Yay! 05/11/11

Hello Family and Friends!


How are you all doing!? First of all family it was sooooooooo good to hear your voices on Sunday! My goodness that just was so great. I was a little nervous before calling just because I thought it might be hard. But it was so great. Even though I cried haha I loved it! Mom and Dad you are amazing and you will still never know how truly grateful I am for you! Its hard to write when I just talked to you haha. But anyway I got my new companion! And guess what!? So far I LOVE HER! I have only been with her for two days but she is great! She is way funny which is sooooo good for me, because I was definitely in need of some comic relief! Her name is Sister Craig and she is from KANSAS! Yay she's not from Utah haha. Not that being from Utah is bad, its just hard when people ask you where your from and you say Utah and they say oh yeah another one from Utah haha. It is kinda funny. But anyway she is great so far, and I think I am really going to love this transfer! I feel like there is so much work to be done here in Puyallup and if we work hard we can accomplish some great things! Thats funny that Colton thinks it is crazy that I am over two wards. Its funny because in Sequim we were over two wards too but it is harder in Puyallup because the two wards that we are over are in different stakes! Yeah thats what is crazy! So every week we have to report our numbers to two different zone leaders! Yeah now you can see why last transfer was difficult lol But I love it and Heavenly Father is definitely blessing me! I just love being a missionary.... I can't even explain it! Some days I get home and its like okay let me hurry and go to bed so I can get on with tomorrow but other days I just don't want them to end. Today sister craig and I were talking about things that we will do after the mission, and I know it sounds weird but I said "i'm scared to go home." I think most missionaries feel the same way after awhile. But it is just going to be weird. I now understand why returned missionaries are so weird haha. And yes I will probably be a weird returned missionary haha. But its okay. Its worth it. But it is just different. Right now I just feel like I am in a spiritual bubble, and I have never felt closer to my Heavenly Father and Savior before. And I think I am afraid of not constantly having that. But anyway I have awhile before I have to cross that bridge anyway... but it is going by so fast. On Sunday it will be 5 months!!!! Thats insane! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! Okay sorry this is so sporatic! I always do that. Anway... on Monday I introduced Sister Craig to Matt and Emily! They are as aweosme as ever, and Emily said that her family wants to start coming back to church together! I know that Emily and Matt have been amazing examples to them. They also said that one of Matt's brothers that was at the baptism was really touched by it, and he cried the whole time. So that is pretty amazing! I am so excited to work hard this transfer! I love this work so much. It is probably the hardest but most rewarding thing that I have ever done in my life. And I wouldn't change it for the world! I feel the spirit so strong everyday! Its just so hard to explain! Your probably sick of hearing my testimony but I want you all to know... that I KNOW that I am here for a reason! I know that! And I find proof of that everyday. I love driving down the road and un rolling the car window and asking any random person if there is a church that they go to. I am actually starting to like tracting more. And I love it when we have someone that will talk to us for more than 30 seconds! And I love to see the change in their countenance as we talk with them for that 30 seconds. It is so amazing! The Spirit of the Lord is definitely in this work, and I KNOW that it is impossible without our Heavenly Father! I love this gospel so much. It means more to me now than it ever has before! Things are starting to make more sense to me and I just love it! I feel my Saviors love constantly! And I AM HAPPY! I love you all so much and I hope that you have a great week!

Love,Katee

P.s the mission is having a temple trip on the 25th of this month! Yay! I am way excited! It would be cool if you guys went to the temple that day. I love you all!

Sorry about not emailing yesterday, It was not my fault! I am a little bitter.

Hello family and friends!


Okay so first off sorry about not emailing yesterday!  Mom I know how that makes you panic so that is why I got a hold of Emily. We ran out of time yesterday.  So sorry. I was stressing about it all night because I know how you feel when you don't hear from us because it happened when I was home and Colton was out. Okay so anyway... this week has been.... I dunno.... haha. Uh... Its been kind of a tough week for me. I am really trying hard to be patient in everything but it is hard.  I am trying to humble myself more and just think... Okay what would Jesus do? :) So please keep praying for my patience. Thanks. Now Mer, and Courteney, and Terry THANK YOU SO MUCH for the packages! You guys are amazing! And I love you so much. Okay so at the beginning of the week I finished the Book of Mormon! Yay it was way cool. I had started it before my mission and just finished it!  My testimony of the scriptures has grown so much and I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon in my life. I have no idea what I would do without it. Before I came on a mission I read the Book of Mormon every night but I never really understood it. But now I LOVE reading and I get hooked. The stories are so amazing and really the whole book is just one big test of Faith! How amazing is that!? I am FINALLY starting to be able to understand the Book of Mormon and I love it! Its like it just comes to life! How amazing is that? Truly a blessing from Heavenly Father. He has really blessed me over the past five months. Okay I don't really know what else to say.... We had a couple of Miracles this week. We found a guy named Andrew who is very interested in learning more. So that is pretty cool and hopefully we will see more miracles from that. Tonight we get to see Matt and Emily, that always makes my day! Matt's baptism is on Saturday! I am excited! He is so ready to be baptized! Mom thank you so much for finding that music! You are AMAZING! Hopefully it comes today! Mothers day is only a few days away and I am excited to talk to you. I am a little nervous about it at the same time. This week has been a little tough for me. Just I don't really know how to explain it. But the lord is on my side and I am doing great! How are you all doing? I am glad that Colton is doing good. He seems happy to be in Cape Town. Transfers are Monday for me. We will find out on Saturday so I will let you know when I call. So stop sending letters probably by tomorrow just in case my address changes. I don't really know how I feel about Transfers. I don't really mind what happens either way. Elder Stringham (my zone leader who I went to Jr. High with) thinks that Sis. Soelber and I will both stay..... But we will see. Well I hope you all have a great week and I will talk to you on Sunday! It will probably be at 5:30 your time mom... Okay I love you all and I hope you are doing great! I know that this gospel is true and I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers! I love it with all of my heart! I know that I am here for a reason. Even though some days I feel like giving up because things are so hard I know that the lord hears me and that he walks with me everyday. And he is the reason why I am doing what I am doing. I love you all. Have a great week!

Love, Katee

Hello 04/25/11

Hello family and friends!


Okay this week has been good. I don't really know what to write. We just had an instant church tour so that was pretty cool. We were on our way to the library to email and this girl that we had met a couple weeks ago was walking home from school. So we asked her if she would come to the church for 20 minutes. So that was cool. We will meet with her again on Wednesday. So we will see what happens. She seemed a little weirded out haha but its all good. All we gotta do is hit her with the spirit. He is the one that does the converting right? Right. Okay so next item of business... Mom and Dad THANK YOU so much for the easter package! I loved it! You always know what I love! And don't worry I've only gained like 15 pounds. haha I'm gonna have a lot of work to do when I get home. Janellee thank you so much for your package! I loved it! Those cookies are the best! and the cd was great! I wrote you a letter so it should be to you soon. And Lynnette thank you for your package. How did you know that I was out of my peanut butter m&m's!? They are my favorite! So how was everyone's easter!? Mine was great. We were at church for most of the day. And then we had dinner with the Stutz family! It was great! Ham and cheese potatoes! Its exactly what I needed because I knew you were all at home eating the same thing! And of course it wasn't as good as yours but it was pretty good. Then after that we went to the Brown's house. Debbie Brown is a recent convert and her daughter Kinsley is not a member....yet. :) They also fed us. They had turkey and stuffing. (Now you can see why I have gained weight) So that was good. Then we visited another recent convert. Her son is not a member either... so we will work on that. Tonight is going to be a great night because we get to meet with Matt and Emily! Oh how I love them! Yesterday Emily sat with me in Sunday School, and it was great! Her personalilty is just like Kelsee's so it felt like sitting in church with my sister! I loved it. We were being terrible and trying to stay awake so we just kept eating the sour patch kids that you sent me haha it was the best! I know I need to be better haha but sometimes Gospel Principles can be hard to sit through. I think its mostly because by that time it is like hour four for me at church. But its still good and I love being over two wards..... most days. So anyway... this is way sparatic... sorry. So last night we came home and I was having a little bit of a hard day. Holidays can be tough sometimes. I kind of just had a little breakdown to myself, and then as soon as I started crying the phone rings and it was my sweet Sister Bradley. I told her that she was totally inspired to call me haha and it was great. She goes home in June so you will have to go to her homecoming for me mom and dad. And she also said that she will go to Kelsee's wedding for me! So that was good and I am doing much better today. So Mothers day is just around the corner! I am soooooo excited to talk to you all. A little nervous but way excited! It will be a great day. So I am only supposed to talk for like 40 minutes. So sorry it will be so short but it will be great anyways. And I don't get to call you the night before and set it up so it will probably be between 5:30 and 7:30 sometime because we have church and both of us are using sister walthers phone. So yeah... when is Colton calling? I don't know if we will get to talk to eachother. Bummer.... I miss that kid and his sense of humor! So anyway... that is that and I can't wait to hear your voices. How is that new nephew of mine? He is so flippin cute! oh haha thats right its cuz he looks just like me! haha just kidding... kinda. :) Well family and friends, I hope that you all have a great week and I hope that you all had a great easter. I hope that you were all able to focus on our Savior and the sacrifices that he made for us. I want you all to know that I know that he lives. And I know that he loves each one of us. And he suffered for us so that we might be able to live with him again someday! And to be together with our families forever. I know that he see's every single tear and he feels everything that we feel. He knows when we are hurting and he is always there for us. Remember that no matter what..... WE ARE NEVER ALONE! I know that this gospel is true. And it is amazing. I see it change lives and I can't tell you how great that feeling is! It has truly changed my life and I am so grateful for it, and I am grateful for amazing parents who have helped me gain my own testimony! I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

Love,Katee

P.S. how is brenna, emery and Clara doing?

MATT THE MIRACLE!!!!! Sun in Puyallup 04/18/11

Hello family and friends!


Okay... wow what a week it has been! Okay so I will start off with what happened at the beginning of last week. So after Monday I thought I was doing okay with all of this new news and everything. And then Tuesday rolls around and I just felt so down! Seriously I was fighting tears all day. And I don't really know why because I was so happy that Brayden and Parker got here safe and sound. And I am sooooo happy for Kelsee and Riley! So anyway... I thought that it would be good for me to fast. So I did.... I actually fasted 3 times last week haha. But it was so good for me to do it. So we had gone through the day and I was just kinda eh... and then we went and taught this kid named Skyler. And I started just talking to him and the next thing I know I am talking and testifying of families and why I am on a mission!  It was great. So then we go get in the car, and I just couldn't do it anymore. So I just had a melt down haha Sister Soelberg totally understood so it was okay. But I hate crying in front of people. I'm not supposed to be the one who cries. So anyway... then I just new that everything was going to be okay. That Heavenly Father has a plan for me and Colton and it is not to be home right now.  So needless to say I am doing great now. And OH MY GOODNESS that man cub is the cutest thing I have ever seen! I think he looks like me :) haha he is amazing! Can you believe that just a short week ago he was with our Heavenly Father! I love it! Oh my goodness. And Kelsee and Riley I am still just so happy for you. I better start getting details! Oh I Kels I forgot to tell you... Ryan Stringham...you know Mckade's friend... is my zone leader! He is awesome! Mckade told him to tell me hi haha its weird. But I love Elder Stringham.  Anyway... sorry for that side note. Okay so let me tell you all about our amazing MIRACLE this week!  I like to call it MATT THE MIRACLE! Okay so there is a family in our ward. Named the Alstead family... they are less active and the dad is not a member. Emily is one of the daughters and she is 18 years old.. I LOVE HER. Her personality is just like Kelsee's! That's probably why I love her so much.  So anyway... Emily has a boyfriend named Matt!  Matt is not a member.........Yet! :) So Matt has been interested in the church. So we talked to Emily one day and we were like hey can we meet with you and Matt. And she was like yeah that would be good. Matt is interested in the church.  So a week went by and she was sick... so another week goes by and we get to meet with them. We took them to the church and we didn't have a lot of time so we decided that we would give him a church tour..... It was probably one of the most spiritual experiences I have ever had in my life. It was amazing! I started talking about the sacrament and why it is important and I talked about the promises we make when we are baptized, and then talked about families. And Emily's eyes just got all watery. Then Matt looks up and says "I don't know why I am telling you this but when I was little my mom was murdered. I have had a hard life. And lately I have been looking for something." ....... Uh... uh.... oh my goodness!  It was amazing... The spirit was so strong and I couldn't help but smile as I looked at him and told him that he would see his mom again someday.  I told him that I pictured the day that we would all see our savior again, and I could picture him seeing his mom. And oh my goodness it was amazing!  So then we move to the font, and we talk some more, and then Sister Soelberg asked him to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized... and he said YES!!!!! It was totally one of those moments where I just wanted to start jumping up and down!  It was amazing!  And then they came to church on Sunday and stayed for all three hours. Its funny Matt calls priesthood "the brotherhood." Hahaha i love it. And I know that this happened because of faith. The beginning of the week was hard for me.  And I fasted.  And I prayed so hard.  And I know that all of you have been praying so hard too! So I am very thankful for all of you. I know that this Miracle happened because of all our faith. Isn't this Gospel AMAZING!  I love it with all my heart! I know it is true. I know that my Savior lives and loves each one of us. I am so grateful for this Easter season, so that we can all focus on the Savior, and how he has blessed us in our loves. I love you all so much and I think about and pray for each one of you every day! You are all amazing! I hope you have a great week and a Happy Easter!  And give those babies a kiss for me! I love you all.

Love, Katee



P.S. Jodi thank you for your letter!  And Carol you are the best... you always know when I need stamps! Thank you! I love you all!

Brayden John Van Cott born on Katee's favorite day, the 11th.

If you know Katee she is very OCD.  She has this thing about numbers, she hates odd numbers except the number 11.  That is her number, that was her jersey number and that is the day she was born on, so Brayden listened to Katee's prays and came on the 11th.  He weighed 7 pounds 14 oz.  20.5 inches long.  He is the cutest baby ever.

What a week for my family. 04/11/11

Hello All,
Okay first off!!!! Yay!!!!!!!! My nephew is here! And of course he came on my day!!!! yay!!!!! You people better send pics asap! Oh my goodness I think I got more news out of this weeks emails than i ever have before haha. Kelsee, I want you and Riley to know that I love you so much and I think the world of you. I am sitting here in this library blubbering like a little baby haha but I am okay I promise! Sept. 8th is going to be a great day. And Riley that ring is way up to my standard so way to go. Wow I have the best family in the whole world. I don't even know what to say right now. I am speechless. I am so glad Kim is doing okay. I will pray for her like crazy! Please tell her that I love her and i am glad she is okay. This week has been so much better! We are staying busy and I love it! I think I caught your cold dad haha I'm doing really good though! Oh man I am a baby! Okay so.... I don't really have anything to tell you that is new. We put a 13 year old girl on date for baptism but then she didn't come to church. It was a bummer. But we will work hard and see what we can do this week. I am so happy and full of emotion right now. This week i have learned a lot of new things. My patriarchal blessing is coming into play and it is AMAZING! I feel the spirit so strong all the time and i love it. I want you all to know that i love this gospel. I know with all my heart that it is true. I see miracles every day and Heavenly Father is really watching out for me. The power of prayer is real and I feel it constantly! Today for p day i got to play basketball and it felt so good! I love it! Family and friends I love you all so much and i pray for you every day! I am so excited to be an Aunt and a sister in law again!! I am so happy for all of you. Although it will be hard I know that i am here for a reason right now! And i wouldn't want to be anywhere else! I hope you are all doing great and especially around Easter take time to think and ponder about our savior and his sacrifices for us. He means the world to me and I am so thankful for him. Sorry this is short i have a lot of emailing to do! Congrats to everyone! I love you all so much. Have a great week!  I LOVE YOU ALL!


Love, Aunt Katee :)

I don't have a good title this week 04/04/11

Hello family and friends!


How are you all doing? I don't really know what to say today. My emotions have been crazy this week. Trying to get used to a new area is not an easy thing. I have always had a hard time with change, but I know that it is a good thing, even though it is really hard. So yes mom sister nybo stayed in Sequim, and sister directo will stay there until the 13th and then she will head back to Salt Lake. This week has been a little tough. But this week I realized why I am on a mission. I mean there are many reasons why I am here, but this week I found a reason that is very close to my heart. And that is my Eternal Family. I never realized how grateful I was for my family until I came on a mission. And this week I have had a few opportunities to testify of families, and it gets me every time! The spirit is so strong and it is something that is so close to my heart I always cry. And I love it! I love this gospel because my family is forever! It is so hard to express my feelings over email or letters. Sometimes I wish I could just yell I LOVE YOU, and you could all hear it! I do it in my head all the time :) So family and friends I love you all. I can only imagine the day when we all meet in heaven and stand there before our Savior. The only thing that I can think of that I will say to him is "Thank you." And tell him that I love him. What a day that will be right? So this week has been a roller coaster. Sister Soelberg has been sick and I don't know the area at all. So its been hard. But some how we have managed and we actually found five new investigators this week. Its a miracle! Heavenly Father definitely blesses me and hears my prayers daily. We got a referral from the office. There names are Greg and Cassie Meachum. They are amazing people. Sis. Soelberg was sick so I took a split, SIster Casleton to the appointment. And it was great! They don't want to convert they are just curious. haha. that's like the best thing because we just got to get them to feel the spirit! But they had sooooo many questions. and it was great! i taught the first and second lesson because she just had question after question. And it was awesome! Then I asked them if I could leave a book of mormon with them and if they would read 3 nephi ch. 11 and she said yes. and i got a return appointment! Yay! So that was great. And then sister casleton and i got in the car and i said, "well i hope all of that made sense, because i am still new at this and haven't had much experience teaching." and sister casleton said "you've only been out three months?, wow that was great. you did a great job." so i was pretty excited. Then last night sis. soelberg and i were teaching a 17 year old kid named skyler and his mom and sister joined in the lesson! it was great! so his sister is now a new investigator! So we are seeing miracles, but it is still hard. I am having a hard time just getting used to things. But i know it will happen. So didn't you all just absolutely LOVE General Conference?! It was so funny, I saw jonny ola's brother doug on the tv a couple times and I pictured in my head John with his big magnifying glass up to the tv saying "where's dougy!? oh hey thats my brother." haha it was funny. I just like giggle to myself all the time haha. That is something that is hard too, is not having anyone who knows you to talk to. But its okay... thats why i write letters. So anyway... we were able to watch conference at members houses and they also showed it at the stake center. So it was really good. I loved it! Isn't amazing to sit and listen to men who receive direct revelation from our Heavenly Father. And everything they talked about were things that I needed! So i was very grateful for that. It was a total tender mercy! I have seen a lot of those lately! How is everyone doing? How is the ward? Courteney how was nationals? Hope and Brooke did you get my letter? Kelsee, Lynnette, Grandma, Mom, and Mer, I got your letters! Thank you sooo much! Sister directo forwarded my mail to me. And I haven't got the mail today yet so if you wrote me thanks!!! Well I love you all so much. I love this gospel with all my heart. I wouldn't be here if I didn't. I decided that I need to humble myself and just be patient and heavenly father will bless me. I know this church is true. I am so grateful for it. It has changed my life. I knew that it was true before my mission but now I have a deeper love and knowledge of it and I am so grateful! I love my Savior! I know that he lives, and that he walks with me every day. And with all of you. If you ever feel alone talk to Heavenly Father. He will always be there! I love you all and I hope you have a great week! I pray for each one of you daily. If you don't mind praying that I can have patience this week that would be great! Thank you and I love you sooooo much!

Love always, Katee