The Next Great Adventure: the week i realized i don't like toast, i just like warm bread

Story from her personal email to me (regarding bread):

"We only had time for a quick shopping trip the other day so from Thursday-today I've been living off grilled cheese...with muenster cheese! I am a doofus. hahahah I got wheat bread, oatmeal, muenster, peanut butter and bananas. Safe to say I never want to eat those ever again. hahah but we've had lots of member meals and it's been good."

Photo courtesy Sis. Madisen Robb. Thank you! (Utah)

Hahahaha (Utah, courtesy Sis. Madisen Robb)

HI HI HI DEAR ONES.

Photos Sis. Hansen has taken (so far) of when she arrived in Washington, D.C.

Sorry for having zero time but I just wanted to say that I love you SO much. I am so happy to have you! And I am SO happy to have the knowledge and hope of this gospel and our Savior! Because sometimes things are rough and confusing and all the things.

(Interjecting with another story from her personal email to me to go along with the "rough and confusing" bit):

"This morning I was having a really hard time with a lot of things (oh, btw, met with the KZ [Kazakh] embassy people on Friday and still don't have a visa. Don't know if I will ever have a visa. Ha! They will make a decision by today or tomorrow, and that's never happened before sooo...we'll have to see what happens.) and I was really sad and scared and discouraged last night, but I talked to President Cooke--who is seriously amazing. I never ever thought I would love my mission president so much. And whether or not I stay here, I will always think of him as my mission president. I like the missionaries here but he and his wife are honestly like family to me.--last night and I felt so much better. He also gave me a blessing and blessed me with understanding that The Lord is guiding this path of mine and with the reassurance of the love and calmness of my Savior, and THEN he blessed my family with the same things. That was really special to me. So, life is crazy and I'm freaking out, per usual, BUT LIFE IS ALSO SO GOOD!!"

But I KNOW that as long as we trust Him and seek to stay close to Him and just do our best and trust that He is enough to make up the difference--because He really is--He will help us overcome it all. I know it I know it I know it.

(Interjecting with her final correspondence about how she views her visa situation in her personal email to me):

"And I know that regardless of how long it ends up being, I should be here. Like it's not just a waste or an accident. Maybe I don't know why yet, but I know I will. It's crazy! I know He's in charge but that doesn't mean it's always easy to accept. But it's all good. I hope you can feel how sincerely I mean that. And I am happy and working hard and it's all good."

I hope all of you are doing well and that you know that I feel really close to you in a weird abstract way. And I miss you a LOT. But I also know this is the Lord's work and that He's watching over us all.

Love yous heaps. Watch out for a letter or two or maybe seven this week.

From

18141 Marksman Circle #204

Olney, MD

LOVES. The Church is true and God is good. Life is good TODAY! D&C 50:40-42

40 Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot ^abear all things now; ye must ^bgrow in ^cgrace and in the knowledge of the truth.

41 ^aFear not, little ^bchildren, for you are mine, and I have^covercome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath^dgiven me;

42 And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be^alost.

aaand Joshua 1:9 my loves.

9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the ^aLordthy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Last quick quote:

"Choose life even though the forces of death seem strong! Choose hope even though despair seems close! Choose to grow even though circumstances oppress you! Choose to learn even though you must struggle against your own ignorance and that of others! Choose to love, even though ours are days of violence and vengeance. Choose to forgive, to pray, to bless another's life with simple kindness. ... I promise that you will feel the abundant love of the Savior." - Sister Chieko Okazaki