Christmas at Home!

I was able to be home for Christmas!! This was my first time spending this holiday with my family in a few years. It was nice to have the special traditions I grew up with celebrated again:)

Some of my favorite traditions were being locked in a room altogether as siblings. Or the homemade peanut brittle my dad makes. Or the way we celebrate my dad's birthday before we celebrate Santa coming. Or the way we all get pajamas as a Christmas Eve gift and put them on before reading Luke 2 and other Christmas stories.     

This year is the first year I've had to watch what I eat during this sugar infested holiday season. I made the decision before the festivities started to just throw out the smart eating and just chow down on all the sugar and sweets and white flour baked goods my family makes. That was a bad idea. Well, half a bad idea. I have learned my eating habits really do influence my aches and pains and energy levels a ton! So I've had the aches pains and sluggish body this holiday. I now have a great New Years Resolution! Eat right, ALWAYS!!!!

Games!

We love to play games as a family during the time we're all at home:) 

We get a bit competitive... Usually my mom wins. And anyone else is lucky to win. My dad just got a new game and we all played together. He won!! It was a big deal. Next game my brother won, then both decided to not play again because they were champions and didn't want to give up their titles:) 

Pain and Blessings

I am a great person! I tell myself this every morning. But when I can't get out of bed until it's in the afternoon and haven't showered in a few days because I can't stand up on my own, it's hard to believe I'm great. All I see when this happens is me being an unproductive slob, with multiple days worth of bed head. Not the greatest picture, right? 

This week has been full of slob days. I have been doing just enough to get by. The pain is overwhelming. The exhaustion is unending. BUT it's in these days I turn to my Savior Jesus Christ and get to count my blessings:) Despite the imperfect week I've had, these have been some of my many blessings given to me that have brightened my day:

1: I made gluten free cake with pudding frosting for a work party. Best cake ever!!! It was a perfect balance of cake to frosting and was so deliciously moist! The blessing here is that it tasted great, but better than that I had the energy to masks it! Here's a pic: 

2: I took an essay based final. Several will say that a final isn't a blessing. I agree. In this case it was timed and I ended up falling asleep in the middle of it. Bad. Then I was able to wake up and finish within the allotted time. And actually make sense in my writing, I think. 

3: I didn't pass out! More than once this week I had that closing in or fading feeling that proceeds me passing out. Every time I maintained consciousness!! Wahoo! No falling and getting a concussion. No falling and getting a broken bone. No slipping on ice! No blacking out at work or in class. That is a great blessing for me! 

4: My friends and roommates have been there for me a ton this week. They don't know what it is like to have fibromyalgia, but they do their best to help me with what I'm going through. They'll walk slower with me so I don't get left behind. They're willing to give me rides to campus so I don't have to walk as far. They help me out a lot:) and I love them for it. 

Such a terrible week. But also a great one:) My Savior has been lookin out for me. And that means I'm a great person, even with bed head.

Thanksgiving Bliss

Over the past week with my family I've had some crazy adventures. I've chronicled them through pictures... So here's my week! 

This was a crazy game of golf that perpetuated throughout the entire week:) it started at the airport...

On the plane ready for take off!!

We arrived at the beautiful beach front condo... Do you like our view?

I hung out with cousins friends and family all week! We saw a few movies together. And hung out at the giant Christmas tree:) Restaurants were frequented, but the best part was being together!!! I love my Family!!!! 

Crazy faces!

Pose! My brother wanted to look disinterested, haha. 

All cousins, even the photo bomber peeping through!

Fun with my mom. 

Posing with my dad. 

Tired brother wanted me to look sad in the picture... I don't think I pulled it off too well but was okay with it!

Waiting for the Hunger Games movie to start!!!

Late night out on the town. 

Early morning out on the town. 

Beautiful momma fishing;)

Monopoly. Enough said. 

I must point out that in this monopoly game I lost, but was the only one that got three hotels!!!!!! That was the first time I ever had enough money to get one, and I got three! I am proud of myself and thought I'd share. 

We had Thanksgiving dinner:) my brother and Dad did the honors of carving the turkey and we shared the evening with family and pie, the best way to do it!

Then we decided to go fishing!!!! It was cold. We had to try two days to get anything, and then he fish were extremely tricky. On day one my dad posed with another guys fish... We tricked my mom who had already been defeated by the cold and retreated to the warmth of the car into thinking my dad caught it. On day two, two of my cousins and my mom came off victorious and snagged one fish each!

My brother taking the relaxed approach. 

Lovely hooked bait. 

Cranes or herons were close friends while we fished. 

My handy dandy fishing pole. 

Good eatin:)

And in any spare moment we were either in the pool, the hot tub, or out in the waves and catchin some sun on the beach:)

Isn't this water gorgeous!?

My brother found a dead crab...

On the last full day at the beach I officially turned twenty four! We celebrated with leftovers salad and this delicious homemade Oreo cheesecake. 

Of course, I'm still a kid:) and bummed that my vacation is over. Back to real life with homework, work, grad school applications etc. I made some good memories this week! 

Best Comment I Heard Today

My brother got up from the restaurant table and announced:

I have to go to the restroom. I don't know why they call it that... I do a lot of work in there...

Then he walked away to do his business. :)

My Vacation Began!

The first stop on the lovely road of vacation was Temple Square! 

This is the Salt Lake City Temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I was hoping they would have their Christmas display up, but it isn't lit until the beginning of December. The light display they have here is sooooo amazing!!! I've only been a few times and every time I am blown away with the beautiful lights and the focus on the nativity displays of Christ in the manger. So beautiful. It reminds me of the beauty if the season around Christmas and the reason we celebrate at this time of year. 

I met some really amazing sister missionaries that are serving on Temple Square as I waited to meet up with my family for dinner. We talked about serving missions, since I just got back in March from my mission. One of the sisters is going home this week. That transition is hard, and I told her about my experience and how rough it was transitioning to non mission life. But I made it! And I don't think I'm too weird:) 

Packing

The pre-vacation stress comes from my lack of motivation to pack. 

I usually like to pack clean clothes when starting out on my adventures... Which requires doing laundry. Of course, I have to put that off till the last possible moment- the night before I leave. Hence the photo of my bed covered in clean laundry and an open suitcase at midnight the night before I leave. 

Since I lack in motivation to pack, I obviously am taking a break to blog about it:) perhaps my motivation will return by the end if this post... we'll see. 

All this packing is reminding me of my mission. I wish I could visit my mission in the New England states. When I was a missionary I would pack up all of my belongings every 6 weeks to about 4 months and moved to a new city and state. I would go with a new companion and get to meet some pretty amazing people:) I served the people of New England for 18 months straight. Such a wonderful experience! I definitely believe that the more you serve someone the more love you have for that person. And I've got some deep seeded love for the people in the north east:). 

Unfortunately, this packing isn't preparing me for a glorious reunion with friends made on the mission. 

Instead, it is so I can have the lovely reunion of family all together for Thanksgiving and my birthday:). And if the weather is good I'll get to play on the beach in my new swimsuit!!! Which is a very good thing. 

GRE

For those of you not familiar with the demonic term 'GRE,' let me explain. It's not really demonic, I'm just being a bit dramatic and over exaggerating the dread that is usually accompanied with this test. The GRE is a test, the needed, required test, to apply to many graduate programs around the country. I had to take it! A necessary evil has been presented in my path towards my goal of being a Speech-Language Pathologist, so I rolled up my sleeves, started studying, and signed up for a test day. 

The fated day for this dreaded test finally arrived this weekend. Yesterday to be exact. Ugh. I was not looking forward to taking it. I had some amazing friends try to help me with my math skills, and some fun apps for my phone to quiz me on my vocabulary. 

As this weekend had been getting closer and closer I have been spending less and less time studying for it. This caused me some concern Friday night as I prepared for the big test day. But I was reminded that I did the best with what I had in doing my preparations, and I took courage. 

Saturday morning I was blest by my amazing visiting teacher and friend giving me a ride to the testing center. I took the test with a mighty prayer in my heart! When I got the preliminary scores back I was satisfied. In fact, I was happy! I got above the score I was aiming for! Wahoo! 

So now no more GRE studying and now no more stress. I can use these scores to apply to graduate schools and eventually become the worlds best Speech-Language Pathologist:)... The next step is actually filling out the graduate school applications... Wish me luck!! 

Birthday Fun

It's way early to celebrate my birthday... But if I celebrated when my special day really was no one would be around to celebrate with me. So this last Friday we made it happen. My roommates and I went to Zuppas and then to the temple. All together:) it is absolutely amazing to be living with girls that are all endowed and able to go to the temple together!! Each one of us are so strong in the Gospel of Christ. We bouiy each other up and support each other through Christ. It was the best way to celebrate my birthday. 

Before we left the temple, the temple president and his wife came up to our group. They shared their testimonies with us and got to know us a bit better. Then a man came up to our group by the name of Peter Mourik. The temple president introduced us and then proceeded to tell us a story about brother Mourik. Here's the version of the story president Monson, the Prophet, shared in conference: 

"I am always humbled and grateful when my Heavenly Father communicates with me through His inspiration. I have learned to recognize it, to trust it, and to follow it. Time and time again I have been the recipient of such inspiration. One rather dramatic experience took place in August of 1987 during the dedication of the Frankfurt Germany Temple. President Ezra Taft Benson had been with us for the first day or two of the dedication but had returned home, and so it became my opportunity to conduct the remaining sessions.

"On Saturday we had a session for our Dutch members who were in the Frankfurt Temple district. I was well acquainted with one of our outstanding leaders from the Netherlands, Brother Peter Mourik. Just prior to the session, I had the distinct impression that Brother Mourik should be called upon to speak to his fellow Dutch members during the session and that, in fact, he should be the first speaker. Not having seen him in the temple that morning, I passed a note to Elder Carlos E. Asay, our Area President, asking whether Peter Mourik was in attendance at the session. Just prior to standing up to begin the session, I received a note back from Elder Asay indicating that Brother Mourik was actually not in attendance, that he was involved elsewhere, and that he was planning to attend the dedicatory session in the temple the following day with the servicemen stakes.

"As I stood at the pulpit to welcome the people and to outline the program, I received unmistakable inspiration once again that I was to announce Peter Mourik as the first speaker. This was counter to all my instincts, for I had just heard from Elder Asay that Brother Mourik was definitely not in the temple. Trusting in the inspiration, however, I announced the choir presentation and the prayer and then indicated that our first speaker would be Brother Peter Mourik.

"As I returned to my seat, I glanced toward Elder Asay; I saw on his face a look of alarm. He later told me that when I had announced Brother Mourik as the first speaker, he couldn’t believe his ears. He said he knew that I had received his note and that I indeed had read it, and he couldn’t fathom why I would then announce Brother Mourik as a speaker, knowing he wasn’t anywhere in the temple.

"During the time all of this was taking place, Peter Mourik was in a meeting at the area offices in Porthstrasse. As his meeting was going forward, he suddenly turned to Elder Thomas A. Hawkes Jr., who was then the regional representative, and asked, “How fast can you get me to the temple?”

"Elder Hawkes, who was known to drive rather rapidly in his small sports car, answered, “I can have you there in 10 minutes! But why do you need to go to the temple?”

"Brother Mourik admitted he did not know why he needed to go to the temple but that he knew he had to get there. The two of them set out for the temple immediately.

"During the magnificent choir number, I glanced around, thinking that at any moment I would see Peter Mourik. I did not. Remarkably, however, I felt no alarm. I had a sweet, undeniable assurance that all would be well.

"Brother Mourik entered the front door of the temple just as the opening prayer was concluding, still not knowing why he was there. As he hurried down the hall, he saw my image on the monitor and heard me announce, “We will now hear from Brother Peter Mourik.”

"To the astonishment of Elder Asay, Peter Mourik immediately walked into the room and took his place at the podium.
Following the session, Brother Mourik and I discussed that which had taken place prior to his opportunity to speak. I have pondered the inspiration which came that day not only to me but also to Peter Mourik. That remarkable experience has provided an undeniable witness to me of the importance of being worthy to receive such inspiration and then trusting it—and following it—when it comes. I know without question that the Lord intended for those who were present at that session of the Frankfurt Temple dedication to hear the powerful, touching testimony of His servant Brother Peter Mourik."

This story was told in the October 2011 General Conference. In the temple as we heard this story from the temple president and brother Mourik my testimony of needing to be spiritually worthy and able to receive revelation as well as act on the promotings of  the Spirit grew a ton. 

Then we came home and enjoyed homemade chocolate cake together. 

Such a great birthday celebration:) 

Flashback: Hospital

I was being a good friend this past week. Me and my best friend and her boyfriend went to the hospital to bring joy to a mutual friend who was just getting out of surgery. (Wow, that's a lot if friends.) We found the elevator and went to the sixth floor. As we stood around his bed and joked around with him and his parents my head became clouded. My ears and the back of my neck felt extremely hot. I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness. I was about to faint. I'm sure my face went pale and my eyes had a glazed look. 

I fought it! and was able to stay conscious. No fainting that day! It was sad how fast it came on and there weren't any warning signs that I was about to have this struggle for consciousness. I guess it's all in the joys of my life with Fibromyalgia. But it might also be that was the first time I had been in a hospital since my mission. 

The most traumatic three weeks of my mission revolved around a companion being sick and going to the hospital. Here's an excerpt from a letter home after those weeks: 

"Wednesday, two weeks ago, we called the doctor to set up an appointment for Sis. Xxxxxx to get her mouth checked out. She had a mouth sore that was giving her trouble. Thursday she started getting headaches, not feeling so good, and tired even with a full nights rest. But we kept working:) Friday we saw the doctor. Two infections in her mouth, got antibiotics, and went on our merry way. Saturday she could walk, but had to have assistance a little bit, and her headache worsened. We weren't able to do much work. Sunday more weak she couldn't stand on her own, and horrible headaches. We only went to church. Monday she pushed herself, hard to walk and do things on her own. we went shopping and ate out. By 6 in the evening she couldn't stand on her own. She was exhausted. Tuesday morning she was dependent on me to help her stand or walk. That was our first trip to the ER. They said she was dehydrated, needed fluids and was given a different antibiotic. The Zone Leaders came and gave her a blessing and sang to us. We were back home the same day. Wednesday she was the same, but by Wednesday night she couldn't sit up on her own. And everytime she stood she began to pass out. I fully supported as she made the trip to the bathroom and back to the bed. One of the members was really nice and brought over a walker for her to use so I didn't have to fully support her anymore. Thursday morning no improvement, in fact more weak-- she began passing out when she sat up only for a second or so. Not very long but enough to worry me, and her left side of her body was numb. Back to the ER.  The District Leader and the Zone Leaders joined us this time and gave her another blessing. The tentative diagnosis was Guillian-barre' Syndrome. She was admitted to the ICU for observation. That room was full of fear and anxiety. At 11:45pm I called the Wilkey's. Pres. Wilkey sang a song to s. Windley and the fear and anxiety left. We slept in peace and calm. 

"Friday morning we saw the doctors and nurses on parade. No one had much of anything intelligent to say, and then she was wisked away to get an MRI. We moved rooms to the 6th floor to continue treatment for Guillian-barre' Syndrome. We decided that it should be called Green jello disease. Our reasoning is that she's from Utah and everyone has jello there. But she's turning into green jello now, so weak her legs won't support her. The Zone Leaders brought us a fun package of toys and Ensigns to pass the time. Throughout Friday she continues to get weaker, and both legs are beginning to get numb now, not just her left side. Friday night her hands were numb and tingly. The Zone Leaders brought us Pizza for dinner and we had a fun time eating and laughing. She had a headache the entire time, and no medicine had been able to dull it at all. Saturday morning she awoke in pain. Extreme pain. So painful to watch her have the pain. She was gasping for breathe and couldn't move any part of her body without more pain. I rang the nurse and told her she was having trouble breathing. More pain medicine, a breathing test, nurses in and out, this lasted for about 5 hours. Between gasps of air, she asked me if she was going to die. I told her no-- she was too much of a fighter. She desperately asked for the Zone Leaders to come and help her. I called them up. Between tears I think they understood me clear enough to know that she wasn't doing well, and should come ASAP. They were there in an hour and comforted both of us. I got a priesthood blessing this time, and an added boost of strength. 

"Pres. and Sis. Wilkey started on their way up to Maine on Saturday afternoon. They were bringing Sis. Rykowski with them to help out with the area, and taking care of Sis. Windley. They arrived Saturday night, and were a very welcome sight after the hard morning. I was promptly sent to go shopping with sis. Rykowski and Pres. Wilkey to get good healthy food, then go to sleep in a bed instead of a hospital chair. Sis. Wilkey stayed the night with Sis. Windley. I was given strict orders to not use an alarm clock. I had a restless night and got a bit of my physical tired gone. On Sunday we could only attend the last hour of church because we slept in (as ordered). So we went to the Hospital to get the Sacrament when we were ready cause they were giving sis. Windley the sacrament there. It was a sweet meeting with the Elders administering it to us, and we all bore our testimonies. It was sweet. Nothing eventful that evening. Me and Sis. Rykowski went home to sleep and got up early to be at the hospital by 7:30am Monday. She was discharged from the Hospital and then we went home. 

"Still weak and exhausted no matter how much she rested. Numb and tingly all over now. Tuesday we found out she was going home. Wednesday we packed. Thursday we packed more, and picked up Sis. Windley's mom from the airport. Friday they flew home to Utah." 

So maybe the hospitals are just too tender to experience. It's been about a year and a half since that time, but still too soon to forget. 

Too Cold for Comfort

My body is sensitive to the cold. Originally I found this out while on my mission and attributed it to being in New England as a Texan. I went home to Texas and loved being in the warm weather all summer. I was thawed out:) Then moving to up to College I am extremely cold. And the weather is forecasted to be in the 60s. Now it's in the 40s and 50s. It is freezing!! And when it's freezing my joints are stiffening and I have more pain when I move. 

I'm trying new techniques to keep warm and downplay the stiffness and pain. Here's a few of the keepers:

1. An electric blanket. Best invention! I keep it on my bed and turn it on before I climb under the covers. It helps me relax and not freeze while I'm sleeping. 

2. Warm baths. I have begun making it a habit to soak for a bit on the hard days to help loosen up my body. I try to do this before sleeping if I'm pretty stiff or in the mornings if I know I will need a lot from my body that day. 

3. Hot pumpkin spice milk or hot apple cider. A really good tasty way to warm up my insides:) I usually have one of these when I get back home from classes. 

4. Wear a hat. I have begun styling a warm knitted hat around the house. It is so nice to keep me warm, and it's kinda funny lookin' wearing such a warm hat indoors. Thank goodness for my siblings who knitted my warm hat for me while I was on my mission... And I still use it:) 

I feel kind of silly with how cold I am. There is snow in the mountains but not in the ground. Oh well. I'm cold and I'm dealing with it:) haha it'll get interesting when it really starts snowing and gets super cold.  

Dancing in Costume

I was not going to the dance. I had wanted to earlier in the week but hadn't written my paper yet and really needed to do homework. But as you can see... I gave in to peer pressure and went to the dance anyways. 

These are me and a few friends at the dance. I threw together a costume in a few minutes and went as pippi long stocking. Braids sticking out of my head, and mismatched knee high socks were all I needed:) I learned the polka and was swept off my feet by a pirate and 'where's Waldo'. 

Being recently back from my mission I was a bit freaked out by the music choice, dance moves and boys. I have been back for about six months but still have to motivate myself to be social and participate in normal social events. I feel like I am not normal. I'm having to find a new normal. I'm not who I was before the mission. Nor am I the person I became on my mission. I am still different, having to put into the equation that I am also having to deal with chronic pain and fatigue makes finding this new normal difficult. BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE!! 

I am finding this new normal slowly but surely. I had fun at the dance. I didn't freak out when boys asked me too dance. That's a step in the right direction. I soaked in a warm tub and wrapped myself in an electric blanket to make sure my muscles didn't give me too much pain after dancing. That's also a step in the right direction:)

Such a good Weekend!

This past weekend was great! I woke up Saturday. Stretched out my body and crept/fell/slunk out of bed:) I got ready for the day, dressed in my best clothes, and walked to the testing center on campus. I took a few sits on the way to rest up. I eventually got there and took my test. 

The first page if the test I didn't know what the questions were asking. At all. I had no clue. This darn fibro fog. I prayed in my heart for the studying I did to pay off and help me. I started again. God helped me reason through the questions and remember the material I studied. I knew God was helping me out! In the end I looked at my score and got a 92%!! I got this grade with the love and help of Heavenly Father. 

From the testing center I walked to the temple:) I spent the next five hours there relaxing and loving the peace that is there. 

I over did the physical exertion on Saturday with all the walking. And had to take it easier on Sunday. But that's all part of me figuring out my balance:) 

Monday God was merciful as I was climbing the deadly stairs to class: 

Because at the top of the stairs were beautiful fall leaves!!! Even though my legs were shaky and I was out of breath. Oh it made my day:)

Nature is a thing of beauty. The visiting teaching message for this month is all about how Christ is the supreme creator. And how He and Heavenly Father worked in tandum to make me happy:) I'm convinced when they were making this World they were thinking of me when they had these trees change colors beautifully during this Fall, perfectly timed for when I walked up the stairs. 

From the help in the testing center to the beautiful trees on campus to the peace in the temple, I love the how much The Lord loves me! 

Studying and Cleaning

I am sore all over. My muscles ache. My neck strains to hold my head up. My joints are sore. My mind won't work in the ways I want it to. Studying is so hard. I have several tests coming up and studying for them is so hard. I can't study. I can read and read and read but not get anything out of it. I can't remember what I just read over and over again for the last several days. It's so frustrating! BUT I'm really good with the application of the knowledge that does get into my foggy mind:) it's the getting past the fog and into my brain that is the tricky part;). 

So, lately, I decided to find new ways of studying. It hasn't worked very well yet, but I'm outlining the chapters I'm reading. I still can't remember, and my hand is more sore now. Not really sure how good that new strategy is. So I am planning on changing my approach and just reading the main points and summaries in the back of the chapters then doing the review questions. Hopefully this proves beneficial. I only have a few days before my next test! 

On top of this, my apartment just had cleaning checks. Wahoo! We passed with flying colors of course and are even in the running for the grand prize: caramel brownies. It goes to the cleanest apartment. I hope ours wins. :) we definitely spent enough time last night cleaning to qualify for it. 

This is a group of friends cleaning the clubhouse:

 

We tend to have fun cleaning parties. 

Ps. we got the brownies:)

Flashback: My Symptoms Began

Let me set the scene for you... My second to last transfer as a full-time missionary. Only a five week long transfer. I was training. We opened a new area that hadn't had missionaries living there in over 25 years. Nothing in the area book. Lots of getting to know the people. Mid February. Snow still on the ground. 

I was moody. Getting out of bed, which had not been hard my entire mission, was now near impossible. I would be awake in my mind but couldn't open my eyes or move my body. I couldn't speak. I thought I was dieing when that happened. It happened whenever I dropped off for a short nap or waking up for the morning. I was terrified of sleeping. But this was a catch 22, I couldn't stay awake! I was so fearful. 

But I was a missionary! I had to get up. I had to excersize. I had to study. I had to go out and teach people. But my body had shut down. I'm pretty sure I was a depressed because we ended up staying inside for more than any good missionary can stand. We missionaries like to be out of the apartment as much as possible among the children of God, serving them. 

I called my mission president's wife and told her what was going on. I went to a doctor, and was told to just get more rest, I had burnt myself out with all the missionary service I had done already. That seemed plausible, but the next three days I slept and relaxed with no improvement. In fact it was getting worse. I had blood work done. I was picture perfect healthy, but may be getting over having mono. Mono?! Really!? I'm a missionary. I shouldn't have the kissing virus! Impossible. That couldn't be it. Again I was told to rest up and that I'll be fine. 

It got worse. Within three weeks of beginning to go downhill, I was a complete wreck. I got priesthood blessings. All of them told me I'd be strengthened. What I really wanted was to be cured so I could back to missionary work again. 

In the fourth week I got a call from my mission president asking if I felt it was time to go home- a transfer earlier than scheduled. I cried. All I wanted was to be healthy and serve The Lord. I only had one more transfer!! Couldn't The Lord make me healthy enough for one more transfer?! Then I could be as sick as a dog, I wouldn't care. But the spiritual witness was extremely strong during that phone call, and I can't deny the answer. I was to finish my mission a transfer earlier than planned. I cried. 

My parents were notified. A week later I flew home. I had a very nice gentleman escort me around the airport in a wheelchair. Walking was just too much. But I couldn't let the first time my family see me in a year and a half be in a wheelchair, so I forced myself to walk the last leg if the terminal. That same determination pushed me through the hard days that followed. But that is for another post:) 

Mission Reunion

Today is the day!!! I have a mission reunion!!! I'm so excited to see everyone again!!! Here's some pictures from tonight:)

Sister Robbins and me

Elder Chen and me

Me and Sister Peterson

Sister Muir and me

Sister Wilkey and me

Me and President Wilkey

The greatest centerpiece:) me and my trainer Sister Bond decorated this pig about two years ago when we first got to Concord, NH. 

Best night ever! I love seeing everyone. And being able to have the spirit of being with people that have served together in a good cause is so great. I love being a missionary!!! I loved getting several hugs from President Wilkey :) best ever!!