In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, thank you to all of you who have influenced me and my family. Thank you for your love and support in all that my family does. Thank you for the relationship that we have not only by being related directly through our heritage, but for the relationship of love and friendship that we have as well. I feel so grateful for each and every one of you...my family and hope and pray for your well being, safety, and happiness. Thank you for being part of my life. I love you!
I wish each of you a grateful season of thanksgiving.
Please enjoy this link of "In the Spirit of Thanksgiving."

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Mission End

Oh my family! Well here we are:  my last e-mail. We had a wonderful week. Wonderful! We found a couple of new potentials that seem really good. Sister Cooprider is staying in this area still and training. I'm excited for them as they have many new people that we have set appointments with them to teach. It's weird to know I won't be a part of that, but it's alright...I guess!  We had our two wonderful baptisms this weekend of Jenny and Ashley! It went really really well and was just a really nice day for them. I think it was really great for their Dad too. I know eventually he will have the desire and he will receive an answer that he needs to be baptized.

There are so many changes I feel coming up in the mission and coming up in these areas. It just makes you want to be here for all of it! But I suppose it always feels like things are changing and great things are about to happen when you're about to leave! But it has been so amazing and wonderful to see the progress that has happened in the Anaheim 2nd ward and the Anaheim 

Last week we, Sister Brown, President and Sister Watrous and I, went to the temple and that was wonderful!. Last February we went to the temple and all wrote little letters-to ourselves sort of, about what kind of mission we wanted to have, and what we wanted to do and were going to learn. And then we were given those back while we were at the temple, so we could read them again. It was interesting, it doesn't feel like too long ago, but I know that I've (hopefully) grown since then. But it's still pretty odd to read the things that I said then, and to even see at that point how I had grown; I'm not sure how, but it seems like it. Our mission conference was really great. But geez, it's sort of unfair to have an inspiring mission conference right before you leave! Sang "Called to Serve" for the last time. Weird! Saturday morning I had my last interview with President. He renews our temple recommends, and then goes over all the info that mission presidents are supposed to say I guess. And he added in his own advice, and then he gives us a blessing. He's just such a great man. He is super humble and obedient and faithful. He really has been an amazing example for all the missionaries.

Today we're teaching one last lesson. Well, one last lesson for me with Raichel Goodyear. Remember I mentioned her once? She was golden, and sooo ready and we passed her onto some elders in another singles ward. Well, long story, she's back to being taught be us. We haven't seen her since September, and she wanted to be taught today. Fine by me! I'll do my last baptismal invitation as a missionary! I am so excited!

Well, I'll just say it. I LOVE being a missionary! It's been the best 18 months! And even though I really don't know what to expect after this, and I am a little anxious, I'm excited to see how life is just going to keep getting better. You know, I'm pretty lucky. I really am. I feel like I am blessed just over and over and over again and every year is better than the last! It's amazing to see how you really do become a missionary. Not just doing missionary things, but being a missionary. I'm so grateful for the things I've experienced and learned. Irreplaceable! My testimony of the gospel has just grown sooo much deeper. I have learned how to study the scriptures, to feast upon them! To love them! And I expect it to continue! If there's been a theme to what I've learned on the mission and what I've tried to teach others, it's love. It is the love our Heavenly Father has for us, and how everything he does is for our happiness. We just have to recognize it and act on it. I LOVE being a missionary! I am excited to see all of my little family again! I love you all so much and thank you so much for everything you've done for me! The love, the prayers, the letters! I love you! See you soon! Ah!

Love,
Emily

OCTOBER!!

A few pictures of the last week in October. Cole finished up his high school football career. His team finished tied for 2nd in the region but lost in the first round of the state playoffs. Cole loves, loves, loves football and is disappointed they didn't go farther in the playoffs. He worked his tail off this year and played great this season despite injuring his knee twice. Hopefully he can continue to play beyond high school - stay tuned.......... It's hard to believe his senior season is over - it seems like yesterday he was playing sophomore ball.

Cole and Grandpa George

Happy Halloween!! Brock and his friends dressed as up and just cruised around the neighborhood. They didn't know what they were dressing up as at first and then decided they were the "Mormon Mafia". What? Go figure.

Cole went the high school dance on Halloween night. The whole group he went with dressed up as pirates. He was supposed to be "Smee" from Peter Pan.