Final Letter Home

Hey Family and Friends!! Wow where to begin....I never ever thought this day would come, but now it is here!! This last week has been a roller coaster of emotions!! But it has been pretty great! I will give you a quick run down! So Tuesday was p-day and it was a BLAST!! We went to the Canada Sports Hall of Fame museum! It was 100% interactive and we got to learn lots about sports and do lots of fun things. We could have spent lots more time there...but p-day came to an end too quickly. Then we had supper at the Higham's house. They fixed us a Valentine's dinner since I wouldn't be there for Valentines. Aren't they sweet. Well we basically had to eat and leave because we had to go to the Welcome Fireside for all the new missionaries so that Sister Rice could meet the new sister she is training. Her name is Sister Beasley. She is from Idaho Falls. She is really nice, but a little different. It is difficult being on a three-leg, but poor Sister Beasley has not had a normal first week as a missionary. Fun connections about 2 of the sisters that came out though...Sister Wixom: Sadie met her at Wet Seal and Sister Long: Her dad was my grade 6 teacher!! Crazy eh?? It is such a small world! Well then Wednesday was another great day. We went to transfers!! So I got to see most of my favorite sisters to say goodbye to them!! Then we took Sister Beasley home to let her unpack and took her shopping and to the library so she could email her family. Then we went back to study...the great thing about training a new missionary...2 hours of comp study!!! Well then we went to my Farewell Fireside. It was great and I actually held my emotions together better than I thought I would...Sister Rice was crying more than I was. It was great though...we watched a slide show of pictures from all the departing missionaries and then we all had to do a musical number...that we found out about when we got there...and then we all bore our testimonies. After that we got to mingle and talk to all the people that we had invited. It was so great to see most of my favorite people here in Canada!! A lot of the goodbyes have been difficult...but I like to think that they are more like see you laters! Thursday we had weekly planning then went to see Sister Hobbs and cleaned her house. And then we had supper with the Mooney's. After that we all went to the Richmond Ward RS activity. It was all about creating a positive change. Fitting I know... Friday we had to finish our weekly planing and then we met with Sandra. We had a great time with her!! She is so special to me and has made so much progress in the last month or so!! I just love her. We talked with her about priesthood/patriarchal blessings. She already has her patriarchal blessing which is great and then she said she would really like a priesthood blessing. So we set that up for her. That night we had supper with the Sorenson's. Their son just got home from his mission in Dec and is already engaged to a girl he met there...crazy!! Saturday was an amazing day!! So we got to go to the TEMPLE!!! President Nicholas has a new tradition that he takes the departing missionaries to the temple on their last Saturday. It was so great because the Calgary temple has been such a big part of my mission. It was great to spend a little bit more time there before I leave. The Calgary Temple will always be my temple!! I just love the temple so much and can't wait to be able to attend the temple more regularly. When we got back we went to see Carmen and she is doing great like usual. Then that night we had supper with Sister Thomas and Laura. The Elders were also there and also Sister Hyde. It was a blast. We played a fun game where we all had to say 3 things that nobody knew about us. It was pretty difficult! For the lesson we played Stay on the Path and talked about the commandments. Laura had so much fun!!  And then finally we went to see Sister Ford. She is amazing!! She is going through so much, yet has such a great attitude about life! Sunday was the day that things really started to become real that I am leaving because I had to say lots of goodbyes at church. But it was such a good day at church. After church Sandra received a priesthood blessing and it was incredible!! It addressed all the concerns that she had and it really helped her. I think it really increased her testimony! Well that night, we had supper with the Mathewsons. He is actually from Ogden and went to Weber High!! They are a pretty great family...he was recently called into the bishopric. That night we had a lesson with the Ford's. We let them play with cornstarch and water....it was a fun object lesson, and they loved relating it to the gospel. So as I have been reflecting on my mission lately I have been overcome with love from our Heavenly Father. I am so grateful that I was chosen to be part of this great Work!! I am honored to where Christ's name everyday and to represent Him!! I have met the most amazing people here in Canada and I am sad to leave all of them behind. I have loved watching the Atonement become part of peoples lives. I have been able to watch people as they apply the Atonement to their lives that they become happy and excited about what lies ahead. It is such an incredible feeling to be able to watch someone become converted. I also had the once in a lifetime opportunity to play such a huge role in the Calgary Temple Open House! That was really one of the best parts of my mission! I have been blessed with great companions that have all helped me be a better missionary! I was able to serve in great areas where I truly came to know and love the people! This experience really has been the best thing I have ever had! I will never regret the choice I made to be a missionary. Thank you to all of you! You are the ones that helped me!! Thanks Mom and Dad!! It is because of all the things you taught me and have done for me that I am even here. Thanks to all my siblings and your letters! Thanks to my grandparents and all your love and support. Thanks to all my wonderful aunts and uncles and cousins!! Your letters and email meant the world to me! Thanks to all the teachers I have ever had...it was in all those classes that my gospel knowledge started to grow! Thank you to all my friends!! Jenessa and Jenny...your letters literally saved me! I love you guys!! Thank you to anyone who reads my emails...it makes it all worth it!! I know that the church is true!! I know that we are all children of our Heavenly Father. He loves us so much!! I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. Through him the Church of Jesus Christ was restored! I know these things because I have read the Book of Mormon and prayed to know that it is true. The Book of Mormon is true!! I know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. He leads and guides this Church. I know the priesthood is the power of God. I know that families are meant to be together forever! I love my family and I am so grateful for them. I know the Atonement is real. It is how we can be forgiven of our sins and one day return to live with our Father in Heaven. I love this gospel! I am so grateful I have been a representative of Jesus Christ for the last 18 months!!! Thank you for all your love and support!! I will see you soon! I love you!!

Love, Sister Kaitlyn Marchant