a letter home from rome

Moving to my new apartment, I came across a letter I wrote to myself at the end of my mission a little over a year ago. This what definitely one of the highest points in my life so far, and it was such a boost to read this lil' letter and check myself [especially after 2015, one of the most challenging years of my life...]. God is good.

December 9th, 2014

Dear [Future] Jessica,

There are a lot of things I learned in my mission that I hope you are still doing. I just spent a year and a half telling people that these simple things will make them happy, and pleading with them to look to God and live. I hope you remember what those things are, but if you don't, I'll spell it out for you:

* If you study/practice anything for 60 minutes per day, you will get pretty good at it! * The only way to learn/maintain a second language is to SPEAK (remember all the whiners at english course that complained about not learning english? It's because they didn't speak ever * It doesn't matter how much of the scriptures you read everyday - but you have to open the book and read a little! The word of God changes you more than anything else * John 12:26-27, Mosiah 24:13-16, Helaman 5:12 * If you're not feeling the spirit, maybe you need to create a more reverent atmosphere and evaluate your priorities * You were divinely ordained to be a mom... it doesn't matter what career you choose, but how you live and standing for what you believe does matter * PRAY ALWAYS. Ask. I get answers a lot by talking it out * Selfish = unhappy. Look around and see who you can help * You will get a lot out of church if you go with the right attitude * If thine eye be single, they whole body shall be full of light * Short and long term goals make a successful person * Shoot an email to those Italians telling them you love them * Temple attendance. AKA remember your covenants. You have a temple(s) super close! Little old Fratello Battezzato is taking a 3-day bus ride from Sicily to get to his! So go! * Mornings are a productive time, believe it or not *

I lived 18 months striving to live like Jesus and to have the Spirit, and I am completely changed for the better. There can always be more good change. So keep up the good patterns. TI VOGLIO BENE. Christ = #1.

Love, Me

because fear is the opposite of faith

give me love - ed sheeran//the way it was - killers//kristofferson's theme - fantastic mr. fox

i liked it

We are not diminished when someone else is added upon. We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed.

Obviously, we suffer a little when some misfortune befalls us, but envy requires us to suffer all good fortune that befalls everyone we know! What a bright prospect that is -- downing another quart of pickle juice every time anyone around you has a happy moment!

Coveting, pouting, or tearing others down does not elevate your standing, nor does demeaning someone else improve your self-image. So be kind, and be grateful that God is kind. It is a happy way to live.

-Jeffrey R. Holland

all my guys

it's that time. all of my guy friends are getting their mission calls.

they're going all over the world, and i think it's the coolest thing ever!

today.

Sometimes when i have a runny nose, i stick tissues in my nostrils so I don't have to sniff. But only when I'm alone, since that isn't really acceptable.

Sometimes the guy at Gandolfo's throws my sandwich at me while I'm not looking. And sometimes my teacher tells the whole class that I have polio. I don't.

And sometimes I learn in seminary that we have colors for the sole purpose of making us happy. I like that.

weekend train of thought.

general conference. i loved it and got a ton out of it. and two things especially stood out to me; totally things i needed to hear.

jenna summed up friday perfectly. and took lovely pictures of it.

this video makes me crave the fall we're supposed to be having (plus some elderly folks).

nicole showed me a little sample of how it feels to be diabetic.

i love cats.

and i quite like a song called trumpets by flipsyde.

sweet virginia blue skies.

here's to a new week full of cool(ish) weather, a new mix on my ipod, and homecoming.

love and stuff

Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount - That is the measure of God's love for you. God does not look on the outward appearance. I believe that He doesn't care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely.

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Read the rest here.

girls camp yo

I kind of went to camp with this attitude:But remember how the Grinch's heart grows three sizes? I think that literally happened to me. Now I feel like I have the strength of ten Grinches (plus two) and my heart is softer. Good thing I went.


Much of it was probably thanks to this girl:

I won't go too much into detail, but meeting Tehiva was probably one of the best things that has happened to me in a really long time. After talking to her about her family situation back in Tahiti and how much she loves the gospel and the scriptures and how sincere she is when she bears her testimony and tells people she loves them made me really want to change and not be a Grinch anymore. She is seriously a rock. She officially qualifies as one of my heros.

This year at camp was by far my favorite. Being a YCL is the only way to do it. It was kinda lame that I didn't get to hang out with these guys as much, but it's all good.
I'm not actually that much shorter than Kirsten... I don't think.

I think 1998 was a really popular year to name girls Jessica. Because every other first year was named Jessica. And that's my name. And I finally quit answering to that name because there was only about a 12% chance someone was really trying to get my attention.

We had a huge dance party late at night in the lodge with stellar tunes. And there were no boys there. It was so boss.

We compared tans, of course. I think Valorie is secretly a persian princess. Whater.

I learned that I'm really really dependent on time. There were no clocks anywhere and it made me kinda crazy to not know what time it was all the time.

No make-up. Not to be a princess, but I really missed mascara.

When the bright yellow bird flew into the pavilion doors and died, of course Kirsten and Eryn were the ones to smirk and whisper "Dinner," while everyone else was crying.


All I wanna say is that I finally feel like I know for myself.
I love the gospel.

pirates

I know how the writers of this movie came up with the plot.

Helaman 13: 19