Another year has passed and we hope that this letter finds you healthy and hopeful during this holiday season. First, we want to share how grateful we are that you are a part of our lives. We are uplifted and enriched by our association with you, and we want you to know that we love you.
So much has happened this year for which we are truly grateful. Jon’s company laid off 500 employees, yet we were blessed that he was able to keep his job at Citrix. Kristen has been making contact with family members all over the country (primarily Bookers) who are also interested in the family history. It has been a blessing to connect with such wonderful people. We hope to get together for a family reunion sometime in 2011. (Let me know if you are interested!)
Kristen is still working at the Family History Center, as well as serving in the church as the music leader. Jon was recently released as the Elder’s Quorum president, where he served for the last 2 ½ years, and was just called to the Stake High Council. We are grateful for this opportunity Jon will have to teach and train in other congregations all over the area, but we’re sad that we won’t be able to sit together at church so much.
We have also been blessed this year with the opportunity to learn American Sign Language. We have several members of our congregation who are deaf, and they are so warm and friendly that we wanted to be able to communicate with them. It has been a blessing for both of us to gain this new skill as it has allowed us to create friendships with wonderful people that we otherwise wouldn't have known.
This year we welcomed a niece and nephew into our extended family – Siene was born in February, and Reid was born in November. We feel so much joy in being an aunt and uncle to them, so it is hard to be so far away, especially at Christmas.
Most of all, we are grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that gives our lives direction and purpose. Ten years ago this month Kristen was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it is also when we first met at church. We have spent the last 10 years serving the Lord together and watching innumerable blessings come into our lives. We thank God each day for our Savior, and we love the opportunity to celebrate Him even more at Christmastime.
We pray that you and your families will be blessed with all that you need this year, especially with peace during this Christmas season and always.
Love,
Jon and Kristen Andersen
The two of us enjoying the view at Snow Canyon near St. George, UT in October.
