Sister Packer y Elder Hall

 First date since being home was superb. Not as scary as I thought, thank you Zachary Hall.

We did a sweet painting on a canvas we bought at DI. We combined his mission and mine. Ecuador is the foreground with the monkey and little houses in the jungle, then it transitions into the space needle and all my pine trees, mountains, and water front.  It turned out pretty darn good I must say, I was proud of us.
*Also, funny side note, we didn't have some key tools for painting (water cup & pallet) but a water bottle, pocket knife, and a handful of leaves improvised perfectly. :)



I love talking about my mission and hearing about other's experiences on their mission. What was super cool was to talk to someone who had known me so well before the mission and who I had known so well before his mission. The change was so real! Holy smokes! What was super cool is that it was a change, but it was still Lydia and Zach, we were just improved versions of our previous selves. It is a beautiful thing how Heavenly Father molds and shapes his children. We are his works of art, actually to be exactly correct, we are "his work and his glory".

Gems at DI, seems like a flawless plan to me

Paid to Chalk

Back at it again! What a great blessing that one of my first job opportunities that came up week 1 of being home was doing something I loved and missed! It was fun to be able to do a little piece for this wonderful school that Chalk the Block will be raising money for this year. The kids that came up and talked to me while I drew were so sweet and cute. Bre and Dad stopped by partway through and Bre helped me fill in the grass and sky, she's quite the talented little blender. :)

Week 1 Home Thoughts

*a little note I sent to my missionary friends still in the field*
Coming home is wonderful! I don't know how it is in your mission, but among a lot of missionaries I've talked to it seems to be the culture that if you are not weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth about your mission coming to a close you didn't love it enough, or you weren't consecrated enough. I'm here to tell you that is a myth! And a lie of the adversary. The process of finishing my mission was a very spiritual one for me where it was like Heavenly Father had a checklist for all of the things he needed Sister Packer to do and learn while in Seattle, and as I got closer I could feel it shrinking and coming to a close. Until the moment I took off the tag, it was like marking off the last task on the to do list. It was satisfying and gratifying and wonderful. There are people and things I miss from the mission, but it's not a constant pain in my heart like it is for some RMs. If anything, my mission taught me to trust Heavenly Father's plan and timing. He had my back as a missionary and he has it now. That is my testimony, and my experience so far with week 1. We'll see what this next week brings. :) 

Jensen Wedding

It was a beautiful thing to be able to attend a sealing in the temple two days after being home. I'm so grateful for sweet Abbie inviting me to see her and Caleb be sealed to each other for time and all eternity.  There was divine planning in everything that has happened this first week of being home. Heavenly Father has kept me really busy and really optimistic about what's next in my life.

Sweet Abbie has been such a blessing in my life. She is Jessie's BFF and has shaped both of our lives for the better, broadening our perspective on life. I will forever be grateful for my little seestor Abigayle Hall.

RM moment of the night was the dance, oi my body was just not wanting to move and groove to the apostate music haha. I forced myself onto the dance floor though and jammed out.

Escalator Moment

I'm home from my greatest adventure yet. What a blessing to be greeted form my fun bunch. I love my family, it felt right and it felt good to come home. I'm so grateful for my 18 months in Seattle, what a gift from my Heavenly Father.

At various points in I think everyone's mission you think about what your "escalator moment" will be. If you will be sad to leave, relieved, happy, all mixed up, etc. My moment was beautiful. It felt like accomplishing the hardest thing I've ever done with those I love at the finish line. I was just so happy. Happy with my mission, happy with my home.