So sorry I didn't write you yesterday! A lot of things have changed in the past few days- new companion, new district, all new teachers, and no more elders! They all left early Wednesday morning- so sad, but happy! I can't believe that is going to be me in just a few more days!! So yeah Sister Jones and I are no longer companions :( but we are still in the same room and district so it's all good. My new companions name is Hermana Vallandares from Honduras. She is the absolute cutest/sweetest person I have ever met! She is so short and tiny and adorable! I love her! It's also great because we are both going to the Mesa Temple Visitors Center! Yay! She will be speaking spanish though. After the sisters in my district and I went and said goodbye to our elders we had to rush back to the residence and get ready for Salt Lake! Best field trip ever!! We got to go on a tour of the visitors center in Salt Lake! And guess what, on Saturday we are going to be paired up with a Sister at temple square and will give tours from like 3-8 pm!!!!! ahhh!! I am slightly nervous, but super excited!! I am finally experiencing what I will be doing everyday out in Mesa!! I had no idea before what it actually meant to be called to a visitors center, but let me tell you it is a big deal!! We have so many responsibilities!! Yesterday morning we practiced chatting with investigators on mormon.org! It was probably the coolest thing I have ever done! I have a real life investigator out there! Actually he lives in Maryland! :) I will keep contacting him even when I go out to Mesa. So yeah we get to do chat, give tours (which basically means you have about 10 minutes or less to make an impression on your visitor and help them experience more than what we call a "feel good moment" and allow the spirit to guide them onto the path of conversion- no pressure), and we also proselyte. We are going to be meeting so many amazing people from literally all over the world!!! I am sooo excited! Gosh the Lord just knows me so well. I know this Mission call was inspired, it literally fits me like a glove! So yeah this week has been incredible!!!! i LOVE being a missionary!!!
So on a more spiritual note, on the night that our elders left we got together as a district and had an amazingly spiritual last testimony meeting together. The spirit was so strong and that night I went back to my room and could not fall asleep, so I wrote in my journal. I just thought I would share with you all some of the thoughts/impressions I had :) We are God's children, I know He loves us, and I know He is proud of our (missionaries) decision to serve Him. I am here on this mission because I love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and I know that if He were on the earth right now, this is exactly what He would be doing. I know my Savior has saved me from the darkness and brought me into the light. I know that through His infinite atonement we all have the opportunity to live with God once more- and not only live with Him, but be like Him. I know who I am, Kelsey Hamstead, a daughter of God. I have been promised endless blessings and infinite potential. My Father in Heaven knows me- of this I am sure. I look back on my life and have no doubt in my mind that I have been guided by my loving Father in Heaven. He has a plan- His ways are not always my ways, but I will follow Him and trust Him with all of my heart. I will give Him my life. I mean that. I really do. The MTC has truly helped me to put things into perspective and it is as if the fog has blown over. I want to do whatever I can to serve my Lord and I will do it with a happy and grateful heart. I am grateful for the life I have been given. Each day I wake up and I immediately get on my knees and thank my God for giving me another day, and at night I pour out my heart and soul to my Father. I am full of gratitude for the experiences which the Lord has blessed me with. These people I have met here at the MTC have truly touched me. I will never forget them, especially my district. If this short time here at the MTC is just a sample of the joy, blessings, growth, and friendship the mission will bring- then I never want this mission to end. And that is the best part, it doesn't have to end! We are all missionaries. We are all striving in our own lives to come closer to Jesus Christ- none of us have made it yet. We all still need to grow, still need to learn, and still need to progress. This experience has been hard, it's been demanding, at times it has even been discouraging, but if I could I would still do it all again. In a heart heat. I love being a missionary. I know God has a plan for me and I know He did not send me out here to fail ( He did not send any of His children down to earth to fail either, He has provided a way). God qualifies those that He calls- I believe that. I am no talented teacher, sometimes I get shy, or don't really know what to say or how to relate, but somehow God looked at me and saw past my weaknesses. He looked straight to my soul and saw the potential that lies beneath the surface. He is molding and shaping me, making me into something useful- something beautiful. There is nothing greater than to know that the Lord is counting on you. I will do my very best not to disappoint Him. I want to be here. I want to do this little thing for Him who has done everything for me. This gospel has brought so much joy and happiness into my life and now I just want to get out to Mesa and share that joy with the people. I pray to God each day that I may be worthy, that everyday I may progress and come unto Him. This gospel is true. Jesus Christ is there for us, He provided the way for us. We have been blessed with the Book of Mormon which helps us draw closer unto Christ. It tells us exactly what we need to do. It contains the words of Christ, His laws, and His commandments. And what is it that the Lord asks us to do? Keep His commandments, follow His example. If you haven't been following Him, well start now. I am so grateful to now more fully be able to understand the beautiful gift of repentance. It's not just about reporting your daily mistakes to God, it's about recognizing what is holding you back from following our Savior Jesus Christ. Recognizing it, wanting to change because of your deeply rooted love for the Savior, and giving up whatever trap Satan has caught you in so that you can truly be free to walk in the foot steps of our loving Savior. I am overwhelmed by God's love. God is love. Everything God does is motivated by His love for each and every one of us. This knowledge gives me such peace. It calms my wandering mind and opens my heart to willingly submit to the will of the Father. God loves me. I know this to be true. I am so blessed. What more can I say? I could go on for days and days, but if there is just one thing you get out of reading this, know that I, Kelsey Hamstead (Sister Hamstead) love, trust, and turn my life over to the Lord. He is the way and He is my salvation. All is possible with God- I am an example of this! Who would have thought that little shy awkward girl that I used to be would have grown up and gone out into the world to serve a mission? God works miracles. And He loves us, perfectly.
So yes that was from one of my entries this week. Everybody should serve a mission!! Trust that God has a plan for you, and that He will take care of you. I love you family!!! thank you soo much for your letters this week!! Oh I saw Elder Frazier again! We got a picture this time so I will try to send that :) Ah! Poor Brother Mills! I hope he is ok! Let him know that I will be praying for him! Mom I am sooo excited about your new calling!!! How awesome!! I can't wait to get my letter! :D Eugenie, did you ever get my letter?? I wrote you i promise!! I will respond to your dear elder this week as well! And tell Jerrel that I would love to get a letter from him! That would make me so happy! David, I'm sooo glad you got to go to the temple!! Wish I could have been there! We can all go together when I get back :) Christoper, iphone 5 ehh?? yeah i bet you are on cloud 9 right now :) i will write you and davey boy back soon! abby, you are in trouble missy! write me back! how is veganism treating you? Miss you little ginger! :) Well I love you all VERY much!
Kelsey (Sister Hamstead)