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