Shalom!

Holy smokes people. 

The last few days have been BUSY! I'll give you a brief rundown:

Tuesday morning we flew from SLC to NYC. The TSA in SLC decided I had a can of hairspray, which I didn't, but searched my entire carryon. And didn't find anything. Then unpacked my entire carryon. Then dropped one of my earrings, and didn't tell me. Any who, they didn't find hairspray, made me repack my carryon, then in the bathroom I heard a girl say " I can't believe they let me take my entire can of hairspray through security!" Aka they mixed up our bags. So thats really neat. My seat was somehow upgraded to Economy Comfort, so I sat next to the cutest older ladies, who happened to be previous Mission President's Wives. They were so beyond cute, and going to see the World Cup or something with tennis. They asked me for my email and number and are going to set me up with their grandsons. They offered to buy me lunch and give me money, which was so nice but I politely declined and nawed on my nasty granola bar for lunch.

My flight from NYC to Tel Aviv, I again wasn't sitting by students but I got the emergency exit row! I could have literally laid down in front of myself. It was amazing. I slept through almost the entire flight. I sat in-between this cute Israeli couple, who's daughter didn't want to travel with them and upgraded herself to Economy Comfort! Ha!

When we got here late Wednesday night they fed us in the cafeteria and made us go to a bunch of orientations. It was kind of brutal for how tired we were, but we had to do it sometime I guess.

Thursday they took us on an "Orientation walk" in the morning around the Old City. It was really neat to see all the cool little shops and vendors. We walked passed the Garden Tomb, but didn't go inside, yet. We also walked inside the church of the holy sepulcher, which was interesting. I'm excited to be able to go back when we have some free time tomorrow.

Classes started and the class load is fullllll. Old Testament is confusing, but I'm just not a history or geography person so my Ancient Near East class is going to be a nightmare. Luckily for me Brother Ludlow, who I had my sophomore year for Book of Mormon is here, and is teaching that course! So hopefully he will show mercy. We have two locals teaching us also, Bashir Bashir teaches us Israel culture basically and then I'm studying Hebrew (only 20 students got into the Hebrew class the other 62 are in Arabic.)

Last night we went to the Western Wall, which was so amazing. Because men and women worship separately at the wall, a lot of women students were confused because all of our teachers are men. I just went and found our teachers wives and made them educate me :) Which ended in me carrying one of my teachers 5 year old daughters the entire night, because she fell asleep at the wall. I found it so touching how our most sacred places, the temples, we don't allow non-members to worship with us or watch us worship. To Jews, the Western Wall is the most sacred place in their religion. And they freely allow others to worship with them, and watch them pray. I was so moved at their willingness to share.

Today (Sabbath/Saturday) I was called to serve as the Young Women's 1st counselor in the Jerusalem Branch. As students, we aren't in a student branch, we are in the local branch. So I'm serving under a sister who has been living in Jerusalem for over a year, and leaving in October. And in October they asked me to be the acting Young Women's President until they can call someone else, which might be until the end of the semester! So I have to teach these 4 girls (luckily the branch is small) and organize and attend mutual every Tuesday night. So pray that while the other students are studying and I'm taking care of these girls I'll still be able to pass my classes :) I'm so excited to serve these girls though, they are so great! Two of the girls are Brother Ludlow's daughters, and he jokingly came up to me today and said "Hey, I heard you're in the Young Women's Presidency. Please don't corrupt my daughters!" haha.

After our church services, a group of students and I walked to the Garden of Gethsemane. It was so surreal to be in a place that I knew so much about. Something I noticed, however, was that the Spirit didn't feel different for me there by being in that location. I have felt the Spirit just as strong testify of the Atonement, as I did being in the location where part of it occurred. It's nice to know you don't have to travel to these places to gain a testimony of the reality of our Saviors sacrifice for us.

Lastly, this week I was asked to serve as a "Bus Doctor" this semester. We have a doctor that lives in the Center with us, but due to some restrictions placed on him, when we go on field trips he can't come. So we have two buses, and on each bus they assign "doctors." We are given packs full of medication (even antibiotics!), materials for wounds, all that stuff, so that if someone gets hurt we are to take care of them. They looked at our prior experience and called us! The other girl is an EMT haha. I was like "well, I have like clipped a bunch of toenails, and like watched toes get amputated." I guess that makes me qualified?

The food is great here. The people are so fun. I am getting along with everyone pretty well. To the Melvilles that went on the trip to Israel and Egypt: I am convinced that one of my classmates is a descendant of the Ross family. Because I'm getting so annoyed with him that I'm about to start praying he can't come on activities with us. Special.

I love you all! I can text, but only through iMessage, which is limited to when I have wifi. And wifi is only on the first 3/8 floors. So I love love love getting texts, but it probably won't be responded to for a while, because the time difference is nine hours and wifi is weird.

Ill write you within the next week.

KT

Some photo references: Guess who found a diet coke. And it was 5 Shekels. And so so worth it.

I had this dreamy photo taken and then couldn't get off the wall, so this guy had to help me off and I thought i was just really funny. So here is the photo sequence of that. 

Also enjoy how cute my outfits are these days........ mmmhmmm.. Shout out to Grandma Renee for letting me borrow her pants for my time here in the Holy Land. All my pants are from her.   

Mission Calls and Temple Trips

On October 6, 2012 President Monson answered my many (many!) prayers.
On October 7, 2012 I met with my bishop and started my mission papers
On October 10, 2012 I had my second meeting with my bishop and completed my papers
On October 11, 2012 I met with the stake pres. my mission papers were sent to church headquarters.
On October 24, 2012 I finally, FINALLY received my mission call.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

Reporting December 19, 2012

(8 weeks from the day of mission call arrival)

I am so excited to serve my Heavenly Father! I've been preparing my whole life, I just didn't know it! Now that it's finally show time, I can hardly wait! 

November 9th I was able to receive my temple endowments in the Bountiful Temple.

To learn more about temples click here

Every day that passes I become more and more grateful for my knowledge of the restored gospel. The Spirit I felt inside the temple, and the feelings I took with me remind me how much my Heavenly Father loves me. I just can't comprehend living my life without knowing that. I am so grateful to serve in Pennsylvania. Once I leave the MTC I can get right to work. I won't have to adjust to a new language or a new culture, I can get started teaching the gospel and that is exactly what I want to do. Since I've received my mission call my life has already taken a turn for the better. I can only imagine how I will feel spending all my time serving the Lord. Get ready Pittsburgh, IM READY!

Accessibility Week

This week on campus is Accessibility Week. Mind you, I didn't notice until today. Wednesday. Mid-week. I am horrible. Anywho, I was walking through the Wilk, heading to my first class and the Accessibility booth was set up. "Want to participate in a challenge?" Umm, don't ask me that lady, I ALWAYS want to participate in a challenge. "Only if you're okay with me winning" I respond. Jokes on me, there is no winner. I was told to pick a handicap to "live with" for two hours and I would get a free shirt. SCORE! So after I examined my options I saw a wheelchair. During the time my mom was in rehab, I developed mad wheelchair racing skills. Tanner, Riley and I would wheelie down halls, race, shove each other into random rooms, practice cutting corners. My technique is fantastic. "I pick the wheelchair" Never in a million years did I know what I was getting into.

I've been having a hard time finding words to describe my experience. I guess the best word would be humbled. I was completely humbled. Campus is a lot bigger in a wheelchair. The ramps are so steep I found them almost useless. Because the pavement is uneven, my wheelchair kept turning, making it so my strides couldn't be as long because I had to yank my wheel to get going straight again. After making it to one class I was spent. Leaving my Book of Mormon class I think my frustration showed on my face because a cute random girl came up to me and said "Where are you headed? Can I give you a push?" I said "I would love that so much. I'm headed to the JSB" (almost the very end of campus) The girl responded with a "Great that's right where I am headed!" comment, and off we went.Without making me feel like a charity case, she pushed me into the building, told me to have a great day and walked back out of the building. She was not heading to the JSB. Actually, I watched her leave and she ran back the other direction. She went out of her way to get me where I was going. I wheeled into class fighting back emotions and completely grateful.

 

After my American Heritage class in the JSB I was ready to turn back in my wheelchair. I had finished my 2 hours and I was exhausted. Yep kids. 2 hours. So after pushing myself halfway back to the Wilk another cute girl just started pushing me and said "Campus is so big! Where are you headed?" I told her the Wilk. "Great! I'm going to the library!" So she pushed me to the library and I kept on, heading to the Wilk. I felt so awkward pushing myself in a crowd. I could keep up just fine, but I kept knocking peoples ankles or people would unknowingly walk crooked and I was out of space. When I was approaching the ramp at the Wilk, I paused to get some strength to get up the ramp. A guy came behind me, pushed me up the ramp, and opened the door for me. I was singing his praise and he responded by saying "Oh, its not a big deal, I was planning on holding this door open anyways" So nice! Fighting back emotions again, I wheeled up to the booth to return my wheelchair. I was so excited to turn that thing back in. I was done. I got my shirt, stood up, and left the wheelchair at the booth.

 

 

Today I learned lessons I thought I already knew. I know how tricky it is to have a mom in a wheelchair and I thought I knew how hard it was to be in a wheelchair. I thought I could handle this "challenge" with ease. I thought I would be a rock star. I was humbled. The kids that pushed me were angels. Seriously. I didn't have anything left, and without making a big deal they helped me. The people who helped me today showed me what a Christ-like person is. I was shown random acts of kindness, just because. Besides that, I got to understand how amazing my mom is. She is such a champ. She never acts tired, or gives up. I got to get up and walk out, and she doesn't have that option. My mom is such a huge example to me. I never really understood how hard it is not being able to just go somewhere. I know how to load and unload a wheelchair, I can assemble a wheelchair in 30 seconds flat, but being the one in the chair is a different story. I am so grateful to have such an amazing example. I admire her so much. And all the other amazing people I have in my life that get to show me up in their wheelchair (Lisa Paulsen!) I am so proud to know you.

 

If you want to read BYU's article about last years Awareness Week, the link is below:
BYU Accessibility Awareness Week 2011 article

College Life: String Cheese and Diet Coke

Welp....My third week of living in Provo is ending. BYU is a lot more fun than i imagined. I was really nervous i would be a way suckie student, but the teachers dont demand outrageous things. Its all very doable. Most of my classes are pointless because the teachers assign things to read and then just review it during class so my Spider Solitaire skills are improving greatly. Everyone on campus is really nice, and i actually love having the gospel and teachings from the prophets in almost every class. It just brings an eternal perspective to everything. The only problem ive encountered is the whole eating business. I SUCK! I was nervous about the Freshman Fifteen, but i have the exact opposite problem! I never eat food! My meals consist of Diet Coke and String Cheese. Im totally fine with that, i love those, but i run out of steam like half-way across campus. I just never want to make things and the rare times i do i dont want to walk to the store. My laziness has gotten the best of me. And noone will feed me but myself here so...... i gotta figure out a plan. Boo. Id appreciate a feeding tube i think! College is a party party party. Here is evidence:

My first day of college. Thanks for the quality pic Lydia.

Our first college party. Got in a car with strangers, i got kissed by the stranger, then we got ditched by these strangers. We suck at living.

The Wilson Phillips concert with my best man, Cameron. Yeah, we rocked it. Ever seen Bridesmaids? Yeah the last song, "Hold On" Wilson Phillips sang that. Boo ya!

Here Comes Goodbye.

I have been so lucky to have such solid friends since Jr. High. I cant believe we are all leaving. 

• University of Utah
• Dixie State University
• Brigham Young University 
• Southern Utah University

Watch out, you are all getting such amazing girls. We had our "see you later"s Monday night. 

We made it out alive.

 I love you girls. "See you later"

Since I Last Spoke

Sometimes i think i should write a blog. Then i remember i have one. Then i stop thinking about it. Lame, i know. Since i last spoke, my life has changed a lot. i went to prom, i deal with my first heart break, i got kicked out of Young Womens, but most importantly I GRADUATED! I never thought that day would come, and to be honest there were times it really might not have happened. My school counselor wasn't too pleased with me the last month of school, to say the least. But, i did it! I thought things like prom and graduation would make me feel different. I assumed during prom it would be just like in the movies; i look and feel like a princess. Don't get me wrong, i enjoyed prom, but it just wasn't that big of a deal to me. Same thing with graduation! I was so proud but i thought it would feel different. I guess before you experience things you wont really know how it feels. It just seemed like the natural next step, and that was so weird to me! I am a high school graduate and i am going to BYU in the fall. ME!! I just cant believe that my life has moved from my days at William Penn being a big bully to me wishing away my summer so i can head to college and it is NORMAL! Growing up is just a weird thing. And no one warned me.

BY who? BYU!

Guess who the newest Cougar on the block is. ME! I cant believe it but i got accepted to BYU. Now i really have to show up to school. I have a difficult time... um... going to school. I feel like i already know what i am being taught at school so i might as well save my energy and save the environment and stay home. False. I guess you need a diploma to attend college. Now i really have to go. Poo. Its kind of cool, now that i have a real future, i have a stronger desire to go to school. I know that everyday i go to Olypu i am one day closer to being a cougar. Lame, but it makes me so excited.Celebratory Slurpees!

Its starting to wig me out thinking i am old enough to go to college. I remember sitting through sixth grade wanting to run out of William Penn. I remember thinking how cool it was that i got to be in Young Women's with my older sister Sara. Ive been in Young Women's 6 years. I should be in Relief Society, woof. Its just strange to see myself doing the things i would watch others do. Its my turn to graduate high school, its my turn to go to BYU, its my turn to be a grown up! All i know is my excitement is totally outweighing my fear right now. The sooner payments need to be make, im sure it will be a different story. But for now, I'M GOING TO BYU!!