January 11 (To her sister)

Dear sis,

You night owl!

I love you! You are the best. I'm learning, very slowly, how to be happy AND to SHOW IT! SING ALL THE TIME! Like elf! He's a good example! He is like Santa's missionary. Therefore I am learning from him as I strive to serve the Lord. That is what kind of missionary I want to be. Well, I did make maple syrup yesterday, and we have a lot left over. I even used it in our sweet and sour sauce! Wow, I'm really turning into elf. Is that horrible? (The words are helpless; the truth is coming out. I am crazier than people ever thought)

So, time goes so quickly, even time to type to you. So, I'm trying to write the best experiences. Ukrainians are the most sincere and friendly people I know. Maybe that's because it's so easy to become friends with them. I love them. I love meeting them, inviting them to activities, eating with them. Speaking of eating; we ate at the cutest little restaurant today.

We have a wonderful apartment. It's been in the mission for a year or more, and the elders have been kind to it. Well, we were kinder after they left (cleaning up after their messes…Oh the HEAVENS rejoiced in our cleanliness! Every Monday morning they smile at our efforts!) But, anyways, one elder ended the mission here and was a dirt bike racer. I hear he was pretty famous and somehow (I also heard against his own best wishes) he was entered into a meet the day after he returned. So, he bought an exercise bike to train. (I was told by very reliable sources that he was very diligent, he just ate quick lunches and had really efficient exercises in the morning. Language hour was probably a little sweaty, tacozh. I've been doing some aerobics. I got some good sit-ups from Sis. Mitchell (our trio at the end of the MTC), and I'm trying to be diligent. Way to go. I think you need to get out the art stuff ASAP! And then teach me when I get home. You crazy girl. Don't be discouraged by what you aren't doing. Be amazed at how much you have done. I'm learning that. I'm looking at all the goals we set, rarely achievable, but we've done so much.

Okay, I love you!

Be happy have a great day!

Love You!