Tender Mercies & Terrible Mishaps

Hi fam,

I was feeling a little flustered that I couldn't go to my workout session tonight because I hurt my ankle and as I was reflecting on the week I realized that 2 weeks ago was a doozy! Everything was deliciously enjoyable or terribly discouraging. Let me give you a little update and break down of the last few days.

Sunday, January 13
I found a parking spot at church so I didn't have to park down the hill!
I got a parking ticket. Apparently the snow was was covering the lack of lines.

We had a delicious dinner and tender birthday program for Trek & I up at LeGrand's!
I smashed my achilles tendon under a folding chair and haven't been able to run for 2 weeks.

Monday, Jan. 14
everything was perfect down to the Cafe Rio dinner I'd been craving for 2 years (see satisfaction below) and a surprise party thrown by Tawny, Log, and Lyn. Holy undeserve'd love.

the college kids. 

way too good to be together. They spoiled me absolutely rotten.

Christina, my freshman roommate is back from her mission in the Czech Republic & came to celebrate

Tuesday 15 January

Elder Holland came to speak at the MTC and through some fortuitous circumstances I found out and got to go to his fireside! Not only did he give a marvelous talk, but he also dedicated 3 MTC buildings, one of which I teach in. Angels are there with us.

And I ran into the Harrises at the fireside. They're serving in a branch presidency there.

Wednesday 16 Jan.

I woke up late for class so ran to campus and strained my ankle even more. 

My achilles hurt so much that I limped home and called Lynette who so kindly left work to pick me up and take me to the MTC. Somehow during that process I unknowingly dropped my cell phone in the parking lot and was without a phone all afternoon and evening. When I finally found out where it was and went to pick it up I got it back and realized it had been run over by a car! contacts, notes, pictures, texts - lost.

Thursday 17

I found a new phone that I LOVE. 

But the store didn't open until 11 and I missed class.

Friday 18

I got to go to the temple with a mission friend!

But somewhere in the process my freezing fingers shrunk and I lost my mission CTR ring given to me by a dear friend.

But don't worry. All's well that ends well.

On Sunday 20 of January two Battalion sisters gave their homecoming talks and because of the long weekend all of the BYU-I sisters got to come down and I got to see one of the sisters I trained and others I love! 

Sis. Burden came as a surprise, so obviously I had to hug tackle her onto the couch. Tawn captured the ensuing result.  Ha!

Elder Woodbury, Sisters McCullough (from Oregon), Stirling (I trained), Stevens, Burden

Sisters Woodbury, Tardiff, Lewis, Newman, Kennington (friends with the Allens), Christensen (Tawny)

Aren't they beautiful?

And then I started dating Joe. So... the highs have been high (countless Tender Mercies), and the lows have been low (they might sound petty but they have felt like personal tragedies). But all is well, superbly well.

I want to end with this. I just looked up and saw a quote Tawny (sis. Christensen) put up on our wall from Pres. Uchtdorf's inspiring discourse "Of Regrets & Resolutions":

The older we get, the more we look back and realize that external circumstances don’t really matter or determine our happiness.

We do matter. We determine our happiness.

You and I are ultimately in charge of our own happiness.

God expects us to be happy regardless of what's going on. And He makes it possible to be so! Count your many blessings see what God. has. done!