Well this week was my
birthday week. I may have told Soeur Nielson that chez moi we celebrate for the
whole week and she believed me and so CELEBRATE
WE DID!! Really I just wanted more of a reason to see so many people that I
love and share special moments together. I really have matured and it wasn’t
all about the presents even though I did get some good ones! I have decided to
list some of the 22 reasons that I LOVE
my mission and being a missionary but I will get to that after I summarize the
week!
On Monday we hit up
all of the stores in Toul and by ALL
I mean 2... Unfortunately things are still too short and so we just left with
some cool rings and belts and little things like that KNOWING that we would do a round two in Nancy the next day! We
tried to take our photo of the day with our shopping success but too many phone
calls kept happening so here are some candid shots!
Tuesday we had
district meeting in Nancy! I was surprised with cake and a cool coke thing that
says Soeur. I still have WAAAY too
much energy to ever need caffeine but it was cool for the photo! We hurry and
came back to Toul after district meeting to teach Slauco and to find some cool
people before heading BACK to Nancy
for a European sister conference thingy. We had some time to kill and so we
decided to go SHOPPING instead of
eating dinner.... and I don’t regret it! I won’t show or tell anyone what I
bought so that you can all be surprised when I get home. It was this conference
for all of the 39 countries in Europe but for sisters only and still no one has
any idea why exactly but we aren’t complaining to have apostles speak to our
area. But the French translation was HORRIBLE
so we decided to try to get it in English on the computer but it was sooooo
slow. So selfies and frustration and hunger took over!
On Wednesday we
were just pretty busy and totally forgot to do our photo of the day and so we
did it sleeping at like 10:30! It looks legit right? We made the commitment to
do this photo thing and so we do it! Thursday was a fun day and we
were able to spend the evening with our favorite family! We first did service
at the grandparents by transporting LOTS
of wood to warm homes in the winter and then went to the younger family to
celebrate! Me and Mathelyne have the SAME
birthday just 13 years apart. It was too fun! The other kids also have September
birthdays so we had plaques made for each one of them! SOO priceless! I am going to start praying that they will serve
missions in Utah and then it will come full circle! I guess maybe turning 22
got to me and I lost my memory because I left my bag, keys and camera at
different people’s homes so we got home kind of late...
MY BIRTHDAY!!! SOOOOOOO much fun! I think it may have gone down as
one of my best birthdays yet! I opened up presents and then continued to open
up presents during the next few days as they arrived! Too much love! We decided
to get sushi for lunch and YUM!! For
some reason the sushi is soo much better here than in Provo.... My comp can’t
stand the idea of uncooked meat but it was fun anyway! Then to celebrate we got
macaroons!! Then birthday dinner at the Backs with the older Benoits! I am tooo
tooo tooo spoiled! I got gifts AND to
include my comp... She got a few too! It was just too much love and happiness
in one day!
Saturday we had
stake conference followed by ANOTHER
birthday dinner with our other amis. Another cake with candles and I am hoping
that making the same wish 4 times pays off! Louis and Sylvie made it so much
and I love them!
Sunday another
round of stake conference followed by making macaroons with the Benoits! Fanny
is known for being the BEST cook and
she taught us how to make them. So please have all of the ingredients and a
good oven waiting for me at home and I will impress you all! We got some solid
porting in and found families!! It was just such a good week and I just LOVE LOVE LOVE being a
missionary!
Now for some of the
best reasons I love being a missionary.....
- · I am able to learn more than I am able to teach.
- · All of the WONDERFUL companions that I have been able to spend 24/7 with!
- · Being able to live amongst the French people and learn the most beautiful language in the world!
- · The opportunity that I have to stop random people on the street and tell them that God loves them!
- · Having a specific time each day just to read and study the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- · Being so so so so so far away from everyone that I love yet meeting even more people I love.
- · Getting a two year break from school, work and normal life.
- · Learning how to be a Mom, Wife, and Sister and Friend.
- · The fact that I am prayed for hundreds of thousands a time each day!
- · Having to rely on the Lord more than myself and family.
- · Seeing people make changes in their lives and the happiness it brings them.
- · Being able to go into strangers home and leave 20 minutes later like lifelong friends.
- · Being a sister to everyone!
- · Having a constant smile on my face!
- · Feeling closer to everyone at home yet being so far away.
- · Being guided by the Spirit and lead to where I am needed.
- · Realizing that we really all are here together to help everyone!
- · Being rejected, laughed at, kicked out etc. but never being happier!
- · Changing my perspective from all about me and my life to being an eternal perspective!
- · Finding a connection with everyone and then building from there.
- · Being able to wear Christ name on my chest and to be His representative.
- · Being the HAPPIEST that I have EVER been and knowing it is a true and lasting happiness!!
I love you and miss
you all!!!
Love
Soeur Emily Johns
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