March Mix: "Sister Devine's Ciao Mix"

This one is a blast from the past. When I left on my mission, I put this mix together for friends and family to remember me by. It's quite good if I may say so myself.

1. Junior Kickstart - The Go! Team

2. Will You Return? - Avett Brothers

3. Everybody's Changing (Keane Cover) - Lily Allen

4. La Meme Histoire - Feist

5. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want - The Smiths

6. Four Winds - Bright Eyes

7. I'll Fly Away - Kanye West

8. This Time Tomorrow - The Kinks

9. Welcome Home, Son - Radical Face

10. Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Greg Laswell

11. Crown Of Love - The Arcade Fire

12. M79 - Vampire Weekend

13. Australia - The Shins

14. Seize the Day (Chorale) - Newsies

15. Save Myself - Willy Mason

16. Heartbeats - Jose Gonzales

17. Viaje a las Montanas - Inca Son

18. The Lord Bless You and Keep You - Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc

19. Rise - Eddie Vedder

20. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing - Sufjan Steven

 

NOTES:
1. I anticipated that this song would reflect how I would feel walking off the plane into Bolivia. I actually felt sort of the opposite. Terrified.

2. "Why can't you see yourself as beautiful as I see you"

4. I had just seen Paris Je T'aime shortly before I left on mission, and this song was featured in it. I thought it was really nice.

5. Remember New York Doll? I loved how they used this song in the movie. So fitting. If you haven't seen it yet, feel free to borrow it from me.

6. I was addicted to this album my second summer at Jacob Lake.

8. This song was running through my head the whole time I was in the MTC.

9. wow wow wow this song always gets me

12. One of the last concerts I went to before my mission.

13. I had this album on repeat while I when I traveled through Nepal.

19. "Gonna rise up
       Burning back holes in dark memories
       Gonna rise up
       Turning mistakes into gold"

            This is the atonement

20. A favorite hymn to end.

The best 5 years...

On this day, exactly 5 years, I entered the MTC to start my mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I had no idea the profound effects that the mission would have on my life, essentially changing it's whole trajectory. I had my highest highs and lowest lows at that time in my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything, and I think about it everyday. t's hard to believe that all this started 5 years ago. They say that the two years on your mission (or the year and half if your a sister) are the best two years of your life. Despite the challenges and changes that came after my mission, every year since that has been my "best".

My room in Ica

True sisters. I miss you all.

La Huacachina. 

Back in Bolivia to finish my mission.

My last day as a missionary. It still brings tears to my eyes.

Since my mission, I've tried to continue being a disciple of Christ. Some days I'm better at it than others. I remember one of my mission presidents telling me that the level of spirituality we have on our mission is as high as it can get. He was both right and wrong. As a missionary,my purpose was to focus and serve others, all day, every day. That's not what life is like now, and I miss it so much. But I do think I've spiritually progressed since then. I am more confident, more understanding, and more patient. And I know there is still more I can become.

Something for today

Just found a good blog for a Sunday:

Check out the blog here.

Read about if here.

I've been really missing my mission lately. I went to a zumba class Friday. The played this song, and I almost lost it. Oh dear.

A Poem for Thursday: The Lake of Innisfree

And now onto Yeats.


The Lake of Innisfree
William Butler Yeats


I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

********

Where is your Innisfree? I have a few.

W&OD Trail, Virginia

Cathedral Wash, Arizona

Ica, Peru

Kathmandu, Nepal

2 years

I got home from my mission 2 years ago today. That means a whole mission has passed since I finished my mission. Oh man. I still miss it.

United States, I love you, but you're bringing me down.

WODdling soundtrack: Reik, Calle 13, Camila, Aventura

I miss saltenas.
I miss greeting everyone I meet on the street.
I miss South America.
I miss who I am when I speak in Spanish.

Luckily, I am not alone. Yesterday, I went and helped the Spanish branch with a Mutual activity. Hopefully this will be a weekly thing where I can help the ward out, and brush up on my Spanish at the same time. The kids were sweet, and though they are all at different places in life, at different schools, and facing different challenges, they were generally kind to one another. Really, they were great.

My name is the bane of my existence in the latino world as Gretchen is not easily pronounced.
So I was christened "Eli" (Ellie) instead, since Elisabeth is my middle name. And for the rest of the drive from Mutual, I listened to reggaeton.

I've liked the past week or so in Virginia and I keep telling people that I could really settle here. But sometime soon, I hope to get on a plane and not come back for a while.

 I need to go back to my "roots"

I want to go back to Santa Cruz and see the rest of Bolivia

And maybe even go to my on of my best friend's wedding here!

Till then, I will watch this video over and over again, sympathizing with Kermit the Frog.

and then watch this one over and over to pick up my mood.



DOUBLE POPPED COLLAR!
DOUBLE DOUBLE POPPED POPPED COLLAR COLLAR!!

Oh what a world we live in.

Update Schmupdate

A packed two weeks, back in action. I don't know why I feel a need to report my comings and goings, but, here we are.

It has been a blur. First, Tommy Emmanuel at the AIS banquet, Kimberlee's wedding the next night, Gina Baccheur competition finals, and a killer Real game WITH fireworks. Who could ask for anything more.
Our family was a little sore after the Uruguay loss, to Holland, but it was a good game. I went to the Peru festival with Hermana Holmes and ate CEVICHE and drank CHICHA MORADA, and they even had a Bolivian booth with SALTENAS! mmhmm. My parents went out of town to visit Jeremy, and I stayed to see the Maynes at their homecoming. It is weird to see the Elders and Hermanas again. It feels like they are out of context. But I was so happy to see presidente and hermana Maynes and hear news from Bolivia. I posted a few of the pics on my facebook if you want to take a peek.
Enjoy the sun.