The day came: T E M P L E

I still feel a bit like I need to pinch myself! A day I have been looking forward to since Primary days has come! On June twelfth I was able to go to the temple! What an amazing place it is. I can truly feel that it is the house of the Lord. I am excited to return to it often.

While in my college ward, future missionaries were reminded to be just as excited for the temple as their mission. That lesson made so much sense to me. The temple experience is so essential to our salvation. We should be overflowing with gratitude to enter into is sacred halls.

I love the temple. I love my Father in Heaven. I am thankful for the loving family He sent me to. I am thankful for the divine plan He created to ensure I could be with my wonderful family forever. I am in awe and inspired by He great love. His love is so strong for each of us that He sacrificed His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, in order that we may return to Him.

I, Emma, stand all amazed.

My Favorite Little Ones

These three little kids. I can't get enough of them. If you don't know me then you wouldn't know that I was born twelve years after my nearest aged sibling. That is one large age gap! So I grew up being what I called "a basically only child." I had siblings, but they acted more like mini parents than sisters and a brother. I wouldn't have it any other way. Their parenting gave me the most creative and fun birthday parties ever!

Better than fun birthday parties though was the chance the age difference gave me to become an aunt at age nine. These three truly are my best friends. I love them so much! They are going to change so much while I am on a mission. One quote is keeping me going.

"A missionary is someone who leaves their family for a short time so that others can be with their families forever." 

Helping others establish their forever families is an opportunity I feel so blessed and honored to be a part of. 

The Return of Priest and Laurel Camp

Hello everybody!
{This was written more than a week ago and was originally posted on my friends joint blog, but I thought it was important to post here also.}

I just came back from an amazing experience and my heart is so full! I am so excited to share my feelings about it. Can I just thank the blog for always being here to hear me out? I am in deep gratitude.

Background: Two years ago I went to Priest and Laurels (PAL) Camp. It was a delightful experience, rain and all. I must say it was a turning point in my life.

Almost three weeks ago my Bishop told me that I had been invited to come to PAL, even though I was a year too old to go. Me and my fellow lifetime "wardie" and friend Syd was invited also to come as newly called sister missionaries. I quickly remembered how much the last PAL camp meant to me and was quick to want to go! But then I was told the dates. It clashed with my family trip to go participate in Dirty Dash which my sister and I have been planning for almost eight months. So I thought I couldn't go.

As soon as I thought I could not go something seem to nag me that I should check my options. But I brought up the date clashing concern to my mom and she didn't suggest any other option so I let it go, kinda. Something kept on nagging me that it would be best if I could go.

Well, two weeks later my mom was talking to my Young Women's President. She had been told by Syd that I was going to PAL. My mom brought up the Dirty Dash conflict but by the end of the conversation she had signed me up for coming up two days. She told me this and the nagging feeling and myself were quite excited and relieved! And so I went!

And now I am back! And wow. It was something special. In fact it was another turning point, in so many I ways I could not explain them all! I so got out of my comfort zone {THIS IS A HUGE THING PEOPLE}! And I can't believe I had enough motivation to do so!

Usually when I go to camp I am with all girl and I act all nerdy. Everyone loves to be entertained by me {at least I hope they love it}! But I am always acting quite strange. Well this time it was different but in the most awesome of ways! I was put in a group that seemed to click the moment we all met! And guess what? They loved to act just as crazy as I do! So we became the crazy annoying group that got along so awesomely well! We became family in less than 30 minutes flat! So much so that when I went to leave early I went to my parents crying asking if there was a way to let me stay. Now crying sounds dramatic but coming home from college I have learned that goodbyes are HARD. So hard. And it reopened those not completely healed wounds.

Well, I love my OLIVE group family, my M&M duo, and our crazy CRAZY times together.

Oh wow. I can't believe I was blessed so much in less than 48 hours.

Meet My New Best Friend {for the next year and a half}

I would like to introduce you to this here bike! I am absolutely in love with this bike. It is almost sad how much I love this bike. This bike was practically made to wear skirts in! It is so wonderful in so many ways. Everything that bothers me about biking is fixed in this design. I LOVE THIS BIKE!