The End... Almost! A field of Roses

Well this is officially the last Monday of my mission which means that it is my last weekly email. I hope that there isn’t too much pressure of having these great and profound things included in this email but on verra! 

On Monday I wrote my last letters. That is how we spent our pday and just relaxing. It goes by too fast each week! Then we had our Tahitian FHE and it was soo much fun and SOOO much food! I love the Taies!! They have such a cool conversion story and are so incredible! We played games together and had a great time! 

With the remaining time that we had left we went to pass by someone that we ported to, that said we could come back later because they were busy... GOLDEN PORTUGUESSE Family! SOO SOO cute and funny and oh wow! MIRACLE! Soeur Nielson and her new companion will be seeing them again next week! It was weird to be fixing rdv for when I am not going to be here.... 

MY LAST DISTRICT MEETNG! We had a funeral service for me and Soeur Lefrandt and got Elder Ursua to eat a pie in two bites! You know just doing regular missionary things! It was weird that I won’t be going to a formation every week and just learning how to be a better missionary! 

We then came back and we saw an ami of ours that we haven’t seen in forever! GIFT! She doesn’t speak French but speaks really good English! It was crazy because just the day before she made my favorite Nigerian chin chins and was hoping to run into us! So we got to see her and eat her yummy food!! We also had a crazy rdv with Amandine! She is a cute young mom with wild boys... Soeur Nielson can definitely tell that I didn’t grow up around boys because I was NOT in my element! But I bonded with the adults and she entertained the boys! 

We then had our last FHE with the Paolis and our ami Emmanuel! We watched the retab and it was so good! I don’t know how many times I have seen this film but each time that I watch it and actually pay attention and not wonder off I feel the power of the film! I want to watch it in English!!! 

On Wednesday I said goodbye to Toun our miracle water lady! She had a gift for me and she is just too sweet! Also we had our last lunch with the Benoits and Backs and of course another 6 course meal that made us sick after! TOO MUCH FOOD!! We got them to do silly faces and it is priceless! Also I saw the Vieullimins who have helped us a lot with less actives! 

Bernadette is a referral from an ami and this lady has SASS! We saw her on Thursday and wow! Don’t worry I filmed us together and you will die! If you can understand French! She just had a million thoughts and is just way too entertaining! She also had gifts... It seems that since I have had my birthday... gifts just don’t stop coming. Not complaining! 

We also saw our ami Nathalie and watched the retab all together! I have seen this film sooo much on my mission with soooo many different amis and for the first time ever I had an ami that cried in it; it was so special and I feel honored to have been there!

We also had a lesson with the Angeons... he is the French Alex boye and LOVES Michael Jackson so of course we are friends!

On Friday we saw Marjorie and her family for the last time! Her grandma is 94 and too cute! She gave me these ancient earrings that are beautiful! I am too spoiled! We did our last weekly planning session and for the first time I did it without a planner... and planned for a bunch of things that I wish I would be here for! While out contacting we finally saw the back of the cathedral and it was the perfect day for it!

Saturday was early morning service with members! We just did what we are best at and helped people with their logs for the winter! I may have damaged my back even more but will worry about that later! We had a lesson with Melanie in the park and then she came to Slauco’s with us which was really weird so we got macaroons after and it made it all better! Then back to visit Bernadette who gave me a postcard from her dad... and more silly faces!

Sunday was my last time seeing soo many people that I love! Remember when I first got Toul and there were 30 people at Church.... 54 yesterday!!! It was wonderful and I love these people! We spent the whole afternoon contacting in the sun and kept on going until we did what we had planned! We were rewarded by an fhe at the Benoits and had a great week!

This past week has been the most successful of my mission and this transfer has been the best of my mission! A triple of what I did my first transfer! The lord is blessing us!

I don’t really know how to express what the past 18 months have been so hopefully this poem that I have had on my wall can do it for me! It really has been the greatest thing I have ever done and I have loved it! Sœur Nielson taught me to think of a mission as a field of roses...

As you walk through the field there are thorns and you get hurt and it isn’t always pretty. Sometimes there is blood. BUT at the end you look back and what you have walked through and all you see are roses. That is a mission. I know that this has been hard and I have gotten bruised and bloody both physically and emotionally but looking back all I see is the beautiful, happy times and it makes me want to do it again! I love love love love love love love being a missionary!!

I love you all! I will see you soon! My homecoming is October 19 and you are ALL welcome to be there!

For the last time,

Love

Sœur Emily johns

A mission is a strange experience
it is a trial and a test.
A mission throws at you the worst
yet, teaches you the best.
I've never been so happy;
I've never been so depressed.
I've never felt so forsaken;
I've never felt so blessed.
I've never been so confused,
Things have never been so clear.
I've never felt my Heavenly Father so distant;
He's never been so near.
I've never been so discouraged;
I've never been so full of hope.
I feel I could go on for forever,
I think I've come to the end of my rope.
I've never had it quite so easy;
I've never had it quite so tough.
Things have never been so smooth;
Things have never been so rough.
I've never traveled through more valleys;
I've never ascended more peaks.
I've never met so many nice people.
I've never met so many freaks!
I've never had so many up;
I've never had so many downs.
I've never worn so many smiles;
I've never had so many frowns.
I've never been so lonely;
I've never had so many friends.
BOY, I hope this is over soon,
GOSH, I hope this never ends.