on christmas day while skyping with mckayber (on his mission in indonesia) and cole + april (living in louisiana) i opened up my mission call - a call to serve an 18 month mission for the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints.

as i opened it and started reading my stomach was filled with butterflies. i read the words: WASHINGTON, EVERETT MISSION and immediately the butterflies stopped. i knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that that is exactly where i should serve.

the more i think about + prepare to be a full-time missionary, the more excited i get. although i know embarking on this adventure will be CRAZY difficult at some points...i also know that if i work hard and do what my father in heaven tells me that it will be so, so rewarding.

here's to a new, very scary, adventure.

xoxo,
had.

living in hawaii has taught me to appreciate the simple beauties in life. everyone teases me about my excessive need to take pictures all the time - but i can't help it! i want every good memory, every beautiful thing, and every wonderful person captured so that i'm sure i won't forget the good parts of life.

attending the famous hawaii high school state football game * listing 105 things i'm grateful for (in my journal) thanksgiving morning * making ultimate grilled cheese with tavi * spending thanksgiving @ my religion professor's house * moana movie * making a PIE for thanksgiving * gilmore girls revival show * decorating my room * sister sharp making pretzel jello salad that reminded me of home * fantastic beasts and where to find them movie * INCREDIBLE hawaiian sunsets * adventuring in honolulu with "the girls" * getting to attend isaac chock's mission farewell * gorgeous drives around the island * reallllllllly nice people willing to drive me places * finally getting my picture with the aloha sign * tavi taking "hadley pictures" (it's the funniest thing + completely accurate)

my visit to UTAH during my week break between semesters * moving to a house with a kitchen * making french toast with tavi * facetime conversations * taking too many pictures * visiting sodalicious with baby campbell * going to a movie with my momma * lunch dates * walks along the beach almost every day * starting to watch the new show "the crown" * picking a beauuuutiful flower on my bike ride home today + wearing it behind my ear * having courage * re-reading through general conference talks * sending letters to missionaries * getting to email mckayber back + forth on sunday evenings * listening to frank sinatra on my plane ride back to hawaii * seeing my adorable nieces + nephews * discovering a new favorite word * going on a GORGEOUS hike this weekend * my time spent at the beautiful laie temple every friday evening

(NOT in chronological order whatsoever)

celebrating the fact that i've lived in hawaii for two months now * exploring the polynesian cultural center * our friend ben going out of his way to find us five matching crowns (he's a tour guide at the pcc) * a delectable potluck in my htm (hospitality + tourism management) class where everyone brought foods from where they're from * facetiming my faaaavorite people * the most perfect weekend * selfies with tavi * productive days * learning that i don't hate jogging as much as i thought i did * (hopefully) making jogging a habit in my weekly routine * social media ((because it gives me a chance to catch up on people's lives that i normally wouldn't be able to see)) * watching a beautiful sunset @ sunset beach * riding "the bus" (that's actually the name - how cool is that?) to explore the beautiful island of oahu * hearing lewis respond, "hawaiiiiiiii" when people ask him where his auntie had lives * movie dates via facetime * conversations wayyy to late into the night with my roommates + tavi (our wonderful adopted roommate) * bouquets of sunflowers * seeing palm trees out of the window as i'm sitting in class * my political science class * the most amazing package in the mail from my magnificent momma * a matching hat + bag combo that mom couldn't resist because "it screamed sunshine and hadley" * weekly visits to the beautiful temple so close to me * seeing pictures of the amazing fall that is happening in ut right now * beUTAHful shirt * finally finding a place to live next semester * the new place i'm going to be living at being reaaaally close to the beach * friendly people * discovering new movies that i adore * looking forward to conference this weekend (!)

i've always loved the song, "count your blessings" (hymn #241) and the message of gratitude it sends. as i face feelings of homesickness, the best thing i've found to do is think of all the amazing people + opportunities i've been blessed with...and go to the temple. because the temple is the best place in the whole world.

wishing you all a wonderful week.

xoxo,
had.

"Keep trying. Be believing. Be happy. Don’t get discouraged. Things will work out."

"I come … with a plea that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I’m suggesting that we accentuate the positive. I’m asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment virtue and effort."

"How magnificently we are blessed! How thankful we ought to be! … Cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving for the blessing of life and for the marvelous gifts and privileges each of us enjoy. "

"We live in the fulness of times. Mark that phrase. Mark the word fulness. It denotes all of [the] good that has been gathered together [from] the past and restored to earth in this final dispensation."

"In all of living have much of fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured."

"Don’t belittle yourself. Never forget that you are a child of God. You have a divine birthright. Something of the very nature of God is within you."

"Believe in yourself. Believe in your capacity to do great and good things. Believe that no mountain is so high that you cannot climb it. Believe that no storm is so great that you cannot weather it. … You are a child of God, of infinite capacity."

infatuate [verb in-fach-oo-eyt; adjective, noun in-fach-oo-it, -eyt]
verb (used with object), infatuated, infatuating.
1. to inspire or possess with a foolish or unreasoning passion

I am truly infatuated with the sky...especially the hawaiian sky.

Most of the time when I think something is important or beautiful, I take a picture of it. This would explain the reason I have a looooot of pictures of the sky on my phone currently.

The clouds. The blue sky. The silhouettes of the palm trees. These things added together create the most beautiful skies my 18 years of life have ever seen. Take a look for yourself (although pictures never seem to do the world's magnificence justice)...
xoxo, had.