I have been on my mission for five and a half months!
Furthermore, one of my best friends Ethan Kirkpatrick will be finishing his mission in Southern France this next week or so! That is craziness! I remember when he just left and I had no idea how I was going to get through those two years.
Yet time kept moving. Before I knew it I was headed to London for my great adventure. After 9 months there I came home to Arizona for a while. In the summer I worked and in the fall I embarked back to Flagstaff for another semester of school before my mission.
Just the other day I remember when my brother Brad graduated dental school and had a year residency to accomplish before he would be moving to Arizona to work full time as a dentist there.
As of this past week Brad has moved his family to Arizona! The year has come and gone. I know that is what will shortly happen to me. I am working everyday to help build up the kingdom of God. It seems like forever until I will be home with my family and friends. Yet when I think about it, August 8th will be my one year count down just as Brad once had.
It is up to me to work my hardest and give my best to the Lord with this time I have been given.
I was talking to Sister Ortega last night about how life is all about change. Every moment of every day we are evolving. There are periods where things stay in a similar routine, but eventually we must let it go and make room for what God will bring us next.
We let go of roommates, classes, places we live, death, and so much more. We can never keep things the same forever. Thus it is so important to cherish every page of every life chapter. We never know when we will have to let things go. However, just because you can't see what's coming down stream to your hands when you let go of what you had, it does not mean God wont give you something better. It may not always appear better at first, but all things are for our good.
This past week has been pretty good.
There were two highlights!
Saturday one of the Elder's investigators who I'm really good friends with, Yassmin Benon, was baptized! It was so great to see her take that step forward in her commitment to follow Jesus Christ. As she made that covenant I was filled with an overwhelming joy and love. She truly is entering the gate to lead her back to our loving Heavenly Father.
Then on Sunday we had a dinner party with another investigator who is not in the area I teach in, but we're really close because when she first came to church a couple of months ago on her own, I was the first person she really made contact with and we clicked :) That's Candi. She's way legit. I love the friendships I am developing on the mission.
I really want to find the people who are kept from the gospel simply because they know not where to find it, who also live in my area lol. Please keep me in your prayers. One of the hardest things I've run into in the Bronx is finding legit people to teach and they end up not living in the area you specifically are assigned to. Then you give their information to other missionaries who work in that area. It's great in the sense that these individuals are still progressing in their relationship with God. Yet challenging in the sense that I want to be teaching them. At the dinner Candi made delicious pina coladas (alcohol free) I got the recipe from her!
A lot of my favorite missionaries are going to be dying soon! (going home) It's weird to think about mission life without them. I'm intrigued to see what's going to happen and who's going to go where. I love the Kingsbridge Second Ward! They are just amazing! I appreciate each and everyone of them.
I am thankful for your love and support. Please please keep me in your prayers, actually scratch that, pray for the people of NY and I'll just try to do my part and follow the spirit =D
Love,
Sister Emily Johnson
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