Kicking it in Utah cont.

Mark & Laura took me to heaps of cool places and we did heaps of awesome stuff (within our limits - if it was up to Mark we would have went camping in the mountains!! COOL). 

When we went for a tour of the mountains I got to see where they had the Salt Lake Winter Olympics - it was awesome. I took a photo, but I can't find one. W

e went shopping at some of the camping outlets and we also went on a Ski lift (obviously there was no snow, and we didn't ski) - we got to see an Awesome view, and Mark showed us a huge block of land that Robert Redford owned - we could see if from the Ski lift!

Me, Laura and Mark on the Ski Lift!

We didn't do the mountain bike riding, just the scenic lift!

You might think this is a rather strange photo (because it is) but I will explain. This is a Caramel Apple - if yo have never had one before, and you ever take the trip to the States, make sure you GET ONE OF THESE, they are SO SO good... I liked it so much I had to take a photo. So, this is also what we did on our little adventure around the mountains... YUUUUUMMM!!

We visited a Volcano - It looks like Laura is watching where she steps in case it blows up, and then it looks like Mark is.... yeah.

this is me. these are the mountains in Utah - they were awesome!

the air port

Like most missionaries, the plane was leaving in the very early hours of the morning 630am. 

Filipa Triffitt was flying to sydney on the same flight, so she kindly took some of stuff over with her so I didn't have to pay the over weight baggage price!! 

Here are some pictures of the last to be seen me for 18mon

ths. They aren't the best pictures, but what do you expect when you get up at 5

am just to say good bye to someone. 

So here is a picture of everyone (well those that wanted to get in the photo) who came to say Good bye! 

Hannah & Mick came to say goodbye (but I think Hannah only came because they were going to Macca's for breakfast afterwards).. I notice in the background how happy everyone looks - they didn't look like that when I could see them... hmm... 

Steph & Kristen also managed to get their two little ones out of bed.  this is probably the weirdest photo EVER. I look like I really awkward - I am not sure if it was because I was a missionary and there was a man touching my arm or what. MeKenzie is smiling like never before (always ready for the camera Kenz)... As for Steph, he is trying to look like he's not sad, and I think Kristen was doing the same....

Leilani was up - but I am sure she didn't have a clue what was going on.. Thanks Lani

So, I set off and headed to my destination, Utah. I had a couple of hours to wait in Sydney and then a few more in New Zealand and then I had a 13hr flight to San Francisco (which I thought 13hrs was really really long, until I came home and I was scheduled on a 22hr flight from London to Sydney) where I was meeting Laura - she planned to head back to Utah the same say as me from Hawaii, we didn't plan it, it just happened, we were on the same flight to Salt-Lake city. I won't mention here that we were sitting in the airport waiting for our flight and just staring out the window when we realised that they were making the FINAL CALL for the flight to Salt-Lake! So we jumped up and quickly boarded the plane when we realised when they said FINAL they really meant can Laura and Elle please board this flight because we really want to leave. It was only a small plane and when we boarded EVERY seat was full (except for our two) so everyone on the flight was waiting for us to board so they could take off - meanwhile we were just having a chat in the airport lounge!!

setting a part

July 19th 2006 I was set a part as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

President Gary C. Prebble set me a part and Dad and Pop both assisted. It was an awesome setting a part and blessing. I don't remember all that was said, but I do remember that I wasn't blessed with the gift of tongues (yes, this haunted me my whole mission)!!

Me & President Prebble

My Family that attended, we were all there except for Laura - but she was in Hawaii - so I guess where would you rather be..??

(Angela is looking rather short in this picture...)

Visa

Well, you all know that to go to another country for a long period of time you need a VISA. I was planed to head to the MTC on June 13th 2006. Unfortunately, due to a very long delay I had to wait another 6 weeks for the next intake of missionaries learning finnish in the MTC. This meant I was to be in the MTC July 25th 2006. 

It was planned that I would spend a week in Utah with Mark and Laura before I entered the MTC - this was the plan if Laura was able to recieve her Visa also. So for 6 weeks, Laura and I spent our time waiting for to the post-man to arrive (little did I know the postman would become one of the most important people in my life during the next 18 months. 

The postman came... but no visa.... the postman came... but still no visa. This became a running joke for everyone - Debbie and Gary's place became the "waiting for a visa" place!

Laura's visa arrived before mine, so she was out of here. I was still left, waiting, unknowning when that vis would arrive and unknowning when I would be able to leave for the MTC - it could have been 3 weeks, it could have been 8 - luckily it was only 6 more weeks!

It took for what seemed like forever for the day to come when I could finally leave. But eventually the day arrived.

letters

While my preparation really started to begin I recieved a letter from my future Mission President. So of course I wrote back.... and here they are...

Presidents letter to me

My letter to President

finland

this is the map they gave me in the front of the booklet to show what Finland looks like. If you see in the top right hand corner it says 'location map' - which tells you where abouts in the world Finland is - I will admit that this did NOT help me, as I didn't know any of the surrounding countries, nor was Australia even on the 'location map' so to me - it meant nothing really!!

Estes

My Mission President and his wife and a little about them

 President Phillip Estes and Sister Vicotria Estes.