Sailing to Philadelphia.

The theme for 2014 is spontaneity. I think so far I have done a pretty good job. Especially on this last escapade to Philly. Sunday night, a bunch of us found out we could get a car for the day under twenty bucks, so we made a quick, easy decision. We visited Independence Hall where the Declaration magic happened, the houses of Betsy Ross and Benjamin Franklin, and of course ate a Philly Cheese Steak. Again, I'll let pictures tell the story.

And don't worry--we found the missionaries. Twice. This one, on the steps of Rocky!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain

Two Weeks Notice.

So I've decided to stay! I really am loving every second of my internship here in Washington. I have learned more about politics in the last two weeks than I ever did in the last 20 years, so thankfully there is at least one success from all this. Being busy again is one of my favorite feelings.

I've also been teaching with the missionaries in my ward, and they are doing such an awesome job. It really is nice being able to teach, then go out and play instead of knocking on doors until 9 p.m.. :) It's a great little set up I have going on here. Here's some picture updates since I don't have too much time:

Senator Lee on live TV--it is really fun helping out on the communications team.

Spent my Saturday with the Smiths...what a great, beautiful family!

Wizards/Bulls game with the crew. 

FaceTime with my BFF Alison...how I miss everyone in Utah. 
At least don't have to write letters anymore...

Arlington Cemetary. I live within walking distance. :)

My first tour as a Capitol Hill intern. I took a group of kids from Karl G. Mauser Prep. 
They were a great group of future senators!

I'm not Elle Woods.

...well, kinda. Except they don't really allow pets on Capitol Hill.

But I'll tell you a little about what I'm doing here in the District. I'm one of the seven interns for Senator Lee who gets to give tours of the Capitol building (starting in the Visitors' Center--I'm right at home), answer phone calls and emails, and basically helping out any part of the staff that needs help. So yes, when you think of a typical intern, that's me. We are definitely the lowest paid people in Washington, but hey, at least it's something! Yesterday we got to go "get lost" in the Capitol so we can start learning our way around. 

It is really fun to be in the middle of everything. I am a huge fan of being in such a big city with so much to do. I love the 45-minute commute to and from work, because that means I get to read the Book of Mormon or New Testament, or whatever I feel like studying that day. My new ward is awesome, I absolutely love my roommates, and life is great. 

I can't wait until payday, however, so I can stop eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. 

Temporary local.

This will be a travel log-slash-what it's been before. The District of Columbia is way too neat of a place to not share.

Yesterday, Instead of being a "kind of local," I was most definitely a tourist. After figuring out how I need to get from door to door starting tomorrow morning, I took myself around DC. Since it was close, I went straight to the Capitol building:

And since it was Saturday, it was closed, so no tours. But because I will be the ones giving the tours shortly, it didn't really matter. Then, I had to go see the Constitution and Declaration of Independence since they are fading fast. So I walked down the street to the National Archives:

With the security guard thinking he was Eddie Murphy, it made the long line not as lonely by myself. But once I got in, it was so worth it. I wish I could have taken pictures in the Rotunda where those documents are held, because it was absolutely incredible. I thought about what Nephi recorded about the coming forth of a free nation. Read 2 Nephi 10. Then, it was off to the American History Museum:

My favorite thing there (out of the thirty minutes I had) was to look at the wardrobes of the First Ladies. I wish I would have gotten pictures--oh well. Let's be honest, I wish I could have tried them all on!

I am so excited to get a personal relationship with this place. It's good to be back in the East. And talk about missionary experiences...He will give them to you if you ask--that's for sure!

Uniform.

I made it! I had quite an eventful journey. 

While sitting on the runway in Salt Lake City waiting for the plane to de-ice, (and for most of the flight) I read all of the published accounts of the First Vision. I kept thinking, "How do all these people on here not know about this?" My second thought was, "I wonder how many missionaries are trying to get a hold of someone here." As I kept reading, I pondered a lot over the fact that Joseph had to actually make a conscious decision to choose light over darkness, and that many people don't realize it's a choice. That definitely made my first leg of the trip a lot quicker.

In Dallas, I only had a few minutes to get to my connecting flight, so I grabbed some lunch and sat down next to a girl my age. We had a fantastic conversation about her religion called, "The Brethren." (Well, for short. I can't remember the whole name.) I was so curious as to--first of all--her wardrobe, what their baptism consisted of, their living arrangements, etc. Her name was Hannah, and I could tell was ready for a reaction from me when she said there were seven kids in her family. I just laughed and said, "My dad is the youngest of ten!" That's when she felt more comfortable to answer more questions that I was shooting at her. After Hannah answered all of mine, she started to ask the same questions back. We discussed the devoted lifestyle we had in common, and was especially impressed when she told me that she is proud to be seen in the dress and bonnet she made herself. "You know how the military wears a uniform," she said, "That's how I feel about it. No one questions what I believe when they look at me."

How cool is she? And why don't we all think like that? So many of us try to hide our real identity in order to "fit in." But for those of you who understand anything about the Church, you know we were not made to "fit in." We we're put here to stand out and build the Kingdom.

One of my favorite scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants that I always have running through my mind in a time like that is, "But verily I say unto you, that it is not needful for this whole company of mine elders to be moving swiftly upon the waters, whilst the inhabitants on either side are perishing in unbelief." (D&C 61:3) What good does it do to serve a mission, come home, and never speak about the gospel in public again? If you feel weird about it, maybe you should see if you actually believe it yourself. Please don't use any soap boxes, because that would be strange. But why can't you just ask questions? Remember: "Enthusiasm overcomes all obstacles."

Anyway, I'm here in my cute little house in Virginia, about ready to give myself a tour of the city. And after church tomorrow--dinner at the mission home followed by a night at the Visitors' Center. I'M BACK! But this time, with my own uniform on.