So Hey, I'm still alive and I feel like I needed to give a quick update of the last 2 months!
March went a little something like this:
Went to the Doctors office to get all the medical stuff done for my mission but was halted due to this little guy right here:
(My TB injection that literally went down so fast i almost didn't get a picture!)
You have to wait 72 hours so the
Doctors can read the test and be sure you don't have TB so going to the Doctors on a Monday and leaving the country on a Wednesday night made for a sad moment and two more weeks of waiting. Patience is a virtue right?
Which leads me to my next adventure......... GUATEMALA!
Packed up on the 11th and headed out of the Country to visit my Brother's future in laws!
That view!! I miss it!
This is a tuk-tuk, basically the Guatemalan version of a golf-cart!
Water came in a cup sealed with lids like on a pudding cup!
Right before we hiked through the jungle!
Kevin (left) was just getting over the stomach flu and Ryan (right) threw up shortly after this picture.
One of the Temples in Tikal!
Now these next couple pictures win the icing on the cake! We had a 10 hour car ride ahead of us from the jungle back to Guatemala City. I got sun burnt for the first time ever in my life the day before (pictured below) and being in the car was a serious struggle, so I wasn't really looking forward to the journey back, and just as luck would have it a tractor and a semi truck got in an accident blocking the road both ways so no one got to move. Honestly though Heavenly Father blessed us because we were just close enough to a truck stop to hang out in for a while we hopefully watched and waited for traffic to move. So we played Liverpool Rummy for 6 hours
It was a good time, but i wish I had a video of the moment we saw cars moving, because we made a mad dash for our car and got back in the line of traffic as fast as possible!
Although sitting sun burnt to a crisp at a truck stop for 6 hours playing cards wasn't what we had planned and maybe at the time even complained about, it's definitely one of the funnier parts of the trip!
I tried Gelato for the first time, Heavenly and highly recommended!
The infamous sun burn! This is was only 2 hours after I had been in the sun and needless to say it got worse, I might have shed a few or many tears, and peeling three times since, I will never forget sunscreen ever again! You think an Arizonan girl would already know that!!
Probably my favorite part of our entire trip: Church! I am blessed enough to have the privilege to go on vacation with my family at least twice every year somewhere outside of AZ and A couple summers ago when we were in Florida, I told my mom that I think going to church is always the best part because no matter where you go in the world, the gospel is still true and still the same; a home away from home.That realization and understanding has only deepened as I have gotten older.
It was really neat to attend the meetings in Spanish, One because I know a lot more Spanish than I have ever given myself credit for, and Two, whatever I didn't understand was made up for by the spirit. It was powerful and only made me more excited to go on a mission!
Sunday the 22nd was our last full day and We got to go and see the Guatemala City Temple and even drove by the MTC! It was a good and a sad day because well we had to go home! All in all one of the most spectacular experiences of my life!
Many people have asked me what I miss the most and here's my answer
It wasn't the gorgeous jungle rain
It's not the beautiful culture
and even though they have pretty flowers,
It's the pineapple.
Being an AZ homegrown citrus girl, I know that nothing compares to the fresh, ripe real thing!
Tropical fruit from an actual tropic place is to die for and I feel rather sorry for the mango's and pineapples I have eaten since we got home!
But the good news is since my Sister-in-law to be is a native, I'm pretty sure this wasn't the last trip :)
March concluded with the all of the actual paper work for my mission being completed
Had to take a picture to document the occasion!
So... on to April!!
So general Conference was amazing as usual! I love the inspiration the men and women receive and how there is always something that feels like it was just for me!
I would recommend reading the talks that were given! I know you will truly feel inspired and a desire to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ!
You can find the talks
here!
So as if General Conference wasn't already amazing, it happened to be Easter weekend.
I am forever grateful for my Savior and that he not only suffered for my sins to know "
according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities" He overcame death and made everything possible. The video that was realised for Easter touches my heart every time I watch it! (to view it click
here.) I love my Savior and cannot wait to spend 18 months of my life learning a deeper appreciation for him and seeing the change I have seen in myself, happen with the people i will have the blessing and privilege to teach!
He is real! He knows and loves each of us individually and perfectly!
And just to throw The Cherry and The multicolored sprinkles on top of my life cake, My mission papers were submitted to Salt Lake on Wednesday night and Thursday was my birthday!
Overall I am overjoyed and extremely humbled by my Heavenly Father and also my Savior. They know the potential each of us have and know how capable we are to become the best version of ourselves! They have a plan for each of and I am beyond grateful mine includes a full-time mission!
Stay happy, Know you are amazing, and keep going.
Much love,
Kim :)
