What is Canadian Boxing Day?

Boxing day...it's a let down. haha It's basically just a holiday where no one has to work. So we visited some families that were home. There were actually a couple people that we visited that asked US what boxing day was. uhhh ok. But someone told us it's like black friday in the US. good sales on electronics and what not. But that stinks cuz it's after Christmas.

 Sounds like everyone had a good Christmas. You're right...it wasn't the same! It just isn't when you're not with family.

I can't believe Lyndsay F. is going to MOSCOW. Holyyyyy!  i can't believe that! Russia. wow! Little lyndsay speaking Russian. crazy, crazy!

 Thanks for everyones bday dates! Taylors card is in the mail :) I never realized that the fam covers every month except Dec. that's cool! I also got 8 letters in the mail on tuesday! HOLLA! it was late tuesday so i didn't have time to write everyone back...and some of the letters were sent early december. i'm not neglecting any of you! I'm just being obedient! haha Gma, this is a special message for you too---i will write you on monday! pinkie swear.

Mom, people are pretty candid about what they call people--like african american. it's usally just "brown" or "black" or "white" and no one is offended so that's different. There are so many people from all over that a lot of the time they'll say "jamaican" or "white jamaican" like the lady yesterday telling us about her husband. so there ya go!

Yesterday we got our first real snow. It's probably the coldest it's been as well. It was -7*c but felt -15*c with windchill. If ya do the math, that's not super harsh...its like 20F or so i think...i dunno, google it. haha

Let me answer your Qs...
Did you do any Christmas baking? NOpe. we were gonna make popcorn balls but we're poor. soooo. didn't happen

  

What are you doing for New Year’s? We're in by 6pm that night...so going to bed early! yay! I'm not sure if it's still fast sunday that sunday or not.

Alright...There's a few cool things i wrote down to tell ya'll. Like...the freeway we drive on practically every day is called QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way) I'm still waiting to find Prince Harry Way. Also to get the library i'm emailing from now, we take Duke of York Blvd. Oh canada, keeping it classy!

Last Pday when we were emailing, it was rainy and super foggy. We were walking along in downtown Mississauga (which we refer to as Missi'swagger'. so much cooler) and the tall apt buildings were covered in fog. it was pretty cool. when it's foggy and cloudy, it's not as cold. sweet! But you could really smell lake ontario that day--it smells nasty nast!

Everyone, EVERYONE drinks tea here! Herbal tea--so i guess we're allowed to drink it. dang. cuz it's gross. A sister we visit asked me to pour it for us 3 and i poured sis W a full cup of it and barely any in mine and the look she gave me was priceless. It was so funny because she had to drink it all...little things amuse me now. 

Congratulations to sis W and i! we're officially old, we got a fruit basket for christmas! Bro Marjanovich in our ward is super cool. He speaks Macedonian, so he has a greek accent and he said, "sisters! i have something for you!" (in a greek-like accent) and it was this massive fruit basket. See attached picture! haha

Another funny story- we were visiting this family and there's an old lady with alzheimers that live with them and she was so funny. Someone said "book of mormon" and she's like, "what?! the mooger norman?" hahaha and then she looked at my hand and said, "your nails are so tiny, they're beautiful!" she's awesome. 

Well, it's a pretty random letter this week...all over the place. But We did get an email today that says some GA's are coming to visit soon! to check out the mission. So...pres monson? sure! :)
Talk to ya soon!

sister messer

We finally got some pictures!

In Mississauga, Ontario

Hola! This week has been pretty good...Alright, let me see if i can answer all your questions! haha

How’s it going with your Macedonia friends?  We taught them yesterday. Sunday at Tim Horton's. it's the Starbucks of Canada. they are seriously on EVER CORNER! it's crazy. But our ward mission leader told us it was ok to go there on sunday. haha They bought us soup...i guess that's very European so whatever. But we brought Sis Radke with us who is a ward missionary. We didn't address her role very well and she ended up taking over a lot of the lesson. Plus, Gotes & Gordon were asking really weird questions like why aren't Dinosaurs in the bible. Ya, uhhh probably cuz it doesn't matter. So it got kind of out of hand and didn't go super well but they're just interested in everything and we'll see what happens.

Do you guys get the Ensign?  Dad and I guess that you do? Yes! we do...it's nice to read out of that during personal study sometimes

So, how does Canada not feel American?  Canada is so much different than the US. Sis W and I were talking about how much we both miss the US. We were looking at a picture of SLC on the back of an Ensign and practically drooling. There are no mountains here in Ontario...it's weird.

Do you two ever eat out?  Do you have dinner apts. Every night?  Do you ever fix your own dinners? Since we have an awesome ward, we get a lot of dinner apts. we also fix our own dinner sometimes or go out every once in awhile. There's a fast food place called Licks and its way good! I think it would be a hit in the US. It's basically a steak burger joint. You'll have to try it in about 16 months.

Did you get a new bedspread? yes, we went out on that 1st pday and i bought one for 15$ at walmart. it's purple dotted. just so nice.

What are you doing for Christmas? We have sac meeting at 9:30 and then we're chillin til about 2 and then were going to the radke's (a family in our ward) and they're letting us call from there. We just got an email from pres scott and we can skype if they have the hook ups  but idk if they do and i know it might be kind of sketch with our computer & the comp is in their living room where the party is at. so that probably won't work out. that way you won't see me cry either :)

Ok I'm glad people are reading my blog! so you're updating my blog & facebook with my latest letters and what not? sweet!

The police were stopping cars on the entrance to the freeway checking for drunk drivers. haha we rolled down our window and he saw our name tag and kind of snickered and let us through after asking if we had been drinking. haha it was funny.

Sister Wirthlin and Sister Messer

Not as funny as our tracting caroling experience. We were trying to make tracting a little more fun. Well, we were like, "it's the Christmas season! we'll just carol and hand them a joy to the world/lds.org card" ya...the 1st door we knocked on, all the lights were on so we started singing and no one came so we just walked away when were done singing. haha the 2nd door we waited until they were opening it and started singing. it was an older man and we were singing Joy To The world and he looked at us weird and said, "i'm busy." and shut the door! I said, "uhhh ok" and we were cut off and just walked away and laughed it off because that's what you gotta do! It was really funny though. we've been telling all our families and elders about it. we decided to go with a group next time.

Father, you taught me well. I carried on a good conversation with a non-member man who comes to our ESL (english second language class) about Baseball and Joey Votto. He even offered to take me and sis W to a Blue Jays game this summer. Holla. If that's totes allowed and i'm still in the area, i'm down!

I got a package from the barlows! they sent me their delicious cookies! i was excited :) the green ones are my fav! and a cmas card...it's fun to see pics from home! As far as your packages go...since we live like 20min from Brampton, where the mission office is, i heard they're going to play Santa this week and deliver packages. if not...i'll get them eventually! Sis W hasn't gotten any packages from home so she's quite anxious--we may drive down and get them ourselves ;)

 In front of Lake Ontario

We went tracting in a really nice area in Oakville. The people were all really nice too! and get this-i wasn't scared...haha but really, one guy was JW and he was like, "i really appreciate what you're doing! I went out when I was a young guy and knocked on doors. my parents are Jw but i'm not interested in anything right now." Sis w said, "thank you for being nice to us." hahah he laughed. But really, we ran into a lot of really nice people. It boosted my boldness a bit. Plus Sis W was totally scared and I felt like I had to be the senior comp for a second. Kind of like that one night when we were walking home from the leavitts in the dark and we heard something in the bushes and it was a skunk- mom you totally hid behind me. Sometimes i have to take one for the team.

I got the old cmas card you sent me mom! haha i laughed. Buzz, your girlfriend- woof! but for real.

Well, you also asked about my shoes and stuff- there's no snow here. the only time snow has stuck was sat night, when we woke up it was slightly all over the ground. but really, it's not that cold or snowy. So i don't even wear tights every day. my dansko shoes are comfy & i feel 7 ft tall. i haven't worn boots yet...and we might go shopping today, if so...i'll try out my debit card!

well family, i'll talk to you on Sundayyyyyyyyy!

sister messer

BE BOLD, SISTER MESSER! BE BOLD!!!

Hello Everyone!

This week has been pretty good. I miss you all!!! I can't believe i've been gone for over a month now though. 

Whoever thinks the MTC is remotely comparable to the field is crazy. I miss the MTC. haha It was so easy! I'm having a really hard time being BOLD. So i guess Pres. Batchelor knows what he's talking about when he repeatedly told me to "be bold". I'm really hoping that aspect gets a bit easier. We went tracting for the first time this week and I thought i was gonna throw up. Luckily i didn't...but i still don't like it. haha After a few doors it got a little bit easier but it's not effective. We've been working with members and less-actives more. Taking pres. Hinckley's advice that there is a smarter way! (when referring to tracting)...hopefully the members will trust us more and start to give us referrals. However, when it comes to tracting, i've found that i like that better than OYM (open your mouth) or street contacting.

We drove out to Lake Ontario and walked along a path along the lake. The view was amazing! I could see the U.S. from the distance and we both miss America. haha We could see the Toronto skyline miles down the shore and it was so cool! I hope I get to serve in the city after I get a little more accustomed to being BOLD. it was sooooooooo cold. The humidity makes a big difference. I can't tell it's humid and my hair doesn't curl weird but when it's cold, it's cold. We walked up to this lady who was staring at the sun and we were like, "hi, we're missionaries for..." and she was like, "I don't believe in organized religion, that people think other religions aren't good enough for other people" something along those lines...and then she said, "i'm actually talking to God right now, check out solarhealing.org" Soooo i guess she was worshipping the sun or something like that...and that is why I don't like walking up to people. 

We've had a few really odd experiences this week.

We did get a return apt from tracting this week and we drove to his house to meet him and was just walking out to walk his dog so we talked to him for a second and he wasn't interested at all. He's Roman Catholic and just didn't care much for what we had to say...BUT we didn't teach very well...being that Sis W gave the entire lesson in about 5 min and i just stood there...and so after that we were like uhhhh alright, we need to fix some things. We totally skipped a large portion of "how to begin teaching" when you get to know the person your teaching and she just started right into the lesson. So in the car we evaluated and practiced how we could've done that better and realized that we were put into that situation for practice because there's someone out there we're supposed to find that is prepared to receive the Gospel soon! and we're being prepared to teach them! Boom.

We had a zone christmas meeting this week with the entire zone. I have some pics i want to send. Hopefully i can buy the little device this week that allows me to do that.

Pres & Sis Scott showed up to our ward yesterday! I guess they go around the mission and attend different meetings but that was cool. it was a nice surprise. They're cool-pretty chill but strict at the same time. Sis Scott is super sweet & caring. She saw my deer in the headlights look at the mission office the day after getting here and she came over and was like, "how are you?" and i was like, "uhhh scared." haha but she assured me that it gets better & she was scared when they got here 3 months ago too. haha Hopefully I make it :)

We went cmas shopping last Pday at the biggest mall i've ever been to. It was insane & Sis W kept getting us lost...haha

Funny story- my district leader, elder fawcett, called sis Wirthlin on saturday night to express his "worry" for me because i'm quiet. I laughed. ya, i'm quiet...until you get to know me. I'm sorry I don't jump out of my seat and raise my hand in .05 seconds when you ask who wants to say the closing prayer :) I guess that just leads back to being BOLD!

I hear Allen Fabby got his call to NYC! oh my gosh! give him a high five for me! that's so sweet. NYC...that's so perfect for him.

We had a ward cmas party and had a few investigators come out. We're having a hard time just finding people who are interested cuz we're new and starting totally all over. Gotes & Gordon are meeting us tomorrow for an apt. AKA we're inviting them to get baptized...so hopefully that works out. haha they're funny guys.

Sis. wirthlin is from Farmington, UT. there are a lot of missionaries from UT. People think it's cool when I tell them i live by las vegas. haha She's a funny girl, we laugh a lot and get along well. We have a lot in common & are always on the same page. We'll seriously say the same thing a lot & while teaching have the same thoughts. unity. only the best.

It's sunny & 4*C today...that's something that takes some getting used to- celsius, meters, kilometers...it's weird. to figure out the temp in F you times the number by 2, multiply by 10% and add 36...i believe. haha well, i'm about to be kicked off the comp. maybe...i better send this to make sure you get it! love and miss you

sister messer

Our New Little Canadian Missionary!

Hello! 

My new address is:

(Leave a comment and Sister Messer's family will get it to you!)

Mississauga, ON

Canada

Alright, sooo i feel like i've been gone for a year already. Staying awake during personal study is a beast! Gah We live in Mississauga but it's actually outside of our area. our area is the Oakville area and it has Milton, oakville and part of mississauga in it...maybe. i'm still confused. it's big.

First night here we had a dinner apt that the elders set up. Elders have been living in our apt for like 10 years...that's a whole other story. haha It was with sister Radke. Her and her husband Slade are super sweet. She's pregnant and is having a rough time but made us dinner...plus they just moved so there were boxes everywhere. and her cat barfed on the carpet. haha Sister Wirthlin (yes, her great uncle is elder wirthlin) is allergic to cats so she was sneezing constantly. it was a good appointment. haha But we met the rest of our ward yesterday and it's a GREAT ward! We got invited to lunch at the Christensens house afterwards (the son, Aiden was baptized after the block and we had to fill the font) So we talked to members and ate lunch and she sent us home with a ton of food.

    The ward is ecstatic to have sister missionaries, we're "whitewashing" oakville which means we're both new to the area & know nothing. The only info we have is what the elders left us. OH! we were sitting in church yesterday and 2 guys in jeans walk in. after sac meeting we went up and talked to them- they're from Macedonia and learned about the church in New Jersey and moved to Canada 8 months ago, googled the nearest church and just showed up. Hallelujah. Its crazy! we're setting up an appt with them tonight. they're brothers and they have super thick accents (kind of like greek accents) their names are Gotse & Gordon.

   alright, next item of business...like i said, our area is very large. w/out a car would be impossible. When we're on the 401 going to Oakville i can see the CN tower in the distance! and lake ontario. I'm like say whaaaat! its pretty neat. The pic i sent of the tall towers i took on our way to the mississauga library (where i'm at now) It's a pretty city.

   The new District is pretty cool. there are 6 elders and us. 2 mandarin speaking elders, 2 spanish elders and another pair of english elders. We cover mississauga & oakville i believe. The houses in Oakville are absolutely beautiful! Theyre high-pitched roofs and brick and the architecture is just super pretty. They're unlike houses i've seen before & super duper schmancy. Lots of town houses as well. super classy area! Pretty wealthy area as well. the neighborhood I live in is really nice, not as fancy as oakville but a great apt for missionaries. The elders left a bunch of stuff...i'm currently using someones old bedspread...ya. that's changing today. For the toilet paper roller they screwed a piece of fabric in the wall and hung it on that. hahaha we laugh at it and continue to use it. There are a lot of tall appartment building where we have to buzz them from the bottom floor to get in. I've only seen that in movies. lol

    So like i told you on the phone, there were 15 missionaries that flew out to Toronto the same day as me. we all went to different places and I forgot to tell you! Sis Wirthlin, my trainer, has only been out 6 weeks. YA. 6 weeks! She's good though. Basically there are 2 newbies covering Oakville. president must see something in us. haha we'll see about that. Oh, crazy thing--elder bybee, i told you about him, we got out and Pres was like, oh, you're speaking farce (i dunno how to spell that but it's what people from iran speak) They don't teach it in the MTC.

    Flying into Toronto was crazy. we had to go through customs and immigration, it's SOOO racially diverse around here. Everyone has an accent and it's hard to understand them sometimes. We visited 2 older ladies my first night here, one was from jamaica & the other from Nigeria. See? everyone is just so diverse. haha then we had dinner with the Galletly's (who feed us a lot) and she's from China & he's from England and she cooks super delicious chinese food.

   Our district teaches an ESL class twice a week, maybe we can get Gotse & Gordon to come to that! haha but it's fun, it's an English as Second language class. mostly asian people come to it. Should be fun though.

 We have a cmas tree! it's so festive. haha The weather here hasn't been bad. the locals say it's really mild and will get worse but it's rainy a lot. It's snowed but hasn't stuck and it feels colder than 45 cuz of the humidity but its really not that bad!

   Flying into Detroit was really pretty. Michigan is beautiful! Super green and kinda swampy looking from the plane. It was quick, all 15 of us were rushing to meet our connection and the flight to Toronto after that was only like 45 min. tops. It was a tiny plane...i was just glad to get here.

   Sounds like everything is going good, can't wait to get your packages :) Hopefully the mail system will work well and I can get everything you send me!

That's about it...got lots to do today! ah!

love sis messer    

Sister Messer showing her future location in the MTC

                           Sister Shelby Bennet with Sister Messer.                                                                                                                   Shelby's from Logandale too & headed to Tulsa, OK

Outside the Provo Temple with companion, Sister Turvaville (to her left),
and roommates Stout and Palenokova

SHE MADE IT!!!

Sister Messer with Mission Pres. Brent Scott and Sister Scott at the mission home in Brampton, Ontario

Sister Messer with her new companion Sister Wirthlin

Sister Austriana Messer

Mississauga, ON

Canada

We haven't heard from Aus yet, but we were pleasantly surprised today with an email and pictures from her mission president!    We google-earthed Mississauga and it looks like a nice place right next to Toronto and Ontario Lake.  

Sister Messer's new address

Sister Austriana Messer
Canada Toronto Mission
197 County Court Blvd., Suite 203
Brampton, Ontario L6W 4P6
CANADA

It takes two of our stamps and takes about 5-7 days for a letter to arrive.
Austrie LOVES letters...I'm just sayin'....And, she's good about writing back :)

Good Bye Provo-Hello Toronto!

Hi everyone, Austrie's mom.  I have to tell you we were graced by a phone call from Sister Messer this morning at 5:45am.
 IT WAS SO WONDERFUL TO HEAR HER SWEET VOICE!!!
She was at the SLC airport with 14 other missionaries travelling to Toronto as well.
She will fly into Detroit at 10:00am, NV time, and then on to Toronto an hour later.  She'll arrive at 12:30NV time.
She was really looking forward to getting to Toronto!
So, we got a letter from her that she wrote on Thanksgiving Day.  She said they had a grand Thanksgiving meal in the cafeteria.  They also had a fireside that morning.  This is what she said
"This morning I had to usher the devotional.  I was in charge of the very front by the podium.  Guess who our speaker was?  Elder Russell M. Nelson!  When he came in I was only 5ft away from him!  Ushers had saved seating in the 4th row.  During a missionary's talk, I was looking at him and he turned directly at me, smiled and winked.  I'm not even fibbing.  I was like "What the?"  Then it got awkward cuz I wasn't sure he was looking at me so I kinda looked around and no one else saw it."
She also said that Sister Shelby Bennet accompanied a violinist for "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief."  Sister Bennet is also from our stake and she entered the MTC the same day as Aus.  She also saw Elder Derrick Cameron ushering the upper level, and saw Elder Zach Staley in the congregation.  Yay for Logandale Stake!

Last week at the MTC

LOVE the pictures!  I did get your cookies! Yum! Just got back from the temple. We did initiatories...how do you spell that? haha It was cool to do that again since I hadn't gone since i went through. WE took a district picture in front of the temple (minus the other sisters because they're always late/doing their own thing) But I will try to send it asap! Just think...one week from right now i'll be on a plane to Toronto!!! well, technically to Detroit. (did you get my last letter with all my travel plans?) We're quite excited.  There's about 15 missionaries going to Toronto in our travel group. BIG! It will be fun! Alright...I try to write down things I want to tell you through out the week but it's so hard to remember because SO MUCH happens! It's insane.

So mady, to answer your question about cute elders...I think you'd like it here. I'll have to send you a picture of my district. I think you may be rather fond of a few of them. As far as at the MTC, you'd love to walk around because there are an abundance of rather good looking young men. Don't worry, my heart is locked ;)

OHMYGOSH. a few nights ago there was a BYU fball game going on. Kill me! I fell asleep to hearing Beyonce or something like that. Alright, not quite but i did open my window and look out & I can see the fball field lights & hear the band and crowd. talk 'bout torture.

I can't remember if i told you this but I basically spend all day in building 8m. Sis. Bennett is right down the hall, along with elder cameron! and elder staley is on the next floor up! So everyone from our valley is in the same building. I see them quite often!

 I'm really learning how to recognize the Holy Ghost and it's crazy powerful! Like HEY hg, where have you been all my life? ;) Learn to recognize those promptings! It's so neat. I wish I could've learned a while ago! Or at least better recognize it.

Another thing we did last night was BOM study with our district. We start where we left off last study but we usually only get through about 4 verses in 1/2 hour or so. We get into topics that are just really cool that I never knew about the BOM. For example, When Nephi talks about he father "dwelt in a tent" Did you know that was referring to their temple? I guess they had a "portable temple" they carried w/them as they traveled. So the verse in 1 Nephi that just says "and he dwelt in a tent" or whatever, they're totes talking about the temple. Which totally makes sense! Why would Nephi talk about their tents all the time and where it was at? Cuz it's the temple! oh heyyy.

Well, I've only got a few more minutes. I guess I need to type faster but alas, i cannot! Hopefully I can print out that family pic you sent me, it's a keeper! Next time you get an email from me i'll be in TORONTO! ah!

sister messer

Sister Messer's First Letter!

Tuesday November 8, 2011

HELLO!!!!!!!
Today is Pday and our district went to the temple and did a session together. it was really cool to see our district all there together! We're all getting to know each other really well and it's so fun with everyone. Mom, remember the kid from vegas who went through the temple the week before me who was going to Toronto? Was his name Elder Rogers? He's in my district. I see Shelby Bennett pretty much every day. Our class rooms are in the same building, on the same floor so it's good to meet up by the bathrooms and talk about how things are going. The 1st time we taught an investigator, Sister Turvaville and I were feeling kind of down because we didn't have much time to prepare and we were just nervous! But we ran into Sister Bennett & her companion and she said she cried after they got done because she was so disappointed...that made me not as sad anymore. haha But just yesterday my teacher (sister christensen) told sis. Turvaville and I that she feels like she neglects us a lot but it's because she doesn't worry about us. We felt good after that! Kind of gave us some hope.

Side note---did dad see my blog post from yesterday? Happy Birthday dad!

Goodness, i don't quite know how to tell you about a full week at the mtc in one letter...SO MUCH happens all the time. SO much learning & long hours. It's crazy! But i think i love it...

After you dropped me off, I was lead to a sister missionary who helped check me in. Guess what? She's FROM toronto. It was crazy! I actually just ran into her at the laundry room today (about the laundry room...hundreds of washer/dryers...it's insane!) and her friend back in Toronto is really interested about the church. She said she has been asking questions about the Gospel because a family member just died or something like that. So she gave me her info and i'm supposed to do the goods once I get there...cool, huh?
I've seen 3 interior design majors here too! Sister Huppe who dropped out last year, Sister Neilson...who also dropped out & then Megan Pruden who i'd emailed before I left...remember her? Well we live on the same floor & see each other every day. familiar faces, yay! I've also seen 2 people from my BYUI 12 ward. One elder was standing behind me in the book store and i was like woah! You were in 12th ward! Things that like that happen all the time...small world.

OK so as i was saying, they checked me in & all the new missionaries met in a big room for a meeting with the Presidency. 421 new missionaries arrived last wednesday. The 1st lady of Honduras just happened to be on campus so she said hi to all of us. Pres. Hinckley's son (just got released from the quorum of 70) also said hi. That night we had a workshop and I got to sit by Sister bennett.

Ok, i got your letter that said you saw that girl from the nauvoo pageant--so did i! She was walking down the stairs in my building. So she must be a teacher here or something. I would've said something but she was too far away. Dad, there's some missionaries in my hall going to Billings...just fyi. haha

I've learned a lot about relying on the spirit. Basically that every good thought that comes to you is the spirit. I think that will help me a lot while teaching investigators. If it pops into my head, i'm just gonna roll w/it! We're getting better at teaching. It's hard though! Trying to relate all this doctrine so that it fits to the person you're teaching specifically...hard.

We get treated pretty good here! The elders in our district are so funny. We're trying to get used to calling people "sister" and "elder" instead of guys. So every time they say "hey guys" or whatever, someone snaps their name tag off. the one that folds over their chest pocket...i guess it's hard to put back on? haha anyways...They practice their gentleman qualities by taking our trays from us at the cafeteria (one time one yelled "sisters! Don't even think about it!!) Or run to the doors to open it first. I find it amusing and partially embarrassing but sister turvaville & I admitted we don't like to be served but we're letting them do it anyways. haha

Yes, busy 24/7. Wake up really early. The bathroom situation is good mom. haha and i had a top bunk until my roommates left for Germany yesterday morning so i moved! Shoes are good, robe is good, wearing dresses is alright...getting used to it.

AH! i only have 10 min. left on the comp. Uhhh but i think that's pretty much it. I'll try to write before next p day! Off to dinner then a fireside!

Miss & love ya!

Sister Messer

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

I love you & miss you!

Disneyland Oct '11

*don't flip out...i made this a while time ago and scheduled it to post on your birthday :)

Austrie's pre-mission photos!

Aren't these so pretty!  Tara Leavitt took them.
Her photography website is: http://taraspurebliss.com/

P.S.  We are still waiting to receive her first MTC email....

THE DAY AUSTRIE ENTERED THE MTC
               November 9th, 2011

Hello everyone,
Austrie's mother here.  I told her I would post her mission letters and pictures.  So, here we go. 

This is Austrie with her family right before we dropped her off at the MTC.



                                        
                                               As soon as we arrived, some nice Elder Missionaries
                                              greeted her, toted her luggage, and escorted her inside
                                              the MTC.

I can't wait to here from her!  I wonder what she's doing right now.  Well, I know what she's doing right now because it's 11:30pm UT time.  She's sleeping!

It's Like, Totally Weird.

Well, I'm off. Please write me!

Sister Austriana Messer

Canada Toronto Mission

Provo Missionary Training Center
P.O. Box 326

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604

A Last Hurrah

Taryn came down to play with me for my "last weekend" home! We went to the local Pomegranate Festival, ate at Tiffany's, went to the Pirate football game and planned a family BBQ. I think the most difficult part about not having my phone with me on the mish is that we can't text each other 24/7. lame.
Every Thanksgiving we hold a family kickball game but obviously I won't be here for that! So we played an early game Saturday night.

Oh, and we watched/sang along to our favorite movie. But that goes without saying. 

Another One Down

Something I probably won't be doing for 18 months:

Riding face down all the way home. Check.

My Halloween

H-A-Double L-O-W-Double E-N Spells Halloween. 

Please do tell me you sang the tune of that song while you read that. That's simply what I was aiming for. 

Halloween this year was simple. We carved pumpkins, did the usual "wait until last minute" costume ritual. It involves heading to the storage room & looking through our 2 huge plastic storage bins piled with old clogging & creative dance costumes. Pick a unitard.....any unitard. I was trying to get Ari to go with the Olympic gymnast idea which then turned into a Pirate...which turned into Katniss Everdeen. (am I the only one who kind of prefers Gale over Peeta?)

After wandering around a trunk or treat event & seeing the cousins all dressed up, we came home and watched Brigham City. I deem it an appropriate Halloween movie, it's pretty crazy! But let me share a story with you. I took an arts & humanities class my second semester at BYUI, taught by a Brother Clifford. He was a theater professor & we got on the topic one class about his acting career. He told us he was actually in the movie Brigham City. I really enjoyed him as a teacher, he was a cool/theater/corduroy blazer type of guy. Every class he would verbally take the role. Every time he would say my name he would look up at me in the back corner and smile. I swear to you he would not do this any time, to any other person! I talked my roommate, Jesika, into taking this class with me so she sat right next to me. We would always laugh because it happened every. single. time. Without fail! She can attest to it. 

Fast forward almost 3 years later. 

(I really hope you've seen this movie)

I'm keeping my eyes peeled to find Bro. C when I realize half way through the movie that he's Steve. Let me give ya a refresher: he's the creeper. 

I also love the twist in the movie...ya know, how the murderer only kills red haired girls. Awesomeeeee.

So it's nice to finally know that every time he took role, he was only admiring how well I could have fit the part for the next murder mystery. 

Ooooowoooowoo 

(ghost sounds!)

What were you for Halloween?

Pre-Mish Must Do's

All of a sudden there's only 1 1/2 weeks until I enter the MTC. You know what that means..i'm scrambling to do stuff that I won't be doing for 18 months.

A few things I can check off that list:

Ranger rides & late night Mario battles with Taylor

A trip to Pioneer Theater 

Halloween sugar cookies (with Gma Gubler's recipe) yum!

Working at Tiffany's. My last day was Saturday!

Lunch outing to VIP Chinese Restaurant

Watch The Sixth Sense, I just saw it for the first time!

What I Still Need To Do:
Carve a pumpkin

Continue to watch Halloween movies

Participate in Halloween festivities

Watching THE JONAS MOVIE

Complete a variety of Wii games

I'm thinking 50% of these will be completed by Monday night. Anything else I need to add to the list?


18 months is kind of a long time.

Oh, and I just discovered this karaoke youtube channel...so there's gonna be some of that too.

Wanna Feel The Love?

It began with over 100 cupcakes Saturday evening. Taryn and I would take short breaks from making them to dance to our Monster Mash Halloween cd- It was very therapeutic. Luckily we had a private taste tester to approve of our cupcake icing.

 Today was my farewell! If you ever want to make somebody feel loved, ask them to talk in church and then have a bunch of people show up for them. Today I felt loved!

Me & Jen

These two thought they were in charge of the water. The other two just make me laugh.

Thanks for coming everyone, it really means a lot!

I have just over 2 weeks before I enter the MTC! November 9th!

Words to Live By

While talking about Prince Harry during branch prayer with  Michaela : 

"He wouldn't even be that cute if he weren't a prince. If I passed him out on the street I wouldn't be like dang, he's cute."

Is it weird that I was thinking about that on Saturday, then it comes out of her mouth. You wonder why we're on the same brain wavelength...we go way back. She introduced me to the Spice Girls-consider life changed.

Do you agree?

Very Pinterest(ing)

Being the avid Pinterester that I am, I wanted to share some of my favorites i've come across this week. Enjoy.

- Can you guess what city she's overlooking? Yup, Toronto.
- Lights of a city shining on a wet sidewalk. (can you smell the rain? i can!)
- Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, CA. Sounds so cool!
- Tory Burch loafers of which I want on my feet.
- Just a call to action
- A little Jake G to go around
- Loved this painting, Maya Hayuk for Bekahbear.
- This outfit could totally be worn on the mish, casual but keepin' it classy
- Sparkles, gotta love sparkles.

Disneyland!

How else is one supposed to describe a trip to Disneyland besides magical? It seems as though it was over just as quickly as it came. Super quick. 

We arrived at our hotel Sunday night. Being in the lobby is enough to get you totally psyched about the next couple days. The Arts & Crafts design of it is stunning, I can't wait to go back! It truly is the best place to stay when going to Disneyland. It has its own entrance to California Adventure and it's a five minute walk to the Disneyland gate...soooo nice. Disney's Grand Californian Hotel is where it's at.

Disneyland was decked out with Halloween decorations, we bought Mickey hats & rode all the rides. Classic Disney vacation. Oh and if you happen to take the trip, make sure to see World of Color, totally sweet!

Tea Cups

Using the wheel chair cheats on Indiana Jones

Tower of Terror is my absolute favorite!

Jungle Cruised it up with the fam

Matterhorn & Space Mountain

We even had lunch at Ariel's Grotto with the Disney princesses! Speaking of Disney princesses, I think Taylor finally found his soul mate. Who knew?!

Well i'm ready to go back, who's in?

A Magical Flute

We're getting a little crazy counting down the days until Disneyland. 4! 4! 4!!!

My dad just gets mad when we express our love for music & Disney while he tries to watch ESPN.

We get over it.

Gold Toes

Before you read this, I suggest you find your best Disney music and start playing it. I'll give you a minute. (I suggest You've Got A Friend In Me from Toy Story or When You Wish Upon A Star...classic)

I found it 100% necessary to paint my toenails with gold glitter this week. We're going to Disneyland in 6 days! Glitter-fairy dust-princesses-tinkerbell- magic...get where i'm stemming from? Ahh! Those snowy Rexburg day dreams of being in Southern California are finally springing into action! But wait, it gets better. ALL the fam is going. We're talking 21 of us...these Disney trips are the best! (They happen when someone graduates, this year it's Mady and I wanted to go before I left in November...so it just all works out!)

This is from our last trip in April '09. One of my favorite moments every time we go is when 8 of us go on Grizzly Peaks together. The dream team consists of My sister Mady, myself, my dad and cousins Taryn, Taylor, Trent, Ty & Uncle Rod. Oh man, I just got really excited.

DCA Grizzly Peaks, April '09

So now is your time to help me out. I've been to Disneyland many times, but there's gotta be something i'm missing! Tell me what I simply cannot live without any longer. You can leave out cream cheese pretzels, dole whips & tower of terror because those 3 things definitely top the list of Disneyland awesomeness.

I Break Rules on Sundays

Do you like dressing up on Sundays? I think I do. There's something about going through your skirts and dresses and shirts and mixing and matching that I just find a lot of joy out of. I've had an idea for a few weeks that I didn't think i'd have the guts to pull off...let me get to the point. Today I wore a polka dot shirt with a floral patterned skirt. Fashion rule broken? Perhaps. Awkward because it's a mirror shot? Absolutely. I'm breaking all sorts of rules. All of a sudden i'm posting outfit pictures, taken with a camera phone, in my messy room all while not knowing if you smile in these sort of pictures or not. I make fun of those kind of girls. Eh, sue me.

I just wanted to ask you if you think it works. Do you think it does? Do you think i'd get kicked off the mish if I made such a bold fashion statement? haha Am I the only person in the world without a smart phone?

P Town Lovin

I spent Sunday-Thursday in Provo staying with Taryn & Ariel. We did what most college students do...

Tried on wedding dresses, Say Yes To The Dress style

Didn't shave for a while and grew moustaches

Played Mario Bros all night long

Ate out way too often and visited the classy BYU art museum

That structure we're standing in front of--BOOKS. stacks and stacks of books!

Now I miss them and want to go back.
not the books...tar & ariel.

Dallas Meets Las Vegas

This weekend was one for the books. Taryn and her roommate Ariel came down to celebrate Ariel's 21st birthday. We took her to Vegas, ate dinner at Cheesecake Factory inside Caesars Palace, walked the strip and watched the Bellagio's water show. Ending the night with a walk through the new Cosmopolitan hotel (holy hanging chandeliers!) and took classic pictures by the Vegas sign.

Let me tell you a little bit about Ariel: We were roommates at BYUI winter semester 2010. We never really talked much or hung out until I decided to text her in February when she left for the airport to go back to home to Dallas for Valentines Day. It was history from there! We become the best of friends and I convinced her to live with Taryn when she transferred to BYU. So now I get to have my two favorite people in one visit to Provo! It's just the shiz.

Saturday we took her to the Moapa Valley's finest restaurants. Inside Scoop for lunch, Tiffany's for dinner! Have you ever been to both those places in one day? ....interersting.

That night we gathered up some friends and went riding at Red Rock.

My finest line of the night, "Guys, if we die tonight, I want you to know you're my best friends!"

I traveled back up with them on Sunday to Provo for a few days. We have made many plans. Stay tuned!

A Run-Into & My Homies

Yet another picture of Toronto

I had a very funny and cool experience happen to me on Saturday. I was in St. George, UT and decided to go into Christensen's and do some mission shopping. I overheard a girl talking to a sales guy about different kinds of shoes for warm weather that are comfortable blah blah so I decided I should probably listen in because the shoes she was asking questions about was the typical sister missionary (gross) shoes. (i.e. Clarks & Dansko...what other ones are good yet a little more stylish? anybody know?) Because she was leaving on a mission soon. The man leaves for a  minute to grab her some shoes to try on and my mom asks her, "Where are you going?" Our conversation went a little something like this:
Her: Canada
Me: ME TOO!
Her: Really? Where at?
Me: Toronto
Her: ME TOO!
Me: (shut upppp!)
Turns out she leaves in 3 weeks but is learning Spanish so she stays in the MTC 2 months. She'll still be there when I get there in November. To make matters even crazier, we're related. Ya, we have the same great grandmother or something like that.
Weird things happen. Right place, right time...must have happened for a reason!

On a downer subject, my homies are starting our their 3rd year with the design program at BYUI. I can't believe they'll be graduated when I get back in 2 years! Oh how that's gonna be so hard! I'll be rooting for you guys to kick Passive Solar's butt. Boooyah

Our road trip last Oct. to the moon & Sun Valley, ID

Ok, but really. Tell me what brand produces cute, sensible & comfortable missionary shoes?

A Full Week

It's been a full week since i've blogged.

and by "full" I don't mean full as in busy...I mean full as in an entire week.

In fact, nothing really leading-edge happened.

So this is what i've been thinkin...

Brown envelopes are the shiz. But seriously, stick with me on this one. How cool do you feel when you get a letter in the mail? How much cooler do you feel when you get a letter with a BROWN envelope? Maybe it's something to do with The Sound of Music "brown paper packages tied up with strings" or maybe because they're usually recycled paper so it makes you feel green, maybe i'm just weird. But i'm pretty sure it's a billion times better in a brown envelope. And while on the subject of the color brown, I *dyed my hair brown. And I always took my lunches to school in a brown paper bag, I never had a legit lunch box, did you?

*i lied. no dying occurred.

Let's talk about my future plans. It involves the old Gubler house on Gubler Street. Taryn & I will some day own a floral shoppe. Our floral shoppe will be in this old house. The top floor will be our wedding planning business and TLC will host a show all about it. (think DC Cupcakes except cooler people) Our show will be a hit! Why aren't there any shows about floral or wedding shoppes? Cuz they're saving it for us!

This house doesn't tilt. There was a man in the ditch in front of it so I felt really dumb slowing down to take the picture. So I did not, resulting in a tilt.

It just needs some sprucin' up. This house has gotta stay in the fam! (My Grandma's maiden name was Gubler)

Let's hope September starts to bring less blistering temperature steering wheels, less sticky bangs on the forehead (although honestly I haven't much of that issue, phew!) and maybe allow us to start wearing cute cardigans without sweating? We'll see.