Christina Jane's Mission

Christina-isms or quotes from the field

2012-01-22T20:29:00.000-08:00

January 2, 2012

Dear Family,

I love you all so much. I constantly think of how blessed I am to have the family that I do. I don't have much time to e-mail so I will try to do my best. Last week was pretty good :)

I fell tracting this week..... ripped my tights. and was GUSHING blood from my knee..... what hurt the most was my pride hahaha. it was so embarassing. ha. It still frustrates me how its so easy to get discouraged because its SOOOOOOOOO ineffective. BUT... I know the Lord will bless sister Akemon and I for our efforts, I'm trying to be patient, and on the positive note.... I feel more like a missionary spending so much time outside or with non members etc.

We had a neat miracle this week talking to a lady on her porch. She accepted a book of mormon and said she was going to read it and took our number.... AND her neighbors across the street are mormon so we are going to go back and have them invite her to read with them etc. Even if nothing happends it was a tender mercy. Testimony of the plan of salvation. I felt very moved and the spirit was so strong. I know she felt peace while we talked to her.

Temple jubilee was AMAZING. I saw one of my favorite elders in the whole world from my mtc district who I haven't seen since I got to the mission (over a year). We laughed so hard. It was so fun to be around everyone. We got to do 2 sessions back to back. I felt so much more at peace and recharged and excited than I have in a LONG time. Sister Akemon and I were able to have a one on one discussion with President Anderson that was so nice. He is so caring and understanding and helpful.

I love my companion. Sister Akemon is my best friend. It is going to be really really really hard when we are no longer companions. I'm sure some sort of a change will happen next transfer.

I love this ward so much. I love the people up here. I can't wait for you to come back and meet them. I had several tender mercies this week. 1. We went to ____'s patriarchal blessing on sunday. She is incredible. 2. _____ told us over dinner his faith in God was increasing. He accepted a book of mormon and he is totally changing. I can't believe the miracles that are happening with him. 3. ___ and ___ texted us this week. First time in months anyones had contact with them. PRAYER IS REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So much to be blessed and thankful for.

I can't believe I go home this year from my mission. I still don't know anythign hahaha. I have big plans for this year before I come home. The quote I liked best from goals talking was

" you can have anything you want in this life. but you can't have everything."

It's true. I can't perfect and focus on everything. 1 thing at a time. prioritize. :)

Christina-isms or quotes from the field

2011-12-07T21:22:00.000-08:00

11-28-11

I've had lots of good scripture studies this week and today am once again feeling at peace with how things are going. I think lots of trials and blessings are in store for the next 6 months but i'm excited for it. I had a neat experience praying this last week and I was asking Him to help me be the missionary I know he wants me to be and I had a distinct thought " what if you are being the missionary I want?" It was a tender mercy for me. The Lord seriously has blessed me so much. I love him for it. I am so thankful for my faith and the way its shaped my entire life! I am so blessed to have grown up with all that I have. It humbles me a lot to think about this.

My thanksgiving was amazing. We played football at this huge stadium with all the surrounding singles wards and a bunch of the elders. Then we went over to _____'s house. They went above and beyond. 7+ homemade pies, turkey, stuffing mashed potatoes, etc. It was incredible. It made me feel so loved to see the extent they went at to make sure we all had a good thanksgiving dinner. Now christmas is in full swing! lights EVERYWHERE! Main street looks incredible. :) I love it so much.

Love, Sister Gilson

Christina-isms or quotes from the field

2011-08-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

Monday, August 8, 2011

We had an incredible baptism yesterday. Honestly there was not a dry eye in the audience it was so tender. I keep wondering why the Lord is blessing us so much because I feel like I am still so behind with everything but I had the realization yesterday that maybe this is happening to help me understand the atonement better. In life we bring our meager sacrifices to the table and he makes up the rest and that is what he has been doing with our ministry. He has truly been blessing us and making up the difference. I am so thankful and happy and blessed that I can't stand it! :)

I also made the connection that every one of our investigators who progressed toward baptism was because they were reading the book of mormon consistently. It was a good testimony builder to me.

Fun fact: Tomorrow is the beginning of my 6th transfer. I'm half way. That is wild.

Love, Sister Gilson

Christina-isms or Quotes From the Field

2011-06-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

4-18-11

I love sister Akemon so much too.... we get a long really well and both have a desire to work hard and learn how to be the best we can be... so although we make tons of mistakes and both don't really know what were doing ha... we laugh about it and re evaluate and move on. (Christina had been out 12 weeks and Sister Akemon had been out 6 weeks when they became companions.)

Also, a less active who has been coming back for a while now has started to meet with the bishop and is talking mission bound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I never imagined that part of my missionary work would be strengthening future missionaries so that they could be prepared to teach the people wherever they go! It's exciting.

I love you all.

Keep reading and praying and never never never forsake! ha. No getting apathetic about our testimonies in the Gilson family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4-25-11

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my companion. We are learning lots, growing lots and having fun. We've had up and down days last week but it is exciting to feel like we are both getting in the groove of missionary work more.

We have been seeing HUGE miracles and success with our less active work.

I have been focusing on spiritually preparing myself better in the morning so that I am more bold and solid for people we contact out on the street and for tracting time. Sister Akemon and I also made a goal to start asking and digging deep with our members for more refferals. I have read a lot about following the spirit this week too and am hoping to be more inspired with areas to tract and what to say etc. (Note to President)

Last Saturday, Sister Akemon and I both left the car full of faith and happy attitudes and we talked to 35 people in less than a hour and a half. We got 7 phone numbers and are really excited about teaching these people... I'm going to continue pressing forward with faith in saying that atleast one of them WILL progress to baptism. If we press forward with FAITH and do our best to work hard the lord WILL lead us to people who are receptive and ready.

I have had some really neat studies in the book of mormon this week. I know the church is true. this really and literally is Christ's church. I am SO LUCKY I was born into the covanent. I still wonder why God does some things some ways... haha but i'm smart enough not to question why ha. I love the scriptures. I love the temple. I'm so excited to go this week and feel of the rejuvinating spirit there.

5-2-11

Things have been going well. I love my companion so much and we are still focused on bettering ourselves and trying to bring people closer to Christ.

We have a lot of appointments with less actives who are really catching fire and we committed someone to a solid baptism date this week which is REALLY exciting for us :) so ya...things are great.

We have had a lot of prayers answered this week. The biggest miracle is a ward member brought a friend to FHE who we ITL'ed (Invited to Learn) and they now have a date for the 15th. He is so golden too. He is an avid Bible reader and says he knows the book of mormon is true. I love when members do missionary work. It's a miracle :)

We live in an area of town called North Pinery ... its up in the mountains and is BEAUTIFUL. Deer and foxes are everywhere, and they get so close to you! My goal is to feed one out of my hand before i leave :) The member couple we live with are so cute. Brother ____ leaves us treats at the top of the stairs EVERY single morning. They are so darling.

Sister Akemon is amazing. I am so blessed to have her. We are besties and are so happy that we will be serving together again next transfer! She is totally rubbing off on me though... the other day whilst ( haha) tracting I caught myself saying "y'all have a good day!"..... after we walked away, we both busted up laughing cause I'm turning into a southerner.

I know that Christ atoned for everything... and I can truly pull myself out of the "funks" of life if I rely on him and put in the effort to work and sincerely dedicate myself to Him.

Some members we had dinner with last week were grilling us about why we went on missions etc. and I almost felt bad that I was on a mission and not searching to embark on the realm of marital bliss.... but then I realized that was ridiculous and I made the right decision... chasing people down in the Walmart parking lot with a pass along card is so much better than marriage :) hahahahaha..

President Pfile is giving me a Dear Jane T-shirt though... it says on the back of it "Apparently absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder." and then says "Dear Jane" on the front and its hot pink. I'm so excited hahah.

5-9-11

I have been surprised multiple times to find that the random person I picked to introduce myself to is the exact person we NEED to talk to. It is amazing to see how we are being led by the spirit.

Sister Akemon and I have been abundantly blessed with people to teach and work with. I feel the pressure of working extra hard and not screwing up these lessons though because we are truly being so blessed!

Dear family!

gosh ... it was so amazing to talk to you! I have already reflected on it a billion times. I miss you guys. I said it, and you can take it to the bank.

The members here are so amazing. I really love them so much. I swear I want to come home from my mission and devote my life for at least 3 months to just serving the missionaries ha. giving them rides everywhere..... feeding them, going tracting with them. I have been so overwhelmed by the goodness of the members... its unreal.

So Sunday was NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First off.... I am standing in the chapel and I turn around and my Sarah Foote is there! I honestly thought I was dreaming or something at first. It totally threw me off... I did a double take and then hugged her and sobbed into her shoulder for a quick second hahaha. It was so good to see and talk to her though. It was another tender mercy... 'cause I'll be honest this was a really really hard week for some reason.

I don't know if I have ever had a chance to tell you about ____ and____ . They are the SWEETEST elderly deaf couple that live in a family ward in our stake. I help interpret on the Sundays that we don't have P.E.C in the morning and Sister Akemon and I visit them once a week. They are so sweet and so cute. I love them so much.

i love you all so much.

so so so much.

x0x0x0

- sister Gilson

5-16-11

Dear President,

Things are going amazing. The lord is blessing sister Akemon and I with so much success and we totally don't deserve it cause I feel like a screw-up most days. But I guess that is the whole point of this gospel..... We didn't deserve the atonement or any of the blessings we receive but he still loves us and did it for us even though we all fall short. It is interesting for me to understand this better as a missionary. Hopefully we will have some baptisms coming up! :)

This whole week has been a miracle. God has answered it seems every single prayer I've uttered this week. We have 2 people with a solid baptismal date.

Another miracle is we have been meeting with a less active who has now come back and is preparing to serve a mission and his lessons have boomed to this giant missionary meeting thing every Sunday night. We have all the future missionaries and some less actives come and we role play and bear testimony and it is so amazing.

I love the ward, we have lots of less actives to work with. Tracting... people are still mean. But we've been blessed with people to teach so I'm not going to even worry about that right now.

I have a testimony that the lord is preparing people all the time. I have a testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that there is power in the Book of Mormon. This is Christ's church. God hears and answers prayers. THANK GOODNESS!

Sister Akemon and I have 2 people with a baptismal date. One of them is getting baptized on Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She has already called and invited her non member friends and Aunt. She stood up to introduce herself in Relief Society (like they always do with new people) and she announced her baptism hahaha. We were so happy!

_____ remembered a Mormon friend from high school and when he got back from BYU for the summer, she asked him if she could go to church with him. We were led to her by the spirit and introduced ourselves. We found out she wasn't a member, so we offered to teach her more... We committed her to baptism on the first lesson and told her we'd need to meet with her every day ... and now she is preparing for baptism on Sunday the 22nd! We are so excited. She is a miracle.

I love you all so much.

Thanks for your example.
- Sister Gil

5-23-11

Things are going great! Sister Akemon and I had an amazing baptism on Sunday and it went beautifully! I love my companion and I love the ward and we have lots of work to do which is nice. Honestly there isn't anything to complain about. I've been a little sick this week... my lymph nodes were like the size of golf balls on Wednesday but I am in ship shape now :) :)

We had an AMAZING FHE put on by the ward missionary counsel. We watched " by small and simple things" a church video clip including President Eyring talking about missionary work and then a bunch of testimonies of converts and then we had the converts in our ward bear testimony on all it took was an invitation to something. I am excited to see the fruits of that in the upcoming weeks. I think our ward is really starting to get excited about missionary work.

Some of the miracles this week were watching our less actives or investigators truly feel the spirit.

On Saturday night after watching the Joseph Smith movie with her we had a little testimony meeting. She knows what she is doing is right and true. She cried. Sister Akemon cried. I cried. We all cried. It was a beautiful wet mess :)

I LOVE reading the Book of Mormon every morning. It helps me so much.

I feel such weight on my shoulders to teach these people correct principals so that future missionaries aren't meeting with my recent converts who've gone less active. I want all these people to rely on the lord as their source of strength not me as a missionary or whatever.

I love baptisms so much, but it is so hard as a missionary! I know as soon as someone has a baptismal date the investigators and the missionary get put through the wringer? ringer? I don't know. anywhoo..... Sister Akemon and I have been worked over especially on Sunday (the day of the baptism).... it's just unreal the power that Satan has. Hate that guy.

On Sunday a convert received text after text of anti material from friends (some of which were so ridiculous they were comic. One of them said " ya... and you can ONLY get married in Utah and like once you're in ... you can never get out of it... hahaha) and family members were saying she was joining a cult etc. It hurt my feelings so bad. Honestly I don't understand how people can be so ignorant. The world is so wicked. I know that sounds so grandma-ish but it really is. Utah is SUCH a bubble and I never realized it. You think I would have found out when I lived in London but I still was surrounded by members then. I know prayer is real and we need all the prayers we can get. These people sending the text messages just don't understand.

love love love

-Sister Gilson

Christina-isms or Quotes From the Field

2011-04-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

3-21-11
I receive peace when I pray.

I'm beginning to see success as a missionary in different terms- not measured by investigators or baptisms (although that is the goal and is definitely what I want) but in finding those that the Lord wants me to talk to that day to bring them closer to Christ.

I love how big this area is. I love the ward members. I love the friendly people we talk to.

Service: Bad news Bears.... Christmas is officially over. We packed up the last Christmas decorations at Sister _____’s house on Saturday haha. We also were able to help a less active organize her apartment more.

3-28-11

We have 2 baptisms scheduled for this Sunday! I am praying specifically for them... having daily contact or calls with them and doing my best to keep them solid. Whenever we have baptisms things get harder. That darn Satan is such a stinker.

I've prayed and prayed and prayed and have seen the Lord answer my prayers more fully. I feel so blessed in that aspect. I can testify with everything that I am that GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS.

I love President and Sister Pfile. I can't tell you how grateful I am to have such amazing examples and leaders who I know care about me and who I can rely on.

I am going Sr. companion and back to Parker next transfer.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the evil of the world. I feel like it was easier when I was in SLC living ignorantly ha. I never knew how much of a struggle the gospel is for people.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

4-5-11 (Includes excerpts from her letter to her mission President)

Life is extremely blessed :) I am happy :)

P.S. April Fools was probably the best day of my mission haha. thanks for helping make it so fun, President Pfile:) we love you so much President!

In between conference sessions on Saturday we went across the street to Walgreens . While running across the street, we ran into a less active and his non member girlfriend. We invited both of them to watch the last session of conference with us... they did :) We taught a first to the girlfriend later that evening. She is preparing for baptism on the 17th of April. It reminded me of that talk about how the Lord doesn't send his apostles to any random grocery store without a purpose. It was definitely true. There are no coincidences with God!!!

We are having to start over and find new investigators to teach but things are going great :) ______ was baptized on Sunday at it was one of the more spiritual beautiful baptisms I have been to thus far. I'm so happy for him.

God hears and answers prayers. Priesthood power is real. Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God. I LOVE BEING MORMON! Why doesn't everyone else see it?!?!?! ha

Service: Teaching _____ English, and we have had an abnormal amount of people calling and bawling their eyes out to us and people opening up their life stories to us for help and comfort... so I am going to count listening as a service this week ha.

4-11-11

We listened to a member from our ward talk who was inactive for 3 years and has recently come back and is now engaged. It was a miracle to hear him say that he came back because of how diligent the missionaries and ward members were in keeping up on him and inviting him to everything etc. Miracle to see/hear that the constant phone calls actually work!

I truly know this gospel brings happiness and that it is what the world needs.

I finally am starting to feel like for the last 5 days that this is what missionary work is supposed to be like.... hard work still... with disappointments yes... but joyful... and I am loving it. The weather has been amazing too... I won't lie... I love the sunshine.

Everyone in Parker has been so cute and amazing in welcoming me back. I feel like a million bucks!

I still get nervous to tract sometimes and walk up to people. The Lord has blessed me with the most amazing new companion. Sister Akemon has been out 1 transfer and I've been out 2. She is incredible. I can tell we are going to have fun this transfer. We will be able to work hard and be diligent and bring the joy of the gospel to Parker! I can hardly wait. I can't wait for you to meet all my companions some day.

I've been able to see the most gorgeous sunrises and sunsets in the world here in Parker.

4-18-11
Dear President,
Sister Akemon and I have been doing a lot better since we started working on our faith. Interviews were amazing. Thank you so much for your faith and spirit that helps us. I love sister Akemon so much too.... we get a long really well and both have a desire to work hard and learn how to be the best we can be... so although we make tons of mistakes and both don't really know what we're doing ha... we laugh about it and re evaluate and move on. I am worried that it is time for me to kick it up to the next level so that is what I am going to work on this week.

Also, a less active who has been coming back to church for a while now has started to meet with the bishop and is talking mission bound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I never imagined that part of my missionary work would be strengthening future missionaries so that they could be prepared to teach the people wherever they go! It's exciting.

F.A.C.T.S.
Family: MY little brother got his mission call!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He leaves October 5th for Brazil!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... I mean ... it's no Colorado Springs... but I guess I'm excited for him :) It was amazing to have him send me his testimony and I am thrilled for him.

HELLO DEAR FAMILY!

PAUL I AM SO STINKIN EXCITED FOR YOU I CANNOT EVEN CONTAIN IT!!!!!!!!!!!! I've told everyone. Seriously everyone. Even people I've contacted on the streets. "Hey we're missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.... we share a message around the world about the Book of Mormon and how Christ's church has been restored to the earth through a prophet of God just like in the Bible... in fact... my little brother is going to be doing the same thing in BRAZIL!!!!" I even called my district Leader to tell him. I'm so excited for you Paul!

Keep reading and praying and never never never forsake! No getting apathetic about our testimonies in the Gilson family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christina-isms or Quotes From the Field

2011-03-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

2/21/11 - 3/14/11

I’m going greenie tracting today and taking the new sisters out who are coming today... can't believe that was me 6 weeks ago... it feels like forever ago... and it was really only 6 wks ha. anyway... please pray for the new elders and sisters coming out... my heart aches for the next couple of weeks for them.

______'s baptism and friendship continues to be an incredible blessing to me. she wrote me a note last week and thanked me so much and seriously it is the best feeling in the world. I read a quote this weekend that completely fits " if you want to make a friend for life share your time. If you want to be friends for eternity share your time and the gospel." I know I will be friends with Alicia for eternity. I wish you could meet her. you will someday :) She seriously is incredible.

I am so overwhelmed with how good the Lord is to me. Constantly... seriously like hourly miracles happen to me that let me know he is personally aware of me. I will get letters on the exact day I need them. or someone will pray for us as missionaries or say something to me on the street that is exactly what I needed to hear. I will read something in the BOM that blesses me so much or the members will be so kind to me etc etc etc.

I had an experience this week reading Moroni 10 : 7 where I realized that it doesn't matter how obedient I'm being or how hard I’m working and trying ... that if I don’t have faith the lord can't bless me.... Its been monumental in my thinking. Needless to say I've been "choosing faith" more this week.....

(Note to her Mission President)
I am SOOOOOOOO glad that we were advised to do the miracle and bummer thing each day. It's helped me to see how blessed my days are and all the little miracles that happen every day. A miracle for me happened this Friday night when I was able to go to the "Becoming Holy Women" fireside and listen to your amazing wife speak. I felt the spirit so strong and was reminded again that the Lord loves me. I felt so full of gratitude and love and hope. I was able to come home and go to sleep really well. (please tell your wife how much I love her and how much her testimony inspires and affects me every time I hear it.) Also while at the fireside I had the thought to randomly talk to this woman and invite her to sit with us.... she ended up being one of the Elders investigators and it was a HUGE miracle for me to realize I must have followed a prompting to talk to her. She looked Mormon so I don't know how I would have picked her out of all the other women.

I've started writing down a miracle and a bummer each day in my planner. It has really helped me to see how much the Lord has been blessing me and how aware he is of the work we are doing.

The ward is amazing at feeding us and trying to bring people to church etc. It's awesome. The area is huge and I really like being in The Springs.

I've been trying to focus my attention in my personal study on my investigators more. Trying to plan every night during planning time how I can strengthen my testimony to help them gain a testimony of the principles.

I see the need for the work SO SO SO much. I am grateful I get to help my Savior with His great work. I hope to help Him more and be more effective.

I have a testimony of the gospel so so so much. I just need to learn how to convert that testimony into such a joy that it envelopes all the pains and trials of being a missionary.

Christina-isms or Quotes From the Field

2011-02-15T20:13:00.000-08:00

2-7-11

So... this week has been a mix of ups and downs. The highs are so high here but the lows are so low! I feel like I always take 2 steps forward and then 1 backward. I was doing awesome and then Tuesday..... oh my gosh. Can I just tell you about the weather here.... at night its been -40. Pipes have been freezing and bursting all over, school was canceled Tuesday and Wednesday because it was so cold. They said anybody with exposed skin outside longer than 10 mins. was at risk for frost bite. ... but missionary work wasn't canceled! .... It was so hard to be positive when people opened the door... told you that you were crazy to be outside ( thanks captain obvious) and then shut the door on your face..... or if they were nice they'd say " stay warm!" hahaha..... ya.... maybe if you let us in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wont lie... I was a baby. Satan got to me and I got discouraged, but I did better the next day and I've been happy the rest of the week.

I had a neat thought on Sunday while I took the sacrament though... it was that my HF and Savior knew that I would have good intentions of wanting to be such a good missionary... etc but they knew that I would be homesick or falter too... and that’s ok...that’s why I take the sacrament every Sunday and what the atonement is for. The atonement is to make up for when I'm being retarded.

For valentines you can pick the following:
1. share a gospel principal or your testimony with a stranger
2. invite a friend to any sort of activity
3. write me a snail mail.
Any of these will make me feel loved. Do all three:)

I'm happy though. I really am. I have tons of laughing happy moments every day now. Life is beautiful.

I'm starting to dream about the people we work with which is exciting... it means they are on my mind more and I'm thinking about them and love them.

Something Sister Hamilton said to me too was that when were out tracting etc. and it seems like we are not helping anyone or doing anything that we are still serving the Lord...... that makes me feel better.

Here is a Mormon joke: What do you call an ocean full of pasta? apostasy... pasta sea.... get it....

2-14-11
It was incredible to see and know what it feels like to have an investigator who is continually learning, progressing, and drawing nearer unto the Lord.

I LOVE SISTER HAMILTON. please force her to stay? just 1 more transfer at least?

I'm grateful for prayer. Prayer has been my biggest outlet here on the mission.

So there is a homeless lady sitting next to me at the library right now and it has taken some of my time away.

_________ wasn't going to be able to make it to church this Sunday thus, we were going to have to push back her baptismal date but her volley ball coaching game randomly...( miraculously) got changed to be in Denver instead of Colorado springs and she was going to be able to make it to sacrament. she came to church :) and is getting baptized this Tuesday. Sister Hamilton and I feel so blessed to be a part of ______'s life and to have a baptism together and what a tender mercy for Sister Hamilton to have one before she heads home. :) I love Heavenly Father!

The crowfoot ward is incredible. They feed us, they pray for us, they try to invite their friends to activities, we've received referrals from them... the ward is awesome.

( p.s. the homeless lady just took a drink of my diet coke hahaha.)

SARAH FREAKING FOOTE! if you ever get/ read this you best be writing me a letter! I CANT HANDLE ROME ITALY!!!!!! I'm so proud and excited for you. I will write you as soon as I can. xoxoxo love you so hard.

Christina-isms or Quotes From the Field

2011-02-01T19:41:00.000-08:00

Christina-isms or Quotes From the Field

"First off... I feel like I want to beat up every person that told me my mission would be the best experience of my life!.... people forgot and left out how tough it would be. haha. (especially the first week.) THANKS A BUNCH TEAM! jk. hags. but seriously..... I can't even begin to explain how hard its been. "

"My plan to get negative thoughts out of my head is obviously not perfect yet. I have done one or two things. 1. Replace it with a blessing. 2. Say a prayer. "

"I am SO SO SO SO GRATEFUL that with all the mess of adjusting to everything else that I have not questioned my testimony. I KNOW this is Christ’s true church. I really literally do. So with that in mind I'm striving to do the best every day that I can."

"...It was a surreal moment to feel like, 'oh... so this is what it's like when your investigator doesn't show up for church."

"Some days I think 'wow it’s already week 3.... halfway through my first transfer....' and other days I think.... oh my I still have 69 weeks (yes I counted) but things are getting better slowly but surely. Sundays are the best... because I feel like I'm helping. I am reminded of the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson that says 'To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived this is to have succeeded' ... that’s all I'm trying to do, whether it be with my companion, or a member, or a person on the street we contact, if we can make them laugh or 'breathe easier' for the 30 seconds we talk to them... then I have succeeded for the day. "

"It’s funny how I am strengthened just a little bit and then humbled hugely again... its like weight lifting... the Lord is continually tearing me down and building me up in a matter of hours on this mission. but... I love him, and I won’t question his motives...I only ask that he gives me the strength to get through the hard days and times. I have been humbled to realize how worthless I am without Him. How did I live a normal life before without relying on Him this much?"

I LIED.

2010-12-14T15:41:00.000-08:00

1 more post :)

MTC (dec. 15 - jan. 4th ish)

Sister Christina Jane Gilson

MTC Mailbox # 158
CO-COSP 0110
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

MISSION HOME ( Jan. 4th ish and on )

Sister Christina Jane Gilson

Colorado Colorado Springs Mission

4090 center Park Dr

Colorado Springs, CO 80916

k this... is the REAL slim shady last post.

love love love love love

-Sister CJG

2 more sleeps :) and a long overdue post

2010-12-11T19:11:00.000-08:00

SO MUCH TO SAY!!!!!!!!!

well... for starters this will prolly be my last post for 18 months.

2 sleeps and i'm in the MTC!!!!!!!

miss me.

tehee haha .. jk jk jk

Anyway, I would like to thank everyone who came to my farewell... its finals week and a lot of people drove from all over. it meant so much to me. I sincerely feel so loved and blessed to know you all. thank you :)

I want to live the rest of my life like i'm about to leave on a mission ha. i've squeezed so much life into the last month its been so good to me :) I'm just going to post a few of the adventures i've had the last little while :)

I went to Saint George with James and Jen to visit the grandparents. :) we stopped in beaver and got matching t-shirts and had treats and talked, giggled, played cards, watched movies and the jazz game ( twice) and it was THE BEST

(observe the happiness)

we love beaver.

THEN................. remember this?

VEGAS CREW 2009

we did it again! :)

VEGAS CREW 2010

after watching harry potter at midnight ( yes we dressed up:):):) love it)

I drove to VEGAS on..... 4 ish hours of sleep ha

it was amazing :)

shopping

laughing

staying up late

pillow fights

dog piles

pranks

cheescake factory

victoria's birthday

aj's hot indian men accent

snaps is the name of the game

mountain dew

sunflower seeds

snow storm

road closed

bellagio fountains

bandana bandits

pf changs

round table

terribles (parables ha) hotel

las vegas temple

tasty clip of the triiippppp.

THEN.... I got to curl my best friend SarahJane's hair for her bridal pictures. I wish I could be there for the actual wedding... it is killing me :( but such is life! cest la' vie!

TBH. (to be honest) I'm impressed with how good it turned out haha. I was nervous SJ had such confidence in my hair skills ha but it isn't that hard to make such a beautiful person beautiful

she will make the most gorgeous, pure, beautiful bride you's eva seen. love you sj.

We had another high school reunion party..... so weird to see how we've changed over the years.

yes i'm posting all these pics.

June 2008

( right after graduation)

( oddly enough I actually met the guitar player in this picture like 2 weeks ago..... some random guy we took a picture with in california haha)

Dec. 2008

Dec. 2009

Dec. 2010

PattyCake and I went to Logan to visit P-fresh. we played poker in the hotel room hahaha.

my mom totally skooooled paul and I... how does that even work? beat by our own mother.

and the stockings went up :) mine has a cute little missionary tag on it... :)

X-mas in the MTC is going to be a PARTY this year :) easily :) :) :) :)

I've played a million games, gone to like 5 movies, gone to lunch and to dinner and hot tubbed, hung out super late :) I literally have just been living the dream :)

life is so beautiful :)

I can't wait to be SISTER GILSON!

I LOVE EVERYONE IN THE WHOLE WORLD! ha

seriously though. I love you all :)

I hope everyone has the best 18 months ever :) and I will be back summer 2012 to party it up again!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

xoxoxoxoxo

peace and love turtle doves.

- SISTER CHRISTINA JANE GILSON

P.S. my sister-in-law Jen is going to post my letters on here and update this so ask her if you have any questions :)

2 blessed 2 be stressed.

2010-11-29T11:30:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is the best holiday. easily.

Sometimes I get caught up in the worry of leaving on my mission so soon and all I have to do etc. but this thanksgiving was AMAZING. I realize time and time again that I am too blessed to be stressed. So on Thanksgiving I didn't worry once about leaving, I didn't feel stressed about all I have to do I just relaxed and truly enjoyed the holiday with my family. The only thing that could have been better.... was if I won our annual BINGO game.....I've yet to win haha. better luck in 2 years right? :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

2010 thankful A B C 's

Art

Boys

Church

Dog (Teddy)

Everything chocolate

Friends

Giggling

Health

Internet

Jokes

Kindness

London

M&M's

Naps

Otter pops

Pillow pet (Erwin)

Quality family

Red Cross

Sweats

Texting

Utah county (never thought i'd say that)

Vacations

Walt Disney

Xtra cool roommates

Youth... which includes being ridiculously immature cause I can be.

Zillions of other things but I can't name em' all! :)

errrryyyy pott'a

2010-11-28T18:33:00.000-08:00

I think the song and pictures say it all.

xoxo

-hermoine.

of all the things i'm missing.

2010-11-25T22:48:00.001-08:00

this upsets me the most..... WHYYYYYYYYYYYY does it have to come out feb. 2011

i love you justin.

being twhenty won.

2010-11-23T09:43:00.001-08:00

is so great. :)

I'm still convinced I'm the luckiest girl in the world :)

thanks to all those who made my day so special :) :) :)

26 things.

2010-11-17T09:20:00.000-08:00

26 random pointless facts about Christina Jane

1. I have a black freckle on my nose that looks exactly like I have my nose pierced.

2. I haven't lived in the same place for more than 4 months since spring of 2009.

3. I hate hate hate hate cherry flavored everything. But I like real cherries.

4. If given the choice between poop flavored ice cream and ice cream flavored poop ….I’d eat the poop.

5. I bruise like a peach.

6. A lot of my shirts are stained because I always wipe my hand on my shoulder sleeve when eating.

7. I always wish that I like politics. But it never happens ha.

8. I am THE MEANEST person you will ever meet in the mornings. Especially if you wake me up.

9. I probably watch a disney movie a week usually by myself too.

10. I have six toes on my left foot.

11. I don’t really have six toes on my left foot.

12. I really like fire hot cheetos.

13. I am always wearing 3 bracelets, 3 rings, 1 toe ring, and have my fingernails painted at any given time . I promise.

14. I quote movies like its my job.

15. I have had over 18 stitches in my right foot and ankle on 4 different occasions.

16. I was literally distraught when at age 10 I found out I was a muggle. (for all you harry potter fans)

17. I am fluent in american sign language.

18. I think about London every single day. not an exaggeration.

19. I am a Jr. in college and have been a nursing major, a deaf education major, a photo major, and am now undeclared.

20. I used to tell people I was born on nov. 3 ( instead of the 2nd) because 3 is my favorite number and I really wanted to be born then...embarrassing.

21. I ran a marathon when I was 18.

22. I physically can’t wink.

23. I never had braces

24. my favorite holiday is the fourth of july.

25. It will take me 3423435 hours to read anything but a digital clock.

26. These survey things make me feel self centered but I secretly ( now openly ) really like them haha.

snuggie stooze.

2010-11-01T20:19:00.000-07:00

I was at wally world the other day. ( I know I know... I hate myself every time I shop at walmart.) but.... I came upon a leopard print snuggie.... you can't pass that up i'm sorry. thats like... illegal. It was a must have.

AND THEN...

I found so many good uses for it! Best purchase i've ever made.

easily.

I am so pleased about it I had to blog about it.

please bless snuggies for everyone. amen.

-Christina Jane

P.S.

favorite quote of the week.

"The happiest heart that ever beat was in some breast that found the simple daylight sweet, and to heaven left the rest."

-John V Cheney

VIRTUAL TOUR.

2010-10-27T20:30:00.001-07:00

just in case you wanted to know what my life looked like in provo...... here is a little snack.

for all you boys who can't come see our room because of the honor code.... we found a way to cheat the system.

-cj

OMG OMG OMG.

2010-10-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

LIFE IS SO GOOD TO ME!!!!!!!!

just listen to this.

Halloween is in 4 days. (Butterfly or Waldo? .... vote please.)

I turn 21 in 6 days.

Harry Potter is in 22 days. ( OMG OMG OMG OMG CAN'T FREAKING WAIT!)

Thanksgiving is in 29 days.

I leave on my mission in 49 days. (YOWZA!)

Christmas is in 59 days.

life is beautiful in..... always days :)

p.s.

OF LATE.......

I went to nickelcade last friday. love my freaking life.

yes we got some sick TATS at nickelcade that make us look way ruff and yes we loved it.

went to Logan and hung out with T-rav. :)

Been hangin with my boys in 104 shut the door.

who I love. so hard.

hahah kelly.

went to lunch with P-fresh in Logan and hung out lots. :) :) :) :)

my little buddy for life.

that is all :)

-Cj

True Beauty.

2010-10-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

This article gave me a pick me up today :)

Lynn G. Robbins, “True Beauty,” NewEra, Nov 2008, 30–33

I know I'm always talking about stuff like this ha...but I love it... and this is a

really good quote.

"no amount of eye shadow, lipstick, or mascara could possibly compete with the natural attractiveness of a genuine smile. It brightens the room. It cheers others. It communicates friendship, love, and optimism so much more than any cosmetic ever could. It puts people at ease and is welcoming. Truly in the world of glamour, there is no close second to a genuine smile."

TRUE BEAUTY comes from within... perfumes,cosmetics,diets, even surgeries, fashionable clothing etc etc etc. They are all skin deep. at the end of the day who are you really?

“A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart.”1 The world becomes a creation after our own image, a reflection of our own faith or lack thereof.

If we are created in God's image.... a reflection of his faith, which is perfect... then we are made perfect. We all were individually created... perfect to him.

thoughts I'm keeping on the mind :)

christina jane-

I remember why I love 2 run.

2010-10-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

tonight was seriously so beautiful

I went running outside tonight and saw this.

So happy.

such a good run.

annnnnnnd... I had work off today :)

life is good to me :)

love love love

-fistina fane filson.

VAGABOND

2010-10-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

VAGABOND:

1. wandering from place to place without any settled home; nomadic: a vagabond tribe.

2. having an uncertain or irregular course or direction: a vagabond voyage.

It is october 3rd tuhdaaaay. I have already moved 3 times in the year 2010 and still have 2 more moves before the year is over( MTC-----> colorado).... 3 moves if you count coming back home from provo.

Today I feel extra

melancholy thinking that

the last general conference

I was watching it in the London Hyde Park stake

London, England.

This general conference was

spent watching it in Salt Lake City, Utah with my family. (yes I realize this is a pic from p-fresh's graduation ha)

And the next general conference I will be watching it in either Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas or New Mexico.

Life is so busy, so changing, so inconsistent..... but oh so beautiful :)

One more thing.... However many times I move, However many schools I try and new friends I make and Changes and challenges I face.....I will ALWAYS have my savior as my friend and my testimony to take with me :) that is a lovely thought :)

and I will always love it :) no matter the change

Because it is a choice to be happy.... and I choose to make it positive :)

so to end I'd like to say

I love change.

I love being a Vagabond.

I love people.

I love life.

LOVE -christina jane

p.s. the end of this post looks like an upside down pyramid haha. love it.

colo RAD o :)

2010-09-20T23:22:00.000-07:00

well folks ( yes i just used the word folks) the time has come! I've been called to serve in the farthest mission west of utah.....

Colo rad o Springs, Colo rad o!!!!! haha :) :) :) I report to the MPfree on dec. 15th :) so if anyone wants to celebrate Hanukah with me... i'm down :)

I am so dang darn dang excited I can't explain the joy I feel.

That really is exactly it though....

I have no idea how to even write about how excited I am .... how right it feels.... how happy I am that i'm going to colorado etc etc etc without getting too in deep for a blog ha. if you wanna hear more... just call me up :)

p.s. I love this quote so much. I want everyone to be able to tell that I am part of the fellowship of the unshamed.

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE UNSHAMED.

“ I am part of the fellowship unshamed, the dye has been cast out. I have stepped over the line, the decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, or be still.

“ my past is redeemed, my presence makes sense, my future is secure. I am done with low living, small talking, colorless dreams, tamed visions, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

“ I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, recognized praised, liked regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on his presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my gate is fast, my goal is heaven.

“ My road is narrow, my way is rough. My companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I canot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ.

“ I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know and work till he stops me and when he returns for his own, he will have no problem recognizing me, my banner will be clear. “

My banner is clear. I believe in Christ.

x0x0 -cjg

i luv kamping.

2010-09-12T12:56:00.001-07:00

camping at lake Yuba was so intense! ....... in tents........ come on. :) teheee

haha but it really was... we woke up to frost on our pillows and it was freeeezing! but so stinkin fun. :)

A chance to see the stars, ponder, laugh, eat marshmellows, candy, diet coke, boy scout dinners, meet new friendlies, make goals.

It was just really really good.

Laura and Jordan were doing theLake Yuba sprint triathalon. Laura got 3rd place in her age division!!!!!!!! waaaaaaahoooooo!

I can't believe after we woke up to frost on the ground they were jumping in a lake and even more crazy i was jealous haha. I will do a triathalon some day

there were so many shooting stars it was so beautiful.

needless to say I was a bit excited haha.

another amazing weekend and blessed life I have!

Side thought: I have been so grateful lately for time to relax. To live with the freedoms I have like time to chill with my friends and family on the weekends etc. Some people work their whole lives and don't have that luxury. Hopefully I use the blessings I have to help others in return.

-Christina Jane

p.s. My Mission call comes on wednesday :)

I am so dang darn dang excited I can't stand it anymore! :)

Best Moment in Provo Thus Far.

2010-09-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

Last night my roommate Mary and I went to a cookie party at our neighbors house..... harmless enough right? I walk in and comment on how much I LOVE the poster of Dumbledore on the wall. ( being the obsessed Harry Potter fan that I am.) And...............then the person to my right says.... " that's Abinadi "

Oops.

thoughts/adventures :)

2010-09-07T16:45:00.000-07:00

I feel as if I am a 45 yr old middle aged woman.

let me explain.

1. I am not going to school like all these young, hip, spry, kiddles I see around town.

2. I look forward to the weekends so stinkin much because I work overtime in my big girlf ( girlfriend) job every week.

3. I spend my leisure time reading books all day. ( i've read two books this week and its only wednesday )

4. I just used the word leisure.

HELP.

p.s. went to midway last weekend (it was so dang darn dang fun!!!!) ...anyway, Laura and I got hit on by 4 fifteen yr old boys. who went on a walk to find us after we left them hahaha lovvvvvvveeeeeee my life.

midway piccccccs.

to the left you have your favorite asian tourists.

-------------->

and 4 of us spoon chaining it up in the back of the car for a midnight wendy's run. (the reason why I am in such good shape...midnight wendy runs. loveeeeeee :) :) :) )

and.....

last but not least, I just wanted everyone to know that the sweats with cowboy boots is still in style ha. don't let anyone tell you different.

I LOVE WHOEVER READS THIS :)

-CJG

p.s.p.s. I realize the formatting is all doofy in this post but its late i'm tired. sue me.

love love love my weekend :)

2010-08-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY:

got of work early

took a long needed nap

dinner with brian my bestie from photo class ( sorry don't have any pics ha. ) and we went and got dip twist cones from Artic Circle after.... life was so good to me.

then ran a MIDNIGHT 5k

( I know crazy right?)

:) :) :) :)

I saw alot of my old little kids I used to run with. It made me miss them.... so I decided to post this old pic of summers past for memories sake.

The good ol' days when I got paid to play capture the flag and eat popsicles...... now I get paid to stab people ha.

SATURDAY:

was reunited with Laura Kae FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!! best sat. night ever haha. we wore our matching furry animal shirts

not like we weren't obsessed with matching before?......

And I finally tried the famous J-dawgs..... got sweet discounts cause Laura's

brother works there.

And we laughed so HARD. just like old times. I loved it so much.

" this has gotta be the good life "

peace. love. unity. ha

-Christina Jane

FUN AT THE CRUZ ROJO.

2010-08-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

I had THE best day at work last thursday.

Thursday morning we had our monthly all employee meeting that started at 9 but Ryan ( my trainer boss) told us to stay clocked in and come in at noon. The meeting ended at 10 ...... haha so Katelyn and I went to breakfast ( at CARLS... new fav place) drove around ( sang to Celine Dion of course) and just talked for 2 hours in her car and watched it rain :)

totally eating a dum dum :)

THEN....

I don't know if you all remember... but it started raining SUPPPPPER hard. like crazy hard. So we sprinted back to the building and even though we were only outside for .2 seconds. we got soaked. I was so put out haha.

basically I get paid to go to breakfast, eat candy, sing to Celine and love life.

jealous? :)

I love my Red Cross family.

-CJG

skills to pay the bills.

2010-08-13T00:20:00.001-07:00

I got pulled over going 84 in a 65 yesterday.... did I get a ticket!? haaaaaaayck no! :)

been pulled over 4 times. never had a ticket.

talent.

Logan on my mind.

2010-08-09T16:27:00.000-07:00

I drove through logan whilst driving home from bear naked lake this weekend. It made my heart ache.

I realize life has new stages and phases and experiences and I know that provo ( can't believe

i'm saying this) is going to be amazing and that its the right place for me to be this fall.... but sometimes... it's hard to let things go.

I think that applies in more areas than one. It's hard to let the good times roll..... on without you haha.

However, they usually roll into bigger and better things :) so i'm still high on life.

<-------Stopped and hiked to the wind caves one last time.

I came home and have been looking at pictures all day today.

this was taken the first time I hiked the wind caves.

"you don't see one without the other"

sayruh + sea jay.

Best lookin' Logan crew you's eva seen.

AJ- THE best roomie ever. all the times we giggled with our beds next to each other haha

(sneakin in to oakridge's hawt tub)

haha the time Agey baybee got her skirt stuck on her head

" studying" in the common room hahaha

Butterflies. the HOWL oct. 2008

Christina Jane and Alyssa Jane

our chick band.

Our reindeer Christmas card.... apparently I missed the antler memo... I was doing hooves.

Paint war fall 2008

NO PARENTS CREW! spring break 2009

Sar and I on the roof..... 1 of MANY chats we had on the parking garage roof.

cleaning the sink at Angies :)

Logan in the fall

USU basketball games. and and micah

Derek and Micah haha.

Fishing in Logan Canyon with Sar hahaha. WORRMMMSSSS.

Craft Tuesday's

making snowmen :)

VEGAS! fall break 2009

( non- planned picture haha looks like sarah and the drunks)

YUP.

It's weird to not be going back this fall and one things for sure, I will miss all of this.

annnnnnnddddd. I have a stinkin good life :)

ex oh ex oh ex oh

-CJ

VOTE.

2010-08-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

So the other day someone told me I look like Helen Hunt......? I think this person needs to be put in their place so i've decided to put it to a vote.

For irrefutable evidence, it is only logical that I place a picture of Helen at her best and a picture of myself at my best so here goes....

I'm not seeing it? Even if I had blonde hair (thanks to rachel) .....

ya.... don't really look like her haha.

Yes I have nothing better to be doing than blogging about whether or not I look like Helen Hunt.

Yes I love summer.

Yes I'm going to bear lake this weekend.

Yes I'm going to bed. :) xxxxx oh xxxxx oh xxxxxxx oh

- mizz Gilson.

little white bag miracle.

2010-07-04T15:49:00.000-07:00

I am blessed.

just so you know.

So 3 weeks ago I was out shopping at the fashion place mall with Patty cake. We were trying to "accessorize" for the wedding .....p.s. side story... Patty cake and I met each other at church the other week coming from different meetings and we were seriously twins. We looked like tweetle dee and tweetle dum. it was hysterical. Observe the pics.

I love her.

Best friend is an understatement.

The older I get the more I'm literally turning into my mom haha. this is evidence.

Anyway, like I said we were out running errands and shopping and I had to leave to go to a dermatology appointment downtown. My mother however forgot a little white bag at the mall that had important notes written on it etc.

This is where the miracle of events begin.

1. forgot the bag

2. drove downtown for dr. appt.

3. had to drive alllllllllll the way back to fashion place to pick up the bag.

4. drove by the American Red Cross.

5. Patty cake and I talked about how I've applied to the Red Cross like 20483908 times, called them, tried to follow up on application and NOTHING. and so ... on a whim.... pulled into the Red Cross and I walked inside.

6. Me really nervous... no idea what i'm doing.... happen to walk exactly to the human resource department and happen to go to the exact desk of the lady in charge of hiring where she explains that they happen to be starting a hiring class the following monday and I've come in at perfect timing. She gives me her e-mail and 2 more job codes to send my application to and....... shazam. I get the job.

I find it ironic how this annoying mistake of forgetting the bag turned into such a blessing! Here is the allegorical lesson learned.....forgetting the bag was annoying.... it wasn't what we wanted to have happen and now.... I'm SOOOOOO grateful it happened. See the parallel i'm making here? It's like any challenge in life.... nobody ever wants to have them happen, they are annoying, hard, sucky etc. etc. etc. but in retrospect aren't you glad they do happen? The growth and blessings always supersede the challenge.

So folks, the underlining theme here is I am blessed and I'm happy that the Man upstairs is lookin out for me and i'm SUPER glad that we forgot the little white bag at fashion place mall :)

xoxoxo

-christina fina fo fanna banana jane

latest and greatest.

2010-06-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

1 and a 1/2 ish weeks ago I ran the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay or Ragnar.

more like the Ragnarly.

It is a race from logan to park city......188.2 miles. Don't worry I did run it with 12 people haha. however, my cousin Trae failed to tell me he had an extra spot til basically the wednesday before the race. My sections added up to be about 16 miles. I think I died but it was sooooooo stinkin fun. I loved it. You run as a team all through the night and its like a giant road trip where you cheer each other on and everyone paints their cars and some even dress up.. it was so good to me.

Ashley's husband texted her and said " GO LICK SOME BUTT HONEY! " talk about the funniest typo i've ever seen hahaha. Pretty sure he meant to say KICK SOME BUTT HONEY.... but ya.... fail. ha the rest of the race we kept saying to eachother " LICK SOME BUTT!!! " hahaha.

p.s. observe the Ragnar Hill.... all gravel. 90+ degree weather....... ME... attempting to run this.

hahaha..... I think the elevation picture speaks for itself.

While I lovedddddddddd the race and running.... I have decided it is time to switch it up. Which leads me to the latest and greatest in the life of Christina Jane.

i bought a bike.

Meet GUS. My new boyfriend ha.

I'm obsessed. I love it.

ALSO..... I forgot to mention. I got a job!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPEE!!!

I will blog later on the miracle of my new employment. But for now i'm too busy living my life instead of blogging about it :)

xoxoxox

peace and love turtle dove.

-cj

Mother of 4.

2010-06-23T16:28:00.000-07:00

Last week I was babysitting the cute Allen girls and lets just say... I'm gonna be the ULTIMATE soccer/minnie van drivin mom their is!!!! ha.

We went to Paris.

And the Beach.

And the Moon.

And had under water adventures.

And got our own comic book.

All in a days work :)

haha jk jk jk but we did have lots of fun with photo booth :) :) :)

and we really did go to the zoo :) and saw baby Zuri!

comparing Gorilla arms :) ha

nothing like a good twist cone to make yourself the favorite babysitter haha.

( observe Abby's pout haha. I love it.)

Needless to say by the end of the week we were all plumb tuckered out :)

I love the Allen family. Such stinkin cute, adorable girls :)

I'm totally sleeping on the tramp tonight with them haha my best friends are 10-15 years younger than me nbd.

Love my beautiful life :)

-christina jane.

" I LOVE WEDDINGS... DRINKS ALL AROUND!!! "

2010-06-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

It's been a whirlwind the last couple weeks.... and the question I keep coming back to is...Where did all the time go?!?!?!?

I swear I was graduating high school last week :(

and now we are a sixsome!!!!! :) instead of a fivesome.

The wedding was beautiful :) Jen was seriously the most BEAUTIFUL, pure, clean, happy, white bride i've ever seen.

I feel like this wedding has made me super sentimental..... the next thing I know it will be my wedding....

this was also 2 weeks ago I swear....

My cute brothers are all grown up! haha.

wedding dinner with my daddy :)

I loved seeing my parents still in love at the temple. They were married the same week as J&J

( James and Jen) 25 years ago...and they are still goin :) ha.

Old Love <3

New Love <3

and MY LOVES haha <3

They are the most important men in my life.

I feel so lucky and so blessed to be where I am. I have the most incredible family with all the opportunity and blessings and happiness in the world! When it comes down to what matters most... their isn't a single thing that's missing. I've really been given it all.

I've hit the JACKPOT!

ex oh ex oh ex oh.

peace. later. bye.

-Christina Jane.

* dELiCioUs AmBiGuiTy *

2010-06-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

Hello Dear Readers,

There is lots to catch up on tuhdaaaaaaay! be excited :)

first off my brother is supposed to be getting married June 10th 2010.... T-minus 3 days. However, whilst eating the mint chocolate truffles for their wedding...... this was discovered...

FAIL

I guess they'll have to wait til the year 1020? ... hahaha heheheh ho ho h0 he ha ho ha.

James Graduated from Westminster.

Jen Graduated from Utah State.

Paul Graduated from Skyline.

and I...... "I have taken the road less traveled by..... and that has made all the difference."

..... in other words. I haven't graduated. I haven't even picked a major yet.... But........I HAVE picked where I'll be this fall :)

drum roll please.... :)

I will be attending......

Living in Provo.... I know. I'm a retard. you can judge/hate me now.... cause I'm judging myself hahaha. but. It feels right :) when nothing else did. I know it's right. Besides... I'm not really going to UVU... I'm going to HOGWARTS and I'm living with...

THIS GIRL

Mary Carlisle. Prolly the only person on this earth as addicted to Harry Potter as I am.

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

If there's one thing I've learned this summer It's this....

" Some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. delicious ambiguity." -Gilda Radnar

I have no idea what i'm doing.... what's going to happen... what's going on...why things never go according to plan....but I realized, that's the thrill of it! life is like that.... it isn't perfect.. but that's why its so beautiful :)

DELICIOUS AMBIGUITY :)

hokay... so then.... I went to Saint Georgy pordgy puddin pie :)

and got in touch with my inner gangster.

and ate lots of ice cream.

and loved these girls :)

and almost cried when this little guy didn't make it :(

Mozel Tov hahaha.

and I love her 222222

and welcome to the Saint George tabernacle...dad and the kids.

and we like to fish. yes we do :)

and I love Calvin Awesome Olsen.

and we danced some. :)

we had fun :)

it finally feels like summer :)

xoxo peace and love my turtle doves.

-christina jane.

Gross.

2010-05-28T20:10:00.000-07:00

Last night I got the stomach flu.

besides being too young to remember I can count on 1 hand the number of occasions i've thrown up.

it goes as follows.

dec. 18th 2006

dec. 4th 2008

may 26 2010 ( 9 flippin times )

all I have to say about this.... is I'm NEVER eating panda express again haha.

peace and love turtle dove.

jalesfu89375qo3rskfj;asihfse

2010-05-21T22:41:00.000-07:00

Can my wedding be like this? please?

someone figure out how this goes along with the temple ha.

p.s. it is midnight... which means I have been home from London for 1 month.

I miss it. :(

I said it.

mi vida :)

2010-05-16T11:24:00.000-07:00

This post is dedicated to Mary and Laura.

You say jump... I say how high? You say.... bring the blog back....and I say I have no life to blog about but, for you my darlings....anything.

I can't decide if i'm so bored because I have no job and nothing to do hahah or if its because my backyard is not as cool as having Big Ben and Hyde Park right outside your door.

Here is the latest and greatest.

I went to the MotorX.

I found a bunch of really old really cool pictures on my old phone. observe. my ankel. 6 weeks post op. stiches removed..... and it still looks like frankenstein.

I took a road trip to Moab :) :) :) :)

With my 2 favorite Sarah's in the world.

P-fresh went to Sr. prom...... he's growing up..... tear.

worked a little.

played a lot.

read some :)

slept some :)

applied me some jobs some.

deleted my facebook in attempt to be more productive ha.

that is the story of mi vida right now.

xoxoxoxoxox

peace. later. bye.

HOME again HOME again jigitty jig.

2010-04-28T11:48:00.001-07:00

Well team... this is the end. I am home. I was scheduled for an April 25th flight and found a new flight on the 22nd. In a matter of 5 hours I re-packed changed my ticket and up and left for the airport :) :) :)

FUN FACT:

The day of my flight...I went 36 hours straight without sleeping.

this is what procrastination looks like...... haha.

My rooms a mess.

I have no money.

I have no job.

My lifes a mess haha.

BUT I LOVE IT :) :) :)

p.s. I refuse to change my laptop and ipod time.... I like knowing what time it is in London.

I miss it already. I said it :(

LORD OF THE FLIGHTS.

2010-04-21T01:53:00.000-07:00

BYU LONDON STUDY ABROAD WINTER 2010 PRESENTS.... " LORD OF THE FLIGHTS"

by Jacob Rogers.

The log I made of the volcano saga and etched it on a bed board on my bunk bed. enjoy...

Day 1- All the student are stuck at the center because a volcano erupted in Iceland. People are very upset and attitudes are deteriorating quickly. Ash has filled the skies.

Day 2- The girls at the center are going crazy. They're calling dads, turning on the staff, and making serious threats. The volcanic ash has all flights grounded indefinently, so for now we are stuck on this God forsaken island with no end in sight.

Day 3- By now three people have escaped the center. No word from the outside whether they made it home or not. The airports have now cancelled somewhere around three million flights around the world. Things are not looking good. To make matters worse anarchy seems to be beginning to creep into the center. Girls have banded together like tribes and constantly petition me to join. They threaten horrible things if I don't. The future feels grim. I hope I get to see my family again, I miss them.

Day 4- This could be my last entry. The center is in utter chaos now and I fear beyond saving. More students have escaped, but more have aligned themselves with the two dominant tribes. They call themselves "the sisters of the blood" and the "flesh eaters." The two tribes constantly fight over the Nutella and Special K Red berries cereal. Much blood has already been spilt over the issue. Me and three others are plotting our escape even now. The skies are still filled with thick ash so we must escape on our own or let our fate be decided by the center.

Day 5- Things have escalated from bad to worse. Full on civil war is being waged between the two tribes. Several students and staff have already been killed. Cannibalism and other horrible acts are ensuing and showing no sign of stopping. This will be my last entry. If we are caught escaping we will most certainly be killed. We will catch a cargo train to Dover, then take a night ferry to Brussells. From there we will walk to Berlin then catch a flight home. Fair well. Jake....

FINAL EDITION PART 2!!!!!!!

2010-04-21T01:25:00.000-07:00

well..... I guess it really wasn't all folks haha. I have been stranded here now 5 days. that is IF you can call this being stranded :) ..........

Spoon chains on Macy's bed.

Naps and picnics in St. James Park :)

Dutch tulip festival.

I've played Soccer (football) in the park. Gone to 2 more plays :) Laughed, planned sleepovers in the classroom, painted my nails, danced, stayed up all night talking, loved Life and am still Living the dream on Palace Court :) .

I only am sad and think about family/friends at home when I skype them... I usually don't let my mind wander otherwise because it is pointless to dwell on what I cannot change :) Although I miss them terribly... and this saying hello/goodbye thing is really weird hahah what has upset me MOST is the fact that I now have to do another batch of laundry haha. I rationed my shampoo perfectly for the end of the semester as well... squirting an excessive amount into my hand last friday.... and alas..... now I need more haha.

FUN FACTS

* I've had frog for " the last time" about 4 times now haha. I can officially go home happy now though because yesterday I walked in and they said " CJ... we thought you were leavin' girl what's goin' on" yup... first name status at frog. COUNT IT! :) :) :)

* Their is now a new ash cloud?..... being blown to central Europe...... I guess London's welcoming all asholes to the party.... hahah come on.... these volcanHOE jokes never get old

hahaha.

* The problems caused by the eruption of volcano Eyjafjallajokull (yes... that is the real name I'm not making that one up ha.) in Iceland have caused an estimated 300,000 flights to be cancelled and almost a billion in economic damage. New York City, alone, has suffered over $250 million in economic damage. I am making history!!!!!! It is the biggest flight disruption since 9/11.

* My flight is currently on it's 3rd reschedule... ha. I'm not being pessimistic just realistic... I've applied for a work visa haha. Freddy and Gillaal ( my buds from Camden where I bought my first painting from) said they'd give me a job being their maid for £200 a week. free room and board. haha. LIFE IS GOOD TO ME! :)

* ANNNNNNNND last but not least..... I finally shaved my legs. In trying to be optimistic for a return to the new world i've began making preparations ha. Jenny, Macy and I decided it was time for this London Tom Foolery to be over and to give up being European for my American legs again haha. you may judge if you like... but the following video is too funny not to exploit haha.

You stay classy Salt Lake :)

I'll be seeing you soon :)

DON'T WORRY! :)

2010-04-20T19:36:00.001-07:00

Don't even worry everybody... I'm taking the Hogwarts Express home!

AND THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES............. more to come on my adventures being stranded thanks to volcano Eaa;eiufl;eksjfaesl;kfueafj :) but for now... I'm going to sleep ha.