Never let the fear of the thorn keep you from appreciating the rose

Dear Family!
Happy New Year! It's the beautiful year of 2014! Isn't that SO SO SO SO exciting! A new year, new opportunities, new experiences... and in my case a new companion! (To start it out with, I'll probably get more new companions throughout the year... who am I kidding, I definitely will!) But you already knew about the new companion... :( I wanted to surprise you. Oh well. I still know more about her than you do! (Don't worry, I shall be sharing much of that with you soon enough!)
But... before I get to distracted. Thank you Dad, for sharing your story. It meant a LOT to me.
So... To start with... Ah... what to start with. Great question... Um... The beginning I suppose. Friday... Was a normal Friday, maybe a little less busy than normal (Which could be said for ALL of the last few weeks... People seem to be so busy this time of year, don't have time to talk to the missionaries... :( Either that or they go out of town...) But Friday night we received a phone call... From who you might ask? What one phone call is so important that Kjanela would take the time to mention it? Well, that would be an excellent question, and the answer is, President Newell. The call came from President Newell. Sister Richins and I may or may not have exchanged shocked and surprised stares and then quickly answered the phone. And that... that was when Sister Richins discovered that she was leaving behind the beautiful city of Kristianstad, for what we hope is the equally beautiful city (in different ways of course) of Jönköpping. But more... that she was leaving behind her young companion (in terms of missionary life) Syster Fawcett. As you might have guessed a quick hug was exchanged.
And then President Newell directed his remarks to me. You better believe that I was pretty anxious, I'm fairly certain I held my breath in anticipation as he prepared to tell me the name of my new companion. Syster Lowe. Pause. Do I know Syster Lowe? Quick mental scan of the few missionaries I know... Oh wait, yes, I Do!!! I stayed the night with Sister Lowe in Kungsbacka! I know her! I not only know her, but I like her! I think she's super fun! Mental calculations done with we say adieu to President Newell and then Sister Richins and I hug each other again.
So Sister Richins gets back on the phone to call a few people to let them know that she is leaving on Monday... and I, Syster Fawcett, begin to think. It went something along the lines of... '...What's going to happen to me now?' If you recall this is my first ever transfer. I was a little scared. I mean, I knew that Syster Lowe was awesome and fun. But... Sister Richins was my trainer, I'm used to doing things the way she likes to do things... Everything is going to... CHANGE. (Isn't that such a scary word! Change...) And so the next few days are spent getting Sister Richins ready to go, and me go through incessant mental scans to make sure I know how to get everywhere that I might ever need to go. (And then when I'm not COMPLETELY sure, reminding myself that there is such a thing as Google Maps... Oh, what a beautiful invention, you better be sure that I'm grateful for it!)

Saying goodbye to Sister Richins

And so Monday morning comes... And Sister Richins finishes packing... and then... we set her on the train. And I stood there as she disappeared into the distance and thought... Wow... I don't have a companion. (Marie and Sara were there to keep my company... (and Isam, but since he's not a girl he can't count as being on splits with me...)) And then... Another train pulled up! And out came Syster Lowe!

Syster Kjanela Fawcett meeting Syster Kylie Lowe

And we decided. Actually Isam decided, that we should go to his house and eat food so he could get to know the new Sister. And so that's what we did, and it was super super fun.

And of course I love Sister Richins, and I love Sister Lowe. But I believe we can safely say that they are NOT the same. (Which is good, if they were that'd be a little creepy...) So I will definitely need to adjust to some things. But hey, that's a fairly normal thing.

Syster Kjanela Fawcett, Isam, Marie Strandburg, Syster Kylie Lowe

But it is something I was thinking about. Isn't it SUCH a WONDERFUL thing, that each and every one of us can be different. I think that's the sad thing about comparing people all the time. If we constantly compare ourselves to others we forget that there are wonderful things about ourselves.
Sister Lowe and Sister Richins are completely different, but then I'm also completely different from both of them. And it's both are similarities and our differences with others that make life fun. And I'm so excited for this next transfer... because... well, it's just going to be fun.
But a little about Sister Lowe. She is super fun and enthusiastic. She's very blunt. She's easy going and willing to adapt to make other people's lives easier. She's so caring. She wants to make others happy. She's creative and cheerful. And she has so many other positive traits that I would be here all day if I tried to name them all. And unfortunately I don't have all day.
But now you know a little more about her.
Then... Tuesday night we went to Marie's and we... made PIZZA! Now, it's not Dad's Pizza, but let me say that I was quite delighted with how it turned out. Delectable, I assure you. And then after we went to the Strandberg's (With Marie) and we just.... had lots of fun there. LOTS of fun. And there were fireworks and treats and people and excitement. And... I loved it. (Someone also managed to burn my hair with those sparkler things) (By the way... I love Sparklers...) (Also don't worry, I didn't like lose half my hair or anything, but it was a little scary and I smelled liked burned hair for the rest of the night...) And then we went home. (At like 12:30, I know weird, I stayed out until 12:30 as a missionary... and didn't break any rules!) And then we pretty much fell straight into bed. It was quite nice.

Syster Kjanela Fawcett, Syster Kylie Lowe and Aldste Mannas celebrating New Years!

It was so strange though... I mean, it's not like I've never stayed up til midnight before... but it hasn't been that hard to stay up late in a long time... since I was like... 8... or whenever the last really hard time was... I mean, I was ready to go to bed at 9! (I'm always ready to go to bed though... so that's not saying much...) But it was just weird. It seems weird to think that I'm a 19 year old. I feel as though being on a mission ages a person... or perhaps it de-ages them since I often feel the urge to do child-like things like... I don't know, play with crayons and make a fortress out of blankets or something... Doesn't that sound fun? Maybe some P-Day I'll do that... :) So... Now I'm not sure whether I'm aging or de-aging while out here... Hehehe... Isn't life just the strangest most amazing thing?

Syster Kylie Lowe and Syster Kjanela Fawcett bringing in the New Year as New Companions

And then... well, Yesterday was a Non-proselyting day... so we couldn't go out, but we did plan some things and we got to know each other a little better... And then we went to the Erikssons, but the buses were being super weird, and it was super stressful, and it really was nearly a miracle that we made it... And then we made it home to... Let me tell you, I do not like Holidays and the things they do to Bus Schedules... It's just plain stressful... PARTICULARLY, when the bus schedules don't SAY that they are going to be different. (It only says how it will be different on New Years Eve and Christmas Eve... it says nothing about Christmas Day and New Years Day... I've checked, double checked, and asked people... Sigh)
This New Year has been pretty good so far.
Something strange... Ok, so it's not strange, but it feels a little strange to me. I'll be here in Sweden for ALL of 2014. I know, 'Duh Kjanela' But... no... I'm going to be here for ALL of 2014. that's... A lot of time. I'm going to be tired by the time I leave. :D But, it made me ponder as I tried to decide what my goals were for this year. I haven't COMPLETELY come up with any so far. None seem to fit just right yet. But... This is a full-calender year in which I can just devote all of my time to the Lord. That's not something I'll always be able to say.
Despite the fact that this was you know the Week after Christmas and the week that included New Years Eve I don't feel like much happened.
Although I forgot to mention that I ate African food. Emy made some African food for Sister Richins and I since Sister Richins was leaving. I don't remember what it was called... but it was good!
Ok, quick tangent, that's not really a tangent, because this is my email so... well... you always just get to hear whatever is on my mind. (Actually I don't say whatever is on my mind, which I'm sure you are all grateful for because if I did than things would be REALLY random and strange...) Anyways, something super Cool about Sweden that I definitely did not expect... is the variety. I've had Swedish Food, Chilean Food, American Food (Woot!), African Food, Middle Eastern food... Just... Lots of food! And loads of other things too! Just so much Variety! It's a little strange sometimes.

Syster Fawcett eating with Syster Lowe at Isam's house

But something else cool... So we were at the Correa's, and they speak Spanish, but I talk to them in Swedish because I am TRYING to learn that language (and my Spanish is slowly disappearing into a dark and lonely abyss.... :( ) But Claudia's friend from Chile was here to visit, and he doesn't speak Swedish, nor does he speak English... But he does speak Spanish. So I was talking to him... and A) I understood him... and B) He told me that when I spoke Spanish I didn't sound like an American! That I sounded fairly legitimate! (And sure, he may have just been being nice... but... :D I was SO SO SO SO SO SO SO Happy!) Now I just need to get my Swedish to the point where I sound like a Swede! That might take awhile. But... I will... Do my best.
Anyways... There really isn't much to say this week. Which is sad. Because that means you're going to get two short emails in a row, since my next P-Day is on Monday... So... ask lots of questions in your next email so I have lots to answer! Haha. Or maybe these next few days will be so chaotic that I'll have loads to tell you! Everything is possible.
And some things are even probable (like a few chaotic days when one is on a mission) (Or even when one is not... chaotic days just tend to happen...)
Anyways,
I love you all loads and loads and loads. And I wish you all the best.
And... Well, BYE!
Haha...
1. Can I get the recipe for Cereal Bread?
2. Er... and if I wanted to make a smaller batch (I don't think I want to make 5 loafs...) can I half/third it like I would any other recipe... or is bread... strange in that way... I thought it was possible that it might be... it is bread.
3. Um... Oh yeah, any ideas on what to do in the morning for exercise... I'm doing lots of stairs and sit-ups and um... chairpresses... (Like a bench press... but with a chair... and... um... yeah, it's actually a lot of fun.)
Love,
Kjanela
When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.
Never let the fear of the thorn keep you from appreciating the rose.