Three Posts In One

My Sister's Wedding

My beautiful sister Lisa was married on Friday the 2nd!  Can you believe it?!  I remember back a few months ago several conversations we had where she seriously believed that she would never get married.  But look at her now!  eleven day anniversary!  With God, ALL things are possible!  Also, the sealing ceremony was beautiful!  Isn't it wonderful that marriage for time and all eternity is possible and it's not just 'until death do you part'?

Lisa, I love you! and I am so glad that I was able to actually go to your sealing!  Matt, I am really excited to have you as a brother!

At the temple:

Their reception actually turned out quite nicely.  It was crazy setting up for it due to the events of the previous day (including my running out of gas on the highway! a miracle for another day...), but we made it!  Not bad, either!  I loved being able to see all of my cousins, aunts and uncles.  It was great!  It was also great fun decorating Lisa and Matt's getaway car with cream puffs.  We wrote on the car using them.... gross!

A Day in the Life of a Missionary

When I write letters to my missionary friends, one question I usually ask is - what is a day in the life of a missionary like?  Well... I was finally able to experience it for myself!

The Monday after Lisa and Matt's wedding, I was able to spend a day with another sister, Sarah, on her mission.  She is currently serving in the Ogden, Utah mission and will get home a week before I leave.  It was a wonderful day - I got to see a little piece of everything.  We met with a bishop and a stake president to work with them in getting their areas of authority more involved in missionary work.  There was a baptismal interview for two girls who would be baptized that weekend.  We taught a lesson to a part-member family.  And we went tracting.  Well... it's a little different, being in Utah, as we only ran into one person who wasn't already a member, but we did have some good conversations with the members!  and the non-member even committed to reading a passage out of the scriptures!  All-in-all, it was a great day!  It is pretty similar to being a ward missionary, except 24/7.  And I can't wait!!

One of these days, I'll be able to wear the black name tag!

And Another Adventure

Tuesday was my other adventure.  I had stayed at my aunt and uncle's house and that morning she dropped me off at the bus station.  I waited there for a little, feeling somewhat like this:

... and then hopped on a bus to Salt Lake.  That was my first stop.  I decided to stick around awhile and attend the Salt Lake Temple there as it would be my last chance before I go on my mission.  It was beautiful!  I am SO glad I went!

Then I walked around for awhile, got some food and then went to the visitor's center.  While I was there, I walked through an exhibit on service and sat down at the Christ statue for awhile.  It is gorgeous:

I love the Spirit that you can feel there.  Then a couple of nice ladies gave me some change, I caught the bus home, and met another nice man who saved me from getting stuck in the middle of Orem.  and so on... until I made it back home safe and sound!