Click here if you want to read Julie's answers and see her cute wedding pics.
Heidi asked: What did you do on your birthday?
I am kind of anti-birthday. I try really hard to not draw any attention to myself on my birthday at all. I think I have always been that way. I remember on my 8th birthday I was in Utah with my dad (first time I ever went to Utah, I think). We were with my step mom's family and it was Thanksgiving. They were all so sweet and went out of their way to make it special, and I cried and wanted to hide under a rock. These aunts and uncles and cousins were still practically strangers to me at that point and I hated being pushed in to the spotlight like that.
I never got any better. A birthday is just another day to me and I prefer that NO ONE finds out or remembers when my birthday is. Of course I expect my siblings and parents to call, but other than that I like to keep it on the down low.
This year my friend, LeShel, somehow caught on that my birthday was coming and brought Nutella to church for me on the Sunday prior. Luckily she knows I am a little off and she didn't wrap it or anything. Unwrapping gifts in front of people is painful to me.
On the morning of my birthday, Seth was home so I slept in and was barely rolling out of my bed in jammies when my doorbell rang. Somehow my friend Andra found me out too and was on my porch with a super cute candy bouquet. She also had a bag of treats that she was delivering from my friend Amy.
Later in the day Seth blogged about me, without my knowledge, and all kinds of birthday attention flooded my way, but we still mostly kept it simple. A few gifts, a few cards, and out to dinner. That was plenty, and I am happy that I don't have to think about it again for many many months.
Heidi asked: I think I'd also like to hear your how you decided to go on a mission story.
Alright, I feel like I am getting churchy in here a lot lately, and I don't want to get annoying, but you asked and I will answer.
We left off in my last JAJ post with a 21 year old girl who was gaining a testimony and still trying to get up the nerve to go to church.
As soon as I knew that the Book of Mormon was true I knew that I had to learn more and go back to church, but that was scary to me. I had mentioned this to my mom and she called the Bishop in the ward where I lived, in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. He followed up and called me. We talked and he told me where the singles ward met, but told me I was also welcome to go to the family ward, where he was Bishop. He offered me a job, just down the street making more than I was making at the time. I should have taken it, but sent my roommate over to apply instead, because I had a young friend with a new baby and I was helping watch her most days. I thanked him for calling, and made a note of where and when the singles ward met.
I went with my roommate once or twice and then started making excuses not to go. I felt so much like a fish out of water there. At home I was spending time studying and praying and journaling. Heavenly Father was working on me, but so was Satan. He kept dragging me down and as much as I wanted to get out from under my self-doubt I felt like I couldn't. I felt like maybe the whole Mormon thing just wasn't ever going to happen for me. I remember one day when I was feeling particularly guilty and bogged down I prayed for help. I told Heavenly Father that nothing had ever been this hard. I had never felt so crappy and I wanted it to go away. I knew that I wasn't perfect but I wanted to trust the atonement and I didn't know how to get Satan out of my face. I asked Heavenly Father what I was supposed to do next. If He really wanted me to follow this path, I needed to know the next step.
I got up from my prayer frustrated and crying and confused. I opened my Book of Mormon. I had been reading King Benjamin's address and I wanted to read some more. It was helping me to feel close to Jesus Christ and to understand who He was and what He did. I opened to my bookmark, but the book fell open instead to D&C: 4. I had never read the D&C and was starting to flip back to where I intended to go, but section 4 was short, and so I read.
1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.
*Okay, that is what I want Heavenly Father. I want to serve. I want to be a disciple. Where do I start?
3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;
*Whoa,whoa,whoa,whoa Heavenly Father. I know you don't want me to go on a mission? I am not ready. I am not qualified.
5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.
*You're serious, aren't you Heavenly Father? So how do I do this?
6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.
7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.
*Oh my gosh, I am supposed to go on a mission.
Now since Heidi has been on a mission she could tell you all that EVERY missionary can recite this section of scripture by heart. This is the scripture of all scriptures in the missionary world. I didn't know that until much later, but even without knowing, I knew what it was saying to me.
This experience has always stood out to me as an example of how personally Heavenly Father knows each of us. When He wants to tell me something big, He tells me in black and white. A feeling wouldn't have done it, because I am a skeptic and I can explain a feeling away. Put it on paper and you've got me. Also, it initially made no sense to me to send someone as ignorant as myself on a mission but Heavenly Father knows that I am all or nothing. I was going to keep dipping my toe in the waters of the gospel and then backing away, or I was going to have to get immersed if it was going to stick. I wasn't sent on a mission to convert the multitudes. I was sent to solidify my own testimony, and prepare to teach my children someday.
Once I knew I could not get out of it, I went to church and mustered up all my nerve to go and set up an appointment with the Branch President, who was brand new in the branch. When I went in to see him I told him who I was and where I'd been, and then I dropped the bomb. I am here because I am supposed to go on a mission and I need you to help me get there. That was in August.
In October I got my papers. I called and told my parents, and although I caught them shocked and unprepared, they encouraged me to go, and not to worry about paying for it. That would be taken care of. My mom even paid off my credit cards so that I would be free to go as soon as possible.
Now remember though, that while all this was happening I was falling in love with some boy named Seth. I talked about this in my Becoming Seth and Julie posts so I will not go in to much detail. Falling in love while getting ready for a mission made no sense to me. Neither of us needed that distraction, and it made me wonder if we should just stay home instead. We talked about it a lot. I prayed and knew I should marry him. I knew it as much as I had known I should go on a mission.
There was much praying and much confusion. How could both decisions be so right? This just wasn't playing out the way it was supposed to. I prayed and prayed and prayed. And answers came. I have posted about what happened next during my Seth and Julie saga so I will just cut and paste what happened next from that old post.
Right before I got my mission call I met a girl named Amy at work. She had recently had to come home early from her mission due to illness. She missed it terribly and always wished she was still there finishing her mission, although I feel that what happened next was part of her mission. One day I asked Amy to bring in her mission call. I had never seen one and I wanted to know where it said where you would be going so that when I opened mine I could skip right to the good stuff. She brought her call which was in the front of her mission scrapbook so I got to look through the whole book. As I looked through her book I could feel the Spirit so strong. I loved the people in these pictures who I had never met. I could see myself living in the apartments she lived in and taking pictures in the same places she did. I told her that if I could be called there I wouldn't be so confused. Where did she serve? Of course, in the New York Rochester mission at the Historical sites.
That was December 16th.
On December 17th I came home from work and there was the big white envelope. Should I even open it? What had I gotten myself into? I couldn't really do this, could I?
But I couldn't let it sit there. I at least had to see what it said.
And of course we all know that I was called to the New York Rochester Mission with a special assignment to serve at the Hill Cumorah Historical Sites. Calls are not issued randomly. I was supposed to serve in the exact place where I served. No more questions, I went.
February 4, 1998 I reported to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. On the first night, surrounded by the rest of my district, all girls, we sang Lead Kindly Light which I had never heard before.
Lead, kindly Light,
amid th’encircling gloom;
Lead thou me on!
The night is dark,
and I am far from home;
Lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet;
I do not ask to see
The distant scene—
one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus,
nor pray’d that thou
Shouldst lead me on.
I loved to choose and see my path;
but now,Lead thou me on!
I loved the garish day,
and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will.
Remember not past years
As we sang I felt Heavenly Father with me. I felt something I have never felt before or since in quite that way. I felt removed from my own body. I felt closer to God than I had ever felt and I knew he was proud of me.
Becoming a missionary was another story entirely. I felt bad showing up so poorly prepared to the MTC. I knew so little. I remember some days we would talk and I would feel like I was speaking a different language than everyone else in the room. Who were they talking about? What were they talking about? But I studied as hard as I could. I prayed as hard as I could. Sometimes in my prayers I would have to tell Heavenly Father something new I learned and ask Him if it was true. I was so far behind. A few times I felt like giving up. I tried and I wasn't ready. Could I just go home now?
One day in particular we had a class with several districts. The teachers were giving such a powerful presentation. At one point they gave us each 20 minutes to independently write about the Plan of Salvation. I knew what salvation was, but what was the "plan of salvation"? They told us we could feel free to draw pictures or diagrams if we so desired. Pictures and diagrams of what? I was so close to tears and my blood was shaking. I had no idea what they were talking about. I wasn't supposed to be there. I thought about faking sick and trying to get out of the room. Everyone else was busy writing or drawing. I wanted to peek at someone's paper but I just sat there.
Finally, I thought that I needed to calm down and just write what I knew about salvation and hope they didn't call on me. I started writing my testimony of Jesus Christ and about the salvation that comes through the atonement. I was writing frantically and while I was sure I was missing something, I was reminded that I did know Jesus Christ and that I needed to trust my testimony.
When our time was up, the teachers started asking what everyone drew and I started seeing a chart go up on the bulletin board. A chart that looked something like this
I had seen that before. I didn't know what it was called, or all the specifics, but I had seen it before. I felt like such a fool and covered my picture-free paper very quickly. After all the pieces were filled in, the teacher asked if anyone wrote about the atonement of Jesus Christ. Everyone just sat there and I finally slowly forced my hand to crawl upward. The teacher explained that teaching the plan of salvation can not be done without teaching that there is a Savior. I had missed everything else, but I had written about Jesus Christ. He is my salvation. I knew that, and in that moment I knew that was what Heavenly Father needed me to share. That was why He called me. My testimony was basic and it was young, but it was real. I stopped questioning and got to work.
And that is more than you asked already, so I will spare you the remaining 18 months.
Heidi asked: I'll ask with Leslie how your Dad is? Tell him Hi from the crazy side of the family.
He is still being shy and not coming in to say hello to the cousins but I am sure he is smiling knowing that you all have such fond memories of him. He really is a nut. We have home videos of him swimming laps like a shark and trying to catch all the cousins in the pool, but it is a kiddy pool and he is taking up the whole thing. Cracks me up! I am glad you all have fond memories of him. I know Nonnie and Papa always did too and that meant so much to me because divorce can get so ugly, but none of the Renoufs ever bad-mouthed my dad, and truthfully none of the Kings ever bad mouthed my mom. That means a lot.
Alright Heidi, your turn and I am so excited to hear your answers since you don't get too personal on the blog. Me and Erin and Leslie are always spilling our guts for the world and I am excited to get you in the game.
Julie asked: I want to know the Heidi and Mikey story. When I left on my mission there was no Mikey and then I got word that you were engaged and getting married on December 19th. The date was already set for me to get married on December 18, the next year when I got home. I thought it was so crazy that we shared a birthday, went on missions and were almost going to share an anniversary. So I want to hear how you met Mikey, what made you fall for him, and anything else you want to tell me?
Julie asked: I also want to hear about your mission. We have so many common life experiences that make me feel tied to you, but we have never sat and talked about them. How did you decide to go? Did you always want to go? Can you still speak the language? What was your mission experience like?
Up Next: Catherine
I am kind of anti-birthday. I try really hard to not draw any attention to myself on my birthday at all. I think I have always been that way. I remember on my 8th birthday I was in Utah with my dad (first time I ever went to Utah, I think). We were with my step mom's family and it was Thanksgiving. They were all so sweet and went out of their way to make it special, and I cried and wanted to hide under a rock. These aunts and uncles and cousins were still practically strangers to me at that point and I hated being pushed in to the spotlight like that.
I never got any better. A birthday is just another day to me and I prefer that NO ONE finds out or remembers when my birthday is. Of course I expect my siblings and parents to call, but other than that I like to keep it on the down low.
This year my friend, LeShel, somehow caught on that my birthday was coming and brought Nutella to church for me on the Sunday prior. Luckily she knows I am a little off and she didn't wrap it or anything. Unwrapping gifts in front of people is painful to me.
On the morning of my birthday, Seth was home so I slept in and was barely rolling out of my bed in jammies when my doorbell rang. Somehow my friend Andra found me out too and was on my porch with a super cute candy bouquet. She also had a bag of treats that she was delivering from my friend Amy.
Later in the day Seth blogged about me, without my knowledge, and all kinds of birthday attention flooded my way, but we still mostly kept it simple. A few gifts, a few cards, and out to dinner. That was plenty, and I am happy that I don't have to think about it again for many many months.
Heidi asked: I think I'd also like to hear your how you decided to go on a mission story.
Alright, I feel like I am getting churchy in here a lot lately, and I don't want to get annoying, but you asked and I will answer.
We left off in my last JAJ post with a 21 year old girl who was gaining a testimony and still trying to get up the nerve to go to church.
As soon as I knew that the Book of Mormon was true I knew that I had to learn more and go back to church, but that was scary to me. I had mentioned this to my mom and she called the Bishop in the ward where I lived, in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. He followed up and called me. We talked and he told me where the singles ward met, but told me I was also welcome to go to the family ward, where he was Bishop. He offered me a job, just down the street making more than I was making at the time. I should have taken it, but sent my roommate over to apply instead, because I had a young friend with a new baby and I was helping watch her most days. I thanked him for calling, and made a note of where and when the singles ward met.
I went with my roommate once or twice and then started making excuses not to go. I felt so much like a fish out of water there. At home I was spending time studying and praying and journaling. Heavenly Father was working on me, but so was Satan. He kept dragging me down and as much as I wanted to get out from under my self-doubt I felt like I couldn't. I felt like maybe the whole Mormon thing just wasn't ever going to happen for me. I remember one day when I was feeling particularly guilty and bogged down I prayed for help. I told Heavenly Father that nothing had ever been this hard. I had never felt so crappy and I wanted it to go away. I knew that I wasn't perfect but I wanted to trust the atonement and I didn't know how to get Satan out of my face. I asked Heavenly Father what I was supposed to do next. If He really wanted me to follow this path, I needed to know the next step.
I got up from my prayer frustrated and crying and confused. I opened my Book of Mormon. I had been reading King Benjamin's address and I wanted to read some more. It was helping me to feel close to Jesus Christ and to understand who He was and what He did. I opened to my bookmark, but the book fell open instead to D&C: 4. I had never read the D&C and was starting to flip back to where I intended to go, but section 4 was short, and so I read.
1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.
*Okay, that is what I want Heavenly Father. I want to serve. I want to be a disciple. Where do I start?
3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;
*Whoa,whoa,whoa,whoa Heavenly Father. I know you don't want me to go on a mission? I am not ready. I am not qualified.
5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.
*You're serious, aren't you Heavenly Father? So how do I do this?
6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.
7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.
*Oh my gosh, I am supposed to go on a mission.
Now since Heidi has been on a mission she could tell you all that EVERY missionary can recite this section of scripture by heart. This is the scripture of all scriptures in the missionary world. I didn't know that until much later, but even without knowing, I knew what it was saying to me.
This experience has always stood out to me as an example of how personally Heavenly Father knows each of us. When He wants to tell me something big, He tells me in black and white. A feeling wouldn't have done it, because I am a skeptic and I can explain a feeling away. Put it on paper and you've got me. Also, it initially made no sense to me to send someone as ignorant as myself on a mission but Heavenly Father knows that I am all or nothing. I was going to keep dipping my toe in the waters of the gospel and then backing away, or I was going to have to get immersed if it was going to stick. I wasn't sent on a mission to convert the multitudes. I was sent to solidify my own testimony, and prepare to teach my children someday.
Once I knew I could not get out of it, I went to church and mustered up all my nerve to go and set up an appointment with the Branch President, who was brand new in the branch. When I went in to see him I told him who I was and where I'd been, and then I dropped the bomb. I am here because I am supposed to go on a mission and I need you to help me get there. That was in August.
In October I got my papers. I called and told my parents, and although I caught them shocked and unprepared, they encouraged me to go, and not to worry about paying for it. That would be taken care of. My mom even paid off my credit cards so that I would be free to go as soon as possible.
Now remember though, that while all this was happening I was falling in love with some boy named Seth. I talked about this in my Becoming Seth and Julie posts so I will not go in to much detail. Falling in love while getting ready for a mission made no sense to me. Neither of us needed that distraction, and it made me wonder if we should just stay home instead. We talked about it a lot. I prayed and knew I should marry him. I knew it as much as I had known I should go on a mission.
There was much praying and much confusion. How could both decisions be so right? This just wasn't playing out the way it was supposed to. I prayed and prayed and prayed. And answers came. I have posted about what happened next during my Seth and Julie saga so I will just cut and paste what happened next from that old post.
Right before I got my mission call I met a girl named Amy at work. She had recently had to come home early from her mission due to illness. She missed it terribly and always wished she was still there finishing her mission, although I feel that what happened next was part of her mission. One day I asked Amy to bring in her mission call. I had never seen one and I wanted to know where it said where you would be going so that when I opened mine I could skip right to the good stuff. She brought her call which was in the front of her mission scrapbook so I got to look through the whole book. As I looked through her book I could feel the Spirit so strong. I loved the people in these pictures who I had never met. I could see myself living in the apartments she lived in and taking pictures in the same places she did. I told her that if I could be called there I wouldn't be so confused. Where did she serve? Of course, in the New York Rochester mission at the Historical sites.
That was December 16th.
On December 17th I came home from work and there was the big white envelope. Should I even open it? What had I gotten myself into? I couldn't really do this, could I?
But I couldn't let it sit there. I at least had to see what it said.
And of course we all know that I was called to the New York Rochester Mission with a special assignment to serve at the Hill Cumorah Historical Sites. Calls are not issued randomly. I was supposed to serve in the exact place where I served. No more questions, I went.
February 4, 1998 I reported to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. On the first night, surrounded by the rest of my district, all girls, we sang Lead Kindly Light which I had never heard before.
Lead, kindly Light,
amid th’encircling gloom;
Lead thou me on!
The night is dark,
and I am far from home;
Lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet;
I do not ask to see
The distant scene—
one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus,
nor pray’d that thou
Shouldst lead me on.
I loved to choose and see my path;
but now,Lead thou me on!
I loved the garish day,
and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will.
Remember not past years
As we sang I felt Heavenly Father with me. I felt something I have never felt before or since in quite that way. I felt removed from my own body. I felt closer to God than I had ever felt and I knew he was proud of me.
Becoming a missionary was another story entirely. I felt bad showing up so poorly prepared to the MTC. I knew so little. I remember some days we would talk and I would feel like I was speaking a different language than everyone else in the room. Who were they talking about? What were they talking about? But I studied as hard as I could. I prayed as hard as I could. Sometimes in my prayers I would have to tell Heavenly Father something new I learned and ask Him if it was true. I was so far behind. A few times I felt like giving up. I tried and I wasn't ready. Could I just go home now?
One day in particular we had a class with several districts. The teachers were giving such a powerful presentation. At one point they gave us each 20 minutes to independently write about the Plan of Salvation. I knew what salvation was, but what was the "plan of salvation"? They told us we could feel free to draw pictures or diagrams if we so desired. Pictures and diagrams of what? I was so close to tears and my blood was shaking. I had no idea what they were talking about. I wasn't supposed to be there. I thought about faking sick and trying to get out of the room. Everyone else was busy writing or drawing. I wanted to peek at someone's paper but I just sat there.
Finally, I thought that I needed to calm down and just write what I knew about salvation and hope they didn't call on me. I started writing my testimony of Jesus Christ and about the salvation that comes through the atonement. I was writing frantically and while I was sure I was missing something, I was reminded that I did know Jesus Christ and that I needed to trust my testimony.
When our time was up, the teachers started asking what everyone drew and I started seeing a chart go up on the bulletin board. A chart that looked something like this
I had seen that before. I didn't know what it was called, or all the specifics, but I had seen it before. I felt like such a fool and covered my picture-free paper very quickly. After all the pieces were filled in, the teacher asked if anyone wrote about the atonement of Jesus Christ. Everyone just sat there and I finally slowly forced my hand to crawl upward. The teacher explained that teaching the plan of salvation can not be done without teaching that there is a Savior. I had missed everything else, but I had written about Jesus Christ. He is my salvation. I knew that, and in that moment I knew that was what Heavenly Father needed me to share. That was why He called me. My testimony was basic and it was young, but it was real. I stopped questioning and got to work.
And that is more than you asked already, so I will spare you the remaining 18 months.
Heidi asked: I'll ask with Leslie how your Dad is? Tell him Hi from the crazy side of the family.
He is still being shy and not coming in to say hello to the cousins but I am sure he is smiling knowing that you all have such fond memories of him. He really is a nut. We have home videos of him swimming laps like a shark and trying to catch all the cousins in the pool, but it is a kiddy pool and he is taking up the whole thing. Cracks me up! I am glad you all have fond memories of him. I know Nonnie and Papa always did too and that meant so much to me because divorce can get so ugly, but none of the Renoufs ever bad-mouthed my dad, and truthfully none of the Kings ever bad mouthed my mom. That means a lot.
Alright Heidi, your turn and I am so excited to hear your answers since you don't get too personal on the blog. Me and Erin and Leslie are always spilling our guts for the world and I am excited to get you in the game.
Julie asked: I want to know the Heidi and Mikey story. When I left on my mission there was no Mikey and then I got word that you were engaged and getting married on December 19th. The date was already set for me to get married on December 18, the next year when I got home. I thought it was so crazy that we shared a birthday, went on missions and were almost going to share an anniversary. So I want to hear how you met Mikey, what made you fall for him, and anything else you want to tell me?
Julie asked: I also want to hear about your mission. We have so many common life experiences that make me feel tied to you, but we have never sat and talked about them. How did you decide to go? Did you always want to go? Can you still speak the language? What was your mission experience like?
Up Next: Catherine
11 comments:
Should I really tell you what that first day at the MTC was like? At least from the other side of the door? Seth and I went there that day. At the end of the meeting, the families are asked to leave by one door while all the missionaries leave by another door. As you walked toward the door, Seth was having a hard time, and I kept hoping he wouldn't break and run after you. I know now that the feelings were so strong that he couldn't bear the thought of not seeing you again for almost 2 years. I am so proud of both of you, for what you did and who you have become.
I loved reading the story of how you decided to go on a mision. Especially the part about how the night before you saw pictures from your mission and loved all the people already. Great story.
I'm not even done reading, but now someone needs the computer but I must comment before they drag me away. Heidi and Catte act the exact same way on their birthday. (Play some Twilight Zone music now please.) Maybe there is some truth to astrology after all! Ha!
I loved reading your mission story.
That is amazing you went to the same place as your friend and read her mission letter and saw her pictures the day before you received your own letter sending you to the exact same place.
You have so much faith, and you listen.
I think the ability to listen and then act on what you've heard is one of the greatest abilities to have.
Also, we have great memories of your Mom and Dad. They were young and fun with us, and we all loved them. We love Aunt Susie and Glen, too and wish we knew your whole family better.
Again, I love your blog, and always look forward to reading your thoughts.
I'm so glad you are dragging Heidi out into the open. I can't wait to read her answers, and can't help but laugh and think, "haha, Heidi, now it's your turn.
I love JAJ day. Thanks for sharing so much, Julie.
Those were great questions and answers! I love your mission story. What cool experiences.
Wow! What a story! That's amazing, and I love how you went armed with just your testimony and your willingness to serve and work, things many missionaries never figure out!
That is all amazing.. I agree with some of the above comments about how incredible it is that you were looking at pictures of your mission before you got the call.
I felt at one point like I was supposed to go on a mission. Most of the time I don't think I would have been a very good missionary but I do regret it sometimes that I didn't.
What awesome, testimony building experiences! Seems like every time I read your blog, I come away from it feeling stronger, somehow fortified and a better person. I would have had the prettiest picture drawn of the plan of salvation you'd ever seen. And yet missed the point about the Savior. In spite of the testimony I have about Him. In spite of everything I know. I'm so glad you know and you share!
Oh great, now I feel like an awful, no good, horrible friend because all I got you for your birthday was a birthday greeting here on your blog and was not as thoughtful as LeShel and Andra. Sorry about that, but I'm the same way about birthdays. Mike is lucky if I even remember his or mine for that matter.
Loved reading about your mission story. Good for you for making that life-changing commitment.
Yea! I got my turn.
I loved reading your answers and particularly about your mission experiences. I loved your MTC story, too. That burning face feeling often accompanied me there...There is nothing like a mission to make you so humble. Thank you for being so open--it really is uplifting to read your experiences and testimony.
I know I need to answer your questions but as you noticed....um, I am kind of shy. I think I said it before that everyone is in their own way....and I'm sorry to say this is my shy:). I will try to answer them, but some might have to come in a private email, or in person at the next reunion.
All of my sisters have already been teasing and laughing at me that it is my turn, because they know my Boo Radley ways.
Anyway I will do my best (or make Mikey answer the questions--he would LOVE to )
Thanks again, it was a great read. Three cheers for JAJ!
Ann, That first day at the MTC was brutal, wasn't it? Remember we all went out to lunch at Training Table and you got stuck with the bill because my parents didn't realize you were supposed to pay before you got your food there. They were so embarrassed and it was made worse by the fact that me and Seth couldn't manage to get down a single bite. It was a tough 5 weeks in the MTC but once we were both in NY it all made sense. I even understand now why we needed to fall in love pre-mission. Seth gave me so much strength and encouragement out in the field, and it was an amazing experience to share with each other.
Heidi, don't let JAJ stress you out. You can e-mail me if you'd rather, or tell me in person. I won't link anyone to your answers if that makes you uncomfortable. I know not everyone likes to expose themself in such a raw way as I do, so please only post what you are comfortable with.
Post a Comment