April 17,2013 - 6 more days...-

I got my visa and my name tag this week! CRAZY- Tonight I am realizing, in 1 week from now, I will be on a plane headed for the Argentina MTC. Amazing. Let me just say, The last couple weeks have been rough. Deciding to put my life on hold and serve a mission sounded alot easier than it has been.. and I havent even left yet! I know that this is where i need to be and this is what i want to be doing. I have no doubt about that...but this week the anxiousness has finally started to settle in. People have constantly been asking if im excited or nervous, if im ready to go and how my preparation is coming. EVERYBODY- im sorry but in my personal opinion there is no real way to just get "prepared". you just need to make up your mind, and dedicate yourself to that decision. Pray. Read your scriptures. and BE NORMAL. remember that what you are about to do is no easy thing and the lord is ultimately the one who is going to pull you through.

TRUST IN THE LORD. (its harder than it sounds, i know. but its SO worth it when we do) no friendship or family relationship is going to support you emotionally physically and mentally like your relationship with Heavenly Father. He is dependable, private, trustworthy, and he will never ever leave you comfortless(John 14:18). This i know. Through every struggle, even the ones i chose to bear without relying on the lord, i still knew he was watching and waiting for me to turn to him. He is the light and he will make your burdens light.

Typically i am extremely private. Actually... i am VERY private always and prefer to keep my emotions tucked away in a nice dark corner but i know that i need to share this. I make mistakes. Alot. Every single day. I say and do things that i am not proud of. However, i know that through the next 18 months, I will have the ULTIMATE opportunity to overcome and strengthen my areas of weakness. Wether or not the people of Paraguay are receptive to the message I come to share, I know that this experience will change my life forever. By sharing my testimony with others and making sacrifices, i know that Christ will give me the strength to become stronger. My abilities to understand and comfort others will grow. He will humble me and help me build a strong foundation for myself and for my future. I know this church is true. Although i may not always be the perfect example, I know will full certainty that this church is true and our Heavenly Father will not let you down. Give him a chance. Let him in and you will see miracles unfold.