Awesome Links!!

This is my last blog where I am actually on! I am now turning this over to my dad. He will keep it updated with pictures and my letters.
I was set apart as a missionary last night and I leave in a few hours for Provo!! Then I report to the MTC on Wednesday. I cannot wait. Tokyo, Japan here I come!

Here are a few fun links I had saved for a post. But, I never had time to actually make the post. I found these and thought they were great so I had to share!
Plan of salvation chart!
http://www.allisonkimball.com/my_weblog/2013/04/missionary-plan-of-salvation-free-international.html
http://bencrowder.net/design/plan-of-salvation/#japanese

Missionary Music!
https://www.lds.org/youth/music?lang=eng

Accessories Part II

Things have been really crazy lately! I'm in the final week before I report to the MTC and I feel like I have no time for anything. It's rough. Especially, when I think about my brother who had a few leisure months before he reported. But I promise I am not complaining! I just wish there were more hours in the day.
Because I have had zero time to do anything, I haven't been able to post anything. And because I don't have much time left I'm going to post only the important stuff for accessories. No detailed inventory of where I got my scarves, belts and boot socks...just a quick run down. Sorry!

So, let's talk about the most important thing...SHOES! I refuse to wear those ugly-stereotypical-sister-missionary shoes. Refuse I say! But in so doing I made life a whole lot harder for myself and have also come to the conclusion that sister missionaries who wear these ugly shoes are not tasteless, but smart. They probably saved countless hours not looking on the internet, or taking multiple trips out to stores. So hopefully I can save you a few hours by showing you what I got, and you can learn from my mistakes too.

For everyday shoes I got three pairs. Two of which are from Land's end (my new favorite store).  I bought a pair of black venetian flats and a pair of tan loafers. (Land's end has flash shoe sales too. I'd sign up for their emails so you get alerted. Then you can do what I did and get shoes for 40% off.) The third pair is from Clarks; wingtips!!! These are now on sale too. They weren't when I got them... I love all three of these pairs of shoes. They all have soles with support and are super comfy. Just a warning with loafers- you NEED to break them in. I've owned 3 or 4 pairs and they are always a little uncomfortable at first and I always get blisters. After a week or so of wearing them they are usually broken in and I never get blisters again! You want to make sure you do this BEFORE you are out on your mission. Especially, if you are in a walking or biking area.

             

 For the winter I got riding boots. I just can't bring myself to wear those boots that lace up and are furry at the top. Blah. So, I decided to go for a nice pair of riding boots. Boy did that turn out to be an ordeal! I did lots of research and found, what I thought was going to be, the perfect pair. They were timberlands. Waterproof, with a tread on the bottom, leather, cute zipper and buckle details...they sound perfect right? Well, I ordered them and got them a few days later. I was sooo excited to try them on! I took them out of their box and slipped one onto my foot. It felt a little roomy but I didn't think anything of it and continued to put the second one on. As, I tried to walk around in them I tripped! They were humongous!! My dad tried to say that was fine, with socks they would fit. Well, with socks they didn't fit any better. My Mom, whose feet are bigger(possibly more than a size) than mine , tried them on. They were big on her too! I decided just to keep them. But I shunned them. I couldn't bare to look at them. Or wear them for that matter. Finally, I decided I had to return them and I had the hardest time with that (beware of Heart &Sole on Amazon...that's all I'm saying). By the time I got them to take them back the smaller size I needed was gone! I tried ordering them from another company and they ended up being out of stock. So, I took it as a sign and found a new pair of boots. I love these! They are great. They are also Timberland. Waterproof, leather, tread, and special insulation to keep your feet warm. And, for all you environmentally conscious folk out there they are made out of renewable, organic and recycled material. AND, if you order now you can get 30% off with the code 30SHOES1. And if you have riding boots you can't wear them without boot socks!!! My favorite brands are Vera Wang and Apt.9. Both can be found at Kohls and both are usually on some sort of sale. Here are some just to give you an idea. There are way more options in the store. Knee- highs are great but I also love buying over- the- knee socks and then scrunching them at the top of the boot. It looks cute!

Originally I wasn't planning on getting rain boots. Then, I decided I would just get them in the field. After that I realized that even though a size 8 may be the norm here it is NOT over in Japan. So, I ended up with rain boots. I did a little research (mostly on the Hunters webpage and one google search of "fold-able rain boots") and I came up with the Hunter Packable tour rain boot. The claimed this boot could roll up but still gave good support...I didn't really believe it...but, being on a time crunch and all I ordered them (you can find them here with free shipping or here with a few more color options...and free shipping as well... that I just noticed). I got the classic yellow color. Which actually is a little darker than I thought it would be. I got my boots today! They are amazing! They roll right up! It's great. They just take up a little more than the size of their sole. It is fantastic. Almost too good to be true. But thankfully is true!

Now for scarves and belts real quick. I got most of my belts from Forever21 and JCpenney. I got this belt in 3 or 4 different colors. They are great. And, I only paid a few dollars for each one. I'm pretty sure they get a new and improved style each season so check the clearance area of your JCPenney to find these belts for super cheap. I have a few thin braided "leather" belts from Forever21 and H&M as well. I couldn't find any online. But I'm sure if you went in to either of those stores you could easily find a few of those belts.
Scarves are my favorite accessory. And it is kind of killing me not to have a picture of my beautiful scarves for you! I pretty much feel naked if I don't have a scarf on (regardless of the temperature). It is the greatest finishing touch on any outfit. My two favorite places to find scarves are Forever21 and H&M. They are big and voluminous. Simply wonderful. I also really love these. I have quite a few colors. I'm bringing my light pink and cream with me. Then I am bringing an older version of this H&M scarf with me and from Forever21 a few of these for the winter, this mint one, this black and white polka dot one, as well as older versions of this and this. Again, sorry for the lack of pictures or detail.

Well that is it for now. Hopefully this was some help...despite the lack of pictures.

'Cus I'm Going to the Temple

Well, today was a crazy day! And I really wanted to share. I feel so lucky and blessed.
This weekend I am watching a family's two youngest kids while they are out of town. It's super fun. Today we woke up and it was decided that pancakes should be made for breakfast. While I was struggling to make said pancakes (me + any pan that isn't teflon = a big fat mess) I missed a call from my mother. I called her back to see what she needed. She was a bit distressed over the fact that our temple closes today for cleaning and doesn't open up again until after I will be in Utah. I haven't gone through the temple yet...so you can see the problem! I didn't know what she wanted me to do! I had kids that needed to be watched. I couldn't just leave them and run off to the temple. And I reaaally didn't want to leave them to someone else to watch. But, I had two options. Go to the temple today with my family OR go alone in Utah. Of course I chose option one! It's crazy how Heavenly Father helps things to fall right into place. My mother called the temple to see if I'd be able to go today. They said I could. I called an amazing Sister in from my home ward and asked if she could watch the kids. She could! So, I went to the temple today!
Heavenly Father knew what he was doing. After the kid's parents left, their dad came back in and told me that if I needed to have someone else watch the kids I could- do whatever I needed. I thought that was so strange. Why would I have someone else watch the kids if I'm suppose to be. Boy was he inspired!! This was on Wednesday. Temples were totally not on my mind. And going to the temple while I was watching someone else's children was not on the agenda. But, it turned out I needed to go today! And it was wonderful. I'm so grateful that I have been living in a way that allowed me to be able to go. Makes me think of the parable of the 10 virgins!  I was also a little apprehensive about going. I think Heavenly Father knew this. So, instead of me putting off going again and again, I had the need to go thrust upon me. There was no way I could get out of it this time. And I think He knew that was exactly what I needed to happen! To anyone who is preparing to go- don't worry! There is nothing you need to worry about. Chances are you will be going with people who love you and support you. And, even though you may not know anyone else there, they are all so excited for you too!

 I think it might be tradition to take a picture after going through the temple. Sadly, I don't have an actual picture from today. It was rainy and gross out. But here is the Palmyra temple! And I'm in there too.

For anyone who isn't LDS (Latter-day Saint) let me explain a couple of things. I'm you might be reading this and scratchy your head. Let me explain a few things:
First; Temples. When most people think of temples Buddhist temples or chanting and prayers pop into our minds. Right? Well, LDS temples are a little different. We have 140 temples worldwide and 29 more being built or about to be built. Only worthy members (someone who is keeping the commandments and has a testimony of the gospel) of our church are allowed to enter. And that isn't because we are trying to hide anything. You can learn all about temples right here and even see what some temples look like on the inside. In the temple we participate in activities (we call them ordinances) that we consider sacred. Because what takes place in the temple is special to us, and very important not everyone can come in. What I keep referring to as "going through the temple" is one of those ordinances. It is called the endowment. "The word endowenment means "gift" or "bestowal." As part of this ordinance, we are taight about the purpose of life, mission and Atonement of Jesus Christ, and Heavenly's Father's Plan for His children. We gain a glimpse of what it will be like to live in His presence as we feel the peaceful atmosphere of the temple." (I got that from here)  Another ordinances is sealings. Sealings are temple marriages. Husbands and wives can be sealed together and children can be sealed to their parents. This means that we can be a family forever. No "until death do you part." Who doesn't want that?? Baptisms for the dead is another ordinance that we do in the temple. Don't worry we do not baptize dead people! We believe that being baptized is a saving ordinance and something you can only do with a body. So, we are baptized in place/ or for those who have already died. Then, those up in heaven have the opportunity to accept the ordinance that has been performed for them.
Just because I love infographs... here is one comparing temples to one of our regular church buildings (or chapels as we call them). It tells a little about each too!

Getting Ready for the MTC (Missionary Training Center)

TWENTY-ONE days until I report to the MTC! That is 3 weeks away. I cannot wait! I am so ready to go.
In partial honor to my impending arrival to the MTC and partially because I found this awesome inforgraphic (I just learned that that's what they are called) I wanted to do a little post about the MTC.

Before I actually got my call, I did a lot of MTC research. I found soooo many useful tips and tricks. I wish I could give credit where it is due but I'm pulling these out of a word document I made and I didn't site blogs there. Just know they aren't mine. The commentary on the tips, however, is mine. After I leave the MTC I'll make my own list of tips and tricks. But anyways...
Here are my favorites:
1. If you are learning a foreign language study before! At least learn the sounds of their alphabets. Try learning religious terms and phrases too. And don't get discouraged. It won't all come at once. Just try your best and work your hardest!
2. Snacks: Bring your own snacks (granola bars, microwave popcorn and such). Grab fruit from the cafeteria- you can eat it later! gum is highly discouraged...so bring mints.
3. You might not get a P-Day your first week. Make sure you have at least 10 outfits/ pairs of G's.
4. Make a workout book! (I've already made one. I went on pinterest and found a bunch of easy workouts and then printed them all out and put them in my missionary binder)
5. Bring a warm, comfy blanket from home. According to my brother the MTC blankets are gross. And it can get chilly at night.
6.You are given a card to get you in and out of buildings. You use it A LOT. Buy a cute lanyard. Or a retracting ID reel. And bring a ring to attach your key to a clip.
7. Stay away from the Orange Juice!
8. Exercise in the 2M gym under the bookstore. It's more private and a lot nicer! With treadmills etc! They also play the Joseph Smith movie on repeat! (I'm pretty sure this tip was from Bella in Berlin)
9. Go to the salad bar line in the MTC and order a tortilla, just put cheese on it and microwave it. Mixes up what you are eating.
10. Tie ribbons to your suitcase so you know which one is yours
11. Take a picture in front of the world map! It's by the cafeteria.
 and here are a few from my brother who just left the MTC a few weeks ago...
12. Take the bunk farthest from the door and with the most walls surrounding it (he thought that was the best one). He also recommends the top bunk.
13. Bring shower sandals, a pillow and a pillow case
14. See "Character of Christ" video by Elder Bednar the first Sunday you can. Then see it near the end of your stay. The dichotomy between interpretations each time you watch it is interesting
15. Read a lot of church history stuff before you come and brush up on it. There are no resources in the MTC for that.

The infographic is called "Preparation With a Purpose: Life in a Mormon Missionary Training Center". I love it! This brakes down what missionaries do in the MTC so perfectly. And then gives some other information about missionary Training Centers as well. Perfect for explaining the MTC to all my non-member friends.

Accessories Part I

Lately I've been feeling super lazy. As a result of this laziness, there haven't been any posts. Today I finally convinced myself to make a post. I set up all my jewelry, pulled out my camera, turned it on and up flashes the "battery exhausted" notice. Of course my battery is dead! It would've been too easy if it hadn't. After searching for my charger (with no luck) I finally had to resort to using my old camera. But, I'd say the pictures turned out ok...I'm breaking up accessories into parts. Today is jewelry. Stay tuned for belts, scarves and shoes. It's amazing how much an outfit can change with accessories!
I'm gonna admit I am having a hard time with necklaces. I've been told a few different ways to tell if a necklace or other jewelry is "mission appropriate." But then I see pictures of sister missionaries with jewelry that doesn't fit those rules. My friend also informed me that, in Brazil, the sisters were told to wear bright, loud jewelry to grab people's attention. Needless to say this has been tough for me. I am a big fan of statement necklaces, I think they pull an outfit together really nicely. Or, if you are stuck wearing the same clothes for 18 months, they could completely change the look of an outfit. But the question is; how much statement is too much statement? Well, this is what I've come up with..so without further ado...my mission jewelry...

Super cute, right? I'm a fan. And most of it wasn't even too expensive! Let me give you the dirt on where to find what.

 1. I can't find the joy necklace online anymore but they do have a hope necklace for $3.80. And I KNOW the joy necklace is in stores at Forever21
2. Forever21 Wiener dog necklace for $2.80
3. Crazy8...Yes, I know it's a kids clothing store but they have cute accessories sometimes!
4. Charlotte Russe. I paid $6 for it but you can get Jewelry 2 for $10
5. Etsy for $5.30 at this shop
6. Etsy for $14.00. These are actually in my shop

7. Charming Charlies. This was $14 and came with earrings too.
8. Etsy. Same shop as #5. If you buy three or more it is free shipping! And since shipping is $5 you might as well get another necklace. Just use code FREESHIPPING
9. I made this! I cost less than $10 to make. You just paint big (wooden) balls and put them on a chain.
10. Pandora Bracelet. I'm not a big bracelet wearer but my best friend got this for me and I love it.
11. Charming Charlies-again! Only $13.00. This is my all time favorite watch. I bought a couple to bring with me too since they are cheap. I tried buying a nicer quality watch but I just didn't like it as much as these beauties
12. Forever21. I think this was around $10. It isn't on-line but it is in stores!

**The first necklace I made (in memory of my time at Disney) and the second necklace was a gift. I love layering these. It gives an outfit a unique twist.

Stay tuned for accessories part II! 

la Orana

In February my brother got called to serve in the Tahiti, Papeete mission. He was at BYU so he opened it with us via Sykpe. When the poor guy opened his call, and read Tahiti no one believed him! But, he was telling the truth and, after 12 weeks in the MTC learning how to teach the gospel in French AND Tahitian, he is finally leaving Provo and is flying to Tahiti TOMORROW!

Here he is leaving for the Provo MTC, back in July. As the oldest child, I usually get to experience most things first, but he beat me to the MTC!
I am sooo proud of him. He is going to be such a wonderful missionary and the Tahitian people are lucky to have him for two years. You can follow him and read about his MTC and missionary adventures too! He has a blog called Tahiti Times.

Above are two pictures of Tahiti. He may be in paradise, but he is also in the middle of nowhere. On most maps you can't even see Tahiti, or the Cook Islands where he will be. On this map his little islands are magnified so you actually can see them! We are both going to be on islands in the Pacific. But, mine is a little easier to find! The picture to the right is what Kristoffer, or Elder Molinari, will get to experience for the next two years! Jealous anyone? I know I am. But only because he gets to skip out on winter for two years!

Anyways, it would be super cool if you would write him! Well, I think it would be anyways... And super funny. He would get all these letters from people he didn't know and I'm sure he wouldn't figure out why he was getting them at first. I think it'd be great. He's a good looking guy and he always has something interesting or funny (and often times sarcastic) to say. And, although he would probably say otherwise, I bet he would love the unexpected mail (and the mystery behind it). We don't know how often he will have  access to the internet so email is out! Thank goodness for snail mail! Here is his new address: 

Skirts, Skirts and More Skirts

Well, here are my sister missionary skirt contenders. You'll have to excuse the wrinkles-I was testing the size of my suitcase vs. the clothes I want to pack, and they ended up staying in there for a little bit. As I hung all my skirts up I realized I have quite the collection of boring skirts, and they are all similarly colored...but I love them anyways.
I hate when I find a really promising sister missionary blog and when they talk about where they got their skirts and dresses and everything else they just say "try Forever21, Kohls and department stores." That doesn't help me! But it left me to find skirts on my own and I think I did ok... Also, I am 5' 8" and all these skirts are the right length for me. And, on top of that, I wear everything at my natural waist and they STILL are long enough.

So, here is the break down of skirts:

Alright, these three skirts are vintage. I love vintage! The two blue ones were thrifted and the third was from Etsy. If you haven't heard of Etsy you are missing out. It's this super neat website were people can sell things they have made. I buy things on there all the time (and I also have my own shop). They also sell vintage on there! All you do is search skirts under vintage and BAM you have a plethora of skirts with attractive silhouettes and an appropriate sister missionary length.

These two beautiful skirts are from Forever21. I don't think the gray one exists any longer on the website but, winter is coming so give it a month or so and they will probably have a similar one. The black one, however, is still there. And it comes in a few different colors! I actually have it in Black and Blue. They are so light and flowy, I love them. And, this skirt is only $17.80.
You can get it here: http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=bottom_skirt-midi&ProductID=2000092011&VariantID=

These two skirts are from one of my new favorite stores; Old Navy! Both are from a few seasons ago but, there are similar styles on-line now.
 Here is the link to the skirts similar to the grey one: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=79586&vid=1&pid=649034012. The new version hits my knee so, if you are shorter than me it would probably be perfect! I also own a few of these skirts that could work great for someone a little shorter than me as well . Both are modest for me, but not missionary length.

These are from Lands-End. The khaki skirt (which I still might not bring on my mission) was the old version of the black skirt. They are called chino skirts. The black skirt is still online. The skirt is $40.00 but right now is the friends and family sale so you could get 30% off! I love this skirt. It is made of a hardier material and has a really flattering look. You can still look professional but it is sooo comfy you feel like you could be in a jersey skirt. Also, there are a whole bunch of other cute modest skirts and dresses on-line as well. One of my other favorite dresses on Lands-End...who knew right??

The Dress EVERY Sister Missionary Should Get

Alright, I ordered this dress a few weeks ago and I absolutely love it! I actually received the dress the day before I left on vacation so I haven't had any time to truly appreciate it until now. And let me tell you, it is perfect. It has a flattering shape, it is the perfect length and there is enough of a skirt that you can ride a bicycle with no problem (something I have to worry about).


The first time I saw this dress, I was on Pinterest. It is on almost everyone's Sister missionary board. So, naturally, I pinned it as well. I wanted to order it but, I wasn't sure. As you can see, the dress doesn't look all the flattering off someone and even on the model it still didn't look that great. On top of that the dress is $42.43. Normally I wouldn't have a problem spending that on a great dress. But, I couldn't try it on and I had to rely on the sizing chart to know what size to get. Both of those factors made me a little nervous. So, the dress what put on the back burner as an "order later."


A little later I came across this blog (http://whoorl.com/archives/15602) by someone who had given her own opinion on whole bunch of ASOS dresses she had ordered. Luckily, the black dress I had my eye on was one of the dresses! It looked gorgeous on her! And, she shared what size she ordered too, and said that the ASOS sizing was spot on. Basically, she convinced me that ordering this dress was good idea.
       
So, there is this awesome website called Chicservative. It is a collection of modest clothing, from all different stores, all in one place. Awesome right? Yeahhh it is. Anyways, I found the dress there (http://chicservative.com/shop/asos/asos-midi-dress/) and  I took it as a sign. Clicked the link, and BAM the dress was ordered.

Well, here is me in the dress. I absolutely love every thing about it. The material is amazing. It is soft and stretchy but still holds it's shape and structure. The dress has a natural waist and then it hits right below the knee. Also, it is SO fun to twirl in. But that is a side note.. The sizing chart that ASOS gives is right on. I ordered a 4 (which made me a little nervous) and it was perfect. I'm so glad I didn't order a smaller size because I would've been in trouble. Shipping is free and I used a coupon (summer4ever) which made it even cheaper. I don't know if my coupon code is any good anymore. But, there is always a 10% student discount and if you wait long enough I'm sure another coupon code will show up too. Moral of the story: order this dress.

Getting My Call

I've had my call for a few months now, but I thought it'd be fun to tell everyone a little bit about it. After I put my papers in we realized that my call could come on my birthday (July 12th)! We all thought that would just be the greatest. Not only was it my birthday, but it was the opening day of the Hill Cummorah Pageant. What a perfect day to get a mission call, right? Well, I guess the Lord had other plans...Friday came and went with no mission call. And then Saturday, when I hopefully checked the mail, there was still no mission call. Monday came around and I didn't expect much. So, when I received a text from my dad with a picture of my call envelope I was blown away. It was here! I impatiently waited for the end of work and then raced home. With my family and some of my closest friends, I finally got to open my mission call.
Now, if you've read my blog title, you all know where I am going. But, at that moment, no one knew where I was going. Everyone had made their guesses (mostly in places around Europe) and I was sure I was going to Idaho. There was a little part of me perfectly happy not knowing where I was going. But certainly not enough to keep me from opening it! As I read the first few lines, I was hit with the feeling that no matter what I read next, it was where I was needed to go. When I read Japan, Tokyo, I couldn't believe it! In all my mission day dreams, Tokyo had never crossed my mind. It took quite a while for that to sink in. And..maybe it still hasn't completely... But, I know that I am suppose to serve a mission, it is what Heavenly Father wants me to do and I am willing to go where ever he needs me to go. I cannot wait to leave and go share the gospel with the people of Japan!

My First Post!

76 days until I report to the MTC (missionary Training Center).  I am so excited to be devoting the next 18 months of my life to a full time mission. And in Tokyo too! For those of you who don’t know much about LDS missions or what we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe I’ll be making a few sections of my blog dedicated to telling you all about that but until those are up and running I’ll just share a few things.

Who/ what is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

The LDS church is the official name of the religion more commonly known as the Mormon Church.  

What do I (as a Mormon) believe?

I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and is mine (and your) Savior.  And that we are all children of our Heavenly Father who loves us and knows each and every one of us by name. He wants each of us to return to him and live with him some day. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ, all mankind may be saved and we are all able to return to our Heavenly Father.

In addition to the Bible, the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Both the Book of Mormon and the Bible stand as a testament of Jesus Christ. Through the power of God, the prophet, Joseph Smith, translated the Book of Mormon and helped to restore the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ back to the Earth.  

 What is a mission?

An LDS mission is a little different than what most people commonly think a mission is. In the LDS church young men and women, most under the age of 25, devote 18 to 24 months (18 for girls, 24 for young men) of their life to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They can be sent anywhere in the world! Missionaries pay for their own missions and give up school and work (and dating) to dedicate their lives to the Lord’s work and to inviting others to come unto Christ.

Although there is quite a lot of preparation that is put into going on a mission, what I find myself putting the most time into is thinking about what I am going to wear for the next 18 months.  As I've been preparing I've found that compiling the perfect wardrobe is a lot harder than I thought! When you’re only allowed eight to ten outfits and 3 pairs of shoes shopping really becomes a challenge!

I've searched and hunted the web for ALL the tips and tricks to building a wardrobe for sister missionaries. Well, needless to save I have had no luck. I find what look like ever so promising blogs where they give vague tips and somewhat helpful hints on where to get clothes.  And while pinterest is perfect for building your dream missionary wardrobe, in reality it hasn't been too much help.

So, I've decided to “document” my attempt to build the perfect sister missionary wardrobe. And hopefully I can help some future sister missionaries as well!