She's Back!

Oh... Wow....What....A....Week!!!

But let's just start with this....Bailey came home, having honourable served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the Canada Halifax Mission for the last 18 months and 10 days....

I didn't realize just how much my heart had truly missed her until this very moment.

Pure joy! We ugly cried in public and none of us cared for a second.

Our family all together again, for this moment all was right in the world....

One of life's sweetest moments, shared with so many from our Ward family. Thank you all for making this reunion so sweet.

I'll share more from this last week of catching up on the last eighteen months but for now, know this....

Every moment of the last eighteen was worth it. 

Hug Her Tight

There have been so many tender mercies a long the way as Bailey has served her mission...today was no different. A church member Grant had the privilege of serving with on the High Council moved back to Newfoundland a few months ago and heard Bailey's mission ending testimony today....he then emailed us this....

********

Hey you guys

Over the last few weeks I have had the pleasure to meet your daughter and see firsthand her service and love to the Saints of Newfoundland, in particular, the Corner Brook Branch.  Although we attended via Skype from our little dependent Branch..... we got to see your daughters wonderful smile and feel of her beautiful spirit as she bore her mission ending testimony at church today.

You are to be very proud of this young woman.  She was loved by the Branch and she was so involved in service and commitment to the Saints.  She and her companion, Sister C, were absolutely Angels!  

Hug her tight as she comes home and tell he from me, it was wonderful to have felt of her spirit, however brief was the occasion.

Well done Mom and Dad!

N. S.

*******

How grateful I am for this sweet window into Bailey's last day in Newfoundland, and how the tender mercies' of our Heavenly Father are in the details of our lives and yes we can't wait to hug her tight.

Nesting.

It's weird....I think we're NESTING, something I haven't felt since early 2000...but we can't stop cleaning, organizing and fixing stuff and Grant's got it just as bad or worse than me, seriously it's bad....I think it has a lot to do with our missionary coming home and desperately needed to occupy our anxious anticipation with something "productive". Either that or there is seriously something wrong with us....

Our offspring do not share in our clean everything psychosis and are planning a full stage mutiny as we speak....

Notice there isn't a pic of my room :) nope, not clean, probably won't be :) (so I'm not completely crazy)

The basement is finally finished and we can now use every square foot of our house...yay.

Let's face it, I give it a week and we'll be back to normal ;)

Sister Kramer: Her Final Emails

We got the expected email on P-day and then this morning we were surprised when Bailey emailed us after her final interview with her Mission President.

My emotions are all over the place....thrilled to have her coming home and a little sad to be closing this chapter for her.


Monday's Email....

I am excited for dad!

Dont get me wrong i am very excited to be coming home! i am stoked to see my family! but its just a big change.

 

This week was good we have been teaching a lot of people and one of the excepted to be baptized in december which is really exciting! 

I will take away everything i have learned on my mission! 

there is a quote by C.S. Lewis that i heard a while ago on my mission and this is how i feel about my mission and the changes i have gone through!

 

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

Truly this is what God has in store for all of us! one of my leaders once said that God does not progress he is all knowing and has all power which is true! but God does grow. He grows in glory and that glory comes when one of his children makes righteous choices in his or her life. we are his glory! 

I love you guys so much thank you for being my support while i have served the Lord! i cant wait so she you! 

love Sister Kramer

 

 

Today's Emails.....

 

So i just had my finial interview with my mission president and he wanted my to email you about a few things to help me prepare better for coming home...

Would you be able to find out if they have institute on the island and if is in the ward or over skype?

and i would like to start a ysa fhe with members and less actives and i would like to host it in our home is that okay?

 

I will need to talk with the bishop about it to get it started so i will need an interview  with him and also to get a ticket for the Montreal temple rededication.

they would like me to be released as soon as possible after i get home...so what are your plans for the day i get home? are you planning a home coming thing or something?? you can have the whole ward at the airport i really dont mind :)

love you thanks

 

*******

 

 

that is perfect! thank you so much! :)

I am not sure if i will be able to email on monday because i fly off the rock monday morning around 6am and then president wants to take the missionaries going home out to lunenburg so i will email if i can but if not i will see you on tuesday!

love you!

Suit Jackets

"Dad why ya wearing a suit jacket??" Dallyn smirks as we are herding them out the door for Church this morning..."Only LOOOSERS wear suit jackets DAD!!!" the kid continues....

"Does this have something to do with you meeting with the stake pres. this morning?!?!" ...

We pull in the church parking lot two minutes later...."Dad!!! its FREEZING, why didn't you park closer" Alex says as she hops across the rain soaked parking lot. (it's 4 C this morning)

"Alex!!! Where are your shoes?!?!"  "I never wear shoes to church, MOM?!?!" I hadn't noticed before...(apparently we're raising an Island hippie)

******
When you get a message to meet with the Stake President in the morning, as a couple... you don't sleep, like at all.
What the heck do you think he wants??? What did you do??? Are we in trouble ;) ??? But I love my stake callings, Robin (Grant's last three years on the high council as been a place of safety and friendship and understanding, leaving that would be hard)...I spent the night praying and worrying
Morning couldn't come fast enough for either one of us.

"Well Grant, we would like to call you to serve as a counselor in the bishopric...."

"If that's where the Lord wants me, I will be happy to serve with Bishop Orrego"

Tears filled my eyes as I knew the faith and courage those words took.

Peace. I knew instantly all would be well.

*****


Today was a wonderful Sunday after a week full of challenges. The spirit was so strong as our new bishop and his counselors bore their testimonies. The words spoken when Grant was set apart, soothing to my heart. A Heavenly Father is so mindful of our needs. I know we will be helped, loved and protected as Grant serves. How grateful I am for a HF who is so patient with me, lets me pour out my worries and brings amazing peace as we make our way through this life.


I guess we'll work on our shoe-less hippie next week...

Sister Kramer: A Bit Odd

i really don't have any big worries about coming...

 

 my only worries are finding a job, gaining savings and schooling i have really been looking into NAIT in Edmonton it is a trades school they offer a one year baking course....and i feel like i need to go, tuition is not very expensive and there are a lot more ysa there and a temple that is close...the semester start in september 2016.

Also i am a bit worried about the adjustment...i will be alot different from the last time i was home...somethings will be hard like i my not respond when you call me bailey or i my freak out when you leave me alone for the first time because i have not been alone in 18 months. or look away when people kiss in disney movies. or not know how to talk with you guys because all i have talked about for the last 18 months is the restored gospel! :) trust me i am going to be a bit odd!

 

i feel good about coming home i am really excited to be together again as a family but i also feel like i am leaving home...

this week was really good on friday we threw a big harvest party for the branch they loved it we played some minute to win it games like how to take a tissue box full on ping-pong balls tie it around your waist and you have to shake them out or the one where you place a cookie on your four head and move your face til you can get it in your mouth! it was so much fun! 

love you guys! 

Sister Kramer