Dear Family and Friends,
How do I begin my last email as a full-time missionary for my Savior?
I guess I will just tell you how much I love Him. Never before in my life have I been closer to Him than I am right now. His atonement is a miracle. A miracle that is so intimately personal for every single one of us. We don't know quite how is works, but we know that it does work. Life without Him is not life at all. I learned that we often try to depend upon our own strength (or the strength of men) to get us through and I learned that we can not. We must depend on Him for it all. Then He will be with us, right beside us. I learned that He does not often take the hard thing away, but He loves us deeply and that helps us to get through it. I learned that He is my literal older brother and the best friend I could ever have. I learned that he loves everyone equally. I learned that His love is so encompassing so big and so whole that we can never feel alone. I don't even know how someone can have that much love, but I want to try to love more like He does. He is the ONLY way. He is my light and my happiness and my everything! I am not perfect, but He allows me to repent daily. He takes it upon Himself. He is pure love and pure selflessness. I can't wait to see Him again someday.
I love my Ukraine. It breaks my heart to leave her. I never wanted to serve a mission when I was younger. How silly I was. Saturday I cried myself to sleep thinking about leaving the best thing that has ever happened to me. Ukraine is sacred ground to me. The people here have become my everything because I know that to God they are His everything. God is so good. God is so kind. He is the best Father. He loves us! He sent His son! He let's us learn and go through trials and grow so that one day we can become like Him. Perfect. It is unattainable in this life, but we are working on it! We just need to do 1, 2, and 3 and God promises to do 4, 5, and 6 because we just can't yet. But oh how he rewards us for trying.
I don't really think I can express in words how much love I have for this place, my home. God is so good. There is nothing more I can say. I will weep when I leave. But I trust that God has a plan. No, I know that he does. He is so wise. And He knows all things. Whatever it is He wants me to do, I am now ready to do it. I want Him to always know that He can trust on Sister Karren to do what He needs done. I will try to always do His will. My mission has changed me. Ukraine is part of me and I am so grateful.
My invitation to you is to just COME UNTO JESUS. Please know how much I love you. Thank you all for your influence and for helping me serve this mission. Especially you mom and dad. Thank you for letting me go. I'll never be able to pay you back. But, I promised I'd come back. We have all grown so incredibly much. Its been a year and a half! We have seen and done many things.God is good.He is with us. We are an eternal family. I love you the most. Can't wait to hold you in my arms again.
God be with you til' we meet again.
Love always, С любовью,
СЕСТРА КЭРРЕН
