Special visit from my dad!

This week I had such a special chance to spend some time with my dad!  He was here for a few days for a business trip (which never happens!) and so, being the great daddy that He is, He met up with me and his sister, my aunt, Diane, and bought us both lunch AND dinner! It was so nice to spend some time with him here in my own town and to just have him to myself for a change. It so rarely happens that I get to spend any time with my dad since he lives so far away, so this was such a special treat for me! We went to Kneaders for a delicious lunch in the new City Creek Mall and spent some time wandering and seeing what shops they had. We only went into one store: Bose. He he. We went all the way up to where he'd be staying to get him his hotel and then took some time to drive around and visit the old places we knew when we lived in the area. It was fun just to chat about life. He gave me some good financial advice and listened as I vented my frustrations about not having a job when I graduate and not knowing where to go from here. He's a great Dad and is always willing to listen to these kinds of things and offer advice. Believe it or not, He even lets me talk about boys, lol. He's the kind of guy who just wants his kids to be happy, and I'm so thankful for that!

The best part of the day was when we met up again with Diane and Dad took us to dinner at The Roof on the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Diane and I are very unaccustomed to being treated so well, so we were in awe of the entire thing.

Every seat has the best view of the Salt Lake City temple, and the all-you-can eat buffet was spectacular. I had never eaten so nicely in my life!

Better than the food or the location, however, was just getting to be with two people who have meant so much to me over the years: my aunt and my dad. They may never fully understand what an impact they've had on me throughout my life-my dad for being there and providing for me well beyond the necessary and my aunt for her every Sunday dinner and for caring for me and being a friend and treating me as if I were her own daughter. (Not to mention being my most faithful writer while I was on my mission). She is a stellar individual and hardly has any time for herself. It is a miracle to me that she does so much and manages so well with so little.

 It was a special evening indeed, down to the beautiful live piano music being played the whole time. We arrived at just the right time as well, because the sun was just casting its golden glow upon everything as we were seated.

Before our meal was through it had sunk deep behind the mountains in the distance and left only the beauteous aura of the temple just outside our window, shining in the darkness.

What a moment in time which I shall never forget! The feelings of peace on that rooftop, the ambiance, the food, and my family. It was a night (and day) never to forget!

Provo Temple with Friends!

Got to go to the temple with my besties! Jessica and Kallie, and her best friend Ashley went with us as well.  Kallie wanted to take advantage of having two of her closest friends in the same place at the same time, so we stopped for a photo opp! Don't mind my missionary-looking attire... I had just been working at the best place ever ;) ...

Ps, we are girls with pretty bags too, nao eh?

Joy in Temple Covenants!

Today I just received a phone call from one of my mission companions, Emily Peck, with some of the greatest news!  One of our recent converts had been running through her head all week, and so today she decided to call her, Dona Clair, baptised February 29, 2010 into the Caxingui Ward of the Sao Paulo Stake in the Sao Paulo North Mission, Brasil.  She said that as she chat briefly with Dona Clair, this sweet older woman expressed her excitement about being able to receive her patriarchal blessing later on this week as well as her current enrollment in a temple preparation class in preparation for her temple endowment which she will be receiving next month!  This came to me as some of the most wonderful news!!!  I just had to post this JOYous moment asap on my blog for the world to see!  Dona Clair will be entering the temple to make covenants with our Father in Heaven next month! What a wonderful blessing to have been able to be a part of her life, participate in her story, and see, even a year after her baptism, the great blessings that come from faithfulness and consistency in the church.  This sweet woman was such an example to me of perfect childlike faith.  She believed so readily and heartily the doctrines as they were taught to her and she knew, from the beginning, that this gospel, this church, was the thing that had been missing from her life for so long.  She loves the church, and has grown so much even in the short time that we've known her, and I feel so blessed to have her be a part of my mission story as well.  Sweet Dona Clair, PARABENS por sua fidelidade! Nos a amamos e regozijamos em saber de seu progresso e desejo de continuar firme neste caminho tao estreito e apertado. Sei que realmente, a Senhora esta no caminho que leva de verdade a vida eterna!  Parabens minha amiga! Te amo!!! <3 <3 <3