Quick Trip to SLC

     My mom and I went to Sandy to see the Fenstermakers and to go shopping for mission clothes. My mom has been ITCHING to go shopping ever since I decided to serve a mission. I don't necessarily enjoy shopping, and wasn't as excited about it as my mom was. So, since I will be gone for the next upcoming month and my mom won't have time to go shopping when I get back, we decided to go a few days after I got my call. Another reason I didn't mind going was because I wanted to see Brette while we were up there. Secretly, that's the main reason I wanted to go. :)
     We went shopping and then met Brette at City Creek to eat lunch and then spent some time at Temple Sqaure. That was probably my favorite part. I loved seeing all of the sister missionaries talking to people and answering questions. I was definitely that girl that would try to listen to the conversations the missionaries had with people. I loved hearing how they responded to certain questions. Yes, I am kind of a creeper... oops. Just an anxious, curious, future missionary. :)
     It was so wonderful to see Brette and the shopping wasn't so bad ;)

Mission Call!

     On June 20 I finally received a big white envelope in the mail. It had been three weeks since I sent my mission papers in, so I was hoping it would come on the 20th, and it did! I think that was the longest 3 weeks of my life. Although, I did learn a lot in those three weeks. I learned the Lord's timing is perfect. Absolutely perfect.

     I was going to have all of my family and friends over to open my call, but then on Thursday when it came, I thought I would just have my immediate family over when everyone got off work that night. I got the letter at about noon that day and we planned on opening it at 5:30. At about 2:00, my mom and dad weren't around and I decided to open it on my own. It was wonderful. I opened it and saw "Georgia Macon" and was overwhelmed with so many emotions. I instantly knew this was the right decision for me at this point in my life. 

     I did some research on the area of the mission and then left for an hour or so to run an errand. When I got back, my siblings and parents told me to go get the envelope. They had no idea I already opened it. I went to get the envelope and then told them I already knew and had them guess where I was going, and then read the letter to them. It was fun to be the only person to know where I was going for a few hours. :)

     I am thrilled to serve in the Georgia Macon Mission for 18 months starting on October 2, 2013. I am excited to share my testimony with people in Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina. 

Half a Dozen Kids

     I have spent at least one day a week with my Grandma Woodbury for the past 3 years. I have really enjoyed learning more about her and my Grandpa. She always tells me about how much she loves and misses my Grandpa. My Grandpa had Parkinson's disease and she spent a lot of time and energy taking care of him.
     While we were eating lunch today, I asked my Grandma if she had always wanted 6 children or if that's just how it worked out. She said she had always planned on having 6 kids, then she told me a funny story. She said, "There was this old lady who lived next door to us. One day I was wiping off Vicky's hands and face and she said to me, "Just wait until you have half a dozen of them, then it will change!" So I had half a dozen! And I showed her! I kept all of them clean!" :) This story perfectly describes my Grandma. She is always making sure things are clean and everyone is taken care of. My favorite part of the story was her facial expression and tone of voice when she told me what the lady said to her. She is such a funny lady and I love it when she tells me stories.

 Grandpa and Grandma Woodbury

Grandma and I on Valentine's Day in 2010 after the Madrigals sang for her.

Sister Kortnie Hansen goes to England!

     I went to East Elementary School for half of kindergarten up until I went to six grade at Desert Hills Intermediate School. One day when I was in third grade, during lunch, I went to use the bathroom. I saw a girl in there that looked familiar. I remembered the day before at church when her family was introduced in my ward. I asked her if she stood up at church yesterday and she said she did. I don't know what happened after that, but that was the moment I met my best friend. Kind of a weird way to meet someone, but it works I guess.  I rode my bike to her house almost everyday and we were always together. I loved every minute I spent at her house with her younger siblings. I felt like I was apart of the family, and I'm sure her mom felt like she had to take care of one more child while I was around. We spent many days in her backyard jumping on the trampoline and catching lizards. We also scrapbooked a lot together.

     Probably the most memorable moment with Kortnie was when her mom trusting us to babysit for about an hour or so (but it felt like forever). It was dinner time so we started boiling water for roman noodles. I don't remember if we even ate the noodles. Kortnie put a paper towel next to the stove and I moved it saying it could catch on fire and she said that her mom always put a paper towel there and she didn't know why, so she moved it back. Just a few minutes later, the paper towel was on fire and fell on the ground. We both panicked and instead of simply stomping it out, I grabbed a cup of water and flooded the fire. It left a nice burnt mark on the linoleum floor. We were pretty awesome babysitters. :) Pretty sure if everyone knew that story, I wouldn't have been the neighborhood babysitter growing up. 

     Kortnie decided to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She has been called to serve in the Manchester England mission for the next 18 months. She left a week ago and she says it is beautiful and she already loves it. I am so happy for her and the wonderful experiences she will have there. She is a wonderful girl and I am grateful for her friendship and example to me. 

     Kortnie, Brette and I became really good friends this past year. We are all doing different things and heading in different directions right now. Brette will be staying here as she was accepted to the Radiography program at Dixie State University. Kortnie is serving a mission, and I am awaiting my mission call. It is bitter sweet to know that we will be apart for a little bit, but I know we are all doing what we are supposed to. I have been so blessed to know these sweet girls!

Me, Kortnie, Brette the day before Kortnie left

Two future sister missionaries!

The day Kortnie received her mission call

Acceptance to the Special Education Program

     At the end of April I received a letter in the mail from the University of Utah. It was addressed to me on the envelope so I opened it to see what was inside. To my surprise, it was addressed to me on the envelope and the inside address, but the greeting said "Dear Jessica". I was a little confused. The rest of the letter said that I had been accepted (or Jessica had) to the Special Education program. I contacted my adviser and found out that they had made a mistake. It was kind of a funny mistake. I was excited, but just not certain if this was the program I should jump into at the moment. I decided to take some time to decide, but I was accepted! Woo!

     After a lot of thought and prayer, I have decided to serve a mission. I have been blessed with so many people who have helped me make this decision. I couldn't be happier with my decision to serve and I cannot wait to open the mailbox and see an envelope to me from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. :) My papers have been sent to Salt Lake City and I am awaiting my letter. YAY!