Another Week in Paradise

This week was a hoot and a half! (I promise I don't actually say that in real 
life... The old ladies here are rubbing off on me -__-) 
Anywhoo. It was a party. It all started Monday when we helped someone we are 
teaching move in the POURING rain. Our whole ward was there and it was awesome! 
Oh then Tuesday... So ya know how when I was back home I spent more time looking 
for my phone than I did actually using it?  Well Tuesday I lost our phone! I 
totally set it down and walked off without it! This is how the convo went when I 
called the person in charge of phones... "Hey Elder Keys, this is Sister Upshaw! 
How are you doing?" "I'm doing fine Sister Upshaw... Why are you calling from 
this phone and not your own?" "Haha well that's a funny story!"  Needless to say 
it wasn't really all that funny of a story and he wasn't thrilled, but luckily 
Elder Keys loves me and my companion so he wasn't to hard on me! We ended up 
getting it back through a few small miracles so that was glorious! It was crazy 
to be without a phone for three days! You think it's hard in the real world? Try 
doing it as a missionary! We missed so many appointments and phone calls!  
Thursday we had interviews with our mission president and he told me to go do 
drugs... No worries though, I'm like 99% sure he was just joking.  ;P Saturday 
we ran in a 5K at a really pretty park which was fun, even though there was like 
no one there... Lol I am so out of shape! My body still aches from it! We ended 
up trapped at the church with no where to go because it was pouring rain and we 
were out of miles so we couldn't drive the car! So we did what any good person 
with a camera would do... We danced in the rain and took pictures! Then it 
started lightning so we decided that was a poor decision. 

Okay so here's the thing, EVERYONE thinks my companion and I party like all the 
time! Truth is we are just weird and the iPads make it easier for us to take 
awkward pictures that make it look like we party! We work! Promise!  haha This 
week was fun, but it was also REALLY cool! We had so many amazing experiences. 
Saturday night was the women's broadcast for General 
conference next week and it was AWESOME! If you didn't get to watch it then you 
DEFINITELY should! 

Sunday was awesome too! Probably the best fast and testimony meeting ever!  One 
of the sisters in our ward shared a really amazing experience. Have you heard 
about the family in Idaho that died from CO2 poisoning? That was her brother and 
his family. It was really sad. It was a husband and wife with two of their four 
kids. The other two kids are serving missions in other 
parts of the world. The two missionaries came home for the funeral and have been 
interviewed a few times and this sister in our ward said 4000 people were at the 
funeral. I was so impressed by the peace I could tell she had.  She told us 
about the miracles that have come from this tragedy. One of her family members 
is a professor at a university and he keeps a Book of Mormon on his desk. A 
couple days after the funeral one of his coworkers came up to him and said, "you 
need to explain to me what I felt at that funeral".  There have been so many 
other stories just like that surrounding the death of this family. They were 
strong faithful LDS members and they lived their lives in such a way that people 
noticed a difference. This sister talked about how their example is touching 
people even after they died. 
 
It would be easy and even understandable for the family and friends of this 
young family that died to be angry, but they aren't. They understand that they 
will be with their family forever. That doesn't mean what they are going through 
isn't hard. it's just possible. We don't always understand why things happen, 
but I learned a lot from her experience. From this tragedy, thousands have been 
introduced to the gospel and many miracles have surrounded that family. 

I know God has a plan for each of us and I am so grateful to know that this life 
is not the end. It isn't even the beginning. We lived with our Father in Heaven 
before and we will live with Him again! 
 
I love you all so very much! Especially my family! I hope you have an amazing 
week! 

Love always, 
 
Sister Upshaw 

Chelsea and Sis. Calder and the 5K they ran 

Chelsea riding her bike with her eyes closed so she could prove to everyone (Bro. & Sis. Dover) that she could ride

Your guess is as good as mine

She is a crazy one

She received a medal