Hi, Momma!
First, thank you and Rich for taking care of those credit card payments. I'm so grateful. If you want to try to email next Monday, I think we'll probably be checking emails from 12-2 in the afternoon, which is 6-8 am for you.
I'm glad you're still in touch with Nate. He sends me so many letters. He makes my whole day better every time one comes. I feel awful that I can't get more letters to him. He should be getting two from me soon, thought. I put them in the mail last week. I'm working on a letter to Dusty now. It's so hard to find things to say - I haven't had a real conversation with the boy since I had baby teeth.
No, I haven't seen the Northern Lights. I don't think I will, sine I've already been as far north as I'll ever go, and moved on. Was there some kind of big light showing last week or something?
Even without the Northern Lights, thought, it's pretty amazing just to see the sun again. Daylight's back to it's normal hours, which is amazing and wonderful! I will never doubt again - human NEED light in order to be healthy, both in the body and in the spirit. Without changing anything else, just the gradual return of the sun has made it easier to be happy and out-going and faithful, about work and life in general. Now we get to watch as the the daylight moves to the extreme in the other direction - light all day and night, with just a few hours where the sun sits below the horizon. Did you know that at the north pole, there's only one sunrise and one sunset for the entire year? The sun rises in the spring and just circles around the sky all summer until it sets in the fall, and then it doesn't come back until the next spring. Just something cool I learned this week. ;-)
Anyway, I'm thrilled to announce that Sister Dabb and I get to satay in Uppsala together until May! We got our transfer assignments yesterday morning, and we were completely shocked because it just doesn't make sense for us to stay together. There are 4 sisters who have been in the mission longer than we have, and four that just finished their greenie transfer. Add two new greenies to that, which each need a trainer, and the only thing that made sense was for the two remaining older sisters, Sister Dabb, and I to each take a younger girl as a junior companion. But President Anderson apparently got a really strong impression that Sister Dabb and I needed to stay together in Uppsala, so the two older girls have to take on two junior companions each. That's a whole lost of craziness just to keep Sister Dabb and me in Uppsala, which means there are some REALLY good reasons for us specifically to be here.
The work we're doing here is going really well too. We have a baptism next Saturday (Pontus is his name - he's a 21-year-old Swede). Super excited about that! He's shown me that there really are people who are prepared for this gospel and want it, and those are the people we're here to find. We don't have to beat our heads (or anyone else's) against the wall, trying to convince them that this is right. We didn't have to convince Pontus to do any of these things we ask - he just wants to. He loves this gospel! Then there's Bahman - an older man from Iran. He's had a hard life, but as we've met with him, we've seen more and more light come into him. He absolutely loves us, and loves how much happier he feels now that he's reading the Book of Mormon and learned how to pray. He makes our day every time we see him. He came to church all on his own (totally surprised us!) last Sunday, and loved that too. He's got a long way to go, but he's got a lot of faith, and it's getting stronger every day. I really believe he will be baptized this year - maybe by May, if everything keeps going so well. And then there's Matthew and Asa. Matthew's from Missouri, and ended up married to a beautiful Swedish girl (Asa). They just decided to start believing in Christ about a year ago, and they're looking for the right church for them. We walked up to Matthew on the street less than 24 hours after he'd prayed and asked if maybe the Mormon church could be right for them (he'd heard a little bit, and liked what he'd heard). He took that as a sign, and so do we. They're great, and I think they could definitely be baptized within a month or two.
I love seeing the things Heavenly Father does (and the little things we manage to do sometimes) change people's lives. It's amazing, and it's beautiful. I'm so happy that I get to take part. Thank you for helping me do this. I pray for Heavenly Father to pour out blessings on you for that every day. I love you.
Love, Syster Hillary Kiser
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Re: Love you!
Hej hej, Momma.
I did take some classes at the beginning of 2010. I just went of the BYU website and found out that you didn't get any tax forms because there was this notice sitting in my account since January wanting to know if I wanted an electronic or paper copy. I opted for the paper copy, and hopefully it'll be in the mail to you soon-ish.
I'll try to get something written for Dusty soon. I'm really having a hard time getting letters done lately. Nate probably thinks I've died by now. He's sent me several letters over the last month, and I can't get anything written to send back to him.
I'm glad the wristbands have done so much good for the soccer team. I got mine the week before last. Thanks for sending it.
Momma, some of the people you're feeling resentful towards for not being there might not have even known about Casey's death. And if they did... Well, sometimes people just don't know what to do TO help. There was so much help and support that came from all over; just try to focus on that and be grateful for the support that DID come. Being angry at the people who didn't help doesn't do any good at all.
Our transfer's coming next week, so you won't get an email from me on Monday. Syster Dabb and I really want to stay together, but it's probably not going to happen. There are too many 'young' sisters, and not enough 'older' ones, so we'll probably be split up and given junior companions. Scary. This is all just guess-work, of course. We won't know anything for sure until next Tuesday. We do know, however, that we're getting a new Mission President in July. The call's been made official, so you can probably see something about that in the church news somewhere.
...I can't pretend it wouldn't be nice to have the car when I get back. But we'll worry about that when I get home. For all we know, it could fall apart or get totaled by then. (That just might be easier than fighting with Chynna over it.) Thank you very much for the money. I appreciate it a lot.
I need to finish here. We and a few elders spent half the day at a museum for this 17th century war ship that sunk in the harbor just out of Stockholm, then got pulled up and restored. It was pretty cool, but the downside is, of course, that p-day is almost over.
I hope you have a great week. I love you so much.
Please wish Keira a happy birthday from me! :-)
Love,
Syster Hillary Kiser
I did take some classes at the beginning of 2010. I just went of the BYU website and found out that you didn't get any tax forms because there was this notice sitting in my account since January wanting to know if I wanted an electronic or paper copy. I opted for the paper copy, and hopefully it'll be in the mail to you soon-ish.
I'll try to get something written for Dusty soon. I'm really having a hard time getting letters done lately. Nate probably thinks I've died by now. He's sent me several letters over the last month, and I can't get anything written to send back to him.
I'm glad the wristbands have done so much good for the soccer team. I got mine the week before last. Thanks for sending it.
Momma, some of the people you're feeling resentful towards for not being there might not have even known about Casey's death. And if they did... Well, sometimes people just don't know what to do TO help. There was so much help and support that came from all over; just try to focus on that and be grateful for the support that DID come. Being angry at the people who didn't help doesn't do any good at all.
Our transfer's coming next week, so you won't get an email from me on Monday. Syster Dabb and I really want to stay together, but it's probably not going to happen. There are too many 'young' sisters, and not enough 'older' ones, so we'll probably be split up and given junior companions. Scary. This is all just guess-work, of course. We won't know anything for sure until next Tuesday. We do know, however, that we're getting a new Mission President in July. The call's been made official, so you can probably see something about that in the church news somewhere.
...I can't pretend it wouldn't be nice to have the car when I get back. But we'll worry about that when I get home. For all we know, it could fall apart or get totaled by then. (That just might be easier than fighting with Chynna over it.) Thank you very much for the money. I appreciate it a lot.
I need to finish here. We and a few elders spent half the day at a museum for this 17th century war ship that sunk in the harbor just out of Stockholm, then got pulled up and restored. It was pretty cool, but the downside is, of course, that p-day is almost over.
I hope you have a great week. I love you so much.
Please wish Keira a happy birthday from me! :-)
Love,
Syster Hillary Kiser
Re: Happy Valentines Day!
Part 3
Dear Keira,
Thank you so much for your message! I've missed you so much, and I'm so happy that I get to talk to you.
You better not be putting your toys in my and Casey's room. If you do, I'll hang you up by your toes in the tree out in the yard. Everyone will think you're a funny looking Christmas tree ornament. ;-P
I love your jokes. They're getting funnier all the time.
Mommy said you're going to be in the gifted class. That's really good! You're so smart, and we're all really proud of you. I was in gifted, and I liked it a lot. We got to do fun things that the regular classes didn't. I hope you can read me all kinds of big kid books when I get home.
Take extra good care of Mommy and Daddy this week (especially because it's their anniversary AND Mommy's birthday). And I hope your birthday next week is super fun! What kind of cake is MomMom going to make for you?
Give Mommy and Daddy and MomMom each a big hug and a kiss from me, okay?
I love you the most!
Syster Hillary Kiser
Dear Keira,
Thank you so much for your message! I've missed you so much, and I'm so happy that I get to talk to you.
You better not be putting your toys in my and Casey's room. If you do, I'll hang you up by your toes in the tree out in the yard. Everyone will think you're a funny looking Christmas tree ornament. ;-P
I love your jokes. They're getting funnier all the time.
Mommy said you're going to be in the gifted class. That's really good! You're so smart, and we're all really proud of you. I was in gifted, and I liked it a lot. We got to do fun things that the regular classes didn't. I hope you can read me all kinds of big kid books when I get home.
Take extra good care of Mommy and Daddy this week (especially because it's their anniversary AND Mommy's birthday). And I hope your birthday next week is super fun! What kind of cake is MomMom going to make for you?
Give Mommy and Daddy and MomMom each a big hug and a kiss from me, okay?
I love you the most!
Syster Hillary Kiser
Re: Happy Valentines Day!
Part 2
I'm glad 'our' talk went well. Mostly I'm just glad the things I sent could help a little bit. I'm really amazed by how Heavenly Father keeps taking the things that happen in my life and building upon them, using them over and over. I saw how things I learned at MawMaw's death helped me prepare to cope with Casey's. I'm seeing how Casey's death has taught me things that I need to share with the people I'm teaching now. In the last two months, I've had three investigators trying to cope with deaths in their families. The Lord really can take ANYTHING and turn it for our good and the good of others. I'm so very grateful for that.
No, we haven't seen any new baptisms yet. Tobias is still my first and only. But we've got a date set for our friend Pontus's baptism now. He's really excited, and so are we. We'll have a transfer about a week before the baptism, so it's hard to say whether or not I'll get to see it. If one of us has to go, I'd rather have Syster Dabb stay, since she's still waiting to see her first baptism. We're both hoping we get to stay here together a little longer. We've got a lot of great investigators here that we love working with, so hopefully our time's not up so soon.
I love you very much, Momma. I hope your birthday and your trip to the temple are just wonderful. Take care.
Love,
Syster Hillary Kiser
I'm glad 'our' talk went well. Mostly I'm just glad the things I sent could help a little bit. I'm really amazed by how Heavenly Father keeps taking the things that happen in my life and building upon them, using them over and over. I saw how things I learned at MawMaw's death helped me prepare to cope with Casey's. I'm seeing how Casey's death has taught me things that I need to share with the people I'm teaching now. In the last two months, I've had three investigators trying to cope with deaths in their families. The Lord really can take ANYTHING and turn it for our good and the good of others. I'm so very grateful for that.
No, we haven't seen any new baptisms yet. Tobias is still my first and only. But we've got a date set for our friend Pontus's baptism now. He's really excited, and so are we. We'll have a transfer about a week before the baptism, so it's hard to say whether or not I'll get to see it. If one of us has to go, I'd rather have Syster Dabb stay, since she's still waiting to see her first baptism. We're both hoping we get to stay here together a little longer. We've got a lot of great investigators here that we love working with, so hopefully our time's not up so soon.
I love you very much, Momma. I hope your birthday and your trip to the temple are just wonderful. Take care.
Love,
Syster Hillary Kiser
Re: Happy Valentines Day!
Part 1
Dear Momma,
Happy Valentines Day! Happy Anniversary! and... Happy Birthday! It's been a pretty good morning here. My companion surprised me with a plate of crepes for breakfast and covered the kitchen in hearts.
I'm glad Chynna's doing well with school and soccer. (Wish her a happy late birthday for me, kay? Let her know I didn't forget her birthday; I just can't remember her email address.) Just try to be happy for her in her strengths and successes. At least her grades don't look like mine. You can be grateful for that. ;)
I've been wanting to write to Dusty and PawPaw lately, but wasn't really sure what address to find Dusty at. How long will he be home?
I'm working on a few designs that you could put on Casey's stone. It just occurred to me how good it will be to have his stone set on Memorial Day, since that's the week of his birthday. I know, I'm a little slow sometimes. But I'll definitely have something sent to you before the end of March.
Dear Momma,
Happy Valentines Day! Happy Anniversary! and... Happy Birthday! It's been a pretty good morning here. My companion surprised me with a plate of crepes for breakfast and covered the kitchen in hearts.
I'm glad Chynna's doing well with school and soccer. (Wish her a happy late birthday for me, kay? Let her know I didn't forget her birthday; I just can't remember her email address.) Just try to be happy for her in her strengths and successes. At least her grades don't look like mine. You can be grateful for that. ;)
I've been wanting to write to Dusty and PawPaw lately, but wasn't really sure what address to find Dusty at. How long will he be home?
I'm working on a few designs that you could put on Casey's stone. It just occurred to me how good it will be to have his stone set on Memorial Day, since that's the week of his birthday. I know, I'm a little slow sometimes. But I'll definitely have something sent to you before the end of March.
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