i know that no one really cares and that no one even reads this garby and that there's really nothing suuuuuper consequential (is that the opposite of inconsequential? ha ha) happening in my life, but freak. for my sanity, there needs to be some organization of all the goodness going on in my vida. sorry for my silence. it hasn't been for lack of activities. hit it:
kind of awhile ago, i went on a roadtrip to blessed san diego with some dear sweets of my life.
FOUR GENERATIONS BABY!!!!!!! there we are, great-grandmother to great-granddaughter. :)
while there, we got to see a whole bunch of loved ones...
but we went for the sealing of this precious family...
the Pattersons--who we had the privilege of working with during our missions. we feel such a special love for their family, and being able to be in that room when they made covenants and sacred promises to be an eternal family was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
the church is true. there is no other way.
i'll proclaim it till' the day i die.
a few weeks after that blessed experience, i got to go back to the land of fruit and honey and endless waves and sunshine with my FAMILY.
toooooo good. i thought of them someday coming back with me, and then we were finally there...together! it was exquisite.
VIVA.
...
and now, these are a few pics from our reunion. i know. that was around conference. i'm bad! terrid at blogging!
we had the best time at conference with these friends and many more who made the trek northeast to come listen to a prophet's voice.
the truth is what unites us!
(even this cutie pie was in town for conference. so good to see you!)
...
next.
work.
i've had some of the world's best/most prepared missionaries on the planet. my testimony has been infinitely strengthened and i have been ultimately humbled to see that the Lord is hastening his work. these are the last days. these are the missionaries that are harvesting the elect for the second coming. these missionaries are arriving at the training center more prepared than any missionaries ever have before, with more zest and zeal and courage to preach the restored gospel of jesus christ in a profound, far-reaching and long lasting way. they are dedicated, they are humble, they are beautiful, they are FUNNY, they are personable, they are obedient, they are smart, and they are READY to GO. CRY. REPENTANCE. and invite our brothers and sisters to make covenants that will bind them to the Father and the Son.
and it is a profound privilege to associate with them.
work.
i've had some of the world's best/most prepared missionaries on the planet. my testimony has been infinitely strengthened and i have been ultimately humbled to see that the Lord is hastening his work. these are the last days. these are the missionaries that are harvesting the elect for the second coming. these missionaries are arriving at the training center more prepared than any missionaries ever have before, with more zest and zeal and courage to preach the restored gospel of jesus christ in a profound, far-reaching and long lasting way. they are dedicated, they are humble, they are beautiful, they are FUNNY, they are personable, they are obedient, they are smart, and they are READY to GO. CRY. REPENTANCE. and invite our brothers and sisters to make covenants that will bind them to the Father and the Son.
and it is a profound privilege to associate with them.
this was my first district. i felt soooooo privileged to be their teacher. the Lord had it ALL planned out...he knew we needed each other. there were some incredibly sacred experiences shared in that classroom, and i am thankful for eternal friendships forged in the work of the Lord.
my gangsters. they're going to LA baby!
this district of elders...ah. they'll rock the world.
my trial by fire district. they endured a wave of change but held out firm. what a remarkable group of missionaries and what a joy to grow irreversibly close to them during the holidays.
how fun it's been to see hugo aka elder medina roaming around the MTC--especially in the referral center! he's a stellar missionary alright!
my chile district. they're too good!
ah, sweet sweet hermanas gorge and monarrez. i served with hermana monarrez's sister in sd and loved her more than life itself. coincidence that i was her sister's teacher? i think not. gotta get me that monarrez goodness in my vida.
elder callister--killing it in russia. go get em'!
...
around thanksgiving, i did the TurkeyTri and LOVED MY LIFE--even though the air was brisk and there was snow on the ground, we ran, did burpees and swam. (yes, i am in a wet swimmer at the moment pictured below.)
here's some roommate love at the creamery:
i'm loving my life in provo. super grateful for chill roommates!
got to babysit these cutie pies for a weekend and had toooooo much fun. family is just the best.
...
then we missed the Callejas family and Costa Rica all day errrrrr day and felt slash continue to feel so indescribably grateful for a summer of trial and growth and fun.
...
then school ended and i felt incandescently pleased to be done with my major classes and counted my blessings after i counted my books and the small stack of cash i got back for them before...
...the first annual burn party at Ingleside--which, by the way, was the best, most therapeutic thing that's happened to a sizable handful of BYU students since ever.
...
then it was CHRISTMAS BREAK and it was time to bring on the
holiday cheer!
need i say more?
building our house on our first date? dang.
a fully-fledged and outfitted nativity scene with the Hunsakers...
TRADITION.
grandpa with his winnings from the white elephants party.
you can tell things got a little crazy...
the break was beautiful. we got to see some long-lost family in salt lake and have a fun shrimp-coctail-filled meal with them at the roof (and with this vista. imagínense!)
and i got to organize our food storage. FINALLY. i have been dying to do that for aeons.
and then this... was a landmark moment for me.
we all went in front of grandma's house and made noise to bring the new year in in style.
and i've gotta tell you--i yelled. really yelled. at first, i screamed just a little bit...it started off as me just humoring my cousins, but then i found it to be really therapeutic and i let loose. i meant it. and i felt all the 2012ness leaving my body in one huge, long, meaningful, misty exhale as i faced the foothills. and i knew. i knew that 2012 had been a good year, a GREAT year--a year that Heavenly Father and I had planned out as a year of testing and trial and thought and indecision and hurt and mending and happiness and exploration in all senses of the words. and i thought of the board that hangs in my room from my sweet mother after i returned home from my life-shaping experience in lake powell years ago that says,
"On to a brighter day."
and you know what? we truly are. we reeeeally truly are making our way on to a brighter, better day. i know it.
so 2013...i welcome you! with open arms! i know you'll be good because i'm going to CHOOSE it to be so. and i'm excited. i have no idea what you'll bring. i know it'll be a riveting roller coaster. i anticipate the pulls heavenward and the unexpected plunges that stretch me in new, hard, exciting ways. i'm anxious for the thrill.
i always have loved roller coasters, you know. so here we go.
1 comment:
I love this post-I feel so caught up!
Onto a brighter day.
Love that.
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