My whole life was "wrapped up" this December.
- I finished the semester
- had to quit my job at the MTC
- was released from my church calling
- moved out of my apartment
- and said goodbye to 2017!
It's bittersweet, but ringing in a new year and moving to Jerusalem don't sound like bad alternatives either ;)
Here are the highlights of this December:
My Brickhouse babes.
What I'm going to do without them I have no freakin idea.
Relief Society. These strong, beautiful women blessed my life this semester in more ways than I can express!
Trying to pretend I don't care that it's FREEZING outside.
My new go-to pump-up jam. Just ask the roomies.
Tamed the mane.
Finals week.
My last district.
That classroom (T4-654) became sacred ground to me this semester. We learned, laughed, studied, practiced, counseled together, struggled, rejoiced, and became better. These 12 missionaries will never know how much they blessed my life-- they turned my bad days into good ones and my weaknesses into growth. On our last night (well, what we thought was our last night, before their flights were cancelled and they were back for an extra day! haha), we sat in front of a mural of Jesus Christ beckoning his 12 apostles to "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19) Suddenly I felt like I was in Christ's shoes, beckoning 12 of His servants to "Go ye therefore..." as they embarked to Argentina, Guatemala, Mexico, and Uruguay. His invitation is the same today. His love is the same. HE is the same: Jesus Christ, our Master and Friend.
This quote hasn't stopped ringing through my head:
"In the next months and beyond, you will begin to grasp just how much you lack, how far you have to go to accomplish what God expects of you, and what he expects you to become. The one who holds these high expectations, who is demanding so much of you, is the same one who has overcome the world, who wants to help you, and who will help you overcome whatever you must."
- Elder Christofferson
Dinner with the cousins!
2nd floor of the HBLL. My home for 4 straight days.
The only reason I survived those long days were study breaks to google student memes and roommates dragging me to late-night Sonic runs.
^ Still my face since leaving the MTC.
HOME for Christmas!
NINETEEN years old and I still can only dream of being as hip as she is.
Christmas break has been filled with:
- Skip-bo tournaments with rachel & ricky
- tired muscles from skiing
- making homemade tamales
- dutch bros runs for seth's birthday
- hot tubbing under the pines in Sunriver
- "Murder in the dark" with the Cannons
- foggy morning runs
- lots and lots of movies
- Portland road trip for Anna's bday!
- The cutest riverside airbnb
- yummy thai restaurants
- window shopping in the city
- freezing our butts off at water falls
and SLEEPING IN!
2017, it's been real.
I'm excited to see what the new year will bring.
First up: JERUSALEM.
