Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Family!

If you ever want to slow down time, send one of your children off on a mission! Kailey's only been gone for 3 months and yet it feels like at least 6! It will be a long 15 months at this rate.

Hearing her voice made us all cry, but seeing her cute little gestures and expressions made us smile and laugh. It's so good to see that she is still "Kailey". Here are some bullets from our conversation...

• She told us that the church is reducing the missionary numbers to 200 per mission from 250, so they are losing 7 sister companions in her area. The members are sad because they really work well with the sister missionaries.
• We asked her what she'd learned the most since she'd been in Virginia and she immediately replied, "The Atonement". She finally understands what it means to apply the atonement; to live the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, to obey the commandments, to repent. She has one current investigator who is applying the Atonement to her life during her conversion process.
• We asked her if she has struggles because she doesn't tell us about them. She said it's because she shares them with her companion and works it out by the time she writes. Her companion, Sister Lewis, was quick to stand up and tell us the thing that Kailey is good at and even helps her with is, the ability to not take rejection personally. Kailey is quick to put it in the Lord's hands and let him work it out for those who are not interested in their message. She doesn't allow herself to get discouraged.
• The other difficult thing Kailey deals with in Virginia are people who are flat out rude. She told us a couple of stories where doors had been slammed in their faces. The sisters tell people that "it was nice to meet you," and the strangers reply with "it wasn't nice to meet you." 
• She sometimes has a hard time keeping both feet focused on the mission, especially this week since she knew she would be talking to us. She got a little homesick, but has committed to be more focused with both feet in her mission.
• Transfers will happen on January 8th and it looks like Kailey will stay where she is at and get a new companion, but Sister Lewis will be moving on. Thank you, Sister Lewis for treating Kailey so well.
• Kailey stood up and showed us what she was wearing, and then Caden told her he was now 5'4". She didn't believe him so he stood up next to me and Erica ,and Kailey gasped with astonishment - he's taller than both of us....and still growing...finally!

Thank you to all our friends and family who are writing and keeping in touch with Kailey. That support for her is the most important thing we can do for her. She's a long ways away from home, so letters help her to know we are thinking of her and keeping her in our prayers. You can also post on her facebook page: Sister Kailey Chandler.  

CAN'T WAIT FOR MOTHER'S DAY!