Keely's mission letter 2/16/15

So here is the latest email from Keely. I asked if I could share on the blog and she said okay. All names have been deleted into an initial to protect people's privacy. Leslie

A couple days ago, we were driving down the road, but we had to stop while LITERALLY LIKE 20 OR 30 DUCKS crossed the road. They were everywhere.

Also, I dropped my pudding on the ground and it was devastating. #strugglebus

Today we're going ice-blocking for district p-day and I'm a little worried I'll break my leg so this should be fun.

We followed a prompting to talk to this guy and he talked AT us for 40 minutes and when we finally got out of there, he was like, "You'll never forget the day I taught you the truth." #missionarylife

OKAY SO THIS WAS COOL. The Clermont sisters' investigator was baptized on Saturday, so we brought L with us to see. It was so cool. The speaker was really good and the Spirit was really strong. After the actual ordinance was done and we all went back into the Relief Society room, L was like, "That was crazy!" And we asked her what she meant and she said, "It just felt really...weird!" And we told her that she was feeling the Spirit and she looked SO HAPPY. I AM SO HAPPY.

We taught A last week too (she's the one being baptized in April). She's so excited to be baptized! She knows it's true and we're so happy for her.

Oh, after district meeting on Wednesday, this kinda less active recent convert named R called us and said he had a referral for us, we asked if 6:30 that night would work to meet, and he said yes! So we met up with this guy B and long story short he's a new investigator. Yay.

OH! On Valentine's Day, we were heart attacking (that thing where you put hearts all over someone's door with happy messages and scriptures) some people. So we heart attacked L and J
, then decided to knock on their next door neighbor's door. So this girl gets her mom and her mom lets us in right away and were were like ...What? and she was like, "How are you doing, sisters?" And again, we were like ...WHAT? So it turns out she's a less-active member and her parents are active in the Clermont Ward. She was like, "I've been baptized and so has my daughter, but my fiance and stepkids haven't. So you can come over and teach them. They used to meet with the missionaries, but we lost contact when we moved." ...YES PLEASE.

So for my spiritual thought: I was reading a really old Ensign (which is like one of the best things about iPads) and some Apostle was like, "I consider 'Notwithstanding My Weakness' by Elder Neal A. Maxwell a landmark address." So obviously I looked it up. It's from the October 1976 General Conference. I definitely recommend everyone reads it. Here's one of my favorite parts: "Some of us who would not chastise a neighbor for his frailties have a field day with our own. Some of us stand before no more harsh a judge than ourselves, a judge who stubbornly refuses to admit much happy evidence and who cares nothing for due process. Fortunately, the Lord loves us more than we love ourselves." I LOVE THAT. I feel like we all too often criticize ourselves unfairly. I know I do! But it's so important to remember that God loves us so so so so much. He loves us so much more than we can even comprehend! Whenever you feel down, remember that yes, you have weaknesses (check out Ether 12:27 for more on why we have weaknesses and how we can overcome them), but you ALSO have strengths!

I need you all to know how much I love Minneola and the ward and my investigators and the missionaries I work with and all of you and missionary work and the gospel and Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Sister Keely Burnette 

P.S. We have a mission conference next Monday (the 23rd), so I won't be emailing then. I'll email on Tuesday (the 24th). I just didn't want any of you to think that I died or anything.

But if you're really missing me, you can write to me!