The Beginning of a New Year

I was shaking hands as I always do Sunday mornings before the Sacrament meeting begins. It is always one of my favorite parts of the day, getting to greet everyone who comes to renew their covenants with the Lord and feel the warmth of the Spirit as they sit through the meeting.

A man, gray and wrinkled supported by a walker scoots into the building, his caretaker and son nearly holding him upright and he move forward to the chapel doors.  The older gentleman, who is well past his prime, wears a brown 70’s cut suit and his hair is combed over the top of his head to hide the shine that comes from his balding crown.  I greet him as I do everyone who comes to the doors, but instead of shaking my hand he puts a chocolate KISS inside of it and winks at me.  I laugh as he does the same to Sister Goodman.  “That is what you get because he isn’t allowed to kiss you,” said Brother Barton, one of the members who watched the sweet affection of this elderly gentleman take place.  We giggled to each other as he continued to scoot to his designated pew.

As I sat down and the service began this same man caught my eye.  He was sitting alone.  And even though he is frail and aged he looked so bold and firm sitting there.  He does this every week, but never before had he captivated my mind in such a way that I couldn’t stop thinking about him.  His faith is strong.  He is a Spiritual Giant.  My thoughts were taken away to his morning and the work and effort that he much have gone through to look so sharp, to move such long distances , just to sit in a in a hard pew alone.

Obedience brings blessings.  Exact obedience brings miracles.  We teach people of the blessings that come when they obey God’s laws and since we are God’s children too we need to apply that to our lives.  We challenged the Elders to be obedient with exactness also.  We have witnessed miracles because of our exact obedience.  I believe that God will send prepared people to prepared people.  We have to do all that we can to be prepared.

This past week has been amazing.  Sister Goodman and I have been overly exhausted and to be honest I can say it is because the Spirit is with us more.  We are working so hard and getting so much done, and yet the work is never finished.  We are excited about our investigators.  They are accepting our challenges to pray and read!

Sundays are crazy.  We attended four wards yesterday.  We went up to San Lorenzo Valley and attended church meetings up there.  Sister Goodman and I stood out like sore thumbs.  The chapel was full of mountain men. No Joke! It seemed a bit weird. This area is part of the Red woods.

Oh I am so excited because Susan my very first investigator that was baptized is preparing to go to the temple.  I am hoping that I will be able to go with her. I love this work so much.  I have always wanted to be a missionary, and as my time is slipping through my fingers like sand I pray that I can forever carry the Lord’s name in my heart.

New Area Brings New Experiences

In Kelsie's words from her recent letters:  I am now by the beach every day.  I am serving in the Santa Cruz area.  It is very beautiful, but surprisingly very chilly.  When I look at the thermostat and it reads 62 degrees I feel like I should be just fine, however it feels like 47 or something.  I have become a wimp on my mission.  This area looks like the inside of a Hollister or Billabong store.  Everyone seems a little laid back and super casual.  I will now be serving in family wards.  I have never done that my entire mission.

I went to my first STL exchange.  It was a lot of fun.  I really didn't know what I was suppose to do, so I just followed.  I was serving with a sister who is in the Spanish program so half of our lessons were in Spanish.  I read the Joseph Smiths first Vision in Spanish.  I didn't do very well, but the people just smiled at me.

Similitude is something that I have been studying a lot recently.  God uses similitude so that we can learn and understand Him more.  For example He sent us here in families so we could learn the gospel, a righteous way of living and so that we could build relationships of love and come to understand the way he loves us.

I love being a missionary.  I miss all of you, but when I look at the calendar it makes me have a sense of urgency as my time is flying by very fast.  I have decided that I am going to serve the rest of my mission like I am "Always in the Middle" adjusted but not trunky to go home. 

Well Past Half.

Sister K. Mason is doing wonderful in her area.  She loves being a missionary and teaching those around her what she loves!  Kels is well past half way done and will be a year out in November.  Time flies.. only sometimes.

This is little taste of what Kels has been experiencing in the Mission Field.  Enjoy! 

Did you know the skins of Mangos can cause people to have an allergic reaction.. Haha.  I love spicy food-the mission has converted me.  The spicier the better!  Indian spice, Mexican Spice- you name it I love it.  Last Monday I had a very HOT Lee's Sandwich, my lips broke out a little.  Then Tuesday a sister from our branch gave us a box of champagne mangos!!  I LOVE MANGOS.. but eating them right off the skin plus having chapped lips = Sister Mason with a swollen face all week!!  It was itchy, swollen, a bit miserable but gosh it was funny

Miracles have been happening.  Thursday we went contacting at 4 o'clock the same time (5 in Utah) that the Prophet and Apostles pray for missionary work around the world.  During that time we woke up a guy who was sleeping on the grass at the University.  We invited him to learn more, he said no, that he didn't believe in God, but that he would come to our church.  So Sunday came and he came in 20 minutes late.  He sat through an "interesting" testimony meeting and when the meeting was over I turned to him to ask him what he thought and he said, 'I think I need to be baptized so that I can have Jesus's help"... FAITH FAITH FAITH.. MIRACLES MIRACLES MIRACLES!!!

"A Sincere Desire"

Sister Kelsie Mason is doing great on her mission and is loving the work.  She writes,"Missionary work is something that I am never going to get sick of.  I will always want to be a missionary because there is so much joy in watching people find the hope and peace that comes from finding Christ.  I will never stop.  I will never change.  It will always be a sincere desire to me."

Kelsie received a new companion during this last transfer.  She is the only member in her family and has a very strong spirit about her.  She knows four different languages and is humble and full of love.  Kelsie has enjoyed training her and her companionship.

Kelsie recently had an interview with the Mission President.  He expressed to her how much he appreciated her work and asked her to help one of the branches 'get busy in the work'.  She states,"No pressure--right?"

Kelsie bears her testimony and states,"There is so much happiness in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  There is so much peace and hope if we just live the way that God has asked us to live.  The plan is perfect and we too can be perfect if we just follow Him."  She ends with this thought,"There is a difference between doing missionary work and being a missionary.  We as members of the church have been asked to be missionaries."

We are proud of Sister Mason and her service in the San Jose mission.

New Scenery.

Mother's Day came with the great blessing of talking to our Sister missionary.  We had the opportunity to use Google+ which is a video conversation.  She looked great and appeared very positive. Kelsie took turns video talking with everyone in the family including the Nieces, Nephews, and Grandparent. We are thankful for technology and our ability to see our daughter, sister, granddaughter, and aunt.  Everyone enjoyed there time as I am sure Sister Kelsie did as well. 

Lucky us,  Kelsie also e-mailed the next day sending her love.  She explained how much she enjoyed the video conversation and informed us that she will only have one more call before she returns home.  Kelsie loves California and made the comment, "I think I am going to have culture shock when  I get back to Utah... because there aren't as many Nationalities there."  This is ironic because numerous times Kelsie has been asked if she is oriental.  :) 

Sister Mason informed us on Mother's Day she was being transferred.  She didn't know a lot of the details at the time, but is now there and settled.  Kelsie was transferred right into San Jose.  She is loving this new transfer thus far and feels "needed".  She is training and is the "Queen Bee" (over 3 sister missionaries).  

This transfer has brought a lot of success and has many baptisms in the future. Sister Kelsie is located very close to the San Jose State University and teaches investigators in the institute building.  She is very excited about this new area and the potential it has. 

Sister K. Mason new address is:

315 E San Fernando St. apt #22

San Jose, CA

95112

We love you Sister Mason

1/3 Done and Countless Growth!

The following paragraphs are from the last four emails from Sister Kelsie Mason.  This post is coming to you from sister Shaylie and mother Shannon.  Just to let you know she is doing great, and loves the work and people.  She is grateful to each of you and enjoys getting your letters and emails.  She can feel the love and concern and is very blessed while serving the Lord. Her currant address is:

                  Sister Kelsie Mason

                  2164 Monterey Ave.

                  Santa Clara, CA 

                  95051

March 25, 2013

 Sister Kelsie had the opportunity to meet Jeffery R. Holland for the second time and made the statement: 

" Elder Jeffery R. Holland has really SOFT hands.  Like really soft. I loved hearing from him.  I remember how I felt when I heard him in the MTC.....I swear that man of God is following me around (: Just kidding, but it makes me feel cool all the same!" 

April 1, 2013

Our little missionary is so inspiring and is truly taking the missionary experience all in.  She hasn't changed a bit when it comes to taking on challenges... Even if it is eating an EARTH WORM!!  She is almost a third done.  Wow.  Look at the growth!

"I held the green hymn book up against my chest to try to muffle the sound of my heart beat.  The congregation was smaller than I had anticipated, but gosh as I looked out into the room full of Saints my heart exploded.  You know the parts in the scriptures when it says the words couldn't be recorded?  That is how I feel."

'I teach people every day the powers of the Lord and about the closeness of heaven, but yesterday the realization of it all hit me.  This work is so perfect and so prominent in our lives.  Sleeping was impossible last night-instead I just laid there, looking up at the ceiling and trying to embrace the feeling of love and gratitude and astonishment that I was engulfed in."

"Everyday I have the opportunity to see people change and I love it. I love being a missionary. I do! I love my area."

" Funny note: I ate an earth worm on Saturday-haha...Yep, you read that right, and no a member didn't feed it to me.  I was gardening (I LOVE GARDENING) for service with two sets of Elders.  One of them found a worm and said, "Sister Mason I dare you to eat this."  I said, "I will eat it but you have to go first."  He swallowed it...and so since I am a woman of my word I too swallowed a worm. BLAH-it wiggled all the way down and I gagged a little bit, but now I can say that I ate a worm!"

April 8, 2013

Conference was a bitter-sweet for our Missionary!  Watching the Brothern brought it close to home and caused Kelsie to be somewhat homesick.  She has such a kind heart.  Kelsie's Challenge: "Tell someone they are important TODAY."

"Conference was AMAZING! (Sunday Session made me a bit homesick though I will admit)  I can't believe it has been six months since I was home watching conference with the family.  No way could I pick a favorite message, but I have about ten pages of quotes in my journal that I have poured over for the last few hours. "

"This week or rather this weekend was kind of a rough one.  We have people who are so ready to receive the gospel but dang Satan keeps getting in the way.  It is so frustrating. When People fall it hurts.  I feel so overwhelmed and I just want to see them succeed and I don't know what else I can do to help them. "

"Process, Progression, Patience, "P" words are my focus.  I need to remember to have Patience with myself because becoming is a process to progression."

"Never forget you are important to the Lord." was the last text message we sent to a very special investigator before it was lights-out in our apartment (I honestly don't know how missionaries did it before text message.) The next morning our phone held a simple sad reply. "I don't think I am important." This broke my heart.  If you haven't told someone that they are important today tell them as soon as you get done reading this.  So many people go through life not knowing that they matter-not knowing that they are of worth.  That is one major difference that I have noticed here serving in California."

"I loved Sister Dalton's talk when she said, "do well they part."  Each of us have a part to play.  Everyone is given an opportunity to serve-and it is wonderful.  My companion, Sister Palmer, and I have been helping investigators and members recognize their importance in the sight of the Lord.

April 15. 2013

 This is our determine missionary.  Few words and lots of work! :)

"I love Sundays.  I love the Sacrament.  I look forward to it every week, It provides such a rejuvenation that I don't know how I would function without it. 

I love this area!  Things are going so well!  So many people have been prepared to receive the gospel at this time. There is so much work for us to do."

Sister Mason is doing great.  She is bringing our brothers and sisters to the truth.  What a blessing and comfort it is to know that our sister, daughter, and friend is in the hands of the Lord!  Kelsie loves this work and knows it is part of God's plan for her.  Kelsie reminds us that we are all missionaries.  "Tell someone they matter...Smile more... and love unconditionally."  We can't wait to talk to our missionary on Mother's Day!  :) We love you Kelsie!