my obsession with nuns

yesterday i re-organized some drawers and as i was reading through some old letters i realized something tragic....i used to be funny.  i don't know what happened.  i was trying to explain to my main man what i meant by that.  then today, i found this.  and how appropriate, because today is the live Sound of Music special with carrie underwood.
peace+love

viva méxico

it's oficial....

Friday, September 13, 2013 this half chilena half north american is going to become half mexicana, too.  that sounds impossible, i know... i guess my heart will just have to grow to fit all those mexicans in it.  i'll be moving to Mexico D.F. until December 11 to go prepare the Lord's servants in the newest MTC opening this summer.  there are no words to describe the extreme range of emotions i am feeling right now...so i will express them with a song

you may or may not ever see me again.  there is the distinct possibility that i will o.d. on tacos.
peace+love

oh, poor atlas, the world's a beast of a burden

this world is scary and life is hard.  i've spent a fair amount of time lately reading the news (trying to get rid of that instinct of going to facebook when i get online). some of today's headlines included, "inmates seen with guns, using drugs", "US:North Korea may launch missile", "Building collapse kills at least 9", amongst other tragedies, crimes, and disasters.  then there's all the crap that happens in people's personal lives everyday that don't make it to the headlines, and they often suffer in silence: divorce, death in the family, abuse, cancer, break ups, neglect, unemployment, bad grades, the list goes on.  as i write this i hear the siren of a firetruck pass my street.  man, it's exhausting.

but, God loves us.  and as i've struggled through my own trials and felt the weight and sadness for the trials of those around me, i've been so overwhelmed with gratitude at the love people have extended to me.  for every bad thing in life, there are two (at least) good things.

ex. 1 - these missionaries

i know i shouldn't have favorites, but seriously, i am going to miss these guys.  for the last six weeks they have strengthened my faith, brightened my day, and brought me closer to Christ.  i remember kneeling with them last saturday night as we prayed together.  when we finished i thought, where else in the world would you find a group of eleven 18-21 year olds kneeling together in prayer on a saturday night by choice? yes, amidst all the turmoil around us, there is so much good--this is one incredible group of young adults.

ex. 2 - these two goofballs

ashton and tess (my roommate and her boyfriend).  they are such blessings in my life.  i got home from work on wednesday after a sort of rough day and they kidnapped me, took me to dinner, and to walk around the mall for a bit.  that's just one example of the bajillion when they've helped me in some way. they are so quick to serve and care for others.  i couldn't ask for a better roommate/friend and her boyfriend (old married couple, really).  

ex. 3-this beautiful, selfless woman

my mother.  brooke sent me a text the other day that said, "There is a scripture in Acts about mama! acts 2:28 - 'Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.'"  how true it is.  i cannot describe the peace i feel every time i am with her or get off the phone with her. she always seems to know just the right words to say. 

ex. 4-this beautiful weather we've had

ex. 5 -this weekend = general conference baby!  ya, the world is scary, but when we listen to and obey the prophet, we need not fear for the future.  God is great and He loves, and He will never give up on us or disappoint us.  He is perfect and He is my best friend.  I love Him. 

sorry this post was so wordy.  but it was therapeutic for me to write.  if you actually read it, i hope it will be therapeutic for you in some way as well.  also virtual hug to whoever can tell me where the title of this post comes from without googling it.

peace+love

fred, you'll always be in my heart.

i love these people so much (i also love those not pictured here)...2 years ago for 9 weeks we spent 24/7 in each others' presence. as missionaries in the mtc we were homesick together, felt the spirit together, played basketball together, sang a LOT together, and ate way too many pumpkin chocolate chip cookies together (thank you mom, brooke, mattie, and aunts for all the packages)...we also missed out on harry potter 7 part 1 together.  it came out a week after we entered the mtc.  we dubbed ourselves "district gryffindor" and vowed to wait and watch the movies together once we all got home.  so, for the last 6 months i've waited for these boys to come home so we could watch the last 2 movies of harry potter...together.

"i've always liked these flames hermione makes" -ron.  ??? really???
i didn't love the movies, but i loved the company

...yes, i dressed like luna lovegood and yes, i was the only one who did dress up (okay, adam half dressed as voldemort--the one in all black).  i also find that copper map of chile all too appropriate.

my life is grand.
peace+love

look to the light

today, my heart is here 

(san miguel, santiago, chile)

with these people (and all my other amigos chilenos for that matter)...

 and it hurts a little bit.

words cannot express the love i have for the people i met in that beautiful place.  i miss them, and the worst part is, heaven knows when i'll have the money to go back.  

in the mean time, i'm remembering what it's like to be a vessel through which people feel God's love.  

there is no greater joy than knowing that someone knows God loves them because of something you said or did.  

the great news is, you can do that no matter where you are in the world.  it's just a matter of seeking the opportunity then seeking and following the guidance of the Spirit as Elder Ballard so eloquently taught us in General Conference.  

need some inspiration?

peace+love

if you would like to make a call, please hang up and try again...

between these two joys...

...i'll be peacing out for a while.

happy riding

peace+love

la novicia mormona rebelde...

this is what happens when you've been shut out from the world for several weeks and lock yourself in the linen closet to get away from everyone else around you...

peace+love

the fall

coming home from a mission and adjusting to the "real world" is an interesting experience...my life's circumstances make it even more interesting. 
today i was given about 5 minutes to make an important life decision. i really hope i made the right one.

then, i got to go be one with the earth.  okay, maybe it wasn't the most spiritual experience i've had in nature (impossible when you've got cousin sammie screaming about snakes every 5 minutes), but i've got to say, there is nothing that brings me more peace of mind and makes me feel more "at home" than getting away from civilization for a few minutes and pondering on the beauties of the earth.

hello, nature...it's good to be back.

peace+love

Kelli Jean: Mucho Bueno

I'm sorry if you cannot read this, that is too bad for you. But she can email on Thursdays so we'll get to hear a lot more then!

peace+love

peace out

chile santiago west mission

october 20, 2010-april 2012

i love you all

weekly e-mails will be posted here by my lil sis, kewwi.

peace+love

it's been a while

man, it really has been a while. but i'll tell you, preparing for a mission is non-conducive to the internet when you want to spend every waking moment with the people you love most...

cousin dougy (who i get to hang out with for a whopping 18 days between the time he came home and i leave)

mandy

my gorgeous best friend since we were 6--i love her baby bump.

mi familia. they're the best.

cedar peeps in b-town!

doing what i love most

peace+love

8.2 weeks, 57 (almost) days, 1368 hours, 82080 minutes, or 4924800 seconds

fabulous news...

nights are getting chillier and sunflowers are blooming.

that means fall must be near.

which also means the most wonderful time of the year is closer and that is when i leave...58 days till i enter the mtc to prepare to serve in the chile santiago west mission for 18 months.

(yes, i know you're supposed to fly kites in the spring, but in cedar city it's always windy so {we} bought that kite in the fall. yes, it's on the ground because i am actually not very good at flying it.)

in other fabulous news...

so far, with the help of my friends, i've raised $105 for charity:water! and with only 5 donations. the goal is to raise $210 by my birthday, september 3rd. that's in 11 days. so even if you don't have money to give, i bet you have a friend or family member who does...and in my mind, spreading the word is a valuable way to help the cause. here's the link to my campaign.

peace+love

i want to go to cedar city...real bad

this post was going to be dedicated to all my cedar peeps out there and all about how i'm slightly heartbroken i will not be there with you this fall. in case you didn't know, i love cedar city with most of my heart. but i decided to be positive and dwell on the things i love about nsl. this can still be dedicated to all my cedar peeps, though. you should come to nsl for my mission farewell.

my summer at home

=bike ride on the parkway under a full moon

=outdoor movie with amy

=not enough hiking

=meeting/getting to know amazing people who have already changed my life for the better

=watching a friend be baptized

="guard and protect your heart" (that's for you, ali)

=twilight concert series

=a job where i'm actually irreplaceable.

=inception 3 times

=charlie st. cloud=$8.50 and two hours of my life i'll never get back

=i laughed through the entire thing...the girl next to me bawled through the entire thing and smelled of fecal matter

=waiting five weeks for a mission call

=but guess what? it's coming on wednesday.

peace+love

Fahrenheit 451

it's far too hot outside to sit, walk, stand, or do anything for that matter.

so, i'm sitting in my air-conditioned house in a rocking chair reminiscing about recent events of life and listening to a.a. bondy.

today was a good sunday. it didn't start that way. i talked to my stake president this morning and he informed me that the 12 apostles have not made a call for me to serve yet. he feels confident it will happen this week. which means i will receive it the next week. and won't leave for a few months after that. i won't lie, this mission prep thing is not all rainbows and butterflies. there are times i feel extremely discouraged, unknowledgeable (which, ironically, isn't even a word) and unworthy. i often wonder what i'm getting myself into. it doesn't help that i'm impatient and stubborn.

then i had a missionary farewell and homecoming to attend.

at the farewell i was gently reminded why i decided to go on a mission in the first place.

at the homecoming i was gently reminded i will not be the amazing teacher on my mission. but the holy ghost will be.

what i learned from all this? i've just been selfish. my focus has been on my anxiety and my problems. not on preparing to teach the people i will come in contact with and relying on the spirit.

now i am recommitting to continue to love life and live it up but focus on the well-being of others and seeking the holy ghost as a constant companion in everything i do.

on the lighter side of things, more pictures from skydiving. apparently my mom took pictures while i was in the air, so enjoy...

sky so blue

a perfect landing (on our feet!)

post-jump hair

{also, virtual hug to whoever gets the reference in the post title}

peace+love

sharing time

aubry blogged about this and i thought it was kinda cool, so here i am sharing...

it's a "colorscope".

my first pick was jadeite

which pretty much says stupid people bug me.

then i chose gravel

which basically says i have awesome friends because i'm an awesome person

and my last pick was lake

lame. it may as well have said, you cry a lot. which is only true this week. but it also said i have beautiful expressive eyes, and am very attractive. and i love people and people love me. so i guess it balances out.

i want to know what you pick

p.s. my mission papers are in and it's kind of a tradition for people to guess where i will get called. so comment and guess where i'm going and if you guess correctly i will send you a nice little prize. this link shows what missions there are.

peace+love