The Last Frontier

Hello readers!


WOW, it has been a while, and I am so sorry for that! It has been really crazy around here, and I mean it this time! I hope all of you had an awesome thanksgiving and got to enjoy some time with your family.


This post is just going to be an update post I guess, a lot has happened. On the 18th I flew back to Alaska! For those of you who don't know, I was raised in Alaska and lived here until just before my freshman year of high school. After my Senior year, my parents made their escape back to Alaska.

They love it here, and so far I have really enjoyed being back home. It has been awesome to be with them again, but its going fast! I only have two more weeks left here, and then I will be heading down to Utah to wait out the rest of my time until I report to the MTC. I will not be with my family for my 19th birthday or Christmas because we wanted to make sure I wouldn't get stuck in Alaska due to weather, and that's kind of a bummer. But at the same time, it is a small price to pay on my journey to spreading the gospel in Pennsylvania. This is what I must do.


Alaska is....AMAZING. It is so pretty and SO COLD!!! Port Graham, the village they live in, never gets snow and when they do it melts quickly. I had told my mom I hoped it would be different just this one time so I could have a white holiday season and LO AND BEHOLD ITS SNOWY.

This is the view from my house, and I don't know if it can be beat. It is so beautiful and I am sure its even more gorgeous in the summer.

One of the greatest blessing I have received from coming back home in the environment I live in to prepare for my mission. Port Graham is very small, and very much excluded from the hustle and bustle of life. It is calm, quiet, and so serine. Because it is just so peaceful I have been able to listen to the spirit more and have had lots of time to read my scriptures and prepare to teach the gospel.

I think that sometimes a get away is exactly what everyone needs now and again. You probably don't need to fly to remote Alaska to find a peaceful place, but we all need that peace. Life can get so busy, and for a lack of better words, LOUD. I challenge each of you to just unplug once in a while. Turn off your phone, turn off the tv, and just go somewhere peaceful and listen for the spirit. He too often gets smothered by the static of the outside world, and that's a shame.

President Faust puts it a lot better than I do, watch this awesome video!

Today I am thankful for the spirit. I couldn't be half the missionary I hope to be without him!

Here are some more pictures of my frozen home :)

We Are All Ugly Ducklings

 I'll never be ready for my mission.

I don't like how short my legs are.

I'm not smart enough to teach others about the gospel.

I literally have no upper lip.

I annoy myself all the time, I can't imagine how others view me.

What if I never baptize anyone?

I am just a bother.

The story of the Ugly Duckling tells of a plain-looking bird born in a barnyard. His brothers and sisters and the other birds and animals on the farm tease him for being plain and ugly, so he runs off. The Ugly Duckling finds a home with an old woman, but her cat and hen also make fun of him, so he doesn't stay there long. In his wanderings, the Ugly Duckling comes across a flock of swans, and dreams and aspires to be just like them! He spends a cold and lonely winter hiding in a cave until springtime, when the flock of swans comes to the lake near his hiding place. When the Ugly Duckling approaches the swans, he's delighted to find that they accept him and treat him like one of them. When he looks at his reflection in the lake, he realizes, that he is not an ugly duckling, but indeed a majestic swan. When the swans fly off from the lake, he spreads his wings and joins them, 

One of Satan's greatest tool against us is self doubt. I feel that now more than ever. I can't tell you how many times a day I question if I am ready to serve a mission, if I am worthy, and if I will EVER be enough. I beat myself up over past mistakes, dislike myself because of how I look, and tend to overthink everything.

I am the ugly duckling.

 We are all the ugly duckling.

Unfortunately, we cannot look into a lake and see the reflection of who we are, but wouldn't that be nice? We have to work to discover it. We work to find who we really are by praying to our heavenly father ernestly, ignoring the tempations of the devil, and "enduring to the end". Seems like a small list, but that's really hard! It's hard to not get down on yourself sometimes. Luckily, we have someone to help us along the way.

We all have things to improve, weaknesses to overcome, and emotional barriers to break down. When life gets as crazy as it often does, it's easy for Satan to make us think we will never be able to just be....better. But, there is someone who knows exactly who we are. Someone who knows what we are capable of, looks past the imperfections and self-degrading, and is always there to build us back up and make us a magnificent swan. 

Jesus Christ.

He suffered not just for our sins, but felt every heartache, pain, self doubt, and devaluing thought. He felt the ugly duckling in all of us. Why would he suffer if he knew we could never reach our full potential? He wouldn't have, that's the answer.

We are too hard on ourselves. Give yourself a break once in a while. As my favorite Doctor said:

And please, don't forget that everyone else is an ugly duckling too. You're not the only one out there with troubles. Love people. Find the best in everyone you meet, and help when you can. I promise that by doing that, you will more easily discover who you really are. By helping others, you help yourself.

So, let me correct my list back at the top to set the example for each of us.

I will be ready for my mission because God is with me.

My short legs will carry me to amazing places.

I am smart enough to teach the gospel, and that I don't know, the Holy Ghost will help me with.

The size of my lips doesn't matter, only that my words testify of Christs love for everyone.

How others view me doesn't matter, I just need to love and be patient with myself.

If I don't baptize anyone it's ok, as long as I tried my best.

I will never be a bother to God.

I am a Child of God, and so are you.

Here's what President Uchtdorf has to say about finding yourself.

This week I am thankful for imperfections. I wouldn't be who I am without them.

Called To Serve Part II

Enjoy the video of me opening my mission call. I especially like the part where I am a klutz and drop my call on the ground ;). Always classy.

Called to Serve

The moment we have all been waiting for! Well, I have. My mission call came!

I got it in the mail at about noon yesterday and just about died when I opened the mail box and it was actually there. IT WAS FINALLY HERE AFTER 3 WEEKS! I was so excited in fact, I dropped the container of soup I had just picked up at the grocery store and broke it all over the ground. I was soup dropping excited! I ran inside and did as anyone else would do with big news; post it on Facebook, obviously.

I'm being totally serious. 

The day was a roller coaster of emotions. I went from feeling scared and petrified and not wanting to open it, to feeling so impatient it took all my willpower to not rip it open. But the feeling I felt above all those was the confirmation of the Holy Ghost letting me know this big white envelope held a destination I would go to and have my life changed forever, for the good. 

As I waited until my parents could call and open it with me that evening, I thought it best I prepare myself as much as I could. I prayed at least 10 times to Heavenly Father that I would know matter where I was called to (even Utah) that it was where I was supposed to be. I watched tons of mission call openings so I knew exactly what to do when I opened mine, I read missionaries stories and talks from my church leaders, and sang called to serve and least a thousand times. I realized later that there's not enough emotional preparation in the world to help you be ready for that moment you open your call.

The day went by faster than I expected. I went to the church's trunk-or-treat and had a ton of people tell me things like "Youre going to be a great missionary!" "I would've ripped it open already" and "you're so patient (if only they knew)". I then ran back to my home to set up to call my parents and then it was time.

My hands were shaky. My legs were weak and my eyes were blurry. I thought my heart was going to beat straight out of my chest and onto the pristine white envelope. I had planned to open my envelope gracefully as to preserve it, but that didnt happen, it's destroyed. Of COURSE, me being the Klutz that I am, I dropped my letter on the freaking floor. Then, I began to read.

Dear Sister Parry,

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

You are assigned to labor in the Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months. You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on December 28th, 2016. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the English language. 

I can't begin to describe the joy, relief, and inadequacy I felt after finding out where I am going. It is no secret that I really wanted to go foreign. But waiting and praying yesterday I knew I was going to go stateside, and God treated me well! It's the most beautiful, history rich mission I could have ever asked to be called to. Not to cold, not to hot, and beyond perfect. I mean, look at these pictures from my missions official blog!

 THAT'S A BUGGY

 I am so beyond blessed. I can not wait to go and serve the people of Pennsylvania. I know that it is where exactly where I need to be and there will be people in my area only I could touch. My life will be changed forever. I am humbled to know my local and general leaders have found me worthy to serve, and learned enough to bring others to Christ. It's been a long time coming to get to where I am now. There were lots of mistakes made, tears shed, and who knows what else. Thank you to every seminary teacher, leader, and especially my family for making me the person I am today. I hope I can make you guys proud. I am so happy and so proud of myself for fulfilling the dream I've had since I was a little girl. I have grown my foot or two, and now I am ready to get to work.

P.S. It's no surprise what I am thankful for this week is Missions. That's all I have to say about that.

Bind My Wandering Heart

Hey guys! I am so terrible about writing. I'm sorry, I'll be better! Life can get a little intense sometimes.

Update on the Mission: My papers are FINALLY in Salt Lake City!!! Today marks two full weeks of waiting, so hopefully this week is the week!! I'm pumped! I can't wait to serve the Lord and his people. A lot of people have been asking me where I want to go and here's my truly honest answer: I am happy going anywhere. I came to the realization a few weeks ago that it really isn't about where you serve, but how you serve. There are people all over the world who are looking for Christ and his eternal love, and I just want to share that message. Of course there are places I want to go above others, but I would rather keep reminding myself that I will go where God wants me to go. 

The past few weeks I have felt Satan's influence in the world around me more and more. As I fight to put myself in a place where I can constantly feel the spirit and be worthy of my mission, I feel him fighting just as hard to draw me into sin and temptation. I recognize the negativity more in my life lately in social media, movies, and just everyday living, more than I have ever recognized before. I have noticed myself thinking unrighteous things, or unkind things about others and sometimes I feel like I am inadequate to serve the Lord.

But, a phrase from one of my favorite songs comes to mind every time I consider going down the wrong path:  

I wish I had an explanation for why this particular part of the song comes to mind, but I don't. My only explanation is that the spirit knows I am most touched by music, and that this particular phrase would truly influence me. So, in the time I have had to think about this phrase, I've gathered a few thoughts I want to share.

First, the word bind and how truly powerful that idea is; to be bound to god. In the dictionary it says, "tie or fasten (something) tightly, cohere or cause to cohere in a single mass." I think that this has a lot of meaning. Our purpose in this life is to become more like God and make it back to live with him again. To do this, we must bind oureselves to God. When we bind ourselves to him, Satan has no power over us to drag us down.

There is a scripture that says:

This is exactly what is means to bind our wandering hearts to him. As natural human beings we are drawn to doing wrong and making mistakes. God gave us our free agency so we could choose between right and wrong and have our faith tested. So it is up to us to decide to continue on his path, or let our heart wander. God knows the intentions of each of our hearts. We cannot hide from him, we must put off the natural man.

I am not afraid that I am not worthy to serve a mission. I know I am. Satan would like me to think I will never be worthy, or never be good enough, but I know from reading my scriptures, saying my prayers, and binding my heart to God, that I will be a good missionary. I hope that as I continue my journey in this life, I will wander less.

This week I am thankful for music. I am thankful that God gifted me with the talent of singing, and the knowledge to understand how to read and write music. I am thankful for the songs that make me feel the spirit and turn me closer to god, and for the songs that make me smile and do a little jig :P. Here's a song that's been a favorite for a very long time, and my favorite group, Pentatonix, just happened to cover it beautifully in their new album! Go check it out :)

Thank you for all your kind words and prayers as I wait to get my mission call, I really really appreciate it! If you have any guesses on where I'll go, comment them down below, I'd love to hear!

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   • cohere or cause to cohere in a single mass.

Shower of Heavenly Blessings

I am so sorry I have been a little MIA lately, life gets so busy when you least expect it sometimes. Eh, who am I kidding? My life isn't that busy, I simply lack the motivation sometimes haha.

Today I want to talk about blessings. I guess I am jumping ahead of the gun, most people note their blessings when Thanksgiving comes around. But alas, I have never been one to follow the crowd. This previous week was a little trying for me. I was having a hard time focusing and feeling the spirit in my personal study, worrying about not working enough, and honestly, just lacking the motivation to do much of anything that I needed to get done. I had no reason, but I was feeling down in the dumps, and just pathetic.

On Sunday the 25th, I had gone and had my FINAL interview for my mission papers with the Stake President and he had told me they would be on their way to SLC at the end of the week. But alas, they are not, and should be out the middle of this week. I am not a patient person by any means. I am sorry to admit, but I was pretty annoyed and I was super frustrated not having them out yet. I have wanted to serve a mission my whole life and the fact that this to me was another stumbling block, another day more of waiting until I get my call, was my LAST STRAW! I was stewing, tired, and honestly just wanted to cry and scream. I was being the whiny teenager I've tried not to be.

So, I sat down begrudgingly to do my scripture study for Sunday, and read this in 2Nephi 4:17,

"Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities."

Heavenly Father is a pretty sneaky dude, and he knew it was time for my call to repentance. I couldn't deny that I read this scripture at an opportune time, I couldn't deny that I felt the spirit chastising me. Just after reading that, my mom called and I told her all I had been feeling and my frustrations. My father, being the nosey old man that he is, was listening to us and he said something that struck me as well. My dad doesn't often put his two cents into things. Not because he doesn't care, but because he really is a believer in free agency and letting me make my own decisions. He said, and this isn't verbatim, "Just because you want it now doesn't mean it's what God wants now. The time you are taking to wait, patiently or not, could be the difference between you going to Kentucky Spanish speaking, of Dublin, Ireland. You have no idea what the Stake Presidency is doing and what divine inspiration or trials they may be going through. Stick it out, be patient, and let it be in God's hands."

I appreciate what my dad said. It was exactly what I needed to hear. I sincerely believe that his priesthood power gave him the inspiration to say what God wanted me to know. I need to be more grateful for what I have and consider my blessing more often. I can be pretty ungrateful sometimes and I want to change that. From now on, I am going to post one thing I am grateful for at the end of my blog posts to remember all that I have to be thankful for. I encourage you all to remember what you have, and remember your blessing far outweigh your trials. 

Here is a video from President Uchtdorf about gratitude I would love to share with you :) 

Today, I am grateful for Eternal Families. I am thankful for a Father who is goofy and fun, yet one of the people in my life I look up to the most. I am grateful he is a worthy priesthood holder, and has never turned down an opportunity to utilize that power. I am grateful for a mother who taught me everything I know. From reading, to baking, to doing my own laundry, to being a Christlike daughter of God, I have her to thank for who I am today. Sometimes a girl just really, really needs her mom, and I have the best mom and best friend around. I am thankful for all of my siblings. We are all so different and unique, and sometimes we really try each other. I miss you all constantly, I pray for you, and I feel your love for me daily. I miss you guys like crazy. You are my best friends, and my greatest blessing from God. Thank you for never letting my head get too big, and always providing me with the laughs I need when I am down. I have no idea what I would do or be without you dorks. 

I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go

Hello readers! Today I would really like to touch on why I named my blog what it is. To those of you who are members of the church, you probably get the idea of why. But I would still like to elaborate.

In the LDS Church Hymn book, on page 270, there is a hymn called "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go". This has been one of my favorite hymns for a really long time, and it has a special place in my heart. It reminds me of the responsibilities I have as a follower of Christ to help those around me, to be brave, and to obey the words God has given us. I would like to share what the verses mean to me.

1. "It may not be on the mountain height, Or over the stormy sea, It may not be at the battle's front my Lord will have need of me. But if, by a still, small voice he calls, to paths that I do not know, I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine: I'll go where you want me to go."

I love this verse because it reminds us that God has a plan for each of us. We don't know where it starts, how it ends, or anything in between. As people we can get caught up in making plans and trying to set in stone our future, like we have the power to do so. While it is important to have goals, hopes, and dreams, God ultimately decides what is best for us and knows what path we should take. Does this mean we will always have it easy if we follow God's promptings? I don't think so. God wants to test our faith and love for him, and sometimes that is through trials. But if we always obey the promptings of God, we will be safe and make it out a better person, and wiser. When we trust the Lord knows best, we are blessed. 

I would also like to point out that it says he calls "by a still, small voice." One of our greatest gifts from God is the power of Free Agency, or choice. God will never make us do anything. He want us to make our own choices, hopefully that lead us back to him. By using a still, small voice he is not in our face, he is not making himself obviously known. He is letting us know he is always there, and that we may have to seek him out to know what to do. 

2." Perhaps today there are loving words which Jesus would have me speak; There may be now in the paths of sin some wand'rer whom I should seek. O Savior, if thou wilt be my guide, tho dark and rugged the way. My voice shall echo the message sweet: 'I'll say what you want me to say.'"

One of my favorite quotes of all time, and perhaps my life motto is: 

I think that explains this verse perfectly. Love is the language of Christ. Everything God and Jesus Christ taught can be tied back to love of men, and love of them. I know in my life that when I have chosen to not judge someone and try to love them, I have been incredibly blessed and felt like a better person because of it. There is too much hatred in this world!!! I know this is cliche, but imagine how many problems in this world could be solved if we just loved and had compassion for each other! You never know how your kind words and example can effect someone else. You absolutely never know. And if it doesn't really help anything, which I doubt it won't, what harm does it do to be more Christlike? Absolutely none.

3. "There's surely somewhere a lowly place, in earth's harvest fields so wide, where I may labor through life's short day for Jesus, the Crucified. So trusting my all to thy tender care, and knowing thou lovest me, I'll do thy will with a heart sincere: I'll be what you want me to be."

This verse specifically talks about missionary work. This verse speaks to me on a very spiritual level, as I prepare to serve a full-time mission. There are so many people out there who are sad, and alone, and lost, who's souls are longing for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I sincerely believe we are doing a huge disservice not only to our fellow man, but God when we choose not to testify of our faith in Jesus Christ and share the Pure Love of Christ. You don't have to wear a name tag to be a missionary. Some of the greatest people in my life were those who strengthened me with their example and kindness. 

I have complete faith in the Lord that he will shape me into the best version of myself. Only he knows my heart, my desires, and what I am capable of.  I know he will do that through trials, blessing, on my mission, and whatever else he throws at me. Through it all, God is my father, Christ is my savior, and I owe all I have to them. So therefore, I will go where you want me to go, say what you want me to say, and be what you want me to be.

Here is one of my favorite performances of the song. Feel free to listen to it! 

Thank you guys for reading today. I hope you enjoyed, please comment if you have any thoughts our questions, and don't forget to follow me for updates on new posts! Have an awesome day!

My First Q&A

1. What are your nicknames? What do you prefer to be called?Lonnie, but I really don't care what you call me as long as it isn't profane.

2. What books on your shelf are begging to be read? Oh, I need to read the rest of Stiff  and Jesus The Christ  and I need to read Harry Potter Again.

3. What do you do if you can’t sleep at night? Do you count sheep? Toss and Turn? Try to get up and do something productive? Watch YouTube videos or find new music.

4. How many days could you last in solitary confinement? How would you do it? Like one. I'd probably sleep.

5. Who is the biggest pack rat you know? My sister, Cambrea.

6. What is the strangest thing you believed as a child? I legit believed that Faeries were real till I was like 10. But they only lived in old, dead stumps of trees.

7. What is one guilty pleasure you enjoy too much to give up? I watch way to many YouTube videos. Especially ones that are missionary calling openings/ homecomings and makeup tutorials.

8. Which animals scare you most? Why? Honestly, birds. I have no idea why.

9. Are you more likely to avoid conflict or engage it head-on? It depends on the topic. If its something i'm passionate about, I engage head on.But I don't seek out conflict.

10. What was the most recent compliment you’ve received and savored? Someone the other day at work thought I was older than I am because I "carry" myself in a different way than people my age and I really appreciated that. 

11. What is something about yourself that you hope will change, but probably never will? How scatter-brained I can be haha. But ironically, I am very goal oriented. 

12. Are you a creature of habit? Yes. I have a love-hate relationship with change.

13. When was the last time you really pushed yourself to your physical limits? On Monday I woke up at 5:30 to go to Yoga. Waking up was killer.

14. What do you think about more than anything else? My mission, lately.

15. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? IN!

16. Do you cut out coupons and then never use them? Nope, I love me some savings.

17. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees? Big Bear. I'd rather get it over with quicker.

18. Do you always smile for pictures? Most of the time.

19. Do you ever count your steps when you walk? All the time.

20. Have you ever peed in the woods? Who hasn't?

21. What movies could you watch over and over and still love? She's the Man, Mulan, or Definitely Maybe.

22. Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? No.

23. Afraid of heights? Very much so.

24. Do you sing in the car? Every day of my life.

25. Is Christmas stressful? NO? I LOVE Christmas!

26. Do you believe in ghosts? Yes, I am a firm believer in spirits and the afterlife.

27. The first concert you ever went to. Pentatonix in May. It was AWESOME!

28. Have you ever cried because you were so happy? Oh, all the time!

29. Are you a dog person or a cat person? Cats, for sure.

30. Do you prefer that people shoot straight with you or temper their words? Why? Straight forward. I am pretty down to earth, I don't get offended easily, and I like people who don't beat around the bush.

31. What’s your reaction towards people who are outspoken about their beliefs? I appreciate them, because I am outspoken too.

32 How has your birth order/characteristics of siblings affected you? I am the eldest of seven, and it has really shaped me into the leader and go-getter I am today. I love to set the example for others.

33. If you could restore one broken relationship, which would it be? Absolutely not. It's probably broken for a reason. Everything happens for a reason, and I am the kind of person that doesn't lose relationships for stupid reasons.

34. Do you believe ignorance is bliss? Why or why not? Definitely not. We are commanded by God to attain as much knowledge as possible in this life. Don't be ignorant.

35. To what extent do you trust people? Explain.  I trust people more than I like to admit, and I hate that. But I also kind of expect people to break my trust anyways, that's awful haha.

36. What was the best news you ever received? Honestly, just a few weeks ago when Bishop Lybbert told me I was worthy and ready to go on a mission. I cried.

37. How difficult is it for you to be honest, even when your words may be hurtful or unpopular? Not at all. I could care less if my honest beliefs and opinions are unpopular. I swear I am not hard hearted. But I really think that being up-front and honest and strong in your opinions is very important. 

38. When did you immediately click with someone you just met? Why? What was the long term result? Conversely, are you close with anyone now that you really disliked at first? I clicked immediately with my ex-boyfriend because we were very alike in a lot of ways. The long term result is that now, in the kindest way I can say this, I want nothing to do with his life, and likewise for him I think. I wish him the best, but hope to never have to hear from him again. I honestly didn't really like my best friend, Katie, when I first met her, but now obviously I do haha.

39. When do you find yourself singing? ALL THE TIIIIMMMEEEE

Who I Am

Welcome readers, and welcome to my internet home! I guess I will start off by telling you who I am, for those of you who may have stumbled across this blog and wanted to know what's up in this neck of the woods!

My name is Svyettlana Parry. Pretty cool name right? But don't you stress, you don't have to call me that. I've come to your rescue with a nickname! Lots of people call me Lonnie.

I was born in Tucson, Arizona on December 23rd, 1997, making me 18 and 3/4. I resided there until I was about five or six, and then my family moved to Alaska. I spent most of my upbringing in a small village called Chenega Bay, Alaska. This place was awesome, Alaska is awesome, and it is totally worth it to go if you ever get a chance. It still holds a dear place in my heart. I mean, isn't it absolutely GORGEOUS??

                                  

The summer before my freshman year my parents decided that our family of seven children needed to make its way back to "the lower 48", as we called it. So we packed up all the belongings we didn't give away and moved back. I won't lie, it was a huge let down to go from what is pictured above to this:

                                   

Carlsbad, New Mexico. Not to say it isn't pretty, but to me most everything pales in comparison to Alaska. So, I completed my High School career as a Carlsbad Caveman. I did some pretty awesome things in High School, but I can say without a shadow of a doubt, High School was the worst time of my life. I was so happy to graduate when the time came and just couldn't wait to get on with life. After I graduated my parent made another decision. Can you guess what it is? Yes! They moved back to Alaska! But, this time I was given the option to go with them, and after much praying and fasting, I chose not to, for a number of reasons. None of which are super important, but God told me that I needed to be off on my own.

So, now I live in University Place, Washington with my Aunt and Uncle, and I absolutely LOVE it. I am so happy and blessed to live somewhere so awesome as I prepare to Serve my mission, and I couldn't be happier to finally bond with some people from my distant family.

It is already obvious now, but just to repeat myself again, I am a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or a Mormon! I love my church. The principles and ideas that I have been taught from the church have shaped me into who I am today. I have no idea who I would be without my faith, and frankly I hope I never find out. The gospel of Jesus Christ and the commandments of God have never been restricting for me. I only see how much I have been truly blessed by obeying what I've learned. Not to say I haven't made mistakes. I know better than most people the sorrow that can come from not obeying what God has commanded. But, I also know the joy that comes from learning from those mistakes and becoming a better person from them, instead of letting them tear me down. There's always another way, always a chance to come back and start anew, and I hope to share my belief in that idea with you.

For anyone who isn't a member, when a boy turns 18, and a girl 19, we are given the opportunity to serve a mission almost anywhere in the world. We go through a long, tedious process of filling out papers saying we are worthy to serve and healthy enough to go. When we are finished, we get approval from our leaders of our area and it is sent off. What makes us different is we do not get the choice of where we serve. The highest leaders of our church receive our papers and choose with divine inspiration where we will best serve.

                                

I have known from a very young age that I was going to serve. There was never a doubt in my mind about if I would serve a mission. When I was about 13, the church lowered the age that a female missionary could serve from 21, to 19. This made the opportunity for me to go even more set in stone. I have done everything in my power to help prepare me for this huge time in my life, and I know I don't know half of everything I need to know, but I am so ready to serve. Sharing the gospel with others has always been a passion of mine, and I can't wait to see how I can change others lives for the better. I will be 19 in three short months, I have finished my papers, and now I just wait to have them sent out and receive my call!

I am super excited to start this blog up and get to share my thoughts and stories with you as I prepare to serve my mission. I hope I can help someone out there with my experiences and that you all will enjoy it! I will try to post once or twice a week. Welcome to my blog, and lets have some fun!

My sister, Cambrea, and I :)