RM updates

Hello my sweet friends!

I can't believe I have been home from Florida for seven whole weeks now. What a roller coaster it's been. I thought it was about time I gave y'all an update on what's been going on with my life. So here are my updates.

Update #1: Recently I decided I wanted to get into better shape. But then I had a piece of cake for breakfast this morning so that's obviously going well.

Update #2: I've updated my MISSIONARY BLOG (Citrus Fruit Sister) for probably the last time. You can check that out! I've also updated my PORTFOLIO WEBSITE so you can check that out too!

Update #3 Since I've been home I've gone back to coaching tumbling at the gym I've loved since I was eleven. I've just been substituting classes here and there, but I have absolutely loved seeing all my athletes and how much they've progressed.

Update #4 Since it's summer I've just been job hunting and spending a lot of time with friends.... and boys.... but we won't talk about that. Boys still freak me out. My handshaking days were simpler times. haha

Update #5: Last week I got to attend the wedding of one of my best friend's in the entire world! Lauren and I have been best friends since we were in diapers and I can't believe she's actually married! They were sealed in the Bountiful, Utah temple and I couldn't be happier for them! Congrats Lauren and Chris! I love you guys!

Lauren and I as babies

Update #6: One of my favorite mission companions returned home last week! I was so incredibly excited to be reunited with her! Welcome home Sister Glover... Aka "Gloves".... aka "Kathy."

It was also a blast to be reunited with these cute sisters who also served in the Florida Orlando Mission. Nothing beats partying with my Florida friends!

Shout out to our "gang" the 4ZHomzies!

Update #7: In the fall I'm going to move down to Provo to attend Utah Valley University. My plan is to go into Graphic Design. I'm rooming with a bunch of missionary companions that I LOVE and when I told my Mission President which sisters I was going to room with in college he just laughed and shook his head and said "Oh there's no hope for that school is there?!?!" and I'm sure he's right! So stay tuned because I'm sure I'll have some really good stories to share come fall.

Update #8: Like I mentioned earlier, I'm in the process of jumping back into the Digital Media world. It's a goal of mine to keep this blog more up to date so if you don't see a post on here for a while feel free to send me angry texts demanding more blog posts. I'm also working on getting back into Photography so if anyone needs Mission pictures or any other photography feel free to give me a call! I recently updated my DIGITAL MEDIA PORTFOLIO that you can check out to see all my latest Photography, Graphic Design, and Web Design projects! I'm also in the process of opening a new Etsy shop so stay tuned for that!

That's about it! Thanks for all loving I've gotten since I've been home! There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I was still in Florida, but being back in Utah has been pretty great thanks to all the cool cats that have kept me company!

Y'all are the greatest!

Whit

Dear Sister Reid...

Dear Sister Reid:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
You are assigned to labor in the Florida Orlando Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.

You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, September 23, 2015. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the English language. Your assignment may be modified according to the needs of the mission president.

You have been recommended as one worthy to represent the Lord as a minister of the restored gospel. You will be an official representative of the Church. As such, you will be expected to maintain the highest Standards of conduct and appearance by keeping the commandments, living mission rules, and following the counsel of your mission president. As you devote your time and attention to serving the Lord, leave behind all other personal affairs, the Lord will bless you with increased knowledge and testimony of the Restoration and of the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Your purpose will be to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. As you serve with all your heart, might, and strength, the Lord will lead you to those who are prepared to be baptized.

The Lord will reward you for the goodness of your life. Greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you humbly and prayerfully serve the Lord in his labor of love among His children. We place our confidence in you as you pray that the Lord will help you become an effective missionary.

You will be set apart as a missionary by your stake president. Please go the missionary.lds.org promptly to acknowledge your acceptance of this call.

Sincerely,
Thomas S. Monson
President

This was my last time seeing Teri until 2017. She will be serving in the Maryland Baltimore Mission and she leaves next Wednesday. Good Luck Teri! I love you to pieces!

Adam will be serving in Orlando too!!! (note the hat) He leaves July 15th.

Sister Hartvigsen served her mission in Florida!

Thanks so much to everyone that came! I am definitely blessed with the best. Thanks for all of your love and support over the last 18.5 years. I wouldn't be where I am today without you guys. So thanks for your good examples and your loving smiles. I love you guys!

I feel so honored to be blessed with the opportunity to serve The Lord and his Children in Orlando. I pray that I will be able to be His hands in doing good in peoples lives. It's been a crazy week with graduation and a mission call within two days of each other. But I'm so happy about it. And as for September 23rd... I can't wait.




feel my sunlight



p.s. As soon as I got my call I posted on Instagram and Facebook the words "I GOT MY HOGWARTS LETTER!! (Aka my mission call!)" Little did I know Harry Potter World would actually be in my mission. The Lord has a sense of humor. I'm sure of it.
p.s.s. Can you tell I'm a little excited?!
p.s.s.s. Here are a few pictures from graduation last Wednesday. And you'd better know we nailed a high school musical jump. Because can you really graduate if you didn't take a HSM picture?

night changes

Does it ever drive you crazy 

Just how fast the night changes 

Everything that you’ve ever dreamed of 

Disappearing when you wake up 

But there’s nothing to be afraid of 

Even when the night changes

Well hello friends!

Have you ever just listened to a new album all the way through and had it speak to ever aspect of your life at that very moment? I have had One Directions new album playing for the last hour and a half and words can't even describe my emotions right now.

Does it ever drive you crazy just how fast the night changes?

I can't even explain how much this is about my life in this exact moment. It seems that my world is spinning at a million miles an hour in the right direction. It's almost like I have just begun to breath the most beautiful air just as the realization that it's all about to change knocks the wind out of me and I struggle to keep the last breath of sweet air in my lungs.

I don't know how else to explain it.

I was sitting here listening to this album when I came across a song called 18 when I thought "hey I'm 18!" but then literally thought "no... no that can't be right."

18 means I'm a senior in high school.
18 means my last year of public school.
18 means all the friends that I have gone to school with for as long as I can remember are about to become people I only see on Facebook.
18 means seminary council is almost over.
18 means my life right now is about to become memories.
18 means mission papers.
18 means college decision.
18 means graduation.
18 means this is my last Christmas before I leave on a mission.
18 means attending the farewells of all of my friends.
18 means my night is changing.

As I pondered these things I realized just how fast these changes are happening and just how little I can do to stop it.

Santa has bought and wrapped my mission luggage, and the colleges have my applications. Whether I like it or not things are about to change.

All my life has been planned up until graduation. Every year I left school in the Summer with complete assurance that I would find myself sitting in another desk within three months. This is the first time the plans have been changed.

While it's everything I've ever dreamed of-- Graduating, going on a mission, attending college-- It still drives me crazy just how fast the night is changing.

But even though it seems that things are about to change, many amazing things are happening as well!

While I've been away on holiday from my blog (do I sound British? Oh please say I sound British!) many things have happened!

Last weekend I went to Cotillion with the adorable Hayden Rigby and had a blast! Thanks again Hayden!

 

Turns out December was also a month for tumbling reunions. I got to see Anedy and Shawn who are some of my favorite former teammates at the Utah Gymnastics Preview...

 

and a few days after that I got a surprise call from one of my other former teammates, B, telling me to come to the gym because all my best friends were coming to visit!

 

It was so much fun to see everyone!

Another exciting gym happening took place at our annual competition team party which I was working. I was playing games with the 7 years old and under group when all of the sudden one of our little girls gets very big eyes and grabs onto me for dear life. I turned around to see a large Grinch walk into the gym just as a few other little girls begin to notice and demand hugs. All the older kids thought he was awesome, but some of the little ones weren't convinced, which was great for me because now they all think I'm a superhero because I saved them from the scary Grinch. And then after the Grinch left I gained a small fan club. It's moments like this when I love being a tumbling coach.

And perhaps one of my favorite parts of December was our annual ginger bread making party with the Daniels. Which is technically a graham cracker making party because we can't handle real ginger bread. We have done this every year for as long as I can remember and this year is the last year that we will all be here since both Lauren and I will be on a mission next time this activity comes around. I'd say it was a success even though the houses haven't gotten any better over the years.



I'm also proud to say that my house is the only one still standing at my house.

December has been good and OH LOOK IT"S CHRISTMAS EVE!!! In case I don't get around to posting again before Christmas I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday and I wish you all the joy and happiness I can summon. Thank you all so much for taking the time to read my blog. Without you this blog would just be words in the universe. I love you all! Merry Christmas!



feel my sunlight



p.s. Since it's Christmas Eve, check out these two awesome videos!