SNOWFLAKES THAT STAY ON MY NOSE AND EYELASHES!

I thought it didn't snow in Oklahoma..... but guess what! It does! And there's something weird that I never heard of called "freezing rain" and "ice storm" and I was like.... uh what is that? Everyone here had been talking about this great ice storm that happened 4 years ago when the power went out for over a week! AND

Our car door window after the ice storm

THEN WE HAD ONE! But it was just a bitty one. Our car was legitimately an icicle. It was crazy. We had a dinner that night and Brother Lang went out and scraped our whole car, it was so nice. :) But we had a couple days that we had to spend inside, because of the ice and also because of our little sickling, Sister Durfee! So we decided to make our apartment cute and festive with snowflakes. It was exciting... especially since we didn't have a ladder. So dear Sister Stewart said, "USE MY BACK!" And I said, "NO!" But then she is just really convincing so that's what I did. It was well worth the effort! It ended up so cute. :)

And on Sunday, for the first time ever in my experience, church was cancelled! So weird. So we went out and tried to see a couple people, but Sister Durfee sounded like she was going to keel over so we went back and watched the Testaments and made cornbread muffins. It was happy. :) I'm pretty bummed that we didn't get to go to church though. I feel like there are so many members we just don't know yet! We had stake conference last week. But one day we'll go to real church. I'm excited to take the sacrament again.

The nice thing about having a couple days stuck inside was that my companions and I were able to bond a lot. Did I mention that I just love my companions? I truly do. We're all pretty different from each other, but they're both mature and sincere and I just love it.

It does snow in Oklahoma!

We were out visiting a less active member this week, and I had the most surreal moment of my life. We stepped outside of the car, and started walking over to the door, and I froze in place. This apartment complex was the same as one I'd dreamt about a month or so earlier. The odd thing is that I don't normally have missionary-esque dreams; I just have bizarre ones.

But in this little dream I had, I dreamt we were doing missionary work in this complex. The complex in my dream had a little underpass, atop of which there were some more apartments. We went through to the other side, and on the right, there was an older couple, probably in their sixties. The woman had longer, sliver-white hair, tied back in a pony tail. Her husband was tall and bigger. They were interested in the gospel, but trying to get packed for a camping trip or something.

So then when we walked up to the complex, it was the SAME ONE I had dreamt of before. But there was no one outside or anything, and no apartment where I saw the one in my dream. So I don't really know what to take it for. But it was so surreal.

Also that day we met Faye Duggins. We went up to her trailer with her dogs barking at us like psychos and then she was talking to us like she was drunk, and glanced over at her dog, and shouted, "Bo! BO! What you got?" And we look over and this dog is swinging something around like a rag doll except it's all stiff and OH MY GOSH THAT'S HALF A CAT... WHATTTT?! It was so gross! It's face was all scrunched up and scary looking and it only had its front half - and from the back, the inside of it looked all hollow. It looked PETRIFIED LIKE MRS. NORRIS... but super dead. PLUS THERE WAS LEGIT A NOOSE HANGING IN HER WINDOW. Oh man. It was crazy.

We also had mission tour this week. It was an absolutely inspiring experience. Elder Cardon from the 70 came out and did training with us. The Spirit was so strong. It was wonderful to hear the words of a general authority. It was awesome to recognize that he had the ability to receive revelation for our mission at this time too. I loved what we learned about the Abrahamic Covenant, and the commandment to "Love One Another." I'd never really recognized the power in the words to that song before.

I had the opportunity to play the piano for the meeting. I was able to do some prelude - and before the second half of the meeting, there was an experience that Elder Cardon later pointed out. I was playing, and everyone was talking and chatting, and then President Walkenhorst asked everyone to quiet down and prepare for the next part of the meeting. So everyone sat and was very still. Elder Henderson was about to stand (he was conducting) but Elder Cardon motioned for him to wait. So I played a few more songs, just some simple primary songs, while everyone was silent. He said, "It is important to take note of those times where you can just listen and take in the Spirit. Recognize that there is a need for this time, this communion." I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father blessed me with musical abilities.

Overall I was overwhelmed with the understanding that this Is the Lord's work, and the last dispensation. All the little things that I concern myself with so much just don't matter. All that matters is to love and to love, so much that we want our brothers and sisters to have the same joy, so much that we want to SAVE them. In 1 Nephi 14:7 it talks about how people are either going to choose wickedness or righteousness, but ALL will choose. I have a responsibility to try and save others from choosing wickedness, thus choosing misery, because I KNOW with all my heart and mind and soul that GOD LIVES. CHRIST LIVES. I have tasted of that incomprehensible joy (Alma 28:8) that is the gift of the Atonement. I must hold firm to the truths I now understand because doubts will come. They will. And we all have to be ready for the time that they do.

Sister Pfister came to me afterward and embraced me. She told me that she loved me, and told me that she thought back to our first exchange in my first transfer, of her overwhelming joy that I had chosen to come on a mission instead of anything else I could be doing. She told me that both she and Sister Main felt that I would be a powerful leader. She looked me in the eyes and expressed that I'd changed SO MUCH since I'd come out. And it's the Spirit that has softened my heart and the Atonement and the love of God that have changed me. That was so powerful, especially coming from the person I look up to very most out here. It meant so much to me.

I am so overwhelmed by the love that Christ has for me, and Heavenly Father too. 3 Nephi 5:13: "BEHOLD, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of Him to declare His word among His people, that they might have everlasting life." I know this is true. I know who I am, and I know who God is. This is my call.

I love you all! As this is my calling; it's yours as well. As members of His church, we have an obligation to share the truth that we know.

Sincerely, Sister Clark

p.s. Definitely was craving brownies tons this week... and now everyone's trying to give us brownies. Heavenly Father loves me. :)

This is What I Look Like when I am Craving Brownies!

NO MORE NAPS!!!

I just have to tell ya'll, I am so grateful for an amazing and supportive family. I love being here on my mission, seriously and I know I wouldn't be here without all your love and prayers and support. YOU ARE ALL AMAZING. And that's that.

Sister Alyssa Clark at the Oklahoma City Temple

I can't believe it's PDAY again, that's so crazy! It takes till now to finally be done being sore from the last Pday though. Last week we played football ("WHAT IS THAT??" "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?" "WHICH WAY ARE WE GOING NOW?" = me the whole time playing football) and kickball and I definitely didn't think I'd be sore, but I definitely was. This week we're going to a museum though and I'm super excited about that. ART! (I'm such a nerd). But on the first Pday, I was planning on not playing anything and just writing letters, but SisLeav convinced me that I should at least try it, and I did. I've been hooked, seriously. Who knew sports could be fun?! Seriously though, sports have always been miserable and embarrassing. But now with the missionaries it's just FUN and embarrassing! I love it. 

Alyssa at the OK City Temple

So earlier this week I was feeling like I just wanted to be a hermit and not talk to anyone and live in a boxcar and wash my clothes in a river... Mostly just be a hermit. Sometimes I just love quiet! I like to ponder. Grandpa Rigby sent me a letter this week about how he was able to spend some much needed time in the mountains, and I just wanted it too. And I know Heavenly Father is looking out for me because He gave me an opportunity to go to the temple this week! We normally wouldn't be going until around Christmastime (twice a year) but Sister Leavitt has a friend she made in her last area, Sister Barlow, who went on splits with them all the time and is going on a mission now. She was going through the temple and asked Sister Leavitt to be her escort! So it was an unusual situation, but I'm so blessed to have been able to go. 


We went early to the temple and sat on the grounds before hand so we could do our studying there. It was so beautiful and peaceful even before we went in. We sat out by the fountain, and there was a bit of a breeze that picked up and it caught the fountain water and it felt so nice. It's times like that, sitting there and feeling the peace of the temple, and being in the temple, when I feel like the veil is a little thinner and Heavenly Father feels so close; I feel more of my divine nature as His daughter. 

So I was thinking about taking a nap the other day, and getting all snuggled up in my covers (I'd already taken a lunch break...) but then I started thinking... "Why do I need a nap? Am I just so exhausted from what we've been busy with so far today?" Then I did a little reminiscing... That morning I hadn't exercised, I played the harp instead. I ate breakfast and dazed into space for a little while and started studies late. We went to a ward breakfast (I know, double breakfast) and visited with members and a couple of our investigators who came (our BnB's! Josh and his wife Cacey came, it was awesome!) and cleaned up a little. Then we saw some other elders at the church who were having a district lunch so we decided to stay and chat with them for awhile. We went back to the apartment, did training (which means we sat in comfy chairs and watched The District) and then I decided I needed a nap. 

WHY ON EARTH WOULD I NEED A NAP?! 

So then I felt ridiculous, and I was laying in bed arguing with myself about whether I should take a nap or not, and decided to pray about it. I felt a little silly praying about something so seemingly trivial, but Heavenly Father wants me to be a good missionary, so He answered my question with a question: "What would Jesus be doing?" SOOO I got out of bed and decided to be productive. And I made three new personal goals.

1. Use my free time (AKA lunch) to bring myself closer to Christ (SO NO MORE NAPS! :D) 
2. Pray more often. I know we pray ALL THE TIME as missionaries, but I'd been getting a little lazy about it and not very sincere. I know if I pray more and I'm constantly striving to do God's will, I'll be able to find people who are prepared. I think it will help me be more positive, too. 
3. Strict obedience. This means always being on time, always exercising in the morning (30 minutes!) and spending every minute living the "Highest Standard" that we've been asked to live as missionaries. 

So later that day, after I decided to be obedient, it was like Heavenly Father was just waiting for me to get myself in gear because He blessed us with miracles! First Let me tell you about Tara. Sister Pfister and I met her last week, and she and her friend and her friend's mom were willing to pray with us. Tara was very outspoken about her stance against religion and church, but told us she believed in God. She told us about her rare, basically untreatable cancer, and that she wasn't treating it because she would only die faster. She also said she tried to kill herself when she found out and it didn't work, so she decided God wanted her to stay for some reason. It was an interesting situation, but we fell in love with her personality. I think we just left them with a card. 

Before I go on, I need to explain POWER HOUR. So when we have dinner withg the members, we often will read a scripture with them and ask them to say a prayer for US that we can see miracles in the following hour. The idea is that with their faith and ours combined, we'll see more miracles and it ALWAYS WORKS. After the hour we report back to the members on the miracles we saw. So we did that with the members the other night and off we went! 

After a string of events and people we met, we were walking around the side of the apartment complexes (where we originally met Tara) to stop by an investigator's door, and guess who we ran into? Tara! I guess she doesn't actually live there, but she's over at her friend's house all the time. She was so happy to see us! She said that she'd been hoping to run into us again so she could find out when and where our church met! WHAT?!! Before you get too excited, she didn't show up to church, but I have faith in her! We said a prayer with her and afterward I said, "Do you mind if I ask, you were pretty set against church last time we met you. What changed your mind?" and she said something like, "I don't really know what it was, but after we met that night I even cracked open my bible. I used to read it all the time and be good about it, but the past while I just haven't. I don't know, I just felt different. But meeting you, and then seeing you again here tonight, too, there must be a reason. It's just you, I don't know, it's you!" She looked right at me. I was almost too shocked to speak! It was such a miracle. When we met her at first, I kept her on the list as a potential but without much hope. Little did I know her heart was open enough to listen to the spirit, who inspired her to open her Bible and hope to see us again. And I was taught by the Spirit when I decided to be more obedient! 

THE CHURCH IS TRUE PEOPLE. Heavenly Father knows what's up.

Last of all, two other BnB's came to church yesterday! Brian and his girlfriend Shelby. They only stayed for two out of three meetings, but I'm so glad they came. And after our meetings, Elders Byrd and Mierau went with us to THEIR services. It was really interesting - they're meeting at houses until their meeting place is finished, and this time they were meeting on the front lawn. They were all in shorts and t-shirts and stuff, and just chilling eating lunch. We started out singing some awesome songs, accompanied by Josh on the guitar (he's a pro!) and prayed, and then Grant led the discussion. Well Brian administered communion first. He read from the bible about how Jesus started the sacrament, and then passed around a box of crackers and poured a little grape juice in everyone's cups. So besides that, it seemed a lot more like a bible study group than church. It was very interesting, and I learned a lot from the discussion. I'm so grateful for the organization of the church, though! 

It seems to me, as we spend more time around these people, that the women don't speak as much as the men, sometimes really not at all. Not like they're oppressed or anything weird like that, but that the men are the heads, and if their wives have anything to say it's spoken through him in a way? Like they won't say anything unless we ask them questions or something. I don't know... I'll figure it out more I'm sure as I go along. It's just an interesting culture. 

I GOT MY HARP ON FRIDAY! I am so so happy to have it! It's such a blessing to have and I know that I'll be able to find opportunities to share the gospel through music. I was able to share it with the Hannahs yesterday! Sister Hannah talked to Mom and got my favorite dessert recipe from her... that's right: Mint Brownies. :) And they were perfect! Her chocolate even seized up on her... heeheehee :D It was awesome. 

Guess who moved away to who knows where and didn't even tell me?! ROCHELLE. Sheesh. I feel like we'll meet again, though, I really do. She needs the gospel. Also lots more lessons fell through this week. But guess what? I know the gospel is true. So I'm not even worried. Like I said, Heavenly Father definitely knows what he's doing. As long as I'm being obedient and trying my very best, things will fall into place. 

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LIVES! Come on, I tell you about mine all the time! :D I love you all so dearly. You're just amazing. Keep looking for missionary opportunities, and be not afraid! God will help you do His work! 

Love, Sister Clark

Last Week at the MTC

Man, it's just like they say, the days are long but the weeks are short! I can't believe I'm leaving on Tuesday. I have to be at the Travel office here at the perfect time - 3:30 AM! I'm up by that time everyday anyway! 

JK GUYS. IT'S RIDICULOUS. 

But we have to be there on time to gather everyone and get ready and go, and we ride the shuttle to the airport which will prolly take an hour or so, and then we have a  few hours to get settled in I guess. But ya' now. 3:30. It's whatevs. :) But I'm so excited to actually be in OK! It's so soon, I'm dying here! 

We had a walk to the temple on Sunday and it was awesome. We got some great pictures, and had a really nice walk. It was nice to be outside. :) And guess what I get to go to the temple today for the second time! I'm so thrilled. 

I love my district here! And my zone! Everyone has something different to add, and when we get together at meals we will just LAUGH AND LAUGH until we're like crying; seriously.

ALSO  I found some Whovians in my zone and I was like, "MY PEOPLE!" And had a mini freak out session. Still no one loves Benedict Cumberbatch nearly as much as I do. One day I will find someone who does and we will be the best of friends.

My Sisters are the best ever. Seriously. We have the best times. :) And all the Elders are so respectful of the Sisters here! It's like they know how much wiser we are. ;) Heehee!

I've had COUNTLESS amazing experiences while I've been here. I'd like to share one especially amazing one with you.

So Sister Richins and I have had two investigators. One is a teacher here at the MTC, and the other is part of a TRC program which includes members, less active members, and even non members. You never find out because they are all "investigators." So our TRC investigator we were only able to meet with twice. She was so sweet - she was pretty good at English but not spectacular. She's from Madagascar! So cool! Anyway, she was pretty quiet so we had a hard time really connecting with her. She's Catholic and she really had a great relationship with Christ which was so awesome. So we taught her parts of the first lesson FOR her first lesson, and she seemed way worried about modern prophets and the Book of Mormon. But we explained that it was on the side of the Bible, right along with it and did not trump the Bible. She felt better about that. She told us about how she loved to read the Bible with her kids. We challenged her to start reading the Book of Mormon and gave her one. She accepted. 

We were a little frustrated. I'd been praying so much that I would be able to teach by the Spirit and just not getting an answer. Here all everyone talks about is teaching by the Spirit. We both know how important it is, but it was so hard! We are learning so much that it's hard not to share all of it. We have to remember that we are not the teachers, but the Spirit is. And we just couldn't get the hang of it. 

So that night, guess who came for the Tuesday night devotional? Elder Scott! An Apostle of the Lord came and talked to us! (p.s. I was in the choir and it was AWESOME.) And he spoke about prayer! He said we will get three answers to a prayer: 

1. Warmth and Comfort (a yes)

2. Stupor of Thought (a no)

3. No answer at all.

I was like WHAT I HAVEN'T BEEN GETTING AN ANSWER IS THAT AN ANSWER? I was honestly pretty confused. But he explained that sometimes Heavenly Father needs us to step forward with faith. Heavenly Father has enough trust in me that I will follow what I know and make a step, and THEN He will give little assurances that we've made the right choice.

So I decided to put it into action. On our second meeting with her, we said a prayer as we always did, and reminded ourselves that FACTS AND LOGIC will never help someone convert. So we skipped all that and really just testified. We studied a few different things after thinking about what she really needed, and went for it.

So straight up I felt like I should ask about her family. They were doing well, her kids were getting ready for school so we talked about that for a little bit. When she said anything about her kids she simply beamed! It was wonderful. We asked her if she'd read, and she said she started, reading the introduction and the testimonies of the witnesses, and got a couple pages into first Nephi. She had a couple really hard questions. We were honest with her, that we didn't know the answers but could get back to her later. 

She finally asked about Christ in the Book of Mormon, because we'd told her about Christ coming to the Americas and she was worried that Christ wasn't enough a part of the Book of Mormon as the Bible was. 

Guess what one of the things was we were prompted to study? 3 Nephi 11. That was the biggest thing, too. And it was like the Spirit was guiding all of us to that direction. 

So we opened it up and started reading together, starting at the beginning of the chapter, answering any questions as we went along. I think we got through verse 15, where Christ lets everyone come up, one by one, and feel the prints of the nails in his hands and feet. I could hardly contain the tears that almost came. I've never felt anything like it, guys. The Spirit was just so incredibly strong. 

There was a lot of silence. We just waited. "What are you feeling?" we asked. Silence. Then we just let her talk for a minute. There were lots of breaks and pauses in between. But she was just in awe. After a couple minutes, I gently brought up that later we learn that he also took each of the children, one by one, and blessed them. I cannot express to you the feeling that I felt, and that I know she felt as well. 

D&C 50: 22 says, "Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together." I could feel the Spirit and I could feel that Sister Richins and our investigator were feeling it just as much as I was. I could feel our hearts and Spirits rejoicing together because of the SPIRIT that testified of this truth. We were all wiping away tears.

It was incredible, truly incredible. 

This church is true! I know it and I'm living it in the best way anyone could! I can feel all the prayers that are said, and I can feel the angels surrounding us here. The veil truly is thinner when you're a missionary.

P.S. Sorry this is so long... :) Love you! WRITE ME LETTERS PEOPLE I WILL WRITE YOU BACK. :) 

First Days in the Missionary Training Center

Hey guys! I mean, Elders and Sisters!

You would not believe how busy I have been! There is so much to learn!

It's a P day today, but only half - we were supposed to do a service project this morning, but they have so many missionaries that they didn't need us!! :) (Uh, I mean, I'm so sad I didn't get to do a service project).

I'm still a little sick, which isn't bad except that I'm sniffling and sneezing all the time. Oh, also, on the first day, I wrote the fam that letter but I forgot something awesome: So when we got in and got with a bunch of other new missionaries (it was only a third of the new ones, and there were so many!!) we all were talking and getting to know our new companions and everything, and then they started playing the piano really loud and we all sang "As Zion's Youth in Latter Days" and you guys, it was the most powerful thing I have ever heard!! Everyone was singing out so strong, and I was like, YES! THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO BE! There were speakers (Mission president, etc) and then in the middle we sang "If you Chance to Meet A Frown" and it was way funny. And then, AND THEN at the end we sang "We'll Bring the World His Truth" and I just cried because they changed some of the words. You know in the chorus it says "We will be the Lord's missionaries" but instead we sang "We are NOW the Lord's Missionaries" And I'm just tearing up thinking about it because it was so powerful sing with my fellow Elders and Sisters and proclaim that we were messengers of God to bring the world His truth!

Also in the orientation meeting, I had a very humbling experience. They had a special musical number (apparently they have a lot of those) and I kept thinking, man, I wish I could have my harp. But then I realized that the reason I wanted it was not to share the Spirit or my testimony, but to show off. I'm grateful that I had that because I have time to humble myself and have the desire to play for the right reasons instead of to show off my talent.

So Sister Richins and I have a new investigator that we are preparing to teach! I'm not sure if it will be tonight or tomorrow, but I'm pretty nervous. We had a big planning class yesterday where we learned what to plan and how to plan for a meeting with an investigator. The teachers are awesome, by the way. A big part of that was repeated over and over: to see our investigator as Heavenly Father sees them. And the thing about that is that Heavenly Father doesn't exactly see our potential. He sees us as we are, totally and completely, because time isn't relevant to Him. Does that make sense?

Honestly, the first day was awesome, and I was like "HECK YEAH I'VE GOT THIS THING." But day two was a lot harder. There is so so much to learn, and so so much to grow, too. I was feeling discouraged and like I wasn't adequate enough to do this work. I was almost in tears for the last half of the planning lesson. I was just feeling scared and frustrated. I'm not a scriptorian. I feel like I didn't prepare enough. So I said a prayer while we were saying the closing prayer, just asking for help and comfort and support, and almost immediately I received an answer. These teachers are truly inspired. I'm so grateful that they listen to the promptings of the Spirit. In the Zone meeting, Brother McClaine promised at the end that if we take time to ask Heavenly Father, "How can I live the Doctrine of Christ?" then those that are proud will be humbled, and those that are feeling inadequate will be lifted up. I carried that promise with me and it gave me courage. After dinner, we had a meeting with the Branch President and that was spectacular. I couldn't tell you how many times he stressed that we can choose to be average missionaries or we can choose to be exceptional missionaries. EXCEPTIONAL, EXCEPTIONAL. By obedience, he said, we can have blessings. But by strict obedience, we will have miracles. He taught some of the little things (which add up to be big deals) like how to stand (elders, suit buttoned, hands out of pockets, etc) and I could see the change in them immediately. Then he had all the new missionaries in our branch/zone stand one by one and tell their name, mission, and a short testimony. It was so powerful and wonderful to see each of these 20 missionaries stand and bear witness that Christ lives and they know it! I've never felt the Spirit so strongly in a testimony meeting before. As one Elder said, the veil is a little thinner here. It's so true, I can just feel it.

I'm so grateful to know that Heavenly Father answers prayers when we need them and listens and loves me, His daughter. I'm so grateful to be a missionary and bear the name of Christ!! I LOVE WEARING THIS NAME TAG!

A couple of interesting things about the MTC:

• All of the teachers love it here and are so passionate about teaching us.
• Brother McClain is freaking hilarious. He says the weirdest things, and totally wins the line of the week: "Oh, you did NOT just open the refrigerator door where the peanut butter is, we are gonna go to TOWN!" and all of us were like, "Uh, what?"
• Our district is made up of four sisters (Me, Sister Richins, and the other two in our room , Sister Stokes and Sister Heger) and six elders. We met up last night and were finally able to talk! We decided we are going to start meeting up as a district for meals and get to know each other better, to come closer as a district and I'm way Stoked! (Gettit? Like Sister Stokes? heeheeheehoohoohoo)
• The food is fine! SALAD HEADS UNITE (ALSO THERE ARE DONUTS YESSSSSSS)
• Friday is Pday, but I only have two here in the MTC and then it will change when I get to OKC. Also, I can send letters anytime I want during the week, But I don't know if they only pick it up on a certain day? And I can only get letters/packages on Fridays.
• Everyone says "Elders" or "Sisters" and not just "Guys". I think it brings us closer.

I love you guys so much! And it's so good to know that you are praying for me. I'm praying for you too! :)

Love love love,

Sister Clark

BTW, my correct MTC mailing address is:
Sister Alyssa Kaylee Clark
AUG20 OK-OKL
2011 N 900 E Unit 271
PROVO UT 84602

Tomorrow.

It's all a bit surreal, really.

This is something I've thought about doing since I was a kid, and something I watched cousins and neighbors and my friends' siblings do, and they went off and I imagined what it was like.

That's the hard part of it, I think. It's so new, so different. Change is always hard. It's the fear and unsurety of the unknown. It's not just going to a new place and meeting new people, or being away from my family for eighteen months, it's the fact that I'm going to be changing so much of my life.

My friend Kimmie is on her mission (she has a blog too - visit it here!) and she mentioned something that was really interesting to me.

"I think that for a while, I forgot who I really was. I forgot that I can still be myself here and be able to do missionary work at the same time. After I read about Saul/Paul, I decided to give up my heart to the Lord, and since then I've been SO happy. I don't think I'll ever understand the mindset that we sometimes get in that the Lord will change us into someone that we won't like. He loves us and would never want to make us unhappy, so why would he change us into a stranger that we would hate being?"

I'm really glad she mentioned that because it's so true, and I think I was worried about it! It's a whole change in how we live. I'm giving all of my time to the Lord.

But then I think about Alma, in the Book of Mormon, how he gave 14 years to be a missionary and it doesn't seem so scary. He turned his life around and gave it to the Lord, and the Lord was with him always because of that. I know He'll be with me, too, because I'm doing His work in bring people close to Him!

God lives and loves us! Don't you ever forget it.

See you in 18!

p.s. I'm turning my blog over to my dad who will update it for me while I'm gone. :)
p.p.s. Isn't my family cute? We got our pictures taken at the Gallivan Center by the amazing Dan Dresser on Sunday!

Everything's OK!

I KNOW I'M SO CHEESY AND YOU LIKE IT.

So guess what? I'm going on a mission! I might've mentioned it before, but there you have it! It's been a long time coming. And let me tell you a little something.

So I finally, FINALLY had my papers in and was waiting patiently for my call to arrive. I was at work and just thinking OH MY GOSH I'M GOING TO THROW UP (but don't worry I didn't) because I was so dang nervous! Honestly, I was so nervous about where I was going to go. I was trying not to worry about it too much, but I mean that's a year and a half of my life. So I was freaking out a little and driving my family NUTS with texts (IS IT HERE YET???!??!!).

My Uncle Bruce ended up hanging out by the mailbox with his lunch, and I'm pretty sure he was more anxious than me! I didn't open it till 8:30 so some other people could come.

Okay, okay, before I tell you where I'm going (IF YOU DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW BECAUSE THAT WAS LIKE 3 WEEKS AGO) I have to tell you this.

You know when people ask you where you want to go on your mission, and you're supposed to say, "Well, I don't care. I'll go where I'm supposed to!"

So I would always say, "Well I don't care . . . as long as it's foreign . . ."

I was so nervous, you guys. What if I went somewhere state-side? It would be so lame! And I kept telling Heavenly Father, "You know, I'll go where you want me to go . . . but you know I can handle foreign, right? Right??"

Alright. So I was about to puke open my call, and everyone was there and there were phones and cameras and everything. I used a rather large kitchen knife to open the envelope, and there it was. My call.

I'm going to Oklahoma City, everyone!

And as I read those words, I have to tell you, I didn't even have half a second to be disappointed. The Spirit testified to me that Oklahoma is exactly where I need to be. And I could hardly read it, I was crying so much.

AND THEN I READ THAT I WOULD BE LEAVING ON AUGUST 7th AND HOOOLLLY COW. That's so soon! But it still seemed so far away . . .

AND HERE I AM WITH NO MISSION ANYTHING and it's 3 weeks away!

I can't even handle this.

I'm so excited I could die.

BUT I WON'T SO DON'T EVEN WORRY.



p.s. OK? Gettit? Like . . . Oklahoma?

KICKIN IT!

This is Kimmie Walker, now going to be known to the people of Donetsk, Ukraine as "Sestra Uoker." Legit, right? Anyhow, I'm going to be the admin for her blog Kickin' it in Donuts while she's gone (she leaves on Wednesday), and you guys should definitely check her out and follow Follow FOLLOW, mmmmkay?

DO IT YOU'LL LIKE IT.

Hey, you weirdos!

Hey, guys! Happy St. Patrick's day, alright? Alright. I'm back, hello. :) 

I've missed you.

But it's nice to be here again.

SO LATELY:

I'm still working at Coldstone, but now with my lil' sis

I'm no longer in school (the U wasn't for me)

aannnnddd . . . 

I'm planning on going on a mission!

Exciting, right? I'll definitely keep you updated. I still have to save up and everything, so I'm thinking maybe the end of the summer? I've got a harp to pay off for heaven's sakes!

Also I'm working on going back to my natural color. It's a little darker right now, but I'm enjoying it nonetheless. And no, it's not purple. That's just my dumb phone. My hair actually looks like this:

But, I guess in all reality, I don't have a mustache so that's not accurate either.

I wish I did. I look so hot with a mustache.