Last Post - Please Write!

In less than 4 hours, I will be set apart as a missionary. No more blogging for 18 months. My brother Eli is going to post my letters and pictures to sistercharityeyre.blogspot.com.

To my faithful blog readers (all 10 of you) and anyone who comes across this on the truly World Wide Web: please keep in touch and write me letters!

January 18 – February 5

Sister Charity Jade Eyre

England London South Mission

England Missionary Training Center

Temple Way

Chorley, Lancashire PR6 7EQ

ENGLAND

February 5 – Summer 2009

Sister Charity Jade Eyre

England London South Mission

The London Temple

West Park Road

Newchapel, Surrey RH7 6NB

ENGLAND

www.dearelder.com

sistercharityeyre.blogspot.com

charityeyre@gmail.com

I determine to serve with all my heart, might, mind and strength and hand over my heart and life to the work of the Lord.

May God be with you till we meet again!

Happy New Year!

I have three days left before I leave for England as a missionary! They sent me a tag in the mail, and after lots of shopping (and mourning the death of cute shoes in my life), a farewell, and many goodbyes, it finally is starting to feel real. I have never experienced this intense of combination of true emotions. In the past I have left home and began new things and confronted change over and over, but it has never, ever been quite like this. I had no idea such real panic/sorrow and such real excitement could coexist. Overall, I am deep down genuinely happy, knowing I am doing the right thing and enjoying all the different emotions stirring my soul. I am recognizing the tender mercies of God being shed upon me as I prepare to leave.

Some pictures of what I have been up to ending 2007 and welcoming 2008:

My dear friend Josephine stopped by Utah for two days on her way home from Wellesley to California. I had such a great time sharing my home with one of my best friends!
We celebrated Christmas a few days early, complete with Jerusalem Supper and Eggs Benedict traditions.Mexico...really awesome trip. We had lots of fun and helped on some projects along the way. It was really very cool, I loved it.
Back home we all went through the Salt Lake Temple together, parents and all nine siblings. It was amazing. We had a big Christmas party up at my parents' new house, and my farewell was the next day. It was such a blessing to have everyone there. We traditionally rang in the New Year at Aunt Lenna's house.

Mom and I went to Midway for a little overnight retreat at the coolest Bed & Breakfast. It was beautiful and we had such a good and relaxing time!We took a quick trip down to St. George for Ashton's baptism and that was so fun. Jonah and Aja took me to Zion National Park one evening after it had rained all day. There were huge waterfalls coming out everywhere! It was really really neat and beautiful.I have had some fun times with friends the past week, including dinner in Provo, sleepovers, a bridal shower for Abby, snowshoeing with Julie, and a Utah temples trip I took with my good friend Jane Clayton who is going on a mission to Toronto in a month. We went to every temple from Logan to Provo (7 total) in 2 days. It was such a wonderful adventure.

Two thousand seven was a truly incredible year for me; so much that was significant happened!:

• JERUSALEM. Without a doubt the best experience of my life. Anyone who has talked to me about Jerusalem knows that I am really passionate about my time there. I could not explain how enlightening, wonderful, joyful, beautiful and amazing those 4 months in the Holy Land were, not in the lengthiest or most eloquent of discourses. Oh, how I loved Jerusalem.
• 2 weeks traveling in Europe: Italy, Greece, and France.
• Super fun summer in Provo and LA, Havasupai, Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon, Bear Lake, Colorado, St. George, and Salt Lake - tons of fun adventures, work at the MoA (best job ever) and three awesome BYU religion classes
• Last semester at Wellesley: adventures all over New England, great classes, internship at Romney for President, babysitting, New York, tons of family and friend visitors
• Received my mission call
• Went through the Boston Temple to receive my own endowments
• Graduated from Wellesley!
• Traveled to Mexico
• Attended the Salt Lake Temple with my parents and all nine siblings

What a year! 2008 will be much different and much more focused!

I am so blessed and honored to be numbered among the missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am going to be a part of the work of God! What a thrill. Given that I get everything together and packed in the next three days, I am truly excited and ready.