"Sketchy"

Why did I name this Sketchy? "Underground bible store...it's a bit sketchy", really dirty water filters, and a New Years Celebration in Ukraine. Everything's a bit sketchy.  

Alright so here are some pictures from the past couple of weeks! Quick Update: The Man is still loving it! His companion was sick for a couple days so they couldn't go out. But I think he's better now. But he loves the food, the people he's with, the city, etc. I wish I could go see what it's like over there. It is awesome to look at these pictures but sometimes I'm kinda in shock. It's so crazy to think he is there and all these things are happening! I don't know how to explain it that probably doesn't make sense but its a weird feeling sometimes! 

 "Here’s a picture of my bible that I bought here so that I have one in Russian now. we go to this like “underground”  bible store ha-ha. it’s a bit sketchy. I like it though. I took that bible and my English scriptures to teach Sasha one time and he was like super into my scriptures. he was amazed by them and loved them."

 This is some juice he found that he really loves. He says the juice there rocks!

 So this scared me a little... See the white filter? That's a new one they bought...and What the filters are suppose to look like. See the gross brown one... that is the one they were changing out. Look how bad it looks! ahhh! I really hope he doesn't get sick or something. CRAZY

 He fits in with all those straight faced Ukrainians. haha I got some major butterflies when I saw these pics. He looks so good.

The latest picture of something they made. Not sure exactly what it is but it looks yummy to me! 

Alright so here's how Kyler will be spending New Years..haha

"so for new year’s we are inside all day and can’t go outside. it’s going to suck haha. we are inside from 3pm on the 31st all the way to the 2nd after lunch. that’s horrible ha. but the people here get super drunk and fireworks are going off everywhere and i guess it gets pretty crazy. I’m glad we have a good view from our balcony ha. I’m pretty excited to see what it’s like."

Sergey's Baptism

"Sergey got baptized!!!! soooooo awesome!!!! Elder McKinney got to baptize him and the branch president, President Podolfskee gave him the Holy Ghost during sacrament on Sunday. It was such a cool experience. you can see such a difference in Sergey after he was baptized and received the holy ghost. he was seriously soooooo happy and grinning from ear to ear and he couldn't hide it. it was so awesome. the font is behind us in the picture and you can tell it’s just like a small backyard pool and its super tiny ha. Sergey had to get on his knees and then get dunked because it’s so small. his knee came out and then went all the way under. people were freaking out because they thought it was wrong but it was fine. he is already getting interviewed for the priesthood and should be getting the priesthood soon. soooo cool."

Sergey was baptized on 12/1/12. I am so happy for him and the decision he has made. It is truly one of the greatest feelings hearing people coming to Christ and entering into baptism. I wish I could meet him and congratulate him. So happy for him and wish him the best! Check out that baptismal font! Isn't that cool???

First letter from Ukraine and another great week.

Kyler is doing so well. Sergey's baptism went very well and he said "he was grinning from ear to ear" I'm so happy for Sergey! He is still loving it and still getting use to the language. They are teaching an English speaking class on Tuesday nights where they share a spiritual thought after and he loves that! They were at church for 7.5 half hours last Sunday due to meetings and such and someone offered him food because he looked hungry. He loves the people there so much and is really close to them already! 

As for me, I am seriously missing my best friend a ton! Im doing ok but so much is happening that I wish I could share with him! It's killin me! But I am so proud and happy when I hear his experiences. It makes it all worth it. I am more and more excited every day to go to Sweden. I am seriously dying to get to the MTC. Heavenly Father is trying to teach me patience. It's not working yet because I want to leave tomorrow. I wish they would call me and say "Hey we're moving your date up and extending your mission to two years!" haha Ill keep dreaming!

 My first letter From Ukraine! Loved every bit of it!

 I love his letters. 

BLOG OVERLOAD

I have blogged two days in a row! But I posted late, and then got even more pics from the fam. So ill just post pics!!! They're cool pics I promise.

 His new coat and scarf!

 His area!

Laundry time! 

 Closest thing that tastes like home there.

 He likes taking pictures of things. 

 Rich man!

 Elder McKinney is making sure to teach Ky how to cook. This is their pizza!

 WARNING!: if you've recently eaten dont read this caption. :

This is their milk. It comes in a bag. and it's frozen.... nuff said. I don't think I could do it!

 Pretty nice shower huh!

 THEY HAVE NUTELLA THERE! HALELUJAH

 Cookin up a storm

 Borsche! "The bread here is Prime Time!"

Peach Cobler! 

At least we know he's eating well!

Three Months!

It has been three months! 93 days without my Ky. I hate saying how many days. It makes it seem like nothing. But three months is a lot! I cannot believe we are three months into his mission. I feel like time was suppose to pause and he has only been out a month and a half now! SO WEIRD. my mind is confused! I miss my best friend but I am doing realllly good. Just excited and focused on me and my mission. :) Today I celebrated by getting up early getting ready, doing my hair fancy, and having cheesecake. Then I got to go to Ky's house and get some pics from his parents.....

Just LOOK at this handsome amazing missionary...

 I LOVE his new scarf and coat! haha I have always loved men that rock scarves! Im so glad he is forced to wear them and learn to like them. haha jk. but really I do love men in scarves. ESPECIALLY this man right here!

Here is my three month pic...I am not good at doing creative ones...so i just make faces. It's kinda me and Ky's thing...we cant do serious cute pics.. we always do weird faces haha.

Anyways. Im still waiting to get a letter from him but I am not dying without it. I am very well taken care of and his parents share their emails and pics with me so I am fine! 

 have I mentioned that I CANT WAIT TO GO TO SWEDEN!!!!!!

Finally in Ukraine

Elder Parkinson has been in Ukraine for two weeks! Of course at first it was hard, but he is on a roll and loving it already.  His companion is Elder McKinney and Kyler loves him. They are both hard workers  so they are busy teaching! They have a baptism this saturday. Wish we could be there to celebrate with them but we will be there in spirit. "I love being in this big city. Its a dream come true." He's getting along pretty well with the language, it's hard to understand what they're saying but he can tell he can understand more and more. He loves the food! An investigator took them to an awesome restaurant with reallllly good pizza. One of his favorite foods! He describes the city as only having a lower and upper class, no middle. "People are either rich or poor, buildings are either really nice or really run down." It was great to hear him say "I couldn't be happier." I am so glad he is already loving it and putting his best foot forward. He is using his time wisely and not wasting any of it! Can't wait to get the next update! 

 On the airplane to Ukraine!

 View of the city

 They had to unthaw their fridge with an iron... haha

He is loving the food there ;)

 Their awesome Christmas set up!

 Mission President and his wife, right after arriving in Ukraine

 Drawing of an investigator, they practice teaching to the picture. haha

Outside their apartment. 

Update on me... My passport came back in the mail except something was wrong.... "Krystina Belle KANDALL" is what was on my passport. they messed up my last name. sigh. Here we go again. Ha no big though I have a long enough wait I will be fine. 

I am so excited to go. I want to go so bad. I am so grateful for my call and seriously am so proud and feel so much love for the people I am going to meet and serve! I can't stop thinking about them! Everything about my mission is perfect for me! Mission calls are for sure inspired revelation.

I had to say goodbye to my sister Angelica. I won't see her until I come back. weird.

I went through the temple the day after thanksgiving. It was amazing. It was a hard week not having Ky there for Thanksgiving and my temple trip. I didn't think it would make me too sad but I was reallllly missing him. His mom kept reminding me of how awesome our reunion all together will be.:) And it truly will be amazing! 

Mike, Julie and I were able to attend a mission homecoming of a boy who left Dnepropetrovsk right when Ky got there. It was awesome to hear him talk and see how humble, and touched he was. You can tell he was an amazing missionary and he loved his mission. It was comforting to talk to him for a while after. 

 My family before I went through the temple. 

 Julie and I getting out of the temple. My eyes were watering because I was so cold...Oh Sweden..

 Mike and I after the temple. Sooo wonderful to have awesome family support me and be there.

 My beautiful nephews. Future Missionaries :)

Phone calls

Alright it feels like it was forever ago that I talked to him on the phone but it was only 4 days ago! That is not a good sign! haha. So  I arrived at the Parkinson's home at 7:30 am and we were all camped out on the couch waiting for the phone to ring. when Michael decides to do a test call and calls the house phone, it rings and Julie and I were like AHH!!! haha 

So When the phone rang for real about 30 minutes later...we heard him say hello we all cheered. He asked us who all was there because we were so loud. haha. 

Highlights of the phone calls.

- Kyler bearing his testimony and bringing us to tears. His spirit is so strong. its so touching.

- Announcing my mission call to him! He was very happy excited for me and said that he will have to learn Swedish during the month he is waiting for me to get home :)

- Just plain old having a conversation and hearing his voice talk back to us.

- Mckell telling what she learned about Joseph Smith.

- There's more but i can't think off the top of my head.

Kyler is kind sick right now and I have to admit, every time I hear him cough I was got sad and felt horrible. I loved taking care of him when he was sick and it just made me sad :( he's totally fine but I was like aww my poor Ky! haha I'm a pansy. I know. 

On a side note i just watched a video that Kyler made for me and he says 

"Roses are Red,

Violets are Blue, 

but nothing will ever be 

as pretty as you." 

hahaha he's such a great poet;) Miss him!!!

Called to Serve... My turn!

This day the memories were just FLOODING back to May 3, 2012 when Kyler got his mission call. I remember going over at lunch to make sure he didn't get it and open it before everyone got there. I remember being nervous, anxious, so scared and too excited. I remember the exhaustion hit in right after he opened it. We were all emotionally drained but it was the most amazing experience. Well yesterday, November 8, 2012.. five months later I recieved my call. It was such an exciting day! The post office called me at 8:00 and told me it was here! I went and picked it up, and actually the day FLEW by. I was driving home from work when it hit me... Kyler is missing this. I mean I knew there were a lot of things he was going to miss over the next 2 years but I just had't thought about it until that minute and I found myself not wanting to go home. I put it out of mind and went home and got ready to open it. I got my recorder and started talking to him, telling him we were opening my call. Then im reading and before I get to it my mom GASPS and Im like "what is she freaking out about I haven't gotten there yet" so i pause then it makes me race forward and I see Stockholm Sweden. WOW where my siser Alice Johansson is from! She's not technically my sister but she is really. I cannot express my joy!!! I know I am meant to be there and I am soooo happy!!! This was such incredible testament to me of revelation. I love this church. I cannot WAIT to serve and teach it there! I cannot WAIT to tell Kyler over the phone on Tuesday! He is going to flip his lid. I can't wait to tell him that not only do I need to learn Russian but HE has to learn Swedish! haha yessss! Oh and did I mention he has to wait for me for month after he gets home? haha I love that so much.  

 Us now, from Rexburg to Ukraine.... aprx 5,800 miles

We are going to be so close on our missions!! 1,036 miles!!!

Our flags match :)

2 years!

I totally forgot to post about our 2 year anniversary. haha October 16 was the day that marked 2 years of me with this lad.I am smitten with him! He is my best friend. No one knows me better. I could never hide anything from him! No matter what it was! Even through letters!  haha I can't explain it but he really does know me sooo well.He is always honest always patient and always there. From 7th grade when we were both in his mom's class and I was crushing on him, to jr high where I about died when he asked me to sign his yearbook, to me seeing him at a church ball game and telling Natalie "Someday I'm going to date him!" and high school when I finally had a class with him and it was my GOAL to make him smile and laugh, to senior year, when we started talking and never stopped. Then to making it through 2 months apart, then college, and now, working on 2 years apart. I am soooo lucky to have him in my life, he has helped me in so many ways and made me happier than I ever thought I could be. I always thought I would have to settle for less than those "lists" I made in Young Women's, until Kyler showed up and was all that and then some! I love you Kyler Michael! I love my missionary and love the amazing growth and learning that we are both doing. It's not easy being apart but I'm learning to love it.

 Our first picture together^

 Our last picture together ^

and just a cool picture :)

2 months?!

Wow where has the time gone. I feel like he has been gone for a long time but at the same time I honestly couldn't believe I can say I have two months down. Kyler leaves for Ukraine so soon! November 13! My papers were submitted today. On our two month mark. haha. I am so excited to see where I will be called. I love what I am learning in school but it is really hard to focus when I want to focus on preparing for my mission. Anways, Elder Parkinson is doing swimmingly. He is growing by the second! I can see his growth every week it is so awesome. I know I say this a lot but I really honestly am so proud of him. He has a lot of fun with the Elders he's with and he loves the work. He is sooooo excited to get to Ukraine it's kind of weird, it's like he's leaving all over again haha. but I am soo excited to hear his new experiences and see pics of him in the beautiful Ukraine. Anyways, I shall keep updating and pretty soon ill be announcing where I will be serving!

 Got my wisdom teeth out. yea...I was HUGE!! but here is our post wisdom teeth pics compared to each other. Ky was so excited to give me a hrad time cuz I teased him a wee bit when he had his out ;) but yea, he was much cuter than me i can admit to that! It was bad! ha

 The best i could think of for a 2 month mark pic. haha im saying "two months?!?!" with my face;)

 When using packaging tape if it gives you problems don't fight it, it WILL fight back. It looks way cooler in person and i actually am really proud of it haha weird i know. Oh the things i do to send packages

Me and my girls went from wanting be zombies or, a baby in my onesy with a pacifier, to just getting random things and wearing them,... ha but we had fun :) They are so great I love them!

Things that keep me happy: The Book of Mormon, Conference talks, friends, rice packs, foot scrub, blankets, Oakley and Ottie, preschool students, snow, scarves, winter hats, family, letters and tapes, and of course music.
Just to celebrate here is one of Ky and I's favorite songs before he left. I will be jamming out to it today and I will be happy. :)