Last Email!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD Morning!

This is very crazy! 

I'm excited to see you all! I'm not sure what you're all planning to do in the evening before I'm released, but I'm sure it will be good. :)  I'll have fun with the room ha ha! I'm also planning on making a mission scrapbook (I know-such a shock ha ha!).

My last week has been relatively normal, which is what I preferred. I wrote in my planner ages ago for my last weekly planning session (Dean knows what that is, but maybe you know too ha ha) to not get trunky. So I made a plan to be as active in our missionary endeavors as much as possible considering I wouldn't be writing down all the return appointments for the next week :'(.  I FINALLY got to take somebody to the visitor's center!!! We took "T", our recent convert, and we watched the Mountain of the Lord with him and the fellowshippers from his ward that came. We invited him to do family history with us next time, which will be today and possibly the last time I see him.  It was a very spiritual experience. The care center we cover is booming with missionary work now, which is crazy!  It's really only been this busy this transfer. I only went there a few times with the rest of my companions. One of our investigators moved to another care center with his fiance, so we wished him luck and left with a prayer. So far we also have "K" and a new investigator we just met a few days ago.

We also watched President Monson's funeral. I still can't believe it's real. I remember listening to him talk at the cultural celebration in Boise and watching him enjoy all the dancing and singing, and that was when his wife was in the hospital. I know the church is in good hands though, especially with the Lord at the head of it.

The mission office gave me my "trunky plans" about four weeks ago, and they included what to do about rules for suitcases and such. They gave specific instructions for the carry on and told me that there will be scales at the mission home to ensure that my luggage doesn't weigh too much.  I'm a little nervous about traveling because I only did it once and that was with my district of Elders with me. I have your phone number memorized and written down in case I need it, and I'll say a prayer that I'll be able to figure out where to go and such.  They did give me my itinerary, which should help. 

I love you!! See you in a few!

~Sister Brinkerhoff

Last picture sent to me from a member of the church in the mission:

One More Week

Good morning! I'm sorry you're not feeling well! Yesterday was weird for all of us. I woke up that morning and went back to bed because I thought I was sick because my chest felt heavy and I had a slightly hard time breathing. Sister Lewis had a really bad headache and Sister Smith seemed to be fine. We went to the care center to visit people and I started to worry that I was getting worse, so I put on a mask the rest of the time there.  We later went to our dinner appointment and afterwards Sister Smith was having the same symptoms I was having. We're not sure what happened but we guess it's from the dryness of the air here. ha ha! Sister Smith turned on some of her essential oil diffusers and I took a bath for steam. We were so tired yesterday, but Sister Smith still managed to memorize 17 verses... how?! :)

I forgot to tell what else happened yesterday! Our two investigators live in the care center I already mentioned, and we were able to attend sacrament meeting with them yesterday, which was great! Many people shared beautiful testimonies and memories about Thomas S. Monson. I loved him as our prophet, so while it was sad to hear of his passing I know he's in a better place and it was great to hear so many wonderful things about him. One sister quoted from his daughter about how he loved to visit care centers when he started slowing down. A bishop from another ward (we cover a monster amount of 16 wards and a branch) read a letter from President Monson that was sent to his son when he was in the hospital, and it was so awesome and sweet!

My week's been good. We were so close to finding two new investigators, but one of them is planning on leaving for a month.  I've been really tired for some reason (maybe its' the sugar from the holidays).  My last week will probably be pretty normal, although we are having exchanges tonight. Sister Houghton will join Sister Lewis and I while Sister Smith will be with Sister Allen.  I probably will email next Monday, hopefully!  I don't think there's anything I need.  I am going to miss my companions and the people we've been teaching. Rexburg's a great place.

Well, I love you so much and I hope you recover soon! 

~Sister Brinkerhoff

Two More Weeks in Idaho!

Hi Everyone!

This Christmas season has been great! I got to talk to my family over skype and bear my testimony to them near the end. It was weird to think that I'd only be seeing them in a few weeks. Two days later, I went to the Idaho Falls Temple for the missionary departing temple trip. That was the first time I had ever done a session at that temple because I've mostly been in Rexburg my entire mission, and it was different but good.  I've been in Rexburg for so long that the member who gave me a ride to IF thought I started my mission in her area. :) I've served in the Rigby Zone and the Rexburg Zone, and I've had many memorable experiences-as well as many wonderful companions-in both of them. 

The holidays were fun! We knocked on the wrong house for skyping our families (my bad...), but we did find it the second try!! We went to a zone activity afterwards and watched the Polar Express. I forgot how strange that movie was. We later had dinner with a family we're teaching and played mafia with them. Most of our plans fell through during the New Year's weekend, but we had fun with our zone and stayed in contact with one of our investigators.

I wanted to send this mass email today to let you all know that I'm so grateful that you have each been a part of my life, on the mission or not. I'll also share my short testimony that I know our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us, and I know that through Jesus Christ all things are possible, and to that I am grateful for him forever. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

All my love,

Sister Emily Brinkerhoff

2006:

My siblings and I!  I'm the one on the right.  

2017: