Jessica Charters

Can I just say I am sooooo excited for the next two years of my life? Jerusalem and a mission? Is this real life? I feel blessed beyond measures and I just cannot wait to start my adventures!

Here is a break down of my too good to be true life:

- Finish up a great fall semester with the best roommates alive. I mean honestly I feel like these girls are my family. They have been such a blessing in my life from the day we moved in and I know we all needed each other for one reason or another. Love them. It will be hard to leave this December.

- CHRISTMAS BREAK!!! I may or may not have listened to Michael Buble's Christmas album at work today. The second I could wear a jacket I pulled out the ol' Buble! I cannot wait to spend this time preparing for Jerusalem, filling out mission papers, being there when my cousin/best friend Elizabeth gets married, and just enjoying Arizona.

- Jerusalem, Israel. As the time slowly approaches that I get to leave I get SO excited. My hearts just longs to be there already! I started a Jerusalem board on Pinterest so yeah, it's getting real. Hahah. But really, it's coming up and I can't say too much more than I JUST CAN'T WAIT!!

- Paris. My parents are picking me up from the Jerusalem center and we are going to spend a few days in the Holy Land (which I am already so excited to be able to show them and share with them all I will learn) and then a few days in France. I AM LIVING THE DREAM. Is this real life?!?

- A MISSION!!! It's awesome to see how the Lord works because for me and a lot of other girls missions have been in our hearts and on our minds for the past few weeks. I have always planned to serve a mission but I could not figure out why the feelings and promptings to prepare were becoming more frequent and strong when I still had 2 years to wait. Regardless of my questions I listened and took a mission prep class instead of Living Prophets. This decision along with many others directed by the spirit led me to know that I need to serve a mission and it needs to be soon after Jerusalem. I cannot wait. Whenever I get in a discussion about the change of mission age (which happened quite frequently today) I almost start to cry because it has been so neat to see how the Lord has prepared not only me, but so many other young women to serve at this time. It has been such a testimony building. The Lord knows what He's doing and He loves us and He needs us. He needs me for a specific mission, at a specific time. I cannot wait to live my dream and serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

Then in two years I will back to Provo, Utah to finish up my degree of Communications Studies, which actually isn't a major anymore sooo I'm going to be the only one in my classes. Actually I'm hoping I'll be able to just do research with professors to finish up my requirements. How fun would that be?! And such great experience too. So pretty much even finishing up at BYU will be an adventure!

Ahhh, life is sooo good right now. Life always has its ups and downs but this is definitely an up time. Not to say I won't have any hard times in the next few years. I know I will, but that's the great thing about the gospel. I know no matter what happens it will be for a reason and it will be an experience for me to grow from. Looking back at hard times I can already see why I needed to go through them and I'm so grateful for the good as well as the bad times that have got me to where I am today.

We have a loving Heavenly Father and He knows us and loves us and will bless us as we do what is right! I cannot wait to live my life starting today!