Happy 100th and Goodbye!

So I've been putting off my final blog for awhile because I wanted to have some epic last words before I left seeing as how this is my 100th post...but time got away from me and now you're stuck getting whatever nonsense is left in my head after days of shopping and hours of packing. So it goes. Hahaha. I think I'm funny sometimes. Or maybe that's the caffeine talking.

Anyways, I wish I could sit and write down all the diverse ways different people have helped (or in some cases hindered :-) me get to this point in my life. But of all the things that prompted me to serve a mission, perhaps the biggest factor was how grateful I am for all the ways my life has been blessed by friends and family. I would be nowhere today without them, and the reason I have them in my life is because the Lord, for some crazy reason, saw fit to bless me with them. I am inspired by their examples of selfless love and service, and I want them to know that they have helped me gain this testimony.

I know now, more than ever before, that I am a child of my Heavenly Father who loves me. I know that Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and that through him we can be redeemed and brought back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. His love manifests itself daily to me through the kind actions of others, and I feel its' sustaining power constantly. He is the Christ, and every one of us needs Him. I know the Book of Mormon is the true word of God that testifies of our Savior and brings us closer to Him as we study it. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God who restored the gospel to this earth. I also know that the priesthood is the true power of the Lord, and I have witnessed that power countless times. Thomas S. Monson is a true and living prophet today who leads and guides this church. I don't think these things are true, I don't just hope they are true, I know they are true. I am so grateful for this knowledge, and I cannot wait to go out and share my testimony of it with the people of the Dominican Republic. So farewell for 18 months!

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Of the Day

Random pet peeve of the day: Pedestrians who walk as slow as humanly possible in a crosswalk when a car is clearly waiting for them to get out of the way. I mean really? Really!? Just because you're in a crosswalk and have the right of way, doesn't give you license to take an eternity. I will never get those precious minutes of my life back.

Random thing of the day I'm going to miss: Drinking ice cold dr. pepper. In general I'm not a big fan of soda and I am fully aware that its likely rotting my insides with every sip, but few things in life make me feel better than dr. pepper. My dad informed me today that he's so relieved to find out I am not immune to all weaknesses of the flesh. Haha oh what my dad doesn't know can't hurt him.

Random flaw of the day I can't stand: Not being able to stop doing something that is absolutely no good for me. I've never been really addicted to anything before, so I always misunderstood people who had addictions. But I get it now. And it sucks. Karma always has a way of catching up with you huh?

Gum On Your Shoe

This is going to be another one of those pointless posts, just to give you fair warning...

Lately I feel as though all original thought has ceased to exist in my poor abused little brain. I'm starting to wonder if it's even still working up there. The same stupid things keep pestering my conscience and I am starting to wish that there was a hibernate button for my head. I'm leaving in approximately 13 days and I think it's finally starting to sink in because I find myself musing over all the things and people I'll have to live without for the next 18 months. The *things* are fairly insignificant and I know those will all be here when I get back, but the people are a little bit harder. All my life, I have found that I attach myself to people. Once I find friends that I like, I stick to them like gum on a shoe. I'm annoying and uncomfortable, sometimes hurting your foot when you walk really fast and feel that small lump on the sole, and you can't really get rid of me unless you scrape me off with a razor blade. However, now that I'm leaving everything I know, I find that I'm a little scared. Not enough to stop me, because this mission is like a force of nature, it IS happening. But the idea that people I care about will be moving on and away makes me really sad. I can't stick to them if I'm not here. The problem is I keep focusing on what I'm leaving instead of what I'm going to. I just have to keep reminding myself that I'm going on to meet new people, climb greater heights, and do a whole lot more of good. So forward and onward, no more glancing back.