Alaska Robin: The temple at the end of every tunnel

Tis true tis true. For every unusually hard week, there's a guaranteed temple visit right around the corner. There always seems to be a thick mud puddle right before a blessing. The sun always beats a little harder when you're about the finish the mile. You tune into the radio during the last line of your favorite song. You make a bowl of cereal.... no milk in the fridge. Of course. Always. Without fail. This week (or was it last week... I can't actually remember) I got a quote in a white elephant type game at church that has been running through my mind CONSTANTLY as daily obstacles undoubtedly arise.

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."

-Dolly Parton

At first I was just drawn to the quote cause the paper and graphics and font and everything were super cute. Then I liked it mostly cause the rainbow thing (I miss seeing rainbows all the time... definitely something I took for granted at home). Then I liked it cause I loved Dolly Parton on Joyful Noise. NOW I love it because it's so. Stinkin. True.

"Every flower has to go through a whole bunch of dirt before it can bloom"

....or something like that.

-I don't know who said that actually...

Anyways.

Maybe that mud puddle has restorative cosmetic properties!

Maybe that sun will make you look not so pasty cause you've been wearing sweaters and boots all winter..... :(

Maybe your throwback jam (which is ALWAYS great to hear on the radio randomly) will play right after your current favorite song finishes!

Maybe there's a surprise pack of bacon waiting for you instead of cereal! (Or maybe cereal tastes better without milk anyways. Just saying.)

Maybe next Wednesday is temple day :). (It's not, cause we just just had temple day, but you know what I mean.)

Maybe

Maybe.

This week was hard, as expected. Nor unbearably hard. I might call it unnecessarily hard... But I won't. Because I'm not dead. And what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? And I really need all the strength I can get hahah! But really. There's been a great emphasis on the unity of our district (10ish missionaries all together), and the power that we have to uplift and strengthen one another is IN.CRE.DI.BLE. One of the members of the bishopric in our ward spoke this past Sunday. He spoke of a surplusage cannon (sp? idk.) which in lawyer speak is a thingy where words are not spared when laws are written... So EVERY word is important to a law if it's included in it. He likened this to the scriptures, and how EVERY word recorded in them is of value. It wouldn't be there if it weren't vital to our knowledge. I am noticing that this surplusage thingamabob is applicable to most everything. Especially in my life right right now. Effie Trinket knows what's up. The odds are SO ever in our favor, and we are SURROUNDED by light and love. Despite the dirt, the mud puddles, the rain, the milkless cereal, and junk weeks that we must endure, we the odds are STACKED in our favor for success. Mommy talks about how she can feel Tutu Nani's prayers for her/us. Like they have a special brand/scent to them. I can feel the love and support from everyone back home WHEN I WANT to feel them (which is always, btw) and I'm reminded of just how loved I am. It warms my heart all the time. It goes both ways though. I pray for you all. I love you all. So. Stinkin. Much. Let those who surround you lift you up, and help those around you where you can. We need each other yo.

Haha, I'll get off my soapbox now. Why? CAUSE I LOVE YOU THAT'S WHY.

SCRPTURE MVP'S OF THE WEEK!

-Romans 14:19

-1 Pet 3:11

-James 3:18

QUOTE OF THE WEEK!

(other than Ms.Dolly's quote)

Conversation about frysauce (-.- of course)

Me: "Isn't frysauce just-"

Interrupting Elder: "-JUST? JUST? Frysauce isn't JUST anything. It's like a kiss from Moroni."

...................... hahahahahaha funny funny.

PICTURES OF THE WEEK!