To my best friend:

Yesterday, I dropped off my best friend at the Missionary Training Center in Provo. For the next eighteen months, we will be completely separated. No contact, no snuggle seshes, no late night phone calls, no ridiculous text messages that make me laugh uncontrollably during class, no facebook spamming. There only thing we have is hand written letters. I guess I shouldn't complain because 1) she's serving the Lord, and 2) boys serve for twenty-four months. And yet, as I watched her walk into that building, I felt like a piece of me went in with her.

Emily, you have been my best friend for ten years. Okay, minus that time in ninth grade when we didn't speak for two months. I don't even remember what the fight was about, but it ended with us calling each other and laughing for hours about the ridiculousness of it all. Sure we have other friends, other really close and amazing friends, but there is no one quite like you in my life. You are the only one who really understands me, the only one who I can be completely my self around--or the craziest, weirdest version of myself--the only one who I don't care if I cry in front of, the only person who makes me laugh so hard I want to cry or pee, or both, the only one who I can watch BBC dramas with for hours and hours, the only one who I talk about boys, love, sex and not worry about judgment. We have so many great memories from the past years and there are so many more memories in store for us in the future. Here's to seventy more years of jaw-droppingly magnificent friendship.

You are going to be the best missionary this world has ever known. It's hard for me to be apart from you, but I know that you are having the time of your life. You have a gift for communication and an overwhelming love for people. People are naturally drawn to you. That gift--the gift of empathy and love and passion for people--will be one of your greatest assets on your mission. Your decision to serve a mission is going to help so many people. All I can say is you're going to do great things and even though I'm going to miss you every day, I am so proud of you. God speed, dearie!