New letters:)

We have gotten a few letters from Kyrie since the last time I posted, but here is a little bit from them:

"It was funny when I realized something was going on with my skirts. I noticed they kept sticking to my knees and I thought that was just random. I also noticed my knees seemed dry as well. As I rubbed the spots on my knees, I realized it wasn't my skirts that were going crazy...I have developed callouses on my knees! I'm quite proud of them actually!" :)

She was challenged the first day to always pray in Portuguese and every letter says that it is coming a lot better! We always talk about how glad we are that she is happy and we couldn't be more proud of her!

okay... take two!:)

So I sent Kyrs a letter and she sent one back that had an address with a few different numbers ... I am still not sure how it worked but here it is:

Sister Kyrie Dangerfield
MTC Box #132
Bra-Pan 0117
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604

She's Off!

Well she's off! She's been gone for a week now and we just got her first letter on Saturday. She gave her blog to me (Kellie!) while she's gone to give you updates and things she says in her letters.

Kyrie said she couldn't believe she was already in the MTC. She was the first of her companions there, she is in a trio. They are all going to the same mission! She says, "Watch out Porto Alegre!"
She says that letters are like gold there and they check the mail twice! So... here is her address!

MTC Mailbox #132
BRA-PAN 0125
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, UT 84604-1793

We love you Kyrie!:)

Life Insurance

It was brought to my attention last Sunday that I made an interesting metaphor about the gospel without realizing it. Here's what went down.

I was sharing my testimony and talking about how my friend's husband went door to door selling life insurance. In our conversation, she said that and I commented, "Oh, I could never do that!" She looked at me funny for a second and it was then that I realized that as a missionary, I was going to go door to door! We laughed about that for a moment and then I really started to think about it. The only way you could get me knocking on any person's door would be if I had 100% confidence in my product, I knew it worked, and I knew it could help them too.

I shared this and people laughed when I mentioned the knocking on doors part. It made me feel really good because I can never make good jokes in church! Afterward, I had friends and neighbors tell me they enjoyed my testimony. However, it wasn't until the end of the meetings that I understand why. Someone mentioned that they liked the way I had called the Gospel life insurance (and may I add Eternal Life Insurance).

I was struck dumb for a moment. It was NOT my intention to make this correlation BUT it made perfect sense. I'm going to go sell people life insurance. The thing is, it'll only work if they use it properly. Wow... I sounded kind of smart without realizing it!

Sometimes I think we learn more by sharing what we know and then examining what we said. I know it worked that way for me!

We're Off to See the Wizard!

A good friend once told me that perception is reality. I didn't believe it at first. Reality or real things are true and the truth consists of things as they were, are, and will be. I thought things are what they are and nothing can change that. But then I thought about the difference glasses make. Things could be blurry and out of focus and then wahla! you can see. It's what we are looking through that can skew what we are seeing.

What sparked these thoughts was my sister's play The Wizard of Oz. A quick overview will remind us that the Scarecrow wants brains, the Tin Man a heart, and the Lion courage. Each thinks that they haven't got what they want because there is no physical evidence of it. All the Scarecrow has is straw, the Tin Man is hollow, and the Lion gets scared of rabbits.

What they don't realize is that they each already have what they want. The Scarecrow can TALK for crying out loud! Of course he can think. And the Tin Man cares for Dorothy and starts crying when things go wrong ... that shows a compassionate heart. Then we have the Lion. The Cowardly Lion. I think that it's brave to admit when you're scared of something. He has enough courage to face the Wicked Witch of the West. I think he just had to believe in himself.

Then we have Dorothy. A girl who thinks that someplace else will be so much better than what she has. Before Glinda tells Dorothy to click her heals, she mentions that she had the way to go home all along. However, she had to learn first that her heart's desire was no farther than her own backyard. She had to see it through a different lens.

Not to mention the Wizard. Just because the people thought he was a wizard actually made him that way in their eyes.

I think perceptions shape us more than we know. Some good. Some bad. I'm a bigger believer in "perceptions are reality" now. Not that I don't think the truth is always there; we just have to see it with the right eyes.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Prayer.
The one connection that's a sure guarantee. The one signal that's never lost. The instant message that the receiver already knew was coming but might not respond to right away.

Kneeling.
Showing love and respect. Submission.

Salutation.
Addressing a being that is glorious beyond description yet out of all the titles you could give Him, He wants you to simply call Him father.

Gratitude.
The realization that all the blessings you have come from above. Knowing someone loves you and wants to give you so many wonderful things.

Asking.
Truly desiring and wanting to know what He does and what He would have us do.

Closing.
Recognizing the Saviors hand and knowing that it is because of Him that it is even possible to return to our Father in Heaven.

Kneeling.
Showing love and respect. Submission.

Prayer.
The one connection that's a sure guarantee. The one signal that's never lost. The instant message that the receiver already knew was coming but might not respond to right away.


Preach My Gospel teaches:

God commands us to pray to Him. You can pray at any time and in any setting. The Lord has taught us to kneel and pray in the morning and in the evening, as individuals and with our families. Our Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. Through daily prayer we receive divine guidance and blessings. We should always pray sincerely. We should also pray with "real intent," which means we are committed to act on the answer that we receive.

We pray with faith to our Father in Heaven in the name of Jesus Christ (Moses 5:8). Because He is our Father and we are His children, He will answer our prayers. We begin our prayers by addressing our Father in Heaven. We end our prayers by saying, "In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

In prayer we speak openly and honestly with our loving Father in Heaven. We express gratitude and thanksgiving for our blessings. We may acknowledge our love for Him. We also ask for help, protection, and direction according to our needs.

As we pray with faith, sincerity, and real intent, we will see Go's influence in our lives. He will guide us in our daily lives and help us make good decisions. He will bless us with feelings of comfort and peace. He will warn us of danger and strengthen us to resist temptation. He will forgive our sins. We will feel closer to Him. We must learn to recognize His influence in our lives. We must learn to listen to the still, small voice of the Spirit. We can recognize when the Holy Ghost is teaching us the truth. Our minds will be filled with inspiring and uplifting thoughts. We will be enlightened, or given new knowledge. Our hearts will have feelings of peace, joy, and love. We will want to do good and be helpful to others. These feelings are hard to describe but can be recognized as we experience them.


Talking about our desires, my Institute teacher jokingly commented on the statement, "My prayers never seem to get past the ceiling," with, "...Maybe you need to pray outside!"

I know the feeling of my prayers bouncing back at me. What I learned from a friend was that I needed to be open to all possible answers. Only until I did that was I able to feel peace. Not that I didn't think I was being heard, I just felt like no answer was coming. Only until I had real intent and was willing to act on that answer did I get a confirmation.

Prayer works. The line is always free. There's full coverage and no hidden fees. The answer will always be yes when you ask, "Can you hear me now?"

Denim Thief

I'm so glad people like this exist. :)

ksl.com - Police: Denim thief left wallet in dressing room

It's not that I'm glad he stole something. Quite the opposite. It's sometimes nice to know that you're not the only one to do something on the not-so-smart side of things.

The end.

Keys

I love it when the General Authorities give us keys. It's in that precise moment that that I want to shout out, "Right on!" I think they are little treasures (the keys that is). Think of what a key is. A key guards, gives safety, opens the way, and gives the bearer the option to open or close. That's power! Now here are what these keys meant to me. They could mean something completely different to you.

In April, President Monson gave us this key, "Prayer is the key that opens the day and guards the night." I know from personal experience that forgetting to open the day seems like I'm trying to see every detail in a forest with a night light! Sometimes you trip over a branch you didn't see or get whacked by an unseen palm leave. I know for sure that when I close the day properly, my mind is at peace and I worry so much about things that go bump in the night.

The rest come from this October's Conference

President Packer recently gave us this one, "Life-giving power is the very key to the Plan." Think about that for a second! If we abuse that key, it can become twisted and unusable. Our way along the Plan of Salvation gets barred because we chose to do that. Thank goodness that we are able to receive a shiny new one if we walk along the road of repentance.

President Uchtdorf said that they fundamentals are the keys to open heaven. I imagine that this is a huge key ring belonging to a large door. Each fundamental will open a part of the door until the whole thing is flung open. I imagine it will take some time but if we're working on it, it will open.

President Monson said that to give thanks unlocks the doors of heaven. He also said that, "to live with gratitude in our hearts is to touch heaven."

Elder Ballard stated, "fervent prayer is key in overcoming."

It occurred to me that while keys are important, there are many things involved to get it into the lock. It takes effort to get to the lock. Silly as it sounds, you must actually lift your hand and put it in. For what good is a key if it sits in a lock without being turned? While fervent prayer is key to overcoming, we must also fill our lives with good. Not just fervently pray then get up and go our merry way. We must actively keep those keys shiny and in working condition.

Oh, Life

You know, I think the ability to laugh at one's self is a priceless quality to have. Kind of like my experience at the DMV the other day. I was the ONLY person there! It was completely dead. A lady took my picture and then I stood waiting for 10 minutes while this lady typed away at her computer. I signed a few things then she printed out my temporary paper license. I grabbed it and walked out to the car. When I glanced down at it, I saw myself half WINKING back at me. That's right folks. ONE of my eyes was half closed. I kept asking myself HOW this could happen. Why didn't the lady say anything to me? NO ONE else was there. NO ONE. The lady didn't even ask if I wanted to look at it. You know, maybe it's my own fault for not asking. I don't know. I can't change it now. All I can do is laugh because it looks so ridiculous. I was trying SO hard to look good for it too! Anyways, another fun story. I was at a school today being a lunch supervisor for an elementary school. Kids would raise their hands and I would help them open their cardboard milk containers (remember those? uck!) or tell someone to stop being annoying or help the kid who lost his tooth. This one cute 1st grader raised her hand so I went over to her. She looked at me shyly and said, "I just realized something! You're beautiful!". Wow I felt great about that. Only to 20 minutes later to have another girl raise her hand and shyly tell me, "You look like my grandma!". I still haven't figured out what I should take from that. I only know that it's pretty funny. I can't stop laughing! She was so sweet about it when she said it too. Oh, life.

Of Kites and Things

Wow. Something seems to be getting in the way of me flying a kite (and don't say it's me!). Okay, okay. Yes, it is me. I just can't seem to do it! I get so frustrated! My hair gets in my eyes because of the blasted wind and the string gets tangled and then the dog runs and bites the tail of the kite! Seriously, I struggle. Here is what I've come up with while failing to fly a kite.

You need wind. Not too little, not too much (yeah, did you know it could be too windy to fly a kite?). The kite can't go anywhere if it doesn't have something pushing against it.

A friend is always nice to have. It's hard trying to run and hold a string tight while waiting to see if the wind is picking up. A friend will give you encouragement when you want to kick the kite and will make a joke when you just want to cry.

Sometimes you aren't the one who can make it fly. I was in the middle of wanting to kick the kite when the dog came and grabbed the string. I started yelling at him but as I followed the string upwards, I saw the kite flying in the sky! The dog got it to stay longer in the sky then I could!

When the kite actually does fly, it's the best feeling in the world. Things are working out just right and everything is just nice. Not that it didn't take a lot of effort to get up there... it takes a lot of effort (for me) and it's something you have to work at.

Now, what did I learn from this?
1- Kite flying is HARD
2- Everything in life has to have something pushing against it... at least I think those things are the most worth it
3- Friends are invaluable seeing that they can encourage the lost, lonely, and DISTRESSED
4- Sometimes things aren't in our hands. We need to turn to the Lord and give Him the string so He can make it fly.
5- Enjoy when things are going well. Think of all the trials and hardships that got you there and be grateful for THOSE things. It made you appreciate what you have all the more.

The Little Things

I like to keep track of the things that make me smile. For example...

• The little kid at the park, while throwing his fist in the air, "Puppy Power!".
• Realizing I had been at school all day with my shirt on inside out.
• My little sister questioning me, "You're speaking... pork and cheese?". Hahaha Portuguese!
• Rolling down my window to yell at a friend on the street. Only to realize I didn't roll it all the way up after I had gone to wash my car...
• Substituting a 2nd Grade class and after I told them my name hearing exclamations like, "She must live in a field and be dangerous" or "Are you danger?".
  
• Failing at flying a kite :)
• Reading my 17 year old sister a good night story.

Hmm... how can life not be good?

Eu vou para o Brasil!

The day finally came when all my wondering and guess work finally came to an end. After random dreams and sidetrack thoughts, I now know where the Lord wants me to serve His children. Through the years, I had dreams about Hawaii and about speaking Italian. I was preparing myself for the States and hoping a little for Europe. I knew I wouldn't care where I went, but I was not prepared for what I was about to get...

... and that was the Brazil Porto Alegre North Mission.

Never in my wildest dreams did I EVER think I was going to South America. When I got back to Provo after opening my call, I was still in shock. Still am a bit to be truthful. I went for a walk and grabbed my Book of Mormon. I asked Heavenly Father, "Why Brazil?". I was so confused. It didn't seem to fit at all.

I felt like I could have accomplished great good in the States. I felt comfortable with the language and like I was able to express myself. I felt like I could serve well in Europe or in some German speaking place because I knew a little of the language. I thought I was more prepared to serve in some other capacity.

As I contemplated the reason I was needed in Brazil, the realization came that I kept saying "I". I could do this. I could do that. I wanted something that I could do by myself.

I felt humbled as I realized that I'm going to need a lot of help. I can give my all but that still won't be enough. I feel completely inadequate; however, I think that sometimes that's a good thing to think.

This isn't about me. I had my Bishop tell me that going on a mission is all about how we have an older brother and others need to know about Him. Those words are so true. I might be changed in the process but it will all be because of what I'm doing and how I'm doing it. Proclaiming His name and teaching by the Spirit.

I bet there are a million different reasons I'm going to Brazil, that was just one. I needed to realize from the start that I will need a lot of help. I do need help. We all do and sometimes it takes facing a seemingly impossible challenge to see that.

Doubt Not, Fear Not

So I've kind of been freaking out about my mission call. What if I have to learn a crazy language? What if I speak English? What if I'm the worst missionary ever? Or lastly, what if this is a big mistake? What if... what if... what if... fill in the blank.

While waiting to do baptisms at the temple, it just hit me. Come on Kyrie! Remember? How could I have forgotten my favorite scripture? Doctrine and Covenants 6:36 "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."

"It may not be on a mountain top or over a stormy sea, it may not be at the battles front my Lord will have need of me." He knows where I need to be.

I'm so excited to see where I am assigned to serve, for I know I will love those people, no matter where they are. I will first and foremost be called as a MISSIONARY. And while it's exciting to see where I will serve, NOTHING beats the privilege of being an instrument in the Lord's hands.

Doubt not, fear not. It's in the Lord's hands now.

Perspective

It's all about how you look at it...

Not looking far enough

From the side

Or maybe backwards

Only seeing the shadow

Out of focus

Or straight on

Perspective makes all the difference. Ask yourself...

Can I see the whole picture?

Do I have a skewed perspective?

Am I focusing on the right thing?

Don't get caught up on one thing. Stop. Look around and see the beauty in all things from every angle and in every way.

Seeing a Different Road

-Robert Frost

I sang this song in high school and thinking about what I thought it meant then, is completely different now. Not the main message changes but that life has changed me and how I view it.

Random Ramblings... you can skip it if you want...

I remember imagining myself looking down that other road and knowing it was better, but only seeing a lonely journey. Almost like I had been shoved onto it. Not that it wasn't a good road but it was definitely less taken.

Now I read this poem and I see something quite different. I see that we come upon many choices in life and must choose or our journey comes to a standstill. Sometimes we think we can go back but that's hard to do. It makes all the difference to choose now and choose what will make us happy. It is only when we make decisions based on what we want and especially what God wants for us, can we look back and see that the road less taken really has made all the difference.

... The main point is...

As life goes on, hopefully we gain some wisdom and perspective as we change, learn and grow from experiences.

The Worth of Souls

"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God"

-D&C 18:10

When I think of this scripture, I remember how Joseph Smith worded it in the movie they show at Temple Square. He says, "The worth of EVERY soul is GREAT in the sight of God." He says this while bound in chains and after rebuking the men who were discussing all the terrible things they did to a man who betrayed him. I've often wondered if Joseph is referring to him or to the men who sit before him. As I've pondered about this, I realized that it doesn't matter, EVERY soul has worth no matter what they've done.

I remember when I was scared to come to college and meet new people. Sometimes the task just seemed too daunting. So many new things, places, and people. As I was complaining to my brother, he said some words I will never forget. "Do you think Heavenly Father knows you?" I responded with a yes. "And don't you think he got to know you and talked to you individually?" He also asked that if we are trying to be like him, shouldn't we want to get to know people?

I was stunned.

Never had the thought crossed my mind before. I have come to realize just how important that teaching moment was for me. It has only been when I've taken the time to talk to and get to know someone that I've come to see their true worth. People are so amazing! Obviously, they are all around, but do we really know in who's midst we stand?

C S Lewis said, “It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would strongly be tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.”

Never forget your own worth or of those around you... you might just find a best friend when you let down your guard and see the true beauty and worth in the most annoying person at work or at school or on the street. In the end it doesn't matter if you met a rock star or the richest man alive. All people have potential and worth and are amazing beyond our ability to imagine.

I Know In My Heart

Today was so amazing! I went temple hopping with a few of my friends. We started early in the morning at Draper, went to Oquirrh Mountain, then headed up to Salt Lake.

We ate lunch at Temple Square and then went and saw the new scale model of the temple in the South Visitor's Center. It was awesome, you can learn more about it here http://www.newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/scaled-model-provides-salt-lake-temple-open-house-experience.

Then we went to the Joseph Smith Movie. I always feel so good after seeing it. Two phrases stuck with me, one was, "We endure by trusting in God and moving on." The other was, "We don't have to meet him to know he's a prophet."

I felt so uplifted after the movie was over and I was so excited to do baptisms in The Salt Lake Temple. I had never been there before but someone had once shown me where the entrance was. We went to the door and it was shut tight. As I stood there unsure what to do next, my eyes suddenly found a doorbell. A voice told us to come in and we walked down a hall. I thought it was strange that there seemed to be sentinels around every corner; I forgot about it then and got changed.

After we got ready, one of the workers told us to hurry across the hall where a big group of people stood in a semi-circle. We stood there and I heard whispers that the Prophet was coming down to the Baptistry. My heart started burning within me. One of the workers then asked that everyone continue in what they were doing.

We went to sit by the confirmation rooms and went straight in. As I was getting confirmed, my heart felt like it was on fire. We heard a voice in the hall and a roar of laughter. By the time we got out of the room, President Monson was gone.

While I was in the room I prayed that we would be able to see him. How cool would that be? However, the thought came to me that I already knew he was a prophet of God and what was most important thing was the work I was doing. It paralleled what had stood out to me in the movie. I didn't have to meet him to know he was a prophet of God.

Yes. It would have been an amazing experience to see the prophet in the temple. However, I wondered why things like that happen. My conclusion was that we have these experiences to make us realize that we don't need a sign to believe. We have had a witness in our hearts already. In a roundabout way, it showed me what my heart already knew.

Red Light, Green Light

The other day was stop and go... literally. The power went out all along University Avenue so every stoplight had to be treated like a four-way stop. It was scary having to trust that everyone knew what to do at the busiest intersections. Luckily I made it home safely. Only to find out, the power was out at home.

When I got back on the road after the power turned back on again I was really grateful for green and red lights. They are there for our safety and protection. They regulate things and stop utter chaos from taking over.

Somewhere I got thinking and compared this to the commandments. Sometimes we hit a red light and are so frustrated because we want to keep going. Other times we hit a green and sail right through the intersection. Commandments regulate our lives so that we don't have confusion running amok in our own minds. They give us safety and warnings of when a stop will be necessary and tell us when to keep going.

So the next time you get stuck at a red light for 5 minutes, remember that it's keeping you from driving forward and getting seriously hurt. It's only for our good.

Red light, green light.

Bad Taste

Life never turns out the way we expect it to. Even when we do the same things every day of our lives, something will always up and hit you in the face.

For example, I have brushed my teeth every day before I've gone to work or school for as long as I can remember. Lately, my morning routine has gone something like this: roll out of bed, quick bite to eat, brush teeth, splash water on face, get dressed, go. My early hours cause me to spend as little time as I can getting ready and using virtually no light because it hurts my eyes.

One fine morning I wasn't feeling well, so I had a glass of orange juice to start my day out. As I've come to find in my years, orange juice and toothpaste never taste good together. I didn't think twice when brushing my teeth that morning and ran out the door for work. As I sat at a stoplight, I noticed an awful taste in my mouth. As I thought back over the last 5 minutes I realized that I popped the lid off my "toothpaste" that morning... my toothpaste twists to open. I quickly opened the door and spit my facewash "toothpaste" into the street! It got even better too, I had to keep spitting bubbles out all morning long.

Now can you blame me? Who doesn't think that the taste in their mouth is awful when brushing their teeth after having orange juice?

Whenever I get down and don't feel cheerful I'll remember that morning when I literally was a BUBBLY PERSON!

:)

Lessons We Should Have Remembered

Today I went to the park with my friend Bekah. It was a perfect day. Clouds made the possibly hot weather just right. As we were sitting a little boy and little girl ran towards us. They stopped a few feet away from us as this 4 year old boy and close to 2 year old girl had a serious conversation. The boy started out saying, "Mia, you know how you wanted me to be your boyfriend? Well I'm already Dana's boyfriend." He then picked some dandelion flowers and gave them to her. He also told her that maybe when she was 2 he could be her boyfriend! What a heart breaker! He then told her to run back to her mom (which she did and cried as they went to the car).

As Bekah and I looked at each other and burst out laughing, I couldn't help compare this funny yet sad situation to life now. Sometimes we are too young, too late, or too afraid for a relationship. I also thought about why we can't see when the boy we like is only giving us dandelions instead of roses. I guess somethings we have to keep learning until we get it right. Isn't that great though? Sometimes we try and we fail. Sometimes we run to our moms. Sometimes life seems like it will end. Will we remember for a while? Yes. Will we cry? Probably. Will it go away? Maybe.

Somehow it always works out for the best.

Sparkles

I've had my lava lamp for at least 10 years. Instead of the usual blobs, it has sparkles that float in it. When you first turn it on all the sparkles rise to the top in a thin, snakelike line. As they reach the top there is a brief moment when all the sparkles hang suspended. In that small moment the best part of the lava lamp shines in all it's brilliance before the sparkles disperse throughout the whole.

My friend Lisa has encouraged me to keep a blessings journal and when I started college I kept track of the little things that make me smile everyday. I find that noticing all the good things in life and especially the tender mercies from the Lord lets us see for a brief moment the sparkling mass before it dissipates into every minute, every hour, and every day of life. Sometimes the good moments are like a little piece of glitter, only a small shimmer of hope. It is my hope that when we truly take time to notice how good life is, we can see the scattered sunshine in every aspect of our lives.