Have a Very Merry Christmas

From Hermana King this week, I will post the pictures when I get home:

"SO we had a baptism yesterday...our first one! THere is a picture of it....Eliza, she is 9 and her whole family is members. She couldn´t get baptized when she was 8 because she had a surgery on her nose and couldn´t go under water until now. and since she is 9 she is considered a convert so we got to teach her all the lessons, etc. So not really a convert, but still it was exciting. They couldn´t do it on Saturday so we did it yesterday at 8am before church so she could be confirmed in church. She is really cute.So Hna Naa and I have both been sick all week with colds. We have still been working until yesterday....after church we came home and fell asleep until about 4 and decided to stay home. While I was sleeping though, I woke myself up about 10 times because I couldn´t breathe (congestion.)

So we had the Mission Christmas Party on Thrusday in the Hotel Marriott from 8am-4pm...it was fun! I got to see Hna Okura and that was wonderful!! We took a whole mission photo and each zone performed their drama-skits we´ve been preparing. Ours was a day in the MTC...it was kinda funny. THen we had lunch and went outside by the pool to do pinatas by zone. THen they gave everyone a zip up light jacket with the mission on the front. Then we went home so Hna Naa could pick what song she was going to dance to for the ward party that night at 6. She ended up picking the song that she taught me a couple weeks ago when we were stuck in the house...and somehow she talked me into to doing it with her! But it was really fun! We practiced a few times and went to the church. the activity was supposed to start at 6 but of course we are in Honduras, so it didn´t start until 7:30...oh boy. But we had about 8 investigators there and a tons of inactives. it actually turned out really well. And whne it was our turn, it was a surprise that I was dancing too...it was cool. Hna Naa started with an introduction call in Hawaiian, then they turned out the lights and started the music. We lit candles and carried them in then kneeled down and blew out the candles. THey turned on the ligths and we danced....everyone loved it!! I ahve a video that you will see someday! It was really fun!" After all the skits, performances, etc. we had a dinner. The Banegas loved it!"

Hope you enjoyed it and I hope you sent her a Christmas package, cause it won't make it by now!

Address Update

Many of you have mentioned to Carianne that her addresses on the side bar were confusing. I have updated them in hopes that your plentiful letters and packages will make it their faster as well as your confidence in sending her even MORE!! This is the season for giving, so give her your love- send something to her!

Christmas is Almost here

Just some words from Carianne. As you know she LOVES Christmas time.

"So last Monday, I got your package and went home and put on Grandpa Ihli´s old CHristmas music and decorated...it made me really happy. I LOVE IT!! And my comp really likes those CDs of Grandpas ;) We sleep with the christmas lights on (like i love to do at home) and I wake up really happy ;). Oh and finally Hna Naa danced for me! I have videos of it you will see someday!"

"SO yesterday we had our day in the house (due to elections.)CHurch was cancelled for all of Honduras and all the missionaries coúldn´t leave the house all day. We put our mattresses on the floor the night before and slept there (we have a bunkbed) I made a little fort over my mattress (ha ha!). It was kind of sad because I don´t have many resources but it was a fort nonetheless, and i was happy! Then Hna Naa taught me a hula! I have it on video too...but its not perfect. I just love learning Polynesian dance! She is going to teach me TOngan someday, she just needs to find music. Oh and everything went fine with the elections as far as we know. Hopefully this new president will do good here. My Thanksgiving was a interesting day. We had our district mtg and weekly planning. Our DL made us pancakes. THen we went went home for lunch and I was having a hard time because I was thinking of you all at home together. But once we went out to work, it got better. We had an awesome family home evening with Ana and her family. It was awesome because we brought a member couple in our ward and they were wonderful! Also, usually when we go there to teach, Marvin (one of their sons who is married also and has a little son), recently had surgery on his head and so has to stay in bed and we usually teach in his room with all of them there. But this night, we got there and they were all downstairs waiting for us (including Marvin). They always have really good questions and seem to really like it all. We talked about families and builing family relationships...they liked it a lot. And the best part was Marvin, who with a sincere look in his eyes, said, ÄS soon as I can, I am going to go to your church with my family.¨ You can tell he really feels the spirit of this message. It was so wonderful! Then on the way home, we stopped at Pizza Hut and I got a pizza and cheese bread and drinks for Hna Naa and I for my THanksgiving dinner...went home with it and ate it in out apt. It wasn´t quite TUrkey, jello, mashed potates, and chocolate pie, but it was good enough. And all of it for only 179 lempiras!!! ;) he he sounds like a lot eh? but really thats only $9."

We are excited to talk to her in just a few weeks.

Hermana King and her companion Hermana Naa at a ward activity with some of the kids....Isn't she gorgeous! That must be what the spirit does to you. Here are some little things from her email this week...

something funny about Latinos…is that when they sing, they don´t have pitch at all. It was something I learned a little about in the CCM, but here in our ward, it´s even better. Its interesting to be in our ward during hymns, but you can still feel the spirit. OH what fun…

-pupusas = no its not with plaintains....it´s like a little pancake thing with cheese inside...really good!

-no, I don´t wear dangly earrings...i heard something got them ripped out of their ears here, so I only wear small ones and sometimes nothing at all...as people already think Gringos have ¨pisto¨ (lots of money).

So I gave a shot to one of our investigators this week!! Ha- I thought I would be leaving behind all my nursing staff. She needed it done, and they asked, so I did it. It was a ventrogluteal (I think…I can´t remember if that´s the right name – ha!)….I was a little nervous, but it was fine and she said she didn´t feel a thing. So we had 4 days this week with no water in our apt. GOod thing we have to buy our water to drink anyways...but we have a big trash can thing that we fill with water for times like this...

Graduated from the CCM

Hermana King has officially graduated from the "Guatemalan MTC" and is about to start her third week in the field. She really misses all the wonderful times she had there but is excited to move forward. Please don't forget to email or write her, she could really use some uplifting encouragement!!!

Here are some great blips from her letters:

So I am right in the middle of Tegucigalpa in an area called Palmira. I´d rather be outside of the city (you know me) but I guess this is where the Lord needs me. My companion is Hna Naa from Tonga (another polynesian! :) ). She has 14 months in the mission. She speaks English but only speaks to me in spanish which is good for me. The weather here is nice because the city is surrounded my mtns so it is relatively cool. We hear in the south of the mission it is very hot but I would still rather be there. :)Our apt is teeny...but at least we have a real shower! :) I don´t have to heat up water in a pot to shower with, so that´s nice right. :) There are some awesome members in our area that I have already come to love very much. And most of the them haven´t been members that long...that are so kind and have strong testimonies even with very difficult trials.

So I get a lot of comments on my looks here...more so than I expected. They love my hair, and many cute little girls already love playing with my hair....which I´m totally fine with! :) They call me ¨barbie¨or ¨blancita¨(little white girl). They also always comment on my eyes. It´s funny because I do less to look nice here than usual. I think it´s just because I look different. There are only 2 other American Hermanas in the mission before we came and neither of them have ever served here. They´ve had American elders but not sisters. They are very complementary here. :)

Send her some food if you can, her comp hasn't taught her how to cook yet and doesn't do much eating herself. We have really enjoyed reading about her experiences and how her testimony has grown.

An update on our little Carianne. She is enjoying being in the Guatemalan MTC. She says the rooms and the food are way nicer than the Provo MTC! Who would have known. She only has a few weeks left before she is shoved out the door into the field- the white field!!!

Her top reason for enjoying South America- Everyone is shorter than her!!! Literally. No, she is enjoying growing closer to her Father in Heaven, Learning more about the depth of our Saviors love and the atonement as well as working hard with help to make her weaknesses her strengths.

Hermana King always welcomes packages filled with candy and pantyhose. I have her dress size in case you want to send her some clothes! Other things she would like- Spanish/English pocket size dictionary and and English pocket size hymnal. I am sure she is bringing many smiles to the people through the spirit that she radiates.

Off to Guatemala

I love my district, we are the only district in the whole MTC allowed to blog!!

Just Kidding, this is Michal, Carianne's sister updating you on what is happen'in in the BIG MTC!!!

So little sis is doing so awesome with her Spanish speaking skills that she was moved from the beginning to intermediate class. This meant she had to say adios (I am sure literally) to her district that she loved. She now has a great companion who is really pushing her.

BUT.... even bigger news

On Monday, Carianne will no longer be in Provo, she will be in Guatemala!! She was doing SO well that they just changed her mission all together. No really, she will be attending the MTC there. Her new address is posted on the side bar. This is NO excuse not to write her!!! NO EXCUSE!!! Keep the fan mail comin okay! She will be there for 6 weeks so that is 6 letters from all of you!

I know she loves all of you!

Old Nauvoo

"Another trip?" you say...
"Of course!" says I...
But it's the last one before I leave on my mission....really, I promise. Would you like to hear a bit about it?
...
Well, too bad (or tad, as Jenae would say), cuz you're gonna! :)

After I drove home to beautiful, colorful Colorado, I had approximately 15 hours before I headed out once again in the car...this time, my parents and I were headed for NAUVOO, IL!!
There is a Nauvoo pageant every summer put on by the LDS church and my great uncle, David (well, he's not my great-uncle, but he is GREAT!), and 3 of my wonderful cousins, Sarah, Hollie, & Michael, were part of the cast - so we wanted to go out and see them perform!
On the drive we met up with my brother, Nate, and his family. Oh, and I found some interesting signs along the road...and I thought they only had cool signs in England! ;) I also learned that when you are driving on the freeway at night in the east, and a firefly happens to smash into your windshield, you will have a little blob of guts that glows for about 5 minutes...its pretty cool.

We then went to Carthage to see the Carthage Jail, where Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred. What an amazing place!

We ate at a cute little pizza shop with homestyle cookin' and service, then headed up to Nauvoo. Just driving into that city is...well, magical. I loved the feeling! And you know what we did first thing?! Yep, we ran around catching fireflies! Boy, Morgan is a PRO at that! Aww, the little joys in life... :D

The next two days were filled with loads of pioneer fun - making a rope...learning how to make bricks (and learning the origin of the phrase, "you can't hack it!")... gunny sack races...stilt walking...
(and being the competitive King's we are, of course that was a race too)...
and seeing the sights and history of Nauvoo (including the cemetery where Joseph, Hyrum and Emma Smith (and many others) are buried).(me at the cemetery with my nephew (Morgan) and niece (Emma))

One day, Emma decided she didn't want to let me out of her sight, so instead of holding my hand, she just stuck her hand in my pocket all day... reminded me a bit of myself ;)

We also got to go to the beautiful Nauvoo temple!What a place! I just can't explain how wonderful it was!

And the reason that we went in the first place....
THE NAUVOO PAGEANT!
We got to see it both Friday and Saturday nights and it was absolutely amazing both times!
And my uncle got us front row seats! It was perfect! Besides getting to see my wonderful family as actors, I also got to see a friend from England that I met this spring. He was one of the main characters (professional actor) and performed amazingly! He played a Scottish man whose wife joined the LDS church and came over to Nauvoo, so he came with her...As he lives among the people and helps build the temple, he gains a testimony for himself of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. It was so fun to see you again, Darren!

(David, me, Hollie, Michael, Sarah, my mum, dad, & Darren in front)
WELL DONE to all! And thanks for letting us enjoy your performances!

I can't say exactly how much I enjoyed being able to take this trip before I leave on my mission - what a power and spirit is in that city! I feel my testimony of Joseph Smith and the faith of the early saints of the church strengthened so much! I feel closer to them and I gain strength from their legacy of faith.

Come to Zion, Come to Zion!

Oh, my dear Zion...how I love thee! There are very few people in this world who will ever truly understand just how much I love this great place (Zion National Park)...

And what a way to spend my last week in Utah before my mission! I wanted to spend some time there by myself before some friends joined me, so I drove down by myself Wednesday morning. I went to some of my favorite spots and just soaked it all in!

I went up the Narrows and found a nice little hole in rock to sit and read for a bit near Mystery Falls. The people walking by either didn't even notice me, or were quite surprised to see me sitting there so peacefully, reading a book. Someone even asked to take a picture of me!

Oh, I can't even explain how wonderful it was to be there and enjoy Zion the way I like to...it really feeds my soul. I climbed up to the top of a huge rock mountain thing (I'm sure there's some geological name for those...) and watched the sunset. It was amazing...the sky was on fire!

Late that night, Cherise and John drove down and we camped out under the stars. On Thursday we hiked and explored in Hidden Canyon, while singing songs from musicals, talking in accents (well, John was doing a great job), and enjoying the beauty. Look at this awesome leaf we found!

Oh, the simple joys in life! That's why we celebrate life! ;) LOVE IT!

Then we went and played in a waterfall - which you will see later, as we went again on Saturday! As the evening was approaching, we decided to hike Angel's Landing, because John had never done it. And boy, that hike never gets old for me :) Bliss!

More friends joined us that night (Jenae, Amber, Troy) and we enjoyed another beautiful night under the Southern Utah sky. At 7:30am I was awakened by two more friends arriving who had driven all night (one from Rexburg, ID!) to come for the fun! For Friday, we split into 2 groups: Jenae, Troy, and Tyler hiked around in the park, and Amber, Cherise, Scott, and I went canyoneering in Mystery Canyon.

Here I am going down the first rappel

Amber rappelling down into Mystery Springs...this is one of the coolest rappels in the canyon: 120 ft off a traverse and straight into a fresh cool pool at the bottom!

Amber on the last rappel: Mystery Falls into the Narrows - look at the view of the Narrows behind her!
Scott heading down the last rappel over the waterfallSadly, no cool pictures of me on these last rappels - that's what you get for being the photographer ;) But I still had fun! On the last rappel, after I got past the rocky first part of the waterfall, I just sat down on the moss and slid down, letting the rope through my rappel device. What a ride!

The Chaco brigade ;)

On Saturday, Cherise left us to go home to AZ, and the rest of us hiked to Observation Point: my favorite view of Zion Canyon. You get to look down on Angel's Landing!

Which way do we go?

Eating lunch at the top...what a great view!

Pondering...
(and what a hairdo, eh?)

Then we headed over to "the great waterfall"...I love this place. It's a secluded little piece of paradise!

Tyler and I sliding down the waterfallWe ended the trip with a stop in at Pizza 'N Noodle in Springdale for their mouth-watering Thai pizza and drove home (but not before bailing Jenae's minivan out of the sand! woot woot!)

I sure hope that will fill up my Zion cup enough to last me 18 months! :)

Happy 4th! (...and 3rd)

My 4th of July celebrations actually began on Friday, the 3rd. A friend of ours, Curtis, invited us to Deer Creek Reservoir to play on his family's wave runners. We spent the day taking turns on the wave runners, swimming in the water, playing frisbee, eating a picnic lunch,

playing this game (where you push each others' hands and try to make the other person take a step - oh, Jenae and I have so much fun acting like 5-year-olds),

chatting, and just enjoying the sunshine! What a beautiful day it was! Thanks Curtis!

That night Cherise and I went mission shopping for me at good ole Deseret Industries - woot woot! - and I actually found a bunch of good stuff! Then we went out to eat and had a sleepover in the living room.

The next morning, Independence Day, we went roller blading down the Provo River Trail in our usual 4th of July garb.

We went swimming at a pool, and that evening we got dressed up for our 4th of July festivities.While Cherise went to a friend's party, Jenae and Amber came with me to my brother and his wife's party. We jumped on the trampoline and helped my brother "barbeque" the hamburgers. Actually, the BBQ was out of propane, so we snuck inside and got the George Foreman, plugged it into the extension cord and hid it behind the BBQ...except I think everyone knew the whole time. We just thought we were being so sneaky! ;) We enjoyed an awesome meal and fun times together, then we headed back to Provo to watch the fireworks from Stadium of Fire. What a great weekend!

We are OH so blessed! And I think we forget that a lot...thank goodness for reminders :)
Happy Birthday America! Let Freedom Ring!

From the Mountains to the Desert

Two weekends ago, Cherise and I met up with some other friends down in Moab for a few days. I was so happy to be back in my good ole Southern Utah! On Friday, we hiked to Corona Arch and I climbed up and set up a rappel. It was quite the climb to get up there, but well worth it. I loved just sitting up at the top of the arch, while everyone else rappelled down. Then last of all, it was my turn! Once I got to the free rappel part (no rock), I turned upside down and lowered myself down. One thing I did forget was that I had my nalgene water bottle in a mesh pocket on the outside of my backpack, so that came out when I flipped upside down. It fell about 80 feet then bounced back up about 12 ft and rolled quite a bit. But, it IS a nalgene, and besides a few scrapes and scuffs, it was in perfect condition! :)

Corona Arch is 140 ft tall, and is located near the Colorado River in between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks ( = FREE!). It was beautiful!

just hangin' around

After that, we hiked up a canyon and played in the water for a bit (while it was raining). The water was so warm; it was amazing!

Then we grabbed a bite to eat and tried to race the sun to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. We didn't quite get there for sunset, like we wanted, but it was almost better. We got there after the sun had sunk below the horizon, but there was still a glow in the sky, the moon was out, and not another soul was there! It was perfecto! (yes, I'm practicing my espanol)

We camped out under a beautiful clear sky of stars, and I woke everybody up at 5am to go see the sunrise at Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park. We were the only ones there at first and just on top of the arch, watching the pink glow on the horizon grow. It was awe-inspiring! I love early mornings in God's creations!

This is us trying to pretend like we're fully awake :)

On top of Mesa Arch as the light builds

As soon as other people started arriving with big, fancy cameras, we decided to get off the arch since we figured they probably didn't want us in their pictures. And this is what we saw for the next half hour...

Me running across the arch

Next we drove a little further into Canyonlands out to Island in the Sky viewpoint...I love this place!

We went back to our campsite to eat breakfast and pack up, then we did a hike up Negro Bill Canyon to Morning Glory Natural Bridge. Its 243 ft long, the 6th longest in the United States!

We hiked back down, but instead of taking the trail which switchbacks across the river, we just walked down the river. It was great! Then we went swimming and sliding at a place where the rocks are all slippery. Then after some ice cream from McDonald's, we headed back up to Provo.

All over the Wasatch Range

From the North to the South, I've covered a lot of the Wasatch Mountain Range this past month.

#1: Wasatch Back Relay
Logan to Park City, Utah
188 miles
12-person team
3 running legs each
Mountainous terrain
Start: Friday, June 19, 2009 1:30pm

Results:
Finish: Saturday, June 20, 2009 2:24pm
24 hrs 54 min 55 sec
13th place Coed overall (out of 424 teams)
7th place in Coed Open Division (out of 318 teams)

LOADS OF FUN!

This is me standing in the transition area, about the get the slap bracelet from my teammate on my 2nd run, in the middle of the night! Everyone has to wear a headlamp and reflective vest. Oh yeah, and check out my awesome outfit! :)

Trying to wake back up after only 2 1/2 hrs of sleep...gotta keep runnin'

At the finish: wearing our awesomely HUGE, orange medals, and holding our precious time card...Avg of under 8-minute miles! WOO HOO!

Trying to keep track on our Suburban window of all the teams we "toasted" along the way...but sadly, this is only about 1/3 of them :)

Thanks for all the fun, Team Fuego Brown! (its a long story)

#2: Hiking Mt. Nebo
Summit: 11,928 ft
Highest and southernmost mountain on the Wasatch Range
On June 30, I convinced my roommate, Jenae, to come climb Mt. Nebo with me...down by Nephi, Utah. And what a perfect day it was!!
the summit of Mt. Nebo behind us...almost there!

THE SUMMIT!!
I have never seen so many lady bugs in my life, as I did on the top of that mountain. It is like a lady bug breeding ground! My victory dance :)

It was actually a pretty steep hike. It wasn't that long mileage-wise, but definitely steep, almost the whole way. The top half is all shale on a ridge, sometimes requiring some scrambling. But that's what I like! ;)

On the hike back down, Jenae and I made up a song about our hike. We made a video of it, but it didn't want to upload, so if you have facebook, check it out there. And if you know anything about Jenae's creative mind, you know you want to watch this video :)
Enjoy!

And the day after...
My tan lines look like neopolitan ice cream (brown, pink, white), and Jenae was so burned she laid on the floor the next day wrapped in damp towels and applied aloe vera every 2 hours...poor girl :( But she is now molting, and will soon have a fresh coat of pure white skin! :)

I sure can't get enough of the Utah Mountains!