New Year Letter

Dear Family and Friends, December 2009
Another year has flown by like the pages of a book left to the wind. It seems like yesterday I was just finishing my last Christmas letter to everyone and I realize that another year has flown by again. It’s time for another Christmas letter about what has happened in life over the last year or so and coming to a realization that I really needed to sit down and reflect on what I have done this year. I am sure that a lot has happened since we last talked in one way or another. I know that for me, there has been a lot of life experiences that I have learned willingly and not so willingly but isn’t that what life is all about?! I know that last year I talked a lot about it being the year of first’s but this year I have come to realize that I have had a lot less first’s then I had hoped to but as the years go by I hope to improve and continue to stretch myself in the hopes that it will make me a much stronger person. I feel that learning something new every year has been a really big challenge but a challenge that I am willing to fight for and keep it a priority in my life. I can say that this year firsts weren’t as good as last year but I did buy a computer for the first time by myself, I served a mini mission and, I drove a car for a week all over Manitoba without any mishaps. I have continued to work on my last year first’s with practicing my skiing skills, and continuing to learn about curling. I may not be so girly this year but I have made more of an effort to dress more professionally instead. This year has started out very challenging as I spent my 32nd birthday in bed with a high fever, flu like symptoms and bronchitis. I thought that my birthday was a bust and I hated that I spent my 32nd birthday in bed but thank heavens for kind friends who knew I really wanted to celebrate it in style and they throw me a surprised birthday party in February. Boy did they surprise me...... I don’t think I have ever been that speechless ever in my life. It was a small party but lots of fun and everyone dressed in Hawaiian attire. I am so grateful for friends that have supported me and encouraged me to be the best I can. I have felt that this year has been a year of challenges and they have really rallied around me when I needed them the most. Soon my February bled into June and I was rushing around to finish the year off with a flare. I had been given my continuous contract with the Catholic School Division in May 2008, which was a blessing this year as the Recession hit all walks of life in Alberta with less jobs and more challenges to find work and problems finding better employment. Last year I worked with a young lady in grade 9 with Down syndrome in Jean Forest Leadership Academy. This year I was hoping to continue with her to the feeder High school for Jean Forest Leadership Academy in the hopes that her transition to High school would be good but things don’t always turn out how we would like them. I didn’t get the job and I was really disappointed because I felt like I was just getting the hang of things with her, but isn’t that always the way it is when you feel that you have gotten a handle on things and it changes. I guess God loves me enough to challenge me. The summer started out promising but ended up with me visiting my doctor with serious health issues that where plaguing me continuously with extreme problems with my blood pressure and anxiety. I spent the first half of July in and out of the doctor’s office with one thing or another and then I boarded a plane the second half of July to Winnipeg in the hopes to attend a wedding of a close family friend in Neepawa. I also spent a lot of time driving my mother back and forth to things and visiting yet another doctor. If that wasn’t funny enough I was eventually hunted down by my Bishop in Edmonton in the hopes that I would be willing to serve a mini mission in Edmonton Alberta Mission because there was a sudden shortage of Sister Missionaries. It seems that one of the Sisters got sick and was sent home suddenly and the Bishop felt that I would be the perfect candidate to serve yet another mission. I have to admit that I wasn’t totally convinced of what he was asking me as I haven’t served a mission since 1999 and the whole Missionary program has changed since I have been in it but I felt that I would do whatever the Lord wanted me to do. So I boarded a plane home and 2 days later I was in the mission field serving a mini mission in a remote corner of Edmonton city center. My companion was Sister Evans and she was from Wyoming. She was a very kind, strong missionary who had the task of caring for her whole area of work and me. I can’t say it was easy; I certainly struggled to keep up with her. She humbled me and made me realize that I was grateful for the opportunity to have Christ’s name on my chest once again. I served with some trepidation but in the end I served to my very best ability and by the end of August I came back with my eyes opened to the work that the missionaries do for the church today. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve even for such a short time. I know that I have learned a lot and have certainly strengthened my testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ’s mission on earth, the Restoration on the gospel in latter days, the blessings we have as members to be sealed to our families for time and all eternity and the love God has for his children. I am grateful for the opportunity the God has given me to learn more. I have certainly stretched and grown a lot this year and I am grateful for my many friends who have encouraged me to succeed even when they were facing challenges of their own that was beyond their own strength. I have certainly felt your prayers and I know that Heavenly Father will bless you for that. After my mini mission I had but a day to adjusted to civilian life before I was thrown back to work at Jean Forest Leadership Academy. This year has certainly been a challenge. I was given the assignment to work with multiple girls in grade 7, 8, and 9. It seems I am suppose to learn to be ok with change as I have spent most of my days never doing the same thing twice in a row. I may work with a grade 8er and then a grade 9er within the same day or even the same hour. Then on top of that I was assigned another Down’s girl in Grade 1 to work with on Friday’s. So my life is certainly not boring, just a little busy. I have found it hard to keep in touch with every one as I should, but I am trying to be better. I am certainly grateful all those that have continued to encourage me as I strive to improve. I really appreciate all those who have stood by me through thick and thin. I feel your prayers and well wishes and miss you all tons. I hope that as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and His divine mission here on earth that you have a joyous Christmas season, and best wishes for health and happiness in the New Year. May God bless you and keep you in the hallow of His hands.......until we meet again!
Lots of Love and Kisses,
Emily Shand
Xoxoxoxoxo
I am also hoping that this new year brings new and exciting things including my 33rd Birthday!