missionary Keli

When I was a missionary in Bakersfield ,CA there were two REALLY RUDE male members of the church in our area. We should not have had to deal with ONE but there were TWO in OUR AREA.. they would talk all this junk like
1. " how things were different when THEY were missionaries.. ".. like they were SO MUCH MORE OBEDIENT and HARD-WORKING than ANY of us..
2. that sister missionaries SUCKED.. and were pointless and should not even be out serving because none of us ever "worked"
things like that.. I remember one of them once FOLLOWED us with a BULLHORN saying SISTER MISSIONARIES SUCK!!!!!
one of them lived near us.. and every time he would see us he would accuse us of "not working" or something else lame.. the  other lived by the elders and every time he saw us he would accuse us of "not working" or of "wasting time" or something else like that.
Back then California was doing it's first proposition about the sanctity of marriage... it was before GPS but we had NO PROBLEM finding any members houses..because almost ALL church members had signs in their yards that said "yes on 22" like " oh that must be the house" NOBODY anywhere had ANY signs ANYWHERE that said NO on 22. NOBODY.. crazy how things have changed in almost twelve years.. but back in 2000.. we would SOMETIMES see signs promoting "NO on 22" on a median strip full of weeds .. like someone put the sign up and they were embarrassed so they put it up then ran or something..
so one of those really rude members the one that lived near the Elders was super conservative AND very mean to me.. not a good combination.. he was always talking about gay people in very rude terms.. SO one night at a dinner appointment.. I mentioned to a  member how mean those guys were to us.. this member was like I can't stand that guy either.. so these members helped me make a sign that said "NO ON 22 STOP THE HATE" hahahahahah!!! let me remind you that NOBODY had a NO sign up..and this guy was about as
straight and as republican and as conservative as they come..
THEN my companion and I went to this guys house and hung it on his deck...
yes I know I rock..
my companion would not take a picture of me by it unless I put my name tag in my jacket..but still it was so funny...
......and this is what happens to men that are rude to me.. and crazy.. and conservative and the like...
hahahahhaha!
............the scariest part of this WHOLE story.. both those men WERE MARRIED... and their wives were total introverts and super young and did whatever they said.. super scary...like who marries some jerk like that??

volunteering Keli

The next weekend that I did candlelight tours it was the "civil war period" the civil war is a popular thing around here so there were a LOT more re-enactors and people seemed very excited about this.
During the civil war, the people that lived their were Quakers, the men fled to Alexandria and Washington DC to avoid going to war or to avoid be killed because they were also Northern sympathizers being from New York. They left the women at the house..
one morning Jeb Stuart came by and he asked to be fed. They fed him breakfast and he camped there.. he also left behind some wounded men.
I met my tours on the porch..I led them into the dining room where to "confederate soldiers" were talking and telling the story of when Jeb Stuart was in the area.. they were pretending to be part of Jeb Stuarts men. They told how Jeb Stuart tricked the Yankees by telling them he was going south but really going north.. and how he cut a telegram line. ( a little kid on my tour asked what's a telegram?)
We then went into the parlor where we talked about how people would entertain guests back then we had a man in their playing the fiddle ( my favorite instrument) he talked to the people about music of the time and then played two songs for them.
We then went out into the hall and I talked to them about the lamp that we have out there and how they might have dances there sometimes.
We then went upstairs where in Cornelia's bedroom we had a young girl dressed in period clothing cutting out snowflakes that were going to be on the tree downstairs ( Christmas trees were just coming into vogue) We had a Northern Re-enactor in there talking about how he had been wounded and he was a POW and he was writing letters home to his brother..
The next room had some other young ladies dressed in period clothing and they were singing Christmas carols they sang us a few songs and then I led my tour downstairs where we looked at the tree and I told them it was from "The Victorian era"
each guest could make a cornucopia with paper and put candy on it to hang on their tree.
The guests were then invited to go outside and look in the kitchen and laundry room where their were people in period clothing making food and cleaning up. Their were a lot of confederate soldiers camped on the yard and they stayed in character the whole time. We also had people walking around in period clothing caroling..
We also had a tent set up where you could get hot cider and cookies..
One of the best parts about this tour was that my friend Dawn Roop and her sister-in-law came. They were not on my tour,but I am grateful they came and were able to enjoy themselves.
The next night we had a world war II Christmas but I am not able to report on that because it was Sunday and I did not volunteer.

volunteering Keli

In December 2011, the plantation I volunteer at Sully had candlelight tours. I was able to volunteer at two different nights. The first night that I volunteered at we had candle lights tours for the "federal period" to see what Christmas was like then.
I met people on the front steps and led them into the dining room where we had a lady dressed in period clothing. She talked about how back then they would not so much decorate for Christmas as they would just bring in greens and branches and dried flowers from the gardens and use those to decorate. She was also in the process of decorating with those and making bouquets while she talked. She also pointed out that we have tables set up in that room with replica's of the exact food that Mrs. Lee would have served to people during that time and we know about that stuff from letters.
From that room we went into the parlor where we talked about how this is where you would entertain your guests. We had two ladies in their in period clothing and they were doing silhouette's of each other in the candlelight and she told the people how that was popular in that time and how you could make silhouettes of people to remember them by.
from that room we went into the hall where I talked about how since there was not a fireplace in the hall they did not use it as much but they did use it for dancing .. I taught them how to curtsy and bow..
We then went upstairs to Cornelia's room and we had to people in their in period clothing and they were talking about getting ready for a party and what women would do back then to get ready and what they might wear. This lady also asked the guests to do curtsy's. We then went into another room and we had a reenactor in there pretending that he was a soldier and that he had a ship docked in Alexandria and that he lived in  on the Difficult Run and he talked to them about the time period and sang them some songs from that era. We then walked back downstairs and looked at the tree which was not from that era but from Victorian era.. ( but of course we are not going to take it down and up every time) and each person was able to make a packet of mulling spices that they could put in cider. After their tour they could go check out the kitchen and the laundry room where people were dressed in clothes of the time and making food of the time and also washing out things like they were back then..
In the lawn we had soldier reenactors and other people including people in clothing suitable for that time handing out cider and cookies to the people that came.
I gave three tours and each of them had a LOT of people on them..
I HAD A GREAT TIME!
the next night we did Victorian Christmas candlelight tours. I did not go to that one because it was on Sunday so I am sad that I am not able to report on it.!

Last night for Family Home Evening we had a cocoa bar at Kristen's . When we all had cocoa we went in and went around the room and talked about different Christmas memories.. we had to pick questions out of a box.  I am going to write the questions on here, with permission from Kristen in case anyone wants to steal them. I think they are great questions for this time of year to use with a family or singles or just yourself to write in your journal :)
1. What did you used to do on Christmas Eve as a kid?
2. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
3. What is your opinion of peppermint ice cream? ( Best thing ever invented, could live without it, deplore it, etc)
4.Unlike the wisemen who went searching, the shepards in the field were taken by surprise by the angel's visit and the Savior's birth. What blessing have you recieved that took you by surprise?
5. What was your favorite toy or gift you received when you were a kid?
6. Tell about a time when you were able to help someone during Christmas time?
7. What is your favorite Christmas-related scripture?
8. What is something you have done this holiday season ( this year) that you have enjoyed?
9.If you had to explain to someone who doesn't know anything about Christianity why Christmas is such a big deal to us, what would you say?
10. Have you spent Christmas somewhere other than home?  Name them all if you can.
11. What is your favorite Christmas song?
12. What are your memories about Santa?
13. Tell us about a Christmas story from your mission ( if you didn't serve a mission, tell a Christmas story from college or another unique chapter of your life.)
14. Name one things are you giving to someone this year.
15. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
16. If you had to choose one person on earth to spend Christmas with, who you choose?
17.If you could pick someone from the real Christmas story that you would like to meet who would it be ( besides Christ Himself)
18.Did you have a favorite ornament?
19.What are you wishing for this year?
20.What is your favorite gift you have been giving?
21. Tell us about Christmas morning at your house growing up?
so I hope that these questions help someone.. I really enjoyed them :)
.............and I want to spend Christmas with George Bailey.. " the richest man in town"  hahahahha :)

spiritual Keli

We had a great lesson in RS on Sunday taught by Patty in my ward.. so good in fact that I want to share some of the stories..
1. we had a lot of daughters home from college.. she talked about how it felt when she came home from college and her mom had the silver teapot and the good china and she felt like a princess..and we should make our daughters feel like princesses.. well I never got to feel like one from my mom.. but MAYBE one day I will have a little girl to make feel like one.
2. she gave us a list of things to DO and things to BE.. which can be found in the last lesson of the gospel essentials manual.. she then told a story about how she was telling her husband about the lesson she was going to give yesterday.. and he shared a story about when James E. Faust came and visited the ward when his grandson was getting the priesthood.. and how he taught a lesson in priesthood about things they need to DO and things they need to BE and it was the same list that is in the gospel essentials manual.. pretty cool huh??
3. She talked to us about how she went and saw something at the Kennedy Center and how they have three restaurants there.. and they are ALL GOOD.. and she is happy at all of them.. but the really fancy one is like the highest degree of the celestial kingdom and what is stopping us from aiming that high.. to not want to be and feel like we deserve to be at the best place that we can be...
4. she then told us a story of gym when she was in school and how someone donated a bunch of gym equipment to her school and the teacher put up this stuff this is what you have to do to get an A a B a C a D or an F..and well she was like I CAN'T DO ANY OF THIS STUFF and aimed for the D. she thinks now why did not TRY for the other ones..??
we all need to work harder and believe in ourselves more that we are all princesses.. that we do belong at the best restaurant.. or the best level of the celestial kingdom and if we try we can get an A in life
for real and for sure :)
thanks Patty for a great lesson!!!
....and if you live in Utah .. just think the Joseph Smith building has three restaraunts too!! :)

field trip

In September 2011, I took Julian to Manassas National Battlefield in Manassas, VA. We went into the visitors center and watched the movie. It was an hour long. Julian was good until almost the end when he got squirmy so I let him down to crawl around. After that we got a jr. ranger booklet and became jr. rangers... We did not have time to go on any hikes that day but we did a lot of the stuff inside.. Julian got sad towards the end.. so we went outside and walked around a little bit.. We will have to go back another day :)

spiritual Keli

I spoke in church last Sunday. I would love to have a link I could put here of my talk or maybe even type it all out BUT to tell you the truth.. I did not write one. I once listened to a "book on tape" from I don't even remember who.. and this guy was like " I don't write a talk. I just jot down a few notes and just let the spirit guide me.." I have always wanted to do that.. but did not really have the nerve.. and felt like there was something I just NEEDED to say.. and I regret thinking .. and doing this.. but sometimes I felt like there was someone I needed to say stuff too.. I know shocker I called people out sometimes in my talks but um yeah.. I have repented.. So when Brother Bennion called and asked me to speak I decided to not write a talk.. at all.. and just go by the spirit.. I was assigned to speak on the atonement. The other speaker was a young married woman Breckin, she like I said is married and has a baby named Cooper. we were also speaking with a missionary that just got home from his mission Josh.
So I am sitting up there and Brother Bennion then announces that when we are done speaking that if Elder Gerard wants to say a few words than he can.. I was like ELDER WHO??? what... Josh was like oh that is a general authority.. he is a member of the 70.. I was like WHAT THE??? there is a member of the 70 here... omgosh.. so I jotted down a COUPLE of thoughts on my program.. with eyeliner.. and I looked up "atonement" in the bible dictionary.. and looked in the book I am reading "the infinate atonement" by Tad Callister.
When it was my turn to talk.. and may I say that this guy Josh's WHOLE extended family must have been there...I talked about how I had told my boss Will that I was going to speak about the atonement. I asked if he knew what that was.. he said um no.. I said that is when Jesus Christ went into the garden of gethesemene and bled from every pore and suffered like no man has every suffered and ultimatly died on the cross .. and had mercy on us so that one day we can return to live with God again"
He said Oh OK..
then that night I asked my friend Beth if she knew what the atonment was.. he said she " had heard of it from me" I told her what it was too.. and she said " I hope that is true..because I have done a lot of bad things.. I said IT IS TRUE!!! .. and we have ALL done a lot of bad things...
I asked the congregation do WE know what the atonement is and do we appreciate it.. ?? I read a paragraph out of the bible dictionary about the atonement and talked about how important it was to apply it in our lives and how we needed to do what we could to recognize what it was and learn about it and BELIEVE IT.. I said that we all had different trials and some peoples trials seem so lame when we hear about them and that people in our ward sometimes say things like "why can't you mid-singles just "get married" it is not rocket science.. or just point out ANY guy to me and say to marry him.. or refine him.. or "why not him" ... I said that we should never belittle someone elses trials and one of my trials is being single and as hard as it is for me to be single .. other people have trials that in their spheres are huge for them. I bore my testimony at the end and said that I had no idea how I ended up speaking at church on the Sunday that a GENERAL AUTHORITY was there.. and not even writing a talk... People later said "that was a good talk Keli.. " I said that was not a talk.. that was just me.. talking..hahahah!
after I spoke Breckin gave a beautiful heart-felt talk on the atonement that really touched me..
Then Josh got up to speak and he said he understood how I felt because he had been home from his mission three days and he was still not married..omgosh.. he said his heart went out to me............................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahah! OMGOSH.. "his heart goes out to me..." good to know.... after that escapade.. Josh gave a great talk about his mission to Ogden, Utah and the surrounding areas..
we had a beautiful harp and flute performance.
Elder Gerard said a few words at the end. He said that he was there on assignment to "follow me around" hahahha.
He talked about how when we pray we also have to make sure that we are studying it out. ...
all in all I think it turned out to be a GREAT sacrament meeting.. and now I guess I can relax and wait another two years until I have to speak again...:)

field trip

In September 2011, The Sound of Music Sing-a-long came to Wolf Trapp in Vienna,VA maybe I should type that again.. I kinda feel like it needs to be in caps.. THE SOUND OF MUSIC SING-A-LONG CAME TO WOLF TRAPP IN VIENNA, VA.. I am SERIOUS.. my boss Julia is obsessed with it too and she asked me to baby-sit for Julian when it came..I said no.. YOU HAVE TO TAKE ME WITH YOU and I will sit with Julian and you guys can sit somewhere else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! omgosh!!! THE SOUND OF MUSIC SING-A-LONG!!!!! I had all these grandiose ideas I did not follow through with like dressing baby Julian and I up.. but we did go.
when we went in they gave us a bag and then later then gave us instructions of things we have to do during the movie like
1. when you see Maria : clap and cheer
2. when you see Gretel : say awwww
3. when you see the Baroness: boo and hiss
4. when you sing "how do you solve a problem like Maria" you had to hold up different things for Maria, like a picture of Maria. a picture of a ghost for the will-in the wisp.. a picture of a clown.. a picture of the word "flibbertigibbit"
5. when Maria asks the Captain for play clothes you hold a piece of fabric up and shake it and say BEHIND YOU!!!! look behind you so she will look at the curtains..
6. we had some of those poppers that we had to pop when the Captain and Maria kiss
7. when we saw Rolf:bark like a dog because his name sounds like a dog.
8. when you saw a Nazi: BOO!!!!! because they are bad..
and of course SING VERY LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!which I did..
Julian liked it for the most part he sat on my lap and said aaaaah.. his version of singing.. and was happy.. he liked all the singing towards the end he really wanted to nurse.. and got sad and some people turned around and gave me dirty looks.. oh well...please..
but the best part of all .. was that while straightening up my bosses place I found the card that he gave her with the tickets in it. .. it said "Somewhere out there is a lady who I think will never be a nun".... awwww .... can I please get a guy THAT nice one day..?? please!!! that will know me that well and get me something THAT cool and GO WITH ME TO IT.. PLEASE!!!

missionary Keli

When I was on my mission in Agoura Hills, CA.There was a member in on of the wards named Brother Sheflo, that I guess went down to LA and bought fake watches and sold them.. I have no idea what he REALLY did for a living but when he got out those fake watches they would fill the dining room table.
I have no idea why but Sister Bodrero and I got really into buying these watches.. they were only between $10 and $30 a piece. I don't know which one of us had MORE watches.. but I know that we both had at LEAST five .. I know that I had
2 fake Tag Heuers (or more I was obsessed with them)
1 fake Cartier
1 fake Rolex
OK so maybe I did not have FIVE but it seemed like a LOT..
He also sold fake expensive pens.(Mt.Blanc)
I had some of those too..
Sister Bodrero and I went over there at the minimum once a week to look at watches or to buy watches or pens of whatever...
We even got the Elders to buy watches.. so all the Elders in our district.. the Newbury Park Stake..and the Spanish speaking Elders in the Thousand Oakes stake.. had a
fake watch and a fake pen.. at least one of each.
I loved these fake watches SO MUCH.. it was so fun to go tracting in swanky Agoura Hills and someone would come to the door and they would say they were not interested and I would be like ....but you have on a Tag Heuer.. I am wearing one too!!! They would be like ok.......but I am still not interested...ahahhahah:)
I remember one time someone said "but yours is fake" I said "well why don't you think that my watch is real?" they said "nothing about it is real"....
I also remember we had a mission leader Brother Sanofsky. His family was so cool. Brother Sanofsky took us out to dinner once and he had on a Tag Heuer.. I was like did you buy that from Brother Sheflo?? he said " um no it is real"..then when he got out a pen to sign the check I said "oh you have a Mount Blanc Pen? Did you get that from Brother Sheflo? " He said no this is real too.. Then I noticed he had on Lucky jeans.. "I said are those real?" He said "yes I paid full price for all this stuff.. but I am starting to wish I had bought it all from Brother Sheflo, because everyone thinks it is fake anyway :)
when I got home
I took those watches to some shady jewerly store in Provo to get the batteries replaced and never got them back.. Oh well I had a lot of fun with them while it lasted:)

random Keli

When I was in jr. high Swatch Watches were SO IN STYLE..and not just one.. you had to have a LOT like TONS.. and wear them all over your wrist.. in lots of pastel colors.. my parents said I did not NEED a bunch of watches in different pastel colors.. what a freakin SHOCK.. who were those other parents buying their kids multiple pastel colored watches..?? One day I remember I arrived at Rocky Run and two popular girls were standing at the entrance and they said that they were in a contest to see " how many watches that each of them could get" they were like GIVE ME YOUR WATCH!!! GIVE IT TO ME!!! and they said that they would "give it back as soon as they were done with their contest".. I did have ONE pastel Swatch watch that I loved with all my young teenage heart.I gave this popular girl my Swatch watch.. and thought OMGOSH a popular girl that has never talked to me is talking to ME.. and "wants to be my friend" I let her use my watch.. when I asked for it back she said.. what watch? I don't have your watch... I felt.. used.. and like um...I said yes you do.. she said no I don't.. I wanted to cry.. instead I said I know that you know about my watch and I want it back.. she said no.. that I never gave her a watch.. I was sad.. and also sad she did not want to be my "friend" I went home and my mom said "WHERE IS YOUR WATCH THAT YOU BEGGED FOR THAT WE SPENT ALL THAT MONEY ON" I told her what happened my mom was mad.. she was like why did you give it to her.. I said because she said she was in a contest and she would give it back.. my mom said.. well.. that was stupid.. and we paid for that and you begged for that watch and you need to  GET IT BACK!!! ...so what is worse my mom or the popular girl being mad..that was a toss-up..  I picked that I would rather the popular girl.. so I went back and told her that I did want my watch and she DID know what I was talking about.. she said no again and played dumb.. I tattled on her and told the principal.. she gave my watch back.. when I think of this experience.. I think of what a low self-esteem I had as a young teen.. and how I yearned to be accepted.. It really made me think.. when you are raising kids..by the time they are in jr. high..you already have had to teach them a lot .. and we also have to teach them how important it is to make good choices and have good self-esteem and know who they are.. and how important they are.. if I could go back now and live that again..then I would say .. "no you can't have my watch~! I don't even KNOW you.. and I don't care about your contest.." because I would be confident in who I am.. and the friends I did have.. that WERE good friends..IDK if I will ever get married and have kids. but I hope that if I have a daughter I can teach her to know herself like this.. and I hope that I can help other young people I come in contact with to believe in themselves..

holiday

In September for labor day I went to my family reunion in Kilmarnock, VA.. soon my friend Echo will put all the pictures on FB and you can check them out.. :)

I drove down there and went to this small branch that I go to every year and sat with my friend Nikki and her family.. I am so grateful for friends and for a worldwide church and for Heavenly Father blessing me with an outgoing personality that no matter where I go I am able to meet people and make friends. It was fast and testimony Sunday it was interesting to hear how all of these people had weathered hurricane Irene and how much more affected by it they were than me.. because they well most of them live RIGHT on the water...after church I drove over to my reunion.. my cousin Mark was directing traffic and said that he was "security" I really enjoyed being there with my family and having fun with them. I went out in a paddle boat with some people.. had a great time talking to people and had fun walking around with the kids.. a big hit of the day were my high heel shoes.. that everyone had fun trying on. 

I am grateful for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and I am grateful that I have such a cool family that I am able to see at the reunion at least one time per year...

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