Almost AUGUST?!

Holy cow, this summer is flying by... pero FAST.

DEAR MOM, I can't wait to share a car with you when I get home... ;) hehehe

And Tanner is so so so cute. I just miss him so much!

Spiritual story time! Friday I had a big "everything makes sense" moment. It all started with thinking about my family...

I've been thinking about how much I really really really love being with my family. I sometimes get sad at the thought of our frequent family interactions being "over." I won't be able to go to the movies with all 7 of my siblings and my parents, probably ever again. Or dinner, when we all guess how much the check is. Or when we put salt in Adam's root beer, or when mom throws water on Ben. I won't be able to draw Jack-o-lanterns and vote on facial features with my whole family. My whole entire family might never go camping together again. Who's going to help mom eat all of her Peterbrooke's chocolate on Valentines day and her anniversary? What about Disney World trips? We'll always be siblings, but we won't be fighting over TV remotes, bathrooms, food, etc. We'll always be in contact and see each other, but it's not the same when there's even one missing. You take any one of my siblings out of the equation and it's not the same. I need them all!

I know my parents will ALWAYS be my parents, but it still makes me sad knowing that I have to be a big kid now, and I won't always be able to go into dad's room where he's fiercely typing away on his computer to interrupt and ask him about something, or watch Grimm or some other tv show we both love together. Or I won't always be able go into one of the living rooms and find mom surrounded with books and papers and talk to her. I may never again be able to go into mom's room where she is yet again surrounded with books and talk to her on her bed until I fall asleep, like I've always loved doing. Or I can't go to the granary with her like I did as a kid.

Although it makes me sad knowing my family is growing apart, I heard this quote about how the greatest joy we can have is joy in our posterity. That's been sticking to my little brain a lot. Does that mean I'm going to love my own family as much as I love my parents and siblings? I would ask someone who now has children, but nobody's childhood, upbringing, or siblings compared to the ones my parents provided me. Will I receive even greater joy from bearing and raising my own children than I have from living and growing up with my parents' family? It's hard to wrap my mind around, since I can't imagine greater joy than my family that I have now. Heavenly Father really knew what he was doing when he made families a part of the plan of salvation.

Siblings, will all of you please commit to be in the temple with me when I'm married? PLEASE?!

This love I feel for my siblings and parents seems too big for my body... I can't describe it, because there are no words sufficient. However, it isn't even slightly comparable to the love the Savior had and has for us. He literally suffered and died so that we would be able to come back to him. I imagine not having my family around in this life, and what I would do to keep them. That's probably sort of what Jesus Christ felt when He said "Here am I, send Me." I wonder if He felt this desperation, wanting so badly to do it so that He could be assured that we would all have the option of coming home. Sometimes I feel that way when I thinking of seeing my whole family in the temple. A sense of desperation. I know I can't make anybody do anything, but I want to do all I can to make it possible.

I feel like one of the things I've gained on the mission is a small small taste of how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ feel for us. A desperation to be together. Can you imagine how Heavenly Father feels when one of His children decides the things of this world (that don't last) are more important than coming back home? Can you imagine how Christ feels when someone thinks they can't come back, even after all He did? So. Much. Desperation. Holy cow.

My companion was asleep when I was writing this. She woke up and I was still typing. She asked what I was writing about, and I told her it was just something I remembered. I said it, then thought about what I said. All of these things and feelings I was REMEMBERING. The veil is only as thick as you make it, people.

Now on a worldly note... Did you know we're a classy family?! I never thought we were particularly classy... I always knew my mom was raised by the classiest woman on earth so she's classy, and my dad the corporate business man obviously has class, but I never thought as a whole we were a classy family. Well, last week we ate with a family, and when we left I said to my companion "I just felt like I was with my family. They're so hilarious. I love that family so much..." Blah blah blah. She said something about how they're really nice but they're too classy for her. REALLY? Wow. They really are almost identical to my family, with the outrageous witticisms and sarcasm and everything. WE'RE CLASSY, YOU GUYS! :D

Family rant over. Sorry about that, I just really really love you! :)

Saturday night we called an investigator because she was moving in with a member, but she said she didn't move in yet because she's sick. So we ran around collecting things to bring to her, and nearly two hours later we brought her some things (all natural, baby!). When we got there she had her Book of Mormon next to her. I asked her if she'd been reading it, and she said she had been when we called. WHOA. Mira, this woman has not kept any commitments yet, UNTIL NOW! Woot woot!

We had 20 lesson this week, which is the highest we've had since we've been companions. We were both really excited to see some improvement! :)

I made arepas last Monday, and tostones also this week. I'm going to love making random Hispanic countries' food for my family one day. But I'll test them all on you when I get back :)

So that race? Yeah nobody had a clue what was going on... So we were supposed to be doing service by helping direct human traffic (oooo, that sounds bad), and see told to wear pros clothes. So we rebelled a little bit (just kidding, we were given permiso) and we walked the race in pros clothes with my favorite Lilly and her mom and daughter. It was awesome. We all set a goal to run it next year. Barz! (Ben, do you know what "Barz" is?)

PRESIDENT INTERVIEWS TOMORROW! Shoot, this is the highlight of my LIFE. I love my mission president so much. He's a boss.

I love you all a whole whole bunch!

Looooove,
Hermana Willis