Finally a first word!!

So I finally heard from Elder Barnum!! He made it safely to Brazil!! His P-days are on Fridays so I thought that was strange, but I'm just fine as long as I get to hear from him :) So I found out that I cant send him packages while he's in the MTC :/ He'll be there until January, so his Christmas presents are gonna have to be late. I was all nearly done with his package too. I decorated the inside of a box with wrapping paper and so far I got him a Card, a tie with saying "Stay "tied" up in the work". I got him some Rice Crispy treats which he absolutely loves, as well as some tissues because that boy is always blowing his nose ha. and some other things but yea. Life is so crazy!!! Its easy to be fooled on what the right priorities are, school, work, and money for rent seem pretty important, but we cant afford to get lost in these things. Standards, god, family, and endless study is way more important than any physical thing we obtain here on earth. My dad always told me the three basic things in life are 1. Religion 2. Eating healthy and exercising and 3. staying out of debt which to me seem like a great code to live by but I'd like to add a 4th element and thats love. Nothing is greater than everlasting love. God has it for all of us and thats why we are here in the first place and I want to follow that example. Elder Barnum is doing great justice by serving the lord. I love this life I have, all the stress and lack of sleep included :)
See you soon!!!
~Ashia

Tomorrow it begins!!!!!!

Tomorrow is the day my elder, will be leaving to Brazil for the next 24 months for his LDS mission. I have to admit I'm both majorly excited, and nervous. I haven't even went one day not talking to him for the last four years!! Yes you can say that things change fast, but time also goes by fast. It seems like a long time for now, but in the grand scheme of things its no time at all. If anything is worth waiting for its him. I'm not quite sure what to expect, but I know its going to be hard.
I saw him for the last time in two years yesterday. He lives back home in southern Utah, while I'm up north going to school. We've learned after having to not see each other so much, that goodbyes just don't feel right. All we can say is "See you soon", and boy does that have more comfort than goodbyes.
I'm so excited for him in this time of his life. He's gonna learn so much. As my loving father would say, A mission is the one time in your life when you only have one thing to focus on. The rest of your life, your worried about school, friends, work, making a living and many many other things (as we all know). So really live in the moment and cherish whats going on around you, though it will be hard, the goal is simple, Obey and Love. Obey and love..... How amazing is it that there are young men and women out there doing that?! Just imagine how the world would be if we all did that. Even just love. They are pushing away any selfishness, leaving friends and family for two years, and learning to love strangers. In so they are obeying the lord.
So to my Elder, I'll see you soon!!!!