tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13396750811227750282024-03-06T01:12:38.467-07:00Jari's SafariJarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-87774930779736748012020-10-16T17:55:00.001-06:002020-10-16T18:06:45.300-06:00It's a Housewarming, Charlie Brown <p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfz5-GPmKA2ats1ZZtNmlqjWDa05X6olOUOTsbaYFN-3n_CUrEyGnLzbw9PC4lvPyElNzcKjk5r1tnzW6ZpL9tj-xuBragLK-u9O_fojmAMso6760dpyytoUFvD392cDym2w1RrXq3ovSs/s480/Home.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="480" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfz5-GPmKA2ats1ZZtNmlqjWDa05X6olOUOTsbaYFN-3n_CUrEyGnLzbw9PC4lvPyElNzcKjk5r1tnzW6ZpL9tj-xuBragLK-u9O_fojmAMso6760dpyytoUFvD392cDym2w1RrXq3ovSs/w408-h296/Home.gif" width="408" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-5fc4da60-7fff-3cb7-c0f9-53844407b02d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hi there!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2020, what a year right? </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mine has been weird, and sad, and hard, and great. I assume yours has been weird, and sad, and hard, and hopefully great. I hope despite the 2020-ness of it all that there has been joy along the way. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had a lot of plans for how I was going to share this information, but surprise! I’m just going to announce it on a blog that I rarely use any more. I’ll get to the announcing bit, but first I want to give a bit of back story. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am single. I have been single most of my life. And while I am quite content with how my life is panning out, there are certain rites of passage that I have not, and may never, get to enjoy. I have never had an engagement party, a wedding, or a baby shower. I have never “had a reason” to host any event that calls my family and friends to gather from all their various locations to share advice and well wishes as I transition from adolescence to adulthood or from one phase of adulthood to another. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Against my intentions or better judgment, these circumstances led me to view my life as extended adolescence. Then I started coming up on my 30th birthday. The weird thing about turning 30 is that it feels like such a grown-up age. I have vivid childhood memories of my parents and other adults who I admired that all took place while they were in their 30s. That realization prompted me to pursue crafting a life that, for me, felt like fully embracing adulthood. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I jokingly started referring to myself as a single-person family and chose to focus on three things that, to me, feel like the epitome of adulthood. I fully realize that this will look different for anyone, single or otherwise; but for me, those things came down to building a home, living by integrity, and investing in family. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I can talk at length about any one of those three things, but for now I’m just going to focus on the building a home bit. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I bought a home. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And by home I mean townhouse/condo dwelling, but who cares—it’s mine! It seems like such a funny thing to want to announce, but here’s the deal, as a single person there are few celebratory moments afforded to you. So in honor of taking one of my adult steps I am choosing to make a big deal. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If it weren’t 2020 I would invite you all over. I would make a fancy charcuterie board and have a punch bowl and ask you all to come with advice for how to save money on home improvement projects, how to develop a decorating style, how to get yourself on an HOA board, and how to optimize a storage closet. I would ask you to tell me stories that you associate with home and I would make a million notes in my head for things I want to bring to my space. I would force you to look at the pictures on my walls while I told you stories of my own. It really would have been a fun time, I promise! </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, that is not the atmosphere we live in right now. Regardless, I will not be deterred! I’m hosting a virtual housewarming party, and since there is no rulebook for these things I’m just making it up as I go. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here’s how it’s going down:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">JARINETE’S VIRTUAL HOUSEWARMING PARTY</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-33c241c9-7fff-480b-836c-d7f83fe6df1d"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Honestly, I’m not even sure if it is a party. Soiree? House-a-palooza? I don’t know. It’s a celebration that is a choose your own adventure list of activities, and it’s online. </i> </span></span><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Virtual Tour</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who doesn’t love a good home tour? We all love these right? Since I can’t take you on a home tour in-person I will be doing a video in the style of MTV cribs. You’ll get to see the whole house, and if you send me questions in advance I’ll be sure to answer them. We’re filming the video next week, so get your questions in. I’ll post it live no later than November 1st. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raffle</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since I can’t spoil you with food and drink, I decided to host a series of virtual games and hopefully still get to spoil you a bit. Here’s what’s on the table:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">$25 gift card for the person who comes up with the best name for my place, because houses deserve names too. </span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deadline to submit: Oct. 24</span></p></li></ul><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">$25 gift card for home improvement/project advice. </span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will printout all the submissions and pull one from a hat on the video tour. </span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deadline to submit: Oct. 24 </span></p></li></ul><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">$10 gift cards for the first </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">three</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> people to send me a story about home. </span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It can be about your childhood, something your grandparents did, a comfort food, or a favorite blanket. I don’t care what it is, I just want to know what home feels like for you. </span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can call and tell me the story, type it up and email it, send it by carrier pigeon, leave it as a comment here, whatever you like. If you send by mail just be sure to give me a date and time stamp of when you wrote it.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only the first three submissions will get giftcards, but I will accept these stories whenever! </span></p></li></ul></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Registry</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gifts are not required to join in this celebration. However, many of you have graciously asked if you can send something to commemorate this moment. I don’t even know how to accept such kindness without being an awkward mess, just know that I appreciate you honoring this moment in my life. You can check out my registry here: </span><a href="http://www.zola.com/registry/jarinete" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.zola.com/registry/jarinete</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. (And yes, I did use a wedding registry website because the functionality was too good to miss out on.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sending love to all of you! </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jarinete</span></p><br /><br /><br /></span><p></p>Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-76188103470966620522015-12-09T09:40:00.000-07:002015-12-09T16:17:50.388-07:00But where are you really from?I love the idea of TED nights. Each speaker brings so much excitement and passion to the table and it is so energizing I could burst! In putting together my own thoughts I ran through lists of ideas that I care about, but uncomfortably decided that I had to talk about multicultural identity.<br />
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Can you hear the drudgery already? The topic comes with so much weight that it is daunting instead of thrilling. I’m not colorblind; I don’t believe anyone truly is. I am perfectly capable of recognizing that I look slightly different than the basic white girl. Tonight I want to have a discussion about ethnicity and diversity that isn’t painful for everyone involved; so if you’ll agree to be patient and understanding I will promise to speak candidly and *maybe* (fingers crossed) we can accomplish it.<br />
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Allow me to introduce my parents. My mother is from Colorado and my father from Brazil. And they were fierce when it came to establishing a Santos family culture. We sing happy birthday in English, Portuguese and we sing a third song that my parents learned when they were dating just for kicks. We learned to love my mom’s family by spending our summers in Colorado. There was something magical in the long anticipation of seeing our cousins again and reestablishing traditions. On the other hand we had 6 of our Brazilian cousins, our grandmother, and the occasional aunt or uncle come and live with us for months or years at a time. We are insistent that you eat with your fork in the left hand and both feet planted firmly on the ground. And if you want to win an argument you better be prepared to speak the loudest and the longest. Sweetest of all, my Brazilian father taught me to love America while maintaining a mixed culture. His favorite holiday is the fourth of July and he sings “I’m proud to be an American” with more gusto than anyone you will ever meet. He is quick to express his gratitude for the opportunities that immigrating here offered him. My mother is as patriotic as they come, but it was my dad who truly taught me to admire this country…he also taught me that we wear green and yellow and cheer exclusively for Brazil during the World Cup. It was a different home life and I knew that, but I had no reason to believe that my different was stranger than any other families’ different and in my mind all of these differences still belonged under the great big umbrella of “normal.”<br />
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The fun part of growing up is that your ideas must be challenged. Enter senior year of high school. My 17-year-old self was sitting in the lunchroom one day when an unknown teacher approached me while speaking Spanish. I didn’t speak Spanish at the time so I said something back in English; and then the conversation took an awkward turn—she said, “wow, you speak English so well!” In a few words my whole world came crashing down. Why was she surprised that I spoke English so well? Do I speak English with an accent? Does she think I look like I shouldn’t speak English? I came home that day and told my mom “I don’t think people think I’m white!” What I was trying to articulate was I don’t think people perceive me as American, or normal, or equal. It stung. I felt robbed of an identity that I loved. My only consolation came from a Mean Girls quote, “you can’t just ask someone why they’re white.” And it’s true. Sadly nobody cares if you’re white, why you’re white, or where your whiteness comes from. The privilege of being fully white is that this apathy makes room for other things, like identifying people by their interests, their goals, their traditions or a myriad of other filters. Even though I am half white, and despite my parents’ best efforts to create a blended culture I was forced to face the one-drop rule—the rule that children of blended ethnicities take on the identity of the parent of color, in my case Brazilian.<br />
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That experience has been followed up with all kinds of uninformed remarks like “do you feel inferior to the other kids because you come from a biracial family?” “Are you adopted?” or “this is my friend Jari, she’s Brazilian.” Because we’re all close friends here I’ll let you know the answers to all those questions. I don’t feel inferior at all, but hearing that question lets me know when others view me as such. Just because I am not what you expect the daughter of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, fair-skinned woman to look like does NOT mean that I am adopted. And it is never appropriate to use my genealogy to make it seem like you run in interesting or exotic crowds. I am not your trinket. To those of my friends who think that my mixed culture makes me interesting or special, I appreciate your kindness. But please know that labeling me as Brazilian comes with a host of assumptions that I may not identify with. I am not a great dancer, or fluent in Portuguese or an expert on Brazilian foods. Please do not pigeonhole me before I even have a chance to establish who I am on my terms.<br />
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The most frustrating part is that this dance of not being American enough is played out with equal force on my Brazilian half. When I landed in Brazil I felt like I belonged. I loved the music, the food, and the unrestrained affection. A piece of my heart had always belonged to that country and it felt at home upon my arrival. However, after my first day of school I heard “your last name is Santos and you look like us, but your Portuguese is terrible.” There was a constant focus on my accent, or American culture, or explaining why I hadn’t been properly taught to understand Brazilian culture. And on we went again. Regardless of country I have always experienced one-degree of separation, making it hard to truly belong to an individual country’s culture.<br />
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No matter how many times I hear things like this it never hurts less. The joy and heartbreak of being biracial is that I will never be Brazilian enough and I will never be American enough. No matter how hard I try I will still leave someone disappointed with my partial “otherness.” What I’m left with is the choice to develop my own identity.<br />
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If you ask me, I’m Jari. I’m an American who is half Brazilian and half Danish (if you’re interested in my mother’s bloodline). I also believe in a two-parts nutella to one-part toast ratio. I am developing a fondness for camping and hiking. I feel most like myself when I take spontaneous trips. Teasing is one of my favorite love languages. I’m obsessed with continual self-improvement. And I am probably a hufflepuff. I can’t speak for all halfsies or any other “others,” but I can suggest that maybe I’m not the only one who would like you to get to know me for me rather than asking “but where are you really from?”Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-41826434975850793232015-09-24T19:21:00.000-06:002015-09-24T20:32:39.883-06:0025 Golden MomentsTonight is birthday eve.<br />
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I love to celebrate birthday eve because the years are always so good and they deserve a proper send off. Tomorrow I'll try on 26 by heading off to Canada and introducing myself to Niagara Falls along the way; but for right now I'm just basking in the absolutely wonderful golden year I have had. 25, you have been full of precious memories, accomplishments and new experiences. I will remember you fondly. </div>
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I promised myself 25 "golden moments" throughout the year, and here they are:</div>
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1. I became an aunt. Lizabeth Charlotte Russ (a.k.a. Lizzy, a.k.a LC, a.k.a. Fat Baby) was born in late October and instantly became my most favorite human. </div>
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2. Thanksgiving: FINALLY meeting Fat Baby in real life! Friends. Family. Deep fried turkey. Swimming with Manatees. It was perfect and I loved every second of it! </div>
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3. I got a job that I love! I work for the <a href="http://ourpublicservice.org/">Partnership for Public Service</a> helping to develop strong leaders for our federal government. </div>
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4. Everyone should live with people they love. I have roommates that I love. Sometimes this means that I get the +1 invite to fancy work Christmas parties since a significant other is lacking. Swanky monuments cruise with awesome dinner and dancing? Totally worth people assuming that I'm a lesbian for the evening. </div>
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5. Celebrating Christmas and New Year's Eve in Florida. There's just something about breezy Florida winters that lead to crazy Christmas parties, absurdly large bon fires and laughing with the humans I love most in the world. </div>
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6. Visiting Canada. The reason for my trip was heartbreaking, but the people that I went to see will forever be dear to my heart. I love the Lowry family and I am so glad to know that <a href="https://www.mormon.org/faq/mormon-families">families are eternal</a>. I love their examples of strength and faith. I am blessed to know them. </div>
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7. Traveling Iceland with Julie and my mom. I may have spent a ridiculous amount of time asleep in the back seat of a car but I still climbed basalt columns and I learned that Iceland has four guardians: the bull, the eagle, a giant, and a dragon. </div>
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8. Kayaking in Annapolis. There is no better way to ring in spring. </div>
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9. Easter with my family. Aunty time with Fat Baby and making an assortment of deviled eggs with my mom and sister.</div>
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10. A spontaneous trip to Cancun. One Friday in April my coworkers asked me, "what are your weekend plans, Jari?" And I got to answer "Oh, I decided this morning that I want to go to Cancun, so I bought a ticket and I'm flying out after work." It was the best weekend decision I think I've ever made. </div>
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11. I became a very dedicated fan. Two words: Nardo Lilly. My friend Annie is an incredible musician and I have had a blast stalking her shows. You should watch one of her performances <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpEzEjG86wg">here</a>, and then go like her facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nardolilly">here</a>. No, but really, go like her page! She is the perfect combination of talent and wit. I adore her! </div>
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12. Touring Italy with Blake, Annalee and Lizzy. A. Italy is just stinking awesome with beautiful things to see everywhere. B. Annalee and Blake are my two dearest friends. If you would have told me 8 years ago that at 25 I would be driving around Tuscany in the middle of the night with Blake, Annalee and a baby I wouldn't have believed that such an incredible trip would possibly happen--but it did, and it was the best! C. Did you know that you can silence and entire block of drunk partiers by whisper shouting "SLEEPING BABY, QUIET PLEASE!" Because you can. </div>
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13. I took a solo trip to Istanbul. I haven't traveled alone since I was in South Africa, and I was nervous. Thankfully, I had a blast. If you are ever in Istanbul I highly recommend you take a Turkish bath. </div>
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14. Spontaneous camping (sometimes trips are better when you plan them last minute). My friend Kyle and I were driving around one Saturday and he asked if I had plans for the evening. I didn't, but I mentioned that it would be so nice to go camping. So we grabbed my roommate, bought some brats and headed out. It was beautiful!</div>
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15. Philly! Philly! Philly! I finally made it to Philadelphia! I ran the Rocky steps while a group of men attempted to sing the Rocky theme song, and I ate (and loved) a Philly cheesesteak. </div>
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16. Regular camping. I didn't grow up camping too much, Florida is just too hot for that business. I knew I loved the outdoors and I knew I liked camping, but this year was the first time that I did a lot of it and it was fabulous. I have a group of friends that would draw the envy of Taylor Swift and I loved adventuring Shenandoah with them. </div>
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17. Walk the Moon in concert. SHUT UP AND DANCE WITH ME! This was probably the most fun I have had at a concert since Mika in 2007. </div>
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18. The Fourth of July. Okay, one more camping story. There was talk of an ISIS attack on the Fourth and I didn't want to be near DC if that happened, so I convinced some other friends to flee with me and we took off to the mountains. We roasted an entire chicken for one of our dinners, met a pair of thru hikers on the Appalachian trail, got caught in a rain storm while hiking and puddle fought our way back to our site...it was just beautiful on all fronts. I love being outside for days with friends who are awesome problem solvers and good for conversation.</div>
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19. My roommate's favorite band is A Silent Film and I have grown to love them because of her. Then she landed tickets to a secret room concert and we ended up with 30 strangers in a church painted random neon colors for an intimate concert. I was featured on the pear shaped shaker for one of the songs, I can feel my big break coming. </div>
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20. Trail Magic comes to DC. Those thru hikers we met took a pit stop in DC and treated us to Indian food. I could listen to stories of the trail forever. </div>
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21. The Russtache Family Beach Trip. I adore my brother-in-law and his family. I love their senses of humor. I love their kindness. I love playing games with them. I love them for letting me hang around at family events like this. </div>
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22. A new house! Moving is kind of the worst, but living in an adorable house in an awesome town with my soulmate roommates--that's the best. </div>
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23. Once. You should go see this musical right now. It made we want to stomp and holler then cry all within 135 minutes. </div>
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24. Mama came to visit. We have talked about her coming to visit for ages, but she finally made it here! Taking her to Mt. Vernon and showing her around my town was a treat. Now she finally has an idea of all the things and places I chat about. </div>
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25. After three versions of the book and about a year of reading I finally finished reading Les Mis, and it was beautiful. </div>
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Good-bye, my golden year. You have been practically perfect in every way! </div>
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Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-50262797166620886762015-07-06T21:38:00.001-06:002015-07-07T07:41:36.667-06:00The runaway curse<div class="MsoNormal">
There was a moment on Sunday morning when the music had
replaced conversation in the car. I rested my head on the window and let my
brain run through all the disconnected thoughts that it pleased. Right in the
middle of reminiscing over the excellent weekend I had just experienced I
noticed that the trees were starting to thin. My heart stopped for a second,
and I knew I had just been hit with a case of the runaways. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During the previous month or so I attempted to make plans
for the Fourth of July weekend. Strong contenders were Tennessee, the beach,
Long Island, Florida and staying near the District. Eventually weather, funds,
my poor planning skills, a lack of interested companions and a potential
terrorist attack put a stop to all of those and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mostly</i> on a whim I took up an offer from a friend to go camping.
Camping and spontaneity are two of my favorite things; sprinkle that with a few
of my favorite humans and this <s>seemed like the perfect plan</s> was the
perfect plan. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You know when things just come together? We haphazardly
picked up groceries and packed the night before, leaving notes on the door just
in case we forgot anything. We still forgot things, but we had the essentials.
We left a little later than planned, but we left early enough. There were no
decent campsites available when we arrived, but in less than an hour the
perfect spot was vacated and we claimed it. We didn’t have enough rope but a
previous camper had left some in a tree. It was little things like that over
and over the entire weekend. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Not only that, but I was with three of the happiest campers. Let me just tell you what kind of people they are, okay! These
are people with fascinating thoughts and incredible dreams. My friends are the
kind of people who say, “Yeah, let’s go on a 13 mile hike. It might rain, but
we can do it!” They are also the kind of people who get distracted from said
hike by conversations with Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. They are the perfect
people to get caught in a mountain rainstorm with because they laugh or splash
puddles on you or tell you your hair looks nice in the rain. They are friends
who sing, friends who are kind, friends who speak their mind. I love them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I almost wrote that this was a pretty ordinary camping trip,
just with extraordinary people, but that is a complete lie. This was a superior
camping trip! We built an incredible shelter with just one tarp and by standing
on shoulders to make a human ladder. We roasted an entire chicken for one of
our dinners. We had a history geek and a bio medical engineer over as guests
and they told us about their months long journey on the Appalachian Trail,
including a story of being charged by a bear. We even discovered a random Dukes
of Hazard themed restaurant in the middle of nowhere and sat in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The</i> General Lee. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I live a kind-of grown up life. I love my kind-of grown up
life! I have a rad job. I have awesome roommates. I live near tons of
interesting sites and activities. But weekends like this don’t let me come
back all the way. How can I when the smell of campfire is lingering in my hair and my legs are aching to wander?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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I wrestle with the painful yet satisfying joy of nostalgia.
My heart aches for a few more mornings that promise a new adventure. I have a
case of the runaways and I’m pretty sure they refuse to be cured; but salty air
and crashing waves might be what take the edge off for now. <o:p></o:p></div>
Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-5952006189283425672014-11-11T14:10:00.002-07:002014-11-11T14:22:53.248-07:00I am golden<div class="MsoNormal">
I fell out of love with blogging recently. It is hard to
blog when life seems pretty mundane; and, oh, has 2014 been mundane. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thankfully, autumn came! I love autumn. Autumn is the world
catching on fire. Autumn is delicious smells. Autumn is one more magical
adventure before the world grows cold. Autumn is a different, special season. Autumn,
when the trees seem tired of holding their weight in leaves and it is time for
them to rest, but before they do there is lingering color. Color that stands as
one last reminder of sunny days and lemonade stands and bike rides and road
trips. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And do you know what happens right around the autumnal
equinox?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MY BIRTHDAY! I’ve already
mentioned how excited I was for this birthday, but I’m going to say it again.
This year was my golden birthday! If golden birthdays aren’t already the
coolest thing ever, how about having a golden birthday during the golden
season? That is my life! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was surrounded by gold the entire day: golden headband,
golden streamers, golden friends, golden gifts, gold, gold, gold. It was
perfect and I laughed and sang and enjoyed every minute of it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, I went home to Florida. My family went above and
beyond this year. My roommate, Julie and I got in on a late flight and after
climbing into the back seat of my mom’s car I found a gold basket. They had
gathered all the goldest foods they could find. I had Haribo gummy bears (which
a. are my most favorite candy and b. come in a golden package), golden wafers, and
every gold wrapped hershey product you can think of.</div>
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<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQL9hVGhWiLxmI0kFejePHMNAJWfpnjNGQwW_MmShKU0I41Yw9GhqTR-tq1vxsESKw-wg12s_FTw2LHpykoc9K6tIsFhQTS5b_Ujtrp39U484DwwncvToHmRCzl4pliZ6Itg6JadfkQ-B/s1600/DSC_0696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQL9hVGhWiLxmI0kFejePHMNAJWfpnjNGQwW_MmShKU0I41Yw9GhqTR-tq1vxsESKw-wg12s_FTw2LHpykoc9K6tIsFhQTS5b_Ujtrp39U484DwwncvToHmRCzl4pliZ6Itg6JadfkQ-B/s640/DSC_0696.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
It is hard for me to be around my family and not be full of
joy and energy. After getting home I didn’t want to go to bed. I wanted to keep
talking and laughing and soaking in every minute I could with these humans who
remind me that I’m good and that life is good. Eventually, I decided to put my
suitcase away. When I walked in the room I found exactly 25 blue balloons
attached to gold envelops. My sister had contacted 25 of my favorite family and
friends from every part of my life and they each wrote me a letter or a memory.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Let me just take a moment to thank each of you who wrote a
letter, those of you who texted, those who called, those who facebooked, and
all of you who reached out to me in a variety of ways on my birthday and
throughout the year. 24 was a doozy and it was incredible to be reminded that I
am surrounded by love and beauty and kindness and good examples and light.
Thank you for being so unbelievably wonderful to me. Thank you for thinking of
me. Thank you for caring. Thank you for expressing it. Thank you a million
times over for being a part of my life and for letting me be a small piece of
yours. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway, after I let the mixture of tired, incandescently happy,
and emotional run it’s course we did the only thing that made sense…we had a
photo shoot. <br />
<br /></div>
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The rest of the weekend called for air boating (thanks Bo!),
Brazilian food, and catching up with all the people I like best in this world. A
huge shout out to Blake for all of these pictures! </div>
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Singing 'Happy Birthday' was probably my favorite. We already have three songs that we sing to the birthday person, but add flaming sparkler candles and balloons that kept hitting us in the back of the head and it was a party. I ended up laugh-singing along too. I was also slightly terrified that My or Annalee's hair would catch fire.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIgMjJdQ37Fu2MgXCT8RaWS_MNdH2NdDaApP9FFNppeiyx0Z3GrOydPFhBmExegANf92o5UBCmKanD2eBZdamsDKwJIHtfVswBY2KJIabU1rpX_45iuYgf80XIuDRnQQigHSKfO1W2Avy/s1600/DSC_1140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIgMjJdQ37Fu2MgXCT8RaWS_MNdH2NdDaApP9FFNppeiyx0Z3GrOydPFhBmExegANf92o5UBCmKanD2eBZdamsDKwJIHtfVswBY2KJIabU1rpX_45iuYgf80XIuDRnQQigHSKfO1W2Avy/s640/DSC_1140.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A brownie cake full of gold sprinkles! This is the peak of birthday joy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GJidBJJfbLT8mnQ9Ij_Y3xF8TQanZnvSFnO7xAphV_4cB-n9YrL5VoUnv13MigJffnd9bXZUah7lKATIXL16COyGPUl4VRQAwHrLnw4cGewza7Osxr7AJTjyzg1I1LrDYauCOC1fpCN0/s1600/DSC_1146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GJidBJJfbLT8mnQ9Ij_Y3xF8TQanZnvSFnO7xAphV_4cB-n9YrL5VoUnv13MigJffnd9bXZUah7lKATIXL16COyGPUl4VRQAwHrLnw4cGewza7Osxr7AJTjyzg1I1LrDYauCOC1fpCN0/s640/DSC_1146.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've got that beard look on lock!</td></tr>
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I've decided to fill my 25th year with golden moments. Here's to being a quarter of a century old!</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVeNVKD8CXIu-ituzY-T9zpu70u7ulrYH4zrf8QL7xtMLPsW8JPZZagAr7F7aOPQl0AaQ_AXwIDLt6RSIo4cyADDndojwdk5B_9dfTz_uzIIEGJEaReiKzFH3NheY6ntpglzffB75SY_3/s1600/DSC_1178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVeNVKD8CXIu-ituzY-T9zpu70u7ulrYH4zrf8QL7xtMLPsW8JPZZagAr7F7aOPQl0AaQ_AXwIDLt6RSIo4cyADDndojwdk5B_9dfTz_uzIIEGJEaReiKzFH3NheY6ntpglzffB75SY_3/s640/DSC_1178.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool is in my genes</td></tr>
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Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-592257264382444072014-09-24T21:20:00.000-06:002014-09-24T21:34:08.588-06:00I'm feeling 22 (plus 2) <div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Today is my birthday eve. Tomorrow I will turn 25, and it’s a big
deal. I will be 25 on the 25<sup>th</sup>. For someone who loves their birthday
as much as I do a golden birthday is like Christmas meets Thanksgiving meets
payday meets Disney fireworks. I have been talking about this birthday for
years and I am so excited for it to get here! But today, on my birthday eve, I
want to pay tribute to how awesome 24 has been.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Truthfully, 24 will join the ranks of 21 and ages 12-14 (the hall
of fame for difficult years, if you will). Luckily, just because a certain year
may be difficult does not mean that it isn't filled to the brim with joy.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With that, I give you the most joyous moments of 24 (starting with
my mission):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1. The Toms River Branch throwing me a birthday party complete
with tinker bell balloons!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">2. Lilia and Oscar got married</span><br />
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<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3. Oscar got baptized. Oscar, the man who used to walk out of
rooms the second he heard "las misioneras..." Oscar, who told me that
he was "a man of faith, not a man of religion." Oscar, who told me he
was too sick to leave his house and would never be able to attend church.
Oscar, who had one of the most incredible change of hearts I have ever seen.
Oscar, who isn't perfect, but who is doing what is right. Oscar, my dear, dear
friend whom I love. That man. He got baptized. It was awesome. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">4. Crying happy tears in a parked car while talking to other
missionaries about experiences that changed our lives and how we wish the same
joy for everyone. Realizing that I loved my mission and that I did a good job
during my time in New Jersey. Feeling God’s love and feeling so close to heaven
I could burst. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">5. Bearing my testimony every single day. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">6. Leading music in front of a Hispanic congregation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">7. Raking leaves for a stranger who we later found out had lost everyone
and everything else in her life and desperately needed help with her house
chores. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyJ-hq2VOqpdn-s35u9PC9bdW-ihEgdACMx8kob8VqtlrFDBdi5NsfBbtmju-rgGkHWni9EnAljpRs37WmJ3zyWY5COITKQnFgp3cT7dmmnwNdldR86b-lZ0-DyHE4VvpD4HXK3x28UoP/s1600/P1010890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyJ-hq2VOqpdn-s35u9PC9bdW-ihEgdACMx8kob8VqtlrFDBdi5NsfBbtmju-rgGkHWni9EnAljpRs37WmJ3zyWY5COITKQnFgp3cT7dmmnwNdldR86b-lZ0-DyHE4VvpD4HXK3x28UoP/s1600/P1010890.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">8. Attending the temple with President and Sister Jeppson. Hearing
them tell me I did a good job. Hearing their advice for life after the mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QuAb4y_xEuh25WQx2Ot6uX-zQDIopz5ZvCZbTSDbVq7ndDbMpD1jhYfoQO1HHmXm_UscHDh3XmalAO3UK0qHF3rKjit_wBMl1dnySNLh6FvWI9unTLuPmr8j9ia_PmA-tG8xqeZztHlR/s1600/P1020007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QuAb4y_xEuh25WQx2Ot6uX-zQDIopz5ZvCZbTSDbVq7ndDbMpD1jhYfoQO1HHmXm_UscHDh3XmalAO3UK0qHF3rKjit_wBMl1dnySNLh6FvWI9unTLuPmr8j9ia_PmA-tG8xqeZztHlR/s1600/P1020007.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">9. Being reunited with my family after 18 months!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria;"><span style="font-size: small;">10. Swimming with manatees and then having dolphins chase our
boat. Also canoeing and SCUBA diving and snorkeling and paddle boarding and boating. It was a good year for </span>reacquainting<span style="font-size: small;"> myself with water. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMEArcaBWcZRaQx9CFOFWgn_6EPkjEHPWOR8DxD9iQVz_2q7iEnuEx58MF6xAqO5S027QQA5w2tuQeVlqA8u4TT9SGtRSPNkOA_KugvfEUg01yEQazNN0U7FVeu0QsrQVx6i3pepN7XoI/s1600/P1020138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMEArcaBWcZRaQx9CFOFWgn_6EPkjEHPWOR8DxD9iQVz_2q7iEnuEx58MF6xAqO5S027QQA5w2tuQeVlqA8u4TT9SGtRSPNkOA_KugvfEUg01yEQazNN0U7FVeu0QsrQVx6i3pepN7XoI/s1600/P1020138.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">11. A trip to New York with my mom and sister to see all the
Christmas decorations. BONUS: running into some of the greatest missionaries on
their way back from the temple AND seeing President and Sister Jeppson at the
Christmas fireside—hugs from President Jeppson really are the best!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikka0wmcDQdLn96mGIyLyKL8OLc0tL6evIEk08mlxjCI3S5S9G1wNN8RF6nS0NNr0q3dGatmYx2JlMMmdfzC41WCCtMHQEBM5xeiusMKafgOTrLnQvCJD7KuCAqz2a2zdDc0k74-UBPF5s/s1600/NYC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikka0wmcDQdLn96mGIyLyKL8OLc0tL6evIEk08mlxjCI3S5S9G1wNN8RF6nS0NNr0q3dGatmYx2JlMMmdfzC41WCCtMHQEBM5xeiusMKafgOTrLnQvCJD7KuCAqz2a2zdDc0k74-UBPF5s/s1600/NYC.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spending New
Years Eve in Canada with one of my most favorite people in the world!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">13. Sailing for the first time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">14. Visiting New Jersey and reuniting with people who I love so
dearly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmyN7lGFK8EVLck9Jxs-w7ROv72yFhPEmWAE5UjR0zeEPceUqONwJ_grB-vEmwyFRc4sOKGhaic3bnidn3oyEj6Ok3RyIohUHUCZImWAcfuQS9r_nEjYQBoBw8LLE4vf4vhHa78Mhks7f/s1600/mari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmyN7lGFK8EVLck9Jxs-w7ROv72yFhPEmWAE5UjR0zeEPceUqONwJ_grB-vEmwyFRc4sOKGhaic3bnidn3oyEj6Ok3RyIohUHUCZImWAcfuQS9r_nEjYQBoBw8LLE4vf4vhHa78Mhks7f/s1600/mari.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
15. Finding out that I’m going to be an aunt!!<br />
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16. Settling in, sight seeing, working, living and eating in/near
DC. So many firsts I have lost track. <br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8gHnTwF8Y7o6TS3RhxQqa703DYx5kt-kPtoBKiBm1VCyhpkaAyxmXi7ouR5wUwHPLsGW8ZOAh5Rl9M42rCKQCaFa33rSI0kywLoUOifQVMYna-mprWdS_qJJv4-9i3i5Lsnk1fNfAcWE/s1600/capitol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8gHnTwF8Y7o6TS3RhxQqa703DYx5kt-kPtoBKiBm1VCyhpkaAyxmXi7ouR5wUwHPLsGW8ZOAh5Rl9M42rCKQCaFa33rSI0kywLoUOifQVMYna-mprWdS_qJJv4-9i3i5Lsnk1fNfAcWE/s1600/capitol.jpg" /></a></div>
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18. Going back to Brazil. Seeing a world cup game where Brazil
played well. Visiting with family. Eating all of my favorite foods. Laughing
with my family. It was a dream trip!</div>
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<br /></div>
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19. Making my first quilt and having it turn out
fantastically. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCPchchA9tYiExkj1DZzyRy7A2WhvXHTzEEqt9F42zi30iK4Xc1vt9pCpjp5RIxFzkIusrZIUXklD2mewtU73FoFXw4oxJXi_5VRXugX_TFngLj88wh_duKoVhDDGGehuqnJF5plEvvVu/s1600/quilt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCPchchA9tYiExkj1DZzyRy7A2WhvXHTzEEqt9F42zi30iK4Xc1vt9pCpjp5RIxFzkIusrZIUXklD2mewtU73FoFXw4oxJXi_5VRXugX_TFngLj88wh_duKoVhDDGGehuqnJF5plEvvVu/s1600/quilt.jpg" /></a></div>
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20. Learning the art of the slackline. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-hDeULTSFnRvTVK8N1_TdBFAUYwCdzlIv7R5SddiespoW9b7mfBB1wIAKM_-l6h9neACS0ymAnjmBkxYe6_tvRf2o7tcSJ0wVoKUi5WO4yQ_xTnON3v5VBjCzHy7r65vSGCq4vZgpBHz/s1600/slack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-hDeULTSFnRvTVK8N1_TdBFAUYwCdzlIv7R5SddiespoW9b7mfBB1wIAKM_-l6h9neACS0ymAnjmBkxYe6_tvRf2o7tcSJ0wVoKUi5WO4yQ_xTnON3v5VBjCzHy7r65vSGCq4vZgpBHz/s1600/slack.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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21. Attending the sealing/wedding for one of my dearest
friends, Taiba! Feeling so close to heaven that day!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YHfPWWngTnBCW1b8pcE_RN8SQi63toUKgy8BNqIuTuumvL-bIGkkACcGAzzRvM1odVBrAa6fR4dBsBuAHk3liLMIyyjJs1p8WL6KZ2c1HBOc1IpwIlqfasNaT2cpLlQbsuGOcqMBe1q8/s1600/Taiba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YHfPWWngTnBCW1b8pcE_RN8SQi63toUKgy8BNqIuTuumvL-bIGkkACcGAzzRvM1odVBrAa6fR4dBsBuAHk3liLMIyyjJs1p8WL6KZ2c1HBOc1IpwIlqfasNaT2cpLlQbsuGOcqMBe1q8/s1600/Taiba.jpg" /></a></div>
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22. Seeing Les Mis live. </div>
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23. Remembering that I have talents outside of my church
activities and using them again!</div>
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<br /></div>
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24.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being a
temple worker. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMbIJQTSPzYRBaq2uig7GlImDKsdzE3Rwp_FOiqznrltx5pip01RRJpa6MZp0Uri-VU9TKYv0LlH5igaZsk-Dqivo1reWDXYzZZl6553yXibWgzRckd1n5IsXH0JYhsA8gub8EQ49K3uP/s1600/temple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMbIJQTSPzYRBaq2uig7GlImDKsdzE3Rwp_FOiqznrltx5pip01RRJpa6MZp0Uri-VU9TKYv0LlH5igaZsk-Dqivo1reWDXYzZZl6553yXibWgzRckd1n5IsXH0JYhsA8gub8EQ49K3uP/s1600/temple.jpg" /></a></div>
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This year has been a doozy, and it ended just when I felt
like I was getting a hang of things. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Every birthday I find myself reading the poem <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eleven</i> by Sandra Cisneros. “What they
don't understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when
you're eleven, you're also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and
five, and four, and three, and two, and one… Because the way you grow old is
kind of like an onion or like the rings inside a tree trunk or like my little wooden
dolls that fit one inside the other, each year inside the next one. That's how
being eleven years old is. You don't feel eleven. Not right away. It takes a
few days, weeks even, sometimes even months before you say Eleven when they ask
you. And you don't feel smart eleven, not until you're almost twelve. That's
the way it is.”</div>
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<br />
So tomorrow I’ll turn 25, but I’ll still be 24 (smart 24 at
that). I will also still be a missionary, a college student, and a timid fifth
grader who just wants to hide her four eyes behind a copy of <i>Anne of Green Gables. </i>All the little
bits of me working their hardest to make the next year my best yet. So bring it
on 25, you’re sure to be nothing short of golden!</div>
Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-66670501466220887262014-02-13T21:44:00.000-07:002014-02-18T17:32:42.492-07:00Galentine's Day<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I live in Virginia now. That is a story for another day, for now I'm going to fast-forward through a series of moments where I either felt
awkward, brain dead, or inadequate to arrive at today. Today is
“Galentine’s Day.” I don’t watch television, so that means very little to me other
than the fact that a group of women from church were having a Galentine’s Day
party. After being stuck indoors all day long I didn’t care what the reason
was I needed to get out of the house, so I went. The roads were slick and
snowy. I had a little bit of trouble getting out of the driveway, but it looked
to be mostly okay so I kept driving. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I got all the way to the street where the party was only to
catch just enough ice to swerve and get high-centered on a pile of snow.
Awesome. I will go ahead and stereotype myself; nobody should ever let a
Florida girl drive her prius around at night where the roads are snowy. It
should be forbidden. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course I am made up of one part stubborn and one part
ridiculous so I was out there on hands and knees trying to dig my car out of
this mess. It didn’t take long to figure out that wasn’t going to work so I ran
at full speed down the street to ask if I could borrow a snow shovel. During my
sprint I passed an older woman walking along on the icy sidewalks. When she saw
the crazy woman running towards her she got scared, slipped on the ice and fell
right over into a freezing puddle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So I started screaming and she started screaming and she wouldn’t let me
help her because she was terrified of me. Meanwhile my car is still half way
down the street, hazard lights a’beamin. I'm pretty sure that this lady is just as much of a drama queen as I am. She told me, "just go. Forget me. Save yourself!" So I took off running the rest of the
way down the street. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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It wasn’t hard to find the party house; it was decorated
with cutesy red and pink baubles everywhere. I rang the doorbell and a
beautiful, cheerful redhead answered the door. She had a singsong voice and
started to say “Oh! Come on…” and I cut her off to demand a snow shovel. I'm sure I was a sight all covered in wet and snow with my hair trying to decide if it would rather be in dreads or produce electricity. Luckily, she was kind enough to
get one for me. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I got the shovel. I dug my car out. I drove back down the street
holding the shovel out my driver’s side door. Whatever, I made it to this
Galentine extravaganza. The only problem was that I am a socially awkward
individual. I didn’t know any of the women there, they don’t know me, and so I
just sat in the corner and tried to warm up before I could leave again. I felt like an animal. My hair was getting frizzier on the top and more matted on the bottom and I'm sure I had a scowl on my face from being out in the cold so long. Not to mention I found out that I bashed my hand during all the car madness and it
had swollen to the size of my face. So I ate my sorrows away with heavily
frosted, heart shaped cookies and bailed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would blame Amy Poehler, but that doesn't seem like a very Galentiney thing to do.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-77020136830104441372014-01-08T21:40:00.000-07:002014-01-10T07:53:07.258-07:00It’s been a good run<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
In April 2012 I graduated from BYU-Idaho after the most
rewarding semester of my college career. From there I hopped into a RV with my
wonderful, albeit slightly crazy, Brazilian family and spent a month playing on
the beach. Then I started my <a href="http://mormon.org/values/missionary-work">mission</a>. I spent a year and a half helping others
learn of Christ and follow him. I met people from all walks of life and I
served them with my whole heart. I learned Spanish. I was a friend,
cheerleader, mentor, and participant as lives changed for the better all around
me. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MY</b> life changed forever. My
mission was one of those events that completely tore apart the woman I used to
be and put me back together far more lovely and strong than I ever had
been previously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After this two-year whirlwind of finishing my bachelor’s
degree and preparing for and serving my mission here I am. I'm just here at my
parent’s house. I’ve been on vacation for the past 6 weeks and it has been
wonderful. I have spent time with some of the dearest people in my life. I
hugged every member of my immediate family. I laughed with long lost friends. I went to
Canada for my first time ever and was reminded that normal life is fun and worth treasuring. I have had a long strand of good times, and I’m grateful
for them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now comes the unwelcome truth--all good chapters must come
to an end. Today felt like the end. It had been looming there in the corner for
a while now, but today we had our first confrontation. If reality were a human
it would have come in with a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate and said
something along the lines of “sit down suga, this’un is gonna to be rough.” (In
my mind reality comes with comfort food and an accent, deal with it.) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, here I am. I am a college graduate. I am a returned
missionary. I am also unemployed, and frustrated with my lack of professional,
academic and social prospects. I am annoyed that this need I have to change
the world seems unrealistic. I am tired of feeling socially inept. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Someone once told me to never worry about anything that will
be insignificant two weeks from now. Two weeks from now I will be living in DC
and fulfilling an internship. I will have reunited with yet more long lost
friends. By then it is likely that I will have reverted back to my “I can do <u>anything</u>
good” attitude. However, for right now I’m just a little scared, and I decided
that it’s okay. If there were never fear there would never be a reason to be
courageous. </div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-76256926769297133492013-12-25T13:10:00.000-07:002013-12-25T18:56:55.716-07:00Christmas, Christ más<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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This Sunday on the way to church my mom handed me her phone
and said, “here, watch this.” I didn’t know what it was. My mom has been known
to show me everything from jib jab videos to pictures of ingrown toenails…but
instead I saw this: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kd6d9Qq9Wmk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #252b2c; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and
his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love my Savior. That’s really what this whole little post
comes down to. I will never be able to fully express the immense gratitude that
I feel for Jesus Christ. He is my dearest friend and the only hope I (or
anyone) have for joy and peace. In a season that is full of celebration let us
remember to be a little more like him. For me that means being more patient,
treating myself kindly, thinking before I speak, and being <u>consistent</u> in the things I do that are right (as well as a
million other things, but it’s a step-by-step process). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know that by myself I could not develop the attributes and
attitudes I need to be more Christ-like. That is why I am even more grateful
that he helps me along the way. Through prayer we can ask for help. With heavenly
aid we can change who we are and become better. There’s a scripture in the <a href="http://mormon.org/beliefs/book-of-mormon">Book of Mormon</a> that always motivates me to be more like Christ. It says, “<span style="color: #252b2c; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">For
the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and
will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy
Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>through the atonement of Christ the Lord</u></b>,
and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love,
willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him,
even as a child doth submit to his father.” (Mosiah 3:19, page 153)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #252b2c; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">So bring on the wassail and cocoa dusted truffles. I’m
ready for wrapping paper tube wars and watching “How the Grinch Stole
Christmas.” However, I also pray that God bless each of us as we show our
gratitude for the gift of His Son by trying to be more like him and help others along the way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #252b2c; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Merry Christmas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #252b2c; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Feliz Natal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #252b2c; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Feliz Navidad<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-5251868854701889742013-12-12T13:17:00.000-07:002013-12-16T17:25:34.518-07:00Eternally Grateful <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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“Hello, this is Sister…Jari…this is Jari”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That is how I answered the phone the other day, and I feel
it sums up everything I have been feeling over the last two weeks or so. I am a
returned missionary. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What does that even mean?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For 18 months I served as a full time missionary for The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it was the most incredible
experience of my life. So many people have asked me “how was your mission?” All
I can seem to offer in response is “it was wonderful!” However, those words do
not even begin to describe it. No hallway conversation will ever be sufficient
enough for me to explain the incredible emotions that ranged from the most
profound sorrow to the most exquisite joy…not to mention all the experiences
that caused those feelings. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Any story worth telling is too personal to include on a
public blog, but there are a couple things I have learned that are worth stating:
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>God is MY loving Heavenly Father. He does not call us to fail, but to be wildly successful.</li>
<li>Jesus Christ is mt Savior. All good things are possible for me because of his atonement. </li>
<li>The Holy Ghost is the perfect teacher, by him we can know all truth.</li>
<li>Joseph Smith was a prophet called by God. </li>
<li>The Book of Mormon is true.</li>
<li>Obedience brings happiness. </li>
<li>Life never stops being difficult; it also <u>never</u> stops
being enjoyable…<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">if we choose it.</b></li>
<li>I have a specific purpose and the ability to achieve it.</li>
<li>God answers prayers.</li>
<li>Charity NEVER fails</li>
<li>Miracles are real.</li>
<li>Families are the most important. Period.</li>
<li>True love actually does exist, and it takes a lot of work.</li>
<li>Sometimes you just have to persevere </li>
<li>I can change! I may not be “super awesome” today, but I can
decide to be so tomorrow if I want.</li>
<li>The gospel refines us.</li>
<li>It is possible to be a dear friend to <u>anyone</u>.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The list goes on and on, as do the stories; but if you want
to hear them you’ll have to get me some nutella toast and ask me specific
questions because for the life of me anytime someone says “what was the
best/craziest/funniest/most life changing part of your mission?” my mind goes
completely blank. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As for advice, I have plenty. I have shared this video
before, but really it covers all that I could ever hope to inspire in anyone. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/snAjZ8mfoYw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All I know is that I am forever grateful for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my</i> mission. It is uniquely mine. All the
experiences and people seemed hand picked to help me become more the person
Heavenly Father promised me I could be. My life is forever blessed for having
served a mission. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, bring on “real” life. </div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-52689731632838505322013-11-05T11:02:00.002-07:002013-11-05T11:02:21.661-07:00Mission Log: 4 November 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsEHhkwWTWk1An9liiWidA1LoIgjCWHYb7RYpRsBME_jiskJEHVjVlPhJWqT6FjZvsjxv9BaW4FTvIQa6D6UX9-8bI1oaSCSAXqzkErPuuToFj7DC0ZFMsMKjra6DDJ5B08nbzEwAAl5i/s1600/P1010835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsEHhkwWTWk1An9liiWidA1LoIgjCWHYb7RYpRsBME_jiskJEHVjVlPhJWqT6FjZvsjxv9BaW4FTvIQa6D6UX9-8bI1oaSCSAXqzkErPuuToFj7DC0ZFMsMKjra6DDJ5B08nbzEwAAl5i/s640/P1010835.JPG" width="640" /></a> </div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> That skyline will forever make me miss Jersey City. Forever.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Me and the Lady, she's a beaut</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">No words from Jari this week, just pictures. </span></span></div>
Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-32624052608542194032013-10-29T16:34:00.002-06:002013-10-29T16:34:37.394-06:00Mission Log: 28 October 2013 <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Today is the anniversary of Hurricane Sandy. I know that it was a really devastating event, oh how much I know about the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, but thinking about this day last year just sends me into a fit of giggles. Last year I was in a small apartment with 5 of my greatest friends. We were attempting to make frozen pizzas with no stove. We were playing random family reunion games to keep ourselves distracted from the fact that we couldn’t go out and teach the gospel. We were struggling with the most disgusting of plumbing issues as the bathtub kept filling up with “poo water.” I had just broken our brand new phone. We had no gas. Everything was going not according to plan and there was nothing to do but just enjoy the ride and laugh, and I still laugh when I think about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am mostly impressed by how much I have felt in just a years’ time. I am amazed at how much I have learned to love. I am grateful for difficult moments, moments when I was certain the emotional pain alone was enough to kill me. I am grateful for the chances I have had to come to know my Savior better and to appreciate the atonement. I am grateful for the power and guidance I receive as I depend on him. There are still so many things I need to work on, but I know that if I am humble enough to accept that I can’t do it alone that I will be blessed to see the hand of the Lord in my life. I love the gospel. I love my Savior. I love teaching the gospel and feeling the truth of it myself. Life is so good.</span></span></span></div>
Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-73824408458185765782013-10-27T19:30:00.001-06:002013-10-27T19:30:38.174-06:00Mission Log: 21 October 2013<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTH9chaqNf2b_GYtvDbThE8dpFvQa1cPc8rdh78wYUlvrpem5bygoiplsr10iWtkua3n-cjxwy4I9zVkw42b1KP2ZGd1TgFa0pImvyo748KoX9IPGUpaGyhTQpGqDVtZIEc7sTqSCdjwG4/s1600/P1010709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">stop it. so cute.</span></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Faith is a principle of power. I think most of us forget that too easily. If we have faith, if we really believe that God loves and wants to help us, if we really believe that Christ is the Savior and has power to uplift and guide us then our actions change. We realize we can do things beyond our own capabilities. I want to cultivate greater faith and watch as miracles happen, because they will.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have a great week all.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love,</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jari</span></span></span></div>
</span></span></span><br />
Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-50166139815230615432013-10-14T21:35:00.000-06:002013-10-14T21:35:08.280-06:00Mission Log: 14 October 2013<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">We went crabbing again!</span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qGbxlsstMp8zKWKEVj0aRnYlHqufcJ3dNVy1MEGjQ9BjojxDg8hjZVO-fGBfhb0Bg46TU7WIoJjsGpmvYBNXNhm5K36jMnwQeDUks5WRYp_Kv9hKnoSShIERRroB-HXO5eRb-2wZiH9Q/s1600/DSC00058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qGbxlsstMp8zKWKEVj0aRnYlHqufcJ3dNVy1MEGjQ9BjojxDg8hjZVO-fGBfhb0Bg46TU7WIoJjsGpmvYBNXNhm5K36jMnwQeDUks5WRYp_Kv9hKnoSShIERRroB-HXO5eRb-2wZiH9Q/s640/DSC00058.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">crab!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">the district</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbqy3JoBPlpAgwB2QjyuvIYvehGAH6H9EjxAkEScA8FhhKaWUBjsdWbFcmwSADiHUQD7F40jIGr-cXtl9fy046LMd0JkFaN64s155MlIqItW8GAKUkd2WjxOl-fShPigxW1v7bHK7nb9h/s1600/P1010573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbqy3JoBPlpAgwB2QjyuvIYvehGAH6H9EjxAkEScA8FhhKaWUBjsdWbFcmwSADiHUQD7F40jIGr-cXtl9fy046LMd0JkFaN64s155MlIqItW8GAKUkd2WjxOl-fShPigxW1v7bHK7nb9h/s640/P1010573.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">we took the train to the temple. it was the first time any of them rode the train. they hated the train :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Something that I have come to appreciate is the
joy that comes from repentance. I spend most of my days with people who have to
make big and often difficult changes to put their lives in harmony with God’s
commandments. I watch them struggle. I pray from them. We talk and read the
scriptures together. They are my friends, more like my family really. This week
was one of rejoicing. I listened as my friends told me of the great peace they
feel personally and in their families. I listened to their stories of gratitude
for the changes they have made and the blessings they have seen as a result.
Christ asks us to trust him and repent because he wants us to have joy. I am so
grateful to may Savior for making all good things possible for me and for the
people that I love. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in
crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how
great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your
joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom
of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto
me! (Doctrine and Covenants 18: 15&16)</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Have a great week!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Love,</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Jari</span></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-45232871803309676112013-10-07T14:40:00.003-06:002013-10-07T14:44:48.236-06:00Mission Log: 7 October 2013 <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">These are all the girls I get to go
on exchanges with and love to death!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVY1wARvNTLM7TJAdxPV-kr-gMWWRo2-q-DlhS5Rhue4RphKQCGkH3DSjpEX0Pxp2dK8uakaFiZOPCMAkAuPT_O5CxzJa9o63JH_pVM-zbDFGfSPswEP3UNv6QkaHUa9Hn8NydVcsXH2Zd/s1600/P1010549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVY1wARvNTLM7TJAdxPV-kr-gMWWRo2-q-DlhS5Rhue4RphKQCGkH3DSjpEX0Pxp2dK8uakaFiZOPCMAkAuPT_O5CxzJa9o63JH_pVM-zbDFGfSPswEP3UNv6QkaHUa9Hn8NydVcsXH2Zd/s640/P1010549.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;">IT'S FALL IN JERSEY!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT5Fe4aaRo4SvkIsyF1wHDmKb5VgV3ZJZWFufWIjCr5NFSTC2W255Lr7LoHyRMH72BRXY-eMiXEJosBnp0tEoeX9DQK8bEFI1ONE7eju8G5nJ76V7567YcH087IzdqhAmsa55dEPBXsZ9/s1600/P1010556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT5Fe4aaRo4SvkIsyF1wHDmKb5VgV3ZJZWFufWIjCr5NFSTC2W255Lr7LoHyRMH72BRXY-eMiXEJosBnp0tEoeX9DQK8bEFI1ONE7eju8G5nJ76V7567YcH087IzdqhAmsa55dEPBXsZ9/s640/P1010556.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This is Sister Clark...i LOVE her<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlagO_HqnpJurOSZ0lST6ltuv6Y8djKt9Dw1E-qjXrDJBb8P5j3x5v4ocx5knCeVfAoBO7ZJoWf1Ou47hgKrhZ7_odeKuja2AJkRLfgFvK1LGHvBU3EmfLKf8crcNy0EC8DjY-6YlcquIZ/s1600/20130925_204710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlagO_HqnpJurOSZ0lST6ltuv6Y8djKt9Dw1E-qjXrDJBb8P5j3x5v4ocx5knCeVfAoBO7ZJoWf1Ou47hgKrhZ7_odeKuja2AJkRLfgFvK1LGHvBU3EmfLKf8crcNy0EC8DjY-6YlcquIZ/s640/20130925_204710.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I don't really know what I was doing
here...celebrating my birthday most likely!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGz6cVHIKManGyOobl-HS1uXiIoD2pIQTfurF0AMMk8ReCohB_XXKfrxfqc6F5r7AVgUOJ7jqAwNaJOc0GDU2S8Jn26UeEyp8qXqvBjUJtIZDillO8S9orDhE68UJzd9n99hq7stTeQX0/s1600/20130925_204749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGz6cVHIKManGyOobl-HS1uXiIoD2pIQTfurF0AMMk8ReCohB_XXKfrxfqc6F5r7AVgUOJ7jqAwNaJOc0GDU2S8Jn26UeEyp8qXqvBjUJtIZDillO8S9orDhE68UJzd9n99hq7stTeQX0/s640/20130925_204749.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;">I just had the best weekend EVER! I
love listening to prophets and apostles testify of Jesus Christ and give
instruction on how to follow him and apply our teachings in our own lives. I
hope everyone had a chance to see at least some of it. If not, you can still
check in out online: <a href="http://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2013/10?cid=HPFR100413105&lang=eng"><span style="color: #0019fc; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2013/10?cid=HPFR100413105&lang=eng</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The truth is that the gospel is
designed to help us be happy. Sometimes we have to make changes, and sometimes
we have to experience difficulty but if we will just depend on the Savior,
exercise faith in him and repent we can be freed from our burdens. He offers us
hope, the greatest hope of all is that we can return to our Heavenly Father and
live with him and our families in peace FOREVER! It is a blessing that our
Heavenly Father really, really wants to give us. That’s why he gives us
commandments, and that is why he reminds us over and over that we must do what
is right. He wants to see us happy, drenched in joy.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I hope you have a great week. I
don’t have the time I need to tell you all the glorious stories of mine.
Sometime we’ll sit around a fire with some hot chocolate and I’ll tell you all
about it ;)</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Love yous!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Jari<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-49777804612803063302013-10-07T14:37:00.002-06:002013-10-07T14:37:34.206-06:00Mission Log: 29 Sept. 2013
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">The branch!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Birthday cake #1, really early in the morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpoHEVjCecCb778Rq27XreiIuhHU5dLwpbWiluVerezCabzXHa9kiu3e-BOykutKMZVcBA5afHJuTzA-ESrMsu9ViWwBDEAIEO9WZ8PlWFcaFpQnn1iOO8aIZzURSNKVpdQwZ6ePDx0Cq/s1600/P1010498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpoHEVjCecCb778Rq27XreiIuhHU5dLwpbWiluVerezCabzXHa9kiu3e-BOykutKMZVcBA5afHJuTzA-ESrMsu9ViWwBDEAIEO9WZ8PlWFcaFpQnn1iOO8aIZzURSNKVpdQwZ6ePDx0Cq/s640/P1010498.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The english sisters, me (in the
tiara, classic birthday), and Sister Kranewitter!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9u4C22HWHFxp9L4BWiplBdGcY_2upBrEo5WjPNZn_qnGOLWjkZTE1xmkdhBf0ifnxiQTMqXro2L_aJ6fggKgG4RRrKUOxYtR-Fvs3EHqwjNG-bbgdZwOryyJUUsbnXLxd_s9_gWeHO9p/s1600/20130925_204755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9u4C22HWHFxp9L4BWiplBdGcY_2upBrEo5WjPNZn_qnGOLWjkZTE1xmkdhBf0ifnxiQTMqXro2L_aJ6fggKgG4RRrKUOxYtR-Fvs3EHqwjNG-bbgdZwOryyJUUsbnXLxd_s9_gWeHO9p/s640/20130925_204755.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The bought me TINKER BELL balloons!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOMYZc9_XT-GfMs1Wn1EIaIQs8LnwmsstVHPOQ_ZxatT4sgKeDViWahAWbPGLXmZUft8ftbdiklvHegZNF0oQkChGw6He8I2evOApy1P3dEw4imw7Lfz4iqyhOd1ZtHQj-sY4MSTTRCGj/s1600/P1010521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOMYZc9_XT-GfMs1Wn1EIaIQs8LnwmsstVHPOQ_ZxatT4sgKeDViWahAWbPGLXmZUft8ftbdiklvHegZNF0oQkChGw6He8I2evOApy1P3dEw4imw7Lfz4iqyhOd1ZtHQj-sY4MSTTRCGj/s640/P1010521.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;">This weekend is general conference.
I hope everyone is as excited as I am! We get to hear from a living prophet and
apostles as they share with us the things that God wants us to know so that we
can be happy and successful. We will learn the things we need to do to protect
our families from temptations and how to endure trials. We will receive
guidance. We will better understand the scriptures. We will learn how to use
the atonement of Jesus Christ more fully in our lives. We will feel the love of
God. This is the greatest weekend of fall, and I am pumped!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The more I work with people the
more I realize that we all have questions. We all want to know our Heavenly
Father better. We all need direction in life. If you will watch general
conference and pray that you can receive answers to your questions I know they
will come.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In the relief society general
broadcast on Saturday night I came with a question on I got a clear answer.
Sometimes I make comparisons that rob me from joy, I wanted to know how I can
be more happy. As I listened one of the speakers suggested that when we are
being self-critical we should ask ourselves “is this how Heavenly Father wants
me to feel?” I instantly realized that I am a little hyper and sometimes I hold
myself to ridiculous standards of excellence and then beat myself up for not
accomplishing them. That’s not what Heavenly Father wants for me. I know that
as I focus on the feelings of peace, love, and comfort that he promises me in
the scriptures that it will be easier to be happy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">See, easy right. Ask questions.
Open our hearts. Receive answers.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Watch General Conference, you won’t
regret it.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Love yous,</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Jari</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-69489231392525094722013-10-07T14:31:00.002-06:002013-10-07T14:31:21.869-06:00Mission Log: 23 September 2013
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">Jersey is everything beautiful!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">I look like wednesday adamms</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8fCucdUOolPOAdncTcQDFQxH9Dc_DTEsj5a5AEL3FfNC5yV2lnvj9qUjbGrc6mhD8Krj09608d8Q0Azyf-YolLLBoCU5MMzRfMGZndNY7gbIO1p2ThooLpFQfPUBPihsYlbBwvJ822VX/s1600/20130922_212352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8fCucdUOolPOAdncTcQDFQxH9Dc_DTEsj5a5AEL3FfNC5yV2lnvj9qUjbGrc6mhD8Krj09608d8Q0Azyf-YolLLBoCU5MMzRfMGZndNY7gbIO1p2ThooLpFQfPUBPihsYlbBwvJ822VX/s640/20130922_212352.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;">It’s September! The greatest month of the whole
year! The weather is perfect. The trees are beautiful. And this little girl has
a birthday THIS WEEK! All is happy in the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Sometimes being a missionary means I have to do
hard things…really hard things. BUT we can do hard things. Actually, we were
created to do hard things. We were created for greatness. We were created to
have joy. We were created to learn to enjoy things the way God enjoys them.
It’s funny how the great and the wonderful are pretty much always accompanied
by the difficult. In times like that I think of the Savior, the greatest of
all. His great struggle as he performed the atonement. He experienced every
difficult thing so that we could have all joy and all hope. When hard things
come up remember that you’re not alone. Pray and call down the powers of heaven
to help you. Never give up, never surrender.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">“Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear,
for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of
me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I
am, and that I am to come.” (Doctrine and Covenants 68:6)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-63735694472677274892013-10-07T14:29:00.000-06:002013-10-07T14:29:33.387-06:00Mission Log: 16 Sept 2013
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The young women made us treats.
Sister Morrison came out with me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I just adore these two. Sister
Dorneles and Sister Schultz. They let me be their companion for 2 days in New
Brunswick<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iEGv8Y1wzQl2qxNj9sV9axnGsUMm1tPlwmffmE3tAvYJSf8T69HhcsSCC55s4Ymter1dv1AyG3lNZYM73V_jgC82J-UHJw4rawu-yOpROA-l_LIupqv2DPMMuiyPTD7mR18KTlehznLV/s1600/P1010460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iEGv8Y1wzQl2qxNj9sV9axnGsUMm1tPlwmffmE3tAvYJSf8T69HhcsSCC55s4Ymter1dv1AyG3lNZYM73V_jgC82J-UHJw4rawu-yOpROA-l_LIupqv2DPMMuiyPTD7mR18KTlehznLV/s640/P1010460.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This elder is so tall...it's
ridiculous! 6.9 and not even the tallest in his family. I don't know where they
shop for anything!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNcuQImMuDg04k-yijQW5Boet_4_97A6P5qkSUn8xlf-4lIwncXCvfol7C7xV_DJWuwXNmvTARhiaohn05SdNMmxYhjsw4IonLiS70lTxvs7aWF8BZe-zTZn0sjYNjuiO0QEsRzAXNn1Y/s1600/P1010463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNcuQImMuDg04k-yijQW5Boet_4_97A6P5qkSUn8xlf-4lIwncXCvfol7C7xV_DJWuwXNmvTARhiaohn05SdNMmxYhjsw4IonLiS70lTxvs7aWF8BZe-zTZn0sjYNjuiO0QEsRzAXNn1Y/s640/P1010463.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;">This was the weirdest week. I was only in my area
for 2.5 days. And I got sick so I’m all sorts of hazy and confused.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">This I do know. This week I felt the
Spirit. This week I grew in my testimony that Christ is my Savior and that he
can heal me from all things both physical and spiritual. I know that I am a
growing, learning thing. I was meant to change and improve each day…and I do. I
know that the scriptures hold answers to the questions that weigh heavy on our
hearts and that if we read with sincerity and faith those answers will never be
hid from us.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I know that we can each grow and change each week
if we put some effort into it, and we will find joy as we do.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Love yous</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Jari<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-89930295176309275802013-10-07T14:25:00.001-06:002013-10-07T14:25:30.408-06:00Mission Log: 9 Sept. 2013
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">CARLOS GOT BAPTIZED!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJ6g9tJTB1PfBAw_O0H6Dto9Y7jInLvr82WZ68A414efVBP9F9UouziCoKmX6TuB3anZej0PiZiD3hYxuOiDLrJMD7WNsBCg2SkD6yTpTrNMPTzh-VcVTj-h752VhqGktO3rLqJ6evl6h/s1600/IMG_0516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJ6g9tJTB1PfBAw_O0H6Dto9Y7jInLvr82WZ68A414efVBP9F9UouziCoKmX6TuB3anZej0PiZiD3hYxuOiDLrJMD7WNsBCg2SkD6yTpTrNMPTzh-VcVTj-h752VhqGktO3rLqJ6evl6h/s640/IMG_0516.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">He's the greatest and we love him!</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTV9o0nniMM3ShJDCXJlLao_ZZki6DERWZDAspSvhDX8mnxW8WdKjgRWDyznRcPc7wfAqno3sm6hBrbOitcYqv51U9Og21nPyvWc-fUkB8LJ6iqRAKhjeI4Rp268MVJ4nBggJqnVMK6TAQ/s1600/IMG_0513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTV9o0nniMM3ShJDCXJlLao_ZZki6DERWZDAspSvhDX8mnxW8WdKjgRWDyznRcPc7wfAqno3sm6hBrbOitcYqv51U9Og21nPyvWc-fUkB8LJ6iqRAKhjeI4Rp268MVJ4nBggJqnVMK6TAQ/s640/IMG_0513.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I love a quote by Thomas S. Monson, “decisions
determine destiny.” I love it because it is true. Life will always be crazy.
There will always be situations, people, or occurrences that invite us to feel
negatively. That’s life. The important realization is that we are not objects.
You are not a rock, you’re a person. You and I are acting things and with a
simple decision to be happy or to change or to improve we can change our
circumstances. Our fate is not determined by outside factors, we determine what
happens in our lives and how we feel about it.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In the Book of Mormon a prophet, Lehi, teaches
this idea to his sons. He says, “And now, my sons, I speak unto you these
things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created
all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are,
both things to act and things to be acted upon… Wherefore, the Lord God gave
unto man that he should act for himself.” (2 Nephi 2:14 &16)</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I’m so grateful for the freedom to choose. I hope
you are too. Now, let’s all choose to be happy. Let’s choose to love and serve
others. Let’s choose to see the miracles that our in our lives each day. When
we do our worlds change from being dreary and frustrating to everything
wonderful!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Love you!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-13641490176171045312013-10-07T14:21:00.002-06:002013-10-07T14:21:47.749-06:00Mission Log: 3 Sept 2013
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">We saw a toad in the road and I made
Sister Stevens get in a picture with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgemyH9TUx9d3_YE1IjLD7WM9NB0XlEoOJft-4NLgznbw2VJMrd76sogOHubWTDdt4P-LD35Q0jlbLcy8t0Ueoxvz1GXmXlntkNvJHb8OtoF53XfVeJFBnshmxNQfvWNlUkj-DZME5zvG/s1600/IMG_0502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgemyH9TUx9d3_YE1IjLD7WM9NB0XlEoOJft-4NLgznbw2VJMrd76sogOHubWTDdt4P-LD35Q0jlbLcy8t0Ueoxvz1GXmXlntkNvJHb8OtoF53XfVeJFBnshmxNQfvWNlUkj-DZME5zvG/s640/IMG_0502.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Meet Carlos<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">It’s September. It’s easily the most beautiful,
wonderful month of the whole year. I love it. It is such an honor to have my birthday
in such a fantastic month. Realizing how fast this year has gone by has made me
want to appreciate moments more fully.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Something I am learning about my life is that it
is so easy to feel nostalgia for the past or excitement for the future, but it
is sometimes so difficult to be content with the right now. The funny thing is
that before I got here I was looking forward to being here (wherever “here”
happens to be at the time) and after I leave here I know that I will look back
with fond memories and miss it. To quote Mama Santos “be happy while you’re
here ‘cause there’s no here there.” She’s very wise. God wants us to be
happy, right now. He is willing to help us to be happy, we just have to choose
it.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">If we choose to see the many miracles Heavenly Father
has blessed us with TODAY I know we will be more grateful and happier. Today I
am grateful for fall colors, Chinese buffets, and SPANISH!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Have a great day.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Love, Jari</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-70976213748732721762013-08-26T19:12:00.004-06:002013-08-26T19:12:41.641-06:00Mission Log: 26 August 2013
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wevPaCmtP2ybUDXIs7DxO2Ftv_ljwuDneU3zztp8XDYTqGcxA9HJAieKScq9vIoW2ETSLF6uH91k5zm9eGb6lzd9aghsPr8wtgKWahgjul6G2MW6CxadhHq6hrHL4XyJBqYzJiGhrQX0/s1600/P1010401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wevPaCmtP2ybUDXIs7DxO2Ftv_ljwuDneU3zztp8XDYTqGcxA9HJAieKScq9vIoW2ETSLF6uH91k5zm9eGb6lzd9aghsPr8wtgKWahgjul6G2MW6CxadhHq6hrHL4XyJBqYzJiGhrQX0/s640/P1010401.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;">Ice cream on Sister Stevens birthday! She looks great, I look...we'll I'm there.</span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cTKS0As-YQiFAKlde4PyVErBw2evrJ8nRydWtmEv9JSo-y3THW1Zn89vRnsm3zh_Vm6iNP9TcZuPTKY4LXQfI57ThswsaUpxwa4jtQEQ9hPxnXjyQFanXPCOZX01gEj3Seo0Z7jLP0fa/s1600/P1010409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cTKS0As-YQiFAKlde4PyVErBw2evrJ8nRydWtmEv9JSo-y3THW1Zn89vRnsm3zh_Vm6iNP9TcZuPTKY4LXQfI57ThswsaUpxwa4jtQEQ9hPxnXjyQFanXPCOZX01gEj3Seo0Z7jLP0fa/s640/P1010409.JPG" width="480" /></a> </div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">birthday flann</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBjMw_-LMFvuSKnBOm8OoggHIklgCh-qN_hqooJTIrtDx9fQ6vuTyTLS0vFpl09jak6OADWcTfgabBOtqkAh-v_RgL8-zvqajv2K6FuFunuFZTZXjFKc8fnYgS0wuqo1AyX7TkTJ3uMky/s1600/P1010412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBjMw_-LMFvuSKnBOm8OoggHIklgCh-qN_hqooJTIrtDx9fQ6vuTyTLS0vFpl09jak6OADWcTfgabBOtqkAh-v_RgL8-zvqajv2K6FuFunuFZTZXjFKc8fnYgS0wuqo1AyX7TkTJ3uMky/s640/P1010412.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">Picture is me with Oscar and Lilia</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfojqSwYs9ypLIaTMuZGn04ESDrCW1Kv-1cwSvUf6nJvJbbV1qCPsFE7Db0huHNVmEyvjK4O6wCT3YUPYnhvc6RhHTDEnSbdJt9PKglSGr9KC1ylE7dA6uqDufwfXVqnxVlTqkt77ZPdH/s1600/P1010422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfojqSwYs9ypLIaTMuZGn04ESDrCW1Kv-1cwSvUf6nJvJbbV1qCPsFE7Db0huHNVmEyvjK4O6wCT3YUPYnhvc6RhHTDEnSbdJt9PKglSGr9KC1ylE7dA6uqDufwfXVqnxVlTqkt77ZPdH/s640/P1010422.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">This is my friend Emily. She's 16 and comes out to teach with us. I basically become best friends with all the Laurel's wherever I serve and make them come teach with us all the time. Anyway, we were teaching Sister Stevens how to make funny faces.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">Cute girls, am I right?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIjkQiM1mmkN6Leygec_HgJabE1JzAMq5GRG25rgQ6uKRVigiF3LU6C_V8YQfI8u97Ml9NrOOp-Vio45xTSwxD_ZbdTrRXthbuMRDpNjVIzdKQTloIjl286ajF__nFCLCO6_XO7FhHwq3/s1600/P1010426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIjkQiM1mmkN6Leygec_HgJabE1JzAMq5GRG25rgQ6uKRVigiF3LU6C_V8YQfI8u97Ml9NrOOp-Vio45xTSwxD_ZbdTrRXthbuMRDpNjVIzdKQTloIjl286ajF__nFCLCO6_XO7FhHwq3/s640/P1010426.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">This was the end result of the funny face instruction</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">I love a
quote by Thomas S. Monson that says, “my brothers and sisters, our Heavenly
Father is aware of our needs and will help us as we call upon Him for
assistance. I believe that no concern of ours is too small or insignificant.
The Lord is in the details of our lives.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">God does
hear our prayers. I think most of us say that and believe it, but only
passively. At least I know that is how it seems for me sometimes. It is easy to
know that God listens, but harder to act in accordance with that
knowledge…especially when things don’t seem to be going our way. It’s all too
easy to kneel down at the end of a day and drill off a list of requests ending
emphatically with the petition that sleep come quickly. I have learned that when
we prepare before we pray we can have a better experience. When we think about
what we want to say, when we express gratitude to Heavenly Father, and when we
sincerely seek His guidance our experiences with prayer can bring peace and
direction. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">I am grateful
for wakeup calls that remind me to trust the Lord and work to do things His
way. His way is always significantly better than mine, and I’m always happier
when I do it. Not much to lose. I know that if you will prepare for your
prayers and work to make them more meaningful that you will be more aware of
God’s answers. You will come to realize that God really is in the details of
your life.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Love,</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Jari<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-19864153707017091802013-08-26T19:06:00.005-06:002013-08-26T19:19:36.635-06:00Mission Log: 20 August 2013<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZgKkKB56dRojlqhyphenhyphen7Y6YC-G22MTV-7NLnWfa3Z1CGc4MZIWvpDrKc_GJS16IdISxv8pcEKbSzd1iTMxZYNvDcb9P2Bee7MAaGF9_2OtUG1miuKrbmpBrJ5GmNYG18qS2gBSvwsuYMj1p/s1600/P1010385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZgKkKB56dRojlqhyphenhyphen7Y6YC-G22MTV-7NLnWfa3Z1CGc4MZIWvpDrKc_GJS16IdISxv8pcEKbSzd1iTMxZYNvDcb9P2Bee7MAaGF9_2OtUG1miuKrbmpBrJ5GmNYG18qS2gBSvwsuYMj1p/s640/P1010385.jpg" width="480" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">On an exchange with the english sisters. THey let me
borrow their clothes in exchange for funny face pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">My girls! (the old ones, we've been here since November)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJhyphenhyphen2i_5YqEZil_wfzqmV5LkVoaIXPtmg3f0yyrnytkY3vPYWhbYSieqFE3uZc4puBI4jotxsKpaz7zdOFqzEk0K3IwPvrubmM4YOpjJrCJdeq_55LNQ-WBJ81CiLVmGefxSP17x7ST4e/s1600/P1010400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJhyphenhyphen2i_5YqEZil_wfzqmV5LkVoaIXPtmg3f0yyrnytkY3vPYWhbYSieqFE3uZc4puBI4jotxsKpaz7zdOFqzEk0K3IwPvrubmM4YOpjJrCJdeq_55LNQ-WBJ81CiLVmGefxSP17x7ST4e/s640/P1010400.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me;
I cannot choose the colors, He worketh steadily. Oft time He weaveth sorrow,
And I, in foolish pride, Forget He sees the upper, And I the underside.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Not ‘til the loom is silent and the shuttles
cease to fly, Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why. The dark
threads are as needful in the Weaver’s skillful hand, As the threads of gold
and silver in the pattern He has planned. He knows, He loved, He cares, nothing
this truth can dim. He gives His very best to those who leave the choice with
Him. ~Author Unknown</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I am thankful for a loving God who is far wiser
than I. I am grateful for His patience and guidance. I am grateful for a
charmed life that is not free of sorrows. I am grateful that happiness is a
choice that I can make each day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-81217409329163555022013-08-26T19:04:00.001-06:002013-08-26T19:04:11.137-06:00Mission Log: 12 August 2013
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvtvqfjug4taGYClBRtTzJRId7LOv4opOjZN-JkHSGxWJYFB6n2z0tvU810WfH5AEeD8ljDsfqFScNnB8klFb0CarvuWp5ofV3Z6TljTXpHe10O0lOZrY046IJbM3OlbXW0kfoPCTmFxE/s1600/P1010349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvtvqfjug4taGYClBRtTzJRId7LOv4opOjZN-JkHSGxWJYFB6n2z0tvU810WfH5AEeD8ljDsfqFScNnB8klFb0CarvuWp5ofV3Z6TljTXpHe10O0lOZrY046IJbM3OlbXW0kfoPCTmFxE/s640/P1010349.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">chickens!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19V8IOa0fHWemQ6TEGzmcBU_4cnWv6B5_tvOj_e9h5ftvyFxryqrqqbNZmST0GWyO25VjP9eyp3z1yuhGa75UNY6v4Jpph89MttaADpD0WntWJVVHd-nqdN_KWzkuFDwnIKRermyjTXdH/s1600/P1010352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19V8IOa0fHWemQ6TEGzmcBU_4cnWv6B5_tvOj_e9h5ftvyFxryqrqqbNZmST0GWyO25VjP9eyp3z1yuhGa75UNY6v4Jpph89MttaADpD0WntWJVVHd-nqdN_KWzkuFDwnIKRermyjTXdH/s640/P1010352.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;">Quick story for this week:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Sister Stevens and I aren’t allowed to use our
car on Thursdays. We set up an appointment for someone who lives 4 miles away
and decided that we’d walk rather than ride bikes. While we were walking Sister
Stevens saw a bunch of geese and said, “I really want to run through all those
geese and watch them fly away.” So I put down my bag and we chased geese for a
little bit. Then on the other side of the road we saw a bunch of chickens
running around. It’s been a while since I’ve seen chickens, so we went over
there to check them out. Then this random shirtless man drove up to us, they
were his chickens. It turns out that he lives on cemetery property and also has
a huge chicken coop, a couple ducks, and one dog. He gave us a bunch of feed
and gave us a tour of the place. I kind of felt like I was living in a horror
movie, but it was too fun to pass up.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I love all the random people that we meet. I love
how willing people are to talk to us and invite us to learn more about their
lives. In the same way I love telling people about the gospel, because it is
what brings me the most happiness in my life. More than anything missionary
work for me is making a ton of new friends each day and telling all of them the
things that make me most happy in life and inviting them to get on the happy
train. If it sounds like a party, it’s because it is!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Have a great day.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Love you.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-67635390499084123312013-08-11T17:53:00.001-06:002013-08-11T17:56:07.455-06:00Mission Log: 29 July 2013 <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">My companion takes funny pictures of me. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;">I don’t have any exciting stories or pictures to
share this week. I had a wonderful week, but most of what I did probably won’t
make for an interesting read. I wish I could just let everyone borrow the
feelings in my heart for a little bit. I wish I could let you feel just how
happy I am.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I have the privilege of telling everyone I meet
that God is their Heavenly Father and that He wants each of us and our families
to be happy FOREVER! I met a sweet, older Peruvian couple yesterday. They are
strong in their faith and they love God. It was incredible to watch their faces
as I told them that they could be together and with their children and other
family forever. That the love and joy they find in their family doesn’t have to
end when this life does. We talked about a lot of things, but that part of our
conversation stood out to me the most. Words don’t do justice to the feeling of
hope that I felt with that sweet couple. I don’t know if I’ll ever see them
again, but I know what I shared with them is true and I know that they felt it.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday I gave a talk at church. I spoke about
how “The Hope of God’s Light” (<a href="http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/the-hope-of-gods-light?lang=eng"><span style="color: #0019fc; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/the-hope-of-gods-light?lang=eng</span></a>)
I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who offers us light as we may be
surrounded by the darkness of difficulty and struggle.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I love you all.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Jari</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1339675081122775028.post-60136035633400524242013-08-11T17:51:00.003-06:002013-08-11T17:51:56.193-06:00Mission Log: 22 July 2013
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;">ferry to my town.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8LanguSxH1u3a-xftKxqxCRcg92SuvJp8lEbXr41U-9VQWsvfW5LBfZocFtp92bUg8V7PYuzkqNuYRhMEz5TsjjFRpW5RkQFrOfRB5O1UYZdwU4OTLi5EesP4MU0w1LMR5CllNkrTUAV/s1600/P1010303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8LanguSxH1u3a-xftKxqxCRcg92SuvJp8lEbXr41U-9VQWsvfW5LBfZocFtp92bUg8V7PYuzkqNuYRhMEz5TsjjFRpW5RkQFrOfRB5O1UYZdwU4OTLi5EesP4MU0w1LMR5CllNkrTUAV/s640/P1010303.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">Me and the Lady</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;">too much sun. hurricane sandy left overs. and new york. and me. all in one picture!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;">Ellis Island<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcfz9cTZOf3UO7mfeU9mMiMOiz50I-4CzwGIuJ0I6UFrCnCbmzsj3EmPEQjAYBAWkNi_yZ-z2seiEhHI1piO59DGPuHen0TJ3iwAeaxsTNZK-Pj_F19xnhMDZ-oTCRjr8WT4BuMlnYuBl/s1600/P1010306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcfz9cTZOf3UO7mfeU9mMiMOiz50I-4CzwGIuJ0I6UFrCnCbmzsj3EmPEQjAYBAWkNi_yZ-z2seiEhHI1piO59DGPuHen0TJ3iwAeaxsTNZK-Pj_F19xnhMDZ-oTCRjr8WT4BuMlnYuBl/s640/P1010306.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;">Jersey is pretty.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1DMdEgQnQgzsmbByGajkUjiLcFvDHj9SffOIMlKDQVeH9p8o3y0Q_nG7lGDsJt4fI4dWlUz2M9gvb8WdFpZcXDq7UTGzxB_2rgC7khyYXjDcD8QQB_qVAW6Q-5x7LEAxhKOPVXFzsHIV/s1600/P1010329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1DMdEgQnQgzsmbByGajkUjiLcFvDHj9SffOIMlKDQVeH9p8o3y0Q_nG7lGDsJt4fI4dWlUz2M9gvb8WdFpZcXDq7UTGzxB_2rgC7khyYXjDcD8QQB_qVAW6Q-5x7LEAxhKOPVXFzsHIV/s640/P1010329.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"></span></div>
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px;">This week I was able to serve at Liberty Island.
After the hurricane our service at Ellis Island was disrupted and now the
foundation we work with is stationed under the shadow of Lady Liberty. It was
incredible to be there and to realize how much I love meeting people. I love
hearing their stories. I met people from literally all over the world and they
would tell me about their heritage and what brought them to the Statue. While
we were serving I was reminded of the importance of the family. Most of the
people there were on vacation with their family or searching out ancestors who
came through Ellis Island or just wanted to talk about their family in general.
It was fun for me to listen to them and share some of my own stories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I am so grateful for our Heavenly Father who
created us with such a wonderful capacity to love. I am grateful that He
prepared a perfect plan that allows us to be with our families forever if we
will be obedient to His commandments. I love my family. They’re the greatest
people I know. I am grateful for the lessons I learn from their incredible
examples of faith and trust in the Lord. Keeping them forever is the greatest
blessing. I love teaching others about how they can be with their families
forever.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I live a charmed life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Jarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07216826780834490770noreply@blogger.com0