Dear Jaci,

You just turned twelve years old and today was your first day in Young Women's. In the church that is the transition between being a child and preparing to be an adult. You have so many exciting experiences ahead of you! Dances, dating, high school, driving, seminary, memories with friends and family and preparing to someday be married in the temple and be wife and a mother. You might even serve a mission! If you complete the Personal Progress program, you will be well prepared for whatever happens in your life.

When you were little, you weren't very trusting of strangers. That is a good thing, but because at that time you lived in Utah and we lived in Oregon, we seemed like strangers when we came to visit. Finally on one visit you must have decided I was OK because you climbed in my lap with your blanket and let me hold you for about an hour. That was very special for a grandma who doesn't get to hold her small grandchildren as much as she would like. As you are getting older, you are getting prettier and prettier. You have beautiful skin and shiny hair. What you might not know is that you are beautiful on the inside as well. You are so kind to others and work hard to please your parents and teachers. You are a great older sister to Livvy and Jessie. sometimes older siblings have no idea how much their younger siblings look up to them and want to be with them. They often want to be like you as well. As an older sibling, you are a very important influence in their lives. Even though you and LaRee may not always get along, I often observe that you are good friends. That will be more and more important to you as you get older. I wasn't always as nice as I should have been to my younger sister and now here she is, saving my life by giving me one of her kidneys! I surely wish I had seen her as the caring and compassionate friend she has become instead of thinking she was a pest!

Jaci, you have two wonderful parents and Heavenly Father let you come to a home where you would be taught the gospel and know how precious you are to Him. When there are hard times in your life, kneel down and talk to Him and He will help you to know what to do and give you comfort. Keep His commandments even when it is hard and you will always be happy that you did. He promises that if we keep His commandments He will bless us, and He never breaks His promises.

hank you for being such a wonderful and thoughtful granddaughter. One of the ways I know Heavenly father loves me is that He has blessed me with so many wonderful grandchildren. You are one of them and I am so happy about that. I love you tons and tons. Someday when you have grandchildren you will know how much I love you.

Forever,

Mama