Hello Oregon!

This last week has been a week of mixed emotions.  I am excited to start my mission but at the same time, torn about leaving my family.  I have the most supportive and loving family.  I value all they do for me.  I love each of them beyond measure.  They bless my life!  I am so grateful for my eternal family.

I spent the week preparing and organizing my room and belongings to leave for my mission.  I did laundry and made decisions about what to take with me and what to leave behind. 

All of my family came for Sunday dinner and as many as could, came over every evening for dinner.  They took turns bringing the food so I could spend my time getting ready for departure early Friday morning.  I got as much family time as possible and I cherished every second.  

My brother, John Terry, came on Thursday.  He drove with me to Eugene and will fly home next Thursday.  We left about 7:30 Friday morning.  

We thought we would drive for 6-7 hours and stop for the night.  It was snowy and rainy through SLC, Ogden and past Brigham City but the weather improved and the roads were good.  We ended up driving clear to Bend, Oregon.  We had a nice dinner there and a good night’s rest.

I got up and walked along a path beside the Deschutes River.  There were some snow flurries but it cleared up and we left Bend with sunshine and partially cloudy but blue skies.  

Walking path along the river

Walking bridge across the river

Wall art

The weather forecast in Bend and in Eugene was for cloudy skies with possible rain.  Having never been on the road before, neither of us considered that we would need to cross the Cascade Mountains.

Countryside as we drove toward and into the Cascade Range

We got a BIG surprise as it began to snow as we drove deeper into the mountains.  Within just a few short minutes we were on a snow packed road.  John is an excellent driver and the other drivers were being cautious, never-the-less, it was a nail-biting hour drive over McKenzie Pass.

(McKenzie Pass, elevation 5,325 feet, is a mountain pass in the Cascade Range in central Oregon in the United States.  The pass is named for Donald McKenzie, a Scottish Canadian fur trader who explored parts of the Pacific Northwest for the Pacific Fur Company in the early 19th century.)

The road crossing the pass

We stopped at a country store and ran into Big Foot.

I liked this cool covered bridge across the river

We arrived in Eugene around 3:00 and after settling into our hotel, we went to Outback for dinner.

The daffodils, forsythia, and budding flowers/leaves are beautiful here in Eugene.
These pansies and other flowering plants were by the entrance to our hotel.

I enjoyed hearing and learning from our prophet and leaders during conference this weekend.  I was especially touched by President Nelson’s talk Sunday morning.  I loved the way he encouraged all of us to become more charitable (loving, forgiving and Christ-like) in our communications and interactions with EVERYONE in our lives.

I am going to endeavor to follow his words of admonition and to follow the example set by my Savior.  I love my Savior and I love my family and friends.