Dear Family,

How strange to be writing my last email to you! It still doesn't seem real that I am coming home. I'm not nervous at all which is quite unusual for me. It must be Heavenly Father blessing me to remain calm with everything.

We had a good week this week. It did rain like crazy Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning. But, luckily the Lord gave us a miracle and let the rain stop. We were able to go out and tract and we found some really great new investigators.

We also had a very good Sabbath here in Destin. We had Fast and Testimony Meeting due to General Conference this next week. There was a family that blessed their baby, and then we had really great testimonies. It was perfect for our investigators that were there. The Stake President was here so he asked me specifically to bear my testimony. I didn't even cry, which made me really happy :) I'm going to miss being here in Destin. I really like the members here.

I got to talk to Donnie and Melissa last night. They are so great! They told me that I can move back to Andalusia so that we can hang out and go to church together. They are going to do baptisms in the middle of April and are preparing to go to the temple together next year. It was so great to hear that! I love them!

Well, I guess that is about it. I'm glad that you are bringing a coat because my jacket will not be warm enough up there. It sounds like Thursday is going to be a long day, but I'm glad that President Pleshek is willing to release me when I get home that night. I'm excited to talk to and see everyone!

I love you!
Joanna

Dear Family,

I had a great email all written out and then the computer erased it. Sorry this one won't be as good.

Things were alright this week, but not the most exciting. Spring break for the colleges has been in full swing, which really isn't that fun. Traffic is crazy, and so are the people, but we did some good missionary work with the locals. The weather is absolutely amazing (the beach and ocean are breathtaking right now) and I'm somewhat scared that I'll have to live through a real winter for a little bit when I get home. But, I do want to see some snow. it's been two long years without it.

John's lesson this week was so good!! We taught him lesson three. When we asked him if he would be baptized when he knew that this was true, he said "Well, there isn't anything telling me no. It seems like the thing to do." It was great! He also said that the Holy Ghost really rang true to him and what we shared with him seemed to be the best explanation of it he has ever heard. He reread all the reading assignments we had ever left him, and he already has a favorite Book of Mormon scripture-Alma 32:26-27. He says it describes him perfectly. I really like John. He might be one of my most favorite people that I've gotten to teach. I love them all dearly, but John is so genuine and sincere and honest with us. Plus, he is really committed.

Well, I don't have too much else to write. We didn't have our best week last week, but this week is going to be a lot better. I'm so excited for it!

I love you all! Thanks for everything you do for me!
Love, Joanna

Hello Family!
We had a good week this week. It is wonderful being a missionary! Worry about the eternal salvation of souls really gives you a purpose for life.

We did hear about the shooting in Geneva, Alabama. It's pretty sad that that happened. Being a missionary you don't really understand what is happening in the world. You only get small snippets of world events. I'm a little nervous about having to come home to 'real life', but I know that with the Lord first in our lives, we don't have to worry about anything.

Jessica Palmer is the sister that is buying my bike. I'm glad you got the check from her because she went into the MTC on Wednesday. She is probably going to be my replacement here in Destin. I'm excited to meet her, because her Bishop in Provo came to visit his daughter who lives in the branch.

I did have my last zone conference this week. It was pretty good. We got to watch "An Ensign to the Nations" and then talked about it. The sisters from our branch made our lunch and it was good. Then at the very end President Summerhays did something he hasn't done really at all. He asked Sister Hartman why she loves me and then had me share with everyone what my mission has meant to me. It was hard because having to put that into words isn't easy. And, just for the record, I cried :) I'm still as soft-hearted as before my mission. I'm really interested to hear what President Summerhays wrote to Bishop McBain. I really love President Summerhays! He is the best mission president ever!

This week we had a really fun opportunity. On Valentine's Day a lady called us saying that she wanted us to come over. She did scrapbooking and she wanted us to come and meet her, and help her find peace in her life. Along with all of this she wanted us to do what else but scrapbook or make cards with her! I was in heaven! She had a ton of scrapbooking stuff. She is an independent consultant for a scrapbooking company, so it was a lot of fun! She has really been struggling with things recently in her life, and so she needs us. She had taken the lessons 20 years ago, and we are now teaching her again. Later on that night was the Relief Society birthday dinner, and she came to that, too! She really enjoyed it and loved the women in the branch.

We had a really great turn out at Sacrament Meeting. All three of our good firm investigators came, which was great! They all loved it and will be regular attendees in the future. However, we found out that one of them is on probation for two more years, so she won't be getting baptized anytime soon. In two years though, there will be a good firm member of the church to be baptized.

I'm looking forward to running some 5ks this summer as well! Janet and I can do them together, but she definitely beat me by a long shot. I'll have to train super hard before she comes home. I can't believe that Afton is turning 1. I can't wait to see her and Ben and Shannon's baby whenever she is born. There are some babies here in the branch and it is so hard not being able to hold them.

Well, I hope that everyone has a good week! I love you all! Thanks for your love and support! Love, Joanna

Dear Family,

I was wondering if you had gotten my flight plans yet. I don't get them until two weeks before I go home so that I don't lose them. But, Miami? That is in the complete opposite direction of home! I wonder if Church travel realizes that. Do you think that I'll still get released that night? Just wondering. It seems like everyone wants to know about going home and how I feel about it. It is kind of hard to think that in just a few weeks I'll be sitting at home playing Wii with everyone.

So, a new sister that is coming out when I go home wants to buy my bike. I said I'd sell, so we are going to get things figured out. I'm thinking that $200 for Gary is quite reasonable. I haven't really ridden my bike and it is in good quality. Plus, I'm going to need some money and shipping it home would take a lot of effort. I don't need such a nice bike when I get home. If I really need one, I'll buy a Wal-mart one for $50. I just thought I'd let you know what is going to happen with the bike.

We had a good week this week. We had such a great lesson with John and the Stephens this week! In our last lesson John told us that he would think about coming to Church on the 29th of March, but this week he told us that his wife said they should just go together this Sunday! What a surprise to hear him say that! And, his wife, who is a very devoted Catholic, even said she wanted to come and was curious about what has made her husband change from being a heathen to having a good relationship with God and praying everyday. It was amazing! We had some other really great lessons this week. A member's fiance said that we could start teaching him, and we have been waiting since Thanksgiving. We are really excited about it. Missionary work is great! You should all try and do some everyday!

I'm glad Sarah was able to meet help meet the monthly goal of having 308 baptisms! That is more than our entire mission had last year! That is crazy! Anyway, I wouldn't trade the Florida Tallahassee Mission for any other mission in the world.

This morning I was thinking that maybe Ben and Shannon's baby was born this week, but I guess not. There is a brand new baby in the branch here and it is really hard to not be able to hold her. I'm really looking forward to being able to hold babies again!

I was hoping that I would get the Saturn when I come home. I guess I'll just go with my good old truck. You still have that, right?

That is about all for this week. I love you all so much and am grateful for everything you all do for me!

Love, Joanna

Hi Family,

I have no time to write this week, so I'm sorry this is going to be pretty short.

It was crazy! We had so many miracles happen. Five of our investigators were at church. We got two flat tires, but out of it all come great blessings (people stopped to help us thankfully).

Sister Stowers was emergency transferred to Andalusia this morning. One of the sisters there is going home for some surgery.

I've been reminded of how great our Heavenly Father is. He blesses us so much! He has showered miracles down on us as we have been working to accomplish His work.

We taught Relief Society this week on missionary work. We used some M & Ms as a visual, and I talked about how in the Allred family they are Vitamin Ms. The sister in Relief Society loved it! We told them that they had to take one M & M a day so they can have daily missionary moments. It was really good.

I got the email about the Stephens. They were excited to hear that President Pleshek is my stake president. We are having them come with us this week and we are really excited about it. There was another couple from Appleton here, but I didn't get to meet them.

I love you all so much! You are the greatest family and friends anyone could every wish for. Hopefully, next week i can write more and tell you more about our miracles. I love you!

Joanna