Two Hidden gems in "The Avenues"...

nothing better :)  

1. Hatch Family Chocolates
    390 E 4th Ave
    Salt Lake City, UT 84103

I am a person who adores chocolate. I love it in all forms. I especially LOVE HOT CHOCOLATE!!! So the other day, a friend of mine took me to a little place up in The Avenues in Salt Lake City, called Hatch Family Chocolates. We shared a divine cup of hot chocolate and a quality and uplifting conversation. Doesn't get much better than that in life!! It seems like things are just more delightful if you are simultaneously sipping a hot cocoa...This hot cocoa superseded ANY I had ever had. It is a little bit hidden, but it is definitely worth checking out! 
2. Sawadee   

754 E. South Temple Street

SLC, UT. 84102

This was a fabulous Tai restaurant discovery, just in the same neighborhoo

d of The Avenues! Seriously it was some good stuff. We got the Tai Barbeque Chicken which was marinated with Curry and Coconut milk and then grilled (served in a peanut sauce, so don't get it if you're not a fan of peanut sauce...). Then we got the Tai Massaman Curry, which was incredible!! Another peanut sauce dish, but this was served with potatoes, carrots, and roasted peanuts! 

I would recommend it if you're a fan of Tai food!

Mission People

This weekend I went down to Draper to go to the Homecoming talk of one of the couples who served in the office while I was on my mission. The Crawfords are amazing and it was so fun to see them home and happy! It was so fun, because they asked all of the returned missionaries from Rome to sing the beautiful Italian hymn "Mandate Voci di Gioia all'Eterno" by Lorenzo Rossato, in the meeting. It is the hymn that I always loved singing in the mission, so it made me really happy to be able to sing it, and remember my mission. It was fabulous to be able to see a lot of missionaries I served with, and also to see a lot of my former companions!

Welcome Home Sorella Crawford! 

The night before we left Rome

(Left: Fratello e Sorella Burt Right: Sorella e Fratello Crawford) 

Me and Sorella White served together for about 6 weeks in my first city, Siracusa

April 2009

Me and Sorella Smith! 

We served together for about 5 months in my 2nd city, Ragusa! 

July 2010

H-4 REUNION

I lived with these WONDERFUL girls at Lanai for 2 years.

 It was so good to see them again! 

We made some goods for the BYU game. We done good.

We of course had a dance party, to carry on our tradition. 

I think this was when Kara and I heard the first swear word since we have been home.

I love this. 

Dinner at MiMi's cafe. Another "1st" for me. 

Love you Leesh!! 

Good thing I had these girls to help me remember how to text ;) 

It was just like old times. I am so blessed to have such amazing friends! 

A love that lasts

At my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary, July 2008

I will say that I have recently had a life-changing experience. I went up to Canada to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Miller. It had been several years since I had seen either of them. Since I have been gone, my grandma's health has gradually deteriorated. I witnessed a man who had love without limits. My grandmother lay there, lifeless. His purpose to living, was loving her. Despite her ability to move, speak, or even feed herself, he loved her unconditionally.

Visiting Grandma in the Hospital (March 2011) 

I sat and learned what love truly is. Someone that truly loves you will take an hour to spoon feed you, when you can't lift your arms anymore. Someone that truly loves you will kiss you over and over, even when the other person doesn't remember your name. Someone that  truly loves you will hold your hand, even when they can't  hold yours'. Someone who truly loves you, will visit you in the hospital twice a day, every day, even when the other person doesn't even know you're there.

Honestly the time spent observing my grandparents reminded me a lot, 

 of one of the best chic flics of all time. The Notebook.

I realized that these are the things that we have to ask ourselves. Sometimes love seems to be so superficial. My grandpa was a schoolteacher. In that day I sat in the hospital with them, he taught me a  lesson that changed my life. When we commit ourselves to someone else a true sign of our love is when we love and give continually, without expecting anything in return.

This is a beautiful excerpt from a talk by a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. (To learn more check out: http://mormon.org/) 


A Love That Lasts

Elder Lynn G. Robbins 

For some people, falling in love is a magical encounter, something that seems to happen at first sight. For others, it is a growing affinity and attraction toward another, like budding blossoms that flower into a beautiful bouquet. Though the first type of love may also bloom like the second, it is often merely glandular, a cotton candy kind of love that has no substance. While it may begin with warm cuddles in moonlit glades, it can soon grow cold as honeymoon memories fade and familiarity turns to faultfinding.

On the other hand, “divine” love, as President Spencer W. Kimball called it, “is not like that association of the world which is misnamed love, but which is mostly physical attraction. When marriage is based on this only, the parties soon tire of each other. There is a break and a divorce, and a new, fresher physical attraction comes with another marriage, which in turn may last only until it too becomes stale. The love of which the Lord speaks is not only physical attraction, but also faith, confidence, understanding, and partnership. It is devotion and companionship, parenthood, common ideals and standards. It is cleanliness of life and sacrifice and unselfishness. This kind of love never tires nor wanes. It lives on through sickness and sorrow, through prosperity and privation, through accomplishment and disappointment, through time and eternity.”³

In fact, I DO remember what happened in Vegas last weekend.

So after 2 1/2 weeks back after the mission I took my first little trip. VEGAS... My NOT most favorite place in the world! It really is gross, and I'm not a huge fan, but I had a fun, SOBER weekend at the WAC basketball tournament! I went down with some Aggies to watch Utah State. I have to say that I had a few hesitations, but mainly I was just happy that they didn't literally turn their backs on me, or cast me out altogether! Honestly the student section at Utah state is rediculously intense, and sometimes rather obnoxious! I couldn't even keep up with all their cheers etc. I kept getting confused when I would hear them yell "Poooooooo" (for Poo Williams), thinking they were yelling "Booooooooooo" ha ha I am so cool.

Just chillin' with the tropical fish in Vegas...
Waiting to eat at Cheesecake factory!

I wore blue, but don't worry, I didn't wear a USU shirt. 

(Although I had a lot of offers) 

Down on the court after the game.

 I love my girl Amanda! 

Anyways, it was a fun little getaway and I met some amazing people, so in the end it was a successful trip! I have been basically cleansing my body the last few days though, trying to recover from the massive over-eating I did this weekend. I wish I had the excuse of members force feeding me, but this was definitely of my own free will this time. I guess I had the excuse of "hey, it's Vegas!!"Of course the drive down started with In N' Out, followed by the classic Cesar's palace Cheesecake Factory, Rain forest Cafe, P.F. Chang's, too many "treat stops" at gas stations, and endless snacking by the pool! I will say that I came back with a successful burn/tan! WOO!!!

The highlight of the trip (although there were many) had to be the cramming of 12 girls into 1 hotel room at the Excalibur! It "worked" (more or less) for the first two nights, but then the last night of the trip we somehow ended up without a reservation. Soooo, we all scrambled on our iPhones and Priceline.com-ed it up, to find a gem of a room at the very classy GOLDEN NUGGET hotel. Ha ha ohhh its the spontaneity of these trips that makes them so memorable! We also did all the rides at the Stratosphere which ended up being so fun! I was seriously scared out of my mind, but I decided to just do it, and I somehow made it out alive!

The closest I'll ever get to being friends with a celeb! My new BFF Jenna Jardine 

We called this little lady"Ursula." This kid would waive it around when the other team shot free throws! It was honestly disturbingly creepy!!!

MI SONO TORNATA.

                                   

Well, here I am, back after 18 months of spreading "The Good News!" I am so happy to be back, but a piece of my heart will always be in Italy.

I had a wonderful crew waiting for me at the airport, and it was a joyous reunion. I felt numb for the weeks proceeding my return, and it didn't hit me until the plane hit Salt Lake city, that the mission was coming quickly to a close. It was awesome to finally see my family again after 18 months away from them.

My sister Charlotte holding a sign she made

I was sobbing the whole walk from the plane to the bottom of the stairs. 

A very sweet moment for me and my family though.

Sorry my flight was an hour late!! And I had to go stop in the bathroom

 to compose myself and wipe my mascara off from all over my face before seeing them! haha

Ah, such sweetness!!

Dad. He was my main man that kept me going

Seeing my parents at the bottom of the stairs

All of my family there to greet me at the airport!

This was the first time since October 2009

And here I am, HOME. 

 America, upon hearing my arrival, dumped Utah with about 4 feet of snow. 

That was something I hadn't seen in a while! 

It was the final test of patience!!

When all I wanted for 18 months was to sleep in my own bed, 

it took about 5 hours to get to it from SLC!

Seeing my long and forgotten closet for the first time. 

Remembering that there is more to life than long, frumpy, black skirts!!

I have had a few "Firsts" since I've been back...

1. First restaurant: Cafe Rio

2. First requested hom-cooked meal: BBQ chicken

3. First Movie watched: Ratetoulli

4. First actual waste of time activity: watching Eclipse

5. First "non standard works" book read: To the Rescue (biography of Thomas S. Monson)

6. First thought after stepping foot in America: (specifically after seeing a man in a Mickey Mouse Club T-shirt)...What horrendous style

7. First thing I did: took a trip to the salon to get my hair did

8. First thing I bought: new running shoes

9. First hug I gave to a boy: awkward as cavolo

10. First thing I appreciated the most: my bed

11. First most biggest fear: being alone

I am so incredibly grateful for the chance I had to serve a full-time mission. It was truly a life-altering 18 months, in which I will cherish for the rest of my life. 

The Mission continues...

"... our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream...Jacob 7: 26