the calm before the storm

The beginning of this week was absolutely awesome because my best friend got called to the ITALY ROME mission and I am so stoked for him!! 

One of the first things he said after opening it was .. "I need to go to Olive Garden." 

Yes Ebro. Cultural experience right there. 

Perú --> Italia 

I'll be eating guinea pig and rice while he'll be treated to pasta and pastries,

I'm gonna come back with a sweet tan and he's gonna be more white...? haha. 

Two way different languages, hemispheres, & people, but one thing's in common: two missionaries ready to WORK. 

I'm so excited to watch our missions change and refine us into better people than we were before. 

Hurrah for Israel! 

Then the week took a little turn.... let me tell you guys something.

The adversary knows when to bring out his strongest weapons and best tactics. 

I've had friends tell me that the adversary works really hard on you between your mission call and your mission, but I didn't really understand it until now. 

It's so true.

I don't want to scare off any prospective missionaries, but you have to be super active in your personal spiritual habits in order to defend against some degrading influences. 

Like take Wednesday for instance. 

I felt like I needed to go to the temple right after classes so I donned a lightweight skirt to match the sunny weather and walked up my mountain (hill).

Right inside the temple entrance, on your way down to the baptistery is a huge painting on the wall of Christ calming the storm. (This isn't the same painting, but it's the same story depicted). Amidst the fearful, tense, and chaotic scene, Christ stands at the helm, hand outstretched upward towards heaven. I hadn't ever noticed it until that day. 

Little did I know how important that hour of calm would be before the storm I was about to experience. 

I won't go into details, but there were a lot of phone calls made, tears shed, and prayers given that afternoon. It was one of the most emotionally draining days of my college experience, but one that I'm grateful for. I don't know how I would've coped with it all if I hadn't gone to the temple earlier that day. I wouldn't have been as spiritually ready and clear-minded as I needed to be.

That night I felt really down about myself, even though the ordeal didn't directly concern me. 

Three specific things were weighing on me like a really heavy burden and suddenly I lost feeling happy. The adversary can really put you down sometimes. 

A couple days later, one of my friends who also has a mission call expressed the same feelings about an increasing influence of the adversary. 

But good news is, we don't have to be affected by that influence. It just means that we have to increase our personal habits to remain strong, faithful, productive, and happy as we prepare to be missionaries. 

With that, some happier details of Valentine's week!

Third wheeling is my life. Don't mind me, just cropping myself out of the lovey-dovey couples picture :)  I love Amanda & Kyle! (and shoutout to BYU for destroying St. Mary's)

Friday morning class was cancelled, can I get a hallelujah? 

Temples are referred to as "mountains of the Lord" in the scriptures and that is LITERALLY true in Provo. But still one of the best running routes!

I can't think of anything better than getting a tan in February with a good book. (ehhh okay good is the wrong word...semi-interesting forced biology book)

Friday night was a super fun sleepover off-campus at Allie's friend's apartment!

Choc chip cookies, Monster's Inc, falling asleep at 11...? (I guess we were exhausted haha), and a homemade breakfast of pink valentine's pancakes, cocoa almond spread, strawberry sauce, & powdered sugar. 

We left with tummies and hearts happy. 

This Valentine's day I'm grateful for moments of spiritual calm that prepare me for the storms of life. 

Also sunshine, running, good company, & pancakes. 

Happy Day of Love!