Returning With Honor!

Good Morning Family and Friends. . .

Well this will be Carlee's Last Email!!!!!

She is coming home on Friday afternoon. We are so excited to get her home. I just wanted to thank everyone for your support during the last 18 months while she has been gone.

She has appreciated all the letters, packages, and notes of encouragement. A mission has been a wonderful experience for her and our family. I think we will certainly miss our Monday Morning Emails from her, but a hug in person will take care of that.

Just a reminder that her Homecoming is this Sunday, December 12th, at 9:00 am.

We are in the Sherwood Hills Ward. It is on the corner of Foothill Drive and Canyon Road in Provo. The address is: 4525 North Canyon Road (345 East).

The easiest way to get there is get on Center Street in OREM (Center Street Turns into Foothill Drive) and follow it all the way East until you get to Canyon Road (about five miles from I-15).

We will be having lunch at our home after the meeting if you would like to come up and visit with Carlee, she would love to see you.

Our home address is 798 Redford Drive, Provo, UT. . .#801-224-1502 if you have any questions. (Just follow Foothill Drive up the hill after you pass Canyon Road and we are the 3rd Street on the Right).

Again, Thank's for your support.

Love, LaDawn


Dear Family:

I am so full of mixed up emotions. ha ha… what do I say?

Let’s see, I’m on the brink of breaking down in tears in front of this computer screen. Scratch that, they've already started flowing. Mom, you started it! That email was way too mushy. And no worries, I’ll need a few more Monday emails to wean me off too. :)

Mom and Dad, thank you. Last Conference Elder Holland set a powerful example of gratitude to his parents for the help they gave him while he was on his mission. I wish I was as eloquent, unfortunately I’m not. And to be honest words really can’t describe the depth of gratitude and love I have for you right now. So in all of its understated simplicity, thank you for everything.

Alright, time to lighten the mood. Guess what! I tried crab this week. That’s right. Crab! I hope you’re proud. We even got a picture documentary because I knew you wouldn’t believe me. The picture is a good illustration of how I thought it tasted. Eck. Jen was a sweetheart and took us out to the Chinese Buffet. I love that lady!

We had a fabulous week! Complete with lots of snow! I heard you laughing when Jen called you to ask you to overnight my coat… but believe me… it was worth it! It’s been freezing! Welcome to December! We keep sharing our favorite winter tracting stories with Sister Lytle. I hope she’s excited. I love winter tracting! I’m not exaggerating! I really do. Ha ha.

Since the roads have been so bad, we’ve had to start saying our good-byes to people who live farther away from Wilmington. It has just about broke my heart. I had to say good-bye to Hilary Osbourn. It’s been really hard for her since she was diagnosed with breast cancer so she hasn’t made it to church for the last few weeks. While we were there, she kept thanking us and calling us “her angels” for coming when we did and helping her feel the peace of the gospel. I cried like a baby the 30 minute drive back to Wilmington. The great blessing of my mission, and I now realize this applies to life too, is the people I’ve met and relationships I’ve built. I love them!

I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve a full time proselyting mission. It has been such a blessing! Sign me up for the next one! Sister Sunderland and I are ready to open China! I love this work! I love this gospel. I love bearing witness of Jesus Christ and showing people the way of the gospel.

President Jensen had the mission memorize this quote by Elder Bednar (I may have already quoted it to you). Every morning we repeat this together in our companionship:

You and I, today and always, are to bless all peoples in all the nations of the Earth. You and I, today and always, are to bear witness of Jesus Christ and declare the message of the Restoration. You and I,today and always are to invite all to receive the ordinances of salvation. Proclaiming the gospel is not a part-time priesthood obligation. It is not simply an activity in which we engage for a limited time or an assignment we must complete, rather, missionary work is a manifestation of our spiritual identity and heritage. We were foreordained in the pre-mortal existence and born into mortality to fulfill the covenant and promise God made to Abraham. We are here upon the earth, at this time, to magnify the priesthood and to preach the gospel. That is who we are and that is why we are here, today and always.

You and I. Today and Always. That’s my goal.

I love you family! Lots and lots and lots!
Crazy enough… I’ll see you soon!

Sister Painter