I just wanted to write you a quick note to tell you how much I love you and appreciate you... you are not only my mom, but my best friend. You do so much for me and are always there for me. Words can't even describe how thankful I am to have a mom, friend and example like you in my life. You are so willing to do anything for anyone and always put others first before yourself. All of us kids look up to you and dad as our parents and we love you both to the moon and back! Time is ticking and it's almost time to head out on another adventure in my life. Except, the hardest part about this one is.... no phone to call you and tell you about something that just happened (like seeing a cute boy haha) or call you when I need a friend to just talk to... definitely going to be the hardest part about leaving. And the no boys part too. ha jk. kinda :)
I am not usually a crier and I always try to be tough, but sitting here thinking about leaving makes me so sad and brings me to tears... but I just need to think of it in a different perspective. I'm leaving to serve the Savior and to bring the knowledge of the Gospel to other families. I get to tell them how to have a forever, lasting happiness in their own family. What can be better than that? I will miss you and dad. I will miss my siblings... I will miss Kobe (please don't let him die while I am gone :)) I also want to tell you how lucky we are to have the gospel in our lives. I never really thought about it while growing up and in high school. I am so glad that you and dad met and that you decided to join the church because you knew that it was true. You brought that knowledge of truth into our home and taught us kids how to keep the spirit with us, how to love each other and how to have a Christ centered home and sooooo much more. Even if it's not always loving in our home, we do all love each other :) I know from seeing you how to become selfless and what it takes to be like the Savior and do selfless acts of service and without throwing a fit about it. Just to do it out of pure love. You and dad taught us how to become the best that we can be and always strive to be our best and nothing under. I learned from both of you how to have a good attitude towards maybe negative situations, how to forgive others easily and to be a good person. I learned from both of you that no matter what our trial or trials in life may be, we press forward in faith, a smile on our face and never doubt that Heavenly Father is listening to our prayers. He just wanted us to become stronger and had some things to teach our family. I also learned from you guys that tithing is soooo important. I remember you told me that you and dad always paid tithing first and somehow, a miracle each month would happen and we would have just enough money to get through. BUT we can't just sit around and do nothing and expect Heavenly Father to bless us with the money, we need to put forth the effort and try our hardest and do what it takes.
You and dad never would skip church... unless we were throwing up or dying, we always went (even on vacations). That taught me how important it is to take the sacrament each Sunday and renew our covenants. You and dad have always worked hard at your callings and you showed effort and not just trying to get by. I know that our Heavenly Father loves our family. We have been through so many trials, with financial, sickness, deaths, etc., but at least we know it's never boring in the Johnson home! Just kidding... it is a blessing that Heavenly Father would trust you and dad with these trials. It's because he knows that you can do it and our family. It has only brought us closer together as a family.
Since getting my mission call, I have been reading a ton about Joseph Smith and the saints in New York, Kirtland, Missouri and Nauvoo. I feel like they had soooooo much more to deal with. They traveled hundreds of miles in freezing cold winters and lost some of their children because of it. I don't know if I could have done that. They sacrificed all of their "things", their homes, their money, everything to build the church that we have today and to build the temple. Joseph Smith was a strong man. What man would sacrifice his family and everything he had in his life for something made up and not true? He was a prophet of God and a faithful servant. I look up to him so much. I know that he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the grove of tree's. I know that translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God. I have felt the confirmation that the Book of Mormon is true multiple times in my life...
I wish I could say there was one instance, but honestly, going to EFY, girls camp, church, mutual and having personal and family scripture study has all been a help to gaining the truth of this church. President Thomas S. Monson is a prophet today and I know that he receives revelation and guidance from our Heavenly Father. I know that he is a man of God. I know that we can all be instruments in helping others come unto Christ and you and dad have taught our family how to be examples and little missionaries, I guess. :) These are basic truths, but they mean so much to me and if I didn't have you two as my parents, I don't know where I would be. Even though I may not show that I always appreciate you, I appreciate you and dad more than anything and I wish I could repay you... thank you for everything and I can't wait to see you guys again. I'll be seeing Kory a lot later than that, but in the eternal scheme of things... it's hardly any time at all! Even though... a lot can happen in that amount of time, I am pretty nervous and a little scared, but i'm so grateful to have this opportunity to serve! It will be so great. I will miss you all <-------> this much.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
love,
your favorite oldest daughter,
Kelsi Denae
