April 2, 2008 - The Silence is Broken

Last week we spent our whole p-day 1) sitting in the CES training for seminary and institute teachers (one of the couples from UB comes up to Selenge every once in a while) and 2) going in a rented meeker with all six Selenge missionaries, two zone sisters from UB (Sister Balli and Sister Shinegerel-both in my group), and 7 branch missionaries up into the mountains to see an old man with a beard who runs a museum and go hiking. It took the whole day, and we didn't get in to the internet, so I'm sorry. I will write again on Monday, our first Monday p-day in the mission.

The mission is closing up strong. I'm having as good a time as ever, and we're busier than we've ever been. I haven't started the crying yet, but it will come. I found my one companion who was three weeks from completing her mission sobbing as she stir fried our lunch one day. She said she didn't know why stir frying made her cry (there weren't even any onions!), but I knew it was just the finishing up of a life changing event. I hope to have my emotions in control by the time you get here so we came communicate properly.

Thanks to Sister Hunt, my trainer, for the Easter package.

[FYI Sister Johnson's release date is May 1. Her parents and brothers, Brad and Greg, are going to pick her up. They will spend a week in Mongolia and then take the train across the Gobi desert to Beijing. After a week there, they will all return to Washington, DC--May 14. Hopefully the temperature will not be too cold. However, travel to Mongolia and northern China is not recommended in April and May due to the severe winds. Read Sister Johnson's blog entry for last year at that time. Maybe we will have Sister Johnson sing the Titanic theme song on the Great Wall of China with her hair blowing in the wind.]