Risen from the Ashes

{photo from mormonnewsroom.org }


Risen from the Ashes

December 17, 2010 - I am finishing my last semester at BYU and packing up the last 4 ½ years into my car, almost ready to make the trek home. My sister, Emily, who has just finished her first semester at Utah State, is coming down with me to be home for the holidays.  We leave the Enclave Apartments in the evening. I drive down University Ave and point out the Tabernacle to Em, telling her how cool it was to go stake conference and see the beautiful interior. We sleep at one of Emily’s friend’s houses in Cedar City and plan to head out early the next day.  

 Friday morning I receive a text from my cousin, Matt, who is still up in Provo, telling me he's at the Provo Tabernacle with dozens of people watching it burn and says I should come over with my camera.  I share the news with Emily and her friend – we are devastated.  The Tabernacle was blocks away from where I lived during the second half of my BYU days. I had attended a Stake Conference there the previous year and loved the history behind it.  The news gives a bit of an eerie feeling to the close of my journey at BYU.

{photos: Deseret News} 

January 2011 - Figuring out post grad life begins. A few days after the Rose Parade, my grandma falls at her home and needs more care.  It is definitely a hard week for the Reed Family - we take shifts staying with Grammy at the care facility, while my mom and her siblings work out how they will care for their mother in her own home.  

{It was a hard realization that comes to all adults in time; watching someone strong you've looked up to for so long finally age and be so fragile, and seeing my mom burdened with caring for a parent.}

  A few weeks later, Em returns to Logan for her second semester of classes.  Only a couple of weeks go by, and she begins to have some struggles with her health, so my parents decide to bring her home.  It is very hard and mind-boggling for me to see my sweet, young and healthy sister struggle with sleep, anxiety, and emotions.  I feel completely helpless, and I know she does, too.  My amazing parents are understanding, patient, prayerful, and faithful. 

Labor Day Weekend, 2011 It's the last weekend I have with my family before I enter the MTC (Missionary Training Center). We decide to spend time down in Orange County, and I feel very torn and heavy. My heart is breaking to the point where I ask myself, “Will Emily get better? Things don't seem to be better yet.  Will she have a balanced life and go back to school?”  I even think, “Should I even be going on my mission when I would be leaving my family while my mom has to take care of my sister and my grandma?” 

         I pray a lot that day.  I pray for strength and faith that Emily will get better, that my family will have help and that I will have the courage to serve my mission with faith that everything would be alright.

         September 23, 2011 -  I leave the MTC and enter the Provo Mission to wait for my Visa for Argentina.  It's pretty weird serving near where I have just finished studying! But I sincerely enjoy getting to know the latino families South of Campus. 

October 1, 2011 - My companion and I have the opportunity to watch General Conference at our Bishop’s home with our investigator who has just told he wants to get baptized!  So it's already an exciting morning.

And then the news comes-  a lot of members’ favorite part of announcements given at Conference – temples!  President Monson made a special announcement:  (Play at 3:00)

There is a jubilee all throughout Provo in the following weeks. You can feel it in the air, and when we pass the Tabernacle the following day, we see children's drawings and white flags hanging from the gates.

I receive many letters from Emily. She is hands down the best pen pal, and I cherish all of her letters! 

One P- Day (preparation day) soon after conference, my companions and I go to the Distribution Center to buy some things.  I begin to chat with a sweet lady while she checks out our purchases.  She says, 

"Isn't it amazing that the tabernacle will be a temple?  I love it because it's also a message of the Atonement.  The tabernacle was forgotten and abandoned for a while - many did not believe it would be restored and would eventually be torn down. But it wasn't forgotten and will be turned into something greater, while still keeping its original frame! We at times feel like abandoned tabernacles; we have pain and bad experiences, and unfortunately sometimes feel like others or even the Lord has forgotten us. But that is not true! Through Christ, we can rise from the ashes and be made into temples!"  

 I instantly thought of my sweet little sister, who probably feels worn and broken.  She needed to hear this.  In my next letter, I tell her the simple yet powerful symbol that lady shared with me that day.  I say, 

"Emie - we are all temples! The Lord knows our pain thanks to the Atonement, and he is building us up into this beautiful palace. I know you are thinking positive thoughts - I can see it in your letters.  But I know there can be days where you feel frustrated or lonely or you don't know where your life is going. I definitely felt that in January when I was fighting with my self to figure out what I was supposed to do after BYU.  Heavenly Father is looking out for you, Emie, and so are Mom and Dad! The Lord is placing you in this situation for a reason - and after this trial you will be able to look back and understand why this all had to happen. "  

November 15, 2011 - I'm flying to Argentina.  So unreal, it's finally happening!  My district teased me unceasingly that I would be stuck in Provo like another Elder who never got his Visa to Spain.  I am grateful for the refiner's fire Provo gave me so that I could kick butt in Argentina. 

Thanksgiving Day, 2011 - I get a phone call from my mission President during our personal study.  He tells me that Grammy passed away.  I knew it was coming, and although it is sad to hear, I feel so much peace and relief to know that her suffering is over.  It is intriguing to know how trials offer opportunity. I know that Grammy's last months of life spent in bed gave Emily the chance to serve someone while she was in an obstacle of her own.  She played music for her, read, and spent time at her side, which I know helped Emily feel love and strength. 

{They are together now in heaven!} 

Service is an amazing piece of the refiner's fire.

2012 

- As the months go by, I begin to hear through Em's letters that she is attending institute, and taking classes through BYU Idaho's Pathways Program! I am elated to know she is studying again and loving it.

 - Later on, she is hanging out with my dear friends at G7 (the best singles ward in the world) and serving as a ward missionary! 

Our family is forever indebted to the loving and inspired leaders and friends in the Glendale 7th ward - Bishop Price, Brother I, Bishop Hansen, and Brother Frost {who has recently passed}.  You are all heaven sent. I am also so thankful for all of our extended family who gave Em constant love - we have the best family! 

April 2013 - I fly home from my mission and am greeted by the most wonderful welcome party, fit with Argentine & American flags, little faces that aren't as little as I last remember them, and big hugs. 

Emily has been flourishing in Pathways and is months away from starting her first semester at BYU in June! Prayers are answered! I remember pleading at night as a new missionary in Provo for Em to enjoy all the wonderful adventures I had enjoyed - school, friends and social activities in a singles ward.  I am overjoyed that she got them all

and more!

Hands down, The BEST blessing from serving my mission is seeing these opportunities restored to my sister. 

But that's not the end!

Fast forward to today - Emily and her husband, Colby, live in Provo, just a mile away from the Provo City Center Temple, where they have been called to serve as ordinance workers, and will serve with the Temple Presidency, which includes my mission president and his wife! WOW.

I love this gospel. I am grateful for the symbol of the refiner's fire that was given to me and my sister.  

Every time you look at that brand new temple, remember that you are not abandoned.  The Lord knows your trials, and will give you strength, no matter how hopeless it may seem.  So keep going, have faith in yourself and press forward. And then one day you will see how far you have come, thanks to the healing powers of the Atonement, given to us by our loving Savior, Jesus Christ. 

- xoxo hill mill 

Risen from the Ashes 

Today I was inspired by the light by many people around me, which has in turn helped me shine my own light.  My heart feels so full, that it's hard to put into words what I experienced.  Instead, I'll have my first ever gif speak for me.  (If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many can a gif speak?)

{Rise Festival, October 2015.  Quote by Marianne Williamson}. 

do good and care not to whom

An Italian proverb for an Italian landscape I once held with my own eyes. 

What I love most about this image is the softness of the details, or better yet the lack of detail, so it exemplifies an oil painting.  I wish I could say it was intentional, but knowing my younger self who took this photo almost 7 years ago, I was probably too excited to adjust my settings for focus or shutter speed.  I stumbled upon the image a few months ago and was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it, when at the time I finished my journey I probably was frustrated with it.  {Which goes to show you that sometimes if a piece of your work doesn't satisfy your expectations at first,  walking away from it for a moment - or a few years - can refresh your senses and find the beauty in it. } 

I found these words on a card that belongs to a deck of many wonderful quotes, which I display one by one in the display holder they came with, alongside my bed.  The cards are only a 2 1/2 in square; always providing a simple yet striking message in a dozen or so less amount of words. 

I find myself contemplating over the simplest of phrases, that can easily prod us to remember what is most important. 

mission posts moved to new blog!

I've moved my posts from my mission to this url :

 http://hermanamillerinargentina.blogspot.com

It's been almost two months since I've been back, and I should update this thing! 

 I'll just say that initially, being back was a "beautiful mess" as Jason Mraz would say. 

And though I still find myself in situations that make me think one of the following: "This should be normal but I feel so weird"  "Is this what it's like to have amnesia?" or "Woaaa.. technology.."  I am embracing the amusing process of "normalizing" and just going with it. 

wave hello again

By the time you read this I will have been set apart as a missionary. 
Gosh, that sounds so surreal and far away from now... it's really only three days from when I am now writing this.  


After Sunday, August 28th,  I discovered that I hate goodbyes.  I choose to use that word sparingly. I don't hate a lot of things in life, and it's comforting to know that I am sure I will not be able to find a decent human being who would love saying goodbye to the ones they love.  So I will say it again:  I hate goodbyes. And doing it over, and over, and over again on Sunday evening and again on Thursday evening and this weekend was really hard for me.  


I may or may not have scripted my desired goodbyes in my head; crafted careful phrases to express how I feel about those who helped raise me, helped teach me, loved me, shared adventures with me... 
and those choice words flew right out the window when the moment arrived.  I could not manage to form any other words except, "Thank you" or "I love you!" or "I will miss you SO much" and I may or may not have said more than once, "I want EVERYONE here to come with me to Argentina!" 


SO. In my efforts to redeem myself from my sad inability to express how I feel when I wanted to, and to wipe away the tad feeling of possibly not sounding genuine because I was lost for words when I last saw you, I am solving everything by not calling these moments "goodbyes".  They are what I will call "momentary partings."


In many cultures where Spanish is spoken ¡Adios! {literally translated to mean "Go with God." Cool, right?} is used less often than ¡Hasta luego! or ¡Hasta pronto!, or my favorite ¡Chau! which mean "Cya later", or "Cya real soon!"  or "Ciao."  

And that is how I feel about all of you.  This is just a momentary parting, not a goodbye forever.


"And if you never stop when you wave goodbye
You just might find if you give it time
You will wave hello again"




I ran on the San Clemente beach while listening to this and I couldn't help but post all of the words.
And no, I did not come up with a reason just to be able to mention my favorite John Mayer.  Nice try.  

Wheel by John Mayer

People have the right to fly
And will when it gets compromised
Their hearts say "Move along"
Their minds say "Gotcha heart"
Let's move it along
Let's move it along

And airports
See it all the time
Where someone's last goodbye
Blends in with someone's sigh
Cause someone's coming home
In hand a single rose

And that's the way this wheel keeps working now
That's the way this wheel keeps working now
And I won't be the last
No I won't be the last,
To love her

And you can't build a house of leaves
And live like it's an evergreen
It's just a season thing
It's just this thing that seasons do

And that's the way this wheel keeps working now
That's the way this wheel keeps working now
And you won't be the first
No you won't be the first
To love me

You can find me, if you ever want again
I'll be around the bend
I'll be around the bend
I'll be around,
I'll be around
And if you never stop when you wave goodbye
You just might find if you give it time
You will wave hello again
You just might wave hello again

And that's the way this wheel keeps working now
That's the way this wheel keeps working now

You can't love too much, one part of it (repeat then fade)

I believe that my life's gonna see
The love I give
Return to me
I believe that my life's gonna see
The love I give
Return to me
I believe that my life's gonna see
The love I give
Return to me 

sundays are the prettiest days

Today I 

Saw a huge rainbow while driving home from church 

Laid down on the grass in the backyard and watched the clouds 

Danced in the rain with my sister 

It was a sunny kind of rain - but the sun was setting, so the clouds were bright pink and orange! 

There was another rainbow, amazing! 

My last Sunday home. What a beautiful day! 

Laura & Austin - wedding video

Check out my last project before I head off! 

On August 13th my friends Laura & Austin got married in the Newport Beach temple and had a beautiful reception at the South Coast Collection.  I probably will never see another wedding like it!  Everything was perfect, from the weather to the location to the food and music - but especially the two happy families that were constantly having fun and laughing throughout the day. 

Enjoy! 

1st camera & editing - hillary nicole

2nd camera - lars lindstrom 

mission prep 101.7 - music for the soul

I have recently acquired a nice little pile of CD's that I will be taking along with me on my mission. 

{Courtesy of my buddy Jake}  Included is a wide spectrum of what may or may not be allowed for me to listen to while I am serving {some mission presidents are more strict than others}.

I have yet to listen to all of them, but so far I have discovered that I now possess songs from: 

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir - beautiful! 

The Prince of Egypt Soundtrack - chills 

EFY music - memories 

Josh Groban - so talented! 

Spanish Hymns - ¡para practicar! 

And I just now rediscovered one of my favorite gospel albums while browsing on my dad's old MacBook.  That's right gospel. As in Hallelujah! gospel. 

I may or may not burn a CD to listen to on my way to church next week. OH and bring on my mission.

Once upon a time, before my rock solid video iPod died, I would listen to Gladys Knight and her choir on Sunday mornings.  And usually these listenings were by myself, so I was free to sing as loud as possible with my wannabe gospel choir voice.  I do remember having my roommate Alyssa listen to it while we got ready for church in the morning, and I think she liked it! She very well may have just been trying to be polite. I will never know.  The best connection I had with someone else and this album was while studying abroad in Italy.  The back of our bus was the grooviest thanks to these soulful songs. 

Crossing my fingers that my president will feel the same!  Whether or not, you should consider listening to this album.  Especially Come Come Ye Saints - it's like MoTab meets The Lion King! 

enjoy the little moments

These past few Sundays have been really great ones.  I don't know if it is because we had incredible speakers and testimonies or if it's me trying to hold on to everything about G7 before it escapes me. 

Last Sunday during Break the Fast I received some really valuable missionary advice from my friend Charan.  He told me there will be hard days, no doubt about that. He said he got stuck in a rut at one point and his companion helped him turn his attitude around once he started to enjoy the little moments. He said time will fly and you will have a blast as long as you find fun one day at a time. 

I am a huge fan of that mentality!  

I have a newer notebook where I write down the little beautiful things that happen everyday. 

Some of my favorite small moments as of recent: 

people watching at the South Pasadena Farmer's Market

watching my friends learn the Lindy 

Riding a mustang at Griffith Park with my family

holding little Callie in church 

I also had videos from my dad's iphone to post here, but they didn't work. (help?!)

what makes me happy? swing dancing

Tonight I went swing dancing (east coast and lindy hop) with a whole bunch of friends from my ward at a place called Lindy Groove in Old Town Pasadena. 

Let me tell you - I was beyond excited to go because it had been two years since my last visit and I was looking forward to see how my friends would like this different scene. 

Long story short, they are hooked.
Glad they finally understand what I have been loving all of these years! I must admit, I have been keeping this love tucked away for awhile with my recent work schedule and my other love for temple nights and salsa dancing.

Cat, you missed out!  And all you other G7 readers... you're next too.
You may get bit by the jitterbug and like it. 

I will never stop loving the groove of the lindy hop.

We were also privileged to see this amazing performance: 

{The video was filmed earlier this year at Camp Hollywood}

Dancing makes me happy. 

Dancing to old music makes me happy. 

Dancing with cute old men who have great style makes me happy. 

Dancing with guy friends who are just picking up Lindy Hop makes me happy. 

and watching my friends get caught up in what feels like a time warp back to the 40's makes me really happy : )

one month

I have one month left before I leave for my mission!

It is starting to sink in.  Every time I am with my cousins, playing games with my family, or hanging out with ward friends I become really nostalgic and sentimental thinking back about all of our good memories we've shared.  I am going to miss everyone so much. SO so much.  I wish I could bring everyone along with me so I could share this wonderful experience with them! As of now I have three friends who would like to sneak into my suitcase.  Any more takers?  

I thought that around this time before my mission I would feel a little panicked about all the things I need to buy and tasks I must complete before I leave.  Instead I just feel this great need to just be with the people that I love.  Unfortunately there is not enough time to have nice long heart-to-hearts {as I like to call them} with my favorite people. But I am doing as much as I can as I am now done with work {except for one really exciting project - shooting my friends' wedding this Saturday! woot!}

18 months. A year and a half.  September 2011 - Spring 2013.  Wow. 

I am trying to imagine what Argentina will be like. I daydream about it often:

Answering people's questions about Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormon, and the temple.

Speaking in Spanish 24/7 {I can't wait!}  

Eating steak with chimichurri sauce.  

Having a companion. 

Watching people's lives change. 

Service. Non-stop service.

Talking to anyone and everyone on the street or bus.
Living in a modest apartment with unreliable appliances, 

killing cockroaches, 

and praying to never encounter large furry spiders.  

{Don't worry, I've already had a nightmare about that.}

Steak.

Walking in the rain. 

{Call me silly, but I love the rain. I am convinced that I will still love it after walking in it constantly on my mission! You can hold me to it!}  

Steak. 

Keeping my artistic hunger satisfied with cute sister missionary outfits, hair accessories, and hair styles. 

{This girl is about to become the girliest she has ever been. Get ready!}

Dulce de leche. 

Walking on a dusty trail beside a corral of horses. 

Gauchos.  

Kids speaking in "vos".   

Pronouncing words with "y" "ll" or "rr" with "j"/"sha".  

Seeing miracles happen everyday.  

I am starting to think what it will be like when I see my little cousins in 2013. How many inches will they grow?  Will they have lost all of their baby teeth?  Will the littlest ones remember me?  

And my sister!  My buddy Brandon was teasing me the other day and said, "What if she got married while you were gone?" I didn't laugh. I got kinda freaked out at that idea.  Em, don't even think about it. 

And my G7ers - will they still be there when I get back?  Will a lot of them "graduate" and be married?  {I have a guess that two of my girl friends will be engaged soon : ) }  Will they go on to get master's degrees?  Will they move?  Will they get amazing grown-up jobs? 

  I know a lot will happen while I am gone, but I am looking at all of this as a exhilarating, breath-taking adventure into the unknown for everyone! 

Newport Temple, with my parents, Emily, and my cousin Heather after receiving my endowments. 

surfer girl

Ride the Wave

This weekend provided me with a big metaphor, and I felt that I should share it with you.

I am a huge fan when it comes to beautiful motifs I find repeatedly within a brief moment in time.  To me it feels like a gentle whisper from the Spirit, reminding me that Heavenly Father is not only looking out for me by providing me this beautiful message through nature or life, but he is also speaking my language.  I am learning that the Spirit is this amazing tool that speaks in specific ways to specific people and will speak to us depending on how we are listening, what level where are at, and what environment we are in! 

  Late Friday night my friend Liz and I decided to go for a walk by the beach near where we were staying.  We discovered that the San Clemente Pier does not close until midnight, so we ventured out onto the long wooden platform that stretches out into the dark waters. Yes, it was creepy looking, but rest assured there was a surprising amount of young people and families walking around, fishing, and taking pictures considering the time of night.  When we reached the very end of the pier all we could see was pitch black.  On the edges of the coast, southward and northward, we could see the city lights stop abruptly at what seemed to be a black wall.  Below us we could barely make out the outlines of the breathing ocean; its swells moving up and down, the ripples of coming waves moving slowly toward us, under the pier, ultimately breaking onto the shore.  I had never seen the ocean in this way before!  Liz shared this amazing analogy with me. She said something along the lines of, {I wish I could remember word for word!} "I was near the ocean one time and I started thinking about my life and certain unexpected changes and challenges I have gone and am going through.  I looked out and thought of this.

The ocean at night is this amazing metaphor: You can only see so much ahead of you into that darkness, just like the future.  We just have to trust God because he can see everything, and even though we don't know what kind of wave is coming, we must remember it will be beautiful because it is comes from Him!"

Then today another metaphor hit me, and it made me even happier because I could tie it into the first! 

Sister Price, our bishop's wife, made a remark to all of us after Gospel Doctrine class.  She stood up and said, "Please know that Bishop and I love you very much.  How do I know that the Bishop loves you so much?  How can a 64 year-old man be able to stay in the water all day and keep pushing out girl after girl on their surf boards?  I don't know how except for he does it because he loves you." Bishop and ten other dads from the La Cañada ward put together the 2nd Annual Relief Society Surf Day at Dana Point yesterday.  It was my third time ever surfing, and Emie's second time {she did it back in eighth grade!} and we were lucky to have the Bishop help both of us.   Sister Price's words helped me realize that in life we have amazing leaders, fathers, mothers, older and wiser and more experienced people who are there right behind us, yelling "Keep paddling!!!" and don't ever leave us alone in the ocean, or in life for that matter!  My parents are right behind me with my choices in life.  They say, "Don't give up!" when I feel frustrated about jobs, social conflicts, and even dating.  Sometimes Bishop gave us girls a push on a board to catch the wave, but after we got the hang of it, we starting catching our own waves! Even still, our "Surfing Dads" were still there when we returned once more to give us tips if we asked for it.  The best part of the surfing day was seeing Bishop's thumbs up and big grin after I finally caught a bigger wave on the shorter board.  "You did it Hill!  You figured it out!" as well as hearing other girlfriends and leaders on the shore cheering.    Great metaphor, right?  

We are surfing through life.  We might have a different board than someone else because we are going through different experiences. We don't all catch the same waves, but oh, when we do it is one beautiful moment! To be able to share the same struggle or even a triumph with a friend is a blessing; a cherished and special moment because we know almost exactly what the other is going through.  Francesca Ricci and I caught one or two of the same waves, and we couldn't help but laugh and shout cries of excitement as we were riding the wave simultaneously.  

(I took this in 2007 at T Street!  That's San Clemente Pier in the background)

I must say that after surfing all day and watching amazing surfers along the pier Saturday evening really got me thinking about wanting to surf consistently when I get back from my mission.  There is so much more I can add to this metaphor, but I will let you experience it on your own the next time you are on the waves or by the beach.  

Here's a great quote from a surfer at the end of Jack Johnson's "Breakdown"on the September Sessions album:

"I think one of the big lessons you learn about surfing is how to operate in the present. That's really what the entire foundation of the surfing experience is."

Take a deep breath, 

keep paddling, 

and don't look back.

Remember: it's going to be one sweet ride. 

(I don't think I took this picture, I just found it in one of my photo albums. Credit to, Em or Cara?)

UP

I think I became a bigger fan of this wonderful Pixar Production after I discovered I will be making adventures of my own in South America. 

It's been ages since I've been able to cross any films off ofmy list! 

I finally saw Evita all the way through. The history is really quite interesting, though I wish there was more dialogue to explain more specifically what is all going on.  Musicals can only be so historically rich because they want to still entertain you!  I wish all movies about Argentina could be this beautifully shot.

I've only seen bits and pieces of this from film classes, and I caught the first hour last night while Dad was watching it. 

The young Christian Bale is pretty talented.   

And I'm watching this right now.  What is it about cunning sneaky criminal films that gets me going?! 

The music, the main titles!  I should watch Ocean's again, now that I think about it.... it's been too long. 

heather's engagement photos

Skip over to  hillarynicole.com  to see some photos I took in May of Heather & Austin for their engagement. 

Ok, okok, one sneak peek: 

mission prep 101.6 - how to get a Visa

Here involves one of the craziest conglomerate of steps I will probably ever execute in my life.

I have never re-read directions so many times or triple-checked, no, quadruple-checked my work as I did for obtaining my Visa for Argentina.  

I will say that this could have been worse - I am grateful for how short the lines were and for every employee who helped me with a smile! That was the most surprising because I was preparing for a DMV/Jury Duty-esque  environment. 

Take a big breath. Brace yourselves.  Ready?  

1.  Obtain a Passport (done and done back in 2009!)

Scan in every single page of your passport and e-mail to the Church.

Make two black and white copies of your photo/signature page of your passport

2. Obtain a Police Letter of Good Conduct 

A notary must be present. There is no notary on site at my city's PD, so I had to have a notary meet me, which costs extra. 

Location:  my police department 

I have a clean report!  Who would've thought?

3.  Obtain 2 copies of Certified Birth Certificates

Location:  East Los Angeles 

(In order to request a birth certificate, I read online that I needed to get a notarized certificate of identity.  Turns out I only needed that if I was doing this by mail! Oh well, better to have done more than necessary, right?) 

4.  Send the Police Letter and Birth Certificates to the Secretary of State to request apostilles for each document. Write a cover letter explaining your need for these documents for a Visa for Argentina.

What is an apostille?  It is an authentication of a document that another country approves. Basically I have to prove to Argentina that I am a real citizen of the US/California and that I am not a criminal.  Who knew it would take 100 miles of driving and over $100 to get signatures and papers with seals to prove it?! 

I discovered I needed an extra step.  Instead of mailing my documents to Sacramento's Secretary of State office, I wanted to do everything in person in the DTLA office so I could get everything done in the same day and decrease any chance of anyone misplacing these valuable papers.  In order to do this, my notarized Police Letter needed to be authenticated by the county clerk!  I was worried I needed to go back to the LA County Registrar in East LA where I obtained my birth certificates (which were printed with the county clerk's signature), but after more research online and calling the DTLA office I discovered I needed to go to an office in Norwalk.  ? 

New step:  Take the Police Letter of Good Conduct to have the notarized signature authenticated by the county clerk. 

Location: Norwalk

(Isn't a notary already authenticated?? Oh geez...)

5.  Take 4 color professional photos, cut 1.5 x 1.5 inches 

You must wear missionary attire.

Do not smile, do not wear glasses.  Right ear must be showing {awkward chuckle}.  Move hair if necessary.

paperclip photos to passport 

Location:  First the Post Office.  They were too expensive and could not zoom out to compensate for the smaller size. They suggested AAA.  They were extremely helpful and gave me 6 photos for half the price! (They let me keep the test run)

And no I am not posting them here. 

Oh - almost forgot - because AAA also could only make 2 x 2 inches, I had to go home and cut them myself. I discovered that there was not enough head room, so I scanned, uploaded, and slightly shrunk my photo to fit the dimensions.  I wonder how someone would be able to complete these steps if they didn't have photoshop?  

This is all the driving I did in one day with my Mom.   I had already received my birth certificates a few days prior with my Dad in East LA. 

 1.  Norwalk for county clerk signature. 2. Downtown to the Ronald Regan building to request apostilles. 3. The temple's distribution services to get what I needed before going through the temple {and that my friends, is a post for another day. In short, we are going to be ordering online from now on, or trekking out to Upland if necessary.} 

I sent the following items in a big envelope to Salt Lake:

My actual passport (I was nervous about that)

My awkward photographs

2 black and white copies of my passport

2 Birth certificates with attached apostilles 

1 Police Letter of Good Conduct - notarized and county clerked and apostilled

I must admit, as educational as this was, I never want to be this stressed about paperwork again. 

If anything is wrong or lost, I will be. . . more than a little peeved. 

Update:  ahaha.  I just called Salt Lake and my photos did not pass the test because they were not clear enough!  The lady in the office also told me that the requirements changed - my photos can be a traditional passport photo, meaning I can face forward and it can remain 2x2 inches!  Oh goodness!

I just have to laugh at all of this : )  I am glad that I have the resources and time to do everything. 

Argentina, I hope you're happy with this wild goose chase I am running for you!