Erika Johnsen

Hey hey hey ya'll-
Here we are again, where in the world does the time go. January flew... but let's see what I
can update all of you on....

I guess I'll start where I left off... so the holidays were amazing. It was a well needed
break to get home and away from the busy life in Logan. I had a lot good quality
time with my fam and it was great to see all of you all too. Long overdue if you ask me.
Christmas was pretty quiet, but then on the 27th my dad and the family all wisked away
to Mexico, and oh man it was awesome. We just spent 8 days exploring the coast,
underground lakes and caves, ruins, little mexican reaturants with maraiachi bands
playing in the corner, white sandy beaches, and bright sunny days. It was next to
mpossible to get back on to the plane even after a whole week. I could have stayed
another. It was a well needed break, and I loved the chance to take the whole family away
from all the responsibilities of work, school, the tug of teenage friends, and just life.
They had nothing else to do but to play with me and it was wonderful. I loved every
second. The only thing that keeps me from being bitter about how cold it is in Utah, is the
fact that in a little over a month I will be off to the carribean with my mom and family for
a cruise, and the world for 7 days will be right again. YAhoo!! I love traveling! Ok I have
to talk about something else, my hatred for Utah is rising.

So I started my last semester ever, and have been going through all the heeby geebies
that come with my lasts, but for the most part getting through it. I have 3 months to figure
out where to go from here, kinda a scary thought, but I'm slowly thinking it through.
All my classes are great, and it is nice to only have to do what I want to do, as
opposed to all of those generals and major requirements that I never would have
taken on my own. They are all pretty time intesive so it keeps me really busy.

Beyond that I am just still doing the IWA thing, it is wierd because even though I still
have another semester to serve we are already calling the new president for next
year and getting that all in the works and I think it is making me start to deal with
being released way before I have to. Probably best this way though as opposed to
stopping cold turkey. On the bright side if the girl accepts, the president to come
will rock, so I guess that is comforting. My advisor's husband just got called to be mission
president in Japan, so she is actually going to be released any day now, and so it will
be a bit of transition to get used to a new advisor and work with someone else, but
hopefully things wont be held up to much and I'll hopefully be able to keep things
going. We have our Spring Open House Friday, I'm looking forward to having some
new girls join this amazing organization.

Other than that, still nothing boy wise, I am too busy taking calls of all the people
getting engaged, they are dropping like flies. I'm going to just stop making new
single girl friends, it just doesn't work! Since everyone included their wieid medical things last
blog, I'll join. I found out a week ago that I am missing one of my lunbar vertebrea,
which might explain my back pain for the past 3 years. I am pretty much a mutant.
My dad assures me that I have a vertebrea waiting for me in heaven though. I'm still
trying to figure out exacty what to do with that information, but I have started working
out, and trying to get back to the weight I was at before it started hurting to see if that
helps, and might start physical therapy if I can find the time to squeeze that in. If
not it might have to wait until I graduate.

Ok I think that is quite enoug of me for tonight, I hope you are all doing well and I can't
wait to hear about your lives. Love you
all!
Always
Erika