Farewell Sister!

Dear Kiley,

I am so happy that you asked me to do this blog for you. It will be so nice to have a collection of all your letters together in one place. Hopefully throughout your mission I will also be able to add pictures along with your letters to share with everyone. Please feel free to tell whomever you want about this blog. I'm sure that it will be inspiring and uplifting for all who read it. I am so excited for you. You will be an amazing missionary. You are so loving and fun that people are just drawn to you. You will truly be an instrument in the Lord's hand to bring souls unto Christ.

My mission changed my life and I am eternally grateful that I was able to serve. It taught me the true extent of love, happiness, and joy, but also of sadness, difficulty, and pure humility. You'll soon understand! When I was debating whether or not to go on a mission, I was listening to general conference in April 2006, when Elder Scott spoke specifically to me. He talked about how his daughter came to the decision to serve a mission and about his wife who also served a mission. He said, "Our home has been greatly blessed by a wife and mother who chose to serve a full-time mission." (To read the whole talk, visit: http://lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/now-is-the-time-to-serve-a-mission-?lang=eng ). I just reread the article, and it said something I found interesting that I thought you might like about your mission. He said: "I am constantly amazed at how the Holy Ghost matches the characteristics and needs of each missionary and couple to the widely varying circumstances of missionary service throughout the world. I have observed how some of the strongest, most capable elders and sisters are called to the United States and Canada to keep the roots of the Church strong there." So there you have it--you must be stronger and more capable than me, Dave, and your dad! Eric and McKay must have been strong and capable like you. :)

I love you so much. Good luck with everything! I can't believe you enter the MTC tomorrow! We will do our best to write to you every week and pray for you every day. I love you so much and am so grateful to have you as my sister.

Love always,

JaRelle