Umbrellas, Youth, and Bread

Dearest Peoples

What a great week. It has been a roller coaster. But I have enjoyed it lots. 

This week I had a little bit of a hard time at one point. I was just tired and without a lot of desire to work. But as we are obedient the Lord blesses us. True story.

This week we did a wonderful activity for the youth. My companion and I had been thinking of doing an activity for quite some time and then I remembered some great activities that we used to do with SP2 and SP6 when we asked questions and the bishopbric or a pannel answered them. We invited all the youth and had them all write quesitons and just had a discussion. It was amazing and we had a great turnout thanks to our mamita who made pizza and offered her home. (she is in the yw presidency). The youth are so important for a ward.

We also found some great nuevos this week. One of which is a family! We are so blessed! Eliseo is still reading SO much and loving the Book of Mormon. But he feels like he needs to know everything before he can be baptized and thinks it will take him about  2 more years. . . uh oh. Prayers. Julio came to church on Sunday thanks to a member that helped us pick him up in the morning! We are excited! Members are so important in this work!

One thing I have learned is that there truly are no coincedences. Literally every single day there are little miracles that leave me floored. I feel like the most spoiled person ever. Or as Chileans say  a ¨regalona de Padre Celestial.` 

It was super rainy yesterday. Like TONS. But we make the best of it. I actually like the rain. The mission is great! 

Congrats to all who are getting mission calls! My companion and I say every day that the mission is the best decision that a human being can make.

LOVE YOU ALL! OLAY!

Hermana Leah Kelson

leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile

Happy Independance Day Columbia!

HOLA TODOS!

(Note From Kate: Sorry for getting this letter out like a week late. The Kelson Klan was on Vacation and I couldn't do it until tonight. Thanks)

Happy Independence Day Columbia! And the United States of America! WOOOOT! It is cool that my companion and I have the same national holiday today! WOO HOO! While you are all super warm in los estados I am freezing my tail off. It doesnt say that it is that cold but the cold is humid and it is cold to the bone. 

This week was kinda tough. There were many times that I just wanted a nap. But it was also super great. I have a huge testimony of fasting. If you have not fasted for 24 hours and have the capacity to do so, DO IT. It changes are deepest desires and helps us become more like Christ.

This week we set a baptismal date with Javier. It was an incredible lesson about the atonement. He is a 30 year old student that wants happiness. Lessons with him are straight up Preach My Gospel material because we teach to his need. It is incredible. But the next day he didnt show up for church. I was a little bit miffed. 

I am so certain that there are no coicidences. There have been so many times that we run into someone on the street that we havent seen for a long time. Or that we pass a house just when they needed comfort. I testify that there are no coicedences. 

We helped someone pack up their house to move this week. We also had priesthood holders give blessings to a few invesitgators. We are trying to shake things up and get people progressing! :) When something isnt working, CHANGE something. If you dont like how things are turning out, CHANGE IT.

Today we had an activity for the 4th of July. It was a blast. We played sports, had a BBQ, and had a show of music. I improve played the Star Spangled Banner for an elder and it went well. Using the talents. :)

There there were 3 of us from OHS! Elder Dickerson, Hermana Hamilton and I!

I testify that Heavenly Father loves us all and hears our prayers. I also know that LOVE is what motivates people. I have seen that a lot this week.

I love you all. You are all in my prayers. OLAY!

Love,

Hermana Leah Kelson

leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile

VIVE CHILE!!!!

Hola Todos!

Thank you SP2 Young women!!!!!

My package from the SP2 yw. I LOVED IT!

As many of you already know, Chile won the  Copa America Centenario Championship. We definitely had a hard time tracting and such yesterday because everyone was watching the game. BUT WE WON! VIVE CHILE! 

This week was great! We had Zone Conference this week and it was phenominal. My mission President is amazing. He is all about the scriptures and is very doctrinal in all of his teachings. It is easier for me to understand Spanish now so I enjoy the Zone Conferences more and more. Jaja. Our zone did a musical number and I played piano. I realized just how much I miss it! We have like 3 investigatores with pianos and i have been playing my way into their hearts. :) In the Zone Conference Presidente Diaz talked about the 10 virgins and our responsibility to add a drop of oil each day, as missionaries and as members after the mission. I encourage you all to add the drop of oil every single day. It is so important. 

Right now a lot of our investigators are having a hard time because of their spouses: Eliseo, Lorena, and Julio. Not because the relationship is bad but because the spouse doesnt want the church. We would appreciate all your prayers to soften the hearts of these people.

This week we were in the right place at the right time MANY times this week. It was miraculous. One of these times was as we were looking for a house of a reference. A little girl walked out of her house and gave us a kiss (thats how we greet people) and told us her mom and was inside and to knock on the door. We didnt know this little girl but we knocked. Before I knew what I was saying I testified to this woman that God had not forgotten her and that He had sent us to help her. Those were not my words. This woman is a less active member that hasnt been in church in a year. She and her husband had reactivated in the chruch and then got divorced and she blamed it on the church. What I said, or rather what the Spirit guided me to say, was what she needed in that moment. That not only happened once but many times this week. I can truly see the Spirit working through me.

I realized this morning that I am truly happy. LIke happier than I have ever been. And really really content. This is such an amazing work and I love it. Maybe I dont love every minute, but I still love it. SOOO much. I am changing. I will be different when I get home.

 

Happy 8 meses! My companion made me this balloon and then I took these weird pictures because I am cool like that.

Mucho Amor! Olay!

Hermana Leah Kelson
leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile

Teaching People, Not Lessons

Hola Todos!

What a wonderful week! The longer I am in Quilpue the more I love it! Our area is more rural and the cows and horses roam freely! Its SO cool! And my companion is an angel. An answer to every prayer. Literally I just love this. And the mission is great.

This week we had intercambiosand I was with Hermana Filipaki from Brazil. She was my hermana leader in Valpo too. I met her when she had 10months in the mission and now she goes home in 8 weeks. She is a good friend. She taught me a ton and helped give me advice as a missionary going home.

We found a new investigator named Nicol who is 17. SHe has a really tough life. But when we explained the restoration ad asked her to pray about it she said that she already knew it was true because she could feel it. It was so cool!  We were so happy. When we focus on people and not their problems we can be led by the Spirit.

We also taught Eliseo in English again. We taught the restoriationb. He has been reading the Book of Mormon in English and told us that the book has changed his life. THat he sees everything differently and that he is so much happier. He has only read 2 pages!! The book of mormon changes lives. He came ot church too!

We also found Javier, an antiguo investigador from before. We tried not to just throw info at his face but understand when he thinks and feels.The spirit was SO strong. I know what it means in DYC 50: 22. When he shared our experiences and invited him to pray about it he was like ¨Wow. Yeah!¨and we are super excited!

WE shared a lot about fathers this week. this is one of my favorite videos that we share! ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftfcCCKea_Y )

We are seeing miracles. Daily. I believe in Miracles like i believe in the sun. If we wake up, they will be there. :)

I love you all!

Hermana Leah Kelson

leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile

Speaking English and Finding Families

HOLA TODOS!

What a week! We are teaching a family right now. The mom is Lorena. We taught the restoration and it was SUPER powerful! Like crazy awesome! I know that the reason our testimonies grow so much as missionaries is because we are always sharing them!! It is the coolest!

We found a few other families this week and are excited to teach them.

We have been helping a preparing misionera by having her accompany us. She gave us a beautiful thank you that made me cry. Part of our job as missionaries is helping ALL of His children, not just the nonmembers.

We started teaching a 79 year old man named Eliseo. He is learning English and prefers that we teach in English. Let me jsut say, I have no idea how to teach the gospel in English right now! Haha. It was really cool. Although he tells me that I remind him of someone that he fell in love with in the army. . . okay. . . 

IN Quilpue there are pianos! 3 of our investigators have pianos in their homes and my companion and I have been using music a lot to teach. It is GREAT! I believe that we feel the spirit through music powerfully because music is closely related to our spirit. I know that makes no sense but it does in my head so thats good.

My companion is incredible. I love her. I want to be just like her. I have tried some Columbian treats thanks to her and I love it! #friedbananas  (siblings, do you remember that computer game we played, I recommend the fried bananas?)

I know more than ever that this is the church of Jesus Christ. He lives! He LOVES you! And wants you to be happy. I know that the Spirit is the teacher. I am nothing without the Spirit. 

All my love! OLAY!

P.S. Thanks for the mail! Getting mail is the best!!!!

Hermana Leah Kelson



leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile

Hermana Leah Kelson

I Left My Heart In Valpo

Hola Todos!

I HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED! It was the saddest day of my whole life. My heart literally broke. I felt like a part of me was ripped out of my heart. Really truly. The good thing was that we had a lesson with Dita and our investigator a few days before the transfer and I heard Dita bear a powerful testimony to our investigator. It was one of the most powerful moments I have experienced! I will miss Valpo with all my heart. This is Dita with our investigator. She is amazing

I am now in Quilpue. I love it here! More campo. My new companion is Hermana Piraquive from Columbia and she is AMAZING! 

 

 

 

leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile

I love you all! The church is true!

Hermana Leah Kelson

Baptism

Hola Todos!

 

 Hermana Pitts, Hermana Gibson, Hermana Camargo and I

This week we had another beautiful baptism with Alejandro! WOO HOO! What a priviledge to be a part of it. Alejandro´s mom was menos activa. What a cool experience. Ale is a sweetie and it was fun to teach this hyperactive child. He was really nervous the day of the baptizm and told us he didnt want to. But in the end it all worked out. Satan hits right before the good stuff. The day of his interview he didnt show up. We called and called and his mom gave us weird excuses. I cried. I couldnt take it. But in the end, it all worked out. That is how it is with life. In the end, it all works out.

 

 I made my companion panceces for breakfast. (pancakes for chileans are basically crepes). I discovered that I LOVE to cook here on the mission and I experiment lots.

Everything thinks I will be leaving this Wednesday. I admit, it is hard to think I could leave such wonderful people. My heart is so so so full. I love these people so much.

 

 

This is  Familia Vilches. Menos activos that are like my grandparents and tell us we are angels.

This week I was reading in 2 Nephi 5 when it says that Nephi and his people lived after a manner of happiness. I was looking at all the things they did to live happily and I realized that work, the temple, prayer, reading the scriprtures, and being with our families are what truly make us happy. If you arent happy, go back to the basics. If you think you´re happy, go back to the basics. Just basically go back to the basics. I know that the primary/seminary/typical answers are the best answers. When you have a question, go back to the basics: go to church, read the scriptures, pray, go the the temple, work hard, and spend time with your family. I have never been so happy in my entire life. 

I love you all! Olay!

Hermana Leah Kelson

leah.kjeldsen@myldsmail.net

Hermana Leah Kelson

4 Norte 1112 Casilla 631 

Viña del Mar, Chile