THE BUBBLE

Again, Utah-ins, take no offence, I promise it's good,

just like the America post.

Whenever a new Utah missionary would come into our ward back home and told us they were from Utah, everyone's reply was "oh you're from the bubble..." People would say this because 60% of Utah is Mormons (I also feel like I should add once again - MORMONS DO NOT HAVE MULTIPLE WIVES)
So ya... people call it "the bubble" because it's the least worldly place and they haven't witnessed very many worldly things. (eg, drunk people, immodest people, swearing...)

Which can be a bad thing (because they're in for a culture shock coming to the Scotland Ireland mission where everyone's steaming at any occasion possible and everyone greets each other by swearing)
Btw Americans, steaming = drunk.

But, the bubble can also be a good thing.

 When I first came over here I thought, I'm gonna have to reel myself in a bit - I can't be wearing something that could offend someone, accidentally pop a swear word out, or even let them know what I was like before the church. I thought that if any of that even got out that Nathan's parents would think "what kind of girl is my son dating..."

As soon as I got here, I loved everyone. Even all Nathan's neighbours! They spoke to me like they had known me for years. The children all basically adopted me as the big sister and shouted "Jo-wannaaaaaa" every time they seen me. Utah was great!

Then I moved over permanently.

(Calm down, I still love my life and love Utah)

But it was a culture shock. Everyone kept asking me what the biggest culture shock was and first it was the brown hills instead of bright green hills and the heat from the sun which I had only had 4 out of 365 days back home. Lol jk.

Not really.

"Masks"

But I started to notice little things. 

At least 2 or 3 times a week I would go teaching with the missionaries. They were a part of the ward family for the time that they were there. Teaching encouraged me to read all the time and rediscover the gospel when I studied Preach My Gospel. It's where I had so many confirmations over and over again that the church was true whilst listening to the spirit during lessons. I had been in their position, so I felt like I could answer their questions in the right ways. I could testify the blessings of living the law of chastity or the word of wisdom because I had came from the complete opposite life from what I live now.

So when I first went to my new home ward, I was shocked to see no missionaries. There are too many wards here for missionaries to be in every single one and I wasn't used to that. So how could I help others and serve?

I thought maybe I'll just know everyone so quickly and be able to tell who's struggling and somehow serve them by bring light into their lives. But no one was giving anything away, everyone's lives was perfect and happy. I realised most people just had their masks on. 

At first I thought "wow I must not get on with Americans." But then all my close friends that I have over here are American, so that's not it. I realised that I met those friends in Scotland when they were "bubble missionaries". I had connected with only them because on their mission, they had no mask. 

They were realer than 2pacs hologram (rip pac).

They were raw people. Everything they spoke about was how something made them feel and every concern for their investigators and ward members came from the bottom of their heart. They were straight up dishing out feelings and struggles and didn't judge you for anything.

Not many people really like to tell others their struggles here, whether it be with sin, a weakness, or just anything really. And don't get me wrong, that's okay too! Some things are extremely personal to others. But I'm just not used to that. I'm super open about everything in my life. But since moving to Utah, I wasn't, I had picked up a mask and put it on.

WHEN THE "PERFECT" BECOMES "IMPERFECT"

It seemed like some people only noticed when someone had wore something "too revealing" or focused on everything that the less active was doing nowadays instead of thinking of them as still a child of God. 

I love the talk "The Righteous Judge" by Elder Lynn G. Robbins.

The natural man and woman in each of us has a tendency to condemn others and to judge unrighteously, or self-righteously. This even happened to James and John, two of the Savior’s Apostles. They were infuriated when the people of a Samaritan village treated the Savior disrespectfully.
“And when [they] saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
“But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
“For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them”

And I'll just leave that there.

IT'S OK TO STAND OUT LIKE TRUMPS ORANGE FACE 

 But the matter of the fact is, you gotta be yourself and preach the gospel at all times. When I was baptised my bishop told me to always stand out, never blend in (shout out to Bishop Wilford). Nobody on this earth is perfect, we will never achieve perfection until the next life. So what on earth was I doing? Why was I shying away every time someone spoke about anything that was contrary to the word of wisdom, or anything really? Why was I hiding who I was before? If ya'll didn't already know by now, baptism and the atonement is real peeps. The point of baptism or the atonement isn't to make you become someone you weren't before. It's to bring out the best in all of us that we never knew existed. And it's all for a greater purpose than we could ever imagine.

So why was I worrying if people knew that I had done what I did? It doesn't make me a bad person, nor does it make anyone else a bad person. Why was I worrying that my swimsuit showed my tattoos when I was sunbathing or hot-tubbing? It made me who I was. If accidentally swear at you, I'm sorry (well it depends on what you did...)

Lol, jk again. 
(I have to say just kidding because Americans don't take sarcasm as well as us Scots)

But I'm still trying to get the hang of "hell" and "damn" being part of a swear word vocabulary here. So don't look at me like I just pooped in your kettle when it slips out.

So here goes.

Hi, I'm Joanna.

I'm the oldest child, I have two hilarious little sisters and we were all raised perfectly. My parents aren't together and never were married. They also aren't members of the church.

I moved to "the bubble" because God brought me here and the love of my life is here. 

It's where I want my children to grow up. Where they can be surrounded in other children who also are mormon and not have to worry about being ashamed of telling other non-mormons that they go to church, or about when or how they will get to the temple, but which temple they want to go to. 

I have two tattoos. One is an infinity sign and the other says "turn to face the sun and shadows will fall behind you". I got them because it meant something. The infinity one because I wanted something that was never ending, and the other because I wanted to change and leave things behind. 

I actually like wearing two-pieces when I'm tanning. Shoot me for being "immodest". 
"Modesty is not about hiding your body. It's about showing your integrity." - Stolen from the amazing Hannah Mongie's status ;)

I actually liked the taste of tea and coffee...... and other beverages. Which I don't drink now because of the testimony I have and blessings that I get from living the word of wisdom.

And I actually loved the lifestyle I lived before the church... Those are some of the funniest nights of my life with my bestest friends in the whole world 
(shout out to the troops yesssaaaa)
I just love what I have now even better.
Because God is good people.

One of my best friends is gay, and I know a lot of gay people 
(that's right, mormons don't hate gay people!)

I like real people. People who are straight up as soon as I meet them, it's how I know we'll be friends. Me and my friend Maile are very similar on that one...

I'll be open about everything, don't get offended or weirded out if I tell you how itchy my butt is.

LITTLE HIGH LITTLE LOW, LITTLE HEY LITTLE HO

But the bubble is home. and it's where I feel safe. I have such amazing examples around me and know Nathan and I have been called to teach Primary for a reason. Those are the people I am here to help and teach. I know it's where I need to be to become what I need to become. 
If people want to wear something that's revealing that's fine. 
Haters gonna hate potatoes gon potate.
We all came from the same place, we are all on the same planet, we are headed to the same place. Those people who are "drifting" or have "drifted" away might be in the celestial kingdom when we get there. Infact, I have faith they will. 

WE are children of God, and He has sent US here