I LOVED your emails!! OH it is so fun! Don't worry im not getting trunky... still got SO much to do and so little time to do it.... but im in the same boat! I GET TO SEE YOU IN 2 WEEKS FROM TODAY! Only two weeks! AHH!! I'll touch on it later but it just doesn't even seem real. This is something I have looked forward to for 18 months and it didn't ever seen like it would happen. And the fact that I will only email you one more time... no way. Its just crazy. Its kind of funny too because in all honesty, after being away for so long, part of me just feels like you are just email addresses that I get every week. the fact that my family is REAL and that I will get to be with them again is just so exciting! SO so exciting in 2 weeks but don't worry! Right now England is where I am and want to be!:)
But skyping was SO WONDERFUL!!! Oh it was so great. And DON'T EVEN WORRY! Both of you and ky apologized for not letting me talk - but all i wanted was to hear about ky and how he was doing! That is all that I wanted so it was PERFECT! Just what I had hoped for. Cute ky! It did sound that he is a little homesick after it. Which is totally normal. I do remember the first christmas is the hardest. Its just hard when you are so used to so much family and the activities and relaxing - I know i really struggled with it being so different last year. It is still so good but so different. This christmas was a million times better! But i do remember it being hard! But skyping was definitely the highlight of both! It was so fun to get to be able to all talk together for a few minutes. Oh I just love our family!
I am glad that I didn't look like I had a bad fake tan! haha! Dont worry! I wouldn't let me come off a plane and spoil those pictures! :) And with the talking - I realised as well that in 2 weeks you both are just going to hear ALL of the stories. Probably until you are sick of them and me talking! :) So I thought we could just focus on ky and then you will get a proper update on everything! ARE YOU EXCITED? I am.
But i am glad that Christmas was so much fun! It sounds like it was a fun day and the SNOW! Mom you must have been so happy! White Christmas' are your favourite. I can't believe how much snow there is there as well. That is something I will have to get used to again. it can be FREEZING here but I haven't had snow like that since I have been here. So that will be fun! :)
Christmas for me was so great! Like i said before- this one was SO much better. I think it was just becuase I realized that It wasn't going to be like christmas' back home - and so i didn't expect it and it was so great! Christmas eve we spent going around with goodies and handing them out to formers and potentials - and then we went to a LA that night. Then on christmas - i tried sleeping in. President gave us permission as a Christmas gift to sleep in an extra hour and I couldn't do it. Honestly I am still so frustrated about that. And it makes me nervous for being at home. I better be able to sleep past 6:30. But we had church which was so great. I loved having christmas and church!! I think we should have a service every year. Sister Dorich and I for our personal study that morning each read our favorite scripture about christ and then opened a present. And then the other would go... I LOVED IT! Haha! Totally might try and do that in the future too. LOOK! I have totally become that RM that would drive everyone crazy. But it would be great. And it kept him the focus.... haha! I can just see linds's face if I brought up that Idea! :) But on Christmas day none of the bus's work in london so we had to walk to all of our appointments which was the BIGGEST tender mercy so I could have time to try and digest all that I was eating. I have done SO WELL towards the end of my mission of eating well and I think i put everything back on in the 2 days of meal appointments. It was so much. SO yummy but so much. So we went from the Kamara's to the Campbells and then to sister aidoo! It was so great! We even had our friend Denis come to sister Aidoos with us and he really enjoyed it! So it was a great day!
The day after Christmas is also celebrated here in England. IT is called Boxing day and it is still a public holiday! A lot of people just stay at home with family and rest! So that day we also had 2 meal appointments. It was a bit crazy but great! So so great to be serving in London for christmas. I LOVED IT! and it will be super fun being here for new years eve too! They have a HUGE show in London - just right opposite the river. And apparently Zasha said that you can see it from here sometimes! Not that i will see it though with going to bed at 10:30... :)
But I was smiling about both of your comments on me coming home. How it is so exciting but also kind of sad and can make us nervous... it was good because I AM IN THE SAME BOAT! So look! We will just all get through all these emotions together! :)
I have jsut realized how much different my life has been for the past 18 months. SKyping was SO wonderful but it was also a little funny in seeing our home and just hearing about life there and just realising how I am not the same person that was there before. And how that might make it a funny transition. I always thought it was funny to hear how missionaries sturggled with the adjustment coming home - but I see it now. I have just been so focused on one thing for so long and have changed and then am going back a different person - better person for sure - but will just have to balance it all out to make sure I stay that same way. The boy and friend and school drama just dont even interest me while i am here. I AM HERE SAVING SOULS! haha! I know that is dramatic. but I think it will be hard for me to balance that all out. I have also thought about how funny it will be that I wont have people around me that are so on the page as I do here. I dont know if that makes sense - but just for 18 months I have been surrounded by people who are doing the exact same thing, have the same goals, have all left their family, all know their purpose - and it is the same for all of us! So they perfectly understand in a way. Where I am realizing it will be different. Everyone back home has been at home or serving other places or at school and it will just be different. So yeah... sorry i am rambling! But i am definitely a little nervous and anxious about it too! BUT in my interview I loved how he said that I am not leaving I am just being transferred to Draper! How great is that! I don't have to change anything but just I am going somewhere else. Just like how it took time to get used to aldershot or sutton after being in a different area it will take time to get used to things and find out what is most effective but it will come with time. And if there is anything that I have learned it is that the lord supports us through it all! I know he will help me! he has proven that time and time and time again out here. I know he wont leave me but be with me to help as I get things all sorted. So with that... more than me being patient with you... please be patient with me! I told you how there was an RM that came home about a month ago and goodness sakes - she was SO AWKWARD! Just so quiet and seemed confused trying to figure life out. We went to theirs on boxing day and she seems so much better now. So we will just figure it out together and it will be great! BUT so much to be excited about! It will be A BLAST! and it will be the best becuase this time I will get to adjust and be able to have your help doing it! I have missed that SO much these 18 months!
But yes! It is just a rollercoaster but I am just choosing to LOVE everyday! Days seem to FLY by lately. We just can't get everything done that we need to. And the craziest too is that next week is the MLC, DLC, DM, and exchanges week! So it will be even crazier. Those weeks always fly by. So im just trying to enjoy and embrace every moment here! And dad I LOVED your advice about saying a proper goodbye. I loved that! And needed the reminder. I sometimes can be too focused i think - just too focused on the work and doing what I need to do - that I forget the things that are most important. Like the people I have met and the relationships I have here and making sure that I let them know how much I love them. SO THANK YOU for the reminder. I will DEFINITELY do it! And so excited for it.
One of the greatest blessings and best part of yesterday was the Zasha called us yesterday and she is getting her patriarchal blessing on the 7th of January - my last saturday as a missionary. and she has asked that I sit in it with her. OH I COULD CRY JUST THINKING ABOUT IT! Isn't that the neatest thing you have ever heard? OH it is so amazing. so so amazing. Can't think of a better way to spend my last weekend!
I also wanted to ask!! I REALLY really want to bring stuff home for you to experience england! Have I ever talked about things that you would want to try or specific things you would like me to bring home? Tshirts? Food? mom I am still keeping my eyes open for a nativity - but anything in specific? I am going to bring things regardless so you might as well tell me something that you would actually like! :) I just wish i could take it all home - especially all the people i love here so much so you could meet them. But i guess that means we will just have to come back.... :)
but things work wise are still going great! We are working with some great friends and hopefully emmanuella (the 10 year old) will still be able to be baptised on the 7th! But whatever is best for her! :) We are busy teaching though and finding as well and it is just a blast.
I am so grateful for both of you and the incredible examples you are! I hope you realise how great you are - the fact that ky and I are on missions is a result of the incredible parents you have been! I am just so grateful for you! And so grateful I will be able to finally give you THE BIGGEST HUGS in just 2 weeks. Ah it will be the best.
Can't believe only one more time to email! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? But until then HAVE THE BEST WEEK! Tell linds that she failed at emailing me... AGAIN! and to please send me one! And yes, I love both so much!!!
Talk to you soon!
Sister Gwilliam
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