Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Regarding Missions

Well as I am sure all of my Mormon friends know missionary work is kind of a big deal right now. With the change in the minimum age people are leaving on missions left and right. So like everyone else I have a couple people close to me going on missions. So let me tell you about them.

Missionary 1: Jordan
Jordan was my roommate last year and she became one of my very best friends. About a year ago she decided to go on a mission. She put her papers in while I was in Italy. Then she got called to Finland! AHH! Finnish is a hard language. She reported to the MTC (missionary training center) about a month ago. I had the opportunity to see her off. It was hard to have only five minutes to say hello after six months and then have to say goodbye, but it was worth it. I love this girl and know that she will do amazing things!

Saying goodbye to Jfizz

Missionary 2: Alisa
Alisa is the oldest of my cousins. And I love her. With the change in age she decided to go on a mission. I got to attend her call opening in February. She's going to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is honestly so perfect! She is going to be one heck of a missionary!

Alisa with her call

Missionary 3: Anne
My dear Italy roommate! She goes into the MTC tomorrow!!! She will be heading to Ukraine. I got to see her for the first time since Italy today. It was so great. I missed her a ton. I am so glad that I got to be with her when she made her decision and help her prepare.

Goodbye lunch with Anne!

Missionary 4: ME!
My decision to go on a mission has been a LONG time coming. I never thought I would go on a mission. It just didn't seem right for me. Then, about a year ago, I started thinking about missions ALL of the time. I couldn't stop thinking about them. People started talking to me about them. I could not escape. I decided to serve a mission then, but I wasn't going to be 21 for a year so it seemed to be a long way off. Then I went to Italy and the age changed to 19. I was in a frenzy. I thought about leaving right after I got home and started my papers, but that just didn't feel right to me. So I decided to wait to leave until after another semester at BYU. And now my papers are submitted!! I am going on a mission!! I am so excited and so humbled to have the opportunity to serve my Heavenly Father and share His truths.

I hope they call me on a mission in another week or two!

Monday, March 18, 2013

The Life of an Italy Loving, Tree Hugging Foodie

So for my Multicultural Education class I have to create a cultural diorama about my cultural background (how many times can I say "cultural" in one sentence?). This meant that I had to pick three items that gave insight into my daily life and way of doing things. I also have to write about it. So here it goes.

I thought about putting the Book of Mormon because it embodifies (a kid said that three times in Sacrament so I decided to adopt the word too) the most important thing about me, my relgion. However, at a church run school I figured that was a given and decided to go with more original things.

Item #1: My Cinque Terre Head Scarf

Me five minutes after buying the scarf.

I wear it every night before I go to bed.

During my study abroad in Italy I went on a weekend hiking trip to the Cinque Terre. That is five seaside towns that are connected by the steepest hiking trails. In one of the cities I decided to buy this head scarf because I wanted a souvenir and it was practical. I could keep my hair out of my face and have a material memory. The scarf is representative of me for multiple reasons. The first is that it is from Italy. My love for Italy may sound like a quirk, but it really does affect my daily life. It changed the way I see the world and the things I value. Another reason my head scarf ties into my culture is that it was purchased while I was hiking and I wear it on hiking trips now. I love hiking! I love being outdoors and enjoying nature. I grew up in Washington and that nature loving mentality is just a part of me. 

Item #2: My Washington Conservation Corps Hat

Wearing the hat on the job.

A little bit closer view of the hat.

A few summers ago I had the opportunity to work for the Washington Conservation Corps. The. Best. Job. I got to hike around, build trails, kill invasive plants, and hang out with awesome people. My hat was always worn. It kept the sun out of my face and just made me feel cool. This hat shows the crunchy granola side of me. For those of you who don't know what crunchy granola means it is synonymous to tree hugger, but cooler. I already said this, but I love nature. Conserving and appreciating it is really important to me. My sophomore year the first thing I said to my new roommates was that I recycle. Yep, stereotypical Washingtonian right here. 

Item #3: Lucini Olive Oil


This is a bottle of some pretty nice Tuscan olive oil. Actually I bought it at Target, but it is imported from Tuscany and it does have an amazing taste. Once again my love for Italy is coming through.... When is it not? However, I chose this item because it shows how much I love food. I love to eat, I love to cook, and I LOVE to feed people (I don't know if I should admit that to the public). Cooking is a part of my daily life. Obviously... However, I do take the time to try a new recipe or creation of my own at least a few times a week. I am also kind of a food snob. I like to have quality ingredients. I also love to try new restaurants. The adventure of trying some new food is just so exciting to me.

Well I hope this helped you understand me, entertained you, or at the very least helped you procrastinate your homework. 

Saturday, March 9, 2013

The Story of an Apartment Superhero: Take 2

About one year ago I discovered the existence of a superhero, X-Tina. She had toilet unclogging abilities that could make the most heinous villain want to vomit. Now, one year later, I have discovered another hero, Alena.

Here's the story.

In a small apartment in Happy Valley there was a sink. A sink that was shared by four girls. All of the girls had relatively long hair. The poor old sink never drained very well, but after months of abuse it just gave out. It would not let any water down its drain. Standing water is pretty gross to begin with, but this was a bathroom sink. Think toothpaste, soap, and face wash. Get the picture? It was nasty.

And yet these four girls were unsure of how to act. Sink unclogging seamed to be such a gargantuan task. How could they do it? One would rise and take on the quest.

So on a Saturday not too long ago, actually it might have been today, they had had it. Alena, who had previous experience with such sinks, decided to take on the task. So after retrieving her weapon of choice, a wrench, she got to work. She unscrewed the "p-trap" (not sure if that is the right word) and set to work. Water and hair began oozing out of the pipes. The smell of rotten eggs wafted through the air. And yet she persevered.

All seemed to be going well until the girls realized that the sink was still not empty. At this point Katie entered the scene and decided to begin stabbing a hanger down the drain. Let's just say it was not the most effective method... However, Alena realized what truly need to be done. She removed another portion of pipe and began removing hair from that as well.

Then came the greatest surprise. Water began rushing out of the pipes from the other side. One of the neighbors was washing their hands! The bucket began to overflow. What could be done? Alena promptly grabbed the garbage and let it fill with water. All to the background Katie's hysterical of laughter.

Shortly after this incident Alena realized that the hair would not come of the sink without further... prodding... So she reach up into the pipe and began to pull out the hair. By. Her. Bare. Hands. EW!

And thus the sink was unclogged.

Well now I can wash my hands without fear.