Twas the Night Before I Was Set Apart...

Oh. My. Heck. I will be a missionary TOMORROW!! I am starting to freak out, but it's a good freak out. I'm so glad that I KNOW that this mission is the right thing because I am so tempted to turn tail and run for the hills...now that it's becoming more real! But let me tell you, I've had more fun preparing for this mission than anything. I was able to go to Provo and Idaho over last weekend to see my BYU/BYU-I friends and we definitely partied it up! :) It was one continuous party! Then, there's all the shopping I've done...absolute divinity really! I have loved finding cute missionary outfits. I've also really enjoyed talking to the missionaries and hearing missionary stories; I swear, I've had more goose bumps in the last couple months than I have in my whole life!!

In all honesty though, preparing for this mission has been the best of times and the worst of times. I swear I've had every emotion possible all at the SAME time! It blows my mind! haha! But I'm starting to get more and more excited.

I watched my last movie tonight...it just had to be Tangled! I'm in love with that movie. It's going to be really hard giving up my music and movies, but I know that I'll gain sooo much more in return. You can't give the Lord a crumb without getting a loaf in return. I know that's true. But I still have yet to listen to my last song...I'm thinking it shall either be "The Final Countdown" or "Secrets" by One Republic...probably the final countdown though.

Today (the day before being set apart) has been an excellent day. Grandpa and Grandma are here, so we went shopping. It was fantastic! Then we ate Pha (who knew I would love Vietnamese food), and then Grandma took us girls out for pedicures. It was fantastic! So basically today has been a fabulous day...minus the fact that I still need to write my talk for tomorrow, but it'll all work out!

Anyways, since this is my last post for awhile (just 18 months is all), I want the world to know that God lives and that He loves all of His children so much!

"God be with you til we meet again!"

Called to Serve

I have been really horrible at posting! I have failed Jessica! haha! But so much has been happening in my life recently! I have been called to serve in the Oakland/San Francisco mission. I will also be serving in the Oakland Temple Visitor's Center!! It always amazes me how much Heavenly Father knows me because everything about this call was not what I initially wanted, but now I know that it is absolutely the perfect call for me! I am so excited!! I leave November 30th; I hope I'm really ready for this!

Life has been good though; I'm at home preparing for the mission. I'm working at the same place that I have worked at all through college when I'm home. It's actually been really fun. I transferred departments, and I only have to deal with customers for only like ten minutes out of the day. :) There have been a ton of tender mercies in my life.

I was able to see my mom's whole side of the family one last time before I go for my Grandma's 70th birthday. It was so much fun. All of the endowed members of the family were able to go do a session in the Las Vegas temple, and it was just like heaven having all of us in the temple together. We also "decorated" for Grandma's birthday by toilet papering her house, making all sorts of ridiculous signs, and putting balloons everywhere! She absolutely loved it, and we had a ball doing it! Ah, I love my family!!

My family and I have been enjoying a lot of time together too, while I've been home. We have done all sorts of crazy things like going down to Manitou Springs just to play arcade games. I'll just have you know that I beat dad on every one of the car racing games. Little does he know that my need for speed doesn't just come through in video games...teehee! They had all sorts of things at this arcade, like a love-o-meter as you see...I'm clammy at love. haha. Love it. They had like four buildings full of games that cost anywhere from a penny to a dollar; oh it was so fun. We've visited the castle down in Manitou Springs and have had many a movie night. It really has been so much fun; I was a little worried about coming back home for so long, but I think I definitely made the right choice by spending this last bit with the family.

I went to my last dance last weekend before my mission. It was epic.I thought I had forgotten how to dance...but then I remembered! I went as an angel...how fitting...not! But it was a ton of fun...my make-up looks a little weird though. But I had a blast! So when I told one of the drivers at work that I dressed up as angel, he said, "Oh, so you went as yourself!" Haha...it was a good time.

So basically, I'm trying to stop focusing on the things and people I'm giving up to go on this mission, but rather all that I will gain from serving the Lord. I just hope that I'll be able to make a difference to at least one person. I really feel like the Lord really wants to tweak and refine me to make me more of the person He knows that I can be; I just hope that I can be malleable in His hands.I am really a bad blogger. I don't really know what to talk about... haha!

Oh, I'll be giving my farewell talk on the Sunday during Thanksgiving weekend on the Book of Mormon (that book is soooo true!!!). Well, I'll try to be a better blogger and learn how to use this thing (It blows my stinking mind!). I shall blog at least once more before my mission!