Big changes once again

I have been called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and will be preaching the gospel in the Spanish language in the New York New York North mission.

Nothing could make me happier at this moment than knowing that I will be serving my Heavenly Father and my Savior in less than two months. I am so thankful for all the wonderful people in my life who have influenced me for the better and have helped me to make the decision to serve a mission. I know my family and I will be blessed immensely.

I was reading in Alma 17 this morning and I am always so taken back by the fact that Heavenly Father promises us such profound and life changing blessings if we do such simple things as fast, pray and study. If he is not a just and fair and loving God, I don't know what else we would call him. It is such a wonderful time to be on this Earth and to be proclaiming the truths of the gospel.

remember that "change" I was telling you about earlier?

I just got accepted to the BYU Jerusalem Center for Winter 2013. WHAT?!?!

It doesn't seem real...yet. But I am SO excited.

:)

and if you're homesick, give me your hand and i'll hold it

This morning I was hiking up (literally, straight up) a mountain to a beautiful lake in Washington, and now I am sitting in Provo, Utah. How crazy is that?

I just got back from being home for a week. My goodness, Seattle really is the place for me. I forget just how beautiful it is every time I am away. I am seriously so happy that some of my girls from school got to visit such a special place. I hope they understand now why I rant and rave about it ALL the time. Im just really proud to be from Seattle, if were being honest. Even though I love Seattle so much, I don't get homesick very often because "home" for me is somewhat...movable. For lack of a better word. I can be happy and comfy if I have my clothes in a closet, good food to eat, a bed and wonderful people to surround me. I guess if I did ever get homesick though I would want someone to hold my hand...

 Kyle makes meh happy. 

 I love my mom. 

 Lake Serene. Could not have been more beautiful

My two worlds colliding :) 

cause the times, they are a changin'

I feel some change coming in my life. Not exactly sure what it is...but I think I'm ready for it. I sure hope so at least.

happy in the present

I used to wish I had a cute husband and babies to blog about. Or adventures around the world. Or beautiful crafts I make. Or savory food I put together. But I am happy with the simple college life I live. I have learned through out my days that it is so important to be happy where you are! Life seriously flies by, so why be wrapped up in all your wants and wishes when tomorrow is just around the corner? I am blessed every day with wonderful friends, loving family, beautiful surroundings, and good health and I am learning to be happy right where I am :)

Heres a little bit of what I have been up to as of late:

 pure bliss on the ranch

cousins forevaaaa

just a few pictures i wish i could call my own

 isnt my best friend a BABE?!

 i wish i had freckles all over my body. 

charity never faileth

"If we could look into each other’s hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care."
                   - Marvin J. Ashton

"getting things done"

I stayed home from the Beach House concert tonight in Salt Lake to "get things done." What in the world does that even mean? This is the list I made for myself...

-Send erin a card
-buy watermelon
-DO LAUNDRY
-write in journal
-read scriptures
-get library card
-pick up la jolla name-tag
-set up la jolla payments
-finish catcher in the rye
-go on a run
-buy a new journal
-blog? (lawls)
-order new checks
-change pin number
-pinterest craft ideas
-call Kailey
-make CDs

Lengthy list. Sheesh. I really dont even know who I have become skipping a concert for any of the above activities!

Any-who...


I dropped Maddie off at the airport today after 4 glorious days in the sun with one of my best friends. We ate snow cones, swam in the pool, celebrated America's birthday, hit golf balls with handsome men, saw the beautiful temple in Salt Lake and last but not least ate everything in sight that was not good for us. What more could you ask for right?

Li hing mui!

 almost as good as the ones in hawaii. 

 aint she beautiful?

 best friends :)

 i love to see the temple

truly, nothing better than in n out. 

sandals, boots, flats, oxfords

I have a shoe fetish. I'm sorry. Mady Thorn is not a good influence on me either...shoot.

Days filled with strawberries and sunshine

Some friends and I at the strawberry days rodeo in Pleasant Grove! It was my first time and will not be my last. 

Jannae and me looking REALLY cute at the rodeo. 

Little kids literally stampeding each other to get money off of the fleeing cows. Haven't laughed so hard in a long time. 

Hilskin = mad

K8 = happy

What a blessed life I live. I have been spending my days with the best of friends romping around Provo in the beautiful sun! Thank you Heavenly Father for blessing me because I sometimes feel I don't deserve it! 

endless summer

I just read my blog from last summer and it made me laugh. I was so ambitious with my crafts, cooking, reading, new word learning, family hanging. I love summer! I think I love it because you can be ambitious and work on the goals you set for yourself unlike during the school year when you are so bogged down with life and its demands. I think I also love summer because the sun is always shining. It is my first summer away from home...cant believe it. I am growing up! Schools out for the summer today. Cheers to playing in the sun as much as we possibly can :)

 Da girls at K8s idp. denim disaster

 MOAB! way too much fun. i love these people

 the most epic bike extravaganza to date. and i do not use the word epic. 

bon iver could not have been better. i love these people! 

hacked by russians

I guess you could say lately I have been trying to notice and appreciate the quotidian things in life. There is beauty all around me!

P.S. I learned to wake board yesterday. Booya

P.S.S. This is my second attempt at blogging since my first blog was taken over by Russians and I unfortunately do not read or understand the Russian language. Oh yeah, and my name is Hilary Skinner.