The Final Days in Kansas

Dear Family and Friends,                                                                  August 3, 2015

Well this is really weird to be writing a final weekly email. It's really surreal and kind of bittersweet. Being in Kansas has been one of the best experiences of my entire life and I'm so grateful to my heavenly father for blessing me with the opportunity to have been a missionary here in the Kansas Wichita mission. With this final week I've been doing a lot of reflecting upon what I've learned over the last 18 months and things that have changed, so this will probably be a long email, which is good.  One of the things I've learned over the last couple months is who I am. I've come to really recognize that I am a daughter of God and the power and authority and strength that comes from that. On a more normal level I've also come to learn that I am a crazy spastic dork who makes a really weird sound effects. I've learned that I have an ability to reach out and love others deeply, and to teach powerfully by the Spirit.  I've been giving a gift to be able to really build bonds and friendships with people, that I know will last for many years and possibly eternity.  During last 18 months I've also learned the importance of diligence.  To this point and don't think I ever really learned to really dedicate myself wholeheartedly for a cause until now. Example of that was a few days ago the sisters in the Bel Aire Ward needed someone to be able to play the accompaniment for song they wanted to do for the baptism.  I looked at the piece and I said it wasn't too hard and so I decided to give a whack at it, after five or so hours of practicing (since I was nauseous most of that day and the next day I could spend it practicing ) , I was able to play it during the baptism. I know I was helped by heaven because normally I cannot learn a piece that fast, I didn't play it perfectly, but it was sufficient. It was really neat to play a see how if I really had a goal and determination I can do hard things through diligence and not giving up.  In this mission I've also learned the importance of communication.  I've learned how the written word if done right can have the power to testify, but if done hastily can leave confusion and misunderstandings. I know that the only way to be able to truly testify of something that you know, is from the heart by the Spirit for if we do not have the spirit cannot be carried into one's heart.  I've also come to truly know that my Savior lives! I know that he knows my name and he loves me. I know that I could not have made it through this mission, all 18 months of it, without the enabling power of the atonement. The missionary work and the things I was asked to do Are beyond my own ability, but because it was something I needed to do and it was in the Lords will he's strengthened me to be able to do something that was far beyond my ability. When times were hard and I felt overwhelmingly discouraged and alone I turned to him in prayer and I came to feel my saviors arms wrapped around me, and I knew that I was not alone in this trial, and that it would not last forever.  This last 18 months are much like hiking up a large mountain. I know that eventually I will reach the  top of the mountain, but I  felt like I would never actually get here. Now here I stand looking out at the crazy amazing view that comes from having serve the Lord with all my heart might mind and strength for 18 months. I looked back at the hills of climbed and I see trials and tribulations I had to go through much like large boulders and rivers and mud holes. I know the Savior walked every step of it with me and I know that I needed to do it because I needed to reach this point, and needed to be able to see how much greater potential I have for myself now that I never saw before.  I now know in a way that I never knew before that this is not the end, but this is simply the beginning to the rest of my life and in turn, the rest of eternity. I know that for the rest of my life I will be a representative of Jesus Christ and I will bear his name in spirit. I will have the ability to reach out to others and to be able to help them feel the love of the Savior through my outstretched hands, and I know that every day I have is to become more like the Savior; to repent and use the
atonement. I will never reach perfection this life, but  with the Savior's help I will be able to reach a point here that will help me we continue progressing in the time after this life.  Words cannot express the depth of love I have for Kansas. I love it here with all my heart, this has come to feel like home.  The people here especially in this last ward that I've served feel like family and it breaks my heart a little bit to know that I will have to leave them. Yesterday as I bore my testimony and began to cry. That was one of the hardest things I've had to do,  but also one of the greatest things to be able testify what I have learned to those I love so much. After I sat down I Continue to cry, out of sadness of the fact that I have to leave this place I love, but also a little bit of joy knowing that I would be reunited in this life again with my family here on this earth. This is not the end of the story, but merely another chapter that is a  beginning.  If you ever wonder if the things you do are enough know that they are!  Know that with the Savior's help we can do all things, and that no there is nothing that is beyond our reach. He has much higher visions and goals for us than we see for our self.  that with his help our minds and our vision can be expanded and we can reach higher amounts and higher abilities that we would've ever dreamed.  I know the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. I know with all my heart and being that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of the Lord. I know that Thomas S Monson and the 12 apostles are called as representatives of Christ in this day, and they speak Gods words to us today. I know that families can be together forever. And I know that the Lord blesses us with challenging experiences that test and refine us and allow us to grow.

I love you all so much and I will see you soon. Weird.
Sister BLOOD 

Sunset on the Waterfront

Interfaith Choir Concert

Dear family and Friends,                            7-27-15

This week was super cool. On Friday we had a really neat interfaith
choir concert at our church. We invited some choirs from other churches
to come in and present some songs and we had a choirs.  We also had
some people from the Mormon Tabernacle choir here as well which is
really cool. Ended up being a huge success and great first first year, 
we plan to do it annually. The group that really helped us get it
going called the Jesus prayer project said, "it was a huge answer to
their prayers to be invited to something like this."
Huge part of miracle is that the founder of it and her mother and
friend came to church the next day and ended up staying for the entire
block. Even though they are really active in their church they really
liked the service and we're very grateful that they were invited. We
had some super awesome lessons with them during the day. Top off the
fact that we actually taught Relief Society. Funny part about teaching
Relief Society was that we were asked to teach on the talk by Sister
Burton, " We'll Ascend Together" which if you don't remember is all

about eternal marriage. Everyone thought that was pretty funny that
two single non dating missionaries were giving a lesson on eternal
marriage.
It was a really successful  and we had quite a few people come up
afterwards and thank us for the outstanding lesson that we gave. And
then the friend that came told her her friend (who is the founder
prayer project ) that she was amazed that we were single and able to
present such an outstanding lesson on marriage. That is a true
testament to the power of the spirit being able to teach through us
even if we do Not have personal experience  on something related to
the Gospel.
This week has been a really good week and in someways very hard
recognizing how close the end is. Our ward mission leader told the
ward council I was going homes on August 6th, and many of them did not know so
they asked me if it was my last week. I'm glad I still have time left
that I do and I plan to make it the very best that I possibly can. And
that I was able to keep it quite how close to the end I was and not
stand out like crazy how close going back to Utah is.  I love Kansas!
Funny thing about Kansas,  even if you're up at 6:30 in the morning,
outside it's super humid which means that you feel sticky the second
you get outside even if it's not that hot yet, it's pretty gross. The
reason we were up so early this morning was we went and had to speed
walk 2 miles to an investigators home, where we met the Elders and then we
surprise mowed and cleaned up her front yard. We are super excited to
see how she reacts to i,t we hope she likes it. Moral of the story
service is awesome, but humidity in Kansas is not fun. At least for
all of those who've been experiencing 100° in Utah you don't have 60
to 80% humidity every day so be grateful for that.

Love you all!
Sister Blood :)

Grateful for time in the Heartland

Dear Family and Friends,                                                     July 20, 2015

This week was awesome! It flew by in what felt like just a little over a day! We saw so many miracles this week. I think my favorite was the fact that Miriam didn't let being tired stop her from coming to church, and Maddy came for sacrament even though her fiance woke up with a super infected eye, she told him he had to wait an hour before she would take him to the ER because she knew she needed to go to at least sacrament meeting! 
We also were given two new referrals from the elders who both turned into really solid new investigators. Especially Stephanie really shines and we both feel will be a kingdom builder, she is a very elect lady! The week grade wise was in the A's all week which was awesome too. I really am working the hardest I have ever worked, and feel like nothing is holding me back, so we just get up and work, and it feels amazing!

I love Kansas so much, it is crazy how much I love it. It is a night and day contrast to how I felt when I first came to Kansas. When I first got here, I didn't really like how it looked or the culture of Wichita, now I love them both and wish I could stay here in the heart land. I really am not looking forward to being surrounded by mountains again, but it is where Heavenly Father has my next "AREA" all prepared for me to work in. 

We got to go out to the Pikes again this week and do some service, I love being out on their little farm so much, it makes me quite happy and content with life. I think the best part about being out away from the city is you really feel how Satan has less hold and power out there, and that is a wonderful feeling!

The days and weeks are fast passing by, but everyday feels like two with how much we are able to do in it, but the weeks go by as if only a day or two of time have passed, it is a really odd feeling. Time is such a strange thing. It honestly freaks me out that I will have been on a mission 18 months this Wednesday, I blows my mind. It feels like a lifetime ago I went into the MTC, but at the same time it doesn't feel like 18 months could have passed. I am EXTREMELY grateful for the time I have been given in the Heartland, and am grateful for the many days and moments I still have left in Kansas to make an impact! 

Love you all, and see you WAY TOO SOON! 

Sister Blood. 

Cool Fire pole

Sister Blood getting ready to try the fire Pole out

Kansas rain storm

The Untimely Demise of The Beast

From Sister Wendy Blog, she was the Sister driving Katelyn and her Companion

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2015

The Untimely Demise of The Beast

What a life it had. Abused and tortured by previous owners, slowly and painstakingly put back together with salvage parts, only to meet a tragic, violent end.

I had the opportunity Saturday to take a couple of cute missionaries from my church to an appointment. It has been raining more days than not for most of the month. Saturday morning it alternated between fine mist and rain. Thanks to previous damage around the passenger door, the Tracker leaks in the rain. But, we loaded everyone in the car, so glad to have a functioning back seat, and headed across town. The streets were wet, but nothing too bad. Many of the roads here do not have center turning lanes, just two lanes each direction, nothing in the middle, and not much on the sides. We signaled and stopped in the left lane, attempting to make a left turn off of the main road. Traffic was a little heavy, being lunch time on Saturday (not to mention a holiday weekend). While peacefully waiting for traffic to clear enough to safely make the left turn we heard a loud bang.

I've made it approximately half-way through my life without having anything more than a fender bender. So what happened next was definitely a new experience. After the bang, everything went into a dream-like slow motion. We started to move, turning a little to the left, and we started to tip towards the passenger side. In the confusion, I wondered if we were going to tip over. We quickly came to a stop and the two "girls" (they seem so young these days) started to ask if everyone was all right. I stopped, took a breath, assessed my physical situation, and determined that I was not injured. That's when I smelled the gas and moved into evacuation mode. I told the girls we needed to get out, but they couldn't get the passenger door open. I got the passenger door open from the outside, and got both girls safely out (though the one in the back had to climb over the seats because I couldn't get either one to slide forward). Thankfully, several fellow travelers had stopped to help the girls and provide witness statements. Both girls were transported to the hospital with minor injuries and released within a few hours. I'm sure their bodies will heal faster than their minds.

We always talk about the missionaries being protected by angels and I wondered why they didn't have more protection that day. Then we went to look at the Tracker.

She hit us on the rear passenger side of the car. It broke the rear window, ruptured the gas tank, and slashed the tire. She wasn't paying attention to the road and probably didn't brake before impact. The force of the collision pushed us halfway through the intended turn into on-coming traffic. I don't know how, but they must of seen the accident coming, because where I had seen no break to turn, there was space for us to stop and no one came close to hitting us. Some how the on-coming traffic all went around us or stopped five to ten feet in front of us. I don't even remember hearing any squealing tires.

Its hard to see from the full shot of the back end just how far things were smashed in, but when you look at the area around the filler cap for the gas tank, you can see that she did push the back end in pretty far.

This is where I started to get nervous. A year and a half ago we replaced the back floor pan and added a reinforcing bar to help support the seat. The force was enough that what was a straight seat is now bent. This would be on the left side of the rear passenger.

I'm sad this picture didn't turn out better. This is a shot in between the front and rear seats at the hump behind the center console. The brown line in the middle of the picture is where the metal has been ripped apart and you can see the ground below the tracker. So, my poor rear passenger had the car torn apart behind her, glass falling around her, torn apart beside her, resting above spilling gasoline and unknown damage, and torn metal at her feet. She was very shaken up, but walked away with a lot of sore muscles, a few cuts, and many bruises. I've decided that the angels protecting her must have been working over time. Its a good thing they all took Sunday off and spent most of their day in the apartment. I don't know, can angels get bruises?

This is what the offending car looked like.

I always suspected that the Tracker would go out with a final story, I just assumed that is would be due to a failing part. After all, a car with nicknames like The Black Cactus, The Rocking Squirrel, The Beast, Lucifer, FrankenTracker, and a few others has to have a story. And after the epic "brake" failure and other horrifying discovers, it just couldn't go quietly. Its a good reminder that cell phones and cars don't mix, and Heavenly Father will protect his children.

Week after the accident

Dear Family and Friends,                                 6-2-15

This was a good week! It started out slow with recovering from the accident on Saturday but each day we did more and achieved more! Yesterday was one of the best days and I spent almost the entire day on splits because my companion was sick, but it was a good day and we saw a lot of miracles! The best part was being able to have a really good heart to heart with Aide, and I even got her to come hang out with me and be my companion instead of going with her "friends" who are trying to get her back into bad stuff. The ward loves her so much and we are fighting like lions to keep her active and safe, as we keep reaching out we pray she will feel and see how much the ward actually does care about her! It was weird not having Sister Williams with me but it provided a really neat opportunity for her to open up to me and for me to share some things from my own life that helped her to see I do relate to her and some of the things she is going through.
The end of the week really lifted my spirits and helped me to feel the power and joy that comes from missionary work! Amazing miracle of the week was finding Marva. She was an investigator I taught in Harrison park who almost got baptized but them moved to Andover. Since I have been in Andover I have been thinking a lot about her and wondering if I could somehow find her house again. Crazy thing is she now lives next door to our investigator Brenda! It was a joyful reunion that fill me with so much happiness! She only has a few months left to live because of Stomach cancer, but the Lord provided a way for us to meet again before she leaves this life, he is wonderful. 

We were at the hospital until 1:30 last night because we were worried about Sister Williams having a blood clot because of the nature of the pain in her leg, but after spending way too long in the ER waiting room we finally went back they ran some tests and scans and found that she was fine, so we went home and crashed at about 2am just to get up as always at 6:30, I don't feel too tired right now, but I am sure it will come on with full force later today or tomorrow, haha. 

So I had a recording I was going to include about the events of last week... but the computer can't find the driver for the recorder so I can't get to the file. So the next best thing is I will include the like to the blog of the member who was driving, she did a nice job about talking about the accident and the likes so that should be fun to read. The link is http://wejulaar.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-untimely-demise-of-beast.html  For those of you who can't open the blog I will include a picture as well. The back break light is one of the things I find most entertaining because it is bent down because I smacked my head into it, knowing what I hit it on explained why I had such a large goose egg on the back of my head and why it was bleeding. Angels were for sure watching out for us! Another miracle of the accident she didn't mention in the blog is that Sister Williams airbag should have gone off but it didn't which is amazing because of her seat coming off the hinges and sliding forward it put her only three or so inches from where the airbag is, which if it had gone off could have been pretty serious. They also told us when you looked at the underside of the frame the entire steel structure had been bent into an "L" shape because of the force of the impact, it kind of blows my mind how much we are protected! The gray car is the one belonging to the lady who hit us. 

Really cool part of the week is that for the third time in KWM history the entire mission gathered so that Elder Don Clark of the 70 and head of the mission department could talk to us about the why of the proper use of digital technology since we will be getting iPads to aid in the work of salvation here in Kansas in the next few weeks. It was AMAZING! He is a really good speaker; he talked to us a lot about how learning how to balance and use technology properly in our lives now will bless us when we are home for the rest of our lives. He also talked a lot about marriage and how to avoid Divorce, which can be caused by misuse of technology. He actually talked to us over an hour past when he was supposed to, but it was such good advice and he was letting us ask questions I didn't want it to end! 

Thank you again to everyone that has kept us in your prayers, we are healing fast and getting back into the swing of missionary life in full force again! 

Love to you all!

Sister Blood

The Tracker that we were riding in, back view

The car that hit us, going 40 MPH

Seat where I was sitting

At the waterfront with Aide at sunset yesterday, so fun! 

My face after a week of healing (ironically taken in the ER just like last weeks pictures). 

A cartoon I saw this week that made me happy. All the RM's and missionaries will know how true it is. 

At the Memorial Day run last week, with the part of the zone that is in Wichita

decorating cupcakes 

our district... charming aren't we? 

Car Accidents and ER's are so much fun...

Dear Family and Friends,                                                           5-26-15

Sorry this is going to be super short, for those of you who didn't hear we were in an accident on Saturday. We had missed our turn off so we were waiting to turn left and got hit from behind by a lady on her phone going 40 miles an hour. I hit my head on the seat in front of me (I was in the back seat passenger side)  and then whip lashed my head back and smacked it on the top of my seat (it didn't have a head rest so the top of the seat is about shoulder level. So my right temple got a nice cut and the back of my head has a nice goose egg and a cut as well as a few other scratches on my face. I did get a concussion so I can't read or be out in the sun for the next few weeks without getting a headache. We were taken by ambulance to the hospital (where I had fortunately had x-rays of my back done a few weeks earlier so all my info was already in the system). I was stuck in a neck brace until they could do a Cat Scan of my neck. After four hours in the ER I was released to go home and sleep. I will send home a audio recording next week with more info about the day but for now this is all you get. 

Sister Williams is back to normal, and since I took the brunt of the impact, I still have a few more days before I will be back to normal, but overall I am doing pretty good with a lot less pain then I was expecting.  We were blessed and protected without a doubt! When we got into the car I told Sister Williams she could slid her seat back but she chose not too. If she had slid back I would have hit my nose instead of my forehead and it would have caused a lot more damage. Plus the way the back of the car crunched it I would have been pinned in the car between the two seats if she had moved her seat back, so that was a small miracle. 

Also a miracle is how sturdy old metal cars are, there was only about 8 inches between me and the back window, so the fact I didn't get more hurt is a miracle!  

My cat scan and the hospital showed no damage, so I was released and am now on the mend! Thanks for all the blessings in my behalf! 

On the fun side we did get to help with the 5K yesterday the local wards put on, and we got to tour the Hutchenson salt mines where road salt comes from, that was super cool! 

Sister Blood 

Cuts from impact on the front seat

Being taken care of in the ER

Sister Blood and Sister William, in the road salt mine

Very Short Letter

I think this letter takes the prize for her shortest!  This is her reason for it being short, " We will only be online for an hour today, because we are with the STL's and with it being Sister Delosanto's last p-day she doesn't want to spent a lot of time emailing today"

. Dear Family and Friends,                                           5-18-15

I have a whole 3 minutes to type this.... stupid timed computers! 

Highlights of the week,

My companion hit a pole coming out of a car wash so we are carless for the next week.

I found and named a fish in a gutter. His name is Fredrick the Fish and I even got to pet him!

I am staying in Andover with Sister Williams for the next transfer. 

We had a super cool experience yesterday with a recently activated member blessing the Sacrament  for the first time. The care and passion he put into it was amazing! I have never felt that kind of love and power during the sacrament! I wish I had time to say more!

Love you all so much!

Sister Blood :) 

Oh and we had an awesome P-day last week playing at the park. Spinning platforms are the best! and probably the closest thing I can find to a roller coaster in Kansas :) 

Found a fish in the gutter

Fredrick the Fish

Oh and we had an awesome P-day last week playing at the park. Spinning platforms are the best! and probably the closest thing I can find to a roller coaster in Kansas :) 

Sister William's hit a pole driving out of the car wash :(

Skype for Mother's Day...Loved it!

Dear Family and Friends,

Well it's one of those weeks I think back on and have no idea what happened this week. The week went by so fast I have honestly no clue what actually happened. Good thing we have planners with notes in them!

Well with yesterday being Mothers Day I got to Skype home which was pretty cool! I love my family so much! It is pretty surreal to think that the next time I talk to them will actually be in person. With 12 weeks in front of me it is going to be the BEST time of my life and my mission. I know I will be staying in Andover, which I love "super much" and we are seeing a lot of success!

James is still progressing, he is moving forward like a turtle, but at least it is forward! He almost came to church last week and was sick this week, but he is actually reading the chapters we leave him to read from the Book of Mormon which is good! The next really big step is he needs to learn to recognize the spirit and the truth it is confirming. 

We had some super cute young investigators go to activity days this week and they loved it! We find it kind of funny most of the people we have found and are teaching lately have been African American which makes me smile, they are such a cool people, I love their personality and spunk they add to everything!

Well sad  that is all I can really think to add for the week, so LOVE You all and I'll talk to you next week!

Sister Blood :) 

We went to Keeper of the Plains last Monday and took a picture since neither of us got to do that our first day in Kansas due to flight delays. Katelyn and Sister Williams

We went to a Louisianan style cooking restaurant the other day and the plates were HUGE. It was enough food for three meals easily, but it was so yummy! (The picture is of Sister Siegfried)

Some of the super cute kids we get to see and talk to all the time! 

Elder Holland... say what?!

Dear Family and Friends,                                                               5-04-15

Sadly this is going to be a lot shorter then I wanted it to be due to the fact we have to cut our email time short so that we can give the Bel Aire Sisters a ride to a doctors appointment (they got their car parked for going over their allotted miles last month, haha). 

So the big news of the week was that Elder Holland came to Wichita and spoke to the entire mission! Just  Elder Holland and us, it was crazy and such a cool experience! He is such a personable and relate able man. He was walking around the front of the chapel and since my companion was in the special mission choir we were on the front row, which was entertaining and cool being so close. He said that his mission meant everything thing to him and everything that has shaped the last "50 years 2 months and 7 days, but who's counting?" He then lunged forward grabbed my companion by the face, stuck his face right in hers and said passionately "Are YOU COUNTING?!" "NO!" She was so red in the face and Sister Bell said my expression as this was happening was quite entertaining.  I was squashed right next to my companion on a very full bench. There was so much that was shared in that meeting that I wish I had the time to write, but sadly we are low on time. 

Some key things:

• We have to serve with all our heart all 18 (or 24) months we are out, not just some of the months.
• Investigators can be anyone anywhere as proven by John 3 and 4, which go from first, the highest Jewish Leader in the area, second in 3, Nicodemus,  then the Samaritan woman of ill-repute in chapter 4. We can't judge anyone.
• Be passionate about your mission
• Even when you go home and take off the badge, you cannot ever go back to who you were before, or we will break the heart of God Himself
• A mission is the best thing that we can or will ever do.
• Being a parent or any church calling is just at extension of missionary work.  

We also had the miracle of finding a new investigator and her husband this week! They are so cool, and she is one of the most sincere searchers of the truth, that I have ever met, it is so neat to be teaching her!

There were many other miracles this week, but I lack the time or ability to write them.

I love you all so much!

Thanks for all of the support! 

Sister Blood :)