It's Official..almost

Last week I began the early stages of an amazing, yet daunting journey. My Mission papers. On Monday I met with the bishop and he gave me all the paperwork, all 23 pages of them, eek. This is why I decided to start them so early, since I work so much and there is so much I still have to do it will probably take me quite some time. I cannot submit my paperwork until June 28th, so that should give me plenty of time to get the paperwork done, go to all four doctors appointments, get all the clearances, get my wisdom teeth out... :/, and so on and so on. As soon as I had those papers in my hands I knew that this is exactly what I am supposed to be doing. For the last year I have bounced back and forth, never really coming to a conclusion, but now I am firm in my decision and am so excited and wish I were able to leave sooner! Unfortunately, I don't turn 21 until September 28th so I have another 6 months until I can leave. Fortunately, this gives me enough time, hopefully, to raise all of the money for it on my own, spend time with my family and try and leave them with an understanding of my motives and gain their support, and party it up with my friends who I will terribly miss for the one point five years that I am serving. Anonther big deal is that I am moving home to live with my dad in Avondale as soon as school gets out so that I can save money. I will still be driving to Tempe pretty much daily to work and for church on sunday but I will be trying to spend as much time with them as possible before I leave.

My biggest fear about the mission is that I will get so caught up in being this perfect Mormon that I will lose myself in the work, in a negative way. Some of the sister missionaries I have met seem so...fake? lacking personality? void of fun? constant companions with the little white handbook? I don't know about you but I don't think you need to be boring to be a good teacher or to share what you know. I hope as a missionary I will be fun and full of energy and life. I don't want to become a boring version of myself. I think the elders are pretty good at staying fun on their missions..at least the ones who taught me the lessons were good at being a blast and a half


(their instructions were: Look as if Jesus were ascending from the heavens)



See! Missionaries can be themselves and be fun and people still get baptized! haha :)

The Current Trend

Today's "Everyday Shakespeare" Calendar Quote

"I say, we will have no more marriages. Those that are married already, all but one, shall live. The rest shall keep as they are." -Hamlet

Translation

"I hereby declare we will have no more marriage. Whosoever is already married (except one person I know) will stay married. Everyone else will have to stay single"

My Thoughts

It seems like everyone and their mom is getting married..or maybe everyone and MY mom, haha, she's engaged but doesn't have a date..long story whatever. Anyways, it seems like every sunday someone, or sometimes two couples stand up to announce their engagement. I have a plethora of wedding announcements hanging in my kitchen and am so excited to go to the receptions and party it up and celebrate their awesomeness as a newly married couple. I just thought this quote was really funny, especially since everyone is getting married. What if President Obama had a press conference and said this? How bizarre would that be? Thank goodness that would never happen, and that even if it did I am sure our church would find ways to allow its members to marry since it is so pivotal to our growth and becoming more like God. It seems like the topic of marriage is always buzzing around me, from friends, roommates, Brother Hofeling, etc. Last week I told Bro. Hofeling about my decision to serve a mission and he is still set on me getting married this summer, which seems so funny to me! 1. I don't date, which is not a problem or a complaint, I don't have time for a boyfriend or dating. 2. How am I supposed to be married in the next 6 months if I don't even have any potentials? Brother Hofeling is convinced that I am surrounded by potential husbands, anytime I mention a boy doing something nice for me, even if its just a hug when passing, Bro. Hofe usually says, "Oh maybe he is the EC! Want me to talk to him?" I love Bro. Hofe but goodness gracious, he can be so ridiculous sometimes. I will love being married one day, when the time is right for me and when Heavenly Father thinks I am ready and sends me someone who is perfect in everyway to spend eternity with me. But, for now I am 100% content living the single life and am even more excited to serve my mission!

Tithing

I am a firm believer in the power in paying a full tithe. There have been several times in my adult life, since leaving home, when I couldn't afford to get all of my bills paid and then at the last moment I received just enough money to pay my bills randomly. Although in this instance I wasn't about to miss a bill payment, I was just stressed by the amount of debt I have acquired since losing my scholarship. Recently I had been praying for help financially, for a way out of this debt so I can begin saving, and last week my prayer was answered. My dad called me up and said that he had filed my taxes for me, and although I had paid almost 3,000 in taxes this year he regretted to inform me that I was only going to be getting 300 dollars back for my refund. I wasn't too upset, it's better than nothing, I was just hoping it'd be a lot more. My dad then said that he had gotten a lot back and was going to give me 700 so that my total refund would be 1,000! This might be something normal for some, but for me it was VERY unexpected. My parents haven't given me money since I was 16, so this was definitely a blessing for my faithful tithe paying. Then on the same day I took my mother to the temple visitor's center (which was amazing, ask me in person if you want to know why) and after leaving and going to get lunch my mom gave me 200 to help with bills! This money was exactly what I needed to pay off my credit card in full :) So, all that was left to pay off was my tuition for this semester. Yesterday I got a pretty awesome paycheck and was able to pay for all of my tuition except 100, so I am almost debt free!!! YAY!

Once all of my debt is paid I can finally start saving money again. Right now I only have like 150 in savings, which is the smallest amount thats ever been in there and it makes me so sad. In an attempt to motivate myself to save more and spend less I made this chart to hang in my room. It is pretty overwhelming right now but I really want to save money just so I can pull out the red marker and color in more.




Isn't that little sliver of red oh so depressing? haha. And yes, I think I have finally come to a decision on my plans for next fall: full-time mission :) I turn 21 in september so I can turn in my papers in june I think. Just about everyday Bro. Hofeling says I could be married by then, since I think he would rather see me married than on a mission, but I just laugh and tell him that this is what I want. I can't wait to go! On the huge blank part on the right side of my chart I want to put scriptures that talk about blessings and sacrifice and missionary work, just so I can have the right perspective about all of this. If you know of any good ones please let me know!!

test your awareness

We watched this is my human development class today and I found it very insightful/hilarious. I laughed ultra hard. enjoy.

Thanks Mommy

Every year my mommy gives me a Valentine's Day gift, and let me just say that my mom is the best gift giver in the history of gift giving. It's not because she buys super fantastically expensive gifts but because she puts her heart into them. My mom has a huge heart and is full of charity, and is a great example to me! Anyways, this year I received a goody bag full of amazingness. Most of it contained things I need on a daily basis, and most of them were things I had run out of this week and needed to go purchase, such as shave gel, toothpaste, deodorant, etc. There were also some fun things, such as the "grow a boyfriend" who was said to expand 600% within 2 days! false doctrine, according to my mother he is just like a real boyfriend: good for nothing, haha, love her. My favorite part of my care package was actually a regift, something that was given to my mother that she didn't care for so I have been blessed with the regift. It is a day by day calendar, you know like the kind where you tear off the day as time passes, you know those kind. This one was made by Sparknotes and has a different Shakespeare quote and a translation of the quote for everyday. Some are boring when taken out of context, but some are way funny, so I have decided that when I come across a quote that I like I will try and share it on here and share my thoughts. Today is the perfect day to begin.

Original: "I would it were otherwise. I would my means were greater and my waist slender."

Translation: "I wish it were the other way around: that my bank account were huge and my waist were thin"

Thoughts: True Story. I feel like this quote isn't exactly what I am experiencing, but relatable to my own situation. I have never wanted too much of an excess, I just want to be able to survive and have a good chunk of money in my savings account, which I had been able to do the last few years. This year, however, things have changed. This past year I lost my scholarship at ASU that completely covered tuition, and not because my grades were below par but because my parents made too much money. This really upset me because my parents do not support me financially, at all, but what can ya do? So this year I have been working my tail off to live on my own in Tempe, pay tuition without taking out loans and without any financial aid, and working around 40 hours a week at in n out. So, needless to say, my means are not great. I have acquired some debt, but not so much that I won't have it paid off by the end of the semester, but just the same, it feels like such a burden to have a large amount of debt for the first time and rather frightens me. I am hoping that I can find some scholarships/grants before next year so I can pull myself out of debt and get my savings built back up.
The part about the slimmer waist applies of course, I think everyone always has the desire to be more fit and in shape regardless of their current condition. I don't feel like I NEED to slim down, and feel pretty comfortable with my image, BUT I definitely miss running. In the last year I found a love for running and a couple nights a week I would run from my apartment down tempe town lake and back and felt such a huge stress relief from that. But, now that I work from 5 pm to 2 am most week nights I can't find the time to run since I have class during the day. Another obstacle is that I would usually run at night, I always carried pepper spray and ran where it was well-lit and felt safe, but a month or so ago someone was stabbed to death on my running route, therefore I have chosen not to run by my apartment anymore. You may suggest that I just go to the SRC and run on the treadmill, but it could never replace the feeling of running outdoors, the chill in the air tickling my skin (depending on the season that tickling sensation might just be sweat), the glitter of tempe down lake in my view, watching the world pass by as I project my body in a forward motion. mmmm. If only I had some big strong man to run with me for protection, or a big dog with sharp teeth.

A Mystery Unfolds

Picture this. I return to my wonderfully noisy apartment at approximately midnight-thirty on saturday night, Saint Valentine's Day, after a night of laughing until my sides were sore with the Hofeling family. I am in the living room exchanging tales of the night's excursions with my roommates when we hear several quick, yet loud, raps at our door, followed by the sound of heavy footfalls upon our stairs. I remained in my seat, slightly fearful of whoever is pounding on my door so late and so unexpected. Addison opened the door, then without explanation, "Madison..come here". I slowly get up from my seat and make my way to the door, wondering what on Earth could be going on. Before my eyes is quite the surprising sight. Scattered on the cement are several colored construction paper hearts, a bundle of tulips, a package of cookies with balloons attached to them that have "Happy Valentine's Day Madison" "From Mr. Valentine" written in marker on them. My first reaction: Ashley and Katie have done this because they pity my single status on this blessed day for couples, yet they seemed just as shocked as I, and Ashley was actually rather upset that the perpetrator had not informed her of the upcoming deed. Next Reaction: Some guy friend of mine must have wanted to make me feel special, which was definitely accomplished, I am still all smiles after this unique treatment. My friends are trying to convince me that I must have a secret admirer, but I am going to assume it was just a friend being kind until this "secret admirer" reveals himself.






This week I will be studying samples of handwriting from all eligible priesthood holders I come into contact with and will be sure to post my findings. The evidence thus far, proving that our culprit is of the male species are as follows:

Handwriting: would have been prettier and curly if by a girl trying to send a romantic message. Handwriting also contains random capitalized letters, and it is well-known that a female would not subject herself to such grammar mistakes.

Cookies: Store-bought, any female would have home made them, no offense boys, the store bought ones taste just fine, but we females like to add our love into that cookie dough before we bake it and serve it to you. Also, the price tag was left on the bottom of the cookies, a female would not have missed this detail.

A substantial reward will be presented to any with information about the perpetrator's secret identity.

EFY?

Wow, haven't posted in like a month! Sorry! I have been extremely busy working the usual 35 hours a week..trying to not prorastinate this semester in school..and actually having fun and enjoying my life when I can find the time. One exciting thing I have experienced was my interview last week to be an EFY counselor over the summer! I want to get hired pretty badly since I never had the opportunity to attend an EFY, I was 18 when I was baptized..I should have gotten baptized sooner! The interview was a group interview, so there was about ten of us and one person who asked all of us questions. First we all introduced ourselves and then she said she was going to give us about 2 minutes to just discuss what a "climate of revelation" was. I had absolutely no idea what that was and had never heard that term before. The other girls started talking about having a good environment for the youth at EFY so that they can receive personal revelation there, so I started to figure out what the phrase was generally about, so I said that I thought it was even more important for us to teach them how to prepare themselves to receive and understand personal revelation, so that they can receive it no matter where they are. Then we each drew a scrip. out of an envelope and teach a 2 minute lesson on it, I drew Helaman 5:12, and I totally nailed the teaching part. Then she asked individual questions to each of us, my question was to tell about an experience where you had to make a difficult decision, and the whole group laughed because they all knew I was a convert. So, I went with the obvious and talked about how I joined the church even though I didn't really want to be a Mormon, I just knew it was what God wanted for me, and how I had to do it with very little support. I think the interview went really well! I feel like the interviewer really liked me :) Hopefully I will get hired, we shall see in 6-8 weeks!