First Week of My Mission, the MTC, and a New Life!

Hello!!!

There are so many things to talk about and not enough time. I wish I could just have a video camera with me and send you my days. The MTC is AMAZING! I have only been here for a week and I feel like I've grown spiritually in years. My schedule is very busy but at the end of the day I feel satisfied with what I've accomplished. I'm not a morning person but it hasn't been too hard to get up and get going...most of the time I don't even feel tired. Wednesdays are my Preparation days so that's when my emails will be coming...as you can see. I have learned how to effectively study and apply what I'm learning. It's not just about passively reading the Book of Mormon it's about finding words that stick out and looking them up, writing down impressions, and sharing what you learn. Everything is connected...I've learned lesson one in Preach My Gospel and everything just flows. God loves us...since He loves us He blesses families...He wants to let us know what to do to get back to Him...He reveals His gospel to His children through Prophets..old and in our day...He sent His Son to take upon Him our sins...and sealed that promise with His life....there has been a restoration..Joseph Smith really did see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ and restored the fullness of the gospel...we have the Book of Mormon as a result of that! The best thing is that we can know ALL of this be ourselves...we don't need to rely on others we can pray to know if these things are true...and I know that they are. I'm so happy to be here. I would advise EVERYONE to read and study Preach My Gospel...if anyone has a question on how to use it...IT TELLS YOU! I never realized that and wished I took the time to look at it more before I came out here. Last night we had Elder Paul Johnson of the seventy come and speak. He spoke about agency. Our choices make such an impact on our lives and we can choose good consequences by making good choices. I love this place...but my desire to spread the gospel and let others know is what I can't wait for. Sorry if this letter is all over the place...but I didn't really know what to say...there's too much so I just summed up! I LOVE YOU!

Love, Sister Page

21...21...21

"Twenty one, Twenty one, only days left better get it done! Twenty one, Twenty one, Twenty one plus days get ready, I'm on!"

Okay so maybe making my own lyrics to High School Musical 3 isn't the most reverent way to be getting ready for my mission...but I keep thinking about the number 21. (and I saw HSM3 again last night) I will be turning 21 on January 16th and leaving on January 21st! CRAZY!!! I don't have much time left. I'm not sure of my exact assignment...like how long I'll be in the visitor's center or how long I'll be proselyting...but I'll do what ever they ask me. Am I nervous? of course...because so much is unknown until you are actually doing it. BUT I don't doubt that I can do it...I just have this reassuring feeling that Heavenly Father will be with me every step of the way.

So what have I been up to? I came home and went full speed ahead! I had two parties to go to the day I got back and gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting the next day. I started work that Monday...and have been torn in many different places but have been trying to spend most of my time with the family. Christmas was great! Arin was my secret santa and I was hers! haha We bought each other the Taylor Swift cd...but I like that I have my own copy. :P If you've been around me at all lately you'll know that I'm OBSESSED with it. I love it. I made a playlist on youtube to listen to before I got the cd so when I got it I knew the words and it made so awesome because now I don't have to be at a computer to listen to it. My sisters and Mom have been listening to it too. If you look at facebook you'll see that most of my recent status' are lyrics from that cd. I also got a new DIGITAL CAMERA! It's a Cannon...8 mp, video with audio, zoom, and more features than I even know right now. (ps. those features were all things my other camera couldn't do.) My parents got me that gift...plus a butt load of mission stuff! Arin also gave me this way cute quote note book...soooo if you have a favorite quote or three let me know and I'll put them in there...if I deem them as worthy. What was really awesome about Christmas was having the Sister Missionaries over. Well they come over quite often anyways for dinner and such but they were there for Christmas breakfast so that was fun! Having them around makes me even more excited...they give me advice and ask me to come on appointments with them. Though every time I go out with them the appointment falls through or the people aren't there. It's taught me a lot! I know that not every appointment is going to end in baptism and that maybe you have to work a little harder for people to hear the message!

Now I'm just working to get everything done by the time I leave. I've been shopping A LOT! It's fun to be able to spend money but it's hard to find somethings...but ladies if you're ever looking for good skirts that are longer...CATO! Best store I've been to yet. I don't even know what else I need to do...I mean I do, I just don't want to think about it. AHHH! I'll tell you what...I need to get used to early to bed, early to rise..probably not this week because of New Years...but ya know.

Anyways just wanted to give people an update. I'll probably have my mom put my emails up here while I'm on my mission. Love y'all! :)

Mission Call

Sister Arica Taylor Page has been called to serve in the Utah Provo Mission. In addition to this call she will be assigned to serve in the St. George Temple Visitors' Center. She is to report on March 4th, 2009.

I did, indeed, get my mission call!!! After all of the paper work, appointments, and worries of things not getting in on time...it has come! I was on my way home from Thanksgiving Break and I kept getting asked by multiple people "when are you getting home?" I kept telling them when I estimated I'd be there. Then I got a text from my very good married friend Brielle who asked the same thing...I knew something was up. Why would she be anxious for me to get home?? My roommates I can understand why they want me home so much...it's fun when we all get back together...so I got suspicious. Emily and I pretty much guessed that my call had come. We drive up and there's a sign on the door saying "Arica...it's HERE!!" I walked in and everyone is all smiles...and yes Brielle and Jared were there waiting. I put my stuff down...my roommate gets my luggage and Emily helps....I fell disgusting. (I got sick over the break and still do not feel well...) I hadn't done my hair...I had no makeup on...I was in loungy clothes....and my teeth were dirty from sleeping. So I call my family who was asleep. 

Arin: "Hello.." 

Me: "Hey Arin...are you sleeping.."

Arin: "yeah it's like almost 10 here Arica..."

Me: "Oh well I got my mission call...."

Arin: "YOU'RE MISSION CALL...oh (speech that I am not able to comprehend.) Ashleigh wake up wake up...let me get every one." 

(She gets everyone...)

Me: "Okay we're waiting for a couple people here so I'll call back when everyone's gathered."

Arin: "HURRY!"

Emily runs home to unload her car and get her roomies. Lindley and Brad come down, we call our FHE bros who are driving home from Utah, Emily and her roomies start running to our apartment, Brielle's ready with the video camera. I brush my teeth to gain some of my dignity back. I call my family back and Emily calls her family. I open the envelope and start to read...I keep reading...and it doesn't make sense...I keep waiting to read where I'm going but it doesn't come. I READ FROM THE BOOKLET! haha I look in the envelope again and get out the paper I was really looking for...my letter from the Prophet. I read it out loud and everyone screams and hugs and is excited. I don't know if there were people who were thinking "oh UTAH..." or anything like that....but I never thought that...I thought..."this is right..." it just made sense!! I was also happy that I'll be working in a visitors' center which is something I was looking forward too. I hear the St. George visitors center is beautiful and awesome! I'm super excited and can't wait to go home and spend the holidays with my family...but then get to work and find all of the things I need! If you know me...you know I like to plan things...and this is something I'm going to enjoy planning. I know the Lord needs me here and that I'll be in the right place. I'm thankful for all of those people who have helped me get to where I am today and have never doubted me...even when I doubted myself. I love you all...thanks for the encouragement. 

Addresses and such will be given when it is closer to the time of my departure. I would greatly appreciate mail while I'm gone! Thank you! :)

They're In...

As of 8:45pm Arica Taylor Page's mission papers are IN! 

"I hope they call me on a mission...."

"Called to serve Him...." 

I'm so excited there just aren't words. I will be sure to update when I get my mission call. 

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Spontaneous Snowball Fight

"snow...Snow...SNow...SNOw...SNOW!!!!! It won't be long before we have snow....I want to wash my hands, my face, and hair with snow..." Well...it won't be long because it's ALREADY HERE!!!! Yesssss! 

It has been raining off and on since Saturday but yesterday....IT SNOWED! It snowed good. My roommates said "hey let's go walk in the snow..." so we put on hoodies and two of my roomies got out there...and started throwing snowballs immediately. I wasn't even out the door yet so I grabbed some gloves and joined them. We then decided to go over to the boys (fhe bros) side and throw snow at their door....they came out and threw some back but didn't come down stairs. Their neighbors and other apartments joined in on the fun as well. Soon we had a huge fight going on...and we were soaked and wet but looooved it! 

The cars came in handy....for snow and refuge!

Loren creaming Amie...but he got payback by Chrissy. 

Me and Amie after the fight!! We were both enemies and friends!

Most of the gang...missing a few but you get the idea....

Then Craig (Craigo) suggested we on the girls side again and surprise an apartment. I went to my really good friends house and knocked while the group hid behind cars....they were like "hey...whtat's up.." I'm sure they could tell I was SOAKED! I was like "hey come look at the snow...it's so pretty..." and Katie stepped out to look just to humor me...and I stepped back right as she got pelted with a snowball right in the neck. Everyone came out of hiding and got her so good. It was in her apartment...and then Lauren and Chris came out too...a little later Emily even came out. We got them soo good. So then Katie, Lauren, and Chris came out to play too. We tried a couple other apartments but they weren't as cool about it...plus the girl we were looking for in one apartment wasn't home so her roommates didn't appreciate snow in their apartment. 

There as a couple times that wrestling started happening...I tried to get Craigo but he caught me and started to wrestle me down...so Chrissy came to my rescue...but then he got her sooo bad back. Another point was when Loren tackled Amie....she was getting white washed BAD....and had no way of escape. I ran over to Loren and lunged at him to push him off of her he fell backward...and I helped Amie up. It was awesome...then I had a war with Loren just to get him back. I'm not sure I got him well enough but it was sufficient. 

We got a lot of snow in out apartment because we attacked Janaye....but it was worth it. I got cleaned up and put my pjs on, had some hot chocolate....messed around with my roomies and then went to sleep. I guess I slept hard because I woke up at 7:20 and I have a 7:45 class...I was running around with my head cut off!!! I called my friend and she picked me up...so I got there in time!! I was so thankful. I guess getting up late, having my two favorite jeans wet and dirty so I have to wear my back ups (which I hate), and being freezing...was all worth it for our spontaneous snowball fight!!! I love snow...and now I shall end as I began..."where it's snowing all winter through...that's where I want to be snowball throwing...that's what I'll do...How I'm longing to ski through the snooooow."