Keely in Rockledge FL

With pictures: again, the palsy is still present in my life. Forgive that. Speaking of palsy, at the Ogden Temple Rededication, one of the speakers mentioned that Jesus healed the palsy. Meant for me to hear? Yes. But yeah, I'll look like a goober in pictures for the next little bit.

SO. Here's me at the beach. That's the Atlantic Ocean behind me. Crazy, right? I would like to send a picture of me and Sister Hart, but she has to send it to me first.

Week 1 is basically officially done! I'm serving in the Rockledge Ward, and my area is Merritt Island, Cocoa Beach, and Cape Canaveral. We don't get to go on the beach EXCEPT for on district p-day, which should be next week!!! My trainer's name is Sister Hart. She's from Provo and she has two transfers left, so I'll probably be her last companion. Oh, and I know my district here way less well than I did at the MTC because I'm not with them the entire day. But our district leader's name is Elder Tucker, and he has two companions, Elder Black and Elder Lavin. They're serving in our ward too. I think there's like...six companionships in our distric. Including the zone leaders, Elder Furgeson and Elder Ziegler.

And I know at least a few of you will probably ask me how the weather is. Honestly, it's not bad. It's different than Washington, but that kind of makes sense, so... Sometimes the air feels kind of sticky, and when it rains, it pours, but it's all good.

The members here are AWESOME. There's about 700 members of the ward, but only 200 active (so we've got a lot of work to do concerning less actives). But all the members I've met have been so welcoming, kind, and eager to help.

So my very first night here, we had our first lesson with this guy named Jamey. He's getting baptized on November 1. Apparently it's basically unheard of to have a first lesson and a baptism within one transfer, so that's great!!!! I've met some mean people while street contacting, but it's so worth it to find the people who are prepared to hear the gospel.

We had to drop one of our investigators because he wasn't progressing, so that was kind of sad. But definitely necessary. Right now the only investigator we're teaching is Jamey, so we're really working to get more investigators. But he's AWESOME.

In Alma 57:25, Helaman is talking about the Stripling Warriors after the battle is over and he says: "According to the goodness of God...there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds." Life is hard. We're not going to get through this unscathed. We'll have trials, we'll sin, we'll have things go wrong. That's just a fact. But through the goodness of God and through applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ, WE WILL GET THROUGH IT. God knows what we can handle, and He loves us, so He'll make sure we're strong enough to get through whatever we're dealing with.

I love hearing from all of you!!!! Keep letters and emails coming. I love letters because I get to check the mail every day. Again, the address is:

10502 Satellite Blvd Ste E

Orlando, FL 32837

And that will be my address for my entire mission. For packages and letters. OH and send me pictures because I love seeing them.

And if I haven't told you to read Alma 36 yet, read it. And if I have, read it again.

So much love,

Sister Keely Burnette

My Mom

Yesterday was the 3rd anniversary of my mom's death. I remember that day as a blur yet still pieces of that period are clear. It is as if my mind took snapshots of moments in that day.
I remember the first phone call I got. It was a paramedic from Portland, OR. It was sometime around midnight. I had gone to bed. I don't know if I was asleep but I know that the phone ringing at the hour had me instantly alert. This man was telling me that my mom had been vomiting during the day and her caregiver had called 911 because my mom had collapsed getting out of bed. He wanted to know if I wanted them to do anything for her such as IV fluids or transport her to the closest hospital. He said she had a POLST form and they needed to know how to proceed. Now my mom was a fainter from way back. She had passed out since she was a young girl. She did not do well in heat or long car rides. As she aged, she fainted a couple times under a hairdryer and several times just getting up from bed. The most memorable collapse was when she and my dad had visited us in Tallahassee FL. My mom had the flu. I was sleeping during the day as I had worked the night shift. My dad called my name in a startled, concerned way. My mom was not responding from the bathroom and my dad had heard a thud. Her body was against the door so it took some force for me to open the door. Feeling no pulse I told my dad to call 911. I got her on her back on the floor to start CPR and she started to breathe. By the time EMS arrived, she was responding but her speech was slurred. They never did find anything wrong but my whole family knows that she was never the same after that event. Her memory was altered that day never to return again during this lifetime.
So back to the night of the phone call. I didn't know what to say. I didn't remember that we had switched my mom to comfort care. Did IV fluids seem extreme for vomiting? Was it "heroic"? I thought it seemed reasonable. Rather than make a decision I turfed the call to my sister. We decided to send my mom to the hospital for evaluation.
I did go back to bed. I know I slept off and on. Definitely not restfully. I spoke with Charleen on the phone a few times. I spoke with the ED MD. Charleen and her husband Bill had gone to the hospital, saw my mom. The decision was made to give her morphine because she was moaning and seemed to have some abdominal pain. Bill and Charleen went home to shower and prepare for the day, Sunday. Soon after Charleen got the call that our mom had died. I feel badly that she died alone. None of us thought that it would happen that fast. I like to think that her last image before closing her eyes for the final time was of her firstborn child being at her side whispering comforting words to her. I hope she didn't die feeling alone or scared. I am relieved that it was swift and seemingly painless.
I remember going late to church that day. By the time Keely and I got there, the sacrament had already been passed. After the service, I asked our bishop if we could still receive the sacrament, explaining why we were late. Keely and I were taken to a classroom in our church building. Pieces of bread and cups of water were prepared and blessed just for us. I had never felt the atonement of Jesus Christ so personally as I did in that moment. I felt grateful, loved, protected and comforted. The sacrament prayer seemed clearer than ever before. I understood Christ's sacrifice in a way that I could truly feel. I was truly amazed at the love he offers me.
When my mom died, I was mainly relieved. With her memory loss, life had been hard and frustrating for her. After my dad's death, I brought her from CA to Olympia,WA to live with us. One year later, Ken was diagnosed with stage IV rectal cancer and life started to spiral out of control. Soon life consisted of working full time, oncology appointments, raising kids, taking mom to appointments,being her caregiver, supporting Ken through his crisis, I stopped managing well. Too many balls to juggle if you will. So the decision was made to move my mom to an adult family home in Portland near my sister. She was in the first adult family home for less than a year and then we had to move her again to another AFH that we loved. The owner was tender, patient and sweet to my mom. She received good care but she was never happy there. Or when she had happy times, she could not remember them. Death brought peace. She was able to be reunited with her parents, sister and husbands.
So as I write this, I am crying. It feels healing. It is good to be able to relive that time in my mind. I barely had time to mourn my mom's passing when it happened because Ken's deterioration started soon after. He was placed in hospice 2 months after I lost my mom. I needed to concentrate on the living and the dying. Now I can say that I miss my mom.I am sorry that my kids never knew her as a crossword freak who could balance a check book like nobody's business. I know she would have loved the internet to research our family history. She was a genealogy sleuth before it was popular. She could cook an outstanding meal and organize to perfection. She always hoped that she would never lose her mind as her sister had with Alzheimer's. Her last years were not what she had hoped for. I know now that she is restored. Her mind is clear and functioning to her liking. She has been reunited with those that she loves. I am certain that she is happy. And for that I find joy.
Until we meet again Mom, I miss you.

Keely Hits Orlando

This morning I got the first of 5 possible calls that a family get from their missionary. Keely had left the MTC and was waiting at the SLC airport to depart to Orlando FL. Full time missionaries are only allowed to make calls home on Christmas and Mother's Day. And they are allowed to call home as they leave for their mission area. This was a good day.

Keely sounded great. There was fear and apprehension in her voice. But more than that, there was contentment, excitement, resolve, power and joy. Her fear was one I had not expected. She had such a great companion at the MTC in Sister Lewis that she was worried that she will never have one that she bonds with as well. She said that people asked them if they had been friends before because they were so close. I pray she will have other companions that will feel as comfortable and as familiar.

Her apprehension was of the unknown and if she's ready, She has prepared most of her life for this opportunity. I have no doubt in her faith or her ability. She and her message will be rejected. Doors will be slammed, dogs let loose, slurs made. There will be days that she will wonder what she got herself into or if it's worth it. And I know there will be evenings that she will be on her knees praying for strength and comfort. And because of those moments, her testimony will grow and she will be given all she needs to do it again tomorrow.

Her excitement is about all that lies in front of her. She looks forward to new companions, new places and teaching opportunities. She wants to share with others the thing that has made our lives feel happier and richer, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Her power comes from her faith, her intelligence and her willingness to serve. She has always been blessed for her unwavering obedience to the Lord's commandments. She has knowledge of the scriptures and an understanding of the Great Plan of Happiness. She has the Holy Ghost as her constant companion through it all to provide strength and comfort.

We talked about life here at home. I wanted the time to tick slowly before it was time for her to go. But all too soon came the goodbyes and the good lucks and I love yous. I look forward to Christmas.

Keely enters the MTC!

Tonight I am sitting alone in my motel room in Baker City, OR approximately halfway between home and where I dropped off my daughter this afternoon. Keely entered the MTC (Missionary Training Center) for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to serve her 18 month mission in Orlando, FL. I thought my heart would feel broken. I had been warned about the anguish that affects many parents as they drop their child off and drive away. I heard that ice cream in some form eases the pain. My experience seems somewhat easy in comparison.
I cried when we hugged good-by. I know I will miss her. I know when holidays and birthdays roll around, her absence will be palpable in my home and in my heart. But overall I feel grateful, contented, proud and tired. I am grateful for Keely's choice to serve this mission. I am grateful for loving friends and family that have supported her and our family to get to this point. I am thankful for the gospel on the earth that brings peace in a often hostile and cruel world.
My contentment stems from my joy in seeing my daughter embarking on a journey she has desired to take since she was 6 years old. She has planned for this day most of her life. Now that it has come, there is a sincere satisfaction in knowing she is where she wants to be and where she should be. This is one of those parental paydays.
I am so proud of Keely. She has done a lot of preparation to get here. She has saved money to help fund her mission. She has prepared spiritually by reading scriptures, magnifying her callings and attending the temple. She has endured the physical embarrassment and discomfort of Bell's palsy which has challenged her confidence but not her will. She has stayed strong with her eye on her goal.
.As for being tired, I mean both physically and emotionally. The last few weeks have been crammed with shopping. A missionary needs clothes, luggage, a bike, essentials. Trust me it's a lot of stuff. The emotional roller coaster has been in full swing as well.There are mixed emotions of joy, sadness, doubt, faith all mixed with an extra generous portion of stress. It is exhausting.
But in the end, it is overwhelmingly amazing. The last 6 hours in the car, I had plenty of time to think. For me it would be selfish to be sad. My daughter is doing what 2 other young women did for me 13 years ago. They left their homes, found me and shared the gospel with me. Now Keely has that same opportunity to change the lives of some people in central Florida. I'm so excited for her. It's not like she is going off to war. She will be safe, She will have awesome experiences that she will talk about for the rest of her life. She will grow and learn in ways I cannot yet imagine. And she will learn to serve and love in deeper ways then she ever has before.
I feel blessed.