Good Music

Today I am gathering all the good music I can to take on my mission! Whoo! This is actually quite fun and uplifting! Right now I am using the wonderful resources the church has on their website for downloading praiseworthy music. Check out https://www.lds.org/youth/music?lang=eng to find music!

My Relief Society

Today I went to the temple with my Relief Society ladies. What a valuable experience. I have really become close to these sisters. Their concern and care for me is evident in every way.

I love the temple. I say, GO TO THE TEMPLE! Really, there is no better place to be on this earth. If you haven't been, prepare to go. If you have been but it has been awhile, be sure to go. And if you have just gone, still go! And go again, and again.

You are never lost when you can see the temple, especially when you see the inside!

In Just Two Weeks

In two weeks I will be on an airplane heading on my way to the Mexico MTC! This morning I woke up with so many mixed feelings. But above them all is the excitement to go serve the Lord.

I know I will miss my friends. I know I will long dearly for my family. But above all I know that this mission is the right thing for me right now. This knowledge gives me confidence to face any other emotion.

What I am having a difficult time facing right now is when people tell me they "don't want me to leave."
Now before I say anything else, I totally understand where they are coming from when they say that. And they are doing no wrong to say that. I just feel stuck though whenever I hear it. I am not sure how to respond. I am working through that now.

So everyone out there. I love you. I will miss you so much. But I don't want to miss out on the blessings that will be received as I go on a mission. I will be sure to keep in touch and know that when I get back we will be closer than ever.

The First of July

And the major final countdown begins.
T w e n t y n i n e days until I fly away! Then I enter the Mexico MTC the next day. I remember when I first got my call and everyone told me it would be time for me to go before I would know it. That has become true! I can't believe I leave this month!

Let me tell you, I am EXCITED. There is a work for me to do out there. And it's the most important work, it's the Lord's work. I greater cause I could not find.

Today I the committed myself to dedicating this month to effective preparation. So far, so good

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.