a heavenly message

my convo with dad last night:

dad: you know, i really hope your call comes on wednesday.
me: you and me both pal!
dad: cuz if it comes the following week, john and i will be in las vegas (mountain west b-ball tourney).
me: um....ok.
dad: i wanna be there when you open it, but we have b-ball tickets. you would have to open it at four or something.
me: well, too bad. im sorry. im not opening it at four. i have work. and i will open it at 8. cuz that is when people can come.  i guess i could just call you when i open it.
dad: let's just hope that it comes on wednesday.

this afternoon:


"Just checked the online status of your papers. It says, "Call letter sent." That means the mission assignment was made today, and you will receive the letter next week - usually Wednesday! Woo hoo!! (written on facebook from a member of the stake presidency).

i just about PEED my pants when i read this. i immediately called dad. we were both elated! that message was a godsend. so grateful for people who look out for me.

now i just need to wait until wednesday. only. 4 1/2 days. ahhhhhh

creepers

it's a fact of life. 

gym = creepers! 

no way around this. they can be small and scrawny with receding hair lines or no hair at all that try to strike up a conversation with the same opening line every time. 

or it's a young dude with tattoos and weird eyebrow piercings and eyeliner who stares. 

or it's a gym rat who interrupts my set with a "sick" technique that will get me better results. 

or it is an old horny man that follows me to each machine or the hot tub. 

how they happen to be at the gym at the same time as me every day BLOWS my mind, seeing as my gym time changes every day. there is one guy who seems to be in every class i do (yoga, turbo kick, spin, abs/glutes...). SOOOOO ...what's the word....CREEPY!!! there is a reason why i go in baggy t-shirts and capris. but alas, the creepers keep on creepin. let me know if you have any tricks to make these buggers leave me ALONE!

10 days and COUNTING!!!!

it's coming.....

 and it's coming SOON!!! 

i met with my stake president today and he said that my call will most likely come next wednesday!! that is SOOOO crazy!!! im getting so anxious/nervous/excited/butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling. my mom put a map of the world in the family room. i find myself plopping down indian style in front of the map, looking at all of the different countries, finding new places each time i glance over the world. am i going to be eating rice with chopsticks or lots of meat and beans or fresh fish caught in the ocean that morning (that's for you dad, seeing as my life "revolves" around food)?

 people keep asking me where i want to go. i usually say wherever, not giving them any idea of where i want to go. so now, the truth comes out. i would love to go to asia, or somewhere latin america/south america-ish or someplace poor with humble people and circumstances. my chances of getting any of these three is relatively large. yep. i am happy.

 but guess what? it doesn't matter where i want to go. it is where Heavenly Father wants me to go. people have said, in my opinion, the most random places: from Chicago to Guatemala to Mongolia to Maine to France to Nevada to Spain. 

the coolest thing about the whole mission call process is that i will go where i am needed. it is not a luck of the draw deal. i will go where i personally can touch lives, inspire them to come unto Jesus and follow Him, teach them principles that will increase their happiness 100 fold. and whether that be in Wyoming or Germany or Japan, i will know that Heavenly Father wants ME there. so cool.

on a lighter note, my official marathon training starts tomorrow. am i nuts? yes yes, i think this every time i run. how i will ever be able to run 26.2 miles is beyond me. but, i like challenges. i love the idea of completing something that i don't think is possible. i love stretching myself, my brain and ideas of what i can do, pushing myself to the limit. the more i think/plan my runs, the more parallels i find within the gospel. some may think this is bizarre. not at all. what are we all supposed to do? endure to the end. life is not a sprint; rather, it is a day-by-day process. in order for me to run 26.2 miles, i must start with the short runs (3 miles) and master that in order to build up to the anticipated marathon. same goes for the church. specifically entering the temple (this is my focus right now). 

let me share this with you. i used to find it so hard to find time to read the scriptures everyday. i know the stories. i have read the book of mormon at least ten times. so why would it matter if i missed a day? well a day would turn into a week, then several weeks. and i felt something was missing. so i started reading a few verses a day. this turned into a chapter to 3 chapters to at least 30 minutes a day. i found new things each time i read that i did not know before. my days went SOOO much better. i was happier. i was able to recognize promptings from the Holy Ghost. i was better at warding off Satan. i was kinder to my family. i was slower to anger. i was more willing to offer assistance. i went out of my way to find other people to serve. and all of this because i decided to nourish my soul with the book of mormon. it truly is the most powerful life-changing book. 

back to my analogy. in order to be prepared to enter the temple, i must do the little things every day. i need to read my scriptures, pray to Heavenly Father (truly conversing with Him), serve those around me, repent of my wrong-doings and bad thoughts, and go to church every sunday to strengthen my testimony and strengthen those around me. doing these seemingly mundane things have shaped my person, my character, who i am. i didn't realize this at the time, but i am so grateful that i have developed these habits. 

i cannot wait to go to the temple. so many things to look forward to in these next few weeks. and the anticipated post will arrive in 10 short days....where in the WORLD am i gunna go?!?!

my all-encompassing new year's goal

Elements of a Raw Food Diet:

1. Eat completely raw
2. Daily exercise
3. Daily sun exposure
4. Mind your mind
5. Breathe fresh air
6. Get enough sleep
7. Human contact
8. Creative expression
9. Recreation
10. Balance

music as of late...

if you are looking for any new, addicting music, here you go. these are the songs i replay at least 6 times before listening to another song. there is just something about these songs....enjoy!!

my "i LOVE this song" music:

1. rainbow - colbie caillat

2. africa - karl wolf

3. american honey - lady antebellum

4. your love is my drug - k$sha

5. ain't got love - todd carey

6. a day late (acoustic version) - anberlin

7. breakeven - the script

8. hot air balloon - owl city

9. livin' the dream - uncle kracker

10. bad romance - lady gaga

11. fire and rain - mat kearney

12. one tribe - black eyed peas

13. i look so good (without you) - jessie james

14. earth - imogen heap

15. everybody - ingrid michaelson

16. i just call you mine - martina mcbride

17. somebody to love - leighton meester

18. all i want - curtis peoples

19. love this pain - lady antebellum

20. into your eyes - lior magal

as of late...

my current loves:

my bed...memory foam + 4 pillows = heaven on earth
gossip girl...seriously addicting. i can't get enough of it!! i love all the characters. the one who is growing on me the most is chuck. he has this sensitive, romantic side that is captivating. ah...
imogen heap...she takes me to another world, one full of peace and calmness. gotta love the blissful escape her music offers.
my nails...it's amazing how pretty and feminine i feel with them on. totally classiness. i love the clicky noice they make.
the idea of raw foods...i had SO muchy energy when i was eating like a rabbit. i just gotta find that motivation again...good thing new year's is around the corner
my high heel blue boots ...they remind me of dress up as a child. and who has blue boots? no one i know. you can just call me the trend starter. ;)
pommegranates...easily my favorite fruit, if not my favorite food. mom taught me a new way to peel them. you stick em in a bowl of water and then peel it in the bowl. no red stains. raincoat is not necessary. and it only takes like 4 minutes.
chillin with howard...he is a hoot. he is basically my twin. if i were a boy, i would be him. he likes to eat, make weird faces, play Wii bowling, wrestle, sing, laugh...me to a t. he is 12 and as tall as me, has bigger hands and feet than me. it is so neat to "see" how i was when i was 12. love it.
cleaning the bathroom...i get great joy out of cleaning the toilet, the sinks, and the mirror. i feel a sense of accomplishment. i love organizing the combs, curling irons, and towels.
playing the piano and talking to papa...i have really been missing papa lately. i want to talk to him about everything that is going on, from mission to his take on med school to family things. i have never performed in front of anyone, except for recitals and piano competitions. i played the piano at papa's funeral. this was a huge deal. i was nervous, but i felt him by me the whole time. now, whenever i play the piano, i know he is there. i get emotional. his presence is almost tangible. so if i need to talk to papa, i go play the piano. he is there and is always willing to listen. he is another testimony that the gospel is true.

thought of the day

I came across this the other day. i had heard it a while ago and LOVED it. i still love it! enjoy!

I am a part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed." The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, love with patience, live by prayer and labor with power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable and my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up and spoken up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner is clear: I am a part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed." - unknown