Best Christmas Ever 12/26/11

Hello family and friends!


So yesterday was the best day!  I was so happy to get to talk to you guys!  It meant so much to me!  This year for Christmas it was really great to get to focus on Christ and not on all the hustle and bustle.  I am so grateful to everyone who sent me cards and packages and everything!  You are all truly amazing and you have no idea how much you helped me. Yesterday and this morning I was able to listen to Grandpa's funeral on the cd's and my heart was so touched. The love that our family has for one another is amazing, and I am so grateful for that. I am so grateful for the plan of salvation.  I know that because of the Savior we will be a forever family. That is the most amazing knowledge ever!  So I will tell you a few things that I forgot yesterday. Christmas eve was cool. We spent it with the Jansson family and the Finnegans.  Sister Jansson made each of us a Cornish Game Hen. And yeah I pretty much downed a whole hen haha dad you would have been proud.  We also had bacon wrapped scallops!  Wow those were great too! Then Christmas morning our present from the Weavers was that we got to sleep in.  So I have been getting up at six thirty for over a year now and my body won't let me sleep too long so I ended up getting up just after seven thirty, and I let my comp sleep a little haha.  Its weird what a mission does to you haha remember how I used to be able to sleep til noon haha stop laughing mom!  Anyway... so this week should be good.  Hopefully people will get back in town and we can find some more people to teach.  We took a girl on a church tour last week but she didn't come to church.  So hopefully she will come this Sunday.  I want you all to know how much I love and appreciate you.  It was so good to talk to you all.  I feel so loved and I can't tell you all enough how grateful I am for you. I know that God lives. I know that he loves us. And I know that he answers prayers. I know that if we follow him we will be blessed!  I love you all so much!  I hope you have a very Happy New Year!

Love,
Sister Katee Balmforth!

Merry Almost Christmas 12/19/11

Hello family and friends!
How are you all doing? Today I am doing pretty well. This past week I won't lie... it has been rough.  But very good learning experiences for me.  I have been a little "under the weather" mom no need to worry... its just a little cold or something.  But its been hard to want to do anything.  But I haven't stopped so the work is still going on haha.  Grandma your 12 days of Christmas have just been making my week!  Thank you so much!  So I honestly don't know what to say about this week because I feel like not much has happened. We have been working really hard trying to find people to teach and it just doesn't seem to be working.  So the other night I asked my companion Sister Chorister if she would like to fast.  So we fasted for 24 hours so that we will be able to find people.  I know that the Lord is about to give us a miracle... I can feel it.  It always happens after satan beats you down.  And that's kind of how things went this week so this coming week should be great!  I am so excited for Christmas!  I can't even wait to talk to you guys! I t will be the best Christmas ever!  I am really sorry I don't have much more to say.... this week was hard but good. We helped a lady on base clean her house so we are hoping that she will come on a church tour this week sometime. This holiday season I am sooo thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ.  I know with all my heart that he lives!  And that he died for each one of us.  I have no idea where I would be without him.  He is my older brother who I love so much!  And it is because of his sacrifice that I can be with my family forever!  The biggest thing that I have learned so far on my mission is the eternal perspective!  Being with my eternal family brings me more joy than I can even explain.  I love you all so much!  I love my Savior and Heavenly Father.  I know that they know each of us by name and they know our needs. And I know that they bless us with miracles every day!  Even when Satan is stupid. :) I love you all so much and I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas, and that we can all truly remember our Savior... because he is the true Miracle! I love you all! Stay Strong!


Love, Kate

12/12/11

Hello family and friends!


This past week was pretty good. Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes.  I loved it!  And to all those who put money in my account or sent packages I really appreciated it. The packages saved me because I won't lie it was a little rough celebrating a bday without my other half.  So mom and dad thank you and also, Calee, Dave, Kels, Riley, Mer and big g, and girls, Court and Healey family, Brooke, and Lynnette, Grandma, Jodi  thank you sooo much! Marilyn and Allison and Patti and Hope thanks for the letters! You guys are awesome!  I hope I did not miss anyone, but there are so many people who are so generous and I can't express how much I appreciate all of you.  So I was well taken care of on my birthday.... The Finnegans surprised me and got me a HUGE basketball cake with the number 11 on it!  It made me cry haha they are truly amazing and I love them so much.  They also bought me some slippers. haha. Kelsee, I am sending your bday package today!  Sorry it took so long but with transfers it was crazy!  So look for it probably Wednesday.  I am also workin on Christmas cards for everyone so sorry and I will hurry! This week has been kind of slow.  We werent able to teach any investigators!  The one family that we are teaching on base bailed on us and I was sooo bummed!  Sometimes I just wish these people could see the bigger picture!  Like really... come on people haha this is salvation here!  But hopefully we will meet with them tomorrow! So tomorrow is our mission Christmas  party in Tacoma and it should be really fun!  Me and Sister Chronister played some mean bball today with the elders.  It was so great!  I could actually defend someone and dive on the floor and everything!  We even fought over a loose ball!  Yeah I would say that I totally won at it but I don't want to be boastful haha just kidding... kinda.  This week has been good.  My main focus right now is to work my butt off because I am about to hit my one year mark and that is crazy!  So I just want to give the Lord everything I have for the next few months!  I can't believe how fast it will go! We are also trying our hardest to tract and to find investigators.  Sometimes its hard I feel like I am on such a high seeing miracles like Will and then it goes to nothing!  Its hard sometimes but I know that the Lord is going to provide us with a miracle!  I know that he is there and that he hears my prayers.  I love him so much. My love for my Heavenly Father and Savior has truly grown so much and it is so hard to explain.  But I do know that he lives and that he loves us!  And this Christmas season I hope that we can all remember the true meaning of Christmas and remember the sacrifice our Savior went through for us!  I love you all so much! Have a great week!  And if you could include me and my companion in your prayers so that we can find some people to teach that would be great!  Thanks!  I love you all so much and can't wait to here your voices in two weeks! Stay Strong! You are the Miracle to me!

Love always,
Katee

I gots me another GREENIE!!! 12/06/11

Sister Balmforth, Sister Holman and the Graves Family

Hello family and friends!

I once again feel like I have so much to tell you and so little time... so here it goes.  First off a shout out to my favorite twin sister ever!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY on Sunday my other half!  I hope you have a great day and know that I will be thinking about you all day.  I will even make a funfetti cake haha and we all know how good at that I am.  So anyway.... as you can tell from my title, I am training again.  It should be fun and I am excited.  I picked up my new companion in Tacoma yesterday and so far she is great.  Her name is Sister Chronister from Tuscan, Arizona.   And guess what!?......She is a baller! yahoo! she played in high school, and everything.  She is like 5 foot 8 or so!  So it will be fun.  We were talking on the way home and we discovered that we are both in love with basketball and we about freaked haha, yes, I almost screamed like a little girl haha just kiddin.... kinda.  So anyway... then later last night we were talking and some how our high school jersey numbers came up and she told me that she was number 11 and then I really thought that was crazy. Haha, but it was way funny cuz when I told her I played basketball she looked up and said "God loves me." haha it was funny.  So I don't know her to well yet but she seems great!  So saying goodbye to Sister Holman was tough.  It was really hard for her to leave because this was her first area, but she will be great! She is now in Tacoma. This week I learned a lot.  It has been a little slow for the work but I know that it will pick up soon.  We are teaching a family tonight that are eternal investigators and I just hope and pray that they will be hit hard with the spirit.  So anyway... this week the phrase "you are a daughter of a heavenly father that loves you" really hit me hard.  I have said this so many times growing up and saying the yw theme but it really struck me the other day how much my heavenly father really does love me.  And seeing Sister Holman crying over these people that she loves so much made me think of how my earthly parents must have felt sending me off, and also how my heavenly father must have felt when he had to send us down to earth.  I felt like I truly caught a glimpse of that this week and it makes me love even more.  I love the people of Washington... they make me so happy. The other day I got a phone call from Emily Alstead... and wow that was awesome!  She called and said "hey, I have a question for you" and I said okay and she said me and Matt are getting married in August, will you be in my wedding!  I was so excited!  Matt and Emily are going to get married in the temple in August!!!!  I can't even believe it so me and Sister Craig will be in the wedding!  How cool is that?  Also saying goodbye to Sister Craig yesterday was a bummer.  But its all good. She is going to come visit you guys at the first of the year!  So that will be awesome!  Family and friends I want you all to know how much I love you and how much I love the gospel of Jesus Christ!  Over the past year I have seen the atonement change people.  And I have seen it change me and it has helped me become the person that I am now.  I am so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ.  I am thankful that he payed the price for me.  I love you all so much and I can't wait for Christmas!  It is the best time of year!  Have a great week!

Love always,
Katee

PS  Brooke thanks for the bday stuff you are awesome!  I haven't opened  it yet, haha I am being good til Sunday! love you!

Hello 11/28/11

Hello family and friends!


Wow... I have so much to tell you, and I actually will have a little more time today because this morning my companion had to go to the doctor and they had computers there!  So I read my email there and now I can just write.  So anyway... what a week.  Man I have mixed emotions about holidays on a mission because it is soooo hard to see people and when you tract no one wants you there haha.  So the past few days were a little slow but it has been good and it should pick up again.  Oh and before I forget... transfers are next week so don't plan on an email til Tuesday.  And if it doesn't come don't stress haha. (mom) Okay so for starters we had a great thanksgiving... we ate with the Leach family and the Bison family first and then we went to the Graves family.  It was great, and my skirt almost didn't fit by the end of the night! :)  So that was great!  Oh okay sorry this email is going to be sporadic cuz I am all over the place today but Riley happy birthday this week!  I hope you have a great day!  Make Kelsee spoil you.  Okay so on to some more stuff. This week has been really great for me in more of a spiritual sense I guess.  I have learned a lot and I am so grateful. Yesterday during sacrament meeting it was the most amazing feeling in the world to look up and see one of our recent converts blessing the sacrament for the first time.  The spirit just hit me like a ton of bricks.  It was so cool.  Then Brother Leach spoke in sacrament meeting and he read a letter that they got from Matt a year ago when him and Colton were companions.  The love that those two had for each other was indescribable. Matt described how he felt when Colton was transferred and it brought tears to my eyes.  And I think it was at that moment that I began to realize how much our Heavenly Father loves us each individually.  He knows us so well and he knows where we need to be.  As I sat in sacrament meeting I felt my Saviors love for not only me but for everyone.  I know that he loves us beyond measure and Ii am so thankful for him.  I also had some time to read my patriarchal blessing this week. Every time I read it I learn something new and I am so grateful for it.  In my blessing it tells me that I am responsible to proclaim the gospel to all those who will hear it.  I think about that and I think how special that calling really is.  And how much the Lord must trust me with his children here in Washington.  This was another thing that happened that helped me more fully understand the love that our Savior and our Heavenly Father has for us.  I also received a letter this week that reminded me of my old high school days :)  In the letter this amazing person told me that she is glad that she is on "the winning team." And I thought about that and I realized that we are all on the winning team.... sometimes we just have to remember what jersey we wear.  And sometimes that is hard.  This week I also had a dream about my sweet Grandpa Harward, and I was so thankful because it was another way that I knew Heavenly Father knew me and what I needed.  But anyway... I have truly felt my Saviors love this week and how grateful I am for that because it is always hard to be away on holidays.  So anyway... sorry this is so sporadic but I don't want to forget anything.  I received a cute candy gram from our primary girls this week and I want them to know how thankful I was for that.  Also mom and dad THANK YOU so much for the birthday package! I love it! haha on Saturday we got a call asking us to teach the gospel doctrine lesson in the ysa ward haha I have never even been to gospel doctrine lol but it was fun.  We had like really no time to prepare.  Its amazing how the Lord blesses you when you are a missionary haha you can totally just wing anything and it comes out pretty good.  So that was funny, and Ii will miss that gift of wingin it when I am no longer a missionary!  Anyway, family and friends I love you all so much and hope you are doing great!  Have a happy holiday!

I love you all so much!

Love,
Katee

Happy almost Turkey Day! 11/21/11

Hello everyone!


I hope you are all doing well! This week has been pretty good.  Yesterday Will was confirmed in church and it was great.  As we were sitting at church yesterday... We sang the song "all creatures of our god and king" and the spirit hit me.  I can't really even explain it but I love that song and I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father.  Since being here is Silverdale I have really come to see that Heavenly Father is aware of me and that no matter what or no matter how long it takes he always answers my prayers.  This week for thanksgiving things should be great! I am really excited!  This ward is great and we have like three or four places to stop by for dinner.  The Leach family is great and we will stop there for sure and then we will see a couple other people. And we get a present on the holidays! NO TRACTING! Hahaha I know I shouldn't be so excited lol but tracting has been difficult lately and it is really hard to want to get out of the car and go knock on someones door who really doesn't want you there haha but its okay we will do it because we are asked!  So not much else happened this week other than Will getting the Holy Ghost!  Another investigator was supposed to be baptized but he bailed on us like three times this week so we will see what happens. So because it is Thanksgiving and all I wanted to tell everyone what I am thankful for this year. SO it might be a long list haha.

1.I am thankful for my eternal family! And for all the support they give me!

2.I am thankful for my best friends and ward members.

3.I am thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and grateful that it has changed my life.

4.I am thankful to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

5.I am thankful for a winter coat to with stand this Washington weather.

Okay so that was just a few things but I am running out of time.  So family and friends this week I want each of you to know how THANKFUL I am for you!  I am so thankful for my savior Jesus Christ. I know that he lives and loves all of us. I hope that in this holiday season we can focus on him and the sacrifices that he made for us! I love you all so much and hope that you have a great week and a happy Thanksgiving. Tell  Wendy Roesbery that I will miss her call on Thanksgiving! :) Love you all.

Love, Kate

P.S.   Grandma and Jodi, THANK YOU SO MUCH!   Brooke, Emily, Court, Marilin, Carol, and Mom thanks for the letters! You will have some soon!

Also, Laura I want to write you back but I was transferred and don't remember the address you gave me? Mom can you get it to me?  Thanks! I love you guys!

Hello 11/14/11

Hello everybody!  Sorry I am later in emailing today, I just got done tearin up the elders in some basketball haha just kidding.... kinda :)  So anyway.... this week has been AMAZING!  I feel like I have so much to say and so little time... so here it goes.  Will was baptized last night and it was amazing! Thank goodness!  HE is a miracle and I am so glad that I got to see him baptized.  I also got to speak so it was fun.  WE are hoping to have another baptism this Saturday so the work here in Silverdale is going great and I am loving every minute of it.  Transfers are already in three weeks and I can't believe it!  I hope more than anything that I can finish my mission here in Silverdale, haha that's like 4 and a half more transfers so I guess we will see how much president loves me haha. This past weekend we had a sisters conference and it was so sweet.  We all get there and President and Sister Weaver are like well pack in the cars we are taking all of you out to eat!!!!!  Oh my gosh it was great we went to The Old Spaghetti Factory!  I loved it.  Then we went to Savior of the world!  The Tacoma stake put it on.  Then we went and talked all night long.  Sister Craig and I had a lot to catch up on haha we stayed up talkin til like 1:30, haha President was like "hey the rules say you have to be in bed at 10:30 it never says anything about sleep" haha, so it was way awesome!  I totally needed it! All my sisters that I know and love are going home in three weeks and it makes me so sad.  It will be okay.  I will be like one of the oldest sisters in the mission now.  Way weird!  The time is just flying! ah!  This week was weird because I had a lot of dreams with family and friends in them, and I never dream or remember dreams so that was pretty interesting!  Mom and Dad, I am so glad that Sister Finnegan called you.  We were leaving a lesson that night and she got all choked up and said " you girls are amazing, the whole time I was sitting in that lesson I just thought... wow I wish their parents could see this!"  She is so sweet!  So she was like... wait... I can call them haha, so she told us both to give her the phone numbers!  Also last Monday we were tracting and the Leach family drove by and told us to come over for dinner!  It was so great!  Truly an answer to my prayers because I haven't seen pics of Colton in like ten months and they showed me all the ones from his blog!  I thought I was in heaven! Mom, can you send me the one of him baptizing in the river!? Man, my bro is so cool haha!  So anyway... the work here is great!  I love it so much!  I am going to have a real hard time leaving my mission in a few months.  I can't believe how fast it has gone.  My testimony of my Savior has grown so much and I know that he lives.  I know that the only way to get back to our Heavenly Father is by following the example of our Savior.  This week eternal families has come up a lot and how grateful I am for MY ETERNAL FAMILY!  That is probably the biggest lesson I have learned on my mission so far... eternal families.  And I have learned that that is what brings me the most joy!  I love you all so much!  Write soon! Stay strong!

Love always,
Katee

Miracles!!! 11/7/11

Hello family and friends,
Okay so I have so much to tell you and so little time on this lame timed computer haha, so I hope that I get everything out.  Sorry but I probably won't use correct punctuation in this email haha.  Okay so anyway... here it goes.  Silverdale has been a great area!  I told my companion that I want to ask President if I can stay here for the rest of my mission haha and knowing President if Ii asked I would probably have a good chance. So this week we have been working a lot with the Finnegan's!  I love them so much!  So they visit all the less actives on base and stuff and they found this girl and talked to her.  Her husband, Will was under way at the time! (under way means deployed for the navy, so he is on a sub)  So she said that he would be home in a few days and she wants him to meet with us.  So, then a couple days later we get a media referral on our phone saying that she wants a Book of Mormon.  So we take her one and she is so excited cuz she wanted it for her husband.  So then the Finnegan's visited them when he got home and set up a church tour for us.  So that was cool and we were happy.  They come to the tour and this guy is a MIRACLE!  So we start the tour and he was like "oh yeah this building looks like our last ward" me and Sister Holman were so flippin confused.  So then we move in to the chapel to talk about the sacrament and he like knows everything.  So, then I was like, are you a member? haha and he said well, I think so... and then he said " I think I was baptized but not confirmed!"  So here is me like trying not to choke haha so I was like "oh well don't worry we will call salt lake and check and then he was like "yeah i love this church it is so family oriented and that is what i need." so then we asked him if he would be baptized if there werent any records and he said "YES!" So they leave and i call sister mcquire in the office and and tell her that we just had a miracle and we need her help. so she calls Salt Lake and then calls us back and I answer and she says " it must be your lucky day!" haha they have no record on him.  So, he will be baptized this Sunday!!!!!! yeah!  It is so amazing!  I might have said this last week but when grandpa died, President Weaver gave me a blessing and he told me that I would soon reap the rewards of my labors in Rochester.  So this week I learned that everything is in the Lords time and because I worked my butt off in Rochester he is blessing me in Silverdale!  So it was way cool.  We also met with Franz.. he is a cool guy.  I taught him the word of wisdom and he was way distraught about giving up coffee.  So I was way panicked and then he bailed on our appointment the next day.  So I was just praying my heart out that he came to church! and he did!!!!  It was awesome!  He came in a suit and tie and everything!   He will hopefully be baptized this Saturday!  And we also have another "sisters conference" or slumber party as I like to call it this weekend!  So it will be way good to see Sister Craig before she leaves in a few weeks!  So it has been an amazing week!  I love this gospel with all of my heart!  I know it is true!  I KNOW that my Savior lives and loves me and that he understands me.  Today for p day we went to the naval base museum so that was cool.  I will send pics soon!  I love you all so much!  I love being a missionary.  I feel like Ii come closer to my Savior every day.  I know that this is the most important work on earth, and that I need to work hard because I don't have much time left!  I love you all so much and I hope you have an amazing week!


Love always,
Kate

Happy Halloween from Silverdale 10/31/11

Hello family and friends!


How are you all doing?  I am doing pretty good.  Silverdale is a fun place so far.  Its always hard to start over though and to learn a new area but I am doing good.  The greenie is out doing me in mail so far haha just kidding I know you are all writing it is just taking awhile cuz of my new address.  Anyway... So I finally met the Leach family!  They are awesome!  Sister Leach kind of reminds me of Brenda Tolman!  So I'm sure she will be amazing and I am excited to get to know them better.  She said that they are picking up Elder Lleach in May so maybe they will get to see Elder Balmforth.  So cool.  SO anyway... I think I might be with Colton on the follow up training thing.  I don't know if I'm a huge fan but I suppose I will get used to it.  My companion is pretty cool, she reminds me a lot of Ande Miller and Natalie Perkins.  Its crazy... but we are really different.  I hope she likes me haha oh well if she doesn't.  We have been going on the military base a lot and its way sweet!  I feel like I on a movie set or something haha we have quite a few investigators so hopefully we will see some baptisms soon. We also might have a wedding soon haha one of our potential investigators text us the other day and asked if she could get married haha so hopefully after the wedding she will be interested in the church.  The Finnegan's are the senior couple here and they are so awesome!  Sister Finnegan reminds me of my sweet Grandma Harward and it makes me happy every time I see her because I see my grandma.  I miss my grandma!  But they treat us like gold and I love them, and she is originally from Scotland so she has a wicked awesome accent!  I love it!  So tonight for Halloween president doesn't want us out so we are having a party with our zone! This will be the first entire day off on that I have had on my mission.  Its weird but good.  I think we get to watch a movie and I am pretty stoked!  Any way this week has been good.  I am working hard to learn everything.  Its hard when I just want to hit the ground running and I can't because I don't know anything.  And I just want to work hard because I am an older missionary now and I know that my time is short.  And my comp is a greenie and still doesn't get that... but its okay I know that Heavenly Father will bless me and help me with anything that I need.  I love this gospel so much.  It makes me so happy! Yesterday in church I was thinking about my mission call, and how special and sacred that is to me. And how much my Heavenly Father and Savior truly love me, and know me. I know that they do and I know that I was sent to the Washington, Tacoma mission for a reason!  I love it here!  I love you all so much!  I like Colton have slacked on letters so I promise to try hard this week to get some out!  I Love you all so much and hope you have a great week!

Love always,
Katee



HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Hello! Welcome to Silverdale!

Hello family and friend! How are you all doing?  I am doing so good.  As most of you probably already know I have been transferred to Silverdale 5th and 6th wards.  I am excited to be over two wards again.  The 5th ward is a young single adult ward haha I just laughed when I found that out lol.  We all know how I love those wards haha.  But I'm excited and it should be way good.  I won't lie I was super sad to leave Rochester.  Saying goodbye to everyone was tough.  I became close friends with a girl there and she just cried when she said goodbye to me.  I also had a hard time saying goodbye to Venus and Luisa and the Jones family.  It will be good though.  I would have loved to stay there but Silverdale already seems great. My new companion is Sister Holman from Mesa Arizona.  This is only her second transfer so I am follow up training her.  She seems great already and we have a lot in common.  Also I found out that I am in the Leach family's ward.  I was sooooo excited when I found this out.  I thought they would be in a different ward so I am so excited to meet them!  So my new address is 1201 NW Tahoe Ln. #204 Silverdale WA, 98383.  We have a really great apartment!  So send me letters! Hahah.  Anyway... last week was so great!  Sister Fisher and I got to go on exchanges and go to the temple.  So Sister Lee stayed with Sister Ffishers comp for half the day and we saw the family receive there endowments and then be sealed together with their kids.  It was so special because their 3 yr. old son passed away about 5 months ago.  The spirit in that room was amazing and I can't even explain the peace that I felt.  I am way excited to be in Silverdale. They actually have investigators and we will hopefully have a baptism on Sunday.  We have a senior couple that we work with and they are great. The Finnegan's.  She is from Scotland originally.  They are like grandparents to the missionaries.  So Silverdale is also on the military base so I will get to go there hopefully tonight.  I am praying that they let me in without my drivers license haha.  Anyway... I have learned that change is good even though I miss Rochester.  I know that the Lord has a hand in everything and that this is where Ii am supposed to be.  I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I am so honored to be called a disciple of him.  I love you all so much and I am so sorry I am slow at writing.  Things have been so busy but I will do my best to be better!  I will write soon.  Court I got your letter, thank you so much I will write soon.  I hope you all have a great week!  Know that I love you  all so much!


Love,
Katee

10/17/11

Hello family and friends!


How are you all doing? I am doing pretty well. I wish I had more to report than I do but that's okay. So this week has been okay. The stake president challenged us to tract for 24 hours in the week. Yeah it was hard because we all know how much I love tracting. I actually don't mind tracting if its stuff that I haven't tracted before. But I have now tracted all of Rochester at least twice and some of it three times. Its way funny when people look at me and say " you were here last month." I usually smile and say "well ya know Rochester is only so big." haha. But the other day was really funny. We knocked on this grumpy lady''s door. And she said "You have been here before." And i just said "really?" playing dumb of course haha and she said "yes. i recognize your sweater.... there are some things i do not forget!" bhahahaha by this time i was just like oh my goodness please get me off this door step haha. Sister Lee and I laughed about it and so did the lady's neighbor... Man situations as a missionary are so awkward sometimes haha. So anyhow... Transfers are next week so I won't email til tuesday probably, but I don't really know what to think yet. Yesterday I was thinkin they will probably kick me out of Rochester but then I woke up this morning and thought I might stay. So I guess we will see. I won't lie I am starting to love Rochester and I actually kind of want to stay. The people here are amazing and I think they like me :) I hope anyway.... I am pretty close with a few families and its great. But anyway,.. we will see what happens. Yesterday I spoke in church, the bishop asked us on Wednesday and we don't have a lot of time to do anything other than missionary work so I think my talk was okay for preparing the morning of haha its way funny how i don't even stress about stuff like that anymore. Then after church there was a child of record baptism that the family asked me to speak at so I did that as well. We still don't have anyone to teach but I know that it will happen soon. President Weaver came down on Saturday to give me a temple recommend! I love that man! He is amazing! So I will be going to the temple on Saturday. It is the 9 am session and 11 o clock sealing. It will be awesome! Anyone who can should go to the temple with me :) Anyway... this week has been good. I am learning that my personal purpose as a missionary is to do more than just baptize. It is to gain trust and friendships with the members and less actives. And I know that at this time in my mission that is what the Lord needs from me. So that is what I will do. I love my mission. I have learned so many things. I love the Gospel with all my heart! I hope you all have a great week! And Colton keep up the good work! You are my hero! I love you all.

Love, Kate

10/10/11

Okay so what a week.  First off its been weird cuz last week on p day I noticed that I was missing my wallet... well it is still missing so I don't know if I lost it or if someone kifed it!  Ah! its frustrating to deal with credit cards and everything... oh well.  The Lord knows when we need trials haha.  So anyway... the rest of the week has been cool. We found this lady named Michelle a couple weeks ago and she finally came on a church tour. She liked it a lot! I started talking about baptism and the restoration of the gospel and Joseph Smith and she just looked at us and said "wow, why don't other churches know this?" And I said haha exactly!  That's why we have missionaries like us.  So she didn't come to church because she felt uncomfortable without nice clothes so hopefully she will come next week!  It was cool.  Transfers are on the 24th!  I don't really know what will happen.  I dunno.... haha I'm sure Marissa is so laughing at me right now haha.  Anyway... we played basketball with the elders today and it was AWESOME!  I loved it!  We have an elder in our zone now who is 6 ft 9!  Oh yeah he is awesome!  He played in high school and he is way good.  Today I was going up for a fast break lay up and he was trailing behind me so I thought I would show off a little and I hit it off the back board so he could slam dunk it!  Ha it was soooo sweet!  He missed it barely but everyone was like ohhhhh!  Haha it was so great!  Other great news this week!  Is that Sister Fisher and I had a baptism back in July, and it was a referral from a less active in the ward.  Well now that less active is going through the temple on the 22nd!  And I got permission to go!!!  I am so excited!  I can't wait. O nly problem is that my temple recommend was in my wallet!  Stupid Satan haha oh well hopefully I will just call president and he can give me a new one!  I can't wait to see that family sealed together!  It will be so great.  They had a little boy pass away so it is going to be AMAZING!  So this week we hope and pray to find more people.  I know we will even if its not this transfer or even in Rochester.  I will find people soon. I  love you all so much! I  am so thankful for my eternal family and for missionary work!  I have seen it change my life forever!  I love it so much and I love serving my Heavenly Father.  I know that because of his son we will live with him again and with our families and friends forever!  Have an amazing week everyone!


Love,
Katee
ps... letters will come soon! love you!

Oh and Colton the package will be really late cuz the wallet thing love you guys!

10/03/11

Hello everyone!
How are you all doing this week?  I feel like I have so much to say about conference I don't even know where to start!  IT WAS AMAZING!  I look forward to conference more than I ever have before!  It makes it so I can continue working hard even on slow days.  So first off!  I about peed my pants when Pres. Monson announced the new temple in Durban, South Africa!!!  I pictured the look on Colton's face and it was priceless!  I was so happy almost close to tears!  And it was the same for the Provo temple too!  How amazing is that! We watched a couple of sessions at the church and a couple with members.  It was great. Every time they showed Temple square my face lit up, and I was like a little kid on Christmas. The weather looked so great there haha.  We have had some very rainy dreary days.... but what can ya do when you live in Washington!  Anyhow... I loved Sister Dalton's talk and it made me think about my amazing daddy.  I also loved Robert D. Hales.  He has a close place to my heart.  I also loved seeing Doug Furness on the screen and me hearing John's voice in my head saying there's dougy! haha. I 'm glad my family was at the cabin that is so awesome!  I will be there next year for sure!  Anyway this week has been about the same.  No one new to teach and tracting the same places multiple times.  But I know we are planting seeds somewhere! haha. We just have to be patient!  That is way awesome about Colton's baptism!  I am so happy for him!  That kid is my hero.  Well transfers are in three weeks and the odds of me getting kicked out of Rochester are pretty good.  I had an interview with president this week and it was great!  I love that man.  But I won't be surprised if i get transfered!  But I am good with whatever.  I am starting to love Rochester, so it will be a little hard if it happens.  So anyway.. I have been happy and that's all that matters!  I love being a missionary! Laura and Janelle you will get letters soon, and Brooke you too!  Oh and Thomas family, Elder Johnson is doing great!  He is about 40 miles away from me so I see him occasionally!  We talk about how amazing our Thomas family is!  I love you all so much!  The church is true!  I KNOW that Thomas S. Monson is the living prophet today and that he gives us council and guidance!  He is amazing!  I know that he speaks with heavenly father and that he truly is his mouth piece!  I love the Book of Mormon!  READ IT!  It will change you forever!  You are all amazing and I love you so much!  Have a great week!


Love,
Katee

ps. thanks for all the mail i will send mail soon! love you guys!

09/26/11

Hello family and friends


How are you all doing?  I am doing great!  I can't believe my poor little brother got mugged.  That is insane.  I count my blessings every day. Brother, don't worry about the ctr ring, that person obviously needed it more than you did haha and our deal will still work.  So I recieved lots of mail this week and I really appreciated it!  I needed it.  So thank you everyone!  I am writing letters today so you will get one soon.  Laura, THANK YOU so much!  I loved everything and the letter was what I needed.  I think right now in Rochester I am a sower just like you :) and I am okay with that!  Okay so not much new this week.  We are working on getting Venus and Loiza to the temple to do baptisms for the dead.  The language barrier is so hard.  I love Venus so much I wish I could just talk to her.  But soon enough.  I have pretty much tracted all of town a couple times now and yesterday we had a hard day at church. Ward Council meeting was brutal haha it was like pick on Sister Balmforth day lol but I survived.  So after that the last thing I wanted to do was to go knock on doors.  But I told myself that the Lord would bless me if I did.  So door after door shut in our face.  So then we went to dinner with at a members.  Then we left and I thought the same thing. I don't want to knock on doors today.  But if I do I know the Lord will bless me.  So if I force myself out of the car and walk up to door number one.  Behind door number one is a girl who is wearing a basketball hoodie! Yeah that was sweet.  Her name is Nikki and we find out that she is a less active member.  She seemed way cool.  So I was like well we would love to have you back to church and she said thank you and then we went to leave and she said "oh while you are here I was going to ask you a question.."  I said okay and she said, "my boyfriend lives with me and I want him to take the discussions... can you do that?"  I pretty much had to pick my jaw up off the floor!  Haha it was great.  I didn't want to act to excited cuz I wanted Sister Lee to understand that miracles like this happen a lot more than we have seen lately!  Haha so it was great. So pray that all of that works out!  She said she would call us!  Other than that the week has been good. Lots of knocking on doors but I know it will be great.  We had a zone conference and Pres. and Sister Weaver got all of us Jamba Juice!  It was great!  Well family, I love you all.  This week I have seen the Savior working in my life.  He always does.  I especially loved the relief society conference.  Pres. Uchtdorf answered a lot of questions for me.  I am so thankful for modern day prophets.  I am so excited for conference!  We will watch it at the church probably it will be great!  I hope you all have a great conference week, and listen to conference with questions in mind and I know they will be answered for you!  I love you all.

Love,
Katee

09/19/11

Hello everyone!


How are you all doing? Okay so this week has been..... hmm.... I don't even know where to start.  Its been kinda rough. With school starting no one is ever home, and it is hard to even visit less actives and recent converts.  But its been good.  The majority of the week we tracted.  And I have been in Rochester for over three months now so we are tracting everything I have already tracted.  Its pretty funny when people look at me and say "you were here last month." and I say "I know I was but Rochester is small, so I guess we will just invite you again" haha its funny but hard at the same time.  But I am learning a lot.  Yesterday we had to call President Weaver to ask him a question and he told us to keep working hard and even though we can't see the rewards of our labors now we will soon.  So that was good.  It was just what I needed to hear.  I just feel really bad because I really want Sister Lee to know how it feels to help someone and to baptize them. She will soon I hope.  It was pretty cool this week we visited two different lady's who are less active and as we were sitting there they both said " I was hoping you would come today." so that's pretty cool.  I love when that happens because then it helps me realize the power the spirit has in a missionaries life.  So there is not much else to report this week.  We are working our butts off trying to find people to teach.  We did get a cool referral this week and we took her on a church tour.  But I don't think we will get to teach her more than the first lesson because she is going off to school like on Thursday.  So that was exciting though... and as long as she accepts the gospel I don't care where she gets baptized.  Sister Lee is really nice.  I feel like I haven't told you much about her.  She is a really good cook. S he is really really quiet.  So that is hard sometimes and I feel like I talk to much but what can ya do right?  Yesterday in ward council the bishop said "tomorrow I would like to have a ward FHE at my house and I would like it if the missionaries would come and teach. (looking right at me) I was like... seriously? haha but hopefully it will go good.  We are going to teach a lesson about being member missionaries and using mormon.org. so it should be cool.  Anyone who is reading this email needs to get on mormon.org and create a profile!  PLEASE! It will help with missionary work a lot and plus I can get on it and look at your profiles and show investigators my family and friends!  So its pretty cool.  This week I noticed that my shoes are a little worn haha I love it!  I may eventually get new ones but I don't know.  I hate spending money lol.  Thank you everyone who wrote me this week!  I will write back soon I promise!  Hope thank you so much for the earrings!  They are so cute and my comp loves them too!  Terry, Court Patti, Allyson, Marilyn, and Carol thank you for the letters!  Anyone else who sent stuff thank you so much I haven't got the mail today yet so I'm sure there is more because you guys are the best!  I want you all to know how much I love you!  My family and friends and ward family are amazing!  On Saturday we had a day of service and it made me think a lot about going on the ward cleanups with my daddy every year.  It was great!  The weather has been icky so I will take lots of vitamin D haha.  I want you all to know that this gospel changes lives and it is amazing!  It is so hard for me to tell you how I feel about it! I have seen it change lives but mostly I have seen it change my life.  I love my savior Jesus Christ.  I know he lives and loves us and died for all of us so we can be together forever!  I picture heaven to be a lot like our life now.  Neighbors and friends living close together, playing on a big basketball court outside! haha I love it!  I hope you all know how much Ii love you and how much I appreciate you!  Have a great week!

Love always,
Kate

Hello 09/13/11

Hello family and friends!


How in the world are you all doing?  Okay so this past week was a little weird.  Last transfer was hard. We had no one to teach and we still are struggling in that area.  We have a little girl who is 11 years old that we are working with.  Her mom is a member but hasn't been to church since she was like 15 and she is not interested at all, but she is totally okay with her daughter coming to church and stuff.  So she will probably want to get baptized but the hard part is going to be able to get the ward and the bishop on board with it.  So I'm sure you have all heard by now but TRANSFER NEWS IS........Sister Balmforth will be staying in little ole Rochester with Sister Lee.  (Marrissa stop laughing :)  We both knew that we were probably going to stay.  I love Rochester... Okay I love the people of Rochester it is just hard sometimes because I have seriously tracted the whole town at least twice and people look at me and say "you were here last month, don't you remember my daughter"?  I'm like "uh no!" haha I meet like hundreds of people how would I remember lol.  But it is good.  Sister Lee and I are doing good.  We are really trying hard to find people to teach.  It is not an easy task but we know that if we continue to have faith and be obedient then the Lord will bless us. We have a church tour set up for tonight so pray that it goes good.  We were in Tacoma yesterday for transfer meeting and it was great!  I love being there with all my old companions!  Its so fun!  Sister Craig is doing.... good haha. T he lucky dog is staying in Puyallup haha and she is staying with the greenie that she has had now for going on three transfers haha.  Its funny... she is way annoyed and she is praying that she doesn't hurt her companion haha.  I just laugh!  But things are good for them.  Sister Fisher got doubled in to the Grahm area which is in Puyallup as well and she will be training a greenie!  I am excited for her.  And Sister Nybo is now headed home!  It was sad to see her go.  Oh and Sister Fisher also got bit by a pit bull the other day... its pretty gnarly lol.  She is okay though.  I told her that Satan is starting to work through all these dumb dogs!  Okay... So I am so glad that the wedding was great!  I thought of you guys a lot!  I actually did really good for the whole day.  I didn't even cry until the lights were off and it was bed time haha and even then it was only a few tears.  I guess it was easy for me to hold it together because I knew that it was the right thing.  I am so glad that it went well and I am glad that it is over.  The other day at stake conference the closing hymn was families can be together forever.  I choked up a little bit as we sang.  I thought about my amazing family and friends and how I will be blessed to be with them forever because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am so thankful for it in my life.  My outlook on the eternal perspective has changed so much.  I have learned that, that is the reason that we are on earth.  It is so we can prepare to live with our father in heaven and with our families for eternity.  I know that the blessings we receive in the temple lead to eternal life.  I love it so much.  I love this Gospel and I love this work.  Being a missionary is amazing! I can't believe I have been out nine months!  It goes too fast!  I love you all and I hope that you have a great week!  Read, and Pray always! I love you!

Love, Katee

Special Request

Hello you loyal blog readers, this is Katee's Mom.  It has been a rough week and poor Katee did not get an email from me this week.  Long story short, I thought I wrote her and Colton at the same time and then it got really late so I thought I will write her in the morning and guess what, all morning I was waiting for her to email, thinking that I had emailed, duh.  So later in the afternoon, I realize it is a holiday so she probably can't go to the library and email, so I left and missed her when she wrote.  So she thinks something is wrong and she is really depressed about not being here for the wedding and all of her emotions are raging.  So if you all would not mind saying an extra prayer for her this week, I would really appreciate it.  She is doing good, I just know that Thursday is going to be a really hard day.  She is very happy for Kelsee but they have this twin thing that is weird, so if you don't mind, please prayer for her.  Thanks so much for all the love and support that all of you give to our missionaries, we could not do it without your help and all your prayers.

Cindy

Bee's, Dogs and stupid Satan :)

Hello family and friends,


Okay so what a crazy week.  I will start with what happened last Monday.  So we had a little beehive outside our house.  So we told Brother Jones and he said that he would take care of it.  So one night we get home and I help Brother Jones spray some stuff up in the hole where the bees were.  So we thought everything was all fine and dandy.  So then the next morning I wake up and I was studying at the table and I hear a little creaky noise in the wall.  Then I look up and see two bees flying around in the sky lights.  So I tell Brother Jones and then we came home later that day and we walk in our house and there are DEAD bees EVERYWHERE!  And live ones too!  So bees were getting in the house and it was crazy.  So we stayed with some members for a couple nights, and we are still cleaning up the after math but it is better now.  So crazy.  Then we go tracting that day and I almost get eaten by a dog.  Like no joke if the owner hadn't come out two seconds after she did I probably would have been in the ER.  Hahaha it was great fun let me tell ya. Then I said something to Sister Lee like oh this day can't get any worse, and don't worry it did haha.  We had a chaotic lesson with Trina and then I proceeded to lock the keys in the trunk!  So I called Elder Quigley who is over the cars and he said he would come to Rochester the next day.  So we were gonna be walkin for awhile.  BUT!  Brother Clark who lives down the street saved the day because he has a ford and his key just happened to open our car!  That was the Miracle of the day!  So anyway... that was a weird day.  So Trina said she would be baptized on the 11th.  But then Sunday... SHE DIDN'T COME TO CHURCH!  Ah! I was so bummed!  We had a member go over to pick her up and everything and she wasn't there!  I almost had a break down in church haha but don't worry I didn't!  I know that Satan is just kicking me this week because my sister is about to do something AMAZING!  Oh well it will all be okay.  We did have a church tour last night and we have three new investigators.  I am not sure how solid they are but I am having Faith that it will work out. Transfers are next week and I don't really know what will happen.  So I will probably email Tuesday.  Okay so Calee, and Mom and Dad THANK YOU SO MUCH for your packages!  I loved it!  You guys are the best!  I have been eating tomato sandwiches and they rock!  So anyway I know that this will be a good week!  I am so happy for Kelsee and Riley!  I love you guys so much!  And I am so proud of you!  Kels, I have a package that I will send you.  The post office is closed today so I hope you get it by Thursday, if not you will soon!  I want you guys to know how much I love you!  Brooke Cockayne, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  You will have a letter soon!  Promise!  Hope and Courteney how are you I haven't heard from you lately? I  have been thinkin about my whole family lately.  Grandma and mom and my aunts and everyone!  I know things are hard right now but I promise it will get better!  We all just need to rely on the Lord and put everything in his hands!  I know that the gospel is true!  I wouldn't be in Washington if it wasn't! I know that our family will be forever and Ii am so thankful for that!  I love you all so much!  I hope you have a great week!  And I hope the wedding is amazing and Kelsee has the best day of her life!  I love you all so much!  Kels you are my hero!  Have the best day ever and know that I will be thinking about you all day!  I love you guys!

love always,
Katee

ps... mom i love you :)

Thank You Grandpa!!! 08/29/11

Hello family and friends,


Well... what a week it has been. It started off pretty good. We had a lesson with Trina and we committed her to be baptized on the fourth. It was cool. I was way happy and you can only imagine how ecstatic Sister Lee was because it was a first for her haha.  So we were driving down the road after and I just smiled and mumbled to myself, "thank you grandpa."  I know that Grandpa has really been helping me lately.  So anyway Trina didn't come to church yesterday so she fell off date to be baptized.  So pray really hard for us because we are teaching her again tonight.  Then yesterday another Miracle happened.  Rick who I told you about a few weeks ago who has a hard time seeing why God lets bad things happen.  He showed up to church!  It was a huge miracle!  And he seemed to like it.  So also the other day I was tracting with a split, and we tracted into this lady who grew up a member of the church but hasn't been since she was fifteen.  And she wasn't interested but she said that her daughter was.  So I said okay how old is your daughter?  And she said eleven!  I love that number haha.  So anyway the next day we took her daughter on a church tour and she came to all three hours of church yesterday and loved it!  She said that she was going to come every week.  So we have an amazing family in the ward who is going to fellowship her and bring her.  So that is way cool.  And then last night another amazing member called and said that she had a referral for us, and so we have an appointment with them tomorrow night.  So pray really hard that the lessons will go good and we can help them feel the spirit!  So we FINALLY have a couple of people that we are teaching and it is so exciting!  I know that it is because we have had a lot of faith and diligence.  And because my Grandpa kept his promise.  I really miss him but I am thankful that I can feel his presence with me.  The weather the past few weeks has been good, but it is starting to get dreary again so hopefully we can all stay positive haha sometimes it is so hard with the constant gloomy weather.  But we will be okay. Allyson, Marilyn, Carol, and Mom, thank you so much for your mail this week.  You guys are the best!  I am working on letters back to everyone!  Also Lee Hancock you are amazing, you will never know how much your letter meant to me.  I really appreciate it!  Calee, THANK YOU so much for the package!  My comp is gluten intolerant so I got to eat the whole thing by myself haha it was so dang good.  I won't lie the past couple weeks have been good but a little tough with Grandpa and the wedding coming up, but I know that everything will be okay and that I will be okay.  Because I know that this is where the lord needs me right now!  I know that this gospel is the only true gospel on the earth today, and that it was restored by Joseph Smith. I know that our Savior lives and loves us, and that he died for us so that we can all return to live with him someday. I know that if we stay close to our Heavenly Father he will bless us, and even though we feel alone sometimes I KNOW that we are never alone.  Heavenly Father loves us to much to leave us hangin.  All we have to do is humble ourselves and ask for help.  I have seen the power of the Atonement more fully lately and I can't tell you how it has affected me. I truly am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ.  He is everything.  I am thankful for my eternal family.  I can't even tell you how much I love you!  Kelsee this week think of ways you can feel the spirit more.  And I know that this week as you prepare to go to the temple Satan will try to get in the way. But don't let him.  The temple is an amazing place and you just need to soak it all in.  Don't be nervous because it is amazing.  And I am so excited for you!  I am so proud of you sister!  I will be thinking about you all day on Thursday!  I hope you all have an amazing week!  Keep me in your prayers and know that you are all always in mine.  I love you so much!  Have a great week!

Love, Katee

Hello 08/22/11

Hello everybody!  How are you all doing?  I am doing pretty good.  We had another some what slow week until Saturday night.  Our district leader has been feeling bad for us so he was like we will come tract in your area.  Haha I was like okay come on out.  So they found this girl named Trina.  I met her about 2 months ago and at the time she just didn't seem to prepared.  So we just kind of let it be.  So the other day the elders said to go see her sometime.  So I felt like we should go that night.  I was hesitant and didn't think much would come out of it because the last time nothing happened.  So we went over this time and it was so cool. Her attitude was way different.  So I was like well what are you doing tomorrow?  Do you want to come to church?  And she said that she would!  She came to church and stayed for all three hours!  It was amazing! I was so happy.  So we now have ONE investigator!  I love it!  And sweet Sister Lee is so excited because she hasn't ever taught a real investigator.  Haha its pretty cute.  I like seeing her get excited!  So anyway... I have still been thinking a lot about my family and everything but I want you all to know that I am doing great! I have my moments but really I am fine.  I know that Grandpa is helping me out so that brings a lot of comfort.  I am working on letters so you will get some soon. I want you all to know how much I love you. I am so grateful for the knowledge that we have and I am so grateful that we will be a forever family.  I was talking to Sister Lee the other day about our neighborhood and stuff and how we are all so close like one big family.  And she said man I love your simple little Utah life.  Ha ha and I said I love it too.  Its how I picture the celestial kingdom to be!  Speaking of our ward.  I can't believe that the boundaries are changed!  That's crazy!  I HATE change.  I don't want to go to the Bernina building haha but I guess I will live. And that's cool that Hym time is in our stake.  I will like that!  Well anyway... sorry this is kind of short I don't know what else to say.  Oh L. Tom Perry was here a couple days ago and we got to hear him speak!  It was great! Sister Craig said the closing prayer so she got to meet him. That was pretty cool.  Well I hope all is well with you all and that the wedding plans are going good.  I want you all to know how much I love you and how much you mean to me!  I love this gospel and my savior Jesus Christ.  I know that he lived and died for us. And that he helps us all the time. I know that we are NEVER alone, even though it feels like it sometimes!  I love the Book of Mormon!  It is the most powerful book on earth!  Keep praying for me and I will do the same for all of you!  I love you all!  Have a great week!


Love, Katee

My Grandpa Harward 08/15/11

Hello family and friends,


Well its been a crazy hard week.  I don't really even know where to start.  First off I want to tell you about my week up until Friday.  So.... We have had a slow week once again.  I hate reporting numbers to the District Leader because it is mostly zero's.  I know that the lord will bless us soon though.  So Friday was a pretty good day.  We have been spending a lot of our time with the recent converts and less actives.  So Friday we had like 5 lessons taught to them before dinner and we were feeling pretty good about ourselves. haha.  And the sun was shining so I was happy.  So we were eating dinner with the some recent converts who are amazing!  They fed us a thanksgiving dinner.  It was definitely no Grandma Harward thanksgiving dinner but it was good.  So we get done with dinner and we were sharing a message and the phone rings.  I look down and it says Pres. Weaver.  So I excuse myself and answer the phone.  Normally we call people back but I figured it was President so I better answer.  He said "hello Sister Balmforth,  Sister Weaver and I are in your area and wondered if we could stop by and say hi to you sisters."  I was like sure president.  So we said that we would meet at the church in 10 minutes.  Now I was a little confused for two reasons.  One was because it was 5 o clock which is tracting time here in the WA TAC.  And two because President and Sister Weaver had said earlier in the week that they were going to come to our church this Sunday because they wanted to see Venus.  So I was a little confused.  So we get to the church and I thought it was going to be a quick hi in the parking lot.  But we get out and say hi and stuff and then President says "well do you have the keys to the building and we can go in and talk for a little bit?"  I was so confused!  So we go in and just start talking about our area and how we have had a hard time finding people and all this stuff.  We probably talked for like 20 minutes and then president looked at me and said "well we actually came here for a reason to talk to you..." and I hesitantly and nervously said "okay..." and he said your dad called this morning and said that your grandpa had passed away........ I immediately broke into tears and Sister Weaver just put her arm around me just like my mom would have.  She sat and held me in her arms and talked to me and told me everything that dad had said.  After a few minutes I pulled myself together and looked up and Presidents eyes were almost as wet as mine.  At that moment I knew how much they loved me and how much they cared.  My poor little companion was sobbing too.  Then President asked if I would like a blessing and I said yes.  So a few things that stuck out to me in the blessing was....He said that my grandpa was happy. And he said that my mom and grandma and my whole family would be comforted.  And he also told me that I would begin to reap the blessing in my area, and he said that heavenly father was proud of me and the work that I have done has been accepted.  That blessing was so comforting.  I have been doing good since, and it has been hard but I am good because my grandpa is happy. Colton emailed me today and said.... Grandpa has three area's... Washington, Africa, and the spirit prison!  I thought that was pretty cool and soooo true.  My grandpa is definitely on my team and I felt his presence with me on Friday night as I was tracting.  I will forever remember my amazing grandpa!  Mom here are some things you can use in your talk if you want... Grandpa loved his jazz and byu!  When he first had alzheirmers he forgot lots of stuff but he NEVER forgot when his jazz and cougars were playing!  I loved that... about a year ago I was talking about buying myself tickets to a game and grandpa walked in the room with his jazz schedule and said "pick a game and I will buy the tickets!"  Haha, my eyes got big and grandma's face looked like oh yeah you and what money grandpa haha it was classic!  Grandpa always had those little push up icee things that made our mouth blue. And he was the candy man. He always had werthers hard candy and then he eventually upgraded to wonka laffy taffy.  I remember the story of him and Kelsee playing the slap game and Kels freaked out cuz he didn't have any fingers.  And the time when he took his leg off and threw it across the room and one of the little grand kids maybe it was Adam picked it up and took it to him and said here is your leg grandpa... haha. He always complained about my dad breaking his pinkey in the temple.  And he always had coke or milk...I don't think I ever saw grandpa drink a cup of water in my whole life.  Grandpa put ketchup on EVERYTHING.  The other day I had a frozen burrito and I put ketchup on it and my companion said that is gross!  And I said no its not haha then I said you should meet my grandpa... he puts ketchup on his ketchup lol.  He liked going to the family reunions in Fillmore only if he could golf or shoot rabbits.  And he called everyone honey!  Even my daddy!  I will always remember how sweet my grandpa was.  He LOVED coming to watch me play basketball and I knew he was proud of me.  And I know that he is going to help me this week!  I love you family and friends and I hope you have a great week! STAY STRONG!  Mom and Grandma and Dad and Kels and Jodi it was so good to hear your voices on Friday! You stay Strong and know that grandpa is happy!  Brooke I got your package the day after grandpa died and I was so thankful!  I will write letters soon! I love you all.!

Love, Katee

Because I Have Been Given Much!! 08/08/11

Hello family and friends!


Okay so what a week I have had. Lets see what happened?.... Oh not much. haha. Its been a rough week. We still have NO ONE to teach and I am just praying that my Greenie does not get discouraged!  Sister Lee is great.  She is super quiet and I do most the talking so I should probably work on that. I feel like I don't know what to teach her. So Sister Jones... the lady we live with said "sometimes you just gotta teach by example, so its okay that you do everything." haha its kinda true.  I feel a little overwhelmed but I am okay.  I just keep praying every single night that we see a miracle and find someone to teach.  It hasn't happened yet but I know that it will soon. I studied about Faith this morning,  I think my faith is getting stronger but right now I feel like I don't know what to do.  Its crazy!  We feel like glorified visiting teachers because we visit members and less actives and share messages because we don't have anyone to teach. But the ward here is hopefully going to do a fast for missionary work so that will be nice and I know that it will help. Mom and Dad THANK you so much for the package! I love the CD's and Mom you are so sweet for sending that book for the guy we met!  I am so thankful for you guys!  So this week I have learned a few things! I have learned that My Savior loves me so much!  We were at a members house this past week and I shared a scripture (one of my favorites) its 3 nephi 11:14-15 and it talks about when the savior comes and visits the nephites and they feel his hands.  And I have shared this scripture hundreds of times but this time was just different.The spirit was so strong as I bore testimony of the savior! I am so thankful for my savior!  I know that he lives!  I know it with all of my heart!  I am so happy that I can be here serving him right now.  Even though it is hard sometimes... the atonement wasn't easy either so why should I complain.  I love my Heavenly Father.  I know that he hears my prayers!  I know that I will see a miracle soon!  Yesterday in church the testimony meeting was amazing.  And then the closing hymn was one of my favorites "Because Ii Have Been Given Much" as we sang that hymn yesterday my emotions were very close to the surface.  It was at that moment that I knew that the lord tries our patience sometimes but because he has given me so much I want to press forward and do his work!  This work is the most important work on the earth!  I love it so much.  It is so hard to believe that I don't have much time left!  I am so thankful for the Gospel in my life, and that I was born of goodly parents who taught me everything I needed to know.  I know that if we press forward when times get hard that Heavenly Father will bless us and he will never leave us alone! I have seen this time and time again since i have been out on a mission and i know that if we all pray and ask for help we will see our Heavenly Fathers hand in our life!  I love you all so much and I hope that you have a great week! And don't forget to PRAY! :) I will write letters soon!  I love you!

Love always,
Katee

I gots me a greenie 08/02/11

Hello family and friends!


How are you all doing!?  I am doing good.  I have had so many mixed emotions this past week.  I have so much to tell you all.  So buckle up Jazz fans because this could be a long email haha.  Okay so... the past two weeks have been weird.  We had been working our butts off and nothing was happening. I  didn't know what to do.  Every night we were coming home so exhausted... physically and spiritually.  We had no one to teach so we were doing a ton of tracting (my favorite thing in the world).  So one night we came home and I was saying my prayers.  I got down on my knees and I just pleaded with Heavenly Father with a few tears streaming down my face.  I said "Heavenly Father I am tired, Sister Fisher and I have been working so hard and nothing is happening.  I am so tired... my feet hurt and I really need to see a miracle."  So after that prayer I felt a little better and I told the Lord that I was just going to put everything in his hands.  Meanwhile we had been kind of teaching Venus and Loisa but it was hard because they can't speak English.  So we decided to call President Weaver because we knew that there was an elder from Russia serving in Tacoma.  So we call the amazing President Weaver and he says sisters we will do whatever it takes to help these people.  So last Tuesday Pres and Sister Weaver brought Elder Grachev down to the dirty South (Rochester).  And we met Venus and Loisa.  This experience was probably one of the most amazing that I have had on my mission.  I can't even describe the feeling that I felt in the room as he was teaching in Russian.  No one but Venus and Loisa could understand anything but we all felt the same thing. And then we all prayed together and tears filled my eyes.  I knew that Venus and Loisa were the miracle that I had pleaded for.  So on Tuesday they committed to be baptized on SATURDAY!  It was so amazing!  Elder Grachev came and baptized them and President and Sister Weaver came to the baptism. I can't even describe how happy Sister Fisher and I were.  They were our miracle.  And I know that hard work pays off.  And all the Lord expects us to do is give it our all.  Then he will provide for us.  I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father.  I know that he hears my prayers.  It is a weird situation because they have been married a month (Venusand her husband). And they met online.  But we are working through things with them and she is the sweetest person I know.  And I am learning some Russian haha.  So anyway.... at the baptism President Weaver pulls me aside and says " I want to save myself a phone call."  So I knew that he was going to give me my transfer call.  So he grabs me and we walk down the hall and he puts his arm around me and says " Sister Balmforth we are going to leave you in Rochester, and give you a new missionary to train... is that okay with you?"  I looked up and just said "okay" haha I didn't know what else to say.  By that time my heart was racing and I was so scared but so excited at the same time.  I was scared because we have no one to teach at all.  Everyone got baptized haha.  So my new greenie and I have a lot of work to do. And I know that the next six weeks I will be on my knees a lot but Ii am excited and I know that Heavenly Father will bless me.  So my new greenie's name is Sister Lee!  Way cool right!  She seems great so far even though I have only been with her for like half a day. She is from California, and she is 23.  So that is a little intimidating but its all good.  I was way stressed because I still don't know Rochester that well, and I still feel like I don't know how to teach sometimes.  But last night when we were tracting we met a man who has met a lot of the sisters in the past.  He even remembered them by name, and he said "ya know, I have had a lot of questions and none of the girls have been able to answer."  So he had a lot of questions like why would God let bad things happen to good people.  So I started talking and basically saying that he has a plan for each of us and we all have to go through trials because we can't know what joy feels like unless we know what pain feels like.  And after I talked for a few minutes he looked up at me and said "hey, you re pretty good at this" then I looked at him and said "really?" haha I was really excited.  At that moment I felt like I was going to be okay.. and I can do hard things.  So it was really cool.  So that has been my life for the past week.  It was an amazing week! I  really love Sister Fisher, she got transferred to Gig Harbor.  Sister Craig is staying in Puyallup so she is doing good too.  Hope, Court, Carol, and Marilyn THANK YOU for your letters and Hope thanks for the brownies :)  I will write you all soon.  Family and friends I love you all so much!  I miss you everyday!  But I love being a missionary and sharing this wonderful message!  I know that it has blessed my life and changed it for the better!  I hope you all have a great week and please pray that Sister Lee and I can find some people to teach and baptize!  She has to have a baptism her first transfer!  Love you all.

Love, Katee

July 25, 2011

Hello family and friends!


Okay sorry this email will probably be short because we got to our computer time late.  Oh my goodness I hate feeling rushed!  But that's okay it will work.  Okay so this week in Rochester has been weird.  Kind of like Colton the work has been slow.  So Sister Fisher and I have been knocking A LOT of doors!  Tracting is hard for me... But I know that if we are diligent the Lord will bless us!  So I will persevere and keep doing it.  My feet are sore but its okay!  So as of right now we have two investigators.  And guess what!?  They DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH!  That's right they are Russian!  So we are struggling with that too.  But they are great.  We called Pres. Weaver because there is an Elder serving in Tacoma that is from Russia, so him and President Weaver are coming to Rochester tomorrow to help us teach them.  I LOVE THE WEAVERS! They are great!  So we are excited for tomorrow!  So the weather has been good.  It was cool on Monday and Tuesday and then it has been way hot.  Yesterday it was 90 degrees!!  I haven't had heat like that in months and it was so great!  But we knocked doors for two hours in the dead heat!  Luckily some nice christian guy gave us some water.  My poor body is pretty burned haha but its okay.  I love being a missionary!  Yesterday in church I realized how much I want to be a mom some day.  It was so great... this little seven year old played the piano in church and you should have seen the proud look on his parents face. It was so great!  I want that some day.  Yesterday the Young women also sang a song and it made me miss my young women and serving with our old presidency!  We had some fun times!  This week I also learned the power of prayer. One night we came home and I was physically, emotionally, and spiritually drained.  I don't even know where the tears were coming from but they were coming.  I went to say my prayers and I just pleaded with Heavenly Father.  I basically told him that we have been working so hard and I just need to see some sort of tiny miracle.  I am struggling with that because we have been working so hard.  But the next day we had a really great lesson with Venus (the Russian lady) and it was way awesome!  We went there and she sat down and just started to cry.  She was frustrated with her house, and her new husband because he is messy.  So we looked at her and with the Russian English dictionary we told her that God sent us to help her.  And she cried some more.  It was amazing!  I can't wait to see them tomorrow.  So I know that Heavenly Father hears me.  Even though it was just a little tender mercy it was all I needed.  So I am sorry that this is so short.  But I hope you all have a great week.  And i am still working on letters so please be patient with me!  I love you all so much!

Love, Katee

Great Weekend!!!!! 07/18/11

Hello family and friends!


How are you all doing!?  I hope you are doing well.  Okay so... this week has been pretty good for Sister Fisher and I.  So I have a great story to tell all of you.  So the past couple of weeks we have been getting used to President and Sister Weaver, and they are great.  I already love them. T hey are like total opposites of Pres. and Sister Bowen.  So I think it was like Tuesday at 9:15 at night we get a phone call from Sister Weaver.  And she called us to tell us that her and president were going to have a sisters retreat on Friday night.  And that they wouldn't want us to drive back to our areas that night so we were all going to sleep over!  We were shocked!  We were thinking, what is going on haha Pres. Bowen would never do something like this.  And all we could think about was missing our proselyting time.  Way weird.  So Sister Fisher was pretty distraught about it haha and I was was stoked, because I knew that I would get to know Pres and Sister Weaver better and also because I got to see Sister Craig!!!!!!!!!!  It was great!  So Friday came and we had to leave our area just a little after four o clock in order to get to Tacoma in time.  So we had a nice little drive in the Olympia traffic.  We finally get there and we are the first ones there! Hahaha we felt dumb and didn't want to be the first ones so we drove around the block.  Well then we pass the house again and President Weaver is standing on the front porch waving us in haha it was so awkward!  But it was great!  So we go in and then more sisters start showing up and it was so fun.  And of course Sister Craig freaks me out and is the last one to get there.  She walked in and gave me the biggest hug!  I really think this retreat was an answer to prayer because I really needed to see her.  So we had a great dinner and then we had a devotional.  Sister Weaver is great. haha she has president wrapped around her finger.  After the devotional we did manicures.  And you can all probably picture the look on my face when she said we were going to do that but it was good. haha.  I went along with it.  Then it was dessert time and then time for bed.  I skipped dessert cuz I was talkin to Craig!  Then we got ready for bed.  Sister Craig looked at her Greenie and was like "well have a good night... " hahha it was so funny.  So we slept on the floor in the living room. Me, Sister Craig and Sister Fisher haha.  Sister Fisher was out like a light, and then Sister Craig and I probably talked for a good hour or so... maybe more. haha.  I know know, but the lights were out almost on time haha we just weren't asleep.  So it was great!  I really needed to talk to her, and she really needed to talk to me. Transfers are in two weeks so we will probably see each other again soon.  I am thinking I will most likely stay in Rochester.  Cuz Sister Fisher has been here for 6 months.  So we will see.  Then we woke up the next morning and had breakfast, and studied together and then we hit the road.  I got back to Rochester and finally got a haircut!!  So I will send pics soon.  Then Yesterday Amanda was baptized and it was a great service!  I love when we have a great weekend!  Now we just need to find some more people to teach and baptize!  I am still working on letters to everyone who has written me.  Sorry I will try to hurry!  I love this gospel so much.  Sometimes as a missionary it is easy to feel a lone.  But I just have to remember that I am never alone.  I am still trying to love Rochester.  Sister Fisher said that it took her 3 transfers to love Rochester!  So I am really trying.  Hopefully it will hit me soon.  I have decided that all missionaries have reasons that they come on missions, but when we get here we have to find reasons that we are staying on our missions.  I have already found one of those and that is my eternal family, so now I am working on finding another one.  I think it is so I can learn to overcome fear and to gain faith!  I love being a missionary and I am so thankful that I have this opportunity and that I have so many people like all of you supporting me.  I know that this work is the most important on earth and it is our way back to heavenly father.  I love you all and I hope you have a great week. Remember to Stay Strong!

Love always,
Katee

Another week has come and gone! 07/11/11

Hello everybody!
How are you all doing?  I am doing pretty well.  We have had a really busy p day today.  So yeah.  This past week has been kind of a weird one.  I don't really know how to explain it.  I feel kind of emotional haha.  I think a missionary probably feels every single emotion that is possible and this week I think I have.  And it is hard because I am trying to not let my emotion show!  I hate when people see me cry. When I was with Sister Craig we laughed and cried all the time haha.  But now I am just trying to be strong and not let Sister Fisher see it.  Its hard... but its all good.  We are teaching a girl named Amanda and she is amazing! W e had a great lesson about the Godhead with her this week and she is getting baptized on Sunday!  I am excited because I haven't seen a baptism in awhile!  Yesterday I had to speak in church... so Sister Fisher was waiting for people to come to church at the front door and I was in the chapel going over my talk, and all the sudden I feel a tap on my shoulder.  I turn around and guess who was standing there!!........Matt, Emily, and the Gresser family!!!  I was so excited!  I just about lost it but I held it together haha.  It was the best surprise ever!  It is so hard some days because I feel like part of me is in Rochester and the other part is in Puyallup still.  And I am trying really hard to stay focused and be in Rochester but it is soooo hard.  I think about Sister Craig all the time. S he is struggling a little bit with her Greenie  I think.  But she is okay.  She emailed me today so that was really good.  And Becky is getting baptized TONIGHT! That's right, on July 11 my lucky day and DAD'S BIRTHDAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DADDY!  Okay so other funny things.  Last night we were at a less actives house and he has like a farm and one of his darn chickens decided to jump up and hang off my skirt by his mouth... flippin chickens! haha.  Rochester is the Country!!!!  I am still getting used to it but It is good.  I like it a lot.  We live in a mother in law apartment, and its cool.  Sister Jones is our landlord and she served a mission in Joberg South Africa!  So that's cool. Well I don't know what else to say.  Its been a good week.  If you could all pray that we find people to baptize that would be great.  I really need a miracle.  My faith is being tested and it is really good for me! Patti I got your letter!  THANK YOU!  I cried!  You are great.  And Marilyn and Janelle I got yours too!  I will write as soon as I can.  I love you all!  I know this gospel is true!  It is so amazing!  I truly feel my savior with me often!  I hope you have a great week!


Love, Katee

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

Vitamin D in Rochester 07/05/11

Hello family and friends!  How are you all doing?  I am doing good.  I am starting to get used to things here in Rochester.  I finally saw the sun in Washington.  It has been a long time.  I even got a little sun burned.  It is great.  I miss the sun.  The members here love us and they are so good to us. They buy us grocery's and its so nice!  So a few things that happened this week.  We have a few investigators and we probably had like ten appointments set up for last week and guess what?  That's right... they all canceled!  Ugh... it is so frustrating!  I need to have more faith.  Sometimes it is so hard! Ah.... haha but its okay Sister Fisher and I are still doing good.  She is a great missionary.  I still miss Sister Craig sometimes, and some days I just really wish I could talk to her.  Like yesterday was one of those days haha.  I totally had memories going through my head all day about where we were last year on the fourth of July... Nauvoo if you don't remember, and about every other year at Murray Park.  It was a weird night laying in bed listening to the little illegal fireworks that happened in Rochester ha ha, but it was good.  We went to a members BBQ and it was fun. But Pres. Weaver asked that we all be in early last night for safety reasons.  We met President Weaver the other day and he is so GREAT! Sister fisher has mixed emotions about him because he is  soooooo different than President  Bowen haha.  I think it will be a good change.  He even hugged the sisters!!!  That was way weird haha we all turned red.  He said sisters there is a new rule in the mission... sisters still can't hug but I can. haha.  So it was funny.  He really made me think a lot about faith, and I really appreciated what he said. He got up to the pulpit and said... "you don't know, how much faith you have."  I really liked that he said that... it was an answer to prayer for sure.  So Sister Craig text me the other day and said that Becky Hixon decided to get baptized!  I was so happy it was really a miracle because when I left Puyallup she said maybe in a year when you come back I will get baptized haha so I never thought that it would happen so soon!  So that is way cool.  Also this week I fasted for a miracle to happen and we went tracting and set up a church tour for tomorrow!  So that is great!  I hope the guy comes!  NO MORE CANCELLATIONS! Hahaha I might go crazy!  But anyway... I know that Heavenly Father loves me and that he is aware of me right now.  I am really thankful for him.  I am so thankful for a loving Savior who knows exactly how Ii feel, and who can help me with anything.  I know that if we stay close to them and read and pray we will be blessed.  I am so thankful for my eternal family!  I think that is probably the biggest thing I have learned so far on my mission is the importance of eternal families and the blessings of the temple!  What an amazing gift we have been given! Okay so I sent some letters off today but Ii am not done yet.  So if you have written me Ii promise you will get a letter soon.  I love you all so much and I hope that you have a great week!  Stay strong!


Love, Katee

Change in my attitude. 06/27/11

Hello family and friends!


How are you all doing? Okay so sorry not a ton of time. These computers in Centralia kick you off in an hour.  So anyway... This week has gotten better.  I'm really sorry that I sent such a depressing email last week haha.  I was just having a hard time with the transfer.  I really needed to change my attitude.  So I have tried and things are better.  Sister Fisher is great.  We are still getting to know each other. Her sister is getting married in like a week and her brother is on a mission too.  I kinda feel like a baby because she doesn't seem to be to affected by her sister getting married.  But oh well.  So Sister Craig called me last night and The Gresser family in Puyallup went to church!!!! Miracle!!!  Its way awesome!  And Sister Craig misses me like crazy haha.  Its great.  I miss her too.  We are buddies!  So we actually have quite a few investigators here in Rochester.  Its great.  We have been teaching them and hope to have a baptism soon . One of our investigators is named Daphne haha she is so funny.  The first time I met her she came to the door in a little tiny bathrobe and its like kind of an old hick town haha so she was like lets sit on the front porch.  So we did and her robe kept falling off and she was totally naked. haha.  Oh how i love being a missionary.  She also didn't have her teeth in, so it was pretty funny. Hahaha anyway... we had another Miracle.  We met with a part member family and the boyfriend actually came to church on Sunday so that was pretty cool.  It is a lot different than Puyallup but I like it. I miss Puyallup and it will probably always be my favorite place but we will see.  A lot can happen in a year.  I am learning a lot, and I hope to continue to find the reasons that I am here.  Some days it is hard and I am so tired I just want to give up.  But I know that, that is Satan working hard on me.  And we all know how competitive I am... so I just have to kick Satan away and keep working hard.  I am trying to love tracting . It just is hard sometimes because its the same thing over and over every single day.  But I know that if we do it with Faith then we will be blessed.  I have a testimony of all of this.  I know that the gospel is true. Otherwise I wouldn't be here. And if I didn't know it was true I would probably already be home by now.  But the gospel is amazing and it can fix ANYTHING!!! I know that for a fact.  I know that Heavenly Father hears my prayers.  Even though they aren't always answered how I want them to be.  I know that my Savior lived for me and died for me.  And I know that he has felt every single pain that we go through!  So Mom I am doing GREAT!  Stop worrying about me haha.  I love this gospel so much and I will do anything for it!  And if that means leaving Puyallup and Sister Craig its what I will do!  I love you all so much!  I hope you have a great week!  And try to go to the temple.  There is a peace in the temple that we can't find anywhere else.  Go with a question that you have for Heavenly Father, and I promise you that he will answer! Pres. Weaver will be here on Wednesday and i will meet him Thursday so that is pretty exciting!  Well anyway... I love you all so much.  And I have a ton of you that I need to write back but we didn't have time today so Please be patient and know that i am thinking about you and that I love you! Thanks. I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Love always,
 Katee

BUMMED!! 06/21/2011

Hello everyone!
How are you all doing?  Sorry this email is going to be very short because I have no time today. Well I got transferred and it was probably one of the top five hard things that I have ever had to deal with. Sister Craig and I just pretty much cried for two straight days. I didn't know what else to do and neither did she. We became more than companions. We were best friends too.  And now I just feel like a little piece of me is missing.  Its way hard.  It was so hard to leave Matt and Emily and the Gresser family in Puyallup.  I just cried and so did they.  I can't even express how I feel.  But I know that Heavenly Father needs me in Rochester and I will be okay... soon... I hope.... My new comp is Sister Fisher from Nevada.  I don't know much about her yet.  She doesn't talk a lot. Well at least yet.  And I hope she will soon.  Rochester is a tiny little town that kinda reminds me of Escalante.  It should be fun. There are lots of investigators so thats good. Sister Craig is still in Puyallup and she is training a Greenie.  I am so happy for her. But we are both way sad. We moped around for days. And really I feel so lost. I had a little break down last night when I got into my new bed and she was not there to talk too. :( But don't worry I will be okay. Please keep me in your prayers and Keep Sister Craig in your prayers too. She is stressed haha.  I love you all have a great week!  Sorry this email was so depressing. Hahaha. Love you.


Love, Kate

P.s. I am trying to write everyone back who has written me but I am so short on time.  So be patient. Thanks I love you and daddy I hope you had a great fathers day. Love you.

Kate