It's back. It's new. It's under construction.

When I came home from my mission, approx. four months ago, there were several people who asked if I would be updating my blog again. I didn't want to at first, but have quickly realized that it is really hard to find time to journal and need to document my life in some way, shape or form.

You might be curious about the title, THE LIST BOOK, I don't really fancy it but allow me to explain my plan and perhaps someone can come up with a better title.

All throughout my mission, from my very first transfer until the day that I went home, I carried a small book with me everywhere that I went. It became known as the list book. Why? Because I filled it with lists. Why lists? Because I had very little personal time as a missionary and the list is quick, simple and can be updated as I continue through life. Along with my lists I had random quotes, pictures, reminders, and basically anything else I wanted was in that book. I love that book. So, instead of carrying a book with me, I am just going to put all of my lists, and any other randomness onto my blog. I hope that it entertains.

In honor of my new list book...I am going to make a list of alllll of the lists that are found, in order, in my little red list book from my mission. Perhaps if someone would like for me to expand on what that list entails then I will accept your request and take it under consideration.

1. Husband Qualifications
2. Husband Brownie Points
3. Things I Want to Learn
4. Habits to Bring Home from my Mission
5. My Gifts/Talents
6. Places that I want to Go
7. People to Visit after my Mission
8. Favorite Things
9. When you Train, Remember...
10. Advice from "Dying Missionaries"
*note: dying missionaries are not physically dying, it is a slang term for missionaries who complete their missionary service and are returning home

11. Bucket List
12. Things I Have Learned on my Mission
13. Songs to Look Up
14. Books to Read
15. Things to Watch on the Celestial Big Screen (Moments I would like to re-live, or didn't experience and would like to see)
16. People to Refer to the Missionaries
17. You Tube Videos to See
18. Food I Need to Learn How to Cook
19. Girls' Names
20. Boys' Names
21. Movies to Watch
22. Things to Do with my Kids (When I have them, later later)
23. Things to Do when I am a "normal member" of the church, and not a missionary
24. Favorite Ensign Articles
25. Things to Do for Myself When I am a Mom
26. Things to Do with Hermana Christiensen after the Mission (I wonder who wrote that one in there....)
27. Dr. Lang Proverbs
28. Missionaries to Send Letters to after I go Home
29. Marquees

And, Last of all, is my list that was tucked away at the very back of the book, hidden from anyone who I let read it...

30. The List that Must Not be Named

Or, the Trunky List. A list of allllll of the things that I wanted to do once I returned home from the mission. I know, it's bad, but I didn't start that one until the end of my mission when people started asking me what I would do and I realized that I had no idea. Surprisingly, I have done almost all of the things on that list in the last four months, high five.

TOMORROW!

Tomorrow I will be reporting to the MTC in Provo Utah at 1:30pm. My flight, however, leaves at 6:20 am, so I will not be sleeping tonight ;). I will be set apart as a missionary at 7:00 pm tonight. I am so excited to be a missionary!! WOO!! I have the biggest excitement/anxious butterflies in my stomach. If you would like to hear about how I am doing on my mission, my weekly e-mails will be posted by my good friend Sarah on http://www.madisoninthemission.blogspot.com

Adios!
Hermana Taets

10 days

Good news! I am less ohmyheck-why-can't-I-find-long-skirts stressed and more itchin-to-put-on-that-nametag-and-baptize-the-world excited! The only thing that is really concerning me is the mound of clothes, books, nylons, etc. on my bedroom floor that seems to exceed the maximum capticity of my luggage :/ oh boy. I finally bought a backpack!!! YAY! I love it too! It was only like 10 bucks at Wally World, it is grayblackpurple and had a hole for an "insulated bladder", which I also bought for 20 bucks. SO my super hydration/scripture-carrier device has been purchased, and I love it already. Rebecca, I also took your advice and bought a grip of nylons Walmart as well, and let me just say.... me and nylon are going to hate each other for the next year point five. I don't see the point for their existence and they will be the first thing I burn once my mission is over. Although I still could not find anyyyyy long skirts while shopping practically every dadgum day, I expressed this, among other concerns, to Bro. Calton last week and he had his wife sew me a long skirt! I LOVE it! It is Loooooong and gray and has cute little pockets in the front and I wish I had 4 more in different colors because I know it will be mi falda favorita. I think I said "my favorite skirt". I am almost done shopping for the mission! I just need the basics in order to have good hygiene and then I will pack and woooo done! Weeelll not quite. Still have a million people to bid farewell to, finish some family history temple work,overnight camping trip with Addie, play golf with poppa, line dancing saturday?, speak in church, party with familia y amigos, get set apart. Ha ha. At least all of these things will be fun! I seriously have something going on everyday this week, and not to mention work every day!

Well to sum up everything... I love my life! I am so excited that in only 10 days I will be a full-time missionary and will have the opportunity to serve my Father in Heaven's children and to invite them to learn the things that I know to be true, without a doubt. I can't wait to become a better version of me, to be charitable, kind, meek, reverent, organized, goal oriented, loving, bold. Hopefully I can gain access to at least one of those attributes within 18 months.

WOO HOO! Cinco Alto!
Hermana Taets

18

Only 18 days until I leave for the MTC! Oh my lanta!!! There are so many thoughts in my head that I can't sleep! Which is why I might as well write them all down while I am awake at 4 am. boo.

1. Are my skirts long enough?! Are they going to send me home because my skirt hemline is an inch above the exact middle of my calf? Am I a bad missionary just because they don't sell long skirts in this desert wasteland?! Let's hope not. At least I have one long skirt, but it's not really a personal favorite. I could never wear it everyday if they MTC people decide that my several-inches-below-the-knee-but-not-quite-mid-calf skirts were just too skimpy for missionary work.

2. Why does my plane ticket departure time not match the departure time located on the airline website? Am I departing at 6:35 or 7:30? Please be 7:30. Heaven knows I am not going to get any sleep the night before. What if I miss my flight? Do I not get to go on my mission? Am I allowed to report but am shunned for tardiness?

3. Do I have enough shots? I keep looking at my immunization record over and over and over. It seems like I have them all...except maybe that booster thing for my HepA. Are they going to make me sit outside until I have been properly vaccinated? Will I look like a terrorist trying to infiltrate the MTC and spread HepA to all of those precious missionaries? Should I be bringing my shot record? Or just the form that came with my call? Do I really just put the dates I received the shots without any magical signatures from an authorized physician? Am I going to look like a loony for not getting any magical signatures?

4. KNEE HIGHS! Why can't I find you? You would think they are a common article of clothing that can be found in most stores. Unless you live in Arizona where all of the universal clothing rules and regulations just melt on the pavement. Blast.

5. Am I supposed to bring my copy of Preach My Gospel? The list says "Do not bring any books not listed above" so technically it should be a no brainer not to bring it, since it is not on the list. But what if it is supposed to be a no brainer to bring your Preach My Gospel on your mission so doy, they don't need to mention it on the super extensive intensive list. "Why is this sister missionary ridiculously unprepared?!" uggghhh.

6. "Backpacks or shoulder bags should be in dark, conservative colors with no apparent logos or insignias." Where on this planet do I find a backpack that doesn't have a logo on it? Blast. Should I just wait to buy one in the MTC? Do I want a normal one or a Camelback? Mmmmm Camelback with its water dispenser conveniently close to my mouth om nom nom. What if water baggie bursts and ruins all of my libro de mormons and scriptural goodness located inside backpack?

7. What can I do for my family before I leave that will help them not be bitter that I can't call them? Should I get one of those tape players dealys so I can send them tapes instead of letters? Can I even fit one of those in my already jam packed suitcase? Would they even use it if I bought them one? Corey says his family enjoyed tapes...for a few months. Too bad my family cares much less about the mission so my success with tape recording rate is significantly lowerrrr.

8. Whyyyyy Cannnnnn't I Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep? Brain, you need to shut off, right now. Ready? GO!

Waiting, not so patiently, for my laundry....

...so I will waste some time with this thinger-ma-jig I stole off of a friend's blog.

I feel: anticapation for a new week filled with excitement and an event everyday. yeehaw.

I want: to get paid. like yesterday.

I love: the temple, and am counting down the days {3} until I can go again.

I miss: living in Tempe :( a lot.

I crave: adventure. which sounds unlike me to the untrained friend. BUT I didn't say my adventures would have to involve danger, because that would be very unlike me.

I heart: my testimony, and how much it has changed my life.

I know: I should be sleeping right now.

I live: to please Him, even though sometimes I don't have a clue what exactly that entails, but I do my best and according to what I know to be true.

I dig: boys in white ;) nothing is more attractive to me than a man who is self-motivated in attending the temple regularly and who will take me there one day. yum.

I adore: everyone. I feel like I have a ginormous support system right now and it is helping me press forward to serve my mission.

I covet: the "perfect" families I am meeting in the family ward, with the beautiful, loving husband and wife with their adorable little babies. It's sick how much I want that.

I believe: scratch that. I KNOW.

I can't: believe I am going on a mission. really. Was that call really addressed to me? Because it feels like I am just leading my normal life and telling people I am serving a mission that doesnt seem to be real.

I struggle: with becoming the kind of person I envision myself being.

I have: a ridiculously dirty car. Service project anyone?

I am: wishing my laundry was finished so I could go to sleeeeeeeeep.

I remember: everything. Including all of the lyrics to a song after hearing it
once. And everyone despises it.

I cherish: life. love. faith.

I hope: for things that I can't see.

I wonder: where I will find some frumpy missionary clothes.

I smell: fabric softener

I think: the sunday school assignment of writing a letter to your spouse (or future
spouse if your name is Madison and you are the only single person in the
Garden Lakes Ward) is going to be an interesting project.

I dream: the weirdest craziness imagineable, and usually narrate my dreams all
throughout the night to anyone willing to listen

I dislike: the smell of my clothes after I get off work. Hence my nickname "the Burger Tease". Reallll Attractive.

I laugh: when I am with Addison. She is the weirdest kid I know. I have never
laughed so much and so hard in my whole life.

I have: too much to do and only 52 days left to do it

I try: to be better.

Abundantly Blessed

I have never felt so blessed or felt like My Father in Heaven is so near and aiding me in every step as I prepare for my mission! Every single day I have witnessed seemingly small miracles from the Lord, and it makes me feel so comforted to know that even though I feel like my family is not always on the supportive side that I have my Heavenly parents' support and that they are helping me to prepare. I know that the Lord is using so many of his servants here on the Earth to help me as well, so many friends, "adopted family", and even my real family, have extended a helping hand to me in the last few months.

1. The Hofeling Family. Most people know that I consider them my "Mormon Family", since I have looked up to Bro. Hofeling as a kind of Mormon father figure since I joined the church and had him as an institute teacher. This family has been such a blessing for me! They have always been willing to help me with anything, usually just answering the million questions about various church related topics and an occasional delicious Sister Hofeling dinner :) I am even more grateful than usual for them for the time they took to prepare me for going to the temple for my endowment. A few days before I went through on Aug. 4th The Hofelings sat down with me and talked about the temple, read scriptures, and answered the questions I had that were okay to discuss outside the temple. Then on Aug. 4th Sister Hofeling was my escort as I went through for my endowment and both of them were on either side of me during my session. They really have been like a second family to me and I know that having them with me for my endowment was a huge comfort to me, since making such a huge step of faith without the support of my real family was somewhat disheartening.

2. The King Family. Corey King is a manager at my work and I met his family after I started baby-sitting their awesome kiddos. They also were there for my endowment and were also a huge blessing of added comfort and support. Lately they have been such a huge help in preparing for my mission! I recently went to their home for a delicious sunday dinner and Corey and I went through his mission stuff and talked about his experiences, and it was so nice to have someone to in a way pass down their knowledge and experiences in serving a full-time mission. I think most missionaries have a parent to coach them as they prepare to serve, and since I obviously don't have that, I feel like the King family has filled that void and has contributed so much to making sure I am a successful missionary. Last week they did the nicest thing ever! I had to fight back the tears while in the backroom at my work when Corey handed me a bag from him and his wife that contained a brand spanking new set of scriptures (beautiful triple combo and bible in maroon with my name on them), a scripture case, and a journal (and exactly the kind I wanted with the 3-ring binder style). I felt so loved and supported and I am just so grateful for them! They even had their kids draw me some pictures! Caleb drew my rocket ship that I told them I fly to their house, eliza drew an abstract piece (aka scribbles, she is only like a year and a half old), travis drew a car, and westley drew a picture of me teaching a cowboy on my mission :). AND since the Kings are moving to Utah in Oct. they have also offered to pick me up from the airport in Salt Lake and take me to the MTC! I am so grateful for them and love them so much!

3. My Mommy. Although she is kind of on the fence concerning my membership in the church, she has been relatively supportive of my decision to serve a mission. When I got my call she said, "Why couldn't you go to Maine? I really want to go there on vacation!" After some careful explaining that she can't come find me during my mission she said, "So...are you happy about Texas?" and I said that of course I was, and she said, "Well, if you are excited than so am I, WOOOOO!" (while jumping up and down). My mom is the best. Even though she doesn't understand why I would want to pay to go get doors slammed in my face for a year and a half she is supportive of me and knows that I am making good choices for myself. Last month she called me, while I was at Marshall's looking at the luggage, and said, "I was just at Last Chance and saw this awesome Swiss luggage set and bought it for you! This guy tried to fight me for them but I got them!" She got me the nicest luggage! And it is all exactly within the requirements of what I can bring on my mission! Then last week my mom, my sister and I went to Last Chance and we all tried on coats together and picked one out to bring on my mission (it is SO nice, long black Calvin Klein winter coat for only 40 bones!). They were so much fun! My mom was trying on snake skin coats and Alli tried on some neon yellow one, and we were all laughing and having fun, while doing something that was related to my mission, which is weird since usually Alli has a really bad attitude about me leaving. While at Last Chance my mom also found me some PERFECT missionary shoes! They are black Kenneth Cole shoes with a legit sole for walking and they aren't ugly! They are actually quite trendy! And they were only 30 bucks! YAY! And to top it all off, when we got to the register, my mom took my stuff from me and said she would buy it as a mission present :) She really is the best, and I know that I chose her to be my mother in the pre-mortal world and that she is the perfect mother for me and that she will always be a great example to me of a mother, regardless of whether she joins the church or not...but hopefully she does.

I am so grateful, and so excited!!! I can't believe how fast time is flying by! I have so much more to do and a whole new wardrobe of frumpy clothes to buy!

adios mi amigos,
Hermana Taets

Llamados a Servir! (Called to Serve)

YEEEE HAWWWWW Texas Houston Mission, Spanish speaking, here I come!!! Well, at least not until October 28th when I report to the MTC! I am so excited! My mission call is perfect! I have never been to Texas so it still feels foreign, ha ha, yet my parents are finally at ease knowing I will be remaining in the country for "that long trip" ha ha. I am so excited, or, estoy muy animado, to learn spanish! No, I do not already know spanish, but I took two years in high school and I remember a lot, plus everyone at work now calls me "Hermana" and speaks spanish to me, so I hope I will pick up the language pretty quickly. For my own sake than for yours, I will now be posting some photos of my future home! haha

BAHAHAHHA This is no joke the first thing that popped up when I googled "Texas"


Houston Temple. BEAUTIFUL. I can't wait to see it in person!



Yes, this is a house in Houston that has been constructed with..beer cans. Don't worry, by the time I leave Houston they will have re-built it with Soda cans!



Okay last one. Don't ask me why, but this one just made me laugh out loud.



Oh Gee, if our President loves Texas than Golly Gee Bob.. SO DO I! He looks ridiculous in that hat, BAAHHHAHAHA.

YAY TEXAS! I AM SO EXCITED!

Bonus Nachos,
Hermana Taets