Sister Keva Marie Kingston: July 2010

Hey Family!
Dad, yes it has been HOT here. I hope it cools down soon too! Good luck this school year with your class. Mom, wow camp sounds like it was a huge success! I teared up as I read about the iron rod experience. Camp was always a place where I felt the Spirit super strong. I know the girls will always remember how they felt that night...and throughout the whole week. Don't you just love working with the youth?! My favorite tours to take here in Kirtland are youth groups. I've had some really powerful experiences lately with youth. Last Monday, I came into the visitor center and Sister Butterfield (our Site Director's wife) handed me a note. I wish I brought it with me so I could tell you exactly what it said. The leader of one of the youth groups that had come over the weekend called into the visitor center and talked with one of the senior couple sisters, who then wrote down what she said to give it to me. Does that make sense? Anywho, I'll paraphrase what the note said.
"Sister Kingston,
So and so (I forgot the name) called in to thank you for taking the youth group on tour. She especially wanted to thank you for the testimony you bore in the School of the Prophets. In the testimony meeting they held many of the youth mentioned your name and talked about how your testimony strengthened them. Many have now resolved to go on missions themselves. "

Getting that note really helped me to understand the impact the Spirit can have on youth. We're always told by Elder Butterfield that the people here won't remember the little facts or the history, but they will remember the feelings they felt. I thank the Lord every day for the opportunity I have to bear witness of the hallowed ground in Kirtland, where the Savior has walked.
Well, It's now been a week since my new companion and I have been together. Her name is Sister Debenham and she is from all over. I think she's lived in 6 states thus far. Nope her Dad wasn't in the military, he's a Doctor. He just likes to move a lot. She said they moved every few years. She actually used to live here in Cleveland, when she was in elementary school. Isn't that funny?! Dad to answer your question, as a trainer you are responsible to teach your greenie pretty much everything haha. No pressure right? Basically there are a lot of mission rules and ways of doing things that aren't taught in the MTC, so I get the privilege of teaching those to her. I'm not worried, she's been picking things up really fast. I'm just hoping that we find more investigators so she can teach more.
It's been a weird adjustment to have 8 sisters leave and 10 new ones come in. Some of the 8 were my best friends so it was really hard to see them go. It is weird now to be one of the oldies, because I still feel like I just got here. I have a feeling the last half of my mission is gonna fly. So 'Im trying to take advantage of the time I have left and really focus on my purpose as a missionary!
Well, I have to go. Thanks for all of your support! I just love each of you soooooooo much. Seriously, I always brag about my family to the other sisters haha. It usually ends by them saying, "I want to meet your family one day!" I'm not even joking, everyone loves you all lol. Have a great week!
Love,
Sister Kingston

Hey Mom and Family,
Mom, thanks so much for sending those! The heat has been killin me lately! I def need summer clothes. I bought a few things the other day. We cant use our missionary fund to buy clothes, so I probably wont have any money when I get home. Oh well, that's life haha. I hope you have fun at girls camp! That's awesome that there are non-members going. I hope the girls reach out to them and are a positive influence! Happy Birthday Takai! I hope you all have fun at the Birthday party! Im glad everyone had a good 4th! Mine was pretty good. We went to church and then had lunch at a recent converts house, a lesson with a less active, dinner with a member, and then we went home and weekly planned. We weekly plan each week, normally in the middle of the week but we saved it for sunday so we wouldnt have to tract on the 4th. We did get to see some fireworks that night. There's a park right behind our apartment complex where they did a show. On Monday, the Butterfields (our Site directors) had a big BBQ for all of us Sisters and Senior couples. It was lots of fun. I took a few pics, hope you like them.
We're still struggling to find new investigators. We do have one though. Her name is Brenda. She was actually a former investigator just a couple months ago. She knows the gopel is true and has a testimony, she just has a smoking problem and has a hard time making it to church. We set a baptismal date with her for Aug 21, so hopefully she'll be ready. We took her to Kirtland on Saturday. We watched the full length Joseph Smith movie and then we took her to the School of the Prophets. She loved it, and it was a cool experience! We then went to the play, "This is Kirtland" at the stake center. It was really well done! I just love it here!
Well, this transfer is over in just two weeks. This next transfer will be CRAZY. With 8 sisters going home and ten new sisters coming out it will be an adjustment for sure. I found out a couple days ago that I will be training one of the ten. I kind of already knew I was going to train, just because of the numbers. But now that I know for sure Im kinda stressed. Usually they dont tell you youre training until about 3 days before transfers. Then on the monday before transfers (which are on wednesday) everyone training goes to a training meeting at the mission home in Cleveland. Well, apparently there are changes that have been made to the way new missionaries are trained. So all of us who are training and all of the Zone Leaders and District Leaders have to go to a four day training (2 days this week and 2 days next week) to learn about the changes being implimented. The first day is tomorrow, Ill let you know how it goes! Oh and next week the meeting is on Wednesday and Thursday so my p-day wont be until Saturday. Its gonna be a long week haha.
Yesterday, We had our weekly Kirtland training meeting (with all the sisters) in the temple. We practiced for the Emma festival, which will be on the 12th. It was so neat to be in the temple early in the morning and singing hymns from the original hymnal. There were a few solos that we got a sneak peak of too! A new missionary, Elder Bills is an award winning singer (according to our Mission President haha). He sang "A Poor Way Fairing Man" and it was incredible. He sang the last three verses acapella and it was AMAZING. The spirit was so strong. Also Sister Watt sang "Asleep in Jesus" at least I think that's what it's called. It was in the original hymn book and it was Emma's favorite. It's supposed to be like a lullaby. It was sung at her funeral. I balled the whole time Sister Watt sang it. I wish I could video it for all of you but cameras arent allowed :(
Thanks for sending pics! All the kids look so big. I cant believe that Ill hit my half way mark next transfer! Time is just flying by. Im trying to take advantage of the short time I have here. The gospel is true and Im so blessed to be a part of this great work! I love you all!
Sister Kingston
p.s. I thought my face was going to melt off on the 4th and 5th! You can tell from the pics how moist it is outside!

Hey Dad,
Yeah the weather here has been...HOT! Today it's supposed to be like 93. The humidity is definitely not my friend. What happened with the lawn mower? You didnt tell me the story. Well, I hope you're doing better. You hurt your ankle? Are you on crutches or anything?
Wow, I had no clue that there was a hurricane in James' area. As missionaries we really don't know much about what goes on in the outside world, which is a blessing. A couple weeks ago there was a tornado that came through an area of our mission. A bunch of the Elders helped with the recovery. Service is a great way to soften hearts!
I'm glad you all had a good 4th! I'll describe what I did on the 4th in the e-mail I send to Mom. Just wanted to say a quick hello :) Love ya!