You the Craine.

I'm currently packing. My mom and I leave in an hour to go to Chicago... then Dusseldorf... then Kiev... then a long train ride down to Zaporizhia to meet Kathy at the train station with her companions. We leave on a Thursday and arrive in Zaporizhia Saturday afternoon. That's a long time travelling, but well worth it considering what, or WHO rather is waiting at the end. We get to go to church with her the next morning and then we'll accompany her to the Mission home in Dnepropetrovsk and her mission president will officially release her into our care. We'll visit her other city Sevastopol (she's only been in two cities her whole mission) and will then return to Kiev so she can see the new Kiev temple. We'll do a few sessions there and the will fly home.

I don't know what to expect. I don't know anyone who has ever been to the Ukraine. It's funny because we used to use the Ukraine in a teaching example on my mission. We'd say, "Just because I've never been to the Ukraine or seen the country doesn't mean that it is mere fiction. I know it exists just as I know God exists despite the fact that I've never seen Him in this life." Now I'm actually going to see this country. I'm mostly excited to meet the people I've heard all about for the last several months.

I can't believe Kathy is getting home... I'll be able to call her and she'll be at our family dinners... I get my sister back. I'm finally starting to realize how much I've missed her.

More details about the trip and Sister Jones-the-younger are forthcoming!