Turn and face the strange.

Changes. Turn and face the strange as David Bowie would say. I would like to announce to all my loyal blog readers (mom?) that the LDS church has had such an inpouring of missionary applications, that they have had to add 58 missions.

Just let that sink in for a moment…

FIFTY. EIGHT. MISSIONS.

As far as I’m concerned, this is historic. Just in Washington alone, two missions are being added (hollah at me Federal Way and Vancouver). Not to mention seven in Brazil. The brand spanking new Santos and São Paulo West will be the ones effecting me, in the São Paulo South Mission.

Come on! Give me the new mission maps!

Beginning July 1st, these missions with their new mission presidents will be opening up and some missionaries will be reassigned. As far as my assignment goes, I could either stay in São Paulo South, or be transferred to Santos or São Paulo West. So many options!

Check out the new missions! All 58 of them!

Honing my inner Better Crocker.

While waiting anxiously for my departure to Brazil, I have been honing my inner Betty Crocker and baking my little heart out. If you know me at all, you know I lo-uh-uh-ve trying new recipes… even if they’re not always a success. I also tend to have a terrible memory when I’m in the kitchen. Rumor has it, I forgot to put the flour into a pineapple upside-down cake once. But, I don’t believe that story for a second (no matter what my father says)!

Lately, I’ve been trying to compile a recipe box of recipes that are tried and true. Meaning they have been perfected by either myself or my mother and are what we consider to be perfect. This is a daunting task, but a fun one. I recently attempted making French Macarons (one of the most temperamental foods I’ve ever baked). They were successful, but nowhere near recipe box worthy though. All in good time.

Today, I baked coffee cake. Something I have tried many times before, but finally nailed it today by adding sour cream to my recipe (who knew?!). Supposedly, the sour cream makes it… moist (sorry for using that word). Served best with a steaming, hot mug of coff–err–hot chocolate, of course.

YES. Into the recipe box it goes… Future generations, you are welcome.

Here’s a picture of the end result:

It was a hit with the fam bam. Pa said, “It’s edible”, which in his language translates to, “This is pure perfection.” Don’t believe me? It was gone in less than six hours.

Making important promises.

Yesterday was a big day. I went to the Portland, Oregon Latter-day Saint Temple for the first time, in preparation for my mission. Here, I learned many important things and made promises that will help me to become the best person I can be. In other news, I report to the Brazil MTC in 80 days. Huzzah!

NOTE: To learn more about LDS Temples, click here! (remember: they’re not secret, they’re sacred.)