Calm Before the Storm

Hey everyone! Today is the calm before the storm... Starting tomorrow, zone conferences begin again, and we will have three of them in a row. Three eight hour meetings for the next three days! We have two more next weeks as well. Its gonna be intense, but I know we'll survive. Its weird, today we found out who the new mission president will be that replaces president Martin in June. His name is President Hall from Arizona. Its weird because I will probably never meet him. I go home the same time President Martin does, in June (As I'm sure most of you know). I'm glad that it worked out that way, because I can't imagine having another mission president. I'm so used to president Martin. I have really grown to love and respect him. It would almost be hard to follow another mission president at this point. Anyway, it also really opened my eyes to how close I am to going home... Its really getting close.

I'm kind of sad that I'll be done with my mission. I just know that when June comes around, I'll never be a missionary again. Even if I serve a senior mission or something a long time from now, its just not the same. My one and only mission is ending in less than four months. The mission I've waited my entire life for. My entire life I've never felt more important, or like I was a part of something amazing and bigger than I am. When I was home before, my mission was always something in the future that I really looked forward to, and now it will be in the past forever. Its really hard to imagine. Elder Hoffman, my last companion before Elder Richards, had a pretty hard time going home too. I've spoken to him since then and he said he cried every night for about the first week when he got home. I hope it wont be the same way with me. Anyway, I don't mean to be somber, but I just want you to know if I seem sad a few times when I get back, please don't take it personally, that's just how it goes when you go home.

I love you all and hope you all have a great President's Day!