Good Morning!  Well, I have to say Sis. Manwaring and I have bonded. What a sweet and lovely lady! I loved her accent and just loved her. It was so fun seeing pictures of Burns Lake and the surrounding BEAUTIFUL areas. Bro. Manwaring showed up pics of bears, foxes, sunsets, lakes, mountains, etc. She told me what Vanessa had told her when you first knocked on her door with your huge smile and how you seemed to glow and how thankful she was to you for never giving up on her. They told us how happy you are and when anyone asks how you are, you smile and say..."excellent!!!". They wondered if that is how you've always been.  :)  We told them that is just how you came. It made our year to have that visit on Friday night and to hear about how much you are loved by the members in Burns Lake. And she also said that Elder Epperson is a very special missionary. We are thankful that you've had the opportunity to serve with him. That was like an early birthday present for me!
     Wait a minute....is TODAY the day you find out if you are transferred this week? I was thinking it was next Monday, but it's got to be today! What an exciting and wonderful time for you! Merry, merry Christmas!!!!  If you and Elder Epperson will be separated this transfer will you tell him THANK YOU for being such a good companion and that we want to meet him after his mission. And can I secretly tell you what a blessing it has been to me to have Sis. Lambert as a friend. I think the church should adopt a program where a member in each area could be a "missionary mom friend".  :)  You wouldn't even have to know. But it has made the first 6 months of your mission much better for ME. Hee hee.
      So will we just hear from you next p-day, which is Christmas Eve, about how and when we will get to talk to you? And do we call you or you call us? Will you need a calling card?  Maybe you should call my cell phone. We are down to one home phone. Anyway, it will be so amazing to actually be able to talk to you! Do you want us to invite Amelia to stop by so you can talk to her for a minute? We can or don't have to. That reminds me...did you get Grandma Blotter's package in the mail? She is worried you didn't get it or she thinks you won't know it's from her. It cost her more than it does to send Jacob a package and she's afraid you didn't get it. If you did, will you let her know.  :)  
     That was so interesting hearing about the family from the Phillipines. Can you imagine serving where everyone was so kind and receptive to the gospel? How is it going with them? Are they letting you teach them? And the cute little 9 year old that will be baptized this month? The kids got your letters and loved them. Jed came and gave me a big hug as instructed and Jacey wants to start to reading her scriptures every day like that girl. And Jenessa has a letter to send back but we are waiting for transfer day to make sure we sent it to the right place. We enjoyed the Mormon Tab's Christmas concert, but we missed Josh. Jacey felt like she was big stuff though. It was one of the best concerts in a long time. It's been a hard week for the US of A with the heartbreaking events in Connecticut. It was less than an hour from the Elwoods. A sweet little beautiful girl that died had moved from Utah not long ago. And I heard another student had just barely moved from Canada. It's hard to imagine such a thing. I know that the children are OK and with Heavenly Father but such heartache for those left behind. If only they all knew about the Plan of Salvation and had that comfort.
    Well, good luck with this week! Possibly big changes are in store. But you never know, I guess. We love you and our thoughts will be with you this week.  Love you to pieces.  Mom
Jacey made it to the Mormon Tabs concert this year!