Food storage.

I'm not baby hungry, I promise. 

I'm just really taking advantage of the whole holding-kids-post-mission thing. 

I got to have dinner and FHE with my best friend's brother and sister-in-law this week, but what I really loved was them giving me priceless advice after the kids went to bed. I really liked the analogy that I'm building up spiritual food storage at this time in my life. There will be a time where I will need to use my food storage, but because I can afford it in mass amounts right now, I need to really stock up. They have a fantastic family, so I take everything they say pretty seriously!

I also got to go to Temple Square with some of my mission friends, then see the ACTUAL Smith Patented Printing Press that printed the first 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon. I can't tell you how many times the words,"no, that's not the original, it's in Salt Lake City," came out of my mouth in New York. I just felt very proud seeing it, and knowing that Alison and I got to be two of many sisters that defended what happened on that press.

That's pretty much my weekly update, with lots of working  at BYU in between. I just found out I get to work with the media back in D.C. along with being "the intern," so that's pretty exciting news. 

So yes, I am building my food storage--one scripture read and one little miracle written down at a time.

Still my sisteren in The Lord.

You know what's really great? My job. I think I keep saying that, at least I have been for the past five years. 
(Mission included.) I concluded that again today when Fui Vakapuna told me the story of when he gave his teammate Tim Tebow the first discussion last year. Apparently it almost got into a bible bash...I was hoping he would have gotten baptized so I could have a chance with him. 

Anyway, not important. My job is cool because last night I got to take Alison to our department Christmas party! We won the drawing contest...because we put a name tag on our snowman. I shoulda gotten a picture...oh well. But we did take this picture right before we walked into the party:

However, the best part of the day was right before this, when we got to see our fellow NYRMies come down the escalator at Salt Lake International Airport. Missionary moments right and left while we were waiting for them; I totally should have hung out at the airport as a missionary. We got a lady crying when she saw an Elder come down and hug his mom for the first time in two years. Seed PLANTED! Anyway, here is the picture(s):

I'm now old news. :) But it really was fantastic to surprise these sisters and to reminisce from six weeks ago when I was feeling every emotion in the book. Looking at this photo, the only thing I can think about is this one time in the Book of Mormon, 

"Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God." -Alma 17: 2-3

Cue the lights.

It seems like two weeks has passed since last Christmas. Does anyone else feel like that? Last year, I was in a cute little town called Brockport, serving in one of the best wards the Church has to offer. I don't think there was a night that Sister Torres and I weren't fed. (Even though food is not what constitutes as "a fun time," it certainly makes it easier to be around a dinner table with a family!)  I would definitely recommend spending any Christmas on a mission. Everyone celebrates Christ, and for at least a month, you think that everyone you pass actually does want to hear your message. That time of year really makes it a little bit easier to be a missionary.

But for now, I get to be with my family again. We celebrated the first day of Christmas by putting up the tree:

Here's also some pictures from last weekend in Driggs...possibly one of the most beautiful places on earth:

Song of the week:

"Theres a history through her. Sent to us as a gift from the future, to show us the proof. More than that, its to dare us to move, 
to open our eyes and to learn from the sky. From a cemetary--in the center of Queens."

-Sara Bareilles, Chasing the Sun

One stay at BYU I-do...is enough.

I gained a new love for Provo this weekend. Let me preface this: Idaho is gorgeous. It's where I can go to escape, and most of my family lives there. But. It's FREEZING. And there's nothing to do. Apparently guys go on multiple dates a week to Sammy's? (Which is good. Guys, props to asking girls out.) But there's got to be more to do. Yeah, nothing...except to just be with my lovely sister, Nicole. We're really sad that Sarah couldn't come...VHS Musical calls. We don't know why Nicole chose this boring town to further her education, but that's okay. I'm just glad I'm here in civilization where I can walk outside with a jacket on and not feel like I'm crossing the plains. As far away as she is however, at least we can have conversations like this:

  

(This is when she missed my debut on national television...and I gave her a really hard time about it.)

(And this is how we discuss our near-future-ish plans.)

But when we're together, we really do things like this:

 Actually, I lied, she's the only one that does things like this. But it's still pretty cool that she does them. I'd never even touch that thing. She even suggested our Saturday afternoon activity to go and watch some cows...I thought she was kidding. She wasn't. They really do that. Anyway, my week/weekend was filled with a bunch of other fun (sanitary) things. Not just work and school, but a few other things to make the time go by faster before I turn in these:

I'm so excited! They're going in about two weeks. Don't worry, I'll post an obligatory status on Facebook of where I'm going and when I'm leaving. I honestly don't even care where I am called, as long as I get to put on the badge ASAP. I've been waiting for this day for a long time. I know people say they'll go wherever...but honestly. I'll go wherever. So stoked.

A few other things I did (if you can't tell, I love having a phone that takes pictures):

That's all for now. Off to Las Vegas tomorrow for some awesome weather in the 70's and some good college basketball!