Cousins Reunited

Jarren, Justin Jordan and Jackson Baker have always been like brothers to me. We have grown up seeing each other every week of our lives. Some of my favorite childhood memories have been with the Baker boys, and I will always remember our time together over the years.
From June 30th to July 25th, Justin, Jordan and Jackson came and visited us in Guadalajara. I was able to to spend a little bit of time with them when I went to Salem for a visit in March, but it had been a long time since we had spent quality time together. We had a great time hanging out together, just like "old times". Even though we had been apart for six months, we picked up right where we left off. We had some good times over the three weeks they were here. Jarren and my Uncle Tim are coming with the mission team from Bethany Baptist Church on August 8th, I am super excited to see them too. (Only two more weeks!)
One thing I have realized by moving to Mexico is that even though I live 3,000 miles away from my friends and family, my relationship with them can still grow. Between the phone, Facebook, e-mail and AIM, I am always talking to my buddies from the States. I thought that when I moved here to Mexico, as much as I didn't want it to happen, I would slowly lose all my friends and not be as close with my family. To my surprise, I have been proved wrong. I have become more close than ever with many of my friends in the past 9 months. And seeing that the Baker boys and I are just as close as ever was really encouraging too. Yes, I do wish that I could still spend time with my friends and family in Salem every week, but I can't. I still know though, that I can be close with them, and our relationship can still grow. Being a Missionary takes a lot of sacrifices, but I am willing to make the sacrifices so I can serve my Savior.
Thank you all for showing me that you still love and care about my family and I even though we live so far away. I can live here not having that many close friends and not being able to see you guys very often because I know that God will always be with both of us. No matter how far away we might be from each other, and no matter how long it might be before we see each other again, we can still be close and our relationship can still grow because God's love is in both of our lives and He ties us together. That is a connection that we will always have, and no one can break that relationship.
I love you guys!

Mi Primer Blog en Español

¡Hola Todos!
Hace unas semanas estaba hablando con una vecina y dijo que debo hacer un blog en Español. Mi Español todavía no es perfecto. Entonces no se pueden reir si entiendes Español y ve todos mis errores. He estado aprendiendo Español desde Enero de este año. He estado estudiando mucho, y he aprendido mucho en los meses pasados. Mi familia y yo cambiamos a México en Diciembre de 2007. Cuando cambiamos aquí, no sabia ninguna frase o palabra en Español menos frases como "donde esta el baño" y "taco" etc. Mirando que sabia de Español en Enero y que se ahora, no puedo creer tanto he aprendido. Pero, todavía tengo mucho trabajo y practico hasta mi Español es perfecto. Creo que hablando en Español es el clavo para aprender Español bien. Cada noche voy afuera de mi casa y jugar fútbol o algo asi con los chicos que viven cerca de nosotros. Ese tiempo cada noche es donde practico mi Español normalmente. Es muy chido por que puedo mejorar mi Español mucho platicando con mis amigos aquí en nuestra colonia.
En tres semanas mas o menos un grupo de joveness de mi iglesia en los estados unidos van a venir aquí a Guadalajara. Se van a quedar con nosotros por nueve dias. Mi primo Jarren y una de mis mejores amigas, Hannah se van a quedar una extra semana conmigo. No han visto mis amigos en Oregon desde Marzo, y les extraño mucho. Estoy muy emocionada verles pronto. Ahorrita tres de mis primos, Justin, Jordan y Jackson estan aquí en Guadalajara quedandose con nosotros. Ha estado muy bien que mis primos estan con nosotros otra vez. Para mi, son como hermanos y cuando mi familia no estan con su familia, les extrañamos mucho.
Okie-dokie, allí esta mi primer blog en Español. No es nada muy especial pero yo lo hice. =)

Summers at the Fireworks Stand

Hot summer days, rook games, foot long subs from Winco, sleeping in parking lots, yelling with cardboard signs in our hands on the sidewalk, riddles, inside jokes, Jess and CoCo days, creating "art" out of the supplies, throwing wall balls over flags....the list goes on and on of the memories that I have had over the past five summers I have helped out at my youth group's fireworks stand. I have many great memories in my years in Crosswalk, but being at the fireworks stand is definitely one of my favorites. It has been a great way for our youth group to raise money, and the youth always love coming to help out in the tent. This year is the first out of the last five summers that I have not helped out at the tent. Although I miss it a lot, and wish that I could be helping out there again this year, I will always have the memories of the summers I have worked at the fireworks stand.

Sixteen Years of Life

Every one can remember when they were a kid and they would think and dream about when they would be sixteen. They would be so cool and have life all figured out. I turned sixteen this past weekend, and I honestly don't feel any different than I did last week.=) And I sure don't have the rest of my life figured out either. It is really cool for me to look back on the past sixteen years of my life and see all that God has done for me. The friendships I have had, the ways my faith has grown, the things I have learned, finding out how to be the person God has created me to be...the list goes on and on. God has blessed me with sixteen great years of life, and I am thankful for every day.
Even though I wasn't able to celebrate my birthday with my friends and family in Oregon, (or get my drivers license) like I wanted to, I still had a great birthday. I had a party with my friends on Saturday and we had a blast. We went to the mall and took pictures with a bunch of crazy stuff, then came back to my house and made a scrapbook page out of the pictures we took. The next day I had another party with some friends that live in our neighborhood.
Thank you to all of you in Oregon that called, emailed, or thought of me on my birthday. You guys made my birthday all the more awesome!

Faithful Servant

The past twelve weeks, I have been able to attend a missionary teen girls Bible study. We went through a study learning all about what it means to be "His (God's) Girl". God has blessed me in many ways by going to this Bible study. I have learned a lot the past three months! I have grown and been challenged in my faith in many ways. One of the coolest things that God has blessed me with by going to the Bible study is I have been able to make some new friends. I miss my friends, family and youth group in Oregon like crazy, and I was in need of some girl friends my age here in Guadalajara.
Last Tuesday, as we were finishing the last section in our books, our leader had us turn to Philippians 4:4-10. She had us all read the passage by ourselves and then each of us shared with the group what it meant to us. We all had different ways that the passage impacted us. As I read the passage, verse nine really stuck out to me. It says "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
God sent me to Mexico to serve Him. He has called me, and all other Christians to boldly go out and share our faith with the world. If we do this, if we do what God has called us to do, has taught us to do, we will be at peace with Him. With out Christ, there would be no peace in this world today. I encourage you, don't be like Jonah and run away from what God has called you to do in your life. Take what He teaches you and share it with the world. Make a difference by living for Him. That is my goal as I am here in Mexico, to make a difference by living my life for Christ. I want to have the peace of God in my life. Someday when I get to heaven, I want to be able to look into the eyes of my Savior, and hear His voice say to me, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."