Mission Call

Kia ora (Māori for hi)!

You all know I got my mission call!!! I am so excited to go share the true happiness of Christ with people. My call is to the New Zealand Wellington mission!!! It's mostly the south island (which is where Lord of the Rings was filmed, to get an idea of its beauty). It doesn't have much air pollution and has a lot of sun and a lot of rain. What a place to serve the Lord.

I opened my call in the mountains (Lex was the first I'd heard of opening her call alone, and I thought it sounded much more spiritual, personal, and more fitting to my personality, so thanks to her I did that). I went up at sunset and opened it and it was just a wonderful, peaceful experience that I needed.

I then got home, surprising most of my family and waiting until late at night ( after my dad's gig) to unveil the excitement. It was a happy day. Sorry if you found out through the internet...my sister posted before I had the chance to call/text you guys. Promise. Please don't take offense that I didn't tell all to come watch. I just didn't. I still love you all. (:

The Lord knows us. He knows what we need, where we'll thrive, how we'll learn. I just adore Jesus Christ.

I'm SO excited. Others should post.

Annie B

Well, hi di ho there ma pals!

So's here's some update-age from my recent days since the posting hasn't been going to hot lately on my part ha ha

 Firstly, this Wednesday Steven will have been MTC-in' it up 2 weeks! Woot woot!! So, so, so cool! It's been so fun to hear from him and hear about his time in the MTC! I got to go up there for Spring Break (bet you all know this), it was such a blast to be up there with his family!! Holy kalito talk about a good time! The pics are my first day with him. We were at Cannon Beach! Such a good time!

Don't mind the white ha ha ;)

 Second, before going all the way to WA, we stopped at the Redwoods and MAN, are those forests b.e.a-utiful!

Taken with thoughts of Sars ;)

 Thirdly, family is INCREDIBLE! Over the weekends have just been some major macho family days and man oh man! We are given our families for a reason. Love them so much!

4-th-li, skiin' days are officially over for me this season. This is a part of my heaven more commonly known as the Utah mountains. Goodness, this place, these days, this life is so beautiful! 

This same day I tore my ACL skiing. I was super scared that it would effect my mission but life works out! They want me to do physical therapy before surgery so I'll be able to finish school and get finals all taken care of, next comes surgery in May, and then I have enough recovery time so that I can still go on my mission when I had planned. 

You guys, I have been really focused on preparing and getting ready to serve a mission. My mindset is there. I know that Heavenly Father has been watching out for me. I feel Him so strongly, especially in the last month. He is real. He loves you. He wants you to succeed and sees your efforts. I know that when we turn to Him in faith, the darkest times can also be the most joyful. Sounds weird, right? But, it's so true. Look for His hand and you will see it. 

I'm so excited for the time we are in right now. The Church is expanding with incredible strength and I am so happy to be a part of the living Gospel.

Life is good. College has been so fun! Excited for summer days. Happy for family time. Incredibly smiley because of no crutches. I am doing swell!

NOW LET'S HEAR ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE! Woot woot!!! :D

Someone should post something.

Yeah they should.

Seruh

Hi.
Update=
a) I got a plant that I love so much. We listen to lovely classical music together.
b) I'm getting close on my papers.
c) I've been so involved in Natural Resources, and am loving it. I absolutely adore learning.
d) I really do have sumfun with Jacoby. We went to Grand Targhee on the weekend of the 14th. 'Twas  beautiful and quite the happy time.
e) I LOVE that the birds are coming back, particularly the huge groups of Cedar Waxwings appearing in Logan (they just look so exotic to me). It livens up life to finally hear birds singing again.
f) Not sure the Kenya trip is going to work out, but I'll leave on my mission sooner in that case, so either way is wonderful.
g) I'm growing some alfalfa sprouts...I think it's cool.
h) I've been doing lotsa yoga and some good veg cooking, and I love both.
i) We may need to get together soon. It's been far too long.

Plant n' me

Grand Targhee (in the Tetons!)

31 days!!

Friday I went to a little get together with some systers going to Sweden!!! It was SO MUCH FUN.  It made me so very very very excited to get out there and serve with them and also made me soooooooo impatient!!! I am having a hard time being patient and am going crazy.  Syster (in Sweden that's how they spell it) Christensen... the blonde one... is the 7th generation in her family to go to Sweden on a mission!! Also, her great something grandpa was the first missionary in Sweden (he being a Swede) and baptized his brother and others into the church! Sooooo CRAZY!!! Her dad came and told us some of the Swedish history and just fun little facts.  We ate Swedish food found at IKEA (said EKEA), got to know each other and just really bonded!! I can't even explain how fun and interesting it was!!! I am so excited to serve with these wonderful systers I met and I JUST WANNA GET OUT THERE. love you all. thanks for listening...well, reading... :) I think someone else should post soon! Hope to see you all soon :) Much love.

Title 4

Sarah said to post.

I'm on my laptop at school during a two-hour break.

This gives me something to do.

Except that I only have two pictures on here. 

Which is a problem.

If you see it that way.

But I happen to like these two pictures.

Because I like summer.

And I like my cousin's little girl.

And I like 'yaking.

And I like doing what Sarah said.

So laugh at this.

Or be weird at this.

Or shake your head at this.

And look forward to the day I'll be gone.

Either way. 

I'm bored.

And this is my solution.

-A

A Little Catching Up To Do...:)

I really liked Lexie's idea of posting your life with pictures and since this being my very first post on here, I have a lot of catching up to do.  Posting pictures is a lot easier than writing a million paragraphs about all that has happened so hopefully you enjoy the pictures! :)

I tried to put the pictures in order but some would not cooperate... :)

 I absolutely loved my team.  They were so funny and a joy to be around.  They are very supportive of me leaving to serve a mission and that made things a lot easier which I am grateful for.

 This was awkward.  We had to dance and whatnot in front of the camera for a whole minute.  Yikes. I don't dance. 

 We went to Pickleville Playhouse which was HILARIOUS and very fun team bonding!

 We went country dancing as a team and I happened to dance the waltz with Wild Bill.  He wanted to do fancy things such as throw me around but I didn't like that idea much and vetoed it... maybe because of the fact that I am 6'1" made it not very appealing.

 While traveling here there and everywhere EVERY WEEKEND... we went to Texas and I got to spend time with my lovely cousins!! I loved every minute I spent with them and was glad to see them since I hadn't seen them for about a year or so!

 

I was thrilled to be able to be #21!

 

 I got to play a few times... yay! :)

 This would be my roommate in study hall.  Study hall is where we lived when we were not playing volleyball.  We were required to get 6 hours each week. (Monday-Friday morning) What a joy it was to live there each day... not.

 Eh I jammed my thumb and thought it was a fun bruise!

 On our way to Idaho and he was on his way to Africa!! Lucky.

 One of the best days of practice was when our teammate got locked in the locker room so we had only an hour long practice! Glorious. :)

I loved receiving this in the mail from Tim.  Don't worry, he drew it with his left hand... he's not THAT awful of an artist. ;) (please note he drew the braid I always do.) :)

 

Chalk dance was really fun! :) Thought my feet would fall off from it though...

 I GOT A NEW NEPHEW

 HE IS MY FAVORITE PERSON ON THIS EARTH

 This was just too cute not to post.

 Jackson Douglas Taylor

 You're welcome.  I'm the one who put the towel there to sensor. :)

 such an angel

 Being a baby is hard work

 Of course sporting his Aggie bull hat!!

 

 It's impossible to hold back tears when you are the closest you've ever been to touching God.

 My love

 We were just playing... :)

 Stud.

My dad when he was 19! Served in Chicago, Illinois

My mom when she was 24! Served in Buenos Aires, Argentina

 Called to serve in STOCKHOLM SWEDEN!!!

Michelle put this together for me.  What a sweetheart!

 :)

 Stockholm Sweden and Washington D.C. :) :) :)

 Definitely won the gingerbread house contest!! :)

 Who knew we'd be so dedicated? It started out as a joke... :)

 Sometimes we go on weird adventures and I take pictures of Tim looking like crazy Pooh.

 I didn't want to put this on facebook because of pda... but I figured you all could handle it... :)

 Such fun times.. haha

 Ski date!!

 hahaha Jessie and I decided to reenact our childhood pictures.  It made for great laughs... :)

  I found my artsy side while at college.  That's what happens when it's still summer and NO ONE is at college yet.

 Such a bitter, sweet day. 

Last picture we took before he left!  I'm so excited for him but I sure do miss him.

 Birthday ski day with the family!

 It was such a BEAUTIFUL, perfect day.  It was the best birthday gift!

 This is my little cousin Karter.  It was so fun to see him ski down the hills fearlessly!!

City of Stockholm.  I can't wait to serve the Lord and am so grateful to be able to go at this time in my life!  I'm excited to work hard and give my all to the Lord.  I love Him so much and know that He is mindful of each one of us.  I feel privileged to have gone through the House of the Lord and to be able to go there whenever I need peace and comfort.  I love this gospel with my whole heart and know without a doubt that it is true.