Exclusive Weekly Sister Lovell Magazine: Best Day of My Life

Heyo Y'all!

This week was absolutely phenomenal. I adored every minute of it.

Wednesday was crazy busy. We had our classes as usual, and meals before and after them. Speaking of classes we have had 8 teachers total. Our OG teachers left for Thanksgiving break to spend time with their families (understandable) and several of our substitutes did the same thing a day or two later. We definitely miss Brother Yauney and Brother Leavitt. They were fantastic. :)

After classes and meals Wednesday is when it started getting busy. We had two 45 minute workshops and a 20 minute Helping Others meeting in between them, all within two hours. It was go, go, go. Absolutely insane. XD

Thursday was even more incredible. This is the day I would label the best day of my life (at least thus far haha XD).

We started the day off with Choir practice right after breakfast, and anyone who knows me knows how much I love singing. This is when we performed "Come Thou Fount". We were sitting in the seats anxiously waiting to find out who the General Authority we were being visited by was, and Elder Gary E. Stevenson came and sat on the stand. Now you may or may not have heard about this experience as it was on the church newspage, which, btw, is the COOLEST THING to ever happen to me. My face is on the church newsroom page!! I was beyond excited to find that out haha XD.

So we sang, and then we got to sit and listen to Sister Stevenson speak, and Elder Stevenson shared with us the Four Missionary Pillars of Gratitude. They are: our Missionary Purpose, Change of Heart, The Restoration, and the Constant Companionship of the Holy Ghost. It was beYOND amazing to be there in person as he shared this talk with us, and I know there is not a place on earth I'd rather be right now.

During lunch, which was our big meal for the day, Elder Stevenson ate in the cafeteria with us!!!!! We got to see him and some people got to take pictures and shake his hand. I did not get to take pictures or shake hands or anything then, but I got to be within 8 feet of an Apostle of the Lord which was EPIC!!!

After lunch we got to do a service project after hearing from Sister Eubank. Yet aNOTHER amazing talk. The service project was putting together like... idk how many like 26,000? bags of oatmeal to go to the Utah foodbank. We did two hours for each group, and there were two groups, so four hours to make them. It was absolutely incredible. Not only that, but I got to sHaKE EldEr SteVeNSoN's hAnD! He commented on my companion and I's matching dresses XD We got to talk with him for a minute before he moved on to talk to missionaries at another table. It was the cOOLEST!!! My thumb has been numb ever since (because I was in charge of pressing and sealing the oatmeal bags, but that part's not important XD).

After the service project we had our sack dinners in our classroom as a district, and that was both hilarious, stupid, and super fun and memorable. I adore my district. :) After I finished eating I also got to FaceTime over messenger my family while they were at one of my best friend's houses for Thanksgiving dinner. That was pretty awesome. I was excited to get to talk to everyone. :)

After that we went to the last devotional performance thing that evening, which was a musical performance by JON SCHMIDT!!!! I was hardcore fangirling. XD I'm certain the Elders in my district think I'm insane, but then again, when has that not been true?? XD XD

He even composed a song on the spOT for us. There was another performance where he started playing the base line of a blues jazz song, and asked if anyone wanted to come up and play with him. There was an Elder who went up and HOLY COW it was inSANE!!! The whole performance was just the best thing ever. He kept asking what time he had to end, and how many songs he could fit in, and the whole crowd of 700~ missionaries kept calling back "one more song! One more song!!" so he kept going. We got a 15 minute extension of our curfew to walk around campus and look at the Christmas lights that were finally on. :)

So yeah, best day of my life. :D The coolest part was that I learned that Thanksgiving isn't just about the food. The service project and bringing people together was a much better experience than any food. I am proud to be what Elder Stevenson called a "Thanksgiving Missionary". I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. :)

The rest of the weekend was pretty regular, just classes. Our last day of classes was Saturday, and even now typing that makes me want to cry. Today is our last day all together as a district before most of us leave early tomorrow morning. (The others are leaving Wednesday morning.) That is also another thought that is plausible to make me cry. I absolutely adore my district, even more than I adored this week. It wouldn't have been nearly as good of an experience without them.

We played volleyball as a district Saturday night because we're not allowed to go to the gym our last day. We had lots of fun until we got overrun by other people who were much better at volleyball, and far too competitive for our liking. Instead we ditched the gym and played around the world ping-pong in the rec room. We're playing again today for our last FHE and group thing before we leave. :( It was a lot of fun, and I'm really excited to play again. :D

Yesterday was our last Sunday here, and realizing I'll be in a Wisconsin ward next Sunday..... is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. That's inSANE. I don't want to think about that right now. XD

During Sacrament meeting the Sisters did a musical number. We sang "I Believe In Christ", and Sister Talakai played a self arranged version on the piano for our accompaniment. It was pretty cool. :)

Anyways, I think that's about it, this week was a long one for sure, but it was worth every minute of it. Thanks for tuning in! If you made it all the way through this email... I'm proud of you. XD I have a tendency to drone on haha XD.

Love you guys!!

Sister Lovell

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