Totally "Fort Worth" it!

First Letter February 24th 2011
Dear Familia,
Hola, Wow! The MTC is crazy! There are so many great people here. Today is thursday, so the wild stuff is mostly over. Yesterday was pretty much a blur, but I'll tell you what I can remember. After you guys left, they took me and my luggage back to a room where a bunch of other sisters were. I met a bunch of them and we chatted for a little bit. Then a sister that has been here for a while came and got me. She took me around to pick up a bunch of different items I would need (i.e. my key to my room, my name tag, books and scriptures in Espanol, and lots of other things), and to drop off my luggage. Then she took me to my class. Hermana Billins is so cute. She is one of my teachers, and she mostly speaks Spanish. she's trying to have us speak as much as we can, as often as we can. Haderlie is my other teacher. He is great too. I've only met with him a little, but I can tell he is going to be awesome. After class we had a Welcome Orientation where we met the MTC Presidency. They are so amazing! I know they are called of God. Next we went to dinner, which reminded me of high school or jr. high, except everyone is nice, and talks to you.
Oh, I forgot to tell you about my two companions. Hermana Rasmussen is from Idaho Falls, and Hermana Barlow is from Washington DC. They are super great and adorable. At dinner I saw, none other than, Sister Buswell! It was so exciting! We both got all excited and gave hugs, and she talked with me a bit. It was so nice to see her. She is such an inspiration to me. Also, I saw Brother and Sister Fowers, and gave them hugs. After dinner we went to a group teaching where you are in a small group (maybe 20 missionaries), and you teach an investigator. You are supposed to try to see what their needs are. We met with three men. It was really a good experience to talk to them, and see what we could do for them, and to see how just us sharing small parts of the gospel with them changed their disposition. It was really neat. After that, we met our Zone Leaders, and them ca e back to our room to unpack. I had a really hard time sleeping last night I got bed @ 10:30, but couldn't sleep because I had so much going on in my head. Plus I woke up several times in the night. We decided wake up @ 5:45 to go to the early morning exercise class just for girls, so we went to that. Today has just been really busy. That's pretty much what we always are though. Busy, busy, Busy! But another good thing about today...I met another Sister going to Fort Worth, Spanish speaking!! Her name is Hermana Valdez and she is leaving to go down to Texas in March, because she already knows Espanol. It was so exciting to meet her though. I'll probably see her down in Texas. Anyway, I probably better go now. Love you all lots. Do good things! Love, Hermana Kelsey
PS Be sure to give my address to everyone!  I want lots of letters!
:) oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Howzit-Elder Flexy!

Elder Flexy 8:4 -email-

Make,
wow thats so cool i'm glad all went well with dropping Kelsey off. my new comp is awesome and all is well. but this computer is the laggiest computer ever so i have to be short. ya i just bearly realized that my birth day is coming up soon its kinda weird. anyway

1 Did you ask the Blackburns if they will do a disc of your pictures?

1.ya i'm gonna talk to them about that.

2 Did your baptism happen?

2.yep Babe Elias Dlamini is officially a member

3 If so how was it?

3.great all went well i gave a talk on the holy ghost it was good

4 What is the name of the town/city that you live in?

4., , swaziland

5 How is your companionship?

5.great elder diseko is a great guy

6 Favorite scripture?

6.Mathew 14:26(CTR)

Special question:

7 Why do we need to not judge?

7.  because we don't have all the facts as to why this person did this only God has that knowledge.
love you sorry this computer stinks

Love Elder Flexy



Babe,
glad to hear all the good news i'm still alive and kickin the work is going well and i'm loving swaziland. thats cool about your friends shop we have an investigator that has some swords and battle axes on his walls as decorations. anyway this computer is giving me a hard time love you.

Love Elder Flexy


EM!!!
your all alone i hope all works out with your friends thats why you get friends like me and colter then you don't have to worry about all that. anyway i love you my little sister.


Love Elder Flexy

Sunday Best!

Matthew 5:14-16

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

*******

Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy

Totally "Fort Worth" it!

We dropped off 

our beautiful daughter Kelsey

 at the Missionary Training Center yesterday! Wow, it was rough! Here is how the day went...

Kelsey doing last minute arranging in her suitecase!

Aren't they darling!!

Ready to go!!

Lunch on the way!

Driving up the hill to the MTC!!

The Elders are there to help with her luggage!

Emily is saying the whole time, "Aren't they cute!"

Hugs and tears!!!

A manly hug and no tears from Riley!

We are so excited for Kelsey!! 

She will be a great missionary!

Yes, Pappa cried too!! He is a tender Dad! 

And there she goes!! 

We are all crying and watching her go!! 

The Elders take her into the building on the left,

 were the Sisters are waiting for her!

We leave and spend the rest of the day 

trying to stay busy and 

think happy thoughts!! 

She is going to have a wonderful mission and will be a blessing to those she is called to serve. She is also going to have all kinds of experiences, all of which, will bless her for the rest of her life. 

We are so proud of her!!;)

Hermana's

They are going to miss each other!!!

 Kelsey leaves tomorrow on her mission. 

She will be a great missionary!! 

Howzit-Elder Flexy!

Elder Flexy 8:3 -email-

Make,

wow, wow! so its already been another transfer and Elder Webster is moving on to bigger and better things my new companion is Elder Diseco he is from joburg somewhere i'll give you more details after i meet him. but ya life in swaziland is awesome we saw the biggest dogs i've ever seen in my life. lucky for us they were nice. i'm not sure whats going on with my body cause i'm getting soft and i'm losing weight i'm not sure what that means but oh well. 

1 How was your week?
1.great we are working very very hard.

2 Favorite scripture?

2.well in second nephi chapter i think eleven is the chapter that talks about christ being a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense its a good scripture.

3 Do you have a required number of contacts, discussions (teaches), etc you are supposed to do each week?
3. No, we just work as hard as we can.

4 Have you noticed the Lord directing you in any particular way?
4.ya we do random finding and we have found a lot of people that way.

Special Question:

What are the blessings of obedience?

5.well the lord blesses you with success and blesses us with safety.
anyway i'll have some more information next email about my new comp.love you

                                                               Love Elder Flexy    

Babe,

man that's so crazy how close Kelsey is, i'm so exited. i'm glad she got to see all the family before she goes anyway and i'm glad your staying busy. ya i miss the snow but at night swaz gets pretty chily so i'm sleeping well not like i was in durban. but ya this place is prepared of the Lord these people want to hear the gospel so bad so the work is going well. anyway we have a baptism this coming sunday its gonna be so good!!! anyway i'm still alive and kickin. love you

                                                                Love Elder Flexy   

Hermana Kelsey,

two days my seeeesteer!!!!! thats so freakin crazy your going to love your mission and the mtc. If you meet Brother Wall or Brother Bott( you probably saw him in the videos you watched) or Sister Swan tell them your my sister and they might remember me. ya i'm sure your freaking out. i sure was, i may not have shown it but i was but. my advice is use the sky diving code "dont think just go" and next thing you know you will be in the field loving life. anyway keep emailing. love you.

                                                                 Love Elder Flexy

EM dog the big cheese, Emily Nan, Em!!:)
ya i could have told you, you were gonna miss me and Kels. your gonna be all alone, but you will be fine. Make and Babe to take care of you and Riley might. haha i'm glad i'm on mission when you started dating because i'd be kicking some little emfans(boys in swati) butts. if they broke your heart, so they should consider themselves lucky. HAHA :)  love you sis.

                                                                 Love Elder Flexy

Family History Friday (FHF): On Genealogy!

Taken from "Talk Capsules"

by Albert L. Zobell, Jr.

Genealogy

A friend of ours has a wife with a peculiar quirk. Barring Smiths and Joneses, she is unable to believe that any two people can have the same name and not be the same person.

The other day she saw a headline stating that Dick Johnson had broken the pole vault record.

"How exciting!" she exclaimed, "I'm going to phone and congratulate him."

"Huh?" the patient husband looked up perplexed. "It's not the same Dick Johnson as I go to work with. He's fifty-five, weighs 235 pounds. He couldn't vault a fire hydrant!"

"But it said Dick Johnson," she insisted.

"Another Dick Johnson" my friend went back to his part of the evening paper. Just as he's tried to explain that Elsie Harper, their Saturday cleaning woman isn't the same Elsie Harper who writes mystery novels and that their mailman, John Williams, isn't the man wanted by the FBI. 

Whatever we  think of a story like that the story has a point. The point that proper identification is a must. And if proper identification is a must in a circle acquaintances, how much more vital proper identification becomes in the great work of genealogy.

Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy 

Two Cents by T and G: Can you stand it?

Kelsey said, "Go put your shoes on 'G'!" 

G said, "I did it!!"

What a big boy!

Howzit-Elder Flexy!

Alex getting ready to wakeboard, before he left on his mission! Cute!

Elder Flexy 8:2 -email-

My darling Elder, It was a beautiful day today. The sky was clear and sunshiny. The temperature was actually warm. I am ready for spring. You're probably thinking, I'm ready for fall. Anyway, It was a wonderful Sabbath. Our church was great. We had super lessons and then the Poppa and Juanita Fowers spoke. They're going on a mission to LA, California. It's a family history mission. They will do great. They're talks were great. Then we went to Kelsey's ward and heard her talk. Wow! She is ready. Her talk was great. I am so glad she decided to go. She has made some changes in her life and she is happy and at peace with her decision to go. I know she will do great. Thanks for being the trail blazer and setting a good example for your siblings to follow. I love you so much! I better quit. It is about time for you to get up. Have a great week! I am sending your B-day package tomorrow, it will probably be late, sorry. Be Safe!! Be Obedient! Love, Mom

Make,
this week has been good we had a district conferance on saturday and sunday it was huge there were like four hundred people there on sunday. we had one of our investigators interviewed for baptism it went great he will be baptised in two weeks it will be awesome. anyway life is good i got an interview with president vonstetton today what an awesome guy!! we had five investigators at conferance it was so good. oh ya i recieved a letter from colter from new york.

1 Any baptisms yet?

1.not yet in a couple of weeks.
2 How do you get, or encourage, the people you teach, who have Word of Wisdom problems to quit what they are doing?
2.we have some stop drinking and smoking programs that we use.
3 How is your area?
3.its good my legs are getting tough but my upper body is still getting soft but i weigh the same as when i left.
4 Favorite scripture of the week?
4.dang it i don't have my scripts on me but i'll look it up and tell you.
5 Do the people you teach know about the Savior? Is there any common ground to go from?
5.ya there are many christian churches so the people know him.

Special question:

6 How do you explain to investigators that Heavenly Father is their Father and that He is really there?

6.well we just explain to them that he is litterally the father of our spirits and that he loves us as a father.
well life is good on mission we will keep working hard. love you 

                                                              Love Elder Flexy 


Alex, How are you? We had a great Sunday. Church was super, We had a lesson on service and lots of people made comments we shouldn't do service expecting a reward so, Chad said he doesn't mow Mike Theis's lawn  in hopes that Mike will offer to let him ride his Big Dog (motorcycle). Leon and Juanita spoke in church. They are leaving soon for California. After our ward we went to Kelsey's Sacrament meeting, she gave a really good talk. The opening song was "because I have been given much" That song kills me, I don't get through the first line before I am Bawling. What a boob. We had dinner at Brads house for a change it was great. Ariane was there with her 2 darling kids. she is doing ok. Brad and Cindy's 4 dogs are so cute. Caleb is getting married in June to Kristy. I went skiing with Riley last Mon. It was fun but a little windy. Tues. would have been a better choice, it was a beautiful day. Today was in the 60s. soo nice. We had two soccer games this week, so it went like this. Ski 6hours mon. soccer game same day at 11:30pm soccer game tues. 5:45pm it was a fun two days. Well I better give someone else a turn. I am soo proud of you and what you are doing keep up the good work. Love Dad. 

Babe,
sounds like you have been having fun lots of cool things happening. thats so crazy Caleb is getting married thats awesome tell him congrats for me. so chad is still waitin to buy himself a harley! thats so funny ya we saw a nice car the other day. we saw a bentley its worth about seven million rands it was nice esspecially in swaziland. but life is good we are working very hard. ya they call this are a walking area but i think its a hiking area its tough to walk some of these places. anyway love you. 

                                                              Love Elder Flexy


Flexy Boo Lou,

Hey buddy? How's life? I hope things are good for you. I'm doing pretty good. Still just getting things ready for when I leave. I've been a little stressed about that, but I know that the Lord will provide and take care of what I can't do, as long as I do all I can. Today I went to mission prep for the first time in a while. It was really good. If the MTC (Missionary Training Center) is anything like that, I know I'm going to love it. Also I spoke in my sacrament meeting. I was super nervous, but I guess I did okay. I'm going to have to add a little more before I speak in the home ward next week, because I'm supposed to take about ten minutes. Anyway things are good. I better go though. At the family party earlier tonight, Cash head butted me in the nose, so now I have a headache. Continue the work. Keep doing what you are doing. The gospel is so true! :) Love you lots. Love, Kelsey

Kelsey,
man i'm kinda jealous you will be in the mtc!! i would live there the rest of my life if i could its was so nice. anyway sorry the computer is glitching so others need to have a turn. love you 


Dear Flex, My awesome bro!! I'm so glad that you are doing great! And I am doing fantastic as well and today was great! I didn't work for the first Sunday in like nine months! And we had a great family party. It was so fun and church was great. Kels spoke and did a good job! She is great! And i would like to announce that i am loosing almost all of my family members! Two siblings out on missions!! Wow its crazy! Anyway keep being a good boy and doing a good job! Sounds like you are having a lot of success and remember who you are and what you stand for :) I love you lots and lots!! Thanks for being fantastic!! Peace and Blessings! Out! Em

Em,
I love you too i'm glad you didn't have to work on sundays thats good love you.

Hello My Cousin!!!!! 

I'm playing at your house for the next couple days... Oh this is Caitlin, I probably should inform you of that. Um.... What to say? I guess that I'll just let you know what's going on. I was attending Snow College. I thought that I was doing well... I turned out to be wrong, so I decided not to go back for Spring Semester. I feel like everyone's leaving... Imma be all alone. ): Well... Not completely alone, but you get what I'm meaning. I hope that you're having an amazing time and I'm so very proud of you!  I love you to bits!!!!!! -Caterbug! (That nickname still bothers me but I felt that I should put it.) Once again, I love you to bits!!!

Caiterbug i love you too i hope you can continue to have success in life.

                                                            Love All you guys Elder Flexy

Sunday Best!

I absolutely love 

James E. Talmage!!

 Here is one of my favorite stories that he wrote. Enjoy!

*******************

 The Parable of 

Two Lamps

Among the material things of the past—things that I treasure for sweet memory’s sake and because of pleasant association in bygone days—is a lamp. …

The lamp of which I speak, the student lamp of my school and college days, was one of the best of its kind. I had bought it with hard-earned savings; it was counted among my most cherished possessions. …

One summer evening I sat musing studiously and withal restfully in the open air outside the door of the room in which I lodged and studied. A stranger approached. I noticed that he carried a satchel. He was affable and entertaining. I brought another chair from within, and we chatted together till the twilight had deepened into dusk, the dusk into darkness.

Then he said: “You are a student and doubtless have much work to do of nights. What kind of lamp do you use?” And without waiting for a reply, he continued, “I have a superior kind of lamp I should like to show you, a lamp designed and constructed according to the latest achievements of applied science, far surpassing anything heretofore produced as a means of artificial lighting.”

I replied with confidence, and I confess, not without some exultation: “My friend, I have a lamp, one that has been tested and proved. It has been to me a companion through many a long night. It is an Argand lamp, and one of the best. I have trimmed and cleaned it today; it is ready for the lighting. Step inside; I will show you my lamp; then you may tell me whether yours can possibly be better.”

We entered my study room, and with a feeling which I assume is akin to that of the athlete about to enter a contest with one whom he regards as a pitiably inferior opponent, I put the match to my well-trimmed Argand.

My visitor was voluble in his praise. It was the best lamp of its kind, he said. He averred that he had never seen a lamp in better trim. He turned the wick up and down and pronounced the adjustment perfect. He declared that never before had he realized how satisfactory a student lamp could be.

I liked the man; he seemed to me wise, and he assuredly was ingratiating. “Love me, love my lamp,” I thought, mentally paraphrasing a common expression of the period.

“Now,” said he, “with your permission I’ll light my lamp.” He took from his satchel a lamp then known as the “Rochester.” It had a chimney which, compared with mine, was as a factory smokestack alongside a house flue. Its hollow wick was wide enough to admit my four fingers. Its light made bright the remotest corner of my room. In its brilliant blaze my own little Argand wick burned a weak, pale yellow. Until that moment of convincing demonstration, I had never known the dim obscurity in which I had lived and labored, studied and struggled.

“I’ll buy your lamp,” said I; “you need neither explain nor argue further.” I took my new acquisition to the laboratory that same night and determined its capacity. It turned at over 48 candlepower—fully four times the intensity of my student lamp.

Two days after purchasing, I met the lamp peddler on the street about noontime. To my inquiry he replied that business was good; the demand for his lamps was greater than the factory supply. “But,” said I, “you are not working today?” His rejoinder was a lesson. “Do you think that I would be so foolish as to go around trying to sell lamps in the daytime? Would you have bought one if I had lighted it for you when the sun was shining? I chose the time to show the superiority of my lamp over yours, and you were eager to own the better one I offered, were you not?”

Such is the story. Now consider the application of a part, a very small part, thereof.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” [Matt. 5:16].

The man who would sell me a lamp did not disparage mine. He placed his greater light alongside my feebler flame, and I hasted to obtain the better.

The missionary servants of the Church of Jesus Christ today are sent forth, not to assail or ridicule the beliefs of men, but to set before the world a superior light, by which the smoky dimness of the flickering flames of man-made creeds shall be apparent. The work of the Church is constructive, not destructive.

As to the further meaning of the parable, let him that hath eyes and a heart see and understand.

*************

Hope your Sunday was the Best!! Love, Joy

Family History Friday (FHF): Castle Garden!

A while back I wrote a post about Ellis Island, and how for many years it was a stop for immigrants who came to this country, but before Ellis Island, there was Castle Garden. From 1855 to 1890 millions of immigrants entered America through Castle Garden. You can read more about the history of it here and here! So if you think your ancestor came to this country before 1890, you may want to look for them coming through Castle Garden. At one time it was a Fort, there to protect New York City. In fact, it was an island, but it's not anymore. It is part of the southern tip of Manhattan, in New York City, and it is called Castle Clinton.

 Happy Family History Friday! 

Love, Joy

And another thing...

...and another thing

 I love about Dori is...she has this short term memory. 

She says, "It runs in my family, or at least I think it does...where are they?" 

Well, I was talking to one of my friends about Dori and telling her why I love her so much, and she said, "If I could forget everything except the last five minutes, that would be great!" We both laughed. And then I thought about that, and decided that is just one more thing to love about her. She's doesn't hold a grudge, and she can't stay mad, because she can't remember she was even angry or upset!! If we were all more like that, it really would be great!! (sigh) I love Dori!

Howzit-Elder Flexy!

Flexy the day he left on his mission

 

Elder Flexy 8:1 -email-

Make,

Life is good this week has been sweet. we had some dogs come after us but it was okay because after i got a little uneasy and gave one of them a good kick they backed down it was pretty intense. ya i guess just some news we have fourteen people who have been committed to baptism and this awesome Babe named Elias is going to be baptized three Sundays from now. but the people of Swaz are prepared of the lord we are teaching like crazy we had twenty eight other lessons last week it was pretty awesome. anyway...

1 How was your week?
1 It was good today we went to the king sawubuza II memorial and museum it was the culture shock all over again.

2 Have you had any good teaching experiences this week?

2.well when we teach the restoration it always seems to be powerful.

3 Favorite scripture of the week?

3.well i started the BOM over again so it has to be 1 nephi 3: 7 and the fact that his brothers complain about the assignment to say its a hard thing the lord has asked.

4 Have you met the Blackburns?
4.yes they are the ones that drove me across the boarder into swaz.

5 How is your toe?
5.its fine almost better.

6 Did you send pictures yet?
6.not yet but i will have he blackburns copy the rest on to a cd and send them soon.

Special question of the week:

7 How do you explain the word of wisdom to investigators?

7.well we just explain that the lord wants our bodies to be healthy so he taught us how to take care of them.
oh ya i taught priesthood yesterday and i taught about home teaching and missionary work.anyway love you.

                                                       Love Elder Flexy

Sunday Best!

-3 Nephi 14:2-5-

“With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother: Let me pull the mote out of thine eye—and behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother's eye”

*********************

Stephen R. Covey says that people who have a tendency judge have the "mote and beam sickness." It is human nature to look for the faults in others. But can we change others? No. We can only change ourselves. Like Mahatma Ghandi said, "We can be the change we want to see in the world." When we have removed the beam from our own eye, then we can see clearly what we need to do to help our brother (and sister) with the mote in their eye.

*********************

"The highest form of influence is to be a model, not a critic; a light, not a judge."

-Stephen R Covey 

5 Faves on the 5th!

1-chocolate covered cinnamon bears

2-my nifty little space heater

3-a really nice pen

4-hungry birds at the feeder

5-reading scriptures with my family