I Know Where I'm Going!!!

Waiting is one of the hardest things in the world. We as human beings (at least most of us, I would assume!) have a hard time waiting. Okay, so maybe it's just me. 

I had decided in Florida that I wanted to serve a mission. I had thought about it a lot before, but the timing just wasn't right. Living in Florida and meeting people from all over the world just showed me that it was something I wanted, and had the potential to be really great at. I had the chance to make amazing friends, some members, and some non-members. It gave me the opportunity to teach them about mormons, especially because most of them had either never heard of a mormon, or just heard all untrue things. I was an example, and because of that, they wanted to know more and more everyday. 

I came home from Florida and had my meeting set up to met with the bishop the very next day. At first, I realized that I wouldn't be able to see my best friend, Kadee for more than two years if I decided to go, but she insisted that I serve, so it was decided! After all of my appointments, I was finally ready to wait. Which is all it felt like I did for about two weeks. Wait. Wait. Wait. 

THEN. Finally, on Saturday, September 7, 2013, I was called to serve in the Viña del Mar, Chile mission. I was overwhelmed with joy, knowing that this was the very place that the Lord needed me, and I couldn't even believe it. 

One thing I do know is that the Lord knows each and every one of us, and is more than willing to bless us. He does every single day, even when we don't realize it. I am blessed to be able to serve the people of Chile, and I hope I can bring hope and joy to their lives, just like this gospel does to mine. 

Disneyworld - Day 61

I can't even explain how much time has literally flown by. It is the craziest thing. I feel like just yesterday I was stepping off the plane, and now I am down to six weeks here in the sunshine state. Which I really don't understand why they call it that, because ever since I have moved here, it has rained at least 50% of the time. That isn't even a lie. I love it though. It is the perfect storm.

Work has been amazing. I had the chance to work in another area that is owned by Disney. Working at the ESPN center was amazing. I would tell people I was working there, and they would think it was the coolest thing in the world. At first I didn't want to, because come on, I know nothing about sports, and frankly, I really don't care. But I loved every second of it because of the people I met, and the experiences I had there. 

I have met with the missionaries here a couple of times, and I am so glad that they are called to serve the college program members of the ward. They have been a huge blessing, and have made a huge difference in my life. I am so grateful for those elders. It reminds me every single day of how amazing my best friend is! I love her and miss her so much!

I feel so lucky and blessed to have had this opportunity. It really has been a once in a lifetime chance, and it has changed my life. I wouldn't trade it for the world! Just having the chance to go to magic kingdom and see Wishes the other night helped remind me how lucky I really am!

Disneyworld - Day 36

I can barely even believe how many friends I have made already. I thought it was going to be so much harder than it really has been, and I have been having so much fun. 

A few days ago I went to Paradiso 37 with my friend Kelsey from work. We had so much fun. I loved it there, and we got to people watch while we ate the amazing food! 

I also had the chance to go to Magic Kingdom with Kourtney and Lauren, which I talked about in my last post, but I never posted the pictures! So here they are.

 Repunzel's Tower

 Cinderella

 Aroura

 Rapunzel

The Little Mermaid ride

It has been such an amazing week, and I know that there will be many more to come! I had the chance to talk to Kadee, and I miss her! She is so funny it makes my day. 

I definitely will be posting more about my weeks as more things happen. I love this adventure, and I am so happy I am here!

Disneyworld - Day 29

So many amazing things have happened, I can't even believe it. I really feel like I live a dream sometimes. Which I really kind of do. The thing is, a lot of people give me a really hard time about moving away from home. But honestly, I have grown so much more than I ever would have if I stayed. I love being here in Florida. I really do. I had a hard time at first, but I have met some amazing people, and I love the rain here!

Yesterday I went with Lauren and Kourtney to magic kingdom. There is a girl in our ward who is a princess, and so we went to go see her, and it was so neat that we got to see her in character. We also got to see our friend Morgan while we were getting our Dole whip. Which is so good!!! I could eat it every single day of my life. 

I finally got to email kadee back and forth the past two weeks. It has seriously been a huge blessing, because I can't remember a time when we didn't talk for even a day. So it has been so hard to get used to, but it helps that she is LOVING her mission. I am super happy for her. 

Today I am going to go swimming with Lauren and Kourtney. I am so happy that I met both of them. It is interesting, for those of you who don't know, how I met both of these wonderful girls. I met Lauren and Morgan on a Facebook page a little while back. Morgan had messaged me asking if I needed a roommate, and I was so relieved, because I needed one. She told me it would be me, her, Lauren, and a girl named Tessa. Tessa backed out a few months before because she decided to serve a mission instead, and we were so happy for her!! So Morgan, Lauren and I ended up meeting up at the airport, and flew to Orlando together. I am so glad I got to know them, because we have all been close ever since. I met Kourtney through Lauren and Morgan. I went over to their house one night, and she was there. She happend to go to school in Cedar, which is really close to where I live. She knew some of my really good friends, Emily Clark and Elizabeth Harrison, from high school. What a small world! 

I love my life. I really do. I wouldn't trade my experiences for the world. I love doing new things, even if it is really hard at first. I have met people who have really changed my life, and I am so excited for these next three months!

Disneyworld - Day 14

In order to keep track of the days that I was in Disneyworld, I started to number them. I'll talk about more than just my life here at Disneyworld, but it will help me remember later what days of my blog I was in the happiest place on earth! 

Tomorrow is such a big day because my best friend in the entire world leaves to Philadelphia! I am so excited for her to finally be there. I know that she has been so excited, and I can't wait to hear about all the amazing experiences she will have there. I miss her all the time, but I am so happy that she is happy. 

One thing I have realized when it comes to change is that attitude is everything. Though coming here to work seems like a dream come true, it wasn't for me at first. I am pretty sure I called my mom the night I got here begging her to let me come home. I am so glad that she told me to wait it out a couple more weeks before I made that decision. I realized that my experience here completely depends on my attitude, and what I decide to make out of this experience. I will either love it or hate it, and I know that that depends completely on my attitude. Ever since I realized that, I love it here, and I am so happy I decided to do this.

The coolest part about living here is that there is so much to do and explore. How cool is it that I live at Disneyworld?!?!

On that note, I am off to go try and get pictures with some of the characters!

Disneyworld - Day 11

I know, starting at day 11 might not make any sense at all. But I would be lying if I said I had been on top of blogging, because if I was on top of it, It would start with day 1. So, here we are; Day 11.

Disneyworld has been absolutely amazing. Honestly, Florida in general has been amazing. I love it here, and it is green everywhere! 

Wild turkeys, lizards, worms, snails, and so much rain! Definitely not St. George or Rexburg.

The best part about working here is seeing how happy everyone is. I mean, they are in the happiest place on earth, right? The kids here are so excited. I was working in the area with all of the princess stuff, and one little girl ran up to all the dolls, picked each one up and said "Oh my goodness! Mom!!! Look! It's Ariel! It's Belle! It's Cinderella!" It was so precious to see how happy she was. It makes my job that much more fun. Definitely so rewarding. 

I'm having a really hard time with the fact that I am too big to fit into the princess dresses. I see them everyday at work, and I want to cry. It makes me wish I was a little girl again. 

I LOVE MY JOB. I am so lucky that I had this awesome opportunity! 

It's official!

Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios.

Work uniform.

Hot air balloon ride at Downtown Disney.

Rainbow after the downpour at Magic Kingdom!

The pool at my apartment building.

Sister Kadee Elise Taylor

How lucky am I to have people in my life that make saying goodbye so hard?

The one thing I realized most in the past week is how crazy the journey of life really is. In saying that, I also want to point out how amazing it is also. 

This week has been one of the hardest in my life. I have said goodbye to a lot of friends of mine, including my best friend of 8 years. Though I have cried way to much, and tried talking her out of going, I could not be more proud of her. She has always been such an inspiration to me. I know that she will change and bless the lives of so many in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The good news is, I know that she will be my best friend forever. I know that everyone says that, but I really know we will be. I am pretty sure we begged Heavenly Father to let us be friends here on earth. I know that I wouldn't have made it as far as I have without her. 

What I am excited for is our letters and emails. I know that they will be so full of the spirit, and it will continuously draw us closer not only to each other, but to our Savior as well.

What a journey life is, and what a blessing. 

I am so blessed and full of thanks to have Kadee in my life.