How are you? I´m just wonderful. 

( mother's note: Since Emmy won't send any pictures for her blog I threatened to put pictures from her past... (even her "fat" period.....)Here to her left are her two "aunts" that just got married, and I sort of think Ashley Rindlesbach is on her right on the end?....) We'll be getting current pictures soon...

Emily and Bethany Pinnock- her friend who just returned from California, Oakland Mission...

Mom, I know you keep writing me wanting details and all that jazz but I don´t know what to write.  I suspect you want my innermost feelings as the very best thing that has ever happened in my life comes to a close. I can´t believe it and it catches in my throat every time I think about it, so I´ve chosen to shove it out of my mind and focus on praying, studying, and serving.  Very rarely do I think about the end of all of this because we are working the hardest that I ever had in my entire mission.  I am exhausted all day, every day...I don´t sleep and my body aches...and I am the happiest I´ve ever been in my entire life. 

The promptings of the Spirit have become almost palpable to me...it´s scary.  For example..Saturday night it wa 9pm (we have to be in the house at 930 or 10 if we are teaching a lesson).  The work and walking and rain and sleepiness of the week just washed over me and it was all I had to put one foot in front of the other.  All of our citas had fallen through and we were in camino to the house really slowly.  My mind (aka natural man aka Satan) thought...good, we´ll walk slowly to the house..maybe do a few more contacts and finally I´ll get to plan and sleep!  but then something deep down in my heart (aka the Spirit!) said ¨No!¨ you know Hermana Bourne, there is someone waiting for you today."  I began to pray for more guidance...where...when.  A street came to my mind and I told my comp.  She said...let´s just go visit this member.  I succumbed and said..yeah, okay and we headed for the house. how embarrasing!!! But then I felt the street name and the peace that accompanies the Spirit enter into my heart and mind.  I said sorry compy, but we have to go over here.  She´s awesome and started getting excited.  We arrived at the street at 915 and I walked past the first door...my comp rang the doorbell and a woman from the second story said ¨good evening...wait just one minute, I´m coming down¨ she opened the door and let us right in without asking anything.  we entered, taught, testified and had a really edifying experience. she listened, understood, and asked really wonderful questions (which is something akin to finding a bar of gold in the street).  We got to the house just speechless and grateful to have been led so forcefully by the Spirit.  I feel it now and I stand in awe of the reality of this personage of Spirit. Truly, it is the greatest gift we can receive here on earth.

Blob, thank you for the talk....I know it´s going to help me. 

Katie, I´m not going to be an EFY counselor.  I´m sorry love! I´m shooting for working at the MTC in the summer...so you can go to Uganda and do all the sweet jazz you want and be a counselor and we´ll live together...but the whole EFY jazz isn´t going to work out. LOVE YOU!

What a wonderful thing to be a missionary. I am humbled and very, very grateful to maybe be an instrument in the hands of Heavenly Father to help His children feel the Spirit, receive the peace and ordinances that lead to eternal life.  I am thankful to have come to know my Savior a little more through obedience to the commandments, some suffering, and many hours in prayer, study, and fasting.  It´s really easy to forget what matters most and even MORE easy to not do those things that matter most.  I hope I can keep this clarity. 

I love you all. Thanks for being awesome and thanks for writing to me every once in a while! LOVE YOU

Hermana bourne