Happiness Inspiration

Got the radio on, my old blue jeans

And I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve

Feeling lucky today, got the sunshine

Could you tell me what more do I need

If I could only take the credit for those words...I'm working on it though! I've decided to let my creative writing side take over more often and I have some good poems/lyrics up my sleeve for later. But I love finding those lyrics that just work for me as well as whoever wrote them! It has been a while since writing on here and I think I know why. With having a journal, study journal, letters I write to my missionary friends, and all that is in between....it just seems redundant to repeat myself on here yet again. Kind of like when I was on my mission we'd write to our parents about goings on, in a teaching record, and to our ward and stake leaders...by the time you got to your journal it was hard to keep it sounding fresh. but alas!! I have been inspired.

My sister Ashleigh just started a blog that has a theme...and I thought maybe I should put a theme to this thing...until I realized I ALREADY HAVE ONE! HAPPINESS!

So from now on...I will write about things that happen during the week that just made me happy...maybe the whole entry will be about one subject and maybe many...but this is it!

Words make me happy and I think everyone who really knows me knows that. But they always say that pIctUrEs are worth a 1000 words.

Pictures=Happiness

I have been digital scrapbooking my mission for just the past two days and it's been so much fun. I've been using shutterfly.com which has been a great starter place, who knows there might be more out there. Of course learning how the system of it all works took some time but now that I have that down it's been so much fun to look through my pictures and put them in order and tell the story behind it. I started at how I opened my mission call as the first page and went into going to the temple, setting apart, the airport, the MTC AND transfer 1....all in about 24 hours. It's been surprising how many pictures I have and how good record I kept of my mission. I always thought I could have done better but I can give myself a healthy pat on the back. I love technology. I am more a digital person than an artsy one that can put her own spin on things, so it has really worked out for me to have some here-say in how it looks but not make it too complicated. Just my cup of coco! :)

I am leaving for school on Thursday and it's still hard to believe that the mission is really over...I went and came back. The pictures reflect so many memories and allow me to realize it really happened and that there will be more pictures to come of my next adventures.

Bask in your happy moments,

~Arica

Miss the Most

I have found there are funny things I miss about the mission this week:

• always having someone riding in the car with me.
• crazy appointments that don't go as planned at all
• eating and then finding out there's more food at the next house you're at.
• always being ready at the same time everyday so you don't have to get ready right before you want to go somewhere...
• personal study set aside!
• believe it or not having someone back me up...haha

These things are small but I love that they remind me of my mission...it doesn't seem as much of a dream as before...it's slowly coming back. It's interesting because when I first went on my mission my pre-mission life seemed like a dream and I had a hard time remembering some of the experiences that I had to relate to the people I was teaching...so I had my mom send one of my old journals to help me. I guess it's the same whenever you're adjusting you just have to recall and relive and retell experiences to remember them and keep them alive and I think that's why so many returned missionaries talk about their mission so much. I know some people get annoyed with the "when I was on my mission" jargon but now I understand it...we just want to remember that those months of intense spirituality actually happened...and that they changed us. I love to talk about the mission but describing it in such a broad since is impossible.

Well I've been reconnecting with people and trying to keep in touch with those who I became close with on my mission. It's been partially successful because there's really not enough time in the day to really sufficiently talk to all the people and relive all the experiences that we've had in the last 18 months but it's fun to try. ;)

I've been thinking I need to think of some new hobbies to develop. Of course while I don't have much responsibility I'm looking for things to develop but I know once school starts I'll be super busy I won't have time to think about what hobbies I want to develop. I guess hobbies fill in the cracks of the busy life. Something that doesn't feel like a chore. So I went to this women's conference and they showed us how to do come canning of meats, fruit, and veggies. I was actually interested in it and I think I want to develop that.

List Time:

• canning
• writing (which I've said before but I think I can count this blog as a hobby and also my journal but both can definitely be improved. But also writing my novel)
• service projects for local charities and foundations. We made some baby burp cloths for less fortunate mothers and it turned out they didn't have much support so I want to find out more things like that and just get things going!
• now here's the time that I want suggestions....I just want more things to try and see what I am not only good at but enjoy. :)

So there you have it. My life is going great. School is coming soon...I'm excited and stressed. But all is good.

Words Cannot Express

What can I say? How can I summarize a whole year and a half of my life? There are words that can't really express how much I've learned, grown, and gained. I have made so many amazing friends and people I'd call family because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we have the eyes that Heavenly Father has it makes all the difference. I will probably reflect upon my mission the rest of my life and in this blog too. Therefore I will not try to find the words to express exactly what I've been through but will continue on with my blog as a weekly update on me. I don't know who might be reading this but it helps me know I'm doing my part to keep in touch.

I have been home for almost a month now and while I'm loving every moment I am also feeling very overwhelmed at the prospect of getting "into the groove of things" as people put it. I haven't been keeping in touch with people as much as I would have liked. I think I had a false notion that I'd have more time on my hands and while I DO have more time to do certain things it's different when you make your own schedule and such. The structure of the mission and knowing when I'd wake up, eat lunch, and sleep are gone....and I have only myself discipline to frame how my day will go. And let me tell you self discipline is not my strong point. I haven't been too bad. The first week was just adjustment, then my family went to the beach for a week, and then my very good friend and old roommate Valerie came on a surprise visit! It has been an amazing couple weeks. This week I'm working on getting things in order for school and driving out with Arin in September, making sure I have correct classes to graduate when anticipated, and reconnecting with friends. It's been good but a slow process.

I have found one true joy in my life....missionary work! haha Sounds funny I know but after 3 weeks of vacation from reality I have now lent my services to the Elders in my ward. They had 11 investigators at church this week! So I was able to be the friendly face that welcomed them and such. We also had a cottage meeting at another members home and I brought the investigators and was able to get to know them. Well tomorrow I'm going with the Elders to their appointment with the people from the cottage meeting and then after that to the next meeting with a girl I sat by in relief society! It's going to be great and they even gave me parts of the lesson to teach! I didn't realize how much I missed it. I think it's because my mission somewhat feels like a dream and being involved with missionary work here brings it back to the forefront of my mind! I love the feeling...I think I'll chase that.

I will continue to update as much as I can...no promises but I will also make my blog a bit more fun...with pictures and things!

Forever,

Arica

From Bitter to Sweet

Just like I was saying last week...miracles! Heavenly Father answers prayers and does care about us in ways we can't even imagine...we just have to give him a little time to answer and to learn from the wait. I will have to work on patience the rest of my life...THAT'S for sure. haha Things only got better this week. We were having 1-5 lessons every week this transfer and last week we had 14! Our goal as a mission is to have 20 lessons a week so we were really really frustrated...but we had 14 last week and expect to have a couple more this week. Many amazing times. Even some of the hard times have turned sweet. Example: we went over to a 17 year old boys house (name-Alex) and we wanted to teach him so we were talking and testifying. And he was a really nice kid....and he didn't want to hurt our feelings. But I didn't want to force him to meet with us and gave him an out because I knew he was going to say yes to just to make us happy. In the end he told us he just wasn't ready. So we left. It was kind of a breaking point for me...when I couldn't stand anymore rejection and realizing we can't make people interested in our message. Well then we got the blessings and many other people did help us too...and prayer and fasting. Then we had the turn around. Well this past week Sister Hardey a sister in the VC called a little 9 year old girl and asked her grandpa if she could receive this free gift from her friend. He said yes and so we were given the referral. We went over and talked to her (name-Nani) and I kept thinking 'she looks so familiar' and Sister Schoppa said something about it too. Nani goes "you know my brother Alex!"....and then it clicked. We had met Alex's little sister and brother but hadn't talked to them because they were in and out of the house. Now Nani IS interested...we were at the right house but for the wrong person. Alex wasn't ready but his sister (unknown to us) was! The Lord made sure that we came back in contact with her. She hasn't been raised with a religion so she knows there's a God but not much else but she's so excited to learn! It's amazing. I think that Alex will be more ready if his sister is an example to him. AMAZING!

Many of those expeirences and more will follow through out the rest of my life...if I look for them. They can happen to all of us...if we're looking for a spiritual experience or a chance to share the gospel...and pray for it...IT WILL HAPPEN...we can MAKE it happen with the help of the Holy Ghost. I looooove that there is no such thing as a coiensodence... Heavenly Father knows where we need to be and at what time.

Love, Sister Page

Many GRAND Things

I have felt your prayers and your love...and the love of the Savior. My last email I was pretty frustrated. I wasn't sure what to do anymore for my area...here's what I learned....WAIT. and then WAIT some more. Patience has never been a strong point of mine but I think the Lord from time to time likes to remind me of that when I feel I have a grasp on things. But due to your prayers and fasting and I'm sure many others combined with our own...we are seeing the miracles promised.

Sister Schoppa and I received a blessing from some elders in our district and since then I have seen the blessings come true. I didn't notice that I was under pressure but he blessed that the pressure I was feeling would lift and the stress would decrease. It has come and through many ways. List:

Tracy
Mom you are going to meet her. ;) I've talked about her before and discussed how we needed to drop her a couple times. She called us and asked us to come back. I think dropping her was the best thing we could have done! She said on the phone "I know I haven't been reading...I know I should attend church more" see it got her thinking. Well we both apologized for things said and how it had happened....and we went back. Well we got her a huge BoM because she has bad eye sight...and she takes it to church withe her and she stays for Gospel Principles! And we taught the word of wisdom and she said she'd work on it all. THEN we find out that she made a goal....(which she was opposed to in the past) "I want to get married in the temple on my 15th anniversary and that's next November so I need to get baptized before November" HOLY COW. That's not it. Pres. and Sister Pitts gave a fireside at the tabernacle and we sang at it. So we invited a couple people...and she was one of them. She said "well you've done so much for me...I can do this for you." and she CAME! Not only that the whole fireside and everything that Pres. Pitts said pertained to her! Afterwords we talked to the other missionaries and hugged sister Pitts and then I had a feeling "go talk to Tracy now"...so I went down. And she was crying..."I've never felt like this before....I'm hot but I have goosebumps....and EVERYTHING he said was related to me." She recognized the Spirit for the first time. If Tracy Solomonson could recognize the spirit and want to get baptized...this gospel IS true. She can't wait to get there now. She's on fire. I don't know what happened but everything is falling into place.

Former investigators and new investigators. We are finding now. We have gone back to people we used to teach and they are ready to see us again and we're starting fresh with a couple people. Then we have a couple new people we're started teaching. Yesterday we were led to someone who was ready. She's catholic and we talked to her about prophets and asked if she was willing to listen to more...and she's very active in the catholic faith. So we're getting ready for her to say "oh no I'm okay.." but she said "sure yeah I'll meet with you." Then we set up a time for tonight. I pray it goes well and we teach what she needs to hear.

Pres. Pitts and I had a good interview and he assured me he knows we're working hard. He had so much confidence in me and allows me to see things I can't! I will miss him. I'm going to see the Hill Cumorah pageant in 2012 and staying with the Pitts after their mission. :) 

Today we went to the Grand Canyon. It was a lot of fun. I don't have time to list it all but pictures to come. My last two districts have been some of my favorite. It was an amazing sight...very high up...but very worth it. The car ride was about 2 and half hours so it was fun too. So many GRAND things happening this week.

The work is amazing. I love you all. I can hardly believe it's close to the end of this chapter of my life. It's been THE best thing I've ever done. Love, Sister Page