14 Months and.... Christmas time!!!

Before I go any further I just have to say... OH. MY. GOSH!!!!! Am I really on month 14??? Okay, so for me the 12th and 13th months dragged on a little too long, but I think the pace is starting to pick up speed. I mean, WHOA.

Now that I've gotten that out I can give an update on myself and my absolutely wonderful missionary, Elder Matthew Parks.

Let's just say over the past month I had my times of feeling down. Especially when it seemed like when he wrote letters he didn't really respond to what I had written to him. Any of you feel this way? I mean, I understand that they're busy and all and I know Matthew is not going to remember everything I told him about, but I just wanted to know he was actually getting my letters. Right after I got over feeling this way I got two postcards mailed in an envelope from him. They were sweet and he told me about his transfer to Blackfoot, Idaho. Of course I got really excited because I always love it when he gets transferred. So, that was a good thing. THEN, a week or two later I got another letter from him and it was so awesome! He basically acknowledged the many things I had written to him in a previous letter and it made all the difference! Of course him saying that he loves me and wants me to be happy made the letter extra special as well. It was exactly the type of letter I needed to read from him, and now I'm just soooo happy and re-read that letter often.

During this past month I asked Matthew's mom if I might come to their house on Christmas to talk to Matthew when he calls and she said it was fine and that she would let me know what time he would call. I had been feeling both nervous and excited for Christmas, but after reading that amazing letter I just told you about, I am only excited! I'm really beginning to think Christmas needs to hurry up and get here. :) As far as I know it will be a surprise for him to talk to me and I cannot wait!

As I mentoned before, Matthew is now in Blackfoot. After googling Blackfoot I found out that it is the "Potato Capital of the World", and my response was, "Blackfoot?" Yes, I guess it must be because they have a potato museum there with a giant potato in front. I wrote to Matthew in my last letter that the one thing I ask of him while he's in this area is that he get a picture in front of the big potato. :) I told his grandma at church on Sunday what I told him and she said, "Well, when you get that picture you better put it up on Facebook." His grandma is such a sweet lady and I enjoy talking to her every Sunday in primary (I'm the pianist and she is the secretary). In addition to Matthew being in a new area, I discovered that another MG's missionary is in the exact same area!! AND Elder Parks and Elder Mann (Bryton's missionary) know each other. How exciting is that?!!! I really believe no one is as thrilled about this as I am. :p

Now an update on myself:

I would say this was one of the many "big deal" months I've had in my life.

1. On November 6th I went with my mom to the local fire department and voted for my very first time. The older man officiating kept congratulating me and told other people that I was a first-time voter. It was really a great experience and I felt very important. :)

2. On November 9th I went to Toccoa with my dad to take my driving test. I was SO NERVOUS but I did well enought to pass, which I did. That was a big deal in and of itself, because I'd had my permit for almost 2 years!

3. On November 13th (four days after I got my license) I bought my very own car! Four days later, I tell you!!! I was not in any way expecting this to happen so soon, but the perfect opportunity came up, I had enough money saved up and so I paid for my own car in cash (of course Mom and Dad helped out a little bit). That experience was very surreal for me. It has been a great blessing with both my brother and sister playing basketball and having practices most nights out of the week. It allows my parents to be able to go to those without having to worry about taking me to and from work. Besides it's also another way for me to learn responsibility for something big like that.

4. On November 24th I officially became a college Sophomore! I am now up to 33 credits all from taking CLEP and DSST exams at Toccoa Falls College as well as Brenau University. I am really thankful for this way to do college.

Those are the major things that happened. Other little tidbits from the past month are: I was sick on Thanksgiving (not fun) and I had to work a 9 hr. shift at work the next day when I still wasn't fully recovered. Yuck. :p I've gotten back into the habit of reading my Book of Mormon everyday and I am now in Alma 21. I can really tell a difference in my day just from taking a couple minutes to read a chapter. Lastly, I began learning German, but I'm going at a very slow pace so I only know a couple basic words at the moment.

Most of all, the thing I've learned over the past 30 days is to not just count the days but to make the days count. It certainly makes the time go by faster too!! ;)

My Attitude of Gratitude

So I heard that several people were doing this thing where they wrote something they were thankful as their status on Facebook for each day of November. I thought that was a wonderful idea, so here is the list I came up with each of the 30 days in November. :)

Nov. 1st-- Rachel Autumn Hayward

                 With today being her birthday, I thought it very fitting. She is such a wonderful sister. Always funny and smart and she is definitely her own person which creates excitement each and every day. :)

Nov. 2nd-- The ability to communicate with Matthew through letters.

                   It can be tough having Matthew so far away for 2 years. However, being to write letters has helped us not feel so far apart.

Nov. 3rd-- Conversations with Mom

                  Sometime I wonder how I am going to make it when I get married and can't talk to my mom in person all the time. I always talk to her when I am feeling bad and she helps me put everything in perspective so that I can be happy and overcome fears and concerns.

Nov. 4th-- Matthew Avery Parks

                  Need I say more? He is basically the one that makes my life complete. I love him so very much, and I'm glad that I have the opportunity to support such an amazing missionary as he is.

Nov. 5th-- Gift of the Holy Ghost

                  I'm especially grateful today for the Spirit because I gave my Family Home Evening lesson on a General Conference article about the Holy Ghost. It was a good review and made me grateful for the Spirit's influence in my life.

Nov. 6th-- Freedom to Vote

                  This was my first election in which I was able to take part. My experience of going to vote with my mom was amazing. It was a very simple task, but meant a lot to me, because I realized that I was doing something important.

Nov. 7th-- Rainbows

                  Tonight, while I was at work, I saw a full length, bright rainbow outside and it absolutely made my night. It made me thankful not only for nature, but especially for the out of the ordinary things such as a rainbow.

Nov. 8th-- CollegePlus Program

                  I was just going to write CLEP tests (especially since I passed one today), but then I remembered the DSST tests and my coach. I realized that this program as a whole has been a blessing to me. I am able to work on college at my own pace and it's so much more affordable. I'm so thankful I stumbled upon this option.

Nov. 9th-- Days off from Work

                  After the crazy night at work last night, a day off was much appreciated. It also gave me time to go take my driving test and get my driver's license. :)

Nov. 10th-- Dreams about Matthew

                    I am always so thankful when I have a dream about Matthew. Especially if it's one like I had last night where we were able to hug and just sit there and talk. I woke up all warm and happy. I'm grateful that I can have such a vivid picture of him like that even though we're miles apart.

Nov. 11th-- Blessings that come from working hard

                    I have been blessed for putting forth the effort and doing my best, especially since I got a job. Now I can see how that hard work has paid off, because Heavenly Father has blessed me with the ability to buy a car. It still feels surreal to me. But knowing I worked for it really makes it worth the money.

Nov. 12th-- Friends at work

                    I'm grateful for the friendship I have in my workplace, especially with Carla and Tasha, my 2 fellow prep ladies. It makes work that much more enjoyable when you have friends you look forward to seeing.

Nov. 13th-- Mom and Dad

                    My parents have been there helping me through for 18 years and still continue to do so. They give me advice and help me figure out all these new things like a job, college, and lately, buying a car. I don't know what I'd do without them.

Nov. 14th-- Amazing music!!

                    I have to be honest and say that when I say I'm thankful for music, I'm especially grateful for the wonderful band, One Direction, whose music makes me smile no matter what and I never get tired of listening to them sing. :)

Nov. 15th-- Matthew's willingness to serve a mission

                    I'm so glad Matthew made the decision to serve the Lord for 2 years. I know that it is exactly what he needs to do, and these 2 years are important for both of us to grow and develop. He is such a good man, inside and out!

Nov. 16th-- Motivation

                    It might seem a bit silly, but I absolutely love feeling motivated to do thing, especially the things that I normally dread. Motivation is one of those things that keep me going and making progress, which is one thing I greatly appreciate. :)

Nov. 17th-- Mark, Morgan, Rachel

                    I'm just so thankful for my siblings! I have a good relationship with each of them and they really are my best friends. we always have so much fun doing things together.

Nov. 18th-- Scriptures

                    I am especially grateful for the Book of Mormon because of it's clearness and direct guidance. I read a couple of chapters after church today and it was wonderful to feel the spirit while taking the time to read the Word of God. It is the best guideline for how we should live our lives to be worthy to return to Heavenly Father again.

Nov. 19th-- Warm House

                    It has been so cold here lately for being in Georgia, so to live in a nice warm house is a great blessing.

Nov. 20th-- My dad's knowledge of cars

                    Tonight I went to the store with him to get some stuff for my car and I was very glad he was there to help me know what to get because I'm still learning. :)

Nov. 21st-- Blessing of Protection

                   I am always thankful for the protection Heavenly Father gives me in my various daily activities. This was especially true today when I drove on my own for the first time. I was nervous and it was nice to have safety while driving.

Nov. 22nd-- Good Health

                     This is especially true today on Thanksgiving, because I am sick. :( Being sick really makes you appreciate the day when you feel good,

Nov. 23rd-- Change of pace at work

                    With it being Black Friday, everyone expected us to be really busy at Chick fil A. It turns out that we were pretty much the opposite, and I was happy about that, especially since I was still feeling sick.

Nov. 24th-- My job

                    I am grateful that I have a way of earning money, especially since I bought my car. It's nice to know you have money to cover important things. :)

Nov. 25th-- Pictures of Matthew

                    I was feeling a bit sad and kind of distanced from Matthew, so I pulled out the pictures he has sent me and realized I didn't have any reason to feel unhappy or alone, because he loves me.

Nov. 26th-- My car

                    Having my own car has been very helpful. It helps me to feel more independent as well as free up the van for Mom when she needs it. It's always a good way to learn yet another aspect of responsibility. :)

Nov. 27th-- Missionary Girlfriends

                    Every girl who has ever waited for a missionary know that she has her good days as well as lonely, "I wish he was here" days. Fortunately, there are hundreds of girls all over the world that are in exactly the same position as me. On our little on Facebook we are able to communicate and share our stories with each other, and it really is a support group. I have become friends with many of the girls, especially with ones who have missionaries serving in Matthew's mission as well. Basically, other MG's help make the wait bearable and fun! :)

Nov. 28th-- This place I live

                    Not only am I grateful for the wonderful house my family built, but I love it's location and I am so thankful to live in the state of Georgia. It will forever be my home.

Nov. 29th-- The fullness of the gospel

                    All of the aspects that make up The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are magnificent and simple at the same time. It really helps to make life clear and understand your purpose for being here on earth and what is expected to be with out Father in Heaven after this life.

Nov. 30th-- Christmas season

                    This time of the year just seems so magical. There's love and happiness all around you and celebrating the birth of our Savior is absolutely wonderful. I love how it seems to bring everyone together like no other time of the year can.

Happy Halloween!!

First of all, I would like to say how grateful I am that there are other girls, Missionary Girlfriends, with whom I'm able to develop friendships. I am always so inspired by your blogs, videos and posts on our facebook group. Basically, it's just an awesome feeling knowing girls who are doing the same things and going through the same things as you are. To all of the MGs who read this, I'd like to say a massive thank you for all your support and friendship! You are all AWESOME. :)

So, after about 4 weeks, I finally got a letter from Matthew (I truly feel for the girls that have to wait months on end! More power to ya!). It was a this-is-what-I'm-doing type of letter, which was great because it's nice to hear about his experiences. He is now the Senior companion, and I hear that brings on extra responsibilities. I had asked him in a previous letter to give me sort of a day in his life. In reply, he gave me the full rundown titled, "One Day in the Life of Elder Parks". I got excited about it, so I typed it up and taped his schedule to my bedroom wall. Then, during anytime of the day, I can see what he's doing. I just love it!

School is moving along smoothly! I am now 6 credits away from being a Sophomore and I am very excited about that. I take about 2 weeks maximum to study a subject before I take the test and it can be very CRAZY, yet I manage to pull through and pass them (most of the time). :) I know I owe all of my success in school to Heavenly Father. I have no idea how many prayers I've said in the middle of studying. Fortunately, when you go through each subject in such a short time, you don't get bored as easily. There's definitely variety!

Guess what! I'm getting ready to learn German! AHHH!!!! I bought an online course through BYU to learn from. I'm not planning to have it count as any school credit. I'm just taking it for fun and I can't wait. I'm still waiting to get my paper booklet and CD to get started. It looks like I'm going to have to be patient... You'd think I would've mastered patience by now, right? :)

I had thought Russian might be an interesting language to learn. All I can say is "interesting" describes it very well. I decided to look up Russian and this is what I found: Летучая мышь. Needless to say, I decided to stick with German. :D

I wish you all a very Happy Halloween! I will be at work tonight, so....

One Year Down, One To Go!

Wow. That seems to express how I feel at the moment. It's amazing to me how much time has past in what seems like no time at all. Last October 12th I was looking at all the months I still had ahead of me thinking it would take forever, but as I've completed each month, I've realized that this is not just a race to get to the finish line of him coming home. Instead, it's a journey. While he has been away I have been having my own character building and strengthening experiences and I am so thankful for this time I have to refine myself to the kind of young woman I want to become. I have had my share of rough times, but I can honestly say they have been outnumbered by some of the happiest moments of my life. I can say without a doubt that the phrase, "Distance makes the heart grow fonder" is not just something people say-- it's true. I'm so proud of Matthew. He is not only a great missionary, but an overall wonderful young man and I can't wait to be with him forever. I just love that guy so much! I have enjoyed this last year and I look forward to this next year of exciting experiences.

I decided to make a list of events that took place during the first year to see how far I've come. :)

1. Began Relief Society

2. Called to be Primary pianist

3. Built my 1st Build-A-Bear bear (for Matthew's Christmas present :)

4. Went to my 1st NBA game in Atlanta

5. Learned a great deal of patience

6. Visited the Northern Midwest states-- I'm at 42 states now

7. Graduated high school

8. Started college

9. Started job at Chick-fil-A

10. Registered to vote

11. Received a total of 34 letters, 6 postcards, and lots of pictures from Matthew. That gives me a rough total of 150 letters to date.

12. Most importantly of all, I've developed a closer relationship with Heavenly Father, and found greater peace and comfort in communicating with Him, more so than before.

One year ago I was at the Atlanta airport to send my missionary off, and one year from now I will be back at that airport to welcome home my RM. :)

Why didn't I think of this before??

After seeing several blogs by other girls waiting for missionaries, I thought I would give it a try as well. It looks like fun! My only regret is that I didn't start this earlier. Hello? What was I thinking?! :)

 Matthew has been out on his mission for almost 12 months now, so this blog will be about my second year of waiting. Elder Parks is in Pocatello-- his third area. Before, he was in Idaho Falls, and then Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I just have to say it's funny how something as tough as being apart from someone you love is also such an exciting experience. Some days it's hard and I just want him to be home already, but then I pray, read inspiring quotes and previous letters, and everything becomes better. :) This is a very strengthening experience for both me and Matthew, and I'm thrilled that we're able to share it together.