Emily sent us the following email on Monday, December 8, 2014--her 22nd Birthday!  She will finish her mission next Tuesday, Dec. 16th.  Peter and I are going to California to pick her up and tour her mission for a couple of days before coming home with her on Friday, Dec. 19th.  THIS IS SUCH AN EXCITING TIME!!!  I assume Emily will email next Monday (Dec. 15), but I won't be home to get her email and post it on this blog.  I'm sure there's a way to do it using a laptop or cell phone, but that's kind of a stretch for me....  IF I can figure out how to do it, I will post her final missionary email next Monday.  If I CAN'T figure it out.......please sit back and enjoy Emily's final post below! ;)

From: Emily Christensen <emily.christensen@myldsmail.net>

Subject: iiiiiiiiiiiiii'm tweeen-teee twwooo---ooo-ooo!!!

Date: December 8, 2014 2:08:36 PM MST

 iiiiiiiiiiiiii'm tweeen-teee twwooo---ooo-ooo!!! dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun  whoooooo-oo-ooo-ooo-ooo (Sung to the tune of Taylor Swift; never getting back together)

Well today has been wonderful!  The elders showed up at out apartment bearing gifts of tres leches cake and singing.  Herman Rodriguez out-did herself and decorated the house at 3:00 am while I was sound asleep!  Ella SE BOTO!  My Christmas spirit only fueled me through hanging some of the streamers and then I lost some motivation as the fight to keep the streamers taped to the ceiling grew.  Let's just say I got creative and those streamers will not be coming down.  Also, Hna. R took me and we got my eyebrows threaded so I'm sporting a very sleek holiday look!  She is so good to me!  You will be so excited to meet her because I love her so much!  

ACTUALLY!  Ok, let me go back for 2 seconds!

Hermana Escobar.  I love her.  We eat with her every monday.  She is the most humble, sweet, cheerful, generous lady you will ever meet.  She had some money stolen from her bag right after one of her cleaning jobs.  Maybe it's because I'm exhausted, my mission is ending, something else and the injustice of the situation, but there were a LOT of tears.  We said a prayer over her little bag and then searched it and the more it seemed that we weren't going to find the bulk sum or all her recent efforts, the less of a grip I could keep on myself.  Then, tender mercy: Hna Rodriguez told Hna. Escobar that she should pray about it, but if she wanted to come to Utah, she could live in her basement in a guest room they have there.  Do you know what hopeful possibility feels like?  It feels like the way I felt when you all suggested that I actually wasn't stuck and I could have a new life and a new adventure at BYU instead of SUU.  It is kinda a calm feeling and I know it is the spirit.  Well, that is the calm that came down and filled her little trailer.  She has always wanted to come to Utah.  We got permission from the president to call Hna. Rodriguez's mom to talk about stuff.  They chatted for a while, and then I chatted with her mom.  She is hilarious.  One of her talents is impersonating accents.  She speaks spanish, but knows english.  She is very animated and just good to the core.  They got her whole family together and they sang happy birthday to me.  We should definitely invite them to our house to meet the chavez's.  Or whatever works well for you guys!  There is going to be so much spanish loving in our home this Christmas!  You guys will understand a little bit what their culture is like :)  End result: They think Hna. Escobar should have a 2 month trial vacation first because the culture shock could be a bit overwhelming.  She is really thinking about it.  It was incredible how this small invitation calmed the raging storm of turmoil almost instantly.  God takes care of his faithful members.  She has complete confidence in Heavenly Father.  She just trusts that somehow he will provide for her.  She almost sounded surprised that he would be as quick to answer her prayers as he always is. Of course he answers HER prayers instantly, she is an angel in the flesh.  There is no surprise here!  Tender mercies galore!

He is the gift.  The church is so smart.  All their marketing initiatives are very top notch.  

Watch the video.  Share the video: Facebook, twitter, etc.  christmas.mormon.org

We've seen miracles by getting people to watch it on the street.  Heavenly Father is so smart.  He knows everyone has i phones and that 2 minutes is the perfect amount.  You can't watch the video without being touched.  

Moroni and Candy Castillo took us and Mauricio to the temple last week.  It was super neat. We watched the family movie and then I really missed you guys!  We watched the "He is the Gift" video there and it was really powerful.  I got to see a missionary there that I met last Christmas when we visited the visitor center.  She is from Spain and knew Hna. Calderon.  She is just a special girl, so it was perfect that I saw her and that she got to meet Mauricio and take us around.  

When you come, bring your scriptures, and bring the camera.  Maybe the telephoto lens.  I don't know if you would be interested in doing a session in the temple, but you can decide.  If yes, you'll want your clothes unless you just rent ($5).  We might not have enough time for that this time around, but we can see.  

I bet I will get your birthday package to me after I email.  Thanks for thinking of me and remembering me!  It's going to be a great day and a great week!  And I get to see you soo soon!  YAYYY!!!  Let the adventure begin!  

Ok, ok, ok!  I love you!  I will see you soo soon!

Love, Hermana Christensen

Emily sent the following email on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014:

I miss you so much :)  I started decorating our apartment.  I cut out a reindeer from wrapping paper and put it on the wall.  It is so cute.  We’ll get a picture of it.  Can you be sure to bring my camera when you come to get me?  I know we'll want to take pictures during that time :)  I am putting up red crepe paper.  I am going to figure out how to make those paper star/flower things and I will hang it where the streamers connect.  And underneath, I will put my study desk with the nativity set you made me :)

HA!  That is so exciting that you are driving here so soon.  Do you know where we will be staying?

Is there snow at our house right now?  What is the forecast like?

OOh!  I forgot that my birthday is even coming!  I don't want you guys to worry about buying my anything, mostly I just want to be with you! :)  I would like it though if you help me pick some new clothes when I come home.  

We are going to the temple visitor center tonight with Mauricio and so that is really exciting.  We had an MLC yesterday so it took the whole day.  The ipads are not coming until next year ;(  Oh well!  I did it all the real way!  

Have you heard about the "He is the Gift" initiative?  The church is doing a lot of expensive advertising for it!  The church is doing such big and cool things!  You should watch the short video on christmas.mormon.org.

Well, I will see you really soon! :)