Hello!

Calder.... How is it not Monday any more? I believe you can read email throughout the week, so I think I'm okay? I hope you can! And I actually think that it might be nice to not receive every email on Monday and talk to us too? Questions I'll for sure ask next time we talk. First off, for your Christmas enjoyment, I'm sending you another movie quote game! Here you go. No pressure, but I got 100% “You have such a pretty face. You should be on a Christmas card.” A-Home Alone B-A Christmas Story C-Elf “A toy is never truly happy until it is loved by a child.” A-Miracle On 34th Street B-White Christmas C-Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer “If you’re worried and you can’t sleep, count your blessings instead of sheep. Then you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings.” A-Home Alone B-Miracle On 34th Street C-White Christmas “I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.” A-Christmas Vacation B-Home Alone C-A Charlie Brown Christmas “Think you might be overdoing it, Dad?” A- Elf B-Rudolf The Rednosed Reindeer C-Christmas vacation “Bless this highly nutritious microwavable macaroni and cheese dinner and the people who sold it on sale.” A-Elf B-A Christmas Story C-Home alone I've also included some pictures. Here's what you're looking at: 1- you know how I love the temple. Well, getting appointments have been really tricky in Utah as you might imagine. There are literally more kids that want to go than appointments. That's a great problem to have! I actually heard that they are taking out the cafeterias (yes, there are cafeterias in the large Utah temples) and turning that space into secondary baptistries. I think that's pretty cool and will help get our kids to the temple more often! Gwen got invited with friends to skip school and go to the temple. You know me. You can only skip school to go skiing if you have straight As and you can skip school whenever you want for a temple appointment! Gwen is such a wonderful young women, with a very pure heart. I just want her to build the temple going foundation strong before she hits the tricky years ahead. I worry that we missed building that foundation with Henry. It's been a tough 20 months with the pandemic to build temple foundations. But I know the Lord is good and He will send compensatory blessings for those missed opportunities because of the pandemic. 2- The annual Christmas caroling YW/YM activity. It was great. And cold. This picture was taken at the Clayton's house and they were thrilled to have the youth visit. This is the oldest YW class and Priests. You'll probably recognize some of them. 3 & 4- THE PLATE. Need I say more. The best tradition of Christmas at the Horsley household. 5- Surprise, surprise but the plate is actually not MY favorite tradition of Christmas....but having my Dad come to give Scrooge is. We had a great evening with many of the new families in our ward. We invited most people from the other side of 13th east.- the Balls', Aho's, King's and Montagues'. It was really a special night. It's so interesting how much it means to people to be invited to your home. I was reminded of that on Sunday night. It really helped to forge friendships and I was grateful to share my Dad with these families. I LOVED your email. I actually looked for your email last night. It came at 10:56pm...wondering if you weren't able to write it on your p-day because something came up? But I was so glad to see it this morning. My very favorite line: "He does what's best for us. ALWAYS! He doesn't need me to be a missionary (to be honest He could just do all the missionary work on His own), but He loves me so He lets me take part." That is SO very true. I have never thought about it like that and I absolutely love that thought. Thank you for your thoughtful, spiritual emails each week. And thank you for being so consistent in writing them. They make a difference in people's lives...mine included. And that picture of Grace Manning?!? That was a total crack up. You know she was thinking "man, I look good in this pic! I'm going to send it to Calder!" Haha. Girls are so funny! I follow waaaaay too many high school girls right now (because of my calling in the YWs) who just take picture after picture of them posing alone. It's the strangest thing! My day seems to be off to a good start. Your email, I listened to this great podcast about effectively using the gospel library app while I worked out and a 2017 conference address by Bonnie Cordon called "Trust In the Lord and Lean Not", which is the 2022 youth theme Proverbs 5:3. I feel so uplifted and ready for my YWs presidency meeting in 15 minutes. You have been on my mind. I googled "what to do when feeling angsty?" and the number one answer is to get some exercise. I do think that helps me a ton in life. I know you are so busy and it's difficult as a missionary but if you're not getting the chance to exercise, you may try to find some time to do something. Even if it's just push ups and sit ups. That might help. I got a marco polo (yes from Breast Friends) yesterday from Brenda Andrewsen asking why Lance is including Calder in every prayer. It was so cute. It made me tear up. Either Dad or McKay shared with Lance that we had been fasting for you and the conflict to be peacefully resolved between Ukraine and Russia. Well, Lance is right in it with us, as he always is, and so many others. You are being prayed for by name each day and night by so many who love you. Hang in there with all your stresses. You're a remarkable young man. I am so very proud to be your mother. You are doing so many great things and changing people's lives forever. Keep it up. But remember to just do your best in the situation you've been given. Jesus Christ will make up the difference. He doesn't want you to be stressed out. He's got this WITH you! Lean on Him....(when you're not strong and He'll be your friend...He'll help you carry on ~~were you thinking the same things - hah!) Love you tons! Mom PS: If you answered C for every question above - YOU'RE right!❤