Write to Me!

My email address on my mission is:

hilary.webb@myldsmail.net

I posted it incorrectly on facebook. This is not just lds mail. It is MY lds mail.

My address in the mtc is:

Sister Hilary Ann Webb

JUN 20 AUT-MEL

2009 n. 900 e. Unit 108

Provo, UT 84602

Much love!

Here I Go!

Well, now that it's been 8 months since I decided to go on a mission, and five months since I got my mission call...

It is finally my turn. 

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

And I am surprisingly calm. Like, I feel really normal.

Since I've spent a lot of the day packing, I've been thinking about the things each of us carry. What we decide to bring, and what we decide to leave behind.

I have always been a light packer. When you go on a mission, you're allowed to pack two huge suitcases, plus one carry-on suitcase and one backpack. Each suitcase can weigh 50 pounds.

I packed everything I can think to pack (11 outfits, even though they told me to bring 6-8) and I still only have one suitcase. It weighs 23 pounds and could probably fit about 11 more outfits.

The more things you own, the more things own you.

I have another suitcase I could take and I could easily fill it with STUFF. But the thing is... I am actually really excited to leave all of my STUFF behind and focus on what really matters to me.

Of course, it is hard and scary to leave my family behind, especially since I don't really know when all eight of us will be together again. But we are BFFs. It feels like we are running out of time together, but that is not possible.

I had a wonderful "last" weekend with my family and friends. I got to go to a really fun concert in a beautiful place...

....and I came home late at night to find that the tradition of stealing the balloons from seminary graduation is alive and well.

We sold my car, which is a huge blessing and will help cover the cost of my mission. Between that and extremely generous surprise contributions from LOTS of family members, both Abbie's and my missions are all but taken care of.

I helped out at the elementary school carnival so I got to see my baby sisters running around like crazies.

I went swimming with my sisters, which is one of my all-time favorite activities and something I won't be able to do for a while! These two always think of the funniest things to do in the water and had me laughing all day. Plus, we stopped at the taco truck on our way home and I realized how much I have taken the taco truck for granted all this time. What if I can't get tamales in Australia!

Anyway. I also went to the RSL soccer game with my family, which was a ton of fun.

Rachel was recognized during halftime for being in the top 2% of students in Utah, or some ridiculous thing like that. I am so proud of everything she's done and excited for her to graduate... the day after I leave.

Today my dad made Abelskivers for dinner just for me, and Lauren, Rachel and I went on a sunset walk in the mountains.

It was so gorgeous and peaceful. When we were standing in this tall grass, we saw a deer leaping through the field right in front of us. Beautiful!

We came home and watched one of my favorite movies, The Endless Summer. I am pleased to say that the last two movies I watched before going to the mtc were both surfing movies.

Tomorrow I'm taking my baby sister to the zoo and then I'm going to the Salt Lake temple and visiting a few friends. I've been promised a firepit and sparklers after getting set apart on Tuesday night. And then the next morning my family will take me to the MTC!

I feel good! I can't wait to get started and find out why everyone loves being a missionary so much.

I've made a lot of plans during my young life. Some have worked out, some haven't. And I think the reason why this plan feels so right is because it wasn't my plan at all.

PEACE AND LOVE!

Here's to never growin up.

SIX MORE DAYS.

So...every day I just try to find mini adventures to go on with family and friends.

We love playing racquetball together.

And hiking! Now is the perfect time for Adam's Canyon because it has so much water right now! Lauren likes to scale rock walls rather than stay on the trail.

We also had a random Ogden adventure day. First we went to this sketchy, creepy swap meet, which I don't have pictures of because it was that gross. Then we went shopping around Union Station on 25th street. I love that part of Ogden!

And finished up with a picnic by the water in Ogden canyon.

Oh, and we had to hit up the fountain shows at Station Park that night too.

For the rest of Memorial Day weekend, some friends and I decided to pretend we were on vacation. We stayed in the Plaza next to the temple downtown. It was so much fun!

On Sunday night we walked around Temple Square and through some parks...

...and got to go up on the roof of the Conference Center. I loved it!

We did some night swimming and a midnight dinner at Denny's which was a little sketch...AKA we saw someone getting arrested. It's fine.

And then we had a dance party on top of Alexa's car on the roof of our hotel. It's how we do. I love these gals.

In the morning we took another swim....this is what it looks like when the sun is up...

We just loved living in a hotel.

We walked to the French bakery for breakfast....also known as where I want to be buried.

We explored a little and then shopped at City Creek. I'm going to miss these ladies so much!

This week I spent some time with one of my favorite people...

...and yesterday my Mom and I decided to have an Art day downtown. We went to the Museum of Contemporary Art which was so much fun. If you haven't been there....they have a film from 1980 called Attack of the Brine Shrimp. So it's basically a must.

Also some screen tests Andy Warhol did and that is pretty classy.

Mom and I went to the library, and then walked to this sculpture garden. Yes, that is a sculpture of the sphinx with Joseph Smith's head. This is what my mom and I do to bond.

We ended our day back at the cathedral...I just keep going there because I think it is the most beautiful building in the city. I mean the temple is nice but look at that color!

I'm just soaking in every moment of my last few days at home!

22 Acts of Kindness

Last year I made a goal to spend my 21st birthday doing 21 acts of service. But then I was traveling on my 21st birthday. So I thought, I'll do it on my 22nd birthday. But then I decided to go on a mission. 

So then I thought...why wait to be kind? 

So on Thursday I began my quest!

1. Write notes to family members.

I decided to write notes to each person in my family, telling them my favorite things about them, and I left them on the microwave for when people woke up.

2. Clean the kitchen.

My mom was pretty excited about this one. I cheated and did it the night before because no one can get up earlier than my mom.

3. Mail a thank-you note.

My grandparents gave me a LARGE pile of money recently and they're really nice so it was the least I could do.

4. Leave change on vending machines.

I left quarters on a bunch of the machines at Smith's, including this claw machine. 

5. Take flowers to the cemetery.

This one was a bit more time consuming since I had to drive to Ogden, but I'm glad I included it.

6. Help a lost dog.

This was never on my list. When I got to the cemetery, I was on the phone so I got distracted and started walking the wrong way. There was this dog following me around, but I barely noticed it because it wasn't following too closely. But then some of the groundskeepers of the cemetery started following us both around. "Is that your dog?" I shook my head no, still on the phone and walking around in circles when I realized I was in the wrong spot. Finally, one of the workers walked up to me with a leash and said, "I'm sorry, the dog really likes you and he's not responding to us. Can you get him for us?" Easy peasy. The dog had a collar so I hope his person finds him! 

7. Surprise someone at the nursing home.

This was probably my favorite one of the day! I took a bouquet into the nursing home and asked if there was anyone having a bad day that needed some flowers. The receptionist was really sweet and told me of someone who didn't have any family around and would be out of her room for a while. I wrote her a note and left the flowers on her bed. 

8. Thank the mailman.

Luckily Rachel never goes to school anymore so she was there for the next few service moments. We made muddy buddies and left some in the mailbox.

Later we found this! Who knew our mailman's name was Ron?

9. Take a treat to our Bishop.

Our dad was the Bishop for seven years, so we know how much Bishops deserve a minute to relax and just eat some muddy buddies.

10. Temple work.

Rachel came with me to Bountiful and she did baptisms while I did initiatory work. You can read about why the temple is a place of service to me here.

11. Be a courteous driver.

Done.

12. Donate clothes to the women's shelter.

No matter what, I always have clothes in my closet that I never wear. And I can't think of anyone who deserves them more. 

13. Leave encouraging notes around town.

Everyone needs a pick-me-up. I decided to leave "Take What You Need" signs in store bathrooms and in parks. You can read more about the "Take What You Need" project and download the poster here.

14. Write to a missionary.

No problem.

15. Be nice to nature.

We have a pretty little reservoir within walking distance of our house. And it needs some love. Rachel and I picked up a lot of trash, including but not limited to, cans, pizza boxes, and socks. 

 

16. Donate children's books.

I wanted to get the little kids involved in one of my projects. The three of us went through their books and decided which ones were a little too young for them now. Hannah and Janie donated 45 - FORTY-FIVE - books!

They were pretty excited about it even BEFORE McDonald's gave them free ice cream for donating.

17. Leave heads-up coins on the sidewalk.

For little kids to find! 

18. Share family history.

Last week I got to talk with my sweet Grandma about why she decided to join the church. I recorded what she said and typed it up, and I then I sent it to my mom's siblings. Stories matter!

19. Surprise random children with ice cream.

Lauren and I went to visit Rachel at work at Pace's. I paid for three ice cream cones and had Rachel take them to some little kids there who were with their grandparents. Rachel said they were pretty excited!

20. Support music education.

This was never on my list either. The day before this, Lauren asked me to go with her to the junior high concert. "I have to go and I don't want to go alone!" I said, "Lauren I don't have time! I have to do 22 acts of kindness!" I am sometimes ridiculous but it usually doesn't take me long to realize it. Doing something you would rather not do because you love the person who wants you to do it with them is an act of service. 

And a pretty easy one when you have a Reese's shake from Pace's with you.

21. Leave packs of gum in family members' cars.

Because everyone loves gum.

22. Donate to the Red Cross.

Originally on my list, I wanted to give to Kiva, which I still think is a great idea and can be looked into here.

But because of the tornado in Oklahoma, I decided to give to the Red Cross. You can do that in about 60 seconds here.

That makes 22! A very happy unbirthday to me!