Bye-bye AZ, hello UT!!!

  Well, as most of you know, Sister Pedersen is officially serving her full-time mission!!!  And has been for a quite a long while actually...  Like, 4 1/2 months long time! Sorry for my SERIOUS slacking, as usual.  But I'm not gonna lie- as I type, I am sitting here, bawling my eyes out because..... I MISS MY SISTER!!!!!!  I knew this would happen which is what happens EVERY TIME I go to post something & why I've put off this post for so long, I guess. And the others I need to post about...

  And it's such conflicting emotions too!  I mean, I miss her a TON but I know she's where she needs to be which is out serving the Lord & His children.  A friend of mine, whose little brother left for his mission a week after Nessa, put the feeling into words perfectly saying she was heartbroken but oh so proud!  So I guess the closest emoticon I could get to would be this-->  :' )

  So I'm going to break everything that's happened up since she left into 2 or 3 seperate blogs... ENJOY!

Jenessa was set apart on April 12th by President Riggs.  Her blessing was beautiful & said pretty much what we already knew: that she will be a strength & rock for those she comes in contact with, both companions & potential members alike.  Here's some pictures from that bittersweet night!:)

Everyone that was there... The fam, the Ceinaturaga's, & Bishop Pennington

Nessa & almost all da bruddas!

Such a sweet Daddy/Daughter pic!:)

Last pic with the parents for 1 1/2 years!

LOVE these girls...



SEASTARS... Have I mentioned I miss this girl???
I have the same cry eyes now as I did in this pic!

Saying bye to Jax... with a crazy face!:)

... & bye to Drake!  Both boys are going to be SO big when she gets home!

 Then, bright & early the next morning, my parents & I took Sis. P. to the airport to see her off... running about a half hour behind...



On the way to the airport... She was acting all cool, faking like she wasn't nervous!:)



 We had made it in time to check her in, barely enough time to check her baggage in.  Haha when they went to weigh her suitcase, it was just 3 lbs. over the 50 lb. limit. So Mom asked her if there was anything at all she could take out of her bag for now.  She will probably deny this ever happening, but at that moment she sorta started to freak out & was like "There is NOTHIING I can take out! I need everything I packed!!!" So I opened up her bag & see this HUGE bottle of hydrogen poroxide............. Haha  crazy thing happened, she was 50 lbs. on the dot after that thing was gone!:)  When tried saying she needed that cuz it was on "The List," we told her we'd send it in a package or the MTC would probably have some she could use... :D

From there we raced to the security check point to tell her good bye.  I naturally, of course, burst in to tear when she went to give me a hug.  Instead of it being a sweet tender moment between sisters, I hear her say, "UGH!!! Really? Pull yourself together, Lonna!" Oh. Ok.  Excuse me for being sad at the thought of being Jenessa-less for the next 18 months... No big deal..... ;D

We waited til we couldn't see her walking to her gate & that was it.  She got picked up by our Aunties, who kindly took her to the MTC.  At the drop-off, I guess they all got a bit emotional (mind you, she didn't tell them to pull it together... but, whatever! Again, no big deal!:))  I guess in an attempt to console them all, the Elder that was helping with her bags said to them, "It's ok! Just think, you'll get to talk to her on the phone on Mother's Day in a month." To which they replied, "No we won't! We're just the Aunts!" & the Elder said, "Oh..." as in "Oh, sucks for you guys then!"  Haha

And so began Sister Pedersen's MISSION! Read on to the next post for more... :)

T-minus 7 days,something hours.......

 
.... And however many minutes in counting until Sister Pedersen is set apart as a missionary!!!!  Tuesday night @ 9:00 is the official time.  So make sure you get your farewells in before then, everybody!
Time is just flying!  So much so that I failed to blog on Jenessa's big *GOLDEN BIRTHDAY*!!!!!!  Yep, she turned the big 21 on the 21st of March!  We celebrated the weekend before with some family time up at my in-law's cabin in Pine & then celebrated with a few good  friends on the day ofher birthday... Good fun! :)


Crazy girls celebrating!:)
Hope you had a wonderful birthday, Nessie!  Welcome to the OFFICIAL adult club!;)


Later on in the week, Jenessa gave her farewell talk on the 27th.  Since General Confrence was the first weekend this month & this coming Sunday will be her ward's Fast Sunday, she had to do it earlier than expected.  She, in my very unbiased opinion;) did an EXCELLENT job!  Especially considering that right before she went up, she figured out she was missing the first 3 pages of her talk so she had to wing it & do it from memory for a little bit.  She was really nervous but she did it perfectly.

She has given me permission to post the text from her talk so... So if you didn't get the opportunity to hear her give it in person, here it is:

  Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf once told a story of a city that was devastated by the bombings raids of World War II.  In the old city square had stood a large statue of Jesus Christ, with His hands outspread in an attitude of invitation. On the pedestal were carved the words, “Come unto me.”  When the townspeople found the statue among the rubble, they mourned because it had been a beloved symbol of their faith and of God’s presence in their lives. Experts were able to repair most of the statue, but its hands had been damaged so severely that they could not be restored. Some suggested that they hire a sculptor to make new hands, but others wanted to leave it as it was—a permanent reminder of the tragedy of war. Ultimately, the statue remained without hands. Today, in the public square of that city, the restored statue of Christ stands without hands, and on its base were added the words, “Christ has no hands but ours!”

  When Bishop asked when I wanted to give my farewell talk, I thought how puplic speaking is NOT my favorite thing to do.  So I said “Never.  Let’s just not.”  Obviously, that didn’t work out for me... :) 

So I was asked to speak on the talk given by Elder Auyagi of the 2^nd Quorum of the Seventy from the April 2010 General Conference entitled “Helping hands, Saving Hands.”  In this talk, Elder Auyagi counsels us on how we can act as instruments for our Heavenly Father to help His children, physically, spiritually, & emotionally- so they can “Come unto him.”

  Members throughout the world have literally been “helping” & “saving” hands through the humanitarian services that the Church offers.  It provides relief and development projects in countries all over the world, regardless of the nationality or religion of those in need of the help.  Services may include emergency response to natural disasters, such as the recent tsunami in Japan, or the earthquakes in New Zealand, Chile, and Haiti. Within hours of a disaster, the Church works with local government officials to determine what supplies and food are needed. Materials are then immediately sent to the area. They also help to relieve the effects of war and famine. It may also be part of a longer-term effort to meet serious and on-going problems, such as the need to alleviate disease.  For example, in 2003, the Church donated three million dollars to support a worldwide project, working with other organizations such as the American Red Cross, which would provide measles vaccinations to children in 40 countries. And it’s OUR fast offerings & tithes which make these humanitarian projects possible.

  Just as the members can physically provide aide to those in need, so can we provide “spritiual recuing,” as Elder Auyagi shared his experience as a convert to the Church, when he says he was “spiritually rescued”:

“When I was 17 years old, I met 2 American missionaries… Though our ages were only 2 or 3 years apart, the Elders had something wonderful that I had never felt before.  They were diligent, cheerful, & filled with love and light.  I was deeply impressed by their qualities and I wanted to become like them. I listened to their message & decided to be baptized.”

Moses 1:39 says “For behold, this is my work & my glory- to bring to pass the immortality & eternal life of man.” 

In the Preach My Gospel handbook, we learn that the missionary purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.  This purpose is not limited to just the full-time missionaries, but to ALL members.  Elder Auyagi proclaims, “Many around us need spiritual help.  As we offer a saving hand to less-active members, to part-member families, and to those not of our faith, we invite ALL to come unto Christ.”

We need to be examples of the Disciples of Christ we profess to be in all that we do because we never know who is watching and how our actions influence the opinions others have of the Church and the rest of its members.  Just like a good example can invite those not of our faith to come & feel of His love, so can a bad example repel them from being interested in having anything to do with this wonderful Gospel.  I recently had an experience with just this.

A co-worker & friend of mine & I had been having discussions about the church and what it is that we believe.  When I extended the invitation to her to come to church with me, she accepted at first.  Then, because of the negative example of another church member in this co-worker’s class at school, & because of the association I had with this particular member, my friend no longer wanted to come church with me.  She let me know that this member’s example made her uninterested in the Gospel & its teaching.  So we just need to be aware of how we act & what we say, even when we think no one is watching us.

As members we also need to help each other.  One way we can do this is by faithfully serving in our callings.  Also, just by being aware of the needs of anyone around us who is struggling.

  Doctrine & Covenants 84:106 states: “If any among you be strong in the Spirit, let him take with him him that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also.”  It could be as easy as giving or sending words of encouragement to someone.  Elder Auyagi shares his experience of receiving a mere postcard after going inactive while he was away to college:
  “Living alone, far from my hometown and the people I knew, I became lonely & strayed from the church.  One day I received a postcard from a church member back home.  She wrote that she had heard I was not attending church meetings.  She quoted a scripture & invited me to return to church.  I was overwhelmed by the words of the scripture.  This helped me realize that maybe I had lost something important, and I pondered & struggled for many days.”

He went on to tell of his deeply spiritual experience that led him to repent & renew his commitment to faithfully follow the Savior for the rest of his life. He then served a full-time mission.  Following which, he was married & sealed to the same young woman who sent him the postcard that helped bring him back to the gospel.

  In closing, I’d like to share a quote by Pres. Thomas S. Monson: “My brothers & sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness- be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve & lift his children.  He is dependent upon each of us.”

Jenessa closed with a beautiful testimony of her love & knowledge of the Gospel & aknowledged the "helping hands" she's had through out her life.  She also expressed the joy & excitement she feels to be able to serve a full-time mission.

  As I usually do, I'm going to speak for my whole family in saying that we were all pretty darn proud of our wonderful, beautiful Nessa!:) 

  This is a wonderful opportunity for her to serve our Heavenly Father & also our brothers & sisters in Missouri...  and she will do very well!  We pray that the Lord will bless her with His Spirit so that she is guided & directed to deal His will, & also learn the things she needs to that with help her grow as a person as well........   We just LOVE you & are going to miss you soooo much, Jenessa!!!  What more can we say?:)  We know that this is what you are supposed to be doing with your life at this time & know you will be blessed for it.

  Until the next update, will probably be after Sister Pedersen is already in the MTC.... :')  Bitter sweet!

Incase you hadn't heard....

It came... It finally came!!!!!!!!:)

Sister Pedersen got her call!!!!!!  And what a relief it was... Jenessa checked the mail about 50 times that day!:)

I apologize for this post being so late.  I am putting part of the blame on Jenessa because she wanted me to post the video that was taken of her opening- but she never sent it to me.......  So I'm taking matters in to my own hands and just posting what I've got to work with:)  So there Sister!

That is a smile of approval!:)

Sister Pedersen has been called to labor in the ST. LOUIS MISSOURI MISSION!!! And we all couldn't be happier or more excited for her!:)  She has been a bit concerned reading the weather forecasts the past couple weeks, what with the temperatures being below freezing, but this AZ girl has the "bring it on!" attitude and buying the right coats so she will just be ready to go & do.... :)  She reports to the Provo MTC on April 13th.

Jenessa & Mom have been on top of things- they started getting the skirts, the shirts, the shoes, etc... All of the mission supplies!  But the most important thing she's taken care of was taking her endowments out this past weekend!!!:)  It was a gorgeous day,  perfect for just such an occassion.  And what a special one it was!  Our Mamma, Aunt Lexa & Aunt LaRa & a couple of close family friends were able to come for the session.  It was a beatiful experience for everyone involved... And we're so proud of you Nessie!  Here are some pictures from that beautiful day:



Our little sister is growing up!:)




The Pedersen/Hunsaker gang!




Jenessa with Aunt LaRa, Aunt Lexa, & Mamma


Now the countdown begins!  Check back for updates on when her farewell & openhouse are...

Quick thought & update!!!

I already posted this video on DP's blog & thought I should do the same on Nessa's:)  I love our sweet prophet & this message he gave in this video fills me with love, respect, & admiration for my 2 siblings that are fulfilling these duties & obligations. For as Pres. Monson says, "Missionary service is a Priesthood duty, an obligation the Lord expects of us; we've been given so very much!"

Now the update:

Jenessa had some paperwork gliches but she got them worked out.  She also had her interview with her bishop & has her appointment set to meet with Pres. Riggs this Sunday!  So hopefully that means he'll send her paperwork to Salt Lake City on Monday & she'll recieve her call within 2-3 weeks from that time:)  If all goes as planned, we're also hoping she'll be able to take her endowments out on Saturday, the 22nd- the day before DP's farewell- so all the family in town will be able to share that that special day with her as well!

Seriously exciting stuff going on in the Pedersen House!!!!!!  Stay tuned...

Momma called the doctor & the doctor said....

..........Jenessa can go on her mission!!!! 

That's right, after doing weeks & weeks of iron I.V.'s, her bloodwork came back alright & she got the all clear.  The plan is to turn the papers in TOMORROW!  Then let the counting down begin:)

The beginning...

  Obviously, we have a ways to go with this blog... But I (Lonna, Jenessa's older, loving, & awesome sister;)) wanted to get this started.  As I said in the blog description, this is our way of letting family & friends, wherever they may be, in on the happenings with Jenessa on "her journey before & during her time serving as a missionary..."

  As the title to this post says, this is the beginning of the road on that journey!  Jenessa has decided that going on a mission is what she wants to do- sacrifice & dedicate the next year & a half or so of her life to serving our Father in heaven where ever she is called to go! Be it the Mesa, AZ Temple Mission (which is probably not going to really happen Mom... I'm just speaking hypothetically! Hehe just kidding... but seriously!:)) or a labor mission in Mongolia, she is ready & willing.  She has been going to all of the many appointments & filling out her papers.  She can turn those in as early as Nov. 21st.

So naturally, as soon as you make any righteous & life-changing decision & begin to carry it out, Satan tries to throw a few pot-holes in the road, right from the starting line...

  As most of you know, Jenessa has been hospitalized, recieved blood transfusions, Iron I.V.'s, & was treated for what they thought was thalassemia, within this last year.  Basically, her red blood cells are too small & deformed, resulting in her having an iron deficiency.  So when she got her routine blood tests done for her mission papers, they found that her Iron has dropped significantly again since she was released in May.  Unfortunately for her, Jenessa is having to resume treatment & put her papers on hold until her Hemotologist gives the her/us the 'OK' for her to go...  She has to go in for Iron I.V.'s again twice a week until further notice.

This is where Satan came in... Obviously, she already had this illness before & had been dealing with it, but in hearing this news & having it delay the process with her papers, it has sure dampened her spirit a bit.  If you could keep her in your thoughts & prayers as we are, that would be fantastic!  As her sister, I'm sure I can speak for our family that doing so would surely be appreciated! 

Real quick, I also wanted add a few thoughts of my own to Jenessa-
Some of you may already be aware that I started a mission blog for our younger brother DP as well(elderpedersen.blogspot.com).  You'll notice that the themes are a little different.  His is a "Called to Serve" theme & her's is a "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam" theme.  I have been teased by a couple people, who shall remain nameless, for having picked this for her.  This is one of the great thing about having a sister to do this for because DP (or any of my brothers, for that matter!) would never let me pick or write things like this!:)  Even though both Jenessa & David are being called to serve, I made their blogs different for 2 reasons: 1. So Nessa wasn't feeling like she was getting sloppy seconds for what has already been started with D, since he's a little further along in the mission process:) & 2. The theme I picked for her, says a lot about what I think of her.

Nessy-
When I think of that phrase, that scripture in the header, or even the word 'light,' you are one of few people that come to my mind- right on up there with Jesus Christ & Pres. Monson, if that gives you an idea of how great that is:)  All of your siblings can attest to having experienced you on your "cloudy days," shall we say?:D  As everybody has those days!  But spiritually, you truely are one of the brightest- a beakon in the night.  Your testimony of the Gospel is so strong & unwaivering!  Because of this, you are an example to anyone who knows you.  This is something that will help you get thru this time, as well as help you on your mission.  In my opinion, one of your greatest strengths is & will be that you will teach those brothers & sisters, wherever you are called to go, by your example & by your testimony.  As you are serving our Heavenly Father as a representative of His church, you will be that light that will show them your good works & glorify our Father...  You will be a SUNBEAM!:)  So now you can't make fun of this theme I picked, because of how speacial it is to me (& hopefully to you too, a little bit at least!).  I love you Seastar & am so proud of you for making this choice.  Keep your head up & know that I think you are awethome!;)

So.......  Now what?  Well fortunately, like I've been saying, this is NOT the end... only the beginning!!!:) This time & the things Jenessa is/will be going thru is merely a bump in the road.  A bump she will surely get over.  Check back & we'll keep everyone updated!:)