I Kinda Sorta Miss...

the feeling of Seth's smile while we're kissing.

And my absolute favorite thing? When neither of us could stop smiling and we would just start laughing in between kisses. Best thing in the world.

Amen annd amen!

If I Could Meet Anyone in the World...

It very well might be Jeffrey R. Holland. I love that man. He knows exactly what to say to give me that little extra boost that I need to hang in there no matter what the situation is. I know I've posted some of his quotes before but I thought I'd give you some more. You can never have too many Elder Holland quotes. Amen? Amen.

“You are doing God's work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you, and He will bless you, --even--no, -especially--when your days and your nights may be most challenging.”

“God expects you to have enough faith and determination and enough trust in Him to keep moving, keep living, keep rejoicing. In fact, He expects you not simply to face the future (that sounds pretty grim and stoic); He expects you to embrace and shape the future--to love it and rejoice in it and delight in your opportunities. 

God is anxiously waiting for the chance to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, just as He always has. But He can't if you don't pray, and He can't if you don't dream. In short, He can't if you don't believe.” 

“When life is hard, remember - we are not the first to ask, 'Is there no other way?” 

“Don't you quit. You keep walking, you keep trying, there is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon. Some come late. Some don't come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust God and believe in Good Things to Come.” 

“Your Father in heaven knows your name and knows your circumstance. He hears your prayers. He knows your hopes and dreams, including your fears and frustrations. And He knows what you can become through faith in Him.” 

“If you are lonely, please know you can find comfort. If you are discouraged, please know you can find hope. If you are poor in spirit, please know you can bestrengthened. If you feel you are broken, please know you can be mended.” 

“‎"With any major decision there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it ...is right now. Don't give up when the pressure mounts. Certainly don't go to that being who is bent on your destruction of your happiness. Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you.” 

“God wants us to be stronger than we are--more fixed in our purpose, more certain of our commitments, eventually needing less coddling from Him, showing more willingness to shoulder some of the burden of His heavy load. In short, He wants us to be more like He is and, if you haven't noticed, some of us are not like that yet.” 

“Sometimes it seems especially difficult to submit to "great tribulation" when we look around and see others seemingly much less obedient who triumph even as we weep. But time is measured only unto man, says Alma (see Alma 40:8), and God has a very good memory.” 

“I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are the Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him?” 

-Jeffrey R. Holland

(Read more of his awesome quotes here!)

I *Heart* the Invention of the Speakerphone

Okay. Okay. Okay.
I am dying keeping this all inside...although I have told about everyone who has asked me "How was your Christmas, Sierra?" So, I suppose I haven't been keeping it inside at all. But now it's finally time to share my story with you!
My Christmas went a little something like this:

8:15am-wake up, get ready for church
9:03am-leave for church (dad is the branch president so we had to get there early for the Christmas program)
10:00am-special Christmas sacrament meeting begins, awesome speakers and musical numbers. The spirit was super strong and it was a great start to my Christmas day!
1:00pm-Get home from church, rush to finish my gifts for my family as they all tell me to hurry up, they want to open presents
1:24pm-Open gifts
2:05pm-Hand out the poems that I wrote each one of my family members
2:08pm-Everyone is crying from the poems------>I know this sounds super cheesy...but this is one Christmas that I will never forget. It was really...special.

For the rest of the afternoon we ate deliciousness, played around with our awesome presents, and watched movies together as a family.

6:07pm-I sent a text to Seth's family "Have your heard from him yet?"
6:08pm-Promptly one minute later, I received a text message from Seth's little sister, Kaitlyn. (Love her.) It said...."The phone just rang!!!!! OMG IT'S HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I cannot even explain the emotions which were coursing through me at that point in time. For some odd reason I was nervous. Then there was a part of me was jumping with joy, knowing that they were actually on the phone with him that very minute...but another part, a bigger part, began to ache for that same reason. And my heart sank. I knew the wondrous phone call was taking place...and I was in another state. Missing it.

6:26pm-My phone began to vibrate and as I glanced down, expecting it to be a text message, I saw that Seth's dad was calling me! I literally leaped off of the couch (where I had been snuggling up to my mom, and quite honestly feeling a little sorry for myself) and ran into our bathroom.

They were going to try and let me in on the phone call!!! Seth's family put him on speakerphone and  then put me on speakerphone as well. And I heard him! I really heard him!
As the conversation continued, I barely spoke. Partly because as I sat on my bathroom counter, knees tucked up close to my chest and phone close to my ear, tears rolled down my cheeks. Missing him tears. Grateful tears. Because his family had been kind enough to share these precious minutes with me. Because modern technology made this possible.
But the main reason I didn't speak was because I couldn't understand a dang thing. Turns out, the whole speakerphone-to-speakerphone thing doesn't make for a very clear sound. Truth of the matter is, though, that didn't even matter. Sure I couldn't understand him, but I could hear him. I could hear his voice and I could hear his laugh. Gosh. I missed that laugh.

At one point in time his little brother held a helicopter that he got for Christmas up to the phone and said, "Seth! Guess what this is?!"
And then there was that laugh again.
*Sigh*
Am I an ol' sap? Why yes. Yes I am.

His timer got screwed up so we didn't know exactly how much time we had left to talk to him, and eventually his 45 minutes were up and he got kicked off. So we didn't get to say goodbye. And then I cried some more. Because I'm a baby like that.

Did that muffled phone conversation top off my perfect Christmas? It most certainly did. And even though a few tears were shed, this was, by far, the best Christmas that I have ever had.

I am so grateful that I was able to be a part of his Christmas phone call. His voice was exactly what I needed and it reminded me that,even though we both are focused on growing as two separate individuals right now, his mission is bringing us even closer together. I wouldn't trade that for the world.

Great News!

It's been over a week since my last post. Sorry, girls! Like I said on my other blog, I have just been spending this week with my family. And, with Christmas and leaving for AZ on Saturday and all...can ya blame me? As soon as I find the time, which will most likely be late at night or after I fly into Phoenix, I'll update you on my glorious Christmas and the surprise I received. =) For now though, I'd just like to share some very happy news. For the first, oh, I'd say six months of Seth's mission, we didn't email at all. I'd send him some emails and once a week I'd receive the email to his family which his mom would forward me. Then he got a new mission president and somewhere around that time period we started emailing every few weeks. It was great! I figured that it was the new president that had allowed it since, as I've been told by many MGs, it depends on the mission president. (And perhaps it does. I'm still not sure.) Well turns out I was wrong because we quit emailing and in a letter he told me we actually weren't supposed to email each other. Well that was alright. It actually made me super happy that  he told me that instead of continuing to do it anyway. I'm so proud of him. =) Anyway, we haven't emailed for about two months now, give or take. But today I received a wonderful email! It said, "So i have been told that i can send you emails as long as i send them through my family." Oh happy day!! So now he can send me an email on his P-days as long as he sends it to his mom and then she to me. Isn't that great news?!? I think so too. =) 
Also, isn't he just gorgeous?

Expressions of Love&Choosing an Anniversary

Once upon a time, Seth and I didn't know when we started dating. We knew when he had our first kiss, down to the minute, but we had been "together" for quite awhile before we technically became bf/gf exclusive. So we just picked a date that was in the general time frame and called it good. Romantic, right? (We chose September 25) Well, a few weeks ago I went to send an old friend one of Elder Uchtdorf''s amazing talks via facebook message and, lo and behold, since facebook now stores all of your old IM conversations, I saw that I had sent her a message the night Seth actually asked me out! It was documented!

 sorry, folks! I cannot share such valuable information as my last name!

So, 27 months ago today, Seth and I started dating. And in honor of that I would like to share a little message with ya'll. It is adorable. And watch for the couple that talks about how he cooks dinner for her "sloppy joes and candlelight." That's Sam and Chas! She, Sam, blogs over here and they are now expecting a baby girl in June!! Super exciting!? You betcha! Anyway, here you are, enjoy!

p.s.-Seth sent me a message with little pieces of cut up paper after he heard Elder Scott's talk. He really is the best. <3

AMAZO

So, first things first, I was able to see Seth's family yesterday!! And it was wonderful. =) Love them. I'm really grateful that I was able to say goodbye to them before I leave for Arizona. And you know how I mentioned that I was going to speak? Well yesterday morning, as we drove there, I still didn't know what I was going to speak on. So I compiled a little over a half a page of scribbled notes and hoped that the spirit would guide me from there. I figured that there was no possible way that I would be able to make my talk long enough but, lo and behold, it lasted 25 minutes. Sheesh. Guess it lasted plenty long enough. I think it went pretty well though and, I'm hoping, touched at least one other person besides myself.
Also...I said that I received a letter from Seth, verdad? Well I just read it again. And I cannot even help myself. I just have to tell you guys...it was everything I needed. It reminded me that he loves me and, of course, why I love him so much. As the lovely Abby would say, it was "amazo." (Love her. So adorable.)
Something else to leave your heart with a smile: Marlee got her boy back!! I read this, and cried. I'm not even ashamed to admit that. It was adorable and made me so excited for the day that Seth returns! I am super excited for this girl and her RM Taylor. I can't even. Also, I may have to steal her idea when Seth comes home and have him add his point of view. I don't even know how he is going to react to my whole other world of blogging that I've grown to love so much. I feel like it's almost my little secret and I have a whole other group of friends just on here. I had never even considered blogging before he left so this may come as a bit of a surprise to him, but I think he is going to love it. I mean, I am gushing about him most of the time.
Also, tonight I realized that we only have a little over 2 more months to go until we reach the year mark. Wow. Time really has flown by. I guess being super busy has its perks.

Please Mister Postman

First things first, I finished finals!!!!

And, clearly, I came out alive and kickin.

With all A's.

Except Macroecon.

I got a B in that class.

But I don't feel so bad considering a fair amount failed.

So now I'm finally on Christmas break.

And this morning I moved out of my apartment. 

And cried when I said goodbye to my roommate.

I'm gonna miss her.

A lot.

Besides Seth and my family, she's my best friend.

In two weeks I'll have said goodbye to all of the above.

But that's okay.

Arizona is where I'm meant to be next semester,

and I'm gonna figure out why.

Because right now I'm not really sure.

All I know is that I prayed about this decision.

A lot.

And everything fell into place.

And I feel really good about it.

So I know  that's where I should be.

So yeah.

As nervous as I am about  this all,

I'm also pretty excited to find out why I'm meant to be there/here.

Also, I haven't received a letter from Seth in...quite awhile. 

But today I moved home for Christmas break and wouldn't you know...

there was a letter waiting for me!

It was amazing and perfect in every way.

And I'm not going to share any more of this one.

Because it is personal. 

And special.

But don't worry, I will still share sometimes!

Gosh. Sometimes I forget how much I miss that boy.

One of these days I'm going to sing this to our postman...

except we have a postmistress.

Whatever.

She'll live.

Annnd...I'm going with my mom to Seth's home ward, er..branch, tomorrow. 

(She's in the stake YW presidency)

And they asked me to speak.

Oh man.
I still need to write my talk.

Eh.

I'll do it in the morning.

Share the Love

Hey guys! I finally figured out how to make a blog button so feel free to put my button (located on the left side of my blog) on the sidebar of any of your awesomespice blogs! It would make me super happy. =)
Also, this week is finals week. So it's gonna be a killer. And I may not blog too  much. Or I may just get distracted like I am right now. We shall see.

Mormons Galore!

Sooo.....Arizona was great! I'm super excited about going down there though, from those I've seen so far, there are some crazy aggressive drivers. Which isn't a problem with just me but it'll make me nervous with two little girls on my watch...at least until I get used to it. And at that point I'm sure everything will be just dandy. The girls are 1 and 2 years old and omygoodness omygoodness. They are so stinkin cute!!! Love em. Also, I figured out which ward I'm gonna be in, Tempe 1st ya'll! Holla! There are 1500 students enrolled in institute classes in Tempe alone. Holy. Crap. I'm not gonna know what to do with myself being surrounded by so many mormons! I'm pretty excited about it though. I've never been around a lot of members. Growing up it was just my family and now that I'm in college it's just my small singles ward of about 75, 80 active members. Which I love! I am going to miss everyone here tons!! It will be a good experience though so, overall, I'm pretty psyched about it. The only downside? I have to fly down on New Years Eve and that is going to be zero fun. Because I won't know anyone yet so unless any of you are from the Phoenix/Tempe/Mesa area and would like to hang out that night, I am gonna be a total loser. 'Atta girl, Sierra!

Also, did I ever mention that I was able to spend some time with Seth's little sister Kaitlyn and his dad over the Thanksgiving weekend? No? Well I did. And it was awesomespice. And they make me smile. And I love them. =) That is all.