I am so excited to Skype
with you guys this week!!! Yippee!! Getting to spend a little part of
Christmas day with family, seeing everyone and meeting my nephew Carter
will be the best gift ever! I can't wait! :)
This
week has been full! Another roller coaster I would say. Things were
going so great with Charlene--she was interviewed for baptism, WALKED to
the church Christmas party, even though someone went to pick her up,
and was choosing everything for her baptism--who she wanted to baptize
her, give talks, etc, but yesterday things got weird again and now I'm
really worried for if the baptism is going to happen. Oh boy... pray for
her! We're really looking forward to a 'White Christmas'! If all goes
well, she will get baptized this Saturday!
The
only hard thing about the holidays is when hard things happen, or sad
things, they seem even worse. There's a less active member from Douglas
named Yvette who is in a nursing home here that we've been seeing. She
is on hospice and I don't think things are looking good for her right
now, I'm afraid she will pass soon. That makes me so sad because
physically she doesn't even look sick! :/
And
more bad news, Joey and his parents. Joey's health is really declining.
He's never had alcohol or been a drinker, but sadly he does have
cirrhosis of the liver and some other thing and one of them is going to
take his life, it's just a matter of which one first. He was told this
past week he has one year left to live, MAYBE two. :( He is only 55
years old. So that's been a worry, but he was released as a resident
from the nursing home and went back home to live with Edgar and
Elizabeth. Yesterday we were driving home from church for lunch and they
live at the end of our street and there was an ambulance in their
driveway. So we went over there instead. Joey is really sick. This is
when he told us he only has about a year or two, but he thinks he'll go
sooner. I talked to Elizabeth for a bit too because she looks SO sad.
She can't do much and she really feels like she isn't strong enough. She
is 93 years old and seems pretty healthy for her age, but she told me
she has been praying for God to take her, she doesn't want to live
anymore. Her sister Juanita is still living too, she is really old also.
If one member of this family goes, the rest are going to go very soon
after. I really would like to be in attendance at the funerals because
this family and I have gotten so close, but that scares me knowing I
really could be at their funerals, and that time frame can be put into a
number of weeks :( I'm bracing myself, but this is going to be so hard.
They really are family. They invited us over for Christmas dinner, I
don't think they could get any sweeter.
After
we left their house yesterday Joey got himself up and was going to go to
the nursing home to read the Bible with his friend who is there and he
came honking up our driveway and was like "Just wanted to let you know
I'm not dead yet!!" Hahaha. Oh my gosh! He said he's stubborn and he
can't just lay on the couch right now. He's been refusing medicine so
that's not good, but I'm glad he's being stubborn about not dying right
now :) He also said he probably won't ever become a Mormon, and that he
has a problem believing Joseph Smith. I told him that was okay and he
didn't have to be Mormon, but he told me he saw this huge look of
disappointment and sadness come across my face. I guess I shouldn't try
and fake anything, that was a sad moment. He has talked to Elizabeth
about it I'm sure because he was like "Mama told me I better not DARE
hurt y'all's feelings..." and then went on. He says that, but when he
was at the branch Christmas party, I KNOW he felt the Spirit there. We
watched Joy to the World and he burst into tears. Talked so much about
Christ and His gospel. He'll get baptized. I know he will.
We
contacted this referral named Tynesia this yesterday and it was so
great! I really have a testimony of asking for referrals, because that
is where we find the most willing and prepared people! We had asked
someone who they knew who was going through a hard time, and they
mentioned their friend Tynesia. They told us she lost her brother,
mother and grandmother recently and that her dad has cancer right now.
So we knew all that going in, but went over and started to share the He
is the Gift Christmas video with her and her boyfriend/husband (I don't
know which) JoJo. The whole meeting turned out so awesome. We were able
to teach about the restoration of the Gospel and at the end Tynesia
opened up about everything with her family. All of the deaths, and she
said she didn't understand why God would take them and she just wanted
to know why. Many people have that question, or similar ones. I promised
her I would look up what I could to help answer those questions, and I
told her when we came back to share with her the Book of Mormon and more
about the gospel she would find all of her answers. Afterall, that's
how I came to know the Book of Mormon was true. I prayed intently about
something, and I read my answer plain as day. It's always fun to share
that with people, and share in the moment when they discover that for
themselves. I can't WAIT to share the Plan of Salvation with Tynesia and
JoJo, THAT is going to be a cool lesson. All these questions they both
have that DO have answers and JoJo has searched and looked into a lot of
different churches and it brings me so much comfort to know that he can
finally receive all the answers he is searching for. All because a
friend of theirs cared enough to tell some missionaries that they were
struggling and could use something good, even if it was just a prayer.
Miracles happen, I promise they do. They have not ceased. The gospel is
the cure for everything it life--it is centered on Christ and His
Atonement and can heal any wound. If you know someone who is struggling,
or could just use more happiness in their life, have enough love and
care for them to share the gospel with them. They will thank you. Share
the Gift this Christmas, the Gift of Christ.
I
love you all so dearly!! I am excited to spend this holiday season as a
missionary and I hope y'all make the best of it back home as well,
wherever you may be. Remember that giving is better than receiving, and
true love for someone goes further than you will ever know. Remember the
first two commandments. What will you give to Christ for Christmas this
year?
I will talk to you all again soon, and I will SEE and TALK to some of you on Thursday!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!
All the love in the world,
Sister Kaylee Applegate
A sign I like... :)
Our Christmas Tree! (Process of making it) I feel so creative!!! Way
cooler than a Charlie Brown tree, which I thought for sure we would
have. The idea came I think because of all the balloons I had with notes
written on them from family for my birthday, thanks guys! :)
Cindy's grandson Trell playing
with my hair. Kids are drawn to my hair.. they LOVE to play in it. You
wouldn't believe how much hair I've lost... goodness. Or what gross
stuff touches it. Like one little girl who put this comb all in between
her toes and then brushed my hair with it. Uh, gross. Thank you for
that.
Me and Ms. Yvette :) She made us an ornament!
Travel Nativity mom sent :)
We were Santa's helpers ;) Little gifts we made for the elders who serve with us in the branch
Our finished tree! Isn't it cute!?!?
Merry Christmas everyone :)
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