2 Weeks

In exactly two weeks from today I will be in the MTC!! It is so crazy how fast this time has gone by. I did not think that I would be able to get everything done, but yet again, the "Lord doth provide". I am so grateful for the love of Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ, who have made this past week of packing, studying for finals, taking finals, cleaning, shopping, and still finding time for family and friends, possible. Unfortunately I have not been able to sell  my Sp/Su contract, so I still need to get that done, but I am not going to let that stress me out or get in the way of focusing on the mission.
So I go "home" to my parent's house in Chicago tomorrow, then I will be there until the following Wednesday, and then after that I will be heading to Texas to stay with Kate and Ryan, and my beautiful niece and nephew, Carly and Connor, to say goodbye for 18 months! It sounds like such a long time, and then I think about how I will be back next October, and I feel like that will not be enough time! I made my friend a promise, though: no regrets. I have promised myself and the Lord that I will give my all every single day. This is only 18months of my whole entire existence that I will be able to focus and give EVERYTHING I have to push this gospel along and share the joyous message of everlasting life to the people of Hawaii. I want to be the messenger God has prepared me to be. I feel so unprepared, but I know that as I strengthen my faith, everything will work out! Two more weeks! Aloha!

Three and a Half More Weeks!!

Where did the time go? I will be in the MTC (Missionary Training Center) in 3 1/2 weeks preparing to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the beautiful people of Hawaii. I could not feel more blessed than I do right now. I don't feel ready, at all, but, I guess, who really does? It still feels so surreal. I feel like my whole life has been prepared for this specific time in my life.This didn't really hit me until I went shopping for the mission and a lady who was helping my mom and me find the things we needed had asked me where I was going to be serving. We of course told her Hawaii, and I received the same, "(Gasp)...no wayyy!" And she then asked how that felt opening it. And my mom was telling from her perspective how cool it was to hear me  say the Hawaii Honolulu mission because ever since I was 13 years old I have had this love for Hawaii, and I would always joke around with my parents telling them I was going to go to BYU-Hawaii, get married in the Laie Hawaii Temple, and then live there for the rest of my life. Always kidding of course, little did I know that 8 years later I would be serving in the BYU-Hawaii singles ward, live in Hawaii for 18 months, and be at the Laie Hawaii Temple Visitors Center for part of my mission. It was my 13th birthday when I came home from school and my mom and our friend from church, Liana Pettitt, had surprised me with a new room as birthday present. I had told my mom for years that I wanted a beach themed room....and there it was. It was painted turquoise with a canopy over my white comforter covered bed. A palm tree stood in the corner of the room, while large framed pictures of the Laie Hawaii temple and Hawaiian beaches covered the walls. On a shelf laid a doll my parents got for me in Hawaii when I was four...I loved that room, and how amazing of a testament this has all been of God's love for His children. He truly knows us, and knows the desires of our hearts. I am so grateful for Him and his kindness and love He has shown me. 3 1/2 more weeks!!! Aloha!