Dear Family and Friends,
Our Christmas greeting comes to you this year from Asuncion, Paraguay where we are now living for the next three years. In February Mark was called to preside over the Paraguay Asuncion Mission for our church. Our life went into high speed as Mark sold his dental practice and we began to make plans to leave our home for a few years. We are grateful for all of the wonderful things that have happened to us in the last 10 months. Our children have risen to the occasion of supporting us in so many ways.
Jenny and Brian and their five children (Callie, Jake, Josh, Adam and Will) came to us the day after we received our callings and asked if they could live in our home. Jenny wanted to keep the home fires burning for Laura and Sara and the other siblings. She and Brian have done well to keep the family in Utah connected. A wonderful family is renting their home while they are in ours. Their children are attending Jenny’s old elementary school and are adjusting well to their move. We are grateful for Jenny and Brian’s willingness to help us with so much. They are raising a beautiful family.
Matt and Jessica are still in Williamsville, New York with their two boys James and Christian. Matt is in his second year of a six year oral surgery program. We visited them before we left and they are happy and doing well there. They are all busy and involved in their ward and neighborhood. Jessica is always cooking something good for somebody! Jessica continues to amaze me with her quilting skills.
Wendy and Kevin are in Flower Mound, Texas where Kevin took a consulting job with Bain. We visited them also before we began our mission in June. They are happy and getting to know the Texas I loved growing up in. Their Kyle started school this year so Anna and new baby Colin keep Wendy happy and busy at home. Wendy has enjoyed being in their own home and she decided she loves to cook like big sister Jenny.
Robert and Rachel are in Provo with their sweet little jack. Rachel graduated from BYU school last year and Robert will graduate from there in the spring. Rachel is a sweet mom to Jack and great wife for Robert. Rachel also has great sewing and designing abilities. She keeps their apartment looking nice. Robert has had fun working at KBYU radio this year combining his writing skills and love of music.
Laura is in Provo working at Provo Canyon School. She enjoys trying to help the girls who come from challenging situations. She has learned a lot working there in many ways. She has enjoyed being close to Sara and Robert and Rachel and especially Jack. We’re looking forward to a visit from Laura and Sara in the summer some time.
Sara is in her third year at BYU. She is studying communication disorders. She loves school and also works at the testing center on campus. She and Laura are having fun helping each other when they normally would be calling their Mom –if she wasn’t far away! They are both growing up nicely. They both think they are the favorite aunt to all eleven nieces and nephews.
We are so grateful for so many things this wonderful time of the year. We are enjoying the opportunity to serve a mission together. We are grateful for the help we are receiving from the Lord every day. We feel very inadequate much of the time but we know we are supposed to be here now serving this mission. We love our missionaries, all 190 of them. We are learning so much about ourselves and others as we serve. We are grateful for the opportunity we have to watch our children pull together and deal with problems and situations and also have fun together. It is true that sometimes when we “get out of the way” our children can do amazing things. Most of all we are grateful for the wonderful gift of our Savior Jesus Christ. He Lives and He loves each one of us. We wish you all a most wonderful Christmas! We love you all. Love Mark and Sandy
Our email is: drcallan2003@yahoo.com
We also have a blog of our mission if you are interested: adventuresinparaguay.blogspot.com
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