My 23rd Year

In honor of my birthday next week (yes, don't forget -- it's an annual event!), I've decided to post about 23 things that I did in my 23rd year of life.  Don't get all confused on me; I'm turning 23 next week.  But anyone who's smart enough realizes that my 23rd year was during the time that I called myself 22.  These aren't in chronological order (or chromatic order... since I often get those two words mixed up, it seems), but it's a lot of what I was up to this past year!

1. Served in Mansilingan (Bacolod City), Silay City, and in Victorias City on my mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In Mansilingan (right before I got transferred) with Jossa (waiting for baptismal interview), Louthea (waiting for baptismal interview), and Cleah.

In Silay, duh! :)

Me, Joy (ward missionary who saved our lives with her service), and Sister Lara in Victorias in a very typical sugar cane field!  You can see a volcano in the background.

2. Hiked Mt. Timpanogos, and thus crossed it off my bucket list.

Blood, sweat, tears, and very little sleep let me sign that list, baby! :)
...okay, there were no tears.  But I did get a couple of huge welts/bruises on my shins from a mis-step that I took where I slammed into a log.  Yeah, I'm a bit clumsy sometimes.

I'd do it again [if I could teleport], just because the view was SO beautiful!!  I loved seeing the sunrise up there (also on my bucket list)!

 3. Went golfing at a golfing range -- first time!

Zone activity when I was assigned in Silay.

4. Celebrated National Grilled Cheese Day (April 12th, obviously).  Any Pillsbury.com member knows that because he/she gets his/her free calendar with cool information like that. :)

At my apartment in Victorias.

 5. Wore a yellow Helping Hands vest!  On my bucket list!

National Day of Service when I was assigned in Victorias.  We planted trees.

 6. Rode a train cross-country.

Almost home after the 22 hour ride! I'm with Miranda on our way home from the Church History Summer Study.

 7. Celebrated independence in style.

Provo Freedom Festival Parade! Jennifer, me, Luke, Rebecca, Emily with Jared, Jon

8. Made it to downtown Boston!!  Also on my bucket list.

First stop on our Church History Summer Study.  I think I fell in love with this city!

9. Pretended to be a cast member of the Hill Cumorah Pageant.

Our group (minus professor) after watching the pageant the first time when we got let "back stage" to help clean up.
L to R: Miranda (on ground), Katie, Heidi P., Stephen, Christina, Maria, Melissa, Emma, Andrea (on ground), me

10. Visited the Sacred Grove (on my bucket list).

Bro and Sis Bennett in back; Front: me, Heidi P., Katie, and Miranda

11. Met my new nephews and niece that were born while I was away:

Ethan, Mom, Jennifer, Michelle, Aidan and I went one day to a little pond to try fishing.

Spencer, Mason, Whitney, and me after my homecoming talk festivities.

Jared and me

Benjamin and me

Laura and me
She wore her outfit just for me! :)

12. Dressed the women in my family in dusters!

Wearing our traditional lazy-day/old woman attire for Philippines: Tanya, Rebecca, Emily, me, Jennifer, Whitney, Mom

13. Ate a litchon pig...that means it was slow roasted rotisserie style.

Me, Sister Rayos, and Sister Alvarado with our departure feast at the mission home.

14. Celebrated my 22nd birthday!

Sister Libria and I with the cake my nice house-mates got me for the big day!

15. Bought Taho from a guy on the street!  It's soy bean curd with a sweet sauce and ball-ish textured sagu.  Basta, kanamit siya.

As he dishes out the sweet sauce to pour on top.

I'm ready to eat my treat!  You can see the two canisters that he slings over his shoulder as he walks downs the streets yelling, "TA-HO!!!"

 16. Stopped over in Japan!

Just the airport, but I did save a cool souvenir of a Japanese receipt from McDonald's.

17. Got proposed to at the Manila Temple.

What should I reply to Sister Tamang?!

18. Said goodbye to some of my favorite people in the world.

Sister Lopez, me, and President Lopez on my last night at the mission home.

In the Manila Temple waiting area where we got to meet up with my first Mission President and wife.
L to R: E. Medalla, E. Gravoso, E. Palafox, E. Valera, E. Esteves, E. Saldino, S. Tamang, me, S. Tobias, Pres (now Elder, as he's in the 70) Tobias, E. Trinidad (former missionary in our mission)

19. From Sept 3 to the end of my mission (in May), I had 14 different companions.  That's not including exchanges, of which I also had many.  Yeah, kinda crazy.

An explanation: These pictures aren't in order of them being my companion, and the * with the name means it's a short-term companion -- not yet set apart as a missionary.  Also, some are pictured more than once, but every sister missionary you see in these pictures was at one time (in my 23rd year) my official missionary companion.

Sister Bendoy with our Filipino spaghetti feast.

Sister Arabe and I after a Zone Leaders' Training.

Sister Guanzon* and I in Silay.

Sister Clarin* and I at Alma's baptism.  With her kids "Happy", Justin, and "Inday."

Sister Lara and Sister Aquino after a Mission President's Special Training in Victorias.

Me, Sister Sanders, and Sister Canimo

Sister Palai in our Silay apartment.

Sister Lara, me, and Sister Libria.  This day I gained a second (kind of third, since I had Sister Canimo for a week) daughter --S. Lara-- and a granddaughter!

Sister Torino* and I at District Meeting in Silay.

Sister Bayadog* and I on transfer day.  I'm leaving Silay after 6 months!

Sister Carbaquil* and I in Silay.

Sister Sanders, me, and Sister King on P-day in Bacolod.  Yes, we were quite a sight with all 3 of us being American!

20. Was in 17 different states: Washington (lay over), Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina (lay over), Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Colorado (train ride through).  Not bad considering I was not even in the country but for 4 months of my 23rd year!

21. Was welcomed home in splendid fashion!

At the SLC Airport when I got off the plane: Mom, Jennifer, Jared with Emily, Luke, Eric with Benjamin, me, Rebecca, and Tanya

The sign on my house when we drove up!  (Ignore the fact that the Philippines flag is upside down. :D)

22. Moved back to a singles' ward, and even went to a ward camp-out to be all social and stuff! :)

Kimber and I as we wait for the breakfast to get cooked.

Nick and Caleb cooking breakfast.

Various ward members surround the fire roasting their dinners.

23. Celebrated a white Christmas (on a rainy day), but not once in my 23rd year did I see snow!  Hooray! :)

Mario's baptism on Christmas Day 2012
L to R: E. Chin, S. Chin, S. Liza Gargallano, Mario, S. Bendoy, me

Loren's baptism on Christmas Day 2012
L to R: E. Chin, S. Chin, Loren, S. Bendoy, me

So there you have it!  What have you done this past year?

Let's Take a Walk

Walking is one of my favorite activities.  Yes, I really do enjoy the convenience of having a car to drive, but walking is just such a wonderful time to ponder.  Indeed, I mentally composed this post while I was walking.

Walking home from campus is the way that I unload.  If I had a bad day, I get the 10-or-so minutes to convince myself to be in a good mood.  If I had a good day, I take the time that I'm walking to mentally calculate all of the blessings and happy times from the day.  Plus, it's one of my favorite routes in all of Provo.  I mean, have you seen 100 East between 800 North and 700 North?  There's a definite tree tunnel there that beats all.  Have you ever enjoyed the experience of casually greeting a passer-by on the ramp at the south side of campus, only to pass on/receive a huge smile?  What could be better than brightening someone's day like that?

When I take walks with other people, I get to know them better.  Walking is so conducive to conversation that I almost can't help but getting to know a walking partner better.  Often on a Sunday or a slower day, I've taken walks with my roommates or friends [insert the additional romantical friend here-- if I had one :-P] and just really enjoyed the conversation.  There seems to be a depth in conversations that can't/don't happen in a car.  While walking, I can look around and not have to worry so much about what the car in front of me is doing or about what color the light is down the street.  If you will, it means that I can actually smell the roses.

Walking is a gentle form of exercise, and therefore it must give me some form of endorphin (I'm too lazy right now to search an actual scientific study on this one, but I'd believe it if I saw it).  This activity is just a great thing in almost any weather; just think -- dawdling in the rain, slushing through the snow, basking in the warm summer heat -- all are fantastic [when one is in the mood to enjoy such variants in seasons].

Also, it's symbolic!  Lest I forget to mention my religion in this post, being LDS gives me a perspective about life and the entire picture of the journey that we're all on.  I do declare that my excitement for walking home each day could be related to the walk I'm currently on in life and my excitement for returning home to my Heavenly Father.  There are ups and downs in the walk.  There are different seasons, and I do the walk through different circumstances (like at different times of day).  Sometimes I find that I have on the perfect shoes, and other days I wonder what it was that made me choose the shoes that kill.  Furthermore, sometimes the walk feels as if it's over in the blink of an eye, and other days it seems to take forever.  But in the end, it's always worth it.  This is life.  It is not always easy, and I don't always make the best choices, but as long as I keep my eye on home and do my part to stay/return to the correct pathway home, I know it will be worth it.

I find that as I ponder during my walks, I often grow closer to my Father in Heaven.  For that and many other reasons, I wouldn't change my daily walk home for anything in the world.  So the next time you're on a walk (whether it be home from campus or just from one room in the house to the next), remember to put on a big smile!  Set some goals while you walk, and talk to our Heavenly Father.  I've certainly found joy in this myself!  Walking is a gift from God, and I am excited to begin again the daily walk home from campus once school starts next week!

Alma 41:8  Now, the decrees of God are unalterable; therefore, the way is prepared that whosoever will may walk therein and be saved.

Alma 7:22  And now my beloved brethren, I have said these things unto you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy order of God, after which ye have been received.

Anticipating...

You know a girl's excited when she writes all the BYU football games down in pen in her new planner.

Now, to find a work sub for those silly Friday night games.... Anyone available to work for me on Sept 27th, Oct 4th, or Oct 27th?  Haha, but seriously...

I've now purchased my ROC pass (strangest name for an All Sports Pass if I've ever heard one) and am in possession of my official game day t-shirt.  I clearly have my priorities straight.

August can't go quickly enough; after all, it's been 1.5 seasons since I've last been able to cheer on my Cougars!

Another day in the books

"Who could ask for anything more?"

My friend Dionna Danae Bushman is engaged and I'm stoked for her (we clearly go way back),

I had chocolate chip cookies on National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day (thanks, Kimber Haner!),
I got lots of pictures finally downloaded to my computer (remember how I promised mission pictures eventually?),

everyone in my apartment is finally together again (at least for today), I'm back in my ward and church was fabulous, I loved all that I learned today, Emily taught me how to make delicious rolls, I saw my niece who turned giant while I was gone for a month, I saw Robert and Hannah Hyer -- only two of my favorite people in the world (plus their baby who looks awfully cute for still being inside Hannah), I UNPACKED, I heard one of my best friend's recent love stories, I wrote some people some nice notes and got a couple in return, and tonight I'm going to sleep in my very own bed.  Also, my brother and sister-in-law have a new adoption profile up!

What a wonderful day!