Cuppycakes...yum!

So, as I mentioned in my last post it was my sister's farewell this last weekend.  With it being her farewell and all, my in laws went all out, they are truly amazing people!  I am so blessed to have them and to be a part of their family.  So, in wanting to help my cute Mama Jones, I offered to make cupcakes, (she told me to make only about 2 dozen), I was planning on making all of them.  So as I was over there one day I saw on her shopping list that she had ordered cupcakes and I told her that I would much rather make them instead of having her buy them.  Plus, if you ask me, homemade cupcakes are so much better than store bought :) so, after a little discussion or more of me telling her that I was going to make them and that there would be no further conversation about cupcakes.  So, I spent a couple hours on Pinterest, (oh how I love that website) and searching Google for some fun new ideas for cupcakes.  I came up with, Orange Creamsicle with orange creamsicle buttercream, Chocolate Banana with an attempt at doing a pattern of powdered sugar, Coconut Lime with a coconut lime buttercream, Chocolate with an Oreo buttercream, Vanilla with a chocolate buttercream, Strawberry with a strawberry cream cheese and a Funfetti with buttercream.  Let's just say that it is a really good thing that I love to bake, because I was baking all day on Friday.  I made just under 200 cupcakes.  They were so good though!  I didn't frost them until Saturday with one of our good friends who is super talented at frosting!  But here are some pictures of the cupcakes.  I bet you all wish you could taste one, right?

All 169 waiting to be frosted

Me and Tawny, frosting champs!

Sister Kimberly Ann Elizabeth Jones

   So, I know that I haven't posted in quite a long time.  There has been a lot that has been going on since I last posted, if I get the time to actually sit down and type it out I will make an update of what has been going on.  But for now, I'm just going to start with what is going on currently in the crazy, hectic lives of Nick and Emily Jones :D
   So, our pretty awesome and amazing little sister Kimberly leaves on her mission this week!  I am so excited for her.  She has been such a wonderful example to me the last couple of months!  I love her so much, I don't think she quite understands how much I really do love her.  When she first told us that she was planning to go on a mission, it was way back in September of 2010.  Both Nick and I were excited for her, if not a little skeptic, since she still had quite a ways to go before she could even start filling out her papers; but knowing Kimmy, once she set her mind to something she is determined to do it.  So, let's fast forward a year to September 2011, she got her papers and diligently started filling them out and doing all that her wonderful Stake President had asked of her to do.  She couldn't turn her papers in until the week before Thanksgiving, so she had to wait a little bit longer in order to get her call, but I always say that patience is a virtue and makes you stronger.  I was so excited for her to get her call, she received it on December 3, 2011, such an exciting day!  Maybe this will show the excitement we all had for her when she opened her call and read to us where she was going to be serving.

   It seems as if time has just flown by since she got her call.  It's amazing that it is now just a little over a day away.  Yesterday, was Kimmy's "farewell" talk, she did absolutely amazing!  She has such a strong testimony of the Gospel.  She spoke about how we must be bold in our declaration of Jesus Christ!  I was brought to tears by her testimony and how fervently she spoke of serving the people of Costa Rica.  

   I want to share just a part of her talk, it has really made me consider how boldly I am in my declaration of my Savior.  She said, "How will you declare your beliefs of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?  Through quiet acts of charity and service?  Through faithfully attending your church meetings?  Through striving to uphold your callings in the Church?   Through sharing your testimony with members and non-members alike?  There are so many avenues one could take in order to boldly declare the truth of the Redeemer of the World.  Whatever it may be, know that your feelings, your actions, and your testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ have meaning-- even your most simplest of actions could rescue a soul that is yearning for the happiness that the Lord can and will provide.  The Savior wants you to receive His love, and He also wants you to share it with others...strive to love as He loves, with unfailing compassion, patience, and mercy.

   Elder L. Tom Perry stated, "The message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is unlike anything else you will share with others.  In the information age, it is the most valuable information in all the world.  There is no question about its worth.  It is a pearl of great price."  The Lord has promised us His unwavering love, support grace, hope and protection; so what do we truly have to fear?  In Doctrine & Covenants 84:88 it states,  "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face.  I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." OR Isaiah 41:10, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God; and I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

   I want to strive to be a better missionary and boldly declaring the truthfulness of the Gospel!  I also want Kimmy to know how much I absolutely love her and appreciate her wonderful example that she has set for me!  I am so excited for this new adventure in her life and in mine and Nick's.