Goodbye! This is how to keep in touch while I'm away. Be back in 18 months!

MTC Address (September 10, 2008 to November 12, 2008)
Sister Sharon Alice Gatrell
Philippines Quezon City Mission
Provo Missionary Training Center
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604

After November 12, 2008 (until approximately March 2010):

Pouch Mail (letters only, no envelopes—fold 1 page into 3 panels and tape it closed)
Sister Sharon Alice Gatrell
Philippines Quezon City Mission
P.O.Box 30150
Salt Lake City UT 84130-0150

For anything other than a single sheet of paper [ie pictures, candy, trash, (no really, I dare you to send me your trash), letters in envelopes, etc.]
Sister Sharon Alice Gatrell
Philippines Quezon City Mission
Ortigas Center, P.O. Box 13873
Emerald Avenue, Pasig City 1600
Metro Manila, Philippines

Ow

I stapled my hand. The stapler jammed, then came open, and I was trying to squeeze the top back closed because with most staplers you can do that and they don't staple you. This one was not one of those staplers.

Cuteness

My brother Caleb (11) has started taking violin lessons and had his first recital Saturday, with my mom at the piano. Aw!

More Frustrations

Aaahhh! I just spent over three hours trying to get my farewell posted online and it still won't work! Please, someone with video making knowledge help me!!!!


And I went shopping again yesterday for 7 hours. I think the end is in sight...

Can I have some more alone time with the rack?

So this week I have been marathon clothes shoping like never before. Holy freakin' crap. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent at two different malls searching for things that prove elusive. Namely, skirts that reach to the mid calf and are small enough to fit me. I tell you, in those two malls there were about 4 skirts that satisfied those criteria, and three out of the four were dry clean only for care. And the fourth was ugly. You would think that being in Utah it wouldn't be this hard to find appropriate missionary clothes! So then my mom searched online for things and found stuff for massive amounts of money and then being online I couldn't very well try any on to know if they would really fit me or not. My dad told us to search for "missionary emporium" or something, despite our outbreathings that such a place was only for guys, and by some miracle there is not only a place called "missionary mall," but there is also a place called "sister missionary mall!" Certainly they would have appropriate clothing that would fit me!

So we went there today. It is in Provo. What a drive! And what a day of shopping! After two other long days of shopping! I think we were in that store (even though it has mall in the name, it is really just a store) for three hours. Mind you, for all of those three hours I was constantly changing clothes and looking at color schemes. near the end, while I was trying to decide on colors, the lady kept asking me what I wanted and I finally just asked her if I could have some alone time with the rack. Those kinds of decisions can't be rushed! Especially since these are all the clothes I am going to be wearing for the next year and a half! To put this in perspective, or, for some idea of the enormity of this shopping trip, whether it means anything to you or not, we bought 4 skirts (a navy A-line, a brown A-line, a light brown half-full, and a grey half-full), 6 shirts (2 short sleeve--white and green; 4 long sleeve--white, pink, blue, and tan striped), a dress (red), a jumper (blue), a scarf to go with the dress, and a bag. So this evening I have been bit dizzy and I should probably go to bed now. And there is more shopping ahead of me.

We already bought shoes, three shirts, and exercise clothes, and have yet to get pajamas, luggage, first aid kit, and then we have been unsuccessful at finding me a suit so my sister is going to make me one. Yes, even the sister missionary mall did not have a suit jacket that fit me. Sad, huh? I think it would be nice to have a suit. And it will be black since I couldn't get a black skirt yet. But that means I have to go shopping to buy the black fabric. D'oh! We went to a fabic store yesterday and it was awful! They didnt seem to have anything I liked! Dressing modestly is so hard! I wonder what sister missionaries do that don't live in Utah. Where in the world would they be able to find what they need? Wow. I'm still dizzy so I probably shouldn't think about that too hard. Maybe I'll ask people in the MTC. Which is less than two weeks away. Good night everybody!

Frustrations--Someone help me!

I spoke in church today. I recorded it with my iPod, but now I can't find any way to get it on the web--here, on Facebook, or otherwise. If anyone can help me, please do!!!


And--props to Chelsea for accompanying me and my sister, since I gave her the music at midnight and church started at 0915! I'm sure she was frustrated about that one. Sorry!

Summer Super Activity!

[Today is one month until I go into the MTC. I knew time would go by fast!]

Last Thursday through Saturday was my ward's summer campout. It was at Lava Hot Springs in Idaho. I got there Thursday night and people were playing games so I joined while I waited for food. We played the question game. Then Brother Smith got back with more food so I made my dinner and when I was done it was dark, so there was a fire and people started roasting things. A few marshmallows, mostly Starbursts. Mmmmmmm! I had a few unroasted too (I couldn't roast them fast enough!). Then me, Emma, and Danny had a long movie discussion that started with Batman and eventually ended up at horror films. Of course, I hadn't seen most of them, uncultured swine that I am. I attempted the big dipper thing again, and got much closer to the right answer, except when the clouds were in the way. When they weren't, I could see the Milky Way again. That is so amazing! I don't remember seeing the Milky Way since I was at Lake Powell, and that was when I was 3 or 4, I mean, other than in movies. But, I've seen it a few times this year! What awesomeness.

Friday was the fun day. Apparently the main attraction in Lava Hot Springs is the swimming pool. But, it's a pretty amazing swimming pool, so I guess that's okay, just not what you expect from a place called Lava Hot Springs. I probably spent most of the day at the pool. It even has diving platforms: 5m, 7.5m, and 10m in addition to the 1m and 3m springboards (there is a 2m springboard too). If you want to jump off a platform, you have to sign your life away first. I did not choose to do this, knowing how freaked out I get just on the 3m springboard. But, I enjoyed watching all the other people be scared and such. Thay also have a rock climbing wall coming out of the pool which a few of us tried out, that was different. The pool time was also filled with chicken fights and swim races (can I tell you how sore my back and shoulders are??!!) and much general amusement.

After lunch we went tubing on the river, which is quite shallow. I only nailed my butt with a rock once, but it still hurt. Other than the shallowness, it's a good tube ride. After that we did go to the hot pools that the place is named for. If you ever go, don't take the word "hot" too lightly. That water is hot!!! It took a while to get in because you have to go gradually, but then it was pretty nice. Until you sat still for a while and then moved again, because then you would feel the heat again. I guess when you sit still, your body temperature, being lower than that of the water, lowers the temperature of the immediately surrounding water, and then when you move, your body comes in contact with the higher temperature water again. While there, a thunderstorm decided to roll in. We saved our towels and then some of us went back to the water, because how cool is it to be half hot and half cold? Okay, probably not THAT cool, but it is fun. It even hailed a bit, so that may not have been the smartest choice to stay out in that, but it wasn't bad.

After the storm, which really wasn't long, we decided to go back to the pool. Except, after all the hot water, our bodies didn't really want to move very much . . . but that's okay. A bit more diving, and some tackle football of a very non-football variety, then it was dinnertime. Or so we thought. Dinner wasn't ready for at least an hour after getting back to the campsite, and then it was rudely interrupted by a more stormy thunderstorm. I saved my scriptures and towel out of my chair, and everyone sought shelter under the pavillion or in cars. A few of the tents did not do a good job of keeping people's stuff dry. That night a lot of people went out to the hot pools, but a good number stayed behind and tried to dry out stuff. I held my chair over the fire, and the unlucky people whose sleeping bags got wet held those over the fire, and we enjoyed watching more lightning at a distance. Stars came and went a few times. A true camping experience.

Saturday I went home after breakfast. That's about it. Except: very random: driving home, there was this Oldsmobile. I didn't think much of it until we really began passing it, and I realized it was Chelsea! I rolled down the window and waved at her and it was exciting. That really is about it now.

The story and some goals

Here's how the call opening actually went:

[text from me to Eliza] will someone check the mail, please?
[phone call from Mom-abridged] It's here.
[me at work] (silent cheering)
and then I couldn't concentrate on anything for a while because I kept getting chills and the urge to just smile really big!

I got home, and I knew I couldn't open it until Deborah was online but I just held it for a while. I sort of tried to look through the envelope, but the missionary department was WAY ahead of that. They use envelopes like you mail checks in, you know, with the blue texture stuff on the inside so you can't see through the paper. So then I tried to look around through the plastic window where the address is, but of course the first piece of paper isn't the one you want. But that's okay.

8 o'clock came and I brought my computer out to the table, then I went to get my envelope and subconsciously slit it open on the way to the table again. So my dad had to take it away from me. When the connection with Deborah was established, he gave it back. I pulled out the stuff and quickly covered it up with the envelope so as not to look ahead and tried to start reading. I got through "Dear Sister Gatrell" and then I couldn't do it anymore. I was laughing too much from excitement, so then my mom had to take it away from me. She got through "Philippines, Quezon City mission" and I pretty much didn't hear anything past that, because I was too busy screaming silently. No, I take it back, I did hear the report to the MTC on September 10th part. But yes, there were many silent screams. Screams of joy, mind you.

Anyway, that's the entertaining part. After getting through the letter we chatted with Deborah for quite a while, and went through the missionary packet and I reread the letter. Grandma called, so I told her, and then I called the bishop, and then I called my relief society president because she served in the Philippines and I wanted to make sure I could say Quezon City the right way (it is pronounced cay-zonn). Manila is not in the mission, so we thought the temple wouldn't be in my mission, but I have since been informed that the Manila temple is in Quezon City! Hooray! So, needless to say I had a hard time getting to sleep that night . . .

Okay, goals: I have decided to read the Book of Mormon all the way through before entering the MTC. 20 pages a day ought to do it, with time to spare. If anyone wants to join me for moral support, feel welcome to. I also decided to memorize all the scripture mastery verses in English before entering the MTC, and in Tagalog before exiting the MTC. It will be tough
(especially the Tagalog part) but I think it is do-able. I was able to look at a Tagalog Book of Mormon on Saturda, and then I freaked out a little. There are a lot of vowels! This could be interesting . . .

A Letter I Received in the Mail Today

Aw, cry

No mission call today.

Big Dipper Clock

For anyone who cares, the planetarium was wrong. You don't add 1 for every month past March, you subtract 2! It really does go counterclockwise to 24, and you still add 1 for daylight savings time. Now I can do it right, and I get to rewrite the shows and rerecord them. Joy.

Mission Update

So today my bishop said that my call has been issued. That means it should come in the mail around Wednesdayish.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so freakin' excited! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The odd thing though, well, I guess it's not that uncommon, is that the devil is trying to lead me astray. I've been finding it hard to read my scriptures lately even though I know that is one of the best things I can do to prepare myself. Maybe I'm trying to do too many things in the time I have, but that's one of his tricks, isn't it? I've got to work on that whole deciding what's good, better, and best thing and not fill my time with only good things. [Dang, that's a good talk! Elder Oaks is so good at just getting out there and saying what needs to be said, no sugar coating or anything.]

My Backpacking Adventure [in the High Uintahs] (Facebook note transfer)

I went backpacking last weekend in the middle of July. It was pretty much my first time. There was me, and Ben, and my cousin Flint. So the plan was to do King's Peak, the highest point in Utah. We got to the trailhead at about 9pm Thursday, after some adventures including traversing a police roadblock and getting lost on some unmarked dirt roads. When the directions include a sentence that says "follow the road as it curves west then turns directly east" then you probably would get lost too. After acquiring a map we were fine. So, we started up the trail at 9:30 and went about a mile and a half in the dark. Ben and I are getting pretty good at hiking in the dark. Well, it was the night before the full moon, and we could actually see the moon this time, so it wasn't as trudgy as it's been sometimes.

While the guys set up camp (I slept in Flint's tent, Flint and Ben slept in Ben's tent), I tried to use my awesome astronomy skills to figure out what time it was. Result: 12 noon. I think I need to go back and check out the formulas again . . . . Although, I tried it again the next night and got 10pm when it was 9:55, so I might know what went wrong. I still need to check my sources.

Other random conversation from Thursday night:
(Sharon walking through the woods in the dark)
Ben: Sharon, are you a bear?
Sharon: Aaarrr
Ben: Oh, just a pirate
Sharon: Raaawr
Ben: A pirate with a lisp!
Sharon: *cough* *cough*
Ben: Oh, great, we've got a pirate with lung cancer

On Friday we packed up and went for it. I was in heaven! I can't tell you how beautiful it was up there! All natural. Green. Peaceful. Just beautiful. For a few miles the trail just cuts through this huge meadow. It's a very gentle trail, too--great for backpacking. There is this pass you have to cross eventually. That means you come to a ridge, climb 500 feet up it, then go 500 feet back down the other side. When you have pretty much never been that high in elevation (the top of the pass was 11,900') that's not so cool. I admit it was gratifying to get to the top, but losing that 500' right after didn't make the ascent to the peak (13,500') look too [can't think of word].

We pitched camp in that basin thinking we would go to bed early, get up early, and summit the thing on Saturday. But, being adventurous as we are, we decided to attempt the summit that night. I think we started back up on the trail at about 5:00. Flint took food and supplies in his pack and Ben and I took water and didgeridoos (they make great hiking sticks!). Let me tell you, once you get up to the peak-ish area, there is not trail anymore. Just rocks. As late as it was (after 7), we had to turn back before getting to the top because trying to get down after the sun goes down would not have been safe. Yes, it was the full moon that night, but this wasn't a situation to take chances in. The moon didn't come up very fast. It was dark well before we made it back to camp and the moon rose only a few minutes before we got there. The entire length from trailhead to peak is about 16 miles, and I believe we did 13.5.

Maybe if it weren't for me, the guys could have done it, but my body wasn't keeping up with the altitude change very well and I had to go pretty slow. The next time you try to gain 2,000' in elevation over two miles beginning at 11,400 after hiking 10 miles with a pack on let me know how it goes! Remember, this was my first time backpacking. I think it was my first time being that high in elevation besides in an airplane before, too. And, I wasn't exactly in perfect health. backpacking in the high Uintahs with a runny nose and sore throat probably wasn't the best idea. So I am pretty proud of myself for getting so far! And, now I know what to do differently if I ever do King's Peak again.

After that amount of fun, we elected to go to bed and sleep in in the morning. I made it to 7am. I actually kind of like camping, because the sun gets you up at a decent hour and it's hard to sleep in, which I do all the time and it's such a waste! Other strange tangent, sorry. I don't know what time we left camp, but we had about 11 or 12 miles to cover. I also don't know what time we got to the car, but I do know we got dinner in Evanston around 5:00

So, my rewards from this trip:
-very sore legs.
-About 50 mosquito bites (I'm not going to count, because Saturday morning I counted 11 just on one forearm. I tell you those things were rabid! You stop and they all swarm you. Even with bug spray on. I hope rabid doesn't translate into West Nile Virus . . .)
-Sore shoulders
-bruised hips (never worn a pack like that before)
-One toenail in really sad shape (yes the trail is gentle, but going downhill is rough anyway, and then I kicked a rock and clipped a tree root in succession, immediately followed by this stabbing pain, which dulled into an ache and the nail turned all black. Ew)
-Not very many pictures (I was too worried about being able to breathe to worry about getting out the camera very often)
-really sore legs and shoulders
-apparently I got the top of my head sunburned. That's always gross.
-lots of awesome memories! I love the outdoors!

Hey look! I made a blog!

If you don't get it, click here. More to follow.