Crystal's Final Email: Heading to ND

Hello Hello Family and friends! This is the FINAL email you will be getting from "Sister Horning". what in the world. Well. Here s a quick update on what has been going on the last few weeks. Appointments, appointments and MORE appointments! we have been really really busy and in the "free" time we have we go contacting! The area is starting to grow and we are starting to get new investigators! YES. S Marble and I met this lady Edith, a few weeks into our transfer and we have been trying to set up appointments with her- but nothing has come out of it.. then one night i felt to call her while i was with s dunn. so we called- had a great talk.. then felt to stop by- her and her daughter were home- we had a WONDERFUL lesson with them.. came back a day later and taught her, her daughter and her hubby! it was sssooo great! they are ssoo wonderful and have so many great questions! i love them!
I gave a talk in church on sunday- the 4th one ive EVER given.. gulp. i can sure talk in person- but NOT a written out talk. ugh. it was NOT my finest moment- i got so nerveous and forgot what i was trying to say- so i resorted to what i know best: getting out of the situation. "i say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen".. haha.. so mid statement i closed it.. it was great. people will think im lying when i give my homecoming talk- they will think ive never bore my testimony in public before. ugh. haah. oh well.
today was ssoo great. so far- played Ratsmear- my favorite! i love it so much.. umm.. Elder Green, Hoyt, Gosar and Brown did the HaKa for us- its the crazy Australian thing that happens before they play rugby.. E. Green is legit- hes from Austie.. its great.. they did it for me, e gosar and e brown in honor of us since we are going home.. it was great- dont worry- i recorded it.
Yesterday i was stopping by a few people and saying my goodbyes- we stopped by the Schiess family- of COURSE. i LOVE them. i had to say goodbye and snuggle Penelope- my best friend ever! she is ssoo stinkin cute! i recorded her lil voice and listened to it about 10 times today. s dunn thinks im obsessed with her.. she might be right. well. before we left last night i told penel that i was leaving and she ran and buried her face into the couch. i asked what was wrong and she just told me to put a pillow over her and leave.. it was cute .. but so sad. she was ssoo sad that i was leaving! i couldnt leave on those terms.. so i begged her to talk to me.. she wouldnt. ugh. so her dad told her id come back to visit and asked if she wanted one last ride down the stairs with me (we sit on a pillow and slide down together- she LOVES it).. she smiled and ran up the stairs- ready for action.. we went down and she then gives me the BIGGEST hug and a kiss.. i love her ssoo much.. ill miss her for sure. well we leave for regina on tues night.. be in winnipeg weds and fly home friday morning! good morning! i cant wait to see everyone! dont worry. im still working harder than ever and it hasnt hit me totally yet.. its weird.. i cant picture ANYTHING else but what ive been doing for the last 18 months.. i havent been this committed to anything for.. ever.. so its pretty intense thinking that ill be gone.. i think it will hit me when im back home and dont feel stressed if i dont talk to EVERY person i see and feel terrible if i dont invite them to church.. haha. well here i come home.

I have LOVED my mission. it is for sure the best decision i have ever made. i am ssoo thankful to everyone that has helped and supported me on my mission. it has truly changed me ssoo much! i have become a better person. i KNOW this church is true and I know that the Lord is completely involved in HIS work. I know that God lives and He truly is our loving Father IN Heaven. I know that He wants so much to be a part of our lives. I know that no matter WHAT we have done- we can change and we can repent. I know that anything can be healed with and through Christ. I know that He bled and died for each of us so that we wouldnt have to be miserable or have negative feelings. i know that through Christ we can all be made perfect- not in this life- but in the life after this. Iknow that the time on this earth is so short and NONE of us knows when it wll end- i know that there is abigger plan for all of us! I know JOseph Smith is a prophet and he did see God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son.I know that the BOok of Mormon is true. i know the message i have been sharing is the most important thing people will ever learn about-- if they want to hear it! i know that we can all be better! i love the Lord so much! i love my Father in Heaven and i can not tell you all enough how greatful i am that i have been found worthy and been able to teach of Him and have such a strong relationship with Him while ive been here. this is just a starting point in my life. i will for sure continue to grow adn make changes.. We all have trials and hard times- but those when seeking for the Lords help and guidance- will make us stronger. I know this! i love you all and say these things in Jesus name. amen. I cant wait ot see all of you! ill be in ND for a few weeks- you can contact me on facebook or email.. ill have this mylds email for a few weeks- so if you want any of my contact info- contact me there nad ill get it to you. love you!
see you sooN!
sister horning

Jan 4 2011, Crystals

Hello hello! Its a beautiful white day today! I LOVE THE SNOW!!!! i love the beautiful snow here in the North- its ssoo fluffy and you can see every single snowflake- they are sso big i love it! i wish you could see the picture on my camera.. ugh. well I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years!! I sure did! For Christmas we (the missionaries), got together and opened presents and played a game and had a white elephant gift exchange.. it was ssoo fun- of course.. The Zone Im in is ssoo great. i love all of the missionaries ssoo much! We sang at a nursing home- the oldies but goodies LOVED it.. Then we talked to our families and later that night we had dinner at one of the families houses.. They have a daughter Emily- who is SSSOO much like me! shes ssoo cute.. shes 20 and working at a fabric store- shes less active and this is why i just met her for the first time now! So it was fun to spend time at this familys house.. hhmm.. what else did I do.. Oh the Wanners- a hubby and wifey from the family ward- had all the missionaries over for a dinner Christmas eve- we played games and some of the missionaries watched Forever Strong- of course i had no interest in movies- so i dont know anything about it.. Well. We had transfers and since my comp (S Dunn) was in regina and my comp s marble was getting transfered there- they just had us drive the 250ks and swap comps.. it was a fun drive- then on our way back- me and sister dunn drove 50 ks the wrong direction!! Correction.. I drove the wrong direction.. we were leaving late too.. and thank Heavenly Father s dunn pointed out that the road didnt seem familiar- so i went to pull over and check out the map and i drove us into the ditch.. wwhhhhooops.. yeah in teh brand new 2011 mission vehichle.. whoops.... we got stuck and it was at least -25 cel. out.. and of course i didnt pack boots or pants or anything- because we are in canada- why would i do that. ugh.. so im pushing the car in boots a rain coat with a thin coat underneath and only tights on.. sssoo cold.. but an amazing woman and man pulled over and tried to help us.. it was on such a slant with so much snow that it was NOT moving uphill- but kept slipping down hill.. ugh. so after 30 minutes of pushing and trying we were going to call a tow truck GOOD THING there wasnt one open.. that would be ttoo much money.. ugh. so i was praying and praying that we would have the strength of 10 men to help so i wouldnt have to pay a TON of money for a tow truck.. just as we were about to drive into regina to get a truck, a car pulled over and 4 Native men came out and they literally LIFTED the car up ( the back wheels were not touching the ground originally), and moved it to the road.. WHAT A MIRACLE!!! i was ssoo grateful they did that! Thank you Heavenly Father!! so we turned around and i had S dunn drive the rest of the way home.. haha. all i told her was- Im sorry sister Dunn.. But get used to it- youre now companions with "sister Horning".. oh man. well.. I have something IM super excited about! I met someone that I love more than ANYONE (other than family) I have ever met.. Weve spent some time together and been able to hang out a bit and Im excited for when Im off my mission and I can come back and visit.. We are going to hang out ALL night, laugh and tickle and be able to have sleep overs.. Her name is Penelope.. Shes 3 and my best friend EVER.. shes sssoo stinkin cute.. she calls me "Hornin' hahaha.. oh man.. she and I truly are best friends.. shes the daughter of the Schiess'- a family from one of the wards.. they are seriously amazing! I will for sure hang otu with them when I come back to visit.. THey are hilarious.. Sarah- the wife/mom does roller derby- shes ssooo great!! I love her so much! and Richard the hubby/dad is really good at art- really good.. they have 4 kids and the kids are beautiful and super talented.. i seriously love them all.. aahh. anyways. i love that we are able to meet some of the best people of our lives ON our missions.. hmm.. Oh a man was hit by a car yesterday and dead in the middle of the road- the elders saw it- sad.. crazy how we dont know what will happen day to day and we cant plan but we never KNOW what will go on in our lives.. its so important to be prepared and doing what we should be so when dead sneaks up on us- we dont need to worry- we already have our lives in line! i pray for that man and his family and friends.. things like that can be super hard! I am ssoo thankful that i have the gospel and knowledge what happens after we die- and what we can look forward to.

Ok I better go. I do want to let you know a bit about my new comp s dunn- shes great! Shes the 6th of 11 kids.. she has the most beautiful voice, plays piano and clogs. shes ssoo sweet and shes totally down to earth. i really love her a lot and im sssoo excited- we are both on the same teaching page and working/finding page.. we are both so excited about this transfer.. we have a goal to see 3 baptisms in this area! and I know we willbe able to see it when we work hard and do all we can! I love this gospe- i KNOW it changes lives- its changed mine. I know its true. I know that Jesus IS the Christ and that through Him we can all be forgiven and made better.. we do need to do all we can do- we are not just saved by Grace alone.. which is great- because if we didnt have to work for salvation- it wouldnt feel like it was worth it!! i know THIS church is true !I am sssoo grateful for the amazing opportunity i have had to be able to serve the Lord for the short year and (almost) half. im grateful for all the blessings He has so freely given me !I better gobut know that i know these things are true andanyone can know the truth if you study correct sources, ponder and pray. i love you all! thank you for all you do! Thank you so much for the love and support! OH and Kathie- thank you so much for the Christmas package! You always know exactly what i like! you are the best! and yes.. i ate BOTH bags of beef jerky within 2 days- yes i shared.. but i ate pretty much all of it! haha. love you!
Love sister horning