Victor: We didn't get a chance to see him this last week because his mom was recovering from having a baby and then he didn't come to church yesterday because he was at his dad's. His mom and step-dad came to church though and we set something up with them for this next week. He just needs to come to church twice to get baptized so as soon as that happens he will be baptized, I'm hoping that February 18 will be the day.

Andrea: I havent' told y'all about her yet I don't think. She is 25 with 4 kids and is progressing slowly. She was supposed to come to church yesterday and when we showed up before church the kids were all ready and we were super happy... then she came out and told us that her nephew was doing his first communion in the Catholic church and her sister-in-law asked them to come... and it started the exact same time as ours... so yeah... I have faith for next week though! ha ha

Well I'm out of time- sorry the email is so short this week. OH!!! AND!!! Gabriel Jr. and David passed the sacrament yesterday!!!! It was one of the best Sundays ever just for that reason! They are such a great family and the branch loves them and they are just growing, improving, and moving right along! I can't wait to see them in the temple one day! Oh and Hno. De Hoyos even quit drinking! They just make me so happy. Thats about it for this week. I hope y'all have a good week and that y'all are keeping the faith! Love y'all!! Go Cougars!!

Love Always,
Sister Kelsey Berg