Mission Mondays

So I am going to change Tribute Tuesdays for a little bit and its going to be called Mission Mondays. I am not going to type one every Monday, just every once in awhile, but I love reminiscing and I would love to have an account typed with some pictures. I am going to be talking about my mission and the amazing people and experiences I had. I also wanted to recount the hard and lessons learned on the mission here as well so I didn't want to limit it only to the great and grand of the mission even though that's great and all- the mission in reality is hard and painful as well.

So first off with every mission comes the MTC! 

BFF's 

Always supportive always loving

OH wow! Just looking at the pictures overwhelms me. I absolutely L-O-V-E loved the MTC. It couldn't have been any better if I put it together myself. HMMM where to start...As I said in the previous post about my best friend, Jerilyn we got to go to the MTC on the same day. This was a blessing not only because she was my best friend but her family is who I too consider family. SO they got to see me off. And considering my parents were on a cruise (celebrating) JK! I mean they were on a cruise...but I told them that was ok.  My sister and brother who are just the BEST came to see me off with the Brunsons. 

Isn't she gorgeous!

Here I was a little nervous, but surprisingly so EXCITED! I didn't know what to expect but I was sure ready for it. Meeting my companion didn't do anything but exciten' me within. 

KELLY ROSE GABBART! Gorgeous in and out.

This little lady taught me SO much. I can't even express the gratitude I have for God letting me serve with her. As Jerilyn was struggling with her companion I was absolutely in AWE of mine. I think in almost any quarters that you are with someone 24-7 there is going to be some conflict but in the MTC they were MINUTE. We were synergetic, attuned, full of the spirit and ready to do all we could to serve.

Miss this memory

 We were obedient to the T (never have I been so obedient) even to the extent of not being a minute late for class. We were so hyped for everything we would constantly find ourselves running from place to place.

Kelly is so absolutely incredibly fun, amusing, enjoyable, and funny. Many a laughs were had from this infamous look (picture) to beating each other to the bottom or top of the stairs.

AND ITS MONTANA!

The MTC was as much of a learning experience for me as it is for investigators, which made it all that much more powerful but hard on me as well. I can’t believe I got on a mission, and I can’t believe how little I knew at this point along the trek. I learned a lot from Kelly and had her take lead while I learned as a child learns any pivotal step of life.

Sister Tidwell (our teacher)

Brother... starts with an H 

My district was awesome and we didn’t have problems (that I remember) at all. We clicked and empowered each other. Our teachers were amazing and it made me want to teach there as well.

This one always brings a smile

OK so onto a lesson that I still think about a lot, of course I learned from none else but Sister Gabbart! It was Temple day. We went up with our district excited to go learn from what the elders knew within the temple. We got to the temple to only find that my recommend wasn’t there. I had no clue where it was. 
Kelly was so positive and said we could possibly run back and still make it. We ran all the way back. Not knowing where to look we ran from our room to our classroom. FINALLY I FOUND IT! This all may be insignificant to you but it was a big deal to me. Kelly wanted really bad to make it and so on we run back to the temple hoping to at least catch the elders in the at the very end and still get to talk to them. 
I am not a runner, at this point I was beyond out of shape. I had already ran so far and I was totally wiped out to run back. I started out ok but I couldn’t run any long and I started to slow down. Kelly, being a great runner and didn’t even have a huff, kept encouraging me to “just make it to the street.” Just make to this next goal. Explaining it doesn’t do justice but it was something to look forward to, a goal when something was hard.

Sisters that were in our MTC district

I think about this a lot. It was very big impact on me. It made me think of some of her inspiring pictures she had of running a marathon and her trip to New Zealand. I tried my best and made it to the next session. We found the Elders right before they were about to leave. Just the beginning of the many tender mercies I had.

Always had so much fun

Now going back to this lesson I learned. I have often been in a rush, running here or there and thought of this experience. I have also thought of it spiritually and in life goals- just getting to the next step, the goal I see ahead. It inspires me to know I can. Kelly believed I could, had full faith that I would find my recommend and be able to make it back, when all I did was doubt and become sad. I realized there is constantly those two choices. To keep your head high, make the best of it, try your hardest and have faith, or you can sit, moan, beat yourself up and not reach for the next step just in hopes to reach your goal.

Although this may seem very small to all of you it has been very significant to me.

My entire mission I always looked up to Kelly. She was an inspiration for me. I loved hearing all the stories about her. I loved talking to her companions since I saw more of them than I was ever able to see her.

Sorry saps she is my comp

I feel very privileged that I had the opportunity to be in her midst, to learn from her, to find the inspiration she is, to be friends with such an individual. My MTC was great and though I said I was going to also explain the hard and rough parts too I didn’t have many struggles in the MTC. I remember being petty and feeling sorry for myself at times, slight selfishness over dumb things, and just being the slightly immature little 21 year old I was. There was no big fight, horrible experience, hardest type thing I had to deal with. I loved my teachers, my district, the lessons taught, meetings we went to, the food, and I had the best MTC companion a girl would ever want.

I feel so privileged to have a fantastic MTC experience. It was the best start to the best 18 months FOR my life. I’m glad it was with Kelly, I’m glad I went when I did. 

Thanks Kelly, You were what I needed in every way. Thanks for being who you are! --AMAZING

Secret Saturdays

12 Days of Christmas

One Christmas season I decided I was going to do the 12 days of Christmas to someone that I dearly loved--my Young Women's leader Joni Thacker. I have always had a special bond with and her and its only grown through the years.

I was such a goofy little teenager. I did it all on my own. Although I am convinced she knew from the beginning who was doing it-- I thought I was being sneaky and secretive. Most of the things I did were made by me, kind of ridiculous and am embarrassed to even claim some of those things that I did. Some of which are home made suckers that were weird shaped and uneven in thickness because I didn't have molds to put them in, other homemade goods (not that she didn't get them enough this time of year! DUH JULIE!) but worst one is one night it was late and I had totally forgotten that I didn't do it so I grabbed some of our treats that neighbors had given us and put them on a plate for her. HOW EMBARASSING, she totally got things she already had and knew it!

Oh well its the thought that counts right? It was a lot of fun and it made me happy to do it.

So the SECRET IS OUT. I did 12 days of Christmas for Joni. SURE LOVE HER!!! --isn't she cute!