things I have learned--Elder Kelly Conrad

31 Dec 2009
Well, another week has come and gone! After Christmas things have just sped up. Zone conference this week was good and I learned a lot from it. I gained some really good insight to my life and certain things that I have been seeking understanding for.

Ever since I can remember I have always had a problem communicating with people and have always had the tendency to think faster than I could speak. I really noticed this problem when I started writing in my journal before my mission. When I would re-read what I would write, I noticed how I would leave words out, and that in mid sentence I would change the topic, and direction. When I review my journal entries now, I see a change in the way I write; I am able to write legibly, in full sentences, and my thoughts are conveyed more understandably. Every time I notice this change I know that I have a loving Heavenly Father. The reason I say that is because my writing has been something that I have been very self conscience about my whole life. What I care about, He cares about, and He has blessed me in areas that I needed.

The way that He has brought about this change has been through my companions and the things they have taught me. I can go through a list of things each companion has done to intercede in my life to bring about this change in me. One of those most prevalent companions that helped was Elder Harrison. When I first came out here I was socially awkward, and had very low self confidence, which really could be seen when I spoke with others. My thought processes had me thinking that if I wasn't being talked too every moment of the day, that something was wrong with me, and it created anxiety and frustration with in me, and my companionships. I was afraid of being myself around others, and thought that I had to be perfect in all things for anyone to like me. So naturally I was quiet and fearful when it came to building relationships with others. One of the best attributes that my companion had, and that I really took a notice to, was that he could build relationships with everyone. I always admired that of him and sought often to be able to do what I saw him do everyday with people. When I was older as a missionary and was a bit more mature, and lost most of my fear of being myself, I got the chance to serve with Elder Harrison again. This second time was the time where I really learned how to build relationships. Instead of having to focus on my inability to teach, and also finding my testimony of the Book of Mormon like the first time we served together, I was able to focus more on what it was that I really needed and wanted to learn about, which was building relationships. The seven weeks we spent together was quite the furnace. I remember times where the only comfort that I could find was in the thoughts that would often come, "He is a great missionary, you have a lot to learn from him, just be patient and it will be worth it!" It really was worth it. At that time those trials almost broke me, but when looking back now they seem very small compared to what is being faced now. This was just a few things I learned while at zone conference.

Things are going good here now, I'm getting along with Elder Hancock, and things are going to be good in the future.
That's all for this week, I love you and thank you for all that you are doing for me.
Love,
Elder Conrad

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My lesson about goals--Elder David Kelly Conrad

Dec 21, 2009

Today was a very nice day. The temperature was in the high fifties and it made for some great basketball weather. I have to say that other than studying my scriptures, teaching lessons, and helping others become converted to the gospel, basketball is my favorite part of the missionary week. It really helps me de-stress and release the built up energy that isn't used throughout the week. We had two guys there today play with us that were friends of some single ward brethren; we committed them to come back and play next week with us. I am hoping that we can have these two guys invited to some single ward activities and somewhere down the line get the chance to teach a lesson or two. That would be really neat.

I am slowly learning more about my role now in the missionary world. Last transfer I searched everywhere for ideas on how to be more effective, and create the greatest ripple that I can. I guess you can say that I was trying to force things instead of waiting and being patient. All I could do last transfers was wait for things and it really made things challenging. I have leaned heavily on a lesson that I learned at a zone conference, which has brought new understanding to my life; that lesson taught is found in Psalms 37:3-7. The lesson was this; I am to prosper in Gods way, and that way is to delight myself in doing well to others, committing my way to the Lord by trusting, resting, and waiting patiently for Him. If I do these things I will be given that which I desire. It's just like the Nephite Disciples in 3 Nephi 28. They had been proven in all things, and had done all things in Gods way, and Christ asks them what it is that they desire, and it is granted unto them. There have been times in my life before my mission and during my mission where I have felt like I was being asked, "What is it that ye desire of me?" and at those times real goals and vision were set that I knew I could obtain. These goals have been very real, and very achievable, but after every one of these moments of setting goals, I have also had the understanding given to me that it wasn't going to be easy. I share this with you to help bring understanding to the next paragraph.

Early on in my mission I saw how important it was to be unified with companions. After reading from Preach My Gospel and seeing what it teaches about companionship unity, I have had the goal, or desire that I would at some point in my mission have a companion where he and I would be so unified that we would create the greatest ripples yet to be seen on my mission. After one of those moments where I was asked what I desired, I expressed this desire. When I tried to envision where and when that companion would come, I saw that it would be in the distant future and that I was to have a lot of trials and testing before achieving my desire. With the coming of Elder Hancock, I am seeing some of this goal and desire come to pass. There will need to be some changes here and there on both our parts, but we will be unified, I can really see the potential. To sum up the lesson that I learned from this experience in one sentence would go like this; Goals are reachable; it's the getting there that stretches us. These are just some of the things that have been burning through my mind.

That's all for this week, there might not be a lot to it, but this is one of the most important lessons that I have learned on my mission.
Love,
Elder Kelly Conrad

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Head Games!! Elder Kelly Conrad

Dec 15, 2009
This past week has been a very sobering experience. With everything that is going on around here it's hard to have time to think about much, and when there is time I feel like I could us the time for better things. But I have noticed something as I have reviewed lessons from my mission that brought learning. I see how throughout my mission I have been tested in most of the Christ-like qualities written in the Doctrine and Covenants.
When I figured this out I was trying to see what Christ like attribute I was going to work on this next transfer and while assessing myself and seeing where I am at I came up with what I need to focus on.

I have noticed my thoughts and how I process things needs some help, so this next transfer I will be working on virtue. I always thought virtue meant something different but as I have studied it I see what it means to "let virtue garnish thy thoughts." After reading section 25 and learning what was going on with Emma Smith and looking to see why the Lord tells Emma to "walk in the paths of virtue" I have come to a better understanding of what virtue is. Emma was complaining and the Lord told her to be virtuous. Being Virtuous means to retrain thought based on a strict moral code. I have this great book call, "As a man thinketh" and I think it will be coming in handy as I try to strive to become more virtuous. I am striving to keep good wholesome thoughts, true doctrines and principles running through my mind at all times so that I can better train my thoughts and be less critical of others. There are a whole set of events that have lead me to the conclusion that this is what I need to focus on, and it feels like a good and worthy goal.

I got a call from Elder Buhler this week and he told me some very good news. He told me that Dustin was smoke free, and that he has a baptism and confirmation date set! Dustin is a part of the family that I taught in Springdale when I first came out, that Elder Harrison found again later in Fort Smith and half the family was baptized. Dustin will be baptized on Dec 26! Elder Buhler has been doing a wonderful there in Fort Smith without me. I really miss him and the Fort Smith ward!

We had stake conference here in Tulsa this past Sunday, and I think it was the best one that I have ever been to. I tried my best to prepare myself for it and had several things that I was looking for and I was given plenty. The Stake President taught us very well and issued several goals for the next six months that he believes will strengthen the family. The Family is under a huge attack and I'm really starting to see that I teach people and see what is really going on. The other day while teaching a family about all the commandments that they are promising to keep when they are baptized and confirmed we could tell that things weren't right, and that what we were teaching was what was needed. Things were switched up and we ended up reading "The Family, Proclamation to the World" and teaching them their roles in the family. It was a very positive experience and it really opened my eyes to some things. My mission goal now is to always strengthen the family, no matter who I am teaching, this will be my focus.

My new companion is going to be Elder Mitchell Hancock, who comes from Washington, Utah. Figures I get another Utah companion, I don't know what it is with me serving with all these Elders from Utah but at least he is from Washington. We are going to be good together, which is good because we could very well be together for the next six months!

It doesn't even feel like Christmas yet. We have been playing Christmas music and getting things decorated but the feelings aren't there yet. Maybe it will come after transfers this Friday. I think I have decided that I will wait for Christmas to open the presents, I have no real idea what they are and I'm way excited for it! I hope to gain more patience while waiting to see what they are.

It became very cold this past week and I barely made it through. We had some extra winter clothes in one of the Elder's apartments which helped out a lot. I'm glad to have my winter clothes now. I don't really know what I'm doing for Christmas. I think we are going to some member's homes and doing the same thing we did for Thanksgiving. I'll be sending one of my memory cards home this week and you will see some of the things we did for Thanksgiving.

I better get going, love you!
Elder Kelly Conrad

PS. What's with the Dog?

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Focus and the Book Of Mormon! Elder D. Kelly Conrad

Mom Dec 7, 2009
This week has felt like a month, but then it felt like it was only a day long. Things are weird like that when everyday has some important event happening.

I had my first experience teaching through an interpreter the other day, which was a very special experience. I was on exchanges with a younger missionary who was telling me about this new investigator named Benjamin and how he doesn't speak English, and that a member was going to be there to interpret for us. I had no idea how to handle the situation but as I struggled under the conditions of being with a younger missionary and trying to figure out how to teach very simply and then have some one translate for me, I was blessed with the know how to get things started.

The first thing I felt was that everything was alright and that we needed to say a prayer and get started. As the prayer ended the next things was given to me, and that was to draw out a simple diagram of Jesus Christ and show how the Priesthood was given to Him and the three things that come with having the priesthood. After Bro Sherwood, who was the translater, and I asked some questions to clearify somethings we then went on and taught the apostasy and the restoration using the same diagram, showing how Joseph Smith recied the priesthood. We then watched the Restoration DVD in Spanish which was really special. The part that really hit me was how connected Bro Sherwood and I were while teaching, part way through the lesson he took off and said everything that I was thinking, it wasn't that I understood what was being said but that I could hear what was being communicated and felt the Spirit there. Preach My Gospel says that you know you are doing something pleaseing to God when you feel the Spirit while you teach, and this was one of those experiences.

Something that I have started to do these past few weeks has really strangthened my testimony of the Book of Mormon. I read a talk about receiving revelation, and some other ones about studying by faith and I have come up with what I'm calling "My mision Book of Mormon". Basically I have taken a floppy copy and have begun reading it from the beginning and have been follow every cross reference that I come across that seems interesting to me. I have learned more about the settings and the geography of where the Niphites lived and some of there doings. This has really helped me learn more in depth, and has strangthened my testimony. I have been reading and watching for stories that teach about the principles of faith, it has really taught me a lot. I know have a little better understanding of somethings. I got the idea from a man the other day that told me about how he read the Book of Mormon in reverse order; starting with Moroni, and then reading Ether, then so on. He said that he gained a better testimony of the Book and some of the things taught in it. So I took his idea, looked where I was at and thought about what might be more meaninful to me, and came up with this idea.

That's all for now.

Love your son
Elder D Kelly Conrad

Conversion, The Spirit, and Personal Revelation!

Mom Nov 30, 2009

On Thanksgiving we played football with eight other elders and some members till we had our Thanksgiving dinner with President Merkley and his family. Football was a blast because Elder Harrison was there and he taught me alot about football and it reminded me of last year in Har-Ber when we played football and he taught me how to throw. It gave me time to just have a life and think about the past fifteen months and all that has happened in them.
We only had one dinner appointment so I didn't eat as much as I did last year. After we ate we watched a Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas musical which has really set the tone for the season for me. I think my new favorite song of all time is "O Holy Night". After we watched that we played basketball with the Merkleys which was a blast! President Merkley guarded me, which was really shocking because he's sixty two years old and is five foot six and super thin, but he put up a really good defense. It felt like I was playing basketball with a stake president and I was shy about playing hard, but he wasn't, so it made things fun. I love President Merkley!
So after this we went to a members home and played Mormon Mouthful and some other team games with the family and Elders, Harrison, Fellows, Clinger and Whiticker. It really helped me feel like I was back in a family again and opened my eyes to some things I want for my family.
I have recently been reading and studying about conversion, the Spirit and personal revelation. All three are very important in bringing someone to Christ, which is my purpose. I was with a younger missionary the other day who was teaching the restoration, and doing a very good job of it, but things just didn't feel right.The investigator had read the selection from the Book of Mormon the elders had left their last visit and she explained how she felt while she read. As the lesson went on we understood why things didn't feel right, it was because we needed to teach the investigator how to recieve personal revelation so that she could gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon for her self. What she decribed about her emotions while reading should have been an answer to the prayer about the Book of Mormon, but she didn't realize that it was the answer. So we taught her how to pray and how she would know if her prayers were answered and told her that it was going to be answered by the same feelings and emotions she had while reading the Book of Mormon the first time. Half the time missionaries are telling people what they know and not helping them learn it for themselves. There is a big difference in telling someone that they have recieved personal revelation then helping them understand for themselves that they are recieving personal revelation. "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lfe time." I want to teach others how to recieve personal revelation so they don't have to rely upon me, buy rely upon God for guidance. That is what it means to always rely on God.
Everything else is going good. I would use those supplements if you sent them out. I have been really good about keeping a good eating habbit even with my crazy schedule. My excersizing hasn't suffered to much because we still get to do it in the morning.
Thats all for this week, I love you family and I'll be praying for Cori.

Love, Elder D Kelly Conrad

Master teacher! Elder D. Kelly Conrad

Mom- Nov 23, 2009
Well there has been a lot that has happened this past week and have very little time to tell you about it.
This past week I saw three of my old companions bear their departing testimonies during zone conferences. When Saturday came around I thought about how much my mission will change with these three missionaries leaving, I will lose some of my best and most trusted friends. These are the missionaries who have helped me get form where I was to where I am now. I owe everything to these elders and see how they have changed my live. I will really miss them. I was pretty much the biggest wreck when I came out here and I was so lost and Elder Harrison and Jacobson have helped me overcome most of my social anxieties and my inability to function around people. I remember the only good thought that I could hold onto during my struggles was a scripture that is found in Either 12 where it says that when we come to Christ he will turn our God given weaknesses into strengths. Now that I look back I have a pretty powerful testimony of that scripture, along with many other doctrines taught in the church.
Well this week has been filled with a lot of learning, my new companion has been teaching me a lot about refinement and I have really seen a change in me because of it. The change has come in the music I listen to, the words I use when I speak and the way I conduct myself around others.
Some times I even forget that I had a life before I came out here. Every week I go through my pictures of my mission and review things that I have learned through out it and today while I took my trip through memory lane I couldn't remember life before my mission. I can't see myself without this name tag and tie. The reason I'm having these thoughts is because my companion is going home in four weeks and he tells me that it's gone by too fast, so it's got me thinking about how fast it really has gone by. It is really helping me see what I want in the future and I am setting goals right now to get me there, not just goals for things that I want to do before I leave the mission, but even goals for after the mission. I remember when I first came out when I learned something I was looking for ways to apply it in my normal life, and in my missionary life, but later as my mission went on I lost my focus and felt like what I was learning was just for my life as a missionary, but my mission president has helped me get on track by reminding me that what I'm learning now will help me be a better father, elders quorum president, home teacher and so on. It's really helped me understand why I do things and most the time I see how it won't only help me in my life as a missionary, but even beyond this life.
Yesterday I went on exchanges with the other Elders here in New Haven and I went to teach these two men, Eddie and Doyle. Both are pretty humble and in pretty humble circumstances. As Elder Whitaker and I taught them it was a very powerful experience that taught me even more about becoming a master teacher. I learned that the scripture are laid out perfectly to teach every principle and teaching it in order. For example as you read section 20 after the church has been organized it teaches us the most important doctrine, which is the true relationship we have with Heavenly Father, and then continues on through everything thing from the way some one is brought into the church, the duties of the members and the sacrament, and as you read it builds from one doctrine and principle to the next. The Lord is a master teacher and there is a lot of power in the doctrine that is taught in that section.
I am amazed that I have even able to learn from the scriptures like this, studying for school should be a piece of cake after learning how to study and learn from the scriptures.
Well for Thanksgiving there is going to be a lot of eating at members homes who I have never met, and we also be eating at the mission home with the mission president and his family who is coming in tonight. We will be playing some football and Broom ball with several ward members. I can't wait to get a little dirt on my knees and show some one that I can do more then just teach!
So I thought that after I left Fort Smith I was done having success with basketball on Mondays but today I was proven wrong. As we played we had two kids come up to us, whose names are Zack and Raymond who wanted to play ball with us. We didn't play because we had just gotten done, but I was able to talk to both of them and get their numbers and committed them to come play next week. As we got to know each other I found out that both of these kids have close family who are members of the church and Zack's older brother is serving a mission in Utah right now. So I can't wait to see where things are going to go from here. I guess basketball is one of the many styles I have at doing missionary work.

Thank you for all that you are doing for me, and the family.

Elder D Kelly Conrad

FW: alot of good stuff! Elder Kelly Conrad

Mom- Nov 14, 2009

Things have been going well this week so far. I have been able to go out and work with several missionaries this past week and I have been able to learn a lot from them. At the beginning of the week in my new area things where very slow and I wasn't sure what to do, I have a hard time with sitting on my hands and doing nothing, but things finally picked up. I have really missed Fort Smith and those that I was attached, but things have speeded up and now I don't have time to sit around and think about things. The only time things aren't going on is when we are travelling in the car to places.
I went on an exchange with a newer missionary in my area the other day whose name is Elder Curtis. Elder Curtis hasn't been having the best time on his mission so yesterday it was my goal to make the day one of the best days on his mission. We first went to a potentials home and tried to see if we could teach them, but we ended up teaching the neighbor Larry, which was a really neat experience. After talking to Larry for a short time a relationship was established and I found out that his wife was a member who has been less active for almost a decade. Larry said he had been taught about the Book of Mormon before and that he had some questions. As Elder Curtis and I taught him Larry told us that he was upset with people who believe in evolution and we started to talk about Adam and Eve and the creation. As we did this Larry quoted scriptures from the Bible which lead us right into the Book of Mormon; I turned to 2 Nephi 2 in the Book of Mormon and read passages that went right along with those he quoted from the Bible, which really drew his attention. He asked about the Book and we taught him a very simple lesson where we showed him the doctrine behind prophets and the Book of Mormon. We now have a return appointment for next week. My day with Elder Curtis was one of the most spiritual and powerful days of my life, and wasn't because it was of my own doing, but because the Lord was teaching Elder Curtis and I something very profound. My lesson was that I am truly blessed to be in the positions that I am and that I get to serve so many missionaries and help them see their true potentials' and that the Spirit is the power behind me. Elder Curtis's lesson was that he really does have a great potential and that he has to be patient with himself. He is one of the most sincere missionaries that I have ever met and that he has a profound effect on people that he cares about.
So pretty much my week has been filled with experiences like these; on Tuesday I went on exchanges with Elder Butler. I went tracting with Elder Butler. I hate going tracting, on my exchanges with Elder Curtis he told me it was time to go finding, which meant tracting and I suggested that we find a member near by to seek referrals from just so I didn't have to tract. That turned out to be a blessing because when we walked away with a relationship of trust with a member who was doing missionary work with three different families. But this time I submitted to Elder Butler and I went tracting. Well on the fourth house the door had a no solicitors sign on it and had a picture of a man carrying a brief case with a cross through it, which kind of had me intimidated, but I figured what the heck, I don't have a brief case I'll be good. A woman answered the door that was on the phone with her realtor, so she asked us to wait for her to get off the phone. After waiting a while we were able to talk with her about what things were going on in her life and then we got it into a gospel conversation. We taught her a brief powerful lesson and at the end of the lesson Lela promised Elder Butler and I that she was going to read the Book of Mormon all the way through and pray about it in the next few days before the missionaries came back. So now I have a new success story from tracting, I think I only have a few of them, but they were really profound experiences.

Things are just going to get even faster these next few weeks, our schedule is already filled and we will be busy, busy, and busy.

Love,
Elder Kelly Conrad

FW: New things

Nov 9, 2009

Well things are going good, I am with my new companion and things are great. We are unified and are on the same page. I knew that if I were to serve with him that he would be my most unified companion because of the exchanges that we have gone on these past few transfers.
My last week in Fort Smith was my busiest ever. We had Bre Smith's baptism on Thursday which was a night mare. Thirty minutes before the baptism while we were at home preparing to go Elder Buhler turns to me and asks me, "is the fount full?" which lead to a series of freak events that lead to a very spiritual evening. If we had a video recording our last week in Fort Smith it would have made for an awesome movie.
I really miss Fort Smith and the people there, I'm so glad that I was able to gain so many friendships there. I was really blessed by the people there and with out their help I wouldn't be where I am at right now. Over these past four and a half months I have gained some of the choicest lessons that have changed the outcome of my whole eternal character. I feel better, I'm more confident and I have gained the vision that I have been searching for my whole mission, now it is my task to share that with other missionaries.
These past few days have been very interesting. I am being put through several new challenges that are stretching me again and they have almost gotten me to unlearn what I have just learned. As I review the past I think of what it felt like when Elder Buhler first came in and I felt the burn of the trials and it triggering me and made me anxious. When thinking about that I now can handle the new challenges with a more level head and am very patient about things. When ever I am put through a new challenge or have new feelings I have taught myself to just sit back and be patient. Things will always work out in the end as I seek to do what is best. I learned the other day that everyone will have their own "lost 116 pages" moments. This lesson has really helped me out in understanding how the Lord treats us when we fail at something. Understanding the relationship with God and us is a very valuable one and it has been the source of a lot of my learning lately.
I'm still searching for my place here, and trying to see what it is that I can do to benefit others. I feel faithful and hopeful about the future.
Elder Clinger lives in the apartment complex with us and it has been a real eye opener for me to be going on exchanges with him these past few days. On the week ends we go on exchanges with the other New Haven Elders and he is one of them. I have been able to see the growth that has happened in me since I last served with him. We taught a young black man named Teven who reminds me a lot of Bre, he is humble, willing to do anything to get closer to the lord and is one of the elect of God. When we taught him we were going over the Word of Wisdom, which was kind of a touching matter because when we went up to his house we met him outside on his doorstep smoking, so it was setting the stage for what could have been an awkward lesson if prior lessons went completely understood. But as we went along with the lesson Teven was more concerned about eating a very little meet then giving up smoking! He said he would follow the law so that he could be baptized. When the lesson was almost over I asked him, "Why would it be important to follow this law?" the next question I asked was, "Who is it that gave us this law?" that started another lesson where we taught him about the role of a prophet and how it is that he receives the righteousness of God and teaches it to us, we used Romans 10 to teach it. Teven is willing to follow the Word of Wisdom all because he felt and new that what we taught was true. After the short lesson out of Romans I asked him why he thought I had taught him about the role of a prophet and he answered saying that now he can teach his friends why he follows the Word of Wisdom, and that the law was given by a prophet. It was a learning experience for me.
I won't need my winter cloths for a while, the weather is still very warm here and it will be for another few weeks. I'll let you know when I could use them.
That's all for this week, I know I didn't answer all of your questions but there will be a hand written letter sent out this week with those answers.

Love your son
Elder D. Kelly Conrad

FW: I'm leaving the Fort!

Mom- Nov 2, 2009
Well the reason for the need for a bicycle helmet was because we might have been put into a car share area for a bit. But we aren't and I am getting transferred to Tulsa and my new Companion will be Elder Jacob Begay who is one of the best missionaries out here in the Oklahoma Tulsa Mission. My new address will be:
5215 E 71 Ste300
Tulsa OK 74136 So you all can mail me there now.
Things have been going amazingly well here these past few days. Elder Buhler and I have really been receiving blessings due to our patience and diligence. The other day when we ran out of miles for our car we went on a couple hour walk around Fort Smith and we saw miracle after miracle.
Bre S. is getting baptized this Thursday before I leave and she is way excited for it. This past Sunday when she met the Bishop the first thing she told him was that she was getting baptized! In out last lesson we talked with her to get to know her some more and while we were talking I knew that I had truly found one of the elect of God and that she was going to be a kingdom builder. She has already started to bring friends over to be taught by us and we are teaching her younger sister Rachel who is just as amazing as Bre is. Later today Bre is going to be cooking dinner for us. I am really going to miss Fort Smith and the people that I have taught here. I have told everyone that when I get home I plan on getting in my car and driving back here to visit. So I hope that plan works.
We have seen more blessings with the H.family this week. We went over to their home and had lunch with them and taught their neighbors' boy named Destin, who is another one of Gods elect. He came to church this past Sunday and when he saw me he asked me to baptize him! As we taught him at the H.'s about Alma: 17 we asked him questions and he gave some very powerful answers. He is only nine, but he feels a lot older then that. The H.'s also had us meet their other neighbors and we were able to find others who are receptive.
Michael S. is going to be preparing for a mission. He has really been putting some thought into it and he feels that it is the next thing for him! I'm way excited to keep in contact with him and see what good comes from him.
I am really going to miss this place and these people; I have really formed eternal friendships.
Sorry if this email is short but we are going to teach Alina real quickly before we go play basketball for the last time. We also saw more blessings as we found out this morning that she has moved back into her Grandma's house.

Love your son

Elder D. Kelly Conrad

Tired!

Dad Oct 26, 2009

I feel horrible because I have been having the hardest time getting time to write you all. I think I'm just going to start sending tapes home.
Well this week has been another crazy one with all that has been going on. There have been a lot of things that have needed my attention and focus and it has really drained me and things won't slow down until I leave Fort Smith.
This past week I have been studying a lot of the New Testament and the parables that Christ taught. I have really learned a lot as I have read and pondered about the parable of the pounds and talents. It has really taught me a lot about stewardships and how it is the Lord expects us to handle things. Along with that I have learned a great deal about the priesthood and the family. Last Sunday the priesthood lesson was on families and relationships and it has raised a lot of thoughts and questions and all this week I have been reading and learning more and more about it.
So this past week I have really been able to see a lot of miracles and blessings. Just yesterday we ate with the Houston's and taught a wonderful lesson about levels of faith and had a demonstration using tea bags. The kids loved it! And what made the lesson even better was the fact that the Houston's had their neighbors over who wanted to learn more about the gospel. We didn't get to teach them about the restoration of the priesthood, or prophets, because we had twelve kids to entertain, but the lesson really helped the Claimsor's see how the Bible and Book of Mormon teach the same thing. We went from the New Testament to the Book of Mormon and used several scriptures to show and illustrate how they are both the word of God. I called and talked to Sister Houston today and we talked about something's that we can do to help teach and get this family involved in church and the whole time it was a very spiritual experience. I have always had the motto that the Lord knows who he wants in his church and this family will be joining the church very soon.
My favorite things to do now it to "stitch" the Book of Mormon and the Bible together during lessons to teach that they are the same word; I have seen time after time people change as we have made this apart of how we teach. I can give you several examples of times where people have come to the knowledge of the Book of Mormon being true during lessons while we are teaching. It seems like everyone we are teaching right now has had a witness and now what we have to do is help them with their commitment issues.
Bre S. is one of the fastest progressing people I have ever taught, it has really been a joy teaching here because in every lesson the words are given to us all to speak. She is going to be baptized the fifth of November and she has already read the book of Mormon twice in the past two days! For the past few days she texts us and asks us questions and we call her up and answer them for her. She is going to be playing basketball with us today along with some other recent converts and friends.
I promise that after this transfer I will be freer on preparation days to write more. I have tried finding better ways of doing missionary work rather then trackting and basketball has really been the key to all that is going on here. The only part of the congregation that it really strong here is the youth and with basketball we are really making it stronger. We have several less active kids showing up and other investigators coming and its amazing at how successful we have been at having basketball every Monday.
Well that's all for this week, I love you family!

Love
Elder Kelly Conrad

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Elder W. Tyler Conrad 1st letter

It has been the most amazing experience of my life to come here and devote all of my time and consecrate it to the Lord. I have learned many many things that I can apply to myself and others.

Thank you for all of the precious letters you all send I am grateful everytime I get one and will write back anyone that sends one to me.

Truthfully the first couple of days were easy for me. I could finally let go of everything that was back at home and immerse myself into this work. Then I think I soaked up A LOT and found there were mental changes I needed to have to continue on. I felt it about Saturday night and Sunday were probably the hardest for me while going through these mental and also physical changes but I have prayed A LOT and the Lord has helped me to get through it. I testify that if you pray for the Lords help he will and wants to help. I pray for the spirit just about every single prayer that it will be with me and those that I teach.

I met a teacher here at the MTC that was Kelly's companion. He said Kelly was an awesome missionary. I also told some elders who were going to the OTM that they should look out for Elder Conrad that he is my brother. I also see Elder Wallace, Bird, and Baird almost on a regular basis. They are doing great with their language and they always look so happy. They taught me how to split an apple with my bare hands, it is pretty cool.

Sunday night we went to a fireside with was absolutely amazing. It was focused on how to teach by the spirit. I had so many impressions on what I need to do to teach by the spirit. We need to pray in faith that it will be there, and we need to listen. Another important thing to do before we go and teach or do just about anything is Plan with the spirit. Yes mom I am beginning to see that your planning is very important and I am learning the principle of planning. I learned that planning with the spirit there we can be guided as to what we will need to teach and what we can do to help.

My companion is Elder Peterson, he is a great guy who helps me out a lot. He is from New Jersey, Piscataway. He comes from a family of 8 with 4 sisters and 1 brother and he is the youngest, also he has a NAC for computers and worked at a call center for a brokerage before coming here. So many likenesses and we get along really good.

We wake up in the morning about 6:25 and we get ready for the day. Most days we have personal study from 7-8:15 and then go to breakfast for 30 minutes come back to the classroom and either have companionship study or get taught by 1 of the 2 teachers, brother Little and brother Jenkins who are awesome. Then we have lunch at 1 PM till 1:30 and then either have missionary directed time aka the Lords directed time lol or have a teacher. Dinner is at 6pm and then we have the same MDT or teacher. We have hit the first lesson pretty hard and we have gone through pretty much the beginning of Preach My Gospel. We learned that PMG is written for missionaries not just for the people. It will also help anyone else who is trying to do member missionary work which everyone should do. It is a wonderful tool to use not just for missionary work but for life. at 9 is planning time and then at 10:15 is quiet time and then 10:30 is lights out. Sundays are much different then I am used to, we HAVE ps (personal study) in the morning then go to priesthood session, then ps or District leadership meeting for me. I did get called to be the DL Thursday night which has been a blessing to me for growth. Then we have sacrament, lunch, and then we have my district meet for more lessons. We can go to choir after that and have more ps. Then we get to go to the fireside and watch a movie afterwards. We watched the restoration, the prophet Joseph Smith and it made me cry like 4 times, it was amazing. We got to walk around the temple and take pictures Sunday, the Provo temple is beautiful.

I got to hear a wonderful quote yesterday, W. Church Hill once said that success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. What a great quote! There is also one that struck me and I read it before I came "Without God I can't, without me God won't". These have given me strength to continue on learning and evolving into a Superior missionary. I just got back from the Temple today and what a wonderful experience to go through with fellow missionaries and have the peace that I desire to continue in this work without burning myself out. I love how the gospel can apply to every single aspect of my life and I will continue to learn as much as I can so that I can become more like our heavenly father.

I know that this gospel is true, I know that the book of mormon is true I know that this work is the most important that I will do right now and through out my life. I know that God loves each and every one of us and knows what we are going through and is ready to help us at the very moment we ask him. I love you family and am so glad that I could be born of goodly parents to teach me in this gospel so that I can bring others unto Christ.

Love,
Elder W. Tyler Conrad

If you are receiving this email and don't want to be on Tyler's list just reply and let me know and I'll remove you. Carol Ann

And Its All Coming Together Now!!

This past week I have just learned the thing that I have been searching for my whole mission. All the skills I have learned and all the abilities that I have so diligently strive to gain and that I have been blessed with have caused me to see the grand picture of missionary work and why we do it. I have also learned how to do missionary work the way I am supposed to and how to asses wither or not Healy Father is pleased with my efforts. It's like the conference talk that mentioned the mountain and seeing the whole picture. I have spent so much time at looking at the ground and the little progress I thought I was making and something has made me turn around and see how far I had made it up the mountain. Now I have a whole new perspective on missionary work, and every aspect that comes with this great work.
This past week I have been sick and I had made things pretty miserable I will not lie. Having a million things to keep in order and not being able to focus, or have energy to do anything has really made me stretch and use shear will power to get things done. And it brought some amazing miracles with it.
We are slowly over coming Sou and her families concerns. We over came the problem they were having with the kids not respecting their mother by having a very strict lesson with them and setting some standards. They are now not aloud to be louder then a 5, or they call it their inside voice, and they are telling their mother every night that they love her, or when they get into fights. We got them some cloths to come to church, and they are set to come this next Sunday. The reason they didn't make it this past Sunday was because they think that it is boring, so this next week Elder Buhler and I are going to sit with them and play paper games, like hang man, tic tac toe, and other games. It might not be the best thing to do, but they are only eight and ten years old, so we will give them some ideas on how to keep entertained during sacrament.
We went by to see how Mary S. this past week and we found her eighteen year old daughter whose name is Bre and we taught her at the door and set up a return appointment for later in the day. We went back and we have been meeting with her every day for the past four days and she came to church last Sunday. She is one of the elect that we have been commanded to find and she is ready and willing to except the gospel. She said that first night she prayed about the Book of Mormon and the church she couldn't get to sleep because all she was thinking was, "The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints." Several of the young women in the ward knew her from school and now she has the perfect fellow shippers. Bre is coming to play basketball today at three and she is way excited for it!
Last night after teaching Bre the Plan of Salvation we went over to Angels to see how getting her patriarcle blessing was and we witnessed another miracle. Her brother Dustin has been prepared to finally make the changes needed to join the church. Dustin admitted to us last night that he has received and answer to his prayer and that he has been fighting it since he received it, which was almost a year ago when I taught him in Springdale!! We have him on a prayer and study program and we are also helping him quit smoking so he can get baptized in two weeks!! Along with that, Candice is getting more and more receptive and her heart is softening! It will only be a matter of time before the whole family will be members of the church! I have waited so patiently for this and my joy is almost full because of all the events that have happened these past few days.
I have really focused on my prayer lately and have applied things that I have been learning from my scripture study and words from the living apostles and I see a major difference.
Well that's all for this week, earlier today we helped some people move into their new house and we are going to the hospital later today to help some other people out and we are going over to Dustin and Angels house to help them with some stuff, and we have basketball at three, our day is packed! I've started to hand write you a letter, so you will get one this week.

Love-
Elder Conrad

PS, When I move to my new area on the sixth of November you can send me more vitamins and super food, that would be good, along with my winter cloths I sent home, the temperature has dropped and winter is coming fast.

FW: The Fast Weekend!

-----Original Message-----
From: david conrad [mailto:elderconrad@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 2:53 PM
To: caconrad@charter.net
Subject: The Fast Weekend!

Mom- Oct 12, 2009

Well things have been a crazy mess this past week, after having a powerful General Conference Satan has gathered his forces and has really been targeting the weak. This past week so many things have been happening to our investigators, members and recent converts, after fighting the biggest spiritual battle of my life to help these people I have burned myself out.
We had one of our recent converts come to us and ask us for some help out of a very poor situation, she was living in a situation that wasn't conducive to her living the gospel and it had her feeling very guilty. We told this girl her options and we decided to help her move out of the apartment she was in and get her to take the proper actions to resolve the guilt that she was feeling. Then after all the things we did to help her out she went back to it and we haven't heard from her since. It's a very sad story and I am kind of left in a daze thinking about what went wrong and what could have been handle better.
The other day I was reading a quote from President Hinckley where he states the 10 things that missionaries should learn on there missions and one of the things was to learn how parents feel. After thinking about this situation and relating it to other things in my life and searching for an answer I had the thought about how many times you and dad went to bat for me while I was caught up in bad situations. Now I have some of an idea of how you felt when you would get me out of something and then I would get myself right back into it.
Michael Sisco's baptism went very well. This kid is going to be an all star missionary in a year. Dad would have like his testimony that he gave after his baptism, all he said was that he knew that the Book of Mormon is true and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints is the true church. It was an amazing experience for me.
We are slowly getting over concerns that Sou Garcia has. We found out the other day that she is not really living the gospel and it has really hurt her family. We have really been focusing on her now when we go over to teach. We have started to re-teach her everything and try to get her testimony strengthened so that he kids can keep growing in theirs. Last night we had all her kids sign a piece of paper that said, "We promise to stop swearing." During our lesson they had a few choice words they used while talking to each other, so we stopped the lesson and had a "family counsel." I remember the family counsels that we would have when I was back at home; this one was about as intense.
We have seen a lot of miracles with part members lately. We had several of them call us up, or talk to us at church and set dinner appointments up. We are way excited for what is to come in the next few weeks. We are trying to go around to all the part member families around here and see if we can get anywhere with them.
Serving these past few weeks with Elder Buhler has been some of the most growing weeks, we are both unified and we are striving to become better. I am very proud of him and the growth that has taken place; I have trust and confidence in him to do anything and it has really made things less stressful. He totally reminds me of Tyler; in fact the other day while talking to him I called him Tyler. It was pretty funny because I didn't realize what I had said and Elder Buhler just looked at me like I was dumb, and I couldn't figure out why. There were two other missionaries in the car with us when this happened and they got real quiet and just looked at me and I couldn't figure out why until they told me that I had just called Elder Buhler Tyler. Man it's not going to be cool that I won't see him for another two years, we are going to be two complete different people by the time we see each other.
That's it for this week. I hope you have a safe trip to and from Utah. What is Tyler's MTC address? I would like to write him, f you could put that in the hand written letter that would be awesome. I love you Mom!

Love-
Elder Conrad

PS, i can wait till next transfer for you to send out my winter gear, things have turned pretty cold here, but i can hold out till next transfer. This transfer ends on the 6 of November and I will more then likely be sent to a new area.

FW: Patience while learning

Well things were pretty amazing this week. It was a pretty over whelming and spiritual week with having General Conference and also having our zone conference. I am pretty worn out from it all and am thankful for things slowing down.

My favorite talk in General Conference was Elder Uchtdorf in the priesthood session. He talked about two things that can get you through adversity, work and learning. I have a testimony of this because that has been what has gotten me this far on my mission, if there is a trial I know that I have to keep moving because if I don't I will stop my progression. I also liked Elder Bednars' talk about being consistent. As I sat contemplating questions and concerns that have these two talks connected in my thoughts and what I got from it was that I need to be consistent in my labors and do what I know is right, even when it is tough. There was a ton that I learned during all the meetings.

My whole past transfer with Elder Buhler prepared me for the lesson I learned on patience these past few days. Remember when I got back from North Carolina and I was very patient and easy going about everything? I was thinking about that time of my life and why it was that I was so patient with things and I came to a conclusion while reading Romans 5:3-5 and thinking about the message that was given in General Conference, it says that tribulation works patience. The tribulation that I was put through to be patient when I came home was the 5 hour plane flight that I really hated! If I had not had such a hard time on that plane flight I don't think that I would be out here on His mission. In that scripture it says that patience works experience and that experience works hope, or in other words patience comes before hope, and if you go to Moroni 10: 20-21 it says if there is hope there is faith and if there is faith and hope there is charity! Which goes to the over all theme that I got from General Conference which was doing things the more excellent way and following the Spirit. When the Law of Moses was fulfilled the higher law was given, which you could call the more excellent way, and the more excellent way is charity! If tribulation creates patience and patience creates hope, which creates faith, which creates charity then we should become a more charitable people as a whole because of the trials that we are going through. We are going to suffer some of the most trying times that the world has ever seen, which should create some of the most charity lead people we have ever seen.

Michael S. is getting baptized this weekend. Yesterday night we had dinner and Family Home Evening at the Martins and with Michael. It was so fun! We taught them about the sons of Mosiah and how they labored to bring others to Christ. We then used Alma 24 to teach out the successes they saw on their missions, and how the Lamanite converts buried their weapons as a testimony that they were going to keep the commandments of God. After the lesson we played the animal game, which was an instant hit! It brought me back to the times where we would play them as a family and even at family reunions.

We have plans this next week to get Sou and her family to a member's home to have dinner and a Family Home Evening. It's going to be a combined effort with the Spanish Elders because they have a family they are working with that they are having struggles with.

Elder Buhler has grown a lot these past few days. It is amazing to just think about where he was when he first got here and where he is at now. We are unified and are striving to be even more unified because we have both come to the conclusion that missionary work will go nowhere unless we are unified. I have always noticed that the missionary work is a lot more enjoyable and stressless when I have been unified with my companions.

Today we are getting some people together and we are going mini golfing we are going to this place that has an indoor course that is lit up by black lights and everything glows, its going to be great! Michael is going to be there and so is Alina and one of her friends that we have started to teach whose name is Chris, who is my new best friend because he helped me dunk it last week during basketball! He helped me after I told him my goal that I had of dunking it before I went on my mission. It was pretty sweet.

I love you and thank you for all that you do for me!

Love-
Elder Conrad

FW: Sacrifice Brings Blessings!

Well things are going good here; today we will be going to Tulsa and staying the night at the mission home for some meetings. I am really looking forward to what the meeting is going to teach me; because there is a lot that I am in need of learning.
This past week has taught me a lot about the importance of sacrifice. When we had mission tour we were taught that sacrifice is what brings stronger faith. I have really seen this principle come to life as I have made several commitments to myself based on what I learned. So the way I figure I am going to grow more as a missionary now is always choosing to make the biggest sacrifice. There are always choices to be made as a missionary and sometimes there is no real way of finding out which of all the choices is the right one. You can try to rate it on a scale that I like to call, good, better and best; you can determine what choice is good, which one is better, and which one is the best. I learned that the best choice always has the greatest sacrifice attached with it. So I have been making myself choose the choice that requires the most sacrifice. And things are slowly paying off!
The other day while we were out walking around trying to find people to teach we had a less active member pull over on his Harley and chat with us for some time. Brother Richards, when he first pulled over my thought was that he was some one who likes to create trouble and that I better prepare myself for what was coming, but I was wrong. Latter that same day we had an amazing lesson with one of our recent convert's sisters. This is the family that I taught in Springdale that moved here and were found again and were baptized, the Landert and Jackmen family. Candice is one of the family members that took the lessons but didn't want to act on what was taught. Now she is slowly getting back interested in the gospel and has really been thinking her life over and is willing to make changes. We taught her about marriage and divorce, because she has some concerns about it, and it was a wonderful lesson. Earlier last week we taught her about charity and committed her to teach us about charity, so later this week she will be teaching us about it, and she is going to be using the Bible and the Book of Mormon to teach us. This is amazing because a few weeks ago she told me very bluntly that she doesn't believe in the Book of Mormon and that she believes that Joseph Smith was not a prophet of God.
Michael S. is solid and is ready for baptism. We taught him after church in the chapel about praying often, studying the scriptures and obedience. He is sweet!
We got Sou to quit her job! Now we are back teaching her kids everyday! The other day we had a lesson that was amazing! Elder Buhler and I taught a lesson about sacrifice and we read the story of the Ammonites burying their swords. We had a little activity planned out for this lesson, we brought an empty peanut butter jar and we put what we were willing to sacrifice in it and buried it in their front yard! They absolutely loved it! We are going back this Tuesday to have another activity with them.
Something we are starting to do is focus on part member families. We have been able to start teaching two families this week. We dropped by the Thomas family on Saturday and had a very inspired lesson with them. When we first knocked on the door we just talked to the mother on her door step, as we kept talking to her we were guided through out our conversation and we ended up on the topic of Xango, she is in on the loop of selling and using it. I talked to her about Megan (my sister) and that she uses it and how I used it after my surgery on my hand. She invited us in to give us a little drink of it and while we were in their home we taught them what we call the "rocket of faith." The lesson is we talk a tea bag and empty it out and place it on someone's hand and light it. When the fire gets close to the persons hand the bag floats away. The whole time we build the suspense up and tell the person to trust us and to not move their hand, if they move their hand they will be burnt. So we had this lesson with their two kids, BJ and Christopher, then we committed BJ, who is the older brother, to read a paragraph from a pamphlet that we gave him to his little brother Christopher. We are going back this week end to follow up with them.

I've got to go, we have to finish our laundry and we are playing basketball with some friends later today before we drive to Tulsa. I love you Mom!

Love-
Elder D. Kelly Conrad

FW: A more excellent way! take two

My last email didn't go through because the computer shut down because the library closed and I didn't get the time to email it.
Well I am staying in Fort Smith for another month and a half with Elder Buhler. Things are going well with our companionship, we are working on our unity and giving each other feed back on things that we can become better at.
Yesterday we set a baptism date with Michael S. he is a 19 year old boy who is a friend of one of the young women here who's name is Rachael M. Michael plays basketball with us every week and we teach him three times a week at Rachael's home. The other day we taught him the gospel of Jesus Christ and when we were done we committed him to baptism and he told us that he has already prayed about baptism and that he wants to join the church. He's going to get baptized between the Saturday sessions of General Conference. It's going to be amazing!
Well we had a general Authority tour our mission the other day. Elder Marlin K Jenson; he taught us about levels of faith and how we need to be seekers of Gods will. I have learned a lot these past few weeks while serving here in Fort Smith with Elder Buhler. This mission tour has really opened my mind to somethings.
I have been holding Elder Buhler more accountable. Something elder Jenson told us at Mission tour really helped me out with a struggle that I have been having. First he said, "If you do not speak up you are thinking more about yourself, than you are the mission." He also said, "Never deprive anyone of the chance to sacrifice something." These powerful statements have helped me out with the way I talk to people and go about correcting myself, my companion and any other missionary. I normally am apprehensive about committing people to things and asking them to do things that might be inconvenient. But I realized something the other day, there is nothing convenient about missionary work. With everyone I meet I am going to be an inconvenience, we come into people lives and start asking them to do and change things, some people respond to it nicely and other not so nicely. It's not my problem if they don't respond to it so nicely. Now that's not saying I'm going around forcing people to listen to me, I am trying to do it the way the Lord would have me do it. Elder Jenson referred to this response to the striking of a tuning fork and how if a tuning fork is placed close to a tuning fork that is of the same tune, then when one is struck, the other will resonate. Now the way it is applied in my life and any ones life who shares the gospel is this; teach the gospel to some one and see what the response is and you can tell if they are ready for the gospel. Now when I talk with people I am teaching more and testifying more and I am looking for the Spirit to testify to me to whether or not the person is "resonating." Powerful lesson!
So we lost some investigators this week  Hilde B. is moving to Tulsa this Friday because she lost her job. We are going to make sure that she is found and contacted there, and I fully expect her to overcome her smoking habit and get baptized. We also lost Mary to another church! It's really a funny story, so we meet with her almost daily and this past Thursday when we went over she had this big small on her face. We asked her what was going on with her and why she had such a big smile on her face for. She told us that she had been baptized! Elder Buhler and I had no clue what to say, we sat there and we looked at each other. So we taught her about the apostasy and how the authority to do anything in Gods name was in our church. We could tell that it wasn't really clicking and we asked her about her baptism. After she told us the story we asked some questions to check for her understanding about what we had taught to her. Needless to say she isn't as accountable as we thought she was. We are still teaching her and her family, but we have to take things very slow.
Tido's mother Sou is still being over worked and it is stopping her children from progressing in the gospel. We are going to commit her to quitting her job and finding a new one. If she doesn't then she is going to miss out on some very important things with in her family.
Well that's all for this week, sorry it was late.

Love-
Elder D Kelly Conrad

PS Those picture were of Elder Buhler, Hilde B. and me; the other one was with Sister B. who I got to see at mission tour.

FW: Starting to feel like a real missionary!

There is a lot that has gone on this week .We had our district meeting with President Merkley and we had stake conference. Along with that I had some exchanges this week with some new missionaries and along with that came some very funny stories.

President Merkley taught us about the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. As he read the story and explained it my mind was blown away by how deep the symbolism is in that parable. What I have to write about wont do what he taught justice but the main thing I learned was that Christ has a lot of trust in me to be a host of those that He brings to me. In the parable the Samaritan brings the wounded man who has been bound up and healed by the oil and wine to a host. Christ is the Samaritan and the oil and wine is his atonement and healing, you can say the healing of things both spiritual and physical, and what Christ does after he heals the man is He take him to a host to take care of him. Then Christ tells the host that if it cost more then two pence to take care of him then He will repay the host. In a shorter version of what I learned, Christ has a lot of trust in anyone who is a host over anyone and if you do all that you can He will repay you. There is a lot more to what I learned but that will do.

Next thing, every month we meet with the Stake president and the high counselors who are over the missionary department and have what we call "stake correlation." It's basically a meeting where concerns for every ward concerning missionary work and efforts are brought to the stake president. It's the connection between the missionaries and the normal church government. Well this past week I have been calling brother McCabe, who is the high counselor over missionary work about when the meeting was going to happen. He never returned my phone call so I just thought all was well, but on Thursday he calls me ten after six and the first thing he says was, "Are you coming?" There we are standing in a restaurant with a member who was feeding us at six o'clock and we were supposed to be at this meeting and I get this phone call. So we took our food and hurried to the church. Needless to say we were not fully prepared for the meeting, I hadn't collected all the data that we are suppose to present to the stake president and we didn't have our suits on. If there is a rule I will always follow for the rest of my life it will be the rule about always wearing a suit to meeting, especially to ones where I meet with leaders in the church. So the only reason why I'm letting you know about this mistake of mine is to illustrate the lesson I learned while in the meeting. When we got to the meeting I was a bit fearful because I wasn't prepared, but as I sat there and was asked questions about the progress of the areas and about details I was enabled by the Spirit to remember things, like last months indicators, concerns of certain wards and other things that blew my mind that I was able to recall. It was a very powerful lesson to me.

Next thing, on Friday I went on an exchange with a new missionary, Elder Bill Sherrick. A few days ago I gave my word to a man named Audrey that I would mow his lawn on Friday. Well after making calls all week to find some one in the ward to lend us one I was with out a lawn mower for Friday. When thinking about who we could get one from just hours till the scheduled event I came to the thought about Sister April North's house and that she had a lawn mower out in the front yard. The only reason I knew that she had a mower at her house was because a few days earlier I was over there changing her car battery out and fixing odds and ends on her Chevy Blazzer, which is a whole other story. But as I drove to Sister Norths I tried calling her to see if she would let us borrow it, but her phone has been turned off. So we keep going to her house in the hopes that she would be home. Well when we got there she wasn't home so I had a decision to make, was I going to take the mower or not? We loaded it into the back of our car and took off. We mowed the lawn and Sister North was ok with us taking the mower. Later that evening we went back to teach Audrey and now we are teaching his family. He loved what we taught and has tons of questions about the restoration! How awesome!

We are still teaching Mary S. and we are now teaching her daughter Rachael. We watched the "Restoration" with them both, and when it was over Mary bore her testimony that she knew our church was true because she had felt the Spirit while at church and during the movie. Her baptism date is the 10 of October.
Some complications with Tido and Erica have sufficed. Apparently Sou's ex is trying to get custody of Tido and Erica and she has Tido go to court next week over it. So we are working with a member in the ward who is a lawyer, his name is Brother Houston. As I talked with him about it, we talked out where he served a mission, and he served in the Spokane, Wa and he served in Moses Lake! So we had a good conversation and he will be a good help to Sou and her position.
Hilde B. came to church and is still growing. She fasted last week about the Word of wisdom and has a growing testimony. She is studying the scriptures and is really praying to quit the coffee and cigarettes.
That's all for this week; hopefully I will have time to write some letters today, I actually got some mail this week! I have been on a dry spell for ever.

Love your son,
Elder D. Kelly Conrad

FW: Trying to keep didligent!

Things are going well here. WE have been pretty busy with exchanges with other missionaries. Tomorrow President Merkley will be coming to our district meeting. The next transfer will start the 27 of September. Things are going to get kind of crazy next transfer because we will have 3 sets of missionaries in our ward! President Merkley is thinking about splitting the area that we have into to and having another set move into the ward. Hopefully it won't over tax the ward on exchanges and dinner appointments.
We have finally been able to get a hold of Sou G.and taught Tido and his family, Sou is Tido's mom. She just got a new job last week that has her working every day from 9 am to 9 pm and she doesn't get Sundays off. But we finally got to talk to her and she has pretty much demanded Sundays off, or she is going to quit! She is so sweet! Tido is going to get baptized the 26th of this month along with his little sister Erica who is turning 8 on the 22nd.
Hilde B. fasted this week about the Book of Mormon and the Word of Wisdom. She is part of the ward already, but all she needs to do is getting rid of the cigarettes and coffee and she will be solid! So she is fasting and praying about it, along with reading the scriptures daily and coming to church; it's just a matter of time before she will be worthy.
I think I talked about Mary S. last week. She is a black lady who has 12 kids and can't read. We have given her some tapes that have the Book of Mormon on them and she has been listening to them. Last Sunday in gospel principles, while I was teaching, I asked her how she could know which church is true, and she said, "I already know, it's this one!" It was music to my ears! We are going to go see her later today and make sure that she has batteries for her tape player.
I have often thought of my experience in Mountain Home. I have come up with several thoughts; for one thing it has set the standard for my whole mission and life in being obedient. It also helped me learn the importance of being humble and diligent through tough times. It also showed me how missionary work will go no where with out members help. If a ward isn't going to take care of those that the missionaries' are teaching, then the Lord is not going to give blessings in the way of converts, plain and simple. This is what happened in our case.
But get this; Miami is on fire right now! I called and talked to the zone leader who covers that area, and they told me about everyone they are teaching in Miami and all the baptism dates they have set. Everyone that they are teaching and baptizing is all the people that I found and began teaching! It was so wonderful to hear that news, it really strengthened my testimony and made me happy!
Things are ok with me and Elder Buhler, there is still room for improvement, but I am working on it. My goal is to set the example and have a standard and not let it lower or slip. It will push me and it will push him.
I can stay a zone leader my whole mission, or I can go district leader, or I can go back to being a normal missionary, it's all up to President Merkley and the needs of the mission. More then likely I will be staying in Fort Smith for another transfer with Elder Buhler then be moved to another zone to be a zone leader again. But even that's not set in stone, that's just what normally happens.
My goals this week are: Focus on what matters most, become more obedient, and teach 40 lessons and have 140 OTM's. I have several other small goals, but these are the big main ones. I have really become focused on goals lately, setting small goals to help me reach a big goal. Its funny because I even tell Elder Buhler what my goals are for him every week, like today I told him that my goal for him this week is to get him organized, prepared and to be more confident in himself. Another small goal we have for him is to always keep his eyes on the road when driving. Its funny!
But that's all this week, I love you Mom and I thank you for all that you do for me!

Love your son,
Elder D. Kelly Conrad

FW: Fulfilling My Purpose!

Things continue to go well. I am learning a lot about what kind of missionary I want to become and I working on not letting others really determine what I want to be.

This past week has been very exciting! We had 4 four investigators at church. Hilde is doing very well. The ward has really done a great job in fellowshipping her and making sure that she is invited and welcomed. She has yet to still over come her Word of Wisdom problems, but she is very hopeful. We gave her a triple the other day because she wants to start reading the Doctrine and Covenants! She is so solid! She's signed up to feed us this week and she's going to relief society activities and everything! Its amazing how much members need to help and what is done when they help.

We didn't baptize Tido this weekend his mom got a new job that kept her from making it to the baptism, but we reset a date for the 22 of September and we will be baptizing Tido and his little sister Erica who is turning eight the week of the 22. The ward has really done a good job in fellowshipping Tido and Erica's mother Sou.

We have been teaching a lady named Mary for a few weeks now and have set a date with her on the fifth of Sept. She came to church yesterday and loved it! She has a hard time reading so we got her some tapes that have the Book of Mormon on it. She is so sweet!

We also got Roy and Teresea to church. They are a couple that we helped move into an apartment one morning while we were out tracting. We don't have a date with them yet, but we will be setting one soon.

Things are going vey well here and I am way excited because things are going to get even busier. We have several part member families that we are going to start teaching this week and the referrals from the ward are coming is as well. Elder Buhler is getting better; I am really focusing on helping him get more organized and confident in himself.

My goal this week is to become an even better planner and become more effective, making sure that I follow up with everyone I talk to and everyone that I set an appointment with and making sure that I follow the Spirit in all that I do, because I have really noticed that when you plan by the Spirit things really work out better and I am always where I am suppose to be.

On Sunday all four of us missionaries here in Fort Smith gave talks. Between us all we covered the Plan of Salvation. I got the tail end of the talk, meaning I covered the Spirit world, resurrection, judgment and kingdoms of glory. It was very powerful and as I listened to the other Elders I realized that don't have as deep of an understanding, or scriptural support of the Plan of Salvation as I do for the Atonement, and restoration of the church. We hardly ever get to the point with people where we teach them the Plan of Salvation. Until they have a testimony of the Book of Mormon or understand the great apostasy we don't move on, of coarse that's not always the case, but for the most part it's how I do missionary work. So my focus this week will to gain a deeper understanding of the Plan of Salvation.

Well I've got to go, we are playing basketball with the Spanish Elders and the Greenwood Sisters and some other people and we still have to get our laundry done. So hopefully I will be able to get a letter out to you.

Love your son,
Elder D Kelly Conrad

FW: pictures

-----Original Message-----
From: david conrad [mailto:elderconrad@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2009 8:17 AM
To: caconrad@charter.net
Subject: pictures

Just some pictures

FW: Focusing!

That's so awesome that Tyler finally got his call! I am so pumped for him, But Utah!? Come on! How stinking lucky! He will definitely be having a different mission experience then I am having here in the OTM. Man that is so sweet!

Well I have a little more time this week to email; we are going hiking today, up mount Magazine with a few people in our zone and with some other recent converts. It's going to be awesome! But anyways things have been pretty crazy around here with training Elder Buhler how to be a zone leader and still keep everything together and help our investigators progress. We have several dates set and things are looking great!

We have had several awesome experiences this past week. Yesterday we had a lesson with Joe Rainwater, we read 2 Nephi 9 and while we read it I learned more about the atonement then ever before! It was amazing!! I have never learned so much in my life, my new goal is to always teach people because that is when I really learn. Even in my most productive studies I never learn more then when I have taught some one. Every important lesson I have learned on my mission has always been in some ones home, door step, at a podium, or in a class room where I have been teaching.
I have finally reached a point where I feel comfortable enough to do anything as a missionary, whether it is to tract, otm, teach, instruct dozens of people, find, or just make friends with some one, but now the set of trials I am going through is helping to learn my true purpose as a missionary. My whole mission I have felt like there is more to this calling and I now am learning what that "more" is.

Yesterday while leaving the Tidwell's home for dinner we otm'd this drunken guy. His name is Brian. When we talked to him he was pretty rude and mouthy, but as we kept talking he changed and got nicer. We were running late to an appointment so I was ending the conversation and getting his address when he asks if we could say a prayer. Elder Buhler and I thought nothing of it because we pray with people outside all the time, but this time Brian came up to us and all three of us put our arms on each others shoulders and I offered a prayer. If that wasn't awkward enough after the prayer he hugged us and walked off! All me and Elder Buhler could do was get in the car as fast as we could and get out of there! That is the second time I have been hugged by a drunk in the middle of a street! The things we go through to spread the gospel.

One of the members here actually served in the mission that Tyler is serving in. Tyler is going to have a wonderful experience on his mission.
Being the midpoint of my mission I have started to make little plans for the future. My plans right now are to go down to Utah and go to either UVU, Snow college, or some other school there in Utah, So I might not have to go three years without seeing Tyler. But nothing is set in stone.

I love you Mom and thank you for the package! I should be writing you a hand written letter later today.

Love your son,
Elder Conrad

Tyler's mission call

Just to let everyone know, Tyler got his mission call yesterday-he is called
to the Utah, Salt Lake City South mission English speaking, reporting
October 14th. His area includes the South Jordan, Draper and the new
(dedicated today!) Oqurrh Mountain temple-south of the Salt Lake Temple, but
doesn't go any further south than the Wasatch mountain tip.

He is thrilled!!!

Carol Ann Conrad, MS, LMHC, NCC

Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist

8045 W. Grandridge Blvd Ste A

Kennewick, WA 99336

http://www.carolannconrad.com

509-735-1221

crazy week!

It's not fun to get such a short letter--but I guess it's a good thing that he's focused again and working so hard he's too busy to write:-)

Mom

i don't have time to really write you, Things are going good and I am seeing the growth in myself. Elder Buhler my new companion, and training him is going sweet because we are already best friends. Well tomorrow I'm going to Joplin, Mo for a meeting with all the leaders of the mission and it will be sweet, I am driving up with all the district leaders from our zone and i know that its going to be awesome!

I love you and I am sorry that I am not able to write more.

Love

Elder Conrad

FW: Transfers!

We've been out of town, sorry this is the first chance I've had to forward Kelly's email.

-----Original Message-----
From: david conrad [mailto:elderconrad@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 1:23 PM
To: caconrad@charter.net
Subject: Transfers!

Mom-
Well things are going good. Several things have happened this week that has made things pretty interesting. Fort Smith and the few towns we cover around it would compare to the size of all of the Tri-Cities and this past week we have been with out a car and have been back on the bikes! The Mazda we are driving has been having some engine problems and the shop we took it too needed to have it for a couple of days. Today when we got it back it felt like Christmas morning when we got our car back.
Elder Harrison is leaving this week to go to Joplin, Mo and Elder Buhler will be taking his place. I will be training Elder Buhler as a new zone leader. The sweet thing is that Elder Buhler took my spot in Mountain Home as district leader and I know that we are going to work hard and see miracles.
I have learned a lot from serving with Elder Harrison again. During the past week as he has taken a step back and let me run things I see now a lot of what it was that he was training me to do and that it has prepared me for being a better leader. I have gained more common sense, an ability to be confident in myself, and the ability to be quicker to observe. It's amazing how struggle makes growth. I am not normally one to want to go through struggles but Elder Harrison has pushed me and walked with me so that I could learn this lesson.
This last Sunday we went to Greenwood and did a member MTC with the Sister Missionaries, Sister Morris and Sister Hill. All four of us had 10 minutes apiece to give instruction on topics that we were assigned. Mine was how to bring up the gospel with non member friends. It was so neat to stand up in front of 20 plus people and not be nervous. The instruction went very well. It was mostly about preparing for times to share the gospel, and then when the time comes to act and share truths that you actually know and have a testimony of.
That's it for this week. Love ya!

Elder D. Kelly Conrad

Personal Revelation!

Everything is going good. It was fast Sunday this past Sunday and I have come to a lot of answers about things that have been going on recently. I was able to talk to several people in the ward and to Elder Harrison and the Spirit has confirmed things to me that will bless my life for ever, as long as I can remember what was taught to me. It's kind of hard to explain and a lot of it I won't explain due to the fact that it was personal revelation meant to bless me. But what was learned was how to receive personal revelation and how to apply the atonement into my life. The reason for all the stresses and worries in my life right now has come from the fact that I have not really forgiven myself for my faults and the silly things that I do wrong. It has built up so much that I have been living day to day in fear and not being able to overcome the hurdle that is set before me.

So last night after reading several talks about the atonement and several other things I have come away feeling like a burden has been lifted of my back and I am able to move forward now. There is a section in Preach My Gospel that I read that just came to mind as I shared this with you. Its says that people all over the world are weighed down by stress and sin and are looking for a way to get rid of it, even if they sometimes don't understand that they are weighed down, or searching for a way to be clean. I have lived this way, not understanding what was going on, but looking for a way out. The way out is the Atonement! It's amazing how all encompassing the atonement really is, it covers anything and everything we do in this life. It is how we are to have hope and faith that we can do anything, its all about the atonement!!

The week had its ups and downs, but all and all it was good. We had several investigators at church and we have started to teach more new families. Things are started to prosper here and I love it! I have been able to make some improvements on my teaching abilities and I have been able to learn how to better use scriptures, questions and application of principles taught in the scripture.

I went on exchanges with Elder Henson in Sallisaw, Ok this week and while I was there we had a down pour! To make things even better we were on bikes all day! We went tracting for 2 hours and walked through what seemed like rivers flowing down the streets! It was so much fun! We made preparations before we left by putting on our yellow rain jackets, and wrapping our scriptures and pamphlets in plastic bags. That is something else I learned this week, always be prepared, if you want something, you have to be prepared for it. One of my new goals is to always think of what I might need for something, or how I can prepare for things. In missionary work there is a lot that I have to prepare for.

We also had a ward social this past Thursday that we had several people that we are teaching at. After eating we played games and had a lot of fun! I have some videos of me beating everyone at the stick pull that I will be sending home soon so you can see how fun it was!

Love your son,
Elder D Kelly Conrad

FW: letter from mom

 

 

From: Carol Ann Conrad [mailto:caconrad.ms@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 5:09 PM
To: 'Rachel Faraoni'
Subject: letter from mom

 

My eyes are blurring so I can’t correct any more I’ve written so many letters today! I hope this is okay.  Let me know.

Carol Ann

 

Carol Ann Conrad, MS, LMHC, NCC

Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist

8045 W. Grandridge Blvd Ste A

Kennewick, WA 99336

http://www.carolannconrad.com

509-735-1221