what to wear. take one.

sorry guys, its been a while since i've posted. 

but i have been doing lots of mission shopping the last two weeks! i'll start with this awesome pencil skirt. its a great muted pink and it hasn't been that hard to find matching tops. 

(honestly, i thought it would be) 

here are a few different outfit ideas that are super cute, modest, and perfect options for your mission.

 outfit #1: 

top-H&M ($12.95)

skirt: Mikarose ($37.50-find it here)

outfit #2:

same top and skirt as above

cardigan- Nordstrom Rack ($16.95)

outfit #3:same skirt as above

button up shirt: H&M ($8.95)

cardigan: Nordstrom Rack ($16.95)

outfit #4:

same skirt as above

button up shirt: H&M ($18.95)

outfit #5

all items featured in above outfits

outfit #6:

same skirt as above

pin stripe button down shirt- Gap ($32.95)

mission shopping.

guys, I think I am almost done with all my mission shopping. I mean I say that now, but I'll probably realize 100 more things that I need to get still. I'm hoping to pair up all of the awesome outfits and get some pictures taken so you all can see! bear with me, it'll get done.

the store we went to had a lot of Mikarose and it was some awesome stuff. perfect length, super cute, and pretty good prices. check them out at mikarose.com or I know one of their stores is in the Provo University Mall.

cap sleeves.

cap sleeves are garments best friend. 

so, i used to work at the University Mall in Provo at this store called ModBod. not ModBe, ModBod. (similar stores, totally different companies.)

anyways, ModBod specializes in capsleeves, camis, long sleeves, etc. 

all of your basic essentials in solid colors.

 they are super high quality and definitely last the longest, durability wise. 

i know you might want to go with a Down East cap sleeve, because they are super cheap, but don't do that to yourself. ModBod is a lot better quality and actually survives the washer machine. 

your cap sleeve won't completely see through by the time you get to the fifth wash. 

trust me! 

p.s. yes, they will cover your garments. everyone that came in to the store asked this question and the answer is YES, easily.

HERES THE GOOD NEWS.

ModBod has all of their stuff on SALE right now!! YAHOOOO!!

here are some of the capsleeves, they come in SO many colors and they are only $9.95 online right now! they are literally 50% off. so grab them while they are still in stock!

you can check out all of the capsleeves here.

now i am sure you are all curious what this is. (no, not the ladies creepy face) 

these are called Demi Cap Sleeves.

 i know they look weird. but honestly, they are the best undershirt for under a dress. 

you know how sometimes your undershirt rides up under your dress and you have to do that awkward reach-up-your-dress-pull-down-your-undershirt thing....well, now you wont have to! 

these really are so awesome. 

they are also on sale for only $8.95. if you don't believe me, at least buy one and try them out. i really do think they are super awesome and convenient. they were super popular when i worked in the store and i have a couple now too. 

its a great alternative to a full cap sleeve, because they aren't as bulky or hot. 

check out the demi cap sleeve here.

check out modbod.com for all of the other awesome undershirts/basic tops they have. any of them would be perfect for your mission.

mormon.org

they finally approved and published my mormon.org profile! wahoooo! 

check out my whole profile HERE

go make yours and then comment below with a link to your profile. i want to see and read everyone's! 

definite must have.

wow. wow. wow. this skirt is so wonderfully perfect.

this is on shabby apple and even in its description it says this skirt is "a charmer on the mission...". uhh yeah, obviously. just look at it.

seriously, you could pair this with so many tops and the bow would just add so much to your outfit. 

check it out on shabbyapple.com and its even on sale right now!

quick tip.

dont know if you guys knew about this, but once you go into the MTC you have to make your own mormon.org profile. i have heard from multiple people that it is worth your time to do it before you enter the MTC. i did mine last night and it took me about ten minutes. not bad at all. i think the longest part was trying to pick what picture to use as my profile pic. haha. 

all you have to do is go on to mormon.org, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and 

click "create a profile". 

how much easier could it get?

take the time to do it now because in the MTC you will be rushed through and won't have much time to really think about your answers. plus you can get a little more creative with your intro..."i'm a student at utah state university. i'm a sorority woman. i'm a mormon."

feels kinda cool to have your own little "i'm a mormon" intro. 

this is an awesome resource for investigators to learn about the church and then get in touch with missionaries.

 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."-Mark 16:15

dresses.

dresses are another hard find. for me, they are always way too short, the longer ones are sleeveless, too tight, etc. i want to take at least two dresses with me, just to switch things up from time to time.

all of the dresses above were found on asos.com

1. This dress is super cute, light weight, the neck might be too wide, but that's nothing a cami cant fix. this dress comes in 5 colors: black, navy, red, green, & purple. find it here.

2. you cant see well in the picture, but this dress has a cute aztec stripe pattern. really nice length & sleeve coverage. a little more expensive but made with cotton, so very breathable. find it here.

3. i am absolutely in LOVE with this dress. such a good cut and the simple print on there makes all the difference. this dress comes in navy or black. find it here.

4. this is a very simple black dress. high collar line and nice sleeves. its made from a nice cotton jersey stretch material. this dress comes in black, navy, & orange. find it here.

5. this is another black dress, but it has the detailing of a collar that is super cute. the only problem is that there is a little slit in the chest area, but honestly with six quick stitches it would be gone. also made out of a nice stretch cotton jersey AND its on SALE. find it here.

6. for those of you heading to the missions where it is winter year round, this is a nice option. a nice easy cotton long sleeve dress that could be paired with anything. this dress comes in gray, red, & yellow. find it here.

all of the above dresses were found on shabbyapple.com

-i like these dresses, but they are a bit on the pricier side and a little fancier. one nice 

dress wouldn't hurt.

all of the above dresses were found on mikarose.com

-these dresses are super simple but they have an extra touch of something that would make them super easy to throw on. i am definitely considering the grey one on the left.

let me know if you guys know of any other places to find cute dresses, i'm on the prowl.

roseville, california

the roseville california mission map

google your mission. seriously, you can find out so many cool things. i spent all of sunday school last week going through all of the awesome roseville info websites. (i know i know, i probably should have been listening.)

why i need to serve.

a lot of people ask me why i decided to serve a mission. a lot of people tell me i'm stupid for leaving my boyfriend of a year and that i should just stay here and get married. a lot of people tell me i'm crazy for going. but a lot of people don't know the real reason why i decided to serve.

i guess its not necessarily one reason, but multiple reasons. 

1. i want to serve a full time mission because honestly, i have always had a feeling i should serve. that thought first crossed my mind in 7th grade at church, when my best friend Jessica Moffat leaned over and asked ,during a lesson on missionary work, "Do you think you will go on a mission?" At the time i told her "i'm thinking about it." I hadn't thought about that moment until this past year. when people asked me if i would go on a mission last year, i would say that i always kind of thought that i might and i really did mean it.

2. i want to serve because i have received an answer that this is where i need to be going with my life. last semester i finally made the decision to get my patriarchal blessing and it could not have come at a more perfect time. i got it a couple of weeks after the big general conference announcement was made and it honestly was the answer to all of my prayers of whether or not i was really going to go. i get the chills just thinking about my patriarchal blessing because right when he told me that the lord desired that i would serve a full time mission, tears started streaming down my face uncontrollably. i was struck with the spirit and i knew for a fact that i had to go.

3. i want to serve a full time mission because i want to be a good example for the people closest to me. a lot of people know that my mom hasn't been active in the church for about ten years now, but this last year on mothers day she told us that she had made the decision to be baptized and take the missionary discussions. i never thought this day would come. i honestly hoped it would but never thought i would actually hear her say those words to us. she needs this right now. she needs my example and i need to show her that this gospel is so important to me that i will spend 18 months of my life just to serve the Lord. i need to be an example to my siblings and cousins. i will be the first grandchild and only the third person from our family to actually serve a mission. i need to show them that this is the right thing to do and that it is SO worth it. 

4. i want to serve a full time mission because i know it will bless my life. not only can i bless others but i know this will bless me more than ever. i thank heavenly father every day that i am able to serve a mission at this time of my life rather than later. i also thank him for putting Zane in my life at this time. if this kid wouldn't have come in to my life when he did, i would not be where i am today and probably would not have been holding a mission call envelope in my hands last friday. he has been such an example to me and i'm thankful for all of his crazy mission stories. i want to go so i can come back and share MY stories with him.

5. i want to serve a full time mission because i want to be a better mother and wife. i have a lot of flaws and growing up to do before the m word (marriage) can even come in to play. i love zane so much and would be the luckiest girl in the world to marry him, but i know its not supposed to happen right now. i know if i serve this mission that i will be able to learn so many valuable things and perfect a lot of my flaws. i have so much learning to do and know that i can grow so much from the next 18 months.

6. i want to serve a full time mission because there is no other opportunity like this. yes, we can go on missions as senior couples, but honestly if you are handed this incredible opportunity, TAKE IT! if you feel any sort of feeling like you need/should go on a mission, then GO! there is no better time then now to go and serve the lord. he needs our help and our testimonies now, not later.

7. lastly, there are obviously so many other reasons why i know i should serve, but the main reason i know i need to serve is to serve my Heavenly Father. he has given me so much and my work these next 18 months will be nothing compared to what he has done for me, but at least i know i will have tried and will hopefully make a small difference in his kingdom. i know there are families and people out there that Heavenly Father has set apart specifically for me to serve. i know i will be able to bless so many lives and my life will be blessed because of this decision to serve.

some of you may ask why i need to serve, why i would do something so mean as to leave my sweet boyfriend for 18 months, or why i would rather not just get married now...but i hope you now understand a little better as to why i have made this decision. 

i could not be in a better place in my life right now.

exercise.

i'm sure all of us future missionaries are a little nervous about the weight gain rumors that go around, but don't be. there are so many easy and quick circuits out there that you can do pretty much anywhere. 

the last couple of weeks, i have stayed at home to work out instead of going over to the university's gym. i really recommend doing this for a couple of weeks before you go in to the mission field so you can get a feel of what easy work out routines you could do while you are out there. 

here are some of my favorites so far and none require weights: 

this is a really awesome ab workout. it is quick and works your abs just the right amount.

oookayyy...this leg workout is KILLER,but don't be scared. i did this one last night and by the end of the workout my legs felt great. you definitely would not have any issues doing all your walking the next day.

so i tried this arm workout last night as well, it wasn't my favorite arm workout, but it definitely did the job. make sure you know how to do each of the exercises listed before you start the full thing. 

okay guys, this morning workout, is literally one of my favorite workouts. it is a full body workout and definitely gets the job done. i would recommend printing this one out and taking it with you, so you could do it out there in the mission field.

all of these workouts are super easy and require no equipment. 

don't forget to stay healthy out there and maintain a good exercise routine.

ps. you may think to yourself, "well i walk like 8 miles a day." while walking to the investigators houses is great and all, you really need to trigger specific muscles if you want to see any 

results and stay healthy.

skirts.

so i know one of the hardest things is shopping for mission clothes...at least it is for me, thanks to the fact that i am a bit above average height. but i found some REALLY cute skirts that i wanted to share with you guys.

all of the above skirts were found at asos.com

they all range from about $40-$75 and are all made out of easy care material.
 im in love with these skirts and love the color and prints.
these all would be so easy to find matching tops to go with them. 

these three skirts were found at mikarose.com

these skirts are more on the cheaper side and range from about $35-$45.

i recommend buying at least two pencil skirts because they always seem to be a little more dressy

 than a-line skirts.

some other great websites that you might want to check out include:

shabbyapple.com 

(more expensive, but good quality and super cute prints)

modestpop.com

(cheaper and more simple skirt options)

modcloth.com

(they always have tons of skirts on sale!)

TIPS:

-buy skirts in fabrics that are easy to wash/easy care

-be bold and go with a pattern; pair it with a solid shirt and you will be golden

-dont be afraid to order a bunch of skirts online to try out

-and remember...its OK to take a couple more skirts than recommended

ps. comment and let me know if you have found any other stores successful with having long skirts...feedback is always appreciated. :)

D&C 31

seriously, if you haven't read D&C 31, do it now.

my really good friend who is on his mission right now in Peru emailed me about this chapter and  i was blown away while i read it.

my advice would be to put in your name/she/he/i so that it makes it more personal.

what an AMAZING blessing it is to be  called to serve the lord.

"lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come..." -D&C 31:3